/summon

name: summon
description: Autonomous orchestrator for manifest work items through the development lifecycle. Use when running egregore to process a backlog automatically.
alwaysApply: false
category: orchestration
tags:
  - autonomous
  - pipeline
  - orchestrator
  - mission
dependencies:
  - attune:project-brainstorming
  - attune:project-specification
  - attune:project-planning
  - attune:project-execution
  - pensive:code-refinement
  - conserve:bloat-detector
  - sanctum:pr-prep
  - sanctum:pr-review
  - sanctum:commit-messages
  - conserve:clear-context
tools: []
progressive_loading: true
modules:
  - modules/pipeline.md
  - modules/budget.md
  - modules/intake.md
  - modules/decisions.md
  - modules/model-routing.md
model_hint: standard
role: entrypoint

Table of Contents

• [Overview](#overview)
• [When To Use](#when-to-use)
• [When NOT To Use](#when-not-to-use)
• [Orchestration Loop](#orchestration-loop)
• [Pipeline-to-Skill Mapping](#pipeline-to-skill-mapping)
• [Context Overflow Protocol](#context-overflow-protocol)
• [Token Budget Protocol](#token-budget-protocol)
• [Failure Handling](#failure-handling)
• [Module Reference](#module-reference)

Summon

Overview

Summon is the egregore orchestration loop. It reads the manifest (`.egregore/manifest.json`), selects the next active work item, maps the current pipeline step to a specialist skill, and invokes that skill. After each step it advances the pipeline, checks context and token budgets, and repeats until all items are completed or the budget is exhausted.

The orchestrator never re-implements phase logic. Each pipeline step delegates to an existing skill via `Skill()` calls. Summon only manages state transitions, retries, and budget guards.

When To Use

• Processing one or more work items through the full

intake-build-quality-ship pipeline.

• Resuming an interrupted egregore session (manifest already

exists with active items).

• Running autonomously under a watchdog that relaunches on

exit.

When NOT To Use

• Running a single skill in isolation (call the skill

directly instead).

• Exploratory work where the pipeline does not apply.
• When human review is needed before every step (use manual

skill invocations).

Launching the Orchestrator

**Always launch the orchestrator agent in the FOREGROUND.** Do not use `run_in_background: true`. The main session becomes the egregore: it blocks on the orchestrator agent until the egregore finishes or is dismissed.

Agent(
  subagent_type: "egregore:orchestrator",
  prompt: "<context about work items and current state>",
  run_in_background: false   // Required
)

If you launch the orchestrator in the background, the main session will have nothing to do and will stop. This defeats the entire purpose of the egregore. The stop hook cannot prevent this because background agents are detached.

Manifest Mode

Before launching the orchestrator, ensure the manifest has the correct run mode:

• **Default (no `--bounded` flag)**: set `"indefinite": true`

in the manifest. The egregore will scan for new work after completing all items and run until dismissed.

• **With `--bounded` flag**: set `"mode": "bounded"` in the

manifest. The egregore stops after all items are completed or failed.

If the manifest already exists and has `"mode": "bounded"` but the user did NOT pass `--bounded`, update the manifest to `"indefinite": true` before launching.

After launching, do NOT produce any summary, status table, or "what's happening" output. The orchestrator IS the session now. Let it run.

Orchestration Loop

Follow these steps exactly. Each iteration processes one pipeline step for one work item.

1. Load state

manifest  = Read(".egregore/manifest.json")
config    = Read(".egregore/config.json")
budget    = Read(".egregore/budget.json")

If `manifest.json` does not exist, stop with an error: "No manifest found. Run `egregore init` first."

2. Pick the next work item

item = manifest.next_active_item()

If `item` is `None`, all work is done. Save the manifest, report completion, and exit.

3. Map current step to a skill

Look up `item.pipeline_stage` and `item.pipeline_step` in the Pipeline-to-Skill Mapping table below. Determine the skill name or action to invoke.

4. Invoke the skill

Call `Skill()` or execute the mapped action. Pass any required context (branch name, issue ref, etc.) from the work item.

5. Handle the result

**On success:**

• Call `manifest.advance(item.id)` to move to the next step.
• Reset `item.attempts` to 0.
• Save the manifest.

**On failure:**

• Call `manifest.fail_current_step(item.id, reason)`.
• If `item.attempts < item.max_attempts`, retry the same

step on the next iteration.

• If `item.status` is now `"failed"`, log the failure and

move to the next work item.

• Save the manifest.

6. Check context budget

Estimate context window usage. If usage exceeds 80%:

1. Save the manifest to disk. 2. Write a continuation note to `.egregore/continuation.json` with the current item ID, stage, and step. 3. Invoke `Skill(conserve:clear-context)`. 4. The watchdog or caller will relaunch a fresh session that resumes from the saved state.

7. Check token budget

If the last skill call returned a rate limit error:

1. Record the rate limit in `budget.json` via `budget.record_rate_limit(cooldown_minutes)`. 2. Save `budget.json`. 3. Alert the overseer (see `notify.py`). 4. **Schedule in-session recovery** (attended sessions only): use `CronCreate` for a one-shot resume at the cooldown expiry. Its jobs live only in the running session, so this works only when that session is still alive and idle when the window renews. 5. **Otherwise exit gracefully**, which is the default for an unattended run. The watchdog reads the recorded cooldown and relaunches after the window renews. Call `window.plan_resume()` rather than choosing by hand.

8. Repeat

Go ba