Games & Stories

Play the problem. Ship the solution.

We turn fuzzy problems — blockers, unclear ideas, open opportunities — into minigames, maps, and stories, then back into real code and working systems. The lens sounds soft. The output ships.

Start Waystone Become a Vagrant Explore Atlas

Or come to Tier 2 for advisory — Flux Session Phase Packet Return Visit.

Tier 1Accepting Clients!

Exploration · Discovery · SearchVagrant · Waystone · Atlas

Tier 2Accepting Clients!

Advisory · Curation · TroubleshootingFlux · Phase · Return

Tier 3Coming Soon

Solutions · Games · StoriesDrexen · Tera · Cassius

How we work

Problem becomes game. Game becomes code.

Every engagement starts the same way: take your real problem and shape it into something playable — a minigame, a scouting run, a story map. Play is how we find the real structure underneath a messy question.

Once the structure is clear, we turn it back into real output: documents, system maps, working services, deployable code. Executives get plain language. Builders get specs. You get something you can act on.

Tier 1 — Exploration · Discovery · Search

Three offers. Three scales. One studio.

Recon tier. Three ways to scout the terrain before a single line of code gets written.

Tier 1 · Subscription

Vagrant

$5/month$36/year founding rate

Field notes from the road. For travelers, scouts, and curious builders who want the studio's ideas, fragments, and maps as they surface.

Best for

exploration
early access
lightweight research
keeping up with the studio's evolving map

Includes

access to Vagrant posts and series
small-stake research notes
early concept drafts
curated problem fragments and observations
occasional open idea previews

Deliverables

A steady stream of useful, portable thinking: short notes, concept frames, and emerging maps.

Become a Vagrant

Tier 1 · EngagementFlagship

Waystone

From $3,000 per engagementFrom $5,000/month for ongoing work

The boss fight. The load-bearing problem. The stuck threshold everything else is waiting on.

Bring the blocker. We shape it into a playable map, find the real mechanic underneath, and hand back a practical solution path — plain to execs, specced for builders.

Best for

architecture questions
startup decisions
cross-functional blockers
technical uncertainty
operational friction
high-value unresolved problem spaces

Includes

scoped discovery
research and assessment
clarified problem statement
constraints and tradeoffs
solution path recommendation
optional continuation into implementation

Deliverables

executive summary
problem definition
system map or architecture outline
options analysis
recommendations
phased next-step plan

Start a Waystone Engagement

Tier 1 · Partnership

Atlas

From $7,500 per pickup engagementCustom partnership pricing available

Open maps. Hidden opportunities. Yours to pick up and run with.

For companies, venture groups, and innovation teams. We build structured problem maps around overlooked opportunities; you adopt one, sponsor one, or commission a pickup briefing to carry it forward.

Best for

innovation teams
venture groups
founders
R&D leads
businesses looking for overlooked opportunities with untapped value

Includes

access to a selected Atlas problem map
strategic pickup briefing
opportunity framing
implementation directions
business and systems translation
partnership or continuation pathway if needed

Deliverables

open problem statement
structured opportunity map
context and rationale
recommendation memo
pickup briefing
continuation options for design, research, or build

Explore Atlas

Tier 2 — Advisory · Curation · Troubleshooting

Three ways to get unstuck.

Advisory tier. The natural next stop when you're stuck partway through a Tier 1 run — and a valid first entry point if you already know where you're stuck. We advise; you keep the build.

Tier 2 · Unstuck

Flux Session

The unstuck session. Sixty minutes to diagnose where you're stuck and leave with a direction, a micro-tool, or a brain game to break the block.

Best for

mid-run sticking points
second opinions on active work
finding the weak link in a chain of solutions
pivot-or-push-through decisions
recurring check-ins
direct entry without a Tier 1 run

What you get

unstuck diagnostic
weak-link identification
micro-tool or brain-game recommendation
direction choice
recommended next step

Output

diagnostic memo
suggested micro-tool or brain game
return-visit trigger if useful

Book Flux Session

Tier 2 · Packet

Phase Packet

The advisory packet. We curate your working environment, map the weak links in your chain of solutions, and hand back micro-tools and exercises that make the problem more approachable — without taking it over.

Best for

teams stuck in execution
unclear working environment
chain-of-solution weak-link analysis
accessibility and affordance review
mid-run pivots
environment re-curation

What you get

environment audit
weak-link map
micro-tool package
brain-game set
accessibility surface review
advisory summary

Output

environment curation memo
weak-link diagram
packaged micro-tools
exercise set
recommended return cadence

Start a Phase Packet

Tier 2 · Recurring

Return Visit

Recurring advisory. Standing check-ins where we diagnose the current sticking point, refresh micro-tools, and track how the weak links evolve. You build; we advise and curate.

Best for

ongoing advisory retainer
repeat visitors
teams mid-execution
evolving problem spaces
strategic sparring partner
continuity without over-reliance

What you get

standing appointment cadence
evolving weak-link tracking
micro-tool refresh
brain-game rotation
between-visit advisory memos
next-step guidance each visit

Output

per-visit recap
updated weak-link map
refreshed tool set
direction updates
continuation plan

Schedule Return Visits

Tier 3 — Story Partnership SDK

Turn algorithms into stories, and stories into algorithms.

Drexen, Tera, and Cassius are the studio's founding In-Canon works — the seed of a shared fictional universe. The Partnership Program below lets external partners co-develop their own Story Partnership SDK and, optionally, join the canon.

Tier 3 · Partnership Program

Bring your stack. Ship a Story Partnership SDK.

Three depths of partnership. Lightweight attribution at the front door, integration case studies in the middle, full co-developed open source reference implementations at the deep end. Every path ends with a tracked, maintained artifact — not a one-off post.

Attribution Partnership

Lightweight · transactional · short-cycle

Standard affiliate or ambassador relationship. Tracked links, discount codes, disclosed promotion.

Delivers

Tracked affiliate links
Discount codes
Disclosed promotion on primary channel
Monthly performance reporting

Inquire about Attribution Partnership

Integration Partnership

Medium-commitment · single quarter

Creator integrates the partner's product into an existing workflow and documents it publicly.

Delivers

Written or filmed case study
Public-facing maintained artifact
Tracked purchase links in documentation
Co-marketing and cross-linking

Inquire about Integration Partnership

Story Partnership SDKFlagship

Multi-quarter · full co-development

Full co-developed open source reference implementation — working tool, marketing asset, community template, and tracked attribution channel in one bundle.

Delivers

Public OSS repo (MIT / Apache 2.0)
Scaffolding CLI (npm create / pipx run)
Infrastructure-as-code modules
Hardware BOM with tracked links
Narrative 'Story' layer
Defined maintenance window
Canon Participation available as add-on

Inquire about Story Partnership SDK

Canon Participation · Add-onFlat annual fee · quarterly review · reduced renewal for consistent maintenance

Elevate your SDK from software to canonical source material.

Purchasing the Canon tag folds your work into the studio's shared fictional universe — assigned an in-universe identity, listed on the public Canon Index, cross-referenceable with other canonical works, and eligible for multi-partner Crossover Events. Every In-Canon SDK passes a quarterly review on technical currency, narrative consistency, and trademark compliance.

In-Canon
Active, aligned, and cross-referenced in the Shared Universe. Listed on the public Canon Index; eligible for crossovers. Requires passing a quarterly review on technical currency, narrative consistency, and trademark compliance.
Ex-Canon
Previously In-Canon, now removed — via lapsed maintenance, narrative contradiction, mutual withdrawal, or formal excommunication. Preserved in the archive with a reason noted. Apocryphal tier; carries its own prestige.
Non-Canon
Opt-out. The SDK ships and is supported normally, but has no narrative relationship to the Shared Universe. Default for partners who want software without story.

Flagship · Founding In-CanonPhase 0 prototype · multi-phase partner rollout

Ultra Reality

A mixed augmented reality research workflow SDK — and the canonical origin point of the Shared Universe. Drexen, Tera, and Cassius trace their continuity through it.

In-universe, Ultra Reality is the perceptual substrate through which characters access layered realities. The model is modular by design — every partner slot is defined, so no new partner requires rewriting earlier canon.

Headset partnercanonical manufacturer of the lens
Input / haptics partnercanonical maker of the instruments
Software / knowledge partnercanonical archive of perceived knowledge

Inquire about partnership See the artifacts Open the Tier Matrix

Artifacts

Real output, not just conversation.

Applied Systems is our role family for engineers who build, deploy, stabilize, and improve real systems. Every run hands back FAANG-grade artifacts — tagged by the role that produces each one and grouped by tier so procurement, engineering, and leadership all see what they get.

Role family · click to explore

ASE · ART · FSE · FDSE · AST · Principal AST — a converging ladder that closes the gap between building, deploying, stabilizing, and operating modern systems.

Tier 1 · Recon & MappingExploration · Discovery · Search

discovery briefsFDSEstakeholder scopingFDSEsystem mapsASTarchitecture decision recordsASTPrincipaloptions analysisASTconstraint-analysis memosASTFDSEfield reconnaissance notesFSEopen problem statementsASTPrincipalpickup briefingsPrincipalexecutive summariesASTPrincipalphased next-step plansASTFDSE

Tier 2 · Advisory & TroubleshootingAdvisory · Curation · Troubleshooting

weak-link mapsASTPrincipalenvironment auditsFSEFDSEmicro-tool packagesASEASTbrain-game setsASTFDSEaccessibility surface reviewsASTFDSEobservability blueprintsARTSLO / SLI recommendationsARTincident review facilitationARTchaos test designsARTcapacity advisoriesARTtoil-reduction auditsARTfield diagnostic reportsFSEdeployment playbook reviewsFSEASEoperator-facing guidanceFSErollout advisoriesFDSEadoption diagnosticsFDSEdata / ML intervention memosASTdiegetic companion layerASTFDSErecurring advisory memosASTPrincipal

many moreoutput adapts per engagement · ask at intake

Tier Matrix & Syllabus

All tiers, all offerings — apples to apples.

One-glance comparison of every offering across the studio. Tier 1 for scaled engagement work, Tier 2 for advisory unsticking, Tier 3 for studio-curated Story SDKs. Printable — hand it to anyone who needs the full picture at once.

Offering	Best for	Terms	Primary artifact	Lane	Action
Tier 1Vagrant	Curious builders · early supporters	Subscription · $5/mo · $36/yr founding	Notes, fragments, emerging maps	Stripe	Become →
Tier 1 · FlagshipWaystone	Load-bearing blockers · architecture	Engagement from $3,000 · retainer from $5,000/mo	Solution path + system map	Intake	Start →
Tier 1Atlas	Open problem maps · partnership	Pickup from $7,500 · custom partnership	Opportunity map + pickup briefing	Intake	Explore →
Tier 2Flux Session	Mid-run sticking points · quick diagnostic	Single 60-min session · fixed price	Diagnostic memo + micro-tool	Intake	Book →
Tier 2Phase Packet	Teams stuck in execution	Scoped packet · one-time · by complexity	Weak-link map + micro-tools	Intake	Start →
Tier 2Return Visit	Recurring advisory partner	Standing retainer · ongoing cadence	Per-visit recap + tool refresh	Stripe	Schedule →
Tier 3 · CanonicalStory SDKs · In-Canon	Reference material · founding In-Canon works	Studio-curated releases · free for audience	Drexen · Tera · Cassius	Follow	Preview →
Tier 3 · PartnershipStory Partnership SDK	Partners co-developing an OSS reference implementation	Engagement + maintenance + attribution · Canon add-on optional	Public repo · CLI · hardware BOM · narrative · canon entry	Partnership	Inquire →

Where to start

Pick the tier that matches the shape of the problem.

Short answers to the questions we get most. Click any one to expand.

How does Tier 3 actually work?

Two tracks. Studio-curated Story SDKs (Drexen · Tera · Cassius) are founding In-Canon works — free reference material others can read, play, or draw from.

The Story Partnership SDKtrack is co-developed with external partners on their stack: a public OSS repo, CLI, hardware BOM, narrative layer, and an optional Canon Participation add-on that folds the partner's work into the Shared Universe.

New problem, unsure what it looks like?

Start with a Flux Session (Tier 2) for a 60-minute unstuck, or a Waystone engagement (Tier 1) if the blocker is load-bearing.

Stuck in the middle of a project?

Flux Session for a quick diagnostic, or Phase Packet for a full weak-link map and micro-tool set (both Tier 2).

Want ongoing exposure to the studio's thinking?

Become a Vagrant — the $5/mo ($36/yr founding rate) subscription gives you field notes, concept drafts, and early maps as they surface.

Need a recurring advisory partner?

Return Visit retainer (Tier 2). Standing check-ins, evolving weak-link tracking, tool refreshes between visits.

Organization-scale problem map?

Atlas partnership (Tier 1). Open problem maps you can adopt, sponsor, or commission a pickup briefing to carry forward.

Building a Story Partnership SDK with the studio?

Start at the Partnership Program (Attribution → Integration → Story Partnership SDK), with optional Canon Participation for In-Canon status.

Following the founding canon?

Become a Vagrant— you'll get release notes on Drexen, Tera, and Cassius as they surface.

How a run goes

Three paths. One studio. No restart-from-zero.

First approach

Land on the studio page
Read the tier structure
Become a Vagrant, start Waystone, or explore Atlas
Book or sign in
Receive confirmation and next steps

Inside a run

Drop the problem at intake
Shape it into something playable
Work the session, packet, or engagement
Produce the artifact
Close, continue, or build

Return trip

Come back to a prior thread
Reopen the context we already have
Extend the packet, map, or build
Keep continuity without restarting from zero

Who It Is For

Built for people with a real problem and an unclear next move.

Different By Design

Most consultants show up after the problem is already clean. We show up earlier — in the fog, when nobody's sure what the problem even is. We play with it until it has shape, then hand back maps, micro-tools, and direction. You keep the build.

Bring a question. Resolve a blocker. Pick up a map.

Play the problem. Ship the solution.

Become a Vagrant Start Waystone Explore Atlas

Engagement lane

Discuss a single engagement

Waystone, Phase Packet, Atlas pickups, Flux Sessions — anything that benefits from a conversation first. The intake form below drafts a message to adynblaed@pm.me so we can scope the run together.

Scroll to intake ↓

Subscription lane

Direct checkout for subs

Vagrant and Return Visit run on a cadence. Companies already confident in the cadence can subscribe directly via Stripe — no intake step required.

Stripe checkout — opening soon

Intake

Drop your problem at the door.

Tell us what's blocking you, what's unclear, or what map you want to pick up. We'll shape it into a playable thing — then send it back as a working one. Tier 1 for exploration, Tier 2 for a scoped run.

Tier 1 · Vagrant — $5/mo · $36/yr founding · Stripe laneTier 1 · Waystone — from $3,000 · from $5,000/mo · intakeTier 1 · Atlas — from $7,500 · custom partnership · intakeTier 2 · Flux Session — unstuck diagnostic · intakeTier 2 · Phase Packet — advisory packet · intakeTier 2 · Return Visit — recurring cadence · Stripe laneTier 3 · Canon — founding works (Drexen · Tera · Cassius) · followTier 3 · Attribution Partnership — tracked links · short-cycleTier 3 · Integration Partnership — case study + artifact · single quarterTier 3 · Story Partnership SDK — co-dev OSS + optional Canon · multi-quarter

Intake composes a locally drafted email you send from your own client — no data is transmitted to the studio until you send it. Messages land at adynblaed@pm.me.

Go to Portal

Routing through…

Pulling the map for this thread. One moment.

Play the problem. Ship the solution.

We turn fuzzy problems — blockers, unclear ideas, open opportunities — into minigames, maps, and stories, then back into real code and working systems. The lens sounds soft. The output ships.

Real output, not just conversation.

Role family · click to explore

ASE · ART · FSE · FDSE · AST · Principal AST — a converging ladder that closes the gap between building, deploying, stabilizing, and operating modern systems.

Offering

Best for

Terms

Primary artifact

Lane

Action

Tier 1Vagrant

Curious builders · early supporters

Subscription · $5/mo · $36/yr founding

Notes, fragments, emerging maps

Stripe

Become →

Tier 1 · FlagshipWaystone

Load-bearing blockers · architecture

Engagement from $3,000 · retainer from $5,000/mo

Solution path + system map

Intake

Start →

Tier 1Atlas

Open problem maps · partnership

Pickup from $7,500 · custom partnership

Opportunity map + pickup briefing

Intake

Explore →

Tier 2Flux Session

Mid-run sticking points · quick diagnostic

Single 60-min session · fixed price

Diagnostic memo + micro-tool

Intake

Book →

Tier 2Phase Packet

Teams stuck in execution

Scoped packet · one-time · by complexity

Weak-link map + micro-tools

Intake

Start →

Tier 2Return Visit

Recurring advisory partner

Standing retainer · ongoing cadence

Per-visit recap + tool refresh

Stripe

Schedule →

Tier 3 · CanonicalStory SDKs · In-Canon

Reference material · founding In-Canon works

Studio-curated releases · free for audience

Drexen · Tera · Cassius

Preview →

Tier 3 · PartnershipStory Partnership SDK

Partners co-developing an OSS reference implementation

Engagement + maintenance + attribution · Canon add-on optional

Public repo · CLI · hardware BOM · narrative · canon entry

Partnership

Inquire →

Three paths. One studio. No restart-from-zero.

First approach

Land on the studio page
Read the tier structure
Become a Vagrant, start Waystone, or explore Atlas
Book or sign in
Receive confirmation and next steps

Inside a run

Drop the problem at intake
Shape it into something playable
Work the session, packet, or engagement
Produce the artifact
Close, continue, or build

Return trip

Come back to a prior thread
Reopen the context we already have
Extend the packet, map, or build
Keep continuity without restarting from zero

Drop your problem at the door.

Intake composes a locally drafted email you send from your own client — no data is transmitted to the studio until you send it. Messages land at adynblaed@pm.me.

Go to Portal