# Agent Rails — Igor Session Journal

**Date**: 2026-09-21
**Topic**: Gitea issue #5 — Agent Rails (agent write capabilities, cycle codification, Athanor clarification)
**Worktree/branch**: main

## Log

- 14:00 — Session opened. Issue #5 fetched from Gitea. Three threads identified: (1) agents need write access, not just read-only Explore/Plan, (2) codify the development cycle (brainstorm → research → design → plan → athanor → review → loop), (3) clarify Athanor naming — it IS the oven, not something put into the oven.
- 00:00 — Three agents dispatched in parallel:
  - Opus: fix agent write capabilities (audit + edit all delegation guidance)
  - Opus: fix Athanor naming/metaphor consistency
  - Fable: design the development cycle spec
- 00:02 — Athanor naming agent returned. 3 files edited (athanor.md, igor/SKILL.md, zathras/SKILL.md). Metaphor guardrail added to Igor voice section. Report filed.
- 00:03 — Fable cycle design agent returned. Design written to `designs/2026-09-22-development-cycle.md`. 6 stages, review decision tree, Athanor queuing rules, workpad mapping. Flagged: Pinky agent referenced in design spec but no agent def exists.
- 00:04 — Write-capabilities agent returned. 4 files edited (model-tiers.md, igor/SKILL.md, zathras/SKILL.md, adept.md). Root cause: model-tiers.md promoted Explore/Plan as "safe leaves" without noting read-only limitation. Now replaced with write-capability guard section steering to scout/search/researcher.
- 00:05 — Gap analysis: cycle design exists but no skill/agent references it. Six files need wiring.
- 00:07 — Opus agent dispatched to wire cycle into skills. Returned: Igor got full Development Cycle section (stages, decision tree, queuing, separation rule). Athanor got 3 operating-rule bullets (queue, commit, no self-review). Implementation, research, research-tree got framing notes. Plugin design spec Athanor metaphor fixed (2 instances).

## Adepts

No domain adepts active. Roster is empty (no domain folders yet).

## Artifacts

- `docs/workpad/reports/2026-09-22-00-athanor-naming-fix.md` — Athanor metaphor fix report
- `docs/workpad/reports/2026-09-22-00-agent-write-capabilities-fix.md` — Write-capability fix report
- `docs/workpad/designs/2026-09-22-development-cycle.md` — Development cycle design (first pass)
- `docs/workpad/reports/2026-09-22-01-cycle-wiring.md` — Cycle wiring report

## Open threads

- Pinky agent: referenced in plugin design spec as brainstorm agent, no `agents/pinky.md` exists. Stale or TODO?
- Cycle design is a first-pass design doc — user may want to promote parts to spec after review.
- Review severity definitions are loose — may want tighter criteria.
- Assistant skill fixed to route to Igor instead of Zathras (Zathras skill not loading in remote env).

## Graduation candidates