staging: polished/character-state-ch-02-final.md task=4769ae33-64e5-4316-811e-dd6722ea4820

projects/crimson-vows/staging/polished/character-state-ch-02-final.md

@@ -4,48 +4,49 @@
 Location: The Obsidian Dais, Grand Cathedral, Aethelgard
 Physical: Shaken by psychic feedback; silver scarring appearing on forearms; magically overextended.
 Emotional: Vulnerable and profoundly unsettled by the shared vision.
-Active obligations: Owes Aldric Thorne a formal response to the Bilateral Seal (ch-01) -- PAID.
+Active obligations: Owes Aldric Thorne a formal response to the Bilateral Seal (ch-01) — PAID.
-Open loops: [Seraphine & Aldric] The emotional fallout of the shared childhood trauma (ch-03) -- UNRESOLVED.
+Open loops: [Seraphine & Aldric] The emotional fallout of the shared childhood trauma (ch-03) — UNRESOLVED.
-Known secrets: CARRIED (ch-01): The Blight has breached the inner glass-line; the Lowen-Court is already compromised.
+Known secrets: CARRIED: The Blight has breached the inner glass-line; the Lowen-Court is already compromised.
-Arc: 25% -- She has moved from viewing Aldric as a structural asset to recognizing him as a mirror of her own broken history.
+Arc: 25% — Shifted from viewing Aldric as a structural asset to recognizing him as a mirror of her own broken history.
 
 ## King Aldric
 Location: The Obsidian Dais, Grand Cathedral, Aethelgard
 Physical: Death-like pallor; hands trembling from the weight of the blood-bind; bleeding from the palms.
 Emotional: Distant and armored in cold silence to mask the shock of the Communion.
-Active obligations: Owes Seraphine the protection of the Thorne-Valerius borders (ch-03) -- UNPAID.
+Active obligations: Owes Seraphine the protection of the Thorne-Valerius borders (ch-03) — UNPAID.
-Open loops: [Aldric & Seraphine] The revelation of the execution of his brother (ch-03) -- UNRESOLVED.
+Open loops: [Aldric & Seraphine] The revelation of the execution of his brother (ch-03) — UNRESOLVED.
 Known secrets: None.
-Arc: 20% -- He has allowed a rival into the most guarded vault of his memory, shattering his isolation.
+Arc: 20% — Allowed a rival into the most guarded vault of his memory, shattering his isolation.
 
 ## High Priestess Malcorra
 Location: The Obsidian Dais, Grand Cathedral, Aethelgard
-Physical: Radiating smug theological satisfaction; rubbing fingers together to "tune" the link.
+Physical: Radiant, unaffected; eyes dilated from the ritual’s success.
-Emotional: Triumphant and observant.
+Emotional: Triumphant; views the sovereigns' suffering as a necessary refinement.
-Active obligations: Owes the Crimson Cathedral a "purified" sovereign (ch-02) -- UNPAID.
+Active obligations: Owes the Crimson Cathedral a "purified" sovereign (ch-02) — UNPAID.
-Open loops: [Malcorra & Seraphine] Control over the ritualistic elements of the Thorne alliance (ch-03) -- RESOLVED.
+Open loops: [Malcorra & Seraphine] Control over the ritualistic elements of the Thorne alliance — RESOLVED.
-Known secrets: Does she hear the voice of the ancestors, or is she a high-functioning schizophrenic?
+Known secrets: CARRIED: Does she hear the ancestors, or is she a high-functioning schizophrenic?
-Arc: 15% -- She successfully forced the sovereigns into a ritual that stripped away their emotional defenses.
+Arc: 15% — Successfully forced the Queen into a ritual that stripped away her emotional defenses.
 
 ## Captain Kaelen
-Location: The Perimeter of the Obsidian Dais, Grand Cathedral
+Location: The Perimeter of the Obsidian Dais
-Physical: Hand white-knuckled on his sword hilt; hyper-focused on Seraphine's tremors.
+Physical: Hand white-knuckled on his sword hilt; hyper-vigilant stance.
-Emotional: Overwhelmingly protective and hyper-vigilant.
+Emotional: Overwhelmingly protective; simmering resentment toward Malcorra.
-Active obligations: Absolute silence regarding the Queen’s flagging physical stamina (ch-01) -- UNPAID.
+Active obligations: Absolute silence regarding the Queen’s flagging physical stamina — UNPAID.
-Open loops: [Kaelen & Seraphine] The cost of his intervention against the High Priestess (ch-03) -- UNRESOLVED.
+Open loops: [Kaelen & Seraphine] The cost of his intervention against the High Priestess — UNRESOLVED.
-Known secrets: Knows the Queen nearly collapsed during the walk; Malcorra does NOT know.
+Known secrets: Knows the Queen nearly collapsed during the walk to the cellar — Malcorra does NOT know.
-Arc: 10% -- Witnessed the Queen’s soul bared; his duty is shifting from political to deeply personal.
+Arc: 10% — Duty shifting from political to deeply personal.
 
 # World State: ch-03
 
 ## NPC Memory
-- High Priestess Malcorra: TRIUMPHANT. The successful binding validates her dogma; she intends to use the shared trauma as leverage.
+- High Priestess Malcorra: TRIUMPHANT. Witnessed the successful binding; intends to use the shared trauma as leverage to guide the union.
+- The Cathedral Guard: ALERT. Witnessed the physical toll on the sovereigns.
 
 ## Faction Attitudes
-- The Crimson Cathedral: ASCENDANT. The Communion is a theological victory.
+- The Crimson Cathedral: ASCENDANT. Ritual success validates their dogma.
-- The Lowen-Court: CAUTIOUS. Aldric’s physical toll has his inner circle on high alert.
+- The Lowen-Court: CAUTIOUS. The physical toll on Aldric has his inner circle on high alert.
 
 ## Active World Events
-- The Sanguine Marriage: The blood-bond is active, creating a permanent psychic tether and biological link between Seraphine and Aldric.
+- The Sanguine Parley: The Union is legally and magically sealed.
-- The Blight Advance: Tremors resumed at a higher, glass-cracking pitch following the ritual's conclusion.
+- The Blight Advance: Tremors have resumed with a higher, glass-cracking pitch.
-- The Sanguine Parley: The 48-hour deadline is moot; the Union is legally and magically sealed.
+- The Sanguine Marriage: Blood-bond is active; a permanent psychic tether exists between Seraphine and Aldric.