diff --git a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.6.14-7.7.0.pl b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.6.14-7.7.0.pl
index cca5a47f3..ebdf27625 100644
--- a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.6.14-7.7.0.pl
+++ b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.6.14-7.7.0.pl
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ my $quiet; # this line required
 my $session = start(); # this line required
 
 # upgrade functions go here
-installStoryManagerTables($session);
-upgradeConfigFiles($session);
-
 addGroupToAddToMatrix( $session );
 addScreenshotTemplatesToMatrix( $session );
 surveyDoAfterTimeLimit($session);
@@ -42,6 +39,10 @@ surveyRemoveResponseTemplate($session);
 surveyEndWorkflow($session);
 installAssetHistory($session);
 
+# Story Manager
+installStoryManagerTables($session);
+upgradeConfigFiles($session);
+
 # Passive Analytics
 pa_installLoggingTables($session);
 pa_installPassiveAnalyticsRule($session);
@@ -364,6 +365,7 @@ CREATE TABLE StoryTopic (
     revisionDate    BIGINT          NOT NULL,
     storiesPer      INTEGER,
     storiesShort    INTEGER,
+    templateId      CHAR(22) BINARY,
     storyTemplateId CHAR(22) BINARY,
     PRIMARY KEY ( assetId, revisionDate )
 )
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
index 914ba7d22..de46ab5c0 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
@@ -53,6 +53,15 @@ sub definition {
             hoverHelp    => $i18n->get('stories short help'),
             defaultValue => 5,
         },
+        templateId => {
+            tab          => 'display',
+            fieldType    => 'template',
+            label        => $i18n->get('template'),
+            hoverHelp    => $i18n->get('template help'),
+            filter       => 'fixId',
+            namespace    => 'Story',
+            defaultValue => 'liNZSK4xWGyALU6nu_criw',
+        },
         storyTemplateId => {
             tab          => 'display',
             fieldType    => 'template',
@@ -146,14 +155,24 @@ sub viewTemplateVariables {
     STORY: foreach my $storyId (@{ $storyIds }) {
         my $story = WebGUI::Asset->new($session, $storyId->{assetId}, $storyId->{className}, $storyId->{revisionDate});
         next STORY unless $story;
-        my $creationDate = $story->get('creationDate');
         push @{$var->{story_loop}}, {
             url           => $session->url->append($self->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyId->{assetId}),
             title         => $story->getTitle,
-            creationDate  => $creationDate,
+            creationDate  => $story->get('creationDate'),
         }
     }
 
+    if ($self->{_standAlone}) {
+        my $topStoryData = $storyIds->[0];
+        shift @{ $var->{story_loop} };
+        ##Note, this could have saved from the loop above, but this looks more clean and encapsulated to me.
+        my $topStory   = WebGUI::Asset->new($session, $topStoryData->{assetId}, $topStoryData->{className}, $topStoryData->{revisionDate});
+        $var->{topStoryTitle}          = $topStory->getTitle;
+        $var->{topStoryUrl}            = $session->url->append($self->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$topStoryData->{assetId}),
+        $var->{topStoryCreationDate}   = $topStory->get('creationDate');
+        ##TODO: Photo variables
+    }
+
     return $var;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
index 65f4243b6..31fbc2aa5 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
@@ -19,13 +19,16 @@ our $HELP = {
         ],
         fields    => [],
         variables => [
-            { 'name' => 'story_loop',
-              'variables' => [
-                { 'name' => 'url' },
-                { 'name' => 'title' },
-                { 'name' => 'creationDate' },
+            { name => 'story_loop',
+              variables => [
+                { name => 'url' },
+                { name => 'title' },
+                { name => 'creationDate' },
               ],
             },
+            { name => 'topStoryTitle' },
+            { name => 'topStoryUrl' },
+            { name => 'topStoryCreationDate' },
         ],
         related => []
     },
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/Asset_StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
index 449fa0a53..426d64fd2 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
@@ -81,6 +81,24 @@ our $I18N = {
         lastUpdated => 0,
     },
 
+    'topStoryUrl' => {
+        message => q|The URL to view the top story.|,
+        context => q|Template variable.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+    },
+
+    'topStoryTitle' => {
+        message => q|The title of the top story.|,
+        context => q|Template variable.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+    },
+
+    'topStoryCreationDate' => {
+        message => q|The epoch date when the top story was created, or submitted, to its Story Archive.|,
+        context => q|Template variable.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+    },
+
     'view template' => {
         message => q|View Story Topic Template|,
         context => q|Template variable.|,
diff --git a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
index e0b8eac22..abea7f516 100644
--- a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
+++ b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ my $session         = WebGUI::Test->session;
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Tests
 
-my $tests = 4;
+my $tests = 8;
 plan tests => 1 + $tests;
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -113,16 +113,18 @@ cmp_deeply(
     'viewTemplateVars has right number and contents in the story_loop'
 );
 
+ok(
+    ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryTitle}
+ && ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryUrl}
+ && ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryCreationDate},
+    'topStory variables not present unless in standalone mode'
+);
+
 $topic->{_standAlone} = 1;
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables();
 cmp_deeply(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
-        {
-            title        => 'bogs',
-            url          => $session->url->append($topic->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyHandler->{'bogs'}->getId),
-            creationDate => $now,
-        },
         {
             title        => 'red',
             url          => $session->url->append($topic->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyHandler->{'red'}->getId),
@@ -152,11 +154,20 @@ cmp_deeply(
     'viewTemplateVars has right number and contents in the story_loop in standalone mode'
 );
 
+is($templateVars->{topStoryTitle}, 'bogs', 'viewTemplateVars in standalone mode, title');
+is(
+    $templateVars->{topStoryUrl},
+    $session->url->append($topic->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyHandler->{'bogs'}->getId),
+    'viewTemplateVars in standalone mode, url'
+);
+is($templateVars->{topStoryCreationDate}, $now, 'viewTemplateVars in standalone mode, title');
+
 $topic->update({
-    storiesPer   => 16,
-    storiesShort => 3,
+    storiesShort => 20,
 });
 
+$topic->{_standAlone} = 0;
+
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables;
 my @topicInmates = map { $_->{title} } @{ $templateVars->{story_loop} };
 cmp_deeply(