Two ways to have a character
A gallery keeps your character as a record on somebody's server, tied to an account, visible to moderation and countable as content. A character written into the conversation exists for that conversation only. The 2 differ in convenience and in what is left behind.
The gallery model has become the default, and it is a product decision rather than a technical requirement. A character is a paragraph of text; it does not need a database to exist.
What a gallery adds
Reuse without retyping, sharing with other people, and a place to keep a long-running story. These are real conveniences and they are the reason galleries exist. If you use one character for months, the gallery is doing something for you.
What a gallery keeps
A stored record tied to your account, readable by whoever operates the service, and usually subject to review. Characters have been removed from galleries retroactively, which is only possible because they were stored. The trade is convenience against a record that outlives your interest in it.
The paragraph alternative
Keep the description in your own notes and paste it at the start of a conversation. Retyping is replaced by copying, nothing is stored anywhere, and no rule change can remove a character that was never uploaded. The cost is that continuity is yours to manage.
Which one fits which use
A long shared story with several people needs the gallery. A character you use for an afternoon does not, and using a gallery for it creates a record for no gain. Choosing by duration rather than by habit is the useful rule.
Before you start
Does the conversation still get stored?
That depends on the service and it is a separate question from the character. A service with no account has less to attach either to.
Can I keep continuity without a gallery?
A short summary of what happened, pasted with the description, does most of the work. It is also more reliable than a gallery's own memory.
Is a shared character worth the record?
For a group story, usually yes. The point is that it is a trade rather than the only way to have a character.
Paste a description and start a scene with nothing stored.
Start a character chat