State & Variable Index

Persistent and temporary state

Name	Introduced/read	Meaning	Lifecycle
`wesfolk_leader_store`	Written in 01; read and cleared in 02	Preserves the Wesfolk leader’s unit state, especially experience, across the transition.	Temporary cross-scenario storage.
`have_lady`	Written in 02; also changed by `TROW_DEATHS`	Whether Lady Outlaw is currently part of the refugee party.	Persistent campaign decision/state flag.
`lady_store`	Prepared in 02 when the rejected leader still exists	Converted Lady Outlaw identity and side metadata for later campaign logic.	Persistent stored-unit data.
`escape_choice`	Written at the end of 03	Records the selected route: 1 for Swamp of Esten, 2 for Midlands.	Persistent branch flag.

State-machine view of Lady Outlaw

Wesfolk Leader stored after Scenario 01 │ ▼ experience restored in Scenario 02 │ ├── accepted ──► recreated as side-1 Lady Outlaw ──► have_lady = 1 │ └── rejected ──► escapes / stored for later logic ──► have_lady = 0 TROW_DEATHS can later set have_lady = 0 and store her if she vanishes on last breath.

Authoring lessons

Practice	Why it helps
Use explicit scalar flags for major choices	Easy to filter later dialogue, recalls, and branches.
Use stored units when experience and other unit fields matter	A boolean alone cannot preserve advancement state.
Clear temporary storage when consumed	Reduces accidental reuse and save-file clutter.
Keep route state separate from party state	Independent choices remain composable.

Scenario 02 source · Scenario 03 source · Death utility

Scenario 04 state additions

Name	Route	Purpose	Lifecycle
`last_done`	Both	Records `"River"` or `"Midlands"` after branch completion.	Short-lived route-transition marker; cleared at Scenario 05 prestart.
`random`	Swamp	Selects one of three temple-role arrangements.	Temporary; cleared at victory.
`triggered_scorpion_locs`	Swamp	Tracks which ambush regions have fired.	Scenario temporary; cleared at victory.
`player_vision_edge`, `possible_scorpion_locs`, `search_radius`, `temp`	Swamp	Working variables for adaptive ambush placement.	Cleared after each spawn search.

The route flag escape_choice chooses which scenario loads; last_done records which route was actually completed after both branches converge.

Oldwood arc state lifecycle

Name	Used in	Purpose	Cleanup
`escape_choice`	03 → 04 route selection	Loads Swamp or Midlands.	Cleared at Scenario 05 `prestart`.
`last_done`	04 victory transition	Labels the branch just completed.	Cleared at Scenario 05 `prestart`.
`Have_Ruby`	06 only	Joins the lich-kill and chest objectives.	Cleared at Scenario 06 victory.
`lady_store`	02/05 → 07	Preserves the Wesfolk companion’s type, experience, facing, and position through absence.	Cleared after Lady Jessene is reconstructed.
`have_lady`	02 → 07	Controls dialogue and whether outlaw recruitment needs repair.	Cleared after the identity reveal.

State-design contrast. The Ruby uses a temporary boolean because successful scenario completion guarantees later possession. Jessene uses stored-unit state because later code must preserve variable progression data.

Scenarios 08–10 state

Name or query	Scenario	Purpose	Lifecycle
`previous_ai_position`	08	Tracks allied garrison posture.	Cleared at victory.
`First_Ship`, `Second_Ship`, `Third_Ship`	08	Marks each ship’s boarding window.	Cleared on departure, boarding, or victory.
`lich_free`	09	Prevents repeat release choices and represents undead activation.	Cleared at scenario end.
`have_book`	09	Gates the sewer exit.	Cleared at scenario end because victory guarantees possession.
`Killed_an_Orc`	09	Temporary scenario bookkeeping declared elsewhere in the file.	Cleared at scenario end.
Leader-existence query	10	Determines standard versus bonus exit.	No stored variable required.

State-economy lesson. Scenario 10 derives its reward directly from living leader units. This is preferable to maintaining redundant kill flags when current game state already answers the question.

Southbay departure state design

Mechanic	State approach	Why
Book translation	No new variable in Scenario 11	The dialogue establishes a guaranteed process before Scenario 12.
Ruby possession and attack	Permanent unit object on Haldric	The mechanical fact belongs to the unit, not global campaign state.
Merfolk alliance	Persistent recruit-list modification	Recruit access itself is the required future state.
Addroran’s defensive posture	No variable	Recalculated from current unit positions each side-2 turn.
Optional Storm Trident	Core pickup state plus permanent unit object	Core macro manages one-use interaction and bearer modification.
Bitey coordinates	`xx1`, `yy1`	Temporary random spawn coordinates, cleared after creation.

Ka’lian hub state

Name	Initialized	Read by Scenario 16	Final cleanup
`num_done`	15: 0	Selects initial, intermediate, or final council dialogue.	16 when value reaches 4
`the_dragon`	15: 0	Shows Dragon description and option while incomplete.	16 final visit
`a_beach`	15: 0	Shows Lizard Beach description and option while incomplete.	16 final visit
`troll_hole`	15: 0	Shows Troll Hole description and option while incomplete.	16 final visit
`cursed_isle`	15: 0	Shows Cursed Isle description and option while incomplete.	16 final visit
`last_done`	15: `"none"`	Selects the quest-specific return greeting.	16 final visit

Rough Landing temporary state

Name	Purpose
`side_2_serpent_triggered`, `side_3_serpent_triggered`, `side_4_serpent_triggered`	Guarantee at most one casualty-triggered serpent per enemy side.
`serpent_spawn_delay`	Spaces scheduled spawns according to trigger order.
`possible_serpent_locs`, `serpent_loc_i`	Temporary candidate list and selected random location.

Scenario 17 branch state contract

Branch	Persistent writes	Local temporary state
17a Dragon	`num_done+=1`, `the_dragon=1`, `last_done="Dragon"`	`dragon_awake`, `dragon_dead`, `got_enemies`, `got_treasure`; all cleared
17b Beach	`num_done+=1`, `a_beach=1`, `last_done="Beach"`	No branch-specific scalar state required
17c Hole	`num_done+=1`, `troll_hole=1`, `last_done="Hole"`	`random`; cleared at victory
17d Isle	`num_done+=1`, `cursed_isle=1`, `last_done="Isle"`	`random` and `queen_awake`; cleared during setup/victory

Contract lesson. Every branch exposes the same three-field interface to the hub even though its internal implementation state differs substantially.

Scenarios 18–20 state lifecycle

Name	Scenario	Purpose	Cleanup
`stored_Jessene`	18	Temporary duplicate renamed “Jessene in Hiding.”	Cleared before cutscene ends.
`jessica_store`	19 → 20	Canonical Lady Jessene removed and preserved across scenarios.	Cleared after turn-7 unstore.
`xx1`, `yy1`, `chest_obtained`	19	Random chest location and collection state.	Cleared at victory.
`side_N_undead_backup_triggered`	19	One proportional reinforcement trigger per enemy front.	Cleared after enemies are defeated.
`side_N_top_enemy_count`	19	Approximate peak size used for the half-strength threshold.	Cleared after that side triggers.
`undead_spawns_so_far`	19	Selects first, second, or third global wave composition.	Cleared after victory.

Endgame temporary state

Name / representation	Purpose	Lifecycle
`aethyr_store`	Stores Aethyr’s current type for his Scenario 21 fake entrance.	Cleared immediately.
Treaty unit overlay	Marks Aethyr as the forged-document carrier.	Lives on Aethyr until his required death.
`last_orc_leader`	Stores the one surviving orc for escape routing.	Used at final victory.
`escape_boat`	Stores side-specific ship coordinates.	Used during final escape.
`next_corpse_spawn_turn`, `next_skeleton_spawn_turn`	Randomize recurring pressure windows.	Cleared after each scheduled spawn.
`wc_loc`, `skele_loc`, `skele_from`, `skele_type`	Working state for random undead placement.	Cleared after each spawn event.
`haldric_s`	Preserves Haldric’s current type for the epilogue entrance.	Cleared after unstore.

Lifecycle-oriented view

The State Lifecycle Atlas reorganizes these scenario notes by persistence mechanism, representation, ownership, and cleanup contract.

Release 1.0.0. Source snapshot: Wesnoth 6ab3fc1, accessed July 12, 2026. This site has no external runtime dependencies and can be opened directly from disk.