The Social Arena is the unified interface for all significant, non-violent interpersonal Conflict. It is the diegetic space where Conversation, Trading, and Negotiation occur not as separate modes, but as interconnected facets of a single, fluid interaction.

When an Incarnation engages another, they are not opening a menu; they are entering a dynamic contest of wills, where words, goods, and promises are the weapons of choice.

The Philosophy: A Seamless Social Dance

The Social Arena is designed to eliminate the artificial barriers between different types of social interaction. A real-world negotiation can seamlessly pivot from a friendly chat to a hard-nosed trade offer to the formalization of a contract. This interface is built to capture that fluidity.

The core principle is that all social interaction is a form of conflict resolution. The goal is to align the wills of two or more agents, and the player has a full suite of tools to achieve this, all within a single, persistent interface.

The Anatomy of the Interface

Initiating any significant social interaction, a deep conversation, a trade offer, a political proposal; fades the world into the background and brings up the focused Social Arena interface. It is a persistent, multi-faceted workspace.

Part 1: The Stage (The Participants)

The central view focuses on the participants. Their current disposition, body language, and the passive subjective overlays from the player’s Psyche provide a constant, real-time readout of the room’s atmosphere. This is the “battlefield.”

Part 2: The Social Barometer (The State of the Conflict)

Overlaid on each participant is a clear, subjective assessment of their state within the negotiation.

• Disposition: A one-word tag ([Receptive], [Wary], [Hostile]) shows their emotional state.
• Leverage: A dynamic meter shows how much influence you currently hold over them.

Part 3: The Player’s Toolbox (The Arsenal of Verbs)

This is the core of the unified system. Instead of separate screens, the player’s workspace has three persistent, switchable “tabs” or modes that represent their available toolsets. The player can pivot between these at any time during their turn.

• [Converse Tab] (The Default): The Tool of Information & Emotion

  • This is the familiar interface for dialogue, with a Topic List generated from your Memory and Beliefs, and a set of Rhetorical Frames generated by your Psyche. This is used for exchanging information, building rapport, persuading, and threatening.

• [Trade Tab] (The Tool of Goods): The Tool of Material Exchange

  • Clicking this tab seamlessly opens a Barter Table within the interface. The conversation does not end. The player can drag items onto the table to make an offer, adding a material dimension to their argument.

• [Negotiate Tab] (The Tool of Promises): The Tool of Formal Agreements

  • Clicking this tab opens the Toolbox of Terms. This is for building complex, binding contracts ([Form Alliance], [Cede Territory], etc.). This is the tool for creating lasting, systemic change.

The Core Loop: A Turn-Based Exchange of Actions

The Social Arena operates as a turn-based exchange. On your turn, you can perform one or more actions from your Toolbox.

The Power of the Pivot: The true strategic depth comes from the ability to pivot between toolsets within a single turn.

Illustrative Example: Acquiring a Rare Component

1. Open with Converse: You engage a skeptical scavenger. You use the [Converse] tab to ask about a rare component you need. He refuses, stating it’s not for sale.
2. Pivot to Trade: Without leaving the interface, you switch to the [Trade] tab. The barter table opens. You offer a large pile of valuable resources. The scavenger’s Disposition shifts to [Considering], but he still refuses.
3. Escalate to Negotiate: You pivot to the [Negotiate] tab. You add the formal [Term: Grant Exclusive Access to My Salvage Route] to the deal. You are now offering goods and a binding promise. His Leverage meter against you drops.
4. Close with Converse: The scavenger is tempted but hesitant. You pivot back to the [Converse] tab. Your recent actions have unlocked a new dialogue option based on your Intimidation skill. You select the Rhetorical Frame [Assert with Finality] and deliver your last offer.

This seamless flow allows the player to combine social grace, material wealth, and contractual leverage in a single, coherent negotiation, making social interaction feel like a deep, tactical, and highly expressive system.