settled-reach/wiki/authoring/monologue-guide.md

title, slug, category, status, created, updated, tags, decision_refs, cross_refs

title	slug	category	status	created	updated	tags	decision_refs	cross_refs
Monologue Authoring Guide	monologue-guide	authoring-guide	canonical	2026-02-12	2026-02-13		D-032 D-035

Monologue and Dialogue Authoring Guide

How to write tagged monologue and dialogue content for The Settled Reach. Read the knowledge system docs first — this guide assumes you know what a FactId is and how RelationshipState works.

Prerequisites:

• Fact Catalog — 24 FactIds with confidence progressions
• Entity Attributes — 14 canonical EntityKnowledge keys
• Relationship States — 5 states, transitions, dialogue access tiers

Canonical sources: D-028 (dialogue architecture), D-032 (separate monologue pools), D-035 (tag taxonomy)

---

Location Shortcodes

Canonical shortcodes for v0.1 Sova Transit District. Used in line IDs ({shortcode}_{type}_{###}) and file naming.

Shortcode	Location	Full Name	D-036 Reference
terminal	Logistics Hub	The Terminal	Primary workplace social site
bar	The Last Shift	Lera's (informal)	Social venue
corridor	Maintenance corridors	Corridor B-7 (primary)	Smuggling/service spaces

File naming convention: {shortcode}-{character}.yaml (e.g., terminal-smuggler.yaml, bar-detective.yaml)

Line ID format: {shortcode}_{d|m|e}_{###} where d=dialogue, m=monologue, e=environmental

---

Situation Overlap Rules

A line can have multiple situations in its situation list. These rules define valid combinations.

Mutually exclusive (never co-occur):

• arrival and shift_end — you can't be both arriving and leaving
• alone and social — by definition
• emergency and routine — emergency overrides routine
• confrontation and social — confrontation replaces social context

Common valid overlaps:

• shift_start + routine — beginning-of-shift routine observations
• bar_evening + social — social interaction at the bar
• observation + any non-exclusive situation — observation layers on top of context
• investigation + observation — investigating by watching

Default if empty: routine (engine assumes routine context)

---

Mood Exclusivity Rules

A line can have multiple moods, but some combinations are contradictory.

Mutually exclusive (never co-occur):

• fond and suspicious — these are opposing orientations toward someone
• comfortable and worried — opposing emotional states
• relieved and concerned — resolved vs. unresolved tension

Common valid overlaps:

• analytical + any mood — analytical is a cognitive mode that coexists with emotion
• conflicted + fond or concerned — conflicted implies mixed feelings
• worried + suspicious — worry about someone's behavior shading into suspicion

Default if empty: comfortable (engine assumes neutral emotional baseline)

---

Core Principle

Internal monologue is hard-partitioned by playable character (D-032). The smuggler and detective have completely separate monologue pools. No shared lines. Same trigger, different pool. This is how mirror moments work without either pool knowing about the other.

Dialogue lines are shared — NPCs say the same words regardless of who's listening. The access tier system filters which lines each character can hear at runtime.

---

D-035 Tag Taxonomy Reference

Every line carries structural tags, selection tags, and (for monologue) character-specific tags. Here's the full schema.

Structural Tags (required on every dialogue line)

Tag	Type	Purpose
id	string	{location}_{d|m|e}_{###} — stable, machine-parseable
text	string	The authored line
role	enum	Template-defined role, not NPC name (NPC assignment is runtime)
access	list<enum>	Hard filter: public, insider, authority, peer, hostile
trust	enum	Hard filter: surface, real, secret
situation	list<enum>	Context filter (13 situations for v0.1)

Selection Tags (recommended, defaults apply if empty)

Tag	Type	Purpose
topic	list<enum>	Weighted selection (9 topics for v0.1)
mood	list<enum>	Weighted selection (8 moods for v0.1)
tags	list<string>	Freeform escape hatch for author intent

Monologue-Specific Tags (added to structural + selection)

Tag	Type	Purpose
character	enum	smuggler or detective — hard partition (D-032)
trigger	enum	What fires this line (9 types — see next section)
prerequisite	map or null	Knowledge state gate

Authoring-Only Tags (not consumed by engine)

Tag	Type	Purpose
dual_lens	map	Per-character notes on how the line reads differently
notes	string	Author intent, context for future editors

Enum Values

situation (13 for v0.1): arrival, shift_start, shift_end, shift_transition, bar_evening, night_shift, investigation, confrontation, social, alone, emergency, routine, observation

topic (9 for v0.1): colleague, routine, cargo, money, trust, danger, institution, personal, investigation

Note: no crime or smuggling topic. NPCs think of it as cargo or money. The detective uses investigation.

mood (8 for v0.1): fond, comfortable, worried, suspicious, analytical, conflicted, concerned, relieved

---

Monologue Trigger Types (9)

The trigger tag determines WHEN a monologue line fires. Each type maps to a game event.

1. enter_location

Fires when the player enters a named area.

- id: terminal_m_010
  text: "Morning shift. Recycled air and cargo lubricant. Home sweet home."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: enter_location
  situation: [arrival]
  mood: [comfortable]
  prerequisite: null

- id: terminal_m_011
  text: "Logistics hub. Standard prefab, heavy foot traffic. Let's see what the shift change tells me."
  character: detective
  trigger: enter_location
  situation: [arrival]
  mood: [analytical]
  prerequisite: null

Mirror moment: Same entry, different register. Smuggler sees home; detective sees a crime scene.

Use for first impressions, atmosphere, returning-to-familiar-ground observations. Keep short — the player is moving.

---

2. observe_npc

Fires when a known entity enters the player's line of sight.

- id: terminal_m_020
  text: "Kael's here. Good — I was starting to worry."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: observe_npc
  mood: [fond]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Friendly
    subject: kael_davan

- id: terminal_m_021
  text: "Dock worker from the case file. Davan, K. Unremarkable on paper."
  character: detective
  trigger: observe_npc
  mood: [analytical]
  prerequisite:
    fact: investigation.manifest_discrepancy
    confidence: Suspects

Use for identification, behavioral observations, emotional reactions. The prerequisite controls which version fires — same NPC, different line depending on knowledge.

---

3. hear_sound

Fires on audio events — ambient, diegetic, or anomalous.

- id: bar_m_030
  text: "Raised voices from the back room. Devra's in there. That's not a brokering call."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: hear_sound
  mood: [concerned]
  prerequisite:
    fact: contraband.ring_exists
    confidence: KnowsDetails

- id: bar_m_031
  text: "Arguing behind that door. The bartender didn't flinch. Either she's used to it or she knows what it is."
  character: detective
  trigger: hear_sound
  mood: [suspicious]
  prerequisite: null

Audio triggers fire less frequently than visual ones. Make them count.

---

4. observe_anomaly

Fires when the player observes something that contradicts expected state — a container in the wrong place, an NPC where they shouldn't be, a door that should be locked.

- id: terminal_m_040
  text: "Kael's checking his lattice again. Third time in ten minutes. That's not normal."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: observe_anomaly
  mood: [worried]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Friendly
    subject: kael_davan

- id: terminal_m_041
  text: "Dock worker Davan — lattice activity spiked. Expecting a message? Or checking for surveillance?"
  character: detective
  trigger: observe_anomaly
  mood: [analytical]
  prerequisite:
    known_attributes:
      subject: kael_davan
      key: behavior_flags
      value_contains: lattice_checking

This is the detective's bread and butter: the gap between expected and observed.

---

5. post_conversation

Fires after a dialogue exchange ends. Internal reaction to what just happened.

- id: bar_m_050
  text: "Sera's good to have around. Knows the district, knows the people. Reliable."
  character: detective
  trigger: post_conversation
  mood: [fond]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Friendly
    subject: sera_venn

- id: bar_m_051
  text: "She's not lying. But she's not telling me everything. Sera, what do you know?"
  character: detective
  trigger: post_conversation
  mood: [conflicted]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
    subject: sera_venn

This is where character voice shines — the detective analyzes, the smuggler worries about people.

---

6. discover_evidence

Fires when the player finds physical evidence — a document, object, or data point.

- id: terminal_m_060
  text: "Container 4471. Manifest says 240 kilos. That crate is closer to 310."
  character: detective
  trigger: discover_evidence
  mood: [analytical]
  prerequisite:
    fact: investigation.manifest_discrepancy
    confidence: Suspects

- id: terminal_m_061
  text: "4471's still in temp. Kael routed it there during transition. Standard. Nothing to worry about."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: discover_evidence
  mood: [relieved]
  prerequisite:
    fact: contraband.ring_exists
    confidence: KnowsDetails

Brief, observational. The fact system handles what the player now knows — the monologue handles what they feel about it.

---

7. witness_interaction

Fires when the player observes two NPCs interacting.

- id: bar_m_070
  text: "Sera's headed out. Smart — Torek gets loud after three drinks. Nobody wants to deal with that."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: witness_interaction
  mood: [comfortable]
  prerequisite: null

- id: bar_m_071
  text: "That's twice now. Sera leaves when Torek arrives. Coincidence? Filing it."
  character: detective
  trigger: witness_interaction
  mood: [analytical]
  prerequisite:
    known_attributes:
      subject: sera_venn
      key: behavior_flags
      value_contains: avoidance_pattern

Mirror moment: Same event. Smuggler has the innocent explanation. Detective has the investigative read. On replay: "Wait — WAS it just the noise?"

---

8. time_idle

Fires after inactivity — the player is standing still, watching, waiting. The character's mind wanders.

- id: corr_m_080
  text: "Quiet tonight. Good. Nobody using the south access."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: time_idle
  mood: [relieved]
  prerequisite:
    fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
    confidence: KnowsDetails

- id: corr_m_081
  text: "This corridor should see foot traffic during shift change. It's empty. Why?"
  character: detective
  trigger: time_idle
  mood: [suspicious]
  prerequisite:
    fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
    confidence: Suspects

Idle lines reveal what the character cares about when nothing demands attention. The smuggler thinks about the operation; the detective thinks about the case.

---

9. return_visit

Fires when the player returns to a location they've visited before. Distinct from enter_location — gates on prior visit history.

- id: bar_m_090
  text: "Back at Lera's. Same seats, same faces. Sera's in the corner booth. Good."
  character: detective
  trigger: return_visit
  mood: [comfortable]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Friendly
    subject: sera_venn

- id: bar_m_091
  text: "Back again. Same booth. ...Let's see if Sera leaves when Torek shows up."
  character: detective
  trigger: return_visit
  mood: [suspicious]
  prerequisite:
    known_attributes:
      subject: sera_venn
      key: behavior_flags
      value_contains: avoidance_pattern

Return visits build investigation momentum. This is where the detective's pattern recognition fires.

---

YAML Prerequisite Format

Prerequisites gate monologue lines on knowledge state. A line only fires if the player's knowledge meets the conditions.

No prerequisite (always eligible)

prerequisite: null

Still filtered by trigger type, character, and location. Use for baseline observations that don't depend on knowledge.

Gating on FactId + confidence

prerequisite:
  fact: contraband.ring_exists
  confidence: KnowsOf

Fires only if the active character knows the named fact at the specified confidence or higher. Confidence levels ordered: Suspects < KnowsOf < KnowsDetails < Direct.

Use exact FactId strings from the Fact Catalog — "contraband.ring_exists" not "Ring Exists". The 24 v0.1 FactIds are the only valid values.

Gating on RelationshipState

prerequisite:
  relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
  subject: kael_davan

Fires only if the active character's relationship with the named entity is the specified state. States: Unknown, Known, Friendly, PersonOfInterest, Hostile.

Gating on EntityKnowledge attributes

Exact match:

prerequisite:
  known_attributes:
    subject: kael_davan
    key: contradiction_flagged
    value: meeting_unknown_contact

Fires if the active character's EntityKnowledge for the target has the exact key-value pair.

Partial match (for comma-separated fields like behavior_flags):

prerequisite:
  known_attributes:
    subject: kael_davan
    key: behavior_flags
    value_contains: lattice_checking

Matches if behavior_flags contains lattice_checking anywhere in the comma-separated list.

Compound prerequisites

Combine conditions with all (AND) or any (OR):

prerequisite:
  all:
    - fact: contraband.ring_exists
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    - relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: kael_davan
    - known_attributes:
        subject: kael_davan
        key: behavior_flags
        value_contains: lattice_checking

All three must be true. Swap all for any for OR logic.

Keep compound prerequisites to 2-3 conditions. If you need more, the line is too narrowly targeted — split it.

Character-specific gating

The character tag on monologue lines is already a hard partition. You don't need to gate on character inside prerequisite. But some facts are character-specific in practice:

# Detective-only fact — smuggler never reaches this
prerequisite:
  fact: investigation.evidence_collected
  confidence: KnowsOf

# Both characters can reach this, but from different starting points
prerequisite:
  fact: contraband.ring_exists
  confidence: KnowsOf
  # Smuggler starts here. Detective earns it through investigation.

---

Access Tier Mapping

The access tag on dialogue lines determines who can hear what. Access is derived from RelationshipState plus character type (smuggler/detective).

RelationshipState to dialogue access

access tag	Unknown	Known	Friendly	PersonOfInterest	Hostile
public	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
peer	--	yes	yes	--	--
insider	--	--	yes	--	--
authority	detective	detective	--	detective	--
hostile	--	--	--	--	yes

Key rules:

• public: Anyone can hear it. Greetings, small talk, general information.
• peer: Requires Known or Friendly. Coworker talk, casual gossip. Locks out at PersonOfInterest — when trust breaks, peers stop sharing.
• insider: Requires Friendly only. Ring operations talk, close confidences. The content that vanishes when THE FRIEND turns amber.
• authority: Detective-only, works at Unknown, Known, and PersonOfInterest. Institutional leverage. Doesn't work on Friendly (too personal) or Hostile (they've stopped cooperating).
• hostile: Only at Hostile. Threats, demands, final warnings.

What this means for THE FRIEND

When Kael transitions from Friendly to PersonOfInterest:

• insider lines disappear. Ring talk stops. Trust-gated confidences lock.
• peer lines disappear. Casual warmth dries up. Kael becomes guarded.
• public lines remain. Kael still greets the smuggler — but the warmth is gone.

When Sera transitions from Friendly to PersonOfInterest:

• insider lines disappear. Institutional background sharing stops.
• peer lines disappear. Bar conversation becomes stilted.
• authority lines unlock for the detective. Pressing questions become available.

This is the mechanical expression of the emotional arc. The content doesn't change — the filter changes. Lines that existed before are now locked. That absence IS the narrative.

Trust sublayers

Within each access tier, trust further filters content:

trust	What it gates
surface	Safe topics, social norms, what anyone would say
real	Honest opinions, unguarded speech, actual feelings
secret	Dangerous knowledge, confessions, things that create leverage

Trust is orthogonal to access. A peer + surface line is casual coworker talk. A peer + real line is a coworker dropping the mask. A peer + secret line is a coworker confessing something risky.

Per-NPC access mapping

How each character relates to key NPCs:

NPC	Smuggler Access	Detective Access
Kael (THE FRIEND)	insider, peer	public → authority (after flagging)
Sera (THE FRIEND)	public (Commission, wary)	peer → authority (post-contradiction)
Voss	insider (colleague)	authority
Lera	insider (bar regular)	public → peer (repeat visits)
Naia	peer (through Kael)	public → peer (through Sera)
Torek	insider or peer	public
Maret	insider (hub colleague)	authority
Drin	insider (hub colleague)	authority

---

Tell Observation Format

Tells are behavioral signals that update EntityKnowledge.known_attributes. When observed, two things happen: the attribute updates in the knowledge graph, and a monologue line fires.

Structure

A tell observation monologue line should:

1. Name the behavior — what the player sees
2. Interpret through character lens — what it means to THIS character
3. Map to an attribute — note in notes which known_attributes key updates

- id: terminal_m_100
  text: "Kael keeps checking his lattice. Waiting for something."
  character: smuggler
  trigger: observe_anomaly
  mood: [concerned]
  topic: [colleague]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Friendly
    subject: kael_davan
  notes: "First tell. Updates behavior_flags: lattice_checking. Smuggler notices but doesn't flag yet."

- id: terminal_m_101
  text: "Dock worker Davan — lattice activity spiked. Three pings in two minutes. Expecting a message? Or checking for surveillance?"
  character: detective
  trigger: observe_anomaly
  mood: [analytical]
  topic: [investigation]
  prerequisite:
    relationship_state: Known
    subject: kael_davan
  notes: "Same tell, different read. Updates behavior_flags: lattice_checking."

Tell progression

Tells accumulate. Write them as a sequence, each gated on increasing knowledge:

Tell 1 — first observation (no prior flags):

prerequisite:
  relationship_state: Friendly
  subject: kael_davan
  # No behavior_flags gate — this IS the first observation

Tell 2 — pattern forming (first flag set):

prerequisite:
  known_attributes:
    subject: kael_davan
    key: behavior_flags
    value_contains: lattice_checking
  # Requires tell 1 to have fired and set the attribute

Tell 3 — conclusion (multiple flags):

prerequisite:
  all:
    - known_attributes:
        subject: kael_davan
        key: behavior_flags
        value_contains: lattice_checking
    - known_attributes:
        subject: kael_davan
        key: behavior_flags
        value_contains: evasive

Each tell should feel like a natural observation, not a checklist. The player doesn't know they're accumulating evidence.

Canonical tell attributes

Attribute key	What it captures	Example values
behavior_flags	Comma-separated observations	"nervous,lattice_checking", "avoidance_pattern,evasive"
tell_observed	Specific personal tell	"looks_left_when_lying", "leaves_when_torek_arrives"
contradiction_flagged	THE FRIEND arc trigger	"meeting_unknown_contact", "avoidance_inconsistency"
secret_held	What observer believes target hides	"ring membership", "unreported evidence"
secret_confidence	Certainty level	"suspected", "likely", "confirmed"

THE FRIEND tell arcs

Kael (smuggler observes):

Phase	Tell	Behavior flag	Line tone
First crack	Increased lattice checking	lattice_checking	Concern: "Kael's distracted today."
Pattern	Shortened conversations, evasive	distracted,evasive	Worry: "Kael's been quiet lately."
Contradiction	Unauthorized spatial presence	contradiction_flagged: meeting_unknown_contact	Alarm: "That wasn't anyone from our rotation."
Confirmation	Looks left when answering	tell_observed: looks_left_when_lying	Hurt: "He always looks left when he's making something up."

Sera (detective observes):

Phase	Tell	Behavior flag	Line tone
First departure	Leaves when Torek arrives (once)	avoidance_pattern (begins)	Barely noticed: "Sera headed out. Long day."
Second departure	Different excuse, same trigger	avoidance_pattern (accumulating)	Noted: "Sera left again. She's been tired lately."
Third departure	Pattern confirmed	contradiction_flagged: avoidance_inconsistency	Analytical: "Three times. Three excuses. That's data."
Deflection	Controlled redirect when asked	tell_observed: controlled_deflection	Conflicted: "She's not lying. But she's not telling me everything."

---

Voice Discipline: Writing for Dual-Lens

Every NPC line must work for both character perspectives. Same words, different meaning.

The rule

Monologue pools are separate (D-032). But dialogue is shared — the NPC says the same thing to both characters. The access tier filters which lines each character can hear, but public and peer lines reach both. When an NPC speaks, the words must land differently depending on who's listening.

How to write dual-lens lines

Step 1: Write the line. Concrete, in the speaker's voice. The NPC doesn't know who's listening.

- id: hub_d_044
  role: dock_worker
  text: "Container 4471 sat in temp storage overnight. Scheduling backed up again."
  access: [public, peer]
  trust: surface
  situation: [shift_start]

Step 2: Check both readings. Document the split.

  dual_lens:
    smuggler: "Operational context — part of the ring pipeline. 'Backed up' is cover language."
    detective: "Anomaly — overnight exceeds standard procedure. Flag for investigation."

Step 3: Verify neither reading breaks. If it only works for one character, use a different access tier or rely on character-specific monologue to recontextualize.

Dual-lens patterns

Innocuous surface / operational subtext:

"Voss adjusted the night shift again. Two workers short."

• Smuggler: coverage gap for tonight's run
• Detective: scheduling irregularity worth tracking

Social warmth / threat assessment:

"Sera left early. Headache, she said."

• Detective: pattern forming — third time when Torek's here
• Smuggler: Commission person leaving, less oversight

Emotional resonance / clinical data:

"Kael's been quiet lately. Not like him."

• Smuggler: concern for a friend
• Detective: behavioral change in a subject

Casual disclosure / institutional intelligence:

"I ran the usual calibration checks today."

• Detective: routine work, mundane
• Smuggler: Commission is still active in the district

What to avoid

• One-character lines in shared pools. If only the smuggler gets it, it needs insider access, not public.
• Telegraphing. "I'm definitely not doing anything illegal" — nobody talks like that.
• Breaking NPC voice for the lens. The NPC doesn't know who's listening. They talk like themselves.
• Over-explaining. If you need a paragraph of dual_lens notes to explain the split, the line isn't doing its job. The best dual-lens lines work on surface for one character and subtext for the other.

---

Concrete Examples: Full Tagged Pools

Three pools, one per v0.1 social site. Each shows file structure, progression through THE FRIEND arc, and full tag usage.

The Terminal (Logistics Hub) — Smuggler Monologue

# File: content/terminal/monologue-smuggler.yaml
# Location: The Terminal (Logistics Hub)
# Character: Smuggler

lines:

  # --- ARRIVAL ---

  - id: terminal_m_001
    character: smuggler
    trigger: enter_location
    prerequisite: null
    text: "Morning shift. Recycled air and cargo lubricant. Home sweet home."
    mood: [comfortable]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [arrival, shift_start]
    access: [insider]
    trust: surface
    tags: [baseline]

  - id: terminal_m_002
    character: smuggler
    trigger: enter_location
    prerequisite:
      fact: contraband.ring_exists
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    text: "Shift transition in thirty minutes. If Voss kept the schedule thin, the route's clear."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [cargo]
    situation: [shift_transition]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [ring, operational]

  # --- KAEL: THE FRIEND ARC ---

  # Phase 1: Comfort
  - id: terminal_m_010
    character: smuggler
    trigger: observe_npc
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: kael_davan
    text: "Kael's already at the dock. Good. The day's better when he's on shift."
    mood: [fond]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [shift_start]
    access: [insider, peer]
    trust: surface
    tags: [kael, baseline, pre_contradiction]
    notes: "Phase 1 warmth. Establishes the bond before it gets tested."

  # Phase 2: First crack
  - id: terminal_m_011
    character: smuggler
    trigger: observe_anomaly
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - relationship_state: Friendly
          subject: kael_davan
        - known_attributes:
            subject: kael_davan
            key: behavior_flags
            value_contains: lattice_checking
    text: "Kael keeps checking his lattice. Waiting for a message? Not like him to be jumpy."
    mood: [concerned]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [routine]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, tell, first_crack]
    notes: "Phase 2. Smuggler notices, doesn't flag it. Updates behavior_flags."

  - id: terminal_m_012
    character: smuggler
    trigger: post_conversation
    prerequisite:
      known_attributes:
        subject: kael_davan
        key: behavior_flags
        value_contains: evasive
    text: "Kael cut lunch short again. 'Things to take care of.' Since when does Kael have things to take care of that don't involve me?"
    mood: [worried]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [routine]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, tell, pattern_forming]

  # Phase 3: The contradiction
  - id: terminal_m_013
    character: smuggler
    trigger: witness_interaction
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: kael_davan
    text: "Kael? By the service hatch? And that's — I don't know them. Not crew, not ring. Who is that?"
    mood: [concerned]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [observation]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, the_friend, contradiction, critical_moment]
    notes: >
      THE CONTRADICTION. Kael in restricted area with unknown contact.
      Sets contradiction_flagged: meeting_unknown_contact.
      RelationshipState: Friendly -> PersonOfInterest. Green -> amber.

  # Phase 4: Confrontation aftermath
  - id: terminal_m_014
    character: smuggler
    trigger: post_conversation
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
          subject: kael_davan
        - known_attributes:
            subject: kael_davan
            key: tell_observed
            value: looks_left_when_lying
    text: "He looked left. He always looks left when he's making something up. Two years I've known that tell. Kael is lying to me."
    mood: [conflicted]
    topic: [trust]
    situation: [confrontation]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, the_friend, tell_confirmation]
    notes: "The tell pays off. Established early in casual observation, confirmed under pressure."

  # Phase 5: Contaminated trust
  - id: terminal_m_015
    character: smuggler
    trigger: observe_npc
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
          subject: kael_davan
        - known_attributes:
            subject: kael_davan
            key: contradiction_flagged
            value: meeting_unknown_contact
    text: "Same old Kael. Same jokes, same routine. ...What are you not telling me?"
    mood: [conflicted]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [routine]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, the_friend, contaminated_trust]
    notes: "Phase 5. Warmth and doubt simultaneously. Every smile now has a question mark."

  # --- OPERATIONAL ---

  - id: terminal_m_020
    character: smuggler
    trigger: observe_anomaly
    prerequisite:
      fact: investigation.cargo_anomaly
      confidence: Suspects
    text: "That container's been in temp since yesterday. Someone forgot to process it, or someone's stalling."
    mood: [concerned]
    topic: [cargo]
    situation: [routine]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [investigation, cargo]

  - id: terminal_m_021
    character: smuggler
    trigger: time_idle
    prerequisite:
      fact: world.shift_schedule
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    text: "Thirteen-forty. Transition window opens in fifty minutes. After that, twenty minutes of reduced oversight."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [routine]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [ring, timing, operational]

---

The Last Shift (Bar) — Detective Monologue

# File: content/bar/monologue-detective.yaml
# Location: The Last Shift (Bar)
# Character: Detective

lines:

  # --- ARRIVAL ---

  - id: bar_m_001
    character: detective
    trigger: enter_location
    prerequisite: null
    text: "The Last Shift. Grain spirit and low conversation. Only place in this district that doesn't smell like freight lubricant."
    mood: [comfortable]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [arrival, bar_evening]
    access: [public]
    trust: surface
    tags: [baseline, atmosphere]

  - id: bar_m_002
    character: detective
    trigger: return_visit
    prerequisite:
      fact: progress.initial_suspicion
      confidence: KnowsOf
    text: "Back again. People talk here. And people who don't talk are talking too — just not out loud."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [investigation]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [authority]
    trust: real
    tags: [investigation, atmosphere]

  # --- SERA: THE FRIEND ARC ---

  # Phase 1: Trust
  - id: bar_m_010
    character: detective
    trigger: observe_npc
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: sera_venn
    text: "Sera's in her usual booth. Good. One familiar face in a district that doesn't want me here."
    mood: [relieved]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [peer]
    trust: surface
    tags: [sera, baseline, trust]
    notes: "Phase 1. Sera is the detective's anchor. Establish this warmth — it has to hurt later."

  # Phase 2: Background
  - id: bar_m_011
    character: detective
    trigger: post_conversation
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: sera_venn
    text: "Sera's connected here. Knows the regulars, knows the routines. And she's got diagnostic access. Useful."
    mood: [comfortable]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [social]
    access: [peer]
    trust: surface
    tags: [sera, background, pre_contradiction]
    notes: "Phase 2. The detective notes Sera's access level without realizing it's the source of the conflict."

  # Phase 3: Pattern — first departure
  - id: bar_m_012
    character: detective
    trigger: witness_interaction
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: sera_venn
    text: "Sera headed out. Early shift tomorrow, she said. Fair enough."
    mood: [comfortable]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [peer]
    trust: surface
    tags: [sera, avoidance, departure_1]
    notes: "First Torek departure. Detective barely notices."

  # Phase 3: Pattern — second departure
  - id: bar_m_013
    character: detective
    trigger: witness_interaction
    prerequisite:
      known_attributes:
        subject: sera_venn
        key: behavior_flags
        value_contains: avoidance_pattern
    text: "Sera left again. Headache. Right after Torek walked in. ...Noted."
    mood: [suspicious]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [peer]
    trust: real
    tags: [sera, avoidance, departure_2]
    notes: "Second departure. Detective notes it. Not yet a pattern."

  # Phase 3: Pattern — the third (contradiction)
  - id: bar_m_014
    character: detective
    trigger: witness_interaction
    prerequisite:
      known_attributes:
        subject: sera_venn
        key: contradiction_flagged
        value: avoidance_inconsistency
    text: "That's the third time. Early shift, headache, kiosk check. Three excuses, one result. Sera leaves when Torek arrives. That's not coincidence."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [bar_evening, observation]
    access: [peer]
    trust: real
    tags: [sera, the_friend, contradiction_discovery]
    notes: >
      THE CONTRADICTION. Three data points make a conclusion.
      Sets contradiction_flagged: avoidance_inconsistency.
      RelationshipState: Friendly -> PersonOfInterest. Green -> amber.
      Different from Kael's — cumulative, not sudden.

  # Phase 4: The question asked
  - id: bar_m_015
    character: detective
    trigger: post_conversation
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
          subject: sera_venn
        - known_attributes:
            subject: sera_venn
            key: tell_observed
            value: controlled_deflection,topic_change
    text: "She deflected. Smooth — 'he's just loud.' Technically true. But her shoulders shifted. Sera, what do you know about Torek?"
    mood: [conflicted]
    topic: [trust]
    situation: [confrontation]
    access: [authority]
    trust: real
    tags: [sera, the_friend, post_confrontation]
    notes: "Phase 4. The detective hears the non-lie. Deflection IS the tell."

  # Phase 5: Contaminated trust
  - id: bar_m_016
    character: detective
    trigger: return_visit
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
      subject: sera_venn
    text: "Same booth. Same warm smile. Same offer to buy me a drink. ...Everything except whatever she's not saying."
    mood: [conflicted]
    topic: [trust]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [authority]
    trust: real
    tags: [sera, the_friend, contaminated_trust]
    notes: "Phase 5. Every kindness now has a question mark. The past is retroactively contaminated."

  # --- TOREK ---

  - id: bar_m_020
    character: detective
    trigger: observe_npc
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Unknown
      subject: torek_lintar
    text: "Loud one at the bar. Buying rounds he probably can't afford. Worth watching."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [money]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [public]
    trust: surface
    tags: [torek, first_observation, spending]

  # --- ATMOSPHERE ---

  - id: bar_m_030
    character: detective
    trigger: time_idle
    prerequisite:
      fact: progress.initial_suspicion
      confidence: KnowsOf
    text: "Everyone's friendly enough. Drinks, jokes, the usual complaints about shift schedules. But friendly and honest aren't the same thing."
    mood: [suspicious]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [bar_evening]
    access: [public]
    trust: real
    tags: [atmosphere, investigation, early_game]

---

Corridor B-7 — Smuggler Monologue

# File: content/corridor/monologue-smuggler.yaml
# Location: Corridor B-7 (Maintenance / Smuggling Route)
# Character: Smuggler

lines:

  # --- ENTRY ---

  - id: corridor_m_001
    character: smuggler
    trigger: enter_location
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    text: "B-7. Old prefab, minimal coverage. The route works because nobody updated the surveillance map."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [night_shift]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [ring, operational, spatial]

  - id: corridor_m_002
    character: smuggler
    trigger: enter_location
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
      confidence: Suspects
    text: "Maintenance corridor. Quiet. Shouldn't be this quiet during shift change."
    mood: [suspicious]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [shift_transition]
    access: [public]
    trust: surface
    tags: [exploration, spatial]
    notes: "Lower confidence — smuggler who doesn't know B-7's significance yet."

  # --- ENVIRONMENTAL ---

  - id: corridor_m_003
    character: smuggler
    trigger: hear_sound
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
      confidence: KnowsOf
    text: "Footsteps. Wrong cadence for maintenance crew. Someone's being careful."
    mood: [concerned]
    topic: [danger]
    situation: [night_shift]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [tension, spatial_awareness]

  - id: corridor_m_004
    character: smuggler
    trigger: time_idle
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.surveillance_gaps
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    text: "No Meridian signal down here. No eyes, no ears. Whatever happens in B-7 stays in B-7."
    mood: [relieved]
    topic: [routine]
    situation: [alone]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [ring, surveillance, operational]

  # --- THE CONTRADICTION ---

  - id: corridor_m_010
    character: smuggler
    trigger: witness_interaction
    prerequisite:
      relationship_state: Friendly
      subject: kael_davan
    text: "Kael? Down here? And that's — I don't know them. Not crew, not ring. Who the hell is that?"
    mood: [concerned]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [observation]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [the_friend, contradiction, kael, critical_moment]
    notes: >
      THE CONTRADICTION. The moment the smuggler's world shifts.
      Kael in a restricted corridor with an unknown contact.
      Sets contradiction_flagged: meeting_unknown_contact.
      RelationshipState: Friendly -> PersonOfInterest.
      Color: green -> amber. This moment is the emotional core of the arc.

  - id: corridor_m_011
    character: smuggler
    trigger: post_conversation
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
          subject: kael_davan
        - known_attributes:
            subject: kael_davan
            key: tell_observed
            value: looks_left_when_lying
    text: "He looked left. Always looks left when he's making something up. Two years, Kael. I know your tells."
    mood: [conflicted]
    topic: [trust]
    situation: [confrontation]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [the_friend, kael, tell_confirmation]
    notes: "Tell payoff. Established early in casual dialogue, confirmed here under pressure."

  # --- EVIDENCE ---

  - id: corridor_m_020
    character: smuggler
    trigger: discover_evidence
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.dead_drop_location
      confidence: Direct
    text: "Locker 47. Registered to someone who transferred out eighteen months ago. Convenient."
    mood: [analytical]
    topic: [cargo]
    situation: [investigation]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [dead_drop, evidence]

  - id: corridor_m_021
    character: smuggler
    trigger: observe_anomaly
    prerequisite:
      fact: location.smuggling_route
      confidence: KnowsDetails
    text: "Fresh marks on the service hatch. Kosse's been through here. Right on schedule."
    mood: [comfortable]
    topic: [cargo]
    situation: [night_shift]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [ring, route, operational]

  # --- RETURN ---

  - id: corridor_m_030
    character: smuggler
    trigger: return_visit
    prerequisite:
      all:
        - fact: location.corridor_b7_restricted
          confidence: KnowsDetails
        - relationship_state: PersonOfInterest
          subject: kael_davan
    text: "B-7 again. Last time I was here, Kael was talking to someone he shouldn't have been. The corridor feels different now."
    mood: [suspicious]
    topic: [colleague]
    situation: [alone]
    access: [insider]
    trust: real
    tags: [kael, the_friend, post_contradiction, return]
    notes: "The space is contaminated by what happened here. Location memory."

---

File Naming and Directory Structure

Content is organized by location and character. Location is implicit from directory — don't duplicate it in per-line tags.

content/
  terminal/
    monologue-smuggler.yaml
    monologue-detective.yaml
    dialogue.yaml
  bar/
    monologue-smuggler.yaml
    monologue-detective.yaml
    dialogue.yaml
  corridor/
    monologue-smuggler.yaml
    monologue-detective.yaml
    dialogue.yaml

Monologue files are hard-partitioned by character (D-032). One file per character per location. Dialogue files are shared — access-tier filtering happens at runtime.

ID Convention

{location}_{type}_{###}

• location: terminal, bar, corridor (or hub, corr as shorthand)
• type: m (monologue), d (dialogue), e (environmental)
• number: Sequential per file, starting at 001

---

Authoring Checklist

Before submitting a line:

1. Who is speaking? Monologue: which character? Dialogue: which role?
2. What do they know? Does the prerequisite reference a real FactId, RelationshipState, or attribute key from the catalogs?
3. What triggers it? One of 9 types. Does the trigger match the game moment?
4. Dual-lens check. If dialogue, does it read differently for smuggler vs detective? Document in dual_lens.
5. Brevity. Monologue competes with gameplay. If it's longer than one breath, cut it.
6. Voice. Does it sound like the character? The detective analyzes. The smuggler worries about people. NPCs talk like themselves, not like game designers.
7. Show don't tell. "The lock's been forced" not "Someone has broken into this room."
8. Access tier. Is the line available to the right people? Does PersonOfInterest correctly lock out trust content?

---

Cross-References:

• D-028: Dialogue architecture, four relational layers
• D-032: Separate monologue pools per character
• D-035: Converged tag taxonomy
• Fact Catalog: All 24 FactIds for prerequisites
• Entity Attributes: 14 canonical known_attributes keys
• Relationship States: 5 states, transitions, access tier mapping

If this guide contradicts a decision file, the decision file wins.