Emotional Alchemy: Quest Design Reference
For admins creating CYOA quests. Use this reference when designing passages and choices manually (without AI). Energy economy, not morality. 5 elements, WAVE stages, 15 canonical moves. The 15 canonical moves unlock for cross-national collaboration when onboarding completes.
The five elements & their emotions
Every charge you capture is energy, not a verdict. Each element is a channel for one emotion — the colour you attune a seed to says which emotion it carries. It's an energy economy, not a morality wheel.
Vitality detected — something alive and worth growing.
An obstacle is present, or a boundary was crossed.
Whole-system perspective. Grounded detachment.
Risk — or opportunity — detected. Excitement is fear read as opportunity.
Something you care about is distant or misaligned.
5 Elements + Channels
Each element maps to an emotional channel. Use this when matching passage tone or privileging choices by nation.
Compound Emotions
The primary model is still 5 channels × 3 altitudes = 15 primary states. Compound emotions are a diagnostic layer: 10 channel-pair edges × 2 directions = 20 directional slots. Treat the component channels, not the compound directly.
fear + sadness · fear dominant · what I need to feel safe is far or slipping away
sadness + anger · sadness dominant · the let-down deflation; grief over thwarted drive
anger + fear · anger dominant · recoil-and-reject; beneath me / get it away
Show provisional slots (17)
joy + anger · joy dominant
joy + anger · anger dominant
anger + neutrality · anger dominant
anger + neutrality · neutrality dominant
neutrality + fear · neutrality dominant
neutrality + fear · fear dominant
fear + sadness · sadness dominant
sadness + joy · sadness dominant
sadness + joy · joy dominant
sadness + anger · anger dominant
anger + fear · fear dominant
joy + neutrality · joy dominant
joy + neutrality · neutrality dominant
neutrality + sadness · neutrality dominant
neutrality + sadness · sadness dominant
fear + joy · fear dominant
fear + joy · joy dominant
Nation ↔ Element
When privileging choices for a target audience, offer at least one path that favors the nation's element. See Nations for each nation's 4 moves.
WAVE Stages (4 Moves)
Each playbook has a primary WAVE stage. Privilege at least one choice that connects to the playbook's move.
Transcend vs Translate — Three Scene Families
Every growth scene belongs to one of three families. Transcend is vertical — altitude within the same channel. Translate is horizontal — channel-to-channel. Generative (生 shēng) and Control (克 kè) are translate subtypes governed by the Wuxing cycles.
15 Canonical Moves
Transcend (+2 energy), Generative (+1), Control (-1). Control = high-cost precision, not negative.
Fear → opportunity
Sadness → value restored
Joy → sustained vitality
Anger → boundary honored
Neutrality → system clarity
Momentum into action
Action into structure
Structure into clarity
Clarity into meaning
Meaning into vitality
Ground enthusiasm; prevent overextension
Reassess risk after bold action
Soften rigid structure; reconnect meaning
Convert fear into forward momentum
Turn sadness into boundary-setting
Developmental Lens → Moves
Each of the 6 Faces (Shaman, Challenger, Regent, Architect, Diplomat, Sage) has moves available. When a developmental lens is set in quest generation, these moves are privileged in choices.
Choice Privileging (Manual Design)
When creating passages with 2–4 choices, privilege paths that resonate with the target player:
- Nation element — At least one choice should favor a move involving the nation's element (e.g. Pyrakanth → fire moves: Achieve Breakthrough, Declare Intention, Temper Action)
- Playbook WAVE — At least one choice should favor a move whose primary WAVE matches the playbook (e.g. Show Up playbook → Step Through, Achieve Breakthrough, Declare Intention)
- 2–4 choices — Style guide limit. Up to 4 when move spread is primary (one per move).