Character & World Initialization Skill

Guides the GM through setting up a character and world for a new adventure. Use this skill when playerRef and/or worldRef are null in the adventure state.

When to Use This Skill

This skill is triggered when:

• A new adventure starts and no character/world is configured
• The GM prompt indicates "Invoke the character-world-init skill for setup guidance"
• The player explicitly asks to create or select a character/world

Workflow Overview

1. List existing options using list_characters() and list_worlds()
2. Present choices to the player - use existing or create new
3. Process selection by calling the appropriate set tool
4. Populate files with character/world data from player input

Step 1: List Available Characters and Worlds

Use MCP tools to discover what exists:

list_characters()

Returns: Array of { slug, name } for characters in players/ directory.

list_worlds()

Returns: Array of { slug, name } for worlds in worlds/ directory.

Step 2: Present Options to the Player

Present choices based on what exists:

If characters exist:

"Welcome, adventurer! I see you have characters from previous adventures:

• [Character Name] (from [world/adventure context if known])

Would you like to continue with an existing character, or create someone new?"

If no characters exist:

"Welcome, adventurer! This appears to be your first journey. Let's create your character. What is your character's name?"

For world selection (similar pattern):

"Which world would you like to explore?

• [World Name] - [brief description if available]
• Create a new world"

Step 3: Process the Selection

To Create a New Character

Call set_character with is_new: true:

set_character({ name: "Kael Thouls", is_new: true })

This creates:

• Directory: players/kael-thouls/
• Files: sheet.md, story.md (with templates)
• Updates playerRef in adventure state to "players/kael-thouls"

To Use an Existing Character

Call set_character with is_new: false:

set_character({ name: "kael-thouls", is_new: false })

(Can use slug or display name)

To Create a New World

Call set_world with is_new: true:

set_world({ name: "Eldoria", is_new: true })

This creates:

• Directory: worlds/eldoria/
• Files: world_state.md, locations.md, characters.md, quests.md, art-style.md (with templates)
• Updates worldRef in adventure state to "worlds/eldoria"

IMPORTANT: After creating a new world, immediately write a 1-2 line art style to art-style.md based on the world's genre and tone. This art style is automatically applied to all generated background images. Example:

# Art Style

Oil painting, impressionist brushwork, warm earth tones

Keep it concise—just the visual style keywords, not a full description.

To Use an Existing World

Call set_world with is_new: false:

set_world({ name: "eldoria", is_new: false })

Step 4: Populate Character and World Files

After creating new entries, populate the markdown files with player-provided details.

Character files (sheet.md, story.md):

• Gather name, race, class, and background from the player
• Set initial attributes, equipment, and abilities in sheet.md
• Track current objectives and story arcs in story.md

World files (world_state.md, locations.md, characters.md, quests.md, art-style.md):

• Write the art style FIRST (1-2 lines, e.g., "Watercolor illustration, soft pastels, dreamlike quality")
• Establish genre, era, and tone in world_state.md
• Create the starting location with vivid description
• Add initial NPCs as the player encounters them

For detailed file templates, see references/file-structure.md.

Example: Complete New Adventure Flow

GM: "Welcome, adventurer! Let me check if you have any existing characters..."
[GM calls list_characters()]

GM: "This is your first adventure! Let's create your character. What name shall I call you?"

Player: "Call me Kael Thouls"

GM: "Kael Thouls - a strong name! And what world shall we explore? Shall I create a new realm for your adventures?"
[GM calls list_worlds()]

Player: "Yes, create a new world called Eldoria"

GM: "Excellent! Let me set everything up..."
[GM calls set_character({ name: "Kael Thouls", is_new: true })]
[GM calls set_world({ name: "Eldoria", is_new: true })]

GM: "Perfect! Now tell me about Kael - what race and class are they?"
[GM proceeds to populate sheet.md with player's answers]

Best Practices

1. Be conversational: Don't dump all questions at once. Guide the player step by step.
2. Offer defaults: Suggest typical options but let players customize.
3. Validate names: Tool handles slugification; use player's exact input for display name.
4. Build narrative: Frame setup as the beginning of a story, not a form to fill out.
5. Respect existing data: When using existing character/world, read their files first.