sprites

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.11_Grenzmarken_First_Merchant.md

@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.11: Grenzmarken & First Merchant
+
+**Status:** Ready for implementation  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slice 0.10 – First NPC & Quest  
+**Scope:** First regional currency and targeted merchant progression  
+**Currency:** Grenzmarken  
+**Next Slice:** Playable Slice 0.12 – Aschenfelder Complete
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Implement the first anti-frustration progression system.
+
+The core philosophy is:
+
+> Drops create excitement. Regional currency prevents frustration.
+
+The player can earn Grenzmarken through normal progression and use them to buy targeted Tier-1 upgrades.
+
+## 2. Grenzmarken
+
+Implement persistent:
+
+```text
+Grenzmarken
+```
+
+Sources include existing configured rewards such as:
+
+```text
+Quests
+rare enemies
+stronger enemies
+Elite
+Boss
+```
+
+Use the current balancing/content definitions as the source of truth.
+
+## 3. Currency model
+
+At this stage a reusable currency model may become worthwhile.
+
+Conceptually:
+
+```text
+CurrencyDefinition
+CharacterCurrency
+```
+
+Example stable keys:
+
+```text
+silver
+border-marks
+```
+
+If Silver is already safely represented directly on Character, do not force a risky large migration solely for architectural purity.
+
+The important requirement is that Grenzmarken are persistent and server-authoritative.
+
+## 4. Merchant
+
+Introduce the first regional merchant at the appropriate existing NPC/location.
+
+Use existing project content if a merchant NPC/location has already been defined.
+
+Minimal merchant data:
+
+```text
+ShopDefinition
+ShopOffer
+```
+
+A ShopOffer should determine:
+
+```text
+item
+currency
+price
+availability
+```
+
+## 5. Grenzmarken offers
+
+Use the established prices:
+
+| Item | Price |
+|---|---:|
+| Räuberhaube | 5 Grenzmarken |
+| Plündererhandschuhe | 6 Grenzmarken |
+| Wachmannsbeinkleid | 8 Grenzmarken |
+| Verstärkte Lederjacke | 10 Grenzmarken |
+| Aschenklinge | 15 Grenzmarken |
+
+Do not silently rebalance these prices in this implementation slice.
+
+## 6. Shop API
+
+Use the existing REST conventions.
+
+Conceptually:
+
+```http
+GET /api/shops/:shopId
+POST /api/shops/:shopId/purchases
+```
+
+Purchase request:
+
+```json
+{
+  "offerId": "uuid"
+}
+```
+
+Do not accept authoritative client values such as:
+
+```text
+price
+itemId
+currency amount
+discount
+```
+
+The server derives them from the persisted offer.
+
+## 7. Purchase transaction
+
+A purchase must be atomic:
+
+```text
+load character currency
+↓
+load and validate offer
+↓
+validate balance
+↓
+subtract Grenzmarken
+↓
+create CharacterItem
+↓
+commit
+```
+
+If the transaction fails, neither the currency deduction nor the item grant should remain partially applied.
+
+## 8. Ownership and duplicate items
+
+Purchased equipment becomes normal persistent CharacterItem data.
+
+Duplicates are allowed.
+
+Do not implement:
+
+```text
+salvaging
+buyback
+duplicate conversion
+pity conversion
+```
+
+## 9. Merchant UI
+
+Show:
+
+- merchant/NPC presentation
+- current Grenzmarken balance
+- available offers
+- item icon
+- item name
+- item stats
+- price
+- affordability
+- purchase action
+
+Reuse the item display and comparison language from Inventory where possible.
+
+## 10. Purchase feedback
+
+After purchase:
+
+```text
+Grenzmarken balance decreases
+↓
+item appears in inventory
+↓
+player may open inventory
+↓
+player may equip item
+```
+
+Do not automatically equip purchased equipment.
+
+## 11. Progression proof
+
+The important flow is:
+
+```text
+desired drop does not appear
+↓
+player keeps playing
+↓
+Grenzmarken accumulate
+↓
+merchant provides targeted upgrade
+```
+
+The player should always feel that unlucky drops still produce progress.
+
+## 12. Server authority
+
+The server decides:
+
+- currency balance
+- reward grants
+- offer availability
+- offer price
+- purchase validity
+- resulting item ownership
+
+Angular only requests purchase of a valid server-provided `offerId`.
+
+## 13. Explicit non-goals
+
+Do not implement:
+
+```text
+selling
+buyback
+dynamic prices
+limited stock
+shop refresh timers
+player trading
+auction house
+discount systems
+reputation
+crafting vendor
+```
+
+## 14. Required tests
+
+Verify:
+
+- Grenzmarken rewards persist
+- current balance is server-authoritative
+- shop returns persisted offers
+- insufficient balance rejects purchase
+- valid purchase deducts exact configured cost
+- valid purchase grants the correct CharacterItem
+- purchase is transactional
+- repeated request cannot accidentally duplicate a single transaction through race conditions
+- item survives refresh
+- purchased item can be equipped using existing equipment flow
+
+## 15. Definition of Done
+
+The player can:
+
+```text
+earn Grenzmarken
+↓
+see balance
+↓
+open merchant
+↓
+inspect offers
+↓
+buy targeted Tier-1 item
+↓
+item enters inventory
+↓
+equip item
+```
+
+Random loot and guaranteed long-term progression are now connected.
+
+## 16. Handoff
+
+Next:
+
+```text
+Playable Slice 0.12 – Aschenfelder Complete
+```

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.12_Aschenfelder_Complete.md

@@ -0,0 +1,490 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.12: Aschenfelder Complete
+
+**Status:** Final integration slice for the first region  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slices 0.1–0.11  
+**Scope:** Integration, balancing, content completion and polish for the Aschenfelder  
+**Primary Goal:** Complete the first genuinely playable regional progression loop.
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Playable Slice 0.12 does not introduce a large new system.
+
+It integrates, verifies, balances, and polishes everything built so far into one coherent first region.
+
+The full intended flow is:
+
+```text
+Graufurt
+↓
+Südtor
+↓
+Verbrannte Straße
+↓
+first hunts
+↓
+first combat
+↓
+first loot
+↓
+first upgrades
+↓
+Verlassener Wachtposten
+↓
+NPC / Quest
+↓
+stronger enemies
+↓
+first Elite
+↓
+Grenzmarken
+↓
+targeted upgrades
+↓
+Aschengrube
+↓
+regional Boss
+↓
+guaranteed boss loot
+↓
+path toward Dämmerwald discovered
+```
+
+## 2. Complete locations
+
+The Aschenfelder progression contains:
+
+```text
+Südtor von Graufurt
+Verbrannte Straße
+Verlassener Wachtposten
+Aschengrube
+```
+
+Each location must have a clear purpose and correct travel connections.
+
+## 3. Complete Tier-1 enemy set
+
+The relevant first-region pool should now include the established enemies:
+
+```text
+Aschenratte
+Verwilderter Straßenhund
+Straßenräuber
+Plünderer-Späher
+Plünderer-Veteran
+Verkohlter Plünderer
+Aschenwühler
+Verbrannter Jagdhund
+Plündererhauptmann / Elite
+Hauptmann der Aschenbande / Boss
+```
+
+If final naming differs in existing project content, preserve the existing finalized names rather than creating duplicates.
+
+## 4. Complete Tier-1 item set
+
+The relevant Tier-1 pool should now include:
+
+```text
+Abgenutztes Kurzschwert
+Räuberklinge
+Aschenklinge
+Räuberhaube
+Verstärkte Lederjacke
+Plündererhandschuhe
+Wachmannsbeinkleid
+Aschenstiefel
+Zeichen der Grenzwacht
+Anhänger des verbrannten Hauptmanns
+```
+
+Not every item must be required for progression.
+
+Prestige/special drops remain optional.
+
+## 5. Combat duration targets
+
+During the balancing pass, verify:
+
+### Normal enemies
+
+```text
+4–8 rounds
+```
+
+### Elite
+
+```text
+6–10 rounds
+```
+
+### Boss
+
+```text
+8–14 rounds
+```
+
+These are balancing targets rather than hard rules.
+
+## 6. Power progression targets
+
+Use the established Combat Power progression as a reference:
+
+### Start
+
+```text
+approximately 47 CP
+```
+
+### After first upgrades
+
+```text
+approximately 60–70 CP
+```
+
+### Wachtposten progression
+
+```text
+approximately 80–90 CP
+```
+
+### Aschengrube / boss-ready range
+
+```text
+approximately 100–110 CP
+```
+
+Combat Power is an internal balancing tool, not a hard access gate.
+
+## 7. Progression pacing
+
+A typical player should need roughly:
+
+```text
+12–18 normal combats
++
+quests
++
+boss
+```
+
+to progress meaningfully through the first region.
+
+The intended experience must not require 50+ normal combats for basic progression.
+
+## 8. First upgrade pacing
+
+Verify that within approximately the first:
+
+```text
+3–5 combats
+```
+
+the player is very likely to see a meaningful equipment upgrade.
+
+If this does not happen reliably enough, tune only the smallest necessary variables:
+
+```text
+drop rate
+quest reward
+starter equipment
+```
+
+Do not add unnecessary new reward systems.
+
+## 9. Boss readiness
+
+The regional boss should become reasonably beatable at approximately:
+
+```text
+70–80% of maximum realistically obtainable regional power
+```
+
+Best-in-slot equipment should provide comfort and completionist value, not be mandatory.
+
+## 10. Soft-gate validation
+
+The player should not be blocked primarily by arbitrary level errors.
+
+Where possible:
+
+```text
+actual world danger
+```
+
+should communicate that the player is too weak.
+
+A player may attempt difficult content early, but the game should make the risk clear.
+
+## 11. Full UI consistency pass
+
+Review all implemented screens together:
+
+```text
+World
+Hunt
+Combat
+Loot
+Inventory
+Quests
+Merchant
+```
+
+Verify consistency of:
+
+```text
+Topbar
+SideNavigation
+Footer
+Context Panel
+Panel frames
+Buttons
+DangerBadges
+Item icons
+Combat actions
+Typography
+Spacing
+Design tokens
+```
+
+No screen should feel like a separate web application.
+
+## 12. Loading and error-state pass
+
+All core player actions need intentional UI states:
+
+```text
+loading
+success
+domain error
+network error
+retry
+```
+
+Review at minimum:
+
+```text
+Travel
+Hunt
+Combat Action
+Reward
+Equip
+Quest
+Purchase
+```
+
+Do not use browser alerts.
+
+## 13. Refresh and recovery pass
+
+The following states must survive browser refresh through authoritative backend state:
+
+```text
+active travel
+current hunt
+active combat
+finished combat/reward
+inventory
+equipment
+active quest
+Grenzmarken
+boss completion
+```
+
+No critical gameplay state may exist only in Angular memory.
+
+## 14. Full integration test
+
+Where practical, automate the first complete progression flow:
+
+```text
+character starts at Südtor
+↓
+travel to Verbrannte Straße
+↓
+hunt
+↓
+combat
+↓
+win
+↓
+receive loot
+↓
+equip upgrade
+↓
+travel to Wachtposten
+↓
+accept quest
+↓
+defeat relevant enemies
+↓
+progress quest
+↓
+earn Grenzmarken
+↓
+buy targeted item
+↓
+equip item
+↓
+travel to Aschengrube
+↓
+defeat boss
+↓
+receive guaranteed boss reward
+↓
+region completion persists
+```
+
+## 15. Manual playtest – average RNG
+
+Perform at least one normal playthrough and measure:
+
+```text
+combat duration
+loot frequency
+upgrade frequency
+number of hunts
+travel flow
+quest pacing
+Grenzmarken income
+boss readiness
+total region time
+```
+
+## 16. Manual playtest – bad RNG
+
+Test a deliberately unlucky run.
+
+Verify:
+
+```text
+Grenzmarken still provide progress
+progression does not hard-block
+boss readiness remains achievable
+player does not require extreme grind
+```
+
+## 17. Manual playtest – good RNG
+
+Test a deliberately lucky run.
+
+Verify:
+
+```text
+region does not become instantly trivial
+progression cannot be skipped too aggressively
+boss remains meaningful
+```
+
+## 18. Data/content validation
+
+Verify:
+
+- all locations use persisted content
+- all encounter pools use persisted relationships
+- all loot is data-driven
+- all shop offers are data-driven
+- quest definitions are persisted/data-driven
+- no core gameplay path depends on hardcoded Angular content
+- no server domain service contains unnecessary location-specific special cases
+
+## 19. Server-authority validation
+
+Confirm that the backend remains authoritative for:
+
+```text
+travel
+hunt availability
+encounter generation
+danger rating
+combat
+loot
+XP
+Silver
+Grenzmarken
+inventory ownership
+equipment
+effective stats
+quest progress
+shop purchases
+boss completion
+```
+
+## 20. Performance / technical cleanup
+
+Review the accumulated implementation for:
+
+- duplicate API calls
+- duplicated frontend state
+- duplicated domain validation
+- unused temporary placeholder logic
+- obsolete Slice 0.1–0.5 shortcuts
+- hardcoded demo combat stats that should now use CharacterStatsService
+- temporary combat placeholder routes
+- duplicated item definitions
+- migration quality
+- seed idempotency
+
+Do not perform unrelated architectural rewrites.
+
+## 21. Definition of Done
+
+Playable Slice 0.12 / Aschenfelder Complete is complete when a fresh character can, without developer intervention:
+
+```text
+start
+↓
+travel
+↓
+hunt
+↓
+fight
+↓
+receive loot
+↓
+improve equipment
+↓
+meet NPC
+↓
+complete quest
+↓
+fight Elite
+↓
+earn Grenzmarken
+↓
+buy targeted item
+↓
+reach Aschengrube
+↓
+defeat regional Boss
+↓
+receive guaranteed progression reward
+↓
+discover path toward Dämmerwald
+```
+
+## 22. Final product test
+
+The most important qualitative result is:
+
+> After completing the Aschenfelder, the player should want to see what waits in the Dämmerwald.
+
+If the loop is technically correct but does not create that motivation, the region still needs iteration.
+
+## 23. After Slice 0.12
+
+Do not immediately expand into the full Dämmerwald.
+
+First:
+
+```text
+playtest
+measure
+balance
+fix friction
+validate reward pacing
+validate combat decisions
+validate boss readiness
+```
+
+Only after the first region loop works well should the same systems be expanded into the Dämmerwald and later the Vergessene Ruinen.

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.6_Full_First_Combat.md

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.6: Full First Combat
+
+**Status:** Ready for implementation  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slice 0.5 – First Upgrade  
+**Scope:** First complete tactical combat action set  
+**Next Slice:** Playable Slice 0.7 – Complete Verbrannte Straße
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Playable Slice 0.6 turns the technical `ATTACK`-only fight into the first real Ashen Realms combat with meaningful player decisions.
+
+The player loop becomes:
+
+```text
+Encounter
+→ Combat
+→ recognize enemy intent
+→ choose appropriate action
+→ attack / defend / interrupt / heal
+→ win or lose
+```
+
+The slice must prove that combat is more than repeatedly pressing Attack.
+
+## 2. Player actions
+
+Implement:
+
+```text
+ATTACK
+HEAVY_STRIKE
+SHIELD_BASH
+DEFEND
+POTION
+```
+
+### ATTACK
+- 100% normal damage.
+
+### HEAVY_STRIKE
+- 160% normal damage.
+
+### SHIELD_BASH
+- 70% normal damage.
+- Interrupts a prepared interruptible enemy action.
+
+### DEFEND
+- Reduces incoming damage by 50% for the current round.
+
+### POTION
+- Heals 35% of maximum HP.
+- Uses the player's action for the round.
+- Cannot heal beyond max HP.
+
+## 3. Combat bag
+
+For V1, each combat starts with:
+
+```text
+2 healing potions
+```
+
+For this slice, the combat bag may remain part of the Combat snapshot if connecting it to persistent consumable inventory would unnecessarily expand scope.
+
+Do not implement a complete consumable inventory economy yet.
+
+## 4. Telegraphing
+
+Enemies must be able to prepare dangerous actions.
+
+Example:
+
+```text
+Straßenräuber bereitet Schweren Hieb vor.
+```
+
+The next player decision may be:
+
+```text
+ATTACK
+DEFEND
+SHIELD_BASH
+HEAVY_STRIKE
+POTION
+```
+
+A prepared action must be visible before the player chooses the next action.
+
+## 5. Enemy intent
+
+Extend combat state so the monster can expose a prepared intent.
+
+Conceptually:
+
+```ts
+monsterState: {
+  pendingAction?: CombatIntent;
+}
+```
+
+Initial intent types may include:
+
+```text
+NORMAL_ATTACK
+HEAVY_ATTACK
+```
+
+Keep the model extensible without implementing future mechanics prematurely.
+
+## 6. Straßenräuber behavior
+
+The Straßenräuber becomes the first real learning enemy.
+
+Basic behavior:
+
+```text
+normal attack
+↓
+occasionally prepare Heavy Attack
+↓
+resolve Heavy Attack on the following round
+```
+
+`SHIELD_BASH` can interrupt the prepared Heavy Attack.
+
+`DEFEND` can mitigate it.
+
+The player may also intentionally accept the risk and attack.
+
+## 7. Combat UI
+
+The action bar should now show:
+
+```text
+[ Angriff ]
+[ Schwerer Hieb ]
+[ Schildstoß ]
+[ Verteidigen ]
+[ Trank 2/2 ]
+```
+
+The combat screen must clearly display:
+
+- player HP
+- monster HP
+- current round
+- enemy intent / telegraph
+- combat log
+- available actions
+- disabled/loading action states
+
+Telegraphing must be more visually prominent than a normal combat log line.
+
+## 8. Server authority
+
+The server decides:
+
+- action validity
+- damage
+- healing
+- potion count
+- defend mitigation
+- interrupt success
+- enemy intent
+- monster action
+- combat result
+
+The client sends only the selected action enum.
+
+## 9. Explicit non-goals
+
+Do not implement yet:
+
+```text
+Bleeding
+Poison
+Mana
+Crit
+Dodge
+Block Chance
+Cooldown system
+Sets
+Boss phases
+Flee
+Elemental damage
+Resistances
+```
+
+## 10. Required tests
+
+At minimum verify:
+
+- `ATTACK` uses 100% damage.
+- `HEAVY_STRIKE` uses 160% damage.
+- `SHIELD_BASH` uses 70% damage.
+- `SHIELD_BASH` interrupts a prepared interruptible action.
+- `DEFEND` halves incoming damage for the round.
+- `POTION` heals 35% max HP.
+- Potion healing cannot exceed max HP.
+- Only two potions are available in a combat.
+- A telegraphed attack resolves on the next round if not interrupted.
+- A killed monster does not resolve a pending attack.
+- Combat remains deterministic.
+
+## 11. Definition of Done
+
+The player can fight a Straßenräuber and encounter a situation such as:
+
+```text
+Schwerer Angriff angekündigt
+↓
+Verteidigen
+or
+Schildstoß
+or
+Risiko eingehen
+```
+
+The combat is no longer just repeated use of `ATTACK`.
+
+## 12. Handoff
+
+Next:
+
+```text
+Playable Slice 0.7 – Complete Verbrannte Straße
+```

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.7_Complete_Verbrannte_Strasse.md

@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.7: Complete Verbrannte Straße
+
+**Status:** Ready for implementation  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slice 0.6 – Full First Combat  
+**Scope:** First fully playable hunting location  
+**Primary Location:** Verbrannte Straße  
+**Next Slice:** Playable Slice 0.8 – Wachtposten & First Elite
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Turn the technical hunting location into the first complete gameplay location.
+
+The Verbrannte Straße must support repeated hunting, multiple enemy archetypes, differentiated mechanics, meaningful loot, and the first visible progression through equipment.
+
+## 2. Complete encounter pool
+
+The hunting pool becomes:
+
+```text
+Aschenratte
+Verwilderter Straßenhund
+Straßenräuber
+Verkohlter Plünderer – rare
+```
+
+## 3. Aschenratte
+
+Role:
+
+- Level 1.
+- Basic enemy.
+- No special mechanic required.
+
+Rewards:
+
+```text
+4–7 Silver
+8 XP
+60% Aschenfell / trade material
+8% simple starter-slot equipment
+```
+
+## 4. Verwilderter Straßenhund
+
+Role:
+
+- Level 1–2.
+- Introduces the first simple status effect.
+
+Mechanic:
+
+```text
+BLEED
+```
+
+Keep Bleed deliberately simple:
+
+- fixed duration
+- fixed damage
+- no complex stacking
+- server-authoritative
+- represented through structured combat state/events
+
+Rewards:
+
+```text
+6–10 Silver
+12 XP
+70% Zähes Fell
+8% Aschenstiefel
+5% Kleiner Heiltrank
+```
+
+Do not implement the entire long-term consumable economy merely because a potion can drop.
+
+## 5. Straßenräuber
+
+Role:
+
+- Level 2.
+- Reinforces Telegraphing.
+
+Mechanic:
+
+```text
+prepared Heavy Attack
+```
+
+Rewards:
+
+```text
+9–15 Silver
+16 XP
+18% Räuberklinge
+12% Räuberhaube
+8% Plündererhandschuhe
+10% Kleiner Heiltrank
+```
+
+## 6. Verkohlter Plünderer
+
+Role:
+
+- Level 3.
+- Rare encounter.
+- Noticeably stronger.
+- Early long-term target.
+
+Guaranteed:
+
+```text
+25–35 Silver
+35 XP
+1 Grenzmarke
+```
+
+Additional equipment drops use the existing balancing/content definitions.
+
+The encounter should communicate:
+
+> This enemy may be too strong right now, but the player can return later.
+
+## 7. Encounter pool weights
+
+All encounter probability belongs in persisted `LocationMonster` content.
+
+Do not hardcode location-specific monster probabilities inside the HuntingService.
+
+Conceptually:
+
+```text
+Aschenratte             common
+Straßenhund             common
+Straßenräuber           normal
+Verkohlter Plünderer    rare
+```
+
+Exact weights may be tuned later.
+
+## 8. Grenzmarken
+
+Slice 0.7 may begin persisting Grenzmarken as reward data because the rare enemy already grants one.
+
+They do not need to be spendable yet.
+
+Spending Grenzmarken belongs to Slice 0.11.
+
+## 9. Progression target
+
+Within approximately the first 3–5 combats, the player should have a high chance of seeing the first meaningful equipment upgrade.
+
+The purpose is to prove:
+
+```text
+hunt
+→ fight
+→ loot
+→ equip
+→ become stronger
+```
+
+through repeated play at one location.
+
+## 10. Hunt UI
+
+The Hunt context panel should now communicate the broader enemy pool.
+
+Example:
+
+```text
+Mögliche Begegnungen
+
+Aschenratte
+Verwilderter Straßenhund
+Straßenräuber
+???
+```
+
+A rare enemy may remain hidden until first encountered.
+
+Do not expose exact encounter percentages.
+
+## 11. Explicit non-goals
+
+Do not implement yet:
+
+```text
+Quest
+NPC
+Wachtposten progression
+Boss
+Merchant
+Grenzmarken shop
+Area completion
+```
+
+## 12. Required tests
+
+Verify:
+
+- all four monsters are persisted content
+- all four are assigned to `burned-road`
+- weighted selection remains deterministic in tests
+- rare encounter selection is supported
+- Bleed resolves correctly
+- Straßenräuber Telegraphing still works
+- loot tables match configured content
+- Grenzmarken can be persisted when granted
+- item upgrades remain persistent after reward flow
+
+## 13. Definition of Done
+
+The player can remain on the Verbrannte Straße and experience:
+
+```text
+different encounters
+↓
+different mechanics
+↓
+different rewards
+↓
+first upgrades
+↓
+visibly increasing strength
+```
+
+The location now feels like a real piece of the game rather than a technical test area.
+
+## 14. Handoff
+
+Next:
+
+```text
+Playable Slice 0.8 – Wachtposten & First Elite
+```

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.8_Wachtposten_First_Elite.md

@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.8: Wachtposten & First Elite
+
+**Status:** Ready for implementation  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slice 0.7 – Complete Verbrannte Straße  
+**Scope:** First progression inside a region and first elite challenge  
+**Primary Location:** Verlassener Wachtposten  
+**Next Slice:** Playable Slice 0.9 – Aschengrube & First Boss
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Introduce the first meaningful progression from one dangerous location to another.
+
+The player should reach a new location, encounter stronger enemies, discover an elite target, improve equipment, and return strong enough to defeat it.
+
+## 2. New location
+
+Add:
+
+```text
+Verlassener Wachtposten
+```
+
+Connection:
+
+```text
+Verbrannte Straße
+↔
+Verlassener Wachtposten
+```
+
+Travel duration:
+
+```text
+approximately 15 seconds
+```
+
+Travel remains server-authoritative.
+
+## 3. Location functions
+
+The Wachtposten should support:
+
+```text
+Jagd beginnen
+Wachtposten untersuchen
+NPC visible
+travel back to Verbrannte Straße
+future travel toward Aschengrube
+```
+
+The NPC may already be visually present, but full NPC/quest interaction is deferred to Slice 0.10.
+
+## 4. Encounter pool
+
+Use the existing world/content design as the source of truth.
+
+Core enemies:
+
+```text
+Straßenräuber
+Plünderer-Späher
+Plünderer-Veteran
+Plündererhauptmann
+```
+
+## 5. Plünderer-Späher
+
+Role:
+
+- lighter humanoid enemy
+- familiar combat foundation
+- part of Wachtposten progression
+
+Use persisted content and data-driven mechanics.
+
+## 6. Plünderer-Veteran
+
+Role:
+
+- first clearly tougher regular humanoid
+- combines existing mechanics
+
+Mechanics:
+
+```text
+Heavy Attack
++
+defensive stance
+```
+
+The defensive stance may temporarily increase armor or otherwise use the established deterministic defensive mechanic.
+
+Avoid adding a generic scripting engine.
+
+## 7. Plündererhauptmann
+
+Role:
+
+```text
+ELITE
+```
+
+The elite combines 2–3 already learned mechanics.
+
+The elite should be:
+
+- difficult or impractical for an unupgraded starting character
+- manageable after meaningful Tier-1 upgrades
+- farmable for a recognizable desirable reward
+
+## 8. Elite combat duration
+
+Target:
+
+```text
+6–10 rounds
+```
+
+This is a balancing goal, not a hard mechanical rule.
+
+## 9. Elite loot
+
+The elite must have a clear reason to be farmed.
+
+Use the existing balancing/content data for its target rewards.
+
+Do not invent a separate random loot pool if the project already defines the relevant Tier-1 upgrade source.
+
+A desirable weapon such as the Aschenklinge may serve as a primary target where consistent with existing content.
+
+## 10. Danger Rating
+
+By this slice, danger ratings should use real effective player stats.
+
+The backend should derive them from:
+
+```text
+CharacterStatsService
++
+enemy / encounter power
+```
+
+Supported ratings:
+
+```text
+WEAK
+MATCH
+STRONG
+VERY_DANGEROUS
+DEADLY
+```
+
+Use the balancing thresholds as the initial calibration.
+
+Do not calculate this in Angular.
+
+## 11. Encounter UI
+
+Elite encounters must remain part of the reusable EncounterCard system.
+
+They may receive:
+
+```text
+ELITE label
+stronger border treatment
+higher visual emphasis
+```
+
+Do not create a completely separate elite hunting UI.
+
+## 12. World UI
+
+Add the Wachtposten as a real travel node.
+
+The world screen should communicate:
+
+- current location
+- Verbrannte Straße connection
+- Wachtposten connection
+- current danger/recommended range
+- future Aschengrube direction as appropriate
+
+## 13. Explicit non-goals
+
+Do not implement yet:
+
+```text
+full quest flow
+merchant
+boss
+area completion
+Dämmerwald
+```
+
+## 14. Required tests
+
+Verify:
+
+- location and connection persistence
+- travel works in both intended directions
+- encounter pool is location-driven
+- Plünderer-Veteran mechanics work
+- elite encounter classification is persisted
+- Danger Rating uses authoritative effective character stats
+- elite loot is server-generated
+- an undergeared character receives a stronger danger rating than an upgraded one where expected
+
+## 15. Definition of Done
+
+The player can experience:
+
+```text
+reach Wachtposten
+↓
+see stronger enemies
+↓
+discover Elite
+↓
+struggle or fail
+↓
+farm upgrades
+↓
+return
+↓
+defeat Elite
+```
+
+This is the first direct playable proof of:
+
+> Become stronger and return.
+
+## 16. Handoff
+
+Next:
+
+```text
+Playable Slice 0.9 – Aschengrube & First Boss
+```

docs/playable-slices/Ashen_Realms_Playable_Slice_0.9_Aschengrube_First_Boss.md

@@ -0,0 +1,245 @@
+# Ashen Realms – Playable Slice 0.9: Aschengrube & First Boss
+
+**Status:** Ready for implementation  
+**Prerequisite:** Playable Slice 0.8 – Wachtposten & First Elite  
+**Scope:** First region climax and first boss  
+**Primary Location:** Aschengrube  
+**Boss:** Hauptmann der Aschenbande  
+**Next Slice:** Playable Slice 0.10 – First NPC & Quest
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Implement the first true regional progression check.
+
+The player reaches the hardest Aschenfelder location, fights stronger enemies, challenges the first boss, receives guaranteed meaningful progress, and discovers the future path toward the Dämmerwald.
+
+## 2. New location
+
+Add:
+
+```text
+Aschengrube
+```
+
+Connection:
+
+```text
+Verlassener Wachtposten
+↔
+Aschengrube
+```
+
+Use the existing world/content design for travel duration, danger, artwork, and location metadata.
+
+## 3. Regular encounter pool
+
+Core encounters:
+
+```text
+Aschenwühler
+Plünderer-Veteran
+Verbrannter Jagdhund
+```
+
+Use the existing balancing and content definitions.
+
+The location should feel more dangerous than the previous two hunting areas.
+
+## 4. Boss access
+
+The boss should not be rolled as a normal random hunt encounter.
+
+The Aschengrube exposes a dedicated location action:
+
+```text
+Hauptmann herausfordern
+```
+
+This establishes the reusable concept of a boss/location action without creating a boss-specific one-off controller.
+
+## 5. Boss
+
+Implement:
+
+```text
+Hauptmann der Aschenbande
+Level 3
+BOSS
+```
+
+Mechanics:
+
+```text
+normal attack
+
+telegraphed Heavy Attack
+
+defensive phase / armor increase
+
+below 30% HP:
+more aggressive behavior
+```
+
+Use reusable combat mechanics rather than a bespoke boss script framework.
+
+## 6. Boss duration
+
+Target:
+
+```text
+8–14 rounds
+```
+
+This is a balancing target.
+
+The boss should not be realistically comfortable for a fresh character, but should become manageable through the Tier-1 progression available in the Aschenfelder.
+
+## 7. Boss reward rule
+
+Introduce the first boss guarantee system.
+
+### Roll A – guaranteed progression
+
+Always grant:
+
+```text
+1 high-quality Tier-1 item
+```
+
+Guaranteed pool:
+
+```text
+Verstärkte Lederjacke
+Wachmannsbeinkleid
+Aschenstiefel
+Zeichen der Grenzwacht
+```
+
+### Roll B – additional special drops
+
+```text
+20% Aschenklinge
+8% Anhänger des verbrannten Hauptmanns
+```
+
+Guaranteed additional rewards:
+
+```text
+50–70 Silver
+80 XP
+5 Grenzmarken
+```
+
+The guaranteed progression roll and special rolls are separate.
+
+## 8. Loot architecture extension
+
+Extend the existing loot system to support:
+
+```text
+guaranteed item pool
++
+independent optional rolls
+```
+
+Do not implement the boss reward directly inside the controller.
+
+The behavior must remain data-driven and reusable.
+
+## 9. Boss completion persistence
+
+Persist first boss completion / regional progression state.
+
+The exact data structure should follow the existing project conventions.
+
+At minimum, the server must know that the character has defeated the regional boss.
+
+Do not rely on Angular state.
+
+## 10. Future path discovery
+
+After the first boss victory, expose the future progression hint:
+
+```text
+Ein Pfad in Richtung Dämmerwald wurde entdeckt.
+```
+
+The Dämmerwald itself does not need to be playable yet.
+
+The world state may mark a future node/connection as discovered or unlocked according to the existing architecture.
+
+## 11. Boss UI
+
+The boss encounter should visually communicate that it is a major challenge.
+
+Use:
+
+- existing combat screen
+- boss label
+- stronger framing
+- clear Telegraphing
+- phase/status information
+- existing combat log/event system
+
+Do not build a separate game mode.
+
+## 12. Explicit non-goals
+
+Do not implement yet:
+
+```text
+Dämmerwald content
+complex boss scripting DSL
+multiple boss instances
+raid mechanics
+group combat
+boss matchmaking
+```
+
+## 13. Required tests
+
+Verify:
+
+- boss can only be started through a valid server-side boss/location action
+- boss combat uses persisted authoritative stats
+- defensive phase changes combat behavior
+- low-HP aggression triggers correctly
+- boss victory persists
+- boss reward is granted exactly once
+- guaranteed Tier-1 item always appears
+- special drop rolls remain independent
+- XP, Silver and Grenzmarken match content rules
+- page refresh does not duplicate boss reward
+- future path discovery persists
+
+## 14. Definition of Done
+
+The player can:
+
+```text
+reach Aschengrube
+↓
+fight regular encounters
+↓
+challenge boss
+↓
+read and react to mechanics
+↓
+win
+↓
+receive guaranteed progression item
+↓
+receive boss rewards
+↓
+discover route toward Dämmerwald
+```
+
+A boss victory must never end without meaningful progress.
+
+## 15. Handoff
+
+Next:
+
+```text
+Playable Slice 0.10 – First NPC & Quest
+```