Returns the character-development method (core + 9 sections), the card format, the variant-tournament protocol and the reference lists (arcs, flaws, fears, traits, archetypes, uniqueness questions). Call once before writing a character.

The one way to start a character, from whatever the user gave: nothing (random), a text brief, a concept image, or a concept image plus a brief. Rolls coherent ENGINES (wound → lie → fear → worst trait / best trait → truth → arc) plus surprising SPARKS — by default 3 competing variants of the same concept for the variant tournament — and says how to treat the brief and the image. Same seed = same roll.

Checks a card for coherence: schema completeness, mechanical red flags (generic filler, repeats, want = need, thin core) and a coherence interview built from the card's own content that tests every causal link back to the core. Pass either a draft card (same shape as character_save's card) or the id of a saved one.

Returns the instructions and rubric for one role in the variant tournament (coherence, critic, judge, author, designer, editor). Reviewers should call this first.

Validates a complete character card and saves it as card.json and card.md. Returns the id and file paths (use character_get to show the card). Use overwrite: true with meta.slug = id to update a saved card.

Builds an A-pose model-sheet prompt from a saved card's look and, with FAL_KEY set, generates it on fal.ai: a faceless figure built from look.body (the character's own proportions) is drawn front and back and given to GPT Image as the pose reference, with the full look → concept.png (the card is re-rendered with it). pose_image puts the character in the pose of any picture → concept-pose.png. Without FAL_KEY (or with dry_run) returns the prompt only. Costs ≈ $0.02 per sheet.

Lists saved characters (newest first), with variant group and tournament verdict when present.

Returns a saved character card as markdown (to show) or JSON (to edit and re-save with overwrite).

ONLY when the user asks for a specific prompt. Returns the rules and card material for writing ONE generation prompt for a saved character — concept, illustration, voice, video, song or theme. Write it, then call character_prompt_save. Prompts only; no generator is called. Never run this as part of creating a character.

Saves one written generation prompt into the character's prompts/ folder as .md (overwrites the previous one of that kind).

ONLY on request. Draws the character in their own place doing what they usually do (an idle moment), using concept.png as the character reference (GPT Image 2.6 edit, ≈$0.05 at medium). Saves scene.png — the first and last frame for character_video. Write a specific prompt from the card (location, idle pose, light) or omit it for a default.

ONLY on request, after character_scene. Animates scene.png into a looping idle clip (default Kling O1 Standard ≈ $0.084/s, silent; veo ≈ $0.15/s with sound). See loop for how the clip is closed into a loop. Confirm the cost with the user first.

ONLY on request; confirm the cost first. Creates the character's own voice from a description and an English reference script (write both with character_prompt kind 'voice'), plus any other languages listed in translations, each performed from the same description. Adults: ElevenLabs Voice Design, a saved voice and its reference take (≈$0.10 per 1000 characters of the script). Under 18: Qwen 3 Voice Design, deepened by pitch_semitones and cloned into a speaker embedding (≈$0.03). Saves assets/voice/.

ONLY on request, after character_voice: a new voice in another language, generated from the voice prompt translated by meaning (description + monologue), so the delivery follows the card → voice/reference..mp3, which the site plays in that language. Same price as a line.

ONLY on request, after character_voice; one line per call, confirm the cost (≈$0.10 per 1000 characters). Saves assets/voice/lines/.mp3.

ONLY on request, after a theme prompt is saved (character_prompt kind "theme" → character_prompt_save). Generates the instrumental leitmotif from its composition plan with ElevenLabs Music v2.5 ($0.60 per started minute: a 30 s theme costs $0.60) and saves assets/theme.mp3. Confirm the cost with the user first.

After the judge's verdict: moves the winning variant from the drafts into the library and deletes the other variants of its group (losers are not kept). If the character was started from the user's own concept image (meta.concept_image), it becomes the winner's concept. Write meta.verdict into the winner first.

When the user asked for other languages: saves the card translated (e.g. lang 'ru') as card..json next to the English original, which stays the source. Translate every free-text field in the character's own voice, as the editor would write it in that language; keep the structure, list lengths, numbers, ids, enums and colours exactly.

Free. Shows the character's paid generations (concept, scene, video, music, voice) with estimated USD from models.json pricing, and the total.

Free. Use when the user asks what's next for a character: lists what is done and the next possible steps (concept → location → video → voice, music after the location, translations), with prices. Offer them; run paid ones only after a yes.