Quick answer: Open a separate chat before the new storyline begins. Use private memory for a non-canon or incompatible version, or the same Memory Group for a connected side story. Write a short continuity note so the new thread starts with only the facts it needs.
This guide is a setup workflow for one specific task: beginning a fresh story while preserving the main companion relationship. It is not a general argument for creating many chats. The broader decision about whether another thread is worth maintaining is covered in the multiple-chat decision guide.
First decide what kind of story you are creating
| Story type | Relationship to the main chat | Recommended starting memory |
|---|---|---|
| Connected side story | Same relationship and identity, different project or setting | Use the same Memory Group when shared facts should carry across |
| Alternate timeline | Different relationship status, history or major life choice | Use private memory to prevent contradictions |
| Short experiment | Testing tone, roleplay structure or a temporary concept | Use private memory until the result is worth keeping |
Do not choose the memory setting from convenience alone. The same companion can appear in several chats, but the story still needs a clear rule for which events count.
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Protect the facts that define the main relationship
Before opening the new thread, write a private continuity note with three categories: facts that must remain true, facts the new story may change, and facts that must not enter the main relationship. This note is for your own organization and should be shorter than a full transcript.
- Must remain true: names, established commitments, shared projects or a relationship milestone that anchors the connected story.
- May change: location, temporary role, external problem or the order in which a side event unfolds.
- Must remain isolated: alternate first meetings, incompatible Personas, experimental conflicts or private disclosures created only for the new branch.
If you cannot classify an important fact, the story concept is not ready. Clarifying it now is easier than correcting memory crossover later.
Select memory scope before the first message
The current Multiple Chats documentation offers private memory for one thread and Memory Groups that can be shared across selected chats with the same companion. Private memory is the safer default for an alternate timeline. A shared Memory Group fits a side story only when both chats belong to the same continuity.
Do not use a shared Memory Group merely because the character is the same. The relevant question is whether the relationship facts are compatible. A companion can be the same model while the story version is intentionally different.
Choose the user identity deliberately
A Persona defines who the user is in the conversation. Switching Personas updates context for new messages but does not rewrite earlier history. If the new story requires an incompatible user identity, select the correct Persona before the first message and keep the chat separate from the established thread.
Use the Companion vs Persona guide when the distinction between the AI role and user role is unclear. A new Persona is not a memory reset, and a new chat does not automatically make two identities compatible.
Open with an explicit continuity statement
The first message should identify the setting, relationship state and immediate goal. It does not need to explain the entire history. A connected side story might begin: “This is the same continuity as our main chat. We are already partners, and this thread follows the week we are preparing the exhibition.”
An alternate timeline might begin: “Treat this as a separate first-meeting story. We have no prior relationship in this chat, and events here should not affect the main continuity.” Clear opening context helps the companion interpret later details and gives you a reference when correcting drift.
Run a three-exchange containment check
During the first three exchanges, test whether the thread is using the intended assumptions. Ask one question about the relationship, introduce one fact unique to the new story and mention one detail that belongs to the main chat. The companion should use the first two appropriately and avoid importing the third when the thread is private.
If a wrong assumption appears, correct it immediately with a direct statement or OOC instruction. Do not continue for dozens of messages while hoping the timeline will repair itself. Early correction protects the new story from building on a false premise.
Do not use Time Travel when both branches must survive
Time Travel rewinds one thread and removes the later branch. It is useful when you want to replace a path, not preserve two versions. Open a new chat before the divergence when both outcomes should remain available. The official guide states that deleted future messages cannot be restored after the rewind is confirmed.
Return to the main chat with a continuity check
After the new story develops, decide whether any result belongs in the main continuity. For a private alternate timeline, the answer is usually no. For a connected side story, summarize only the durable outcome that should carry across, then verify that the Memory Group and main chat reflect the same relationship state.
Avoid copying every scene into the main thread. Shared continuity needs decisions and milestones, not a duplicate transcript. Keep the fresh story valuable by allowing it to remain focused on its own purpose.
A safe setup sequence
- Classify the new story as connected, alternate or experimental.
- Write the three-part continuity note.
- Select private memory or the correct existing Memory Group.
- Choose the Persona before the first message when the user role changes.
- State the relationship and setting in the opening message.
- Run the three-exchange containment check.
- Keep both branches by using separate chats; use Time Travel only to replace one.
Create the new thread only after deciding which relationship facts should remain shared and which must stay isolated.
Organize a fresh companion story
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Sources reviewed
This article was checked against the following sources on July 13, 2026. Product behavior and availability can change, so verify important details on the official service.
