> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.aurous-labs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Save a reviewing character

> Promote a synthesize-flow character from reviewing to ready.

`POST /v1/characters/{id}/save` is the publication step of the synthesize flow. It moves a `reviewing` character to `ready`, cleans up temporary upload bytes from the synthesis pipeline, and makes the character referenceable via `character_id` on [`POST /v1/images`](/api-reference/images/create-image) or [`POST /v1/videos`](/api-reference/videos/create-video).

This endpoint costs **no** credits and dispatches no inference — it is purely a state transition.

## When to use

* The synthesize flow finished (`status: reviewing`) and you've inspected `refs[]` — the four poses look right and you're ready to use the character.
* You want to convert an idempotent intent ("create the character") into a usable resource without doing extra work.

If the refs **don't** look right, call [`POST /v1/characters/{id}/refs/regenerate`](/api-reference/characters/regenerate-ref) (one pose) or [`POST /v1/characters/{id}/resynthesize`](/api-reference/characters/resynthesize-character) (all four) instead. To discard, call [`DELETE /v1/characters/{id}`](/api-reference/characters/delete-character).

## Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2VNABCDEFGHJKM/save \
    -H "X-Api-Key: $AUROUS_API_KEY"
  ```

  ```typescript Node.js theme={null}
  const character = await fetch(
    `https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/${id}/save`,
    { method: "POST", headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.AUROUS_API_KEY! } },
  ).then((r) => r.json());

  console.log(character.status); // "ready"
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import os, requests

  r = requests.post(
      f"https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/{character_id}/save",
      headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["AUROUS_API_KEY"]},
  ).json()

  print(r["status"])  # "ready"
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Limits

* **Rate limit**: bucket `characters_post` — 30 requests/min sustained, 60 burst per team.

## Errors

| Code                 | HTTP | When                                                                 |
| -------------------- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `invalid_request`    | 400  | Character is in a non-savable state (e.g. `synthesizing`, `failed`). |
| `resource_not_found` | 404  | Unknown ID, soft-deleted character, or cross-team.                   |

## Common pitfalls

* Save is idempotent on already-`ready` characters — calling it twice returns 200 both times with `status: ready` unchanged. Use this property to retry confidently.
* A `synthesizing` character returns `400` — don't call save until you've polled and seen `status: reviewing`.
* After save, the character cannot be returned to `reviewing`. To retry refs, call `regenerate-ref` (single pose) or `resynthesize` (all four).


## OpenAPI

````yaml POST /v1/characters/{id}/save
openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: Aurous Labs API
  description: >-
    Generate AI images with custom LoRA styles.


    ## Authentication

    All requests require an API key passed in the `X-Api-Key` header.

    Create API keys in your
    [dashboard](https://app.aurous-labs.com/dashboard/api-keys).


    ## Closed-beta access gate

    API keys are scoped to a user. If that user's account is not approved for
    the closed beta, every request returns `403` with one of these `error.code`
    values:


    - `account_pending` — awaiting review

    - `account_rejected` — declined post-signup

    - `account_suspended` — was approved, then suspended


    There is no retry — contact support to be approved. The same codes are
    emitted by the WebSocket gateway via 4001 close.


    ## Common headers

    Every response carries `Aurous-Request-Id` (a server-minted `req_<ULID>` for
    support tracing) and `Aurous-Version` (the API version applied to the
    response). Optionally pin a version on the request with `Aurous-Version:
    YYYY-MM-DD` — defaults to your team's pinned version.


    ## Quick Start

    ```bash

    curl -X POST https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/images \
      -H "X-Api-Key: al_live_your_key" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"prompt": "A golden sunset over mountains", "lora_id": "your-lora-id", "size": "2k_1_1"}'
    ```
  version: 1.0.0
  contact: {}
servers:
  - url: https://api.aurous-labs.com
    description: Production
  - url: https://api.preprod.aurous-labs.com
    description: Preprod (staging)
security: []
tags:
  - name: Seedance (raw)
    description: >-
      Drop-in raw passthrough for Seedance video generation. Point the official
      Seedance provider SDK at this API's base URL and authenticate with your
      Aurous API key in the `X-Api-Key` header — request bodies are forwarded to
      the provider verbatim and responses come back shape-identical, so you keep
      the provider's exact request/response shapes. Task ids are Aurous-native
      `vid_…` ids. Billing rides response headers, not the body:
      `Aurous-Credits-Held` on the create response and `Aurous-Credits-Charged`
      on a settled, succeeded task read — the body itself stays provider-shaped.
paths:
  /v1/characters/{id}/save:
    post:
      tags:
        - Public API (v1) — Characters
      summary: Save a reviewing character (move to ready)
      description: >-
        Transitions a `reviewing` character to `ready` — the temp upload bytes
        are cleaned up and the character becomes referenceable on POST
        /v1/images via `character_id`. Idempotent on already-`ready` characters
        (200, status unchanged). Returns 400 `invalid_request` if the character
        is in a non-savable state (e.g. `synthesizing`, `failed`).


        **Note (async create):** characters created via POST /v1/characters now
        auto-advance to `ready` on success — they never pass through
        `reviewing`, so calling /save on one returns 200 (already ready) or 400
        (non-savable state). /save remains for dashboard-origin `reviewing`
        rows. Clients that polled for `reviewing` after create will now see
        `ready` directly (or receive the `character.completed` webhook).
      operationId: V1CharactersController_save
      parameters:
        - name: id
          required: true
          in: path
          description: Opaque character ID
          schema:
            example: char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMR
            type: string
        - name: Aurous-Version
          in: header
          required: false
          description: >-
            Optional API version pin (YYYY-MM-DD). Defaults to your team's
            pinned version, or the system default `2026-07-16` for
            unauthenticated requests.
          schema:
            type: string
            example: '2026-07-16'
            pattern: ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Character saved
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '400':
          description: Character not in a savable state
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '401':
          description: Unauthorized
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '403':
          description: >-
            Account not approved for closed beta. error.code is one of
            `account_pending`, `account_rejected`, `account_suspended`. There is
            no retry — contact support to be approved.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '404':
          description: Not found / cross-team
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '429':
          description: Rate limit exceeded
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
            Retry-After:
              description: >-
                Seconds to wait before retrying. Present on 429 (rate limit) and
                on 503 provider_unavailable. Prefer this over computing
                X-RateLimit-Reset − now.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 12
        '503':
          description: >-
            Character generation is temporarily unavailable, or the platform
            could not verify your account/billing state or prepare the request
            (for example, reference images) before dispatch — error.code is
            `provider_unavailable` in every case. Retry after the number of
            seconds in the `Retry-After` header.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
            Retry-After:
              description: >-
                Seconds to wait before retrying. Present on 429 (rate limit) and
                on 503 provider_unavailable. Prefer this over computing
                X-RateLimit-Reset − now.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 12
      security:
        - api-key: []
components:
  schemas:
    CharacterResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          description: Opaque character ID.
          example: char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMR
        object:
          type: string
          description: Discriminator
          example: character
          enum:
            - character
        name:
          type: string
          description: Display name.
          example: Aurora the Adventurer
        client_reference_id:
          type: object
          description: >-
            Caller-supplied reference echoed back (the value sent on create).
            Null if unset.
          nullable: true
          example: bot_8472
        status:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Lifecycle state. `synthesizing`: synthesize flow running.
            `reviewing`: synthesize completed, awaiting POST /:id/save. `ready`:
            usable on POST /v1/images. `failed`: synthesize failed; use POST
            /:id/resynthesize to retry. `deleted`: soft-deleted (filtered out of
            list endpoint).
          example: ready
          enum:
            - synthesizing
            - reviewing
            - ready
            - failed
            - deleted
        attributes:
          description: Character attributes. Null when unset.
          nullable: true
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterAttributesResponse'
        refs:
          description: Reference images (typically 4 poses).
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterRefEntry'
        error_message:
          type: object
          description: Error message when status is `failed`. Null otherwise.
          nullable: true
          example: null
        aurous_version:
          type: string
          description: >-
            API contract version applied at the time this row was minted (D25 —
            frozen for replay across future version bumps).
          example: '2026-07-16'
        created_at:
          type: string
          description: Creation timestamp (ISO 8601).
          example: '2026-05-08T10:00:00Z'
        updated_at:
          type: string
          description: Last-update timestamp (ISO 8601).
          example: '2026-05-08T10:00:00Z'
      required:
        - id
        - object
        - name
        - status
        - refs
        - created_at
        - updated_at
    ErrorResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          description: Error payload
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorPayload'
      required:
        - error
    CharacterAttributesResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        gender:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: female
        age:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: 28
        ethnicity:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: east-asian
        hair_color:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: black
        hair_style:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: shoulder-length straight
        eye_color:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: brown
        body_type:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: athletic
        additional_details:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          description: Free-text catch-all for attributes outside the typed fields.
          example: small scar above right eyebrow; warm smile
    CharacterRefEntry:
      type: object
      properties:
        pose:
          type: string
          description: Pose label for this reference image.
          enum:
            - portrait
            - front
            - side
            - back
            - other
          example: front
        url:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Signed URL for the ref image. TTL is 24h — re-fetch the character
            (GET /v1/characters/{id}) to mint a fresh URL set when one expires.
          example: https://api.aurous-labs.com/storage/.../front.bin?token=…
      required:
        - pose
        - url
    ErrorPayload:
      type: object
      properties:
        type:
          type: string
          description: Broad error category
          example: invalid_request
          enum:
            - invalid_request
            - authentication
            - not_found
            - rate_limit
            - server_error
        code:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Stable error code (programmatic discriminator). Closed-beta gate
            emits one of `account_pending`, `account_rejected`,
            `account_suspended` on 403.
          example: balance_too_low
          enum:
            - invalid_request
            - missing_field
            - invalid_format
            - value_out_of_range
            - unsupported_lora_for_mode
            - generation_not_cancellable
            - prompt_blocked
            - reference_blocked
            - output_moderation_rejected
            - unknown_version
            - mutually_exclusive_input
            - character_not_ready
            - parameter_invalid_combination
            - style_retired
            - parameter_invalid
            - too_many_reference_images
            - action_not_available
            - upload_invalid
            - balance_too_low
            - idempotency_key_in_use
            - api_key_not_found
            - payload_too_large
            - missing_api_key
            - invalid_api_key
            - revoked_api_key
            - resource_not_found
            - forbidden_resource
            - account_pending
            - account_rejected
            - account_suspended
            - already_approved
            - already_rejected
            - already_suspended
            - invalid_reinstate_target
            - invalid_suspend_target
            - cannot_moderate_admin
            - too_many_requests
            - concurrency_limit_exceeded
            - tpm_rate_limit_exceeded
            - internal_error
            - provider_unavailable
            - provider_timeout
            - provider_not_configured
            - invalid_time_range
            - invalid_bucket_width
            - too_many_buckets
            - too_many_group_by
            - invalid_filter
            - invalid_page_token
            - export_too_large
            - user_already_exists
            - self_invite_forbidden
            - invite_link_failed
            - invite_rate_limited
            - model_not_found
            - model_disabled
            - model_wrong_kind
            - max_tokens_exceeds_hard_cap
            - chat_model_misconfigured
            - embeddings_input_too_large
            - embeddings_unsupported_dimensions
            - pricing_frozen
            - provider_rate_limited
            - chat_provider_request_invalid
            - chat_provider_auth_failed
            - chat_provider_unavailable
            - max_input_tokens_exceeded
            - chat_provider_unknown_error
            - embeddings_provider_unknown_error
            - embeddings_batch_not_supported
            - embeddings_input_too_many_items
            - embeddings_video_unsupported
            - encoding_format_unsupported
            - missing_max_tokens_no_model_default
            - chat_cancel_target_not_found
            - chat_completion_not_found
            - chat_cancel_target_already_terminal
            - chat_cancel_target_not_cancellable
            - tool_choice_required_unsupported
            - response_format_too_large
            - response_format_too_deep
            - invalid_cursor
            - invalid_cursor_for_endpoint
            - model_slug_exists
            - output_expired
            - output_not_available
            - content_filtered
            - image_generation_failed
            - reference_media_invalid
            - reference_media_cap_reached
            - reference_fetch_failed
            - unsupported_auth_method
            - insufficient_scope
            - uploads_expired
            - provider_unknown_error
            - first_frame_too_small
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable message
          example: Team available balance is 1.5 credits, generation requires 2.0.
        param:
          type: object
          description: Field name when the error is parameter-scoped
          example: prompt
          nullable: true
        doc_url:
          type: string
          description: Documentation link for this error code
          example: https://docs.aurous-labs.com/errors#balance_too_low
        request_id:
          type: string
          description: Echoes Aurous-Request-Id — quote in support tickets
          example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2VNABCDEFGHJKM
      required:
        - type
        - code
        - message
        - doc_url
        - request_id
  securitySchemes:
    api-key:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-Api-Key
      description: Your team API key (starts with `al_live_`).

````