arc-progression-check

name	arc-progression-check
description	Load during ConsistencyAgent post-write review when checking whether the current chapter advances each protagonist's arc relative to the previous chapter. Flags stagnation (2+ chapters without substantive arc movement) and unbacked leaps (sudden psychological shifts without setup).

Arc Progression Check

Use this skill to verify that character arcs move credibly across chapters.

What Counts As Movement

Arc movement is a pressure event changing the character's relationship to desire, fear, false belief, self-image, or another person.

Small movement counts if it is real:

• A false belief is challenged.
• A defense mechanism fails.
• A desire becomes more costly.
• A fear becomes harder to avoid.
• A relationship forces a new self-understanding.

Problems To Flag

• Stagnation: two or more chapters with no substantive internal pressure or changed stance.
• Unbacked leap: a sudden psychological shift without setup.
• Repeated beat: the character relearns the same lesson in the same way.
• External-only plot: events happen to the character but do not affect the arc.

Findings

• Use layer: character.
• Use severity: minor for stagnation or repeated beats.
• Use severity: major for unbacked leaps that break believability.

Calibration

Do not demand dramatic transformation every chapter. A credible hesitation can be stronger than an instant breakthrough.