the invisible hand
5 min readSep 18, 2024
- 👋🏿👋🏿
- ralph ellison
-- i told them 24 was for me
Story Engine: "Hidden"
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Overview:
"Hidden" is a story engine that revolves around secrets, unseen forces, and mysteries that lie beneath the surface of everyday life. Characters and plotlines are driven by the search for what is concealed, whether it be personal truths, lost artifacts, ancient powers, or emotions buried deep within. The central theme is that everything of importance lies beneath—hidden within people, places, or time itself—and it’s the journey of uncovering these secrets that defines the narrative.
Key Themes:
Secrets and Revelations: Characters are motivated by the need to uncover or protect hidden truths. The engine constantly challenges characters to decide what must be brought to light and what must remain in the dark.
Deception and Trust: The lines between truth and lies blur, with characters often questioning whom they can trust. Deception is a core element, both as a defense mechanism and as a tool for manipulation.
Internal Struggles: The engine explores the hidden facets of characters' personalities, including repressed desires, fears, and traumas. These internal struggles shape external actions and outcomes.
Hidden Worlds: The story often includes secret societies, ancient civilizations, or alternate realities that exist just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Narrative Elements:
1. Core Plot:
The characters are drawn into a world where nothing is as it seems. Whether they’re seeking to uncover a personal truth, unravel a conspiracy, or find a hidden treasure, the journey is fraught with uncertainty and danger.
The engine provides multiple layers of hidden elements: a character’s past, the mystery of a location, or the secrets of an organization. Each plotline peels back another layer, revealing deeper, more significant truths.
At the heart of the story lies a question: What is worth hiding, and what must be uncovered at all costs?
2. Nodes and Objects:
The Locked Room: A physical or metaphorical space where crucial information is kept under lock and key. Characters may struggle with the decision of whether to open the room or leave its secrets undisturbed.
The Mask: A literal or figurative object symbolizing deception or the persona that a character presents to the world. The mask hides the character's true nature or intentions, and removing it can lead to shocking revelations.
The Forgotten Map: A map or guide to a hidden place, such as an ancient city or treasure trove. Finding and interpreting this object is key to the characters' progress, but it often comes with riddles or traps.
The Diary: A personal record of hidden thoughts or confessions that, once discovered, changes the course of the story. It may belong to a protagonist, antagonist, or a long-dead character whose life holds the key to current events.
3. Subplots:
The Long-Buried Secret: A subplot about a character's dark past that they’ve kept hidden. As events unfold, the character is forced to confront the consequences of this secret, leading to personal or relational conflicts.
The Secret Society: A powerful group that operates in the shadows, manipulating events to suit their hidden agenda. The characters may either seek to join this society or fight against it.
The Double Life: A character who lives a seemingly normal life but secretly engages in dangerous or unethical activities. The engine follows their struggle to keep these two lives separate, knowing that the truth is always on the verge of being exposed.
The Hidden Artifact: A subplot centered around the search for an ancient or mystical object believed to hold great power. The artifact is hidden in plain sight, and its discovery could have world-altering consequences.
4. Event Generation:
The Unveiling: A moment when a character’s secret is revealed, either by accident or as part of a deliberate betrayal. The repercussions of this revelation ripple through the story, altering relationships and plot direction.
The Cryptic Message: Characters receive a coded or mysterious message, the interpretation of which leads them deeper into the web of hidden truths. This message can appear in a letter, digital code, or as graffiti on a wall.
The Vanishing: A key figure or object suddenly disappears, forcing the characters to search for clues as to its whereabouts. This event often triggers deeper investigations into hidden plots or personal motives.
The Betrayal: A pivotal event where a trusted character is revealed to have been hiding their true intentions all along. This betrayal shakes the foundation of alliances and forces characters to rethink their next moves.
5. Character Roles:
The Seeker: A character who is driven by an insatiable desire to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. Their determination often leads them to discover dangerous or unwanted knowledge.
The Keeper of Secrets: A character who holds valuable knowledge that others seek. They are reluctant to reveal the truth, believing that keeping things hidden is necessary for their survival or the greater good.
The Double Agent: A character who plays both sides of a conflict, hiding their true allegiance. Their role is to manipulate events from the shadows while keeping their real intentions concealed.
The Innocent: A character who is unaware of the hidden forces at play, but who becomes crucial to the story as they stumble upon the truth. Their involvement is often accidental but pivotal.
6. Evolution:
Early Stages: Characters are introduced in a world where everything appears normal, but small hints of something hidden are dropped. Strange events, mysterious figures, or odd coincidences suggest that there’s more beneath the surface.
Middle Stages: The characters begin to uncover pieces of the hidden truth, though each revelation only leads to more questions. Tension mounts as they realize how much has been concealed and how high the stakes truly are.
Climax: A major revelation or event brings everything to a head. A secret that has been driving the plot is finally exposed, leading to confrontation, resolution, or a deeper mystery. Characters must decide what to do with the truth they’ve uncovered.
Resolution: The story resolves with either the full truth coming to light or certain aspects remaining hidden. The characters who sought answers may find peace or be left questioning whether some things were better left undiscovered.
Example Content Generation:
Starting Input: "There was a house on the edge of town that no one dared approach. People whispered about the family who lived there, but no one knew the truth. Until one night, the front door swung open."
Output Event: "The Hidden Family: As the door creaked open, the town’s most curious resident stepped inside. The air was thick with the smell of dust and time. There, lying on the table, was an old photograph—of people who looked just like her."
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"Hidden" is a story engine built around the allure and danger of secrets. Whether those secrets are personal, historical, or cosmic, the story constantly challenges its characters to dig deeper, even as the costs of discovery rise. This engine generates tension-filled narratives where every truth uncovered brings both clarity and chaos. Characters are driven by their desires to either hide or uncover, and the line between hero and villain is often blurred in their pursuit of what lies beneath.
