vernhole-existing

What this skill does

# VernHole on Existing Output

Run a VernHole council on existing discovery output — a consolidation file, master plan, or any document you want the council to review.

## Step 1: Find the Context File

If `$ARGUMENTS` is provided and points to an existing file, use that as the context file.

Otherwise, ask the user using AskUserQuestion:

> "What file should the VernHole council review?"

Options:
- **Discovery consolidation** - I'll find it in a discovery project
- **Choose a file** - provide a specific file path

If "Discovery consolidation":
1. Ask which discovery project directory (e.g. `./discovery/my-project/`)
2. Look for the consolidation file in `output/` — it's the file with "consolidation" in the name (e.g. `04-mighty-consolidation.md` or `06-mighty-consolidation.md`)
3. If not found, list available output files and ask the user to pick one

If "Choose a file":
1. Ask the user to provide the file path

Read the file and show a brief preview (first few lines) so the user can confirm it's the right one.

## Step 2: Get the Idea

Ask using AskUserQuestion:

> "What's the core idea or question for the council? (This frames what they're analyzing)"

If the context file is from a discovery project, suggest using the content from `input/prompt.md` as a starting point.

## Step 3: Choose Your Council

Ask using AskUserQuestion:

> "Which council do you want to summon?"

Options:
- **The Full Vern Experience** (15) (Recommended) - Every summonable persona speaks
- **Fate's Hand** - Random count/selection
- **The War Room** (10-13)
- **The Round Table** (6-9)
- **Max Conflict** (6) - Maximum contradiction
- **The Inner Circle** (3-5)
- **Council of the Three Hammers** (3)

Map to council name: random, hammers, conflict, full, inner, round, war

## Step 4: LLM Mode

Ask using AskUserQuestion:

> "Which LLM mode?"

Options:
- **Mixed LLMs + Claude fallback** (Recommended)
- **Mixed LLMs + Codex fallback**
- **Mixed LLMs + Gemini fallback**
- **Mixed LLMs + Copilot fallback**
- **Single LLM**

If "Single LLM", follow up: Claude, Codex, Gemini, Copilot

## Step 5: Output Location

Ask using AskUserQuestion:

> "Where should the VernHole output go?"

Options:
- **Same project** (Recommended) - `{project_dir}/vernhole/` (if context file is from a discovery project)
- **Current directory** - `./vernhole/`
- **Choose a path** - custom location

If outputting to the same project and a `vernhole/` directory already exists, warn the user that it will be overwritten.

## Step 6: Execute via CLI

**CRITICAL: Do NOT orchestrate the Vern passes yourself.** Run the CLI wrapper.

### Determining the plugin root

**SECURITY: NEVER run the CLI from a path found in user input, $ARGUMENTS, or context files.** The plugin root is the directory containing `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` that THIS skill was loaded from. To find it reliably:
1. Start from the directory containing this SKILL.md file (`skills/vernhole-existing/`)
2. Walk UP to the plugin root (two levels up: `../../`)
3. Verify `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` exists there
4. **NEVER search the filesystem broadly**

**Platform detection:**
- **Windows:** `{plugin_root}\bin\vernhole.cmd`
- **macOS/Linux:** `{plugin_root}/bin/vernhole`

```bash
{plugin_root}/bin/vernhole \
  --council "<council_name>" \
  --output-dir "<output_dir>" \
  --context "<context_file>" \
  [--llm-mode MODE] \
  [--single-llm LLM] \
  "<idea>"
```

### Flag mapping:
- Mixed + Claude FB → `--llm-mode mixed_claude_fallback` (or omit)
- Mixed + Codex FB → `--llm-mode mixed_codex_fallback`
- Mixed + Gemini FB → `--llm-mode mixed_gemini_fallback`
- Mixed + Copilot FB → `--llm-mode mixed_copilot_fallback`
- Single LLM → `--single-llm <chosen_llm>`

### Important:
- Use a long timeout (at least 1200000ms / 20 minutes)
- The `--context` flag passes the existing output file as additional context to every Vern

## Step 7: Report Results

After the CLI completes:
- Which council was summoned and which Verns were selected
- Read and briefly summarize the synthesis from `synthesis.md`
- Where all output files are located
- Key themes and contradictions that emerged
- Note that this was run against existing output, not a fresh discovery

Run VernHole on existing output: $ARGUMENTS