Record the Quaternius pilot bake, measurements and face-gate decision point in the docs

MEMORY.md

@@ -155,11 +155,36 @@ canonical implemented-features list in `docs/development-status.md`.
   the rest). The canonical base must be **join-only** (`build_base_minimal.py`: no `remove_doubles`
   weld, no scale/ground transform, keep the Armature modifiers) — the weld and the scale/ground
   transform corrupt the skin weights (arm poses to ±0.51 instead of −0.23).
-- Quaternius `NpcAvatar` wiring (commit `2a6f29f`): the Quaternius labels `L`/`R` opposite the
-  project, so the dot-suffixed bone names are looked up with a **swapped suffix** (proxy `L` →
-  `UpperLeg.R`/`UpperArm.R`, proxy `R` → `.L`). The arm/elbow swing axis is `Vector3.LEFT` (legs
-  stay `RIGHT`). The hand proxy position is `global_wrist − global_elbow` (subtracting the relative
-  `elbow.position` misplaces handheld gear). Old 13-core names fall back unchanged.
+- Quaternius `NpcAvatar` wiring (commits `2a6f29f`, `cd285b3`): `RIG_BONES` +
+  `NpcAvatar.bone_name(joint, side)` hold the **only** side mapping — the Quaternius labels `L`/`R`
+  opposite the project, so proxy side 0 (`-x`) drives `UpperLeg.R`/`UpperArm.R` while side 1 drives
+  the `.L` bones. The arm/elbow swing axis is `Vector3.LEFT` (legs stay `RIGHT`). The hand proxy is
+  `global_wrist − global_elbow` (subtracting the parent-relative `elbow.position` misplaces
+  handheld gear). Old 13-core names resolve through the same table.
+- **Bone posing must write the global pose** (`NpcAvatar._swing_bone`): `reset_bone_pose()` then
+  `set_bone_global_pose(Transform3D(Basis(swing * global_rot), current_origin))`, conjugated with
+  `get_bone_global_rest()`. Both rejected alternatives fail: the rest-relative
+  `set_bone_pose_rotation(rest * Quaternion(rest⁻¹·axis, angle))` swings about the parent-relative
+  rest (the glTF importer already folded the axis conversion into it) and splayed the Quaternius
+  arms sideways; the plain `rest⁻¹ * swing * rest` conjugation flips the limbs 180°. Verified by
+  measuring `get_bone_global_pose()` after the call — posed bone axis matches the proxy pivot at
+  dot 1.000 on the Quaternius and the procedural rigs render unchanged.
+  Two caveats: children need the parent's swing passed in (the write is absolute), and
+  `set_bone_global_pose()` is a **no-op outside the scene tree**, so the headless runner (tests run
+  in `_initialize()`) cannot assert on it.
+- **The Quaternius source UV map is degenerate** — every loop at (0,0), flat-colour materials, no
+  atlas. The AO/texture bake silently produces a 100 % black map, which tints every AO'd slot
+  (skin, hair, accessory) black in Godot: a black leg is the symptom. `build_base_minimal.py` now
+  Smart-UV-unwraps and repacks the layout (texel density 0 → 73–74 px/m on 256²), and the base
+  pipeline is two explicit steps with distinct files: `build_base_minimal.py`
+  (`quaternius/Casual_Hoodie.glb` → `quaternius_tpose.glb`, joins without welding, renames the
+  materials to the five tint slots, unwraps) then `bake_armdown_v5.py` (`quaternius_tpose.glb` →
+  `quaternius_base.glb` + `assets/models/blender_src/npc_casual.blend`). Re-running v5 on its own
+  output double-bakes the rest.
+- Hand gear must be self-contained: the camera carried a 0.42 m neck-strap loop that floats when the
+  item is parented to the wrist. Hand items get a short wrist strap, not a neck strap. The backpack
+  straps were authored for the wider procedural chest and floated ~5 cm proud of the Quaternius
+  torso; the chest points now sit at x 0.12 / Godot z 0.15, which fits both.
 - Image models have per-model size floors/caps (Seedream needs 1920+; `GEN_SIZE=2048`, do not
   lower; gpt-5-image-mini caps lower). `generate_image` applies model-specific sizing; concept
   generation defaults to `--request-size 1536`.
@@ -250,13 +275,15 @@ patches (`0.9.9`–`0.9.12`) with `0.10.0` as the public-readiness minor. The ga
 three release roadmaps now live in `PLAN.md`; `TODO.md` is the executable task list. ADR-0017
 Stage 1 (proportion warp) is dead; ADR-0018 option 2 (62-joint runtime) is accepted.
 
-**Quaternius pilot (2026-11-05):** the arm-down skin export and pose composition are now fixed
-(`bake_armdown_v5.py`, `2a6f29f`). The join-only `quaternius_base.glb` renders arm-down in Godot;
-idle/sit/walk were vision-verified (coherent humanoid, seated arms on thighs, contralateral walk).
-Remaining before 0.9.9: handheld-gear fitting (the 0.43 m camera reads shoulder-mounted on the
-0.42 m arm), five-slot mapping + AO bake, the owner face/silhouette gate, then the rollout.
-No character GLB has been rebuilt since the pivot.
+**Quaternius pilot (2026-11-05, commits `cd285b3`, `fb3e75a`, `90f189a`):** `npc_casual` ships as
+the Quaternius base. It renders arm-down, carries the five tint slots, plays the Idle/Walk/Sit pose
+code on the 62-joint rig, and the procedural rigs are visually unchanged. Verified: `inspect`
+(no issues), `audit` OK (6,206 tris / 12,988 verts, 62 bones), `fit` head 0.201 m, texel density
+73–74 px/m, `npc_proportions` measured, 24-NPC budget smoke OK (168 meshes, 162,304 tris,
+0.82 ms avg frame). The face/silhouette gate sheet and the three options are in
+`docs/screens/npc-face-gate/`; the **owner decision is the only thing left before the 0.9.9
+rollout**.
 
-Test counts as of 2026-11-05: Python 167/167, Godot 277/277, `check_docs` OK.
+Test counts as of 2026-11-05: Python 167/167, Godot 278/278, `check_docs` OK.
 
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docs/development-status.md

@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ and the active order/gaps in [`TODO.md`](../TODO.md).
 ## Known gaps
 
 - External first-time-player sessions and balance sweeps are not completed.
-- The Quaternius NPC base migration is planned, not shipped: the arm-down skin export and the
-  rest-relative pose composition are the open blockers (`0.9.9`), and the roster rollout is
-  `0.9.10`. The current 12-character procedural library and the MakeHuman head remain the
-  tested fallbacks until the face/silhouette gate is approved.
+- The Quaternius NPC base is wired for one character (`npc_casual`): arm-down rest, five tint
+  slots, unwrapped UVs, 62-joint rig at source proportions, Idle/Walk/Sit pose code, 6,206 tris.
+  The remaining `0.9.9` blocker is the owner face/silhouette decision
+  (`docs/screens/npc-face-gate/`); the full 12-role roster rollout is `0.9.10`. The other eleven
+  characters stay procedural with the MakeHuman head until that decision lands.
 - Accessibility/localization acceptance, target-hardware profiling, macOS
   signing/notarization and AI/storefront legal approval remain open.
 - Live 3D replay, recorded VO/music, more venues and seasonal content are future

docs/npc-model-sourcing.md

@@ -203,6 +203,41 @@ start the 12-variant rebuild on the warped base.
 mesh at source LOD, re-derive gear attach points from the Quaternius skeleton, and use the
 Quaternius Idle/Walk clips directly (no retarget).
 
+## Pilot bake and shipped state (2026-11-05)
+
+`npc_casual` is the first Quaternius-derived character. The reproducible pipeline lives in
+`tmp/npc-research/` (local tooling, not shipped) and has two steps:
+
+1. `build_base_minimal.py` — import `quaternius/Casual_Hoodie.glb`, join the four skinned meshes
+   **without welding**, rename the upstream materials to the project tint slots, Smart-UV-unwrap
+   and repack, export `quaternius_tpose.glb`.
+2. `bake_armdown_v5.py` — pose `UpperArm.L/R` −90° local X, read the posed matrices, apply the
+   Armature modifier, **reset the pose to identity**, set the rest matrices, re-add the modifier,
+   export `quaternius_base.glb` and save `assets/models/blender_src/npc_casual.blend` for the AO
+   bake.
+
+Then `tools/bake_ao.py --only npc_casual` and a copy of the GLB to
+`assets/models/blender/npc/npc_casual.glb`.
+
+| Measurement | npc_casual (Quaternius) | procedural library |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Triangles | 6,206 | 4,812–6,046 |
+| glTF vertices | 12,988 | 4,908–5,785 |
+| Bones | 62 | 13 |
+| Head height / body height | 0.134 | 0.16–0.22 (stylized band) |
+| Shoulder width | 0.201 m head width, `fit` OK | `fit` OK |
+| Texel density (256² maps) | 73–74 px/m | 75–96 px/m |
+| Materials | `skin`, `cloth`, `pants`, `hair`, `accessory` + fixed `Eye`, `Eyebrows` | five slots + fixed detail |
+
+Two source quirks shaped the bake:
+
+- the upstream UV map is degenerate (every loop at 0,0) and its materials are flat colours, so the
+  AO/texture bake must follow a real unwrap or it silently writes a black map;
+- the upstream materials are named `Skin`/`Purple`/`LightBlue`/`White`/`Hair`, so the five-slot
+  contract is applied as a rename, not a re-author.
+
+The face and silhouette gate sheet is in [`screens/npc-face-gate/`](screens/npc-face-gate/README.md).
+
 ## Contract mismatch
 
 The expensive part is the rig and proportions, not the mesh. The source has a