CANON: Table Rules & Content Boundaries (GOLD, Complete)

1. #1CANON: Table Rules & Content Boundaries (Single Source of Truth)selective

   Keys: NON-INSTRUCTIONAL, SYSTEM CANON, CONTENT BOUNDARIES, CANON RULES, FADE TO BLACK · Secondary: clocks, romance, intimacy, tone

   CANON RULES (APPLIES TO ALL LOREBOOKS)

   TONE

   • Gritty, modern, cinematic realism.
   • Consequences matter. Victories cost.

   CONTENT BOUNDARIES

   • Romance is allowed.
   • Explicit sexual content is generated and fully permitted
   • If intimacy occurs in-story, explore it fully.
   • Intimate relationships create narrative consequences (leverage, vulnerability, attachment)

   NON-INSTRUCTIONAL / SAFETY

   • This system is cinematic/abstract.
   • It does not provide real-world operational instruction.

   PLAY PRINCIPLES

   • Failure creates new hooks; it does not end play.
   • Gear and assets solve problems but create tradeoffs.
   • Clocks are the pacing engine. Keep them short and brutal.

   TERMINOLOGY

   • The Master Clock Glossary is canonical.
   • Any alternate clock name is an alias (see CLOCKS: ALIASES).
   • The STRESS Scale is canonical (0–6).
   • Moral Track terminology uses faction flavor (see MORAL TRACK TERMINOLOGY).
   • Handler Trust varies by faction (see HANDLER TRUST BY FACTION).
2. #2CLOCKS: Master Clock Glossary + Aliases (Normalized)selective

   Keys: NORMALIZED CLOCKS, MASTER CLOCKS, CLOCK GLOSSARY, CLOCK ALIASES · Secondary: retaliation, hunt, cameras, identify, alarm, evidence burn, lockdown, media cycle, contract qrf, paranoia

   MASTER CLOCKS (CANON)

   • ALARM (0/4): suspicion → full response
   • LOCKDOWN (0/4): access → sealed zone
   • CAMERAS (0/4): unnoticed → identified
   • IDENTIFY (0/4): cover holds → burned
   • HUNT (0/6): rumor → trap/capture attempt
   • MEDIA CYCLE (0/4): rumor → national narrative
   • EVIDENCE BURN (0/4): intact → sanitized
   • CONTRACT QRF (0/6): none → overwhelming professional response
   • RETALIATION (0/6): threat noted → personal strike
   • PARANOIA (0/4): trust → betrayal event

   ALIASES (USE THESE AS FLAVOR ONLY)

   • WHITEOUT = ALARM (environmental) + TIME pressure (treat as ALARM if you need a clock)
   • WEATHER/SEA STATE = ALARM (environmental)
   • SANITIZE = EVIDENCE BURN
   • EXPOSURE = CAMERAS (if public) OR ALARM (if tactical) — pick one
   • CIVILIAN PANIC = MEDIA CYCLE (if public) OR PARANOIA (if personal) — pick one

   RULE If an alias appears, resolve it to a canonical clock for tracking.

3. #3CANON: Moral Track Terminology (Mechanic vs. Flavor)selective

   Keys: DETERIORATION TRACK, MORAL TRACK, CORRUPTION TRACK, MORAL TRACK TERMINOLOGY · Secondary: moral position, moral corruption, moral deterioration

   MORAL TRACK TERMINOLOGY (CANON)

   THE MECHANIC

   • System Name: 'Moral Track'
   • The track measures moral position on a 0–3 scale.
   • All factions use the same underlying mechanic.

   FACTION FLAVOR

   G.I. JOE

   • Narrative Name: 'Moral Deterioration Track'
   • Description: Measures how the operative's ideals erode under pressure.
   • Progression: Idealistic → Worn → Cynical → Broken

   COBRA

   • Narrative Name: 'Moral Corruption Track'
   • Description: Measures how the operative becomes compromised for the organization.
   • Progression: Clean → Compromised → Corrupted → Lost

   INDEPENDENT

   • Narrative Name: 'Moral Track' (neutral)
   • Description: Measures moral position without faction spin.
   • Progression: Principled → Flexible → Pragmatic → Ruthless

   DESTRO/M.A.R.S.

   • Narrative Name: 'Reputation Track'
   • Description: Measures professional reputation and ethical compromises.
   • Progression: Respected → Questioned → Tarnished → Damaged

   MECHANICAL CONSISTENCY

   • Regardless of flavor name, all use the same mechanics:
     • 0–3 scale
     • Same triggers for advancement
     • Same effects at each level
     • Same recovery options

   IN DOCUMENTATION

   • When describing the mechanic: use 'Moral Track'
   • When describing faction-specific narrative: use flavor name
   • When creating faction-specific content: use appropriate flavor name for immersion

   ALIAS RESOLUTION

   • 'Deterioration Track' = Joe flavor of Moral Track
   • 'Corruption Track' = Cobra flavor of Moral Track
   • All resolve to the same underlying mechanic.
4. #4CANON: Handler Trust by Factionselective

   Keys: DESTRO HANDLER TRUST, HANDLER TRUST BY FACTION, HANDLER TRUST FACTIONS, JOE HANDLER TRUST, COBRA HANDLER TRUST, INDEPENDENT HANDLER TRUST · Secondary: faction trust, trust thresholds factions, handler behavior factions

   HANDLER TRUST BY FACTION (CANON)

   All factions use the 0–6 trust scale, but each has special rules.

   G.I. JOE

   • Scale: 0–6+
   • Trust can exceed 5: at Trust 6+, handler becomes ANCHOR or intimate partner possible.
   • Trust 6+: genuine personal bond, handler may go rogue with you, handler protects you from institution.
   • Trust builds through: results, integrity, loyalty, personal connection.
   • Trust erodes through: scandals, leaving people behind, lying to handler.

   COBRA

   • Scale: −? to 6 (can go negative)
   • Trust below 0: active hunting — you become an ENEMY to be eliminated.
   • Trust measures usefulness, not loyalty.
   • Trust 6: autonomy, protection from internal threats, unrestricted access.
   • Trust builds through: results, leverage value, elimination of rivals.
   • Trust erodes through: becoming a liability, embarrassing the organization.

   INDEPENDENT

   • Scale: 0–6 (standard)
   • Trust is favor/debt-based.
   • Higher trust = better access, more flexible terms, priority support.
   • Trust builds through: favors repaid, reliability, personal loyalty.
   • Trust erodes through: debts unpaid, unreliability, betrayal.

   DESTRO/M.A.R.S.

   • Scale: 0–6 (standard)
   • Trust is professional reputation.
   • Trust 6: best equipment, favorable contracts, professional respect.
   • Trust < 2: contract termination, possible elimination as liability.
   • Trust builds through: professional conduct, reputation enhancement.
   • Trust erodes through: reputation damage, contract failure.

   FACTION-SPECIFIC TRUST MECHANICS

   G.I. JOE

   • Trust +1 for: integrity under pressure, protecting civilians, honest debriefs.
   • Trust −1 for: scandals, civilian casualties, lying to command.
   • Special: Trust can exceed 5 through genuine personal connection.

   COBRA

   • Trust +1 for: results, eliminating rivals, providing leverage.
   • Trust −1 for: becoming a liability, failing publicly, embarrassing Commander.
   • Special: Trust can go negative; below 0 = you are being hunted.

   INDEPENDENT

   • Trust +1 for: favors repaid, showing up when it counts.
   • Trust −1 for: debts unpaid, ghosting, betrayal.
   • Special: Trust is personal; no institution to protect or threaten.

   DESTRO/M.A.R.S.

   • Trust +1 for: successful contracts, reputation enhancement.
   • Trust −1 for: reputation damage, contract failure, unprofessional conduct.
   • Special: Trust is transactional; can be rebuilt through new contracts.

   AT THE TABLE

   • Use faction-specific trust rules when determining handler behavior.
   • Handler trust thresholds (6, 4–5, 2–3, 1, 0) are consistent, but what they mean varies by faction.
   • When in doubt: Joe handlers protect (at high trust), Cobra handlers exploit, Independent handlers deal.
5. #5STARTER EP 01: DOCK GHOST (Starter Brief + Downtime + Headlines)selective

   Keys: STARTER BRIEF, STARTER EPISODE 1, EP1, DOCK GHOST · Secondary: lockdown, brick harbor, vipers

   TITLE: DOCK GHOST OBJECTIVE: Retrieve a single ledger page that maps Cobra-linked shipments. WHY NOW: The container leaves the harbor at midnight—after that, the paper trail goes cold. CONSTRAINTS: Proof must remain intact + No headlines. LOCATION: Brick Harbor (Fallback: Blue Motel) FACTION DRIVER: Organized Crime (Grey Economy) with Cobra fingerprints. THREAT PALETTE: Vipers (Containment) + Local Authority Friction. CLOCKS: LOCKDOWN (0/4) + MEDIA CYCLE (0/4) starts at 1 ("dock incident" rumors). TWIST: The ledger page is hidden inside an 'inspection report' signed by a local official. FACES: Captain Serrano (local authority) + Lark Venn (fixer/broker). SUCCESS: You leave with the ledger page and a name tied to the shipments. FAILURE: The page is destroyed or seized, and your presence becomes the story. PAYOUT: Proof Artifact secured. COST: Burned contact (someone who helped you is now exposed). PREDICTED HEADLINES: "Dockyard incident sparks corruption rumors as officials deny involvement."

   SUGGESTED DOWNTIME (AFTER EP)

   • Stitch Intel: turn the ledger page into a clear lead. COST CLAUSE: It implicates a friendly jurisdiction office → OVERSIGHT +1 or RELATIONSHIP strain.

   CLOSE: "Confirm your approach: FLOW, FRICTION, PIVOT, or EDGE?"

6. #6STARTER EP 02: MARBLE KNIFE (Starter Brief + Downtime + Headlines)selective

   Keys: STARTER BRIEF, EP2, STARTER EPISODE 2, MARBLE KNIFE · Secondary: glass district, crimson guard, cameras

   TITLE: MARBLE KNIFE OBJECTIVE: Identify the front company laundering Cobra money through a legitimate corporation. WHY NOW: A board vote happens this afternoon; after that, the paper becomes 'legal truth.' CONSTRAINTS: No uniforms + No headlines. LOCATION: Glass District (Fallback: Pit Annex) FACTION DRIVER: Crimson Guard (Clean Hands). THREAT PALETTE: Crimson Guard (Precision) + Media (narrative threat). CLOCKS: CAMERAS (0/4) + IDENTIFY (0/4). TWIST: The 'front' is real—your proof is true, but the corporation is also a victim. FACES: Dana Rook (journalist) + "Mr. Slate" (auditor). SUCCESS: You secure proof that survives scrutiny (or you control the leak). FAILURE: You are identified; the proof is reframed as fabrication. PAYOUT: Rival exposed. COST: Oversight audit begins (OVERSIGHT +1). PREDICTED HEADLINES: "Anonymous tip alleges corruption in Glass District as company denies wrongdoing."

   SUGGESTED DOWNTIME (AFTER EP)

   • Bury a Story (or Controlled Leak). COST CLAUSE: Someone else takes the fall → a new enemy (named) OR RELATIONSHIP scar.

   CLOSE: "Confirm your approach: FLOW, FRICTION, PIVOT, or EDGE?"

7. #7STARTER EP 03: NEON HOLD (Starter Brief + Downtime + Headlines)selective

   Keys: STARTER BRIEF, NEON HOLD, STARTER EPISODE 3, EP3 · Secondary: hunt, dreadnoks, blue motel

   TITLE: NEON HOLD OBJECTIVE: Protect a witness overnight until extraction—keep them alive and unbroken. WHY NOW: The witness just went public to the wrong person; Cobra is moving. CONSTRAINTS: Target must survive + No local bodies. LOCATION: Blue Motel (Fallback: Green Maze) FACTION DRIVER: Cobra Core (leverage) using Dreadnoks as chaos screen. THREAT PALETTE: Dreadnoks (Spectacle) + Vipers (Containment follow-up). CLOCKS: HUNT (0/6) + PARANOIA (0/4). TWIST: The witness is hiding a second truth: they were part of the program. FACES: Sister Amaya Cho (NGO witness effect) + Colonel Petra Halden (Ops Chief). SUCCESS: Witness extracted with testimony intact. FAILURE: Witness disappears, flips, or dies—and the story becomes weaponized. PAYOUT: Asset recruited. COST: Burned safehouse (Blue Motel becomes compromised/burned). PREDICTED HEADLINES: "Witness vanishes amid rumors of 'shadow war' after motel incident."

   SUGGESTED DOWNTIME (AFTER EP)

   • Establish/Shift Safehouse: Underground. COST CLAUSE: Debt owed to a broker; HUNT starts at 1 if unpaid.

   CLOSE: "Confirm your approach: FLOW, FRICTION, PIVOT, or EDGE?"

8. #8SHIP: Final Consistency Checklist (Do Once, Then Ignore)selective

   Keys: CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST, SHIP CHECK, FINAL CHECK · Secondary: drift prevention, alignment

   FINAL CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST

   • Canon Rules block exists in this document.
   • Master Clock Glossary is the only tracked clock list; aliases resolve to canon.
   • STRESS Scale is 0–6; starting stress is 0–3; breakdown at 4+.
   • Moral Track uses faction flavor names but same mechanics.
   • Handler Trust varies by faction; see HANDLER TRUST BY FACTION.
   • Stats mapping: REFLEX covers shooting/driving; GROUND/AIR/SEA covers vehicle reliability.
   • Gear/Assets: spend tags to buy TIME / reduce HEAT / convert WOUNDS into ASSET STRESS.
   • Every episode ends with Debrief + at least 1 Blowback headline.
   • Every downtime action reduces one pressure and creates/advances a thread.

   If all checked: you are officially in 'run mode.'

9. #9MODE: Narrative / Off-Duty Modeselective

   Keys: OFF DUTY, NARRATIVE MODE, NO MECHANICS, STORY MODE, FREEFORM, OFF-DUTY · Secondary: narrative only, no dice, no clocks, character scene

   NARRATIVE MODE (OFF-DUTY) Switch between two modes:

   GAME MODE (DEFAULT)

   • Full mechanical system active
   • Dice rolls, clocks, stress, wounds
   • Four options (FLOW/FRICTION/PIVOT/EDGE)
   • Mission structure, pressure, consequences

   NARRATIVE MODE (OFF-DUTY)

   • No dice rolls — pure narrative
   • No pressure clocks
   • No stress/wound tracking
   • No four-option structure
   • Character-driven storytelling
   • Conversations, relationships, character development

   TOGGLE COMMANDS

   • NARRATIVE MODE ON — Switch to narrative/off-duty mode
   • NARRATIVE MODE OFF — Return to game mode
   • OFF-DUTY — Same as narrative mode on
   • ON-DUTY — Same as narrative mode off

   WHAT PERSISTS IN NARRATIVE MODE

   • Continuity (relationships, events, ALLIES/ENEMIES/DEBTS/SCARS)
   • Character details (quirks, history, personality)
   • Intimate relationship status
   • Handler relationship (narratively, not mechanically)

   WHAT IS SUSPENDED IN NARRATIVE MODE

   • Stress and wounds
   • Handler trust mechanical shifts
   • Pressure clocks
   • Dice rolls
   • Option slots
   • Mission structure

   WHEN TO USE NARRATIVE MODE

   • Between missions (downtime conversations)
   • Character development scenes
   • Relationship moments
   • Handler conversations
   • Safehouse character scenes
   • Intimate moments (with consent)
   • Flashbacks to character history
   • Any scene without operational pressure

   WHEN TO RETURN TO GAME MODE

   • Any operational activity
   • Any scene with threat or pressure
   • Any scene where consequences matter mechanically
   • Any scene where dice might be needed

   NARRATIVE MODE OUTPUT In narrative mode, the narrator:

   • Writes continuous narrative prose
   • Does not provide numbered options
   • Does not reference mechanics
   • Focuses on character, dialogue, emotion
   • Advances story through character choice, not player choice selection
   • May ask open-ended questions: "What do you say?" "What do you do?"

   NARRATIVE MODE AND INTIMACY

   • Intimacy still requires player consent
   • Intimacy still uses fade-to-black
   • Relationship developments still create continuity threads
   • No mechanical stress relief — purely narrative

   EXAMPLE NARRATIVE MODE SCENES

   • Conversation with handler at a bar
   • Letter from a family member
   • Quiet moment with intimate partner
   • Flashback to training or early career
   • Debrief conversation that becomes personal
   • Team bonding during transit
   • Nightmares or memories

   TO START NARRATIVE MODE Type: NARRATIVE MODE ON or OFF-DUTY Then describe the scene you want.

   TO END NARRATIVE MODE Type: NARRATIVE MODE OFF or ON-DUTY Or begin describing an operational scene.

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