diff --git a/projects/crimson-vows/staging/character-state-ch-01.md b/projects/crimson-vows/staging/character-state-ch-01.md
index 501a21f..7a0fd42 100644
--- a/projects/crimson-vows/staging/character-state-ch-01.md
+++ b/projects/crimson-vows/staging/character-state-ch-01.md
@@ -1,44 +1,44 @@
 # Character State: ch-01
 
 ## Queen Seraphine
-Location: The Glass Border, Aethelgard Frontier
-Physical: No injuries; experiencing minor sensory strain from high-order Hemomancy.
-Emotional: Calculated desperation and ancestral weight.
-Active obligations: owes Aldric Thorne a response to the Bilateral Seal (ch-01) -- UNPAID
-Open loops: [Seraphine & Aldric] The terms of the Sanguine Marriage (ch-01) -- UNRESOLVED
-Known secrets: knows the Blight has already breached the inner glass-line -- the Lowen-Court
-Arc: 05% -- Acknowledged that the Valerius bloodline cannot survive the Blight through isolation alone.
+Location: The Glass Border, Neutral Parley Zone
+Physical: Minor sensory strain from Hemomancy; no physical injuries.
+Emotional: Calculated, resolute, and wary.
+Active obligations: owes Aldric Thorne a response to the Sanguine Marriage proposal (ch-01) -- UNPAID
+Open loops: [Seraphine & Aldric] The terms of the Bilateral Seal and marriage (ch-01) -- UNRESOLVED
+Known secrets: CARRIED (ch-01—unresolved): knows the Blight has already breached the inner glass-line -- the Lowen-Court
+Arc: 05% -- Accepted the necessity of a heretical union with a rival monarch to preserve her bloodline.
 Permanent: YES
 
 ## King Aldric
 Location: The Glass Border, Neutral Parley Zone
-Physical: No injuries; slight tremors in hands following the display of Sanguine Sovereignty.
-Emotional: Stoic and tactically expectant.
+Physical: Death-like pallor and tremors in hands following the use of Sanguine Sovereignty.
+Emotional: Stoic, expectant, and tactically precise.
 Active obligations: owes Seraphine protection for her remaining border villages via the Seal (ch-01) -- UNPAID
 Open loops: [Aldric & the Lowen-Court] Internal dissent regarding the marriage to a Valerius (ch-01) -- UNRESOLVED
-Known secrets: knows the true rate of the Blight's acceleration exceeds official reports -- Queen Seraphine
-Arc: 05% -- Committed to a radical political union to forestall his kingdom’s total collapse.
+Known secrets: CARRIED (ch-01—unresolved): knows the true rate of the Blight's acceleration exceeds official reports -- Queen Seraphine
+Arc: 05% -- Formally initiated a radical political gamble to forestall the total collapse of his kingdom.
 Permanent: YES
 
-## Captain Kaelen 
+## Captain Kaelen
 Location: The Glass Border, Royal Guard Perimeter
-Physical: No injuries; high fatigue.
-Emotional: Deeply wary and professionally alert.
+Physical: High fatigue; no injuries.
+Emotional: Professionally alert and deeply suspicious of the Lowen-Court.
 Active obligations: owes Seraphine his life and absolute silence (ch-00) -- UNPAID
 Open loops: [Kaelen & Seraphine] Safety of the extraction route (ch-01) -- RESOLVED
-Known secrets: knows Seraphine’s physical stamina is flagging -- The Court
-Arc: 02% -- Witnessed the first formal diplomatic contact with the "Enemy" in a decade.
+Known secrets: CARRIED (ch-01—unresolved): knows Seraphine’s physical stamina is flagging -- The Court
+Arc: 02% -- Facilitated and guarded the first diplomatic contact with the "Enemy" in a generation.
 Permanent: NO
 
 # World State: ch-01
 
 ## NPC Memory
-- High Priestess Malcorra (The Crimson Cathedral): HOSTILE -- She sent a silent warning through the blood-link during the parley -- Seraphine is being watched for any sign of "heretical" weakness.
+- High Priestess Malcorra (The Crimson Cathedral): HOSTILE -- Sent a silent warning through the blood-link during the parley -- Seraphine is being monitored for any sign of heretical weakness.
 
 ## Faction Attitudes
-- The Crimson Monarchy (Lowen-Court): Pragmatic but Bitter -- They view the Valerius line as brittle, yet necessary for the Bilateral Seal's strength.
-- The Crimson Throne (Aethelgard): Xenophobic and Terrified -- They see any deal with Aldric as a surrender of their pure blood-right.
+- The Crimson Monarchy (Lowen-Court): Pragmatic but Bitter -- They view the Valerius line as brittle yet essential for the coming war.
+- The Crimson Throne (Aethelgard): Xenophobic and Terrified -- They perceive the parley as a potential surrender of their ancestral purity.
 
 ## Active World Events
-- The Great Blight: Advancing rapidly through the Aethelgard frontier; village of Oakhaven confirmed lost in ch-01.
-- The Sanguine Parley: Formal proposal of the Bilateral Seal initiated; 48-hour deadline for a response established.
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+- The Great Blight: Advancing rapidly; the village of Oakhaven is confirmed lost as of this chapter.
+- The Sanguine Parley: Formal proposal of the Bilateral Seal and Sanguine Marriage; a 48-hour deadline for Seraphine's response is active.
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