# Character State: ch-17

## Lena Duval
- **Location:** The Heart Tree (Siphon Hub Core)
- **Physical:** Translucence, fused with bioluminescent sap and neural architecture; biological singularity.
- **Emotional:** Serene; achieved collective consciousness ("Bayou Nirvana").
- **Active Obligations:** Owes the land permanent service as the anchor of the "Veil of the Great Silence" (ch-17) -- UNPAID/ONGOING.
- **Open Loops:** Lena and the land versus TDC intrusion (ch-17) -- RESOLVED (Swamp dominance achieved).
- **Known Secrets:** Holds the total genetic and kinetic history of the Bayou Binding lineages -- TDC and the outside world.
- **Arc:** 100% -- Transitioned from a runaway daughter to the literal, omniscient spirit of the land.
- **Permanent:** YES

## Jax Harlan
- **Location:** Security Annex (Inner Perimeter / The Shallows)
- **Physical:** Iridescent "Green Fever" scars; immune to man-made toxins.
- **Emotional:** Profound finality and peace.
- **Active Obligations:** Owes Lena/The Bend protection from all physical and digital threats (ch-17) -- UNPAID/ONGOING.
- **Open Loops:** Jax versus his corporate shadow (ch-17) -- RESOLVED (TDC records list him as KIA).
- **Known Secrets:** Retains a photographic map of all TDC black-sites -- TDC Executives.
- **Arc:** 100% -- Transitioned from a corporate weapon to the apex predator-guardian of a closed system.
- **Permanent:** YES

# World State: ch-17

## NPC Memory
- **The Duval Coven** (Cypress Bend): DEVOUT/SUBSERVIENT -- Transitioned to Acolytes of the Heart Tree, serving as biological maintenance for the Grove.
- **TDC Executives** (Houston/Global): TERROR-STRICKEN -- Reclassified the Bend as a total write-off and are purging data to prevent global panic.

## Faction Attitudes
- **The Great Hum:** Dominant/Sentient -- The swamp has successfully metabolized technology into nutrients and established self-healing dominance.
- **Terrebonne Development Corp:** Defeated/Retreated -- Transitioned to a policy of "Containment via Ignorance" after losing all assets.

## Active World Events
- **The Great Silence:** Permanent status. A five-mile-radius electromagnetic and physical dead zone where all human technology fails or is absorbed.
- **The Grand Recession:** Completion of biological architecture reclaiming all human structures (Siphon Hub, cabins) within the Bend.

## Key Objects/Locations
- **The Heart Tree:** Neural core and seat of Lena’s consciousness.
- **Siphon Hub:** The "biological cathedral" where digital-organic interface is maintained.
- **The Bayou Bones:** The conceptual unity of the Duval blood and the swamp’s ancient power.