Hidden In Plain Sight Rebels (HIPS) — Faction Design

1) High-Concept

A decentralized network of squatters, caretakers, scientists, and engineers who survive by blending into the ruins. They claim “rights of use” over abandoned infrastructure, wiring dead cities back to life one block at a time. They fight by not looking like a fight—paperwork, fake uniforms, misdirection, and improvised tech that turns neglect into cover.

Tagline: “If no one owns it, we maintain it. If someone forgot it, we remember it.”

2) Origins & Ethos

Origin: Began as scattered families occupying derelict buildings. A few tinkerers organized maintenance crews—patching pipes, siphoning power, setting rules. Over time they formalized into a mutual-aid guild with an engineering backbone.
Core Beliefs:
- Right of Tenancy: Use creates ownership. If you keep it alive, it’s yours to steward.
- Visibility is a Costume: Appear to belong—janitor, clerk, inspector—and you’ll pass.
- Repair is Resistance: Maintenance beats might. Fix a pump and you feed a city block.
Reputation: “Ghost landlords” of forgotten places; polite, meticulous, impossible to uproot.

3) Visual Identity & Vibe

Look: Layered workwear, faded municipal patches, clipboards, worn hard hats, hi-vis scraps. Ghillie tarps stitched from billboard vinyl. Clip-on badges that change logos with a flip.
Spaces: Rooftop cisterns, stairwell farms, maintenance tunnels with chalked routing codes, hushed “common rooms” behind vending banks.

4) Organization: Ranks & Roles

Ranks (earnable tracks; members can progress along one or two):

Unders (Initiates): New occupants, learn concealment & code marks.
Keepers: Building stewards; keys, water, food, heat.
Scroungers: Salvage teams; silent teardown, part cataloging.
Patchers: Field medics + fixers; duct-tape triage for bodies and boilers.
Wirewrights (Engineers): Power routing, radios, microgrids, traps.
Archivists (Scientists): Water testing, seed libraries, biofilters, “paper armor” (permits/maps).
Ghostwalkers (Infiltration): Disguise, counter-recon, rumor craft.
Wardens (Leads): Site chiefs; settle disputes, assign work orders.
Quartermasters: Logistics, caches, ration math, escrow of favors.
The Clerkship (Council): A quiet circle that “rubber-stamps” ops and treaties.

Specialist Roles

Permitwright: Forgery, stamps, seals, “inspection routes.”
Grid Scribe: Draws and maintains the Shadow Grid (hidden power/water map).
Quiet Hand: Non-lethal security and eviction counter-measures.
Soot Monk: Smokeless kiln/charcoal master; filters and fuel bricks.
Rubble Gardener: Soil remediation, fungi walls, stairwell planters.

5) Survival Model

Water: Roof catchments → sand/char filters → stairwell storage. Dye-coded pipes show flow direction at a glance.
Heat/Power: Waste-oil heaters, hand-crank alternators, pedal dynamos, “leech-lines” that sip from grid surges without tripping breakers.
Food: Shelf mushrooms, sprout racks, gutter greens, insect protein traps; small rooftop bee “whisper boxes.”
Identity: Rotating cover stories (Maintenance, Courier, Survey). Pocket notebooks with time-stamped “work orders.”
Mobility: Roll-up homes (billboard tarp tents), collapsible scaffolds disguised as ad boards.

6) Defense Doctrine — Counters by Enemy Type

Raiders: Funnel alleys with junk arches; pressure-plate “sound bombs”; decoy pantries that lock and alarm.
Mercs/Slavers: Paper maze: “permits,” “health inspections,” “radiation cordons” that delay aggression while Ghostwalkers relocate assets.
Power-Armored Factions (e.g., Ashen Reign): Rubberized floors, low headroom choke points, non-conductive trip-nets; EMP bait tied to scrap capacitors.
Super Mutants & Beasts: Ultrasonic lures and bait sheds; collapsible catwalks; fungal smoke that obscures scent.
Synth/Robot Patrols: Faraday nooks, dummy heat signatures, “friendly apparatus” QR placards that spoof maintenance tasks.
Aerial Threats/Vertibirds: Painted roof glyphs that mimic cleared flight lanes; concealed winch-tarps to break sightlines in seconds.

7) Signature Systems (Gameplay)

Blend-In Meter: In workwear and near “active maintenance props” (tool carts, clipboards, ladders) your suspicion decays faster; sprinting or brandishing voids the effect.
Facade Stations: Craftable, upgradable kiosks that project a micro “safe aura” (lighting, signage, radio chatter) to reduce NPC suspicion radius.
Paper Armor: A set bonus from forged permits, stamped badges, and route maps → lowers inspection chance; high-tier “Golden Stamp” lets you pass guarded doors once/day.
Shadow Grid: Player-extendable microgrid; connect found generators, battery walls, water loops. Each node grants settlement buffs and fast-travel “service entrances.”
Squatter’s Right: When you maintain a site X days (repairs, water, heat), the cell flips to Tenured: cheaper build costs, NPC traders visit, enemy spawns avoid interior.
Quiet Eviction: Non-lethal takedowns chained with “hush props” (blankets, rope silencers). No reputation hit with adjacent civilian factions.

8) Craftables & Tech

Hoodwink Beacon: Tossable decoy that emits tool chatter + heat trace.
Borrowed Skin Armor: Modular uniform kit; swap patches to mimic rival factions; each patch grants unique gate barks and limited access.
Rag-Ghillie & Billboard Cloak: Static camouflage; crouch to “become clutter,” massively reducing detection while still.
Silt-Char Filter: Craftable water filter (tiered). Higher tiers unlock vendor trust.
Clip-Badge Printer: Bench that consumes scrap + ink to print limited-use forged IDs.
Skitter Turret: Low-profile, rail-mounted sentry disguised as a vent.

9) Settlements & Map Presence

Hub: “Ledger Row” — A block of “abandoned” storefronts hiding workshops behind rolling racks.
Satellite Cells: Water-tower dorms, subway mezzanines, stadium maintenance tunnels, half-collapsed office cores with secret “fire stair” networks.
World Marks: Chalk sigils on curbs (water up arrow, danger X, quiet door ◻︎), seen after joining or with high Perception.

10) Key NPCs (Recruitables/Quest-Givers)

Mara “Staples” Ikeda (Quartermaster): Inventory math savant; perk: +10% scrap yield from dismantling.
Thimble (Ghostwalker): Disguise trainer; perk: silent equip and faster holster-swap.
Dr. Olin Reyes (Archivist-Biochem): Fungal filters & rooftop ag; perk: crafted filters last longer; unique stairwell farm blueprint.
Rex “Breaker” Dawes (Wirewright/Engineer): Improvised EMPs, trap chains, and robot subroutines; perk: reprogram explosive bots into Fetch & Follow companions with safety dampeners.
Sister Chaff (Soot Monk): Char kilns, smokeless fuels; perk: heat sources produce no “scent” for beasts.

11) Questline Arcs

Act I — “No Fixed Address”
Stabilize a tenement: patch leaks, purge vermin, set up Facade Stations while Raiders test your cover.

Act II — “Paper City”
Forge corridors of safe movement. Build the Shadow Grid across three districts; negotiate with rival factions through inspection passes and debt ledgers.

Act III — “Right of Tenancy”
An armored faction tries to seize your main hub. Choose: wage a quiet war of locks and lights, or go loud with sabotaged substations and rooftop decoys. Finale choice establishes the Hidden Quarter as a permanent, living city cell—or scatters the HIPS to seed new squats across the map.

Radiant Jobs:

“Meter Read”: Plant a Hoodwink Beacon and photograph a patrol fooled by it.
“Night Soil”: Compost run that doubles as clandestine intel swap.
“Blank Badge”: Acquire a rare emboss die from a guarded printery.

12) Player Integration

Join Perks:
- Maintenance Mind: +1 Intelligence while carrying tools; repair faster.
- Eyes for Exits: +1 Perception indoors; reveals alternate routes.
- Hands Off: Non-lethal takedowns restore small AP.
Role Paths:
- Caretaker (Keeper): Settlement buffs, tenant events, food/water efficiency.
- Wirewright (Engineer): Trap webs, Shadow Grid mastery, EMP recipes.
- Ghostwalker (Infiltrator): Disguise, Blend-In boosts, Paper Armor upgrades.

13) Systems Tie-Ins (Broader World)

Doomsday Robots: With Rex’s perk, convert “exploders” into Courier Mules—fast, blast-proof bots that only self-detonate on explicit command and re-assemble (craftable spare frames required).
Vertibird/Skystation Content: Rooftop “helio-marks” grant reduced air patrol aggro; craftable winch-tarps instantly deploy vertical cover during flyovers.
Faction Interlocks:
- Ashen Reign: stalemate treaties via utility swaps (water for scrap).
- Verdant Accord: co-ops for rooftop farms.
- Spark Rats: tech trade with strict anti-theft oaths.

14) Unique Gear & Rewards

Quartermaster’s Ledger: Consumable “favor slips” you can cash with HIPS vendors for rare parts.
Janitor’s Key Ring (Legendary): +1 lock tier bypass on service doors; once/day open one “employees only” door without a check.
Caretaker’s Cloak: Standing still near props slowly heals limbs; counts as “in cover.”
The Golden Stamp: Single-use master permit—one checkpoint ignores you entirely.

15) Encounter Seeds

A street “inspection” halts a Raider convoy, buying time for a refugee column.
A stadium goes dark; you restore it section by section as beasts prowl the concourses.
A rival forger floods the city with bad badges, spiking suspicion; track, out-print, or recruit them.

16) Designer Notes (Balance & UX)

Fun Loop: Explore → Secure a squat → Dress the space (Facade Stations) → Extend Shadow Grid → Unlock passive safety & trade.
Counterplay: High-rank enemies or sniffers can pierce Paper Armor; rotate covers, refresh stamps, mix routes.
Readability: Chalk sigils and prop placement telegraph “safe scaffolds” without UI spam; Blend-In Meter stays diegetic (badge icon warms/cools).

Elevator Pitch to the Player:
Join the people who own nothing—and keep everything running. With a clipboard, a coil of wire, and the nerve to look like you belong, turn the dead city back on and make it yours, one doorway at a time.

awesome—let’s deepen the HIPS with more systems you can drop straight into design docs.

17) Culture, Codes & Rituals

Chalk Sigil Pack (quick legend): ▲ water ↑ flow, ▢ quiet door, ◎ power tap, ≡ food cache, ⨂ danger, ⌁ radio, ↺ patrol loop, ⌂ safe roof, ∴ med help, ϟ high voltage, ⊟ decoy pantry, ◌ beast scent, ⌖ meeting point, ⊕ forge/press, ⊗ counterfeit risk, ⇲ evacuation stair, ⇳ load-bearing risk, ◭ fungus wall, ◔ curfew, ◇ neutral zone.
Rituals:
- Shift Change: crew swaps patches and routes at dawn/dusk.
- Key Rattle: silent handoff—three taps on a rail = “route clear.”
- Ledger Night: weekly ledger audit; favors settled with “slip-burning” ceremony.
Taboos: never paint over sigils; never hoard clean water; never impersonate med staff without a real kit.

18) Law, Justice & Arbitration

Tenancy Court (diegetic mini-event): Wardens + one Archivist adjudicate disputes (water theft, false permits).
Penalties: chore hours, ration reductions, ledger debt, exile for repeat saboteurs.
Appeals: “Second Stamp”—one-time pardon via Golden Stamp holder (rare).

19) Disguise & Suspicion System (Numbers You Can Tune)

Cover Quality (CQ 0–100): base from outfit set (+30 Borrowed Skin full set; +10 if tool prop in hand; −20 if weapon drawn).
Zone Fit (ZF −30–+20): wearing utility orange in utility zones = +15; wrong color in clinic = −20.
Behavior Mod (BM −40–+10): sprint −25, vault −15, crouch near clutter +10, interact-with-prop +8.
Witness Tier:
- Civilian (WT 0): detection threshold 40
- Guard (WT 1): 60
- Officer/Inspector (WT 2): 75
- Synth Auditor (WT 3): 90
Detection Check (per tick): if CQ+ZF+BM < Witness Threshold → suspicion +Δ; sustained 3s triggers “Audit” (ID request).
Fast Clears: show matching permit near “Facade Station” or perform a work action (tighten valve, scan meter) to drop suspicion stacks.

20) Forgery & Audit Mini-Game

3-Step Craft:
1. Paper Weight (choose stock that matches faction—wrong weight adds future audit risk).
2. Emboss Alignment (spin wheel to align die; ±3° window for perfect).
3. Ink Mix (match hue with slider; closer match = more uses before burnout).
Outputs: Basic Pass (2 uses), Dept Pass (5 uses), Golden Stamp (1 bypass, single-use).
Complication: periodic Random Audit events raise scrutiny in a district for 24h; higher-tier passes resist.

21) Shadow Grid — Tech Tree & Nodes

Tiers:
- T1: Hand cranks, bucket lifts, silt-char filters.
- T2: Battery walls, pedal dynamos, graywater loops.
- T3: Phase-sip inverters (low-signature leech), EMP baffles, auto-fire doors.
- T4: District microgrid bridges, silent elevators, rooftop windfilms.
Node Types: Power Hub, Water Hub, Relay (radio), Safety Gate (locks/firebreaks), Comfort (heaters/lamps).
Set Bonuses: 3+ connected → Tenured cell (vendor visits, reduced enemy spawn); 6+ → Hidden Quarter fast-travel & black market.

22) Crafting Trees (materials & examples)

Facade Station Upgrades:
- Mk I: Work lamp + clipboard rack (bulb, wire, screws).
- Mk II: Ambient radio chatter (speaker, old radio, copper).
- Mk III: Timed inspection beeps + camera blind (microtimer, lens).
Paper Armor Sets:
- City Works (orange/reflective): gate barks for industrial sites.
- Clinic Orderly (white/blue): reduced med area suspicion.
- Rail Crew (navy/patches): subway access barks.
Traps:
- Sound Bomb (tin, bearings, spring).
- Skitter Turret (vent shell, scrap gun, rail).
- Trip-Net (rubberized cord, weighted corners) — extra effective vs power armor.
Utilities:
- Hoodwink Beacon (scrap CPU, speaker).
- Clip-Badge Printer (press die, ink, gear belt).
- Billboard Cloak (vinyl sheet, paint).

23) Settlement Modules (snap-in)

Stairwell Farm
Filter Bench
Badge Press
Quiet Foundry (smokeless kiln)
Scrounge Table (extra scrap yields)
Radio Relay
Battery Wall
Janitor’s Closet Armory (non-lethal focus)
Rooftop Bee Box
Winch-Tarp Rig (anti-aerial)
Evac Stair Lite (glow strips, faster evac)
Ledger Office (reduces trader prices)

24) Dynamic Events (plug-and-play)

Surprise Audit Blitz (district-wide).
Raider “Trash Fire” assault (smoke + chaos).
Beast scent wind shift (conducted via weather).
False-Flag Forgers spike suspicion.
Power surge opportunity (free energy if you risk exposure).
Synth “friendly apparatus” update (QR placards need reprint).
Rooftop hive split (micro escort event).
Stadium blackout (multi-section restore puzzle).
Water main rupture (timed repair).
Patrol route change (sigil update job).
“Eviction Notice” posted by rivals (non-lethal counterplay).
Refugee column transit (escort with Facade cover).
Rumor flash (find source to reduce suspicion).
Night market pop-up (rare barter).
Officer inspection duel (document tree puzzle).

25) Reputation & Diplomacy

HIPS Rep Tracks: Maintenance, Disguise, Quiet Force.
Faction Stances:
- Ashen Reign: respect utility trades; hate trap deaths → keep non-lethal.
- Verdant Accord: love farms/filters; penalize forged “health” passes.
- Spark Rats: love clever grid mods; zero tolerance for stolen tools.
Treaties: Utility Swap, Safe Stair Pact, Neutral Roofs. Breaking any flags map-wide suspicion.

26) Mission Packs (arc-ready)

Heist: “The Die Is Cast” — steal master emboss die from a mint.
Eviction: “Locks & Lights” — reclaim a seized mezzanine using only non-lethal means.
Archive: “Paper City” — assemble authentic route maps to unlock metro shortcuts.
Power Play: “Phase-Sip” — install inverters under an officer’s nose.
Counterfeiter: “Bad Ink” — hunt a rival forger or fold them into your press.

27) Companion Barks (sample lines)

Thimble: “Clip on a smile. It’s the cheapest pass.”
Staples: “Math says we can feed twelve—unless you like raw bolts.”
Reyes: “Let the mushrooms eat the city’s sins.”
Breaker: “Exploders make great mailmen if you pad the blast.”

28) Loot Tables (example tiers)

Common: Wire spools, bolt assortments, inspection tags, dull dies.
Uncommon: Inverter chips, rubber nets, radio crystals, ink cartridges.
Rare: Golden Stamp blank, Officer’s ledger, Silent elevator clutch, Audit bypass key.

29) Elite/“Boss” Encounters

Inspector-General Halberd: demands papers while flanked; win via perfect document chain or stealth reroute.
Synth Auditor 7C: pierces most disguises—requires Faraday nook or EMP bait.
Raider Brandmaster: carries scent-mark to call beasts; counter with fungi smoke.

30) System Tie-Ins (Doomsday Bots, Vertibirds, Vault X-21)

Doomsday Bots: blueprint: Courier Mule (blast-damped chassis, command: fetch, park, detonate only on player channel).
Vertibirds: Winch-Tarp Rig quick-deploy blinds; rooftop glyphs reduce aggro by one tier.
Vault X-21: trade myco-filter tech ↔ access to mutation lab vents; unique Biofilter Cloak (temporary scent immunity).

31) Player Build Paths (synergy)

Caretaker: +build speed, +vendor quality, event spawns = aid-first.
Wirewright: trap webs, EMP chains, Shadow Grid mastery.
Ghostwalker: disguise perfection, audit jukes, paper cooldowns.
Hybrid Feats: Hush Overdrive (non-lethal chain grants AP), Ledger Shark (convert favors to caps).

32) Challenges & Achievements

“Tenured” — Keep one squat stable 14 consecutive in-game days.
“Paper Tiger” — Pass 10 officer gates without a fight.
“Quiet City” — Convert 3 districts to Hidden Quarter status.
“Gridlord” — Link 8 Shadow nodes without triggering a surge.

33) Modding/Data Hooks

JSON Tables: disguises, sigils, witness thresholds, audit events, craft recipes.
Tunable Curves: suspicion decay, audit frequency, district heat.
Tags: HIPS_FACADE, HIPS_PERMIT, HIPS_NODE, HIPS_AUDIT.

34) Difficulty & Accessibility

Assist Toggles: larger sigil UI, colorblind patterns, slower audits, audible “paper check” cue.
Mode Variant: Hardline (no lethal allowed while Tenured) vs Loose (lethal allowed but doubles audit risk for 24h).

35) Audio & Radio Flavor

SFX: soft key jingles, distant PA chimes, valve hisses, muted clanks.
Radio Spots: fake “city service” announcements that act as mobile Facade auras.

36) UI Notes

Blend-In Meter: badge icon that warms from blue (safe) → amber → red (audit).
Forgery UI: tricolor dials for stock/emboss/ink; perfect align = satisfying stamp thud.
Sigil Legend: unlockable overlay with minimal clutter.

37) Evidence & Photo Tasks

Some missions require “inspection photos.” Add a light camera mode: framing grid + time stamp; better frames boost reward.

38) Endgame: Hidden Quarter City

Unlocks District Work Orders (repeatables), Tenant Festivals (morale buffs), and Blackout Gambits (optional high-stakes power swaps that reshape patrol routes).