Text Adventure Handler MCP

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables AI agents to run interactive text adventures with persistent game state, dice-based action resolution, adventure-specific character stats, and dynamic world management.

Features

• Adventure Management: Store multiple text adventure templates with customizable prompts
• Character Creation: Players can name their character and roll stats (4d6 drop lowest) or use custom/default values
• Game Sessions: Track player progress across multiple parallel games
• Dynamic Stats: Define custom stats per adventure (e.g., D&D classes have STR/DEX/INT, sci-fi has PILOT/TECH/PERSUADE)
• Dice System: d20-based action resolution with stat modifiers and difficulty classes
• Progress Persistence: SQLite database stores all game state, history, and world changes
• Advanced World Management:
  • Dynamic Entities: Create and manage Characters, Locations, and Items on-the-fly
  • Economy System: Track currency, buy/sell items, and manage transactions
  • Time Tracking: Manage game time, day/night cycles, and time-based events
  • Faction System: Track reputation with different groups (Hostile to Revered)
  • Status Effects: Apply temporary buffs or debuffs with duration tracking
  • Memory & Perception: NPCs witness events and form memories that influence their behavior
• AI Narrator Tools:
  • Internal Monologue: narrator_thought allows the AI to plan story beats privately
  • Batch Execution: execute_batch allows performing multiple game actions in a single turn for efficiency
  • Word Randomization: Predefined or AI-generated word lists for dynamic names and descriptions
• Concise MCP Descriptions: Optimized for AI context usage
• Web UI Dashboard: Visual interface for managing adventures, sessions, and game state (optional)

Installation

Quick Start with uvx

The easiest way to use this MCP server is via uvx, which fetches and runs the package automatically:

# Run the MCP server
uvx text-adventure-handler-mcp

# With a custom database path
uvx text-adventure-handler-mcp --db-path /path/to/adventure.db

Install with pip/uv

# Using uv
uv pip install text-adventure-handler-mcp

# Using pip
pip install text-adventure-handler-mcp

Web UI Interface

The project includes an optional web-based dashboard that provides a visual interface for managing your text adventures. The web UI runs alongside the MCP server and allows you to:

• View and manage active game sessions
• Monitor player state, inventory, and stats
• Browse adventure history and summaries
• Manage characters, locations, and items
• Track game time and faction relationships

Note: The Web UI requires Docker and is distributed separately from the PyPI package.

Running the Web UI

Option 1: Pre-built Docker Image (Recommended)

The easiest way to run the Web UI:

# Pull and run the pre-built image
docker run -p 3000:80 \
  -v ~/.text-adventure-handler/adventure_handler.db:/data/adventure.db:ro \
  -e DB_PATH=/data/adventure.db \
  ghcr.io/narrowstacks/text-adventure-handler-mcp:latest

Or using Docker Compose (requires cloning the repo):

git clone https://github.com/narrowstacks/text-adventure-handler-mcp.git
cd text-adventure-handler-mcp/web
docker compose up

Option 2: Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/narrowstacks/text-adventure-handler-mcp.git
cd text-adventure-handler-mcp/web
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up --build

The dashboard will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Web UI Configuration

The web UI connects to the default database path: ~/.text-adventure-handler/adventure_handler.db

If your database is located elsewhere, update the HOST_DB_PATH environment variable:

export HOST_DB_PATH="/path/to/your/adventure_handler.db"
cd web && docker compose up

Development Mode

For local development without Docker:

# Backend (port 3001)
cd web/backend
bun install
bun run dev

# Frontend (port 5173)
cd web/frontend
bun install
bun run dev

Claude Desktop Configuration

To use this MCP server with Claude Desktop, configure it in your settings file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

1. Basic Configuration (Recommended)

Uses uvx to fetch and run the latest version automatically.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "text-adventure": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["text-adventure-handler-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

2. Run from GitHub (Latest Version)

If you want to run the absolute latest version directly from the repository:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "text-adventure": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "--from",
        "git+https://github.com/narrowstacks/text-adventure-handler-mcp",
        "text-adventure-handler-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Custom Database Location

If you want to store your game data in a specific location (instead of the default ~/.text-adventure-handler/), add the ADVENTURE_DB_PATH environment variable:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "text-adventure": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["text-adventure-handler-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ADVENTURE_DB_PATH": "/Users/username/my_games/adventure.db"
      }
    }
  }
}

4. Local Development Configuration

If you have cloned the repository and want to use your local version:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "text-adventure-local": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": ["run", "python", "-m", "adventure_handler"],
      "cwd": "/absolute/path/to/text-adventure-handler-mcp"
    }
  }
}

5. Restart Claude Desktop

Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

Quick Start

1. Initial Instructions

The server provides a helper tool to understand the workflow:

Tool: initial_instructions()
Returns: Overview of available adventures and how to start.

2. List Available Adventures

Tool: list_adventures()
Returns: List of adventure metadata (id, title, description)

3. Start a Game Session

Tool: start_adventure(
  adventure_id="fantasy_dungeon",
  character_name="Aragorn",
  roll_stats=True
)

Narrator Workflow

This MCP is designed to help the AI act as a competent Game Master (GM). The recommended workflow for every turn is:

1. Analyze User Input: Understand what the player wants to do.
2. Plan (Internal Monologue): Use narrator_thought to:
   • Check if the action follows rules.
   • Determine necessary stat checks (DC).
   • Plan story consequences.
   • Decide on tool calls.
3. Execute Actions: Use execute_batch (or individual tools) to update the game state (move, inventory, combat, etc.).
4. Narrate: Describe the outcome to the player based on the tool results.

MCP Tools Reference

Core Workflow

Tool	Purpose
initial_instructions()	Get started guide and list of adventures.
get_rules(section_name?)	Retrieve specific rule sections (guidelines, mechanics, etc.).
narrator_thought(...)	CRITICAL: Log internal thoughts, story status, and plans before acting.
execute_batch(commands)	CRITICAL: Execute multiple state-changing tools in one go.
start_adventure(...)	Begin a new game session.
continue_adventure(session_id)	Resume an existing session.

Game Mechanics

Tool	Purpose
take_action(...)	Perform a general skill check or narrative action.
combat_round(...)	Resolve a round of combat (Player vs Enemy).
roll_check(...)	Make a specific stat check or raw d20 roll.
modify_state(...)	Modify HP, stats, score, or location.
update_quest(...)	Start, update, or complete quests.

World Management (Modular)

Tool	Purpose
manage_character(...)	Create, Read, Update, Delete, List NPCs/Characters.
manage_location(...)	Create, Read, Update, Delete, List Locations.
manage_item(...)	Create, Read, Update, Delete, List Items in the world.
manage_faction(...)	Create factions and manage reputation/relationships.
manage_economy(...)	Handle currency, buying, selling, and item transfers.
manage_time(...)	Advance time, set time, or get current game time/day.
manage_status_effect(...)	Apply, remove, or list temporary status effects (buffs/debuffs).

Perception & Memory

Tool	Purpose
record_event(...)	Log a public event at a location. Updates witnesses' memories automatically.
add_character_memory(...)	Implant a specific memory (rumor/secret) into an NPC.
interact_npc(...)	Simple relationship update (deprecated in favor of manage_faction or record_event for complex interactions, but still useful for simple changes).

State & Information (Consolidated)

Tool	Purpose
get_session_info(...)	Get state, history, character memories, and nearby entities in a single call.
manage_inventory(...)	Add, remove, update, check, list, or use inventory items.
manage_summary(...)	Create, get, or delete session summaries for long-term continuity.

Content Generation

Tool	Purpose
randomize_word(...)	Get a random name/place/item from predefined lists or AI generation.
generate_initial_content(...)	Helper to generate a custom opening scenario before starting.

Sample Adventures

1. The Crystal Caverns (fantasy_dungeon)

Classic fantasy dungeon crawl.

• Stats: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.
• Features: Monsters, traps, magic, and loot.

2. Station Anomaly (scifi_station)

Deep-space horror and mystery.

• Stats: Piloting, Technical, Combat, Persuade.
• Features: Hacking, alien threats, system repairs.

3. The Jade Dragon Case (noir_detective)

Gritty urban murder mystery.

• Stats: Investigation, Intimidate, Sneak, Street_Smarts.
• Features: Interrogation, clues, moral ambiguity.

4. Checkout Chaos (checkout_chaos)

Post-apocalyptic survival comedy in a mega-mart.

• Stats: Scavenge, Improvisation, Diplomacy, Cart_Control.
• Features: Crafting weapons from junk, aisle factions, absurd corporate announcements.

5. Clockwork Conspiracy (clockwork_conspiracy)

Steampunk political intrigue.

• Stats: Engineering, Panache, Shadowstep, Duel.
• Features: Gadgets, high-society galas, rooftop chases, secret plots.

6. Shadows of the Cursed Shores (cursed_shores)

Nautical horror and piracy.

• Stats: Swordplay, Seamanship, Cunning, Grit.
• Features: Ship management, ghost crews, cursed treasure, naval combat.

7. The Void Claim (void_claim)

Sci-fi insurance investigation in a derelict ship.

• Stats: Investigation, Tech-Ops, Corporate Protocol, Survival.
• Features: Bio-horrors, corporate bureaucracy, forensic analysis.

Creating Custom Adventures

Create a JSON file in src/adventure_handler/adventures/:

{
  "id": "my_adventure",
  "title": "Adventure Title",
  "description": "Short description",
  "prompt": "System prompt for AI...",
  "stats": [ ... ],
  "word_lists": [ ... ],
  "initial_location": "Starting Location",
  "initial_story": "Opening narrative..."
}

Refer to existing JSON files for the structure of stats, word_lists, and other configuration options like currency_config or time_config.

Unified Tool Design

The MCP tools follow a consolidated design pattern to optimize context usage and simplify the API:

Information Gathering - get_session_info()

Retrieve multiple types of game information in a single call:

info = get_session_info(
    session_id,
    include_state=True,              # Current location, stats, HP, inventory
    include_history=True,             # Recent action history
    include_character_memories="Merchant",  # NPC memories
    include_nearby_characters=True,   # Characters at current location
    include_available_items=True,     # Items at current location
    history_limit=10,
    memory_limit=10
)

Inventory Management - manage_inventory()

All inventory operations through a single tool:

# Add item
manage_inventory(session_id, action="add", item_name="Sword", quantity=1)

# Remove item
manage_inventory(session_id, action="remove", item_name="Potion")

# Check if item exists
manage_inventory(session_id, action="check", item_name="Key")

# List all inventory
manage_inventory(session_id, action="list")

# Use/consume item
manage_inventory(session_id, action="use", item_name="Healing Potion")

# Update item properties
manage_inventory(session_id, action="update", item_name="Sword",
                 properties={"enchanted": True})

Session Summaries - manage_summary()

Create and retrieve story summaries for long-term continuity:

# Create summary when ending a play session
manage_summary(session_id, action="create",
               summary="Player defeated the dragon...",
               key_events=["Found magic sword", "Met wizard"],
               character_changes=["Gained confidence", "Lost innocence"])

# Get all summaries to recap the story
manage_summary(session_id, action="get")

# Get only the latest summary
manage_summary(session_id, action="get_latest")

# Delete a specific summary
manage_summary(session_id, action="delete", summary_id="abc123")

State Modifications - modify_state()

All player state changes through action-based API:

# Heal/damage HP
modify_state(session_id, action="hp", value=-10, reason="Fell down stairs")

# Modify stats (temporary or permanent changes)
modify_state(session_id, action="stat", stat_name="Dexterity", value=-1)

# Award/deduct points
modify_state(session_id, action="score", value=100)

# Move to new location
modify_state(session_id, action="location", value="Hospital")

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details