diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 12f9363..b979077 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,20 @@ All notable user-facing changes to Gig Line. The format follows
 [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/), and versions use
 Semantic Versioning.
 
+## [0.9.7] — Unreleased
+
+### Added
+
+- Character development: a more realistic face on all eight library characters
+  (higher head subdivision, brow ridge, both eyelids, fuller lower lip) and four
+  crowd-variety characters (`npc_crowd_a`–`d`) with deterministic per-role pools
+  so the routine crowd no longer clones a single look.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- The NPC pose harness now captures seated, walking and idle deformation (the
+  harness froze the avatar's process so the FSM could no longer revert the pose).
+
 ## [0.10.0-rc.1] — 2026-11-03
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/MEMORY.md b/MEMORY.md
index f0915ec..95c9a90 100644
--- a/MEMORY.md
+++ b/MEMORY.md
@@ -178,9 +178,9 @@ canonical implemented-features list in `docs/development-status.md`.
 The playable build covers the three venues, tutorial/campaign/checkpoints, the 0.9.3–0.9.6
 polish/texture/integration passes and the Blender + realism asset pipeline (see `DONE.md` and
 `CHANGELOG.md`). The 12-character library (realistic face + four crowd variants) and the
-Comedy Store map rebuild are complete. **Priority (2026-11-04, owner):** 1) finish the MakeHuman
-character, 2) release the finished procedural character development as the **0.10.1 patch**,
-3) re-evaluate the 3D models, 4) the MakeHuman body targets **0.11.0** — `TODO.md` is the
+Comedy Store map rebuild are complete. **Priority (2026-11-04, owner):** 1) release the finished procedural character development as
+the **0.9.7 patch**, 2) finish the MakeHuman character + the 3D model and map improvements,
+3) re-evaluate the 3D models, 4) ship it all together in the **0.10.0 minor** — `TODO.md` is the
 priority source. Test counts as of 2026-11-04: Godot 277/277,
 Python 161/161, `check_docs` OK.
 
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index c504d91..c6d0ccd 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 Work is grouped by theme. Each item should be small enough to complete and verify on its own;
 see `AGENTS.md` for the workflow and `MEMORY.md` for the decisions behind these plans.
 
-**Priority order (2026-11-04, owner):** 1) finish the MakeHuman character (shoulder fixed;
-head/hands swap remains), 2) release the finished procedural character development as the
-**0.10.1 patch**, 3) re-evaluate the 3D models, 4) the MakeHuman body targets **0.11.0**. See
-`AGENTS.md` §Priority and Versioning and §Local Blender skills.
+**Priority order (2026-11-04, owner):** 1) release the finished procedural character development
+as the **0.9.7 patch**, 2) finish the MakeHuman character + the 3D model and map improvements,
+3) re-evaluate the 3D models, 4) ship all of it together in the **0.10.0 minor**. See `AGENTS.md`
+§Priority and Versioning and §Local Blender skills.
 
 The MIT Blender skill pack lives locally at `.agents/skills/blender-skills/` (gitignored). Every
 3D workstream below names the skills to load; they are guidance only, and the project contract,
@@ -712,12 +712,15 @@ then re-evaluate the 3D models, then ship the **0.11.0** minor release. The 0.10
 still accepts only release-blocking fixes until its external-playtest, legal/storefront, signing
 and platform gates clear.
 
-## Milestone 0.10.0 — Release candidate
+## Milestone 0.10.0 — 3D model and map improvements (minor)
 
-Goal: freeze the feature set, prove it with external players, clear release/legal blockers and
-verify every distribution path. This remains the next versioned release after the 0.9.x patch
-line, but follows the unversioned 3D re-evaluation, character and local-map tracks in planning
-order. Only a release-blocking defect from those tracks may enter this milestone before the tag.
+Goal: ship all 3D model and map improvements together as the **0.10.0 minor** — the MakeHuman
+body retarget (contract armature + project head/hands), the rebuilt Comedy Store/Hollywood maps,
+and the re-evaluated 3D scorecard — plus the external playtest, legal/storefront, signing and
+platform gates from the old release candidate. The character-development patch (0.9.7) ships
+first; this minor contains the model/map work.
+
+### Content lock and external playtest
 
 ### Content lock and external playtest
 
@@ -866,21 +869,22 @@ order. Only a release-blocking defect from those tracks may enter this milestone
 - [ ] Exit: the release candidate is content-locked, externally played, legally reviewed,
       documented, reproducibly built, and approved as the 0.10.0 release candidate.
 
-## Milestone 0.10.1 — Character development (patch)
+## Milestone 0.9.7 — Character development (patch)
 
 Goal: release the finished procedural character development — the realistic face on all eight
 variants, the four crowd-variety characters and the per-role pools — as a **patch** on top of
-0.10.0. The MakeHuman body is not part of this patch; it continues as unversioned work toward a
-later minor.
+0.9.6. This keeps the 3D model and map improvements out of the patch; they land together in the
+0.10.0 minor.
 
 - [x] Rig pose harness fixed and the weights/pose evidence captured (see the top track).
 - [x] Character work done: 12-character library, realistic face, crowd variants, per-role pools,
       24-NPC budget 6.94 ms (152,464 tris / 168 meshes).
-- [ ] Run the full QA matrix and a local release build for 0.10.1; bump `config/version`, write the
+- [ ] Run the full QA matrix and a local release build for 0.9.7; bump `config/version`, write the
       `CHANGELOG.md` entry, tag and publish per the Release Procedure.
 
-**Exit:** a 0.10.1 patch ships the 12-character library (face realism + crowd variety) with the
-pose harness fixed; the runtime contract is unchanged. The MakeHuman body is deferred to 0.11.0.
+**Exit:** a 0.9.7 patch ships the 12-character library (face realism + crowd variety) with the
+pose harness fixed; the runtime contract is unchanged. The MakeHuman body and the map rebuild are
+not in this patch.
 
 ## Roadmap dependencies and risks
 
diff --git a/project.godot b/project.godot
index 62f1067..8da8b5b 100644
--- a/project.godot
+++ b/project.godot
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ config_version=5
 
 config/name="Gig Line"
 config/description="Workplace security simulation about observation, access verification, and proportionate escalation."
-config/version="0.10.0-rc.1"
+config/version="0.9.7"
 run/main_scene="res://scenes/main.tscn"
 config/features=PackedStringArray("4.7", "GL Compatibility")