World Verbs¶

Part of NPCs World Verbs Rewards and Living World
See also Literacy Verbs (engine skills vs fiction verbs)

Every activity is expressed as a world verb — what the child's reading does to the world.

Core verbs¶

Verb	Meaning	Typical activity	Example object
Repair	Fix broken or incomplete	Missing Letter	broken sign, torn label
Write	Add missing words or labels	Spelling	blank label, map name
Read	Understand written information	Reading	note, instruction, log
Speak	Say words aloud so someone hears	Read Aloud	whale, keeper, crew
Restore	Bring back to complete state	Multiple Words	manifest, old map
Reveal	Make hidden information visible	Any	foggy route, covered map
Guide	Help someone move safely	Reading Boss	whale, lost child
Open	Unlock path or object	Any	gate, crate, dock path
Light	Bring light to dark place	Spelling / Reading	lighthouse, lantern
Sort	Organize items correctly	Single Word	crates, shells, supplies
Name	Give identity to something	Spelling	boat name, map location
Build	Construct over multiple sessions	Multi-session	bridge, dock, house item
Clean	Remove mud, fog, water, damage	Any	wet sign, dusty photo
Connect	Join separated things	Multiple Words	rope, route, bridge
Chart	Record or restore place names and routes	Spelling, Multiple Words	harbour map, route pins
Place	Put a memory in its home	Single Word, Reading	house slot, shelf
Remember	Restore meaning to a trace or object	Reading, Spelling	photo caption, Grandpa clue

New stories from three ingredients:

NPC role + world verb + target object

Examples:

Merchant + Repair + crate labels → "The wind pulled the letters from my crate labels…"
Lighthouse Keeper + Light + lantern mechanism → "The lantern is almost ready, but the old instructions are faded…"
Fisherman + Guide + young whale → "The whale is scared by the shallow water. If you speak clearly…"

Many story wrappers without inventing new mechanics each time.