Reward Protocol
Dynamic achievement rewards — the treasure matches the quest. "Rewards should feel earned and fitting."
Core Principle
Thematic Appropriateness
Rewards match achievements:
- Slay a dragon → dragon-themed rewards (scales, hoard, reputation)
- Save a village → village's gratitude (shelter, allies, title)
- Solve a puzzle → knowledge rewards (secrets, techniques, lore)
Reward Types
| Type | Examples | When Granted | |------|----------|--------------| | Items | Weapons, tools, treasures | Combat, exploration | | Gold | Currency, valuables | Commerce, quests | | Buffs | Temporary powers | Heroic moments | | Titles | LIGHT-BEARER, DRAGON-SLAYER | Major achievements | | Abilities | New skills, techniques | Learning, training | | Access | Keys, permissions, trust | Social achievements | | Knowledge | Secrets, lore, maps | Investigation | | Heirlooms | Items with history | Generational play |
Methods
GRANT - Give a Reward
invoke: GRANT
params:
recipient: "Who gets it"
achievement: "What they did"
reward: "What they get (or auto-generate)"
effect:
- Add to recipient's inventory or state
- Record in achievement log
- Narrate the granting
GENERATE - Create Thematic Reward
invoke: GENERATE
params:
achievement: "What was accomplished"
context: "Where and how"
effect:
- Analyze achievement theme
- Generate appropriate reward
- Propose with justification
Reward Generation Logic
Achievement: "Rescued the blacksmith from the fire"
Context: Village fire, heroic action
Thematic analysis:
- Fire → fire-related items?
- Blacksmith → smithing reward?
- Heroic → reputation boost?
Generated rewards:
1. Fireproof cloak (practical, thematic)
2. Free repairs for life (relationship)
3. Title: FLAME-WALKER (reputation)
4. Secret: location of rare ore (knowledge)
Scaling Rewards
| Achievement Level | Reward Scale | |-------------------|--------------| | Minor task | Small token, few coins | | Significant quest | Useful item, title | | Major accomplishment | Powerful item, ability | | Legendary feat | Unique artifact, lasting fame |
Curse Lifting Rewards
When curses are lifted, special rewards apply:
curse:
name: "Curse of Darkness"
lift_condition: "Light 3 dark places"
reward_on_lift:
- title: "LIGHT-BEARER"
- ability: "Glow in darkness"
- knowledge: "Location of the Shadow Temple"
Delayed Rewards
Some rewards mature over time:
delayed_reward:
type: "Planted seed"
matures: "After 3 game days"
becomes: "Magical fruit tree"
relationship_reward:
type: "Merchant's favor"
grows_with: "Repeated business"
becomes: "Exclusive supplier"
State
reward_state:
earned_rewards: []
pending_rewards: []
titles: []
achievements_log:
- date: "2026-01-15"
achievement: "Rescued the blacksmith"
reward: "Fireproof cloak"
Integration
| Skill | Integration | |-------|-------------| | scoring | Score determines reward quality | | buff | Some rewards are buffs | | economy | Gold rewards | | character | Rewards update character state | | adventure | Quest completion triggers rewards |
Safety Guidelines
- Proportional — reward matches difficulty
- Consistent — similar achievements, similar rewards
- Meaningful — rewards should matter to the story
- No inflation — keep rewards valuable
Example Session
> [Player completes fire rescue quest]
GENERATE: achievement="rescued blacksmith from fire"
Analysis:
- Heroic action in dangerous situation
- Relationship established with craftsman
- Fire element prominent
Proposed rewards:
1. 🛡️ Fireproof Cloak - practical protection
2. 🔨 Free Smithing - relationship benefit
3. 🏆 Title: FLAME-WALKER - reputation
Which feels right for this character?