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+# Character State: ch-13
+
+## ELARA VANCE
+Location: The Great Arch / Outer Threshold of the Heart-Root
+Physical: Spiritually depleted; right palm Sigil glowing faintly; bruised ribs; mud-stained clothing.
+Emotional: Burdened but resolute; feeling the weight of the forest's restoration.
+Status: Carrying the forest's memory; transitioned from reluctant vessel to proactive leader.
+Active obligations: Owes Kaelen protection (Ch-06) — UNPAID.
+Open loops: Council Corruption Reckoning (Ch-12) — UNRESOLVED.
+Known secrets: Knows Council's role in Blight origin; possesses evidence — Kaelen does NOT know.
+
+## KAELEN
+Location: The Great Arch / Outer Threshold of the Heart-Root
+Physical: Left arm scarred; physically weak but walking; recovering from spiritual blight-shock.
+Emotional: Vigilant and protective; has fully accepted the role of Guardian.
+Active obligations: None.
+Open loops: None.
+Known secrets: Knows Sun-Guard bloodline — Elara does NOT know; Knows Grove map location — Elara does NOT know.
+
+## THORNE BLACKROOT
+Status: DECEASED. Witnessed by Elara being calcified and shattered by the Heart-Root’s life-energy.
+Legacy: His death signals the collapse of the Circle of Thorns and leaves the Council of Oakhaven exposed.
+
+# World State: ch-13
+
+## NPC Memory
+- Mira (Oakhaven): GRATEFUL. Witnessed the sky clearing; poised to advocate for Elara’s return and challenge the Council’s narrative.
+
+## Faction Attitudes
+- Circle of Thorns: EXTINCT. Leadership destroyed; magical resonance dissolved; survivors scattered.
+- Council of Oakhaven: TERRIFIED. Vulnerable to exposure following Thorne’s disappearance and the Blight’s recession.
+- Forest Spirits: TRIUMPHANT. Singing through the Elderwood as the Great Weaving stabilizes the land.
+
+## Active World Events
+- The Great Weaving: ACTIVE. Rapid, visible reforestation across the valley; the Heart-Root pulses with restorative energy.
+- The Council's Reckoning: EMERGING. Political tension rises in Oakhaven as truth regarding the Blight’s origin nears the surface.
+- Heart-Root Stabilization: PERMANENT. The ritual site is now a sanctuary of pure natural energy; the Great Blight has been halted.
+
+## Key Items/Evidence
+- Vessel Artifacts: Harmonized and integrated into the Heart-Root.
+- Council Ledger/Evidence: Possessed by Elara; proves the Council’s complicity in the initial Blight.
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