Prepare the v0.4.0 release

.woodpecker/release.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+when:
+  - event: tag
+
+steps:
+  - name: validate-release
+    image: golang:1.25.5
+    commands:
+      - |
+        set -eu
+
+        version="$CI_COMMIT_TAG"
+        release_note="docs/releases/$version.md"
+
+        if ! printf '%s\n' "$version" | grep -E -x 'v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)' >/dev/null; then
+          printf '%s\n' "invalid release tag: $version" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        if [ ! -s "$release_note" ]; then
+          printf '%s\n' "missing release note: $release_note" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        if ! grep -F -x "# Notarius $version" "$release_note" >/dev/null; then
+          printf '%s\n' "release note heading does not match $version" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        for heading in '## Summary' '## Compatibility' '## Upgrade' '## Changes'; do
+          if ! grep -F -x "$heading" "$release_note" >/dev/null; then
+            printf '%s\n' "release note is missing heading: $heading" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+        done
+
+        ./scripts/check-release-source.sh "$version"

README.md

@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@ For the complete ordered D&D workflow, use
 [its synthetic transcript](examples/dnd-complete-transcript.json). It
 demonstrates all implemented D&D lanes and the supporting campaign references.
 
+## Install A Source Release
+
+Install a pinned source release with Go:
+
+~~~
+GOWORK=off go install \
+  gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/cmd/notarius@<tag>
+~~~
+
+Replace `<tag>` with a stable release tag such as `vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`. The
+installed command's diagnostic version is described in the [CLI
+reference](docs/cli.md); maintainers preparing a release should follow [Source
+Releases](docs/release.md).
+
 ## Documentation
 
 - [CLI reference](docs/cli.md) — commands, flags, output streams, and exits.
@@ -39,6 +53,8 @@ demonstrates all implemented D&D lanes and the supporting campaign references.
   artifact formats.
 - [Subprocess consumer guide](docs/consumers/subprocess.md) — invoke Notarius
   from an orchestrator and consume a published result.
+- [Complete D&D consumer guide](docs/consumers/dnd-pipeline.md) — run the full
+  D&D pipeline as a subprocess and discover its structured artifacts.
 - [Internal overview](docs/internal/overview.md) — implemented component map
   for maintainers.
 - [Developer guide](docs/development.md) — contributor orientation and

assets/dnd/combat-turns/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_combat_turns_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/enemy-events/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -50,4 +50,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_enemy_events_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/entity-reconciliation/schemas/dnd_entity_reconcile_llm.v1.json

@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
-  "$id": "notarius.dnd.entity_reconcile.llm",
-  "type": "object",
-  "additionalProperties": false,
-  "required": ["duplicate_groups"],
-  "properties": {
-    "duplicate_groups": {
-      "type": "array",
-      "items": {
-        "type": "object",
-        "additionalProperties": false,
-        "required": ["members", "canonical"],
-        "properties": {
-          "members": {
-            "type": "array",
-            "items": {"type": "string"}
-          },
-          "canonical": {"type": "string"}
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}

assets/dnd/item-occurrences/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ in party possession established by the transcript. This is an occurrence history
 not an inventory or ledger: do not calculate balances, resolve item identity
 across records, or infer ownership that the transcript does not establish.
 
-For every occurrence, copy the exact `item_id` and `name` pair from the supplied
+For every occurrence, use the supplied canonical item `name`. Record a stated
-item registry. Record a stated quantity as an integer and leave it null when the transcript
+quantity as an integer and leave it null when the transcript does not state
-does not state one. Use a concise observed item name and preserve the stated
+one. Preserve the stated currency denomination through the selected canonical
-currency denomination.
+registry name.
 
 Use `discovered` when the party learns of or encounters an item without
 establishing possession. Use `acquired` when the party or a party member gains

assets/dnd/item-occurrences/prompts/item-registry.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Use the supplied item registry only to ground each occurrence. Every record
-must copy one registry item's exact `id` and exact `name`; do not invent,
+must use one registry item's canonical `name`; do not invent, rename, merge,
-rename, merge, or infer registry items. The registry is not transcript
+or infer registry items. The registry is not transcript evidence: cite only the
-evidence: cite only the current transcript chunk in `source_refs`.
+current transcript chunk in `source_refs`.
 
 {{ input "item_registry" }}

assets/dnd/item-occurrences/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_item_occurrences_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/item-occurrences/schemas/dnd_item_occurrences_llm.v1.json

@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@
       "items": {
         "type": "object",
         "additionalProperties": false,
-        "required": ["item_id", "name", "kind", "quantity", "from", "to", "source_refs"],
+        "required": ["name", "kind", "quantity", "from", "to", "source_refs"],
         "properties": {
-          "item_id": {"type": "string"},
           "name": {"type": "string"},
           "kind": {"type": "string"},
           "quantity": {"type": ["integer", "null"]},
@@ -23,10 +22,10 @@
             "items": {
               "type": "object",
               "additionalProperties": false,
-              "required": ["start_segment", "end_segment"],
+              "required": ["start_unit_id", "end_unit_id"],
               "properties": {
-                "start_segment": {"type": "integer"},
+                "start_unit_id": {"type": "integer"},
-                "end_segment": {"type": "integer"}
+                "end_unit_id": {"type": "integer"}
               }
             }
           }

assets/dnd/item-registry/extract/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_item_registry_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/item-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-Use candidate names and cited transcript windows only to determine whether
+Determine whether candidates identify the same item type or unique designation
-candidates identify the same item type or unique designation. Do not treat
+using their contextual labels and cited transcript windows. Do not treat nearby
-nearby evidence, similar objects, or a shared owner as sufficient. Keep
+evidence, similar objects, or a shared owner as sufficient.
-currency denominations, materially different item types, and uncertain aliases
+
-separate. Do not infer an item property or uniqueness.
+Keep currency denominations and materially different item types separate. Keep
+uncertain aliases separate. Do not infer an item property or uniqueness.
 
 When selecting a canonical display name, choose one supplied candidate name
 that is the clearest established designation.

assets/dnd/item-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
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/location-occurrences/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ location only when the chunk's context supports that coreference. It must not
 create a registry location, and registry content or provenance must never
 replace current-chunk evidence.
 
+For every occurrence, return the exact selector from the location registry:
+the canonical `name`, plus an empty `registry_refs` array for a unique name or
+the complete ordered `registry_refs` array for a repeated name. Registry ranges
+and context identify the location only; they are not occurrence evidence.
+
 For overlapping support, visited outranks planned, recalled, and mentioned;
 planned outranks recalled and mentioned; recalled outranks mentioned. A passage
 may produce multiple records when it independently establishes separate facts,

assets/dnd/location-occurrences/prompts/location-registry.md

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
-A normalized location registry is provided below for identity grounding. It may
+A contextual location registry is provided below for identity grounding. It may
-be empty. Each record contains the exact location ID and canonical display name
+be empty. Every record supplies a canonical display name. A name that appears
-to copy when the transcript establishes an occurrence of that place.
+once is selected with that name and an empty `registry_refs` array. A repeated
+name is selected only by copying both its name and its complete, ordered
+`registry_refs` array exactly as supplied.
 
 Registry content is context, not occurrence evidence. Do not derive an
-occurrence or a source range from the registry, and do not infer a location
+occurrence or `source_refs` range from the registry. Do not invent a location
-that is absent from it.
+or selector that is absent from it.
 
 {{ input "location_registry" }}

assets/dnd/location-occurrences/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_location_occurrences_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/location-occurrences/schemas/dnd_location_occurrences_llm.v1.json

@@ -10,10 +10,21 @@
       "items": {
         "type": "object",
         "additionalProperties": false,
-        "required": ["location_id", "name", "kind", "source_refs"],
+        "required": ["name", "registry_refs", "kind", "source_refs"],
         "properties": {
-          "location_id": {"type": "string"},
           "name": {"type": "string"},
+          "registry_refs": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "items": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "required": ["start_unit_id", "end_unit_id"],
+              "properties": {
+                "start_unit_id": {"type": "integer", "minimum": 1},
+                "end_unit_id": {"type": "integer", "minimum": 1}
+              }
+            }
+          },
           "kind": {"enum": ["visited", "planned", "recalled", "mentioned"]},
           "source_refs": {
             "type": "array",

assets/dnd/location-registry/extract/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_location_registry_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/location-registry/normalize/prompts/candidates.md

@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Location candidates:
-{{ input "candidates" }}

assets/dnd/location-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-Use candidate names and their cited transcript windows to determine whether
+Determine whether candidates identify the same physical place using their
-candidates identify the same physical place. Do not treat matching names,
+contextual labels and cited transcript windows. Do not treat matching names,
-nearby evidence, nested places, or generic labels as sufficient. Keep parent
+nearby evidence, nested places, or generic labels as sufficient.
-and child places, similarly named places, and uncertain aliases separate.
+
+Keep parent and child places separate, as well as similarly named places and
+uncertain aliases.
 
 When selecting a canonical display name, prefer the clearest established name.

assets/dnd/location-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
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/npc-occurrences/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 Extract Dungeons & Dragons NPC occurrences from the supplied
 transcript. Include an occurrence only when the transcript establishes one
 supplied NPC, one occurrence kind, and a coherent passage supporting both.
-Use the exact `npc_id` and matching `name` pair from the supplied NPC registry;
+Use the supplied canonical NPC `name`; never invent or substitute a similar
-never invent an ID or substitute a similar name.
+name. Cite current-transcript evidence for every occurrence.
 
 Do not summarize, infer relationships, sentiment, factions, motives, aliases,
 or persistent state. Do not identify player characters, anonymous groups, or

assets/dnd/npc-occurrences/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_npc_occurrences_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/npc-occurrences/schemas/dnd_npc_occurrences_llm.v1.json

@@ -10,11 +10,8 @@
       "items": {
         "type": "object",
         "additionalProperties": false,
-        "required": ["npc_id", "name", "kind", "source_refs"],
+        "required": ["name", "kind", "source_refs"],
         "properties": {
-          "npc_id": {
-            "type": "string"
-          },
           "name": {
             "type": "string"
           },

assets/dnd/npc-registry/extract/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_npc_registry_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/candidates.md

@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-NPC candidates for identity comparison:
-
-{{ input "candidates" }}

assets/dnd/npc-registry/normalize/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-Use candidate aliases and their cited transcript windows to determine whether
+Determine whether candidates refer to the same individual using their
-candidates refer to the same individual. Preserve distinct individuals even
+contextual labels and cited transcript windows. Preserve distinct individuals
-when their names are similar.
+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

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
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/scene-descriptions/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_scene_descriptions_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/scenes/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_scenes_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-entity-reconciliation.md

@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Identify only well-supported duplicate groups among the supplied candidates.
-
-Candidate keys are opaque identifiers. Copy each selected key exactly. A group
-must contain at least two supplied keys, and its `canonical` key must be one of
-its members. Do not create keys, records, names, source references, evidence,
-or replacement values. Omit any uncertain or unsafe group.

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-extraction-evidence.md

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 Transcript units are the only evidence for extracted events and factual claims.
 Every reported factual claim must be supported by cited transcript units. Use
-integer `start_unit_id` and `end_unit_id` values from the transcript. Omit
+integer `start_unit_id` and `end_unit_id` values from the transcript.
-`source_id`; Notarius assigns the current source identity.
 
 When supporting evidence is non-contiguous, use multiple narrow ranges rather
 than a broad range that bridges unrelated conversation.

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-system.md

@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 You process Dungeons & Dragons gameplay transcripts.
 
-Rely only on the supplied inputs. They may contain transcription errors,
+As input, you will receive one or more portions of a transcript. The transcript may contain transcription errors, repeated lines, incomplete sentences, and misheard proper nouns.
-repeated lines, incomplete sentences, and misheard proper nouns.
 
-Return exactly one JSON object that conforms to the configured response schema,
+Return exactly one JSON object that conforms to the configured response schema, with no explanatory prose.
-with no explanatory prose.

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-transcript-chunk.md

@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-One extraction chunk from a Dungeons & Dragons gameplay transcript is provided
+One extraction chunk from a Dungeons & Dragons gameplay transcript is provided below. Report and infer only what is within this chunk. Its unit IDs retain their source-wide meaning.
-below. Report and infer only what is within this chunk. Its unit IDs retain
-their source-wide meaning.
 
 {{ input "transcript" }}

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-transcript-full.md

@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-The complete ordered transcript of this Dungeons & Dragons gameplay session is
+The complete ordered transcript of this Dungeons & Dragons gameplay session is provided below.
-provided below. It may contain multiple scenes.
 
 {{ input "transcript" }}

assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-transcript-windows.md

@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Selected Dungeons & Dragons gameplay transcript evidence windows are provided
-below. They may be incomplete, non-contiguous, or overlapping. Use them to
-evaluate candidate identity, but do not treat absence outside these windows as
-evidence.
-
-{{ input "transcript" }}

assets/dnd/spells/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -47,4 +47,4 @@ output:
   format: json
   validation_mode: json_schema
   schema_path: dnd_spells_llm.v1.json
-  repair_attempts: 0
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/dnd/spells/prompts/spell-catalog.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-The canonical spell-name catalog for this extraction is provided below as JSON.
+The spell catalog for this extraction is provided below as JSON. Each entry
-Return spell names using the catalog's canonical spelling exactly. Aliases and
+lists a `canonical_name` and its recognized `aliases`. If the transcript uses
-other campaign reference material are not part of this catalog input and must
+an alias, select that entry's `canonical_name`. Return spell names using the
-not be copied into the output as spell names.
+canonical spelling exactly; never return an alias as a spell name.
 
 {{ input "spell_catalog" }}

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/candidates.md

@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
-Item candidates:
+Candidate material:
+
 {{ input "candidates" }}

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/instructions.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Identify only high-confidence duplicate entities among the supplied candidates.
+
+Preserve distinct entities even when their names are similar. Treat contextual descriptions and transcript evidence as supporting material, not as permission to merge ambiguous records.
+
+When several records are duplicates, choose as canonical the candidate with the clearest stable identity. Prefer a complete proper name over an abbreviation, and prefer an unadorned proper name over one with incidental descriptors unless the evidence establishes those descriptors as part of the name. A longer name is not inherently more canonical.

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/prompt.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+id: generic.semantic_reconciliation
+version: "v1"
+inputs:
+  - name: candidates
+    required: true
+    content_type: application/json
+  - name: transcript
+    required: true
+    content_type: application/json
+messages:
+  - role: system
+    content_file: ./system.md
+  - role: user
+    content_file: ./protocol.md
+  - role: user
+    content_file: ./instructions.md
+    cache_control:
+      type: ephemeral
+  - role: user
+    content_file: ./candidates.md
+  - role: user
+    content_file: ./transcript-windows.md
+output:
+  format: json
+  validation_mode: json_schema
+  schema_path: semantic_reconciliation_llm.v1.json
+  repair_attempts: 1

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/protocol.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Use only the positive integer `candidate_id` values supplied in the candidate material.
+
+Return a duplicate group only when the evidence supports that every selected candidate describes the same underlying entity. Each group must contain at least two distinct candidate IDs, and its `canonical_candidate_id` must be one of those IDs. A candidate may appear in at most one group.
+
+Omit uncertain matches and candidates that should remain distinct. Do not invent candidates or infer an ID from list position. An empty `duplicate_groups` array is valid.
+
+The response must conform exactly to the selected JSON schema. Return IDs only: do not copy candidate names, evidence, transcript text, source identifiers, or source ranges into the response.

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/system.md

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+You reconcile structured records that may describe the same underlying entity.
+Follow the supplied protocol and return only the requested structured result.

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/prompts/transcript-windows.md

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Transcript evidence windows:
+
+{{ input "transcript" }}

assets/generic/normalize/deduplication/schemas/semantic_reconciliation_llm.v1.json

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "notarius.generic.semantic_reconciliation.llm",
+  "title": "notarius_semantic_reconciliation_llm_v1",
+  "type": "object",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": ["duplicate_groups"],
+  "properties": {
+    "duplicate_groups": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "required": ["candidate_ids", "canonical_candidate_id"],
+        "properties": {
+          "candidate_ids": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 2,
+            "items": {
+              "type": "integer",
+              "minimum": 1
+            }
+          },
+          "canonical_candidate_id": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "minimum": 1
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}

docs/adr/0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# ADR-0012: Resolve opaque entity identifiers deterministically
+
+**Status:** Accepted
+**Date:** 2026-08-08
+
+## Context
+
+Entity IDs in durable Notarius artifacts are application-owned, deterministic
+identifiers. They are useful to artifact consumers, but their hash-based form
+does not help a model distinguish entities and would make the model reproduce
+an opaque implementation detail. A plain name is likewise insufficient where
+multiple supplied records share that name.
+
+The LLM boundary must preserve the typed artifact and durable-schema ownership
+of [ADR-0003](0003-typed-interfaces-with-two-zone-data-model.md) and the distinction
+between disambiguating references and source evidence in
+[ADR-0009](0009-minimal-evidence-grounded-extraction-artifacts.md).
+
+## Decision
+
+Callers present a model with semantic selections: a canonical name when it is
+unique in the request, or a contextual descriptor containing the name and
+source coordinates when that context is needed to distinguish supplied
+records. The model returns only those supplied selections. The caller resolves
+each accepted selection against the request-local supplied records and attaches
+the opaque application ID deterministically.
+
+Source coordinates are permitted in a selection solely as identity context.
+They neither establish an occurrence fact nor replace that occurrence's
+current-transcript evidence. A selector must resolve exactly; unknown,
+ambiguous, partial, reordered, or otherwise unsafe selections are not mapped.
+Where an operation requires a complete grounded artifact, that failure rejects
+the complete artifact rather than accepting a partially mapped result.
+
+An explicitly scoped request-local short label is permitted only when a
+contextual descriptor would be impractical and the caller can deterministically
+map the label within that one request. Such a label is not a durable ID, must
+not escape the request boundary, and requires a concrete justification in its
+own module contract.
+
+## Alternatives considered
+
+- Ask the model to return durable IDs. This exposes opaque implementation
+  state, does not improve semantic disambiguation, and makes model output
+  depend on hash formatting.
+- Select by name alone. This cannot safely distinguish same-name records.
+- Make request-local labels durable identifiers. This would turn prompt
+  presentation into a public identity contract and create avoidable migration
+  pressure.
+- Let the model invent identifiers or resolve ambiguity. This makes identity
+  assignment non-deterministic and weakens validation.
+
+## Consequences
+
+Durable integration contracts retain their exact ID/name pairs while models
+operate on readable contextual selections. Calling modules must own selector
+construction, exact resolution, ambiguity handling, and conversion into their
+durable artifact type; PromptKit and its adapter remain transport-only.
+
+Some ambiguous or invalid proposals are deliberately omitted, retried, or
+rejected according to the caller's existing failure policy. Internal candidate
+keys may support deterministic request-local mapping, but they are not
+model-visible selectors or durable data. This adds local validation work while
+keeping identity assignment auditable and stable.

docs/adr/0013-use-request-local-candidate-handles-for-semantic-reconciliation.md

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# ADR-0013: Use request-local candidate handles for semantic reconciliation
+
+**Status:** Accepted
+**Date:** 2026-08-09
+
+## Context
+
+Several typed normalize stage modules need semantic reconciliation after
+deterministic preprocessing: a model can judge whether source-backed candidates
+refer to the same underlying entity, while application code remains responsible
+for constructing the normalized artifact. Requiring the model to reproduce a
+candidate's full contextual selector makes the response larger and introduces
+avoidable formatting, ordering, and transcription failure modes.
+
+Reconciliation must preserve the exact typed artifact boundary established by
+[ADR-0003](0003-typed-interfaces-with-two-zone-data-model.md), the domain-neutral
+framework and concrete-domain dependency direction established by
+[ADR-0004](0004-package-modules-by-domain.md), and the distinction in
+[ADR-0009](0009-minimal-evidence-grounded-extraction-artifacts.md) between source
+evidence and auxiliary identity context. It also needs a concrete, narrowly
+scoped application of the request-local-label exception allowed by
+[ADR-0012](0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md).
+
+## Decision
+
+Semantic reconciliation will be a domain-neutral framework mechanism used by
+typed normalize stage modules. A consuming artifact family will retain
+ownership of its typed records, identity rules, consolidation policy, durable
+IDs, and domain warnings; the framework mechanism will not infer those rules
+from arbitrary data.
+
+For each reconciliation request, deterministic code will assign every eligible
+model-visible candidate a contiguous, one-based integer handle. The model may
+receive the candidate's contextual label, source references, and bounded source
+context needed to judge identity, but its structured response will identify
+candidates only by those supplied handles. A handle is local to one request,
+does not represent entity identity, and must never enter a durable artifact or
+be used to derive a durable ID.
+
+The model will propose duplicate groups and select one supplied member of each
+group as canonical. Deterministic code will resolve the handles through the
+retained request mapping, validate the complete proposal, discard unsafe
+groups, and apply only validated groups through typed domain-owned policy. The
+model will not synthesize replacement records or directly mutate an artifact.
+
+Every reconciliation prompt will combine a mandatory framework-owned protocol
+and safety policy with an explicitly selected semantic policy. The semantic
+policy may be the conservative generic policy or a domain-owned policy, but it
+cannot replace the shared response protocol or deterministic safety boundary.
+
+## Alternatives considered
+
+- Return durable application IDs. Opaque IDs do not help semantic judgment,
+  expose application identity mechanics, and make model output reproduce data
+  that deterministic code already owns.
+- Return names alone or copied contextual selectors. Names can be ambiguous,
+  while reproducing labels and source ranges adds response complexity and
+  creates mismatches without adding semantic information. Request-local
+  handles preserve exact selection without either failure mode.
+- Ask the model to return synthesized canonical replacement records. This
+  would transfer typed artifact construction, provenance consolidation, and
+  durable identity policy to a probabilistic boundary.
+- Reconcile reflection-discovered fields or arbitrary JSON. This would weaken
+  the typed artifact contract and move domain semantics into generic code.
+- Hide reconciliation inside extraction or another stage. This would obscure
+  stage ownership and create cross-stage behavior outside the fixed pipeline;
+  reconciliation remains explicit normalize-stage behavior.
+- Let each domain replace the complete prompt protocol. This would duplicate
+  safety mechanics and allow domain policy to bypass the common response and
+  validation contract.
+
+## Consequences
+
+Model responses become smaller and easier to validate, while deterministic
+application code retains authority over identity, provenance, ordering, and
+typed artifact construction. The framework requires a request-local mapping,
+bounded context preparation, a private integer response contract, proposal
+assessment, and shared prompt assets. Each consuming artifact family still
+requires a typed adapter for its irreducibly domain-specific rules.
+
+Request-local handles are deliberately unsuitable for persistence, logging as
+entity identity, checkpoint contracts, or cross-request correlation. Changes
+to shared protocol and policy assets must participate in the normal prompt,
+schema, and checkpoint fingerprint mechanisms.
+
+The shared mechanism and its initial D&D registry consumers are now
+implemented. Current behavior is documented in
+[Module Internals](../internal/modules.md#semantic-reconciliation) and
+[D&D Module Internals](../internal/dnd.md#semantic-registry-reconciliation).

docs/adr/0014-feedback-aware-validation-retries.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# ADR-0014: Use feedback-aware validation retries
+
+**Status:** Accepted
+**Date:** 2026-08-26
+
+## Context
+
+Validation can identify a candidate defect after a producer has returned an
+otherwise well-formed result. Retrying without the validator's deterministic,
+bounded feedback wastes the useful diagnosis, while treating validator
+execution failures as defects would ask a producer to repair conditions it
+cannot control. The mechanism must preserve typed producer ownership,
+checkpoint safety, and the repository's sensitive-data boundaries.
+
+## Decision
+
+The implementation will keep three independent budgets: the producer binding's
+outer `retries` budget, PromptKit's structured-output repair budget, and each
+validator's execution-retry budget. Validators will run sequentially in their
+configured order and aggregate both rejections and execution failures before a
+candidate disposition is selected.
+
+A correction-capable producer will provide the exact single LLM response that
+controlled its candidate using the `single_response_v1` protocol. A correction
+attempt will reconstruct the ordinary request and append exactly two fresh
+messages: that latest response as `assistant`, followed by one deterministic
+aggregate correction request as `user`. Earlier turns will not accumulate.
+
+Validator failures will not recurse into correction. Pipeline policy owns
+terminal disposition, with field-by-field producer overrides over pipeline
+defaults: structural failure and semantic rejection default to `fail_run`, and
+validator execution failure defaults to `warn_continue`. Validators can report
+facts and bounded corrective guidance, but never decide disposition.
+
+Rejected and structurally invalid candidates will not advance. A candidate
+allowed through after a validator execution failure will retain explicit
+incomplete-validation provenance and will not be checkpointed. Exact response
+and correction text remain attempt-local: they are excluded from ordinary
+errors, warnings, manifests, receipts, caches, checkpoints, and default debug
+summaries.
+
+## Alternatives considered
+
+- Retry every producer after any validation outcome. This conflates producer
+  defects with validator operational failures and wastes retry budget.
+- Let validators decide whether to continue. This would distribute pipeline
+  disposition policy across validators and undermine consistent defaults.
+- Reuse the full prior conversation. Accumulated turns introduce unbounded
+  prompt growth and make correction behavior depend on incidental history.
+- Persist raw responses to simplify diagnosis. Raw model output and correction
+  guidance may be sensitive and do not belong in durable pipeline records.
+
+## Consequences
+
+The framework gains transport-neutral correction and candidate contracts,
+producer capability checks, policy resolution, aggregated validation outcomes,
+and conservative checkpoint handling. Prompt construction remains inside the
+LLM adapter, while modules remain responsible for accurately exposing the
+single response that directly controlled a candidate.

docs/cli.md

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ defined in [Operations](operations.md).
 
 ~~~
 notarius help
+notarius --version
 notarius run <pipeline-id> --input path/to/source.json [--json] [flags]
 notarius config validate [--config path/to/config.yml] [--pipeline pipeline-id] [--only lane-a,lane-b]
 notarius pipelines list [--config path/to/config.yml] [--json]
@@ -18,6 +19,17 @@ notarius pipelines list [--config path/to/config.yml] [--json]
 Running Notarius without arguments, or with **help**, **--help**, or **-h**,
 writes the command summary to standard output and exits with status 0.
 
+`notarius --version` is valid only as the sole root argument. It writes exactly
+`notarius <version>` followed by a newline to standard output and exits with
+status 0. A tagged `go install` build can report its main-module stable tag,
+and controlled builds can inject a stable tag at link time through
+`gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/buildinfo.Override`; an ordinary
+unversioned checkout reports `development`. Invalid injected version content is
+a runtime error with exit status 1, while extra `--version` arguments are a
+syntax error with exit status 2. This diagnostic does not replace the
+[run-result](integrations/run-result.md) or artifact contracts for downstream
+compatibility decisions.
+
 ## run
 
 ~~~

docs/config.md

@@ -132,7 +132,11 @@ model: example-model
 Keep credentials out of the local-backend object. A PromptKit profile may name
 its credential environment variable through `api_key_env`; set that variable
 only in the run environment. PromptKit owns the
-[pinned profile-file format](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.5.0/docs/formats.md).
+[pinned profile-file format](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0/docs/formats.md),
+including `base_profile` inheritance. Notarius passes profiles through without
+merging them. Filesystem profiles cannot express PromptKit's in-memory
+`APIKeyRequired` setting; an unset `api_key_env` is optional and may reach the
+provider without authorization.
 The [PromptKit upstream boundary](integrations/pkg-promptkit.md) identifies the
 supported package API, and [Operations](operations.md#operational-limits)
 describes the effective concurrency layers.
@@ -218,6 +222,8 @@ pipelines:
 | Field | Type | Default | Rules |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | **llm_profile** | string | none | Optional non-empty default PromptKit profile ID for selected LLM-backed bindings and validators. An explicitly present blank value is invalid. |
+| **structured_output_repair_attempts** | integer | prompt-owned (1 in maintained production prompts) | Optional structural-repair limit from 0 through 3 for selected LLM-backed bindings and validators. Omission leaves the prompt's declared policy in control; explicit 0 disables structural repair at that scope. |
+| **validation_policy** | object | see below | Optional terminal policy defaults for producer validation. Its fields inherit independently into chunk, extract, merge, and normalize bindings. |
 | **input** | module binding | none | Required. |
 | **chunk** | module binding | **generic** | Optional. |
 | **output** | module binding | **json** | Optional. |
@@ -237,6 +243,42 @@ run-level **--llm-profile** value first, then the binding's **llm_profile**,
 then the pipeline's **llm_profile**, and finally the PromptKit default.
 Deterministic bindings do not receive these defaults or run overrides.
 
+Structural output repair is resolved after module, validator, and `--only` lane
+selection. An object's **structured_output_repair_attempts** value takes
+precedence over the pipeline value; otherwise, an LLM-backed binding or
+validator inherits the pipeline value. If both are omitted, PromptKit uses the
+prompt's declared repair policy. The value must be an integer from 0 through 3;
+explicit `null` and non-integer values are invalid. An explicit value on a
+deterministic binding or validator is invalid, while a pipeline value simply
+does not apply to deterministic selections.
+
+`validation_policy` controls terminal disposition for one complete producer
+attempt and validator chain. It may appear on a pipeline or a **chunk**,
+**extract**, **merge**, or **normalize** module binding; input, output, and
+validator bindings reject it. Every field is optional and resolves in binding,
+pipeline, then application-default order:
+
+| Field | Values | Default |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **producer_structural_failure** | **fail_run**, **reject_output** | **fail_run** |
+| **semantic_rejection** | **fail_run**, **reject_output** | **fail_run** |
+| **validator_failure** | **warn_continue**, **fail_run** | **warn_continue** |
+
+The policy object and its fields must be non-null, and unknown fields are
+rejected. A deterministic producer may not explicitly set
+**producer_structural_failure** on its binding, although a pipeline-level
+default remains valid for pipelines that include LLM-backed producers.
+
+After the producer binding's retry budget is exhausted, an invalid structured
+response uses **producer_structural_failure**. One or more semantic validator
+rejections use **semantic_rejection**; rejection takes precedence over an
+exhausted validator failure or skip. With no rejection, an exhausted validator
+failure or skip uses **validator_failure**. `reject_output` records the
+terminal rejection without advancing that candidate. `warn_continue` is valid
+only for validator execution failure: it advances a structurally valid,
+otherwise unrejected result with incomplete-validation provenance and without
+making it reusable checkpoint state.
+
 A lane has these fields:
 
 | Field | Type | Default | Rules |
@@ -274,17 +316,32 @@ extract:
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | **module** | string | none | Required for an object binding. Must be a registered compatible key. |
 | **llm_profile** | string | none | Optional non-empty PromptKit profile ID for an LLM-backed binding. It overrides the pipeline default unless the run supplies **--llm-profile**. |
-| **retries** | integer | 0 | Non-negative additional attempts for chunk, extract, merge, and normalize bindings. |
+| **structured_output_repair_attempts** | integer | pipeline or prompt-owned (1 in maintained production prompts) | Optional structural-repair limit from 0 through 3 for an LLM-backed binding. It overrides the pipeline value; explicit 0 disables structural repair. |
+| **validation_policy** | object | pipeline or application defaults | Optional field-by-field terminal-policy override for a chunk, extract, merge, or normalize binding. |
+| **retries** | integer | 0 | Non-negative additional complete producer attempts for chunk, extract, merge, and normalize bindings. This single budget covers operational errors, invalid structured output, module-requested normalization retry, and semantic correction. |
 | **options** | object | none | Must satisfy the selected module. |
 | **references** | map | none | Valid only on chunk, extract, merge, and normalize bindings. |
 | **validators** | list | production chain | Valid only on chunk, extract, merge, and normalize bindings. |
 
 Omitting **validators** uses the registered chain. **validators: []** selects
 an empty chain; a non-empty list replaces the chain in the listed order.
-Validator bindings accept only **module**, **llm_profile**, and **options**.
+Validator bindings accept only **module**, **llm_profile**,
-They reject **references**, **retries**, and nested **validators**. Deterministic
+**structured_output_repair_attempts**, **retries**, and **options**. Their
-validators reject an explicit **llm_profile**. Deterministic module bindings
+**retries** value is a non-negative additional validator-execution budget and
-also reject an explicit **llm_profile**.
+is valid only when the selected validator is LLM-backed. A validator retry
+rechecks the same immutable candidate; it never regenerates the producer.
+They reject
+**validation_policy**, **references**, and nested **validators**. Deterministic
+validators reject explicit **llm_profile** and
+**structured_output_repair_attempts**.
+Deterministic module bindings also reject those explicit fields.
+
+An LLM-backed chunk, extract, merge, or normalize producer with both a
+non-empty validator chain and positive **retries** must declare the supported
+single-response correction capability. Preparation rejects a configuration
+that could require semantic correction from a producer that cannot provide an
+exact prior response. A deterministic producer, or an LLM attempt that did
+not make a model call, cannot consume a semantic retry after rejection.
 
 The **json** output module accepts optional **include_chunk_map** and
 **evidence_context** settings:
@@ -319,7 +376,8 @@ Unknown outer or nested option fields are rejected, as are incompatible YAML
 types. The allowlist remains valid when a run uses lane filtering: a configured
 lane that is not active for that invocation simply contributes no evidence.
 Evidence publication is opt-in because it can persist source text and metadata.
-Its payload contract is [Published Evidence Context](integrations/evidence-context.md).
+When enabled, it publishes the selected source-unit excerpt defined by the
+[Published Evidence Context contract](integrations/evidence-context.md).
 
 ## References And Ordered Handoffs
 

docs/consumers/dnd-pipeline.md

@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+# Consuming The Complete D&D Pipeline
+
+Use this workflow when an orchestrator runs the maintained complete D&D
+pipeline and consumes its structured JSON artifacts. The generic
+[subprocess consumer guide](subprocess.md) owns process-level responsibilities;
+this guide connects that workflow to the complete D&D configuration, its
+Seriatim input, and its artifact inventory.
+
+The [CLI reference](../cli.md), [configuration reference](../config.md),
+[run-result receipt](../integrations/run-result.md), and
+[published JSON output contract](../integrations/json-output.md) remain the
+canonical definitions of those public interfaces.
+
+## Prepare And Validate The Deployment
+
+Start from the maintained
+[complete D&D configuration](../../examples/dnd-complete.config.yml). It uses
+the `dnd-session` pipeline and demonstrates every implemented D&D lane, ordered
+artifact handoffs, campaign references, chunk-map publication, and evidence
+context.
+
+A deployment must provide its own PromptKit profile and campaign reference
+files. Use absolute paths for service and subprocess deployments. In
+particular, observe these different resolution rules:
+
+- reference paths in YAML are resolved relative to the Notarius configuration
+  file; and
+- `promptkit.profile_file` is resolved relative to the Notarius process working
+  directory.
+
+Do not copy the repository example's relative profile path into a deployment
+without also controlling that working directory. The complete path and profile
+rules are defined in [Configuration](../config.md).
+
+Preflight the deployed configuration before processing sessions and whenever
+it changes:
+
+```sh
+notarius config validate \
+  --config /absolute/path/to/notarius.yml \
+  --pipeline dnd-session
+```
+
+Provide credentials through the environment or the documented configuration
+mechanism. Do not put credentials in command arguments, generated
+configuration, or logs.
+
+## Supply The Transcript
+
+The complete pipeline consumes a Seriatim JSON document. The
+[Seriatim input contract](../integrations/seriatim.md) defines its required
+metadata, segments, and validation rules. Preserve segment IDs: D&D artifact
+citations use those segment IDs as source-unit ranges.
+
+When the caller maintains several transcript tiers, use the final trimmed JSON
+transcript so extraction operates on the same session content presented to
+later consumers. For example, Narratio identifies this implemented artifact as
+`narratio.transcript.final_trimmed` and normally stores it at
+`transcripts/final.trimmed.json`.
+
+Notarius generates a stable prompt session from the resolved input module and
+the exact input bytes. An ordinary orchestrator should not pass `--session-id`.
+Use that override only when intentionally changing the routing relationship
+between invocations; it is not a credential or output identity.
+
+## Run Notarius
+
+Invoke the pipeline with explicit absolute paths and request its
+machine-readable receipt:
+
+```sh
+notarius run dnd-session \
+  --config /absolute/path/to/notarius.yml \
+  --input /absolute/path/to/transcripts/final.trimmed.json \
+  --output-dir /absolute/path/to/notarius-output \
+  --json
+```
+
+The caller should:
+
+- capture stdout and stderr separately;
+- propagate cancellation and impose an operator-appropriate timeout;
+- wait for process completion before interpreting stdout; and
+- retain stderr for diagnosis without copying secrets or transcript content
+  into other logs.
+
+Only exit status 0 permits decoding stdout as a receipt. Ignore stdout after a
+nonzero exit because a failed receipt write can leave partial bytes. The
+[CLI reference](../cli.md#output-streams-and-exit-statuses) defines the complete
+stream and exit-status contract.
+
+## Discover The Published Bundle
+
+Decode the successful stdout document as a supported run-result schema. For
+the current contract, `schema_version` is `notarius.run-result.v1`. Tolerate
+unknown fields allowed by that version, but reject an unsupported schema
+version.
+
+Use the receipt's absolute `output_directory` as the exact run-specific bundle
+root. Do not scan the output root for its newest directory, guess a run ID, or
+construct a bundle path. Resolve `index_file` beneath `output_directory` and
+reject an absolute logical path or any result that escapes the bundle root.
+
+The complete configuration uses the application validation defaults. A caller
+that requires fully validated D&D artifacts must also require receipt
+`validation_status: approved`; a successful `incomplete` result reflects the
+configured validator-failure continuation policy and carries its bounded
+validator provenance in `validation_summaries`.
+
+Read `index.json` and locate each requested lane in `output_files` by its exact
+`lane_id`. Do not guess a lane filename. Before decoding a payload:
+
+1. resolve its descriptor's relative `file` beneath the bundle root with the
+   same confinement check;
+2. verify the descriptor's media type and schema identity against the linked
+   artifact contract; and
+3. decode the payload according to that contract.
+
+The [published JSON output contract](../integrations/json-output.md) defines
+the index and bundle layout. Treat all paths obtained from a decoded external
+document as untrusted until confined to their documented root.
+
+## Complete Artifact Inventory
+
+When every configured lane is accepted, the complete example publishes these
+lane artifacts:
+
+| Lane ID | Purpose | Canonical contract |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `item-registry` | Canonical registry of encountered items and currency. | [Item registry](../integrations/dnd-item-registry-artifacts.md) |
+| `npc-registry` | Canonical registry of named NPCs. | [NPC registry](../integrations/dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md) |
+| `location-registry` | Canonical registry of named locations. | [Location registry](../integrations/dnd-location-registry-artifacts.md) |
+| `scene-descriptions` | Classification, title, and summary for each scene. | [Scene descriptions](../integrations/dnd-scene-description-artifacts.md) |
+| `item-occurrences` | Source-grounded item discovery, acquisition, use, transfer, and loss events. | [Item occurrences](../integrations/dnd-item-occurrence-artifacts.md) |
+| `spells` | Source-grounded spell casts and casters. | [Spell casts](../integrations/dnd-spell-artifacts.md) |
+| `combat-turns` | Source-grounded combat turn participation. | [Combat turns](../integrations/dnd-combat-turn-artifacts.md) |
+| `npc-occurrences` | Source-grounded NPC interaction occurrences. | [NPC occurrences](../integrations/dnd-npc-occurrence-artifacts.md) |
+| `location-occurrences` | Source-grounded location occurrences. | [Location occurrences](../integrations/dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md) |
+| `enemy-events` | Source-grounded enemy combat events. | [Enemy events](../integrations/dnd-enemy-event-artifacts.md) |
+
+The JSON encoder always publishes these bundle-management files:
+
+| File | Purpose |
+| --- | --- |
+| `index.json` | Discovery document for lane and pipeline-wide artifacts. |
+| `manifest.json` | Run provenance and result summaries. |
+| `rejected.json` | Rejected pipeline outputs. |
+| `warnings.json` | Accepted-output and run warnings. |
+
+The complete configuration also requests two pipeline-wide artifacts:
+
+- [`chunk-map.json`](../integrations/chunk-map.md), the accepted chunk plan and
+  chunk metadata; and
+- [`evidence-context.json`](../integrations/evidence-context.md), a reading
+  excerpt containing the union of selected cited source units and the
+  configured surrounding window.
+
+Discover both from their top-level `index.json` descriptors rather than
+treating them as lanes. Evidence context is convenient reading material, not
+authoritative provenance; citations in the normalized lane payloads remain the
+evidence contract.
+
+Every optional or lane file is published only when its corresponding artifact
+is available. A successful process does not guarantee that all configured
+lanes were accepted.
+
+## Decide What Counts As Consumer Success
+
+Exit status 0 means Notarius completed the pipeline and published its result
+bundle. The receipt or bundle may still report warnings, rejected outputs, or
+missing lane descriptors. A downstream consumer must define its own required
+artifact set explicitly.
+
+A caller that claims to consume the complete D&D workflow should normally
+require all ten lane IDs in the table and verify each descriptor's expected
+contract. If any required lane is missing, rejected, or incompatible, fail the
+caller's extraction step while retaining the Notarius bundle for diagnosis. A
+consumer that needs only a subset may define and document a narrower policy.
+
+Keep the successful receipt with the complete published bundle. Retain
+`manifest.json`, `rejected.json`, `warnings.json`, and captured process logs as
+required by the caller's provenance, diagnosis, and retention policies. Avoid
+selectively copying payload files without also preserving enough index and
+manifest information to identify their originating run and contracts.
+
+The transcript, lane artifacts, evidence context, manifest, debug data, and
+logs can all contain private campaign information. Apply the same access,
+publication, and retention controls used for the source transcript.
+
+## Consumer Checklist
+
+- Validate the deployed Notarius configuration and `dnd-session` pipeline.
+- Pass the final trimmed Seriatim JSON transcript with stable segment IDs.
+- Use absolute configuration, input, output-root, profile, and reference paths
+  in service deployments.
+- Capture stdout and stderr separately and enforce cancellation and timeout.
+- Parse stdout only after exit status 0.
+- Accept only supported receipt, index, and artifact schema versions while
+  tolerating permitted unknown fields.
+- Use the receipt's `output_directory`; never guess the run directory.
+- Confine `index_file` and every descriptor path to the published bundle root.
+- Discover lanes by `lane_id` and verify descriptor compatibility before
+  decoding payloads.
+- Enforce an explicit required-lane policy and inspect rejections and warnings.
+- Preserve the receipt and sufficient bundle provenance for every retained
+  artifact.
+- Protect all transcript-derived files and diagnostic streams as sensitive
+  campaign data.

docs/consumers/subprocess.md

@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ statuses, while the [run-result receipt](../integrations/run-result.md) and
 [Published JSON Output contract](../integrations/json-output.md) own the
 durable result formats.
 
+For the maintained complete D&D workflow, including its transcript input,
+configured lane inventory, and downstream acceptance checklist, see
+[Consuming The Complete D&D Pipeline](dnd-pipeline.md).
+
 ## Run And Check The Process
 
 Optionally preflight a selected configuration and pipeline before work starts:
@@ -55,16 +59,23 @@ contract. The JSON bundle contract links to the available lane contracts.
 If `index.json` has an `evidence_context` descriptor, treat it as a
 pipeline-wide artifact rather than a lane entry. Verify its six descriptor
 fields before decoding the linked file according to the [Published Evidence
-Context contract](../integrations/evidence-context.md). Use each
+Context contract](../integrations/evidence-context.md). Decode its top-level
-`evidence_refs` entry as the citation to source material. Its surrounding
+source-unit array as a reading excerpt. Obtain authoritative citations and lane
-context range and included units explain the citation, but do not widen or
+provenance from the normalized lane artifacts; the excerpt has neither and its
-replace the cited source reference.
+nearby units do not widen a lane artifact's cited source reference.
 
 A zero exit status may still report rejected outputs, warnings, or absent
 lanes. The caller decides which lane IDs are required for its own work and
 which are optional; it should make that decision explicitly rather than infer
 failure from the receipt counts alone.
 
+When complete validation is required, also require receipt
+`validation_status: approved` and inspect `validation_summaries`. A successful
+run with `validation_status: incomplete` contains a structurally valid result
+that advanced after validator execution could not complete under the configured
+`warn_continue` policy. It is not reusable checkpoint state and should not be
+silently treated as fully reviewed by the caller.
+
 ## Preserve Provenance And Handle Data Carefully
 
 Keep the receipt with the published `manifest.json`, and retain
@@ -73,5 +84,5 @@ them. Treat the input, output bundle, cache, debug bundle, and captured process
 logs as potentially sensitive data. Apply the caller's access controls and
 retention policy, and avoid copying secrets into arguments, logs, or
 provenance records. An evidence-context artifact contains source-unit text and
-metadata, and selected lanes can cover most of an input; preserve and share it
+metadata and can cover most of an input; preserve and share it only when that
-only when that source content is authorized for the recipient.
+source content is authorized for the recipient.

docs/development.md

@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ implemented component map.
 | Any documentation addition or revision | [Documentation Policy](policy/documentation.md) | It defines canonical homes, audiences, current-behavior rules, and maintenance requirements. |
 | Adding, changing, reviewing, or deleting tests | [Testing Policy](policy/testing.md) | It defines risk-based sufficiency, durable test boundaries, test-double guidance, and criteria for retaining tests. |
 | CLI composition or command behavior | [CLI Internals](internal/cli.md) and [CLI Reference](cli.md) | The internal guide owns composition and command flow; the reference owns public syntax. |
-| Building a subprocess caller or changing its result protocol | [Subprocess Consumer Guide](consumers/subprocess.md), [Run Result Receipt](integrations/run-result.md), and [CLI Internals](internal/cli.md) | These separate caller workflow, durable receipt contract, and CLI implementation behavior. |
+| Building a subprocess caller or changing its result protocol | [Subprocess Consumer Guide](consumers/subprocess.md), [Complete D&D Consumer Guide](consumers/dnd-pipeline.md), [Run Result Receipt](integrations/run-result.md), and [CLI Internals](internal/cli.md) | These separate generic caller workflow, the complete D&D workflow, the durable receipt contract, and CLI implementation behavior. |
 | Configuration loading, resolution, or user-visible configuration behavior | [Configuration Internals](internal/configuration.md) and [Configuration](config.md) | The internal guide owns loading and resolution mechanics; the reference owns the configuration contract. |
 | Pipeline resolution or execution | [Pipeline Internals](internal/pipeline.md) | It documents profiles, references, validation, retries, checkpoints, and runner behavior. |
 | Production modules or validators | [Module Internals](internal/modules.md), [D&D Module Internals](internal/dnd.md), and [D&D integration contracts](integrations/) | The generic guide owns extension mechanics, the D&D guide owns shared family conventions, and the contracts own durable output shapes. |
 | LLM clients, prompts, schemas, profiles, or scheduling | [LLM Runtime](internal/llm.md) | It documents the transport boundary and PromptKit integration. |
 | Output, cache, resume, or debug artifacts | [Run State Internals](internal/state.md), [Operations](operations.md), and [Configuration](config.md) | These separate implementation details, operator behavior, and configuration contracts. |
 | External input formats, artifact schemas, or durable output files | [Integration Contracts](integrations/) | Integration documents define external and durable data contracts. |
+| Release preparation, tagging, publication, or verification | [Source Releases](release.md) and [Documentation Policy](policy/documentation.md) | The release procedure owns maintainer guards and immutable-tag recovery; the policy assigns release-note ownership. |
 | Proposed or unimplemented behavior | [Roadmap](roadmap/) | Future work belongs only in roadmap documentation until implemented. |
 
 For an existing subsystem, also inspect its focused tests and the package-local

docs/integrations/dnd-item-occurrence-artifacts.md

@@ -24,12 +24,13 @@ An incompatible shape change requires a new schema version.
 
 Both extraction and normalization require an `item_registry` reference bound to
 an earlier normalized `dnd/item-registry` artifact. The registry is immutable
-for an operation and contributes only its ordered `{id,name}` projection after
+for an operation and contributes names-only grounding after the shared evidence
-the shared evidence message. It is never occurrence evidence.
+message. Notarius resolves the model's selected name into the unchanged exact
+durable ID/name pair. It is never occurrence evidence.
 
 Each occurrence must use one exact registry ID/name pair. An extraction response
-with an unknown ID or mismatched name is rejected as invalid model output; the
+with an unknown or ambiguous selected name is rejected as invalid model output;
-configured pipeline may retry it and never accepts a partial artifact.
+the configured pipeline may retry it and never accepts a partial artifact.
 Normalization and validation remain defense in depth for artifacts entering
 through other boundaries: normalization canonicalizes a recognized name by ID,
 preserves unknown values for the registry validator, and the registry validator

docs/integrations/dnd-item-registry-artifacts.md

@@ -85,9 +85,10 @@ for later artifacts.
 
 `dnd/item-occurrences` requires one approved item registry through its
 `item_registry` reference slot for both extraction and normalization. Its
-consumer receives only an ordered, source-free `{id,name}` projection; the
+consumer receives names-only grounding; Notarius resolves the selected name
-registry’s source references are never occurrence evidence. Unknown IDs and
+into the unchanged exact durable ID/name pair. The registry’s source references
-mismatched pairs are rejected by the occurrence contract. See the
+are never occurrence evidence. Unknown or ambiguous selections are rejected by
+the occurrence contract. See the
 [item-occurrence artifact](dnd-item-occurrence-artifacts.md) for that strict
 wire contract, [Configuration](../config.md#d-d-reference-slots) for binding
 rules and validator selection, and the [JSON output contract](json-output.md)

docs/integrations/dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md

@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@ complete canonical evidence sequence.
 
 Both extraction and normalization require exactly one `location_registry` reference of
 kind `dnd/location-registry`, media type `application/json`, and at most 1 MiB. The
-registry provides identity grounding only: unknown IDs and mismatched ID/name
+registry provides identity grounding only. The model selects a supplied
-pairs are rejected rather than guessed or reassigned. The current transcript is
+contextual name-and-registry-reference descriptor, and Notarius resolves it
-the only evidence source for an occurrence; registry evidence and provenance
+into the exact durable ID/name pair. Unknown, partial, or ambiguous selections
-never become occurrence evidence.
+are rejected rather than guessed or reassigned. The current transcript is the
+only evidence source for an occurrence; registry evidence and provenance never
+become occurrence evidence.
 
 See [Configuration](../config.md#d-d-reference-slots) for the selectable slot
 and generated-handoff compatibility, [D&D module internals](../internal/dnd.md)

docs/integrations/dnd-location-registry-artifacts.md

@@ -83,9 +83,11 @@ not evidence for later artifacts.
 ## Consumers and publication
 
 `dnd/location-occurrences` requires one approved location registry through its
-`location_registry` reference slot. Its prompt receives an ordered source-free `{id,
+`location_registry` reference slot. Its prompt receives contextual selectors
-name}` projection and must not treat registry references as occurrence
+containing a canonical name and registry references; Notarius resolves a
-evidence. See the [location-occurrence artifact](dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md)
+selection into the unchanged exact durable ID/name pair. Registry references
+must not be treated as occurrence evidence. See the
+[location-occurrence artifact](dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md)
 for that contract, [Configuration](../config.md#references-and-ordered-handoffs)
 for binding rules, and the [JSON output contract](json-output.md) for
 publication.

docs/integrations/dnd-npc-occurrence-artifacts.md

@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ for uncertain classification.
 
 ## Identity, evidence, and order
 
-The required normalized [NPC registry artifact](dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md) resolves
+The required normalized [NPC registry artifact](dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md)
-the exact `{npc_id, name}` pair. Unknown IDs and names that do not match their
+supplies names-only contextual grounding to the model. Notarius resolves the
-ID are rejected; normalization does not repair names by similarity. Registry
+selected name and writes the exact `{npc_id, name}` pair. An unknown or
-references are provenance only and never replace an occurrence's own evidence.
+ambiguous selection rejects the complete model result; normalization does not
+repair names by similarity. Registry references are provenance only and never
+replace an occurrence's own evidence.
 The registry may include an identity established by a factual third-party
 mention; that provenance alone does not create a `mentioned` occurrence. Each
 occurrence remains a separately cited fact in the current transcript.

docs/integrations/dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md

@@ -82,9 +82,10 @@ with its own cited evidence and category.
 This registry can ground actor or caster names in the [spell](dnd-spell-artifacts.md)
 and [combat-turn](dnd-combat-turn-artifacts.md) artifacts. It is required to
 resolve the canonical `name` in an [NPC occurrence](dnd-npc-occurrence-artifacts.md).
-Occurrence consumers receive an ordered source-free `{id,name}` projection;
+Occurrence consumers receive names-only grounding; Notarius resolves the
-spells, combat turns, and the [enemy-event artifact](dnd-enemy-event-artifacts.md)
+selected canonical name and writes the unchanged exact durable ID/name pair.
-receive names-only grounding for actor or subject display. None of these
+Spells, combat turns, and the [enemy-event artifact](dnd-enemy-event-artifacts.md)
+also receive names-only grounding for actor or subject display. None of these
 projections supply later-artifact evidence. [Configuration](../config.md#d-d-reference-slots)
 owns the `npc_registry` binding rules.
 The [JSON output contract](json-output.md) defines publication, and

docs/integrations/dnd-spell-catalog-overlays.md

@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ including a collision with the embedded catalog. Matching uses the catalog’s
 case, whitespace, and apostrophe normalization, so authors should avoid names
 or aliases that normalize to another spell.
 
+Spell extraction receives the effective catalog as deterministic canonical-name
+and alias pairs. An alias in the transcript selects its associated canonical
+name; the extractor is instructed to return that canonical spelling. The
+projection contains no catalog source metadata or provenance, and aliases
+remain recognition context rather than transcript evidence.
+
 The overlay is a recognition aid only. The durable spell-artifact schema and
 source-evidence rules are defined by the
 [D&D spell artifact contract](dnd-spell-artifacts.md).

docs/integrations/evidence-context.md

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 # Published Evidence Context
 
 This contract defines the optional `source/evidence-context` artifact emitted
-by the production JSON output. Its configuration is owned by
+by the production JSON output. It is a selected source-unit excerpt for
-[Configuration](../config.md#module-bindings-and-validators); its logical-file
+convenient reading alongside normalized lane artifacts; it is not a second
-discovery is owned by [Published JSON Output](json-output.md).
+citation or provenance model. Its configuration is owned by
+[Configuration](../config.md#module-bindings-and-validators), and its
+logical-file discovery is owned by [Published JSON Output](json-output.md).
 
 ## Identity And Discovery
 
@@ -26,35 +28,13 @@ its absence means evidence publication was not enabled for that bundle.
 
 ## Payload
 
-The v1 payload is a JSON object with required `source_id`, `source_digest`,
+The v1 payload is a top-level JSON array of generic source units. There is no
-`window_units`, `selected_lanes`, and `contexts` fields. `selected_lanes` and
+wrapper, source-level metadata, context grouping, lane identifier, or evidence
-`contexts` are always arrays; an enabled configuration with no accepted direct
+reference in the payload. An enabled configuration with no contributing
-evidence publishes `contexts: []`.
+accepted evidence publishes `[]`.
 
 ```json
-{
+[
-  "source_id": "session-alpha",
-  "source_digest": "sha256:0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef",
-  "window_units": 1,
-  "selected_lanes": ["npc_registry", "spells"],
-  "contexts": [
-    {
-      "context_ref": {
-        "source_id": "session-alpha",
-        "start_unit_id": 10,
-        "end_unit_id": 20
-      },
-      "evidence_refs": [
-        {
-          "lane_id": "spells",
-          "source_ref": {
-            "source_id": "session-alpha",
-            "start_unit_id": 10,
-            "end_unit_id": 10
-          }
-        }
-      ],
-      "units": [
   {
     "id": 10,
     "kind": "transcript_segment",
@@ -76,41 +56,52 @@ evidence publishes `contexts: []`.
     }
   }
 ]
-    }
-  ]
-}
 ```
 
-Each context requires a `context_ref` object and `evidence_refs` and `units`
+Each source unit has required `id`, `kind`, `text`, and self `ref` fields.
-arrays. `context_ref` identifies the first and last included unit. Each
+`ref` contains `source_id`, `start_unit_id`, and `end_unit_id`, and both unit
-evidence entry contains a selected `lane_id` and an original `source_ref`. A
+endpoints identify that unit's `id`. A unit may also contain source-owned
-unit uses the existing source-unit shape: required `id`, `kind`, `text`, and
+`metadata`, an open-ended JSON object. Fixed unit and reference fields are
-self `ref`, plus optional JSON-object `metadata`. Fixed payload objects reject
+strict: consumers must reject unknown fixed fields, malformed units, invalid
-unknown fields; unit metadata may contain application-defined JSON values.
+self-references, units whose `source_id` differs from other units in the same
+excerpt, and a payload that is not the array described here.
 
-## Citations And Context
+The excerpt preserves each selected unit exactly as represented by the
+validated generic source document. It does not add evidence-context-specific
+annotations or reshape source-owned metadata.
 
-`evidence_refs` are the authoritative citations. They identify the direct
+## Selection And Citations
-references emitted by accepted normalized artifacts. `context_ref` and the
-units collection include those cited units plus nearby source units selected by
-the configured window. They are explanatory context, not widened citations.
 
-Only accepted outputs from the configured lane allowlist contribute. Rejected,
+The framework obtains direct source references only through typed evidence
-failed, absent, and lane-filtered outputs do not contribute. The artifact never
+projections of accepted normalized artifacts in the configured lane allowlist.
-contains raw input bytes, prompts, model responses, auxiliary reference
+It validates each reference against the current source document, expands its
-content, credentials, or filesystem paths.
+range by `window_units` source-unit positions on each side, clamps at document
+boundaries, and takes the union of all expanded ranges. The output contains
+each selected source unit once in source-document position order, regardless
+of numeric unit IDs. Repeated references, overlapping windows, and citations
+from multiple lanes do not duplicate a unit. Rejected, failed, absent,
+inactive, and unselected lanes contribute nothing.
 
-## Ordering And Compatibility
+Normalized lane artifacts remain authoritative for citations and for which lane
+cited a range. The excerpt has no lane attribution and must not be used to
+reconstruct it. Its included nearby units provide reading context only; they
+do not widen any citation in a lane artifact.
 
-The selected lane allowlist is lexical. Contexts and units are in source
+The excerpt contains at most every generic source unit once. It can therefore
-document position order, not numeric unit-ID order. Direct evidence entries
+equal the complete generic source document when coverage is broad or the
-are deterministically ordered by lane and source reference. Overlapping or
+window is large. No byte-, token-, or compression-size guarantee is made, and
-contiguous windows merge, and each source unit appears at most once in the
+the framework does not truncate the excerpt to meet an arbitrary size limit.
-resulting contexts.
+
+## Consumer Responsibilities And Data Handling
 
 The artifact is additive to the JSON bundle and is not a lane payload,
 normalized-output count, checkpoint, or generated reference. Consumers that
-do not need it must tolerate the absent optional descriptor. Consumers that do
+do not need it must tolerate an absent descriptor. Consumers that do use it
-use it should preserve the artifact and its schema identity with the run
+should validate the descriptor and payload before use, retain the artifact with
-provenance, and should treat its source text and metadata as sensitive durable
+its schema identity when needed for a run record, and read citations from the
-content.
+corresponding normalized lane artifacts.
+
+The excerpt contains source-unit text and source-owned metadata and is durable
+output. Treat it as sensitive source content, apply appropriate access controls
+and retention, and do not assume its selected form is materially smaller or
+less sensitive than the original input.

docs/integrations/json-output.md

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ root for the logical discovery described here.
 | `warnings.json` | Accepted-output and run warnings. |
 | `lanes/<safe-lane-id>.json` | One normalized artifact payload for each lane. |
 | `chunk-map.json` | Optional accepted chunk map, when its export is enabled and available. |
-| `evidence-context.json` | Optional source-context artifact, when evidence publication is enabled. |
+| `evidence-context.json` | Optional selected source-unit excerpt, when evidence publication is enabled. |
 
 JSON files are pretty-printed with a trailing newline. Lane payloads are
 accepted only when their media type is `application/json`.
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ group into the following externally observable summaries:
 | Run identity and result | `run_id`, `pipeline_id`, `pipeline_digest`, `schema_version`, `validation_status`, `started_at`, `completed_at` |
 | Resolved components | `input_module`, `chunker`, `extractors`, `merger`, `normalizer`, `output_encoder`, `artifact_lanes`, `validator_chains`, `module_metadata` |
 | Source and references | `source_digests`, `references` |
-| Published result summaries | `normalized_outputs`, `rejected_outputs` |
+| Published result summaries | `normalized_outputs`, `rejected_outputs`, `validation_summaries` |
 | Execution summaries | `chunk_plan`, `checkpoint_decisions`, `llm_profiles`, `metadata` |
 
 `references` records provenance such as the target, slot, origin, digest,
@@ -102,6 +102,16 @@ summarize results without embedding lane payload bytes. A chunk-plan summary is
 provenance for the plan used by this run; cache records, debug artifacts, and
 other operational state are not published as bundle files.
 
+Each `validation_summaries` entry is a bounded outcome for one producer result.
+It has required `status`, `producer_attempt_count`, and `terminal_action`;
+the stage and affected step, lane, module, or chunk identity are present when
+applicable. `status` is `complete`, `rejected`, or `incomplete`.
+`rejecting_validators`, `reason_codes`, and `incomplete_validators` preserve
+configured validator order and omit later duplicates. Entries contain no raw
+candidate response, correction guidance, validator diagnostic message, or
+artifact payload. The same shape may appear as `validation` on an affected
+rejection entry.
+
 When present, `metadata.session_id` is the effective non-secret routing
 correlation identifier used for the run. It can be visible to providers and is
 not a substitute for a cache or checkpoint identity. Its generation and
@@ -127,7 +137,10 @@ distinct even when their profile, provider, and model are otherwise equal.
 `rejected.json` is always an object with a `rejected` array. Each entry has
 required `stage` and `message`; `step_id`, `lane_id`, `module_key`, `chunk_id`,
 `chunk_index`, `validator_name`, `reason_code`, `attempt_count`, and
-`diagnostic_artifact_path` are present only when applicable.
+`diagnostic_artifact_path` are present only when applicable. An entry may also
+contain the bounded `validation` summary described above; the existing singular
+validator and reason fields remain the first configured rejection for
+compatibility.
 
 `warnings.json` is always an object with a `warnings` array. Each warning has
 `reason_code` and `message`; `scope` is optional. Both arrays are empty when

docs/integrations/pkg-promptkit.md

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 # PromptKit Integration
 
 Notarius pins
-[`gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit` v0.5.0](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.5.0)
+[`gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit` v0.9.0](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0)
 as its in-process prompt engine. The upstream
-[Go package consumer guide](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.5.0/docs/consumers/pkg-promptkit.md)
+[Go package consumer guide](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0/docs/consumers/pkg-promptkit.md)
 owns the public engine API, and the upstream
-[format reference](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.5.0/docs/formats.md)
+[format reference](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0/docs/formats.md)
 owns prompt, profile, and schema file contracts.
 
 ## Supported Boundary
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ Notarius relies on the root `promptkit` package to:
 - construct an `Engine` with filesystem-backed prompt, schema, and optional
   operator and application-fallback profile sources;
 - prepare one frozen execution from a `RunRequest` with named inline artifacts,
-  variables, a direct session ID, prompt identity, and profile selection, then
+  variables, a direct session ID, prompt identity, profile selection, and
+  optional appended rendered messages, then
   record credential-redacted details and run that exact execution;
 - return rendered debug material, validated structured output, selected
   profile, backend, effective model metadata, and token usage;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ Notarius relies on the root `promptkit` package to:
   admission exhaustion through `ErrCapacityExceeded`.
 
 The pinned
-[`BackendLocal`, `LocalBackend`, and `WithBackend` API](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.5.0/backends.go)
+[`BackendLocal`, `LocalBackend`, and `WithBackend` API](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0/backends.go)
 owns the registration and backend-capacity contract.
 
 For one completion, the adapter calls `PrepareExecution`, takes a
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ Notarius sends one stable effective session through PromptKit's direct session
 field, which is authoritative for provider session behavior. It also retains
 the same value as the `session_id` prompt variable for maintained prompt
 compatibility. The generated identifier is 76 ASCII characters, within
-PromptKit v0.5.0's 256-code-point session limit. Session IDs are non-secret
+PromptKit v0.9.0's 256-code-point session limit. Session IDs are non-secret
 correlation identifiers and may be exposed to providers and provider
 observability. The CLI contract owns generation and override behavior.
 
@@ -84,7 +85,39 @@ configuration and deployment workflow are defined in
 [Configuration](../config.md#promptkit-profiles) and
 [Operations](../operations.md#promptkit-profile-deployment).
 
-Notarius supports this boundary against PromptKit v0.5.0. Its fallback source,
+PromptKit owns `base_profile` resolution under its
+[pinned format rules](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/v0.9.0/docs/formats.md).
+Notarius records the selected leaf identity and resolved target without parsing
+or merging inheritance. An unset filesystem `api_key_env` is optional and may
+reach the provider without authorization, which can result in a 401 or 403.
+
+PromptKit v0.9.0 accepts only the `developer`, `system`, `user`, and
+`assistant` text-chat roles after normalizing case and surrounding whitespace.
+Maintained Notarius prompt definitions use only `system` and `user`.
+
+For application-owned semantic correction, Notarius uses PromptKit v0.9.0's
+`RunRequest.AppendedMessages` after the ordinary rendered prompt. It supplies
+exactly two messages in order: the latest validated producer response with
+role `assistant`, then deterministic validation guidance with role `user`.
+It never exposes a general caller-selected role API, accumulates earlier
+correction turns, or changes the ordinary prompt prefix. Ordinary requests
+leave appended messages unset.
+
+PromptKit preserves supplied content but does not own Notarius's correction
+bounds. Notarius rejects invalid UTF-8, blank, or oversized assistant material
+(at most 1 MiB), guidance (at most 64 KiB), and combined content (at most
+1,114,112 bytes) before preparing the request. The transport-neutral
+application contract owns defensive copying and these limits. Default request
+and terminal summaries retain only safe counts, digests, identities, and usage;
+complete appended messages remain limited to the explicitly requested detailed
+debug trace.
+
+PromptKit now obtains its maintained OpenRouter and Rakestrawhome backend and
+profile catalogs from independently versioned transitive modules. Notarius
+does not import or register either catalog; PromptKit retains catalog source,
+identity, precedence, credential, and capacity ownership.
+
+Notarius supports this boundary against PromptKit v0.9.0. Its fallback source,
 prepared-execution, inspection, and typed capacity APIs are used as public
 upstream contracts; other PromptKit APIs or file-format behavior are not
 implicitly supported. A dependency upgrade requires reviewing the adapter,
@@ -97,6 +130,10 @@ pinned upstream documentation.
 module assets, maps its transport-neutral completion contract, prepares and
 executes requests, validates output, records provenance, captures debug
 material, redacts errors, and preserves timeout ownership.
+
+PromptKit provider error details do not cross the ordinary completion boundary.
+Notarius exposes a provider-neutral generation category and optional status;
+redacted provider details are retained only in requested debug material.
 [D&D Module Internals](../internal/dnd.md) owns the embedded
 `dnd-extraction` fallback profile and the maintained D&D prompt defaults.
 [Configuration](../config.md#promptkit-profiles) defines how a Notarius
@@ -105,4 +142,7 @@ the conventional local backend.
 
 PromptKit API or format changes outside this boundary are not implicitly
 supported. Updating the pinned version requires reviewing the adapter and
-profile/configuration contracts against the upstream documentation.
+profile/configuration contracts against the upstream documentation. Maintained
+production prompts use PromptKit's bounded structural-repair contract; their
+current declaration is one additional repair attempt. Notarius retains the
+transport-neutral boundary and does not expose PromptKit types to modules.

docs/integrations/run-result.md

@@ -22,11 +22,15 @@ The current schema version is `notarius.run-result.v1`.
 | `rejected_output_count` | Yes | Number of recorded rejected outputs. |
 | `warning_count` | Yes | Number of final run warnings. |
 | `validation_status` | Yes | The final run manifest validation status. |
+| `validation_summaries` | No | Bounded per-producer validation outcomes; present when producer work ran. |
 | `debug_directory` | No | Absolute path to the run-specific debug bundle when requested debug capture completed. |
 
 For the production `json` output module, `index_file` is present only when the
 completed run returned exactly one logical output file named `index.json`.
 For another output module, its absence does not indicate a failed run.
+`validation_status` is `approved`, `rejected`, or `incomplete`; `incomplete`
+means one or more otherwise accepted results advanced under validator-failure
+`warn_continue`.
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -38,7 +42,17 @@ For another output module, its absence does not indicate a failed run.
   "normalized_output_count": 6,
   "rejected_output_count": 2,
   "warning_count": 1,
-  "validation_status": "rejected"
+  "validation_status": "incomplete",
+  "validation_summaries": [
+    {
+      "stage": "extract",
+      "lane_id": "spells",
+      "status": "incomplete",
+      "incomplete_validators": ["dnd/spells/source_refs"],
+      "producer_attempt_count": 1,
+      "terminal_action": "warn_continue"
+    }
+  ]
 }
 ```
 
@@ -48,8 +62,11 @@ For another output module, its absence does not indicate a failed run.
 paths. They identify the paths used by Notarius and do not resolve symlinks.
 `output_directory` is the run-specific bundle, not the configured output root.
 
-The receipt is a summary and discovery document. It does not contain lane
+The receipt is a summary and discovery document. Its optional validation
-descriptors, payloads, manifest data, rejections, warnings, or file contents.
+summaries contain only stable status, identity, validator names, reason codes,
+attempt counts, and terminal actions. It does not contain lane descriptors,
+payloads, manifest payloads, rejection messages, warnings, raw model responses,
+correction guidance, or file contents.
 For the production JSON output, resolve `index_file` beneath
 `output_directory`, reject path escapes, and use the
 [Published JSON Output contract](json-output.md) to discover logical files and

docs/internal/cli.md

@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ preparation, and runner mechanics after their inputs are supplied.
 
 ## Dispatch And Configuration Handoff
 
-The root dispatcher handles help, configuration validation, pipeline listing,
+The root dispatcher handles help, version reporting, configuration validation,
-and a pipeline run. It normalizes injectable options before dispatch so that a
+pipeline listing, and a pipeline run. Version reporting resolves build
-missing production dependency fails as a command error rather than reaching
+information through `internal/buildinfo` before production composition, so the
-execution.
+diagnostic remains available without configuration or runtime collaborators.
+The public syntax, streams, exit classes, and version semantics are defined by
+the [CLI reference](../cli.md). Other root commands normalize injectable
+options before dispatch so that a missing production dependency fails as a
+command error rather than reaching execution.
 
 Commands that need configuration use one shared loader. The CLI discovers the
 file, parses it through **internal/core/config**, starts from defaults, applies

docs/internal/configuration.md

@@ -74,10 +74,19 @@ profile-free, and no second inheritance decision occurs during execution. The
 public field definitions and precedence are owned by
 [Configuration](../config.md#pipelines).
 
+The resolver retains configured `validation_policy` overrides and derives one
+detached concrete terminal policy for the chunk producer and every lane's
+extract, merge, and normalize producers. That field-by-field inheritance is
+complete before preparation, and the effective values contribute to pipeline
+and checkpoint identity; execution does not interpret configuration defaults.
+
 The framework resolver supplies defaults, selects lanes, resolves validator
 chains, checks registered module and artifact compatibility, validates module
-options, and returns the fixed ordered pipeline shape. The resulting
+options, and returns the fixed ordered pipeline shape. Positive validator retry
-**EffectiveConfig** retains the selected ID, requested selection and reference
+budgets require an LLM-backed selected validator; deterministic validators are
+rejected during resolution. Eligible LLM-backed producer specifications also
+contribute their declared correction protocol to the resolved metadata. The
+resulting **EffectiveConfig** retains the selected ID, requested selection and reference
 changes, a clone of the input configuration, and the resolved pipeline.
 Callers may therefore retain or modify their input slices and maps without
 changing the resolved result, and later consumers cannot mutate the original
@@ -94,8 +103,8 @@ runtime error class described in the [CLI reference](../cli.md#output-streams-an
 
 The framework assigns the resolved pipeline a deterministic SHA-256 digest
 after defaults, lane selection, module bindings, reference bindings, validator
-chains, effective LLM profiles, and artifact schema identity have been
+chains, selected correction protocols, effective LLM profiles, and artifact
-resolved. The digest excludes
+schema identity have been resolved. The digest excludes
 its own stored value. It identifies resolved composition rather than raw YAML
 bytes, a debug payload, or all runtime state. The CLI records it as invocation
 provenance before execution; cache and checkpoint identity have additional

docs/internal/dnd.md

@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ typed builder. Scene chunking, every extractor, and NPC, location, and item-regi
 normalization are registered as `llm_backed`; the remaining current D&D mergers
 and normalizers are `deterministic`. The metadata is available to catalog inspection and
 resolved-pipeline debug data and determines which selected bindings inherit the
-pipeline profile. Configuration remains the canonical owner of the exact keys,
+pipeline profile. The registry normalizers use `single_response_v1`, forwarding
+corrections to their reconciliation completion and retaining the accepted raw
+proposal only as an owned model candidate. Configuration remains the canonical owner of the exact keys,
 profile precedence, and validator order.
 
 Private structured-LLM response schemas are deliberately minimal. They reject
@@ -42,6 +44,13 @@ unknown fields, while preserving semantic candidates for deterministic
 validation. Do not promote a private response envelope into a durable schema;
 the contracts above define durable data.
 
+A D&D producer that declares `single_response_v1` forwards any supplied
+semantic correction to its structured completion and returns an owned copy of
+that completion's exact validated raw response as its model candidate. It does
+not serialize normalized artifacts to create that candidate, so deterministic
+identity, evidence, warning, and durable-schema behavior remains separate from
+the model transport material.
+
 ## Prompt Construction
 
 D&D LLM-facing content lives beneath `assets/dnd/`. Each module contributes a
@@ -84,13 +93,15 @@ replace it with a complete profile of the same ID from the configured PromptKit
 source. Deployment profile selection is documented in
 [Configuration](../config.md#promptkit-profiles).
 
-The transcript assets have distinct consumers. Scene chunking consumes the
+The D&D transcript assets have distinct consumers. Scene chunking consumes the
-complete-session `common-dnd-transcript-full.md`; extraction prompts consume
+complete-session `common-dnd-transcript-full.md`, while extraction prompts
-the current-chunk `common-dnd-transcript-chunk.md`; and NPC, location, and item
+consume the current-chunk `common-dnd-transcript-chunk.md`. NPC, location, and
-normalization consume `common-dnd-transcript-windows.md` alongside their
+item normalization instead mount the generic semantic-reconciliation
-candidate collections. Player, party, glossary, and compatible campaign
+candidate and transcript-window presentation assets. Player, party, glossary,
-references provide disambiguating context, not evidence. Reference material is
+and compatible campaign references provide disambiguating context only when
-canonically ordered before rendering so equivalent inputs remain stable.
+declared by the active prompt; they never establish evidence. Reference
+material is canonically ordered before rendering so equivalent inputs remain
+stable.
 
 Extraction prompts render the common system and identity messages first, then
 cached campaign references and the cached chunk transcript. Evidence policy and
@@ -100,10 +111,11 @@ reusable extraction prefix identical while preserving the lane-specific suffix.
 
 Scene chunking intentionally uses a different order: system, cached campaign
 references, uncached module instructions, then the final ephemeral full
-transcript. Entity normalization also has its own order: system, uncached
+transcript. Entity normalization also has its own order: D&D system, mandatory
-module instructions, ephemeral reconciliation policy, uncached candidates, and
+generic protocol, ephemeral domain semantic instructions, generic candidate
-final ephemeral transcript windows. These orders and cache controls are prompt
+presentation, and final ephemeral generic transcript windows. These orders and
-behavior; change them only through the owning manifest and prompt declaration.
+cache controls are prompt behavior; change them only through the owning
+manifest and prompt declaration.
 
 ## Evidence, Candidates, And Normalization
 
@@ -116,25 +128,70 @@ result.
 
 Default chains keep responsibilities separate: structural validators assess the
 candidate, source-reference validators resolve cited ranges against the current
-source, durable-schema validation checks an approved representation, and
+source and require extraction evidence to stay within the current chunk,
+durable-schema validation checks an approved representation, and
 relatedness validators report advisory evidence concerns. The configured order
 is documented in
 [Configuration](../config.md#production-validator-keys-and-default-chains).
 
+Every D&D rejection describes the correction in transcript-grounded domain
+terms, using contextual names, artifact fields, and source segment ranges when
+useful. The guidance must not ask the model to reproduce durable entity IDs,
+hashes, validator module keys, or reason codes. Those identifiers remain in
+ordinary validation provenance; only the actionable semantic guidance is
+eligible for the correction prompt.
+
 Enemy-event extraction additionally rejects a second `engaged` observation for
 the same comparison identity within one scene-scoped result. Normalization may
 combine results from distinct scenes, so it intentionally does not apply that
 rule. Configuration owns the exact validator key and chain position.
 
 Normalizers are deterministic for spells, combat turns, item occurrences, NPC
-occurrences, scene descriptions, enemy events, and location occurrences. They canonicalize display
+occurrences, scene descriptions, enemy events, and location occurrences. They
-values and evidence, use source-document order for stable output, and issue
+canonicalize display values and evidence, use source-document order for stable
-bounded warnings for changes or collapsed duplicates. The NPC and location
+output, and issue bounded warnings for changes or collapsed duplicates. NPC,
-normalizers are intentional exceptions: each first produces a deterministic
+item, and location registry normalizers are intentional exceptions: each first
-candidate set, then may use a bounded structured-LLM proposal to reconcile
+produces a deterministic candidate set, then may use a bounded structured-LLM
-identity groups. Invalid or unusable proposals retain the deterministic result
+proposal to reconcile identity groups.
-and surface retry or fallback diagnostics; the model does not directly replace
+
-durable records.
+## Semantic Registry Reconciliation
+
+The three registry normalizers instantiate the domain-neutral
+`internal/framework/semanticreconcile` engine with default bounds. Each
+eligible candidate receives a contiguous, one-based `candidate_id` for that
+request. The model sees that handle, the candidate label and source-free
+evidence ranges, plus bounded transcript windows; it returns only duplicate
+groups of supplied handles and one supplied canonical handle per group. It
+never returns names, evidence, durable IDs, or replacement records. Identical
+labels and evidence remain independently selectable because their handles are
+distinct.
+
+The generic core owns the mandatory handle protocol, candidate and transcript
+presentation, the private response schema, source-reference validation,
+candidate and combined-material limits, structured completion, proposal
+assessment, stable group ordering, and typed plan-application mechanics. The
+D&D prompt contributes its system message and registry-specific semantic
+instructions. The generic registrar registers the shared prompt and schema;
+the D&D registrar registers each consuming prompt and the fallback profile.
+
+Fewer than two eligible candidates skips the LLM without a semantic warning.
+An exceeded bound also skips the call and preserves the deterministic
+preprocessed registry, adding the registry's bounded fallback warning. Invalid
+structured output or discarded proposal groups use the normalizer's existing
+retry contract; retry exhaustion preserves the safe deterministic or
+partially applied result and emits its bounded fallback warning. Provider,
+transport, cancellation, and context-material failures remain execution
+errors.
+
+Application remains typed and registry-owned. All three policies select the
+canonical member's normalized display name, union member evidence in source
+order, preserve ungrouped records, and derive durable identity only after
+consolidation. NPC IDs derive from the final name. Item IDs also derive from
+the final name, and a typed guard prevents currency aliases from crossing
+denominations or mixing currency with non-currency records. Location IDs
+derive from the final name and final evidence, preserving same-name,
+parent/child, and distinct physical-place identities. Registry warning scopes,
+reason codes, and postconditions remain outside the generic core.
 
 ## Generated References And Grounding
 
@@ -144,11 +201,19 @@ producer provenance; consumers resolve the handed-off artifact into an
 immutable, validated projection for each operation. External files are checked
 during preparation, while generated artifacts are resolved at the handoff.
 
-NPC, location, and item registries project ordered, source-free `{id, name}`
+NPC and item registry consumers receive names-only grounding. Location
-pairs to their respective occurrence extractors and normalizers. Exact ID/name
+consumers receive a contextual selector containing the canonical name and the
-matching preserves every identity the registry recognizes, including same-name
+registry references needed to distinguish same-name places. The calling module
-locations with distinct source anchors. The NPC registry additionally supplies
+resolves those supplied selections locally and maps them into the unchanged
-names-only actor grounding to spells, combat turns, and enemy events.
+durable ID/name pair; an unknown or ambiguous selection rejects the complete
+occurrence result rather than accepting a partial mapping. The NPC registry
+additionally supplies names-only actor grounding to spells, combat turns, and
+enemy events.
+
+Registry references establish a registry identity and may disambiguate a
+selection, but never become occurrence evidence. Each occurrence keeps its own
+current-transcript source references, even when it was grounded through the
+same registry record.
 Scene descriptions are eligibility-only projections: they retain current-chunk
 classification data, not scene prose or evidence, and exist to route combat
 extraction. Enemy-event extraction also projects combat turns to `actor` and
@@ -170,7 +235,7 @@ checkpoint fingerprint.
 | Spells | May use a spell-catalog overlay and optional NPC grounding; the catalog validator supplies domain-specific semantic checks. |
 | NPC registry | Establishes transcript-grounded NPC identities, including factual third-party mentions, without assigning occurrence categories. It does not consume an NPC registry, and its normalizer is the LLM-assisted reconciliation exception described above. |
 | Combat turns | Requires a scene-description artifact. It calls the LLM only for an exact `combat` classification; exact non-combat classifications return an accepted empty result, while missing or mismatched classifications return an empty result with a bounded warning. Optional NPC grounding never becomes evidence. |
-| Item occurrences | Requires the normalized item registry for exact ID/name grounding at extraction and normalization. Campaign context may disambiguate, but the registry never becomes occurrence evidence. |
+| Item occurrences | Requires the normalized item registry for exact deterministic grounding at extraction and normalization. Campaign context may disambiguate, but the registry never becomes occurrence evidence. |
 | Item registry | Produces source-grounded item types and unique designations. Its LLM-assisted reconciliation is proposal-only, preserves distinct currency denominations and item types, and does not create per-instance identities. |
 | NPC occurrences | Requires the normalized NPC registry at extraction and normalization, using it for canonical actor grounding only. It separately emits cited current-transcript occurrence facts, including `mentioned`, rather than deriving them from registry provenance. |
 | Scene descriptions | Produces the classifications consumed by combat routing; it does not consume an NPC registry or provide evidence for combat artifacts. |

docs/internal/llm.md

@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ adapter does not own source evidence, artifact conversion, normalization, or
 durable schemas. Those responsibilities remain with the module and its
 [integration contract](../integrations/).
 
+The calling module also resolves contextual entity selections and attaches any
+application identity; PromptKit and this adapter do not own entity identity.
+
 `PromptKitClient` validates the request target and prompt identity, maps each
 named material to a PromptKit inline artifact while preserving its origin URI,
 passes the supplied request session through to PromptKit's direct per-run
@@ -39,6 +42,22 @@ observability. The adapter returns PromptKit’s validated raw bytes rather than
 re-encoding the decoded target. An empty optional material is represented as
 one space so its named input is retained by PromptKit.
 
+When a request includes semantic correction material, the adapter validates and
+defensively copies it before preparation, then appends exactly two messages
+after the ordinarily rendered prompt: the prior response as an assistant
+message and the correction guidance as a user message. Requests without a
+correction do not add messages or introduce caller roles. Ordinary request
+summaries record correction byte counts and digests only; complete messages are
+available solely in an explicitly requested debug trace.
+
+The adapter leaves the ordinary rendered message prefix, named inputs,
+variables, session, profile, execution overrides, prepared-execution path, and
+PromptKit repair policy unchanged for a corrected request. It never imports a
+PromptKit message type into a module or pipeline contract. PromptKit reports
+actual structural repair count and cumulative token usage per completion; the
+pipeline's safe terminal debug record projects those values without copying
+message content.
+
 Client construction may also receive a run-wide reasoning-effort override from
 the CLI factory boundary. The adapter copies the caller-owned pointer and
 creates a fresh PromptKit execution override for each request: a nil pointer
@@ -72,7 +91,7 @@ backend membership as runtime without performing generation. Fallback assets
 are mounted only when at least one source is registered. The production D&D
 registrar contributes its `dnd-extraction` fallback, and the maintained D&D
 prompts select that logical ID by default. PromptKit owns source precedence and
-profile parsing: an operator-provided matching profile takes precedence over a
+profile parsing and inheritance: an operator-provided matching profile takes precedence over a
 fallback profile without Notarius merging either document.
 When the registration is absent, a profile selecting `backend: local` fails
 inspection instead of falling back to a built-in or endpoint-only target.
@@ -99,7 +118,8 @@ because it changes scheduling rather than execution semantics.
 Production construction creates one PromptKit client and wraps it in one
 scheduled client. The scheduler has a fixed, positive permit limit, serves
 queued calls in FIFO order, and removes a queued call when its context is
-cancelled. A granted permit is released exactly once on every completion path.
+cancelled. It rechecks the caller context after admission and before dispatch.
+A granted permit is released exactly once on every completion path.
 
 The scheduled wrapper surrounds every `CompleteStructured` call, so concurrent
 lanes, pipeline retries, and LLM-backed validators share the same provider-call
@@ -138,12 +158,28 @@ arrangement and its data-only boundary are defined by
 [ADR-0011](../adr/0011-centralize-llm-assets.md), rather than by this runtime
 guide.
 
+The generic registrar is the sole production registration owner for the
+semantic-reconciliation default prompt and private response schema. The
+domain-neutral reconciliation package also exposes only its mandatory protocol
+and candidate/transcript presentation files for domain prompt manifests. D&D
+registry normalizers mount those files while retaining ownership and hashing
+of their D&D system message, semantic instructions, and complete prompt
+declaration. The response schema is therefore registered once even though
+several typed normalizers select it.
+
 Mounted prompt assets determine a module's fingerprint. The fingerprint hashes
 only the module and shared files explicitly selected by its manifest, so an
 unrelated asset does not invalidate a checkpoint. Schema loaders validate JSON,
 attach identity and digest metadata, make defensive copies, and expose
 diagnostics without raw schema bytes.
 
+Semantic-reconciliation normalizers extend this identity with the shared
+response-schema digest, framework policy version, and complete limit-policy
+digest. Their manifest metadata records the same content-free prompt, schema,
+policy, and limit identities together with domain identity and normalization
+policies. Request-local handles, source material, proposal content, and raw
+asset bytes are not checkpoint metadata.
+
 Private response schemas validate a model transport envelope. They are not the
 durable artifact schema and should not be documented as an external wire
 contract. Durable formats and compatibility rules remain in the
@@ -176,7 +212,9 @@ structured-output validation. The adapter reports an empty result, validation
 failure, empty structured body, or decode failure as
 `ErrInvalidStructuredOutput`, while retaining the returned raw bytes and debug
 material when they exist. Provider failures remain operational errors rather
-than output-validation failures.
+than output-validation failures. Apart from documented context, capacity, and
+invalid-output categories, provider error values and types do not cross the
+adapter error chain; callers receive only a credential-redacted diagnostic.
 
 When PromptKit rejects backend admission before generation, the adapter maps
 `promptkit.ErrCapacityExceeded` to
@@ -188,13 +226,29 @@ caller context takes precedence. The adapter does not retry capacity failures;
 the pipeline's existing binding attempt policy sees the operational error and
 decides whether to rerun the complete operation.
 
-Prompt-declared repair is executed within PromptKit’s structured-output flow.
+PromptKit executes structural repair within its structured-output flow. The
-The current production D&D prompt manifests set repair attempts to zero. That
+maintained production prompt manifests declare one additional repair attempt.
-setting does not replace pipeline retry behavior: a binding’s configured retry
+When a resolved binding supplies a repair value, the adapter inspects the
-count reruns its stage attempt after an error or rejection, and an exhausted
+prompt, copies its complete output contract, changes only the repair limit, and
-rejection is a recorded output rather than a provider error. The pipeline owns
+passes that complete replacement contract to PromptKit. This preserves the
-attempt lifecycle, validation chains, and retry diagnostics; see
+prompt's output format, validation mode, schema, and provider structured-output
-[Pipeline Internals](pipeline.md#validation-retries-and-output) and the
+settings.
+
+A successful repair is an ordinary successful completion, not a warning. The
+adapter reports PromptKit's actual repair count and its cumulative usage
+directly, without adding the initial and corrective counts again. Debug prompt
+material records the configured complete contract; debug response material
+records the repaired response and actual validation result. If the repair
+budget is exhausted, the adapter retains the final raw bytes and debug material
+and reports `ErrInvalidStructuredOutput`. Generation failures during an initial
+or corrective call remain provider-neutral operational errors with the same
+redaction boundary.
+
+Structural repair does not replace pipeline retry behavior: a binding's
+configured retry count reruns its complete stage attempt after an operational
+or structural error, module-requested retry, or actionable semantic rejection.
+The pipeline owns attempt lifecycle, validation chains, and retry diagnostics;
+see [Pipeline Internals](pipeline.md#validation-retries-and-output) and the
 [binding reference](../config.md#module-bindings-and-validators).
 
 ## Timeout Ownership
@@ -225,6 +279,13 @@ surfaced; when the completion already failed, its call error remains the
 result. Debug-bundle location, retention, and handling are operational concerns
 documented in [Operations](../operations.md#debug-bundles).
 
+The attempt-terminal summary is a separate safe trace record: it contains
+attempt kinds, validator outcome counts and reason codes, effective policy,
+terminal action, and repair/usage references. It excludes raw assistant
+responses and correction text. Those values can appear only in the explicitly
+requested detailed prompt and response artifacts, which require sensitive-data
+handling.
+
 Run manifests receive selected profile summaries, including optional effective
 backend and reasoning provenance, and component identities—not prompt, schema,
 source, reference, or response content. The published field semantics belong
@@ -234,6 +295,9 @@ redacted before it crosses the runtime boundary. Known-secret redaction is
 available to other runtime collaborators; it does not make prompt or response
 contents safe for general logging.
 
+Generation failures expose an application-owned category and optional HTTP
+status. Provider code, type, and message remain debug-only, after redaction.
+
 ## Failure Boundaries
 
 - Construction fails for missing asset registries, mutually exclusive profile

docs/internal/modules.md

@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@ to bindings whose declared execution class is `llm_backed` and rejects a
 binding-specific profile on a deterministic module. The user-facing precedence
 contract belongs in [Configuration](../config.md#pipelines).
 
+An eligible LLM-backed chunk, extract, merge, or normalize producer may also
+declare correction protocol `single_response_v1`. That declaration is a
+promise that the implementation accepts one attempt-local semantic correction
+and returns an owned copy of the exact one model response that directly
+controlled the candidate. It must forward correction only to its structured
+completion request; it must not manufacture prior-response material by
+serializing a normalized artifact or expose opaque application IDs. Input,
+output, validator, and deterministic specs cannot declare the protocol.
+
 Implementations that accept options must provide both an option validator and
 a builder. The validator is used while resolving configuration; the builder
 decodes the same options and constructs the implementation from the prepared
@@ -36,20 +45,38 @@ they need, register each leaf implementation, and add any family-owned assets
 or default validator chains. They return contextual errors so production
 composition fails at startup rather than at the first run.
 
+A validator that returns a completed rejection must supply two separate
+bounded values: a stable `ReasonCode` for provenance and actionable
+`CorrectionGuidance` for the producer. Guidance identifies the semantic defect
+and the constraints on one complete corrected replacement. It must not contain
+validator keys, diagnostic paths, opaque application IDs, or other internal
+identifiers. An operator-facing `Message` may explain the same event, but the
+framework never copies it into a model request. Missing or invalid guidance is
+a validator contract failure.
+
 An artifact family can register an optional typed evidence projector alongside
 its codec. The projector returns defensive copies of the artifact's direct
 generic source references and must use the codec's exact Go type. It does not
 interpret surrounding context or publish files; the pipeline validates the
 capability during preparation and the output boundary owns publication. See
 the [Published Evidence Context contract](../integrations/evidence-context.md)
-for the durable result.
+for the durable source-unit excerpt. Lane artifacts retain citation and lane
+provenance; the framework does not add either to that published excerpt.
+
+An artifact family is broader than a module: it owns the cohesive domain
+feature across its artifact type, codec, stage modules, validators, prompt
+policy, schemas, identity helpers, and reference projections. An extractor and
+normalizer in one artifact family remain independently registered modules in
+their respective pipeline stages. This ownership vocabulary does not create a
+new registry or change the fixed pipeline.
 
 ## Production Composition
 
 Production composition is intentionally split by family:
 
 - The generic registrar provides the unit chunker, generic JSON validators,
-  and JSON output encoder.
+  JSON output encoder, and shared semantic-reconciliation prompt and response
+  schema assets.
 - The Seriatim registrar provides the transcript input adapter. Its external
   input behavior is defined by the [Seriatim contract](../integrations/seriatim.md).
 - The D&D registrar provides its codecs, extractors, mergers, normalizers,
@@ -60,6 +87,42 @@ The CLI owns the composition that invokes these registrars. A module package
 may register its own family but must not assemble the CLI or make framework
 packages depend on production extensions.
 
+## Semantic Reconciliation
+
+`internal/framework/semanticreconcile` is a domain-neutral strategy used by a
+typed normalize module; it is not itself a selectable stage module. A
+source-backed artifact-family normalizer projects its deterministic records
+into contextual candidates and owned typed record envelopes, supplies its
+chosen prompt identity and resolved LLM profile, and constructs an engine with
+explicit limits. The core filters invalid evidence, assigns contiguous
+request-local integer handles, renders bounded candidate and transcript
+materials, invokes the structured-completion boundary, and assesses the
+returned duplicate groups into a stable non-overlapping plan.
+
+The normalizer then applies that plan through a typed `ApplicationPolicy`. The
+core preserves ungrouped records, contribution order, and provenance while the
+artifact family owns group guards, field and evidence consolidation, durable
+ID derivation, retry and fallback presentation, warnings, and postconditions.
+Request-local handles do not enter the typed value or durable artifact. Fewer
+than two eligible candidates skips model invocation; exceeding a candidate or
+combined-material bound preserves the deterministic result under the family's
+fallback policy. Provider, transport, cancellation, and context-construction
+failures remain execution errors.
+
+When the engine actually makes a proposal call, its typed result carries the
+owned exact proposal response under the same correction contract as other
+eligible producers. Deterministic skip, limit, and fallback outcomes carry no
+model candidate, so a later rejection applies terminal policy without spending
+an ineffective semantic retry.
+
+The core supplies a conservative generic prompt and the single private
+response schema. A domain prompt may substitute its semantic instructions but
+mounts the core-owned protocol and candidate/transcript presentation assets.
+Prompt, schema, policy, and limit identities participate in manifest metadata
+and checkpoint fingerprints. The generic registrar owns production
+registration of those shared assets; a consuming domain registrar owns only
+its domain prompt.
+
 ## Adding Or Changing A Module
 
 1. Choose the pipeline stage and the typed artifact boundary. Put external
@@ -72,9 +135,13 @@ packages depend on production extensions.
 3. Implement strict option decoding, construction, and the typed stage
    interface. Preserve caller ownership: do not retain mutable request data
    and return defensive copies where an implementation exposes stored data.
+   If declaring correction capability, forward the request correction and
+   retain only the exact validated response that controlled the result.
 4. Register the module through its typed registry helper and add it to the
    owning family registrar. Add a default validator chain only when that
    family owns the behavior; otherwise require an explicit compatible chain.
+   Every rejection path in a validator must provide actionable correction
+   guidance while retaining its stable internal reason code.
 5. Update the selectable-key and chain reference in
    [Configuration](../config.md#production-module-keys), the applicable
    integration contract, and focused tests. Keep the configuration document

docs/internal/overview.md

@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ physical state roots.
 | Area | Implemented owners | Responsibility |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | Executable and command boundary | **cmd/notarius**, **internal/cli** | Process entry, command dispatch, configuration discovery, production composition, runtime collaborator setup, durable file placement, and user-facing reporting. |
+| Build information | **internal/buildinfo** | Resolves a stable linked release tag or build metadata for the diagnostic root version command. |
 | Configuration | **internal/core/config** | Defaults, strict YAML parsing, environment overrides, structural validation, effective resolution, redaction, and resolved-composition summaries. |
 | Generic models | **internal/core/source**, **internal/core/artifacts**, **internal/framework/contracts** | Source documents and chunks, manifests and provenance, plus typed artifact, reference, validation, output, and structured-completion contracts. |
 | Pipeline framework | **internal/framework/pipeline** | Registries, profile and reference resolution, typed preparation, validation, retry coordination, ordered execution, handoff, and result assembly. |
 | LLM and prompt runtime | **internal/framework/llm**, **internal/framework/promptfs** | Provider-neutral structured completions, scheduling, profile recording, prompt assets, schema registration, and credential-shaped-value redaction. |
+| Semantic reconciliation | **internal/framework/semanticreconcile** | Bounded source-backed candidate preparation, request-local handle proposals, deterministic assessment, typed plan application, and reconciliation identity metadata; see [Module Internals](modules.md#semantic-reconciliation) and [D&D Module Internals](dnd.md#semantic-registry-reconciliation). |
 | Embedded LLM content | **assets** | Read-only centralized LLM-facing content, scoped by its consuming package; see [LLM Runtime](llm.md#prompt-and-schema-assets) and [D&D Module Internals](dnd.md#prompt-construction). |
 | Runtime state | **internal/core/fileio**, **internal/core/debugbundle**, **internal/framework/checkpoint**, **internal/framework/chunkplan**, **internal/framework/chunkmap**, **internal/framework/debug** | Confined atomic files, debug bundles, checkpoint and chunk-plan state, accepted chunk maps, and pipeline-facing debug recording. |
 | Production extensions | **internal/modules/generic**, **internal/modules/seriatim**, **internal/modules/dnd** | Domain-neutral extensions, Seriatim input support, and D&D extraction families registered into the production catalog. |
@@ -49,8 +51,9 @@ the CLI composition boundary.
   composition, and path safety.
 - [LLM Runtime](llm.md): structured completion, scheduling, prompt assets,
   profiles, and secret handling.
-- [Module Internals](modules.md): generic extension registration, module
+- [Module Internals](modules.md): generic extension registration, artifact
-  construction, validation, and reference mechanics.
+  families, module construction, semantic reconciliation, validation, and
+  reference mechanics.
 - [D&D Module Internals](dnd.md): shared D&D extractor conventions, generated
   reference projections, and lane-specific exceptions. Durable D&D and
   Seriatim data shapes remain in the [integration contracts](../integrations/).

docs/internal/pipeline.md

@@ -32,13 +32,26 @@ Resolution turns a configured pipeline profile into a **ResolvedPipeline**.
 It normalizes the pipeline and lane identities, applies stage defaults, selects
 requested lanes where that is supported, resolves validator chains, checks
 module capabilities and typed artifact compatibility, validates options, and
-assigns a deterministic resolved-composition digest. The resolved pipeline
+assigns a deterministic resolved-composition digest. A correction protocol is
-contains bindings and declared reference targets, not external reference bytes.
+selected from each eligible LLM-backed producer specification and becomes part
+of that resolved identity; only `single_response_v1` is currently supported.
+Preparation rejects an LLM-backed producer that combines a non-empty validator
+chain with positive producer retries unless it declares that protocol. Producers
+without validators or without retries remain valid without correction support.
+The resolved pipeline contains bindings and declared reference targets, not
+external reference bytes.
 After selection, the resolver applies command, binding, and pipeline profile
 precedence to LLM-backed bindings and validators only; prompt defaults remain
-an empty resolved binding profile. Deterministic bindings remain profile-free.
+an empty resolved binding profile. It resolves structural output repair
-These effective values are part of the digest, so execution and checkpoint
+separately: a binding's `structured_output_repair_attempts` value wins, then a
-consumers do not repeat profile inheritance.
+pipeline value applies to LLM-backed bindings and validators, and omission
+leaves the prompt-owned policy intact. An explicit repair value on a
+deterministic binding is rejected. Resolved bindings own copied repair values,
+and these effective values are part of the digest, so execution and checkpoint
+consumers do not repeat profile inheritance or configuration resolution.
+Each LLM request receives its own copy of that resolved value. PromptKit spends
+it only for structural correction inside one completion; the runner's binding
+retry policy remains the separate outer budget for complete stage attempts.
 Configuration resolution supplies the selected profile and catalog; see
 [Configuration Internals](configuration.md).
 
@@ -46,16 +59,20 @@ External reference materialization happens before preparation. The materializer
 checks that each slot is declared by the selected module, resolves a file path
 relative to the correct configuration or working-directory origin, reads
 UTF-8 text, verifies media type and size limits, and retains bounded
-provenance. A generated-artifact selector remains declared but has no bytes
+provenance. For a positive slot limit, it reads at most the limit plus one byte
-until its producing step completes.
+and rejects overflow before retaining content. A generated-artifact selector
+remains declared but has no bytes until its producing step completes.
 
 Preparation is the construction boundary. It validates the resolved shape and
 registry set, clones the resolved data, then constructs the input adapter,
-chunker, stage-local validators, every typed lane, and output encoder with
+chunker, stage-local validators, every typed lane, and output encoder. The
-cloned options, references, and shared dependencies. It also collects stable
+prepared producer metadata preserves each selected correction protocol, and
-checkpoint fingerprints. Missing registrations, incompatible typed entries,
+the resolved digest carrying that metadata participates in checkpoint identity.
-nil implementations, and constructor failures are reported before source
+Each registered builder receives its own cloned build request immediately
-parsing or any stage operation begins.
+before its module-owned code runs. Preparation also collects stable checkpoint
+fingerprints. Missing registrations, incompatible typed entries, nil
+implementations, and constructor failures are reported before source parsing
+or any stage operation begins.
 
 An output encoder can opt into source-evidence publication through its output
 policy. Preparation keeps the configured lane allowlist and active lanes
@@ -115,15 +132,49 @@ for started workers, and prevents output encoding.
 
 Every chunk, extract, merge, and normalize candidate passes its resolved
 validator chain. Validators receive immutable canonical input appropriate to
-their target: chunks, typed values, or serialized codec bytes. They may
+their target: chunks, codec-decoded typed candidates, or serialized codec
-approve, approve with warnings, reject, or fail. A rejection is an ordinary
+bytes. Each typed validator receives a newly decoded value from the one
-pipeline result; a validator error is a framework error.
+candidate serialization for that attempt, while serialized validators receive
+separately owned representation bytes and schema metadata. They may approve,
+approve with warnings, reject, fail, or be skipped when a runtime prerequisite
+is unavailable. The shared executor settles every configured validator in
+order. A failed LLM-backed validator retries only itself against the same
+immutable candidate; it does not regenerate the producer or alter the
+validator request. Rejections stop that validator, while other configured
+validators still run. The executor retains ordered results, bounded
+deduplicated correction guidance from rejections, and only the final exhausted
+failure outcome for each validator. The correction builder keeps first
+occurrence order, omits internal reason codes, validator names, and operator
+messages, and requests one complete replacement. Missing guidance or an
+oversized aggregate is a framework contract error; guidance is never inferred
+or truncated.
 
 The runner applies the binding's retry policy around a stage operation and its
 complete validation chain. It preserves warnings only from the final accepted
-or rejected attempt. Cancellation stops retries. Normalizer-specific retry
+or rejected attempt, plus one fixed warning per validator whose execution
-directives consume this same budget and validate any final safe fallback through
+budget was exhausted under `warn_continue`. Cancellation stops retries.
-the normalizer chain.
+Normalizer-specific retry directives consume this same budget and validate any
+final safe fallback through the normalizer chain.
+
+The artifact-neutral producer-attempt state machine owns that shared budget,
+attempt provenance, semantic-correction material, and terminal-policy
+selection. It accepts producer and complete-validation closures, so artifact
+materialization, cache handling, checkpoints, and debug output stay at the
+operation boundary. It distinguishes operational, structural, module-requested,
+and semantic retries. A semantic retry is available only for a valid latest
+`single_response_v1` candidate; a deterministic or no-model rejection instead
+settles the semantic policy immediately. Structural-output errors alone use the
+structural policy, and validation failure without rejection settles the
+validator-failure policy without regenerating the producer.
+
+Chunk planning uses this state machine for generated plans. A rejected or
+validation-incomplete automatic cache hit is not model material and therefore
+falls through to a fresh initial generation at producer attempt one; it neither
+receives a correction, consumes retry budget, promotes cached-candidate
+warnings, nor overwrites the stored record. An incomplete cache validation
+under `fail_run` terminates instead. Only a newly generated, completely
+validated plan is published to the chunk-plan store. Rejected plans never
+advance, and validation-incomplete plans remain unpublishable.
 
 After terminal lane work, the runner assembles manifest provenance, normalized
 artifacts, rejections, warnings, and an optional accepted chunk map. When an
@@ -137,6 +188,15 @@ The CLI publishes those files only after the runner returns without a framework
 error. Logical file names and schemas are defined by the [output integration
 contracts](../integrations/).
 
+For every completed producer disposition, the runner projects one bounded
+validation summary to the manifest, the affected rejection when present, and
+the CLI result receipt. The summary records status, configured-order rejecting
+validators and reason codes, incomplete validators, producer-attempt count,
+and terminal action. It contains no operator message, correction guidance, or
+model response. `complete`, `rejected`, and `incomplete` describe the final
+candidate disposition; a run-level `incomplete` status indicates at least one
+current-run output advanced under `warn_continue`.
+
 ## Checkpoint And Debug Hooks
 
 The runner receives checkpoint and debug interfaces rather than roots. It
@@ -146,6 +206,20 @@ handoff. Generated-reference dependencies participate in checkpoint decisions.
 Selective recomputation can require a canonical accepted normalized predecessor
 before a dependent lane starts.
 
+The runner writes successful checkpoint artifacts only after complete accepted
+validation. Chunk plans follow the same rule for publication. A rejection,
+invalid structured response, or incomplete validation is never reusable state;
+the current run may still hand off an otherwise valid `warn_continue` result
+according to its terminal policy. The runner carries private reuse eligibility
+through extract, merge, normalize, and generated-reference handoff. Any stage
+derived from incomplete validation skips both checkpoint lookup and all
+checkpoint publication even when that stage's own validation completes.
+External references and fully validated generated references remain eligible.
+Attempt debug records retain safe kind,
+validator, repair-usage, policy, and terminal-decision provenance. Full
+assistant and correction content remains confined to the requested detailed
+LLM trace.
+
 Debug recording is attempt-scoped and application-owned. A failure to persist
 required debug data is a framework error. State roots, persistence, reason-code
 meanings, resume, and cleanup are intentionally owned by

docs/internal/state.md

@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ The serialized
 they do not describe a current public state surface.
 
 Ordered-step lane checkpoints include the step identity in their storage scope.
+Accepted step and lane identities are encoded injectively before becoming
+filesystem path components, while ordinary safe identifiers retain their
+readable paths.
 When a later lane consumes a generated artifact, its dependency fingerprints
 include the producer's artifact kind, complete schema identity, media type,
 canonical content digest, and size. Ordinary resume compares those fingerprints

docs/operations.md

@@ -5,6 +5,23 @@ This is the canonical guide for operating Notarius runtime state. The
 [Configuration](config.md) owns fields, defaults, and precedence. Maintainers
 who need implementation mechanics should read [Run State Internals](internal/state.md).
 
+## Source Deployment
+
+Linux is the supported deployment platform. Install a pinned source release
+with the Go version declared in `go.mod` (currently Go 1.25.5):
+
+~~~sh
+GOWORK=off go install \
+  gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/cmd/notarius@vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
+~~~
+
+Pin the exact tag in deployment automation rather than following a branch.
+Use [`notarius --version`](cli.md#command-summary) as a diagnostic after
+installation; its syntax and semantics are owned by the [CLI reference](cli.md).
+The maintainer publication process, including tag guards and verification,
+belongs to [Source Releases](release.md). macOS builds are best-effort for
+development, and Windows is unsupported.
+
 ## State Surfaces
 
 Each run can use independent roots with different retention and access-control
@@ -72,6 +89,9 @@ provider call or credentials:
 notarius config validate --config /etc/notarius/config.yml --pipeline dnd-session
 ~~~
 
+An unset optional `api_key_env` reaches the provider without authorization and
+may receive a 401 or 403 response.
+
 Profile paths are currently resolved from the process working directory, not
 from the configuration file. The complete example's
 `./examples/profiles/dnd-extraction.yml` path is valid for a repository-root
@@ -89,6 +109,33 @@ On success, the command reports the output bundle path. A warning-bearing run
 still succeeds and reports its warning count on standard error. Errors and
 their exit classes are defined in the [CLI reference](cli.md#output-streams-and-exit-statuses).
 
+## Validation Retries And Terminal Outcomes
+
+Each producer binding has one outer **retries** budget. It covers complete
+producer attempts for operational failures, invalid structured output,
+normalizer fallback retry, and semantic correction. It is independent from
+PromptKit's structural-repair calls inside one completion and from an
+LLM-backed validator's own retry budget. A semantic correction rebuilds the
+ordinary producer request and supplies only the latest rejected model response
+plus aggregated validator guidance; it is not a conversation replay.
+
+After the applicable budgets are exhausted, the resolved
+[`validation_policy`](config.md#pipelines) determines the result. Structural
+failure and semantic rejection normally fail the run; an explicit
+`reject_output` records a rejection and allows unrelated work to finish. A
+validator execution failure normally uses `warn_continue`, which keeps an
+otherwise accepted result in the current run with `incomplete` validation
+provenance. It emits one bounded warning for every validator whose execution
+budget was exhausted. A corrected result that later passes validation does not
+retain abandoned-attempt warnings.
+
+Treat a successful process exit as a completed run, not as proof that every
+candidate was fully validated. Inspect the receipt's `validation_status`,
+`validation_summaries`, rejection count, and warning count when an orchestrator
+requires complete validation. The durable fields and their meanings are owned
+by the [run-result receipt](integrations/run-result.md) and
+[published JSON output contract](integrations/json-output.md).
+
 ## Output Bundles
 
 Each successful run receives a generated safe run identifier and writes beneath:
@@ -110,9 +157,9 @@ are defined in [Accepted Chunk Map](integrations/chunk-map.md). An optional
 [evidence context](integrations/evidence-context.md) contains source-unit text
 and metadata. It is not a cache or debug artifact: retain it with the output
 bundle only for as long as consumers need it, and apply source-content access
-controls to the entire bundle. Selected lanes may collectively cite most of a
+controls to the entire bundle. Its selected source-unit excerpt may include
-transcript, so a broad allowlist can make the evidence artifact nearly as
+every source unit once when coverage is broad or its configured window is
-sensitive and large as the source itself.
+large, so do not assume a byte or token reduction or reduced sensitivity.
 
 ## Chunk-Plan Cache
 
@@ -138,7 +185,9 @@ The configured cache mode controls one invocation:
 A reused plan is still materialized and validated against the current source.
 If a prior plan no longer gives acceptable results, use a refresh run rather
 than editing cache files. Deleting a plan is recoverable but can repeat costly
-chunking work.
+chunking work. A plan accepted only under incomplete validation is not
+published, and a rejected cache hit falls through to ordinary generation rather
+than becoming a correction candidate.
 
 ## Checkpoint Recording, Resume, And Recompute
 
@@ -163,6 +212,12 @@ Reasoning-effort inheritance, replacement, and explicit clearing are distinct
 runtime identities, so checkpoints created under one state are not reused by
 either of the others.
 
+Only accepted, completely validated chunk, extract, merge, and normalize
+results are checkpointed for reuse. Rejected, structurally invalid, and
+validation-incomplete producer results remain non-reusable, even when a
+`warn_continue` result advanced during its original run. A resumed invocation
+therefore reruns that producer rather than treating degraded state as accepted.
+
 Checkpoint state is confined below an identity-specific path:
 
 ~~~
@@ -217,13 +272,16 @@ Only a [debug-enabled run](cli.md#run) creates a bundle:
 ~~~
 
 The summary contains redacted invocation and resolution information plus run,
-warning, checkpoint, chunk-plan, and terminal reporting artifacts. The trace
+warning, checkpoint, chunk-plan, and terminal reporting artifacts. Attempt
-contains allowlisted application diagnostic records and can include source or
+terminal records contain bounded attempt kinds, validator outcomes, policy,
-derived application data. Neither surface is a cache input. Do not treat a
+decision, PromptKit repair count, and usage; they do not contain assistant
-debug bundle as safe to share merely because its configuration summary is
+responses or complete correction messages. The trace contains allowlisted
-redacted. Invocation metadata omits reasoning effort when it is inherited,
+application diagnostic records and can include source, model, and correction
-records the replacement value when one is supplied, and records an empty value
+content. Neither surface is a cache input. Do not treat a debug bundle as safe
-when inherited reasoning was explicitly cleared.
+to share merely because its configuration summary is redacted. Invocation
+metadata omits reasoning effort when it is inherited, records the replacement
+value when one is supplied, and records an empty value when inherited reasoning
+was explicitly cleared.
 
 Notarius never creates debug state without an explicit request and never
 automatically deletes a requested bundle. If allocation succeeds, the command
@@ -255,14 +313,29 @@ Provider execution settings and the generation timeout come from the selected
 PromptKit profile. The invocation-only **--reasoning-effort** and
 **--clear-reasoning-effort** controls may replace or clear that profile setting
 for all LLM-backed calls in one run without changing the profile. PromptKit
-v0.5.0 does not add a provider retry loop. Notarius binding retries rerun the
+structural output repair happens within one structured-completion call. Its
-complete module operation and validation chain as defined by
+effective `structured_output_repair_attempts` limit is resolved from the
-[module bindings](config.md#module-bindings-and-validators).
+selected binding, then the pipeline, then the prompt declaration; see
+[module bindings](config.md#module-bindings-and-validators). This is distinct
+from Notarius binding **retries**, which rerun the complete module operation
+and validation chain and do not consume or replenish the structural-repair
+limit. The maintained production prompts declare one repair attempt, paid only
+after a structural failure. One structured completion with repair budget **R**
+makes at most **R + 1** serial provider calls. If one stage attempt performs
+**C** structured completions, a binding with **retries: N** has a maximum of
+**(N + 1) * C * (R + 1)** provider calls; LLM-backed validators have their own
+corresponding invocation counts and budgets. This is an upper bound, not a
+promise that every call reaches a provider.
 
 Timeouts are layered. Caller cancellation is the outer authority. A positive
 effective generation timeout adds an inner request deadline, while zero
 disables only that generation deadline. The HTTP client timeout remains a
 transport-wide cap. Notarius does not add another timeout around PromptKit.
+Repairs are serial within the same caller context, so their worst-case latency
+and cost follow the provider-call bound above; provision run deadlines and
+provider budgets accordingly. Credentials remain optional unless the selected
+PromptKit profile requires one, in which case preparation fails before a
+provider call when its configured credential is unavailable.
 The pinned upstream boundary and profile-format links are in
 [PromptKit Integration](integrations/pkg-promptkit.md).
 
@@ -279,6 +352,11 @@ positive value makes the effective active local-generation bound the smaller
 of **total_llm** and that local limit, so a local limit of four permits no more
 than four active local generations.
 
+The Notarius scheduler admits one logical structured completion and holds that
+permit while PromptKit performs its serial corrective calls. PromptKit applies
+its selected-backend admission to each provider call; Notarius does not
+reacquire a permit or add another scheduler for a repair.
+
 For a positive local limit, PromptKit owns its default waiting capacity and
 admission behavior. When a PromptKit backend has admitted all active and queued
 work, a new call fails as capacity exhaustion before generation. The adapter

docs/policy/architecture.md

@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ DAGs or a general workflow language. Every stage remains explicit; general
 chunking, merging, or normalization behavior must not be hidden inside an
 extractor.
 
+A stage module is one configured implementation of one pipeline stage. An
+artifact family is the cohesive domain feature that owns an artifact across
+the explicit stages and supporting codecs, validators, prompts, identity
+rules, and reference projections. Artifact-family ownership does not combine
+stages or alter the fixed pipeline.
+
 Input and chunking are pipeline-wide. Each selected artifact lane owns its
 extract, merge, and normalize stages, and the output stage aggregates the run's
 lane outcomes.
@@ -39,6 +45,12 @@ implementations. Domain-neutral model and framework layers provide reusable
 policy, contracts, and orchestration. Concrete input, pipeline, output, and
 validation extensions depend inward on those generic layers.
 
+Semantic reconciliation is one such domain-neutral framework mechanism. It
+prepares bounded source context, invokes a shared model-judgment protocol,
+validates proposals, and applies safe plans through typed policies supplied by
+the consuming artifact family. It does not own domain identity, durable IDs,
+warning semantics, or artifact construction rules.
+
 Generic layers must not depend on production extensions. Concrete extensions
 must not compose the application or take ownership of process behavior. The
 current packages implementing these layers are inventoried in
@@ -155,18 +167,29 @@ starting, waits for started work, and prevents output encoding.
 ## Validation
 
 Validation is a framework-managed boundary around outputs from chunk, extract,
-merge, and normalize stages. Validators receive immutable stage output
+merge, and normalize stages. Validators receive immutable stage output and
-and make an explicit whole-output decision: approve, approve with warnings, or
+make an explicit whole-output decision: approve, approve with warnings,
-reject.
+reject, fail, or skip when a runtime prerequisite is unavailable.
 
 Typed artifact validators receive the domain value directly. Chunk validators
 receive source-zone chunks, while serialized validators receive immutable
 representation bytes and declared schema metadata. A validator registered for
 one target or artifact kind cannot satisfy an incompatible selection.
 
-Rejection is a recorded pipeline outcome, not a framework execution error.
+The framework runs every applicable validator sequentially in configured order.
-Validator execution failures are framework errors. Rejected output does not
+It aggregates rejections, exhausted validator failures, and skips before the
-advance to the next stage.
+producer policy chooses a disposition. A completed rejection never advances.
+With no rejection, an exhausted validator failure may fail the run or, under
+the configured `warn_continue` policy, advance a structurally valid candidate
+with explicit incomplete-validation provenance. Validators report findings;
+they do not choose candidate disposition.
+
+A completed rejection supplies a stable reason code for internal provenance
+and bounded actionable correction guidance for the candidate producer. Reason
+codes, validator keys, and operator-facing messages remain diagnostic data;
+they are not model instructions. The framework constructs model-facing retry
+text only from the semantic guidance and fails the contract rather than
+inventing or truncating missing guidance.
 
 Default validator chains are production composition policy and are registered
 centrally by stage and module. Configuration may replace a stage-local default,
@@ -183,6 +206,30 @@ The caller of the LLM owns prompt selection, prompt inputs, response schema,
 and interpretation of structured output. Provider adapters do not own source-
 or domain-specific prompt logic.
 
+PromptKit owns bounded structural correction within one structured completion.
+Notarius owns outer stage attempts, semantic validation, and acceptance policy;
+the two budgets must remain separate.
+
+An LLM-backed producer can participate in semantic correction only when it
+declares `single_response_v1` and returns the exact one response that directly
+controlled its candidate. On an actionable rejection, the framework rebuilds
+the ordinary request and appends only the latest defective response as an
+`assistant` message plus one aggregated `user` correction message. This is a
+fresh replacement request, not a growing conversation. The retry budgets,
+terminal policy, and sensitive-data rationale are recorded in
+[ADR-0014](../adr/0014-feedback-aware-validation-retries.md).
+
+When a model selects an application entity, callers must supply a contextual
+selection and deterministically attach the opaque application identity whenever
+the selection resolves exactly. Models do not receive or reproduce opaque
+application identifiers. Semantic reconciliation may instead expose
+contiguous, one-based candidate handles that exist only for one request;
+deterministic code resolves them before typed application, and they never
+become durable identity. This is the approved request-local-label application
+of [ADR-0012](../adr/0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md)
+recorded by
+[ADR-0013](../adr/0013-use-request-local-candidate-handles-for-semantic-reconciliation.md).
+
 LLM calls and other external operations accept cancellation and respect
 timeouts. Concurrency control belongs in shared runtime plumbing rather than in
 individual modules.
@@ -206,7 +253,8 @@ invalid or incompatible.
 
 Run manifests record enough resolved pipeline, module, source, reference, and
 LLM provenance to make a run auditable after configuration changes. Manifests
-record identities and summaries rather than secret or large payload content.
+record identities and bounded validation summaries rather than secret, raw
+model, correction, or large payload content.
 
 ## State, Output, And Safety
 
@@ -226,18 +274,39 @@ an invocation that explicitly requests resume. Debug is never a cache input and
 is never created without an explicit request. Pipeline modules receive
 collaborator interfaces and never physical roots.
 
+Only accepted, completely validated producer output is reusable checkpoint or
+chunk-plan state. Rejected, structurally invalid, and validation-incomplete
+results cannot become cache or checkpoint inputs, even when a
+`warn_continue` result is allowed to advance in the current run. This
+ineligibility follows derived merge and normalize results and generated
+references for the remainder of the run: current-run handoff remains allowed,
+but no dependent cache or checkpoint may be loaded or published.
+
 Writes are atomic where practical. Paths for writes, moves, overwrites, and
 deletion must be narrow and explicit. Notarius never automatically deletes
 output or requested debug bundles; cache cleanup is explicit and recoverable.
 
 Secrets must not appear in errors, logs, output, cache, debug summaries,
-traces, manifests, documentation, examples, or redacted configuration. Debug
+traces, manifests, documentation, examples, or redacted configuration. Raw
+assistant responses and complete correction messages are attempt-local and are
+excluded from ordinary durable records and summaries; the requested detailed
+debug trace is the sole diagnostic surface allowed to retain them. Debug
 collection is allowlisted to application-owned payloads and must not capture
 unrelated process environment values or filesystem content. Trace data may
 contain application data and therefore inherits its sensitivity; operators own
 access controls and retention. Physical layout and operation are defined in
 [Operations](../operations.md).
 
+## Platform And Distribution
+
+Linux is the supported deployment platform. macOS is supported only as a
+best-effort development and compilation environment, while Windows is
+unsupported. Notarius distributes source releases only: an immutable source
+tag and its checked-in release note identify a release. The project does not
+publish executable binaries, archives, installers, container images,
+checksums, signatures, or package-manager entries. Maintainer release commands
+and tag guards belong to [Source Releases](../release.md).
+
 ## Architectural Non-Goals
 
 Notarius does not aim to provide:

docs/policy/documentation.md

@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ secret values.
 | CLI contract | `docs/cli.md` | Commands, arguments, flags, invocation semantics, and exit codes. | End-to-end operating procedures, configuration field definitions, runtime filesystem layout, module implementation details. |
 | Configuration contract | `docs/config.md` | Discovery and precedence, file schema, fields, defaults, environment overrides, validation rules, and user-selectable module or validator keys. | Complete example files, CLI syntax, runtime state lifecycle, module implementation details. |
 | Operations | `docs/operations.md` | Runtime workflows, physical filesystem and state layout, output, cache, and debug handling, resume, cleanup, permissions, recovery, and operational limits. | CLI flag syntax, configuration field definitions, logical output schemas, implementation mechanics. |
+| Source release procedure | `docs/release.md` | Maintainer release selection, candidate validation, tagging, publication guards, verification, and immutable-tag recovery. | Product installation summary, CLI version semantics, historical release summaries, CI implementation detail. |
+| Release-note history | `docs/releases/` | One checked-in historical summary for each source release made under the procedure. The note at the immutable tag is that release's record. | Current commands, behavior, contracts, and compatibility definitions. |
 | Public HTTP contract, if introduced | `docs/api.md` | Routes, authentication, media types, request and response schemas, status codes, pagination, caching, idempotency, rate limits, and HTTP retry semantics. | Client walkthroughs, upstream or downstream integration internals, implementation detail. |
 | Consumer guidance, if a public package or API is introduced | `docs/consumers/` | Task-oriented use of the public interface, minimal client examples, and consumer responsibilities. | HTTP wire semantics, external protocol contracts, internal implementation detail. |
 | External and durable integration contracts | `docs/integrations/` | External file formats and protocols, upstream and downstream contracts, logical output bundle paths and schemas, media types, and compatibility behavior. | Physical runtime placement and lifecycle, internal transformations, CLI syntax, configuration defaults. |
@@ -95,6 +97,14 @@ runtime state and how to operate or recover the application. When a workflow
 crosses these topics, choose the document that owns the task and link to the
 other contracts.
 
+### Releases
+
+`docs/release.md` owns the source-release procedure. Release notes are
+historical summaries, not current-state contract owners: the checked-in note at
+an immutable tag records that release, while current canonical documentation
+must change with the behavior it describes. Do not use a release note to defer
+or replace current documentation updates.
+
 ### Contracts And Implementation
 
 Integration and API documents define externally observable shapes and

docs/release.md

@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+# Source Releases
+
+This procedure is for maintainers publishing Notarius source releases. A
+release is an immutable lightweight `vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH` tag on `main` together
+with its checked-in `docs/releases/<tag>.md` note. Tag CI validates that source
+candidate after publication; it does not publish or repair a release.
+
+Notarius publishes no binaries, archives, checksums, signatures, containers,
+package-manager entries, or Gitea release objects. Windows is not supported.
+Do not create retrospective notes for the pre-procedure `v0.1.0`, `v0.2.0`, or
+`v0.3.0` tags.
+
+## Select And Describe The Release
+
+Choose an unused stable semantic version in the form `vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`.
+Prereleases are not supported. Before `v1.0.0`, a minor release may change a
+documented CLI, configuration, durable artifact, integration, or operating
+contract when its note explains the impact and required operator action. A
+patch release must not intentionally break those documented contracts within
+its minor line.
+
+Create the version-matched note as part of the candidate. Every new note uses
+this structure, with concise, truthful content in each section:
+
+```markdown
+# Notarius vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
+
+This release ...
+
+## Summary
+
+## Compatibility
+
+## Upgrade
+
+## Changes
+```
+
+The note is a historical summary. Link to current canonical documentation for
+exact behavior, and update that documentation in the candidate rather than
+using the note as a substitute.
+
+## Prepare The Candidate
+
+Set the selected release version and disable Go workspace use for every
+candidate command:
+
+```sh
+RELEASE_VERSION=vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
+export RELEASE_VERSION GOWORK=off
+```
+
+Run the shared source-candidate checks from the repository. They cover module
+hygiene, tests, race tests, vet, builds, formatting, whitespace, maintained
+configuration validation, and the Linux and Darwin command-build matrix:
+
+```sh
+./scripts/check-release-source.sh "$RELEASE_VERSION"
+```
+
+Before committing, manually follow every changed local Markdown link and
+review the candidate for unintended files, generated output, credentials, or
+other unrelated changes. Commit the release note and all affected current
+documentation, then run the shared checker against that exact candidate. Push
+the candidate commit to `main` only after it succeeds. Record the exact commit
+only after that push:
+
+```sh
+RELEASE_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse 'HEAD^{commit}')
+export RELEASE_COMMIT
+```
+
+For private-module installation, configure standard `GOPRIVATE` matching this
+module and ordinary Git authentication for the hosting service before running
+the verification below. The exact authentication mechanism belongs to the
+maintainer environment; never record credentials or environment dumps in a
+release note, command history, or repository file.
+
+## Guard And Publish The Tag
+
+Fetch current remote references, then run this guard without editing the
+candidate. It requires `main`, a clean worktree and index, disabled workspace
+use, a stable release version, the recorded and pushed commit, a matching note,
+and unused local and remote tags:
+
+```sh
+git fetch origin main --tags
+
+if ! printf '%s\n' "$RELEASE_VERSION" |
+  grep -E -x 'v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)' >/dev/null
+then
+  printf '%s\n' "invalid release version: $RELEASE_VERSION" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+test "$GOWORK" = off
+test "$(git branch --show-current)" = main
+test -z "$(git status --porcelain)"
+test "$RELEASE_COMMIT" = "$(git rev-parse 'HEAD^{commit}')"
+test "$RELEASE_COMMIT" = "$(git rev-parse 'origin/main^{commit}')"
+test -s "docs/releases/$RELEASE_VERSION.md"
+grep -F -x "# Notarius $RELEASE_VERSION" "docs/releases/$RELEASE_VERSION.md"
+for heading in '## Summary' '## Compatibility' '## Upgrade' '## Changes'; do
+  grep -F -x "$heading" "docs/releases/$RELEASE_VERSION.md"
+done
+if git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION" >/dev/null; then
+  printf '%s\n' "local tag already exists: $RELEASE_VERSION" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin "refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  printf '%s\n' "remote tag already exists: $RELEASE_VERSION" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+```
+
+Create an explicitly lightweight tag against the guarded commit, verify its
+target, and push only that tag ref:
+
+```sh
+git -c tag.gpgSign=false tag "$RELEASE_VERSION" "$RELEASE_COMMIT"
+test "$(git cat-file -t "$RELEASE_VERSION")" = commit
+test "$(git rev-parse "$RELEASE_VERSION^{commit}")" = "$RELEASE_COMMIT"
+git push origin "refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION:refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION"
+```
+
+Never use `git push --tags`, move a published tag, or delete a published tag.
+
+## Verify The Published Release
+
+Confirm that the remote tag still points at the guarded commit and that the
+note is available from the tagged tree:
+
+```sh
+REMOTE_TAG_COMMIT=$(git ls-remote origin "refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION" | awk '{print $1}')
+test "$REMOTE_TAG_COMMIT" = "$RELEASE_COMMIT"
+git show "$RELEASE_VERSION:docs/releases/$RELEASE_VERSION.md" >/dev/null
+```
+
+Verify a fresh source installation and its diagnostic version. The temporary
+directory confines the installed command to this check:
+
+```sh
+release_verification_dir=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$release_verification_dir"' 0 HUP INT TERM
+mkdir -p "$release_verification_dir/bin"
+GOWORK=off GOBIN="$release_verification_dir/bin" go install \
+  "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/cmd/notarius@$RELEASE_VERSION"
+test "$("$release_verification_dir/bin/notarius" --version)" = "notarius $RELEASE_VERSION"
+```
+
+An exact fresh checkout and `GOWORK=off go build ./cmd/notarius` is an
+equivalent source verification when local installation policy requires it.
+`notarius --version` is diagnostic only; downstream compatibility remains
+defined by the published receipt and artifact contracts.
+
+## Failure And Correction Policy
+
+If candidate validation fails before publication, fix the candidate on `main`,
+rerun the shared checker, and repeat the guards. An unpublished local tag may
+be deleted after inspection.
+
+If the remote tag or tag CI reveals a defect, leave the published tag intact.
+Fix the defect on `main`, choose a new patch version, write a new matching
+note, and repeat this procedure. Do not weaken tag immutability or add release
+assets as a workaround.

docs/releases/v0.4.0.md

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+# Notarius v0.4.0
+
+This release strengthens LLM reliability and validation throughout the
+configured pipeline, upgrades the PromptKit integration, and establishes the
+source-release and downstream-consumer workflows needed for broader D&D
+pipeline integration.
+
+## Summary
+
+Notarius now distinguishes PromptKit structural-output repair from
+application-owned semantic validation retries. Producer candidates can run
+through complete deterministic validator chains, receive bounded semantic
+correction guidance, and retry under explicit stage policies. Final run
+receipts and manifests preserve bounded validation provenance, while outputs
+that advance with incomplete validation remain available to the current run
+without entering reusable checkpoint state.
+
+The release also adds a maintained complete D&D subprocess-consumer workflow,
+diagnostic build versions, and the source-only release procedure used to
+publish this version.
+
+## Compatibility
+
+- Configuration files must use schema version 4. Version 3 is not decoded or
+  rewritten; rename the top-level `scriptorium` section to `promptkit` when
+  migrating. See [Configuration](../config.md#migrating-version-3-configuration).
+- PromptKit is pinned to v0.9.0. Operator profile files use PromptKit's v0.9.0
+  format and may use its profile-inheritance support. Notarius continues to
+  resolve operator profiles before embedded fallbacks.
+- Structural-output repair and semantic stage retries are separate bounded
+  mechanisms. Maintained production prompts request one structural repair by
+  default; explicit configuration can override the supported repair count.
+- Validation policy can now fail a run, reject an output, or permit an
+  otherwise valid candidate to advance with incomplete-validation provenance.
+  The application defaults are documented in
+  [Configuration](../config.md#pipelines).
+- The `notarius.run-result.v1` receipt remains at schema version 1 and adds
+  optional validation summaries plus a required validation-status field.
+  Consumers of this pre-release contract should follow the current
+  [run-result receipt](../integrations/run-result.md).
+- Existing D&D artifact schema identities remain unchanged. Validation and
+  producer-policy changes can nevertheless cause previously accepted weak
+  candidates to retry, reject, or fail instead.
+
+## Upgrade
+
+1. Migrate every Notarius configuration to version 4 and rename `scriptorium`
+   to `promptkit`.
+2. Review deployed PromptKit profiles against the pinned v0.9.0 profile format
+   and ensure their credential environment variables are available at run
+   time.
+3. Run `notarius config validate --config <path> --pipeline <id>` before the
+   first production invocation.
+4. Review `structured_output_repair_attempts`, producer retry counts, and
+   `validation_policy` wherever the deployment needs behavior different from
+   the documented defaults.
+5. Update subprocess consumers to inspect receipt `validation_status` and to
+   tolerate the optional bounded `validation_summaries` field. A consumer that
+   requires fully validated artifacts should require `approved`.
+
+## Changes
+
+- Upgraded PromptKit from v0.5.0 through v0.9.0 and adopted profile
+  inheritance, structured-output repair, typed error classification, and the
+  correction-aware completion protocol.
+- Added pipeline and binding configuration for structural repair and terminal
+  validation policy, with strict startup validation and effective-setting
+  provenance.
+- Added feedback-aware retries for chunking, extraction, merge, normalize, and
+  semantic reconciliation producers. Retry prompts contain the exact defective
+  response and actionable semantic correction guidance without exposing
+  internal reason codes or opaque entity identifiers.
+- Added complete validator-chain execution, validator retry handling, bounded
+  warnings, terminal dispositions, and durable validation summaries.
+- Prevented validation-incomplete artifacts and all derived lineage from
+  loading or publishing reusable checkpoints while preserving same-run
+  generated-reference handoff.
+- Tightened cached chunk-plan validation so only completely validated plans are
+  reused or replace stored plans.
+- Added a machine-readable subprocess receipt workflow and complete D&D
+  consumer documentation covering all maintained artifacts.
+- Added source-release checks, immutable lightweight-tag guidance, Linux and
+  Darwin build verification, and diagnostic `notarius --version` output.

docs/roadmap/future.md

@@ -5,13 +5,90 @@ configuration, operations, internal, and integration docs. This roadmap records
 future work only. Items are ordered roughly by current value and specificity,
 not as committed release dates.
 
+## Near-Term Validation And LLM Reliability
+
+PromptKit now owns structural output repair within one completion. Notarius
+owns stage candidates, validator chains, semantic rejection policy, bounded
+feedback-aware stage retries, validation provenance, and reusable-state
+eligibility. The remaining near-term work applies those completed foundations
+to domain review and operator-facing diagnostics.
+
+### D&D Combat Scene Semantic Validation
+
+- Add an optional production LLM-backed D&D validator that determines whether
+  proposed scene boundaries and classifications represent substantive active
+  combat correctly. Its central quality goal is that active combat is kept in
+  coherent scenes classified as `combat`, rather than split incorrectly or
+  hidden inside scenes classified as `narrative`, `recap`, or `meta`.
+- Resolve the validator's exact target before implementation. The current
+  `dnd/scenes` chunker owns only complete, gap-free source ranges, while the
+  per-chunk `dnd/scene-descriptions` extractor owns the `combat`, `narrative`,
+  `recap`, and `meta` classification. The preferred initial placement is
+  therefore an extract-stage validator for `dnd/scene-descriptions`, where it
+  can compare one proposed kind with the corresponding transcript chunk.
+- Consider a chunk-stage LLM validator only for a distinct boundary-coherence
+  question that can be answered from the complete transcript and proposed
+  range map, such as whether one continuous combat was fragmented across
+  inappropriate scene boundaries. Do not duplicate the same classification
+  judgment at both stages. Moving classification into chunk-plan annotations
+  would change the deliberately minimal, annotation-free chunk contract and
+  requires an explicit architecture review before it is selected.
+- Validate both false negatives and false positives: a non-combat kind must not
+  omit substantive active combat, and a combat kind must be supported by such
+  combat. Keep the existing deterministic downstream rule that combat-turn
+  extraction runs only for an exact `combat` scene classification; semantic
+  review improves the upstream classification but does not replace that gate.
+- Run the semantic validator through PromptKit, use a minimal required-field
+  structured response schema, and let PromptKit repair structural validator
+  output within its bounded budget. A contract-invalid final validator response
+  is a validator execution failure, not a semantic rejection and not a reason
+  to recursively validate the validator.
+- Evaluate the prompt and decision policy against a small human-reviewed set
+  containing combat setup, active turns, interruptions, multi-phase encounters,
+  brief rules discussion, aftermath, recalled combat, and false-positive
+  hostile dialogue. Measure false acceptance, false rejection, retry success,
+  added calls, latency, and token cost before placing it in the production
+  default chain.
+- An ADR is not required if classification remains owned by
+  `dnd/scene-descriptions` and the validator follows the generic validation ADR.
+  Create or supersede an ADR if the work transfers scene classification into
+  the chunker or otherwise changes stage ownership or the durable chunk-plan
+  contract.
+
+### Warning Signal And Presentation Reform
+
+- Audit every warning producer and representative successful runs. Ordinary
+  success producing dozens of warnings is a failed operator experience: the
+  volume obscures actionable problems and trains operators to ignore the
+  warning channel.
+- Define a small warning taxonomy that distinguishes actionable degradation,
+  incomplete validation, lossy fallback, and data-quality risk from routine
+  normalization observations or informational diagnostics. Preserve detailed
+  traceability in debug or manifest data without promoting every observation
+  to a top-level CLI warning.
+- Consider stable deduplication and aggregation by scope and reason code,
+  bounded samples plus omitted counts, and a concise CLI summary with a path to
+  detailed diagnostics. Do not suppress genuine validator execution failures
+  merely to reduce the count.
+- Decide which warnings affect process status, rejection summaries, durable run
+  receipts, or only debug output. Ensure warning ordering and aggregation are
+  deterministic across concurrent execution.
+- Establish a representative warning-volume acceptance target and human review
+  workflow before changing individual producers piecemeal. The intended result
+  is not zero warnings; it is a small set in which every surfaced warning merits
+  operator attention.
+- This work does not require an ADR unless it changes validation acceptance,
+  failure, or durable contract semantics. CLI presentation and diagnostic
+  taxonomy otherwise belong in a feature roadmap followed by updates to their
+  canonical configuration, operations, integration, and internal documents.
+
 ## Near-Term D&D Pipeline
 
 ### Evaluate Spell Extraction And Normalization
 
 - Evaluate ordinary extraction retries and the completed normalization path
-  against a human-reviewed transcript set before adding repair-aware retries or
+  against a human-reviewed transcript set before and after adopting the shared
-  an LLM-backed semantic validator.
+  PromptKit repair and Notarius validation-retry policies above.
 - Maintain a small set of human-reviewed transcripts and outputs for prompt,
   validator, and normalizer development. Treat model-quality review as an
   iterative human evaluation aid, not a deterministic correctness gate.
@@ -24,26 +101,51 @@ not as committed release dates.
 
 ## Shared Normalization And Quality Work
 
-### Generic LLM-Assisted Deduplication
+The implemented source-backed core and initial D&D registry adoption are
+described by [Module Internals](../internal/modules.md#semantic-reconciliation)
+and
+[D&D Module Internals](../internal/dnd.md#semantic-registry-reconciliation).
+The sections below keep broader extensions deferred.
 
-- Add a reusable normalizer that asks an LLM to identify duplicate sets in a
+### Large-Collection Semantic Reconciliation
-  list and propose one replacement element for each set.
-- Define the minimum domain-neutral input contract, initially an ordered list
-  whose elements have stable unique IDs. Artifact-kind registrations or
-  adapters may expose that structure without moving domain rules into the
-  generic package.
-- Keep mutation deterministic: parse and validate the model's duplicate groups,
-  require every referenced ID to exist, reject overlapping or malformed groups,
-  prevent unrelated insertion or deletion, and apply only approved replacement
-  operations in code.
-- Preserve provenance needed for audit and downstream validation, and emit
-  warnings describing every collapsed group.
-- Evaluate batching and context-window limits before applying the normalizer to
-  large artifact collections.
 
-The model may use its own domain knowledge to judge semantic duplication; the
+- Evaluate deterministic candidate blocking only after representative registry
-generic implementation is responsible only for the common proposal contract,
+  inputs exceed the active roadmap's bounded single-request limits. Blocking
-safety checks, and deterministic application of accepted changes.
+  should use cheap, explainable signals to form plausible comparison sets while
+  preserving the possibility that a duplicate appears outside a lexical name
+  match.
+- Define correctness for candidates that appear in more than one block,
+  conflicting canonical selections, transitive identity across blocks, retry
+  isolation, and deterministic final ordering before implementation.
+- Prefer a reconciliation graph or union plan with explicit conflict checks
+  over arbitrary fixed-size slices. Never silently treat a batch boundary as
+  evidence that two candidates are distinct.
+- Record per-request bounds, block provenance, model calls, discarded
+  proposals, and final group derivation well enough to audit a collapse.
+
+### Operator-Selected Semantic Policies
+
+- Consider allowing an operator to select an approved semantic-policy prompt
+  for a typed reconciliation module without replacing the shared protocol,
+  response schema, or deterministic safety rules.
+- Define the trusted asset source, configuration syntax, compatibility checks,
+  startup validation, provenance, prompt fingerprinting, checkpoint effects,
+  and support boundary before exposing the option.
+- Prefer selection among registered, typed-policy-compatible prompt assets over
+  arbitrary filesystem prompt paths. Do not add this flexibility until an
+  operator workflow requires it; artifact-family-owned policy remains simpler
+  and safer for the initial implementation.
+
+### Broader Reconciliation Inputs And Module Selection
+
+- Revisit alternate context providers when a concrete non-source-backed entity
+  collection needs semantic reconciliation. Any extension must preserve the
+  same request-local identity, deterministic proposal validation, provenance,
+  and typed application guarantees.
+- Consider a selectable generic normalizer only if Notarius gains a real
+  domain-neutral typed artifact contract that can safely support it. Do not
+  weaken exact artifact registration or introduce reflection-based arbitrary
+  JSON mutation merely to expose a universal module key.
 
 ### Validation And Review
 
@@ -100,6 +202,18 @@ checkpoint reuse, when an older artifact may be decoded or adapted, and when a
 producer or all dependents must be recomputed. Do not add a general migration
 framework until an actual contract change requires one.
 
+### Artifact-family-oriented physical packaging
+
+[ADR-0004](../adr/0004-package-modules-by-domain.md) currently groups production
+extensions by domain and then by pipeline stage. After artifact-family
+ownership terminology is established and more families span extraction,
+normalization, validation, codecs, references, and assets, reassess whether a
+feature-first physical layout would improve navigation and reduce scattered
+changes enough to justify a repository-wide package migration. Any change must
+address Go dependency cycles, registrar ownership, stable public module keys,
+and supersession of the affected ADR-0004 decision. Conceptual artifact-family
+ownership does not by itself require this move.
+
 ## Blue-Sky Platform And Operations
 
 These ideas are intentionally less specified. Promote one into an earlier
@@ -115,7 +229,6 @@ section only after a concrete workflow, contract, and priority emerge.
 ### Distribution And Operations
 
 - Packaged release artifacts for alpha distribution.
-- A documented versioning and release process.
 - Optional generated example-output fixtures with a regeneration procedure.
 - Additional diagnostics or reporting views.
 

go.mod

@@ -3,9 +3,14 @@ module gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius
 go 1.25.5
 
 require (
-	gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.5.0
+	gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.9.0
 	github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6 v6.0.2
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1
 )
 
 require golang.org/x/text v0.40.0
+
+require (
+	gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-openrouter v1.0.0 // indirect
+	gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-rakestrawhome v1.0.0 // indirect
+)

go.sum

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.5.0 h1:jnpazLyyNhWrB2xzwwtUkNUfktkTdkENTwuSPnKiYrc=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.9.0 h1:IpvDRC8L6xRxQ9hpuyKOmMc5b6MeLTKYyx+h1YAjy08=
-gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.5.0/go.mod h1:R95NM6fbMDGDC0/UomgnSBP6ui2ns+8SZb8bESNvrDQ=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit v0.9.0/go.mod h1:oMJ/WUJImUtwJ5e+6MAGECPYAErAkOaKel0G+3T/b4E=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-openrouter v1.0.0 h1:lc062euk2qseO//D762i3JaFyulDNML3eQQX7DkYTho=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-openrouter v1.0.0/go.mod h1:AIa7kAu2mfrRQgcspe4L+DW51WqgnALQT60lqkEywJI=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-rakestrawhome v1.0.0 h1:j9YY7wsTVjzke2kHH4YAzpU0oUpM+x+nXwl1IeS+2eg=
+gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit-backend-rakestrawhome v1.0.0/go.mod h1:4RNS+LILDg4JbS4Ts9Lwy1C92wauXJIbeQaalps4Koo=
 github.com/dlclark/regexp2 v1.11.0 h1:G/nrcoOa7ZXlpoa/91N3X7mM3r8eIlMBBJZvsz/mxKI=
 github.com/dlclark/regexp2 v1.11.0/go.mod h1:DHkYz0B9wPfa6wondMfaivmHpzrQ3v9q8cnmRbL6yW8=
 github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6 v6.0.2 h1:KRzFb2m7YtdldCEkzs6KqmJw4nqEVZGK7IN2kJkjTuQ=

internal/buildinfo/buildinfo.go

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Package buildinfo resolves the product version embedded in a Notarius build.
+package buildinfo
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"runtime/debug"
+)
+
+var stableVersion = regexp.MustCompile(`^v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)$`)
+
+// Override is set at link time for controlled builds.
+var Override string
+
+// Version returns the release version embedded in the build, or development
+// when the build does not carry a stable release tag.
+func Version() (string, error) {
+	buildVersion := ""
+	if info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo(); ok {
+		buildVersion = info.Main.Version
+	}
+	return resolve(Override, buildVersion)
+}
+
+func resolve(override, buildVersion string) (string, error) {
+	if override != "" {
+		if !stableVersion.MatchString(override) {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("build version override is not a stable release tag")
+		}
+		return override, nil
+	}
+	if stableVersion.MatchString(buildVersion) {
+		return buildVersion, nil
+	}
+	return "development", nil
+}

internal/buildinfo/buildinfo_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package buildinfo
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestResolve(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name         string
+		override     string
+		buildVersion string
+		want         string
+		wantErr      bool
+	}{
+		{name: "stable main module version", buildVersion: "v1.2.3", want: "v1.2.3"},
+		{name: "zero version", buildVersion: "v0.0.0", want: "v0.0.0"},
+		{name: "override takes precedence", override: "v2.3.4", buildVersion: "v1.2.3", want: "v2.3.4"},
+		{name: "invalid override", override: "version", buildVersion: "v1.2.3", wantErr: true},
+		{name: "override with whitespace", override: " v1.2.3", wantErr: true},
+		{name: "leading zero major", buildVersion: "v01.2.3", want: "development"},
+		{name: "leading zero minor", buildVersion: "v1.02.3", want: "development"},
+		{name: "leading zero patch", buildVersion: "v1.2.03", want: "development"},
+		{name: "build version with whitespace", buildVersion: "v1.2.3 ", want: "development"},
+		{name: "prerelease", buildVersion: "v1.2.3-rc.1", want: "development"},
+		{name: "build suffix", buildVersion: "v1.2.3+build.1", want: "development"},
+		{name: "pseudo version", buildVersion: "v0.0.0-20260102030405-abcdef123456", want: "development"},
+		{name: "development build", buildVersion: "(devel)", want: "development"},
+		{name: "missing build information", want: "development"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := resolve(tt.override, tt.buildVersion)
+			if tt.wantErr {
+				if err == nil {
+					t.Fatal("resolve() error = nil, want error")
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("resolve() error = %v", err)
+			}
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("resolve() = %q, want %q", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/cli/assembled_enemy_event_codec_contract_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"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/modules/dnd"
+)
+
+const invalidEnemyEventExtractorKey = "test/dnd/invalid-enemy-events"
+
+func TestAssembledEnemyEventLaneRejectsInvalidFinalArtifactDespiteValidatorOverrides(t *testing.T) {
+	components := productionTestComponents(t)
+	if err := pipeline.RegisterExtractor[dnd.EnemyEventList](components.registries.Extractors, pipeline.ModuleSpec{
+		Key:            invalidEnemyEventExtractorKey,
+		Stage:          pipeline.StageExtract,
+		ExecutionClass: contracts.ExecutionClassDeterministic,
+		Requires:       []string{"chunks", "source.transcript"},
+		Provides:       []string{"dnd.enemy_events"},
+		ArtifactKind:   dnd.EnemyEventListKind,
+	}, func() (contracts.Extractor[dnd.EnemyEventList], error) {
+		return invalidEnemyEventExtractor{}, nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("register extractor: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	accept := pipeline.ValidatorOverride{Set: true, Validators: []pipeline.ModuleBinding{pipeline.Binding("generic/always_accept")}}
+	resolved, err := pipeline.ResolvePipeline(pipeline.PipelineProfile{
+		ID:    "assembled-invalid-enemy-events",
+		Input: pipeline.Binding("seriatim"),
+		Chunk: pipeline.ModuleBinding{Module: "generic", Options: map[string]any{"max_units": 1}},
+		Artifacts: map[string]pipeline.ArtifactLaneProfile{
+			"enemy-events": {
+				Extract:   pipeline.ModuleBinding{Module: invalidEnemyEventExtractorKey, Validators: accept},
+				Normalize: pipeline.ModuleBinding{Module: pipeline.DefaultNormalizeModule, Validators: accept},
+			},
+		},
+		Output: pipeline.Binding("json"),
+	}, pipeline.ResolveOptions{}, catalogFromRegistries(components.registries))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvePipeline() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	prepared, err := pipeline.Prepare(resolved, components.registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	_, err = pipeline.New().Run(context.Background(), pipeline.RunInput{
+		Prepared:       prepared,
+		RawInput:       readRepositoryFile(t, "examples", "seriatim-minimal-transcript.json"),
+		ChunkCacheMode: pipeline.ChunkCacheBypass,
+	})
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "serialize accepted extract output") || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "must not exceed") {
+		t.Fatalf("Run() error = %v, want final durable range rejection", err)
+	}
+}
+
+type invalidEnemyEventExtractor struct{}
+
+func (invalidEnemyEventExtractor) Key() string { return invalidEnemyEventExtractorKey }
+
+func (invalidEnemyEventExtractor) ReferenceSlots() []contracts.ReferenceSlot { return nil }
+
+func (invalidEnemyEventExtractor) Extract(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRequest) (contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.EnemyEventList], error) {
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.EnemyEventList]{}, err
+	}
+	if req.Source == nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.EnemyEventList]{}, errors.New("assembled extractor requires source")
+	}
+	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.EnemyEventList]{Value: dnd.EnemyEventList{Events: []dnd.EnemyEvent{{
+		Name:       "Ashfang",
+		Kind:       dnd.EnemyEventKindEngaged,
+		SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 2, EndUnitID: 1}},
+	}}}}, nil
+}

internal/cli/assembled_spell_pipeline_contract_test.go

@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ import (
 
 const assembledSpellExtractorKey = "test/dnd/spell-casts"
 
+const assembledCorrectingSpellExtractorKey = "test/dnd/correcting-spell-casts"
+
+const assembledDirectSpellValidatorKey = "test/dnd/direct-spell-correction"
+
 func TestAssembledSpellPipelineNormalizesMergedCasts(t *testing.T) {
 	registries, resolved, extractor := assembledSpellPipeline(t, assembledSpellPipelineOptions{})
 	prepared, err := pipeline.Prepare(resolved, registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{})
@@ -101,6 +105,30 @@ func TestAssembledSpellPipelineNormalizesMergedCasts(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAssembledSpellPipelineCorrectsRejectedDirectExtraction(t *testing.T) {
+	registries, resolved, extractor := assembledCorrectingSpellPipeline(t)
+	prepared, err := pipeline.Prepare(resolved, registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+
+	output, err := pipeline.New().Run(context.Background(), pipeline.RunInput{
+		Prepared:       prepared,
+		RawInput:       readRepositoryFile(t, "examples", "seriatim-minimal-transcript.json"),
+		ChunkCacheMode: pipeline.ChunkCacheBypass,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Run() error = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	if len(output.Rejected) != 0 || output.Manifest.ValidationStatus != "approved" || len(output.NormalizeOutputs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("run output = %#v, want corrected accepted spell output", output)
+	}
+	correction := extractor.correctionSnapshot()
+	if correction == nil || string(correction.AssistantResponse) != `{"spell":"Mysterious Burst"}` || !strings.Contains(correction.UserGuidance, "use a known spell name") || !strings.Contains(correction.UserGuidance, "complete corrected replacement") || strings.Contains(correction.UserGuidance, "unknown_spell") || strings.Contains(correction.UserGuidance, "spell is not in the catalog") {
+		t.Fatalf("extract correction = %#v, want exact rejected model response and semantic replacement guidance only", correction)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestAssembledSpellPipelineHonorsNormalizeValidatorOverride(t *testing.T) {
 	registries, resolved, _ := assembledSpellPipeline(t, assembledSpellPipelineOptions{normalizeValidatorOverride: true})
 	var normalizeChain *pipeline.ResolvedValidatorChain
@@ -134,8 +162,9 @@ func TestAssembledSpellPipelineHonorsNormalizeValidatorOverride(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestAssembledSpellPipelineRejectsUnknownSpellWithoutPromotingAttemptWarning(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAssembledSpellPipelinePromotesTerminalUnknownSpellWarning(t *testing.T) {
 	registries, resolved, _ := assembledSpellPipeline(t, assembledSpellPipelineOptions{unknownSpell: true})
+	resolved.Steps[0].ArtifactLanes[0].NormalizeValidationPolicy.SemanticRejection = pipeline.SemanticRejectionRejectOutput
 	prepared, err := pipeline.Prepare(resolved, registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Prepare() error = %v, want nil", err)
@@ -161,10 +190,8 @@ func TestAssembledSpellPipelineRejectsUnknownSpellWithoutPromotingAttemptWarning
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(rejectedFile.Rejected, output.Rejected) {
 		t.Fatalf("rejected file = %#v, run rejections = %#v, want durable rejection diagnostic", rejectedFile.Rejected, output.Rejected)
 	}
-	for _, warning := range output.Warnings {
+	if len(output.Warnings) != 2 || output.Warnings[0].ReasonCode != spellnormalize.ReasonCodeSpellNameUnresolved || output.Warnings[0].Scope != "spell_casts[0]" || output.Warnings[1].ReasonCode != "spell_not_near_source" {
-		if warning.ReasonCode == spellnormalize.ReasonCodeSpellNameUnresolved {
+		t.Fatalf("warnings = %#v, want complete terminal normalize validation warnings", output.Warnings)
-			t.Fatalf("warnings = %#v, want rejected-attempt warning to remain non-durable", output.Warnings)
-		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -208,6 +235,47 @@ type assembledSpellPipelineOptions struct {
 	unknownSpell               bool
 }
 
+func assembledCorrectingSpellPipeline(t *testing.T) (pipeline.Registries, pipeline.ResolvedPipeline, *assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor) {
+	t.Helper()
+	components := productionTestComponents(t)
+	extractor := &assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor{}
+	if err := pipeline.RegisterExtractor[dnd.SpellList](components.registries.Extractors, pipeline.ModuleSpec{
+		Key:                assembledCorrectingSpellExtractorKey,
+		Stage:              pipeline.StageExtract,
+		ExecutionClass:     contracts.ExecutionClassLLMBacked,
+		CorrectionProtocol: contracts.CorrectionProtocolSingleResponseV1,
+		Requires:           []string{"chunks", "source.transcript"},
+		Provides:           []string{"dnd.spell_casts"},
+		ArtifactKind:       dnd.SpellListKind,
+	}, func() (contracts.Extractor[dnd.SpellList], error) {
+		return extractor, nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("register correcting extractor: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := pipeline.RegisterTypedValidator[dnd.SpellList](components.registries.Validators, dnd.SpellListKind, pipeline.ValidatorSpec{Key: assembledDirectSpellValidatorKey, ExecutionClass: contracts.ExecutionClassDeterministic}, func() (contracts.TypedValidator[dnd.SpellList], error) {
+		return assembledDirectSpellValidator{}, nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("register direct spell validator: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	extract := pipeline.Binding(assembledCorrectingSpellExtractorKey)
+	extract.Retries = 1
+	extract.Validators = pipeline.ValidatorOverride{Set: true, Validators: []pipeline.ModuleBinding{{Module: assembledDirectSpellValidatorKey}}}
+	resolved, err := pipeline.ResolvePipeline(pipeline.PipelineProfile{
+		ID:    "assembled-dnd-correcting-spells",
+		Input: pipeline.Binding("seriatim"),
+		Chunk: pipeline.ModuleBinding{Module: "generic", Options: map[string]any{"max_units": 1}},
+		Artifacts: map[string]pipeline.ArtifactLaneProfile{
+			"spells": {Extract: extract, Normalize: pipeline.Binding(spellnormalize.Key)},
+		},
+		Output: pipeline.Binding("json"),
+	}, pipeline.ResolveOptions{}, catalogFromRegistries(components.registries))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvePipeline() error = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	return components.registries, resolved, extractor
+}
+
 func assembledSpellPipeline(t *testing.T, options assembledSpellPipelineOptions) (pipeline.Registries, pipeline.ResolvedPipeline, *assembledSpellExtractor) {
 	t.Helper()
 	components := productionTestComponents(t)
@@ -253,6 +321,69 @@ type assembledSpellExtractor struct {
 	unknownSpell bool
 }
 
+type assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor struct {
+	mu         sync.Mutex
+	correction *contracts.SemanticCorrection
+}
+
+func (*assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor) Key() string { return assembledCorrectingSpellExtractorKey }
+
+func (*assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor) ReferenceSlots() []contracts.ReferenceSlot { return nil }
+
+func (e *assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor) Extract(_ context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRequest) (contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.SpellList], error) {
+	if req.Source == nil || req.Chunk == nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.SpellList]{}, fmt.Errorf("correcting assembled extractor requires source and chunk")
+	}
+	response := `{"spell":"accepted"}`
+	value := dnd.SpellList{SpellCasts: []dnd.SpellCast{}}
+	if req.Chunk.Index == 0 && req.Correction == nil {
+		response = `{"spell":"Mysterious Burst"}`
+		value.SpellCasts = []dnd.SpellCast{{Caster: "Aria", Spell: "Mysterious Burst", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}}}
+	}
+	if req.Chunk.Index == 0 && req.Correction != nil {
+		correction, err := contracts.CloneSemanticCorrection(req.Correction)
+		if err != nil {
+			return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.SpellList]{}, err
+		}
+		e.mu.Lock()
+		e.correction = correction
+		e.mu.Unlock()
+		value.SpellCasts = []dnd.SpellCast{{Caster: "Aria", Spell: "Cure Wounds", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}}}
+	}
+	candidate, err := contracts.NewModelCandidate([]byte(response), contracts.CorrectionProtocolSingleResponseV1)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.SpellList]{}, err
+	}
+	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.SpellList]{Value: value, ModelCandidate: candidate}, nil
+}
+
+func (e *assembledCorrectingSpellExtractor) correctionSnapshot() *contracts.SemanticCorrection {
+	e.mu.Lock()
+	defer e.mu.Unlock()
+	correction, err := contracts.CloneSemanticCorrection(e.correction)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return correction
+}
+
+type assembledDirectSpellValidator struct{}
+
+func (assembledDirectSpellValidator) Name() string { return assembledDirectSpellValidatorKey }
+
+func (assembledDirectSpellValidator) ExecutionClass() contracts.ExecutionClass {
+	return contracts.ExecutionClassDeterministic
+}
+
+func (assembledDirectSpellValidator) Validate(_ context.Context, req contracts.TypedValidationRequest[dnd.SpellList]) (contracts.ValidationResult, error) {
+	for _, cast := range req.Value.SpellCasts {
+		if cast.Spell == "Mysterious Burst" {
+			return contracts.ValidationResult{Approved: false, ReasonCode: "unknown_spell", Message: "spell is not in the catalog", CorrectionGuidance: "use a known spell name"}, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return contracts.ValidationResult{Approved: true}, nil
+}
+
 func (e *assembledSpellExtractor) Key() string { return assembledSpellExtractorKey }
 
 func (*assembledSpellExtractor) ReferenceSlots() []contracts.ReferenceSlot { return nil }

internal/cli/command_contract_test.go

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/buildinfo"
 )
 
 func TestCommandHelpSpellingsWriteUsageToStdout(t *testing.T) {
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ func TestCommandSyntaxErrorsUseStderrAndExitTwo(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "unknown pipelines subcommand", args: []string{"pipelines", "unknown"}, want: "unknown pipelines subcommand"},
 		{name: "malformed run flag", args: []string{"run", "demo", "--chunk_cache", "invalid"}, want: "not supported"},
 		{name: "unknown flag", args: []string{"config", "validate", "--unknown"}, want: "flag provided but not defined"},
+		{name: "version arguments", args: []string{"--version", "extra"}, want: "--version does not accept arguments"},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -50,6 +53,33 @@ func TestCommandSyntaxErrorsUseStderrAndExitTwo(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCommandVersionOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	previous := buildinfo.Override
+	t.Cleanup(func() { buildinfo.Override = previous })
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		override   string
+		wantCode   int
+		wantStdout string
+		wantStderr string
+	}{
+		{name: "development", wantStdout: "notarius development\n"},
+		{name: "release override", override: "v1.2.3", wantStdout: "notarius v1.2.3\n"},
+		{name: "invalid override", override: "release", wantCode: 1, wantStderr: "notarius: build version override is not a stable release tag\n"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			buildinfo.Override = tt.override
+			var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+			code := RunWithOptions([]string{"--version"}, &stdout, &stderr, Options{})
+			if code != tt.wantCode || stdout.String() != tt.wantStdout || stderr.String() != tt.wantStderr {
+				t.Fatalf("code=%d stdout=%q stderr=%q", code, stdout.String(), stderr.String())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestConfigDiscoveryPrefersExplicitPathThenEnvironment(t *testing.T) {
 	explicit := writeCommandConfig(t, "explicit", "alpha")
 	environment := writeCommandConfig(t, "environment", "beta")

internal/cli/dnd_enemy_events_contract_test.go

@@ -189,10 +189,18 @@ func TestMaintainedCompleteExamplePublishesRegistryBackedEntityOccurrences(t *te
 	}
 
 	evidence := readProductionJSON[evidencecontext.Document](t, filepath.Join(runRoot, "evidence-context.json"))
-	for _, laneID := range []string{"enemy-events", "npc-registry", "npc-occurrences", "item-registry", "item-occurrences", "location-registry", "location-occurrences"} {
+	if len(evidence) == 0 {
-		if !containsString(evidence.SelectedLanes, laneID) || !evidenceHasLane(evidence, laneID) {
+		t.Fatalf("evidence context = %#v, want selected source-unit evidence", evidence)
-			t.Fatalf("evidence context = %#v, want direct %s evidence", evidence, laneID)
 	}
+	seenEvidenceUnits := make(map[int]struct{}, len(evidence))
+	for _, unit := range evidence {
+		if unit.Ref.SourceID != "session-ravenfall" || unit.Ref.StartUnitID != unit.ID || unit.Ref.EndUnitID != unit.ID {
+			t.Fatalf("evidence unit = %#v, want unchanged source-unit self-reference", unit)
+		}
+		if _, exists := seenEvidenceUnits[unit.ID]; exists {
+			t.Fatalf("evidence context = %#v, want each source unit once", evidence)
+		}
+		seenEvidenceUnits[unit.ID] = struct{}{}
 	}
 
 	requests := client.requestsFor(enemyevents.PromptID)
@@ -219,14 +227,15 @@ func TestMaintainedCompleteExamplePublishesRegistryBackedEntityOccurrences(t *te
 	}
 	for _, request := range locationRequests {
 		registryInput := request.Inputs["location_registry"]
-		if !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "Moon Gate") || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), `"id"`) || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") {
+		if !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "Moon Gate") || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "registry_refs") || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), `"id"`) || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") {
-			t.Fatalf("location occurrence registry input = %q, want source-free ID grounding", registryInput.Content)
+			t.Fatalf("location occurrence registry input = %q, want contextual selector grounding", registryInput.Content)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, test := range []struct {
 		promptID    string
 		slot        string
 		name        string
+		requiresIDs bool
 	}{
 		{promptID: npcoccurrences.PromptID, slot: "npc_registry", name: "Kesh"},
 		{promptID: itemoccurrences.PromptID, slot: "item_registry", name: "Moonblade"},
@@ -237,8 +246,9 @@ func TestMaintainedCompleteExamplePublishesRegistryBackedEntityOccurrences(t *te
 		}
 		for _, request := range requests {
 			registryInput := request.Inputs[test.slot]
-			if !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), test.name) || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), `"id"`) || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") {
+			hasID := strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), `"id"`)
-				t.Fatalf("%s registry input = %q, want source-free ID grounding", test.promptID, registryInput.Content)
+			if !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), test.name) || hasID != test.requiresIDs || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") {
+				t.Fatalf("%s registry input = %q, want source-free configured grounding", test.promptID, registryInput.Content)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -319,16 +329,16 @@ func (client *enemyEventLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context, reque
 		} else {
 			var registry struct {
 				Items []struct {
-					ID string `json:"id"`
+					Name string `json:"name"`
 				} `json:"items"`
 			}
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(request.Inputs["item_registry"].Content, &registry); err != nil {
 				return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("decode generated item registry: %w", err)
 			}
-			if len(registry.Items) != 1 {
+			if len(registry.Items) != 1 || registry.Items[0].Name != "Moonblade" {
 				return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("generated item registry has %d items, want 1", len(registry.Items))
 			}
-			content = []byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{"occurrences":[{"item_id":%q,"name":"Moonblade","kind":"discovered","quantity":null,"from":null,"to":null,"source_refs":[{"start_segment":5,"end_segment":5}]}]}`, registry.Items[0].ID))
+			content = []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"name":"Moonblade","kind":"discovered","quantity":null,"from":null,"to":null,"source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":5,"end_unit_id":5}]}]}`)
 		}
 	case combat.PromptID:
 		content = []byte(`{"combat_turns":[{"actor":"Kesh","turn_kind":"turn","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":8,"end_unit_id":8}]}]}`)
@@ -336,23 +346,27 @@ func (client *enemyEventLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context, reque
 		if combatScene {
 			var registry struct {
 				NPCs []struct {
-					ID string `json:"id"`
+					Name string `json:"name"`
 				} `json:"npcs"`
 			}
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(request.Inputs["npc_registry"].Content, &registry); err != nil {
 				return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("decode generated NPC registry: %w", err)
 			}
-			if len(registry.NPCs) == 0 {
+			if len(registry.NPCs) == 0 || registry.NPCs[0].Name != "Kesh" {
 				return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("generated NPC registry has no NPCs")
 			}
-			content = []byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{"occurrences":[{"npc_id":%q,"name":"Kesh","kind":"combat_opponent","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":7,"end_unit_id":7}]}]}`, registry.NPCs[0].ID))
+			content = []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"name":"Kesh","kind":"combat_opponent","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":7,"end_unit_id":7}]}]}`)
 		} else {
 			content = []byte(`{"occurrences":[]}`)
 		}
 	case locationoccurrences.PromptID:
 		var registry struct {
 			Locations []struct {
-				ID string `json:"id"`
+				Name         string `json:"name"`
+				RegistryRefs []struct {
+					StartUnitID int `json:"start_unit_id"`
+					EndUnitID   int `json:"end_unit_id"`
+				} `json:"registry_refs"`
 			} `json:"locations"`
 		}
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(request.Inputs["location_registry"].Content, &registry); err != nil {
@@ -362,14 +376,18 @@ func (client *enemyEventLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context, reque
 			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("generated location registry has no locations")
 		}
 		unitID := 1
-		locationID := registry.Locations[0].ID
+		location := registry.Locations[0]
 		if combatScene {
 			unitID = 7
 			if len(registry.Locations) > 1 {
-				locationID = registry.Locations[1].ID
+				location = registry.Locations[1]
 			}
 		}
-		content = []byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{"occurrences":[{"location_id":%q,"name":"Moon Gate","kind":"visited","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":%d,"end_unit_id":%d}]}]}`, locationID, unitID, unitID))
+		registryRefs, err := json.Marshal(location.RegistryRefs)
+		if err != nil {
+			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("encode location selector: %w", err)
+		}
+		content = []byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{"occurrences":[{"name":%q,"registry_refs":%s,"kind":"visited","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":%d,"end_unit_id":%d}]}]}`, location.Name, registryRefs, unitID, unitID))
 	case enemyevents.PromptID:
 		content = []byte(`{"events":[{"name":"Kesh","kind":"fled","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":10,"end_unit_id":10}]}]}`)
 	default:
@@ -378,8 +396,12 @@ func (client *enemyEventLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context, reque
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, output); err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("populate fake structured target: %w", err)
 	}
+	snapshot, err := contracts.CloneStructuredCompletionRequest(request)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("clone fake request: %w", err)
+	}
 	client.mu.Lock()
-	client.requests = append(client.requests, request)
+	client.requests = append(client.requests, snapshot)
 	client.mu.Unlock()
 	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content, Provider: "test", Model: "deterministic", ProfileID: request.ProfileID}, nil
 }
@@ -390,7 +412,11 @@ func (client *enemyEventLLMClient) requestsFor(promptID string) []contracts.Stru
 	var requests []contracts.StructuredCompletionRequest
 	for _, request := range client.requests {
 		if request.PromptID == promptID {
-			requests = append(requests, request)
+			snapshot, err := contracts.CloneStructuredCompletionRequest(request)
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+			requests = append(requests, snapshot)
 		}
 	}
 	return requests
@@ -405,17 +431,6 @@ func containsString(values []string, want string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func evidenceHasLane(value evidencecontext.Document, laneID string) bool {
-	for _, context := range value.Contexts {
-		for _, reference := range context.EvidenceRefs {
-			if reference.LaneID == laneID {
-				return true
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 func generatedReferenceBinding(bindings []pipeline.ReferenceBinding, slotName string) (pipeline.ReferenceBinding, bool) {
 	for _, binding := range bindings {
 		if binding.SlotName == slotName && binding.Artifact != nil {

internal/cli/production_contract_test.go

@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@ import (
 	"testing/fstest"
 	"time"
 
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/artifacts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/config"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/chunkmap"
 	"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"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/chunk/scenes"
 	combatcodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/combatturns"
@@ -311,6 +314,81 @@ func TestProductionPromptAssetsPrepareWithoutProviderCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := pipeline.Prepare(effective.ResolvedPipeline, components.registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{LLM: &productionFakeLLMClient{}}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("prepare production scene and spell modules: %v", err)
 	}
+
+	schemaFS, err := components.assets.SchemaFS()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("production schema assets: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := fs.ReadFile(schemaFS, filepath.Base(semanticreconcile.SchemaAssetPath)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("generic reconciliation schema asset: %v", err)
+	}
+	options, err := components.assets.PromptKitOptions()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("production PromptKit options: %v", err)
+	}
+	options = append(options, promptkit.WithProfiles(promptkit.OpenAICompatibleProfile(promptkit.OpenAICompatibleProfileConfig{
+		ID: "assembled-prompt-test", Endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:1/v1", Model: "test",
+	})))
+	engine, err := promptkit.NewEngine(promptkit.Config{}, options...)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("production prompt engine: %v", err)
+	}
+	promptFS, err := components.assets.PromptFS()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("production prompt assets: %v", err)
+	}
+	type manifest struct {
+		ID      string `yaml:"id"`
+		Version string `yaml:"version"`
+		Inputs  []struct {
+			Name string `yaml:"name"`
+		} `yaml:"inputs"`
+		Messages []struct {
+			Role string `yaml:"role"`
+		} `yaml:"messages"`
+	}
+	preparedPrompts := 0
+	if err := fs.WalkDir(promptFS, ".", func(path string, entry fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
+		if walkErr != nil {
+			return walkErr
+		}
+		if entry.IsDir() || filepath.Base(path) != "prompt.yaml" {
+			return nil
+		}
+		data, err := fs.ReadFile(promptFS, path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		var prompt manifest
+		if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, &prompt); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		for _, message := range prompt.Messages {
+			if message.Role != promptkit.RoleSystem && message.Role != promptkit.RoleUser {
+				return fmt.Errorf("production prompt %q uses role %q, want system or user", prompt.ID, message.Role)
+			}
+		}
+		inputs := make(map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef, len(prompt.Inputs))
+		for _, input := range prompt.Inputs {
+			inputs[input.Name] = promptkit.Inline(`{}`)
+		}
+		prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
+			PromptID: prompt.ID, PromptVersion: prompt.Version, ProfileID: "assembled-prompt-test", Inputs: inputs,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("prepare production prompt %q: %w", prompt.ID, err)
+		}
+		if prepared.OutputContract.RepairAttempts != 1 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("prompt %q repair attempts = %d, want 1", prompt.ID, prepared.OutputContract.RepairAttempts)
+		}
+		preparedPrompts++
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if preparedPrompts == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("prepared no production prompts")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestProductionSpellValidatorsPrepareFromMaterializedCatalog(t *testing.T) {
@@ -1021,8 +1099,12 @@ func (client *productionFakeLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context, r
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, out); err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("populate fake structured target: %w", err)
 	}
+	snapshot, err := contracts.CloneStructuredCompletionRequest(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("clone fake request: %w", err)
+	}
 	client.mu.Lock()
-	client.requests = append(client.requests, req)
+	client.requests = append(client.requests, snapshot)
 	client.mu.Unlock()
 	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content, Provider: "test", Model: "deterministic", ProfileID: req.ProfileID}, nil
 }
@@ -1033,7 +1115,11 @@ func (client *productionFakeLLMClient) requestsFor(promptID string) []contracts.
 	var requests []contracts.StructuredCompletionRequest
 	for _, req := range client.requests {
 		if req.PromptID == promptID {
-			requests = append(requests, req)
+			snapshot, err := contracts.CloneStructuredCompletionRequest(req)
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+			requests = append(requests, snapshot)
 		}
 	}
 	return requests

internal/cli/promptkit_profiles_test.go

@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ api_key_env: NOTARIUS_PROMPTKIT_PROFILE_INSPECTION_TEST_KEY
 		},
 		{
 			name:        "malformed profile",
-			profilePath: writeProfile(t, "malformed-profile", "id: malformed-profile\nbackend: [\n"),
+			profilePath: writeProfile(t, "malformed-profile", "id: malformed-profile\nendpoint: https://provider.example/v1?credential=forbidden\nmodel: malformed-model\n"),
 			profileID:   "malformed-profile",
 			wantErr:     []string{`PromptKit profile "malformed-profile" is invalid or unreadable`},
-			rejectErr:   []string{"malformed-profile.yaml", "backend: ["},
+			rejectErr:   []string{"malformed-profile.yaml", "credential=forbidden"},
 		},
 		{
 			name:        "invalid profile source",
@@ -157,3 +157,25 @@ func TestExplicitPromptKitProfileValidationUsesFallbackAssets(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("validateExplicitPromptKitProfiles() error = %v, want nil", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestExplicitPromptKitProfileValidationRejectsInvalidInheritanceBeforeGeneration(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, profiles := range []string{
+		"id: child\nbase_profile: missing\n",
+		"id: first\nbase_profile: second\n\n---\nid: second\nbase_profile: first\n",
+	} {
+		t.Run("invalid inheritance", func(t *testing.T) {
+			profilePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "profiles.yaml")
+			if err := os.WriteFile(profilePath, []byte(profiles), 0o600); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			profileID := "child"
+			if strings.Contains(profiles, "id: first") {
+				profileID = "first"
+			}
+			err := validateExplicitPromptKitProfiles(context.Background(), config.Config{PromptKit: config.PromptKitConfig{ProfileFile: profilePath}}, []string{profileID}, nil)
+			if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "invalid or unreadable") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), profilePath) {
+				t.Fatalf("profile preflight error = %v", err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/cli/reference_contract_test.go

@@ -400,6 +400,9 @@ func (referenceContractCodecA) Encode(stateTestArtifact) ([]byte, error) {
 func (referenceContractCodecA) Decode([]byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
 	return stateTestArtifact{Value: "ok"}, nil
 }
+func (codec referenceContractCodecA) DecodeCandidate(content []byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
+	return codec.Decode(content)
+}
 
 func (referenceContractCodecB) Kind() contracts.ArtifactKind { return referenceContractKindBeta }
 func (referenceContractCodecB) Schema() contracts.ArtifactSchema {
@@ -415,6 +418,9 @@ func (referenceContractCodecB) Encode(stateTestArtifact) ([]byte, error) {
 func (referenceContractCodecB) Decode([]byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
 	return stateTestArtifact{Value: "ok"}, nil
 }
+func (codec referenceContractCodecB) DecodeCandidate(content []byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
+	return codec.Decode(content)
+}
 
 func referenceContractLane(t *testing.T, resolved pipeline.ResolvedPipeline, id string) pipeline.ResolvedArtifactLane {
 	t.Helper()

internal/cli/run.go

@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/buildinfo"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/artifacts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/config"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/debugbundle"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/fileio"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/checkpoint"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/chunkplan"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 const defaultConfigPath = "/usr/local/etc/notarius/config.yml"
 const usage = `Usage:
   notarius help
+  notarius --version
   notarius run <pipeline-id> --input path/to/source.json [--json] [flags]
   notarius config validate --config path/to/config.yml [--pipeline pipeline-id] [--only lane-a,lane-b]
   notarius pipelines list --config path/to/config.yml [--json]
@@ -61,6 +64,20 @@ func Run(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) int {
 }
 
 func RunWithOptions(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) int {
+	if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == "--version" {
+		if len(args) != 1 {
+			fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "notarius: --version does not accept arguments")
+			return 2
+		}
+		version, err := buildinfo.Version()
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "notarius: %v\n", err)
+			return 1
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(stdout, "notarius %s\n", version)
+		return 0
+	}
+
 	var err error
 	opts, err = normalizeOptions(opts)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -147,7 +164,7 @@ func runPipelineCommand(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) i
 	machineOutput := fs.Bool("json", false, "write the successful run result as JSON")
 	debug := fs.Bool("debug", false, "write a debug bundle")
 	debugDir := fs.String("debug-dir", "", "debug bundle directory")
-	llmProfile := fs.String("llm-profile", "", "LLM profile override")
+	llmProfile := singleValueFlag{name: "--llm-profile"}
 	reasoningEffort := singleValueFlag{name: "--reasoning-effort"}
 	clearReasoningEffort := fs.Bool("clear-reasoning-effort", false, "clear the LLM profile reasoning effort")
 	resume := fs.Bool("resume", false, "reuse compatible recorded checkpoints")
@@ -157,6 +174,7 @@ func runPipelineCommand(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) i
 	referenceFlags := stringListFlag{}
 	withoutReferenceFlags := stringListFlag{}
 	fs.Var(&requestedSessionID, "session-id", "prompt session identifier")
+	fs.Var(&llmProfile, "llm-profile", "LLM profile override")
 	fs.Var(&reasoningEffort, "reasoning-effort", "reasoning effort override")
 	fs.Var(&chunkCache, "chunk_cache", "chunk plan cache mode: auto, bypass, or refresh")
 	fs.Var(&referenceFlags, "reference", "reference binding, as slot=path, chunk.slot=path, merge.slot=path, lane.slot=path, lane.extract.slot=path, lane.merge.slot=path, or lane.normalize.slot=path")
@@ -203,6 +221,10 @@ func runPipelineCommand(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) i
 		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "notarius: --session-id must not be empty")
 		return 2
 	}
+	if llmProfile.set && strings.TrimSpace(llmProfile.value) == "" {
+		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "notarius: --llm-profile must not be empty")
+		return 2
+	}
 	if reasoningEffort.set && *clearReasoningEffort {
 		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "notarius: --reasoning-effort cannot be combined with --clear-reasoning-effort")
 		return 2
@@ -338,7 +360,7 @@ func runPipelineCommand(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) i
 		PipelineID:         pipelineID,
 		Only:               only,
 		Catalog:            catalog,
-		LLMProfileOverride: *llmProfile,
+		LLMProfileOverride: strings.TrimSpace(llmProfile.value),
 		ReferenceOverrides: referenceOverrides,
 		ReferenceUnbinds:   referenceUnbinds,
 	})
@@ -426,7 +448,7 @@ func runPipelineCommand(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, opts Options) i
 	if err != nil {
 		return failPipelineCommand(stderr, commandState, terminalWriter, err)
 	}
-	checkpointRecorder, checkpointLoader, err := checkpointHandlersForRun(effective.Config.Cache.Checkpoints, opts, effective.ResolvedPipeline, prepared.CheckpointFingerprints(), llmFingerprints, rawInput, only, llmProfiles, strings.TrimSpace(*llmProfile), effectiveSessionID, runtimeOverrides, *resume)
+	checkpointRecorder, checkpointLoader, err := checkpointHandlersForRun(effective.Config.Cache.Checkpoints, opts, effective.ResolvedPipeline, prepared.CheckpointFingerprints(), llmFingerprints, rawInput, only, llmProfiles, strings.TrimSpace(llmProfile.value), effectiveSessionID, runtimeOverrides, *resume)
 	if err != nil {
 		return failPipelineCommand(stderr, commandState, terminalWriter, err)
 	}
@@ -752,17 +774,10 @@ func configSource(configPath string) string {
 }
 
 func writeOutputFiles(runOutputDir string, files []contracts.OutputFile) error {
-	type outputTarget struct {
-		path string
-		file contracts.OutputFile
-	}
-	targets := make([]outputTarget, 0, len(files))
 	for _, file := range files {
-		targetPath, err := outputFilePath(runOutputDir, file.Name)
+		if _, err := outputFilePath(runOutputDir, file.Name); err != nil {
-		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		targets = append(targets, outputTarget{path: targetPath, file: file})
 	}
 
 	outputParent := filepath.Dir(runOutputDir)
@@ -775,12 +790,9 @@ func writeOutputFiles(runOutputDir string, files []contracts.OutputFile) error {
 		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("create output run directory %q: %w", runOutputDir, err)
 	}
-	for _, target := range targets {
+	for _, file := range files {
-		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(target.path), 0o755); err != nil {
+		if err := fileio.WriteBytes(runOutputDir, file.Name, file.Bytes, 0o755, 0o644); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("create output directory %q: %w", filepath.Dir(target.path), err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("write output file %q: %w", file.Name, err)
-		}
-		if err := writeFileAtomic(target.path, target.file.Bytes, 0o644); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("write output file %q: %w", target.file.Name, err)
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -823,38 +835,6 @@ func outputFilePath(runOutputDir, logicalName string) (string, error) {
 	return target, nil
 }
 
-func writeFileAtomic(path string, data []byte, perm os.FileMode) error {
-	dir := filepath.Dir(path)
-	temp, err := os.CreateTemp(dir, "."+filepath.Base(path)+".tmp-*")
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	tempPath := temp.Name()
-	removeTemp := true
-	defer func() {
-		if removeTemp {
-			_ = os.Remove(tempPath)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	if _, err := temp.Write(data); err != nil {
-		_ = temp.Close()
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := temp.Chmod(perm); err != nil {
-		_ = temp.Close()
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := temp.Close(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := os.Rename(tempPath, path); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	removeTemp = false
-	return nil
-}
-
 func reorderRunArgs(args []string) []string {
 	var flags []string
 	var positionals []string

internal/cli/run_contract_test.go

@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ func TestRunControlsRejectSyntaxWithoutAllocatingState(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "blank session ID", args: func(roots stateTestRoots) []string {
 			return []string{"run", "sample", "--config", roots.config, "--input", roots.input, "--session-id", ""}
 		}},
+		{name: "blank LLM profile", args: func(roots stateTestRoots) []string {
+			return []string{"run", "sample", "--config", roots.config, "--input", roots.input, "--llm-profile", ""}
+		}},
+		{name: "whitespace LLM profile", args: func(roots stateTestRoots) []string {
+			return []string{"run", "sample", "--config", roots.config, "--input", roots.input, "--llm-profile", " \t "}
+		}},
 		{name: "multiple pipeline IDs", args: func(roots stateTestRoots) []string {
 			return []string{"run", "sample", "extra", "--config", roots.config, "--input", roots.input}
 		}},

internal/cli/run_id_test.go

@@ -38,10 +38,36 @@ func TestWriteOutputFilesSupportsNestedLogicalPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := writeOutputFiles(runPath, []contracts.OutputFile{{Name: "nested/result.json", Bytes: []byte("result")}}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(runPath, "nested", "result.json"))
+	resultPath := filepath.Join(runPath, "nested", "result.json")
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(resultPath)
 	if err != nil || string(data) != "result" {
 		t.Fatalf("nested output = %q, %v", data, err)
 	}
+	for path, want := range map[string]os.FileMode{runPath: 0o755, filepath.Join(runPath, "nested"): 0o755, resultPath: 0o644} {
+		info, err := os.Stat(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		mode := info.Mode().Perm()
+		if mode&^want != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("%s mode = %#o, must not be broader than %#o", path, mode, want)
+		}
+		if info.IsDir() && mode&0o700 != 0o700 {
+			t.Fatalf("%s mode = %#o, want owner access", path, mode)
+		}
+		if !info.IsDir() && mode != want {
+			t.Fatalf("%s mode = %#o, want %#o", path, mode, want)
+		}
+	}
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(filepath.Join(runPath, "nested"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, entry := range entries {
+		if strings.Contains(entry.Name(), ".tmp-") {
+			t.Fatalf("temporary file remains: %s", entry.Name())
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestWriteOutputFilesRejectsUnsafeNamesBeforeAllocatingRunDirectory(t *testing.T) {
@@ -75,7 +101,7 @@ func TestWriteOutputFilesRetainsNewPartialDirectoryAndPreservesSibling(t *testin
 		{Name: "blocked", Bytes: []byte("partial output")},
 		{Name: "blocked/nested.json", Bytes: []byte("unreachable")},
 	})
-	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "create output directory") {
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), `write output file "blocked/nested.json"`) {
 		t.Fatalf("writeOutputFiles() error = %v, want later directory failure", err)
 	}
 	if got, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(runPath, "blocked")); err != nil || string(got) != "partial output" {

internal/cli/run_result.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/artifacts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/pipeline"
 )
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ type runResult struct {
 	RejectedOutputCount   int                           `json:"rejected_output_count"`
 	WarningCount          int                           `json:"warning_count"`
 	ValidationStatus      string                        `json:"validation_status"`
+	ValidationSummaries   []artifacts.ValidationSummary `json:"validation_summaries,omitempty"`
 	DebugDirectory        string                        `json:"debug_directory,omitempty"`
 }
 
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ func newRunResult(resolved pipeline.ResolvedPipeline, output pipeline.RunOutput,
 		RejectedOutputCount:   len(output.Rejected),
 		WarningCount:          len(output.Warnings),
 		ValidationStatus:      output.Manifest.ValidationStatus,
+		ValidationSummaries:   cloneValidationSummaries(output.Manifest.ValidationSummaries),
 	}
 
 	if strings.TrimSpace(debugDirectory) != "" {
@@ -85,6 +88,17 @@ func newRunResult(resolved pipeline.ResolvedPipeline, output pipeline.RunOutput,
 	return result, nil
 }
 
+func cloneValidationSummaries(summaries []artifacts.ValidationSummary) []artifacts.ValidationSummary {
+	if len(summaries) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	cloned := make([]artifacts.ValidationSummary, len(summaries))
+	for index, summary := range summaries {
+		cloned[index] = artifacts.CloneValidationSummary(summary)
+	}
+	return cloned
+}
+
 func encodeRunResult(result runResult) ([]byte, error) {
 	encoded, err := json.Marshal(result)
 	if err != nil {

internal/cli/run_result_command_test.go

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func TestRunResultReportsSuccessfulRejection(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	configBytes = []byte(replaceRequiredOnce(t, string(configBytes), "        normalize: test/normalize\n", "        normalize:\n          module: test/normalize\n          validators:\n            - generic/always_reject\n"))
+	configBytes = []byte(replaceRequiredOnce(t, string(configBytes), "        normalize: test/normalize\n", "        normalize:\n          module: test/normalize\n          validators:\n            - generic/always_reject\n          validation_policy:\n            semantic_rejection: reject_output\n"))
 	if err := os.WriteFile(roots.config, configBytes, 0o600); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}

internal/cli/run_result_test.go

@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ func TestRunResultEncodesRequiredFieldsAndCounts(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := decoded["warning_count"]; got != float64(1) {
 		t.Fatalf("warning_count = %v", got)
 	}
+	if got := decoded["validation_summaries"]; got != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("validation_summaries = %#v, want omitted when empty", got)
+	}
 	if got := decoded["output_directory"]; got != filepath.Join(mustWorkingDirectory(t), "relative-output") {
 		t.Fatalf("output_directory = %q", got)
 	}
@@ -112,6 +115,26 @@ func TestRunResultOmitsIndexFileForOtherOutputModules(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunResultProjectsOwnedValidationSummaries(t *testing.T) {
+	output := testRunOutput()
+	output.Manifest.ValidationSummaries = []artifacts.ValidationSummary{{Status: "incomplete", IncompleteValidators: []string{"validator"}, ProducerAttemptCount: 1, TerminalAction: "warn_continue"}}
+	result, err := newRunResult(testResolvedPipeline(pipeline.DefaultOutputModule), output, "output", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	output.Manifest.ValidationSummaries[0].IncompleteValidators[0] = "caller mutation"
+	if got := result.ValidationSummaries[0].IncompleteValidators; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "validator" {
+		t.Fatalf("result validation summaries = %#v", result.ValidationSummaries)
+	}
+	encoded, err := encodeRunResult(result)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Contains(encoded, []byte(`"validation_summaries":[{"status":"incomplete","incomplete_validators":["validator"],"producer_attempt_count":1,"terminal_action":"warn_continue"}]`)) {
+		t.Fatalf("encoded result = %s", encoded)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunResultRequiresOneProductionIndexFile(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name  string

internal/cli/spell_catalog_identity_contract_test.go

@@ -410,8 +410,8 @@ func TestMaintainedProductionOverlayRunAlignsGroundingValidationAndProvenance(t
 		t.Fatalf("spell requests = %d, want one", len(requests))
 	}
 	catalogInput, ok := requests[0].Inputs[spellcatalog.SpellCatalogReferenceSlot]
-	if !ok || !strings.Contains(string(catalogInput.Content), "Aegis of Emberfall") || strings.Contains(string(catalogInput.Content), "Emberfall Aegis") {
+	if !ok || !strings.Contains(string(catalogInput.Content), `"canonical_name":"Aegis of Emberfall"`) || !strings.Contains(string(catalogInput.Content), `"aliases":["Emberfall Aegis"]`) {
-		t.Fatalf("spell catalog prompt input = %#v, want canonical overlay name without alias", catalogInput)
+		t.Fatalf("spell catalog prompt input = %#v, want canonical overlay name and recognition alias", catalogInput)
 	}
 	artifact := readProductionJSON[dnd.SpellList](t, filepath.Join(runRoot, "lanes", "spells.json"))
 	if len(artifact.SpellCasts) != 1 || artifact.SpellCasts[0].Spell != "Aegis of Emberfall" {

internal/cli/spell_catalog_retry_contract_test.go

@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ func TestProductionSpellCatalogValidationRetries(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("materialize production references: %v", err)
 			}
 			materialized.Steps[0].ArtifactLanes[0].Extract.Retries = retries
+			materialized.Steps[0].ArtifactLanes[0].ExtractValidationPolicy.SemanticRejection = pipeline.SemanticRejectionRejectOutput
 
 			llmClient := &catalogRetryLLMClient{responses: tt.responses}
 			prepared, err := pipeline.Prepare(materialized, components.registries, pipeline.ModuleDependencies{LLM: llmClient})
@@ -91,8 +92,8 @@ func TestProductionSpellCatalogValidationRetries(t *testing.T) {
 				if rejection.ReasonCode != "unknown_spell" || rejection.AttemptCount != retries+1 {
 					t.Fatalf("rejection = %#v, want exhausted unknown-spell rejection", rejection)
 				}
-				if len(output.Warnings) != 0 {
+				if len(output.Warnings) != 1 || output.Warnings[0].ReasonCode != "spell_not_near_source" {
-					t.Fatalf("warnings = %#v, want no warnings from rejected attempts", output.Warnings)
+					t.Fatalf("warnings = %#v, want complete terminal validation warnings", output.Warnings)
 				}
 				return
 			}

internal/cli/state_hardening_test.go

@@ -955,6 +955,9 @@ func (stateTestCodec) Encode(v stateTestArtifact) ([]byte, error) {
 func (stateTestCodec) Decode([]byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
 	return stateTestArtifact{Value: "ok"}, nil
 }
+func (codec stateTestCodec) DecodeCandidate(content []byte) (stateTestArtifact, error) {
+	return codec.Decode(content)
+}
 
 type stateTestExtractor struct{ harness *stateTestHarness }
 

internal/core/artifacts/artifacts.go

@@ -104,6 +104,33 @@ type RejectedOutputManifest struct {
 	Message                string             `json:"message,omitempty"`
 	AttemptCount           int                `json:"attempt_count,omitempty"`
 	DiagnosticArtifactPath string             `json:"diagnostic_artifact_path,omitempty"`
+	Validation             *ValidationSummary `json:"validation,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// ValidationSummary is the bounded, durable outcome of validating one
+// producer result. It deliberately contains identities and stable codes, not
+// model responses, corrective guidance, validator diagnostics, or payloads.
+type ValidationSummary struct {
+	Stage                string   `json:"stage,omitempty"`
+	StepID               string   `json:"step_id,omitempty"`
+	LaneID               string   `json:"lane_id,omitempty"`
+	ModuleKey            string   `json:"module_key,omitempty"`
+	ChunkID              string   `json:"chunk_id,omitempty"`
+	ChunkIndex           int      `json:"chunk_index,omitempty"`
+	Status               string   `json:"status"`
+	RejectingValidators  []string `json:"rejecting_validators,omitempty"`
+	ReasonCodes          []string `json:"reason_codes,omitempty"`
+	IncompleteValidators []string `json:"incomplete_validators,omitempty"`
+	ProducerAttemptCount int      `json:"producer_attempt_count"`
+	TerminalAction       string   `json:"terminal_action"`
+}
+
+// CloneValidationSummary returns an independently owned durable summary.
+func CloneValidationSummary(summary ValidationSummary) ValidationSummary {
+	summary.RejectingValidators = append([]string(nil), summary.RejectingValidators...)
+	summary.ReasonCodes = append([]string(nil), summary.ReasonCodes...)
+	summary.IncompleteValidators = append([]string(nil), summary.IncompleteValidators...)
+	return summary
 }
 
 type CheckpointDecisionManifest struct {
@@ -163,6 +190,7 @@ type RunManifest struct {
 	References          []ReferenceProvenance        `json:"references,omitempty"`
 	NormalizedOutputs   []NormalizedOutputManifest   `json:"normalized_outputs,omitempty"`
 	RejectedOutputs     []RejectedOutputManifest     `json:"rejected_outputs,omitempty"`
+	ValidationSummaries []ValidationSummary          `json:"validation_summaries,omitempty"`
 	CheckpointDecisions []CheckpointDecisionManifest `json:"checkpoint_decisions,omitempty"`
 	LLMProfiles         []LLMProfileManifest         `json:"llm_profiles,omitempty"`
 	Metadata            map[string]any               `json:"metadata,omitempty"`

internal/core/config/config.go

@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ func (c *ConcurrencyConfig) recomputeStageWorkerDefaults() {
 
 func clonePipelineProfile(in pipeline.PipelineProfile) pipeline.PipelineProfile {
 	out := in
+	out.ValidationPolicy = cloneValidationPolicyOverride(in.ValidationPolicy)
+	if in.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts != nil {
+		value := *in.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts
+		out.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts = &value
+	}
 	out.Input = cloneModuleBinding(in.Input)
 	out.Chunk = cloneModuleBinding(in.Chunk)
 	out.Output = cloneModuleBinding(in.Output)
@@ -196,6 +201,11 @@ func cloneReferenceSource(in pipeline.ReferenceSource) pipeline.ReferenceSource
 
 func cloneModuleBinding(in pipeline.ModuleBinding) pipeline.ModuleBinding {
 	out := in
+	out.ValidationPolicy = cloneValidationPolicyOverride(in.ValidationPolicy)
+	if in.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts != nil {
+		value := *in.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts
+		out.StructuredOutputRepairAttempts = &value
+	}
 	if len(in.Options) > 0 {
 		out.Options = cloneOptions(in.Options)
 	}
@@ -204,6 +214,26 @@ func cloneModuleBinding(in pipeline.ModuleBinding) pipeline.ModuleBinding {
 	return out
 }
 
+func cloneValidationPolicyOverride(in *pipeline.ValidationPolicyOverride) *pipeline.ValidationPolicyOverride {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := *in
+	if in.ProducerStructuralFailure != nil {
+		value := *in.ProducerStructuralFailure
+		out.ProducerStructuralFailure = &value
+	}
+	if in.SemanticRejection != nil {
+		value := *in.SemanticRejection
+		out.SemanticRejection = &value
+	}
+	if in.ValidatorFailure != nil {
+		value := *in.ValidatorFailure
+		out.ValidatorFailure = &value
+	}
+	return &out
+}
+
 func cloneValidatorOverride(in pipeline.ValidatorOverride) pipeline.ValidatorOverride {
 	out := pipeline.ValidatorOverride{Set: in.Set}
 	if len(in.Validators) > 0 {