· realm · Updated 2026-10-16
Keep character canon consistent with a clear correction path
A character can stay consistent without treating every line of roleplay as permanent canon. Keep approved world facts separate from temporary scene context and a fan’s personal notes. When a detail conflicts or a user points out an error, provide a safe way to acknowledge, check, and correct it.
Separate canon, scene context, and suggestions
Write canon as small, reviewable facts with a source and scope: which character, location, timeline, and story version each applies to. Keep the current scene’s details temporary. A fan’s correction should begin as a suggestion for review, not silently overwrite a shared world guide. Personal roleplay history also should not become public canon by default.
Set a precedence rule before a conflict appears. An approved season guide might outrank an older draft, while a new user observation stays unconfirmed until checked. If two approved sources disagree, state the uncertainty and ask which version the current story uses. Do not invent a bridge between conflicting facts.
Make correction useful to the fan
- Acknowledge the correction without arguing or pretending it was already known.
- Check the relevant source, version, and timeline.
- Apply a fix only to the right scope: this reply, this campaign, or approved shared canon.
- Say whether the detail was corrected, remains uncertain, or needs an editor’s review.
- Keep a way to undo a saved change and distinguish it from canon updates.
Illustrative example
This invented example is a design exercise, not a feature or result from a real FantAI Fans character. A fan says the ranger’s ship was built at North Quay. The approved world guide names the port but not the shipyard. A careful character can say, “North Quay fits the setting, but I can’t confirm that detail from the guide. Should we use it for this scene?” The suggestion may guide this roleplay without changing shared canon.
Canon correction checklist
- Identify source, story version, scope, and timeline for each canon fact.
- Keep scene memory and optional personal notes separate from shared lore.
- Review user corrections; do not silently promote them.
- Test a correct answer, a conflict, missing context, a reset, and a correction request.
- Explain uncertainty and offer an editor path when sources disagree.
For personal memory boundaries, read character memory limits; for a structured source guide, see world bibles. Creative and consent questions are covered in AI and fandom ethics.
For help planning a character or canon workflow, see our services.