feat(characters): add modular woodland traveler kit

chore(godot): finalize sky import and project settings
feat(environment): add painterly skies and living meadows
2026-09-05 22:54:54 +02:00 · 2026-09-05 20:40:33 +02:00 · 2026-09-05 20:27:09 +02:00 · 2026-09-05 19:30:46 +02:00 · 2026-09-05 18:56:44 +02:00
172 changed files with 6144 additions and 585 deletions
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+# Woodland character kit
+
+Original Blender geometry inspired by the supplied cat-traveler reference:
+broad cheeks, relaxed almond eyes, whiskers, layered clothing, rolled cuffs,
+boots, a scarf, and a travel pack with a bedroll. The reference image is not
+embedded in the assets. Player and NPC visuals use this kit in the main game.
+
+## Try and configure
+
+Run `tools/CharacterWorkshop.tscn` in Godot 4.7 (F6), or:
+
+```bash
+/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot --path "$PWD" tools/CharacterWorkshop.tscn
+```
+
+Choose one of six presets, change the parts and proportions, drag the model to
+turn it, scroll over the model to zoom, and enable the walking preview. **Save
+profile** writes a `CharacterAppearanceProfile` `.tres` to the chosen file.
+Assign that resource to `PlayerVisual.appearance` or `NpcVisual.appearance` in
+the Inspector. The player defaults to `profiles/reference_cat.tres`. NPCs with
+no authored override derive their appearance from their stable simulation ID.
+The workshop is a separate authoring scene; it does not modify a game save.
+
+| Control | Available values |
+| --- | --- |
+| Head and tail | Cat, fox, rabbit, badger, otter |
+| Ears | Species default, or any of six ear pairs including lop ears |
+| Height | 0.80–1.15 times the base height |
+| Body fullness | 0–1 Blender `Stout` shape key |
+| Head size / leg length / ear length | 0.88–1.12 / 0.85–1.15 / 0.65–1.20 |
+| Clothing | Open vest, long coat, work tunic with apron |
+| Arms | Relaxed or holding pack straps |
+| Accessories | Scarf, spectacles, beret, brimmed hat, satchel, travel pack |
+| Palette | Fur, muzzle, outfit, shirt, scarf, trousers, leather |
+
+The workshop exposes the four main palette colors. All seven channels are
+editable on the profile resource. Profession tint remains a separate, subtle
+overlay driven by the actual NPC profession.
+
+## Blender source and rebuilding
+
+Open `art/characters/woodland_character_kit.blend`. The visible collection is an
+assembled traveler; the hidden library meshes contain the editable building
+blocks. Unhide a library object to edit it. Torso and wearable meshes have
+`Basis` and `Stout` shape keys. Preview objects are copies of library objects.
+
+```bash
+/Applications/Blender.app/Contents/MacOS/Blender --background \
+  --python tools/art/build_character_kit.py
+/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot --headless --editor --path "$PWD" --import
+```
+
+The reproducible Blender 5.1 generator rebuilds the source, GLB, and triangle
+manifest. Regenerating replaces manual edits to those generated files. Commit
+changes to the generator when they should survive a rebuild. Godot only imports
+the portable GLB; `.gdignore` excludes the Blender authoring directory.
+
+## Mesh and animation contract
+
+`woodland_parts.glb` contains 31 named parts, each with one opaque surface. The
+reference cat uses 10 surfaces and 20,070 base triangles before Godot's generated
+LODs. The GLB is approximately 4.6 MiB. `mesh_budget.json` records each part's
+triangle count, origin and shape-key support. Accessories are optional; only
+selected meshes enter the live scene.
+
+- `AnimalAppearance` caches the imported mesh library once. Characters share
+  `ArrayMesh` resources and have their own shader material and blend-shape
+  weights. No per-frame mesh rebuilding or CPU deformation is performed.
+- Godot Y is up, +Z is forward. The existing body, head, arm, leg and tail node
+  paths remain animation sockets. Ear/glasses attachments follow the head;
+  scarf and bag attachments follow the torso. `Hair` is the optional hat socket.
+- Fullness deforms the torso and worn gear together. Shoulder/hip spacing follows
+  it. Leg length raises the upper body while keeping the soles on the ground.
+  Gait uses configured rest heights; the hiker pose has restrained arm swing.
+- Animation remains the existing rigid-part procedural gait. The kit does not
+  add a skeletal animation library, facial rig, cloth simulation, or physics
+  bodies. Changes to these appearance controls are cosmetic: collision,
+  navigation, interaction reach, authoritative positions, and saves retain
+  their existing contracts. Very unusual mixed parts may need art adjustment.
+- `UV2.x` stores a discrete palette role (0 fixed vertex paint, 1 fur, 2 muzzle,
+  3 outfit, 4 linen, 5 scarf, 6 trousers, 7 leather, 8 fur markings, 9 outfit seams).
+  Preserve both UV layers and vertex colors on export. Do not regenerate UV2
+  lightmap coordinates. `character_cel.gdshader` supplies soft cel bands with
+  no texture sampling, transparency, outline pass, or screen-space effect.
+
+## Verification and review
+
+`tests/character_appearance_test.gd` checks the real imported geometry, palette
+roles, independent morph weights, shared meshes, attachment reuse, all six
+presets, extreme proportions, stable IDs/RNG isolation, gait rest heights, and
+NPC cue clearance. Existing lifecycle scenarios cover profession, inventory,
+death, and save/load behavior. Run the full repository quality gate before a
+commit.
+
+```bash
+./tools/quality.sh
+/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot --path "$PWD" \
+  --rendering-driver metal --script tools/capture_character_kit.gd
+/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot --path "$PWD" \
+  --rendering-method gl_compatibility --script tools/capture_character_kit.gd
+/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot --path "$PWD" \
+  --rendering-driver metal --script tools/capture_character_kit.gd -- --world
+```
+
+The `docs/baselines/character_*.png` images are actual Godot renders. They show
+the traveler, rear pack detail, preset lineup, workshop and main-world placement.
+These local Apple M1 Max checks do not establish a frame-time budget for a
+large crowd or a weaker GPU.
+
+The workshop uses filmic tonemapping with a separately calibrated Compatibility
+exposure to preserve cream-fabric highlights. This only stages the authoring
+preview; the main world retains its existing day/night environment. Metal and
+Compatibility images are separate visual reviews, not a pixel-parity claim.
+The full Godot 4.7 gate passes 61 scenario runs (including 111 character checks)
+and 182 GUT tests / 2,279 assertions. The native workshop controls and profile
+export were also exercised directly.
@@ -0,0 +1,312 @@
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+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "TorsoCoat": {
+    "triangles": 3074,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.05,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "TorsoTunic": {
+    "triangles": 1894,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.05,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "ArmRelaxedLeft": {
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+      1.3,
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+    ],
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+      0.44,
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+  "EarsCat": {
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+      0
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+  "TailCat": {
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+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      0.8,
+      -0.22
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+    "stout_shape": false
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+  "HeadFox": {
+    "triangles": 6798,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.68,
+      0
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+    "stout_shape": false
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+  "EarsFox": {
+    "triangles": 202,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      2.2,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
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+  "TailFox": {
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+    "surfaces": 1,
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+    "pivot": [
+      0,
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+      -0.22
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+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "HeadBadger": {
+    "triangles": 6684,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.68,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
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+  "EarsBadger": {
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+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      2.2,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
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+  "TailBadger": {
+    "triangles": 248,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      0.8,
+      -0.22
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "HeadOtter": {
+    "triangles": 6684,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.68,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "EarsOtter": {
+    "triangles": 1456,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      2.2,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "TailOtter": {
+    "triangles": 360,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      0.8,
+      -0.22
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "EarsLop": {
+    "triangles": 328,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      2.2,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "Scarf": {
+    "triangles": 396,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.05,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "BagTravel": {
+    "triangles": 2740,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.05,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "BagSatchel": {
+    "triangles": 640,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.05,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": true
+  },
+  "HatBeret": {
+    "triangles": 880,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.9,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "HatBrim": {
+    "triangles": 976,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.9,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  },
+  "Spectacles": {
+    "triangles": 644,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "pivot": [
+      0,
+      1.68,
+      0
+    ],
+    "stout_shape": false
+  }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+species = 3
+height = 0.98
+body_fullness = 1.0
+leg_length = 0.9
+outfit = 2
+arm_pose = 0
+bag = 0
+hat = 1
+scarf = false
+fur_color = Color(0.79, 0.77, 0.71, 1)
+outfit_color = Color(0.47, 0.5, 0.35, 1)
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+species = 1
+height = 1.12
+body_fullness = 0.15
+leg_length = 1.12
+outfit = 1
+arm_pose = 0
+hat = 2
+bag = 1
+fur_color = Color(0.72, 0.43, 0.24, 1)
+outfit_color = Color(0.42, 0.49, 0.33, 1)
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+species = 2
+ears = 4
+height = 0.92
+body_fullness = 0.8
+ear_length = 1.12
+outfit = 2
+arm_pose = 0
+bag = 0
+scarf = false
+fur_color = Color(0.80, 0.78, 0.73, 1)
+outfit_color = Color(0.6, 0.4, 0.28, 1)
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+species = 4
+height = 1.06
+body_fullness = 0.42
+head_size = 0.94
+outfit = 0
+arm_pose = 0
+bag = 1
+fur_color = Color(0.51, 0.42, 0.33, 1)
+outfit_color = Color(0.41, 0.43, 0.54, 1)
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+species = 2
+height = 0.84
+body_fullness = 0.18
+head_size = 1.08
+leg_length = 0.92
+outfit = 1
+arm_pose = 0
+bag = 1
+spectacles = true
+fur_color = Color(0.76, 0.72, 0.64, 1)
+outfit_color = Color(0.57, 0.37, 0.31, 1)
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="CharacterAppearanceProfile" load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://world/presentation/CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://b4p2tfex61t8o"
+path="res://.godot/imported/woodland_parts.glb-1394516718c8f9a3ee6122be9d99f45f.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/characters/woodland_parts.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/woodland_parts.glb-1394516718c8f9a3ee6122be9d99f45f.scn"]
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+nodes/root_scale=1.0
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+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
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+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
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+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
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+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Jajce meadow flowers
+
+Original mesh assets built for The Steward. Four small clumps give authored
+meadow drifts a cream, rose, butter-yellow and lavender palette. Each contains
+three stems, folded leaves and opaque petal geometry with painted vertex colors.
+There are no external textures, dependencies, collision shapes or gameplay IDs.
+
+Editable sources live in `art/meadow/`, outside Godot's import tree. Rebuild with
+Blender 5.1 or later:
+
+```sh
+Blender --background --python tools/art/build_meadow_flowers.py
+```
+
+`mesh_budget.json` records exported triangle/surface/file-size counts. Runtime
+`PainterlyMeadow` uses one MultiMesh per species and its own soft-lit wind shader;
+the GLB material preserves the original palette when opened in other tools.
+
+Godot 4.7 Compatibility requires explicit white MultiMesh instance colors when
+the custom instance buffer is enabled. `PainterlyMeadow` supplies that neutral
+color so both Compatibility and Forward+ preserve the painted GLB palette.
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://cnoywbu65c0hg"
+path="res://.godot/imported/cream_daisy.glb-7a51f417838affb7d915e8a81cdabcc9.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/meadow/cream_daisy.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/cream_daisy.glb-7a51f417838affb7d915e8a81cdabcc9.scn"]
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+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://dur42glc0ybm3"
+path="res://.godot/imported/lavender_spire.glb-ca4666e5e14c84270d4621d49918d5e7.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/meadow/lavender_spire.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/lavender_spire.glb-ca4666e5e14c84270d4621d49918d5e7.scn"]
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+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
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+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{
+  "cream_daisy": {
+    "triangles": 180,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "flower_stems": 3,
+    "bytes": 19896
+  },
+  "pink_cosmos": {
+    "triangles": 171,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "flower_stems": 3,
+    "bytes": 18888
+  },
+  "yellow_buttercup": {
+    "triangles": 153,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "flower_stems": 3,
+    "bytes": 16840
+  },
+  "lavender_spire": {
+    "triangles": 360,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "flower_stems": 3,
+    "bytes": 40444
+  }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://dqksrghyqlfec"
+path="res://.godot/imported/pink_cosmos.glb-f2a2c19fa8aeebec56761be5c75e2426.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/meadow/pink_cosmos.glb"
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+
+[params]
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+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://urkk7ybwrnv7"
+path="res://.godot/imported/yellow_buttercup.glb-88c3511b4d2c884beab5a1c921cdc3cb.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/meadow/yellow_buttercup.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/yellow_buttercup.glb-88c3511b4d2c884beab5a1c921cdc3cb.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Painterly valley assets
+
+Original broadleaf and evergreen meshes created in Blender for The Steward.
+Scalloped crowns, painted vertex variation, crooked forks and root flares replace
+the primitive tree silhouettes. Editable sources are in `art/painterly/`;
+`.gdignore` keeps Blender outside Godot's runtime import dependencies. The two
+portable GLBs use opaque geometry without textures or alpha cards.
+
+## Rebuild and mesh budget
+
+From the project root, using Blender 5.1 and Godot 4.7:
+
+```sh
+"$BLENDER_BIN" --background --python tools/art/build_painterly_trees.py
+"$GODOT_BIN" --headless --editor --path "$PWD" --import
+```
+
+Use the isolated Godot profile configured by `tools/quality.sh` for headless
+validation. Runtime consumes the GLBs directly; no mesh-extraction step is
+needed. Preserve their `.import` files when updating exports.
+
+| Geometry | Triangles | Surfaces |
+| --- | ---: | ---: |
+| Shared broadleaf crown | 1,236 | 1 |
+| Joined broadleaf trunk, forks and roots | 406 | 1 |
+| Complete broadleaf: four crowns plus trunk | 5,350 | 5 |
+| Complete conifer: boughs plus trunk | 1,580 | 2 |
+
+`tree_mesh_budget.json` records these export counts. The broadleaf GLB is
+45,676 bytes; the conifer GLB is 40,836 bytes and stands 3.10 m before placement
+scaling. A separate temporary rebuild with Blender 5.1.2 produced byte-identical
+copies of both GLBs and the budget JSON. This establishes generator
+reproducibility with that Blender version, not identical `.blend` serialization
+across versions.
+
+`StylizedTree` shares imported meshes and isolates crown tint/wind materials.
+Its four direct `Canopy*` children retain the existing thinning and stump
+presentation contract. `PainterlyConifer` shares imported bough/trunk meshes.
+Both use the same world-direction breeze and explicit painted bark colors;
+neither adds simulation state, collision or per-frame GDScript work.
+
+## Painted sky provenance
+
+`painted_sky.png` is an original 1774 × 887 image generated with the built-in
+ImageGen tool, rather than a CLI generator. The prompt asks for a painted
+cumulus panorama with warm ivory cloud tops, cool turquoise cloud shadows and
+a clear blue summer atmosphere. Film references informed the color and mood;
+no external film image was copied into the texture. The exact generation
+prompt is recorded in [sky_prompt.md](sky_prompt.md).
+
+`storybook_sky.gdshader` maps the panorama's horizon at 69% of its height onto
+the upper hemisphere, repeats the painted band twice around the azimuth to
+retain cloud proportions, blends its seam/edge into haze, and follows the existing
+day/night palette. The image supplies the sky backdrop only; it does not paint
+terrain or create volumetric clouds.
+
+Final renderer QA and the complete project quality gate belong to the
+integrated environment review. See the [presentation guide](../../docs/FEATURE_PRESENTATION_PERFORMANCE.md)
+for current verification evidence and remaining hardware limits.
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="texture"
+type="CompressedTexture2D"
+uid="uid://dmkubk6dhhyis"
+path.s3tc="res://.godot/imported/painted_sky.png-9888802278aff2f83effdab2649f1f05.s3tc.ctex"
+metadata={
+"imported_formats": ["s3tc_bptc"],
+"vram_texture": true
+}
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/painterly/painted_sky.png"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/painted_sky.png-9888802278aff2f83effdab2649f1f05.s3tc.ctex"]
+
+[params]
+
+compress/mode=2
+compress/high_quality=false
+compress/lossy_quality=0.7
+compress/uastc_level=0
+compress/rdo_quality_loss=0.0
+compress/hdr_compression=1
+compress/normal_map=0
+compress/channel_pack=0
+mipmaps/generate=true
+mipmaps/limit=-1
+roughness/mode=0
+roughness/src_normal=""
+process/channel_remap/red=0
+process/channel_remap/green=1
+process/channel_remap/blue=2
+process/channel_remap/alpha=3
+process/fix_alpha_border=true
+process/premult_alpha=false
+process/normal_map_invert_y=false
+process/hdr_as_srgb=false
+process/hdr_clamp_exposure=false
+process/size_limit=0
+detect_3d/compress_to=0
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://clcvatvbyixma"
+path="res://.godot/imported/painterly_conifer.glb-596d48094a6a072cfc85374d478c7bbe.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/painterly/painterly_conifer.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/painterly_conifer.glb-596d48094a6a072cfc85374d478c7bbe.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://blu5r5vupqvpd"
+path="res://.godot/imported/painterly_tree.glb-12cb20acdabe08bb0fe06cba12958067.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/painterly/painterly_tree.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/painterly_tree.glb-12cb20acdabe08bb0fe06cba12958067.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Painted sky provenance
+
+Created for this project with the built-in imagegen tool on 2026-09-05.
+Original output: 1774 × 887 PNG, copied without pixel editing to
+`assets/painterly/painted_sky.png`. The sky shader samples the upper portion
+and blends its horizon into the simulation-driven day/night palette.
+No film frame or downloaded artwork is used as a runtime texture.
+
+## Generation prompt
+
+Use case: stylized-concept. Asset type: original 360-degree panoramic sky
+texture for a Godot game, 2:1 equirectangular landscape, ideally 3072x1536.
+Create ONLY SKY, absolutely no ground, hills, buildings, ocean, objects, text
+or sun disk. Art direction: exquisitely hand-painted Japanese animation
+background, Studio Ghibli inspired summer pastoral fantasy, gouache brush
+texture, saturated clear turquoise-blue atmosphere, towering luminous cumulus
+clouds with creamy warm sunlit edges, intricate scalloped billowing forms,
+pale cyan and slate blue softly painted shadow volumes. Composition is a full
+spherical sky environment texture: upper half of image shows the upward
+hemisphere, zenith at top is mostly deep clean blue, large beautiful cumulus
+towers occupy the upper middle band between y=15% and y=44%, and the horizon
+at exactly image vertical halfway is uniform pale atmospheric aqua. Lower
+half is entirely an unobtrusive smooth pale aqua color gradient, with NO
+landscape. Cloud coverage about 40% of upper hemisphere, generous varied blue
+gaps, asymmetrical naturally spaced cloud masses. Left and right edges must
+wrap seamlessly in color and shape, keep thin strips at far left/right clear
+sky to avoid seam. No photographic cloud noise, no 3D render or vector
+outlines, no flat cartoon circles. Painterly refined layered brushwork like a
+cinematic animated film background, not a flat gradient. Use only original
+cloud shapes; no copied film imagery.
+
+The returned image does not exactly meet the requested resolution or horizon
+position. The runtime shader uses its actual dimensions and remaps the painted
+horizon at 69% image height. Blender mesh assets are deterministic rebuilds;
+this generated image is a pinned art asset, not a deterministic generator output.
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+  "Canopy": {
+    "triangles": 1236,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "vertices": 712
+  },
+  "Trunk": {
+    "triangles": 406,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "vertices": 221
+  },
+  "runtime_tree": {
+    "triangles": 5350,
+    "surfaces": 5,
+    "shared_meshes": 2
+  },
+  "glb_bytes": 45676,
+  "conifer": {
+    "triangles": 1580,
+    "surfaces": 2,
+    "height_m": 3.1,
+    "glb_bytes": 40836
+  }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+# Woodland storybook art
+
+Original Blender models for The Steward's warm, painted animation direction.
+The runtime cast is a fox traveler, rabbit gardener, bespectacled badger and
+otter in oversized coats, scarves, boots and satchels. These are original
+characters, not models of existing film characters.
+
+`art/storybook/` contains the editable Blender 5.1 sources. Its `.gdignore`
+keeps Blender out of Godot's runtime import dependency chain. This directory
+contains portable GLBs and the extracted grass mesh consumed by Terrain3D.
+
+## Rebuild
+
+From the project root, with Blender and Godot 4.7 installed:
+
+```sh
+"$BLENDER_BIN" --background --python tools/art/build_storybook_assets.py
+"$GODOT_BIN" --headless --editor --path "$PWD" --import
+"$GODOT_BIN" --headless --path "$PWD" --script tools/import_storybook_grass.gd
+```
+
+On macOS the binaries used for this pass were
+`/Applications/Blender.app/Contents/MacOS/Blender` and
+`/Applications/Godot.app/Contents/MacOS/Godot`. Headless CI should use the
+isolated profile configured by `tools/quality.sh`.
+
+## Mesh and material contract
+
+- The seven-blade meadow tuft has **35 triangles**, one surface, rooted Y=0,
+  and UV.y=0 at each root / 1 at each tip. Wind and actor bending run on the
+  GPU. The material is opaque and double-sided, with no alpha cards, texture
+  lookups, per-blade nodes, shadow casting, or outline pass.
+- Terrain3D owns the existing nine camera-local emitter cells: 10,404 tuft
+  slots on High, 5,184 on Balanced, hidden and stopped on Low. Terrain masks
+  and distance fading further reduce visible grass. Four scene-derived path
+  clearings collapse blades around the walking strips. Changing density does
+  not alter the terrain, navigation, resource state or collision.
+- Each animal has eight mesh surfaces, **7,884–10,050 triangles** total, and
+  vertex colors. `mesh_budget.json` is emitted by the Blender generator.
+  Vertex alpha is a clothing tint mask; the cel shader never writes ALPHA.
+- `AnimalAppearance` derives NPC species from stable ID modulo four; the
+  player is a fox. It shares imported meshes, creates an isolated material
+  per actor and tints clothing from the existing profession definition.
+  `Body`, `Head`, `Hair`, four limbs and `Tail` preserve the visual controllers'
+  animation slots. Shoulder/hip pivots support the existing velocity-driven
+  gait. Ears, face details, boots and scarves are joined into those surfaces.
+- Inventory sacks, carried logs, profession tools, task glyphs, trust reactions,
+  death and player sword cues remain controlled by their existing state paths.
+  Animal species here is appearance only: no animal simulation classification,
+  RNG calls, saved fields, migration or gameplay mechanics are introduced.
+
+## Review captures
+
+```sh
+"$GODOT_BIN" --path "$PWD" --script tools/capture_storybook.gd -- --cast
+"$GODOT_BIN" --path "$PWD" --script tools/capture_storybook.gd
+```
+
+These require a real renderer. The first writes `storybook_cast.png`; the
+second captures the running main scene at a controlled daytime presentation,
+then writes gameplay/valley PNGs and a small profile sample to `docs/baselines/`.
+It pauses simulation only in the capture process and does not save anything.
+The gameplay camera defaults remain unchanged. The matched environment camera
+can also be captured with `tools/capture_jajce_lookdev.gd -- --hide-debug-labels
+--output=res://docs/baselines/storybook_after.png`.
+
+Profile samples are local wall-frame latency at a static camera with six NPC
+visuals, including vsync. They are not isolated GPU timings or weak-PC proof.
+
+The full macOS quality gate passed on Godot 4.7, including all scenarios,
+Compatibility profile checks and 180 GUT tests / 2,258 assertions. Native
+Metal captures were visually reviewed. The character shader also rendered on
+Compatibility, whose color/tonemapping differs substantially from Metal; the
+approved color reference is `storybook_cast.png` (Metal).
+
+Native Metal shutdown reports one `ParticlesShaderRD` / material Shader RID
+retained at exit. The identical diagnostic was reproduced by importing and
+running untouched commit `6aae41d` in a separate temporary directory. The
+existing headless gate allowlist was not changed. Import/startup diagnostics
+and the baseline comparison are in ignored `logs/quality/storybook-*.log`.
+
+Shader interfaces follow the official [Godot 4.7 spatial shader contract](https://docs.godotengine.org/en/4.7/tutorials/shaders/shader_reference/spatial_shader.html).
+The exporter uses Blender's [glTF export API](https://docs.blender.org/api/main/bpy.ops.export_scene.html).
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://buehm0sth6etc"
+path="res://.godot/imported/badger.glb-4a20c61fae6d6e8d68c151cba8d056d5.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/storybook/badger.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/badger.glb-4a20c61fae6d6e8d68c151cba8d056d5.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://cbne2ol0h0uku"
+path="res://.godot/imported/fox.glb-972d78ae35ada569a710c17f00c10a3e.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/storybook/fox.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/fox.glb-972d78ae35ada569a710c17f00c10a3e.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://bd6mrof50g4wn"
+path="res://.godot/imported/meadow_grass.glb-0321cd60906212db637f52f1f1493ea1.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/storybook/meadow_grass.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/meadow_grass.glb-0321cd60906212db637f52f1f1493ea1.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+  "fox": {
+    "triangles": 7884,
+    "surfaces": 8,
+    "bytes": 271636
+  },
+  "rabbit": {
+    "triangles": 9060,
+    "surfaces": 8,
+    "bytes": 314636
+  },
+  "badger": {
+    "triangles": 10050,
+    "surfaces": 8,
+    "bytes": 345484
+  },
+  "otter": {
+    "triangles": 9088,
+    "surfaces": 8,
+    "bytes": 314108
+  },
+  "meadow_grass": {
+    "triangles": 35,
+    "surfaces": 1,
+    "bytes": 3648
+  }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://6f01q2ru2sq4"
+path="res://.godot/imported/otter.glb-92d54495ed52927d77a0a5213ac92330.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/storybook/otter.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/otter.glb-92d54495ed52927d77a0a5213ac92330.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="scene"
+importer_version=1
+type="PackedScene"
+uid="uid://bywpllx00b6aq"
+path="res://.godot/imported/rabbit.glb-ed7bf640394b68863b9dc6437e0f1808.scn"
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://assets/storybook/rabbit.glb"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/rabbit.glb-ed7bf640394b68863b9dc6437e0f1808.scn"]
+
+[params]
+
+nodes/root_type=""
+nodes/root_name=""
+nodes/root_script=null
+mesh_library/use_node_names_as_mesh_names=false
+array_mesh/deduplicate_surfaces=true
+nodes/apply_root_scale=true
+nodes/root_scale=1.0
+nodes/import_as_skeleton_bones=false
+nodes/use_name_suffixes=true
+nodes/use_node_type_suffixes=true
+meshes/ensure_tangents=true
+meshes/generate_lods=true
+meshes/create_shadow_meshes=true
+meshes/light_baking=1
+meshes/lightmap_texel_size=0.2
+meshes/force_disable_compression=false
+skins/use_named_skins=true
+animation/import=true
+animation/fps=30
+animation/trimming=false
+animation/remove_immutable_tracks=true
+animation/import_rest_as_RESET=false
+import_script/path=""
+materials/extract=0
+materials/extract_format=0
+materials/extract_path=""
+_subresources={}
+gltf/naming_version=2
+gltf/embedded_image_handling=1
+gltf/texture_map_mode=1
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ when extending the game.
 | Add caravans, routes, scheduled work, or regional saves | [Regional simulation and persistence](FEATURE_REGIONAL_SIMULATION_AND_PERSISTENCE.md) | `simulation/regional/`, `simulation/state/*StateRecord.gd` |
 | Add an enemy or animal using an existing behavior | [Entity families](FEATURE_ENTITIES_COMBAT_ANIMALS.md) | `CombatantFactory.gd`, `AnimalFactory.gd`, shared visual roots |
 | Change rendering or support weaker PCs | [Presentation and performance](FEATURE_PRESENTATION_PERFORMANCE.md) | `world/jajce/jajce_world.gd`, `world/presentation/` |
+| Author humanoid animal characters or combine clothing and body shapes | [Modular character kit](../assets/characters/README.md) | `tools/CharacterWorkshop.tscn`, `CharacterAppearanceProfile.gd`, `tools/art/build_character_kit.py` |
 | Change a saved field or migration | [Save schema and migrations](FEATURE_SAVE_SCHEMA_AND_MIGRATIONS.md) | `SimulationStateRecord.gd`, nested state records, `SaveSlotStore.gd` |
 | Add a regression, benchmark, or run the gate | [Testing and benchmarks](FEATURE_TESTING_AND_BENCHMARKS.md) | `tests/`, `tools/`, `docs/benchmarks/` |

@@ -38,19 +38,92 @@ spawn is a next integration.
 `JajceWorld` owns reversible High, Balanced, and Low presentation profiles with
 instance-local mutable environment/grass resources and viewport-scale ownership.

-| Profile | 3D scale | Shadow distance | Volumetric/glow | Grass |
+| Profile | 3D scale / MSAA | Shadow distance | Volumetric/glow | Grass |
 | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | --- |
-| High | authored | authored (currently 180 m) | authored when renderer supports it | authored density/interactors |
-| Balanced (default) | 0.85 cap | 120 m cap | authored ordinary lookdev; unsupported volumetric disabled | reduced spacing/interactors/update rate |
-| Low | 0.70 cap | 80 m, orthogonal | volumetric/glow/adjustment disabled; ordinary fog retained | hidden/stopped, emitters off, shader interactors zero |
+| High | authored / authored 4× | authored (currently 180 m) | authored when renderer supports it | authored density/interactors |
+| Balanced (default) | 0.85 cap / 2× cap | 120 m cap | authored ordinary lookdev; unsupported volumetric disabled | reduced spacing/interactors/update rate |
+| Low | 0.70 cap / off | 80 m, orthogonal | volumetric/glow/adjustment disabled; ordinary fog retained | hidden/stopped, emitters off, shader interactors zero |

 UI remains at native resolution. High/Low switches restore captured authored
 values; viewport scale restoration is guarded by the current quality owner so a
 second world cannot clobber the active owner. Compatibility/mobile feature
 selection never forces unsupported volumetric fog on.

+## Grass trails and bush contact
+
+`GrassInteractionController` samples the existing `grass_interactors` group:
+player, NPCs, hostile creatures and animals. The player keeps one slot; other
+visible actors are ranked by camera distance within the loaded actor container.
+High updates at 0.08 seconds with eight actors; Balanced uses 0.12 seconds and
+four. Low stops updates and immediately releases both grass and bushes.
+
+`FoliageTrailMap` maintains a disposable 128×128 RGBA float texture covering a
+64 m square around the camera. Swept footprints part grass to either side and
+lower its tips; the field recovers over eight seconds after contact. Sparse
+history is clipped to the moving window. The 256 KiB texture is reused with
+[`ImageTexture.update`](https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/classes/class_imagetexture.html#class-imagetexture-method-update),
+at most 3.125 MiB/s of texture data at the High update rate. The vertex shader
+adds one field lookup per grass vertex; there are no blade collision bodies,
+per-blade scripts, render targets or added grass draw calls.
+
+`StylizedBerryPatch` shares the field and contact positions between its leaf
+and berry MultiMeshes. Both bend in world space around the planted bush root,
+including under rotated/scaled parents, and spring back faster than grass.
+The five village berry placeholders now use this same amount-aware presentation
+as the existing riverbank bush. Contact does not change berries, resource
+amounts, navigation, targets or collision geometry.
+
+The controller clears history after `SimulationManager.state_restored`, on
+quality changes and on world disposal. Missing/recreated actors, teleports over
+3 m between samples and update gaps over 0.5 seconds start a new footprint rather
+than a connecting trail. Actor foot height gates deformation so bridge traffic
+does not flatten grass below. Trails are visual only and never enter saves.
+The exported actor, primary actor, foliage and simulation paths can be rebound
+when placing the controller in another loaded scene container.
+
+`tests/foliage_interaction_test.gd` checks sweep direction, recovery, teleport
+rejection, camera movement, world isolation, restore/quality reset, the primary
+actor slot and shared leaf/fruit bindings. Run `tools/capture_foliage.gd` with
+the native renderer for before/contact/trail/recovery images and controller
+timing in `docs/baselines/foliage_*`. That capture freezes simulation and wind, and moves
+the player presentation through the actual meadow, checking the state checksum
+is unchanged. CPU update timing is not a GPU or weak-PC frame-rate guarantee.
+Native Metal and Compatibility both render the effect; existing particle-shader
+shutdown warnings (and four Compatibility texture leaks) also reproduce in the
+untouched pre-art baseline. The headless quality gate retains its exact allowlist.
+
 ## Runtime hot paths already bounded

+The woodland storybook art pass adds portable Blender animal meshes and an
+opaque 35-triangle, seven-blade grass tuft. The existing camera-local grass
+field and quality controls own its instance budget; four loaded path strips
+provide disposable grass-clearance data after material isolation. Animal
+appearance is derived from stable NPC IDs, shares mesh resources, and retains
+profession tint, velocity-driven motion, inventory cues and death through the
+existing presentation controllers. No saved state or navigation changes.
+
+Characters and buildings use soft cel bands; tree crowns retain the shared
+breeze with painted color patches. A painted cloud panorama, cooler
+ambient fill and warm sunlight follow the simulation day/night clock. The
+cloud shader adds no volumetric pass, outline pass or screen-space postprocess.
+See [the asset contract and rebuild commands](../assets/storybook/README.md).
+
+The current humanoid cast uses the [modular woodland character kit](../assets/characters/README.md):
+31 Blender parts, five animal heads, six authored examples and independently
+configurable proportions, outfits and accessories. `CharacterAppearanceProfile`
+resources are cosmetic. Meshes are shared; `Stout` morph weights and palette
+materials are per actor. The reference traveler has 20,070 base triangles across
+10 opaque surfaces; Godot imports LODs. The standalone
+`tools/CharacterWorkshop.tscn` previews and saves profiles. Existing motion,
+profession/inventory/death cues, and shader grass interaction remain owned by
+their existing controllers. The appearance scenario verifies imported parts,
+independent shape weights, stable identity, extreme proportions and cue clearance.
+
+`docs/baselines/storybook_*.png` records the native Metal review. The accompanying
+`storybook_render_metrics.json` records a bounded local 1600×900 static-camera
+sample on Apple M1 Max with six NPCs and High/Balanced/Low settings. Wall-frame
+latency includes vsync and does not close the weak-PC evidence gap below.
+
 - Player interaction and villager inspection probes are throttled/event-driven;
  they no longer rebuild all candidate data every rendered frame.
 - `LoadedResourceSpatialIndex` bounds finite-resource discovery.
@@ -99,3 +172,85 @@ ledger, not brittle cross-machine CI thresholds.

 See [the benchmark ledger](benchmarks/README.md), [regional contract](REGIONAL_SIMULATION.md),
 and [the build-in-public visual plan](BUILD_IN_PUBLIC_PLAN.md).
+
+## Painterly environment pass — September 2026
+
+The reference study highlighted flat cloud bands, primitive tree silhouettes,
+sparse ground cover, opaque green water, and a sun arc offset from daytime
+brightness. The current pass addresses those through shared presentation assets:
+
+- The WorldEnvironment uses cool blue ambient fill, warm sunlight, restrained
+  glow and ordinary aerial fog. The solar arc now peaks at noon and the warm
+  transitions overlap dawn/dusk. An original painted cloud panorama supplies
+  layered cumulus shapes; a static sky shader remaps the artwork, blends its
+  seam/horizon, and tints it from the simulation clock. It adds no TIME-driven
+  cubemap updates or volumetric cloud pass. Generation provenance and the exact
+  prompt are in [the asset guide](../assets/painterly/README.md).
+- Original Blender broadleaf crowns/trunks and layered conifers replace the
+  primitive foliage. Seventeen decorative edge trees form a woodland backdrop.
+  The four village tree placeholders now use `HarvestableTreePresentation`,
+  retaining their existing IDs, amounts, interaction points and resource count.
+  Full/low/depleted state and restored crowns still derive from real amounts.
+- `PainterlyMeadow` creates at most 1,680 decorative flower clumps in four
+  MultiMesh batches, with cream daisies, pink cosmos, buttercups and lavender.
+  Local seeded drifts follow terrain and exclude houses, paths, work sites and
+  resource approach points. High/Balanced/Low expose at most 1,680/1,092/536
+  clumps, with shorter distance fading in cheaper profiles. Flowers share the
+  prevailing breeze; the existing grass and berry contact field remains intact.
+  Explicit white instance colors preserve the painted GLB palette when custom
+  instance data is enabled in Compatibility; native review caught and verified
+  that renderer-specific regression.
+  Flowers have no collision, harvesting, actor-contact deformation or saved
+  state. See [mesh sources and budgets](../assets/meadow/README.md).
+- The blue/turquoise river follows actual centerline terrain heights, keeps
+  level cross-sections, and clips dry edges at the shoreline. The pool and its
+  outlet meet without overlapping coplanar transparent sheets. Broken foam,
+  subtle flowing strokes and painted reflection patches replace the hard ring
+  and featureless surface. These reflections are stylized procedural patches
+  plus ordinary sky specular response, not exact reflected scene geometry,
+  screen-space reflections, refraction or depth sampling. Water obeys scene
+  lighting at night and adds no per-frame scripts.
+- MSAA follows the existing viewport ownership rules: High preserves authored
+  4×, Balanced caps at 2×, and Low disables it. Closing an inactive world cannot
+  overwrite the active world's antialiasing or an external viewport override.
+
+The editable Blender sources live under `art/painterly/` and `art/meadow/`,
+protected by `.gdignore`; runtime consumes portable GLBs. The broadleaf is
+5,350 triangles / five surfaces and the conifer is 1,580 / two. All flower
+clumps together are capped at 362,880 triangles / four surfaces before
+quality and distance reduction. No scene collision, navigation bake, terrain
+heightmap, simulation rule or save schema was changed.
+
+`tools/capture_painterly_environment.gd -- --label=after` captures the running
+main scene with paused simulation, fixed daytime presentation and hidden HUD,
+including the normal gameplay camera, valley, lower village view and night.
+The valley/near-village `painterly_before_*` and `painterly_after_*`
+images are matched cameras; `after_gameplay` fixes the normal rig at its default
+yaw/zoom with mouse input disabled, and `after_vista` is an additional review angle.
+The tool also records static-camera profile samples in
+`painterly_after_metrics.json`; wall-frame latency includes vsync and is not
+isolated GPU time or weak-PC proof. Runtime camera defaults are unchanged.
+
+Remaining visual work is primarily authored terrain/shoreline detail and the
+blockout-like building/fortress forms. This pass improves atmosphere and
+foliage without treating those assets as finished film-quality environments.
+
+Validation for this pass: the full macOS Godot 4.7 gate passed, including all
+headless scenarios, the Compatibility quality scenario, and 182 GUT tests /
+2,279 assertions. Main-scene headless startup passed the gate's existing exact
+diagnostic allowlist. Native Metal daytime/gameplay/valley/night images were
+reviewed at 1600×900, with a separate native Compatibility capture confirming
+colored petals after the instance-buffer fix. The presentation-quality scenario
+also passed with native Compatibility, including white instance-color readback
+(the headless dummy renderer cannot provide that readback).
+The static M1 Max sample reports approximately 16.7 ms
+median wall-frame time in all three profiles; see its JSON for p95, draw calls
+and primitives. This includes vsync and does not establish GPU headroom.
+
+Native renderer shutdown still reports the particle shader/material RID
+retention previously documented in the storybook/foliage pass; the headless
+allowlist was not expanded. Compatibility has different color/tonemapping and
+its existing particle/texture shutdown diagnostics. Metal is the color
+reference for the saved art-review images.
+The native multi-world quality scenario additionally logged a transient macOS
+OpenGL cubemap-unloadable diagnostic; the final main-scene captures did not.
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+	"active_trail_texels": 145,
+	"controller_update_p50_ms": 0.307,
+	"controller_update_p95_ms": 0.338,
+	"draw_calls": 582.0,
+	"note": "CPU timing includes scanning, field painting and material uploads; not isolated GPU frame time.",
+	"profile": "High",
+	"renderer": "metal",
+	"resolution": "1600x900",
+	"simulation_checksum_unchanged": true,
+	"trail_texture_bytes": 262144,
+	"workload": "Actual Jajce meadow; 8 nearest actors, player presentation follows an 11 m sweep"
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+{
+	"device": "Apple M1 Max (Apple7)",
+	"renderer": "metal",
+	"resolution": "1600x900",
+	"samples": [
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 825.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 1680
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 2,
+			"primitives": 1070038.0,
+			"profile": "high",
+			"render_scale": 1.0,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 16.649,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 17.327
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 710.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 1092
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 1,
+			"primitives": 810830.0,
+			"profile": "balanced",
+			"render_scale": 0.850000023841858,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 16.672,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 17.06
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 657.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 536
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 0,
+			"primitives": 645010.0,
+			"profile": "low",
+			"render_scale": 0.699999988079071,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 16.676,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 17.069
+		}
+	],
+	"workload": "Paused main scene, static valley camera; wall time includes vsync"
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+{
+	"device": "Apple M1 Max",
+	"renderer": "opengl3",
+	"resolution": "1600x900",
+	"samples": [
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 1304.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 1680
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 2,
+			"primitives": 1070038.0,
+			"profile": "high",
+			"render_scale": 1.0,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 22.166,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 23.467
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 1166.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 1092
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 1,
+			"primitives": 810758.0,
+			"profile": "balanced",
+			"render_scale": 0.850000023841858,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 17.903,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 26.363
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 1084.0,
+			"meadow": {
+				"flower_clump_count": 1680,
+				"multimesh_batch_count": 4,
+				"visible_flower_clump_count": 536
+			},
+			"msaa_enum": 0,
+			"primitives": 645010.0,
+			"profile": "low",
+			"render_scale": 0.699999988079071,
+			"wall_frame_p50_ms": 13.533,
+			"wall_frame_p95_ms": 16.623
+		}
+	],
+	"workload": "Paused main scene, static valley camera; wall time includes vsync"
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+	"renderer": "metal",
+	"resolution": "1600x900",
+	"samples": [
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 702.0,
+			"frame_wall_p50_ms": 16.646,
+			"frame_wall_p95_ms": 16.903,
+			"objects": 1114.0,
+			"primitives": 684656.0,
+			"profile": "high"
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 613.0,
+			"frame_wall_p50_ms": 16.665,
+			"frame_wall_p95_ms": 16.93,
+			"objects": 1031.0,
+			"primitives": 486192.0,
+			"profile": "balanced"
+		},
+		{
+			"active_npcs": 6,
+			"draw_calls": 592.0,
+			"frame_wall_p50_ms": 16.659,
+			"frame_wall_p95_ms": 16.989,
+			"objects": 999.0,
+			"primitives": 377596.0,
+			"profile": "low"
+		}
+	],
+	"workload": "Paused static valley; wall-frame latency includes vsync, not isolated GPU time"
+}
@@ -1,72 +1,7 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=17 format=3]
+[gd_scene load_steps=6 format=3]

 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://player/player_visual.gd" id="1_visual"]

-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_tunic"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.18, 0.46, 0.48, 1)
-roughness = 0.84
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="Mesh_body"]
-material = SubResource("Material_tunic")
-top_radius = 0.28
-bottom_radius = 0.42
-height = 0.9
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_skin"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.84, 0.61, 0.39, 1)
-roughness = 0.88
-
-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="Mesh_head"]
-material = SubResource("Material_skin")
-radius = 0.29
-height = 0.56
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_hair"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.2, 0.105, 0.05, 1)
-roughness = 0.92
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="Mesh_hair"]
-material = SubResource("Material_hair")
-top_radius = 0.24
-bottom_radius = 0.29
-height = 0.18
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="Mesh_arm"]
-material = SubResource("Material_tunic")
-top_radius = 0.095
-bottom_radius = 0.11
-height = 0.58
-
-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="Mesh_hand"]
-material = SubResource("Material_skin")
-radius = 0.12
-height = 0.22
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_pants"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.15, 0.21, 0.24, 1)
-roughness = 0.9
-
-[sub_resource type="CapsuleMesh" id="Mesh_leg"]
-material = SubResource("Material_pants")
-radius = 0.115
-height = 0.62
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_boot"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.13, 0.075, 0.04, 1)
-roughness = 0.95
-
-[sub_resource type="BoxMesh" id="Mesh_foot"]
-material = SubResource("Material_boot")
-size = Vector3(0.23, 0.15, 0.36)
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_accent"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.86, 0.4, 0.18, 1)
-roughness = 0.82
-
-[sub_resource type="BoxMesh" id="Mesh_scarf"]
-material = SubResource("Material_accent")
-size = Vector3(0.48, 0.1, 0.38)
-
 [sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="Material_sword"]
 albedo_color = Color(0.72, 0.74, 0.78, 1)
 roughness = 0.32
@@ -85,67 +20,29 @@ top_radius = 0.045
 bottom_radius = 0.045
 height = 0.16

-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="Mesh_satchel"]
-material = SubResource("Material_accent")
-radius = 0.22
-height = 0.34
-
 [node name="PlayerVisual" type="Node3D"]
 script = ExtResource("1_visual")

 [node name="Body" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.05, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_body")
-
-[node name="Scarf" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0, 1.42, 0.02)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_scarf")

 [node name="Head" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.68, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_head")

 [node name="Hair" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.9, -0.015)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_hair")

 [node name="ArmLeft" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.39, 1.08, 0)
-rotation = Vector3(0, 0, -0.139626)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_arm")
-
-[node name="Hand" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="ArmLeft"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.35, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_hand")
+position = Vector3(-0.39, 1.3, 0)

 [node name="ArmRight" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0.39, 1.08, 0)
-rotation = Vector3(0, 0, 0.139626)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_arm")
-
-[node name="Hand" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="ArmRight"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.35, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_hand")
+position = Vector3(0.39, 1.3, 0)

 [node name="LegLeft" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.18, 0.43, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_leg")
-
-[node name="Foot" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="LegLeft"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.28, 0.09)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_foot")
+position = Vector3(-0.18, 0.61, 0)

 [node name="LegRight" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0.18, 0.43, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_leg")
-
-[node name="Foot" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="LegRight"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.28, 0.09)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_foot")
-
-[node name="Satchel" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.43, 0.87, -0.04)
-mesh = SubResource("Mesh_satchel")
+position = Vector3(0.18, 0.61, 0)

 [node name="Sword" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0.52, 1.22, 0.12)
@@ -158,3 +55,6 @@ mesh = SubResource("Mesh_blade")
 [node name="Grip" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="Sword"]
 position = Vector3(0, -0.05, 0)
 mesh = SubResource("Mesh_grip")
+
+[node name="Tail" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
+position = Vector3(0, 0.8, -0.22)
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ signal arrived_at_target(sim_id: int)
 signal navigation_failed(sim_id: int)
 signal position_changed(sim_id: int, active_position: Vector3)

-const TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION := Vector3(0.0, 2.72, 0.0)
+const TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION := Vector3(0.0, 3.25, 0.0)
 const TRUST_REACTION_START_SCALE := Vector3(0.24, 0.24, 0.24)
-const CONCERN_BASE_POSITION := Vector3(-0.4, 2.72, 0.0)
+const CONCERN_BASE_POSITION := Vector3(-0.4, 3.25, 0.0)

@export var debug_logs := false
+@export var appearance: CharacterAppearanceProfile

@export var move_speed := 3.0
@export var rotation_speed := 8.0
@@ -58,6 +59,9 @@ var walk_phase := 0.0
 var glyph_phase := 0.0
 var concern_phase := 0.0
 var trust_reaction_tween: Tween
+var rest_heights := Vector3(1.05, 1.68, 1.9)
+var arm_swing := 1.0
+var cue_lift := 0.0


 func debug_log(message: String) -> void:
@@ -76,11 +80,13 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 		return
 	glyph_phase = fmod(glyph_phase + delta * 2.2, TAU)
 	if task_glyph_root.visible:
-		task_glyph_root.position.y = 2.35 + sin(glyph_phase) * 0.045
+		task_glyph_root.position.y = 2.9 + cue_lift + sin(glyph_phase) * 0.045
 		task_glyph_root.rotation.y = glyph_phase * 0.35
 	if opportunity_concern_root.visible:
 		concern_phase = fmod(concern_phase + delta * 1.65, TAU)
-		opportunity_concern_root.position.y = (CONCERN_BASE_POSITION.y + sin(concern_phase) * 0.045)
+		opportunity_concern_root.position.y = (
+			CONCERN_BASE_POSITION.y + cue_lift + sin(concern_phase) * 0.045
+		)
 		opportunity_concern_root.rotation.y = sin(concern_phase * 0.7) * 0.16
 		var concern_scale := 0.96 + sin(concern_phase) * 0.04
 		opportunity_concern_root.scale = Vector3.ONE * concern_scale
@@ -92,20 +98,24 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 		var swing := sin(walk_phase)
 		left_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_leg.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 28.0, blend)
 		right_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_leg.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 28.0, blend)
-		left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 20.0, blend)
-		right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 20.0, blend)
+		left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(
+			left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 20.0 * arm_swing, blend
+		)
+		right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(
+			right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 20.0 * arm_swing, blend
+		)
 		var step_bob := absf(sin(walk_phase * 2.0)) * 0.035
-		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, 1.05 + step_bob, blend)
-		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, 1.68 + step_bob, blend)
-		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, 1.9 + step_bob, blend)
+		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.x + step_bob, blend)
+		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.y + step_bob, blend)
+		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.z + step_bob, blend)
 	else:
 		left_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_leg.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 		right_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_leg.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 		left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 		right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
-		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, 1.05, blend)
-		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, 1.68, blend)
-		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, 1.9, blend)
+		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.x, blend)
+		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.y, blend)
+		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.z, blend)


 func setup_from_sim(npc: SimNPC) -> void:
@@ -123,16 +133,12 @@ func setup_from_sim(npc: SimNPC) -> void:


 func _apply_personal_details() -> void:
-	var hair_colors := [
-		Color(0.16, 0.09, 0.055, 1.0),
-		Color(0.29, 0.16, 0.075, 1.0),
-		Color(0.09, 0.065, 0.05, 1.0),
-		Color(0.42, 0.27, 0.12, 1.0),
-	]
-	var hair_material := StandardMaterial3D.new()
-	hair_material.albedo_color = hair_colors[maxi(sim_id, 0) % hair_colors.size()]
-	hair_material.roughness = 0.9
-	hair_mesh.material_override = hair_material
+	AnimalAppearance.apply_to(self, sim_id, true, appearance)
+	rest_heights = AnimalAppearance.rest_heights(self, true)
+	arm_swing = get_meta("arm_swing", 1.0)
+	cue_lift = maxf(0.0, float(get_meta("character_top", 2.6)) - 2.6)
+	task_glyph_root.position.y = 2.9 + cue_lift
+	profession_label.position.y = 2.8 + cue_lift


 func _apply_profession_presentation() -> void:
@@ -142,23 +148,31 @@ func _apply_profession_presentation() -> void:
 		profession_prop.visible = false
 		return

-	var body_material := StandardMaterial3D.new()
-	body_material.albedo_color = definition.visual_color
-	body_material.roughness = 0.82
-	body_mesh.material_override = body_material
-	left_arm.material_override = body_material
-	right_arm.material_override = body_material
+	AnimalAppearance.set_profession_color(self, definition.visual_color)

 	var prop_material := StandardMaterial3D.new()
 	prop_material.albedo_color = definition.prop_color
 	prop_material.roughness = 0.78
 	profession_prop.material_override = prop_material
 	profession_prop.mesh = _create_profession_prop_mesh()
+	_fit_carried_props()
 	profession_prop.visible = profession_prop.mesh != null
 	profession_label.text = "%s\n%s" % [npc_name, definition.display_name]
 	profession_label.visible = debug_overlay_visible


+func _fit_carried_props() -> void:
+	var profile := get_meta("character_appearance") as CharacterAppearanceProfile
+	var lift := Vector3.UP * 0.61 * (profile.leg_length - 1.0) * profile.height
+	var reach := 0.60 + 0.10 * profile.body_fullness
+	profession_prop.position.x = signf(profession_prop.position.x) * reach
+	profession_prop.position.z = 0.20
+	profession_prop.position = profession_prop.position * profile.height + lift
+	profession_prop.scale = Vector3.ONE * profile.height
+	carried_food_visual.position = Vector3(reach, 0.70, 0.32) * profile.height + lift
+	carried_wood_visual.position = Vector3(-reach, 0.88, 0.18) * profile.height + lift
+
+
 func _create_profession_prop_mesh() -> PrimitiveMesh:
 	profession_prop.position = Vector3(0.48, 0.85, 0.0)
 	profession_prop.rotation_degrees = Vector3.ZERO
@@ -218,7 +232,7 @@ func set_opportunity_concern_visible(is_visible: bool) -> void:
 	if opportunity_concern_root == null:
 		return
 	opportunity_concern_root.visible = is_visible and not is_dead_visual
-	opportunity_concern_root.position = CONCERN_BASE_POSITION
+	opportunity_concern_root.position = CONCERN_BASE_POSITION + Vector3.UP * cue_lift
 	opportunity_concern_root.rotation = Vector3.ZERO
 	opportunity_concern_root.scale = Vector3.ONE
 	if is_visible:
@@ -236,7 +250,7 @@ func play_trust_gain_reaction() -> void:
 		return
 	_stop_trust_gain_reaction()
 	trust_reaction_root.visible = true
-	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION
+	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3.UP * cue_lift
 	trust_reaction_root.rotation = Vector3.ZERO
 	trust_reaction_root.scale = TRUST_REACTION_START_SCALE
 	_set_trust_reaction_transparency(1.0)
@@ -248,14 +262,14 @@ func play_trust_gain_reaction() -> void:
 	trust_reaction_tween.tween_property(
 		trust_reaction_root,
 		"position",
-		TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3(0.0, 0.16, 0.0),
+		TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3(0.0, 0.16 + cue_lift, 0.0),
 		0.68
 	)
 	trust_reaction_tween.parallel().tween_property(trust_reaction_root, "rotation:y", 0.32, 0.68)
 	trust_reaction_tween.tween_property(
 		trust_reaction_root,
 		"position",
-		TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3(0.0, 0.44, 0.0),
+		TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3(0.0, 0.44 + cue_lift, 0.0),
 		0.55
 	)
 	trust_reaction_tween.parallel().tween_property(
@@ -272,7 +286,7 @@ func _set_trust_reaction_transparency(value: float) -> void:

 func _finish_trust_gain_reaction() -> void:
 	trust_reaction_root.visible = false
-	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION
+	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3.UP * cue_lift
 	trust_reaction_root.rotation = Vector3.ZERO
 	trust_reaction_root.scale = TRUST_REACTION_START_SCALE
 	_set_trust_reaction_transparency(1.0)
@@ -286,7 +300,7 @@ func _stop_trust_gain_reaction() -> void:
 	if trust_reaction_root == null:
 		return
 	trust_reaction_root.visible = false
-	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION
+	trust_reaction_root.position = TRUST_REACTION_BASE_POSITION + Vector3.UP * cue_lift
 	trust_reaction_root.rotation = Vector3.ZERO
 	trust_reaction_root.scale = TRUST_REACTION_START_SCALE
 	_set_trust_reaction_transparency(1.0)
@@ -1,70 +1,9 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=24 format=3 uid="uid://dhxxyprqflotq"]
+[gd_scene load_steps=13 format=3 uid="uid://dhxxyprqflotq"]

 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://bha8uf40p3sa0" path="res://player/npc/NpcVisual.gd" id="1_ixfoq"]

 [sub_resource type="CapsuleShape3D" id="CapsuleShape3D_d844k"]

-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_d844k"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.46, 0.58, 0.33, 1)
-roughness = 0.82
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="CylinderMesh_body"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_d844k")
-top_radius = 0.28
-bottom_radius = 0.42
-height = 0.9
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_skin"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.84, 0.61, 0.39, 1)
-roughness = 0.88
-
-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="SphereMesh_head"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_skin")
-radius = 0.29
-height = 0.56
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="CylinderMesh_hair"]
-top_radius = 0.24
-bottom_radius = 0.29
-height = 0.18
-
-[sub_resource type="CylinderMesh" id="CylinderMesh_arm"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_d844k")
-top_radius = 0.095
-bottom_radius = 0.11
-height = 0.58
-
-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="SphereMesh_hand"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_skin")
-radius = 0.12
-height = 0.22
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_pants"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.16, 0.22, 0.25, 1)
-roughness = 0.9
-
-[sub_resource type="CapsuleMesh" id="CapsuleMesh_leg"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_pants")
-radius = 0.115
-height = 0.62
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_boot"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.13, 0.075, 0.04, 1)
-roughness = 0.95
-
-[sub_resource type="BoxMesh" id="BoxMesh_foot"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_boot")
-size = Vector3(0.23, 0.15, 0.36)
-
-[sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_eye"]
-albedo_color = Color(0.06, 0.045, 0.035, 1)
-roughness = 0.8
-
-[sub_resource type="SphereMesh" id="SphereMesh_eye"]
-material = SubResource("StandardMaterial3D_eye")
-radius = 0.035
-height = 0.06
-
 [sub_resource type="StandardMaterial3D" id="StandardMaterial3D_food"]
 albedo_color = Color(0.38, 0.22, 0.08, 1)
 roughness = 0.9
@@ -139,62 +78,29 @@ shape = SubResource("CapsuleShape3D_d844k")

 [node name="MeshInstance3D" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.05, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("CylinderMesh_body")

 [node name="Head" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.68, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_head")

 [node name="Hair" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
 position = Vector3(0, 1.9, -0.015)
-mesh = SubResource("CylinderMesh_hair")
-
-[node name="EyeLeft" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.095, 1.72, 0.274)
-mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_eye")
-
-[node name="EyeRight" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0.095, 1.72, 0.274)
-mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_eye")

 [node name="ArmLeft" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.39, 1.08, 0)
-rotation = Vector3(0, 0, -0.139626)
-mesh = SubResource("CylinderMesh_arm")
-
-[node name="Hand" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="ArmLeft"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.35, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_hand")
+position = Vector3(-0.39, 1.3, 0)

 [node name="ArmRight" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0.39, 1.08, 0)
-rotation = Vector3(0, 0, 0.139626)
-mesh = SubResource("CylinderMesh_arm")
-
-[node name="Hand" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="ArmRight"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.35, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_hand")
+position = Vector3(0.39, 1.3, 0)

 [node name="LegLeft" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(-0.18, 0.43, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("CapsuleMesh_leg")
-
-[node name="Foot" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="LegLeft"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.28, 0.09)
-mesh = SubResource("BoxMesh_foot")
+position = Vector3(-0.18, 0.61, 0)

 [node name="LegRight" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0.18, 0.43, 0)
-mesh = SubResource("CapsuleMesh_leg")
-
-[node name="Foot" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="LegRight"]
-position = Vector3(0, -0.28, 0.09)
-mesh = SubResource("BoxMesh_foot")
+position = Vector3(0.18, 0.61, 0)

 [node name="ProfessionProp" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]

 [node name="ProfessionLabel" type="Label3D" parent="."]
-position = Vector3(0, 2.05, 0)
+position = Vector3(0, 2.8, 0)
 billboard = 1
 no_depth_test = true
 text = "Villager"
@@ -223,13 +129,13 @@ mesh = SubResource("CylinderMesh_wood")

 [node name="TaskGlyphRoot" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 visible = false
-position = Vector3(0, 2.35, 0)
+position = Vector3(0, 2.9, 0)

 [node name="TaskGlyph" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="TaskGlyphRoot"]

 [node name="OpportunityConcernRoot" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 visible = false
-position = Vector3(-0.4, 2.72, 0)
+position = Vector3(-0.4, 3.25, 0)

 [node name="EmptyBowl" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="OpportunityConcernRoot"]
 rotation_degrees = Vector3(72, 0, 0)
@@ -250,7 +156,7 @@ mesh = SubResource("SphereMesh_concern")

 [node name="TrustReactionRoot" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 visible = false
-position = Vector3(0, 2.72, 0)
+position = Vector3(0, 3.25, 0)
 scale = Vector3(0.24, 0.24, 0.24)

 [node name="Halo" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="TrustReactionRoot"]
@@ -278,3 +184,6 @@ path_desired_distance = 0.3
 target_desired_distance = 0.5
 height = 1.7
 radius = 0.4
+
+[node name="Tail" type="MeshInstance3D" parent="."]
+position = Vector3(0, 0.8, -0.22)
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 extends Node3D

+@export var appearance: CharacterAppearanceProfile = preload(
+	"res://assets/characters/profiles/reference_cat.tres"
+)
+
@onready var body_mesh: MeshInstance3D = $Body
@onready var head_mesh: MeshInstance3D = $Head
@onready var hair_mesh: MeshInstance3D = $Hair
@@ -10,10 +14,15 @@ extends Node3D

 var player_body: CharacterBody3D
 var walk_phase := 0.0
+var rest_heights := Vector3(1.05, 1.68, 1.9)
+var arm_swing := 1.0


 func _ready() -> void:
 	player_body = get_parent() as CharacterBody3D
+	AnimalAppearance.apply_to(self, 0, false, appearance)
+	rest_heights = AnimalAppearance.rest_heights(self)
+	arm_swing = get_meta("arm_swing", 1.0)


 func _process(delta: float) -> void:
@@ -26,18 +35,22 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 		var swing := sin(walk_phase)
 		left_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_leg.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 30.0, blend)
 		right_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_leg.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 30.0, blend)
-		left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 22.0, blend)
-		right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 22.0, blend)
+		left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(
+			left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, -swing * 22.0 * arm_swing, blend
+		)
+		right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(
+			right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, swing * 22.0 * arm_swing, blend
+		)
 		var step_bob := absf(sin(walk_phase * 2.0)) * 0.035
-		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, 1.05 + step_bob, blend)
-		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, 1.68 + step_bob, blend)
-		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, 1.9 + step_bob, blend)
+		body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.x + step_bob, blend)
+		head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.y + step_bob, blend)
+		hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.z + step_bob, blend)
 		return

 	left_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_leg.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 	right_leg.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_leg.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 	left_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(left_arm.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
 	right_arm.rotation_degrees.x = lerpf(right_arm.rotation_degrees.x, 0.0, blend)
-	body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, 1.05, blend)
-	head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, 1.68, blend)
-	hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, 1.9, blend)
+	body_mesh.position.y = lerpf(body_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.x, blend)
+	head_mesh.position.y = lerpf(head_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.y, blend)
+	hair_mesh.position.y = lerpf(hair_mesh.position.y, rest_heights.z, blend)
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ move_right={
 "events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":68,"key_label":0,"unicode":100,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
 ]
 }
- interact={
+interact={
 "deadzone": 0.2,
 "events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":69,"key_label":0,"unicode":101,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
 ]
@@ -69,3 +69,7 @@ dash={
 "events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":true,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":4194325,"key_label":0,"unicode":0,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
 ]
 }
+
+[rendering]
+
+anti_aliasing/quality/msaa_3d=2
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+extends SceneTree
+## Imported geometry, independent morphology, stable identities, and real animation sockets.
+
+const PLAYER := preload("res://player/PlayerVisual.tscn")
+const NPC := preload("res://player/npc/NpcVisual.tscn")
+const PROFILE_DIR := "res://assets/characters/profiles/"
+const PRESETS := [
+	"reference_cat",
+	"fox_rambler",
+	"rabbit_scholar",
+	"badger_baker",
+	"otter_courier",
+	"lop_gardener"
+]
+
+var failures: Array[String] = []
+var checks := 0
+
+
+func _initialize() -> void:
+	call_deferred("_run")
+
+
+func _run() -> void:
+	var first := PLAYER.instantiate() as Node3D
+	var second := PLAYER.instantiate() as Node3D
+	root.add_child(first)
+	root.add_child(second)
+	first.set_process(false)
+	second.set_process(false)
+	var lean := CharacterAppearanceProfile.new()
+	lean.body_fullness = 0.0
+	var stout := CharacterAppearanceProfile.new()
+	stout.body_fullness = 1.0
+	AnimalAppearance.apply_to(first, 0, false, lean)
+	AnimalAppearance.apply_to(second, 0, false, stout)
+	for path in ["Body", "Body/Bag", "Body/Scarf"]:
+		var a := first.get_node(path) as MeshInstance3D
+		var b := second.get_node(path) as MeshInstance3D
+		_check(a.mesh == b.mesh, path + " must share imported geometry")
+		var shape := a.find_blend_shape_by_name("Stout")
+		_check(shape >= 0, path + " must retain its Blender Stout shape")
+		if shape >= 0:
+			_check(
+				is_zero_approx(a.get_blend_shape_value(shape)),
+				"Lean shape weight must remain independent"
+			)
+			_check(
+				is_equal_approx(b.get_blend_shape_value(shape), 1.0),
+				"Stout shape weight must remain independent"
+			)
+	_check(
+		first.get_node("Body").material_override != second.get_node("Body").material_override,
+		"Palettes must be per actor"
+	)
+	var body := first.get_node("Body") as MeshInstance3D
+	var arrays := body.mesh.surface_get_arrays(0)
+	var roles: PackedVector2Array = arrays[Mesh.ARRAY_TEX_UV2]
+	_check(not roles.is_empty(), "Palette roles must survive GLB import in UV2")
+	var coat_vertices := 0
+	for role in roles:
+		if is_equal_approx(role.x, 3.0):
+			coat_vertices += 1
+	_check(coat_vertices > 0, "Coat must have an independently recolorable palette role")
+	var child_count := first.find_children("*", "MeshInstance3D", true, false).size()
+	for preset in PRESETS:
+		var profile: CharacterAppearanceProfile = load(PROFILE_DIR + preset + ".tres")
+		AnimalAppearance.apply_to(first, 0, false, profile)
+		_check(
+			first.find_children("*", "MeshInstance3D", true, false).size() == child_count,
+			"Changing profiles must reuse attachment nodes"
+		)
+		_check(
+			first.get_node("Head/Ears").get_parent() == first.get_node("Head"),
+			"Ears must follow the head"
+		)
+		_check(first.get_node("Body/Bag").get_parent() == body, "Pack must follow the torso")
+		var triangles := 0
+		var draws := 0
+		for mesh_node: MeshInstance3D in first.find_children("*", "MeshInstance3D", true, false):
+			if mesh_node.mesh == null or mesh_node.name in ["Blade", "Grip"]:
+				continue
+			_check(
+				mesh_node.mesh.get_surface_count() == 1,
+				"Each character part must remain one surface"
+			)
+			triangles += mesh_node.mesh.surface_get_array_index_len(0) / 3
+			draws += 1
+		_check(
+			triangles < 23000 and draws <= 12,
+			"Selected character must stay within geometry and surface budgets"
+		)
+	for extreme in [0, 1]:
+		var profile := CharacterAppearanceProfile.new()
+		profile.height = 0.80 if extreme == 0 else 1.15
+		profile.leg_length = 0.85 if extreme == 0 else 1.15
+		profile.head_size = 0.88 if extreme == 0 else 1.12
+		profile.body_fullness = float(extreme)
+		profile.ear_length = 0.65 if extreme == 0 else 1.20
+		profile.species = 2
+		AnimalAppearance.apply_to(first, 0, false, profile)
+		for side in ["Left", "Right"]:
+			var leg := first.get_node("Leg" + side) as MeshInstance3D
+			var bounds := leg.transform * leg.get_aabb()
+			_check(
+				absf(bounds.position.y) < 0.03, "Leg-length variation must keep feet on the ground"
+			)
+		_check(
+			first.get_meta("character_top") > first.get_node("Head").position.y,
+			"Visible height must include ears"
+		)
+	# An ID lookup must neither consume global random state nor change its result after another lookup.
+	seed(8123)
+	var expected := randf()
+	seed(8123)
+	var identity := CharacterAppearanceProfile.for_identity(731)
+	for value in 30:
+		CharacterAppearanceProfile.for_identity(value)
+	var rebuilt := CharacterAppearanceProfile.for_identity(731)
+	_check(
+		(
+			identity.height == rebuilt.height
+			and identity.body_fullness == rebuilt.body_fullness
+			and identity.species == rebuilt.species
+		),
+		"Identity must rebuild deterministically"
+	)
+	_check(randf() == expected, "Appearance must not consume global RNG")
+	first.free()
+	second.free()
+	_test_animation_and_cues()
+	await process_frame
+	if failures.is_empty():
+		print("[TEST] PASS character_appearance (", checks, " checks)")
+		quit(0)
+	else:
+		for failure in failures:
+			push_error(failure)
+		quit(1)
+
+
+func _test_animation_and_cues() -> void:
+	var profile := CharacterAppearanceProfile.new()
+	profile.species = 2
+	profile.height = 1.15
+	profile.head_size = 1.12
+	profile.ear_length = 1.2
+	profile.leg_length = 1.15
+	var parent := CharacterBody3D.new()
+	root.add_child(parent)
+	var player := PLAYER.instantiate() as Node3D
+	player.appearance = profile
+	parent.add_child(player)
+	player.set_process(false)
+	parent.velocity = Vector3(2, 0, 0)
+	var heights := AnimalAppearance.rest_heights(player)
+	for frame in 30:
+		player.call("_process", 1.0 / 60.0)
+	_check(
+		player.get_node("Head").position.y >= heights.y,
+		"Player gait must retain configured head height"
+	)
+	_check(
+		player.get_node("Body").position.y >= heights.x,
+		"Player gait must retain configured torso height"
+	)
+	var npc := NPC.instantiate() as Node3D
+	npc.appearance = profile
+	root.add_child(npc)
+	npc.set_physics_process(false)
+	npc.set_process(false)
+	npc.call("_apply_personal_details")
+	var cue_height: float = npc.get_node("TaskGlyphRoot").position.y
+	npc.call("_apply_personal_details")
+	_check(
+		is_equal_approx(cue_height, npc.get_node("TaskGlyphRoot").position.y),
+		"Reapplying appearance must not accumulate cue lift"
+	)
+	_check(
+		cue_height > float(npc.get_meta("character_top")) + 0.2,
+		"NPC cues must clear the tallest supported ears"
+	)
+	npc.velocity = Vector3(2, 0, 0)
+	for frame in 30:
+		npc.call("_process", 1.0 / 60.0)
+	_check(
+		npc.get_node("Head").position.y >= heights.y, "NPC gait must retain configured head height"
+	)
+	parent.free()
+	npc.free()
+
+
+func _check(condition: bool, message: String) -> void:
+	checks += 1
+	if not condition:
+		failures.append(message)
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://ba4wrqkojd2pa
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+extends SceneTree
+
+const Controller := preload("res://world/jajce/GrassInteractionController.gd")
+
+var failures: Array[String] = []
+
+
+class RestoreSource:
+	extends Node
+	signal state_restored
+
+
+func _initialize() -> void:
+	call_deferred("_run")
+
+
+func _run() -> void:
+	_check_trail_lifecycle()
+	await _check_loaded_binding()
+	if failures.is_empty():
+		print("Foliage interaction checks passed")
+		quit(0)
+	else:
+		for failure in failures:
+			push_error(failure)
+		quit(1)
+
+
+func _check_trail_lifecycle() -> void:
+	var field := FoliageTrailMap.new()
+	var positions: Dictionary[int, Vector3] = {1: Vector3(0.25, 0, 0.25)}
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3.ZERO, positions)
+	positions[1] = Vector3(2.25, 0, 0.25)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3.ZERO, positions)
+	_check(_sample(field, Vector2(1.25, 0.25)).b > 0.9, "Walking should leave a continuous trail")
+	_check(
+		_sample(field, Vector2(1.25, 0.75)).g > 0 and _sample(field, Vector2(1.25, -0.25)).g < 0,
+		"The two sides of a trail should bend away from the travelled line"
+	)
+	positions[1] = Vector3(18.25, 0, 0.25)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3.ZERO, positions)
+	_check(_sample(field, Vector2(10.25, 0.25)).b == 0, "Teleports must not paint connecting lines")
+	_check(
+		_sample(field, Vector2(18.25, 0.25)).b > 0.9,
+		"Teleported actors still press their destination"
+	)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3(1, 0, 1), {})
+	_check(
+		_sample(field, Vector2(1.25, 0.25)).b > 0.8,
+		"Camera movement must keep trails in world space"
+	)
+	field.advance(4.0, Vector3.ZERO, {})
+	var recovering := _sample(field, Vector2(1.25, 0.25)).b
+	_check(recovering > 0.1 and recovering < 0.6, "Abandoned trails should gradually recover")
+	field.advance(4.1, Vector3.ZERO, {})
+	_check(
+		(field.get("_cells") as Dictionary).is_empty(),
+		"Recovered trails should release sparse history"
+	)
+	positions[1] = Vector3(0.25, 6, 0.25)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3.ZERO, positions)
+	var elevated := _sample(field, Vector2(0.25, 0.25))
+	_check(
+		is_equal_approx(elevated.a / elevated.b, 6.0),
+		"Foot height must reach the shader for bridge rejection"
+	)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3(300, 0, 300), {})
+	_check((field.get("_cells") as Dictionary).is_empty(), "Off-window trails must be discarded")
+	positions[1] = Vector3(2.25, 0, 0.25)
+	field.advance(0.08, Vector3.ZERO, positions)
+	_check(
+		_sample(field, Vector2(1.25, 0.25)).b == 0,
+		"Re-entering actors must not connect to stale positions"
+	)
+	field.clear()
+	_check(_sample(field, Vector2(2.25, 0.25)).b == 0, "Reset must clear the uploaded field")
+	_check(
+		(field.get("_previous_positions") as Dictionary).is_empty(),
+		"Reset must discard actor history"
+	)
+
+
+func _check_loaded_binding() -> void:
+	var stage := Node3D.new()
+	root.add_child(stage)
+	var camera := Camera3D.new()
+	stage.add_child(camera)
+	camera.current = true
+	var simulation := RestoreSource.new()
+	simulation.name = "SimulationManager"
+	stage.add_child(simulation)
+	var world := Node3D.new()
+	stage.add_child(world)
+	var terrain := Node3D.new()
+	world.add_child(terrain)
+	var patch := (
+		load("res://world/jajce/StylizedBerryPatch.tscn").instantiate() as StylizedBerryPatch
+	)
+	world.add_child(patch)
+	patch.scale = Vector3(1.2, 0.8, 1.1)
+	patch.rotation.y = 0.6
+	var controller := Controller.new()
+	controller.grass_material = (
+		load("res://world/jajce/materials/cozy_grass_material.tres").duplicate(true)
+	)
+	terrain.add_child(controller)
+	var foreign := Node3D.new()
+	root.add_child(foreign)
+	foreign.add_to_group("grass_interactors")
+	var actors: Array[Node3D] = []
+	for index in 12:
+		var actor := Node3D.new()
+		stage.add_child(actor)
+		actor.position.x = 1.0 + index
+		actor.add_to_group("grass_interactors")
+		actors.append(actor)
+	await process_frame
+	controller.set_process(false)
+	controller.call("_refresh_interactors", 0.08)
+	var material := controller.grass_material
+	var positions: PackedVector3Array = material.get_shader_parameter("interactor_positions")
+	_check(
+		int(material.get_shader_parameter("interactor_count")) == 8,
+		"Contact work must respect the eight-actor cap"
+	)
+	_check(
+		positions[0] == actors[0].position,
+		"A closer actor in another scene container must be rejected"
+	)
+	_check(
+		bool(material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trails_enabled")),
+		"Loaded grass must enable its trail field"
+	)
+	var leaves := patch.get_node("Leaves") as MultiMeshInstance3D
+	var berries := patch.get_node("Berries") as MultiMeshInstance3D
+	var leaf_material := leaves.multimesh.mesh.surface_get_material(0) as ShaderMaterial
+	var berry_material := berries.multimesh.mesh.surface_get_material(0) as ShaderMaterial
+	_check(
+		(
+			(
+				leaf_material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trail_map")
+				== material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trail_map")
+			)
+			and (
+				berry_material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trail_map")
+				== material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trail_map")
+			)
+		),
+		"Bush leaves, berries and meadow must use the same world-local footprint field"
+	)
+	var visible_berries := patch.get_visible_berry_count()
+	actors[0].hide()
+	controller.primary_interactor_path = controller.get_path_to(actors.back())
+	controller.max_interactors = 4
+	controller.call("_refresh_interactors", 0.12)
+	positions = material.get_shader_parameter("interactor_positions")
+	_check(
+		(
+			int(material.get_shader_parameter("interactor_count")) == 4
+			and positions[0].x == 12
+			and positions[1].x == 2
+		),
+		"Balanced must reserve the primary actor slot, cap actors and ignore hidden visuals"
+	)
+	simulation.state_restored.emit()
+	_check(
+		not bool(material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trails_enabled")),
+		"Successful restores must clear visual trails immediately"
+	)
+	controller.set_interaction_enabled(false)
+	_check(not controller.is_processing(), "Low quality must stop interaction updates")
+	_check(
+		not bool(leaf_material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trails_enabled")),
+		"Low quality must release bushes as well as grass"
+	)
+	_check(
+		int(material.get_shader_parameter("interactor_count")) == 0,
+		"Low quality must clear direct contacts"
+	)
+	_check(
+		patch.get_visible_berry_count() == visible_berries,
+		"Contact bending must not change resource presentation amounts"
+	)
+	controller.set_interaction_enabled(true)
+	controller.call("_refresh_interactors", 0.08)
+	_check(
+		bool(berry_material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trails_enabled")),
+		"Bush interaction must resume after Low quality"
+	)
+	var other_field := FoliageTrailMap.new()
+	_check(
+		other_field.texture != material.get_shader_parameter("foliage_trail_map"),
+		"Each world must own a distinct trail texture"
+	)
+	foreign.free()
+	stage.free()
+	await process_frame
+
+
+func _sample(field: FoliageTrailMap, position: Vector2) -> Color:
+	var image := field.get("_image") as Image
+	var pixel := Vector2i(
+		(position - Vector2(field.world_rect.x, field.world_rect.y)) / field.CELL_SIZE
+	)
+	return image.get_pixelv(pixel)
+
+
+func _check(condition: bool, message: String) -> void:
+	if not condition:
+		failures.append(message)
--- a/Show More
+++ b/Show More
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
Rijad Zuzo	4ff8858b19	feat(characters): add modular woodland traveler kit	2026-09-05 22:54:54 +02:00
Rijad Zuzo	70ee6feddf	chore(godot): finalize sky import and project settings	2026-09-05 20:40:33 +02:00
Rijad Zuzo	ec16e2f2ca	feat(environment): add painterly skies and living meadows	2026-09-05 20:27:09 +02:00
Rijad Zuzo	7899d36f03	feat(foliage): add recovering grass trails and bush contact	2026-09-05 19:30:46 +02:00
Rijad Zuzo	da3bed67a0	feat(art): add storybook meadow and woodland villagers	2026-09-05 18:56:44 +02:00