Add bounded per-Age instability provider runtime (#66 )

Freeze Age instability scores and classify authored writing (#64 #65 )
Audit Legacy instability and allow unstable supported writing
2026-10-09 01:56:39 -04:00 · 2026-10-09 00:12:31 -04:00 · 2026-10-08 14:10:42 -04:00
34 changed files with 1230 additions and 97 deletions
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Instability provider runtime (Milestone 6, issue #66)
+
+Each new Age stores an `InstabilityPlan` beside its frozen `Instability` score. The version-1 plan contains provider IDs and levels. Selection uses the saved score rounded down to a 500-point step and the Age seed. It independently walks Legacy's basic, harsh, destructive, eating, and death decks with their audited entry costs (0, 2,500, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000), shuffling each deck deterministically before paying its weighted card costs. The source card weights and default provider costs are copied from the user's local Mystcraft 0.13.7.06 `InstabilityData` class. This preserves Legacy's multiple-deck behavior, but does not claim byte-for-byte reproduction of its historical Java RNG state, difficulty multiplier, config overrides, or 400-chunk block profiling delay.
+
+The saved provider IDs are independent of installed handlers. A missing optional handler leaves its ID and level intact and is skipped at runtime. A syntactically invalid saved ID or unsupported plan version fails loading explicitly; an unknown but valid ID is preserved and logged once when encountered. Disabling instability or world mutation never rewrites a saved score or provider plan. Saves from #64 with a frozen score but no provider plan are selected once from that score and Age seed, then marked dirty for persistence. Older pre-score Ages remain neutral and inert.
+
+The server scheduler runs only for loaded `rivencraft:age/*` levels with a player present and an Age definition. It uses only chunks already loaded near those players, never requests a chunk, and rotates among eligible Ages when the per-tick cap is reached. Configuration bounds the cooldown (minimum 20 ticks), active Ages, handlers and actions per Age, effective provider level, and examined loaded chunks. A handler must claim a shared action permit before each effect. A throwing handler is logged and quarantined temporarily without stopping the server. World-mutating handlers are disabled by default. These limits are guards for upcoming providers, not proof that an arbitrary third-party handler cannot misuse world APIs.
+
+No status effects or world hazards are executed in this slice: #67–#70 will register handlers for the frozen IDs. The runtime also rejects Overworld and preview dimension IDs; its player requirement excludes unattended snapshot chunk loaders. GameTests cover deterministic selection, save round-trips, score-only migration, unknown IDs, scope checks, fair admission, and action caps. Live unload/reload and multi-Age behavior should also be checked when the first handler is added.
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Frozen Age instability score (Milestone 6, issue #64)
+
+Every newly created Age now gets a version-1 `Instability` compound inside its server-owned `rivencraft_ages` saved definition. It contains the total `Score` and an ordered `Breakdown` of reason, original page index (zero-based, or -1 for an Age-wide cause), points, and explanation. `AgeRegistrySavedData.instability(UUID)` is the read-only server query. No client tooltip or live data-pack lookup is needed to read a saved score.
+
+The baseline is explicitly zero for page-free and Link-Panel-only random Ages, and for authored Ages. Incomplete writing receives seed-based completion and a zero-point explanatory entry. Supported writing defects use the provisional Milestone 6 grammar costs: duplicate/conflicting single-choice pages +500, out-of-order or misplaced pages +100. Legacy's audited bright-lighting symbol adds +500 whether authored or seed-selected. Other balance costs are not guessed for symbols that Rivencraft has not implemented. The score is not yet an active hazard or effect selection.
+
+The score is calculated after the Age plan and effective traits are chosen, then saved with the Age identity before its dimension is generated. The same UUID returns the existing definition, including the same score, on repeated use. Spawn updates preserve it. Reload only deserializes the frozen breakdown; it never reruns the current grammar or catalog. An older Age definition without `Instability` is migrated to a persisted version-1 neutral score of zero, rather than retroactively scoring its writing. A future scoring-rule change must introduce an explicit new schema/migration policy, not silently reinterpret existing Ages. Issue #66 additionally freezes a provider selection from this score; see [runtime policy](INSTABILITY_RUNTIME.md).
+
+Unknown or unsupported pages remain invalid for *new* Ages. Their absence from a later registry does not change an already saved score. Focused GameTests cover stable/defective writing, random baseline and bright lighting, repeated identity, save round-trip, and missing-symbol/old-save behavior.
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# Mystcraft Legacy instability audit (Milestone 6, issue #63)
+
+This is a behavior contract for Milestone 6, **not a completed runtime instability system**. It compares the user-provided 0.13.7.06 class files at `/home/dnorberg/Documents/mystcraft-src/mystcraft-1.12.2-0.13.7.06/` with [Mystcraft Legacy source at commit `9bc8ddc`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/tree/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae). Values below are source defaults, not a claim that every historical config or server used them. Rivencraft 0.5.1.0 saves a provisional writing-instability score and repaired active-page order, but has no hazard loop yet.
+
+## Score, grammar, and selection in Legacy
+
+Legacy's [`AgeController`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/world/AgeController.java) calculates `debug + symbol + block + book/base + bonus`, then applies difficulty 0/1/2/3 multipliers of 0.25/0.5/1/1.75. Global instability is enabled by default; an Age also has its own enable flag. The unmodified score is not simply “number of bad pages.” Block profiling may delay a usable score: `blockinstability` is null until **more than** 400 Age chunks are profiled, and `getInstabilityScore()` returns zero until then. It is recalculated after additional profiling. [`ChunkProfiler`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/world/profiling/ChunkProfiler.java) compares watched block abundance with a baseline, subtracting only positive excess above each baseline. The baseline is profiled or read from balance config; [`InstabilityDataCalculator`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/world/profiling/InstabilityDataCalculator.java) sets its default tolerance to 1.05, and default `useconfigs=false`. We should not copy its 400-chunk profiling delay or dynamic block scan into 1.21.1 without a separate performance case.
+
+| Input | Verified Legacy behavior | Rivencraft M6 interpretation |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Missing required controller | Terrain, biome controller, weather, and lighting are generated when missing. `InstabilityData.missing.controller = 0`; lighting explicitly adds zero. Missing pages themselves are not a penalty. | Keep Age-seeded completion. No penalty solely for an omitted branch. |
+| Repeated same symbol | `addSymbol` increments a per-`IAgeSymbol` count and adds that symbol's `instabilityModifier(count)`. This method is symbol-specific; there is no universal “duplicate = N” rule. | Distinguish legal repeated features/materials from repeated single-choice pages. Do not add a flat duplicate penalty to every occurrence. |
+| Extra/conflicting controller | Registering a second terrain, biome, weather, or lighting controller adds `InstabilityData.extra.controller = 500`; the **last registered** controller replaces the prior one. This is separate from each symbol's own modifier. | Eligible supported conflicts may become unstable rather than fatal in #65, with deterministic winner and a saved penalty. |
+| Dangling modifier | An unconsumed modifier contributes its `dangling` value; a default `Modifier` has `dangling=100`. Replacing a pending modifier charges the old one. `clearModifiers()` charges 20% (`clearPercentage=0.20`) of each pending value, with Java integer compound-assignment truncation. | Record the ordered offending page and a reason; calculate a deterministic penalty from the consumed/leftover modifier semantics, not from GUI position alone. |
+| Unsupported/unmatched page | Legacy logs unmatched symbols during reconstruction and skips their logic; its `AgeData.getBaseInstability()` still has a TODO for calculating instability from pages. This is not a sound compatibility contract. | Remains fatal for *new* books until semantic and runtime support exists; never silently erase the page or pretend its effect applied. Existing saved books retain their IDs. |
+| Other penalties/bonuses | `AgeController.addInstability(int)` is available to symbol logic. The base/book score is persisted as a `short`; Legacy's [`InstabilityBonusManager`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/bonus/InstabilityBonusManager.java) also has dynamic player death/behavior components. | Persist a versioned score breakdown for Age writing and environmental contributions. Do not infer death/troll mechanics from the mere existence of Legacy classes. |
+
+Source for controller and modifier defaults: [`InstabilityData`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/InstabilityData.java), [`AgeController`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/world/AgeController.java). The local 0.13.7.06 `Modifier.class` confirms `dangling_default=100`. Legacy grammar **ranks** weight which missing symbols are selected; they are not a direct instability score or deck tier. See [grammar audit](LEGACY_AGE_GRAMMAR_AUDIT.md) and [random weights](RANDOM_AGE_WEIGHTS.md).
+
+[`InstabilityController`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/InstabilityController.java) rounds its working score toward zero to the current smallest registered positive provider cost (500 by default), then rebuilds active effects when that rounded score changes. Each seeded deck preserves its saved card order; new cards are shuffled with the Age seed. For each deck it subtracts the deck entry cost, then walks cards in order, paying each provider activation cost until the next card cannot be afforded. A provider's occurrences become its level. **Deck costs are gates, not mutually exclusive severity bands**: at high score multiple decks can contribute effects. Provider `.enabled` config can remove cards. The actual effect set cannot be inferred from a score alone without the saved deck orders and enabled providers ([`Deck`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/Deck.java), [`InstabilityManager`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/InstabilityManager.java)).
+
+| Legacy deck | Entry cost | Examples of registered cards |
+| --- | ---: | --- |
+| basic | 0 | enemy regeneration/resistance, fatigue, hunger, poison, slowness, weakness |
+| harsh | 2,500 | stronger/global potions, burning, lightning, wither |
+| destructive | 10,000 | crumble, explosions, lightning, meteors, wither |
+| eating | 15,000 | colored decay, blindness, nausea, wither |
+| death | 20,000 | global blindness/nausea/wither, colored decay |
+
+These entry costs are from [`InstabilityData.initialize()`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/InstabilityData.java), not guaranteed first-activation scores: each card also costs 500–5,000 depending on provider. A zero-cost basic deck still needs enough score to buy its first card. `stability.*` numbers in that file are provider activation costs, despite the misleading field name.
+
+## Effect inventory and modern policy
+
+[`InstabilityData.initialize()`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/InstabilityData.java) is the authoritative list of *registered* providers. Some implemented classes are commented out there; their existence does not mean they occur normally. Each Legacy environmental effect is called for chunks that the Age's runtime processes, often with its own chance. No per-Age global work budget is visible in these effect classes.
+
+| Family | Legacy behavior | M6 disposition |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Player and hostile-mob potions | Local/global blindness, fatigue, hunger, nausea, poison, slowness, weakness, wither; hostile regeneration/resistance ([`EffectPotion`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectPotion.java)). | Implement in #67 with server-only, Age-scoped entity targeting and rate limits. No effects in preview/snapshot worlds. |
+| Colored decay | Blue, purple, red, white providers place advancing decay and extra-tick it; black provider is commented out. Decay handlers differ in spread/consumption ([providers](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/tree/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/providers), [handlers](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/tree/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/instability/decay)). | Implement bounded, reversible-by-admin world mutation in #68; exact 1.12 spread/update rates require adaptation and tests. Exclude protected spawn/portal areas. Black/green/yellow are **not** proven active Legacy providers. |
+| Lightning and explosions | Random per-chunk strike/explosion attempts ([`EffectLightning`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectLightning.java), [`EffectExplosions`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectExplosions.java)). | Implement in #69 with explicit block-damage and fire policy; no effect outside the Age. |
+| Meteor, scorching | Meteor entity spawn and sky-exposed entity ignition ([`EffectMeteor`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectMeteor.java), [`EffectScorched`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectScorched.java)). | #70: modern meteor entity/impact needs an explicit damage budget; scorching can use modern fire/damage checks. Legacy `meteor/roar.ogg` is available. |
+| Crumble and erosion | Crumble maps blocks to weaker states; erosion spreads adjacent fluids and has extra lake-generation methods ([`EffectCrumble`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectCrumble.java), [`EffectErosion`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectErosion.java)). | #70: bounded block palette and protected-area checks. Erosion's provider is commented out in Legacy registration: treat it as deliberate opt-in adaptation, not baseline parity. |
+| Extra ticks | Registered alongside blue/purple/red/white decay, targeting decay blocks ([`EffectExtraTicks`](https://github.com/Mystcraft/Mystcraft-Legacy/blob/9bc8ddc061845df0cd5ea47f4fdef773cff786ae/src/main/java/com/xcompwiz/mystcraft/effects/EffectExtraTicks.java)). | Implement only as a bounded decay helper in #68; do not accelerate arbitrary blocks/block entities. |
+| Other dormant code | Black decay, global burning, bedrock crumble, erosion provider are commented out. | Defer unless a later issue explicitly requests them. An authored symbol requiring one must fail clearly until supported. |
+
+Assets in the supplied local tree: `assets/mystcraft/textures/blocks/decay_{black,blue,green,purple,red,white,yellow}.png`, corresponding decay block/item model JSON, and `assets/mystcraft/sounds/entity/meteor/roar.ogg`. Before importing, review attribution/license and fit modern 16×16 assets. Texture availability does not make an effect active. Use current Minecraft effects/sounds where adaptation is cleaner; no new artwork is needed for this audit.
+
+## Rivencraft boundary and proposed safety contract
+
+[`WritingGrammar`](../src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/writing/WritingGrammar.java) classifies `INCOMPLETE` as seeded completion and supported writing defects as accepted instability. `AgeGenerationPlan.compile()` freezes the original writing, repaired active-page indexes, and a provisional writing-instability score before world generation. #64 now persists a versioned score breakdown; saved provider/deck choice remains future work. The plan must not mutate an already-created Age when a data pack changes. Server-side settings may disable execution, but should not rewrite the saved authored score.
+
+For #65, **eligible-to-become-unstable** means a known, supported page whose semantics and resulting world are still deterministic: repeated/conflicting single-choice pages and otherwise valid out-of-order or misplaced pages. The implementation retains every original page, uses the last single-choice page, sorts active categories, and saves 500 per extra/conflicting choice or 100 per misplaced page. These are provisional Rivencraft values, not a full port of every `IAgeSymbol.instabilityModifier`. Missing branches are explicitly classified as zero-cost seeded completion; legal repeated feature/material pages are not automatically errors. **Remain fatal**: missing/duplicate/misordered Link Panel, over-capacity book, unresolved or schema-v1 display-only symbol, unsupported weather/angle/runtime profile/biome/feature, unavailable required optional mod, and any combination the compiler cannot represent safely. Binder and unbound-book previews distinguish blocked writing, seeded completion, and accepted instability before binding; the server revalidates on output. This intentionally differs from Legacy's silent unmatched-symbol skip, universal controller cost assumptions, and modifier-specific dangling costs. A full symbol-specific Legacy penalty port remains a separate balance task, not a claim of parity in this slice.
+
+Automated #65 checks cover classification, preserved input slots on rejection, and an accepted unstable preview. The live output/one-time Age creation check is assigned to in-game testing because the GameTest storage phase stalled when that transaction ran; the test world is not retained.
+
+Issue #66 establishes a server-only scheduler with bounded per-Age actions, provider calls, levels, cooldowns, loaded-chunk candidates, and rotating active-Age admission. World-mutating handlers are **off by default**. No provider effects are registered yet; #67–#70 must enforce protected spawn/link platforms, portals, and provider-specific damage/spread limits before activation. These are **Rivencraft safety adaptations**, not Legacy defaults. Expose score breakdown, selected effects, enablement, and budget suppression in server diagnostics (#72). See [runtime policy](INSTABILITY_RUNTIME.md).
+
+M6 owns scoring, selection, effects, controls, and regression. M7 still owns portal/transport and broader polish; M6 must not depend on new M7 structures. An illegal biome/terrain combination that is presently unrepresentable remains a generation failure until a separate, safe compiler path exists; instability must not be used to disguise absent worldgen support. Existing pre-release saves need explicit migration behavior in #73 rather than a silent rescore.
+
+## Verification and open questions
+
+- Inspected pinned source for `AgeController`, `AgeData`, `GrammarTree`, `InstabilityData`, `InstabilityManager`, `InstabilityController`, `Deck`, all active provider families, effect classes, `ChunkProfiler`, and `InstabilityDataCalculator`; checked matching local 0.13.7.06 class names and `Modifier.dangling_default` with `javap`.
+- The supplied extraction has no generated user balance config; registered defaults can be overridden or providers disabled. There is no single universal instability value for “wrong order” or “duplicate page.” `IAgeSymbol.instabilityModifier(count)` implementations and runtime configs determine the final Legacy value.
+- Exact Legacy visual/decay behavior, dynamic bonus registration, and full 1.12 block-baseline parity need focused checks when their slices are implemented. Do not label proposed modern caps as source facts.
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ acceptance issue and all required implementation issues are complete.
   TerraBlender and Serene Seasons integration. **Complete for the supported
   subset.** See the [acceptance record](MILESTONE_5_ACCEPTANCE.md) and
   [Legacy grammar audit](LEGACY_AGE_GRAMMAR_AUDIT.md).
-6. **Instability** — deterministic validation and server-safe effects.
+6. **Instability** — deterministic validation and server-safe effects. Start with the
+   [Legacy instability audit](LEGACY_INSTABILITY_AUDIT.md), which separates
+   source behavior from proposed 1.21.1 safety limits.
 7. **Structures and polish** — libraries, crystals, portals, recipes, models,
   sounds, advancements, compatibility, and migration tests.

@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ New Binder writing has at most one Link Panel plus 27 symbol pages. The Link Pan

 The supported order follows the representable subset of the [Legacy grammar audit](LEGACY_AGE_GRAMMAR_AUDIT.md): terrain; zero or more biome pages; biome controller; weather; season; lighting; sky effects; zero or more period or phase modifiers; one celestial page; then zero or more features, each optionally preceded by a compatible material page. Biome pages precede the controller that consumes them, and celestial modifiers precede the celestial page. Terrain, controller, weather, season, lighting, sky, and celestial are single-choice categories; identical repeats are duplicates and differing values conflict. Repeated modifiers, biome pages, feature pages, and material pages are intentional and retain their order. An unpaired material page receives a seeded compatible feature during compilation. Angle modifiers remain recognized in the schema but are rejected at binding until a sky renderer can apply sun tilt.

-Missing terrain, controller, weather, lighting, celestial, or the controller's minimum biome count is an **incomplete** warning, not an error: the compiler retains seed-selected traits for missing branches. An omitted terrain page uses a seed-selected profile compatible with authored feature pages, so changing the Age name cannot accidentally select Flat, Void, or Cave terrain for Rocks or Lakes. If no profile can support the writing, binding still rejects it. Native consumes no authored biome pages; Single accepts one; Tiled/Grid and Tiny–Huge require two, with seeded filler when pages are missing. Unknown IDs, schema-v1 display-only symbols, wrong ordering, misplaced modifiers, duplicates in single-choice categories, conflicts, missing/extra Link Panels, and oversized writing are errors. The Binder disables output and exposes the first error on the result-slot tooltip. When that error belongs to a page, its thumbnail is tinted and outlined red, the strip scrolls to it, and hovering it shows the diagnostic. This maps the parser's compact entry position back through any empty page positions. Rejected inputs remain removable. Binding an unwritten Descriptive Book rechecks its server-owned writing and reports the first error without creating an Age. A terrain symbol whose profile is unavailable is also rejected before Binder inputs are consumed.
+Missing terrain, controller, weather, lighting, celestial, or the controller's minimum biome count is an **incomplete** warning, not an error: the compiler retains seed-selected traits for missing branches. An omitted terrain page uses a seed-selected profile compatible with authored feature pages, so changing the Age name cannot accidentally select Flat, Void, or Cave terrain for Rocks or Lakes. If no profile can support the writing, binding still rejects it. Native consumes no authored biome pages; Single consumes one; Tiled/Grid and Tiny–Huge require two, with seeded filler when pages are missing. From 0.5.1.0, known misplaced or repeated pages no longer block creation: the book keeps its original order, while the server repairs category order, uses the last single-choice controller, and stores a writing-instability score in the Age plan. A conflicting/repeated choice adds 500; an out-of-order page or misplaced modifier adds 100. Native ignores surplus authored biome pages and Single uses the first, with the conflict recorded as instability. These are Rivencraft's provisional penalties, not a claim of exact Legacy values for every symbol. Incorrectly placed pages are **not** red-highlighted; their warning remains available as a tooltip. Unknown IDs, schema-v1 display-only symbols, unavailable dependencies/profiles, unsupported semantic effects or feature/material pairs, missing/extra Link Panels, and oversized writing still reject a new Age. The Binder disables output for those fatal errors and shows a red page indication where applicable. Rejected inputs remain removable.

-The plan stores the original writing order, the authoritative semantic value of each resolved symbol, the Age seed, and a copy of the selected runtime profile. An explicit terrain page overrides random terrain selection; an omitted terrain uses a seed-selected compatible profile. The built-in Standard, Amplified, Cave, Island, Flat, and Void terrain pages select their matching generation resources. Age loading uses the frozen runtime profile and does not need the original symbol definition or runtime-profile JSON, though its referenced noise, biome-preset, and dimension-type registry entries must remain available. Existing bound books without plans are not reinterpreted. Page-free and Link-Panel-only books keep the pre-existing random path. Biome and environment pages affect new Ages, and the supported feature subset below is compiled into the same frozen plan; instability remains Milestone 6 work.
+The plan stores the original writing order, the authoritative semantic value of each resolved symbol, the active repaired-page indexes, the writing-instability score, the Age seed, and a copy of the selected runtime profile. An explicit terrain page overrides random terrain selection; an omitted terrain uses a seed-selected compatible profile. The built-in Standard, Amplified, Cave, Island, Flat, and Void terrain pages select their matching generation resources. Age loading uses the frozen runtime profile and does not need the original symbol definition or runtime-profile JSON, though its referenced noise, biome-preset, and dimension-type registry entries must remain available. Existing bound books without plans are not reinterpreted. Page-free and Link-Panel-only books keep the pre-existing random path. Biome and environment pages affect new Ages, and the supported feature subset below is compiled into the same frozen plan. Runtime effects for a nonzero writing-instability score are not implemented yet.

 ## Supported feature pages (issue #35)

@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ Crystal Formations are an authored, material-free feature on exposed solid terra

 Star Fissures are a material-free feature on every terrain profile, including Cave and Void. The fissure is generated once beside the first resolved spawn, using Legacy's spawn-chunk offset and 10–17 paired, irregular X-span rows running along +Z. Legacy's y=0 portal floor maps to the modern dimension's minimum build height, replacing lower bedrock if present. The rift opens to the sky on ordinary terrain; in Cave terrain it opens into the cavern but stops below the upper bedrock roof. Water in the carved columns is cleared before the portal is placed. Its non-solid portal links to the Overworld spawn with the Legacy fissure sound; the animated starfield is drawn with Minecraft's current End Portal renderer, which uses the same end-sky/end-portal art as Legacy's custom renderer. Random Ages sample Legacy's default small-feature grammar for fissure selection: the stop/one/repeat branches have rank-derived weights 1:1:3, and the fissure has weight 1 of 9 among its small-feature rules. The remainder of random feature selection still follows Rivencraft's current pipeline, rather than running Legacy's entire Age grammar.

-The Rivencraft symbol-page creative tabs read a generated index of bundled symbol definitions and group Pages by each definition's category, except biome-controller roles, which appear in a separate Biome Generation tab rather than the Biome tab. Adding another valid JSON symbol under `src/main/resources/data/rivencraft/rivencraft/symbols/` includes its page in the matching category tab on the next build; a new bundled category receives its own tab. Registry-derived Block and Fluid Pages have separate tabs and both appear in optional JEI. Link Pages have a separate tab. Blank Pages appear in neither the creative tabs nor JEI's ingredient list. The server catalog still decides whether a page is valid for writing. External server data-pack symbols are not included in this bundled index.
+The Rivencraft symbol-page creative tabs read a generated index of bundled symbol definitions and group Pages by each definition's category, except biome-controller roles, which appear in a separate Biome Generation tab rather than the Biome tab. Adding another valid JSON symbol under `src/main/resources/data/rivencraft/rivencraft/symbols/` includes its page in the matching category tab on the next build; a new bundled category receives its own tab. Registry-derived Block and Fluid Pages have separate tabs and both appear in optional JEI. Registry-derived biome pages share a creative/JEI feed; `terrablender:deferred_placeholder` is excluded because it is TerraBlender's internal staging biome, not a player-facing biome choice. Other modded biomes remain listed. Link Pages have a separate tab. Blank Pages appear in neither the creative tabs nor JEI's ingredient list. The server catalog still decides whether a page is valid for writing. External server data-pack symbols are not included in this bundled index.
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ mod_name=Rivencraft
 # The license of the mod. Review your options at https://choosealicense.com/. All Rights Reserved is the default.
 mod_license=LGPL-3.0-or-later
 # The mod version. Rivencraft uses the x.y.z.b policy documented in README.md.
-mod_version=0.5.0.0
+mod_version=0.5.4.0
 immersive_portals_version=6.0.7
 terrablender_version=4.1.0.8
 serene_seasons_version_id=B6nTjh4b
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.config.RivencraftClientConfig;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.compat.SereneSeasonsCompatibility;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeDimensionService;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeWeatherService;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeInstabilityRuntime;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeRuntimeProfiles;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolCatalog;
 import net.neoforged.bus.api.IEventBus;
@@ -52,11 +53,13 @@ public final class Rivencraft {
        ModCreativeTabs.register(modEventBus);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(BookStandConversionHandler::onRightClickBlock);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeWeatherService::onLevelTickPost);
+        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeInstabilityRuntime::onLevelTickPost);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(SereneSeasonsCompatibility::onLevelTickPost);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeCelestialAngleSync::onPlayerLoggedIn);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeCelestialAngleSync::onPlayerChangedDimension);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeLifecycleEvents::onPlayerLoggedOut);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeLifecycleEvents::onServerStopping);
+        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeInstabilityRuntime::onServerStopping);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(RivencraftCommands::register);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(AgeRuntimeProfiles::register);
        NeoForge.EVENT_BUS.addListener(SymbolCatalog::register);
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeReference;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeRegistrySavedData;
-import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeGenerationPlan;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeGenerationProfiles;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeRuntimeProfiles;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.item.PageItem;
@@ -117,19 +116,7 @@ public final class BookBinderBlockEntity extends BlockEntity implements Containe
            if (!page.isEmpty() && (!validPage(page) || !PageItem.isUsableWriting(page) || page.getCount() != 1
                    || PageItem.content(page).kind() == PageContent.Kind.BLANK)) return false;
        }
-        OrderedWriting writing = currentWriting();
-        if (!writingGrammar().canCreate()) return false;
-        try {
-            if (level instanceof ServerLevel serverLevel) {
-                AgeRegistrySavedData.validateNewWriting(serverLevel, title, writing);
-            } else {
-                AgeGenerationPlan.compile(writing, 0L, AgeGenerationProfiles.STANDARD,
-                        net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeTraits.select(0L), level.registryAccess());
-            }
-            return true;
-        } catch (IllegalArgumentException exception) {
-            return false;
-        }
+        return writingGrammar().canCreate();
    }

    public WritingGrammar.Result writingGrammar() {
@@ -138,7 +125,7 @@ public final class BookBinderBlockEntity extends BlockEntity implements Containe
        List<WritingGrammar.Diagnostic> diagnostics = new ArrayList<>(parsed.diagnostics());
        var terrain = parsed.symbols().stream()
                .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.TERRAIN)
-                .findFirst();
+                .reduce((first, last) -> last);
        if (terrain.isPresent()) {
            var profileId = ((SymbolSemantics.ResourceValue) terrain.orElseThrow().semantics().value()).id();
            if (!AgeRuntimeProfiles.profiles().containsKey(profileId)) {
@@ -181,18 +168,21 @@ public final class BookBinderBlockEntity extends BlockEntity implements Containe
            // check. This also pinpoints biome-pool conflicts that cannot be inferred from
            // an individual feature page alone (for example Trees with only Nether biomes).
            if (level instanceof ServerLevel serverLevel && diagnostics.stream().noneMatch(
-                    diagnostic -> diagnostic.code() == WritingGrammar.Code.UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE)) {
+                    WritingGrammar.Diagnostic::error)) {
                try {
                    AgeRegistrySavedData.validateNewWriting(serverLevel, title, currentWriting());
                } catch (IllegalArgumentException exception) {
-                    if (exception.getMessage() != null && (exception.getMessage().startsWith("Feature ")
-                            || exception.getMessage().startsWith("Caves "))) {
-                        parsed.symbols().stream().filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role()
-                                        == SymbolSemantics.Role.FEATURE).findFirst().ifPresent(symbol ->
-                                diagnostics.add(new WritingGrammar.Diagnostic(
-                                        WritingGrammar.Code.UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE, symbol.index(),
-                                        exception.getMessage())));
-                    }
+                    boolean feature = exception.getMessage() != null
+                            && (exception.getMessage().startsWith("Feature ")
+                            || exception.getMessage().startsWith("Caves "));
+                    int index = feature ? parsed.symbols().stream()
+                            .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.FEATURE)
+                            .mapToInt(WritingGrammar.ParsedSymbol::index).findFirst().orElse(-1) : -1;
+                    diagnostics.add(new WritingGrammar.Diagnostic(
+                            feature ? WritingGrammar.Code.UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE
+                                    : WritingGrammar.Code.UNSUPPORTED_COMBINATION,
+                            index, exception.getMessage() == null ? "The Age compiler rejected this writing"
+                                    : exception.getMessage()));
                }
            }
        }
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ public record AgeDefinition(
        AgeTraits traits,
        AgeGenerationPlan plan,
        @Nullable AgeSeasonMode seasonMode,
-        List<AgeFeatureSelection.Choice> randomFeatures
+        List<AgeFeatureSelection.Choice> randomFeatures,
+        AgeInstability instability,
+        AgeInstabilityPlan instabilityPlan
 ) {
    public static final ResourceLocation RANDOM_VANILLA_PROFILE = ResourceLocation.fromNamespaceAndPath(
            Rivencraft.MOD_ID, "random_vanilla"
@@ -34,6 +36,8 @@ public record AgeDefinition(
        Objects.requireNonNull(generationProfile, "generationProfile");
        Objects.requireNonNull(dimensionId, "dimensionId");
        Objects.requireNonNull(traits, "traits");
+        Objects.requireNonNull(instability, "instability");
+        Objects.requireNonNull(instabilityPlan, "instabilityPlan");
        randomFeatures = List.copyOf(randomFeatures);
        if (plan != null && !randomFeatures.isEmpty()) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Authored Ages cannot also have random features");
@@ -47,14 +51,14 @@ public record AgeDefinition(
                         int generationVersion, long createdGameTime, ResourceLocation dimensionId,
                         BlockPos spawn, AgeTraits traits) {
        this(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion, createdGameTime,
-                dimensionId, spawn, traits, null, null, List.of());
+                dimensionId, spawn, traits, null, null, List.of(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral());
    }

    public AgeDefinition(UUID id, String name, long seed, ResourceLocation generationProfile,
                         int generationVersion, long createdGameTime, ResourceLocation dimensionId,
                         BlockPos spawn, AgeTraits traits, AgeGenerationPlan plan) {
        this(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion, createdGameTime,
-                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, null, List.of());
+                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, null, List.of(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral());
    }

    public AgeDefinition(UUID id, String name, long seed, ResourceLocation generationProfile,
@@ -62,7 +66,25 @@ public record AgeDefinition(
                         BlockPos spawn, AgeTraits traits, AgeGenerationPlan plan,
                         @Nullable AgeSeasonMode seasonMode) {
        this(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion, createdGameTime,
-                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, seasonMode, List.of());
+                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, seasonMode, List.of(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral());
+    }
+
+    public AgeDefinition(UUID id, String name, long seed, ResourceLocation generationProfile,
+                         int generationVersion, long createdGameTime, ResourceLocation dimensionId,
+                         BlockPos spawn, AgeTraits traits, AgeGenerationPlan plan,
+                         @Nullable AgeSeasonMode seasonMode, List<AgeFeatureSelection.Choice> randomFeatures) {
+        this(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion, createdGameTime,
+                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, seasonMode, randomFeatures, AgeInstability.legacyNeutral());
+    }
+
+    public AgeDefinition(UUID id, String name, long seed, ResourceLocation generationProfile,
+                         int generationVersion, long createdGameTime, ResourceLocation dimensionId,
+                         BlockPos spawn, AgeTraits traits, AgeGenerationPlan plan,
+                         @Nullable AgeSeasonMode seasonMode, List<AgeFeatureSelection.Choice> randomFeatures,
+                         AgeInstability instability) {
+        this(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion, createdGameTime,
+                dimensionId, spawn, traits, plan, seasonMode, randomFeatures, instability,
+                AgeInstabilityPlan.empty());
    }

    public static ResourceLocation dimensionId(UUID ageId) {
@@ -93,6 +115,7 @@ public record AgeDefinition(

    public AgeDefinition withSpawn(BlockPos spawn) {
        return new AgeDefinition(id, name, seed, generationProfile, generationVersion,
-                createdGameTime, dimensionId, spawn.immutable(), traits, plan, seasonMode, randomFeatures);
+                createdGameTime, dimensionId, spawn.immutable(), traits, plan, seasonMode,
+                randomFeatures, instability, instabilityPlan);
    }
 }
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ public final class AgeEnvironmentCompiler {
        AgeTraits.Weather weather = seeded.weather();
        double period = seeded.celestialPeriod();
        float phase = seeded.celestialPhase();
-        boolean normalTime = plan.symbols().stream()
+        boolean normalTime = plan.activeSymbols().stream()
                .anyMatch(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.CELESTIAL);
        if (normalTime) period = 1.0D;
        boolean writtenPeriod = false;
        boolean writtenPhase = false;
        float phaseDegrees = 0.0F;

-        for (AgeGenerationPlan.ResolvedSymbol symbol : plan.symbols()) {
+        for (AgeGenerationPlan.ResolvedSymbol symbol : plan.activeSymbols()) {
            SymbolSemantics semantics = symbol.semantics();
            switch (semantics.role()) {
                case LIGHTING -> lighting = AgeTraits.Lighting.valueOf(
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public final class AgeEnvironmentCompiler {
    /** Vanilla effects are the sky styles the current renderer can honor exactly. */
    public static ResourceLocation skyEffects(AgeGenerationPlan plan, ResourceLocation fallback) {
        if (plan == null) return fallback;
-        return plan.symbols().stream()
+        return plan.activeSymbols().stream()
                .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.SKY)
                .map(symbol -> ((SymbolSemantics.ChoiceValue) symbol.semantics().value()).id())
                .map(choice -> switch (choice) {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public final class AgeEnvironmentCompiler {
    }

    public static boolean hasWrittenPhase(AgeGenerationPlan plan) {
-        return plan != null && plan.symbols().stream()
+        return plan != null && plan.activeSymbols().stream()
                .anyMatch(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.PHASE_MODIFIER);
    }

@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public final class AgeFeatureSelection {
        Map<ResourceLocation, List<ResourceLocation>> materialOrders = new HashMap<>();
        Map<ResourceLocation, Integer> occurrences = new HashMap<>();
        List<Choice> resolved = new ArrayList<>();
-        for (Choice choice : choices(plan.symbols().stream().map(symbol -> symbol.semantics()).toList(),
+        for (Choice choice : choices(plan.activeSymbols().stream().map(symbol -> symbol.semantics()).toList(),
                plan.runtimeProfile(), plan.ageSeed())) {
            if (choice.material().isPresent()
                    || !isRock(choice.id()) && !isLake(choice.id())
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;

 /** A frozen interpretation of authored pages. Later slices consume its resolved branches. */
 public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writing, List<ResolvedSymbol> symbols,
-                                AgeRuntimeProfile runtimeProfile, AgeBiomeSelection biomeSelection) {
-    public static final int CURRENT_VERSION = 2;
+                                AgeRuntimeProfile runtimeProfile, AgeBiomeSelection biomeSelection,
+                                List<Integer> activeSymbolIndices, int writingInstability) {
+    public static final int CURRENT_VERSION = 3;

    public AgeGenerationPlan {
        if (version < 1 || version > CURRENT_VERSION) {
@@ -25,12 +26,14 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
        }
        Objects.requireNonNull(writing, "writing");
        symbols = List.copyOf(symbols);
+        activeSymbolIndices = List.copyOf(activeSymbolIndices);
+        if (writingInstability < 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Negative writing instability");
        Objects.requireNonNull(runtimeProfile, "runtimeProfile");
        if (runtimeProfile.schemaVersion() != AgeRuntimeProfile.CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported runtime profile snapshot version");
        }
-        if (version == CURRENT_VERSION && biomeSelection == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Version 2 Age plan requires a biome selection snapshot");
+        if (version >= 2 && biomeSelection == null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Version 2+ Age plan requires a biome selection snapshot");
        }
        for (ResolvedSymbol symbol : symbols) {
            if (symbol.index() < 0 || symbol.index() >= writing.entries().size()
@@ -38,12 +41,31 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Resolved symbol does not match original page order");
            }
        }
+        if (version >= 3 && !symbols.isEmpty() && activeSymbolIndices.isEmpty()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Version 3 Age plan has no active symbols");
+        }
+        if (activeSymbolIndices.stream().distinct().count() != activeSymbolIndices.size()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Age plan repeats an active symbol index");
+        }
+        for (int index : activeSymbolIndices) {
+            if (symbols.stream().noneMatch(symbol -> symbol.index() == index)) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Active symbol is not in the saved writing: " + index);
+            }
+        }
    }

    /** Existing version 1 plans retain their original biome behavior on reload. */
    public AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writing, List<ResolvedSymbol> symbols,
                             AgeRuntimeProfile runtimeProfile) {
-        this(version, ageSeed, writing, symbols, runtimeProfile, null);
+        this(version, ageSeed, writing, symbols, runtimeProfile, null,
+                symbols.stream().map(ResolvedSymbol::index).toList(), 0);
+    }
+
+    /** Existing call sites and version-2 plans retain every resolved symbol. */
+    public AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writing, List<ResolvedSymbol> symbols,
+                             AgeRuntimeProfile runtimeProfile, AgeBiomeSelection biomeSelection) {
+        this(version, ageSeed, writing, symbols, runtimeProfile, biomeSelection,
+                symbols.stream().map(ResolvedSymbol::index).toList(), 0);
    }

    /** No plan is made for old page-free books or Link-Panel-only random Ages. */
@@ -52,7 +74,9 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
        WritingGrammar.Result parsed = WritingGrammar.parse(writing);
        if (!parsed.canCreate()) throw new IllegalArgumentException(parsed.firstError().orElseThrow().message());
        if (parsed.randomFallback()) return null;
-        ResourceLocation terrain = parsed.symbols().stream()
+        List<WritingGrammar.ParsedSymbol> active = parsed.activeSymbols();
+        WritingGrammar.Result effective = new WritingGrammar.Result(active, parsed.diagnostics());
+        ResourceLocation terrain = active.stream()
                .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.TERRAIN)
                .map(symbol -> ((SymbolSemantics.ResourceValue) symbol.semantics().value()).id())
                .findFirst().orElse(null);
@@ -64,23 +88,29 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
        ResourceLocation selected = terrain == null ? seedProfile : terrain;
        AgeRuntimeProfile profile = AgeRuntimeProfiles.profiles().get(selected);
        if (profile == null) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported Age terrain profile " + selected);
-        AgeBiomeSelection biomes = AgeBiomeSelection.compile(parsed, traits, profile, ageSeed, registries);
-        AgeFeatureSelection.compile(parsed, profile, biomes, registries, ageSeed);
+        AgeBiomeSelection biomes = AgeBiomeSelection.compile(effective, traits, profile, ageSeed, registries);
+        AgeFeatureSelection.compile(effective, profile, biomes, registries, ageSeed);
        AgeGenerationPlan plan = new AgeGenerationPlan(CURRENT_VERSION, ageSeed, writing,
                parsed.symbols().stream().map(symbol -> new ResolvedSymbol(
                        symbol.index(), symbol.reference(), symbol.semantics())).toList(),
-                profile, biomes);
+                profile, biomes, active.stream().map(WritingGrammar.ParsedSymbol::index).toList(),
+                parsed.writingInstability());
        AgeEnvironmentCompiler.apply(plan, traits);
        AgeSeasonMode.validate(plan);
        return plan;
    }

    public ResourceLocation authoredTerrain() {
-        return symbols.stream().filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.TERRAIN)
+        return activeSymbols().stream().filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.TERRAIN)
                .map(symbol -> ((SymbolSemantics.ResourceValue) symbol.semantics().value()).id())
                .findFirst().orElse(null);
    }

+    public List<ResolvedSymbol> activeSymbols() {
+        return activeSymbolIndices.stream().map(index -> symbols.stream()
+                .filter(symbol -> symbol.index() == index).findFirst().orElseThrow()).toList();
+    }
+
    public CompoundTag save() {
        CompoundTag tag = new CompoundTag();
        tag.putInt("Version", version);
@@ -106,6 +136,10 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
            resolved.add(item);
        }
        tag.put("Resolved", resolved);
+        if (version >= 3) {
+            tag.putIntArray("ActiveSymbolIndices", activeSymbolIndices);
+            tag.putInt("WritingInstability", writingInstability);
+        }
        CompoundTag profile = new CompoundTag();
        profile.putInt("Version", runtimeProfile.schemaVersion());
        profile.putString("Terrain", runtimeProfile.terrain().name());
@@ -162,12 +196,16 @@ public record AgeGenerationPlan(int version, long ageSeed, OrderedWriting writin
            selection = new AgeBiomeSelection(AgeTraits.BiomeDistribution.valueOf(
                    biomeTag.getString("Distribution")), ids);
        }
+        List<Integer> activeIndices = version >= 3
+                ? java.util.Arrays.stream(tag.getIntArray("ActiveSymbolIndices")).boxed().toList()
+                : resolved.stream().map(ResolvedSymbol::index).toList();
        return new AgeGenerationPlan(version, tag.getLong("AgeSeed"), new OrderedWriting(pages), resolved,
                new AgeRuntimeProfile(profile.getInt("Version"),
                        AgeRuntimeProfile.Terrain.valueOf(profile.getString("Terrain")),
                        ResourceLocation.parse(profile.getString("Noise")),
                        ResourceLocation.parse(profile.getString("Biomes")),
-                        ResourceLocation.parse(profile.getString("Dimension"))), selection);
+                        ResourceLocation.parse(profile.getString("Dimension"))), selection,
+                activeIndices, version >= 3 ? tag.getInt("WritingInstability") : 0);
    }

    public record ResolvedSymbol(int index, SymbolReference reference, SymbolSemantics semantics) {
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingGrammar;
+import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundTag;
+import net.minecraft.nbt.ListTag;
+
+/** Frozen, server-owned score. Only new Age creation consults the current symbol catalog. */
+public record AgeInstability(int version, int score, List<Contribution> breakdown) {
+    public static final int CURRENT_VERSION = 1;
+
+    public AgeInstability {
+        if (version != CURRENT_VERSION) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported instability version " + version);
+        breakdown = List.copyOf(breakdown);
+        if (score < 0 || score != breakdown.stream().mapToInt(Contribution::points).sum()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Instability score does not match breakdown");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** Pre-scoring saves are explicitly neutral, never rescored from current data packs. */
+    public static AgeInstability legacyNeutral() {
+        return new AgeInstability(CURRENT_VERSION, 0,
+                List.of(new Contribution("legacy_neutral", -1, 0, "Age predates frozen instability scoring")));
+    }
+
+    static AgeInstability compute(AgeGenerationPlan plan, AgeTraits traits) {
+        Objects.requireNonNull(traits, "traits");
+        List<Contribution> contributions = new ArrayList<>();
+        if (plan == null) {
+            contributions.add(new Contribution("random_baseline", -1, 0, "Page-free or Link-Panel-only Age"));
+        } else {
+            contributions.add(new Contribution("authored_baseline", -1, 0, "Authored Age"));
+            WritingGrammar.Result parsed = WritingGrammar.parse(plan.writing());
+            if (!parsed.canCreate() || parsed.writingInstability() != plan.writingInstability()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Writing changed between Age compilation and scoring");
+            }
+            for (WritingGrammar.Diagnostic diagnostic : parsed.diagnostics()) {
+                contributions.add(new Contribution(diagnostic.code().name().toLowerCase(java.util.Locale.ROOT),
+                        diagnostic.index(), diagnostic.instability(), diagnostic.message()));
+            }
+        }
+        // Legacy's bright-lighting symbol adds +500. Other balance costs are deferred
+        // until their corresponding authored symbols and audited values exist.
+        if (traits.lighting() == AgeTraits.Lighting.BRIGHT) {
+            int pageIndex = plan == null ? -1 : plan.activeSymbols().stream()
+                    .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role()
+                            == net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolSemantics.Role.LIGHTING)
+                    .mapToInt(AgeGenerationPlan.ResolvedSymbol::index).findFirst().orElse(-1);
+            contributions.add(new Contribution("bright_lighting", pageIndex, 500,
+                    pageIndex < 0 ? "Seeded bright lighting" : "Authored bright lighting"));
+        }
+        return new AgeInstability(CURRENT_VERSION,
+                contributions.stream().mapToInt(Contribution::points).sum(), contributions);
+    }
+
+    public CompoundTag save() {
+        CompoundTag tag = new CompoundTag();
+        tag.putInt("Version", version);
+        tag.putInt("Score", score);
+        ListTag entries = new ListTag();
+        for (Contribution contribution : breakdown) {
+            CompoundTag entry = new CompoundTag();
+            entry.putString("Reason", contribution.reason());
+            entry.putInt("PageIndex", contribution.pageIndex());
+            entry.putInt("Points", contribution.points());
+            entry.putString("Detail", contribution.detail());
+            entries.add(entry);
+        }
+        tag.put("Breakdown", entries);
+        return tag;
+    }
+
+    public static AgeInstability load(CompoundTag tag) {
+        ListTag entries = tag.getList("Breakdown", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND);
+        List<Contribution> contributions = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (int index = 0; index < entries.size(); index++) {
+            CompoundTag entry = entries.getCompound(index);
+            contributions.add(new Contribution(entry.getString("Reason"), entry.getInt("PageIndex"),
+                    entry.getInt("Points"), entry.getString("Detail")));
+        }
+        return new AgeInstability(tag.getInt("Version"), tag.getInt("Score"), contributions);
+    }
+
+    public record Contribution(String reason, int pageIndex, int points, String detail) {
+        public Contribution {
+            Objects.requireNonNull(reason, "reason");
+            Objects.requireNonNull(detail, "detail");
+            if (reason.isBlank() || pageIndex < -1 || points < 0) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid instability contribution");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.Random;
+import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundTag;
+import net.minecraft.nbt.ListTag;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+
+/** Frozen provider selection; handler availability and server settings never reroll this plan. */
+public record AgeInstabilityPlan(int version, List<ProviderLevel> providers) {
+    public static final int CURRENT_VERSION = 1;
+
+    public AgeInstabilityPlan {
+        if (version != CURRENT_VERSION) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported provider-plan version " + version);
+        providers = List.copyOf(providers);
+        if (providers.stream().map(ProviderLevel::id).distinct().count() != providers.size()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Duplicate provider ID in saved Age plan");
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static AgeInstabilityPlan empty() { return new AgeInstabilityPlan(CURRENT_VERSION, List.of()); }
+
+    public static AgeInstabilityPlan select(AgeInstability instability, long ageSeed) {
+        int roundedScore = instability.score() / 500 * 500;
+        Map<ResourceLocation, Integer> levels = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        for (InstabilityProviderCatalog.Deck deck : InstabilityProviderCatalog.Deck.values()) {
+            int remaining = roundedScore - deck.entryCost();
+            if (remaining <= 0) continue;
+            List<InstabilityProviderCatalog.Card> cards = new ArrayList<>(InstabilityProviderCatalog.cards(deck));
+            Collections.shuffle(cards, new Random(ageSeed ^ (0x9E3779B97F4A7C15L * (deck.ordinal() + 1))));
+            for (InstabilityProviderCatalog.Card card : cards) {
+                if (remaining < card.cost()) break;
+                remaining -= card.cost();
+                levels.merge(card.id(), 1, Integer::sum);
+            }
+        }
+        return new AgeInstabilityPlan(CURRENT_VERSION, levels.entrySet().stream()
+                .map(entry -> new ProviderLevel(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue())).toList());
+    }
+
+    public CompoundTag save() {
+        CompoundTag tag = new CompoundTag();
+        tag.putInt("Version", version);
+        ListTag entries = new ListTag();
+        for (ProviderLevel provider : providers) {
+            CompoundTag entry = new CompoundTag();
+            entry.putString("Id", provider.id().toString());
+            entry.putInt("Level", provider.level());
+            entries.add(entry);
+        }
+        tag.put("Providers", entries);
+        return tag;
+    }
+
+    public static AgeInstabilityPlan load(CompoundTag tag) {
+        ListTag entries = tag.getList("Providers", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND);
+        List<ProviderLevel> providers = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (int index = 0; index < entries.size(); index++) {
+            CompoundTag entry = entries.getCompound(index);
+            ResourceLocation id = ResourceLocation.tryParse(entry.getString("Id"));
+            if (id == null) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid saved instability provider ID at " + index);
+            providers.add(new ProviderLevel(id, entry.getInt("Level")));
+        }
+        return new AgeInstabilityPlan(tag.getInt("Version"), providers);
+    }
+
+    public record ProviderLevel(ResourceLocation id, int level) {
+        public ProviderLevel {
+            Objects.requireNonNull(id, "id");
+            if (level < 1 || level > 255) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid provider level " + level);
+        }
+    }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Comparator;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.WeakHashMap;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.Rivencraft;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.config.RivencraftConfig;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+import net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer;
+import net.minecraft.server.level.ServerLevel;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.ChunkPos;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.event.server.ServerStoppingEvent;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.event.tick.LevelTickEvent;
+
+/** Server-only scheduler. Effect handlers are registered by later provider slices. */
+public final class AgeInstabilityRuntime {
+    private static final Map<ResourceLocation, Handler> HANDLERS = new HashMap<>();
+    private static final Map<MinecraftServer, TickState> TICKS = new WeakHashMap<>();
+    private static final Map<ServerLevel, Map<ResourceLocation, Long>> FAILURES = new WeakHashMap<>();
+    private static final Set<ResourceLocation> UNKNOWN_LOGGED = new HashSet<>();
+
+    private AgeInstabilityRuntime() {}
+
+    /** Register once during mod setup. Missing optional handlers never alter saved provider IDs. */
+    public static void register(ResourceLocation id, boolean worldMutating, ProviderEffect effect) {
+        Objects.requireNonNull(id, "id");
+        Objects.requireNonNull(effect, "effect");
+        if (HANDLERS.putIfAbsent(id, new Handler(worldMutating, effect)) != null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Duplicate instability handler " + id);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static void onLevelTickPost(LevelTickEvent.Post event) {
+        if (!(event.getLevel() instanceof ServerLevel level) || !RivencraftConfig.instabilityEnabled()
+                || !isAgeDimension(level.dimension().location()) || level.players().isEmpty()) return;
+        MinecraftServer server = level.getServer();
+        long tick = server.getTickCount();
+        int cooldown = RivencraftConfig.instabilityCooldown();
+        if (tick % cooldown != 0) return;
+        TickState state = TICKS.computeIfAbsent(server, ignored -> new TickState());
+        if (state.tick != tick) {
+            state.tick = tick;
+            state.eligible = loadedPlayerAges(server);
+        }
+        if (!admitted(state.eligible, level.dimension().location(), tick / cooldown,
+                RivencraftConfig.instabilityMaxAges())) return;
+        AgeDefinition age = AgeRegistrySavedData.get(level).findByDimension(level.dimension().location()).orElse(null);
+        if (age == null || age.instabilityPlan().providers().isEmpty()) return;
+        List<ChunkPos> chunks = loadedChunksNearPlayers(level, RivencraftConfig.instabilityMaxChunks());
+        if (chunks.isEmpty()) return;
+        Budget budget = new Budget(RivencraftConfig.instabilityMaxActions());
+        Context context = new Context(level, age, chunks, tick, budget);
+        List<AgeInstabilityPlan.ProviderLevel> providers = age.instabilityPlan().providers();
+        int first = (int) Math.floorMod(tick / cooldown + age.seed(), providers.size());
+        int ran = 0;
+        for (int offset = 0; offset < providers.size() && ran < RivencraftConfig.instabilityMaxProviders()
+                && budget.remaining() > 0; offset++) {
+            AgeInstabilityPlan.ProviderLevel provider = providers.get((first + offset) % providers.size());
+            Handler handler = HANDLERS.get(provider.id());
+            if (handler == null) {
+                if (!InstabilityProviderCatalog.contains(provider.id()) && UNKNOWN_LOGGED.add(provider.id())) {
+                    Rivencraft.LOGGER.warn("Saved Age references unknown instability provider {}; skipping it",
+                            provider.id());
+                }
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (handler.worldMutating() && !RivencraftConfig.instabilityWorldMutation()) continue;
+            long retryAfter = FAILURES.computeIfAbsent(level, ignored -> new HashMap<>())
+                    .getOrDefault(provider.id(), 0L);
+            if (tick < retryAfter) continue;
+            ran++;
+            try {
+                handler.effect().apply(context, provider.id(),
+                        Math.min(provider.level(), RivencraftConfig.instabilityMaxLevel()));
+            } catch (RuntimeException exception) {
+                FAILURES.get(level).put(provider.id(), tick + Math.max(200L, cooldown * 10L));
+                Rivencraft.LOGGER.error("Instability provider {} failed in Age {}; temporarily quarantined",
+                        provider.id(), age.id(), exception);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static void onServerStopping(ServerStoppingEvent event) {
+        TICKS.remove(event.getServer());
+        FAILURES.clear();
+        UNKNOWN_LOGGED.clear();
+    }
+
+    public static boolean isAgeDimension(ResourceLocation id) {
+        return id.getNamespace().equals(Rivencraft.MOD_ID) && id.getPath().startsWith("age/");
+    }
+
+    static boolean admitted(List<ResourceLocation> eligible, ResourceLocation id, long run,
+                            int maximum) {
+        int index = eligible.indexOf(id);
+        if (index < 0 || maximum < 1) return false;
+        if (eligible.size() <= maximum) return true;
+        return Math.floorMod(index - (int) Math.floorMod(run, eligible.size()), eligible.size()) < maximum;
+    }
+
+    private static List<ResourceLocation> loadedPlayerAges(MinecraftServer server) {
+        List<ResourceLocation> eligible = new ArrayList<>();
+        AgeRegistrySavedData registry = AgeRegistrySavedData.get(server.overworld());
+        for (ServerLevel level : server.getAllLevels()) {
+            ResourceLocation id = level.dimension().location();
+            if (isAgeDimension(id) && !level.players().isEmpty()
+                    && registry.findByDimension(id).filter(age -> !age.instabilityPlan().providers().isEmpty())
+                    .isPresent()) eligible.add(id);
+        }
+        eligible.sort(Comparator.comparing(ResourceLocation::toString));
+        return List.copyOf(eligible);
+    }
+
+    private static List<ChunkPos> loadedChunksNearPlayers(ServerLevel level, int maximum) {
+        Set<ChunkPos> chunks = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+        for (var player : level.players()) {
+            ChunkPos center = player.chunkPosition();
+            for (int dx = -1; dx <= 1; dx++) {
+                for (int dz = -1; dz <= 1; dz++) {
+                    int x = center.x + dx;
+                    int z = center.z + dz;
+                    if (level.getChunkSource().hasChunk(x, z)) chunks.add(new ChunkPos(x, z));
+                    if (chunks.size() >= maximum) return List.copyOf(chunks);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return List.copyOf(chunks);
+    }
+
+    @FunctionalInterface
+    public interface ProviderEffect {
+        /** Claim budget before each effect action; only use chunks supplied in the context. */
+        void apply(Context context, ResourceLocation id, int effectiveLevel);
+    }
+
+    public record Context(ServerLevel level, AgeDefinition age, List<ChunkPos> loadedChunks,
+                          long serverTick, Budget budget) {
+        public Context { loadedChunks = List.copyOf(loadedChunks); }
+    }
+
+    public static final class Budget {
+        private int remaining;
+
+        public Budget(int maximum) {
+            if (maximum < 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Negative work budget");
+            remaining = maximum;
+        }
+
+        public boolean claim() {
+            if (remaining == 0) return false;
+            remaining--;
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        public int remaining() { return remaining; }
+    }
+
+    private record Handler(boolean worldMutating, ProviderEffect effect) {}
+
+    private static final class TickState {
+        private long tick = Long.MIN_VALUE;
+        private List<ResourceLocation> eligible = List.of();
+    }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.UUID;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.Rivencraft;
+import net.minecraft.core.BlockPos;
+import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTest;
+import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTestHelper;
+import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundTag;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.gametest.GameTestHolder;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.gametest.PrefixGameTestTemplate;
+
+/** Pure server-side provider-plan and scheduler-boundary checks for issue #66. */
+@GameTestHolder(Rivencraft.MOD_ID)
+@PrefixGameTestTemplate(false)
+public final class AgeInstabilityRuntimeGameTests {
+    private AgeInstabilityRuntimeGameTests() {}
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void selectionIsDeterministicAndFrozen(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        AgeInstability score = new AgeInstability(AgeInstability.CURRENT_VERSION, 30_000,
+                List.of(new AgeInstability.Contribution("fixture", -1, 30_000, "provider selection")));
+        AgeInstabilityPlan first = AgeInstabilityPlan.select(score, 44L);
+        helper.assertTrue(!first.providers().isEmpty(), "An eligible score must select providers");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeInstabilityPlan.select(score, 44L), first,
+                "The same Age seed and frozen score must select the same providers");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeInstabilityPlan.load(first.save()), first,
+                "Saved provider IDs and levels must survive a round trip");
+        helper.assertTrue(first.providers().stream().allMatch(provider -> provider.level() > 0
+                        && InstabilityProviderCatalog.contains(provider.id())),
+                "Only audited providers with positive levels may be selected");
+        helper.assertTrue(AgeInstabilityPlan.select(AgeInstability.legacyNeutral(), 44L)
+                        .providers().isEmpty(), "Neutral old Ages must stay inert");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void savedPlanSurvivesAgeUpdatesAndMissingHandlers(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        ResourceLocation optional = ResourceLocation.parse("example:optional_provider");
+        AgeInstabilityPlan plan = new AgeInstabilityPlan(1,
+                List.of(new AgeInstabilityPlan.ProviderLevel(optional, 2)));
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeInstabilityPlan.load(plan.save()), plan,
+                "A syntactically valid provider ID must persist even if no handler is installed");
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        AgeDefinition age = new AgeDefinition(id, "Runtime", 91L, AgeGenerationProfiles.STANDARD,
+                AgeDefinition.CURRENT_GENERATION_VERSION, 0L, AgeDefinition.dimensionId(id), null,
+                AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS, null, null, List.of(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral(), plan);
+        helper.assertValueEqual(age.withSpawn(new BlockPos(1, 64, 2)).instabilityPlan(), plan,
+                "Setting an Age spawn must not reroll selected providers");
+        CompoundTag corrupt = plan.save();
+        corrupt.getList("Providers", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND).getCompound(0)
+                .putString("Id", "bad provider id");
+        boolean rejected = false;
+        try { AgeInstabilityPlan.load(corrupt); }
+        catch (IllegalArgumentException expected) { rejected = true; }
+        helper.assertTrue(rejected, "Malformed provider IDs must fail clearly");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void ageScopeRotationAndActionBudgetAreBounded(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        ResourceLocation first = ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:age/first");
+        ResourceLocation second = ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:age/second");
+        ResourceLocation third = ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:age/third");
+        helper.assertTrue(!AgeInstabilityRuntime.isAgeDimension(helper.getLevel().dimension().location()),
+                "The GameTest Overworld must never be treated as an Age");
+        helper.assertTrue(!AgeInstabilityRuntime.isAgeDimension(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:preview")),
+                "Preview worlds must not receive Age effects");
+        List<ResourceLocation> loaded = List.of(first, second, third);
+        helper.assertTrue(AgeInstabilityRuntime.admitted(loaded, first, 0, 1)
+                        && AgeInstabilityRuntime.admitted(loaded, second, 1, 1)
+                        && AgeInstabilityRuntime.admitted(loaded, third, 2, 1),
+                "A global cap must rotate fairly among loaded Ages");
+        AgeInstabilityRuntime.Budget budget = new AgeInstabilityRuntime.Budget(2);
+        helper.assertTrue(budget.claim() && budget.claim() && !budget.claim(),
+                "A handler cannot claim more actions than the Age budget");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(budget.remaining(), 0, "The budget must not go negative");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+}
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.Rivencraft;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.OrderedWriting;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolReference;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingEntry;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingGrammar;
 import net.minecraft.core.BlockPos;
 import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTest;
 import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTestHelper;
@@ -55,6 +56,124 @@ public final class AgePersistenceGameTests {
                registry.save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess()),
                helper.getLevel().registryAccess()).find(id).orElseThrow();
        helper.assertValueEqual(restored, created, "The complete plan must survive a saved-data round trip");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(restored.instability(), created.instability(),
+                "The complete instability breakdown must survive reload");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(restored.instabilityPlan(), created.instabilityPlan(),
+                "The selected provider levels must not reroll on reload");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(registry.instability(id).orElseThrow(), created.instability(),
+                "The server diagnostic query must return the saved score");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void instabilitySeparatesStableAndDefectiveWriting(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        OrderedWriting stable = new OrderedWriting(List.of(
+                WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:terrain/standard"))),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:lighting/normal")))
+        ));
+        OrderedWriting defective = new OrderedWriting(List.of(
+                WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:lighting/normal"))),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:terrain/standard"))),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:terrain/standard")))
+        ));
+        AgeDefinition stableAge = AgeRegistrySavedData.resolveOrCreate(helper.getLevel(),
+                new AgeReference(UUID.randomUUID(), "Stable Writing"), stable);
+        AgeDefinition defectiveAge = AgeRegistrySavedData.resolveOrCreate(helper.getLevel(),
+                new AgeReference(UUID.randomUUID(), "Defective Writing"), defective);
+        helper.assertValueEqual(stableAge.instability().score(), 0,
+                "Missing seeded branches do not add instability");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(defectiveAge.instability().score(), 600,
+                "Out-of-order and repeated terrain pages each add their saved penalty");
+        helper.assertTrue(defectiveAge.instability().breakdown().stream()
+                        .anyMatch(part -> part.reason().equals("duplicate") && part.pageIndex() == 3),
+                "The score must explain the offending page");
+        AgeDefinition reused = AgeRegistrySavedData.resolveOrCreate(helper.getLevel(),
+                new AgeReference(defectiveAge.id(), "Changed Name"), stable);
+        helper.assertValueEqual(reused, defectiveAge, "Repeated book use must not rescore an Age");
+        CompoundTag scoreOnlySave = AgeRegistrySavedData.get(helper.getLevel())
+                .save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
+        ListTag savedAges = scoreOnlySave.getList("Ages", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND);
+        for (int index = 0; index < savedAges.size(); index++) {
+            CompoundTag entry = savedAges.getCompound(index);
+            if (entry.getUUID("Id").equals(defectiveAge.id())) entry.remove("InstabilityPlan");
+        }
+        AgeRegistrySavedData migrated = AgeRegistrySavedData.load(scoreOnlySave,
+                helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
+        AgeDefinition migratedAge = migrated.find(defectiveAge.id()).orElseThrow();
+        helper.assertValueEqual(migratedAge.instabilityPlan(),
+                AgeInstabilityPlan.select(defectiveAge.instability(), defectiveAge.seed()),
+                "A score-only save must receive one deterministic provider migration");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeRegistrySavedData.load(
+                        migrated.save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess()),
+                        helper.getLevel().registryAccess()).find(defectiveAge.id()).orElseThrow().instabilityPlan(),
+                migratedAge.instabilityPlan(), "Migrated provider selection must then remain frozen");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void randomBaselineAndBrightBalanceAreFrozen(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        AgeDefinition random = AgeRegistrySavedData.resolveOrCreate(helper.getLevel(),
+                new AgeReference(UUID.randomUUID(), "Random Score"), OrderedWriting.EMPTY);
+        helper.assertTrue(random.instability().breakdown().stream()
+                        .anyMatch(part -> part.reason().equals("random_baseline") && part.points() == 0),
+                "Random Ages require an explicit baseline entry");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(random.instability().score(),
+                random.traits().lighting() == AgeTraits.Lighting.BRIGHT ? 500 : 0,
+                "Seeded bright lighting must use the audited balance cost");
+        AgeInstability bright = AgeInstability.compute(null, new AgeTraits(
+                AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS.biomeDistribution(), AgeTraits.Lighting.BRIGHT,
+                AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS.weather(), AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS.celestialPeriod(),
+                AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS.celestialAngle(), AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS.celestialPhase()));
+        helper.assertValueEqual(bright.score(), 500, "Bright lighting has the audited Legacy cost");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeInstability.load(bright.save()), bright,
+                "A score must survive its own versioned round trip");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void missingRegistryEntryDoesNotReinterpretAnOldAge(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        CompoundTag root = new CompoundTag();
+        ListTag entries = new ListTag();
+        entries.add(entry(id, "Old Age", 17L, AgeGenerationProfiles.STANDARD, 15, 1L,
+                AgeDefinition.dimensionId(id), new BlockPos(0, 64, 0), AgeTraits.LEGACY_DEFAULTS));
+        root.put("Ages", entries);
+        AgeRegistrySavedData old = AgeRegistrySavedData.load(root, helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
+        helper.assertValueEqual(old.instability(id).orElseThrow(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral(),
+                "Old Ages without a score must migrate to a neutral saved value");
+        helper.assertTrue(old.instabilityPlan(id).orElseThrow().providers().isEmpty(),
+                "Pre-score Ages must not acquire effects during migration");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(AgeRegistrySavedData.load(
+                old.save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess()),
+                helper.getLevel().registryAccess()).instability(id).orElseThrow(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral(),
+                "Neutral migration must persist after restart");
+        OrderedWriting missing = new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:missing_symbol")))));
+        helper.assertTrue(!WritingGrammar.parse(missing, symbol -> java.util.Optional.empty()).canCreate(),
+                "Missing registry symbols remain fatal for new Ages");
+
+        OrderedWriting authored = new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:terrain/standard")))));
+        AgeDefinition created = AgeRegistrySavedData.resolveOrCreate(helper.getLevel(),
+                new AgeReference(UUID.randomUUID(), "Catalog Snapshot"), authored);
+        CompoundTag saved = AgeRegistrySavedData.get(helper.getLevel())
+                .save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
+        ListTag savedAges = saved.getList("Ages", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND);
+        for (int index = 0; index < savedAges.size(); index++) {
+            CompoundTag savedAge = savedAges.getCompound(index);
+            if (!savedAge.getUUID("Id").equals(created.id())) continue;
+            CompoundTag plan = savedAge.getCompound("GenerationPlan");
+            plan.getList("Resolved", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND).getCompound(0)
+                    .putString("Symbol", "rivencraft:removed_from_catalog");
+            plan.getList("Writing", CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND).getCompound(1)
+                    .putString("Symbol", "rivencraft:removed_from_catalog");
+        }
+        AgeDefinition restored = AgeRegistrySavedData.load(saved, helper.getLevel().registryAccess())
+                .find(created.id()).orElseThrow();
+        helper.assertValueEqual(restored.instability(), created.instability(),
+                "A removed symbol must not reroll or reinterpret the frozen instability score");
        helper.succeed();
    }

@@ -170,6 +289,8 @@ public final class AgePersistenceGameTests {
                "Definitions predating traits must receive stable legacy defaults");
        helper.assertTrue(definition.plan() == null,
                "Existing Ages must not be reinterpreted as authored plans during migration");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(definition.instability(), AgeInstability.legacyNeutral(),
+                "Old Ages must not be rescored from modern page rules");

        CompoundTag serialized = migrated.save(new CompoundTag(), helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
        AgeDefinition reloaded = AgeRegistrySavedData.load(serialized, helper.getLevel().registryAccess())
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
    private static final String PLAN_TAG = "GenerationPlan";
    private static final String RANDOM_FEATURES_TAG = "RandomFeatures";
    private static final String SEASON_MODE_TAG = "SeasonMode";
+    private static final String INSTABILITY_TAG = "Instability";
+    private static final String INSTABILITY_PLAN_TAG = "InstabilityPlan";
    private static final String BIOME_DISTRIBUTION_TAG = "BiomeDistribution";
    private static final String LIGHTING_TAG = "Lighting";
    private static final String WEATHER_TAG = "Weather";
@@ -89,6 +91,15 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
        return Optional.ofNullable(ages.get(ageId));
    }

+    /** Read-only server diagnostic; never compiles writing or mutates a saved Age. */
+    public Optional<AgeInstability> instability(UUID ageId) {
+        return find(ageId).map(AgeDefinition::instability);
+    }
+
+    public Optional<AgeInstabilityPlan> instabilityPlan(UUID ageId) {
+        return find(ageId).map(AgeDefinition::instabilityPlan);
+    }
+
    public Optional<AgeDefinition> findByDimension(ResourceLocation dimensionId) {
        return ages.values().stream()
                .filter(age -> age.dimensionId().equals(dimensionId))
@@ -123,6 +134,9 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
        ResourceLocation seedProfile = AgeRuntimeProfiles.selectForWriting(seed, writing, registries);
        AgeTraits traits = AgeTraits.select(seed);
        AgeGenerationPlan plan = AgeGenerationPlan.compile(writing, seed, seedProfile, traits, registries);
+        AgeTraits effectiveTraits = AgeEnvironmentCompiler.apply(plan, traits);
+        AgeInstability instability = AgeInstability.compute(plan, effectiveTraits);
+        AgeInstabilityPlan instabilityPlan = AgeInstabilityPlan.select(instability, seed);
        AgeDefinition created = new AgeDefinition(
                reference.id(),
                name,
@@ -132,11 +146,13 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
                createdGameTime,
                dimensionId,
                null,
-                AgeEnvironmentCompiler.apply(plan, traits),
+                effectiveTraits,
                plan,
                AgeSeasonMode.select(plan, seed, ModList.get().isLoaded("sereneseasons")),
                plan == null ? AgeFeatureSelection.randomChoices(seed,
-                        AgeRuntimeProfiles.resolve(seedProfile), registries) : List.of()
+                        AgeRuntimeProfiles.resolve(seedProfile), registries) : List.of(),
+                instability,
+                instabilityPlan
        );
        ages.put(created.id(), created);
        setDirty();
@@ -169,6 +185,19 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
            BlockPos spawn = entry.contains(SPAWN_Y_TAG)
                    ? new BlockPos(entry.getInt(SPAWN_X_TAG), entry.getInt(SPAWN_Y_TAG), entry.getInt(SPAWN_Z_TAG))
                    : null;
+            AgeInstability instability = entry.contains(INSTABILITY_TAG, CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND)
+                    ? AgeInstability.load(entry.getCompound(INSTABILITY_TAG)) : AgeInstability.legacyNeutral();
+            AgeInstabilityPlan instabilityPlan;
+            if (entry.contains(INSTABILITY_PLAN_TAG, CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND)) {
+                instabilityPlan = AgeInstabilityPlan.load(entry.getCompound(INSTABILITY_PLAN_TAG));
+            } else {
+                // The previous release froze scores but did not yet choose providers.
+                // Migrate once from that frozen score, then persist the result.
+                instabilityPlan = entry.contains(INSTABILITY_TAG, CompoundTag.TAG_COMPOUND)
+                        ? AgeInstabilityPlan.select(instability, entry.getLong(SEED_TAG))
+                        : AgeInstabilityPlan.empty();
+                data.setDirty();
+            }
            data.ages.put(id, new AgeDefinition(
                    id,
                    normalizedName(entry.getString(NAME_TAG)),
@@ -183,7 +212,9 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
                            ? AgeGenerationPlan.load(entry.getCompound(PLAN_TAG)) : null,
                    entry.contains(SEASON_MODE_TAG, CompoundTag.TAG_STRING)
                            ? AgeSeasonMode.parseOrNull(entry.getString(SEASON_MODE_TAG)) : null,
-                    readRandomFeatures(entry)
+                    readRandomFeatures(entry),
+                    instability,
+                    instabilityPlan
            ));
        }
        return data;
@@ -228,6 +259,8 @@ public final class AgeRegistrySavedData extends SavedData {
                        entry.put(RANDOM_FEATURES_TAG, featureTags);
                    }
                    if (age.seasonMode() != null) entry.putString(SEASON_MODE_TAG, age.seasonMode().name());
+                    entry.put(INSTABILITY_TAG, age.instability().save());
+                    entry.put(INSTABILITY_PLAN_TAG, age.instabilityPlan().save());
                    serializedAges.add(entry);
                });
        tag.put(AGES_TAG, serializedAges);
@@ -69,22 +69,24 @@ public final class AgeRuntimeProfiles {
    public static ResourceLocation selectForWriting(long seed, OrderedWriting writing, RegistryAccess registries) {
        ResourceLocation selected = select(seed);
        WritingGrammar.Result parsed = WritingGrammar.parse(writing);
-        if (parsed.symbols().stream().anyMatch(symbol ->
+        if (parsed.activeSymbols().stream().anyMatch(symbol ->
                symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.TERRAIN)) return selected;
-        List<ResourceLocation> features = parsed.symbols().stream()
+        List<ResourceLocation> features = parsed.activeSymbols().stream()
                .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.FEATURE)
                .map(symbol -> ((SymbolSemantics.ResourceValue) symbol.semantics().value()).id()).toList();
-        boolean hasMaterial = parsed.symbols().stream().anyMatch(symbol ->
+        boolean hasMaterial = parsed.activeSymbols().stream().anyMatch(symbol ->
                symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.BLOCK);
        if ((features.isEmpty() && !hasMaterial) || PROFILES.isEmpty()) return selected;
        AgeRuntimeProfile initial = PROFILES.get(selected);
        if (initial != null && features.stream().allMatch(id ->
                AgeFeatureSelection.error(id, initial, registries) == null)
-                && AgeFeatureSelection.supportsUnpairedMaterials(parsed, initial)) return selected;
+                && AgeFeatureSelection.supportsUnpairedMaterials(
+                        new WritingGrammar.Result(parsed.activeSymbols(), parsed.diagnostics()), initial)) return selected;
        List<ResourceLocation> compatible = PROFILES.entrySet().stream()
                .filter(entry -> features.stream().allMatch(id ->
                        AgeFeatureSelection.error(id, entry.getValue(), registries) == null)
-                        && AgeFeatureSelection.supportsUnpairedMaterials(parsed, entry.getValue()))
+                        && AgeFeatureSelection.supportsUnpairedMaterials(
+                                new WritingGrammar.Result(parsed.activeSymbols(), parsed.diagnostics()), entry.getValue()))
                .map(Map.Entry::getKey).sorted().toList();
        return compatible.isEmpty() ? selected
                : compatible.get(Math.floorMod(Long.hashCode(seed), compatible.size()));
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public enum AgeSeasonMode {
    }

    public static boolean hasAuthoredPage(AgeGenerationPlan plan) {
-        return plan != null && plan.symbols().stream()
+        return plan != null && plan.activeSymbols().stream()
                .anyMatch(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.SEASON);
    }

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public enum AgeSeasonMode {

    public static AgeSeasonMode from(AgeGenerationPlan plan) {
        if (plan == null) return SEASONS;
-        return plan.symbols().stream()
+        return plan.activeSymbols().stream()
                .filter(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.SEASON)
                .map(symbol -> valueOf(((SymbolSemantics.ChoiceValue) symbol.semantics().value())
                        .id().toUpperCase(Locale.ROOT)))
@@ -91,8 +91,10 @@ public final class EnvironmentWritingGameTests {
                AgeSeasonMode.NO_SEASONS, "The Age's seasonal policy must survive reload");
        OrderedWriting conflict = new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
                page("season/no_seasons"), page("season/eternal_winter")));
-        helper.assertFalse(WritingGrammar.parse(conflict).canCreate(),
-                "Only one seasonal page may be used in an Age");
+        helper.assertTrue(WritingGrammar.parse(conflict).canCreate(),
+                "A repeated seasonal page must be recoverable as unstable writing");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(WritingGrammar.parse(conflict).writingInstability(), 500,
+                "The seasonal conflict must contribute instability");
        helper.succeed();
    }

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.Rivencraft;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+
+/** Frozen Legacy 0.13.7.06 deck cards and default activation costs, not effect implementations. */
+public final class InstabilityProviderCatalog {
+    public enum Deck {
+        BASIC(0), HARSH(2_500), DESTRUCTIVE(10_000), EATING(15_000), DEATH(20_000);
+
+        private final int entryCost;
+
+        Deck(int entryCost) { this.entryCost = entryCost; }
+        public int entryCost() { return entryCost; }
+    }
+
+    public record Card(ResourceLocation id, int cost) {
+        public Card {
+            if (cost <= 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Provider cost must be positive");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static final List<List<Card>> DECKS = createDecks();
+
+    private InstabilityProviderCatalog() {}
+
+    public static List<Card> cards(Deck deck) { return DECKS.get(deck.ordinal()); }
+
+    public static boolean contains(ResourceLocation id) {
+        return DECKS.stream().flatMap(List::stream).anyMatch(card -> card.id().equals(id));
+    }
+
+    private static List<List<Card>> createDecks() {
+        List<List<Card>> decks = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (Deck ignored : Deck.values()) decks.add(new ArrayList<>());
+        add(decks, "blindness", 1000, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0);
+        add(decks, "blindness_global", 1500, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1);
+        add(decks, "enemyregen_global", 1000, 5, 2, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "enemyresist_global", 1000, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "fatigue", 500, 5, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "fatigue_global", 1000, 0, 5, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "hunger", 500, 8, 2, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "hunger_global", 1000, 0, 5, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "nausea", 1000, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0);
+        add(decks, "nausea_global", 1500, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1);
+        add(decks, "poison", 500, 9, 3, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "poison_global", 1000, 0, 5, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "slow", 500, 6, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "slow_global", 1000, 0, 5, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "weakness", 500, 8, 2, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "weakness_global", 1000, 0, 5, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "wither", 1000, 0, 1, 1, 2, 0);
+        add(decks, "wither_global", 2000, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1);
+        add(decks, "burning", 500, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "crumble", 2000, 0, 0, 6, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "decayblue", 2000, 0, 0, 0, 2, 1);
+        add(decks, "decaypurple", 2000, 0, 0, 0, 2, 1);
+        add(decks, "decayred", 2000, 0, 0, 0, 2, 1);
+        add(decks, "decaywhite", 5000, 0, 0, 0, 1, 3);
+        add(decks, "explosions", 1000, 0, 0, 8, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "lightning", 1000, 0, 4, 4, 0, 0);
+        add(decks, "meteors", 1000, 0, 0, 4, 0, 0);
+        return decks.stream().map(List::copyOf).toList();
+    }
+
+    private static void add(List<List<Card>> decks, String path, int cost, int... copies) {
+        Card card = new Card(ResourceLocation.fromNamespaceAndPath(Rivencraft.MOD_ID, path), cost);
+        for (Deck deck : Deck.values()) {
+            for (int copy = 0; copy < copies[deck.ordinal()]; copy++) decks.get(deck.ordinal()).add(card);
+        }
+    }
+}
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.block.entity.BookBinderBlockEntity;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.item.PageItem;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.menu.BookBinderMenu;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.network.SetBookBinderTitlePayload;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingGrammar;
 import net.minecraft.client.gui.GuiGraphics;
 import net.minecraft.client.gui.components.EditBox;
 import net.minecraft.client.gui.screens.inventory.AbstractContainerScreen;
@@ -106,14 +107,33 @@ public final class BookBinderScreen extends AbstractContainerScreen<BookBinderMe
        }
        graphics.disableScissor();
        drawScrollEnds(graphics);
+        var severity = menu.grammarSeverity().orElse(null);
+        Component status = severity == WritingGrammar.Severity.FATAL
+                ? Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.fatal")
+                : severity == WritingGrammar.Severity.INSTABILITY
+                ? Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.unstable", menu.grammarInstability())
+                : severity == WritingGrammar.Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION
+                ? Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.seeded") : null;
+        if (status != null) graphics.drawString(font, status, leftPos + 77, topPos + 30,
+                severity == WritingGrammar.Severity.FATAL ? 0xFFAA3030
+                        : severity == WritingGrammar.Severity.INSTABILITY ? 0xFF924F18 : 0xFF50624B, false);
        Component grammarTooltip = menu.grammarError().map(code -> Component.translatable(
                "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar." + code.name().toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT),
                errorStripIndex + 1)).orElse(null);
-        if (menu.getSlot(BookBinderMenu.RESULT).getItem().isEmpty()
-                && mouseX >= leftPos + 152 && mouseX < leftPos + 168
+        if (grammarTooltip != null && ((mouseX >= leftPos + 77 && mouseX < leftPos + 151)
+                || (mouseX >= leftPos + 152 && mouseX < leftPos + 168))
                && mouseY >= topPos + 27 && mouseY < topPos + 43
-                && grammarTooltip != null) {
-            graphics.renderTooltip(font, grammarTooltip, mouseX, mouseY);
+                && (status != null || menu.getSlot(BookBinderMenu.RESULT).getItem().isEmpty())) {
+            java.util.List<Component> details = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
+            if (status != null) details.add(status);
+            details.add(grammarTooltip);
+            if (menu.grammarInstability() > 0 && severity != WritingGrammar.Severity.INSTABILITY)
+                details.add(Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.unstable",
+                        menu.grammarInstability()));
+            if (menu.grammarIncompleteCount() > 0 && severity != WritingGrammar.Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION)
+                details.add(Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.seeded_count",
+                        menu.grammarIncompleteCount()));
+            graphics.renderComponentTooltip(font, details, mouseX, mouseY);
            return;
        }
        if (mouseY >= topPos + STRIP_Y && mouseY < topPos + STRIP_Y + STRIP_HEIGHT) {
@@ -169,7 +189,8 @@ public final class BookBinderScreen extends AbstractContainerScreen<BookBinderMe
            case SYMBOL, UNRESOLVED_SYMBOL -> graphics.blit(NotebookScreen.symbolTexture(page),
                    x + 1, y + 5, 24, 24, 0, 0, 128, 128, 128, 128);
        }
-        if (index == menu.grammarErrorStripIndex() && menu.grammarError().isPresent()) {
+        if (index == menu.grammarErrorStripIndex() && menu.grammarError().isPresent()
+                && !menu.grammarWarning()) {
            graphics.fill(x, y, x + PAGE_WIDTH, y + PAGE_HEIGHT, 0x55FF2020);
            graphics.renderOutline(x, y, PAGE_WIDTH, PAGE_HEIGHT, 0xFFFF3030);
        }
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.registry.ModDataComponents;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.OrderedWriting;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolDisplayMetadata;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingEntry;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingGrammar;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.client.preview.DestinationPreviewRenderer;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.client.preview.DestinationPreviewRenderers;
 import net.minecraft.core.BlockPos;
@@ -226,6 +227,22 @@ public final class DescriptiveBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBoo
                    x, top + 40, 110);
            drawWrappedWithoutShadow(graphics, Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.age.name_prompt"),
                    x, top + 52, 110);
+            WritingGrammar.Result grammar = WritingGrammar.parse(writing);
+            boolean unresolved = writingSymbols.stream().anyMatch(display -> !display.resolved());
+            if (!grammar.canCreate() || unresolved) {
+                drawWrappedWithoutShadow(graphics,
+                        Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.age.writing.fatal"),
+                        x, top + 132, 110, UNRESOLVED_TEXT_COLOR);
+            } else if (grammar.writingInstability() > 0) {
+                drawWrappedWithoutShadow(graphics,
+                        Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.age.writing.unstable",
+                                grammar.writingInstability()), x, top + 132, 110);
+            }
+            if (grammar.firstIncomplete().isPresent()) {
+                drawWrappedWithoutShadow(graphics,
+                        Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.age.writing.seeded"),
+                        x, top + 145, 110);
+            }
            return;
        }
        int nameEnd = drawWrappedWithoutShadow(graphics, Component.literal(age.name()),
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ public final class RivencraftConfig {
    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue SYMBOL_INK_COST;
    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue LINK_PANEL_INK_COST;
    private static final ModConfigSpec.BooleanValue AUTO_WHITELIST_SERENE_AGES;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.BooleanValue INSTABILITY_ENABLED;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.BooleanValue INSTABILITY_WORLD_MUTATION;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_COOLDOWN;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_MAX_AGES;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_MAX_PROVIDERS;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_MAX_ACTIONS;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_MAX_LEVEL;
+    private static final ModConfigSpec.IntValue INSTABILITY_MAX_CHUNKS;

    static {
        ModConfigSpec.Builder builder = new ModConfigSpec.Builder();
@@ -40,6 +48,24 @@ public final class RivencraftConfig {
                "Existing entries are preserved; disabling this does not remove previously added Ages."
        ).define("auto_whitelist_ages", true);
        builder.pop();
+        builder.push("instability");
+        INSTABILITY_ENABLED = builder.comment("Run selected instability providers in loaded Ages. Disabling does not alter saved plans.")
+                .define("enabled", true);
+        INSTABILITY_WORLD_MUTATION = builder.comment("Allow providers to change blocks or create explosions. Off until world hazards are reviewed.")
+                .define("world_mutation", false);
+        INSTABILITY_COOLDOWN = builder.comment("Minimum ticks between instability runs for each loaded Age.")
+                .defineInRange("cooldown_ticks", 20, 20, 1200);
+        INSTABILITY_MAX_AGES = builder.comment("Maximum loaded Ages processed in one server tick.")
+                .defineInRange("max_ages_per_tick", 4, 1, 16);
+        INSTABILITY_MAX_PROVIDERS = builder.comment("Maximum provider handlers called in one Age run.")
+                .defineInRange("max_providers_per_age", 2, 1, 16);
+        INSTABILITY_MAX_ACTIONS = builder.comment("Shared effect-action budget for one Age run.")
+                .defineInRange("max_actions_per_age", 1, 1, 16);
+        INSTABILITY_MAX_LEVEL = builder.comment("Maximum effective level passed to an effect handler; saved levels are unchanged.")
+                .defineInRange("max_effect_level", 3, 1, 16);
+        INSTABILITY_MAX_CHUNKS = builder.comment("Maximum already-loaded candidate chunks inspected per Age run.")
+                .defineInRange("max_loaded_chunks", 16, 1, 64);
+        builder.pop();
        SPEC = builder.build();
    }

@@ -61,4 +87,13 @@ public final class RivencraftConfig {
    public static boolean autoWhitelistSereneAges() {
        return AUTO_WHITELIST_SERENE_AGES.get();
    }
+
+    public static boolean instabilityEnabled() { return INSTABILITY_ENABLED.get(); }
+    public static boolean instabilityWorldMutation() { return INSTABILITY_WORLD_MUTATION.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityCooldown() { return INSTABILITY_COOLDOWN.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityMaxAges() { return INSTABILITY_MAX_AGES.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityMaxProviders() { return INSTABILITY_MAX_PROVIDERS.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityMaxActions() { return INSTABILITY_MAX_ACTIONS.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityMaxLevel() { return INSTABILITY_MAX_LEVEL.get(); }
+    public static int instabilityMaxChunks() { return INSTABILITY_MAX_CHUNKS.get(); }
 }
@@ -108,21 +108,22 @@ public final class BookBinderGameTests {
        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.LINK_PANEL, PageItem.createLinkPanelPage());
        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE, terrainPage());
        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE + 5, terrainPage());
-        helper.assertFalse(binder.canAssemble(), "Duplicate terrain must not assemble a new Age");
-        int errorEntry = binder.writingGrammar().firstError().orElseThrow().index();
+        helper.assertTrue(binder.canAssemble(), "Duplicate terrain must create an unstable Age");
+        int errorEntry = binder.writingGrammar().firstWarning().orElseThrow().index();
        helper.assertValueEqual(errorEntry, 2, "Parser must identify the second authored symbol");
        helper.assertValueEqual(binder.writingStripIndex(errorEntry), 6,
-                "A grammar error must highlight the correct strip page despite empty positions");
-        helper.assertFalse(binder.consumeAssembly(), "Rejected grammar must not consume binder inputs");
+                "An instability warning must highlight the correct strip page despite empty positions");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(binder.writingGrammar().writingInstability(), 500,
+                "An extra controller must carry a persisted writing penalty");
        helper.assertTrue(binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.COVER).is(Items.LEATHER),
-                "Rejected grammar must leave the cover recoverable");
+                "Warning preview must not consume the cover");
        helper.assertTrue(binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.LINK_PANEL).is(ModItems.PAGE.get()),
-                "Rejected grammar must leave the Link Panel recoverable");
+                "Warning preview must not consume the Link Panel");
        helper.assertTrue(binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE + 5).is(ModItems.PAGE.get()),
-                "Rejected grammar must leave the duplicate page removable");
+                "Unstable writing must remain editable before assembly");
        ItemStack removed = binder.takePage(5);
-        helper.assertTrue(removed.is(ModItems.PAGE.get()), "Player must be able to correct the duplicate page");
-        helper.assertTrue(binder.canAssemble(), "Corrected partial writing must become assemblable");
+        helper.assertTrue(removed.is(ModItems.PAGE.get()), "Player must be able to remove the duplicate page");
+        helper.assertTrue(binder.canAssemble(), "Corrected partial writing must remain assemblable");
        helper.succeed();
    }

@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ public final class CoreGameTests {
        helper.assertFalse(BiomeSymbolPages.symbolId(ResourceLocation.parse("example:orchard"))
                        .equals(BiomeSymbolPages.symbolId(ResourceLocation.parse("another:orchard"))),
                "Equal biome paths from different mods must not share a page ID");
+        helper.assertFalse(BiomeSymbolPages.isPublicPageBiome(
+                        ResourceLocation.parse("terrablender:deferred_placeholder")),
+                "TerraBlender's internal staging biome must not appear as a creative or JEI page");
+        helper.assertTrue(BiomeSymbolPages.isPublicPageBiome(ResourceLocation.parse("biomesoplenty:orchard")),
+                "Real modded biome pages must remain visible");
        helper.succeed();
    }

@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.gametest;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.UUID;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.Rivencraft;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.block.entity.BookBinderBlockEntity;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeReference;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.item.PageItem;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.registry.ModBlocks;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.registry.ModDataComponents;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.registry.ModItems;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.OrderedWriting;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolReference;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingEntry;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.WritingGrammar;
+import net.minecraft.core.BlockPos;
+import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTest;
+import net.minecraft.gametest.framework.GameTestHelper;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+import net.minecraft.world.item.ItemStack;
+import net.minecraft.world.item.Items;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.gametest.GameTestHolder;
+import net.neoforged.neoforge.gametest.PrefixGameTestTemplate;
+
+/** Focused classification and transaction checks for Milestone 6 issue #65. */
+@GameTestHolder(Rivencraft.MOD_ID)
+@PrefixGameTestTemplate(false)
+public final class Milestone6GrammarGameTests {
+    private Milestone6GrammarGameTests() {}
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void writingOutcomesAreDistinct(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        var terrain = symbol("rivencraft:terrain/standard");
+        var weather = symbol("rivencraft:weather/normal");
+        var missing = symbol("example:missing_definition");
+        var fatal = WritingGrammar.parse(new OrderedWriting(List.of(terrain)));
+        helper.assertValueEqual(fatal.firstError().orElseThrow().severity(), WritingGrammar.Severity.FATAL,
+                "A missing Link Panel is fatal");
+        helper.assertTrue(!WritingGrammar.parse(new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(), missing)))
+                        .canCreate(), "An unresolved symbol must remain fatal");
+
+        var incomplete = WritingGrammar.parse(new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(), terrain)));
+        helper.assertTrue(incomplete.canCreate() && incomplete.firstIncomplete().isPresent(),
+                "Missing branches should be seeded rather than rejected");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(incomplete.firstIncomplete().orElseThrow().severity(),
+                WritingGrammar.Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION, "Seeded completion needs its own classification");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(incomplete.writingInstability(), 0,
+                "Missing branches alone must not make an Age unstable");
+
+        OrderedWriting unstableWriting = new OrderedWriting(List.of(WritingEntry.linkPanel(), weather,
+                terrain, terrain));
+        var unstable = WritingGrammar.parse(unstableWriting);
+        helper.assertTrue(unstable.canCreate() && unstable.firstInstability().isPresent(),
+                "Supported order and duplicate defects should remain authorable");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(unstable.writingInstability(), 600,
+                "A misplaced terrain and duplicate choice should score once each");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(unstable.symbols().size(), 3,
+                "The diagnostic must preserve all authored page IDs and order");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(unstable.symbols().get(2).reference().id(),
+                ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:terrain/standard"),
+                "The duplicate page must remain in the frozen writing");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    @GameTest(template = "empty")
+    public static void rejectedBinderKeepsInputsAndUnstablePreview(GameTestHelper helper) {
+        BlockPos pos = helper.absolutePos(new BlockPos(1, 1, 1));
+        helper.getLevel().setBlock(pos, ModBlocks.BOOK_BINDER.get().defaultBlockState(), 3);
+        var binder = (BookBinderBlockEntity) helper.getLevel().getBlockEntity(pos);
+        helper.assertTrue(binder != null, "Binder must exist");
+        binder.setTitle("Grammar Transaction " + UUID.randomUUID());
+        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.COVER, new ItemStack(Items.LEATHER));
+        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE, page("rivencraft:terrain/standard"));
+        helper.assertTrue(!binder.canAssemble() && !binder.consumeAssembly(),
+                "Missing panel must reject before consuming inputs");
+        helper.assertTrue(binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.COVER).is(Items.LEATHER)
+                        && binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE).is(ModItems.PAGE.get()),
+                "A structural failure must preserve cover and page");
+
+        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.LINK_PANEL, PageItem.createLinkPanelPage());
+        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE + 1,
+                PageItem.createRecoveredPage(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse("example:missing"))));
+        helper.assertTrue(!binder.canAssemble() && !binder.consumeAssembly(),
+                "Missing registry entry must reject without consuming ink or pages");
+        helper.assertTrue(!binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.LINK_PANEL).isEmpty()
+                        && !binder.getItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE + 1).isEmpty(),
+                "Rejected writing must keep the Link Panel and unresolved Page");
+
+        binder.setItem(BookBinderBlockEntity.FIRST_PAGE + 1, page("rivencraft:terrain/standard"));
+        helper.assertTrue(binder.canAssemble(), "Known duplicate terrain should be accepted as unstable");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(binder.writingGrammar().writingInstability(), 500,
+                "Binder must expose the instability cost before assembly");
+        ItemStack preview = binder.previewBook();
+        helper.assertTrue(preview.get(ModDataComponents.AGE_REFERENCE.get()) instanceof AgeReference,
+                "Accepted writing must preview a stable Age identity without consuming inputs");
+        helper.succeed();
+    }
+
+    private static WritingEntry symbol(String id) {
+        return WritingEntry.symbol(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse(id)));
+    }
+
+    private static ItemStack page(String id) {
+        return PageItem.createSymbolPage(new SymbolReference(ResourceLocation.parse(id)));
+    }
+}
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeGenerationPlan;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeGenerationProfiles;
+import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.book.AgeTraits;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.OrderedWriting;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolCatalog;
 import net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing.SymbolDefinition;
@@ -84,20 +87,42 @@ public final class WritingGrammarGameTests {
        WritingGrammar.Result repeatedModifiers = parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
                WritingEntry.symbol(periodHalf), WritingEntry.symbol(periodFull), WritingEntry.symbol(celestial));
        helper.assertTrue(repeatedModifiers.canCreate(), "Repeated period modifiers must remain legal");
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(terrain),
+        assertPenalty(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(terrain),
                WritingEntry.symbol(terrain)), WritingGrammar.Code.DUPLICATE);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(terrain),
-                WritingEntry.symbol(alternateTerrain)), WritingGrammar.Code.CONFLICT);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(weather),
+        WritingGrammar.Result replacedTerrain = parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(terrain),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(alternateTerrain));
+        assertPenalty(helper, replacedTerrain, WritingGrammar.Code.CONFLICT);
+        helper.assertValueEqual(replacedTerrain.activeSymbols().getFirst().reference(), alternateTerrain,
+                "The last supported controller must supply the effective terrain");
+        assertPenalty(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(weather),
                WritingEntry.symbol(terrain)), WritingGrammar.Code.OUT_OF_ORDER);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(celestial),
+        assertPenalty(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(celestial),
                WritingEntry.symbol(periodHalf)), WritingGrammar.Code.MISPLACED_MODIFIER);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(nativeBiomes),
+        assertPenalty(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(nativeBiomes),
                WritingEntry.symbol(plains)), WritingGrammar.Code.OUT_OF_ORDER);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(plains),
+        assertPenalty(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(plains),
                WritingEntry.symbol(nativeBiomes)), WritingGrammar.Code.CONFLICT);
-        assertCode(helper, parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(plains),
-                WritingEntry.symbol(forest), WritingEntry.symbol(single)), WritingGrammar.Code.CONFLICT);
+        WritingGrammar.Result extraBiomes = parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(plains),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(forest), WritingEntry.symbol(single));
+        assertPenalty(helper, extraBiomes, WritingGrammar.Code.CONFLICT);
+        helper.assertValueEqual(extraBiomes.activeSymbols().stream().filter(symbol ->
+                symbol.semantics().role() == SymbolSemantics.Role.BIOME).count(), 1L,
+                "Single-biome distribution must consume only one authored biome");
+        OrderedWriting repaired = writing(WritingEntry.linkPanel(), WritingEntry.symbol(weather),
+                WritingEntry.symbol(terrain), WritingEntry.symbol(ref("rivencraft:terrain/flat")));
+        AgeGenerationPlan plan = AgeGenerationPlan.compile(repaired, 42L, AgeGenerationProfiles.STANDARD,
+                AgeTraits.select(42L), helper.getLevel().registryAccess());
+        helper.assertValueEqual(plan.authoredTerrain(), ResourceLocation.parse("rivencraft:flat"),
+                "The last terrain controller must win without deleting earlier pages");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(plan.writingInstability(), 600,
+                "An extra controller and repaired ordering must be counted once each");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(plan.symbols().size(), 3,
+                "The saved plan must retain all authored pages, including the extra controller");
+        AgeGenerationPlan loaded = AgeGenerationPlan.load(plan.save());
+        helper.assertValueEqual(loaded.writingInstability(), 600,
+                "Writing instability must survive a saved-plan round trip");
+        helper.assertValueEqual(loaded.activeSymbolIndices(), plan.activeSymbolIndices(),
+                "The effective writing order must not reroll on load");
        WritingGrammar.Result repeatedFeatures = parse(resolver, WritingEntry.linkPanel(),
                WritingEntry.symbol(caves), WritingEntry.symbol(caves));
        helper.assertTrue(repeatedFeatures.canCreate(), "Repeated feature pages must remain authorable");
@@ -142,4 +167,11 @@ public final class WritingGrammarGameTests {
        helper.assertTrue(result.diagnostics().stream().anyMatch(diagnostic -> diagnostic.code() == code),
                "Writing must report " + code + " rather than silently dropping a page");
    }
+
+    private static void assertPenalty(GameTestHelper helper, WritingGrammar.Result result, WritingGrammar.Code code) {
+        helper.assertTrue(result.canCreate(), "Known writing defect " + code + " must not block Age creation");
+        helper.assertTrue(result.writingInstability() > 0, "Known writing defect must contribute instability");
+        helper.assertTrue(result.diagnostics().stream().anyMatch(diagnostic -> diagnostic.code() == code),
+                "Writing must report " + code + " rather than silently dropping a page");
+    }
 }
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ public final class PageItem extends Item {
        Set<String> bundled = CREATIVE_SYMBOLS.keySet();
        registries.lookupOrThrow(Registries.BIOME).listElements()
                .map(holder -> holder.key().location())
+                .filter(BiomeSymbolPages::isPublicPageBiome)
                .filter(id -> !bundled.contains(BiomeSymbolPages.symbolId(id).getPath()))
                .sorted()
                .forEach(id -> pages.add(createCreativeBiomePage(id)));
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ public final class BookBinderMenu extends AbstractContainerMenu {
    private int selectedPage = -1;
    private int grammarErrorCode = -1;
    private int grammarErrorStripIndex = -1;
+    private int grammarInstability;
+    private int grammarIncompleteCount;
+    private WritingGrammar.Result serverGrammar;

    public BookBinderMenu(int id, Inventory inventory, RegistryFriendlyByteBuf data) {
        this(id, inventory, inventory.player.level().getBlockEntity(data.readBlockPos())
@@ -56,18 +59,34 @@ public final class BookBinderMenu extends AbstractContainerMenu {
        });
        addDataSlot(new DataSlot() {
            @Override public int get() {
-                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarErrorCode : binder.writingGrammar().firstError()
-                        .map(error -> error.code().ordinal()).orElse(-1);
+                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarErrorCode : binderDiagnostic()
+                        .map(diagnostic -> diagnostic.code().ordinal()).orElse(-1);
            }
            @Override public void set(int value) { grammarErrorCode = value; }
        });
        addDataSlot(new DataSlot() {
            @Override public int get() {
-                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarErrorStripIndex : binder.writingGrammar().firstError()
-                        .map(error -> binder.writingStripIndex(error.index())).orElse(-1);
+                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarErrorStripIndex : binderDiagnostic()
+                        .map(diagnostic -> binder.writingStripIndex(diagnostic.index())).orElse(-1);
            }
            @Override public void set(int value) { grammarErrorStripIndex = value; }
        });
+        addDataSlot(new DataSlot() {
+            @Override public int get() {
+                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarInstability
+                        : serverGrammar().writingInstability();
+            }
+            @Override public void set(int value) { grammarInstability = value; }
+        });
+        addDataSlot(new DataSlot() {
+            @Override public int get() {
+                return clientSide || binder == null ? grammarIncompleteCount
+                        : (int) serverGrammar().diagnostics().stream()
+                        .filter(diagnostic -> diagnostic.severity()
+                                == WritingGrammar.Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION).count();
+            }
+            @Override public void set(int value) { grammarIncompleteCount = value; }
+        });
        addSlot(new BinderSlot(BookBinderBlockEntity.COVER, 8, 27, 64));
        addSlot(new BinderSlot(BookBinderBlockEntity.LINK_PANEL, -1000, -1000, 1));
        addSlot(new BinderSlot(BookBinderBlockEntity.NOTEBOOK, -1000, -1000, 1));
@@ -87,11 +106,27 @@ public final class BookBinderMenu extends AbstractContainerMenu {
    }

    public int selectedPage() { return selectedPage; }
+    private WritingGrammar.Result serverGrammar() {
+        if (serverGrammar == null) serverGrammar = binder.writingGrammar();
+        return serverGrammar;
+    }
+    private Optional<WritingGrammar.Diagnostic> binderDiagnostic() {
+        WritingGrammar.Result grammar = serverGrammar();
+        return grammar.firstError().or(grammar::firstInstability).or(grammar::firstIncomplete);
+    }
    public Optional<WritingGrammar.Code> grammarError() {
        WritingGrammar.Code[] codes = WritingGrammar.Code.values();
        return grammarErrorCode >= 0 && grammarErrorCode < codes.length
                ? Optional.of(codes[grammarErrorCode]) : Optional.empty();
    }
+    public boolean grammarWarning() {
+        return grammarSeverity().orElse(null) == WritingGrammar.Severity.INSTABILITY;
+    }
+    public Optional<WritingGrammar.Severity> grammarSeverity() {
+        return grammarError().map(WritingGrammar.Code::severity);
+    }
+    public int grammarInstability() { return grammarInstability; }
+    public int grammarIncompleteCount() { return grammarIncompleteCount; }
    public int grammarErrorStripIndex() { return grammarErrorStripIndex; }
    public String title() { return binder == null ? "" : binder.title(); }
    public boolean setTitle(Player player, String title) {
@@ -218,6 +253,7 @@ public final class BookBinderMenu extends AbstractContainerMenu {
    }

    @Override public void broadcastChanges() {
+        serverGrammar = null;
        refreshResult();
        super.broadcastChanges();
    }
@@ -9,9 +9,16 @@ import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
 /** Registry-derived pages for biomes without hand-authored symbol JSON. */
 public final class BiomeSymbolPages {
    private static final ResourceLocation CATEGORY = ResourceLocation.fromNamespaceAndPath(Rivencraft.MOD_ID, "biome");
+    private static final ResourceLocation TERRABLENDER_DEFERRED_PLACEHOLDER =
+            ResourceLocation.fromNamespaceAndPath("terrablender", "deferred_placeholder");

    private BiomeSymbolPages() { }

+    /** TerraBlender's internal staging biome is registered, but is not a player-authorable biome page. */
+    public static boolean isPublicPageBiome(ResourceLocation biomeId) {
+        return !TERRABLENDER_DEFERRED_PLACEHOLDER.equals(biomeId);
+    }
+
    public static ResourceLocation symbolId(ResourceLocation biomeId) {
        // Preserve old vanilla page IDs, while keeping modded namespaces distinct.
        return ResourceLocation.fromNamespaceAndPath(Rivencraft.MOD_ID, "biome/"
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package net.dnorberg.rivencraft.writing;

 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.EnumMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ public final class WritingGrammar {
                ResourceLocation feature = ((SymbolSemantics.ResourceValue) parsed.semantics().value()).id();
                if (!MATERIAL_FEATURES.contains(feature.getPath())
                        || !feature.getNamespace().equals("rivencraft")) {
-                    diagnostics.add(new Diagnostic(Code.MISPLACED_MODIFIER, pendingBlock.index(),
+                    diagnostics.add(new Diagnostic(Code.UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE, pendingBlock.index(),
                            "This feature cannot consume a material page"));
                }
                pendingBlock = null;
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ public final class WritingGrammar {
                        "This environment effect needs renderer or precipitation support"));
            }
            if (singular(role)) {
-                ParsedSymbol previous = singular.putIfAbsent(role, parsed);
+                ParsedSymbol previous = singular.put(role, parsed);
                if (previous != null) {
                    Code code = previous.semantics().value().equals(parsed.semantics().value())
                            ? Code.DUPLICATE : Code.CONFLICT;
@@ -174,16 +175,40 @@ public final class WritingGrammar {
    public enum Code {
        TOO_MANY, MISSING_PANEL, PANEL_ORDER, DUPLICATE_PANEL, UNRESOLVED, UNSUPPORTED,
        DUPLICATE, CONFLICT, OUT_OF_ORDER, MISPLACED_MODIFIER, INCOMPLETE, UNSUPPORTED_PROFILE,
-        UNKNOWN_BIOME, UNSUPPORTED_BIOME, UNSUPPORTED_ENVIRONMENT, UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE
+        UNKNOWN_BIOME, UNSUPPORTED_BIOME, UNSUPPORTED_ENVIRONMENT, UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE,
+        UNSUPPORTED_COMBINATION;
+
+        public Severity severity() {
+            return switch (this) {
+                case INCOMPLETE -> Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION;
+                case DUPLICATE, CONFLICT, OUT_OF_ORDER, MISPLACED_MODIFIER -> Severity.INSTABILITY;
+                default -> Severity.FATAL;
+            };
+        }
    }

+    public enum Severity { FATAL, SEEDED_COMPLETION, INSTABILITY }
+
    public record Diagnostic(Code code, int index, String message) {
        public Diagnostic {
            Objects.requireNonNull(code, "code");
            Objects.requireNonNull(message, "message");
        }

-        public boolean error() { return code != Code.INCOMPLETE; }
+        public Severity severity() {
+            return code.severity();
+        }
+
+        public boolean error() { return severity() == Severity.FATAL; }
+
+        /** The known writing defects have an explicit, provisional M6 score. */
+        public int instability() {
+            return switch (code) {
+                case DUPLICATE, CONFLICT -> 500;
+                case OUT_OF_ORDER, MISPLACED_MODIFIER -> 100;
+                default -> 0;
+            };
+        }
    }

    public record ParsedSymbol(int index, SymbolReference reference, SymbolSemantics semantics) {
@@ -202,5 +227,45 @@ public final class WritingGrammar {
        public boolean randomFallback() { return symbols.isEmpty() && diagnostics.isEmpty(); }
        public boolean canCreate() { return diagnostics.stream().noneMatch(Diagnostic::error); }
        public Optional<Diagnostic> firstError() { return diagnostics.stream().filter(Diagnostic::error).findFirst(); }
+        public Optional<Diagnostic> firstWarning() {
+            return firstInstability();
+        }
+        public Optional<Diagnostic> firstInstability() {
+            return diagnostics.stream().filter(diagnostic -> diagnostic.severity() == Severity.INSTABILITY).findFirst();
+        }
+        public Optional<Diagnostic> firstIncomplete() {
+            return diagnostics.stream().filter(diagnostic -> diagnostic.severity() == Severity.SEEDED_COMPLETION).findFirst();
+        }
+        public int writingInstability() {
+            return diagnostics.stream().mapToInt(Diagnostic::instability).sum();
+        }
+
+        /** Preserve the book's original entries, but compile a repaired Legacy-style order. */
+        public List<ParsedSymbol> activeSymbols() {
+            EnumMap<Role, ParsedSymbol> lastChoice = new EnumMap<>(Role.class);
+            for (ParsedSymbol symbol : symbols) {
+                if (singular(symbol.semantics().role())) lastChoice.put(symbol.semantics().role(), symbol);
+            }
+            List<ParsedSymbol> active = new ArrayList<>();
+            for (ParsedSymbol symbol : symbols) {
+                if (!singular(symbol.semantics().role())
+                        || lastChoice.get(symbol.semantics().role()) == symbol) active.add(symbol);
+            }
+            active.sort(Comparator.comparingInt(symbol -> stage(symbol.semantics().role())));
+            ParsedSymbol controller = lastChoice.get(Role.BIOME_CONTROLLER);
+            if (controller != null && controller.semantics().value() instanceof ChoiceValue choice) {
+                if (choice.id().equals("native")) {
+                    active.removeIf(symbol -> symbol.semantics().role() == Role.BIOME);
+                } else if (choice.id().equals("single")) {
+                    boolean retained = false;
+                    for (int index = 0; index < active.size(); index++) {
+                        if (active.get(index).semantics().role() != Role.BIOME) continue;
+                        if (!retained) retained = true;
+                        else active.remove(index--);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            return List.copyOf(active);
+        }
    }
 }
@@ -47,10 +47,22 @@
  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported": "Page %s: this symbol needs semantic schema v2; update its data pack or remove it",
  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported_profile": "Page %s: its Age profile is unavailable; restore the data pack or remove this page",
  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported_environment": "Page %s: this weather or sky effect is not supported yet",
-  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.duplicate": "Page %s: remove the duplicate symbol",
-  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.conflict": "Page %s: replace the conflicting symbol",
-  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.out_of_order": "Page %s: move this symbol before later categories",
-  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.misplaced_modifier": "Page %s: move this modifier before its celestial page",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.duplicate": "Page %s: duplicate page adds instability; the last choice is used",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.conflict": "Page %s: conflicting page adds instability; the supported choice is used",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.out_of_order": "Page %s: incorrect order adds instability; the Age repairs the order",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.misplaced_modifier": "Page %s: misplaced modifier adds instability; the Age repairs its order",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.incomplete": "Missing branches will be completed from the Age seed",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unknown_biome": "Page %s: biome is unavailable; restore its data pack",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported_biome": "Page %s: biome is incompatible with this terrain",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported_feature": "Page %s: feature is incompatible with this Age",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.grammar.unsupported_combination": "These pages cannot generate together; no inputs will be consumed",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.fatal": "Blocked",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.unstable": "Unstable +%s",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.seeded": "Seeded",
+  "screen.rivencraft.book_binder.status.seeded_count": "%s missing branches will be seeded",
+  "screen.rivencraft.age.writing.fatal": "Writing blocked",
+  "screen.rivencraft.age.writing.unstable": "Unstable +%s",
+  "screen.rivencraft.age.writing.seeded": "Missing parts seeded",
  "screen.rivencraft.writing_desk.ink": "Ink: %s/%s",
  "screen.rivencraft.writing_desk.search": "Search",
  "screen.rivencraft.writing_desk.sort": "Sort pages by name (A–Z)",
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
dnorberg	8b32735c2e	Add bounded per-Age instability provider runtime (#66 ) Build / build (push) Canceled after 0s Details	2026-10-09 01:56:39 -04:00
dnorberg	7a47e40e2d	Freeze Age instability scores and classify authored writing (#64 #65 ) Build / build (push) Canceled after 0s Details	2026-10-09 00:12:31 -04:00
dnorberg	86cda69d11	Audit Legacy instability and allow unstable supported writing Build / build (push) Canceled after 0s Details Persist repaired Age writing and provisional instability penalties, retain fatal diagnostics for unsupported content, and hide TerraBlender's deferred placeholder biome from creative and JEI.	2026-10-08 14:10:42 -04:00