How living threads return

Purpose

Reincarnation enables rare and thematically significant agents to return in new forms across time. It is not a gameplay loop reset, but a symbolic recurrence system — preserving narrative identity when symbolic density demands it.

Core Data Structures

struct ReincarnationCandidate {
    agent_id: AgentId,
    symbol_tags: Vec<SymbolTagId>,
    eidos_fragments: Vec<EidosId>,
    associated_myths: Vec<MythId>,
    unresolved_quests: Vec<QuestId>,
    last_region: RegionId,
    death_tick: u64,
}

struct ReincarnatedSeed {
    new_agent_id: AgentId,
    ghost_tags: Vec<SymbolTagId>,
    memory_seeds: Vec<MemoryFragment>,
    symbolic_drift: f32,
    origin_myth: Option<MythId>,
    identity_resonance: f32,
    awaken_tick: Option<u64>,
}

enum MemoryFragment {
    EmotionalTrace(SymbolTagId),
    VisualEcho(EidosId),
    DreamResidue(String),
}

Eligibility Conditions

An agent becomes a ReincarnationCandidate if:

• Their SymbolTag density exceeds threshold at death
• They are referenced in one or more MythicPatterns
• They possess unresolved Eidos or quest arcs
• Director detects narrative tension or symbolic recurrence in future regions

Reincarnation Lifecycle

1. Detection (at death)

   • Candidate evaluated for reincarnation flag
   • Stored in reincarnation pool with decay timer

2. Symbolic Resonance Scan

   • Director or worldgen scans for new agents matching symbolic context
   • May match at birth or during significant events (rituals, dreams, crises)

3. Seeding

   • ReincarnatedSeed structure created and attached to new agent
   • Includes:
     • Ghost tags
     • Dormant memory fragments
     • Symbolic drift factor (mutation risk)

4. Awakening (optional)

   • Triggered when:
     • Tag resonance aligns
     • Memory fragments reconstructed through experience
     • Myth is revisited by player or culture

Tag Drift Mechanics

fn mutate_tags(seed: &ReincarnatedSeed, drift: f32) -> Vec<SymbolTagId>

• Drift factor determines mutation of ghost tags
• May invert or transform symbolic legacy
• Allows reincarnated agent to echo without copying

Awakening Mechanics

fn check_awakening(agent: &AgentState) -> bool

• Checks for:
  • Reconstructed memory patterns
  • Matching Eidos constellation
  • Director narrative resonance score
• Once awakened:
  • Agent gains past identity traits
  • May inherit behaviors, resistances, beliefs, or goals

Integration Points

Design Constraints

• Reincarnation is rare and symbolic — not a progression mechanic
• It emphasizes mythic recurrence and long-form narrative echo
• Performance-sensitive: only applies to tracked Mythic agents
• Awakening is optional, gradual, and diegetically triggered

Summary

Reincarnation preserves symbolic continuity across time. It’s not about cheating death, but about narrative completion. It allows past selves to haunt the present and gives player actions meaning beyond a single life.