A Conflict is a state of narrative tension seeking resolution. It arises when two or more incompatible forces—be they agents, ideologies, or needs—occupy the same space, and one must yield, transform, or be destroyed.

Within ATET, Conflict is not an event; it is the engine of story. It is the friction that generates the heat of drama, the pressure that forges new Beliefs, and the crucible in which the true nature of an Incarnation is revealed. Violence is merely one of its many possible, and often most tragic, expressions.

The Nature of Conflict

The Conflict system is designed as a “tension engine.” Its purpose is to detect and formalize the incompatible goals of agents and systems, creating a structure for meaningful and emergent narrative consequences.

The Three Sources of Conflict

Every conflict in the game, from an internal crisis of faith to a galactic war, stems from one or more of these fundamental sources:

1. Conflict over Resources (Driven by Need): This is the primal struggle for survival and physical well-being. It occurs when the finite resources of a Tapestry—food, shelter, energy, territory—are insufficient to satisfy the Needs of all parties. This is the conflict of the body.
2. Conflict over Truth (Driven by Belief): This is the ideological war for narrative dominance. It occurs when incompatible Facts, Fictions, or Faiths collide. The goal is not merely to defeat an opponent, but to invalidate their worldview. This is the conflict of the mind.
3. Conflict over Power (Driven by Social Dynamics): This is the political and social struggle for control. It occurs when agents or factions vie for authority, influence, or the right to define a group’s rules and hierarchy. This is the conflict of the group.

The Arenas of Conflict

A conflict plays out in a specific Arena, and each Arena has its own set of tools for resolution. Escalating a conflict to a new Arena is a significant choice with distinct consequences.

• The Internal Arena (Psychological Conflict): The battleground is the mind of a single agent. This is the state of cognitive dissonance, where an agent’s own Beliefs are at war with each other or with undeniable experiences.
• The Social Arena (Ideological & Political Conflict): The battleground is the court of public opinion, the council chamber, the marketplace of ideas. This is a non-physical struggle for dominance and influence.
• The Physical Arena (Direct Confrontation): The battleground is a shared physical space. This is a contest of force, where agents seek to impose their will through physical dominance, coercion, or destruction.

The Mechanics of Resolution

An agent enters a state of Conflict when its goals are actively opposed by another force. The resolution of this state is a core gameplay loop.

Resolution in the Social Arena

This is the most common form of conflict resolution. Agents use a variety of non-violent tools to impose their will:

• Debate & Persuasion: Using the Converse system to change an opponent’s Beliefs or convince onlookers.
• Subterfuge: Using stealth, theft, or manipulation to undermine an opponent’s resources or reputation without direct confrontation.
• Intimidation: Leveraging social status, perceived strength, or authority to force an opponent to back down.
• Ritual & Law: Appealing to a higher, shared authority—be it a religious rite, a legal system, or a cultural tradition—to resolve a dispute.

Losing in the Social Arena might mean a loss of status, being forced to abandon a cherished Belief, or being exiled from a community.

Resolution in the Physical Arena

When social resolution fails or is deemed insufficient, conflict can escalate to the Physical Arena. This is a deliberate and consequential choice.

• Non-Lethal Confrontation: This includes brawls, duels for honor, or acts of physical sabotage. The goal is to assert dominance or disable an opponent, not to kill them. The consequences are often social (loss of face) or temporary (incapacitation).
• Violence (Lethal Confrontation): This is the ultimate, and often most desperate, form of conflict resolution. An agent commits to Violence when its ActionAppraisalSystem determines that the permanent removal of another agent is the most viable or only path to achieving its Goal.
  • Mechanics of Violence: From a systemic perspective, Violence is an action that inflicts a Damage type (Physical, Psychic, Eidic, etc.) with the intent to bring an agent’s Health or Integrity state to zero.
  • The Cost of Violence: Committing an act of Violence is a profound narrative act. It generates powerful, often negative, Eidos (Trauma, Guilt, Rage). It permanently alters the agent’s reputation, creating unshakable IS_MURDERER or IS_KILLER Beliefs in all witnesses. It can shatter social structures and trigger escalating cycles of revenge.
  • Philosophical Weight: In a universe where death is a transition, the act of Violence is not just ending a life; it’s a statement. It is a declaration that the victim’s current Thread is so antithetical to your own goals that it must be forcibly cut. It is a profound act of narrative editing.

The Player’s Experience

The player navigates conflict through choice. When faced with an opposing force, the Subjective Interface will present options corresponding to the different Arenas and their resolution vectors.

• A rival might challenge your claim to leadership. Your interface could offer options to [Debate them Publicly] (Social), [Sabotage their Supplies] (Social/Physical), or [Challenge them to a Duel] (Physical).
• The choice to engage in Violence should be deliberate. It might require an extra confirmation step, or cause the UI to become tinged with red, sonically distorted, or display the potential Eidic consequences, warning the player of the gravity of their choice.

The goal is to make violence feel like a powerful, costly, and often regrettable decision, rather than the default solution to a problem. It is a tool, but one that irrevocently stains the Thread of the Incarnation who wields it.