Negotiation is the formal process of aligning disparate Goals into a single, binding agreement. It is the most complex and high-stakes action an agent can take within the Social Arena, used to create contracts, treaties, and the very foundations of new social orders.

Negotiation is the verb of social crafting. It is the mechanism by which agents turn the ephemeral will of individuals into the concrete, observable reality of a Faction, a law, or a shared destiny.

The Mechanics of Negotiation

As an action within the turn-based Social Arena, a negotiation is a structured exchange of formal proposals.

1. The Proposal: The Negotiator’s Turn

On their turn, an agent can propose a formal agreement by assembling a package of Terms. Terms are the discrete, conceptual building blocks of the agreement. The list of available Terms an agent can propose is generated from its knowledge of the situation, its social standing, and its creative capacity. Examples include:

• Economic Terms: [EstablishTradeRoute], [ShareResource(Food, 10%)]
• Military Terms: [FormNonAggressionPact], [JoinWarAgainst(Faction_X)]
• Political Terms: [RecognizeSovereignty], [Appoint(Agent_Y)_As_Leader]

2. The Appraisal: A Contest of Leverage

The receiving agent evaluates the proposed package of Terms. Its ActionAppraisalSystem runs a complex cost-benefit analysis, weighing the proposal against its core Needs, Goals, and Beliefs.

The success of a proposal is not just about its fairness. It is determined by the proposing agent’s Leverage. Leverage is a dynamic score representing the social, economic, and military pressure an agent can exert, derived from:

• Trust & Reputation: High mutual trust makes terms seem more reliable.
• Coercion (Threat): A military advantage can force an agent to accept unfavorable terms.
• Ideological Power: Appealing to a shared Faith can make a proposal feel like a sacred duty.
• Economic Power: The ability to offer or deny vital resources.

3. The Consequence: A New Fact in the World

If all parties accept the terms, a new, persistent social entity, an **Agreement**is created in the simulation. This might be a Faction component added to all members, a Treaty component linking their entities, or a set of shared, high-strength Beliefs added to their AgentBeliefStore. This Agreement now acts as a hard constraint and motivator on their future actions. A successful negotiation creates a new Fact in the Tapestry.

Additional consequences depend on the Consent Integrity of the agreement, which is calculated at the moment of finalization. This score determines the emotional and social weight of the agreement, influencing how agents will behave towards each other in the future.