story_builder/README.md

RQ3 Story Tool

A solo web app for narrative-driven play using RuneQuest 3rd Edition rules with a custom fiction layer.

Setup

npm install

The first time you run the app, the SQLite database is created automatically at data/story-tool.db from db.js's schema.

Importing the table files

tables/*.md are converted into the database once, then the database is authoritative (the .md files can be deleted afterward):

npm run import-tables

Re-running this command wipes and rebuilds the imported table tree, NPC-field detection, and the Norse Layer 1→2 table links - safe to re-run any time the .md files change.

Run

npm start

Then open http://localhost:3000.

Project layout

• db.js - SQLite schema and all query helpers (npcs, enemies, log, combat state, imported tables, spell mappings).
• rq3.js - the RuneQuest 3rd Edition rules engine. Pure functions only, no DB/HTTP dependencies.
• server.js - Express routes. All state changes go through /api/* and are logged.
• lib/markdownTableParser.js - parses the heading/table structure out of tables/*.md.
• scripts/import-tables.js - one-time markdown → SQLite conversion (see above).
• public/ - the frontend (index.html, app.js, style.css). Plain JS, no framework, no rules logic - everything goes through the API.

Notes

• The fiction layer (NPC names, encounter flavor text, custom spell names) lives entirely in the database (originally seeded from tables/*.md) and never touches the RQ3 rules engine in rq3.js.
• Spell name → mechanic mappings are managed via /api/spell-mappings rather than markdown, since the table content has already moved into the database.
• Closing the tab while there are unexported changes triggers an export reminder; data is also safely persisted in SQLite regardless.