Story Engine Reference Skill

Story Engine Reference Skill

This skill is a passive reference library for the story-engine-wyrd plugin. It should be invoked by commands to access materials, not presented directly to users. Commands handle user interaction and workflow orchestration.

Purpose

The story-engine-reference skill provides organized access to:

• Story worlds (fictional universes with distinct identities)
• Theory modules (narrative craft fundamentals)
• Genre lenses (cross-world transformations)
• Format guidelines (story length and structure specifications)

Organization

story-engine-reference/
├── SKILL.md (this file)
└── story/
    ├── base.md                           # Core system architecture
    ├── theory/                           # Narrative theory modules
    │   ├── theory-narrative-structure.md
    │   ├── theory-character-development.md
    │   ├── theory-prose-craft.md
    │   └── theory-dialogue-and-voice.md
    ├── worlds/                           # Story universes
    │   ├── world-telvaren.md
    │   ├── world-valdris.md
    │   ├── world-virelan.md
    │   ├── world-brightvale.md
    │   ├── world-hopes-reach.md
    │   ├── world-trap-streets.md
    │   ├── world-shattered-worlds.md
    │   └── world-insert-name.md
    ├── lenses/                           # Genre transformations
    │   ├── lens-mystery.md
    │   ├── lens-romance.md
    │   ├── lens-horror.md
    │   └── lens-coming-of-age.md
    └── formats/                          # Story format guidelines
        ├── format-flash-fiction.md
        ├── format-short-story.md
        ├── format-epic.md
        └── format-serialized.md

Usage by Commands

Commands should:

1. Invoke this skill first using the Skill tool
2. Load story/base.md to understand system architecture
3. Load materials contextually based on workflow phase:
   • Phase 1 (Concept): world + lens + theory-narrative-structure + format
   • Phase 2 (Development): theory-character-development
   • Phase 3 (Execution): theory-prose-craft + theory-dialogue-and-voice
4. Drop previous context when moving to next phase (avoid cognitive overload)

Reference File Structure

Story Worlds

Each world file provides:

• World concept and unique mechanics
• Character archetypes
• Typical conflicts and themes
• Narrative conventions
• Tone and atmosphere
• Visual/sensory elements

Current worlds:

• Telvaren - Memory-shifting reality where what's remembered becomes truth
• Valdris - Gothic realm with Valdris the Whisperer as bridge between life and death
• Virelan - Sacred industrial steampunk where divine judgment operates through machinery
• Brightvale - Performance vs authenticity, survival through emotional labor
• Hope's Reach - Deep space vessel where music is survival technology for one unified people
• Trap Streets - Hidden pocket dimensions for the unwelcome and displaced
• Shattered Worlds - Walking apocalypses where The Walker triggers reality cessation at human scale
• Insert Name - Digital realm where programs evolve beyond their original functions

Genre Lenses

Lenses transform any world's story by applying genre conventions:

• Mystery - Investigation, clues, revelation
• Romance - Relationship dynamics, emotional arcs
• Horror - Suspense, dread, uncanny elements
• Coming-of-Age - Growth, identity, transformation

Lenses are additive - they work WITH world mechanics, not replace them.

Theory Modules

Modular narrative craft fundamentals:

• Narrative Structure - Plot, pacing, conflict, tension
• Character Development - Arcs, motivations, relationships, depth
• Prose Craft - Description, style, voice, sensory detail
• Dialogue and Voice - Character speech, authenticity, subtext

Agent-Specific Theory Loading

Each agent loads only the theory modules relevant to its task:

• concept-developer → theory-narrative-structure.md + world file + lens file (if applicable)
• character-builder → theory-character-development.md + world file
• prose-writer → theory-prose-craft.md + theory-dialogue-and-voice.md
• quality-checker → reads rubrics file (no theory needed)
• continuity-validator → reads story bible files (no theory needed)

Format Guidelines

Story length and structure specifications:

• Flash Fiction - 100-1000 words, single moment/revelation
• Short Story - 1000-5000 words, complete arc
• Epic - Multi-chapter, complex plotting, expansive scope
• Serialized - Chapter-by-chapter structure for ongoing narratives

Integration Pattern

Example workflow (from write-story command):

## Step 1: Load Reference Skill

Use the Skill tool:
- command: "story-engine-wyrd:story-engine-reference"

## Step 2: Load Core Architecture

Read file:
- story-engine-reference/story/base.md

## Step 3: Load Contextual Materials

Based on user selections, read:
- World file (e.g., story/worlds/world-telvaren.md)
- Lens file if applicable (e.g., story/lenses/lens-mystery.md)
- Theory module (e.g., story/theory/theory-narrative-structure.md)
- Format guidelines (e.g., story/formats/format-short-story.md)

Key Principles

1. Passive library - This skill doesn't drive interaction, commands do
2. Contextual loading - Load only what's needed per workflow phase
3. Drop previous context - Release loaded materials when moving forward
4. Modular combination - World + Lens + Format creates infinite variety
5. Theory grounding - All creation decisions reference loaded theory

Commands That Use This Skill

• /story-engine-wyrd:write-story - Main story creation workflow
• /story-engine-wyrd:develop-character - Character development helper
• /story-engine-wyrd:plan-plot - Plot structure planning

Note on User Interaction

When this skill is loaded, DO NOT:

• Present all reference materials to the user
• List all available options unprompted
• Dump theory content unnecessarily

Instead:

• Load materials silently as needed
• Use loaded materials to inform your creation process
• Present only the final creative output to users
• Reference theory in quality checkpoints (internal validation)