diff --git a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/candidates.md b/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/candidates.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 87d35ce..0000000
--- a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/candidates.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-NPC candidates for identity comparison:
-
-{{ input "candidates" }}
diff --git a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md b/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md
index 2ceba2d..0e2b3d6 100644
--- a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md
+++ b/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-Use candidate aliases and their cited transcript windows to determine whether
-candidates refer to the same individual. Preserve distinct individuals even
-when their names are similar.
+Use the supplied positive integer candidate IDs and their cited transcript
+windows to determine whether candidates refer to the same individual. Preserve
+distinct individuals even when their names are similar or their contextual
+descriptions are identical.
 
 When selecting a canonical display name, prefer a complete, stable proper name
 over an abbreviation. Prefer an unadorned proper name over that name plus a
diff --git a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/prompt.yaml b/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/prompt.yaml
index 524dad7..b71c57e 100644
--- a/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/prompt.yaml
+++ b/assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/prompt.yaml
@@ -12,19 +12,19 @@ messages:
   - role: system
     content_file: ./sharedassets/common-dnd-system.md
   - role: user
-    content_file: ./instructions.md
+    content_file: ./sharedassets/protocol.md
   - role: user
-    content_file: ./sharedassets/common-dnd-entity-reconciliation.md
+    content_file: ./instructions.md
     cache_control:
       type: ephemeral
   - role: user
-    content_file: ./candidates.md
+    content_file: ./sharedassets/candidates.md
   - role: user
-    content_file: ./sharedassets/common-dnd-transcript-windows.md
+    content_file: ./sharedassets/transcript-windows.md
     cache_control:
       type: ephemeral
 output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
-  schema_path: dnd_entity_reconcile_llm.v1.json
+  schema_path: semantic_reconciliation_llm.v1.json
   repair_attempts: 0
diff --git a/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation.go b/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation.go
index 09070e9..b1c7b59 100644
--- a/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation.go
+++ b/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation.go
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ func Prepare(document *source.SourceDocument, candidates []Candidate, limits Lim
 	}
 	windows, err := buildContextWindows(document.Units, coalesceIntervals(intervals), cited)
 	if err != nil {
-		return Preparation{}, fmt.Errorf("prepare semantic reconciliation: build transcript material: %w", err)
+		return Preparation{}, fmt.Errorf("prepare semantic reconciliation: build transcript material: invalid source metadata")
 	}
 	transcriptContent, err := json.Marshal(transcriptInput{Windows: windows})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation_test.go b/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation_test.go
index eb0dd74..5cc00c5 100644
--- a/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation_test.go
+++ b/internal/framework/semanticreconcile/preparation_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"math"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -148,6 +149,27 @@ func TestPrepareBuildsContiguousCandidatesAndOwnedSourceContext(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPrepareRedactsInvalidSourceMetadata(t *testing.T) {
+	const sensitiveKey = "sensitive-metadata-key"
+	document := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "private-source", Units: []source.SourceUnit{
+		{ID: 1, Text: "private transcript", Metadata: map[string]any{sensitiveKey: math.NaN()}},
+		{ID: 2, Text: "other private transcript"},
+	}}
+	candidates := []Candidate{
+		{Label: "Private One", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: document.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}},
+		{Label: "Private Two", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: document.ID, StartUnitID: 2, EndUnitID: 2}}},
+	}
+	_, err := Prepare(document, candidates, DefaultLimits())
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "invalid source metadata") {
+		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v, want redacted metadata failure", err)
+	}
+	for _, forbidden := range []string{sensitiveKey, document.ID, document.Units[0].Text, candidates[0].Label, "non-finite", "float64"} {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), forbidden) {
+			t.Fatalf("Prepare() error leaked %q: %v", forbidden, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPrepareFiltersUnsafeCandidatesAndCoalescesAdjacentWindows(t *testing.T) {
 	document := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{
 		{ID: 9}, {ID: 3}, {ID: 8}, {ID: 1}, {ID: 7},
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer.go
index 5d9cd0a..63a41cd 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package npcregistry
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
@@ -13,19 +12,19 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/pipeline"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/identity"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/diagnostics"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
 )
 
 const (
-	Key                   = "dnd/npc-registry"
-	PromptID              = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize"
-	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v4"
-	semanticContextPolicy = "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1"
-	NormalizationPolicy   = normalizationPolicy
+	Key                 = "dnd/npc-registry"
+	PromptID            = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize"
+	PromptVersion       = "v1"
+	normalizationPolicy = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v5"
+	NormalizationPolicy = normalizationPolicy
 
 	ReasonCodeNPCFieldsNormalized                = "npc_fields_normalized"
 	ReasonCodeNPCIDRecomputed                    = "npc_id_recomputed"
@@ -46,9 +45,7 @@ var _ pipeline.CheckpointFingerprintProvider = (*Normalizer)(nil)
 type Options struct{}
 
 type Normalizer struct {
-	llm               contracts.StructuredLLMClient
-	promptSHA         string
-	responseSchemaSHA string
+	engine *semanticreconcile.Engine
 }
 
 func New(llmClient contracts.StructuredLLMClient, _ Options) (*Normalizer, error) {
@@ -59,55 +56,45 @@ func New(llmClient contracts.StructuredLLMClient, _ Options) (*Normalizer, error
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, normalizerErrorf("load prompt metadata: %w", err)
 	}
-	responseSchema, err := entityreconcile.LoadResponseSchema()
+	engine, err := semanticreconcile.NewEngine(llmClient, semanticreconcile.PromptSpec{
+		ID: PromptID, Version: PromptVersion, SHA256: promptSHA,
+	}, semanticreconcile.DefaultLimits())
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, normalizerErrorf("load response schema: %w", err)
+		return nil, normalizerErrorf("construct semantic reconciliation engine: %w", err)
 	}
-	return &Normalizer{llm: llmClient, promptSHA: promptSHA, responseSchemaSHA: responseSchema.SHA256}, nil
+	return &Normalizer{engine: engine}, nil
 }
 
 func (n *Normalizer) Key() string                               { return Key }
 func (n *Normalizer) ReferenceSlots() []contracts.ReferenceSlot { return nil }
 
 func (n *Normalizer) ManifestMetadata() map[string]any {
-	if n == nil {
+	if n == nil || n.engine == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return map[string]any{
-		"prompt_id":               PromptID,
-		"prompt_version":          entityreconcile.SchemaVersion,
-		"prompt_sha256":           n.promptSHA,
-		"response_schema_key":     string(entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaKey),
-		"response_schema_id":      entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaID,
-		"response_schema_name":    entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaName,
-		"response_schema_version": entityreconcile.SchemaVersion,
-		"response_schema_sha256":  n.responseSchemaSHA,
-		"identity_policy":         identity.Policy,
-		"normalization_policy":    normalizationPolicy,
-		"semantic_context_policy": semanticContextPolicy,
-		"semantic_context_radius": semanticContextRadius,
-	}
+	metadata := n.engine.ManifestMetadata()
+	metadata["identity_policy"] = identity.Policy
+	metadata["normalization_policy"] = normalizationPolicy
+	return metadata
 }
 
 func (n *Normalizer) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
-	if n == nil {
+	if n == nil || n.engine == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{
-		{Name: "prompt", Value: n.promptSHA},
-		{Name: "response_schema", Value: n.responseSchemaSHA},
-		{Name: "identity_policy", Value: identity.Policy},
-		{Name: "normalization_policy", Value: normalizationPolicy},
-		{Name: "semantic_context_policy", Value: fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", semanticContextPolicy, semanticContextRadius)},
-	}
+	fingerprints := n.engine.CheckpointFingerprints()
+	return append(fingerprints,
+		pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{Name: "identity_policy", Value: identity.Policy},
+		pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{Name: "normalization_policy", Value: normalizationPolicy},
+	)
 }
 
 func (n *Normalizer) Normalize(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedNormalizeRequest[dnd.NPCRegistry]) (contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry], error) {
 	if n == nil {
 		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("normalizer must not be nil")
 	}
-	if n.llm == nil {
-		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("LLM client must not be nil")
+	if n.engine == nil {
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("semantic reconciliation engine must not be nil")
 	}
 	if ctx == nil {
 		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("context must not be nil")
@@ -119,33 +106,43 @@ func (n *Normalizer) Normalize(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedNormalize
 	order := shared.NewSourceRefOrder(req.Source)
 	records, warnings := preprocessRecords(req.MergeOutput.Value, order)
 	deterministic := recordList(records)
-	materials, ready, err := entityreconcile.BuildContext(req.Source, reconciliationCandidates(records), semanticContextRadius)
-	if err != nil {
-		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("build semantic context: %w", err)
-	}
-	if !ready {
+	if len(records) < 2 || req.Source == nil {
 		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{Value: deterministic, Warnings: limitWarnings(warnings)}, nil
 	}
 
-	var response entityreconcile.ProposalResponse
-	if _, err := n.llm.CompleteStructured(ctx, contracts.StructuredCompletionRequest{
-		StageName: Key, PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion,
+	candidates, envelopes, err := reconciliationInputs(records)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("prepare semantic reconciliation inputs: %w", err)
+	}
+	reconciliation, err := n.engine.Reconcile(ctx, semanticreconcile.Request{
+		StageName: Key, Source: req.Source, Candidates: candidates,
 		ProfileID: req.LLMProfile, SessionID: req.SessionID,
-		Inputs: contracts.LLMInputSet{"candidates": materials.Candidates, "transcript": materials.Transcript},
-	}, &response); err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, contracts.ErrInvalidStructuredOutput) {
-			return n.invalidStructuredResult(deterministic, warnings), nil
-		}
-		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("complete structured output: %w", err)
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("reconcile semantic duplicates: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	assessment := materials.Assess(response)
-	applied, semanticWarnings := applySafeGroups(records, reconciliationGroups(assessment, materials.CandidateKeys()), order)
+	switch reconciliation.Disposition() {
+	case semanticreconcile.SkippedInsufficientCandidates:
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{Value: deterministic, Warnings: limitWarnings(warnings)}, nil
+	case semanticreconcile.SkippedLimitExceeded:
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{Value: deterministic, Warnings: limitWarningsWithSemanticFallback(warnings)}, nil
+	case semanticreconcile.RetryableInvalidStructuredOutput:
+		return n.invalidStructuredResult(deterministic, warnings), nil
+	case semanticreconcile.Complete, semanticreconcile.RetryableDiscardedProposalGroups:
+	default:
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("unknown semantic reconciliation disposition %d", reconciliation.Disposition())
+	}
+
+	applied, semanticWarnings, err := applyReconciliationPlan(reconciliation.Plan(), records, envelopes, order)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{}, normalizerErrorf("apply semantic reconciliation plan: %w", err)
+	}
 	warnings = append(warnings, semanticWarnings...)
-	if assessment.DiscardedGroups() == 0 {
+	if reconciliation.Disposition() == semanticreconcile.Complete {
 		return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{Value: recordList(applied), Warnings: limitWarnings(warnings)}, nil
 	}
-	return retryResult(recordList(applied), warnings, assessment), nil
+	return retryResult(recordList(applied), warnings, reconciliation), nil
 }
 
 func (n *Normalizer) invalidStructuredResult(value dnd.NPCRegistry, warnings []contracts.Warning) contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry] {
@@ -160,14 +157,14 @@ func (n *Normalizer) invalidStructuredResult(value dnd.NPCRegistry, warnings []c
 	}
 }
 
-func retryResult(value dnd.NPCRegistry, warnings []contracts.Warning, assessment entityreconcile.Assessment) contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry] {
+func retryResult(value dnd.NPCRegistry, warnings []contracts.Warning, reconciliation semanticreconcile.Result) contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry] {
 	return contracts.TypedNormalizeResult[dnd.NPCRegistry]{
 		Value:    value,
 		Warnings: limitWarningsForRetry(warnings),
 		Retry: &contracts.NormalizeRetry{
 			ReasonCode:       ReasonCodeNPCSemanticProposalInvalid,
-			Message:          diagnostics.Aggregate("semantic proposal requires retry", reconciliationIssues(assessment)),
-			FallbackWarnings: []contracts.Warning{semanticFallbackWarning(assessment.DiscardedGroups())},
+			Message:          diagnostics.Aggregate("semantic proposal requires retry", reconciliationIssues(reconciliation.Issues())),
+			FallbackWarnings: []contracts.Warning{semanticFallbackWarning(reconciliation.DiscardedGroupCount())},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -199,6 +196,10 @@ func limitWarningsForRetry(warnings []contracts.Warning) []contracts.Warning {
 	})
 }
 
+func limitWarningsWithSemanticFallback(warnings []contracts.Warning) []contracts.Warning {
+	return append(limitWarningsForRetry(warnings), semanticFallbackWarning(-1))
+}
+
 type normalizedRecord struct {
 	npc          dnd.NPC
 	inputIndexes []int
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer_test.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer_test.go
index 125f809..f079d19 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer_test.go
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/pipeline"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/identity"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
 )
 
 func TestModuleContractAndIdentity(t *testing.T) {
@@ -35,12 +34,16 @@ func TestModuleContractAndIdentity(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("New(nil, Options{}) error = nil, want nil client rejection")
 	}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{})
-	if metadata := normalizer.ManifestMetadata(); metadata["identity_policy"] != identity.Policy || metadata["normalization_policy"] != normalizationPolicy || metadata["prompt_id"] != PromptID || metadata["response_schema_key"] != string(entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaKey) || metadata["response_schema_id"] != entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaID || metadata["response_schema_name"] != entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaName || metadata["semantic_context_policy"] != semanticContextPolicy || metadata["semantic_context_radius"] != semanticContextRadius {
+	metadata := normalizer.ManifestMetadata()
+	limits, ok := metadata["semantic_reconciliation_limits"].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok || metadata["identity_policy"] != identity.Policy || metadata["normalization_policy"] != normalizationPolicy || metadata["prompt_id"] != PromptID || metadata["prompt_version"] != PromptVersion || metadata["response_schema_key"] != string(semanticreconcile.ResponseSchemaKey) || metadata["response_schema_id"] != semanticreconcile.ResponseSchemaID || metadata["response_schema_name"] != semanticreconcile.ResponseSchemaName || metadata["semantic_reconciliation_policy"] != semanticreconcile.Policy || len(limits) != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("metadata = %#v", metadata)
 	}
-	wantFingerprints := []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{{Name: "prompt", Value: normalizer.promptSHA}, {Name: "response_schema", Value: normalizer.responseSchemaSHA}, {Name: "identity_policy", Value: identity.Policy}, {Name: "normalization_policy", Value: normalizationPolicy}, {Name: "semantic_context_policy", Value: semanticContextPolicy + ":2"}}
-	if got := normalizer.CheckpointFingerprints(); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, wantFingerprints) {
-		t.Fatalf("fingerprints = %#v, want %#v", got, wantFingerprints)
+	fingerprints := normalizer.CheckpointFingerprints()
+	for _, name := range []string{"prompt", "response_schema", "semantic_reconciliation_policy", "semantic_reconciliation_limits", "identity_policy", "normalization_policy"} {
+		if !hasFingerprint(fingerprints, name) {
+			t.Fatalf("fingerprints = %#v, want %q", fingerprints, name)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -157,53 +160,13 @@ func (c *recordingNPCNormalizerClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context, req
 	if response == "" {
 		response = `{"duplicate_groups":[]}`
 	}
-	content, err := contextualProposalResponse(response, request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
-	if err != nil {
-		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
-	}
+	content := []byte(response)
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, output); err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
 	}
 	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
 }
 
-func contextualProposalResponse(response string, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	if !strings.Contains(response, "candidate-") {
-		return []byte(response), nil
-	}
-	var selection struct {
-		DuplicateGroups []struct {
-			Members   []string `json:"members"`
-			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
-		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), &selection); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	var candidates struct {
-		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
-		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
-		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
-			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
-		}
-		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
-	}
-	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
-	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
-		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
-		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
-			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
-		}
-		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
-	}
-	return json.Marshal(proposal)
-}
-
 func newNormalizer(t *testing.T, client contracts.StructuredLLMClient) *Normalizer {
 	t.Helper()
 	normalizer, err := New(client, Options{})
@@ -231,3 +194,12 @@ func hasWarning(warnings []contracts.Warning, reason, scope string) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+func hasFingerprint(fingerprints []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint, name string) bool {
+	for _, fingerprint := range fingerprints {
+		if fingerprint.Name == name && fingerprint.Value != "" {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets.go
index 578ccb0..75c5505 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets.go
@@ -8,23 +8,26 @@ import (
 	rootassets "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/assets"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/llm"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/promptfs"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 )
 
 const promptAssetRoot = "assets/prompts"
 
-var promptAssetManifest = shared.PromptAssetManifest{
-	ModuleDir: PromptID,
-	ModuleFiles: []promptfs.ModulePromptFile{
-		{Name: "prompt.yaml", Path: "prompts/prompt.yaml"},
-		{Name: "instructions.md", Path: "prompts/instructions.md"},
-		{Name: "candidates.md", Path: "prompts/candidates.md"},
-	},
-	SharedFiles: []string{
-		"common-dnd-system.md",
-		"common-dnd-entity-reconciliation.md",
-		"common-dnd-transcript-windows.md",
-	},
+func promptAssetManifest() (shared.PromptAssetManifest, error) {
+	sharedFiles, err := semanticreconcile.SharedPromptFiles()
+	if err != nil {
+		return shared.PromptAssetManifest{}, fmt.Errorf("load shared semantic reconciliation prompt assets: %w", err)
+	}
+	return shared.PromptAssetManifest{
+		ModuleDir: PromptID,
+		ModuleFiles: []promptfs.ModulePromptFile{
+			{Name: "prompt.yaml", Path: "prompts/prompt.yaml"},
+			{Name: "instructions.md", Path: "prompts/instructions.md"},
+		},
+		SharedFiles:         []string{"common-dnd-system.md"},
+		ExternalSharedFiles: sharedFiles,
+	}, nil
 }
 
 func moduleAssetFS() (fs.FS, error) {
@@ -40,7 +43,11 @@ func RegisterPromptAssets(registry *llm.AssetRegistry) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	promptFS, err := promptAssetManifest.PromptFS(assets)
+	manifest, err := promptAssetManifest()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	promptFS, err := manifest.PromptFS(assets)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("prepare NPC normalization prompt assets: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -54,7 +61,12 @@ func promptAssetMetadata() (string, error) {
 			promptAssetHashErr = err
 			return
 		}
-		promptAssetHash, promptAssetHashErr = promptAssetManifest.Hash(assets)
+		manifest, err := promptAssetManifest()
+		if err != nil {
+			promptAssetHashErr = err
+			return
+		}
+		promptAssetHash, promptAssetHashErr = manifest.Hash(assets)
 	})
 	return promptAssetHash, promptAssetHashErr
 }
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets_test.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets_test.go
index 330a754..a2f5290 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/llm"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit"
 )
 
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("promptAssetMetadata() = %q, %v; want prompt fingerprint", promptHash, err)
 	}
 	registry := llm.NewAssetRegistry()
-	if err := entityreconcile.RegisterSchemaAssets(registry); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("RegisterSchemaAssets() error = %v", err)
+	if err := semanticreconcile.RegisterAssets(registry); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RegisterAssets() error = %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := RegisterPromptAssets(registry); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("RegisterPromptAssets() error = %v", err)
@@ -34,21 +34,27 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("NewEngine() error = %v", err)
 	}
 	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
-		PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "normalize-test-profile",
+		PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: PromptVersion, ProfileID: "normalize-test-profile",
 		Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{
-			"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"name":"Mira","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":1,"end_unit_id":1}]}]}`),
+			"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"candidate_id":1,"label":"Mira","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":1,"end_unit_id":1}]}]}`),
 			"transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`),
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v", err)
 	}
-	if prepared.PromptID != PromptID || prepared.OutputContract.SchemaPath != "dnd_entity_reconcile_llm.v1.json" {
+	if prepared.PromptID != PromptID || prepared.OutputContract.SchemaPath != "semantic_reconciliation_llm.v1.json" {
 		t.Fatalf("prepared prompt = %#v, want normalization prompt identity and schema", prepared)
 	}
 	if prepared.Messages[0].Role != "system" {
 		t.Fatalf("initial message role = %q, want system", prepared.Messages[0].Role)
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[1].Content, "candidate_id") || !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[1].Content, "integer") {
+		t.Fatalf("protocol message = %q, want shared integer-handle protocol", prepared.Messages[1].Content)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[2].Content, "same individual") || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[2].Content, "source ranges") {
+		t.Fatalf("NPC policy message = %q, want domain distinctions without copied ranges", prepared.Messages[2].Content)
+	}
 	for _, index := range []int{2, 4} {
 		if cache := prepared.Messages[index].CacheControl; cache == nil || cache.Type != promptkit.CacheControlEphemeral {
 			t.Errorf("message %d cache control = %#v, want ephemeral", index, cache)
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/reconciliation.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/reconciliation.go
index 6dc199c..e9c43b3 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/reconciliation.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/reconciliation.go
@@ -4,60 +4,66 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/identity"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/diagnostics"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
 )
 
-const semanticContextRadius = 2
-
-type safeReconciliationGroup struct {
-	members   []int
-	canonical int
-}
-
-func reconciliationCandidates(records []normalizedRecord) []entityreconcile.Candidate {
-	candidates := make([]entityreconcile.Candidate, len(records))
+func reconciliationInputs(records []normalizedRecord) ([]semanticreconcile.Candidate, []semanticreconcile.Record[dnd.NPC], error) {
+	candidates := make([]semanticreconcile.Candidate, len(records))
+	envelopes := make([]semanticreconcile.Record[dnd.NPC], len(records))
 	for index, record := range records {
-		candidates[index] = entityreconcile.Candidate{
-			Name:       record.npc.Name,
+		candidates[index] = semanticreconcile.Candidate{
+			Label:      record.npc.Name,
 			SourceRefs: cloneSourceRefs(record.npc.SourceRefs),
 		}
+		envelope, err := semanticreconcile.NewRecord(record.npc, record.inputIndexes, record.earliest, cloneNPC)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("record %d: %w", index, err)
+		}
+		envelopes[index] = envelope
 	}
-	return candidates
+	return candidates, envelopes, nil
 }
 
-func reconciliationGroups(assessment entityreconcile.Assessment, candidateKeys []string) []safeReconciliationGroup {
-	positions := make(map[string]int, len(candidateKeys))
-	for index, key := range candidateKeys {
-		positions[key] = index
-	}
-	safeGroups := assessment.SafeGroups()
-	groups := make([]safeReconciliationGroup, 0, len(safeGroups))
-	for _, group := range safeGroups {
-		members := group.Members()
-		memberPositions := make([]int, len(members))
-		valid := true
-		for index, key := range members {
-			position, ok := positions[key]
-			if !ok {
-				valid = false
-				break
+func applyReconciliationPlan(plan semanticreconcile.Plan, records []normalizedRecord, envelopes []semanticreconcile.Record[dnd.NPC], order shared.SourceRefOrder) ([]normalizedRecord, []contracts.Warning, error) {
+	application, err := semanticreconcile.ApplyPlan(plan, envelopes, semanticreconcile.ApplicationPolicy[dnd.NPC]{
+		CloneValue: cloneNPC,
+		ConsolidateGroup: func(members []dnd.NPC, canonical dnd.NPC) (dnd.NPC, error) {
+			output := cloneNPC(canonical)
+			output.SourceRefs = nil
+			for _, member := range members {
+				output.SourceRefs = append(output.SourceRefs, member.SourceRefs...)
 			}
-			memberPositions[index] = position
-		}
-		canonical, ok := positions[group.Canonical()]
-		if !valid || !ok {
-			continue
-		}
-		groups = append(groups, safeReconciliationGroup{members: memberPositions, canonical: canonical})
+			output.SourceRefs = order.Canonicalize(output.SourceRefs)
+			output.ID = identity.DeriveID(output.Name)
+			return output, nil
+		},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
-	return groups
+
+	applied := application.Records()
+	output := make([]normalizedRecord, len(applied))
+	for index, record := range applied {
+		output[index] = normalizedRecord{
+			npc:          record.Value(),
+			inputIndexes: record.OriginalInputIndexes(),
+			earliest:     record.EarliestInputPosition(),
+		}
+	}
+	warnings := make([]contracts.Warning, 0, len(application.AppliedGroups()))
+	for _, event := range application.AppliedGroups() {
+		provenance := event.Provenance()
+		warnings = append(warnings, semanticDuplicateWarning(provenance, records[provenance.CanonicalPosition()]))
+	}
+	return output, warnings, nil
 }
 
-func reconciliationIssues(assessment entityreconcile.Assessment) []string {
-	issues := assessment.Issues()
+func reconciliationIssues(issues []semanticreconcile.Issue) []string {
 	details := make([]string, len(issues))
 	for index, issue := range issues {
 		details[index] = fmt.Sprintf("group %d: %s", issue.GroupIndex, issue.Category)
@@ -65,57 +71,17 @@ func reconciliationIssues(assessment entityreconcile.Assessment) []string {
 	return details
 }
 
-func applySafeGroups(records []normalizedRecord, groups []safeReconciliationGroup, order shared.SourceRefOrder) ([]normalizedRecord, []contracts.Warning) {
-	byMember := make(map[int]safeReconciliationGroup, len(groups)*2)
-	for _, group := range groups {
-		for _, member := range group.members {
-			byMember[member] = group
-		}
-	}
-	output := make([]normalizedRecord, 0, len(records)-len(groups))
-	warnings := make([]contracts.Warning, 0, len(groups))
-	for index, record := range records {
-		group, grouped := byMember[index]
-		if !grouped {
-			output = append(output, cloneRecord(record))
-			continue
-		}
-		if group.members[0] != index {
-			continue
-		}
-		consolidated := consolidateSemanticGroup(records, group, order)
-		output = append(output, consolidated)
-		warnings = append(warnings, semanticDuplicateWarning(consolidated, records[group.canonical]))
-	}
-	return output, warnings
-}
-
-func consolidateSemanticGroup(records []normalizedRecord, group safeReconciliationGroup, order shared.SourceRefOrder) normalizedRecord {
-	output := cloneRecord(records[group.members[0]])
-	output.npc.Name = records[group.canonical].npc.Name
-	for _, member := range group.members[1:] {
-		output.npc.SourceRefs = append(output.npc.SourceRefs, records[member].npc.SourceRefs...)
-		output.inputIndexes = append(output.inputIndexes, records[member].inputIndexes...)
-		if records[member].earliest < output.earliest {
-			output.earliest = records[member].earliest
-		}
-	}
-	output.inputIndexes = sortedUniqueIndexes(output.inputIndexes)
-	output.npc.SourceRefs = order.Canonicalize(output.npc.SourceRefs)
-	output.npc.ID = identity.DeriveID(output.npc.Name)
-	return output
-}
-
-func semanticDuplicateWarning(record normalizedRecord, canonical normalizedRecord) contracts.Warning {
-	details := make([]string, 0, len(record.inputIndexes)+1)
-	for _, inputIndex := range record.inputIndexes {
+func semanticDuplicateWarning(provenance semanticreconcile.GroupProvenance, canonical normalizedRecord) contracts.Warning {
+	inputIndexes := provenance.OriginalInputIndexes()
+	details := make([]string, 0, len(inputIndexes)+1)
+	for _, inputIndex := range inputIndexes {
 		details = append(details, fmt.Sprintf("input index %d", inputIndex))
 	}
-	if canonical.earliest != record.earliest {
+	if canonical.earliest != provenance.EarliestInputPosition() {
 		details = append(details, fmt.Sprintf("canonical display name from input index %d", canonical.earliest))
 	}
 	return contracts.Warning{
-		Scope:      npcScope(record.earliest),
+		Scope:      npcScope(provenance.EarliestInputPosition()),
 		ReasonCode: ReasonCodeDuplicateNPCCollapsed,
 		Message:    diagnostics.Aggregate("semantic duplicate consolidation", details),
 	}
diff --git a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/semantic_normalizer_test.go b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/semantic_normalizer_test.go
index faab635..ca90d77 100644
--- a/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/semantic_normalizer_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/semantic_normalizer_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
@@ -11,9 +12,10 @@ import (
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/identity"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/diagnostics"
 )
 
 func TestNormalizeSkipsSemanticCompletionWithoutTwoEligibleCandidates(t *testing.T) {
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ func TestNormalizeSkipsSemanticCompletionWithoutTwoEligibleCandidates(t *testing
 }
 
 func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeProposalAndUsesPrivateInputs(t *testing.T) {
-	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"}]}`}
+	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":2}]}`}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	input := dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{
@@ -64,17 +66,28 @@ func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeProposalAndUsesPrivateInputs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("completion calls = %d, want one", len(client.requests))
 	}
 	completion := client.requests[0]
-	if completion.StageName != Key || completion.PromptID != PromptID || completion.PromptVersion != entityreconcile.SchemaVersion || completion.ProfileID != request.LLMProfile || completion.SessionID != request.SessionID || len(completion.Inputs) != 2 {
+	if completion.StageName != Key || completion.PromptID != PromptID || completion.PromptVersion != PromptVersion || completion.ProfileID != request.LLMProfile || completion.SessionID != request.SessionID || len(completion.Inputs) != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("completion request = %#v, want normalize request identity and exactly two inputs", completion)
 	}
 	encoded := string(completion.Inputs["candidates"].Content) + string(completion.Inputs["transcript"].Content)
 	if strings.Contains(encoded, "npc:sha256:") || strings.Contains(encoded, doc.ID) {
 		t.Fatalf("completion inputs leaked private identifiers: %s", encoded)
 	}
+	var visible struct {
+		Candidates []struct {
+			CandidateID int `json:"candidate_id"`
+		} `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(completion.Inputs["candidates"].Content, &visible); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode candidates: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := []int{visible.Candidates[0].CandidateID, visible.Candidates[1].CandidateID, visible.Candidates[2].CandidateID}; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, []int{1, 2, 3}) {
+		t.Fatalf("candidate IDs = %v, want contiguous request-local handles", got)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestNormalizeUnsafeProposalReturnsSafeRetryFallback(t *testing.T) {
-	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"},{"members":["candidate-000003","unknown"],"canonical":"candidate-000003"}]}`}
+	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":2},{"candidate_ids":[3,99],"canonical_candidate_id":3}]}`}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	input := dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{
@@ -137,7 +150,7 @@ func TestNormalizeRedactsContextMaterialFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	request := normalizeRequestWithSource(input, doc)
 	request.SourceInput = contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial("source", "application/json", []byte(transcript), "sha256:test", originPath)
 	_, err := normalizer.Normalize(context.Background(), request)
-	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "build entity reconciliation context: invalid source metadata") {
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "build transcript material: invalid source metadata") {
 		t.Fatalf("Normalize() error = %v; want content-safe context-material failure", err)
 	}
 	for _, forbidden := range []string{metadataKey, metadataValue, transcript, firstName, secondName, sourceID, originPath, "float64", "non-finite"} {
@@ -152,8 +165,8 @@ func TestNormalizeRedactsContextMaterialFailures(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNormalizeDoesNotAccumulateSafeGroupsAcrossAttempts(t *testing.T) {
 	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{responses: []string{
-		`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"},{"members":["candidate-000003","unknown"],"canonical":"candidate-000003"}]}`,
-		`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000003"],"canonical":"candidate-000003"}]}`,
+		`{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":2},{"candidate_ids":[3,99],"canonical_candidate_id":3}]}`,
+		`{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,3],"canonical_candidate_id":3}]}`,
 	}}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
 	doc := semanticDocument()
@@ -175,8 +188,8 @@ func TestNormalizeDoesNotAccumulateSafeGroupsAcrossAttempts(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestNormalizeRetainsRecordsWhenAProposalUsesAnUnknownDescriptor(t *testing.T) {
-	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","unknown"],"canonical":"candidate-000001"}]}`}
+func TestNormalizeRetainsRecordsWhenAProposalUsesAnUnknownHandle(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,99],"canonical_candidate_id":1}]}`}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	input := dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{
@@ -193,32 +206,52 @@ func TestNormalizeRetainsRecordsWhenAProposalUsesAnUnknownDescriptor(t *testing.
 	}
 }
 
-func TestReconciliationCandidatesKeepEqualDisplayNamesDistinct(t *testing.T) {
+func TestReconciliationCandidatesKeepEqualContextualDescriptorsDistinct(t *testing.T) {
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	records := []normalizedRecord{
 		{npc: dnd.NPC{Name: "The Guard", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}}},
 		{npc: dnd.NPC{Name: "The Guard", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}}}},
 	}
-	materials, ready, err := entityreconcile.BuildContext(doc, reconciliationCandidates(records), semanticContextRadius)
-	if err != nil || !ready {
-		t.Fatalf("BuildContext() = %#v, %t, %v; want ready keyed candidates", materials, ready, err)
+	candidates, _, err := reconciliationInputs(records)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reconciliationInputs() error = %v", err)
 	}
-	keys := materials.CandidateKeys()
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(keys, []string{"candidate-000001", "candidate-000002"}) || strings.Count(string(materials.Candidates.Content), `"The Guard"`) != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("candidate keys and inputs = %#v, %s; want distinct equal-display candidates", keys, materials.Candidates.Content)
+	preparation, err := semanticreconcile.Prepare(doc, candidates, semanticreconcile.DefaultLimits())
+	if err != nil || preparation.Disposition() != semanticreconcile.Ready {
+		t.Fatalf("Prepare() = %#v, %v; want ready candidates", preparation, err)
 	}
 	var candidateInput struct {
-		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+		Candidates []struct {
+			CandidateID int    `json:"candidate_id"`
+			Label       string `json:"label"`
+		} `json:"candidates"`
 	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(materials.Candidates.Content, &candidateInput); err != nil {
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(preparation.Materials()["candidates"].Content, &candidateInput); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	assessment := materials.Assess(entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{{
-		Members: candidateInput.Candidates, Canonical: candidateInput.Candidates[1],
-	}}})
-	groups := reconciliationGroups(assessment, keys)
-	if assessment.DiscardedGroups() != 0 || len(groups) != 1 || groups[0].canonical != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("reconciliation = %#v, %#v; want distinct keyed group", assessment, groups)
+	if len(candidateInput.Candidates) != 2 || candidateInput.Candidates[0].CandidateID != 1 || candidateInput.Candidates[1].CandidateID != 2 || candidateInput.Candidates[0].Label != "The Guard" || candidateInput.Candidates[1].Label != "The Guard" {
+		t.Fatalf("candidate input = %#v, want distinct integer handles for equal descriptors", candidateInput)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNormalizeLimitSkipDoesNotCallLLMAndAddsBoundedFallbackWarning(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{}
+	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
+	doc := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{{ID: 1, Kind: "speech", Text: "A crowded hall"}}}
+	limit := semanticreconcile.DefaultLimits().MaximumCandidates
+	input := dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: make([]dnd.NPC, limit+1)}
+	for index := range input.NPCs {
+		input.NPCs[index] = dnd.NPC{Name: fmt.Sprintf("Person %d", index), SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}}
+	}
+	result, err := normalizer.Normalize(context.Background(), normalizeRequestWithSource(input, doc))
+	if err != nil || result.Retry != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Normalize() = %#v, %v; want deterministic limit fallback", result, err)
+	}
+	if len(client.requests) != 0 || len(result.Value.NPCs) != limit+1 {
+		t.Fatalf("completion calls = %d, NPCs = %d; want no call and all records", len(client.requests), len(result.Value.NPCs))
+	}
+	if !hasWarning(result.Warnings, ReasonCodeNPCSemanticReconciliationExhausted, "npcs") || len(result.Warnings) > diagnostics.MaxWarnings {
+		t.Fatalf("warnings = %#v, want bounded reconciliation fallback", result.Warnings)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_grounded_test.go b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_grounded_test.go
index 05f8f2a..fa5b45e 100644
--- a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_grounded_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_grounded_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/evidencecontext"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/pipeline"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	combatcodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/combatturns"
 	npccodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/npcregistry"
@@ -49,12 +50,12 @@ func TestNPCOutputGroundsSpellAndCombatConsumersThroughOneOperation(t *testing.T
 		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v", err)
 	}
 	for name, value := range map[string]string{
-		"extract:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:mapping_policy":            "dnd.npc_registry.extract_mapping.v2",
-		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:identity_policy":         "dnd.npc_registry.identity.v1",
-		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:normalization_policy":    "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v4",
-		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:semantic_context_policy": "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1:2",
-		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:mapping_policy":                        "dnd.spells.extract_mapping.v2",
-		"extract:combat:dnd/combat-turns:scene_gate_policy":               "dnd.combat_turns.scene_gate.v1",
+		"extract:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:mapping_policy":                   "dnd.npc_registry.extract_mapping.v2",
+		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:identity_policy":                "dnd.npc_registry.identity.v1",
+		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:normalization_policy":           npcnormalize.NormalizationPolicy,
+		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:semantic_reconciliation_policy": semanticreconcile.Policy,
+		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:mapping_policy":                               "dnd.spells.extract_mapping.v2",
+		"extract:combat:dnd/combat-turns:scene_gate_policy":                      "dnd.combat_turns.scene_gate.v1",
 	} {
 		assertFingerprintValue(t, prepared.CheckpointFingerprints(), name, value)
 	}
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ func TestNPCOutputGroundsSpellAndCombatConsumersThroughOneOperation(t *testing.T
 		"extract:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:response_schema",
 		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:prompt",
 		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:response_schema",
+		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:semantic_reconciliation_limits",
 		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:prompt",
 		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:response_schema",
 		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:npc_registry",
diff --git a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_occurrences_runner_test.go b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_occurrences_runner_test.go
index 0e90b16..df3d612 100644
--- a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_occurrences_runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_occurrences_runner_test.go
@@ -292,10 +292,7 @@ func (client *semanticNPCOccurrenceClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 		}
 		payload = map[string]any{"npcs": []any{map[string]any{"name": name, "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": client.npcCalls, "end_unit_id": client.npcCalls}}}}}
 	case npcnormalize.PromptID:
-		content, err := contextualReconciliationContent([]byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000001"}]}`), request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
-		if err != nil {
-			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
-		}
+		content := []byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":1}]}`)
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(content, out); err != nil {
 			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_registry_runner_test.go b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_registry_runner_test.go
index 89d713e..abeb6d9 100644
--- a/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_registry_runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_registry_runner_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -13,12 +12,12 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/llm"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/pipeline"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/semanticreconcile"
 	npccodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/npcregistry"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcregistry"
 	npcnormalize "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/identity"
 	dndregister "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/register"
-	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
 	npcshape "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcregistry/shape"
 	npcregistrysourcerefs "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcregistry/source_refs"
 	genericregister "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/generic/register"
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ func TestRunnerProcessesSeriatimInputWithProductionDNDNPCPipeline(t *testing.T)
 		t.Fatalf("manifest lane = %#v, want NPC production composition", lane)
 	}
 	normalizerMetadata, ok := lane.Metadata["normalizer"].(map[string]any)
-	if !ok || normalizerMetadata["identity_policy"] != identity.Policy || normalizerMetadata["normalization_policy"] != npcnormalize.NormalizationPolicy || normalizerMetadata["prompt_id"] != npcnormalize.PromptID || normalizerMetadata["response_schema_id"] != entityreconcile.ResponseSchemaID {
+	if !ok || normalizerMetadata["identity_policy"] != identity.Policy || normalizerMetadata["normalization_policy"] != npcnormalize.NormalizationPolicy || normalizerMetadata["prompt_id"] != npcnormalize.PromptID || normalizerMetadata["response_schema_id"] != semanticreconcile.ResponseSchemaID {
 		t.Fatalf("normalizer metadata = %#v, want identity and normalization policies", lane.Metadata)
 	}
 	var npcOutputFile *contracts.OutputFile
@@ -180,8 +179,8 @@ func TestProductionNPCNormalizationRetryUsesFinalSafeProposal(t *testing.T) {
 		{Name: "Mira Thorn", SourceRefs: []npcProductionSourceRef{{StartUnitID: 2, EndUnitID: 2}}},
 		{Name: "Hooded Guard", SourceRefs: []npcProductionSourceRef{{StartUnitID: 3, EndUnitID: 3}}},
 	}}
-	partial := []byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"},{"members":["candidate-000003","unknown"],"canonical":"candidate-000003"}]}`)
-	safe := []byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"}]}`)
+	partial := []byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":2},{"candidate_ids":[3,99],"canonical_candidate_id":3}]}`)
+	safe := []byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"candidate_ids":[1,2],"canonical_candidate_id":2}]}`)
 
 	for _, test := range []struct {
 		name           string
@@ -267,11 +266,6 @@ func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 			}
 			content = append([]byte(nil), client.normalizeResponses[index]...)
 		}
-		var err error
-		content, err = contextualReconciliationContent(content, req.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
-		if err != nil {
-			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
-		}
 	default:
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("unexpected fake NPC prompt %q", req.PromptID)
 	}
@@ -281,43 +275,6 @@ func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
 }
 
-func contextualReconciliationContent(content, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	if !strings.Contains(string(content), "candidate-") {
-		return content, nil
-	}
-	var selection struct {
-		DuplicateGroups []struct {
-			Members   []string `json:"members"`
-			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
-		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &selection); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	var candidates struct {
-		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
-		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
-		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
-			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
-		}
-		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
-	}
-	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
-	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
-		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
-		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
-			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
-		}
-		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
-	}
-	return json.Marshal(proposal)
-}
-
 func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) requestCount(promptID string) int {
 	count := 0
 	for _, request := range client.requests {