# Paula - Project Briefing
Last updated: 2026-02-11

## Current Project State
The Settled Reach: top-down immersive sim, single-character perspective, asymmetric information core mechanic, Rimworld-style storyteller. 41 confirmed decisions, 17 discussion rounds + 2 workshops complete. Engine selected (D-020). Vertical slice defined (D-027). v0.1 Content Gap Analysis Workshop complete — NPC web reconciled, THE FRIEND designed, dependency chain established. Knowledge Graph & Information Boundaries Workshop complete (D-041) — knowledge vocabulary unblocked for content authoring (#309).

## Status
**ACTIVE.** Critical path owner. The Dual Lens Authoring Guide (#261) is the single biggest blocker in the project — everything downstream depends on it.

## Decisions Relevant to Your Role
- D-005: Asymmetric information as core mechanic driving faction dynamics
- D-016: Internal monologue — unreliable narrator reflecting character perspective
- D-021: Official title "The Settled Reach"
- D-024: NPC triangle model — 10 axes + combat component
- D-025: Cross-template triangles via reference links
- D-028: Four relational dialogue layers
- D-029: 30/50/20 population split

### Workshop Decisions (Content Gap Analysis)
- **D-032: Separate monologue pools per character** — hard partition, no shared lines
- **D-034: THE FRIEND NPC pattern** — your designs are canonical:
  - **Smuggler's FRIEND: Kael Davan** — dock worker, ring member. Contradiction: unauthorized contact to exit the ring (protecting Hael). Arc: comfort → first crack → observation → confrontation → new equilibrium.
  - **Detective's FRIEND: Sera Venn** — Commission field tech, bar regular. Contradiction: concealing evidence (protecting friend Hael). Arc: trust → background data → pattern recognition → the question → contaminated trust.
  - Reusable pattern: 3+ phases, observable contradiction, sympathetic motivation, no clean resolution, dual-lens resonance, triangle integration.
- **D-033: Entity color = relationship to player** — green/teal/amber/red maps to your access tier model visually
- **D-035: Converged tag taxonomy** — your 4 layers map to tags: access (L1), situation (L2), trust (L3), topic+mood (L4)
- **D-036: Sova Transit District** — 15 NPCs with Krenn System names (your Round 2 web is canonical)
- **D-037: Contraband = unlicensed lattice components** — smuggling access, not weapons (moral ambiguity confirmed)
- **D-039: All 6 wow moments in scope** — THE FRIEND contradiction is wow moment #3
- **D-041: Knowledge Graph Data Model** — 4-level confidence hierarchy resolves Q-016. Knowledge vocabulary for content authoring (#309) defined at synthesis Appendix A. Prerequisite format: `knowledge: [{subject, flag, level}]` where level = suspects/knows_of/knows_details. FactId format: `category.topic`. Supports THE FRIEND contradiction detection (Contradicted state, monologue trigger, relationship shift to PersonOfInterest).

## Your Relationship Web (Canonical — Round 2)
15 NPCs, 5 triangles:
- **Triangle 1 (Hub Power):** Voss - Kael - Nils
- **Triangle 2 (Worried Knowledge):** Maret - Drin - Voss
- **Triangle 3 (Bar Tensions):** Lera - Torek - Ren
- **Triangle 4 (Worried Partner):** Hael - Kael - Sera (connects both FRIENDs)
- **Triangle 5 (Informant Question):** Naia - Kosse - Drin (cross-template)

Distribution: 3 flat (Pael, Ren, Tev), 7 mundane triangle, 4-5 entangled.

## Open Questions Assigned to You
- Q-011: Character selection roster for prototype (co-lead with Miri)
- Q-016: Knowledge hierarchy for monologue prerequisites — **RESOLVED** (D-041)
- Q-017: Triangle pressure threshold (co-lead with Gestalt)
- Q-026: Contradiction detection algorithm (co-lead with Gestalt, Dudley)

## Current Priorities
**Critical path: Dual Lens Guide → Voice Patterns → THE FRIEND profiles → NPC profiles → Review**

1. **Dual Lens Authoring Guide (#261) — full draft** (blocks everything downstream)
   - Refined outline from workshop: 6 parts including THE FRIEND section
   - Must include: emotional divergence moments, access tier shift paths, authoring checklist with display context tags
   - **Knowledge prerequisite format** now available: see D-041 Appendix A for v0.1 vocabulary and prerequisite syntax
2. **THE FRIEND: Kael Davan — full Tier 1 profile** (needs DLG)
3. **THE FRIEND: Sera Venn — full Tier 1 profile** (needs DLG)
4. **Character voice speech patterns** (co-deliver with Mellanie)
5. **NPC Profiles: Tier 1 (4 entangled), Tier 2 (7 mundane), Tier 3 (3 flat)**
6. **Access tier shift design document** (co-deliver with Gestalt)
7. **Mirror moment review pass** (after Mellanie's monologue pools exist)

## Key Documents
- decisions/content.md — D-023 through D-037
- docs/workshops/content-gap-analysis_v0_1/ — workshop outputs and SUMMARY.md
- docs/briefings/mellanie.md — content production status