Add NPC registry grounding for spell extraction

docs/config.md

@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@ The explicit-path option is defined in the [CLI reference](cli.md).
 - [Minimal D&D spell configuration](../examples/dnd-spells.config.yml)
 - [Production-oriented D&D spell configuration](../examples/dnd-spells-production.config.yml)
 - [D&D NPC configuration](../examples/dnd-npcs.config.yml)
+- [Sequential D&D NPC and spell configuration](../examples/dnd-npc-spell-sequential.config.yml)
 
-Both are complete version 3 files. The fragments below illustrate individual
+All are complete version 3 files. The fragments below illustrate individual
 fields and are not alternate complete configurations.
 
 ## Top-Level Fields
@@ -284,9 +285,11 @@ production validators do not call the LLM and must not set `llm_profile`.
 | chunk | `generic` | Splits source units into ordered chunks. |
 | chunk | `dnd/scenes` | Uses an LLM to split transcript source units into D&D scenes. |
 | extract | `dnd/spells` | Extracts typed D&D spell-list artifacts. |
+| extract | `dnd/npcs` | Extracts typed D&D NPC-list artifacts. |
 | merge | `appendorder` | Combines typed artifacts in chunk order. |
 | normalize | `noop` | Passes merged typed artifacts through unchanged. |
 | normalize | `dnd/spells` | Deterministically canonicalizes and de-duplicates typed D&D spell-list artifacts. |
+| normalize | `dnd/npcs` | Deterministically consolidates typed D&D NPC-list artifacts by canonical identity and aliases. |
 | output | `json` | Produces JSON output files for normalized `application/json` lanes. |
 
 ## Implemented Production Validators
@@ -301,6 +304,10 @@ production validators do not call the LLM and must not set `llm_profile`.
 | `extract/dnd/spells/catalog` | deterministic | Rejects spell-list artifacts containing names outside the effective SRD and overlay catalog. |
 | `extract/dnd/spells/source_refs` | deterministic | Rejects missing or invalid D&D spell source references. |
 | `extract/dnd/spells/source_relatedness` | deterministic | Emits warnings when a spell name is not found near its cited source text. |
+| `extract/dnd/npcs/shape` | deterministic | Rejects malformed D&D NPC-list artifacts. |
+| `extract/dnd/npcs/source_refs` | deterministic | Rejects missing or invalid D&D NPC source references. |
+| `extract/dnd/npcs/source_relatedness` | deterministic | Emits warnings when an NPC name or alias is not found near its cited source text. |
+| `normalize/dnd/npcs/identity` | deterministic | Rejects invalid canonical IDs, aliases, and cross-record identity collisions. |
 
 The production default chain for `dnd/spells` is used for both its extract and
 normalize stages:
@@ -315,8 +322,27 @@ validators:
   - extract/dnd/spells/source_relatedness
 ```
 
-No other production module currently has a default validator chain. Empty
-chains approve output by default.
+The production default chain for `dnd/npcs` uses the extraction chain for the
+extract stage and the identity chain for normalize-stage output:
+
+```yaml
+extract:
+  validators:
+    - generic/valid_json
+    - generic/valid_json_schema
+    - extract/dnd/npcs/shape
+    - extract/dnd/npcs/source_refs
+    - extract/dnd/npcs/source_relatedness
+normalize:
+  validators:
+    - generic/valid_json
+    - generic/valid_json_schema
+    - normalize/dnd/npcs/identity
+    - extract/dnd/npcs/source_refs
+    - extract/dnd/npcs/source_relatedness
+```
+
+Empty chains approve output by default.
 
 The `generic` chunker accepts:
 
@@ -345,6 +371,17 @@ not allow multiple files. Its format is defined in the
 The extractor uses campaign references only as supporting disambiguation
 material; spell casts still must be present in the source transcript.
 
+It also declares an optional `npcs` slot for a normalized NPC artifact. The
+slot accepts exactly one `application/json` file no larger than 1 MiB. During
+extractor preparation Notarius strictly decodes and identity-validates the
+artifact, then gives the model canonical JSON for caster-name grounding.
+Registry source references may belong to the NPC-producing session and are
+provenance only; they are not spell evidence. The bound registry contributes a
+semantic digest and NPC count to extractor metadata and checkpoint identity,
+while its names, aliases, content, and path do not appear there. When absent,
+the prompt receives the exact empty value `{"npcs":[]}` and no registry
+provenance or fingerprint is recorded.
+
 The `dnd/spells` normalizer declares the same optional `spell_catalog` slot.
 When an overlay is used, bind it independently under
 `artifacts.<lane>.normalize.references.spell_catalog`; normalize-stage
@@ -352,6 +389,12 @@ references are local to that stage and are not inherited from extraction. The
 normalizer uses the embedded SRD catalog when no normalize-stage overlay is
 bound.
 
+The `dnd/npcs` extractor declares the same optional campaign slots as the spell
+extractor, but it does not declare the `npcs` registry slot. Its normalizer
+accepts no references. To pass an NPC result to a later spell run, bind the
+normalized payload explicitly at runtime; the maintained sequential example
+documents that operator workflow.
+
 ## State Surfaces
 
 The `output`, `cache`, and `debug` top-level fields select independent physical