Minimize D&D NPC extraction contracts

docs/config.md

@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ production validators do not call the LLM and must not set `llm_profile`.
 | 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. |
+| normalize | `dnd/npcs` | Deterministically consolidates typed D&D NPC-list artifacts by canonical name and unions exact evidence. |
 | normalize | `dnd/combat-turns` | Deterministically canonicalizes, orders, and de-duplicates typed D&D combat-turn artifacts. |
 | output | `json` | Produces JSON output files for normalized `application/json` lanes. |
 
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ production validators do not call the LLM and must not set `llm_profile`.
 | `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. |
+| `extract/dnd/npcs/source_relatedness` | deterministic | Emits warnings when an NPC name is not found near its cited source text. |
+| `normalize/dnd/npcs/identity` | deterministic | Rejects invalid canonical IDs and duplicate canonical-name or ID ownership. |
 | `extract/dnd/combat-turns/shape` | deterministic | Rejects malformed D&D combat-turn artifacts. |
 | `extract/dnd/combat-turns/source_refs` | deterministic | Rejects missing or invalid D&D combat-turn source references. |
 | `extract/dnd/combat-turns/source_relatedness` | deterministic | Emits warnings when an actor or declared action is not found near cited source text. |
@@ -470,13 +470,13 @@ slot accepts exactly one `application/json` artifact no larger than 1 MiB. An
 external file is decoded and identity-validated during preparation. A
 generated binding is validated at the step handoff and is provided to the
 operation through the same reference contract. In both cases, the model
-receives canonical JSON for caster-name grounding. Registry source references
+receives a names-only JSON projection for caster-name grounding. Registry source references
 may belong to the NPC-producing session and are provenance only; they are not
 spell evidence. Generated reference identity and bounded producer provenance
-are recorded by the framework; NPC names, aliases, content, and paths are not
-copied into manifests or checkpoint decisions. When absent, the prompt receives
-the exact empty value `{"npcs":[]}` and no registry provenance or fingerprint
-is recorded.
+are recorded by the framework; NPC names, content, and paths are not copied
+into manifests. Consumer-local checkpoint identity uses the names-only
+projection digest. When absent, the prompt receives the exact empty value
+`{"npcs":[]}` with its projection digest and no registry provenance.
 
 The `dnd/spells` normalizer declares the same optional `spell_catalog` slot.
 When an overlay is used, bind it independently under
@@ -512,9 +512,9 @@ references:
 When bound, the combat extractor and normalizer receive the generated registry
 at operation time. Framework provenance and checkpoint dependencies contain its
 kind, schema identity, media type, canonical digest, size, and bounded producer
-identity; names, aliases, content, and paths are not recorded there. When
+identity; names, content, and paths are not recorded there. When
 absent, the combat prompt receives the exact empty registry value
-`{"npcs":[]}` and no registry provenance or fingerprint is recorded.
+`{"npcs":[]}` with its projection digest and no registry provenance.
 
 ## State Surfaces
 

docs/integrations/dnd-combat-turn-artifacts.md

@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ The selectable lane uses extractor and normalizer key `dnd/combat-turns`,
 reference contributes raw-file provenance to the run manifest. A generated
 binding contributes artifact kind, schema identity, media type, canonical
 digest, size, and bounded producer provenance. Consumer metadata and checkpoint
-fingerprints contain no registry names, aliases, content, paths, or NPC source
-ranges. The normalized lane is emitted as `lanes/<lane-id>.json` by the JSON
+fingerprints contain no registry names, content, paths, or NPC source ranges.
+The component-local registry fingerprint covers only the names projected to the
+consumer, while manifest provenance retains the full artifact digest. The
+normalized lane is emitted as `lanes/<lane-id>.json` by the JSON
 output module, and warnings and rejection summaries remain in their shared
 companion files.

docs/integrations/dnd-npc-artifacts.md

@@ -41,13 +41,9 @@ Each NPC contains exactly these required fields:
 
 - `id`: `npc:sha256:` followed by 64 lowercase hexadecimal characters;
 - `name`: the canonical display name;
-- `aliases`: an array of alternate display names, which may be empty;
-- `description`: a concise description;
-- `relationships`: an array of target/relationship objects, which may be empty;
 - `source_refs`: at least one source reference supporting the NPC record.
 
-Each relationship contains required `target` and `relationship` strings. Each
-source reference contains required `source_id`, `start_unit_id`, and
+Each source reference contains required `source_id`, `start_unit_id`, and
 `end_unit_id`; unit IDs are positive integers. Source document identity, unit
 existence, and range ordering are validated by the source-reference validator
 when the artifact is used by a pipeline.
@@ -76,25 +72,28 @@ The production identities are:
 The extractor maps private model records to the current source identity and
 assigns deterministic IDs. Extraction validation checks shape, source
 references, and source relatedness. The normalizer then consolidates records
-by canonical identity or canonical-name/alias matches, preserves the first
-record's display and output position, unions relationships and exact evidence,
-rewrites unambiguous relationship targets to canonical names, and validates
-the retained registry's identity. No LLM is used for consolidation.
+only when their normalized canonical names match, preserves the first record's
+display and output position, unions exact evidence, and validates the retained
+registry's identity. No LLM is used for consolidation.
+
+The extraction prompt asks only for individually identifiable NPC names backed
+by source evidence. Groups, generic roles, invented labels, and descriptive or
+relationship enrichment are outside the contract.
 
 The default extraction chain is `generic/valid_json`,
 `generic/valid_json_schema`, `extract/dnd/npcs/shape`,
 `extract/dnd/npcs/source_refs`, and
 `extract/dnd/npcs/source_relatedness`. The normalize chain adds
 `normalize/dnd/npcs/identity` before the source-reference and relatedness
-checks. Relatedness emits bounded warnings when an NPC canonical name or
-alias is not present near its cited transcript text; opaque campaign
+checks. Relatedness emits bounded warnings when an NPC canonical name is not
+present near its cited transcript text; opaque campaign
 references may explain such a warning but do not become evidence.
 
 ## Manifest And Artifact Handoff
 
 The NPC extractor records prompt and response-schema identities. The durable
-codec records only `npc_count`; raw names, aliases, descriptions, source
-references, and payload bytes stay in the lane file rather than manifest
+codec records only `npc_count`; raw names, source references, and payload bytes
+stay in the lane file rather than manifest
 metadata. The normalized lane can be consumed by a later ordered step through
 the registered canonical codec:
 
@@ -124,9 +123,16 @@ The framework hands only an accepted normalized artifact across the barrier. It
 validates the canonical bytes against each consumer slot and clones the
 operation-time reference for the spell and combat consumers. Generated
 provenance records the artifact kind, schema identity, media type, canonical
-digest, size, and producer step/lane/module, but not names, aliases, source
+digest, size, and producer step/lane/module, but not names, source
 ranges, or payload bytes. External normalized files remain supported as
 explicit references and retain their file provenance.
 
 NPC source references are registry provenance and are never accepted as spell
 or combat evidence. Current transcript units remain the only event evidence.
+
+Consumers receive a separate names-only projection in normalized registry
+order, for example `{"npcs":[{"name":"Mira Thorn"}]}`. The projection omits
+IDs and evidence. Its digest covers the exact projected bytes and is used for
+consumer-local checkpoint identity, while the full durable artifact digest
+remains the manifest and generated-reference provenance identity. The unbound
+projection is exactly `{"npcs":[]}` and also has a projection digest.

docs/integrations/dnd-spell-artifacts.md

@@ -102,17 +102,17 @@ The `dnd/spells` extractor accepts an optional `npcs` reference containing one
 normalized NPC artifact as `application/json`, up to 1 MiB. An external file is
 validated during preparation; an ordered generated binding is validated at the
 step handoff. Both paths use the approved NPC codec and identity policy,
-re-encode canonical durable JSON, and supply that JSON as an operation-time
-spell prompt input. It helps the model prefer canonical caster names and
-recognize aliases; it does not establish that a spell was cast.
+re-encode canonical durable JSON for registry provenance, and supply only the
+registry's ordered names as the operation-time spell prompt input. It helps the model prefer canonical
+caster names; it does not establish that a spell was cast.
 
 NPC source references may identify the run that produced the registry or any
 other session. They remain registry provenance and are never copied into a
 spell cast's `source_refs`; every spell evidence range must still identify the
 current transcript. Generated provenance records producer and canonical
 artifact identity without payload content or a path. When the slot is absent,
-the prompt receives exactly `{"npcs":[]}` and the run has no NPC reference
-provenance or NPC checkpoint fingerprint.
+the prompt receives exactly `{"npcs":[]}` with its projection digest, and the
+run has no NPC reference provenance.
 
 ## Normalization Behavior
 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ provenance; see the [JSON output contract](json-output.md#manifestjson).
 
 The `npc_registry_digest` and `npc_count` fields in the example are present for
 an external NPC registry when the extractor publishes its prepared module
-metadata. They contain no NPC names, aliases, source references, paths, or raw
+metadata. They contain no NPC names, source references, paths, or raw
 bytes. A generated registry's identity is instead represented by the framework
 handoff provenance and dependency fingerprint, so the consumer module metadata
 does not duplicate it.

docs/internal/llm.md

@@ -170,13 +170,13 @@ The shared D&D prompt assets include a generic NPC grounding fragment directly
 after the campaign reference message for spell and combat prompts. When an NPC
 registry is bound, the
 domain registry boundary strictly decodes and identity-validates one durable
-artifact, re-encodes canonical JSON, and generates a semantic digest over
-those bytes. The unbound input is exactly `{"npcs":[]}`. Input digests cover
-the generated bytes; manifests record catalog identity and optional NPC
-registry digest/count rather than names, aliases, overlay bytes, registry
-paths, or source metadata. Combat prompt, response-schema, mapping,
-normalization, identity, and bound-registry fingerprints remain separate
-semantic inputs to checkpoint identity.
+artifact, re-encodes canonical JSON for provenance, and separately generates a
+names-only prompt projection. The unbound projection is exactly `{"npcs":[]}`.
+Prompt input and component-local checkpoint digests cover the projected bytes;
+manifests retain the optional full registry digest/count rather than names,
+overlay bytes, registry paths, or source metadata. Combat prompt,
+response-schema, mapping, normalization, identity, and registry-projection
+fingerprints remain separate semantic inputs to checkpoint identity.
 
 ## Debug And Redaction Boundaries
 

docs/internal/modules.md

@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ The NPC identity package owns Unicode comparison keys, deterministic
 `npc:sha256:` IDs, display normalization, and whole-registry collision issues.
 The registry package resolves one optional normalized artifact through the
 strict codec, validates whole-registry identity, canonicalizes its JSON, and
-provides immutable records, prompt input, semantic digest, count, and exact
-canonical-name/alias lookup. External files cross this boundary during
+provides immutable records, a names-only prompt projection, distinct durable
+and projection digests, count, and exact canonical-name lookup. External files cross this boundary during
 preparation; generated artifacts cross it at the ordered step handoff. It owns
 the `npcs` slot and its bounded, content-safe validation failures. NPC source
 references are durable provenance and are not treated as evidence for a
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ validated and supplied at operation time. External bindings may add only
 `npc_registry_digest` and `npc_count` to module metadata and an
 `npc_registry` checkpoint fingerprint. Generated bindings are represented by
 framework handoff provenance and dependency fingerprints. The unbound prompt
-input is exactly `{"npcs":[]}` and has no registry provenance or fingerprint.
+input is exactly `{"npcs":[]}`, has a projection fingerprint, and has no
+registry provenance.
 The shared NPC grounding fragment is placed immediately after the common
 campaign reference message and is included in the spell prompt fingerprint.
 
@@ -253,6 +254,9 @@ assigns source identity and deterministic NPC IDs, and preserves source
 references for deterministic validation. It uses the shared campaign
 references only for disambiguation and does not consume the optional NPC
 registry slot. Its prompt and private response schema are package-owned. The
+private response contains only a name and model-facing evidence ranges for each
+record; anonymous groups, generic roles, invented labels, descriptions,
+aliases, and relationships are outside its contract. The
 prompt follows the shared D&D extraction ordering and cache policy documented
 in [LLM Runtime](llm.md#dd-extraction-prompt-ordering-and-cache-boundaries).
 
@@ -286,11 +290,10 @@ for deterministic normalization.
 ### `internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcs`
 
 The NPC normalizer performs deterministic identity-aware consolidation in
-merged input order. It unions only canonical identity or canonical/alias
-matches, retains the first display record, unions exact relationships and
-source references, rewrites unambiguous relationship targets, and leaves
-ambiguous collisions for identity validation. It exposes the identity policy
-as its local checkpoint fingerprint and emits bounded normalization warnings.
+merged input order. It consolidates only equal canonical-name comparison keys,
+retains the first display record, and unions exact source references. It exposes
+the identity policy as its local checkpoint fingerprint and emits bounded
+normalization warnings.
 
 ## Merger And Normalizer
 
@@ -400,15 +403,15 @@ payload rules are defined in the
 
 ## D&D NPC Validators
 
-NPC shape validation checks required strings, arrays, and source-reference
+NPC shape validation checks the required ID and name strings, list presence, and source-reference
 shape. The source-reference validator defers malformed shapes, checks
 current-document identity, unit existence, and range ordering, and reports all
 defects through bounded aggregates. Source relatedness uses the shared
 document-order traversal and normalized consecutive-token matching, emitting at
-most one bounded warning per record when neither the canonical name nor an
-alias occurs near its cited text. Invalid shape or cited ranges produce no
-relatedness warnings. Normalize identity validation checks deterministic IDs,
-canonical names, aliases, and cross-record ownership or canonical collisions.
+most one bounded warning per record when the canonical name does not occur near
+its cited text. Invalid shape or cited ranges produce no relatedness warnings.
+Normalize identity validation checks deterministic IDs, canonical names, and
+duplicate canonical-name or ID ownership.
 All are deterministic and expose the policy fingerprints used by the
 production chains.
 

docs/internal/overview.md

@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ Configuration. The implemented module packages are:
 | `internal/modules/seriatim/input/transcript` | Parses the supported Seriatim transcript format into the generic source model. |
 | `internal/modules/generic/chunk/units` | Splits ordered source units by unit count and overlap. |
 | `internal/modules/dnd/chunk/scenes` | Produces contiguous D&D scene chunks from structured model output. |
-| `internal/modules/dnd` | Owns the canonical D&D spell-list, spell-cast, NPC-list, NPC, relationship, combat-turn-list, combat-turn, and combat-action artifact types. |
+| `internal/modules/dnd` | Owns the canonical D&D spell-list, spell-cast, NPC-list, NPC, combat-turn-list, combat-turn, and combat-action artifact types. |
 | `internal/modules/dnd/codec/spells` | Strictly decodes and stably encodes the durable D&D spell-list representation. |
 | `internal/modules/dnd/codec/npcs` | Strictly decodes and stably encodes the durable D&D NPC-list representation. |
 | `internal/modules/dnd/codec/combatturns` | Strictly decodes and stably encodes the durable D&D combat-turn-list representation. |
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ Configuration. The implemented module packages are:
 | `internal/modules/generic/merge/appendorder` | Combines accepted extraction results in chunk order. |
 | `internal/modules/generic/normalize/noop` | Preserves accepted merged output. |
 | `internal/modules/dnd/normalize/spells` | Canonicalizes catalog-backed spell names and exact source references, conservatively collapses duplicate casts, and reports deterministic warnings and independently scoped catalog checkpoint identity. |
-| `internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcs` | Consolidates NPC records deterministically by identity and aliases, rewrites unambiguous relationship targets, and reports bounded warnings. |
+| `internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcs` | Consolidates NPC records deterministically by canonical name, unions exact evidence, and reports bounded warnings. |
 | `internal/modules/generic/output/json` | Encodes manifests, lane payloads, warnings, and rejections as logical JSON files. |
 
 `internal/modules/dnd/shared` owns reusable D&D prompt fragments,

docs/operations.md

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ go run ./cmd/notarius run dnd-npc-grounded \
   --output-dir ./npc-grounded-output
 ```
 
-The NPC artifact grounds canonical names and aliases, not spell or combat
+The NPC artifact grounds canonical names through a names-only prompt projection, not spell or combat
 evidence. Current-transcript source ranges remain the only event evidence. The
 manifest records generated-reference identity and bounded producer provenance;
 it does not record generated payload content, and no generated content is