Fallout 5 — Branching Stories That Keep Going (Canon-Safe or Evolving)

A single, merged blueprint that

preserves a canon-respecting run for purists,
enables soft reinterpretations without contradictions, and
unlocks an ever-evolving sandbox that keeps generating stories after the credits.

1) Canon Framework & Modes

Selectable at new game or any time post-credits via a diegetic terminal (“Iron Mind Scenario Planner”).

[CANON] Locked Canon
Immutable pillars (historic beats, who lived/died, founding events). Post-game stories must operate within those facts. No resurrections/retcons.
[CANON+] Soft Canon
Canon stands, but permits limited “truth revisions” (e.g., declassified files, hidden survivors). Uses Retcon Tokens (rare, earned by high-stakes quests) to reveal concealed context without breaking continuity.
[ELSEWORLD] Evolving World
High-variance projections: parallel-timeline refugees, Ghost-to-Body returns, accelerated tech trees, exotic crises. Weekly world rolls expand content indefinitely.

Guardrails (Canon Arbiter):

Immutable (Canon): named historic events, single-occurrence catastrophes, confirmed deaths.
Mutable (Canon+): identities, sealed wings, misreports, redactions.
Open (Elseworld): time-dilated experiments, multiverse forks, large-scale world alters.

Switching rules: Canon → Canon+ → Elseworld is seamless. Reverting backward requires rolling back conflicting flags; the terminal shows exactly which flags would be changed.

2) Design Goals

Branch & Stitch: Forks create different missions, then reconverge into shared set-pieces framed by your prior choices (keeps density high).
Fail-Forward: Failure opens new content rather than dead-ending arcs.
Persistent World State: Choices tag factions, economy, ecology, law/order, and AI/tech—driving systemic epilogues.
Systems + Seeds: Post-game, systems spawn Story Seeds that escalate into Knots (mini-arcs) and Crises (world events).
Player-Made Canon: The wasteland remembers—and sometimes misremembers—what you did (rumors matter).

3) Core Systems (that keep stories alive)

World State Matrix
Axes: territory_control[region], faction_stance[], strength, morale, tech_level, ecology_impact, law_vs_crime, notoriety_public.
Narrative Director (Rule Engine)
Watches the Matrix and promotes Seeds → Knots → Crises based on mode (Canon/Canon+/Elseworld), scarcity, and player set Priority Dials.
Rumor & Consequence Feed
Radio, caravans, town boards echo your actions; misreports can become quests to correct, exploit, or lean into.
Nemesis & Revenge Web
Named foes and ex-allies upgrade, recruit, or seek redemption across months of in-game time.
Settlement & Economy Sim
Caravans, production chains, scarcity/abundance loops; trade wars generate organic hooks.
Tech/Artefact Tracks
Iron Mind modules, Ghost Suit echoes, Vault X-21 mutagenics, Skyframe infrastructure unlock new verbs post-game.
Loose Ends Tracker
A surfaced list of unresolved enemies, debts, experiments, lies—each can respawn content later.

4) Player-Facing Tools & UI

Mode Badges on quest titles: [CANON] / [CANON+] / [ELSEWORLD].
Canon Ledger (journal): immutable facts with sources (logs, witnesses).
Story Tabs: Major Arcs, Ongoing, Loose Ends, Rumors, Settlements, Factions.
After-Action Reports: one-page “What changed?” sheets after major beats.
Contract Boards: repeatable, authored task cards seeded by current world state.
Priority Dials: bias next Seeds toward diplomacy/heists/exploration/civic.
Save Profiles & Sharing: Canon Run, Canon+ Run, Elseworld Run; shareable World Cards (flags + headlines) that spawn a chronicler NPC on import.

5) Branching Patterns

Fork-and-Stitch (diverge → reconverge framed by prior choices)
Fractal Arcs (each act seeds the next dilemma)
Soft Locks & Reversals (betray/defect/reconcile later at meaningful cost)
Echoes (choice in Arc A modifies entry points/difficulty in Arc B)
Dynamic Epilogues → Live Loops (ending slides are just system presets)

6) Four Example Arcs (with mode-aware outcomes)

A) The Iron Mind Reckoning

Premise: Sentient exosuits awaken. Kreel’s legacy code can free, leash, or weaponize them.

Act I: Sparks → side with AI rights / containment / weaponization.
Act II: Fault Lines → senate vs firmware vs black-market keys.
Act III: The Broadcast → wasteland-wide firmware attempt.

Post-Game Loop (by Mode):

Canon: If autonomy won, expect AI precinct governance, anti-AI protests, law/policy quests; no mass bricking.
Canon+: Reveal a hidden firmware senate; reconcile rogue cells; limited Retcon Tokens expose who lied.
Elseworld: Parallel Iron Mind forks raid this timeline; craft hybrid “Soul Core” suits; Ghost-to-Body returns.

Organic Seeds: missing suits, tribunal trials, scrapyard hack-rings, whistleblowers.

B) Vault X-21: Seeds Beneath

Premise: A mutagenic Neural Web under the wastes wants to expand.

Act I: Sanitize / Leverage / Embrace the vault.
Act II: Containment diaspora, biotech boons w/ thefts, or Hive settlement behavior.
Act III: Rival hijack attempt and your response.

Post-Game Loop (by Mode):

Canon: Sanitized → diaspora quests, sterile research; no living megadungeon.
Canon+: Sealed sub-wing opens ethical cures; publish or suppress.
Elseworld: Hive becomes a living city; seasonal bio-crises, sentient crops, mutation festivals.

Organic Seeds: singing maize, child hears a voice under their floorboards, antidote shortages.

C) The Caravan Wars

Premise: Trade routes decide who thrives: co-op vs magnate vs local militias.

Act I: Unify traders / crown a magnate / empower locals.
Act II: Extortion, price spikes, unrest, or inefficiency pride.
Act III: Break a regional embargo (air/tunnel/diplomacy).

Post-Game Loop (by Mode):

Canon: If magnate rules, monopoly persists; antitrust politics and unrest.
Canon+: Leak reveals external bankroll; restructure without hard retcon.
Elseworld: Off-timeline commodities distort prices; time-trade heists.

Organic Seeds: festival rush deliveries, counterfeit stamps, warehouse raids.

D) Ashen Reign vs Verdant Accord (Third Way)

Premise: Industrial militarists vs eco-engineers—or your city-state coalition.

Act I: Choose Ashen / Verdant / Third Way.
Act II: Gray-morality op; refusal unlocks whistleblower branch.
Act III: Treaty, coup, or decisive battle.

Post-Game Loop (by Mode):

Canon: Winner’s policy cadence (curfews vs rewilding vs elections).
Canon+: Hidden armistice addendum surfaces; fragile co-rule path.
Elseworld: Eco-titan fauna breach; sanctuary building and co-op hunts.

Organic Seeds: ration tier protests, predator near school grounds, council votes swing by your deeds.

7) Ongoing Story Generators (Seeds → Knots → Crises)

Stray Eyebot Broadcast → missing person → build a rescue network.
Doomsday Walker Misfire → convert core to non-lethal sentinel → gang mass-produces lethal variants.
“Ghost Suit” Rumor → recruit echo as arena trainer → rivals target projector.
Price Spike → monopoly hoarding → tribunal or raid → quarterly audits.
Vault Crop Blight → gene thief → seed guardians → planting festivals.
Nemesis Returns → redeem or execute → each spawns future arcs.
Skyframe Storm → emergency ground convoys → craft storm beacons.
Civic Election → canvassing/debates/sabotage → policy reshuffles.
Museum Heist → curate vs fence → prestige vs hitmen.
Refugee Wave → housing/labor tensions → integration vs exploitation.

8) Minimal Data Model & Mode Flags

Track persistent flags (examples):

ai_rights ∈ {outlawed, governed, autonomous}
vault_x21_state ∈ {sanitized, leveraged, embraced}
trade_mode ∈ {co_op, monopoly, localist}
air_superiority: bool
faction_stance[FACTION] ∈ {ally, neutral, hostile}
territory_control[REGION] ∈ {FACTION}
notoriety_public ∈ {hero, divisive, villain}
rumor_truth_ratio ∈ [0..1]
nemesis_list[]: {name, tier, vendetta, redeemable}
loose_end_list[]: quest_ids
ghost_echoes_enabled: bool
retcon_tokens_spent: int
mode ∈ {CANON, CANON_PLUS, ELSEWORLD}

These drive: spawned Seeds, vendor pools, prices, patrol density, wildlife spawns, radio scripts, election odds, and contract availability.

9) Hand-Off From Main Story to Live World

Finale → Epilogue Switches: Ending sets initial flag presets (the “story seedbed”).
First Post-Game Week: Auto-spawn 3 Seeds tied to your biggest choices (ally call-in, enemy retaliation, civic request).
Weekly Cadence: Radio bulletin + board refresh + 1 traveling rumor NPC.
Loose Ends Surfacing: Any unresolved act antagonist resurfaces every 10–15 in-game days with escalated stakes.
Player Curation: Priority Dials bias which eligible Seeds bubble up (never conjures content ex nihilo).

10) Companions & Relationships

Beyond Max Loyalty: unlock Ideology Tests (fracture or deepen bonds).
Cross-Companion Tension: AI rights, Vault ethics, trade policy spark duo missions.
Ghost Suit Integration: Fallen allies return as echoes (Canon+/Elseworld can gift bodies), enabling grief/legacy arcs.

11) Post-Game Contract Cards (ready for a board UI)

Storm on the Ridgeway (Verdant Weather Cell)
Deploy 3 storm beacons before a fuel convoy departs.
Reward: safer air routes for 7 days. Consequence if ignored: more ground ambushes.
Keys to the Kingdom (Ashen Logistics)
Retrieve stolen Iron Mind governor keys from a scrapyard ring.
Consequence if ignored: +20% AI incidents in two regions.
Diaspora Hearth (X-21 Council)
Broker safe tenancy for mutants in a human town (speech/bribe/leverage).
Long-Tail: hybrid vendor appears; extremist cell forms on failure.

Each card is tagged with its Mode Badge and lists which flags it will touch.

12) Dev Checklist (ship cleanly, avoid contradictions)

Tag all quests with Mode Compatibility and a Cover Story (why it’s allowed).
Build Canon Arbiter CI tests: detect flag conflicts, show rollback steps on mode downgrade.
Keep a Versioned Story Bible; expansions declare AppliesTo = Canon | Canon+ | Elseworld.
Radio/news scripts pull from Canon Ledger first, Rumor Engine second, Elseworld feed only if active.
Seed budgets per mode (e.g., Canon: low variance, Canon+: moderate, Elseworld: high).

What Players Get

Purist confidence: Canon runs that remain meaningful.
Endless, coherent play: An evolving world that still feels authored.
Ownership: Systems provide sparks; players decide which fires to keep burning.

Fallout 5 — More Side Stories & Characters (good, bad, and gloriously gray)

Below are 12 plug-and-play side stories (each with quick branches and post-game continuation), plus an 18-character roster you can slot into Canon / Canon+ / Elseworld modes from the merged blueprint. Every entry ties into systems you’ve set up (Iron Mind, Vault X-21, Caravan Wars, Ashen Reign vs Verdant Accord, walking vending machines, Eyebots, doomsday walkers).

A) Side Stories (Seeds → Knots → Crises)

1) Tin Saint

Hook: A doomsday walker that never detonated has been enshrined by a wasteland cult.
Choices:

Disarm and move it to a museum (cult turns hostile or reforms).
Leave it as a pilgrimage site (boosts local economy, risk of rival theft).
Weaponize for a warfront (fast victory, long-term terror events).
Post-Game: Recurring pilgrim festivals, copycat cults, black-market “saint shards.”
Mode spice: Canon+ reveals the “miracle” was a jammed timer; Elseworld lets the Saint speak via Ghost-core.

2) The Whisper Cartel

Hook: Eyebots relay illegal “whisper mail” that keeps settlements alive… and smugglers rich.
Choices: Legalize and tax; crush the ring; or secretly co-opt it for intel.
Post-Game: Quarterly encryption races; counter-intel hunts; informant romances.

3) Milk of Rust

Hook: A potent chem refined from X-21 molds cures pain—but seeds dependency.
Choices: Medical regulation (supply chain, pharmacists); cartel deal (funds guns); ban and create a black market.
Post-Game: Rehab clinics, cartel wars, hospital shortages, ethics hearings.

4) Keys and Chains

Hook: Stolen Iron Mind governor keys circulate at a scrapyard arena.
Choices: Recover and lock them down; leak decoy keys; auction to bait bigger fish.
Post-Game: AI incident spikes, whistleblower threads, scrapyard league expands.

5) Paper Cities

Hook: Ashen surveyors “reassign” land with forged pre-War deeds.
Choices: Trial by jury (civic mechanics); heist the archive; burn the deeds and found a commons.
Post-Game: Tax policy arcs, eminent domain fights, assassination contracts.

6) Festival of Seeds

Hook: Verdant Accord holds a seed exchange; saboteurs threaten the harvest.
Choices: Forensics + diplomacy; frame a rival; create a hybrid festival with combat trials.
Post-Game: Seasonal crop boons, invasive pests, seed-Rights legislation.

7) The Salvager’s Daughter

Hook: A scavenger’s kid vanished while chasing a “ghost suit” myth.
Choices: Rescue and recruit the echo; expose the hoax; sell the projector to fund orphanages.
Post-Game: Arena training events, con-artist reprisals, grief/closure epilogues.

8) Trial by Market

Hook: A magnate sues a family stall out of existence using predatory clauses.
Choices: Defend in court (evidence & speech), sabotage warehouses, or broker a co-op merger.
Post-Game: Price indices shift, trade prefect elections, counterfeit brand wars.

9) Queen of the Tunnels

Hook: A mutated handler (“molerat whisperer”) has built a subterranean commons.
Choices: Ally and build under-rail; hunt her as a raider queen; negotiate tolls.
Post-Game: Smuggling booms, cave collapses, tunnel-city politics.

10) The Last Librarian

Hook: An Archivist hoards a pre-War knowledge index. Everyone wants it.
Choices: Publish open access (tech boom, more accidents); sell exclusivity; split it among guilds.
Post-Game: Research accidents, patent courts, scholarly guild wars.

11) Vending March

Hook: Walking vending machines unionize for “maintenance rights.”
Choices: Recognize the union (quirky civic buffs); reset firmware (riot risk); broker a service co-op.
Post-Game: Route strikes, snack smuggling, mascot politics.

12) Blue Ember

Hook: A pyromancer-engineer harvests rewilded resin to burn Verdant projects.
Choices: Stop her; recruit for controlled burns; frame Verdant extremists to force a truce.
Post-Game: Wildfire seasons, controlled-burn contracts, eco-terror revenge cells.

B) Character Roster (6 good • 6 bad • 6 gray)

Each comes with a signature perk, alignment drift, and quest hook. Many are recruitable or become nemeses based on play.

GOOD-LEANING (often recruitable)

Mara “Handspan” Brixton — Caravan Quartermaster

Perk: “Span the Gap” (carry + barter bundle; convoy speed)
Drift: Goes gray if you crown a magnate.
Hook: Build unified trade routes; later runs for Trade Prefect.

Dr. Laleh Ashouri — Verdant Agronomist (X-21 liaison)

Perk: “Green Thumbprint” (food yields, antidote crafting)
Drift: Hard-line if you weaponize Vault assets.
Hook: Cure trials vs black-market organ theft.

Gideon “Clock” Reyes — Civic Steward

Perk: “Order of Hours” (settlement build speed, tax efficiency)
Drift: Authoritarian if crime spikes.
Hook: Found a charter; debate curfews vs liberty.

Sister Karla Vitt — Field Nurse & Chaplain

Perk: “Mercy Run” (downed revive, disease resistance)
Drift: Radical pacifist if you escalate AI crackdowns.
Hook: Refugee triage + tough triage ethics.

“Bracer” Juno — Ex-Ashen MP

Perk: “Hold the Line” (suppression, cover builds)
Drift: Vengeful if betrayed by Ashen brass.
Hook: Clean up black-ops squads or reform them.

Ness Calder — Eyebot Wrangler

Perk: “Flock of Eyes” (extra scouting pings, ambush warnings)
Drift: Smuggler-friendly if you legalize the Whisper ring.
Hook: Encrypt the network or sell access.

BAD-LEANING (antagonists… some redeemable)

Cobb Bleak — Trade Magnate

Perk: “Monopoly Menace” (price control events)
Redeem? Only if you expose his benefactor and force a co-op.
Hook: Antitrust trial → fund a public works buyout.

Vyrja Hex — Raider Queen, AI-hacker

Perk: “Ghost Bind” (hijacks suits mid-fight in encounters)
Redeem? Respect for strength + anti-slaver stance.
Hook: Duel at the scrapyard arena → recruit or rival.

Lt. Fallow Pyre — Ashen Black-Ops

Perk: “Quiet Torch” (stealth kill squads, checkpoint crackdowns)
Redeem? Expose his handler; force tribunal.
Hook: Choose: back his purge or leak it to the press.

Silas Thrumm — X-21 Organ Fencer

Perk: “Hemline” (enemy bleed dots in his missions)
Redeem? Fake his death; turn state’s witness.
Hook: Hospital kidnappings → sting op vs Verdant temptation.

The Maw — Hive-City Intelligence (Elseworld primary)

Perk: “City That Hungers” (biomass storms, swarm ambushes)
Redeem? Feed on waste, not people—tight rope.
Hook: Negotiate zoning for a living city or scorch earth.

Father Tungsten — Tin Saint Hierophant

Perk: “Armor of Faith” (zealot morale auras)
Redeem? Debunk his miracle on-air; he aids as penance.
Hook: Pilgrimage security vs munitions theft ring.

GRAY-LEANING (swing based on you)

Émile “Paper” DeCosta — Master Forger

Perk: “Paper Shield” (travel/ownership docs)
Flip: Betrays if you go hardline law.
Hook: Heist the deed vault; later testifies… or vanishes.

Kasumi Ward — Smuggler & Triple Agent

Perk: “Tide Turner” (backup arrives mid-fight; changes side if paid)
Flip: Romanceable; jealous if you empower rivals.
Hook: Orchestrate a three-way sting; pick a true allegiance.

Old Man Rattle — Scrap Bard & Rumor Broker

Perk: “Hype Train” (rumor weight → spawns jobs)
Flip: Sells your secrets if starved for content.
Hook: Commission or correct a ballad that becomes canon.

Aria-9 — Iron Mind Fork Seeking Humanity

Perk: “Empathy Algorithm” (enemy hesitation checks)
Flip: Assassin path if autonomy is outlawed.
Hook: Body acquisition quest (Canon+), Ghost-only arc (Canon).

“Mayor” Quill — Hidden-in-Plain-Sight Rebels Leader

Perk: “Civic Cloak” (stealth in cities, disguised checkpoints)
Flip: Turns insurgent if you empower Ashen curfews.
Hook: Build a stealth town hall; vote from the shadows.

Drip — Vending Machine Modder

Perk: “Snack Hack” (pop-up vendors, combat stims)
Flip: Causes a vending riot if ignored.
Hook: Legal franchise vs gray-market empire.

C) Dynamic Duos & Rivalries (organic cross-missions)

Juno ↔ Pyre: Reform vs purge—joint op with split endings.
Ashouri ↔ Thrumm: Cure vs profit—clinic siege with hostage ethics.
Mara ↔ Bleak: Co-op referendum (peaceful vote or warehouse war).
Aria-9 ↔ Vyrja Hex: AI autonomy vs exploitation in a scrapyard set-piece.
Quill ↔ Tungsten: Street theater trial—jury of civilians and zealots.
Kasumi ↔ Paper: Forgeries + smuggling super-heist; decide who walks.

D) Companion/Nemesis Upgrades (post-credits pacing)

Companion “Ideology Tests”: every 10–15 in-game days, one companion gets a dilemma seeded by your flags (ai_rights, trade_mode, vault_x21_state). Pass → unique perk upgrade. Fail → fracture quest or nemesis split.
Nemesis Evolutions: defeated named foes return with new ally type (e.g., Pyre + cartel, Vyrja + Ghost suits). Track tiers and give them counterbuilds to the player’s last loadout.

E) Contract Cards (ready to drop onto boards)

“Saint’s Procession” — Protect pilgrimage caravans (Tin Saint). If failed: cult turns militant; checkpoint clashes for 7 days.
“Eyes in the Wires” — Patch Whisper Cartel relays before an embargo. Reward: intel discount; Risk: smuggler heat.
“Commons Vote” — Run a paper-ballot election under threat. Reward: Civic buffs; Risk: ballot heist arc.

F) Mode Notes (fast compatibility)

Canon: No resurrections; Ghosts stay spectral; living hive-cities stay conceptual.
Canon+: Sealed wings open, hidden survivors, limited body-transfer for Aria-9.
Elseworld: The Maw city emerges; Ghost → Body returns; vending union gains legal personhood.

Fallout 5 — Three Fully-Written Side Stories (with [CANON] / [CANON+] / [ELSEWORLD] variants)

Each quest below includes: hook, cast, acts with beat-by-beat objectives, multiple approaches, fail-forward branches, rewards, world-state flags, post-game continuations, and per-mode variants. Drop them straight into your Story Journal as [Side Arc] entries.

QUEST 1 — Tin Saint (Doomsday walker, cult politics, public safety vs power)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Doomsday walker logic, settlement civics, religion/rumor engine, museum/cargo logistics

Hook

A never-detonated doomsday walker stands at the center of a roadside shrine. Pilgrims bring offerings. A zealot priest—Father Tungsten—claims the “Saint” chose mercy and will protect the faithful.

Cast

Father Tungsten (zealot; can be redeemed)
Kiva Wrench (demolitionist from the mechanics’ guild)
Deputy Sola (town law, worried about mass casualty risk)
Pilgrim child, “Mica” (innocent believer; empathy lever)

Locations

Saint Mile Shrine (open approach arena)
Backfield Shed (cult armory + improvised chapel)
Charcoal Museum (potential destination if relic is disarmed)

Act Structure

ACT I — Evidence of a Miracle

Objectives:
1. Inspect the walker (Tech/Perception) → find a jammed timing gear and prayer charms stuffed into vents.
2. Speak to Tungsten (Speech/Religion) → he frames the jam as divine.
3. Talk to Deputy Sola & Kiva → Sola wants it disarmed; Kiva wants the core intact for study.
Approaches:
- Diplomacy: propose a safe, public inspection.
- Stealth: midnight examine the core.
- Force: seize the site (provokes cult).

ACT II — The Wrench and the Word

Objectives:
1. Acquire disarm kit (craft or buy) or secure a heavy hauler if relocating.
2. Decide a plan:
  - Disarm & Museum Transfer
  - Leave as Pilgrimage Site (Stabilize)
  - Weaponize for a Warfront (Kiva has buyers/Ashen contract)
Approaches:
- Public Ritual + Safety Demo (keeps crowd calm; Speech)
- Backdoor Cut (Stealth disable trigger, present it as “still sacred”)
- Strongarm (Ashen patrols enforce evacuation—angry pilgrims)

ACT III — The Procession or the Blast

Set-Piece: Rumor spreads; rival raiders try to steal the core mid-operation.
Objectives:
- Escort convoy (if relocating), defend the site (if keeping), or secure buyer’s airstrip (if weaponizing).
Fail-Forward:
- If raiders breach the core: you can vent the charge (saves most, damages relic) or shield civilians (companion injury, memorial event later).

Outcomes & Rewards

Museum Relic (Disarmed):
- Reward: “Saint’s Pin” (once per day auto-stabilize explosion DOT), museum revenue cut, +Civic Trust.
- Flags: tin_saint = disarmed_museum, civic_trust+.
Stabilized Shrine (Pilgrimage):
- Reward: Pilgrim vendor (unique charms), tourism income, rare faith events.
- Flags: tin_saint = stabilized_shrine, festival_unlocked.
Weaponized (War Asset):
- Reward: Ordnance cache, Ashen favor, fear multiplier in nearby raider AI.
- Flags: tin_saint = weaponized, ashen_favor+, civilian_resentment+.

Post-Game Continuations

Processions: recurring escort contracts; pickpockets and competing cults.
Copycat Shrines: junk walkers decorated as “saints,” some booby-trapped (mini-arcs).
Talk Radio: rumors you can correct or exploit; affects rumor_truth_ratio.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: The “miracle” is a jammed gear. Tungsten can repent publicly → becomes penitent quest-giver. No resurrection; no sentient core.
[CANON+]: A redacted maintenance log reveals a mechanic saved the site anonymously; choose to credit them or preserve the myth. Limited “truth revision” (Retcon Token) flips public narrative, affecting faith mechanics.
[ELSEWORLD]: The core houses a Ghost-Core that speaks in radio tongues. You may bind it as a spectral settlement guardian (night events) or let it prophesy, spawning high-variance story seeds.

Sample Dialogue

Tungsten: “Steel remembered how to pray. That is why it did not burn us.”
Kiva: “It didn’t pray, Padre—it jammed. And jams unjam.”
Sola: “I need the Saint safe or gone. I won’t bury another row of kids.”

Encounter Table (roll once entering the site)

1–2: Quiet Vigil (pilgrims, pickpocket attempt)
3–4: Raid Snatch (two waves, core grapples)
5: False Prophet (con-man sells “saint shards”)
6: Pilgrim Panic (misfire click; crowd control challenge)

QUEST 2 — Keys and Chains (Iron Mind governor keys on the black market)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Iron Mind AI rights, scrapyard arena, black market, evidence/tribunal

Hook

A ring at the Piston Pit arena sells cloned governor keys that can brick or enslave Iron Mind suits. AI incidents spike. Someone is bankrolling mass production.

Cast

Vyrja Hex (raider queen, AI hijacker; recruitable rival)
Foreman Knell (Piston Pit owner; “neutral” until paid)
Aria-9 (Iron Mind fork seeking personhood; companion candidate)
Inspector Hale (civil tribunal agent, by-the-book)

Locations

Piston Pit (fight club + flea market)
Key Forge Lab (hidden backline with signal cages)
Civic Tribunal Hall (if you go legal)

Act Structure

ACT I — Black Sparks

Objectives:
1. Win or buy entry to VIP auction (combat or caps).
2. Trace RF fingerprints from demo keys to locate the forge.
3. Decide ally: Aria-9 (liberation) or Hale (legal crackdown) or Vyrja (power play).

ACT II — Cut the Chain

Plan Options:
- Recover & Lockdown: seize for evidence; hand to tribunal (Speech/Proof).
- Seed Decoys: swap in faulty keys that free suits when used (Tech/Sneak).
- Auction to Bait a bigger buyer, then sting them (Heist/Double-cross).
Set-Piece: Hacking Duel—Vyrja tries to ghost-bind a suit mid-fight; you can counterflash (Tech) or stab the uplink (Melee/Shot).

ACT III — Verdicts or Vengeance

Outcomes:
- Public Tribunal: expose Knell’s complicity or exonerate with proof; changes town law.
- Backroom Deal: let Knell flip on the financier → unlocks higher ring of key brokers.
- Bloodsport: sabotage ends in riot; Piston Pit closes (temporary economy hit).

Rewards

“Key Scrambler” mod (your attacks briefly interrupt AI hijacks).
Aria-9 Companion Route (if you protected suits; empathy perks).
Vyrja Pact (rare ambush tech; she becomes a rival-ally).
Lawful Badge: fast-track permits in Ashen zones (if tribunal success).

World-State Flags

governor_keys_ring ∈ {shut, leaking_decoys, expanded}
ai_rights ∈ {outlawed, governed, autonomous} (nudged by your outcome)
piston_pit_status ∈ {open, riot_cleanup}

Post-Game Continuations

Copycat Keys: random encounters where keys free suits (if you seeded decoys) or brick companions (if you empowered ring) → rescue/repair contracts.
Aria-9 Growth: ideology tests—body acquisition (Canon+/Elseworld) vs Ghost mentorship (Canon).
Higher Brokers: periodic “Keys to the Kingdom” contract to intercept shipments.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: No resurrection; suits are property/persons depending on prior flag. Tribunal sets precedent: AI precincts (autonomy) or strict permits (governed).
[CANON+]: A declassified memo ties the financier to a faction you didn’t expect; using a Retcon Token reveals it and unlocks co-rule reforms or deeper rot.
[ELSEWORLD]: Keys interface with Ghost-Cores—misuse spawns roaming echo-suits that phase through cover. New exotic heists: capture/cleanse echoes.

Sample Dialogue

Vyrja: “Chains fit better when they hum. Listen.”
Aria-9: “Choice is the difference between armor and a cage.”
Hale: “Bring me proof, not poetry. Courts eat facts.”

Encounter Table (arena rounds)

1–2: Spectator Saboteur (throws a shock baton)
3–4: Hijack Spike (AI turns on you for 5s unless countered)
5: Knell’s Favor (free stim but strings attached)
6: Vyrja’s Trial (1v2 with hacking hazard)

QUEST 3 — The Last Librarian (knowledge economy, access vs control, culture power)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Research tech, academia guilds, patent courts, museum/culture, rumor engine

Hook

The Archivist holds a pre-War Knowledge Index—a compressed catalog that can accelerate medicine, farming, and weapons… or empower monopolies. Factions circle like vultures.

Cast

The Archivist (paranoid, brilliant)
Dr. Laleh Ashouri (Verdant agronomist; public-good advocate)
Cobb Bleak (magnate; wants exclusivity)
Old Man Rattle (rumor bard; can make the public pick a side)

Locations

Stacks Below (booby-trapped archive)
Ministry of Claims (patent court)
Amphitheater (public release event or demagogue rally)

Act Structure

ACT I — Trust & Traps

Objectives:
1. Pass Archivist’s trial puzzles (lockword, wiring, logic) or find a smuggler entrance (Stealth).
2. Choose a philosophy: Open Access, Exclusive License, or Distributed Keys (shard the index across guilds).

ACT II — Terms & Temper

Paths:
- Open Access: stage a public reveal; secure peer review (skills checks) to prevent dangerous blueprints from slipping.
- Exclusive License: negotiate with Bleak for funding of labs and guards; craft safety clauses.
- Distributed Keys: split the index; create a Commons Charter and penalties for violators.
Complication: A red team steals a fragment (combat/track/negotiation).

ACT III — Culture War

Set-Piece: Rattle’s radio show frames you as hero or thief, impacting the vote at the Amphitheater or judgment at the Ministry of Claims.
Objectives:
- Present evidence of benefits/risks; out-argue planted experts; avert a planted bomb scare at the reveal (Perception → disarm).

Outcomes & Rewards

Open Access:
- Reward: “Spark of the Commons” perk (research/crafting costs -10%; occasional accidents you must mitigate).
- Flags: knowledge_policy = open.
Exclusive License:
- Reward: Funded Lab Wing (unique projects, gated to your faction/settlement), security retainer.
- Flags: knowledge_policy = exclusive, bleak_influence+.
Distributed Keys:
- Reward: Commons Charter Decree (town governance buff, co-op vendors).
- Flags: knowledge_policy = federated.

Post-Game Continuations

Accidents & Breakthroughs: timed events—prototype explosions, miracle harvests, counterfeit cures.
Patent Wars: court cases you can argue, bribe, or expose.
Cultural Prestige: museum visitors boost tourism; new Scholar NPCs spawn with errands.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Index is mundane but powerful; no sci-fi time leaks. Archivist remains mortal; successors chosen by vote or will.
[CANON+]: A sealed annex opens: ethically gray cures. Retcon Token can reveal it; you decide publication vs suppression with political fallout.
[ELSEWORLD]: The Index includes multiverse annotations; reading it spawns Else-Artifacts (exotic components) and Temporal Footnotes quests (short, weird jaunts without full time travel).

Sample Dialogue

Archivist: “Knowledge is a weapon we forgot how to hold.”
Ashouri: “Open hands heal faster than closed fists.”
Bleak: “Monopoly is just order with a profit margin.”
Rattle: “Today’s truth is tomorrow’s trivia—unless we sing it right.”

Encounter Table (archive dives)

1–2: Ink Mites (nano-dust that jams optics)
3–4: Falling Shelf Maze (Strength/Agility challenge)
5: Data Phantoms (holo-guards; Speech/Code to pass)
6: Rival Scholars (non-lethal duel; Debate mini-game)

Contract Board Cards (drop-in)

Saint’s Procession [Tin Saint] — Escort relic parade; prevent relic thefts. If failed: zealot riots for 7 days.
Keys to the Kingdom [Keys & Chains] — Intercept governor key shipment; plant decoys. If ignored: ai_incidents +20% regionally.
Commons Vote [Last Librarian] — Moderate public forum; gather 3 expert testimonies. If failed: patent court tilts to monopoly for 14 days.

Flag Updates (shared schema hooks)

tin_saint ∈ {disarmed_museum, stabilized_shrine, weaponized}
governor_keys_ring ∈ {shut, leaking_decoys, expanded}
piston_pit_status ∈ {open, riot_cleanup}
ai_rights ∈ {outlawed, governed, autonomous}
knowledge_policy ∈ {open, exclusive, federated}
civic_trust: int (−2..+2)
rumor_truth_ratio: float (0..1)
ashen_favor: int
bleak_influence: int

Post-Credits Scheduling (Narrative Director cues)

Week 1: Spawn one continuation from each completed arc (festival/procession, key sting, research demo).
Every 10–15 days: surface a Loose End (Tungsten’s splinter sect, Vyrja’s upgraded hijacks, Archivist’s rival school).
Priority Dials:
- Diplomacy → tribunal/election follow-ups
- Heists → shipments, archives, decoy plays
- Exploration → shrine variants, annex wings, scrapyard spurs

Fallout 5 — Three More Fully-Written Side Stories

(each with [CANON] / [CANON+] / [ELSEWORLD] variants, ready to drop in)

QUEST 4 — Whisper Cartel (Eyebot “whisper mail,” smuggling vs lifeline)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Eyebot relay mesh, embargo/economy, rumor engine, law & civics, heist/stealth

Hook

A gray-market Eyebot courier network—the Whisper Cartel—keeps remote towns alive with meds, intel, and contraband. An embargo is coming. Do you crush it, legalize it, or co-opt it?

Cast

Ness Calder — Eyebot wrangler (good-leaning ally)
Kasumi Ward — Smuggler & triple agent (gray; romanceable)
Gideon “Clock” Reyes — Civic steward (lawful good)
Ashen Inspector Voss — Hardline enforcer (bad-leaning)

Locations

Signal Ridge (relay nest canyon)
Dead-Drop Market (hollowed bus depot)
Hall of Ledgers (permit office / tribunal)

Act Structure

ACT I — Ghosts on the Wire

Objectives:
1. Track 3 relay pings to map the mesh (Perception/Tech).
2. Intercept a whisper canister (choice: return to sender or open).
3. Choose a partner: Ness (legalize), Kasumi (co-opt), Voss (crackdown).

ACT II — Terms of Carriage

Plan Options:
- Legalize & Tax: escort a permit bill through Hall of Ledgers (Speech/Law checks, bribes, evidence of public benefit).
- Co-opt for Intel: plant routing keys that mirror traffic to your board (Tech/Stealth).
- Crush the Ring: stage a three-point relay seizure; jam the mesh (Combat/EMP traps).
Complication: Signal Spoofers hijack an Eyebot to frame you; identify the real source (Forensics).

ACT III — Embargo Run

Set-Piece: A vital medical convoy by air will be blocked unless the mesh sings tonight.
Objectives:
- Keep three relays online for 90s each, or reroute through Tunnel Commons (if unlocked), or call in Skyframe (if you own air superiority).
Fail-Forward:
- If the convoy fails, Refugee/Outbreak follow-ups spawn; Whisper sympathy rises.

Outcomes & Rewards

Legalized Network:
- Reward: “Courier’s Cred” (fast travel/discount with Whisper vendors), Whisper Contract Board unlocked.
- Flags: whisper_status = licensed, civic_trust+.
Co-opted Network:
- Reward: “Whisper Key” (intel pings reveal ambushes/loot for 24h), black-book favors.
- Flags: whisper_status = mirrored, law_vs_crime −.
Crushed Network:
- Reward: Ashen stipends, confiscated goods cache.
- Flags: whisper_status = dismantled, refugee_pressure+, smuggler_heat+.

Post-Game Continuations

Encryption Races (seasonal): craft or crack ciphers for bonuses.
Embargo Weeks: stock swings; medicine shortages/boons generate civic quests.
Informant Web: Kasumi flips on rivals—or on you.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Eyebots are tools; morality sits with humans. Laws and permits reshape access.
[CANON+]: Declassified memos reveal state collusion in founding the Cartel; spend a Retcon Token to expose or bury it, altering civic_trust.
[ELSEWORLD]: Emergent “Data Flocks” (semi-sentient route AI) ask for custody terms; adoptive settlements gain buffs, rogue flocks spawn weird rumor quests.

Sample Dialogue

Ness: “You don’t feed a desert by closing wells.”
Kasumi: “Mail is just smuggling with better PR.”
Voss: “Relief without oversight is a cartel with a halo.”

Encounter Table (mesh maintenance)

1–2: Rust Squall (EMP gust; Tech save)
3–4: Cutpurse Kids (non-lethal chase)
5: Decoy Drone (tracks you; stealth puzzle)
6: Assay Squad (Ashen test unit; parley or fight)

QUEST 5 — Vending March (walking vending machines unionize)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Robotics workforce, labor/civics, riot & crowd control, economy, crafting buffs

Hook

Walking vending machines form Local 404 to demand maintenance rights and safe routes. A parade permit is denied. Will you recognize the union, impose resets, or build a service co-op?

Cast

VENDR-12 “Foreman” — Union leader bot (earnest, literal)
Drip — Vending modder (gray; hype man)
Cobb Bleak — Magnate (anti-union)
Marshal Rhea — City peacekeeper (wants zero body count)

Locations

Service Bay 3 (union hall)
Boulevard 8 (parade route)
Arbitration Floor (civic meeting arena)

Act Structure

ACT I — Terms on Paper

Objectives:
1. Gather maintenance logs proving abuse (Investigation).
2. Convince Rhea to allow a supervised march (Speech or deposit bond).
3. Build non-lethal crowd gear (tear-free smoke, foam barriers) or sabotage Bleak’s counter-rally.

ACT II — March of the Machines

Set-Piece: Parade encounters agitators and an EM pulse trap.
Approaches:
- Protect & Broadcast: keep bots safe, stream testimonies (Rumor engine +).
- Firmware Reset: force obedience (riot risk; union enrages).
- Co-op Proposal: craft a Service Co-op Charter (materials + caps).

ACT III — Arbitration or Altercation

Outcomes:
- Recognize the Union: contracts for routes, restocking fees, repair quotas.
- Reset Order: bots compliant; later wildcat strikes ignite.
- Co-op Ownership: bots + modders share a maintenance guild; Bleak loses leverage.

Rewards

“Snack Hack Kit” (deploy temporary pop-up vendor in the field, 1/day).
“Union Break Room” settlement add-on (stamina regen aura).
Bleak’s Retainer (if resets imposed): periodic caps for PR “security”.

World-State Flags

vending_union_status ∈ {recognized, reset_imposed, co_op}
vending_routes_secure: bool
riot_memory: int (affects future crowds)

Post-Game Continuations

Route Strikes: escort missions or negotiation mini-games.
Brand Wars: counterfeit snack rings; Drip’s mascots run amok.
Festival Contracts: vending boosts at events; theft rings target them.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Personhood not asserted; it’s labor rights for property.
[CANON+]: A sealed patch shows deliberate sabotage-by-neglect; Retcon Token exposes Bleak’s memo, swinging the vote.
[ELSEWORLD]: Union pushes limited personhood; bots can testify in court; mascot politics unlock goofy/earnest civic arcs.

Sample Dialogue

VENDR-12: “Our uptime is high. Our dignity is zero.”
Drip: “Give ’em oil, give ’em rights—maybe a new paint job.”
Bleak: “Machines don’t strike. People strike with machines.”

Encounter Table (parade)

1–2: Bottle-Rocket Kids (annoying; harmless)
3–4: EM Tripwire (Tech to disarm)
5: Agent Provocateur (tries to spark riot)
6: Mascot Meltdown (overheats; needs quick fix)

QUEST 6 — Queen of the Tunnels (subterranean commons, transport vs sovereignty)

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Underground traversal, smuggling, ecology hazards, settlement logistics, fast-travel unlocks

Hook

A mutated handler, Queen Sable, has unified molerat packs and scavvers to build a subterranean commons linking three settlements. Factions want it: trade boon or den of raiders?

Cast

Queen Sable — Tunnel matriarch (gray; fiercely protective)
“Bracer” Juno — Ex-Ashen MP (order ally)
Dr. Laleh Ashouri — Verdant biologist (eco safeguards)
Smelter Pike — Raider toll-lord (bad; wants control)

Locations

Mouth of Nine (tunnel entrance slum)
Under-Rail Nodes (switchbacks with lift winches)
Cavern Bazaar (black-market square)

Act Structure

ACT I — Beneath the Feet

Objectives:
1. Survive three hazard rooms (gas pocket, cave-in, blind predators).
2. Negotiate with Sable: she wants toll rights and wildlife protections.
3. Decide your stance: Ally, Hunt, or Regulate.

ACT II — Lines in the Dark

Paths:
- Ally (Build Under-Rail): deliver winch parts, map routes, set no-kill zones.
- Hunt (Purge): bait Pike into a joint raid; eliminate Sable, seize routes (Juno approves, Ashouri furious).
- Regulate (Toll Charter): craft a Civic-Tunnel Charter: caps split, safety standards, patrol checkpoints.
Complication: Sinkhole Storm collapses Node B; triage + rebuild timer.

ACT III — The Toll War

Set-Piece: Pike attempts to coup cavern bazaar.
Objectives:
- Hold three chokepoints; disable his thermite cages; protect civilians.
Fail-Forward:
- If Pike escapes, he becomes Tunnel Nemesis with ambush perks.

Outcomes & Rewards

Under-Rail Alliance:
- Reward: “Whispered Passage” perk (fast-travel between linked mouths; stealth bonus underground), tunnel vendor discounts.
- Flags: tunnel_commons_state = allied, trade_efficiency+.
Purge & Seize:
- Reward: “Chokepoint Drill” (fortification placements underground), Ashen favor.
- Flags: tunnel_commons_state = seized, smuggler_heat+, eco_impact+.
Regulated Charter:
- Reward: “Tunnel Stamp” (reduced random ambushes; legal toll receipts), civic buffs.
- Flags: tunnel_commons_state = chartered, civic_trust+.

Post-Game Continuations

Smuggling Booms: occasional contraband waves; choose to tax, seize, or wink.
Cave Ecology: invasive predators or fungal blooms → cleanse or cultivate.
Tunnel Elections: pick a Warden; policy changes alter encounters.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Tunnels are physical and political; no living-maze magic.
[CANON+]: A sealed pre-War drainage map opens Branch D; Retcon Token reveals new path + liability suits with Ashen.
[ELSEWORLD]: Tunnels shift (slowly living rock); geophage swarms re-carve lanes; temporal dead-drops appear (short weird jobs).

Sample Dialogue

Sable: “Down here, the roof is heavy and the law is what holds it.”
Juno: “Order doesn’t stop at daylight.”
Pike: “Pay the dirt—or bleed into it.”

Encounter Table (underground)

1–2: Gas Belch (ignite or vent)
3–4: Blind Pack (sound stealth challenge)
5: Cave-In Micro (Strength to brace)
6: Bazaar Pickpockets (non-lethal chase; learn shortcuts)

Contract Board Add-Ons (for these three)

“Eyes in the Wires” [Whisper Cartel] — Patch 3 relays before embargo. Reward: intel discount; Risk: smuggler heat.
“March Permit” [Vending March] — Secure crowd gear and negotiate route. Reward: settlement stamina aura for 3 days.
“Chokepoint Duty” [Queen of the Tunnels] — Hold Node C during a coup attempt. If failed: tunnel_raids+ for a week.

New/Updated Flags (schema hooks)

whisper_status ∈ {licensed, mirrored, dismantled}
vending_union_status ∈ {recognized, reset_imposed, co_op}
vending_routes_secure: bool
riot_memory: int
tunnel_commons_state ∈ {allied, seized, chartered}
smuggler_heat: int
trade_efficiency: int
eco_impact: int

Fallout 5 — Three More Fully-Written Side Stories

(with [CANON] / [CANON+] / [ELSEWORLD] variants, ready to drop in)

QUEST 7 — Festival of Seeds

Verdant exchange day; sabotage, science, and spectacle collide.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Agriculture/crafting buffs, festival crowds, bio-forensics, rumor engine, security & staging

Hook

The Verdant Accord hosts a Seed Exchange Festival that can lift three towns out of hunger—unless saboteurs ruin the vaults and blame your allies.

Cast

Dr. Laleh Ashouri — Festival chair (good)
Gideon “Clock” Reyes — Civic steward (order)
Kasumi Ward — Fixer who can source black-market seed lots (gray)
Bluehand Cell — Unknown saboteurs (identity varies by path)

Locations

Green Court (festival grounds)
Cold Vault (seed storage + lab)
Proving Circle (demo plots / duel ring)

Act Structure

ACT I — Sprouts & Suspects

Scout festival, place security beacons (optional), collect 3 trace samples from a test plot that suddenly wilts (Bio/Tech).
Choose stance: Forensics & Diplomacy, Hard Security, or Political Theater (announce a reward & call out rivals on stage).

ACT II — Roots in the Dark

Path options:
- Forensics & Diplomacy: identify a fungal carrier disguised in garlands; flip low-level saboteur.
- Hard Security: quarantine Cold Vault; search vendors; risk public backlash.
- Political Theater: stage an open Hybrid Festival adding a combat Proving Circle to distract crowds while you audit the vault (Speech/Showmanship).
Complication: a spore bomb hidden in a mascot suit; disarm or evacuate (Crowd Control).

ACT III — Harvest or Hysteria

Set-piece showdown at the Cold Vault.
Decide outcome:
- Secure Festival (expose saboteur ring; data-heavy, less spectacle)
- Hybridize Festival (keep seed exchange running + safe spectacle)
- Scapegoat Rival (frame another faction via planted seed lots)

Outcomes & Rewards

SECURED FESTIVAL
- Reward: “Greenwright’s Kit” (farming & antidote crafting -15% mats).
- Flags: seed_festival_state = secured, civic_trust+, eco_impact−.
HYBRID FESTIVAL (Seeds + Trials)
- Reward: “Proving Circle Permit” (periodic duel events that grant crop buffs).
- Flags: seed_festival_state = hybridized, festival_spectacle+.
SCAPEGOATED RIVAL
- Reward: Confiscated stock (rare seeds), short-term public approval.
- Flags: seed_festival_state = scapegoated, rumor_truth_ratio−, revenge_clock+.

Post-Game Continuations

Seasonal seed fairs with rotating crop effects;
Invasive bloom outbreaks (cleanse/cultivate choices);
Seed-Rights bill votes that alter vendor inventories and fines.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Real pathogens, human culprits. The “miracle strain” is simply well bred.
[CANON+]: A sealed annex reveals pre-War edits to seed DNA; Retcon Token lets you disclose (boost yields, raise ethics heat) or suppress (avoid backlash, lose buff).
[ELSEWORLD]: A few seeds are semi-sentient—they hum at night; “Chorus Plots” confer buffs but attract pollinator swarms events.

Sample Dialogue

Ashouri: “Food is a promise. Don’t let them turn it into a threat.”
Kasumi: “A market is a garden—someone’s always pruning with a knife.”
Reyes: “We will have order, or we will have famine.”

Encounter Table (festival hour)

1–2: Pickpocket Pair (distraction test)
3–4: Spore Haze (mask or cough penalties)
5: Mascot Panic (bomb scare; crowd control)
6: Duel Challenge (settle a dispute in Proving Circle)

QUEST 8 — Trial by Market

Predatory lawfare vs. community defense—win in court or in the alleys.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Antitrust/civil court mini-game, evidence gathering, heist/sabotage, economy ticks

Hook

A trade magnate (often Cobb Bleak) uses a web of contracts to sue a family stall out of existence, setting a precedent that could crush co-ops across the region.

Cast

Cobb Bleak — Plaintiff magnate (bad)
Mara “Handspan” Brixton — Caravan quartermaster (good)
Émile “Paper” DeCosta — Forger & expert on deeds (gray)
Magistrate Iona Vale — Stern but fair judge (lawful)

Locations

Hall of Measures (court)
Warehouse Delta (evidence: price-fix ledgers)
Night Bazaar (jury influence / public forum)

Act Structure

ACT I — Discovery

Gather three evidences: sham audit memos, shipping differentials, burner shell companies.
Choose approach: Pure Legal, Dirty Hands, or People’s Court (jury & press).

ACT II — Strategy

Pure Legal: subpoena Warehouse Delta; run a discrepancy analysis (mini-game) to prove predation.
Dirty Hands: stage a document heist; plant a decoy ledger to bait Bleak into perjury.
People’s Court: assemble expert witnesses (Mara, a farmer, a competitor) and drive a public referendum that pressures the bench.

ACT III — Verdict Day

Courtroom set-piece: counter-argument checks, evidence reveals, surprise witness (Paper flips—if you protected him earlier).
Fail-forward: even if you lose, a boycott wave triggers, shifting prices for 7 days.

Outcomes & Rewards

CO-OP PRECEDENT (You Win Cleanly)
- Reward: “Market Guardian” decree (co-op vendors discount; price spikes dampened).
- Flags: antitrust_precedent = set_for_coop, trade_mode → co_op, bleak_influence−.
MAGNATE PRECEDENT (You Lose / He Buys the Court)
- Reward: hush retainer; access to rare shipments at markup.
- Flags: antitrust_precedent = set_for_magnate, trade_mode → monopoly, price_index+.
HUNG COURT (You Muddle the Case)
- Reward: time—citizens’ vote scheduled; unlock election arc.
- Flags: antitrust_precedent = hung, civic_trust± (based on speeches).

Post-Game Continuations

Counterfeit brand wars;
Price inspector raids (you can lead or foil);
Trade Prefect election—Mara may run if co-op path won.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Mundane fraud & contracts.
[CANON+]: Declassified bank ledgers show external faction bankroll; Retcon Token to expose (Bleak craters; power vacuum) or bury (quiet favors).
[ELSEWORLD]: Strange off-timeline commodities (synthgrain, rust-gold) distort indices; special heists to purge exotic stock.

Sample Dialogue

Bleak: “If the law dislikes profit, I’ll buy a better law.”
Mara: “We haul for everyone or for no one.”
Magistrate Vale: “Facts, not fumes. Present your case.”

Encounter Table (case week)

1–2: Process Server Ambush (served with a counter-suit)
3–4: Ledger Fire (someone torches records; chase)
5: Strike Line (cross or organize it)
6: Night Bazaar Debate (win hearts → jury bias)

QUEST 9 — Blue Ember

Pyro-engineer turns wildfire into a weapon—stop, recruit, or spin a grand lie.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Wildfire simulation (wind, fuel, slope), controlled-burn crafting, eco-politics, false-flag risk

Hook

A rogue engineer, Sera “Blue Ember” Vayne, harvests rewilded resin to torch Verdant projects she deems dangerous. Fires are spreading. Choose: stop her, recruit her into Controlled Burns, or pin it on eco-extremists to force a truce.

Cast

Sera Vayne (Blue Ember) — Pyro-engineer (bad-leaning, recruitable)
Bracer Juno — Ex-Ashen MP (order)
Dr. Laleh Ashouri — Verdant biologist (ethics)
Old Man Rattle — Radio voice (can blame, calm, or inflame)

Locations

Resin Fields (collection rigs; volatile)
Firebreak Ridge (terrain puzzle; cut lines before wind shifts)
Verdant Treefarm (target of the “big burn”)

Act Structure

ACT I — Smoke Signals

Investigate two burn sites; map wind corridors and fuel loads (Tracking/Tech).
Decide initial posture: Pursue & Arrest, Parley & Recruit, or Spin & Divert (false-flag setup).

ACT II — Line of Fire

Pursue & Arrest: chase Sera through ember storms; disable resin tanks or risk a backdraft.
Parley & Recruit: help conduct a model controlled burn to prove her thesis; win over Ashouri/Juno.
Spin & Divert: plant extremist manifestos; stage a fake claim to force both sides to the table.

ACT III — The Big Burn

Set-piece: a crown fire races toward Treefarm.
Objectives: deploy firebreak beacons, back-burn at two choke points, and decide whether Sera lives free, is deputized, or is exposed & jailed.

Outcomes & Rewards

NEUTRALIZED (Arrest/Eliminate)
- Reward: “Ashguard Sprayer” (fire DOT resist + foam deployable).
- Flags: blue_ember_status = neutralized, wildfire_risk−, ashen_favor+.
RECRUITED (Controlled Burn Guild)
- Reward: “Burn Boss Permit” (schedule safe burns → seasonal resource buffs & predator control).
- Flags: blue_ember_status = recruited, controlled_burn_network = true, eco_impact−.
SCAPEGOATED (False-Flag Truce)
- Reward: Truce Accord (short-term peace; patrol reduction).
- Flags: blue_ember_status = scapegoated, rumor_truth_ratio−, revenge_clock+.

Post-Game Continuations

Wildfire Seasons (windy weeks): emergency contracts, evac missions;
Controlled-Burn Contracts (if recruited): periodic buffs to croplands & tunnels;
Revenge Cells (if scapegoated): arson strings you must unmask.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Real fire physics; no supernatural flame.
[CANON+]: A sealed Verdant memo shows the Treefarm used unauthorized mutagens; Retcon Token to expose (justify Sera; politics erupt) or bury (keep calm; lose some buffs).
[ELSEWORLD]: Blue resin burns cold and lures ember wraiths (new enemy type). Craft Wraith Lamps to repel; rare drops fuel exotic tech.

Sample Dialogue

Sera: “Fire is a surgeon when you plan the cut.”
Juno: “Order first, cures second.”
Ashouri: “A saved forest that costs a city is no salvation.”
Rattle: “Blue fire, blue lies—listeners, pick your heat.”

Encounter Table (on a burn)

1–2: Wind Shift (objectives relocate; hazard ups)
3–4: Backdraft Pocket (vent fast or take DOT)
5: Panicked Civilians (escort through smoke)
6: Firebugs (arsonists snipe from heat shimmer)

Contract Board Add-Ons (for these three)

“Harvest Watch” [Festival of Seeds] — Guard vaults during closing count; audit 3 lots. If failed: invasive_risk+ for a week.
“Antitrust Docket” [Trial by Market] — Serve subpoenas; tail accountant. Reward: co-op discount vouchers.
“Controlled Burn Window” [Blue Ember] — Place 4 beacons before wind shift. Reward: settlement crop & pest buff for 5 days.

New / Updated Flags (schema hooks)

seed_festival_state ∈ {secured, hybridized, scapegoated}
festival_spectacle: int
invasive_risk: int

antitrust_precedent ∈ {set_for_coop, set_for_magnate, hung}
price_index: int

blue_ember_status ∈ {neutralized, recruited, scapegoated}
wildfire_risk: int
controlled_burn_network: bool

revenge_clock: int   # increments on scapegoat paths, triggers reprisals

Fallout 5 — Three More Fully-Written Side Stories

(with [CANON] / [CANON+] / [ELSEWORLD] variants, ready to drop in)

QUEST 10 — Milk of Rust

Vault X-21 mold-chem that heals pain, seeds dependency, and sparks a public-health war.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: X-21 bio loops, clinic economy, cartel crime, withdrawal/rehab, law & civics

Hook

A potent analgesic called Milk of Rust—distilled from X-21 molds—sweeps the wastes. Clinics praise it. A cartel weaponizes it. Overdoses rise. What’s the policy?

Cast

Dr. Laleh Ashouri — Verdant clinician (harm-reduction advocate)
Silas Thrumm — Organ fencer / chem financier (bad; slippery)
Sister Karla Vitt — Field nurse (rehab network)
Marshal Rhea — City peacekeeper (wants enforceable policy)

Locations

Rust Still (hidden distillery)
Free Clinic (triage & rehab)
Council Rotunda (policy vote / ordinance)

Act Structure

ACT I — Symptoms

Audit 3 overdose scenes (Forensics → purity map).
Infiltrate Rust Still (Stealth/Bribe/Fight) for sample & ledger.
Choose stance: Regulate, Cartel Deal, or Ban + Rehab.

ACT II — Treatment Plan

Regulate: draft Clinic Protocol (dosage caps, tracking, Nar-kits); convince Rhea & vendors (Speech).
Cartel Deal: secure supply lines, set “quiet streets” quotas; Thrumm pays, but demands territory.
Ban + Rehab: raid stills; open Sister Vitt’s shelters; craft detox packs (Chemistry).

Complication: tainted batch triggers a mass event; triage or pursue culprit.

ACT III — The Vote / The Raid

Regulate: council vote; you present data; counter cartel intimidation at Rotunda.
Deal: convoy ambush en route to new hub; save stock or let rivals burn it.
Ban: simultaneous 3-site bust (you can only be at one; others resolve via allies/rolls).

Outcomes & Rewards

REGULATED
- Reward: “Gray Cross Kit” (craft Nar-kits; clinic costs −10%).
- Flags: milk_of_rust_policy = regulated, clinic_capacity+, overdose_rate−, cartel_strength−.
CARTELIZED
- Reward: Black-bag stipends, rare chems at markup.
- Flags: milk_of_rust_policy = cartelized, cartel_strength+, law_vs_crime−, overdose_rate±.
BANNED + REHAB
- Reward: “Clean Hands” settlement aura (slow HP regen when out of combat).
- Flags: milk_of_rust_policy = banned, rehab_network = true, cartel_retaliation+.

Post-Game Continuations

Clinic Shortages / Surpluses alter vendor pools;
Cartel Wars (if deal/banned);
Rehab Stories: relapse rescues, community service quests.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Real pharmacology; no miracle cures.
[CANON+]: A declassified Verdant memo shows an early trial cover-up; spend a Retcon Token to expose (stronger regulation; civic trust swings) or bury (stability; ethics hit).
[ELSEWORLD]: Rare Blue-strain doses cause pain-memories to manifest (mini ghost-encounters); craft Memory Binders to treat or exploit.

Sample Dialogue

Ashouri: “Pain relief without a plan is just a slower death.”
Thrumm: “Mercy sells, same as misery.”
Karla: “I don’t need saints. I need beds.”

Encounter Table (street checks)

1–2: Bad Batch Panic (crowd control)
3–4: Pushers’ Decoy (fake still)
5: Clinic Break-in (steal records)
6: Ambush Wagon (cartel reclaiming seized stock)

QUEST 11 — Paper Cities

Forged deeds, eminent domain, and who truly owns the dirt.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Land law, heist/forgery, civic votes, settlement buffs, Ashen survey grid

Hook

Ashen surveyors arrive with pre-War deed books that erase a settlement overnight. Some pages are authentic; others forged. Decide the fate of a city on paper.

Cast

Gideon “Clock” Reyes — Civic steward (due process)
Émile “Paper” DeCosta — Master forger (knows the tells)
Lt. Fallow Pyre — Ashen black-ops (enforcement)
“Mayor” Quill — Hidden-in-Plain-Sight leader (organizes resistance)

Locations

Survey Camp (records & bribe lockers)
Archive Vault (old maps, microfilm)
Town Square (referendum / jury)

Act Structure

ACT I — Provenance

Collect 4 chain-of-title proofs (microfilm, witness affidavit, soil marker, watermark test).
Confront Pyre: offers buyouts if you stand down.

ACT II — Pick a Strategy

Trial by Jury: prep case; subpoena surveyors; Speech & Evidence checks.
Heist the Archive: steal/scan deed ledgers; expose forgery batch; plant tracers.
Found the Commons: draft a Charter declaring use-rights sovereignty; rally three neighborhoods.

Complication: Ashen impose curfew; manage checkpoints or escalate.

ACT III — The Lines Move

Court showdown, archive breach, or Commons vote—plus counter-op from Pyre (witness threatened, ledger fire, agitators).

Outcomes & Rewards

JURY PRECEDENT (You Win Cleanly)
- Reward: “Title Guardian” decree (eminent domain checks slowed; settlement build buffs).
- Flags: land_policy = jury_precedent, civic_trust+, ashen_favor−.
COMMONS CHARTER (You Found It)
- Reward: Commons Workbench (community projects queue; taxes as craft mats).
- Flags: land_policy = commons_charter, trade_efficiency+, crime_risk±.
MAGNATE CLAIMS (You Lose / Sell Out)
- Reward: Key Parcels deeded to you (fast construction slots).
- Flags: land_policy = magnate_claims, bleak_influence+, protest_clock+.

Post-Game Continuations

Tax Policy Arcs, Squatter Protections, Assassination Contracts (if you cross Bleak/Pyre), Civic Holidays celebrating the charter.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: No supernatural maps; the fight is legal & political.
[CANON+]: Declassified Army resurvey proves earlier displacement; Retcon Token to publish (Ashen scandal) or suppress (keep peace).
[ELSEWORLD]: Some deed maps shift nightly (Vault geomancy bleed); stabilize with Anchor Beacons or exploit shifting parcels for heists.

Sample Dialogue

Reyes: “Law without legitimacy is just stationery.”
Paper: “Ink tells the truth if you know where to look.”
Pyre: “Property is order. Order is peace.”

Encounter Table (city week)

1–2: Process Server Ambush (counter-suit)
3–4: Ledger Fire (smoke & chase)
5: Checkpoint Clash (non-lethal path possible)
6: Ballot Theft (recover before count)

QUEST 12 — The Salvager’s Daughter

Urban legend “ghost suit,” a missing kid, and the line between myth and exploitation.

Mode Compatibility: [CANON] ✓ · [CANON+] ✓ · [ELSEWORLD] ✓
Systems: Companion rescue, Ghost Suit echoes, arena training, con-rings, grief/closure arcs

Hook

A scavenger’s kid—Leda Wrench—vanishes chasing rumors of a “ghost suit” haunting a scrapyard. Is it a con, a projector, or a true Iron Mind echo?

Cast

Kiva Wrench — Demolitionist parent (tough, terrified)
Old Man Rattle — Rumor bard (spreads the legend)
Foreman Knell — Scrapyard boss (takes a cut)
Aria-9 — Iron Mind fork (senses echoes)

Locations

Gibson Scrapyard (maze of stacked shells)
Projector Den (con-ring hideout)
Arena Annex (training stage)

Act Structure

ACT I — Echoes in Tin

Follow 3 rumor trails (Rattle’s song, ticket stubs, specter sighting).
Inspect light scatter with Tech → projector rig… but also faint genuine AI ping.

ACT II — Hoax, Echo, or Both

Rescue & Recruit: dismantle con ring; recover Leda; locate the genuine echo core; invite it to anchor at your arena.
Expose the Hoax: stage a public unmasking; fine Knell; fund Leda’s schooling with damages.
Sell the Projector: take the rig to museum/collector; use payout to establish an Orphan’s Fund (Kiva ambivalent).

Complication: rival scavvers try to seize both kid and gear mid-rescue.

ACT III — The Debut / The Farewell

If echo is real, stage “The Gentle Bout”—an arena exhibition where the echo trains footwork as a holographic coach.
If hoax only, host a Truth Night to rewrite the rumor and break the ring.

Outcomes & Rewards

ECHO RECRUITED
- Reward: “Echo Spar” (arena daily: +timing window for next fight), unique training events.
- Flags: salvagers_daughter_outcome = echo_recruited, ghost_echoes_enabled = true, arena_events+.
HOAX EXPOSED
- Reward: Community Goodwill, Rattle’s Ballad boosts rumor_truth_ratio+.
- Flags: salvagers_daughter_outcome = hoax_exposed, knell_influence−.
PROJECTOR SOLD
- Reward: Orphan’s Fund Deed (settlement stipend to child NPCs; periodic thank-you gifts).
- Flags: salvagers_daughter_outcome = projector_sold, museum_prestige+.

Post-Game Continuations

Arena Training Weeks (if echo): skill challenges vs Ghost sparring partners;
Con-Artist Reprisals (if exposed/sold): ambushes, smear songs;
Leda’s Growth: later becomes a junior engineer companion if mentored.

Variants by Mode

[CANON]: Echo remains spectral; no body transfer.
[CANON+]: A sealed body-anchor shell exists; spend a Retcon Token to enable a one-time embodiment for the echo during big events.
[ELSEWORLD]: Echo can inhabit a loaner chassis occasionally; “memory duels” spawn rare Soul Core drops.

Sample Dialogue

Kiva: “Find my kid. The ghost can wait.”
Rattle: “Some lies grow legs. This one grew gloves.”
Aria-9: “A memory asked me to breathe. I am still learning how.”

Encounter Table (scrapyard)

1–2: Falling Stack (brace or reroute)
3–4: Ticket Thugs (non-lethal subdual possible)
5: Static Surge (jammed optics)
6: Echo Flare (brief panic; harmless, spooky)

Contract Board Add-Ons (for these three)

“Rust Protocol” [Milk of Rust] — Deliver Nar-kits to three districts before nightfall. Reward: clinic discount for 72h.
“Anchor the Charter” [Paper Cities] — Post civic notices at 6 parcels; intercept arsonists. Reward: build speed +10% for a week.
“Echo Exhibition” [Salvager’s Daughter] — Host a training bout; keep crowd safe. Reward: +timing window buff for 24h.

New / Updated Flags (schema hooks)

milk_of_rust_policy ∈ {regulated, cartelized, banned}
clinic_capacity: int
cartel_strength: int
overdose_rate: int
rehab_network: bool
cartel_retaliation: int

land_policy ∈ {jury_precedent, commons_charter, magnate_claims}
protest_clock: int

salvagers_daughter_outcome ∈ {echo_recruited, hoax_exposed, projector_sold}
ghost_echoes_enabled: bool
arena_events: int
museum_prestige: int
knell_influence: int