diff --git a/src/engine/__tests__/story.test.ts b/src/engine/__tests__/story.test.ts
index 2686dd2..60de407 100644
--- a/src/engine/__tests__/story.test.ts
+++ b/src/engine/__tests__/story.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { buildContent } from '../../content/schema';
 import { buildStoryContent } from '../../content/storySchema';
 import { createGameState } from '../game';
-import { enterStoryNode, evaluateTriggers, initStory } from '../story';
+import {
+  applyChoice,
+  enterStoryNode,
+  evaluateTriggers,
+  getAvailableChoices,
+  initStory,
+} from '../story';
 
 function gameContent() {
   const base = buildContent({
@@ -113,6 +119,106 @@ function gameContentWithThreshold() {
   return { ...base, ...story };
 }
 
+function gameContentWithFork() {
+  const base = buildContent({
+    resources: [
+      { id: 'supplies', name: 'Supplies', startAmount: 10 },
+      { id: 'coin', name: 'Coin', startAmount: 0 },
+    ],
+    actions: [
+      {
+        id: 'scout_path',
+        name: 'Scout',
+        durationMs: 1000,
+        costs: [],
+        yields: [{ resourceId: 'coin', amount: 1 }],
+      },
+    ],
+  });
+  const story = buildStoryContent(
+    [
+      {
+        id: 'boot_intro',
+        prose: 'You wake at the crossroads.',
+        triggers: [{ type: 'boot', targetNodeId: 'boot_intro' }],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'fork_choice',
+        prose: 'Which way?',
+        choices: [
+          {
+            id: 'pick_a',
+            label: 'High road',
+            outcomes: [{ type: 'setFlag', flag: 'route_a' }],
+            targetNodeId: 'route_a_beat',
+          },
+          {
+            id: 'pick_b',
+            label: 'Low road',
+            outcomes: [{ type: 'setFlag', flag: 'route_b' }],
+            targetNodeId: 'route_b_beat',
+          },
+          {
+            id: 'pick_b_if_excluded',
+            label: 'Low road (excluded after A)',
+            requirements: { excludeStoryFlags: ['route_a'] },
+            outcomes: [{ type: 'setFlag', flag: 'route_b' }],
+            targetNodeId: 'route_b_beat',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      { id: 'route_a_beat', prose: 'The high road.' },
+      { id: 'route_b_beat', prose: 'The low road.' },
+    ],
+    base.actionsById,
+    base.resourcesById,
+  );
+  return { ...base, ...story };
+}
+
+function gameContentWithGatedChoice() {
+  const base = buildContent({
+    resources: [
+      { id: 'supplies', name: 'Supplies', startAmount: 10 },
+      { id: 'coin', name: 'Coin', startAmount: 0 },
+    ],
+    actions: [
+      {
+        id: 'scout_path',
+        name: 'Scout',
+        durationMs: 1000,
+        costs: [],
+        yields: [{ resourceId: 'coin', amount: 1 }],
+      },
+    ],
+  });
+  const story = buildStoryContent(
+    [
+      {
+        id: 'boot_intro',
+        prose: 'Boot.',
+        triggers: [{ type: 'boot', targetNodeId: 'boot_intro' }],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'gated',
+        prose: 'A gated choice.',
+        choices: [
+          {
+            id: 'needs_coin',
+            label: 'Pay the toll',
+            requirements: { minResources: { coin: 5 } },
+            outcomes: [],
+            targetNodeId: 'boot_intro',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+    base.actionsById,
+    base.resourcesById,
+  );
+  return { ...base, ...story };
+}
+
 describe('enterStoryNode()', () => {
   it('sets current node, marks seen, applies enterOutcomes', () => {
     const content = gameContent();
@@ -170,3 +276,32 @@ describe('evaluateTriggers()', () => {
     expect(second.enteredNodeIds).toEqual([]);
   });
 });
+
+describe('applyChoice()', () => {
+  it('applies outcomes and advances on fork', () => {
+    const content = gameContentWithFork();
+    const state = createGameState(content);
+    enterStoryNode(state, content, 'fork_choice');
+    applyChoice(state, content, 'pick_a');
+    expect(state.storyFlags.route_a).toBe(true);
+    expect(state.currentStoryNodeId).toBe('route_a_beat');
+  });
+
+  it('throws when requirements not met', () => {
+    const content = gameContentWithGatedChoice();
+    const state = createGameState(content);
+    enterStoryNode(state, content, 'gated');
+    expect(() => applyChoice(state, content, 'needs_coin')).toThrow(/requirements/i);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('getAvailableChoices()', () => {
+  it('hides choices blocked by excludeStoryFlags', () => {
+    const content = gameContentWithFork();
+    const state = createGameState(content);
+    state.storyFlags.route_a = true;
+    enterStoryNode(state, content, 'fork_choice');
+    const choices = getAvailableChoices(state, content);
+    expect(choices.map((c) => c.id)).not.toContain('pick_b_if_excluded');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/engine/story.ts b/src/engine/story.ts
index e2e40a2..3256cad 100644
--- a/src/engine/story.ts
+++ b/src/engine/story.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Content } from '../content/schema';
-import type { StoryContent, StoryOutcome } from '../content/storySchema';
+import type { StoryChoice, StoryContent, StoryOutcome } from '../content/storySchema';
 import type { GameState } from './game';
 
 type GameContent = Content & StoryContent;
@@ -130,3 +130,56 @@ export function evaluateTriggers(
 
   return { enteredNodeIds, events };
 }
+
+function meetsChoiceRequirements(
+  state: GameState,
+  requirements: StoryChoice['requirements'],
+): boolean {
+  if (!requirements) return true;
+  if (requirements.minResources) {
+    for (const [id, min] of Object.entries(requirements.minResources)) {
+      if ((state.resources[id] ?? 0) < min) return false;
+    }
+  }
+  if (requirements.requireStoryFlags) {
+    for (const flag of requirements.requireStoryFlags) {
+      if (!state.storyFlags[flag]) return false;
+    }
+  }
+  if (requirements.excludeStoryFlags) {
+    for (const flag of requirements.excludeStoryFlags) {
+      if (state.storyFlags[flag]) return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+export function getCurrentNode(state: GameState, content: GameContent) {
+  return content.storyNodesById[state.currentStoryNodeId] ?? null;
+}
+
+export function getAvailableChoices(state: GameState, content: GameContent): StoryChoice[] {
+  const node = getCurrentNode(state, content);
+  if (!node?.choices) return [];
+  return node.choices.filter((c) => meetsChoiceRequirements(state, c.requirements));
+}
+
+export function applyChoice(
+  state: GameState,
+  content: GameContent,
+  choiceId: string,
+): StoryEvent[] {
+  const node = getCurrentNode(state, content);
+  if (!node?.choices) throw new Error(`Node "${node?.id}" has no choices`);
+  const choice = node.choices.find((c) => c.id === choiceId);
+  if (!choice) throw new Error(`Unknown choice "${choiceId}"`);
+  if (!meetsChoiceRequirements(state, choice.requirements)) {
+    throw new Error(`Choice "${choiceId}" requirements not met`);
+  }
+  const events: StoryEvent[] = [];
+  applyOutcomes(state, content, choice.outcomes, events);
+  events.push(...enterStoryNode(state, content, choice.targetNodeId));
+  const last = events.find((e) => e.kind === 'enter');
+  if (last) last.choiceLabel = choice.label;
+  return events;
+}