Caves of qud

title: "Caves of Qud" category: moodboard sources: - raw/102aa9e5af9304f6.gz - raw/10da9aee20e63d01.gz - raw/4931382a887a08bd.gz - raw/6c42bd760c8441ca.gz - raw/4476dcee45fee13b.gz created: 2026-04-13 updated: 2026-04-17 tags: [caves-of-qud, inspiration, science-fantasy, cybernetics, licensing, world-structure, factions, exploration] aliases: ["Qud Inspiration", "Caves of Qud", "Qud World Structure"] confidence: medium ingestion_confidence: medium captured_design_intent: "Captured from user discussion on 2026-04-13. Caves of Qud should be treated as a major inspiration both thematically and mechanically, including for how cybernetics are constrained through permissions and setting structures." summary: "Canonical Caves of Qud moodboard article combining thematic direction and world structure: body-plan constraints, licensing pressure, tiered exploration geography, and faction-linked economy design patterns."

Overview

Caves of Qud is promoted to a major inspiration source for both tone and mechanics. It supports a science-fantasy frame where augmentation is powerful but bounded by world structures rather than by forced loss-of-agency loops.

Thematic Value

Decayed high-tech world with deep history still shaping current cultures.
Factional politics and institutional gatekeeping as everyday play pressure.
Weird ecology and artifact salvage as default exploration texture.
Strong identity through setting language, ruins, and emergent narrative.

Mechanical Value

Body-plan and slot constraints as a clean balancing tool.
Permission/licensing gates for advanced augmentation paths.
Consequence model based on law, access, and social standing.
Build expression from tradeoffs between capability, legality, and maintenance burden.
Milestone-feel progression where different level breakpoints deliver different adjustment types.

Integration Direction

For this wiki's cybernetics direction: - Remove loss-of-agency collapse mechanics as the primary balancing model. - Use permit tiers, inspections, and enforcement escalation. - Tie rare implants to faction standing, black-market access, or explicit quest milestones. - Preserve player agency while still making augmentation choices costly and world-reactive.

World Structure

This article is the canonical home for all Caves of Qud moodboard notes in this wiki.

World-structure patterns to reuse: - Zone-tier progression: danger and reward bands align with map depth and route risk. - Merchant-guild pressure: key equipment access is tied to faction standing, not just money. - Route design: traversal forces tradeoffs between speed, safety, and resupply access. - Regional identity: each map band should carry a distinct ecology, threat profile, and material economy.

Procedure hooks: - Maintain a region-tier map with explicit encounter tables per tier. - Gate high-end gear behind reputation thresholds and social obligations. - Use travel objectives that require crossing at least one higher-risk tier.