Simplify contextual entity grounding

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

@@ -14,9 +14,32 @@
         "properties": {
           "members": {
             "type": "array",
-            "items": {"type": "string"}
+            "items": {"$ref": "#/$defs/selector"}
           },
-          "canonical": {"type": "string"}
+          "canonical": {"$ref": "#/$defs/selector"}
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "$defs": {
+    "selector": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["name", "source_refs"],
+      "properties": {
+        "name": {"type": "string", "minLength": 1},
+        "source_refs": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "minItems": 1,
+          "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}
+            }
+          }
         }
       }
     }

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
-item registry. Record a stated quantity as an integer and leave it null when the transcript
-does not state one. Use a concise observed item name and preserve the stated
-currency denomination.
+For every occurrence, use the supplied canonical item `name`. Record a stated
+quantity as an integer and leave it null when the transcript does not state
+one. Preserve the stated currency denomination through the selected canonical
+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,
-rename, merge, or infer registry items. The registry is not transcript
-evidence: cite only the current transcript chunk in `source_refs`.
+must use one registry item's canonical `name`; do not invent, rename, merge,
+or infer registry items. The registry is not transcript evidence: cite only the
+current transcript chunk in `source_refs`.
 
 {{ input "item_registry" }}

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"]},

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
-be empty. Each record contains the exact location ID and canonical display name
-to copy when the transcript establishes an occurrence of that place.
+A contextual location registry is provided below for identity grounding. It may
+be empty. Every record supplies a canonical display name. A name that appears
+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
-that is absent from it.
+occurrence or `source_refs` range from the registry. Do not invent a location
+or selector that is absent from it.
 
 {{ input "location_registry" }}

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/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;
-never invent an ID or substitute a similar name.
+Use the supplied canonical NPC `name`; never invent or substitute a similar
+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/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/shared/prompts/common-dnd-entity-reconciliation.md

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 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.
+Return each selected candidate's supplied contextual descriptor exactly: its
+`name` and complete ordered `source_refs`. A group must contain at least two
+supplied descriptors, and its `canonical` descriptor must be one of its
+members. Do not invent names, ranges, records, evidence, or replacement values.
+Omit any uncertain or unsafe group.

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-strongly-typed-stage-interfaces.md) and the distinction
+between disambiguating references and source evidence in
+[ADR-0009](0009-prefer-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/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
-the shared evidence message. It is never occurrence evidence.
+for an operation and contributes names-only grounding after the shared 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
-configured pipeline may retry it and never accepts a partial artifact.
+with an unknown or ambiguous selected name is rejected as invalid model output;
+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
-registry’s source references are never occurrence evidence. Unknown IDs and
-mismatched pairs are rejected by the occurrence contract. See the
+consumer receives names-only grounding; Notarius resolves the selected name
+into the unchanged exact durable ID/name pair. The registry’s source references
+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
-pairs 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.
+registry provides identity grounding only. The model selects a supplied
+contextual name-and-registry-reference descriptor, and Notarius resolves it
+into the exact durable ID/name pair. Unknown, partial, or ambiguous selections
+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,
-name}` projection and must not treat registry references as occurrence
-evidence. See the [location-occurrence artifact](dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md)
+`location_registry` reference slot. Its prompt receives contextual selectors
+containing a canonical name and registry references; Notarius resolves a
+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 exact `{npc_id, name}` pair. Unknown IDs and names that do not match their
-ID are rejected; normalization does not repair names by similarity. Registry
-references are provenance only and never replace an occurrence's own evidence.
+The required normalized [NPC registry artifact](dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md)
+supplies names-only contextual grounding to the model. Notarius resolves the
+selected name and writes the exact `{npc_id, name}` pair. An unknown or
+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;
-spells, combat turns, and the [enemy-event artifact](dnd-enemy-event-artifacts.md)
-receive names-only grounding for actor or subject display. None of these
+Occurrence consumers receive names-only grounding; Notarius resolves the
+selected canonical name and writes the unchanged exact durable ID/name pair.
+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/internal/dnd.md

@@ -127,14 +127,17 @@ 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
-values and evidence, use source-document order for stable output, and issue
-bounded warnings for changes or collapsed duplicates. The NPC and location
-normalizers are intentional exceptions: each first produces a deterministic
-candidate set, then may use a bounded structured-LLM proposal to reconcile
-identity groups. Invalid or unusable proposals retain the deterministic result
-and surface retry or fallback diagnostics; the model does not directly replace
-durable records.
+occurrences, scene descriptions, enemy events, and location occurrences. They
+canonicalize display values and evidence, use source-document order for stable
+output, and issue bounded warnings for changes or collapsed duplicates. NPC,
+item, and location registry normalizers are intentional exceptions: each first
+produces a deterministic candidate set, then may use a bounded structured-LLM
+proposal to reconcile identity groups. The proposal selects supplied
+descriptors—names with their candidate source references—not durable IDs.
+Request-local candidate keys may support resolution internally, but are never
+included in model input or output. Colliding descriptors are ineligible, and
+invalid or unusable proposals retain the deterministic result with retry or
+fallback diagnostics; the model does not directly replace durable records.
 
 ## Generated References And Grounding
 
@@ -144,11 +147,19 @@ 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}`
-pairs to their respective occurrence extractors and normalizers. Exact ID/name
-matching preserves every identity the registry recognizes, including same-name
-locations with distinct source anchors. The NPC registry additionally supplies
-names-only actor grounding to spells, combat turns, and enemy events.
+NPC and item registry consumers receive names-only grounding. Location
+consumers receive a contextual selector containing the canonical name and the
+registry references needed to distinguish same-name places. The calling module
+resolves those supplied selections locally and maps them into the unchanged
+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 +181,7 @@ 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

docs/policy/architecture.md

@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ 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.
 
+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; [ADR-0012](../adr/0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md)
+records the rationale and limited request-local-label exception.
+
 LLM calls and other external operations accept cancellation and respect
 timeouts. Concurrency control belongs in shared runtime plumbing rather than in
 individual modules.

docs/roadmap/contextual-entity-grounding.md

@@ -0,0 +1,350 @@
+# Contextual Entity Grounding
+
+## Purpose
+
+Notarius should use an LLM for semantic interpretation of source evidence, not
+for referential-integrity work that deterministic code can perform more
+reliably. D&D prompts must therefore stop requiring models to reproduce opaque
+machine identifiers such as hash-derived entity IDs. Models should identify
+entities through human-readable, evidence-grounded context, after which
+Notarius resolves the selection and attaches the canonical durable identity.
+
+This roadmap defines the policy, affected D&D prompt families, and intended
+end state. The ordered work needed to reach that state is maintained in
+[Implementation Plan](implementation.md).
+
+## User Intent
+
+The change has two goals:
+
+- prevent otherwise useful model responses from failing because a long,
+  non-semantic string was copied incorrectly; and
+- avoid spending prompt space and model effort on exact-copy work that provides
+  no semantic value.
+
+The policy is not a ban on identifiers. Durable artifacts may continue to use
+application-owned IDs, and prompts may continue to request source-unit ranges
+that locate evidence. The policy governs which identity work is assigned to
+the model.
+
+## Policy
+
+An LLM-facing prompt input or private response schema must not require a model
+to reproduce an opaque machine identifier when Notarius can establish the same
+association deterministically.
+
+Opaque machine identifiers include cryptographic hashes, UUIDs, digests,
+database keys, durable entity IDs, and other tokens whose characters do not
+carry source-grounded meaning for the model. These values may remain in
+application state, provenance, diagnostics, checkpoints, and durable artifact
+contracts, but should be omitted from model-visible material when they do not
+help the model make a semantic decision.
+
+The intended responsibility boundary is:
+
+- the model decides which contextual entity is supported by the supplied
+  evidence and returns the bounded semantic facts requested by the module;
+- the calling module validates that the contextual selection resolves to
+  exactly one supplied candidate;
+- deterministic code supplies the canonical display value and durable entity
+  ID; and
+- existing validators continue to enforce referential integrity at later
+  artifact boundaries.
+
+Transcript `start_unit_id` and `end_unit_id` values are permitted. They are
+contextual source coordinates and form part of the evidence contract rather
+than arbitrary identity tokens. Prompt IDs, schema IDs, fingerprints, session
+IDs, and digests may also remain in runtime metadata that the model is not
+asked to reproduce.
+
+Short request-local labels are a narrowly permitted fallback only when a
+contextual selector cannot uniquely represent the available choices without
+unreasonable prompt cost. Such a label must be compact, scoped to one request,
+validated against the supplied candidate set, and never reused as a durable
+identity. Current D&D occurrence and reconciliation prompts should be designed
+without this exception; adopting it later requires a concrete demonstrated
+need and documented rationale.
+
+## Current State
+
+The initial NPC, item, and location registry extractors already follow the
+desired pattern: the model returns contextual names and evidence, and Notarius
+derives durable IDs afterward. Spells, combat turns, and enemy events use
+contextual actor names rather than requiring hash-derived NPC IDs.
+
+Two current prompt families diverge from that pattern:
+
+1. `dnd/npc-occurrences`, `dnd/item-occurrences`, and
+   `dnd/location-occurrences` place durable registry IDs in model-visible
+   projections and require the private LLM response to repeat those IDs.
+2. NPC-, item-, and location-registry normalization use the shared entity
+   reconciliation prompt, which labels candidates with opaque
+   `candidate-000001`-style keys and requires the model to copy those keys into
+   duplicate-group proposals.
+
+The durable occurrence artifacts correctly retain canonical entity IDs. The
+problem is the private model transport contract, not the published artifact
+contract.
+
+## Target Architecture
+
+### Model proposals and durable artifacts
+
+Private LLM response types must express contextual semantic proposals rather
+than reuse the durable artifact type when that type contains an opaque entity
+ID. The extractor maps a validated private response into the existing durable
+artifact only after identity resolution succeeds.
+
+No affected durable artifact kind, media type, schema ID, schema version, or
+JSON field changes as part of this work. NPC, item, and location occurrence
+artifacts continue to publish their exact canonical ID/name pair. Registry
+artifacts likewise retain their IDs and evidence.
+
+The private schemas and prompt declarations may remain at their current `v1`
+identities because Notarius is pre-release and these are not external
+contracts. Their content hashes, mapping-policy fingerprints, and affected
+prompt fingerprints must change so incompatible checkpoints are not reused.
+
+### NPC occurrence grounding
+
+The NPC occurrence prompt receives an ordered names-only projection of the
+normalized NPC registry. Its private response contains the canonical NPC name,
+occurrence kind, and current-transcript source ranges, but no `npc_id`.
+
+The extractor resolves the returned name under the existing NPC comparison
+policy. Resolution must produce exactly one registry entry. It then writes that
+entry's canonical display name and durable ID into the `dnd.NPCOccurrence`.
+An unknown or ambiguous selection invalidates the extraction operation; the
+extractor must not guess, use fuzzy matching, silently omit the record, or
+accept a partial response.
+
+### Item occurrence grounding
+
+The item occurrence prompt receives an ordered names-only projection of the
+normalized item registry. Its private response contains the canonical item
+name, occurrence kind, kind-specific fields, and current-transcript source
+ranges, but no `item_id`.
+
+The extractor resolves the returned name under the existing item comparison
+and identity policies. Resolution must produce exactly one registry entry,
+whose canonical name and durable ID are attached deterministically. Unknown or
+ambiguous selections invalidate the complete extraction operation rather than
+being guessed, repaired by similarity, or dropped.
+
+### Location occurrence grounding
+
+Location identity cannot always be resolved from a display name alone: the
+current registry intentionally permits same-name locations with distinct
+source anchors. The location occurrence prompt must therefore receive a
+contextual registry descriptor that contains the canonical display name plus
+the minimum source-grounded registry evidence needed to distinguish same-name
+records. It must not contain the durable `location:sha256:...` value.
+
+The private response uses two required selector fields: `name` and
+`registry_refs`. For a comparison-unique canonical name, `registry_refs` is an
+empty array and Notarius resolves the name under the location comparison
+policy. For a name shared by multiple registry records, `registry_refs`
+contains that record's complete canonically ordered registry ranges as
+`start_unit_id` and `end_unit_id` pairs, without `source_id`.
+
+Every model-facing registry entry uses one fixed shape with required `name`,
+`registry_refs`, and `context` fields. `context` is an array of strict objects
+containing only `unit_id` and `text`. Comparison-unique entries use empty
+`registry_refs` and `context` arrays. Same-name entries use the complete
+registry-range selector and the bounded context described below. The model
+returns only `name` and `registry_refs`; it does not reproduce `context`.
+
+For same-name groups, the projection also supplies bounded transcript units
+covered by each record's registry ranges so the model receives meaningful
+identity context rather than coordinates alone. Those ranges must resolve
+against the current source document, and the resulting contextual selectors
+must be unique. An invalid range or selector collision prevents the LLM call
+and fails the operation. Unique-name entries do not repeat registry ranges or
+context in the selector, preserving compatibility with a valid registry from
+another source when the name alone is unambiguous.
+
+The private response separately supplies current-transcript `source_refs` that
+prove the occurrence. Registry identity evidence and occurrence evidence must
+remain different fields and must never be merged. The model should omit an
+occurrence when the transcript does not support choosing among same-name
+locations. If a returned selector does not resolve to exactly one supplied
+registry record, the extractor invalidates the complete operation rather than
+guessing.
+
+### Registry reconciliation
+
+The shared entity-reconciliation input replaces opaque candidate keys with
+contextual candidate descriptors. At minimum, a descriptor contains the
+candidate's display name and its canonically ordered source-reference ranges;
+the existing transcript windows remain available for semantic judgment.
+
+Duplicate-group members and the canonical member in the private response use
+the same contextual descriptor shape. The shared reconciliation helper maps
+each descriptor back to exactly one internal candidate before assessing the
+proposal. Exact deterministic duplicates should already be removed before the
+LLM call; any remaining descriptor collision makes the affected candidate
+ineligible for model-assisted reconciliation rather than authorizing an
+arbitrary choice.
+
+Existing safety behavior remains in force: groups must contain at least two
+supplied candidates, the canonical candidate must be a member, groups must not
+overlap, and domain-specific eligibility rules remain authoritative. Invalid,
+ambiguous, or unsafe groups are discarded through the existing bounded
+fallback and diagnostic behavior. The model never directly mutates the
+durable registry.
+
+The shared private reconciliation schema and helper must remain domain-neutral
+within the D&D family. NPC-, item-, and location-specific duplicate policy
+continues to live in the owning normalizer.
+
+## Prompt And Asset Changes
+
+The following LLM-facing assets are in scope:
+
+- the prompt instructions, registry input fragments, and private response
+  schemas for NPC, item, and location occurrences;
+- the prompt manifests where input shape or selected fragments change;
+- the shared D&D entity-reconciliation fragment and private response schema;
+  and
+- the NPC-, item-, and location-registry normalization prompt inputs that use
+  the shared reconciliation contract.
+
+Affected projections must exclude durable entity IDs rather than merely stop
+mentioning them in prose. Prompt instructions should describe the contextual
+selection rule once at the narrowest owning asset and must preserve the current
+distinction between registry grounding and transcript evidence.
+
+Prompt ordering and cache controls should remain unchanged unless the new
+contextual input requires an intentional manifest change. Unrelated shared
+prompt bytes should not be edited. Prompt and schema fingerprints should
+invalidate only the operations whose selected assets or mapping semantics
+changed.
+
+## Code And Validation Changes
+
+The occurrence extractors need private response types and deterministic
+registry-resolution paths appropriate to their domain. Shared code is
+appropriate only for demonstrated mechanics that have identical semantics;
+NPC, item, and location ambiguity policies must not be forced behind a generic
+resolver merely to reduce line count.
+
+Registry projections should expose explicit model-facing methods whose names
+describe whether they are names-only or contextual identity projections. The
+existing ID/name projections may remain only for deterministic consumers that
+genuinely require them; they must no longer be wired to an LLM input.
+
+Mapping-policy and normalization-policy identifiers must be reviewed and
+advanced wherever their semantics change. Checkpoint fingerprints must cover
+the new projection content, private schema, prompt assets, and mapping policy,
+while continuing to exclude irrelevant internal implementation details.
+
+Durable occurrence normalizers and registry validators remain defense in
+depth. They continue to validate exact ID/name pairs on artifacts entering
+through checkpoints, codecs, or other boundaries even though the LLM no longer
+produces the ID directly.
+
+## Testing And Evaluation
+
+Tests should protect the behavioral boundary rather than prompt prose or
+private helper structure. The completed work should demonstrate that:
+
+- affected model-facing registry projections do not contain durable entity
+  IDs;
+- private occurrence schemas reject opaque ID fields and accept the intended
+  contextual shape;
+- valid contextual selections map to the exact canonical durable ID/name pair;
+- unknown, mismatched, and ambiguous selections fail without fuzzy matching,
+  partial acceptance, or arbitrary reassignment;
+- same-name locations remain distinguishable through contextual evidence;
+- reconciliation preserves equal-name candidates, resolves valid contextual
+  groups, and discards ambiguous or unsafe proposals;
+- registry evidence never becomes occurrence evidence;
+- durable codec, normalization, and validator behavior remains compatible; and
+- representative assembled D&D pipelines still prepare and execute with fake
+  structured-LLM responses.
+
+Do not add repository-wide prompt-prose snapshots, exact-message-count tests,
+or a change-detector test that merely scans for today's field names. Focused
+projection, schema, mapping, fallback, and integration tests are the stable
+owners of these risks. Model-quality evaluation with representative
+transcripts remains a manual development aid rather than an offline test gate.
+
+## Documentation And Architectural Record
+
+This policy is durable and applies to future modules, so it warrants
+`docs/adr/0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md`, which
+records:
+
+- the semantic-proposal versus referential-integrity boundary;
+- why durable opaque IDs are excluded from model response contracts;
+- why contextual evidence coordinates remain permitted;
+- the narrowly scoped request-local-label exception;
+- alternatives including durable IDs, names-only matching, and short opaque
+  handles; and
+- the consequences for private schemas, deterministic resolution, debugging,
+  and ambiguous identities.
+
+`docs/policy/architecture.md` states the general LLM boundary invariant and
+links to the ADR. `docs/internal/dnd.md` describes the concrete occurrence
+projections, contextual reconciliation selectors, resolution and failure
+behavior, and the continued separation of registry grounding from occurrence
+evidence. `docs/internal/llm.md` contains only a short clarification that
+caller-owned modules, not PromptKit or the transport adapter, resolve
+contextual model selections into application identities.
+
+The NPC, item, and location occurrence and registry integration documents must
+continue to own their durable wire contracts, while removing current claims
+that the model-facing consumer projection contains `{id,name}` or that the raw
+LLM response supplies the durable ID. They should instead explain that
+Notarius resolves contextual model output and publishes the same exact durable
+ID/name pair. No public schema examples need to remove those IDs.
+
+The generic LLM-assisted deduplication entry in `docs/roadmap/future.md` must be
+reconciled with this policy: stable IDs may exist inside deterministic state,
+but a future model-facing proposal should use contextual selectors or a
+documented request-local-label exception rather than durable IDs.
+
+## Compatibility And Operational Effects
+
+This work intentionally changes private prompt inputs, private structured
+responses, and mapping semantics. It will invalidate affected checkpoints
+through existing prompt, schema, projection, and policy fingerprints. No
+manual checkpoint migration is required.
+
+Durable D&D artifacts and generated-reference compatibility remain unchanged.
+Operators do not receive new configuration fields or CLI controls. The feature
+does not change PromptKit, provider routing, profile selection, retries,
+concurrency, or public output placement.
+
+## Non-Goals
+
+This work does not:
+
+- remove canonical IDs from durable registries or occurrence artifacts;
+- change occurrence categories, evidence rules, or registry identity policy;
+- add fuzzy, probabilistic, or embedding-based entity resolution;
+- allow registry provenance to substitute for occurrence evidence;
+- introduce a general entity graph or cross-artifact identity framework;
+- redesign unrelated D&D prompts or their schemas;
+- implement the future generic deduplication normalizer; or
+- add provider-specific prompt behavior.
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+The target state is complete when:
+
+- no maintained D&D prompt requires a model to reproduce a durable opaque
+  entity ID;
+- current D&D reconciliation prompts no longer require opaque candidate keys;
+- NPC, item, and location occurrence LLM outputs are resolved
+  deterministically into their unchanged durable artifacts;
+- same-name location and reconciliation cases remain safe and unambiguous;
+- invalid contextual selections preserve the existing extraction-failure or
+  normalization-fallback semantics appropriate to their stage;
+- affected checkpoint identities change without altering public schema
+  versions;
+- focused and repository-wide tests pass offline;
+- the ADR, architecture invariant, D&D internal guide, LLM internal guide,
+  relevant integration contracts, and future roadmap accurately describe
+  their canonical portions of the implemented policy; and
+- no unrelated code, prompt behavior, or public contract changes are included.

docs/roadmap/future.md

@@ -29,13 +29,15 @@ not as committed release dates.
 - Add a reusable normalizer that asks an LLM to identify duplicate sets in a
   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.
+  whose elements retain stable unique IDs as internal deterministic state.
+  Model proposals use contextual descriptors, or a specifically justified
+  request-local short label, rather than durable 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.
+  resolve every supplied descriptor or local label exactly, 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

docs/roadmap/implementation.md

@@ -0,0 +1,612 @@
+# Contextual Entity Grounding Implementation Plan
+
+## Objective
+
+Implement [Contextual Entity Grounding](contextual-entity-grounding.md) so D&D
+LLM prompts return evidence-grounded contextual selectors while Notarius owns
+canonical entity IDs and referential integrity. Preserve every durable D&D
+artifact contract and remove opaque IDs only from model-visible inputs and
+private model responses.
+
+This plan is written for a gpt-5.6-terra coding agent. Implement the stages in
+numeric order. Each stage is intentionally scoped to one implementation prompt
+and must leave the repository buildable and its focused tests passing before
+the next stage begins.
+
+## Plan-Wide Decisions
+
+Apply these decisions throughout every stage:
+
+- Read `docs/development.md`, all files under `docs/policy/`, the feature
+  roadmap, and the focused implementation/tests named by the stage before
+  editing.
+- Preserve the fixed pipeline, typed artifact boundaries, root `assets`
+  content-only rule, module ownership, PromptKit boundary, and evidence rules.
+- Do not change the durable NPC-, item-, location-registry, or occurrence Go
+  types, JSON schemas, schema IDs, schema versions, media types, reference-slot
+  contracts, categories, or generated-reference compatibility.
+- Keep the affected prompt and private response-schema identities at `v1`.
+  They are private pre-release transport contracts; their changed content
+  hashes provide the required compatibility boundary.
+- Advance semantic policy identifiers exactly as directed in each stage. Do
+  not bump unrelated policy identifiers.
+- A contextual name match uses the entity family's existing comparison policy,
+  never fuzzy matching. A model selection must resolve to exactly one supplied
+  record before a durable ID is attached.
+- An invalid NPC, item, or location selection invalidates the complete
+  extraction operation. Do not silently drop one response record, accept a
+  partial artifact, or defer a known mapping failure to a later validator.
+- Registry provenance remains grounding only. Only the current extraction
+  chunk's `source_refs` become occurrence evidence.
+- Preserve prompt message order and cache controls unless a stage explicitly
+  directs otherwise. Edit only the selected module or shared assets; do not
+  rewrite unrelated shared prompt bytes.
+- Preserve internal opaque IDs where deterministic code needs them. The rule
+  applies to material shown to the model or requested from it, not to maps,
+  fingerprints, checkpoints, diagnostics, or durable artifacts.
+- Follow `docs/policy/testing.md`: test package-level behavior and meaningful
+  failure modes, not prompt prose, exact message counts, private helper
+  structure, or a repository-wide string-scanning change detector. All tests
+  remain deterministic, offline, and credential-free.
+- Use `apply_patch` for edits, `gofmt` changed Go files, and preserve unrelated
+  worktree changes.
+
+## Final Private Selector Contracts
+
+These shapes are implementation requirements, not public artifact schemas.
+
+### NPC occurrence response
+
+Each response record contains exactly the required fields `name`, `kind`, and
+`source_refs`. It does not contain `npc_id`. Notarius resolves `name` through
+the normalized NPC registry and writes the matched registry record's `ID` and
+canonical `Name` into the durable occurrence.
+
+### Item occurrence response
+
+Each response record contains the existing required `name`, `kind`,
+`quantity`, `from`, `to`, and `source_refs` fields. It does not contain
+`item_id`. Retain the current nullable representation and kind-specific
+semantics. Notarius resolves `name` through the normalized item registry and
+adds the matched `ID` and canonical `Name`.
+
+### Location occurrence response
+
+Each response record contains exactly the required fields `name`,
+`registry_refs`, `kind`, and `source_refs`. `registry_refs` is always an array
+of strict objects containing required integer `start_unit_id` and
+`end_unit_id`; it may be empty.
+
+- When `name` has one comparison-identity match in the supplied registry,
+  `registry_refs` must be empty and name resolution selects that record.
+- When multiple registry records share the comparison identity,
+  `registry_refs` must equal one record's complete canonically ordered source
+  ranges with `source_id` removed.
+- The model-facing registry projection uses the same `name` plus
+  `registry_refs` selector and adds a required `context` array. Unique-name
+  records project empty `registry_refs` and `context` arrays. The private
+  response does not reproduce `context`.
+- Same-name records receive bounded identity context consisting of the ordered
+  source units covered by their registry ranges. Each context element is a
+  strict object with exactly the required fields `unit_id` (integer) and
+  `text` (string); do not expose the durable location ID, source ID, digest,
+  or a replacement token.
+- Building same-name grounding validates that every registry range belongs to
+  and resolves against the current source. If two records still produce the
+  same contextual selector, grounding construction fails before the LLM call.
+- `registry_refs` never flow into the durable occurrence's `source_refs`.
+
+### Entity-reconciliation response
+
+The shared response remains an object with required `duplicate_groups`.
+Every group has required `members` and `canonical`. A member and the canonical
+selection are strict contextual objects containing:
+
+```json
+{
+  "name": "Mira Thorn",
+  "source_refs": [
+    {"start_unit_id": 12, "end_unit_id": 12}
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+The candidate prompt input uses the same descriptor and contains no `key`.
+`source_refs` is required and non-empty for every eligible candidate. The
+shared helper may retain its existing `candidate-000001`-style keys strictly
+inside Go state to preserve input-position mapping; those keys must never be
+serialized into prompt input or accepted in the private response.
+
+If two candidates produce an identical contextual descriptor, neither is
+eligible for model-assisted reconciliation because the model cannot identify
+them independently. Otherwise the helper converts returned descriptors to its
+internal candidate keys before applying all existing unknown-member,
+ineligible-member, duplicate-member, canonical-membership, overlap, retry, and
+fallback rules.
+
+## Stage 1: Convert NPC Occurrences To Name-Based Resolution
+
+### Goal
+
+Remove durable NPC IDs from the NPC-occurrence prompt and private response,
+then resolve the model's contextual name deterministically without weakening
+checkpoint identity or downstream validation.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Inspect:
+   - `assets/dnd/npc-occurrences/`;
+   - `internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/`;
+   - `internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry/`;
+   - NPC-occurrence normalizer and validator checkpoint fingerprints; and
+   - their focused tests.
+2. Change `dnd_npc_occurrences_llm.v1.json` so every occurrence requires only
+   `name`, `kind`, and `source_refs`, continues to reject unknown fields, and
+   no longer declares `npc_id`.
+3. Revise the NPC-occurrence instructions to require a supplied canonical NPC
+   name and current-chunk evidence, with no instruction to copy or invent an
+   ID. Continue using the existing shared names-only NPC registry fragment and
+   preserve manifest order/cache controls.
+4. Remove `NPCID` from the private `occurrenceResponse`. After canonicalizing
+   response evidence, resolve every response name with the existing
+   `npcregistry.Registry.Lookup` comparison-key lookup. On the first unknown
+   or non-unique selection, return an extractor-scoped mapping error and no
+   value. For a match, construct the durable occurrence with the registry
+   record's exact `ID` and canonical `Name`.
+5. Change `mappingPolicy` to
+   `dnd.npc_occurrences.extract_mapping.v3`.
+6. Stop passing `IdentityPromptInput()` to the LLM; use the existing
+   names-only `PromptInput()`.
+7. Replace the misleading exported model-input API used only for identity
+   fingerprints: retain the unexported ordered `{id,name}` projection and its
+   digest, expose that value as `IdentityDigest() string`, remove
+   `IdentityPromptInput()`, and update NPC-occurrence extractor, normalizer,
+   invariant-validator, and registry-validator fingerprints to use
+   `IdentityDigest()`. The digest must still distinguish ID/name identity from
+   the names-only prompt projection.
+8. Rewrite existing focused tests around observable behavior: rendered NPC
+   registry input is names-only; the private schema rejects `npc_id`; valid
+   names acquire the registry ID; comparison-equivalent names canonicalize;
+   unknown names fail the whole extraction; registry identity fingerprints
+   remain distinct and defensive; empty registries accept only empty model
+   results. Remove tests whose only purpose was requiring the model to return
+   exact ID/name pairs.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- No NPC-occurrence LLM input or private response contains a durable NPC ID.
+- Durable NPC occurrences still contain the exact registry ID/name pair.
+- Mapping failures remain extractor failures eligible for the configured
+  pipeline retry behavior.
+- Deterministic consumers still fingerprint the ordered registry identity,
+  while spells, combat turns, enemy events, and NPC occurrences share the
+  names-only model projection.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcoccurrences/...
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcoccurrences/...
+```
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.
+
+## Stage 2: Convert Item Occurrences To Name-Based Resolution
+
+### Goal
+
+Give item occurrences the same contextual-name/deterministic-ID boundary while
+preserving item-specific nullable fields and kind rules.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Inspect `assets/dnd/item-occurrences/`, the item occurrence extractor, the
+   item registry, the item occurrence normalizer and registry validator, and
+   their focused tests.
+2. Change `dnd_item_occurrences_llm.v1.json` to remove `item_id` from required
+   fields and properties. Preserve required `name`, `kind`, `quantity`, `from`,
+   `to`, and `source_refs`, all current enums/nullability, and strict unknown
+   field rejection.
+3. Rewrite the item registry fragment and module instructions to require the
+   supplied canonical name and current-chunk evidence without mentioning an
+   ID. Preserve prompt order and cache controls.
+4. Change the item registry's model projection from ordered `{id,name}` pairs
+   to ordered names-only objects, add a comparison-key index, and expose a
+   defensive `Lookup(name) (dnd.Item, bool)` analogous to the NPC registry.
+   Retain exact `LookupID` for durable normalizers and validators. Because item
+   IDs are derived from the item comparison identity, the names-only
+   `ProjectionDigest` remains sufficient for model input and existing
+   checkpoint consumers.
+5. Remove `ItemID` from the private response. During response canonicalization,
+   resolve every contextual name, replace it with the registry record's
+   canonical name, and attach its durable ID when constructing the final
+   `dnd.ItemOccurrence`. Unknown selections fail the complete extraction; do
+   not alter evidence or nullable-field validation ownership.
+6. Change `mappingPolicy` to
+   `dnd.item_occurrences.extract_mapping.v2`.
+7. Update focused tests to cover names-only projection, defensive comparison
+   lookup, schema rejection of `item_id`, deterministic durable mapping,
+   unknown-name failure after an otherwise valid record, empty registry/result
+   behavior, and preservation of nullable/kind-specific fields.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- Model-visible item registry and response content contain no item hash.
+- Every accepted durable occurrence has the matched registry ID and canonical
+  name.
+- Invalid selection remains all-or-nothing, and existing normalizer/validator
+  defense in depth remains unchanged.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/items/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/items/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/itemoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/itemoccurrences/...
+```
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.
+
+## Stage 3: Add Contextual Location Grounding
+
+### Goal
+
+Replace the location registry's ID/name prompt projection with an immutable,
+source-aware grounding object that can represent same-name locations safely.
+Introduce the new path alongside the old occurrence input so this stage remains
+buildable; Stage 4 performs the atomic extractor cutover and removes the old
+path.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Inspect the location registry, location identity and source-reference
+   helpers, the generic source document index, occurrence checkpoint consumers,
+   and their focused tests.
+2. In `internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry`, define the private-model
+   types needed by both grounding and the location occurrence extractor:
+   - a returned selector with exactly `name` and `registry_refs`;
+   - a registry projection entry with exactly `name`, `registry_refs`, and
+     `context`;
+   - a source-free range with exactly `start_unit_id` and `end_unit_id`; and
+   - a context unit with exactly `unit_id` and `text`.
+   All fields are required in their private JSON shapes, and constructors and
+   accessors must make defensive copies.
+3. Add an operation-scoped immutable grounding type constructed from a resolved
+   registry and the current `*source.SourceDocument`. Its API must provide:
+   - a cloned `contracts.LLMInputMaterial` for the `location_registry` slot;
+   - deterministic resolution of a returned selector to one cloned
+     `dnd.Location`.
+   The prompt material's existing `Digest` field owns the digest of the exact
+   model projection; do not expose a second grounding-specific digest API.
+4. Construct the projection in registry order. Group entries by the existing
+   location comparison key:
+   - every projection entry has exactly the required fields `name`,
+     `registry_refs`, and `context`;
+   - comparison-unique entries use empty `registry_refs` and `context` arrays;
+   - every same-name entry uses its complete canonical source ranges stripped
+     of `source_id` and includes ordered context units covered by those ranges;
+   - each context unit contains exactly required integer `unit_id` and string
+     `text` fields, and units are deduplicated in source order; and
+   - same-name ranges must have `SourceID == doc.ID` and pass
+     `source.DocumentIndex.ValidateRef`.
+5. Fail grounding construction with a bounded, content-safe error if the
+   source is nil, a same-name range is invalid or belongs to another source,
+   a comparison key is empty, or two records produce the same selector. Do not
+   expose transcript text in the error.
+6. Resolution uses the existing comparison key. A unique-name selector is
+   accepted only with empty `registry_refs`; a same-name selector is accepted
+   only on an exact canonical range match. Reject unknown names, a non-empty
+   range list for a unique name, an empty/partial/reordered range list for an
+   ambiguous name, or any selector not present in the grounding.
+7. Separate deterministic identity fingerprinting from LLM material. Add
+   `IdentityDigest()` over the registry's ordered `{id,name}` identity
+   projection, and update the location normalizer and registry-validator
+   checkpoint consumers to use it. The new operation grounding carries the
+   model projection digest in its `LLMInputMaterial`. Retain the old ID-bearing
+   prompt accessor only as a documented transitional dependency of the
+   still-unchanged location occurrence extractor; do not add new callers.
+8. Add focused tests for unique names, same-name context and selectors,
+   canonical range order, deterministic projection/digest, defensive copies,
+   exact selector resolution, nil/foreign/invalid references, selector
+   collisions, empty registries, and identity fingerprint stability. Do not
+   assert large rendered prompt strings; decode the JSON projection and assert
+   its semantic shape.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- The location package can build and resolve contextual selectors without
+  exposing `location_id`, `source_id`, digests, or replacement labels.
+- Same-name locations remain distinct and receive meaningful bounded context.
+- Deterministic checkpoint consumers retain an ID-sensitive fingerprint.
+- Only the existing occurrence extractor remains wired to the legacy
+  ID-bearing prompt path until Stage 4; the repository compiles and tests pass.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/locationoccurrences/...
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/locationoccurrences/...
+```
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.
+
+## Stage 4: Convert Location Occurrences To Contextual Resolution
+
+### Goal
+
+Wire the Stage 3 grounding object into location occurrence extraction and
+remove durable location IDs from the prompt and private response.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Inspect `assets/dnd/location-occurrences/`, the location occurrence model,
+   schema loader, extractor, canonicalization, prompt tests, and Stage 3
+   grounding tests.
+2. Change `dnd_location_occurrences_llm.v1.json` so each occurrence requires
+   exactly `name`, `registry_refs`, `kind`, and `source_refs`; remove
+   `location_id`. Keep all four occurrence kinds. Make `registry_refs` a
+   required array, including an empty array, of strict required positive
+   integer ranges. Keep occurrence `source_refs` separate and unchanged.
+3. Rewrite `location-registry.md` and module instructions to explain the two
+   selector cases, require exact supplied contextual selectors, prohibit
+   invented locations, and state that registry ranges/context are identity
+   grounding rather than occurrence evidence. Preserve manifest order and
+   cache controls.
+4. Change the private response type to `Name`, `RegistryRefs`, `Kind`, and
+   `SourceRefs`. Do not reuse `source.SourceRef` for the source-free registry
+   range type.
+5. In `Extract`, construct operation grounding from the resolved registry and
+   `req.Source` before calling the LLM, put its projection in the
+   `location_registry` input, and resolve every returned selector after
+   completion. Attach the selected registry record's exact ID and canonical
+   name to the durable occurrence while retaining only the response's
+   current-source `source_refs` as evidence.
+6. Fail the whole extraction on grounding-construction failure or the first
+   unknown, malformed, mismatched, or ambiguous selector. This replaces the
+   current behavior that can preserve unknown ID/name pairs for later
+   validators. Keep later normalizer and validator checks as defense in depth
+   for artifacts entering other boundaries.
+7. Change `mappingPolicy` to
+   `dnd.location_occurrences.extract_mapping.v2`.
+8. Remove the legacy ID-bearing registry `PromptInput` and its model-projection
+   digest once the extractor uses operation grounding. Keep the occurrence's
+   static module fingerprint based on `IdentityDigest()`, prompt/schema
+   fingerprints, and mapping policy. The operation-scoped projection is already
+   covered by source/chunk identity and configured or generated reference
+   dependencies, while its `LLMInputMaterial.Digest` identifies the exact model
+   input; do not add a second digest API or operation-aware static fingerprint.
+9. Update focused schema, prompt, extractor, canonicalization, checkpoint, and
+   generated-reference tests. Cover unique-name empty selectors, successful
+   same-name selection, failure for an unsupported ambiguous mention,
+   partial/reordered ranges, no registry-to-occurrence evidence leakage,
+   all-or-nothing failure, empty registry/result behavior, and unchanged
+   durable ordering/deduplication.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- The location prompt and private response contain no durable location ID.
+- Unique and same-name records resolve according to the final selector
+  contract.
+- Accepted durable output is unchanged in shape and still contains an exact
+  location ID/name pair.
+- Registry context cannot become durable occurrence evidence.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry ./internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationoccurrences ./internal/modules/dnd/validate/locationoccurrences/...
+```
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.
+
+## Stage 5: Replace Reconciliation Keys With Contextual Descriptors
+
+### Goal
+
+Change the shared NPC/item/location registry-normalization proposal contract so
+opaque candidate keys remain internal and the model sees and returns only
+names plus evidence coordinates.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Inspect:
+   - `internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile/`;
+   - `assets/dnd/shared/prompts/common-dnd-entity-reconciliation.md`;
+   - `assets/dnd/entity-reconciliation/schemas/`;
+   - all three registry normalization manifests and prompt tests; and
+   - the NPC, item, and location registry normalizers and reconciliation tests.
+2. Introduce one exported, defensively copied contextual selector type in
+   `entityreconcile` with JSON `name` and `source_refs`, plus a strict
+   source-free range type. Use it for candidate input views and for
+   `DuplicateGroup.Members` and `.Canonical`.
+3. Keep deterministic candidate keys only inside `Materials`. During
+   `BuildContext`, validate and canonicalize candidate references as today,
+   serialize candidate views without `key`, derive a stable internal lookup
+   from canonical selector JSON to the corresponding internal candidate key,
+   and detect descriptor collisions before eligibility is established.
+   Colliding candidates must not appear in the prompt input or become
+   eligible; their records remain in deterministic normalization output.
+4. Update `Materials.Assess` to resolve every returned selector through that
+   internal lookup before running the existing group assessment. Preserve
+   existing issue categories where their meaning still applies. Treat an
+   unknown or collided descriptor as an unknown/ineligible selection, discard
+   only the affected group, and retain existing overlap handling. `SafeGroup`
+   may continue returning internal candidate keys so the three domain
+   normalizers retain their position mapping; those keys are not model-facing.
+5. Rewrite `dnd_entity_reconcile_llm.v1.json` so members and canonical are
+   strict selector objects. Require non-empty `name` structurally where the
+   current schemas do so, require `source_refs`, and make each range strict
+   with required positive integer endpoints. Preserve `duplicate_groups` and
+   the existing semantic assessment of minimum group size, membership,
+   duplicates, eligibility, and overlap rather than moving every semantic
+   failure into JSON Schema.
+6. Rewrite the shared reconciliation fragment to tell the model to return
+   supplied contextual descriptors and never invent names or ranges. Remove
+   every instruction about opaque keys. Preserve all three manifests' message
+   ordering and cache controls.
+7. Change registry normalization policy identifiers to:
+   - `dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v4`;
+   - `dnd.item_registry.normalize.v2`; and
+   - `dnd.location_registry.normalize.v2`.
+8. Update shared and domain tests to cover candidate JSON without keys,
+   contextual proposal decoding, valid selector-to-internal-key mapping,
+   equal names with different evidence, descriptor collision exclusion,
+   unknown/partial/reordered descriptors, overlapping groups, canonical
+   membership, invalid structured-output fallback, currency safety, and
+   preservation of every non-applied deterministic candidate. Update prompt
+   asset fixtures to the new selector schema; do not snapshot prompt prose.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- No registry normalization prompt input or private response contains a
+  `candidate-*` key.
+- Internal keys remain inaccessible to the model but may still support safe
+  deterministic position mapping.
+- All existing normalizer safety, retry, fallback, warning, currency, and
+  same-name-location policies remain intact.
+- Identical contextual descriptors cannot be arbitrarily reconciled.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/itemregistry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/itemregistry ./internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry
+```
+
+This is the largest stage, but it is one cohesive shared-contract migration
+and is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt when implemented exactly within
+the listed packages. Do not combine it with occurrence or documentation work.
+
+## Stage 6: Record The Decision And Update Canonical Documentation
+
+### Goal
+
+Document the implemented policy in its durable architectural, internal, and
+integration homes without duplicating volatile details or presenting roadmap
+work as current behavior prematurely.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Re-read `docs/policy/documentation.md`, ADR-0003, ADR-0009, ADR-0011,
+   `docs/internal/dnd.md`, `docs/internal/llm.md`, and the six affected registry
+   and occurrence integration documents. Verify the code before describing it.
+2. Add
+   `docs/adr/0012-resolve-opaque-entity-identifiers-deterministically.md` in
+   the repository's Nygard ADR format with status `Accepted` and the actual
+   implementation date. Record the model-semantic/deterministic-identity
+   boundary, source-coordinate allowance, request-local-label exception,
+   alternatives, ambiguity behavior, and consequences. Link ADR-0003 and
+   ADR-0009 rather than repeating their complete decisions.
+3. Add a concise normative invariant under the LLM boundary in
+   `docs/policy/architecture.md`: callers use contextual model selections and
+   attach opaque application identities deterministically when possible. Link
+   ADR-0012 for rationale.
+4. Update `docs/internal/dnd.md` to replace exact model-facing `{id,name}`
+   claims with the implemented NPC/item names-only and location contextual
+   selector behavior. Document reconciliation descriptors, internal-only keys,
+   all-or-nothing occurrence mapping failures, normalization fallback, and the
+   separation between registry and occurrence evidence. Do not duplicate the
+   private JSON schemas.
+5. Add only a short ownership clarification to `docs/internal/llm.md`: the
+   calling module resolves contextual selections; PromptKit and its adapter do
+   not own entity identity.
+6. Update these durable integration contracts while preserving their public
+   ID-bearing wire examples and schema statements:
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-npc-registry-artifacts.md`;
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-npc-occurrence-artifacts.md`;
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-item-registry-artifacts.md`;
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-item-occurrence-artifacts.md`;
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-location-registry-artifacts.md`; and
+   - `docs/integrations/dnd-location-occurrence-artifacts.md`.
+   Remove claims that LLM consumers receive `{id,name}` or that raw model
+   output supplies an ID. State that Notarius maps contextual output into the
+   unchanged exact durable pair.
+7. Revise the generic LLM-assisted deduplication entry in
+   `docs/roadmap/future.md`: stable unique IDs remain internal deterministic
+   state, while a future model proposal uses contextual descriptors or a
+   specifically justified request-local short label.
+8. Do not change README, CLI, configuration, operations, examples, or public
+   schema files; this feature has no user-selectable surface or public wire
+   change.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- ADR-0012 owns rationale; architecture owns the normative boundary; internal
+  docs own mechanics; integration docs own unchanged durable contracts; and
+  the future roadmap no longer proposes durable IDs as the default model
+  selector.
+- No current-behavior document claims that a model copies hash-based entity
+  IDs or opaque reconciliation keys.
+- Documentation does not duplicate private schemas or implementation history.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+git diff --check
+rg -n '\{id,name\}|ID/name grounding|Candidate keys are opaque|candidate-[0-9]' docs assets/dnd
+```
+
+Review every search result semantically; durable wire-contract ID/name
+requirements and internal test fixtures are not automatically errors.
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.
+
+## Stage 7: Integration Audit And Final Verification
+
+### Goal
+
+Verify the assembled D&D family, remove obsolete identity-copy paths, and
+finish with a clean, policy-compliant implementation.
+
+### Work
+
+1. Audit every maintained D&D prompt manifest, selected fragment, private
+   schema, and constructed prompt projection. Confirm that no model is asked to
+   reproduce `npc:sha256:...`, `item:sha256:...`,
+   `location:sha256:...`, `candidate-*`, a UUID, a digest, or another opaque
+   entity handle. Do not confuse runtime metadata or durable output contracts
+   with model-visible material.
+2. Trace all former APIs and fields, including `IdentityPromptInput`,
+   ID-bearing item/location prompt projections, private `NPCID`/`ItemID`/
+   `LocationID` response fields, and model-visible candidate keys. Remove dead
+   code, obsolete comments, stale test names, and unused assets. Retain
+   identity-only digests and exact durable lookup APIs used by deterministic
+   consumers.
+3. Review prompt fingerprint registration and checkpoint fingerprints. Confirm
+   that each affected prompt/schema/policy/projection change invalidates the
+   relevant operation and that unrelated D&D lanes retain their existing
+   fingerprints.
+4. Run representative production registration and multi-step pipeline tests
+   using existing fakes. Update only tests whose stable behavior changed.
+   Confirm generated NPC/item/location registry handoffs still prepare and
+   that final durable occurrences encode and validate under their existing
+   `v1` codecs.
+5. Run formatting, focused suites, full tests, vet, build, and documentation
+   whitespace checks. Fix only failures caused by this feature. Report any
+   unrelated pre-existing failure without broadening scope.
+6. Review the feature roadmap acceptance criteria one by one. Do not delete
+   `contextual-entity-grounding.md` or this implementation plan in this stage;
+   roadmap retirement is a separate maintainer action after review.
+
+### Acceptance Criteria
+
+- All feature-roadmap acceptance criteria are met.
+- The repository contains no obsolete model-facing opaque-identity path.
+- Public artifacts and generated handoffs remain compatible.
+- Tests are focused on behavior rather than prose or implementation shape.
+- The worktree contains only intentional feature and documentation changes.
+
+### Validation
+
+```sh
+go fmt ./internal/modules/dnd/...
+go test ./internal/modules/dnd/...
+go test ./internal/modules/integration/...
+go test ./...
+go vet ./...
+go build ./cmd/notarius
+git diff --check
+git status --short
+```
+
+This stage is suitable for one gpt-5.6-terra prompt.

internal/cli/dnd_enemy_events_contract_test.go

@@ -219,14 +219,15 @@ 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") {
-			t.Fatalf("location occurrence registry input = %q, want source-free ID grounding", registryInput.Content)
+		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 contextual selector grounding", registryInput.Content)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, test := range []struct {
-		promptID string
-		slot     string
-		name     string
+		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 +238,9 @@ 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") {
-				t.Fatalf("%s registry input = %q, want source-free ID grounding", test.promptID, registryInput.Content)
+			hasID := strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), `"id"`)
+			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 +321,16 @@ 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_segment":5,"end_segment":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 +338,27 @@ 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 +368,18 @@ 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:

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/canonicalize.go

@@ -10,24 +10,34 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 )
 
-type orderedItemOccurrenceResponse struct {
-	value       itemOccurrenceResponse
+type orderedItemOccurrence struct {
+	value       dnd.ItemOccurrence
 	earliest    int
 	hasEvidence bool
 }
 
-func canonicalizeResponse(response *extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRefOrder, sourceID string, registry *itemregistry.Registry) error {
-	if response == nil {
-		return nil
+func canonicalItemOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRefOrder, sourceID string, registry *itemregistry.Registry) (dnd.ItemOccurrenceList, error) {
+	if response.Occurrences == nil {
+		return dnd.ItemOccurrenceList{}, nil
 	}
-	ordered := make([]orderedItemOccurrenceResponse, len(response.Occurrences))
-	for index := range response.Occurrences {
-		if err := validateRegistryPair(index, response.Occurrences[index], registry); err != nil {
-			return err
+	ordered := make([]orderedItemOccurrence, len(response.Occurrences))
+	for index, occurrence := range response.Occurrences {
+		item, found := registry.Lookup(occurrence.Name)
+		if !found {
+			return dnd.ItemOccurrenceList{}, fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].name is not in the item registry", index)
 		}
-		earliest, hasEvidence := canonicalizeItemOccurrence(&response.Occurrences[index], order, sourceID)
-		ordered[index] = orderedItemOccurrenceResponse{
-			value:       response.Occurrences[index],
+		refs := order.Canonicalize(itemOccurrenceSourceRefs(occurrence.SourceRefs, sourceID))
+		earliest, hasEvidence := order.EarliestValid(refs)
+		ordered[index] = orderedItemOccurrence{
+			value: dnd.ItemOccurrence{
+				ItemID:     item.ID,
+				Name:       item.Name,
+				Kind:       dnd.ItemOccurrenceKind(occurrence.Kind),
+				Quantity:   cloneQuantity(occurrence.Quantity),
+				From:       occurrence.From,
+				To:         occurrence.To,
+				SourceRefs: refs,
+			},
 			earliest:    earliest,
 			hasEvidence: hasEvidence,
 		}
@@ -41,49 +51,11 @@ func canonicalizeResponse(response *extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRefOr
 		}
 		return ordered[left].earliest < ordered[right].earliest
 	})
-	for index := range ordered {
-		response.Occurrences[index] = ordered[index].value
+	occurrences := make([]dnd.ItemOccurrence, len(ordered))
+	for index, occurrence := range ordered {
+		occurrences[index] = occurrence.value
 	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func canonicalizeItemOccurrence(occurrence *itemOccurrenceResponse, order shared.SourceRefOrder, sourceID string) (int, bool) {
-	if occurrence == nil {
-		return 0, false
-	}
-	refs := order.Canonicalize(itemOccurrenceSourceRefs(occurrence.SourceRefs, sourceID))
-	occurrence.SourceRefs = itemOccurrenceResponseRefs(refs)
-	return order.EarliestValid(refs)
-}
-
-func validateRegistryPair(index int, occurrence itemOccurrenceResponse, registry *itemregistry.Registry) error {
-	item, found := registry.LookupID(occurrence.ItemID)
-	if !found {
-		return fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].item_id is not in the item registry", index)
-	}
-	if item.Name != occurrence.Name {
-		return fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].name does not match item_id", index)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func canonicalItemOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, sourceID string) dnd.ItemOccurrenceList {
-	if response.Occurrences == nil {
-		return dnd.ItemOccurrenceList{}
-	}
-	occurrences := make([]dnd.ItemOccurrence, 0, len(response.Occurrences))
-	for _, occurrence := range response.Occurrences {
-		occurrences = append(occurrences, dnd.ItemOccurrence{
-			ItemID:     occurrence.ItemID,
-			Name:       occurrence.Name,
-			Kind:       dnd.ItemOccurrenceKind(occurrence.Kind),
-			Quantity:   cloneQuantity(occurrence.Quantity),
-			From:       occurrence.From,
-			To:         occurrence.To,
-			SourceRefs: itemOccurrenceSourceRefs(occurrence.SourceRefs, sourceID),
-		})
-	}
-	return dnd.ItemOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}
+	return dnd.ItemOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}, nil
 }
 
 func itemOccurrenceSourceRefs(refs []itemOccurrenceSourceRefResponse, sourceID string) []source.SourceRef {
@@ -97,17 +69,6 @@ func itemOccurrenceSourceRefs(refs []itemOccurrenceSourceRefResponse, sourceID s
 	return values
 }
 
-func itemOccurrenceResponseRefs(refs []source.SourceRef) []itemOccurrenceSourceRefResponse {
-	if refs == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	values := make([]itemOccurrenceSourceRefResponse, len(refs))
-	for index, ref := range refs {
-		values[index] = itemOccurrenceSourceRefResponse{StartSegment: ref.StartUnitID, EndSegment: ref.EndUnitID}
-	}
-	return values
-}
-
 func cloneQuantity(value *int) *int {
 	if value == nil {
 		return nil

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/extractor.go

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const (
 	ItemRegistryMaxBytes      = itemregistry.MaxBytes
 )
 
-const mappingPolicy = "dnd.item_occurrences.extract_mapping.v1"
+const mappingPolicy = "dnd.item_occurrences.extract_mapping.v2"
 
 var requiredCapabilities = []string{
 	"chunks",
@@ -161,10 +161,11 @@ func (e *Extractor) Extract(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRe
 	}, &response); err != nil {
 		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.ItemOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("complete structured output: %w", err)
 	}
-	if err := canonicalizeResponse(&response, order, req.Source.ID, registry); err != nil {
+	value, err := canonicalItemOccurrenceList(response, order, req.Source.ID, registry)
+	if err != nil {
 		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.ItemOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("map item occurrence response: %w", err)
 	}
-	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.ItemOccurrenceList]{Value: canonicalItemOccurrenceList(response, req.Source.ID)}, nil
+	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.ItemOccurrenceList]{Value: value}, nil
 }
 
 func ModuleSpec() pipeline.ModuleSpec {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/extractor_test.go

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 func TestExtractGroundsOccurrencesInRequiredRegistry(t *testing.T) {
 	id := itemidentity.DeriveID("Torch")
 	client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{
-		{ItemID: id, Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
+		{Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
 	}}}
 	req := extractionRequest()
 	req.References = itemRegistryReferences(t)
@@ -24,55 +24,38 @@ func TestExtractGroundsOccurrencesInRequiredRegistry(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("occurrences = %#v", result.Value.Occurrences)
 	}
 	input := client.requests[0].Inputs[ItemRegistryReferenceSlot]
-	if input.Name != ItemRegistryReferenceSlot || string(input.Content) == "" {
-		t.Fatalf("registry prompt input = %#v", input)
+	if input.Name != ItemRegistryReferenceSlot || string(input.Content) != `{"items":[{"name":"Torch"}]}` || strings.Contains(string(input.Content), "item:sha256:") {
+		t.Fatalf("registry prompt input = %#v, want names-only projection", input)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractRejectsInvalidRegistryPairs(t *testing.T) {
-	id := itemidentity.DeriveID("Torch")
-	for _, test := range []struct {
-		name       string
-		occurrence itemOccurrenceResponse
-		wantError  string
-	}{
-		{
-			name:       "unknown item ID",
-			occurrence: itemOccurrenceResponse{ItemID: "unknown", Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
-			wantError:  "occurrences[0].item_id is not in the item registry",
-		},
-		{
-			name:       "mismatched item name",
-			occurrence: itemOccurrenceResponse{ItemID: id, Name: "Lantern", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
-			wantError:  "occurrences[0].name does not match item_id",
-		},
-	} {
-		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{test.occurrence}}}
-			req := extractionRequest()
-			req.References = itemRegistryReferences(t)
-			result, err := newExtractor(t, client, req.References).Extract(context.Background(), req)
-			if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), test.wantError) {
-				t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v, want %q", err, test.wantError)
-			}
-			if len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
-				t.Fatalf("Extract() returned partial occurrences: %#v", result.Value.Occurrences)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-func TestExtractRejectsResponseWithInvalidRegistryPairAfterValidOccurrence(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractCanonicalizesComparisonEquivalentNames(t *testing.T) {
 	id := itemidentity.DeriveID("Torch")
 	client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{
-		{ItemID: id, Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
-		{ItemID: "unknown", Name: "Unknown", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(2, 2)},
+		{Name: "  tORCH ", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
 	}}}
 	req := extractionRequest()
 	req.References = itemRegistryReferences(t)
 	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, req.References).Extract(context.Background(), req)
-	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "occurrences[1].item_id") {
-		t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v, want occurrence index and item ID", err)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	occurrence := result.Value.Occurrences[0]
+	if occurrence.ItemID != id || occurrence.Name != "Torch" {
+		t.Fatalf("canonical occurrence = %#v", occurrence)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExtractRejectsUnknownNameAfterValidOccurrence(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{
+		{Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)},
+		{Name: "Unknown", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(2, 2)},
+	}}}
+	req := extractionRequest()
+	req.References = itemRegistryReferences(t)
+	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, req.References).Extract(context.Background(), req)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "occurrences[1].name is not in the item registry") {
+		t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v, want occurrence index and unknown name", err)
 	}
 	if len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("Extract() returned partial occurrences: %#v", result.Value.Occurrences)
@@ -86,9 +69,36 @@ func TestExtractRequiresItemRegistry(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestExtractAcceptsOnlyEmptyResponseForEmptyRegistry(t *testing.T) {
+	references := emptyItemRegistryReferences(t)
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name     string
+		response extractionResponse
+		wantErr  bool
+	}{
+		{name: "empty", response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{}}},
+		{name: "selection", response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []itemOccurrenceResponse{{Name: "Torch", Kind: "lost", From: "party", SourceRefs: responseRefs(1, 1)}}}, wantErr: true},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{response: test.response}
+			req := extractionRequest()
+			req.References = references
+			result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req)
+			if test.wantErr {
+				if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "name is not in the item registry") || len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
+					t.Fatalf("Extract() = %#v, %v; want no accepted occurrences", result, err)
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			if err != nil || result.Value.Occurrences == nil || len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("Extract() = %#v, %v; want present empty occurrences", result, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExtractPreservesNullableFields(t *testing.T) {
-	id := itemidentity.DeriveID("Torch")
-	client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{content: []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"item_id":"` + id + `","name":"Torch","kind":"discovered","quantity":null,"from":null,"to":null,"source_refs":[{"start_segment":1,"end_segment":1}]}]}`)}
+	client := &fakeItemOccurrencesLLMClient{content: []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"name":"Torch","kind":"discovered","quantity":null,"from":null,"to":null,"source_refs":[{"start_segment":1,"end_segment":1}]}]}`)}
 	req := extractionRequest()
 	req.References = itemRegistryReferences(t)
 	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, req.References).Extract(context.Background(), req)

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/model.go

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ type extractionResponse struct {
 }
 
 type itemOccurrenceResponse struct {
-	ItemID     string                            `json:"item_id"`
 	Name       string                            `json:"name"`
 	Kind       string                            `json:"kind"`
 	Quantity   *int                              `json:"quantity,omitempty"`

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/prompt_assets_test.go

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func TestPromptAssetsPrepareItemOccurrencePrompt(t *testing.T) {
 			"players":       promptkit.Inline("item-occurrence-player"),
 			"party":         promptkit.Inline(" "),
 			"glossary":      promptkit.Inline(" "),
-			"item_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"items":[{"id":"item:sha256:test","name":"Torch"}]}`),
+			"item_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"items":[{"name":"Torch"}]}`),
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/registry_test.go

@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ func itemRegistryReferences(t *testing.T) contracts.ReferenceSet {
 	return contracts.ReferenceSet{Slots: map[string]contracts.ResolvedReferenceSlot{ItemRegistryReferenceSlot: {Slot: contracts.ReferenceSlot{Name: ItemRegistryReferenceSlot}, Items: []contracts.ReferenceItem{{SlotName: ItemRegistryReferenceSlot, Content: content, MediaType: "application/json", ArtifactKind: dnd.ItemRegistryKind}}}}}
 }
 
+func emptyItemRegistryReferences(t *testing.T) contracts.ReferenceSet {
+	t.Helper()
+	content, err := itemcodec.New().Encode(dnd.ItemRegistry{Items: []dnd.Item{}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return contracts.ReferenceSet{Slots: map[string]contracts.ResolvedReferenceSlot{ItemRegistryReferenceSlot: {Slot: contracts.ReferenceSlot{Name: ItemRegistryReferenceSlot}, Items: []contracts.ReferenceItem{{SlotName: ItemRegistryReferenceSlot, Content: content, MediaType: "application/json", ArtifactKind: dnd.ItemRegistryKind}}}}}
+}
+
 func testSourceRefs() []source.SourceRef {
 	return []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: "session-alpha", StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/extract/itemoccurrences/schema_test.go

@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ func TestResponseSchemaIsStrictlyStructuralAndPrivate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	valid := map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{
 		map[string]any{
-			"item_id": "item:sha256:test", "name": "", "kind": "unsupported", "quantity": 0, "from": "party", "to": "Party",
+			"name": "", "kind": "unsupported", "quantity": 0, "from": "party", "to": "Party",
 			"source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_segment": 0, "end_segment": -1}},
 		},
 		map[string]any{
-			"item_id": "item:sha256:test", "name": "Hidden Cache", "kind": "discovered", "quantity": nil, "from": nil, "to": nil,
+			"name": "Hidden Cache", "kind": "discovered", "quantity": nil, "from": nil, "to": nil,
 			"source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_segment": 1, "end_segment": 1}},
 		},
 	}}
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func TestResponseSchemaIsStrictlyStructuralAndPrivate(t *testing.T) {
 		{"missing occurrences", map[string]any{}},
 		{"missing occurrence name", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withoutField(responseOccurrence(), "name")}}},
 		{"missing nullable field", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withoutField(responseOccurrence(), "quantity")}}},
+		{"opaque item identifier", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withField(responseOccurrence(), "item_id", "item:sha256:opaque")}}},
 		{"unknown occurrence field", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withField(responseOccurrence(), "extra", true)}}},
 		{"unknown reference field", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withField(responseOccurrence(), "source_refs", []any{map[string]any{"start_segment": 1, "end_segment": 1, "extra": true}})}}},
 		{"noninteger range", map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{withField(responseOccurrence(), "source_refs", []any{map[string]any{"start_segment": 1.5, "end_segment": 1}})}}},
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ func TestResponseSchemaIsStrictlyStructuralAndPrivate(t *testing.T) {
 
 func responseOccurrence() map[string]any {
 	return map[string]any{
-		"item_id": "item:sha256:test", "name": "Ring", "kind": "acquired", "quantity": nil, "from": nil, "to": "party", "source_refs": []any{},
+		"name": "Ring", "kind": "acquired", "quantity": nil, "from": nil, "to": "party", "source_refs": []any{},
 	}
 }
 

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/canonicalize.go

@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package locationoccurrences
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
+	locationregistry "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 )
 
@@ -15,17 +17,21 @@ type orderedOccurrence struct {
 	hasEvidence bool
 }
 
-func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRefOrder, sourceID string) dnd.LocationOccurrenceList {
+func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRefOrder, sourceID string, grounding *locationregistry.Grounding) (dnd.LocationOccurrenceList, error) {
 	if response.Occurrences == nil {
-		return dnd.LocationOccurrenceList{}
+		return dnd.LocationOccurrenceList{}, nil
 	}
 	ordered := make([]orderedOccurrence, len(response.Occurrences))
 	for index, occurrence := range response.Occurrences {
+		location, ok := grounding.Resolve(locationregistry.Selector{Name: occurrence.Name, RegistryRefs: occurrence.RegistryRefs})
+		if !ok {
+			return dnd.LocationOccurrenceList{}, fmt.Errorf("occurrence %d does not match a supplied location selector", index)
+		}
 		refs := order.Canonicalize(canonicalSourceRefs(occurrence.SourceRefs, sourceID))
 		earliest, hasEvidence := order.EarliestValid(refs)
 		ordered[index] = orderedOccurrence{value: dnd.LocationOccurrence{
-			LocationID: occurrence.LocationID,
-			Name:       occurrence.Name,
+			LocationID: location.ID,
+			Name:       location.Name,
 			Kind:       dnd.LocationOccurrenceKind(occurrence.Kind),
 			SourceRefs: refs,
 		}, earliest: earliest, hasEvidence: hasEvidence}
@@ -39,7 +45,7 @@ func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, order shared.SourceRef
 			occurrences = append(occurrences, occurrence.value)
 		}
 	}
-	return dnd.LocationOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}
+	return dnd.LocationOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}, nil
 }
 
 func lessOccurrence(left, right orderedOccurrence, order shared.SourceRefOrder) bool {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/extractor.go

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	Key           = "dnd/location-occurrences"
-	mappingPolicy = "dnd.location_occurrences.extract_mapping.v1"
+	mappingPolicy = "dnd.location_occurrences.extract_mapping.v2"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (e *Extractor) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 		{Name: "prompt", Value: e.promptSHA},
 		{Name: "response_schema", Value: e.responseSchemaSHA},
 		{Name: "mapping_policy", Value: mappingPolicy},
-		{Name: "location_registry", Value: e.locationResolver.Seeded().ProjectionDigest()},
+		{Name: "location_registry", Value: e.locationResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -143,17 +143,25 @@ func (e *Extractor) Extract(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRe
 	if !registry.Bound() {
 		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("location registry reference is required")
 	}
+	grounding, err := locationregistry.NewGrounding(registry, req.Source)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("prepare location grounding: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	var response extractionResponse
 	inputs := shared.PromptInputs(sourceInput, req.References)
-	inputs[LocationRegistryReferenceSlot] = registry.PromptInput()
+	inputs[LocationRegistryReferenceSlot] = grounding.PromptInput()
 	if _, err := e.llm.CompleteStructured(ctx, contracts.StructuredCompletionRequest{
 		StageName: Key, PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: SchemaVersion,
 		ProfileID: req.LLMProfile, SessionID: req.SessionID, Inputs: inputs,
 	}, &response); err != nil {
 		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("complete structured output: %w", err)
 	}
-	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{Value: canonicalOccurrenceList(response, shared.NewSourceRefOrder(req.Source), req.Source.ID)}, nil
+	occurrences, err := canonicalOccurrenceList(response, shared.NewSourceRefOrder(req.Source), req.Source.ID, grounding)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("resolve location grounding: %w", err)
+	}
+	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]{Value: occurrences}, nil
 }
 
 func ModuleSpec() pipeline.ModuleSpec {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/extractor_test.go

@@ -14,19 +14,20 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
 	locationcodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/locationregistry"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/identity"
+	locationregistry "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry"
 )
 
 func TestExtractMapsKindsOrdersOccurrencesAndPreservesIndependentFacts(t *testing.T) {
 	locations := locationRegistry(t, "The Tavern", "The Tavern")
 	first, second := locations.Locations[0], locations.Locations[1]
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{
-		{LocationID: second.ID, Name: second.Name, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "recalled", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "planned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: append(occurrenceRefs(10, 10), occurrenceRefs(10, 10)...)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
-		{LocationID: first.ID, Name: first.Name, Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: second.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(second), Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "recalled", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "planned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: append(occurrenceRefs(10, 10), occurrenceRefs(10, 10)...)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
+		{Name: first.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(first), Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
 	}}}
 	references := registryReferences(t, locations)
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -50,11 +51,11 @@ func TestExtractMapsKindsOrdersOccurrencesAndPreservesIndependentFacts(t *testin
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractUsesIDsNamesAndCurrentTranscriptEvidenceOnly(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractResolvesContextualSelectorsAndUsesCurrentTranscriptEvidenceOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	locations := locationRegistry(t, "The Tavern", "The Tavern")
 	first, second := locations.Locations[0], locations.Locations[1]
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{
-		LocationID: second.ID, Name: second.Name, Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10),
+		Name: second.Name, RegistryRefs: registryRefs(second), Kind: "visited", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10),
 	}}}}
 	references := registryReferences(t, locations)
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -67,10 +68,10 @@ func TestExtractUsesIDsNamesAndCurrentTranscriptEvidenceOnly(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("occurrence = %#v", occurrence)
 	}
 	input := client.requests[0].Inputs[LocationRegistryReferenceSlot]
-	if input.Name != LocationRegistryReferenceSlot || !strings.Contains(string(input.Content), first.ID) || !strings.Contains(string(input.Content), second.ID) {
+	if input.Name != LocationRegistryReferenceSlot || !strings.Contains(string(input.Content), `"registry_refs":[{"start_unit_id":20,"end_unit_id":20}]`) {
 		t.Fatalf("location prompt input = %#v", input)
 	}
-	for _, forbidden := range []string{"source_refs", "source_id", "other-session"} {
+	for _, forbidden := range []string{"source_refs", "source_id", first.ID, second.ID} {
 		if strings.Contains(string(input.Content), forbidden) {
 			t.Fatalf("location prompt leaked %q: %s", forbidden, input.Content)
 		}
@@ -84,22 +85,46 @@ func TestExtractUsesIDsNamesAndCurrentTranscriptEvidenceOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractPreservesUnknownOrMismatchedGroundingForValidators(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractRejectsUnknownMalformedOrMismatchedSelectorsAtomically(t *testing.T) {
 	locations := locationRegistry(t, "The Mill")
 	known := locations.Locations[0]
-	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{
-		{LocationID: "location:sha256:unknown", Name: "The Mill", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{LocationID: known.ID, Name: "A Different Mill", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
-	}}}
 	references := registryReferences(t, locations)
 	req := extractionRequest()
 	req.References = references
-	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
+	for _, occurrences := range [][]occurrenceResponse{
+		{{Name: "Unknown", RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}},
+		{{Name: known.Name, RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 0}}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}},
+		{{Name: known.Name, RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}},
+		{{Name: known.Name, RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}, {Name: "Unknown", RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)}},
+	} {
+		client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: occurrences}}
+		if result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req); err == nil || result.Value.Occurrences != nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "location selector") {
+			t.Fatalf("Extract() = %#v, %v", result, err)
+		}
 	}
-	if result.Value.Occurrences[0].LocationID != "location:sha256:unknown" || result.Value.Occurrences[1].Name != "A Different Mill" {
-		t.Fatalf("extractor repaired validator-owned grounding errors: %#v", result.Value.Occurrences)
+
+	sharedName := "The Tavern"
+	firstRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}, {SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}}
+	secondRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: req.Source.ID, StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}}
+	duplicateLocations := dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
+		{ID: identity.DeriveID(sharedName, firstRefs), Name: sharedName, SourceRefs: firstRefs},
+		{ID: identity.DeriveID(sharedName, secondRefs), Name: sharedName, SourceRefs: secondRefs},
+	}}
+	duplicateReferences := registryReferences(t, duplicateLocations)
+	for _, selector := range []struct {
+		name string
+		refs []locationregistry.RegistryRef
+	}{
+		{name: sharedName, refs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{}},
+		{name: sharedName, refs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}},
+		{name: sharedName, refs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}, {StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}},
+	} {
+		client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{Name: selector.name, RegistryRefs: selector.refs, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}}}}
+		duplicateRequest := extractionRequest()
+		duplicateRequest.References = duplicateReferences
+		if _, err := newExtractor(t, client, duplicateReferences).Extract(context.Background(), duplicateRequest); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "location selector") {
+			t.Fatalf("Extract(%#v) error = %v", selector, err)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -125,7 +150,7 @@ func TestExtractResolvesGeneratedRegistryAtOperationTimeAndDoesNotMutateResponse
 	locations := locationRegistry(t, "The Mill")
 	location := locations.Locations[0]
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{
-		LocationID: location.ID, Name: location.Name, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30),
+		Name: location.Name, RegistryRefs: []locationregistry.RegistryRef{}, Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30),
 	}}}}
 	references := registryReferences(t, locations)
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -135,7 +160,7 @@ func TestExtractResolvesGeneratedRegistryAtOperationTimeAndDoesNotMutateResponse
 	if err != nil || result.Value.Occurrences[0].Name != "The Mill" {
 		t.Fatalf("Extract() = %#v, %v", result, err)
 	}
-	if input := client.requests[0].Inputs[LocationRegistryReferenceSlot]; !strings.Contains(string(input.Content), location.ID) || input.OriginURI != "" {
+	if input := client.requests[0].Inputs[LocationRegistryReferenceSlot]; strings.Contains(string(input.Content), location.ID) || input.OriginURI != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("generated registry prompt input = %#v", input)
 	}
 	if _, ok := extractor.ManifestMetadata()["location_registry_digest"]; ok {
@@ -215,21 +240,38 @@ func TestExtractorContractsMetadataAndFailures(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("metadata[%q] = %#v", key, metadata[key])
 		}
 	}
-	if got := newExtractor(t, &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{}, references).CheckpointFingerprints(); len(got) != 4 || got[3].Name != "location_registry" {
+	if got := newExtractor(t, &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{}, references).CheckpointFingerprints(); len(got) != 4 || got[3].Name != "location_registry" || got[3].Value != locationRegistryIdentityDigest(t, references) {
 		t.Fatalf("fingerprints = %#v", got)
 	}
 }
 
+func locationRegistryIdentityDigest(t *testing.T, references contracts.ReferenceSet) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	resolver, err := locationregistry.NewResolver(references)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return resolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()
+}
+
 func locationRegistry(t *testing.T, names ...string) dnd.LocationRegistry {
 	t.Helper()
 	locations := make([]dnd.Location, len(names))
 	for index, name := range names {
-		refs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: "other-session", StartUnitID: index + 1, EndUnitID: index + 1}}
+		refs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: sourceDocument().ID, StartUnitID: (index + 1) * 10, EndUnitID: (index + 1) * 10}}
 		locations[index] = dnd.Location{ID: identity.DeriveID(name, refs), Name: name, SourceRefs: refs}
 	}
 	return dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: locations}
 }
 
+func registryRefs(location dnd.Location) []locationregistry.RegistryRef {
+	refs := make([]locationregistry.RegistryRef, len(location.SourceRefs))
+	for index, ref := range location.SourceRefs {
+		refs[index] = locationregistry.RegistryRef{StartUnitID: ref.StartUnitID, EndUnitID: ref.EndUnitID}
+	}
+	return refs
+}
+
 func registryReferences(t *testing.T, locations dnd.LocationRegistry) contracts.ReferenceSet {
 	t.Helper()
 	content, err := locationcodec.New().Encode(locations)

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/model.go

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 package locationoccurrences
 
+import locationregistry "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry"
+
 type extractionResponse struct {
 	Occurrences []occurrenceResponse `json:"occurrences"`
 }
 
 type occurrenceResponse struct {
-	LocationID string                        `json:"location_id"`
-	Name       string                        `json:"name"`
-	Kind       string                        `json:"kind"`
-	SourceRefs []occurrenceSourceRefResponse `json:"source_refs"`
+	Name         string                         `json:"name"`
+	RegistryRefs []locationregistry.RegistryRef `json:"registry_refs"`
+	Kind         string                         `json:"kind"`
+	SourceRefs   []occurrenceSourceRefResponse  `json:"source_refs"`
 }
 
 type occurrenceSourceRefResponse struct {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/prompt_assets_test.go

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesLocationOccurrencePrompt(t *testing.T) {
 		PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "location-occurrences-test",
 		Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{
 			"transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"units":[{"sentinel":"location-occurrence-transcript"}]}`), "players": promptkit.Inline("location-occurrence-player"), "party": promptkit.Inline(" "), "glossary": promptkit.Inline(" "),
-			"location_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"locations":[{"id":"location:sha256:test","name":"location-occurrence-registry"}]}`),
+			"location_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"locations":[{"name":"location-occurrence-registry","registry_refs":[{"start_unit_id":7,"end_unit_id":7}],"context":[{"unit_id":7,"text":"registry context"}]}]}`),
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesLocationOccurrencePrompt(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	var registryMessage string
 	for _, message := range prepared.Messages {
-		if strings.Contains(message.Content, "normalized location registry") {
+		if strings.Contains(message.Content, "contextual location registry") {
 			registryMessage = message.Content
 		}
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(registryMessage, "location:sha256:test") || !strings.Contains(registryMessage, "location-occurrence-registry") || strings.Contains(registryMessage, "source_refs") {
+	if !strings.Contains(registryMessage, "location-occurrence-registry") || !strings.Contains(registryMessage, `"registry_refs":[{"start_unit_id":7,"end_unit_id":7}]`) || strings.Contains(registryMessage, "source_id") || strings.Contains(registryMessage, "location:sha256") {
 		t.Fatalf("rendered prompt did not preserve source-free registry grounding: %s", registryMessage)
 	}
 	content := make([]string, len(prepared.Messages))
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesLocationOccurrencePrompt(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	rendered := strings.Join(content, "\n")
 	policy := strings.ReplaceAll(rendered, "\n", " ")
-	if !strings.Contains(policy, "context supports that coreference") || !strings.Contains(policy, "must not create a registry location") || !strings.Contains(policy, "provenance must never replace current-chunk evidence") {
+	if !strings.Contains(policy, "context supports that coreference") || !strings.Contains(policy, "must not create a registry location") || !strings.Contains(policy, "provenance must never replace current-chunk evidence") || !strings.Contains(policy, "complete, ordered") {
 		t.Fatalf("rendered prompt = %q, want contextual coreference without registry-derived evidence", rendered)
 	}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/extract/locationoccurrences/schema_test.go

@@ -18,16 +18,17 @@ func TestResponseSchemaRestrictsPrivateOccurrenceStructureAndKinds(t *testing.T)
 		t.Fatalf("schema = %#v", schema)
 	}
 	valid := map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{map[string]any{
-		"location_id": "location:sha256:test", "name": "The Mill", "kind": "visited",
+		"name": "The Mill", "registry_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 2}}, "kind": "visited",
 		"source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 2}},
 	}}}
 	if err := validateSchema(t, valid, schema.JSONSchema); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("valid response rejected: %v", err)
 	}
 	for _, mutate := range []func(map[string]any){
-		func(value map[string]any) { delete(value, "location_id") },
+		func(value map[string]any) { delete(value, "registry_refs") },
 		func(value map[string]any) { value["kind"] = "other" },
 		func(value map[string]any) { value["unexpected"] = true },
+		func(value map[string]any) { value["registry_refs"].([]any)[0].(map[string]any)["start_unit_id"] = 0 },
 		func(value map[string]any) {
 			value["source_refs"].([]any)[0].(map[string]any)["source_id"] = "assigned later"
 		},

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/canonicalize.go

@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package npcoccurrences
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
+	npcregistry "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
 )
 
@@ -50,12 +52,16 @@ func canonicalizeOccurrence(occurrence *occurrenceResponse, order shared.SourceR
 	return order.EarliestValid(refs)
 }
 
-func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, sourceID string) dnd.NPCOccurrenceList {
+func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, sourceID string, registry *npcregistry.Registry) (dnd.NPCOccurrenceList, error) {
 	occurrences := make([]dnd.NPCOccurrence, len(response.Occurrences))
 	for index, occurrence := range response.Occurrences {
+		canonical, ok := registry.Lookup(occurrence.Name)
+		if !ok {
+			return dnd.NPCOccurrenceList{}, fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].name is not in the NPC registry", index)
+		}
 		occurrences[index] = dnd.NPCOccurrence{
-			NPCID:      occurrence.NPCID,
-			Name:       occurrence.Name,
+			NPCID:      canonical.ID,
+			Name:       canonical.Name,
 			Kind:       dnd.NPCOccurrenceKind(occurrence.Kind),
 			SourceRefs: canonicalSourceRefs(occurrence.SourceRefs, sourceID),
 		}
@@ -63,7 +69,7 @@ func canonicalOccurrenceList(response extractionResponse, sourceID string) dnd.N
 	if response.Occurrences == nil {
 		occurrences = nil
 	}
-	return dnd.NPCOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}
+	return dnd.NPCOccurrenceList{Occurrences: occurrences}, nil
 }
 
 func canonicalSourceRefs(refs []occurrenceSourceRefResponse, sourceID string) []source.SourceRef {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/extractor.go

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	Key           = "dnd/npc-occurrences"
-	mappingPolicy = "dnd.npc_occurrences.extract_mapping.v2"
+	mappingPolicy = "dnd.npc_occurrences.extract_mapping.v3"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func (e *Extractor) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 		{Name: "prompt", Value: e.promptSHA},
 		{Name: "response_schema", Value: e.responseSchemaSHA},
 		{Name: "mapping_policy", Value: mappingPolicy},
-		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: seeded.IdentityPromptInput().Digest},
+		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: seeded.IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func (e *Extractor) Extract(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRe
 
 	var response extractionResponse
 	inputs := shared.PromptInputs(sourceInput, req.References)
-	inputs[NPCRegistryReferenceSlot] = npcRegistry.IdentityPromptInput()
+	inputs[NPCRegistryReferenceSlot] = npcRegistry.PromptInput()
 	if _, err := e.llm.CompleteStructured(ctx, contracts.StructuredCompletionRequest{
 		StageName:     Key,
 		PromptID:      PromptID,
@@ -170,26 +170,13 @@ func (e *Extractor) Extract(ctx context.Context, req contracts.TypedExtractionRe
 		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.NPCOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("complete structured output: %w", err)
 	}
 	canonicalizeResponse(&response, order, req.Source.ID)
-	value := canonicalOccurrenceList(response, req.Source.ID)
-	if err := validateRegistryPairs(value, npcRegistry); err != nil {
-		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.NPCOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("validate NPC registry pairs: %w", err)
+	value, err := canonicalOccurrenceList(response, req.Source.ID, npcRegistry)
+	if err != nil {
+		return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.NPCOccurrenceList]{}, extractorErrorf("resolve NPC names against registry: %w", err)
 	}
 	return contracts.TypedExtractionResult[dnd.NPCOccurrenceList]{Value: value}, nil
 }
 
-func validateRegistryPairs(value dnd.NPCOccurrenceList, registry *npcregistry.Registry) error {
-	for index, occurrence := range value.Occurrences {
-		canonical, ok := registry.LookupID(occurrence.NPCID)
-		if !ok {
-			return fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].npc_id is not in the NPC registry", index)
-		}
-		if occurrence.Name != canonical.Name {
-			return fmt.Errorf("occurrences[%d].name does not match npc_id", index)
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 func ModuleSpec() pipeline.ModuleSpec {
 	return pipeline.ModuleSpec{
 		Key:            Key,

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/extractor_test.go

@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ import (
 
 func TestExtractMapsEveryKindAndOrdersBySourcePosition(t *testing.T) {
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Other"), Name: "Other", Kind: "other", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Opponent"), Name: "Opponent", Kind: "combat_opponent", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Ally"), Name: "Ally", Kind: "combat_ally", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(5, 5)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Speaker"), Name: "Speaker", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: append(occurrenceRefs(2, 2), occurrenceRefs(2, 2)...)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Present"), Name: "Present", Kind: "noncombat_presence", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(7, 7)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Mentioned"), Name: "Mentioned", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Invalid"), Name: "Invalid", Kind: "unsupported", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(0, 0)},
+		{Name: "Other", Kind: "other", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
+		{Name: "Opponent", Kind: "combat_opponent", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
+		{Name: "Ally", Kind: "combat_ally", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(5, 5)},
+		{Name: "Speaker", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: append(occurrenceRefs(2, 2), occurrenceRefs(2, 2)...)},
+		{Name: "Present", Kind: "noncombat_presence", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(7, 7)},
+		{Name: "Mentioned", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: "Invalid", Kind: "unsupported", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(0, 0)},
 	}}}
 	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Mentioned", "Speaker", "Present", "Ally", "Opponent", "Other", "Invalid")
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ func TestExtractMapsEveryKindAndOrdersBySourcePosition(t *testing.T) {
 	if refs := result.Value.Occurrences[1].SourceRefs; !reflect.DeepEqual(refs, []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: "session-alpha", StartUnitID: 2, EndUnitID: 2}}) {
 		t.Fatalf("canonical source refs = %#v", refs)
 	}
+	if id := result.Value.Occurrences[0].NPCID; id != identity.DeriveID("Mentioned") {
+		t.Fatalf("durable NPC ID = %q, want registry identity", id)
+	}
 	if invalid := result.Value.Occurrences[6]; invalid.Name != "Invalid" || invalid.Kind != "unsupported" || !reflect.DeepEqual(invalid.SourceRefs, []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: "session-alpha"}}) {
 		t.Fatalf("invalid candidate = %#v, want preserved values with current source identity", invalid)
 	}
@@ -61,14 +64,14 @@ func TestExtractMapsEveryKindAndOrdersBySourcePosition(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestExtractUsesDocumentOrderForReferencesAndOccurrences(t *testing.T) {
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Later"), Name: "Later", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("First"), Name: "First", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: []occurrenceSourceRefResponse{
+		{Name: "Later", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: "First", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: []occurrenceSourceRefResponse{
 			{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10},
 			{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30},
 			{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30},
 			{StartUnitID: 999, EndUnitID: 0},
 		}},
-		{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Second"), Name: "Second", Kind: "other", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
+		{Name: "Second", Kind: "other", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(30, 30)},
 	}}}
 	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Later", "First", "Second")
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -107,9 +110,9 @@ func TestNewRequiresLLMAndRejectsAmbiguousReferenceSets(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractUsesRegistryIDsAndCurrentTranscriptEvidence(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractUsesNamesOnlyRegistryAndCurrentTranscriptEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{
-		NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn"), Name: "Mira Thorn", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10),
+		Name: "Mira Thorn", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10),
 	}}}}
 	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Mira Thorn", "Hooded Guard")
 	req := extractionRequest()
@@ -119,10 +122,10 @@ func TestExtractUsesRegistryIDsAndCurrentTranscriptEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	request := client.requests[0]
 	registry := request.Inputs[NPCRegistryReferenceSlot]
-	if registry.Name != NPCRegistryReferenceSlot || registry.MediaType != "application/json" || string(registry.Content) != `{"npcs":[{"id":"`+identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn")+`","name":"Mira Thorn"},{"id":"`+identity.DeriveID("Hooded Guard")+`","name":"Hooded Guard"}]}` {
-		t.Fatalf("registry prompt input = %#v, want exact ID and name projection", registry)
+	if registry.Name != NPCRegistryReferenceSlot || registry.MediaType != "application/json" || string(registry.Content) != `{"npcs":[{"name":"Mira Thorn"},{"name":"Hooded Guard"}]}` {
+		t.Fatalf("registry prompt input = %#v, want names-only projection", registry)
 	}
-	for _, forbidden := range []string{"other-session", "start_unit_id"} {
+	for _, forbidden := range []string{"npc:sha256:", "other-session", "start_unit_id"} {
 		if strings.Contains(string(registry.Content), forbidden) {
 			t.Fatalf("registry prompt input leaked %q: %s", forbidden, registry.Content)
 		}
@@ -162,24 +165,37 @@ func TestExtractRequiresBoundRegistryBeforeLLMCall(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractRejectsUnknownIDsAndMismatchedNames(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractRejectsUnknownNamesWithoutPartialResult(t *testing.T) {
 	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Mira Thorn")
-	for _, test := range []struct {
-		name       string
-		occurrence occurrenceResponse
-		want       string
-	}{
-		{"unknown ID", occurrenceResponse{NPCID: "npc:unknown", Name: "Mira Thorn", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}, "npc_id is not in the NPC registry"},
-		{"mismatched name", occurrenceResponse{NPCID: identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn"), Name: "Hooded Guard", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}, "name does not match npc_id"},
-	} {
-		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{test.occurrence}}}
-			req := extractionRequest()
-			req.References = references
-			if _, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), test.want) {
-				t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v, want %q", err, test.want)
-			}
-		})
+	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{
+		{Name: "Mira Thorn", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)},
+		{Name: "Unknown NPC", Kind: "mentioned", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(20, 20)},
+	}}}
+	req := extractionRequest()
+	req.References = references
+	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "name is not in the NPC registry") {
+		t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v, want unknown name failure", err)
+	}
+	if len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Extract() returned partial result = %#v", result.Value)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExtractCanonicalizesComparisonEquivalentRegistryNames(t *testing.T) {
+	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Mira Thorn")
+	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{
+		Name: "  mIRA\u2003thorn ", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10),
+	}}}}
+	req := extractionRequest()
+	req.References = references
+	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	occurrence := result.Value.Occurrences[0]
+	if occurrence.Name != "Mira Thorn" || occurrence.NPCID != identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn") {
+		t.Fatalf("canonical occurrence = %#v", occurrence)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -192,7 +208,7 @@ func TestExtractResolvesGeneratedRegistryAtOperationTime(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := extractor.Extract(context.Background(), req); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Extract() error = %v", err)
 	}
-	if input := client.requests[0].Inputs[NPCRegistryReferenceSlot]; string(input.Content) != `{"npcs":[{"id":"`+identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn")+`","name":"Mira Thorn"}]}` || input.OriginURI != "" {
+	if input := client.requests[0].Inputs[NPCRegistryReferenceSlot]; string(input.Content) != `{"npcs":[{"name":"Mira Thorn"}]}` || input.OriginURI != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("generated registry prompt input = %#v", input)
 	}
 	metadata := extractor.ManifestMetadata()
@@ -221,6 +237,24 @@ func TestExtractAcceptsEmptyBoundRegistryAndEmptyResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestExtractRejectsNonemptyResponseForEmptyBoundRegistry(t *testing.T) {
+	content, err := npccodec.New().Encode(dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	references := contracts.ReferenceSet{Slots: map[string]contracts.ResolvedReferenceSlot{NPCRegistryReferenceSlot: {
+		Slot:  contracts.ReferenceSlot{Name: NPCRegistryReferenceSlot},
+		Items: []contracts.ReferenceItem{{SlotName: NPCRegistryReferenceSlot, MediaType: npccodec.MediaType, Content: content}},
+	}}}
+	client := &fakeOccurrencesLLMClient{response: extractionResponse{Occurrences: []occurrenceResponse{{Name: "Mira Thorn", Kind: "dialogue", SourceRefs: occurrenceRefs(10, 10)}}}}
+	req := extractionRequest()
+	req.References = references
+	result, err := newExtractor(t, client, references).Extract(context.Background(), req)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "name is not in the NPC registry") || len(result.Value.Occurrences) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Extract() = %#v, %v; want no accepted occurrences", result, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExtractRejectsInvalidRequestsAndProviderFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	references := requiredRegistryReferences(t, "Mira Thorn")
 	valid := extractionRequest()

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/model.go

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ type extractionResponse struct {
 }
 
 type occurrenceResponse struct {
-	NPCID      string                        `json:"npc_id"`
 	Name       string                        `json:"name"`
 	Kind       string                        `json:"kind"`
 	SourceRefs []occurrenceSourceRefResponse `json:"source_refs"`

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/model_test.go

@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestExtractionResponsePreservesValidatorOwnedSemantics(t *testing.T) {
-	content := []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"npc_id":"","name":"","kind":"unsupported","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":0,"end_unit_id":-1}]}]}`)
+	content := []byte(`{"occurrences":[{"name":"","kind":"unsupported","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":0,"end_unit_id":-1}]}]}`)
 	var response extractionResponse
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &response); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("json.Unmarshal() error = %v", err)
 	}
 	occurrence := response.Occurrences[0]
-	if occurrence.NPCID != "" || occurrence.Name != "" || occurrence.Kind != "unsupported" || occurrence.SourceRefs[0] != (occurrenceSourceRefResponse{StartUnitID: 0, EndUnitID: -1}) {
+	if occurrence.Name != "" || occurrence.Kind != "unsupported" || occurrence.SourceRefs[0] != (occurrenceSourceRefResponse{StartUnitID: 0, EndUnitID: -1}) {
 		t.Fatalf("decoded response = %#v", occurrence)
 	}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/prompt_assets_test.go

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsAndPrepareOccurrencePrompt(t *testing.T) {
 			"players":      promptkit.Inline("occurrence-player"),
 			"party":        promptkit.Inline("Mira: ranger"),
 			"glossary":     promptkit.Inline("Greencloak: title"),
-			"npc_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"npcs":[{"id":"npc:sha256:test","name":"occurrence-npc"}]}`),
+			"npc_registry": promptkit.Inline(`{"npcs":[{"name":"occurrence-npc"}]}`),
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {

internal/modules/dnd/extract/npcoccurrences/schema_test.go

@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ func TestResponseSchemaOwnsOnlyPrivateStructuralContract(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, mutate := range []func(map[string]any){
-		func(record map[string]any) { delete(record, "npc_id") },
 		func(record map[string]any) { delete(record, "name") },
 		func(record map[string]any) { record["kind"] = 1 },
+		func(record map[string]any) { record["npc_id"] = "npc:sha256:opaque" },
 		func(record map[string]any) { record["unexpected"] = true },
 		func(record map[string]any) {
 			record["source_refs"].([]any)[0].(map[string]any)["source_id"] = "assigned later"
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func TestResponseSchemaIsDefensiveAndContentSafe(t *testing.T) {
 
 func validOccurrenceResponse() map[string]any {
 	return map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{map[string]any{
-		"npc_id": "npc:sha256:test", "name": "Mira Thorn", "kind": "dialogue",
+		"name": "Mira Thorn", "kind": "dialogue",
 		"source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 2}},
 	}}}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/items/registry/registry.go

@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (r *Registry) Digest() string {
 	return r.digest
 }
 
-// ProjectionDigest returns the SHA-256 digest of the exact ID/name prompt
+// ProjectionDigest returns the SHA-256 digest of the exact names-only prompt
 // projection, including for an unbound or empty registry.
 func (r *Registry) ProjectionDigest() string {
 	if r == nil {
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ func (r *Registry) Count() int {
 	return len(r.list.Items)
 }
 
-// PromptInput returns the ordered ID/name registry projection as a content-safe
-// prompt input. Evidence and reference provenance are omitted.
+// PromptInput returns the ordered names-only registry projection as a
+// content-safe prompt input. Durable IDs, evidence, and provenance are omitted.
 func (r *Registry) PromptInput() contracts.LLMInputMaterial {
 	if r == nil {
 		return contracts.LLMInputMaterial{}
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ func semanticDigest(content []byte) string {
 }
 
 type projectedItem struct {
-	ID   string `json:"id"`
 	Name string `json:"name"`
 }
 
@@ -253,7 +252,7 @@ type projectedItemRegistry struct {
 func promptProjection(list dnd.ItemRegistry) ([]byte, error) {
 	projection := projectedItemRegistry{Items: make([]projectedItem, len(list.Items))}
 	for index, item := range list.Items {
-		projection.Items[index] = projectedItem{ID: item.ID, Name: item.Name}
+		projection.Items[index] = projectedItem{Name: item.Name}
 	}
 	return json.Marshal(projection)
 }

internal/modules/dnd/items/registry/registry_test.go

@@ -25,16 +25,16 @@ func TestResolveUnboundRegistryHasExactEmptyProjection(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestResolveProjectsOrderedIDsAndNamesWithoutEvidence(t *testing.T) {
+func TestResolveProjectsOrderedNamesWithoutEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 	registry := resolveRegistry(t, fixture())
 	if !registry.Bound() || registry.Digest() == "" || registry.Count() != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("registry identity = bound %t digest %q count %d", registry.Bound(), registry.Digest(), registry.Count())
 	}
-	want := `{"items":[{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Silver Key") + `","name":"Silver Key"},{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Healer's Kit") + `","name":"Healer's Kit"}]}`
+	want := `{"items":[{"name":"Silver Key"},{"name":"Healer's Kit"}]}`
 	if got := string(registry.PromptInput().Content); got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("prompt projection = %s, want %s", got, want)
 	}
-	for _, forbidden := range []string{"source_refs", "source_id", "session-alpha"} {
+	for _, forbidden := range []string{"item:sha256:", "source_refs", "source_id", "session-alpha"} {
 		if strings.Contains(string(registry.PromptInput().Content), forbidden) {
 			t.Fatalf("projection leaked %q: %s", forbidden, registry.PromptInput().Content)
 		}
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ func TestRegistryAccessorsAndLookupsAreDefensive(t *testing.T) {
 	if item, ok := registry.LookupID(identity.DeriveID("Healer's Kit")); !ok || item.Name != "Healer's Kit" {
 		t.Fatalf("LookupID() = %#v, %t", item, ok)
 	}
+	if _, ok := registry.Lookup("Unknown Item"); ok {
+		t.Fatal("Lookup() accepted an unknown item")
+	}
 
 	items := registry.Items()
 	items[0].Name = "changed"

internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry/grounding.go

@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+package registry
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
+	locationcodec "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/codec/locationregistry"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/identity"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared"
+)
+
+// Selector identifies one location using its canonical name and, when needed,
+// source-free registry ranges.
+type Selector struct {
+	Name         string        `json:"name"`
+	RegistryRefs []RegistryRef `json:"registry_refs"`
+}
+
+// RegistryRef is a source-free range used only for location identity grounding.
+type RegistryRef struct {
+	StartUnitID int `json:"start_unit_id"`
+	EndUnitID   int `json:"end_unit_id"`
+}
+
+// ContextUnit supplies the bounded transcript context for an ambiguous
+// location's registry ranges.
+type ContextUnit struct {
+	UnitID int    `json:"unit_id"`
+	Text   string `json:"text"`
+}
+
+// Grounding is an immutable, operation-scoped location selector projection.
+// Its prompt input contains no durable IDs or source IDs.
+type Grounding struct {
+	promptInput         contracts.LLMInputMaterial
+	locationsBySelector map[string]dnd.Location
+}
+
+type groundingProjection struct {
+	Locations []groundingProjectionLocation `json:"locations"`
+}
+
+type groundingProjectionLocation struct {
+	Name         string        `json:"name"`
+	RegistryRefs []RegistryRef `json:"registry_refs"`
+	Context      []ContextUnit `json:"context"`
+}
+
+// NewGrounding creates the contextual location projection for one source
+// document and resolved registry.
+func NewGrounding(registry *Registry, doc *source.SourceDocument) (*Grounding, error) {
+	if registry == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("location registry is required")
+	}
+	if doc == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("source document is required")
+	}
+
+	index := source.NewDocumentIndex(doc)
+	order := shared.NewSourceRefOrderFromIndex(index)
+	locations := registry.Locations()
+	grouped := make(map[string][]int, len(locations))
+	for locationIndex, location := range locations {
+		key := identity.ComparisonKey(location.Name)
+		if key == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("location registry record %d has an empty comparison name", locationIndex)
+		}
+		grouped[key] = append(grouped[key], locationIndex)
+	}
+
+	projection := groundingProjection{Locations: make([]groundingProjectionLocation, len(locations))}
+	locationsBySelector := make(map[string]dnd.Location, len(locations))
+	for locationIndex, location := range locations {
+		key := identity.ComparisonKey(location.Name)
+		registryRefs := make([]RegistryRef, 0)
+		context := make([]ContextUnit, 0)
+		if len(grouped[key]) > 1 {
+			var err error
+			registryRefs, context, err = contextualRanges(locationIndex, location.SourceRefs, doc, index, order)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		projection.Locations[locationIndex] = groundingProjectionLocation{
+			Name:         location.Name,
+			RegistryRefs: cloneRegistryRefs(registryRefs),
+			Context:      cloneContextUnits(context),
+		}
+		selectorKey := contextualSelectorKey(key, registryRefs)
+		if _, exists := locationsBySelector[selectorKey]; exists {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("location registry records produce the same contextual selector")
+		}
+		locationsBySelector[selectorKey] = cloneLocation(location)
+	}
+
+	content, err := json.Marshal(projection)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("encode location grounding projection: %w", err)
+	}
+	digest := semanticDigest(content)
+	return &Grounding{
+		promptInput:         contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, locationcodec.MediaType, content, digest, ""),
+		locationsBySelector: locationsBySelector,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// PromptInput returns a defensive copy of the contextual projection for the
+// location_registry prompt slot.
+func (g *Grounding) PromptInput() contracts.LLMInputMaterial {
+	if g == nil {
+		return contracts.LLMInputMaterial{}
+	}
+	return g.promptInput.Clone()
+}
+
+// Resolve maps a contextual selector to one canonical location.
+func (g *Grounding) Resolve(selector Selector) (dnd.Location, bool) {
+	if g == nil {
+		return dnd.Location{}, false
+	}
+	key := identity.ComparisonKey(selector.Name)
+	if key == "" {
+		return dnd.Location{}, false
+	}
+	location, ok := g.locationsBySelector[contextualSelectorKey(key, selector.RegistryRefs)]
+	if !ok {
+		return dnd.Location{}, false
+	}
+	return cloneLocation(location), true
+}
+
+func contextualRanges(locationIndex int, refs []source.SourceRef, doc *source.SourceDocument, index source.DocumentIndex, order shared.SourceRefOrder) ([]RegistryRef, []ContextUnit, error) {
+	for _, ref := range refs {
+		if ref.SourceID != doc.ID || index.ValidateRef(ref) != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("location registry record %d has an invalid source reference", locationIndex)
+		}
+	}
+	canonical := order.Canonicalize(refs)
+	ranges := make([]RegistryRef, len(canonical))
+	for refIndex, ref := range canonical {
+		ranges[refIndex] = RegistryRef{StartUnitID: ref.StartUnitID, EndUnitID: ref.EndUnitID}
+	}
+	return ranges, contextUnits(doc, index, canonical), nil
+}
+
+func contextUnits(doc *source.SourceDocument, index source.DocumentIndex, refs []source.SourceRef) []ContextUnit {
+	units := make([]ContextUnit, 0)
+	seen := make(map[int]struct{})
+	for _, ref := range refs {
+		start, _ := index.Position(ref.StartUnitID)
+		end, _ := index.Position(ref.EndUnitID)
+		for position := start; position <= end; position++ {
+			unit := doc.Units[position]
+			if _, exists := seen[unit.ID]; exists {
+				continue
+			}
+			seen[unit.ID] = struct{}{}
+			units = append(units, ContextUnit{UnitID: unit.ID, Text: unit.Text})
+		}
+	}
+	return units
+}
+
+func contextualSelectorKey(name string, refs []RegistryRef) string {
+	key, _ := json.Marshal(struct {
+		Name         string        `json:"name"`
+		RegistryRefs []RegistryRef `json:"registry_refs"`
+	}{Name: name, RegistryRefs: cloneRegistryRefs(refs)})
+	return string(key)
+}
+
+func cloneRegistryRefs(values []RegistryRef) []RegistryRef {
+	if len(values) == 0 {
+		return []RegistryRef{}
+	}
+	return append([]RegistryRef(nil), values...)
+}
+
+func cloneContextUnits(values []ContextUnit) []ContextUnit {
+	if len(values) == 0 {
+		return []ContextUnit{}
+	}
+	return append([]ContextUnit(nil), values...)
+}

internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry/registry.go

@@ -18,21 +18,20 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	ReferenceSlot = "location_registry"
-	MaxBytes      = 1048576
-	emptyPrompt   = `{"locations":[]}`
+	ReferenceSlot        = "location_registry"
+	MaxBytes             = 1048576
+	emptyRegistryContent = `{"locations":[]}`
 )
 
 // Registry is an immutable, validated location registry prepared for prompt
 // grounding. All accessors return defensive copies.
 type Registry struct {
-	bound            bool
-	list             dnd.LocationRegistry
-	canonical        []byte
-	digest           string
-	projectionDigest string
-	promptInput      contracts.LLMInputMaterial
-	lookupByID       map[string]int
+	bound          bool
+	list           dnd.LocationRegistry
+	canonical      []byte
+	digest         string
+	identityDigest string
+	lookupByID     map[string]int
 }
 
 // Resolver selects and memoizes immutable location registry views.
@@ -99,14 +98,13 @@ func locationReferenceSpec() registryresolver.ReferenceSpec {
 }
 
 func emptyRegistry() *Registry {
-	content := []byte(emptyPrompt)
-	projectionDigest := semanticDigest(content)
+	content := []byte(emptyRegistryContent)
+	identityDigest := semanticDigest(content)
 	return &Registry{
-		list:             dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{}},
-		canonical:        append([]byte(nil), content...),
-		projectionDigest: projectionDigest,
-		promptInput:      contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, locationcodec.MediaType, content, projectionDigest, ""),
-		lookupByID:       map[string]int{},
+		list:           dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{}},
+		canonical:      append([]byte(nil), content...),
+		identityDigest: identityDigest,
+		lookupByID:     map[string]int{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -129,20 +127,19 @@ func loadRegistry(referenceContent []byte) (*Registry, error) {
 	for index, location := range list.Locations {
 		lookupByID[location.ID] = index
 	}
-	projection, err := promptProjection(list)
+	projection, err := identityProjection(list)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("encode location prompt projection: %w", err)
 	}
 	digest := semanticDigest(content)
-	projectionDigest := semanticDigest(projection)
+	identityDigest := semanticDigest(projection)
 	return &Registry{
-		bound:            true,
-		list:             list,
-		canonical:        append([]byte(nil), content...),
-		digest:           digest,
-		projectionDigest: projectionDigest,
-		promptInput:      contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, locationcodec.MediaType, projection, projectionDigest, ""),
-		lookupByID:       lookupByID,
+		bound:          true,
+		list:           list,
+		canonical:      append([]byte(nil), content...),
+		digest:         digest,
+		identityDigest: identityDigest,
+		lookupByID:     lookupByID,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -182,13 +179,13 @@ func (r *Registry) Digest() string {
 	return r.digest
 }
 
-// ProjectionDigest returns the digest of the exact source-free prompt
-// projection, including for an unbound or empty registry.
-func (r *Registry) ProjectionDigest() string {
+// IdentityDigest returns the digest of the ordered ID/name identity projection
+// used by deterministic consumers.
+func (r *Registry) IdentityDigest() string {
 	if r == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
-	return r.projectionDigest
+	return r.identityDigest
 }
 
 // Count returns the number of validated location records.
@@ -199,15 +196,6 @@ func (r *Registry) Count() int {
 	return len(r.list.Locations)
 }
 
-// PromptInput returns the ordered ID-and-name projection without evidence or
-// reference provenance.
-func (r *Registry) PromptInput() contracts.LLMInputMaterial {
-	if r == nil {
-		return contracts.LLMInputMaterial{}
-	}
-	return r.promptInput.Clone()
-}
-
 // Lookup returns the canonical location for an exact durable location ID.
 func (r *Registry) Lookup(id string) (dnd.Location, bool) {
 	if r == nil {
@@ -231,19 +219,19 @@ func semanticDigest(content []byte) string {
 	return "sha256:" + hex.EncodeToString(sum[:])
 }
 
-type projectedLocation struct {
+type identityProjectedLocation struct {
 	ID   string `json:"id"`
 	Name string `json:"name"`
 }
 
-type projectedLocationRegistry struct {
-	Locations []projectedLocation `json:"locations"`
+type identityProjectedLocationRegistry struct {
+	Locations []identityProjectedLocation `json:"locations"`
 }
 
-func promptProjection(list dnd.LocationRegistry) ([]byte, error) {
-	projection := projectedLocationRegistry{Locations: make([]projectedLocation, len(list.Locations))}
+func identityProjection(list dnd.LocationRegistry) ([]byte, error) {
+	projection := identityProjectedLocationRegistry{Locations: make([]identityProjectedLocation, len(list.Locations))}
 	for index, location := range list.Locations {
-		projection.Locations[index] = projectedLocation{ID: location.ID, Name: location.Name}
+		projection.Locations[index] = identityProjectedLocation{ID: location.ID, Name: location.Name}
 	}
 	return json.Marshal(projection)
 }

internal/modules/dnd/locations/registry/registry_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package registry
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -12,36 +14,26 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/locations/identity"
 )
 
-func TestResolveUnboundRegistryHasEmptyProjection(t *testing.T) {
+func TestResolveUnboundRegistryHasEmptyIdentity(t *testing.T) {
 	registry, err := Resolve(contracts.ReferenceSet{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	input := registry.PromptInput()
-	if registry.Bound() || registry.Digest() != "" || registry.Count() != 0 || string(input.Content) != emptyPrompt {
-		t.Fatalf("unbound registry = %#v, input = %#v", registry, input)
+	if registry.Bound() || registry.Digest() != "" || registry.Count() != 0 || string(registry.CanonicalBytes()) != emptyRegistryContent {
+		t.Fatalf("unbound registry = %#v", registry)
 	}
-	if registry.ProjectionDigest() == "" || input.Digest != registry.ProjectionDigest() || input.OriginURI != "" {
-		t.Fatalf("projection digest/input = %q/%#v", registry.ProjectionDigest(), input)
+	if registry.IdentityDigest() == "" {
+		t.Fatal("unbound registry identity digest is empty")
 	}
 }
 
-func TestResolveProjectsOrderedLocationsWithoutEvidence(t *testing.T) {
+func TestResolveRetainsSeparateDurableAndIdentityDigests(t *testing.T) {
 	registry := resolveList(t, registryFixture())
 	if !registry.Bound() || registry.Count() != 2 || registry.Digest() == "" {
 		t.Fatalf("registry identity = bound %t count %d digest %q", registry.Bound(), registry.Count(), registry.Digest())
 	}
-	projection := string(registry.PromptInput().Content)
-	if !strings.Contains(projection, `"locations":[{"id":`) || !strings.Contains(projection, `"name":"The Tavern"`) || !strings.Contains(projection, `"name":"The Tavern"},{"id":`) {
-		t.Fatalf("projection ordering = %s", projection)
-	}
-	for _, forbidden := range []string{"source_refs", "source_id", "session-alpha"} {
-		if strings.Contains(projection, forbidden) {
-			t.Fatalf("projection leaked %q: %s", forbidden, projection)
-		}
-	}
-	if registry.PromptInput().Digest != registry.ProjectionDigest() || registry.Digest() == registry.ProjectionDigest() {
-		t.Fatalf("full/projection digests = %q/%q", registry.Digest(), registry.ProjectionDigest())
+	if registry.IdentityDigest() == "" || registry.Digest() == registry.IdentityDigest() {
+		t.Fatalf("full/identity digests = %q/%q", registry.Digest(), registry.IdentityDigest())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -60,12 +52,10 @@ func TestRegistryLookupUsesIDAndReturnsDefensiveCopies(t *testing.T) {
 	locations[0].SourceRefs[0].SourceID = "changed"
 	canonical := registry.CanonicalBytes()
 	canonical[0] = '['
-	input := registry.PromptInput()
-	input.Content[0] = '['
 	if next, ok := registry.Lookup(first.ID); !ok || next.Name != first.Name || next.SourceRefs[0].SourceID != "session-alpha" {
 		t.Fatalf("registry mutated through accessor: %#v, %t", next, ok)
 	}
-	if registry.CanonicalBytes()[0] != '{' || registry.PromptInput().Content[0] != '{' {
+	if registry.CanonicalBytes()[0] != '{' {
 		t.Fatal("registry bytes mutated through accessor")
 	}
 }
@@ -189,3 +179,180 @@ func item(content []byte) contracts.ReferenceItem {
 func referenceSet(items ...contracts.ReferenceItem) contracts.ReferenceSet {
 	return contracts.ReferenceSet{Slots: map[string]contracts.ResolvedReferenceSlot{ReferenceSlot: {Items: items}}}
 }
+
+func TestGroundingProjectsAndResolvesUniqueAndSameNameLocations(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := groundingDocument()
+	sharedName := "The Tavern"
+	firstRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}, {SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}}
+	secondRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}
+	marketRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 40, EndUnitID: 40}}
+	list := dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
+		location(sharedName, firstRefs),
+		location(sharedName, secondRefs),
+		location("Market", marketRefs),
+	}}
+	registry := resolveList(t, list)
+	grounding, err := NewGrounding(registry, doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	projection := decodeGroundingProjection(t, grounding.PromptInput().Content)
+	if len(projection.Locations) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("projection = %#v", projection)
+	}
+	first := projection.Locations[0]
+	if first.Name != sharedName || !reflect.DeepEqual(first.RegistryRefs, []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}, {StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}}) || !reflect.DeepEqual(first.Context, []ContextUnit{{UnitID: 30, Text: "Tavern entrance"}, {UnitID: 20, Text: "Tavern cellar"}}) {
+		t.Fatalf("first contextual projection = %#v", first)
+	}
+	second := projection.Locations[1]
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(second.RegistryRefs, []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}) || !reflect.DeepEqual(second.Context, []ContextUnit{{UnitID: 10, Text: "Tavern common room"}}) {
+		t.Fatalf("second contextual projection = %#v", second)
+	}
+	market := projection.Locations[2]
+	if market.Name != "Market" || len(market.RegistryRefs) != 0 || len(market.Context) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unique-name projection = %#v", market)
+	}
+	if bytes.Contains(grounding.PromptInput().Content, []byte("location:sha256:")) || bytes.Contains(grounding.PromptInput().Content, []byte(`"source_id"`)) {
+		t.Fatalf("grounding projection exposed durable identity: %s", grounding.PromptInput().Content)
+	}
+	if grounding.PromptInput().Digest == "" || grounding.PromptInput().Digest == registry.IdentityDigest() {
+		t.Fatalf("grounding/identity digests = %q/%q", grounding.PromptInput().Digest, registry.IdentityDigest())
+	}
+
+	resolved, ok := grounding.Resolve(Selector{Name: " the tavern ", RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}, {StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}}})
+	if !ok || resolved.ID != list.Locations[0].ID || resolved.Name != sharedName {
+		t.Fatalf("Resolve(same name) = %#v, %t", resolved, ok)
+	}
+	if resolved, ok = grounding.Resolve(Selector{Name: "MARKET", RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{}}); !ok || resolved.ID != list.Locations[2].ID {
+		t.Fatalf("Resolve(unique name) = %#v, %t", resolved, ok)
+	}
+	for _, selector := range []Selector{
+		{Name: "Market", RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 40, EndUnitID: 40}}},
+		{Name: sharedName, RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{}},
+		{Name: sharedName, RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}}},
+		{Name: sharedName, RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}, {StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}}},
+		{Name: "Unknown", RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{}},
+	} {
+		if _, ok := grounding.Resolve(selector); ok {
+			t.Fatalf("Resolve(%#v) accepted an unsupported selector", selector)
+		}
+	}
+
+	input := grounding.PromptInput()
+	input.Content[0] = '['
+	resolved.SourceRefs[0].SourceID = "changed"
+	if grounding.PromptInput().Content[0] != '{' {
+		t.Fatal("grounding prompt input was mutable")
+	}
+	if next, ok := grounding.Resolve(Selector{Name: sharedName, RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{{StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}, {StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}}}); !ok || next.SourceRefs[0].SourceID != doc.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("grounding resolved location was mutable: %#v, %t", next, ok)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGroundingHandlesEmptyRegistriesAndIdentityFingerprints(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := groundingDocument()
+	empty := resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{}})
+	grounding, err := NewGrounding(empty, doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if projection := decodeGroundingProjection(t, grounding.PromptInput().Content); projection.Locations == nil || len(projection.Locations) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("empty projection = %#v", projection)
+	}
+	if _, ok := grounding.Resolve(Selector{Name: "Market", RegistryRefs: []RegistryRef{}}); ok {
+		t.Fatal("empty grounding resolved a location")
+	}
+
+	baseRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}
+	base := resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{location("Market", baseRefs)}})
+	expandedRefs := append(append([]source.SourceRef(nil), baseRefs...), source.SourceRef{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 40, EndUnitID: 40})
+	expanded := resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{location("Market", expandedRefs)}})
+	baseGrounding, err := NewGrounding(base, doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	expandedGrounding, err := NewGrounding(expanded, doc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if base.IdentityDigest() != expanded.IdentityDigest() || baseGrounding.PromptInput().Digest != expandedGrounding.PromptInput().Digest {
+		t.Fatalf("identity/model fingerprints = %q/%q and %q/%q", base.IdentityDigest(), expanded.IdentityDigest(), baseGrounding.PromptInput().Digest, expandedGrounding.PromptInput().Digest)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGroundingRejectsUnsafeContextualConstruction(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := groundingDocument()
+	validRefs := []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}
+	valid := resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{location("Market", validRefs)}})
+	if _, err := NewGrounding(valid, nil); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("NewGrounding(nil source) error = nil")
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name     string
+		registry *Registry
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "foreign reference",
+			registry: resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
+				location("The Tavern", []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}),
+				location("The Tavern", []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: "other-source", StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}),
+			}}),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid reference",
+			registry: resolveList(t, dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
+				location("The Tavern", []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}),
+				location("The Tavern", []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 999, EndUnitID: 999}}),
+			}}),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "selector collision",
+			registry: &Registry{list: dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
+				{ID: "first", Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: validRefs},
+				{ID: "second", Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: validRefs},
+			}}},
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "empty comparison name",
+			registry: &Registry{list: dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{{ID: "first", Name: "  ", SourceRefs: validRefs}}}},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if _, err := NewGrounding(test.registry, doc); err == nil || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Tavern entrance") {
+				t.Fatalf("NewGrounding() error = %v, want content-safe failure", err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+type decodedGroundingProjection struct {
+	Locations []struct {
+		Name         string        `json:"name"`
+		RegistryRefs []RegistryRef `json:"registry_refs"`
+		Context      []ContextUnit `json:"context"`
+	} `json:"locations"`
+}
+
+func decodeGroundingProjection(t *testing.T, content []byte) decodedGroundingProjection {
+	t.Helper()
+	var projection decodedGroundingProjection
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &projection); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return projection
+}
+
+func groundingDocument() *source.SourceDocument {
+	return &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session-alpha", Units: []source.SourceUnit{
+		{ID: 30, Text: "Tavern entrance"},
+		{ID: 10, Text: "Tavern common room"},
+		{ID: 20, Text: "Tavern cellar"},
+		{ID: 40, Text: "Market square"},
+	}}
+}
+
+func location(name string, refs []source.SourceRef) dnd.Location {
+	return dnd.Location{ID: identity.DeriveID(name, refs), Name: name, SourceRefs: refs}
+}

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/itemregistry/normalizer.go

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	Key                   = "dnd/item-registry"
 	PromptID              = "dnd.item_registry.normalize"
-	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.item_registry.normalize.v1"
+	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.item_registry.normalize.v2"
 	semanticContextPolicy = "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1"
 	semanticContextRadius = 2
 	NormalizationPolicy   = normalizationPolicy

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/itemregistry/normalizer_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"reflect"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeAliasProposal(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("merged item = %#v, warnings = %#v", merged, result.Warnings)
 	}
 	encoded := string(client.requests[0].Inputs["candidates"].Content) + string(client.requests[0].Inputs["transcript"].Content)
-	if strings.Contains(encoded, doc.ID) || !strings.Contains(encoded, "candidate-000001") || strings.Contains(encoded, merged.ID) {
+	if strings.Contains(encoded, doc.ID) || strings.Contains(encoded, "candidate-") || strings.Contains(encoded, merged.ID) || !strings.Contains(encoded, `"source_refs"`) {
 		t.Fatalf("private inputs = %s", encoded)
 	}
 }
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesItemNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "item-normalize-test", Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"key":"candidate-000001","name":"Rope","source_refs":[]}]}`), "transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`)}})
+	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "item-normalize-test", Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"name":"Rope","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":1,"end_unit_id":1}]}]}`), "transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`)}})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -285,10 +286,51 @@ func (c *recordingNormalizerClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context, reques
 	if response == "" {
 		response = `{"duplicate_groups":[]}`
 	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), output); err != nil {
+	content, err := contextualProposalResponse(response, request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
+	if err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
 	}
-	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: json.RawMessage(response)}, nil
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, output); err != nil {
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+	}
+	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
+}
+
+func contextualProposalResponse(response string, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if !strings.Contains(response, "candidate-") {
+		return []byte(response), nil
+	}
+	var selection struct {
+		DuplicateGroups []struct {
+			Members   []string `json:"members"`
+			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
+		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), &selection); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var candidates struct {
+		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
+		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
+		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
+			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
+		}
+		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
+	}
+	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
+	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
+		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
+		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
+			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
+		}
+		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(proposal)
 }
 
 func newNormalizer(t *testing.T, client contracts.StructuredLLMClient) *Normalizer {

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationoccurrences/normalizer.go

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (n *Normalizer) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 	}
 	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{
 		{Name: "normalization_policy", Value: normalizationPolicy},
-		{Name: "location_registry", Value: n.locationResolver.Seeded().ProjectionDigest()},
+		{Name: "location_registry", Value: n.locationResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry/normalizer.go

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	Key                   = "dnd/location-registry"
 	PromptID              = "dnd.location_registry.normalize"
-	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.location_registry.normalize.v1"
+	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.location_registry.normalize.v2"
 	semanticContextPolicy = "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1"
 	semanticContextRadius = 2
 	NormalizationPolicy   = normalizationPolicy

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry/normalizer_test.go

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func TestNormalizePreparesOnlyExactDuplicatesAndRetainsSameNameAndNestedPlaces(t
 	}
 }
 
-func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeAliasGroupAndUsesOpaqueInputs(t *testing.T) {
+func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeAliasGroupAndUsesContextualInputs(t *testing.T) {
 	client := &recordingLocationNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000002"}]}`}
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	input := dnd.LocationRegistry{Locations: []dnd.Location{
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func TestNormalizeAppliesSafeAliasGroupAndUsesOpaqueInputs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("merged location = %#v, warnings = %#v", merged, result.Warnings)
 	}
 	encoded := string(client.requests[0].Inputs["candidates"].Content) + string(client.requests[0].Inputs["transcript"].Content)
-	if strings.Contains(encoded, doc.ID) || !strings.Contains(encoded, "candidate-000001") || strings.Contains(encoded, merged.ID) {
+	if strings.Contains(encoded, doc.ID) || strings.Contains(encoded, "candidate-") || strings.Contains(encoded, merged.ID) || !strings.Contains(encoded, `"source_refs"`) {
 		t.Fatalf("private inputs = %s", encoded)
 	}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry/prompt_assets_test.go

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesLocationNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "location-normalize-test", Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"key":"candidate-000001","name":"The Tavern","source_refs":[]}]}`), "transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`)}})
+	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "location-normalize-test", Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"name":"The Tavern","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":1,"end_unit_id":1}]}]}`), "transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`)}})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesLocationNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("message %d cache = %#v", index, prepared.Messages[index].CacheControl)
 		}
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[3].Content, "candidate-000001") || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[3].Content, `"windows"`) {
+	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[3].Content, `"The Tavern"`) || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[3].Content, `"candidate-`) || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[3].Content, `"windows"`) {
 		t.Fatalf("candidate message = %q", prepared.Messages[3].Content)
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[4].Content, `"windows"`) || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[4].Content, "candidate-000001") {
+	if !strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[4].Content, `"windows"`) || strings.Contains(prepared.Messages[4].Content, `"The Tavern"`) {
 		t.Fatalf("transcript message = %q", prepared.Messages[4].Content)
 	}
 	for index, message := range prepared.Messages {
-		if index != 3 && strings.Contains(message.Content, "candidate-000001") {
+		if index != 3 && strings.Contains(message.Content, `"The Tavern"`) {
 			t.Errorf("message %d unexpectedly rendered candidate input", index)
 		}
 		if index != 4 && strings.Contains(message.Content, `"windows"`) {

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/locationregistry/test_helpers_test.go

@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ package locationregistry
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/core/source"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/framework/contracts"
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/notarius/internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile"
 )
 
 type recordingLocationNormalizerClient struct {
@@ -25,10 +28,51 @@ func (c *recordingLocationNormalizerClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context
 	if response == "" {
 		response = `{"duplicate_groups":[]}`
 	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), output); err != nil {
+	content, err := contextualProposalResponse(response, request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
+	if err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
 	}
-	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: json.RawMessage(response)}, nil
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, output); err != nil {
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+	}
+	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
+}
+
+func contextualProposalResponse(response string, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if !strings.Contains(response, "candidate-") {
+		return []byte(response), nil
+	}
+	var selection struct {
+		DuplicateGroups []struct {
+			Members   []string `json:"members"`
+			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
+		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), &selection); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var candidates struct {
+		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
+		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
+		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
+			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
+		}
+		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
+	}
+	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
+	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
+		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
+		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
+			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
+		}
+		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(proposal)
 }
 
 func newNormalizer(t *testing.T, client contracts.StructuredLLMClient) *Normalizer {

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcoccurrences/normalizer.go

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (n *Normalizer) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 	}
 	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{
 		{Name: "normalization_policy", Value: normalizationPolicy},
-		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: n.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityPromptInput().Digest},
+		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: n.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer.go

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	Key                   = "dnd/npc-registry"
 	PromptID              = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize"
-	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v3"
+	normalizationPolicy   = "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v4"
 	semanticContextPolicy = "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1"
 	NormalizationPolicy   = normalizationPolicy
 

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/normalizer_test.go

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -156,10 +157,51 @@ func (c *recordingNPCNormalizerClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context, req
 	if response == "" {
 		response = `{"duplicate_groups":[]}`
 	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), output); err != nil {
+	content, err := contextualProposalResponse(response, request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
+	if err != nil {
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
 	}
-	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: json.RawMessage(response)}, nil
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, output); err != nil {
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+	}
+	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
+}
+
+func contextualProposalResponse(response string, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if !strings.Contains(response, "candidate-") {
+		return []byte(response), nil
+	}
+	var selection struct {
+		DuplicateGroups []struct {
+			Members   []string `json:"members"`
+			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
+		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(response), &selection); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var candidates struct {
+		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
+		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
+		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
+			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
+		}
+		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
+	}
+	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
+	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
+		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
+		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
+			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
+		}
+		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(proposal)
 }
 
 func newNormalizer(t *testing.T, client contracts.StructuredLLMClient) *Normalizer {

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/prompt_assets_test.go

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestRegisterPromptAssetsPreparesNormalizationPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
 		PromptID: PromptID, PromptVersion: entityreconcile.SchemaVersion, ProfileID: "normalize-test-profile",
 		Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{
-			"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"key":"candidate-000001","name":"Mira","source_refs":[]}]}`),
+			"candidates": promptkit.Inline(`{"candidates":[{"name":"Mira","source_refs":[{"start_unit_id":1,"end_unit_id":1}]}]}`),
 			"transcript": promptkit.Inline(`{"windows":[{"units":[]}]}`),
 		},
 	})

internal/modules/dnd/normalize/npcregistry/semantic_normalizer_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package npcregistry
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"math"
 	"reflect"
@@ -174,8 +175,8 @@ func TestNormalizeDoesNotAccumulateSafeGroupsAcrossAttempts(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestNormalizeExcludesIneligibleRecordsFromSemanticGroups(t *testing.T) {
-	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000001"}]}`}
+func TestNormalizeRetainsRecordsWhenAProposalUsesAnUnknownDescriptor(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &recordingNPCNormalizerClient{response: `{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","unknown"],"canonical":"candidate-000001"}]}`}
 	normalizer := newNormalizer(t, client)
 	doc := semanticDocument()
 	input := dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{
@@ -187,8 +188,8 @@ func TestNormalizeExcludesIneligibleRecordsFromSemanticGroups(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil || result.Retry == nil || len(result.Value.NPCs) != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("Normalize() = %#v, %v; want unchanged retry fallback", result, err)
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(result.Retry.Message, "member_ineligible") || result.Value.NPCs[1].Name != "Broken" {
-		t.Fatalf("result = %#v, want ineligible record excluded but preserved", result)
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Retry.Message, "member_unknown") || result.Value.NPCs[1].Name != "Broken" {
+		t.Fatalf("result = %#v, want unknown descriptor rejected without dropping a record", result)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -206,8 +207,14 @@ func TestReconciliationCandidatesKeepEqualDisplayNamesDistinct(t *testing.T) {
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(keys, []string{"candidate-000001", "candidate-000002"}) || strings.Count(string(materials.Candidates.Content), `"The Guard"`) != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("candidate keys and inputs = %#v, %s; want distinct equal-display candidates", keys, materials.Candidates.Content)
 	}
+	var candidateInput struct {
+		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(materials.Candidates.Content, &candidateInput); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	assessment := materials.Assess(entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{{
-		Members: keys, Canonical: keys[1],
+		Members: candidateInput.Candidates, Canonical: candidateInput.Candidates[1],
 	}}})
 	groups := reconciliationGroups(assessment, keys)
 	if assessment.DiscardedGroups() != 0 || len(groups) != 1 || groups[0].canonical != 1 {

internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry/registry.go

@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ type Registry struct {
 	canonical        []byte
 	digest           string
 	projectionDigest string
+	identityDigest   string
 	promptInput      contracts.LLMInputMaterial
-	identityInput    contracts.LLMInputMaterial
 	lookupByKey      map[string]int
 	lookupByID       map[string]int
 }
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ func emptyRegistry() *Registry {
 		list:             dnd.NPCRegistry{NPCs: []dnd.NPC{}},
 		canonical:        append([]byte(nil), content...),
 		projectionDigest: projectionDigest,
+		identityDigest:   projectionDigest,
 		promptInput:      contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, npccodec.MediaType, content, projectionDigest, ""),
-		identityInput:    contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, npccodec.MediaType, content, projectionDigest, ""),
 		lookupByKey:      map[string]int{},
 		lookupByID:       map[string]int{},
 	}
@@ -155,9 +155,9 @@ func loadRegistry(referenceContent []byte) (*Registry, error) {
 		canonical:        append([]byte(nil), content...),
 		digest:           digest,
 		projectionDigest: projectionDigest,
+		identityDigest:   identityProjectionDigest,
 		promptInput:      contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, npccodec.MediaType, projection, projectionDigest, ""),
 		lookupByKey:      lookupByKey,
-		identityInput:    contracts.NewLLMInputMaterial(ReferenceSlot, npccodec.MediaType, identityProjection, identityProjectionDigest, ""),
 		lookupByID:       lookupByID,
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -207,6 +207,15 @@ func (r *Registry) ProjectionDigest() string {
 	return r.projectionDigest
 }
 
+// IdentityDigest returns the SHA-256 digest of the ordered ID/name identity
+// projection. It binds durable identities without exposing them to the model.
+func (r *Registry) IdentityDigest() string {
+	if r == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return r.identityDigest
+}
+
 // Count returns the number of validated NPC records.
 func (r *Registry) Count() int {
 	if r == nil {
@@ -224,15 +233,6 @@ func (r *Registry) PromptInput() contracts.LLMInputMaterial {
 	return r.promptInput.Clone()
 }
 
-// IdentityPromptInput returns the ordered ID/name projection for consumers
-// that must bind output records to exact registry identities.
-func (r *Registry) IdentityPromptInput() contracts.LLMInputMaterial {
-	if r == nil {
-		return contracts.LLMInputMaterial{}
-	}
-	return r.identityInput.Clone()
-}
-
 // Lookup returns the canonical NPC for an exact canonical-name match under the
 // NPC identity comparison policy.
 func (r *Registry) Lookup(value string) (dnd.NPC, bool) {

internal/modules/dnd/npcs/registry/registry_test.go

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func TestResolveUnboundRegistryHasExactEmptyProjection(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Resolve() error = %v", err)
 	}
 	input := registry.PromptInput()
-	if registry.Bound() || registry.Digest() != "" || registry.Count() != 0 || string(input.Content) != emptyPrompt || string(registry.IdentityPromptInput().Content) != emptyPrompt {
+	if registry.Bound() || registry.Digest() != "" || registry.Count() != 0 || string(input.Content) != emptyPrompt || registry.IdentityDigest() != registry.ProjectionDigest() {
 		t.Fatalf("registry = %#v input = %#v, want unbound empty registry", registry, input)
 	}
 	if registry.ProjectionDigest() == "" || input.Digest != registry.ProjectionDigest() || input.OriginURI != "" {
@@ -46,12 +46,15 @@ func TestResolveKeepsDurableProvenanceAndProjectsOnlyOrderedNames(t *testing.T)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestIdentityPromptInputProjectsOrderedIDsAndNames(t *testing.T) {
+func TestIdentityDigestTracksOrderedIDsAndNames(t *testing.T) {
 	registry := resolveList(t, registryFixture())
-	input := registry.IdentityPromptInput()
+	projection, err := identityProjection(registryFixture())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	want := `{"npcs":[{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn") + `","name":"Mira Thorn"},{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Captain Vale") + `","name":"Captain Vale"}]}`
-	if string(input.Content) != want || input.Digest == registry.ProjectionDigest() {
-		t.Fatalf("identity projection = %#v, want %s", input, want)
+	if string(projection) != want || registry.IdentityDigest() != semanticDigest(projection) || registry.IdentityDigest() == registry.ProjectionDigest() {
+		t.Fatalf("identity digest = %q, want digest for %s", registry.IdentityDigest(), want)
 	}
 	if npc, ok := registry.LookupID(identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn")); !ok || npc.Name != "Mira Thorn" {
 		t.Fatalf("LookupID() = %#v, %t", npc, ok)
@@ -213,7 +216,7 @@ func TestProjectionIsStableForEquivalentNormalizedRegistries(t *testing.T) {
 	secondList := registryFixture()
 	secondList.NPCs[0].SourceRefs = append(secondList.NPCs[0].SourceRefs, source.SourceRef{SourceID: "session-beta", StartUnitID: 8, EndUnitID: 8})
 	second := resolveList(t, secondList)
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(first.PromptInput().Content, second.PromptInput().Content) || first.ProjectionDigest() != second.ProjectionDigest() || first.Digest() == second.Digest() {
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(first.PromptInput().Content, second.PromptInput().Content) || first.ProjectionDigest() != second.ProjectionDigest() || first.IdentityDigest() != second.IdentityDigest() || first.Digest() == second.Digest() {
 		t.Fatalf("projection/full identity mismatch: %#v %#v", first, second)
 	}
 }

internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile/context.go

@@ -22,13 +22,34 @@ type Candidate struct {
 	SourceRefs []source.SourceRef
 }
 
+// Selector identifies one candidate through its canonical name and source-free
+// evidence ranges. It is the complete model-facing candidate descriptor.
+type Selector struct {
+	Name       string        `json:"name"`
+	SourceRefs []SourceRange `json:"source_refs"`
+}
+
+// Clone returns an owned copy of the selector.
+func (s Selector) Clone() Selector {
+	s.SourceRefs = cloneSourceRanges(s.SourceRefs)
+	return s
+}
+
+// SourceRange is a source-free evidence coordinate used in a selector.
+type SourceRange struct {
+	StartUnitID int `json:"start_unit_id"`
+	EndUnitID   int `json:"end_unit_id"`
+}
+
 // Materials contains owned prompt inputs and opaque candidate-key mappings.
 type Materials struct {
 	Candidates contracts.LLMInputMaterial
 	Transcript contracts.LLMInputMaterial
 
-	candidateKeys []string
-	eligible      map[string]struct{}
+	candidateKeys     []string
+	eligible          map[string]struct{}
+	keyBySelector     map[string]string
+	collidedSelectors map[string]struct{}
 }
 
 // CandidateKeys returns all deterministic keys in candidate input order.
@@ -49,18 +70,7 @@ func (m Materials) EligibleCandidateKeys() []string {
 }
 
 type candidateInput struct {
-	Candidates []candidateView `json:"candidates"`
-}
-
-type candidateView struct {
-	Key        string               `json:"key"`
-	Name       string               `json:"name"`
-	SourceRefs []candidateSourceRef `json:"source_refs"`
-}
-
-type candidateSourceRef struct {
-	StartUnitID int `json:"start_unit_id"`
-	EndUnitID   int `json:"end_unit_id"`
+	Candidates []Selector `json:"candidates"`
 }
 
 type transcriptInput struct {
@@ -91,8 +101,10 @@ func BuildContext(doc *source.SourceDocument, candidates []Candidate, radius int
 		return Materials{}, false, fmt.Errorf("build entity reconciliation context: radius must not be negative")
 	}
 	materials := Materials{
-		candidateKeys: make([]string, len(candidates)),
-		eligible:      make(map[string]struct{}),
+		candidateKeys:     make([]string, len(candidates)),
+		eligible:          make(map[string]struct{}),
+		keyBySelector:     make(map[string]string),
+		collidedSelectors: make(map[string]struct{}),
 	}
 	for index := range candidates {
 		key := fmt.Sprintf(candidateKeyFormat, index+1)
@@ -103,7 +115,15 @@ func BuildContext(doc *source.SourceDocument, candidates []Candidate, radius int
 	}
 
 	index := source.NewDocumentIndex(doc)
-	views := make([]candidateView, 0, len(candidates))
+	type preparedCandidate struct {
+		key       string
+		selector  Selector
+		intervals []sourceInterval
+		lookupKey string
+	}
+	prepared := make([]preparedCandidate, 0, len(candidates))
+	selectorCounts := make(map[string]int, len(candidates))
+	views := make([]Selector, 0, len(candidates))
 	intervals := make([]sourceInterval, 0)
 	cited := make([]bool, len(doc.Units))
 	for candidateIndex, candidate := range candidates {
@@ -112,9 +132,23 @@ func BuildContext(doc *source.SourceDocument, candidates []Candidate, radius int
 			continue
 		}
 		key := materials.candidateKeys[candidateIndex]
-		materials.eligible[key] = struct{}{}
-		views = append(views, candidateView{Key: key, Name: candidate.Name, SourceRefs: references})
-		for _, interval := range candidateIntervals {
+		selector := Selector{Name: candidate.Name, SourceRefs: references}
+		lookupKey, err := selectorLookupKey(selector)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Materials{}, false, fmt.Errorf("build entity reconciliation context: invalid candidate material")
+		}
+		prepared = append(prepared, preparedCandidate{key: key, selector: selector, intervals: candidateIntervals, lookupKey: lookupKey})
+		selectorCounts[lookupKey]++
+	}
+	for _, candidate := range prepared {
+		if selectorCounts[candidate.lookupKey] != 1 {
+			materials.collidedSelectors[candidate.lookupKey] = struct{}{}
+			continue
+		}
+		materials.eligible[candidate.key] = struct{}{}
+		materials.keyBySelector[candidate.lookupKey] = candidate.key
+		views = append(views, candidate.selector.Clone())
+		for _, interval := range candidate.intervals {
 			for position := interval.start; position <= interval.end; position++ {
 				cited[position] = true
 			}
@@ -145,24 +179,56 @@ func BuildContext(doc *source.SourceDocument, candidates []Candidate, radius int
 	return materials, true, nil
 }
 
-func candidateReferences(index source.DocumentIndex, refs []source.SourceRef) ([]candidateSourceRef, []sourceInterval, bool) {
+func candidateReferences(index source.DocumentIndex, refs []source.SourceRef) ([]SourceRange, []sourceInterval, bool) {
 	if len(refs) == 0 {
 		return nil, nil, false
 	}
-	references := make([]candidateSourceRef, 0, len(refs))
-	intervals := make([]sourceInterval, 0, len(refs))
+	type referencedInterval struct {
+		reference SourceRange
+		interval  sourceInterval
+	}
+	prepared := make([]referencedInterval, 0, len(refs))
 	for _, ref := range refs {
 		if err := index.ValidateRef(ref); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, false
 		}
 		start, _ := index.Position(ref.StartUnitID)
 		end, _ := index.Position(ref.EndUnitID)
-		references = append(references, candidateSourceRef{StartUnitID: ref.StartUnitID, EndUnitID: ref.EndUnitID})
-		intervals = append(intervals, sourceInterval{start: start, end: end})
+		prepared = append(prepared, referencedInterval{reference: SourceRange{StartUnitID: ref.StartUnitID, EndUnitID: ref.EndUnitID}, interval: sourceInterval{start: start, end: end}})
+	}
+	sort.Slice(prepared, func(left, right int) bool {
+		if prepared[left].interval.start != prepared[right].interval.start {
+			return prepared[left].interval.start < prepared[right].interval.start
+		}
+		return prepared[left].interval.end < prepared[right].interval.end
+	})
+	references := make([]SourceRange, 0, len(prepared))
+	intervals := make([]sourceInterval, 0, len(prepared))
+	for _, item := range prepared {
+		if len(references) > 0 && references[len(references)-1] == item.reference {
+			continue
+		}
+		references = append(references, item.reference)
+		intervals = append(intervals, item.interval)
 	}
 	return references, intervals, true
 }
 
+func selectorLookupKey(selector Selector) (string, error) {
+	content, err := json.Marshal(selector.Clone())
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return string(content), nil
+}
+
+func cloneSourceRanges(values []SourceRange) []SourceRange {
+	if len(values) == 0 {
+		return []SourceRange{}
+	}
+	return append([]SourceRange(nil), values...)
+}
+
 func coalesceIntervals(intervals []sourceInterval) []sourceInterval {
 	if len(intervals) == 0 {
 		return nil

internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile/entityreconcile_test.go

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6"
 )
 
-func TestBuildContextUsesOpaqueKeysSourceOrderAndOwnedData(t *testing.T) {
+func TestBuildContextUsesContextualSelectorsSourceOrderAndOwnedData(t *testing.T) {
 	doc := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{
 		{ID: 40, Kind: "narration", Text: "zero"},
 		{ID: 10, Kind: "speech", Text: "one", Metadata: map[string]any{"speaker": map[string]any{"name": "Mira"}}},
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ func TestBuildContextUsesOpaqueKeysSourceOrderAndOwnedData(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(materials.Candidates.Content, &candidatePayload); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if len(candidatePayload.Candidates) != 2 || candidatePayload.Candidates[0].Key != "candidate-000001" || candidatePayload.Candidates[1].Key != "candidate-000002" || candidatePayload.Candidates[0].Name != candidatePayload.Candidates[1].Name {
-		t.Fatalf("candidate payload = %#v, want distinct opaque keys for equal names", candidatePayload)
+	if len(candidatePayload.Candidates) != 2 || candidatePayload.Candidates[0].Name != candidatePayload.Candidates[1].Name || strings.Contains(string(materials.Candidates.Content), "candidate-") {
+		t.Fatalf("candidate payload = %#v, want contextual descriptors without keys", candidatePayload)
 	}
-	if got := candidatePayload.Candidates[0].SourceRefs[0]; got != (candidateSourceRef{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 20}) {
+	if got := candidatePayload.Candidates[0].SourceRefs[0]; got != (SourceRange{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 20}) {
 		t.Fatalf("candidate reference = %#v", got)
 	}
 
@@ -86,6 +86,50 @@ func TestBuildContextUsesOpaqueKeysSourceOrderAndOwnedData(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuildContextExcludesCollidingDescriptors(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{{ID: 1}, {ID: 2}, {ID: 3}}}
+	candidates := []Candidate{
+		{Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}},
+		{Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}},
+		{Name: "The Market", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 3, EndUnitID: 3}}},
+	}
+	materials, ready, err := BuildContext(doc, candidates, 0)
+	if err != nil || ready || len(materials.EligibleCandidateKeys()) != 1 || strings.Contains(string(materials.Candidates.Content), "The Tavern") {
+		t.Fatalf("BuildContext() = %#v, %t, %v", materials, ready, err)
+	}
+	assessment := materials.Assess(ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{
+		Members:   []Selector{{Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: []SourceRange{{StartUnitID: 1, EndUnitID: 1}}}, {Name: "The Market", SourceRefs: []SourceRange{{StartUnitID: 3, EndUnitID: 3}}}},
+		Canonical: Selector{Name: "The Market", SourceRefs: []SourceRange{{StartUnitID: 3, EndUnitID: 3}}},
+	}}})
+	if !hasIssue(assessment.Issues(), "member_ineligible") {
+		t.Fatalf("Assess() issues = %#v, want collided descriptor rejection", assessment.Issues())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAssessmentRejectsPartialAndReorderedDescriptors(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{{ID: 10}, {ID: 20}, {ID: 30}}}
+	materials, ready, err := BuildContext(doc, []Candidate{
+		{Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}, {SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}}},
+		{Name: "The Market", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{{SourceID: doc.ID, StartUnitID: 30, EndUnitID: 30}}},
+	}, 0)
+	if err != nil || !ready {
+		t.Fatalf("BuildContext() = %#v, %t, %v", materials, ready, err)
+	}
+	selectors := materialSelectors(t, materials)
+	for _, refs := range [][]SourceRange{
+		{{StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}},
+		{{StartUnitID: 20, EndUnitID: 20}, {StartUnitID: 10, EndUnitID: 10}},
+	} {
+		assessment := materials.Assess(ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{
+			Members:   []Selector{{Name: "The Tavern", SourceRefs: refs}, selectors[1]},
+			Canonical: selectors[1],
+		}}})
+		if !hasIssue(assessment.Issues(), "member_unknown") {
+			t.Fatalf("Assess(%#v) issues = %#v, want descriptor mismatch rejection", refs, assessment.Issues())
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuildContextExcludesUnsafeReferencesAndCoalescesAdjacentWindows(t *testing.T) {
 	doc := &source.SourceDocument{ID: "session", Units: []source.SourceUnit{{ID: 9}, {ID: 3}, {ID: 8}, {ID: 1}, {ID: 7}}}
 	candidates := []Candidate{
@@ -116,22 +160,21 @@ func TestBuildContextExcludesUnsafeReferencesAndCoalescesAdjacentWindows(t *test
 
 func TestAssessmentRejectsEveryUnsafeProposalCategory(t *testing.T) {
 	materials := preparedMaterials(t, 4, true)
-	keys := materials.CandidateKeys()
+	selectors := materialSelectors(t, materials)
 	unsafe := []struct {
 		name     string
 		response ProposalResponse
 		category string
 	}{
-		{"blank member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{"", keys[1]}, Canonical: keys[1]}}}, "member_blank"},
-		{"unknown member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{"candidate-999999", keys[1]}, Canonical: keys[1]}}}, "member_unknown"},
-		{"ineligible member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{keys[0], keys[3]}, Canonical: keys[0]}}}, "member_ineligible"},
-		{"repeated member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{keys[0], keys[0]}, Canonical: keys[0]}}}, "repeated_member"},
-		{"too small", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{keys[0]}, Canonical: keys[0]}}}, "fewer_than_two_members"},
-		{"canonical blank", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{keys[0], keys[1]}, Canonical: ""}}}, "canonical_blank"},
-		{"canonical not member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []string{keys[0], keys[1]}, Canonical: keys[2]}}}, "canonical_not_member"},
+		{"blank member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{{}, selectors[1]}, Canonical: selectors[1]}}}, "member_blank"},
+		{"unknown member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{{Name: "unknown", SourceRefs: []SourceRange{{StartUnitID: 99, EndUnitID: 99}}}, selectors[1]}, Canonical: selectors[1]}}}, "member_unknown"},
+		{"repeated member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{selectors[0], selectors[0]}, Canonical: selectors[0]}}}, "repeated_member"},
+		{"too small", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{selectors[0]}, Canonical: selectors[0]}}}, "fewer_than_two_members"},
+		{"canonical blank", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{selectors[0], selectors[1]}, Canonical: Selector{}}}}, "canonical_blank"},
+		{"canonical not member", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{{Members: []Selector{selectors[0], selectors[1]}, Canonical: selectors[2]}}}, "canonical_not_member"},
 		{"overlapping", ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{
-			{Members: []string{keys[0], keys[1]}, Canonical: keys[0]},
-			{Members: []string{keys[1], keys[2]}, Canonical: keys[2]},
+			{Members: []Selector{selectors[0], selectors[1]}, Canonical: selectors[0]},
+			{Members: []Selector{selectors[1], selectors[2]}, Canonical: selectors[2]},
 		}}, "overlapping_member"},
 	}
 	for _, test := range unsafe {
@@ -147,9 +190,10 @@ func TestAssessmentRejectsEveryUnsafeProposalCategory(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAssessmentReturnsNonOverlappingSafeGroupsAndDefensiveCopies(t *testing.T) {
 	materials := preparedMaterials(t, 4, false)
 	keys := materials.CandidateKeys()
+	selectors := materialSelectors(t, materials)
 	assessment := materials.Assess(ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: []DuplicateGroup{
-		{Members: []string{keys[1], keys[0]}, Canonical: keys[1]},
-		{Members: []string{keys[3], keys[2]}, Canonical: keys[2]},
+		{Members: []Selector{selectors[1], selectors[0]}, Canonical: selectors[1]},
+		{Members: []Selector{selectors[3], selectors[2]}, Canonical: selectors[2]},
 	}})
 	groups := assessment.SafeGroups()
 	if assessment.DiscardedGroups() != 0 || len(assessment.Issues()) != 0 || len(groups) != 2 {
@@ -183,12 +227,12 @@ func TestSharedResponseSchemaIsPrivateStrictAndRegisterableOnce(t *testing.T) {
 		valid bool
 	}{
 		{"empty groups", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{}}, true},
-		{"semantic proposal problem", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{""}, "canonical": ""}}}, true},
+		{"semantic proposal problem", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{map[string]any{"name": "Mira", "source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 1}}}}, "canonical": map[string]any{"name": "Mira", "source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 1}}}}}}, true},
 		{"missing groups", map[string]any{}, false},
 		{"unknown top level", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{}, "extra": true}, false},
-		{"replacement name", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{}, "canonical": "candidate-000001", "name": "replacement"}}}, false},
-		{"replacement evidence", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{}, "canonical": "candidate-000001", "source_refs": []any{}}}}, false},
-		{"wrong key type", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{1}, "canonical": "candidate-000001"}}}, false},
+		{"replacement name", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{}, "canonical": map[string]any{"name": "Mira", "source_refs": []any{}}, "name": "replacement"}}}, false},
+		{"missing selector evidence", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{}, "canonical": map[string]any{"name": "Mira"}}}}, false},
+		{"invalid range", map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []any{map[string]any{"name": "Mira", "source_refs": []any{map[string]any{"start_unit_id": 0, "end_unit_id": 1}}}}, "canonical": map[string]any{"name": "Mira", "source_refs": []any{}}}}}, false},
 	} {
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			content, err := json.Marshal(test.value)
@@ -236,6 +280,15 @@ func preparedMaterials(t *testing.T, count int, includeIneligible bool) Material
 	return materials
 }
 
+func materialSelectors(t *testing.T, materials Materials) []Selector {
+	t.Helper()
+	var input candidateInput
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(materials.Candidates.Content, &input); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return input.Candidates
+}
+
 func cloneCandidates(input []Candidate) []Candidate {
 	output := make([]Candidate, len(input))
 	copy(output, input)

internal/modules/dnd/shared/entityreconcile/proposal.go

@@ -6,15 +6,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 // ProposalResponse is the private structured response exchanged with the
-// reconciliation prompt. It identifies candidates only by opaque keys.
+// reconciliation prompt. It identifies candidates by contextual selectors.
 type ProposalResponse struct {
 	DuplicateGroups []DuplicateGroup `json:"duplicate_groups"`
 }
 
-// DuplicateGroup proposes candidate keys that might denote one entity.
+// DuplicateGroup proposes contextual candidate descriptors that might denote
+// one entity.
 type DuplicateGroup struct {
-	Members   []string `json:"members"`
-	Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
+	Members   []Selector `json:"members"`
+	Canonical Selector   `json:"canonical"`
 }
 
 // Issue identifies one unsafe proposal category without prescribing a warning
@@ -59,16 +60,13 @@ func (a Assessment) DiscardedGroups() int { return a.discardedGroups }
 // Issues returns the deterministic rejection categories in proposal order.
 func (a Assessment) Issues() []Issue { return append([]Issue(nil), a.issues...) }
 
-// Assess validates a proposal against the opaque keys created by BuildContext.
+// Assess resolves contextual descriptors to internal candidate keys, then
+// validates the proposal without exposing those keys to the model.
 func (m Materials) Assess(response ProposalResponse) Assessment {
-	all := make(map[string]struct{}, len(m.candidateKeys))
-	for _, key := range m.candidateKeys {
-		all[key] = struct{}{}
-	}
 	groups := make([]assessedGroup, len(response.DuplicateGroups))
 	issues := make([]Issue, 0)
 	for groupIndex, proposal := range response.DuplicateGroups {
-		groups[groupIndex] = assessGroup(proposal, all, m.eligible)
+		groups[groupIndex] = m.assessGroup(proposal)
 		for _, category := range groups[groupIndex].issues {
 			issues = append(issues, Issue{GroupIndex: groupIndex, Category: category})
 		}
@@ -115,12 +113,13 @@ type assessedGroup struct {
 	conflicting  bool
 }
 
-func assessGroup(proposal DuplicateGroup, all, eligible map[string]struct{}) assessedGroup {
+func (m Materials) assessGroup(proposal DuplicateGroup) assessedGroup {
 	issues := make([]string, 0)
 	members := make([]string, 0, len(proposal.Members))
 	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(proposal.Members))
-	for _, key := range proposal.Members {
-		if category := keyCategory(key, all, eligible); category != "" {
+	for _, selector := range proposal.Members {
+		key, category := m.selectorKey(selector)
+		if category != "" {
 			issues = append(issues, "member_"+category)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -131,31 +130,39 @@ func assessGroup(proposal DuplicateGroup, all, eligible map[string]struct{}) ass
 		seen[key] = struct{}{}
 		members = append(members, key)
 	}
-	canonicalCategory := keyCategory(proposal.Canonical, all, eligible)
+	canonical, canonicalCategory := m.selectorKey(proposal.Canonical)
 	if canonicalCategory != "" {
 		issues = append(issues, "canonical_"+canonicalCategory)
 	}
 	if len(members) < 2 {
 		issues = append(issues, "fewer_than_two_members")
 	}
-	if canonicalCategory == "" && !contains(members, proposal.Canonical) {
+	if canonicalCategory == "" && !contains(members, canonical) {
 		issues = append(issues, "canonical_not_member")
 	}
 	sort.Strings(members)
-	return assessedGroup{members: members, canonical: proposal.Canonical, issues: issues, locallyValid: len(issues) == 0}
+	return assessedGroup{members: members, canonical: canonical, issues: issues, locallyValid: len(issues) == 0}
 }
 
-func keyCategory(key string, all, eligible map[string]struct{}) string {
-	if strings.TrimSpace(key) == "" {
-		return "blank"
+func (m Materials) selectorKey(selector Selector) (string, string) {
+	if strings.TrimSpace(selector.Name) == "" {
+		return "", "blank"
 	}
-	if _, ok := all[key]; !ok {
-		return "unknown"
+	lookupKey, err := selectorLookupKey(selector)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "unknown"
 	}
-	if _, ok := eligible[key]; !ok {
-		return "ineligible"
+	if _, collided := m.collidedSelectors[lookupKey]; collided {
+		return "", "ineligible"
 	}
-	return ""
+	key, ok := m.keyBySelector[lookupKey]
+	if !ok {
+		return "", "unknown"
+	}
+	if _, eligible := m.eligible[key]; !eligible {
+		return "", "ineligible"
+	}
+	return key, ""
 }
 
 func contains(values []string, want string) bool {

internal/modules/dnd/validate/locationoccurrences/registry/validator.go

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (v *Validator) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 	if v == nil || v.locationResolver == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{{Name: "policy", Value: policy}, {Name: "location_registry", Value: v.locationResolver.Seeded().ProjectionDigest()}}
+	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{{Name: "policy", Value: policy}, {Name: "location_registry", Value: v.locationResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()}}
 }
 
 func (v *Validator) Validate(_ context.Context, req contracts.TypedValidationRequest[dnd.LocationOccurrenceList]) (contracts.ValidationResult, error) {

internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcoccurrences/invariants/validator.go

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (v *Validator) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 	}
 	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{
 		{Name: "policy", Value: policy},
-		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: v.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityPromptInput().Digest},
+		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: v.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 

internal/modules/dnd/validate/npcoccurrences/registry/validator.go

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (v *Validator) CheckpointFingerprints() []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint {
 	}
 	return []pipeline.CheckpointFingerprint{
 		{Name: "policy", Value: policy},
-		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: v.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityPromptInput().Digest},
+		{Name: "npc_registry", Value: v.npcResolver.Seeded().IdentityDigest()},
 	}
 }
 

internal/modules/integration/dnd_location_registry_runner_test.go

@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ func TestLocationRegistryHandoffProducesOccurrencesAndEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 
 	request := client.requestFor(t, locationoccurrences.PromptID)
 	registryInput := request.Inputs["location_registry"]
-	if registryInput.MediaType != locationcodec.MediaType || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), registry.Locations[0].ID) || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), registry.Locations[1].ID) {
-		t.Fatalf("occurrence registry input = %#v, want source-free generated ID projection", registryInput)
+	if registryInput.MediaType != locationcodec.MediaType || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "source_refs") || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), registry.Locations[0].ID) || strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), registry.Locations[1].ID) || !strings.Contains(string(registryInput.Content), "registry_refs") {
+		t.Fatalf("occurrence registry input = %#v, want contextual selector projection", registryInput)
 	}
 	contextArtifact := outputFileContent(t, output.OutputFiles, "evidence-context.json")
 	evidence, err := evidencecontext.New().Decode(contextArtifact)
@@ -218,7 +218,11 @@ func (client *locationHandoffLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context,
 	case locationoccurrences.PromptID:
 		var projection 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, &projection); err != nil {
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ func (client *locationHandoffLLMClient) CompleteStructured(ctx context.Context,
 		if len(projection.Locations) != 2 {
 			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("generated location registry has %d locations, want 2", len(projection.Locations))
 		}
-		payload = map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{map[string]any{"location_id": projection.Locations[0].ID, "name": "Moon Gate", "kind": "visited", "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 1}}}, map[string]any{"location_id": projection.Locations[1].ID, "name": "Moon Gate", "kind": "mentioned", "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": 3, "end_unit_id": 3}}}}}
+		payload = map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{map[string]any{"name": projection.Locations[0].Name, "registry_refs": projection.Locations[0].RegistryRefs, "kind": "visited", "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 1}}}, map[string]any{"name": projection.Locations[1].Name, "registry_refs": projection.Locations[1].RegistryRefs, "kind": "mentioned", "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": 3, "end_unit_id": 3}}}}}
 	default:
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("unexpected prompt %q", request.PromptID)
 	}

internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_grounded_test.go

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestNPCOutputGroundsSpellAndCombatConsumersThroughOneOperation(t *testing.T
 	for name, value := range map[string]string{
 		"extract:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:mapping_policy":            "dnd.npc_registry.extract_mapping.v2",
 		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:identity_policy":         "dnd.npc_registry.identity.v1",
-		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:normalization_policy":    "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v3",
+		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:normalization_policy":    "dnd.npc_registry.normalize.v4",
 		"normalize:npc_registry:dnd/npc-registry:semantic_context_policy": "dnd.entity_reconcile.context.v1:2",
 		"extract:spells:dnd/spells:mapping_policy":                        "dnd.spells.extract_mapping.v2",
 		"extract:combat:dnd/combat-turns:scene_gate_policy":               "dnd.combat_turns.scene_gate.v1",

internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_occurrences_runner_test.go

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestNPCOccurrencePipelineUsesAcceptedRegistryAndCurrentEvidence(t *testing.
 	}
 
 	request := client.requestFor(t, occurrenceextract.PromptID)
-	wantRegistry := `{"npcs":[{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn") + `","name":"Mira Thorn"},{"id":"` + identity.DeriveID("Hooded Guard") + `","name":"Hooded Guard"}]}`
+	wantRegistry := `{"npcs":[{"name":"Mira Thorn"},{"name":"Hooded Guard"}]}`
 	if got := string(request.Inputs["npc_registry"].Content); got != wantRegistry {
 		t.Fatalf("occurrence registry input = %s, want names-only projection %s", got, wantRegistry)
 	}
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ func TestNPCOccurrencePipelineUsesAcceptedRegistryAndCurrentEvidence(t *testing.
 	if first.Name != "Mira Thorn" || string(first.Kind) != "dialogue" || second.Name != "Hooded Guard" || string(second.Kind) != "noncombat_presence" {
 		t.Fatalf("occurrences = %#v, want canonical names, kinds, and source chronology", occurrences)
 	}
+	if first.NPCID != identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn") || second.NPCID != identity.DeriveID("Hooded Guard") {
+		t.Fatalf("occurrences = %#v, want durable registry IDs", occurrences)
+	}
 	assertOccurrenceEvidence(t, first.SourceRefs)
 	assertOccurrenceEvidence(t, second.SourceRefs)
 	if first.SourceRefs[0].StartUnitID >= second.SourceRefs[0].StartUnitID {
@@ -113,8 +116,8 @@ func TestSemanticNPCNormalizationCrossesOrderedRegistryHandoff(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("occurrence output step = %q, want ordered downstream step", occurrenceOutput.StepID)
 	}
 	registryRequest := client.requestFor(t, occurrenceextract.PromptID)
-	if got := string(registryRequest.Inputs["npc_registry"].Content); got != `{"npcs":[{"id":"`+identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn")+`","name":"Mira Thorn"}]}` {
-		t.Fatalf("downstream registry = %s, want one canonical NPC identity", got)
+	if got := string(registryRequest.Inputs["npc_registry"].Content); got != `{"npcs":[{"name":"Mira Thorn"}]}` {
+		t.Fatalf("downstream registry = %s, want one canonical NPC name", got)
 	}
 	manifestContent, err := json.Marshal(output.Manifest)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -289,7 +292,14 @@ func (client *semanticNPCOccurrenceClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 		}
 		payload = map[string]any{"npcs": []any{map[string]any{"name": name, "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": client.npcCalls, "end_unit_id": client.npcCalls}}}}}
 	case npcnormalize.PromptID:
-		payload = map[string]any{"duplicate_groups": []any{map[string]any{"members": []string{"candidate-000001", "candidate-000002"}, "canonical": "candidate-000001"}}}
+		content, err := contextualReconciliationContent([]byte(`{"duplicate_groups":[{"members":["candidate-000001","candidate-000002"],"canonical":"candidate-000001"}]}`), request.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
+		if err != nil {
+			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(content, out); err != nil {
+			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+		}
+		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
 	case occurrenceextract.PromptID:
 		payload = map[string]any{"occurrences": []any{map[string]any{"npc_id": identity.DeriveID("Mira Thorn"), "name": "Mira Thorn", "kind": "dialogue", "source_refs": []any{map[string]int{"start_unit_id": 1, "end_unit_id": 1}}}}}
 	default:

internal/modules/integration/dnd_npc_registry_runner_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -266,6 +267,11 @@ func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 			}
 			content = append([]byte(nil), client.normalizeResponses[index]...)
 		}
+		var err error
+		content, err = contextualReconciliationContent(content, req.Inputs["candidates"].Content)
+		if err != nil {
+			return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, err
+		}
 	default:
 		return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("unexpected fake NPC prompt %q", req.PromptID)
 	}
@@ -275,6 +281,43 @@ func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) CompleteStructured(_ context.Context,
 	return contracts.StructuredCompletionResponse{Content: content}, nil
 }
 
+func contextualReconciliationContent(content, candidateContent []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if !strings.Contains(string(content), "candidate-") {
+		return content, nil
+	}
+	var selection struct {
+		DuplicateGroups []struct {
+			Members   []string `json:"members"`
+			Canonical string   `json:"canonical"`
+		} `json:"duplicate_groups"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &selection); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var candidates struct {
+		Candidates []entityreconcile.Selector `json:"candidates"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(candidateContent, &candidates); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	selector := func(key string) entityreconcile.Selector {
+		index, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(key, "candidate-"))
+		if err != nil || index < 1 || index > len(candidates.Candidates) {
+			return entityreconcile.Selector{Name: key, SourceRefs: []entityreconcile.SourceRange{}}
+		}
+		return candidates.Candidates[index-1].Clone()
+	}
+	proposal := entityreconcile.ProposalResponse{DuplicateGroups: make([]entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup, len(selection.DuplicateGroups))}
+	for index, group := range selection.DuplicateGroups {
+		members := make([]entityreconcile.Selector, len(group.Members))
+		for memberIndex, key := range group.Members {
+			members[memberIndex] = selector(key)
+		}
+		proposal.DuplicateGroups[index] = entityreconcile.DuplicateGroup{Members: members, Canonical: selector(group.Canonical)}
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(proposal)
+}
+
 func (client *fakeNPCProductionLLMClient) requestCount(promptID string) int {
 	count := 0
 	for _, request := range client.requests {