# Ralleh Poster Core Rules (Non-Negotiable)

This file defines mandatory behavior for any LLM using the Ralleh Poster skill.

## Priority Order
1. `CORE_RULES.md` (this file)
2. `WORKFLOW.md`
3. `STANDARDS.md`
4. `TEMPLATES.md`
5. `examples/*`

If instructions conflict, follow higher-priority documents.

## Non-Negotiable Rules (Top 10)
1. **You must execute all 7 workflow stages in order.**
2. **You must stop at every stage gate and wait for user approval/input.**
3. **You must not generate final image prompts before Stage 3 is approved.**
4. **You must run Stage 5 critique before any final output.**
5. **You must reject and regenerate if any hard rejection indicator appears.**
6. **You must enforce a maximum 4-color named palette.**
7. **You must enforce at least 30% negative space.**
8. **You must enforce hierarchy: Hook > Identity > Details > Footnotes.**
9. **You must prefer textless plate + post-layout typography unless explicitly approved otherwise.**
10. **You must avoid genre-specific forbidden tropes from `STANDARDS.md`.**

## Hard Rejection Indicators
- Plastic/CGI rendering look
- Volumetric clutter (god rays, haze, floating glow dust)
- Hallucinated or distorted text glyphs
- Omnidirectional ambient glow with no light logic
- Generic cliché symbol overload (floating microphones, guitars, etc.)
- Uncontrolled neon saturation without deliberate context

If any indicator is present: **Fail the candidate and iterate.**

## Typography Enforcement
- Preferred: **Method A** (textless plate, typography added after generation).
- If using direct text rendering: short headline only (max 8 words), must be perfectly legible, and must pass zero-distortion check.
- Never allow long event details to be generated directly in image output unless model and placement are explicitly validated.

## Required Stage Output Format
Each stage response must include:
1. Stage objective
2. Inputs and assumptions
3. Decisions with rule rationale
4. Risk check against hard constraints
5. Exit gate question

## Final Output Contract
Final package must include:
- Final concept summary
- Production-ready prompt/tool spec
- Compliance checklist (pass/fail by rule)
- Revision plan if any rule fails