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pixelnull edited this page Mar 15, 2026 · 13 revisions

Writing Vault Entries

This page explains how to create lorebook entries in your Obsidian vault for DeepLore Enhanced. Every template below is a complete, working example you can copy into a new Obsidian note and modify.

How It Works

  1. You write notes in Obsidian with YAML frontmatter
  2. Notes tagged with #lorebook are indexed as lorebook entries
  3. The keys field lists keywords. When those keywords appear in recent chat messages, the entry is injected into the AI prompt
  4. With AI Search enabled, a summary field helps the AI decide when to select the entry even without exact keyword matches

That's it. Tag it, give it keywords, write your lore.

Frontmatter Fields Reference

Every entry needs YAML frontmatter between --- fences at the top of the file. Only tags (with lorebook) is strictly required, but you'll almost always want keys too.

Field Type Default Description
tags array (required) Must include lorebook. Can also include special tags (see below).
keys array [] Keywords that trigger this entry when they appear in chat.
priority number 100 Sort order. Lower numbers are injected first. See priority guidelines.
summary string "" AI selection summary (up to 600 chars). Used by AI Search to decide relevance. Not injected into the writing AI.
requires array [] Entry titles that must ALL be matched for this entry to activate.
excludes array [] Entry titles that, if ANY are matched, block this entry.
position string (global setting) Override injection position: before, after, or in_chat.
depth number (global setting) Override injection depth (for in_chat position).
role string (global setting) Override injection role: system, user, or assistant.
scanDepth number (global setting) Override how many recent messages to scan for this entry's keywords.
excludeRecursion boolean false If true, this entry is skipped during recursive link scanning.
cooldown number (none) After triggering, skip this entry for N generations.
warmup number (none) Require the keyword to appear in N separate messages before first trigger.

Priority Guidelines

Range Use For Examples
10-20 Inner circle, critical context Main character, core world rules
30-40 Core lore, major characters Important NPCs, key locations
50 Standard entries Most entries
60-70 Secondary, flavor Minor characters, background details
80-100 Low priority, rare Obscure trivia, edge cases

Special Tags

Add these alongside #lorebook to change how an entry behaves:

Tag Behavior
#lorebook Marks this note as a lorebook entry (required).
#lorebook-always Constant. Always injected regardless of keywords or AI.
#lorebook-never Excluded. Never injected, even if keywords match.
#lorebook-seed Seed. Content is sent to the AI search model as story context on new chats. Not injected into the writing AI.
#lorebook-bootstrap Bootstrap. Force-injected when the chat is short (below the New Chat Threshold, default 3 messages), then becomes a regular keyword entry.

Tags are configurable in Settings Reference. The defaults above assume you haven't changed them.

Content Structure

After the frontmatter, write your entry content in regular Markdown. The recommended structure is:

# Entry Title

One-paragraph introduction -- what this is, in narrative prose.

<div class="meta-block">
[Field1: value | Field2: value | ...]
</div>

Remaining prose with full lore content.
Use [[wikilinks]] to cross-reference other entries.

The <div class="meta-block"> is optional but recommended. It provides a compact, structured summary of key facts that the AI can parse quickly. The fields inside depend on the entry type (see templates below).

Use [[wikilinks]] to reference other entries in your vault. DeepLore uses these links for recursive scanning. If entry A is matched and links to entry B, entry B becomes a candidate too.

Writing Good Summaries

The summary field is used only by AI Search to decide whether to select an entry. It is never injected into the writing AI's context (the full content handles that).

A good summary answers three questions:

  1. What is this? Category, role, core identity (1 sentence)
  2. When should it be selected? Situations, triggers, relevant topics (1-2 sentences)
  3. Key relationships. Connected entries, if important (brief)

Bad summary (describes appearance, useless for selection):

"Kael is tall with silver hair and violet eyes. He commands the shadows with an iron will and speaks in a low, measured tone."

Good summary (tells the AI when to pick this entry):

"The protagonist's spymaster, interrogator, and closest enforcer. Inner circle. Select when espionage, intelligence gathering, interrogation, loyalty, or the Triumvirate betrayal comes up. Also relevant for surveillance, covert networks, and territory enforcement."

Good summary (lore concept):

"The biological dependency created when a vampire feeds from a mortal. Select when feeding, biting, addiction, venom, feeding sites, or chattel dynamics come up. Scales with vampire age."

Keep summaries under 600 characters. Focus on when to select, not what to write.

Templates

Every template below is a complete Obsidian note. Copy it into a new file, change the values, and you're done.

1. Minimum Viable Entry

The simplest possible entry. Just a tag, a keyword, and some content.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - Silver Keep
---

# Silver Keep

A crumbling fortress on the northern ridge, now home to bandits and bad memories.

That's a valid entry. When "Silver Keep" appears in chat, this content gets injected.

2. Character

A full character entry with all commonly used fields.

---
# -- Required --
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - Valen
  - Valen Ashwick
  - the Duskblade

# -- Recommended --
priority: 35
summary: "Rogue spellsword and former member of the Ironveil Guild. Select when melee combat, dual-wielding, shadow magic, guild politics, or the Ashwick bloodline comes up. Close ally of Sera and rival of Korrath."

# -- Optional --
requires: []
excludes: []
---

# Valen Ashwick

A disgraced spellsword who left the [[Ironveil Guild]] after discovering their true purpose. Now works as a mercenary, haunted by the magic branded into his blood.

<div class="meta-block">
[Species: Half-elf | Role: Spellsword, mercenary | Aliases: the Duskblade | Height: 6'1" | Build: Lean, athletic | Hair: Black, shoulder-length | Eyes: Amber with faint glow | Skin: Olive, scarred forearms | Features: Guild brand on left wrist (burned but visible) | Apparent Age: Late 20s | True Age: 34 | Origin: Ashwick Estate, Greymarch | Personality: Guarded, sardonic, fiercely loyal once earned | Speech: Clipped, dry humor, avoids titles | Wants: Clear his family name | Fears: Becoming what the Guild made him | Powers: Shadow-step (short-range teleport), blade enhancement | Limits: Shadow magic drains stamina rapidly, useless in bright light | Items: Twin short swords (Dusk and Dawn), enchanted leather coat | Secret: The Guild brand slowly turns its bearers into living weapons]
</div>

## Background

Valen grew up on the [[Ashwick Estate]], trained from childhood in both blade and spell. He joined the [[Ironveil Guild]] at 19, believing them to be an elite mercenary company. He discovered they were binding members' souls to fuel a collective weapon -- the brand on his wrist is the first stage.

He deserted five years ago. The Guild wants him back, dead or alive.

## Relationships

- **[[Sera Thornwick]]** -- Closest ally. She helped him escape the Guild. He trusts her completely.
- **[[Korrath]]** -- Former Guild partner turned hunter. Korrath took the brand willingly and considers Valen a traitor.
- **[[Ironveil Guild]]** -- His former organization. They send hunters after him periodically.

## Combat Style

Valen fights with twin short swords and weaves shadow magic between strikes. He can shadow-step behind opponents but each use costs significant stamina. In prolonged fights, he relies increasingly on pure swordwork.

3. Location

A tavern, dungeon, city, or any place.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - The Drowned Lantern
  - Drowned Lantern
  - the tavern

priority: 50
summary: "Underground tavern in the Docks district, neutral ground for criminals and adventurers. Select when characters are drinking, meeting contacts, gathering rumors, or visiting the Docks. Owned by Maren Blacktide."
---

# The Drowned Lantern

A half-sunken tavern built into the old sea wall of the Docks district. The lower floor floods at high tide, which the regulars consider a feature, not a bug.

<div class="meta-block">
[Category: Tavern | Owner: [[Maren Blacktide]] | District: The Docks | Access: Public, but newcomers get watched | Atmosphere: Smoky, damp, lantern-lit, loud at night | Function: Neutral meeting ground, black market contacts | Layout: Upper bar (dry), lower bar (floods at high tide), back rooms for private deals | Rules: No killing inside, disputes settled by Maren | Security: Two bouncers, Maren herself, and a rumored sea creature in the flooded basement | Regulars: Smugglers, off-duty guards, bounty hunters, [[Valen Ashwick]]]
</div>

## Description

The entrance is a rusted iron door set into the sea wall, marked only by a lantern wrapped in green glass. Steps lead down into a long, vaulted room that smells of brine and pipe smoke. The upper bar sits on a stone platform; the lower bar is three steps down and ankle-deep in seawater during high tide.

Maren keeps the peace with an iron voice and the threat of whatever lives beneath the floorboards. Fights happen outside or not at all.

## Notable Features

- **The Tide Table** -- A large round table on the lower level, partially submerged. Sitting there is a signal that you're open for business.
- **Back rooms** -- Three private rooms behind the bar. Maren charges by the hour and doesn't ask questions.
- **The basement** -- Flooded, locked, off-limits. Something moves down there. Maren feeds it.

4. Lore / World-Building Concept

For magic systems, political structures, historical events, or any world-building concept.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - soulbrand
  - soul brand
  - branded
  - Guild brand

priority: 35
summary: "Magical branding ritual used by the Ironveil Guild to bind members' souls into a collective weapon. Select when the Guild, magical binding, soul magic, Valen's brand, or forced servitude comes up. Core lore for Guild-related plotlines."
---

# The Soulbrand

A ritual binding developed by the [[Ironveil Guild]] that permanently links a person's soul to the Guild's collective power. The brand manifests as a black sigil on the wrist that pulses faintly in the presence of other branded members.

<div class="meta-block">
[Category: Ritual magic | Scope: Ironveil Guild members only | Danger: Lethal if removed improperly, progressive loss of autonomy | Who Knows: Guild leadership, branded members (partially), [[Valen Ashwick]] (fully) | Triggers: Proximity to other branded, extreme emotion, Guild commands | Consequences: Gradual erosion of free will at advanced stages, eventual transformation into a living weapon | Related: [[Ironveil Guild]], [[Valen Ashwick]], [[Korrath]] | Enforcement: Guild hunters track and reclaim deserters | Misconceptions: New recruits believe it's a loyalty tattoo and standard Guild tradition]
</div>

## How It Works

The brand is applied during an initiation ritual disguised as a loyalty oath. The recruit feels a burning pain and gains a faint sense of other branded members -- presented as "Guild bond." In reality, the brand siphons a small amount of soul energy continuously.

**Stage 1 (Years 1-3):** Awareness of other branded. Minor combat enhancement. No obvious downsides.
**Stage 2 (Years 3-7):** Compulsion to obey senior branded. Difficulty acting against Guild interests. Enhanced reflexes.
**Stage 3 (Years 7+):** Near-total obedience. Significant combat power. The branded becomes a weapon the Guild can activate remotely.

## Removal

No safe removal method is known. [[Valen Ashwick]] burned his brand with alchemical fire, which stopped the progression but left the sigil scarred into his skin. He still feels the pull of other branded at close range.

5. Organization

A guild, faction, council, or any organized group.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - Ironveil Guild
  - the Guild
  - Ironveil

priority: 40
summary: "Elite mercenary company that secretly binds members' souls via the Soulbrand ritual. Select when mercenary contracts, guild politics, soul magic, Valen's past, or organized military forces come up. Antagonist faction."
---

# The Ironveil Guild

A prestigious mercenary company operating across the northern territories. Publicly, they're known for discipline, reliability, and high rates. Privately, they are building an army of soul-bound soldiers.

<div class="meta-block">
[Category: Mercenary company / secret military order | Owner: The Iron Council (three unknown figures) | Run By: Guildmaster [[Torven Kael]] | Public Face: Elite mercenaries for hire | True Purpose: Building a soul-bound army via the [[Soulbrand]] | Visibility: Well-known publicly, true purpose hidden | Scope: Northern territories, expanding south | Staff: ~200 active members, ~40 fully branded | Key People: [[Torven Kael]] (Guildmaster), [[Korrath]] (Chief Hunter), [[Valen Ashwick]] (deserter) | Value: Military contracts, political influence, growing soul-bound force | Vulnerabilities: Deserters who know the truth, the Soulbrand's instability at Stage 3]
</div>

## Structure

The Guild operates from a fortress called the Iron Bastion. Recruits train for six months before initiation (when the [[Soulbrand]] is applied). They're organized into cells of four, each led by a branded senior. The cells take contracts independently but answer to the Guildmaster.

## Public Reputation

The Guild is respected. They complete contracts reliably, don't betray employers, and keep collateral damage low. Most people consider a Guild contract expensive but worth it. No one outside suspects the Soulbrand.

## The Hunt

Deserters are the Guild's greatest liability. [[Korrath]] leads a dedicated team of hunters who track down anyone who leaves. Most deserters are brought back and pushed to Stage 3 as punishment. [[Valen Ashwick]] has evaded them for five years -- an embarrassment the Guild takes personally.

6. Story / Plot Arc

For plot events, story arcs, or narrative beats. Story entries don't use fileClass.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - Ashwick conspiracy
  - Guild conspiracy
  - the truth about the Guild

priority: 45
summary: "Ongoing plot arc about Valen uncovering the full scope of the Ironveil Guild's Soulbrand program. Select when investigation, conspiracy, exposing secrets, or confronting the Guild comes up. Central story arc."
---

# The Ashwick Conspiracy

The central storyline following [[Valen Ashwick]]'s quest to expose the [[Ironveil Guild]]'s [[Soulbrand]] program and free those already branded.

## Current State

Valen knows the Soulbrand exists and how it progresses, but not how to safely remove it or who sits on the Iron Council. He's gathering allies and information while staying ahead of Guild hunters.

## Key Threads

- **The Iron Council** -- Who are the three leaders? Valen has no leads yet.
- **Safe removal** -- Is there a way to remove the brand without killing the host? The [[Arcanist's Archive]] may hold answers.
- **[[Korrath]]** -- Can he be turned, or is he too far gone at Stage 2?
- **Sera's secret** -- [[Sera Thornwick]] helped Valen escape but has never explained why she knew about the brand.

## Possible Escalation

If the Guild completes its army, they could challenge the northern lords directly. Valen estimates they need 100 Stage 3 soldiers -- they have about 40 and are accelerating recruitment.

7. Always-Send (Constant) Entry

This entry is always injected, regardless of keywords or AI search. Use this for core world rules or setting context that should always be present.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
  - lorebook-always

# Priority matters even for constants -- it controls injection order
priority: 10
---

# World Rules

This story is set in Greymarch, a low-fantasy setting where magic exists but is rare, feared, and poorly understood.

**Core rules:**
- Magic has a physical cost. Every spell drains the caster's stamina, health, or lifespan.
- There are no "good" or "evil" factions. Every group believes they're right.
- Death is permanent. There is no resurrection magic.
- The gods are silent. Whether they exist is debated. No divine intervention occurs.

Note: constant entries don't need keys or summary since they're always injected. You can still add them if you want the entry to also appear in AI search manifests.

8. Seed Entry

Seed entries provide story context to the AI search model at the start of new chats. They help the AI understand your setting so it can make better selection decisions. Seed content is not injected into the writing AI.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
  - lorebook-seed
keys:
  - Greymarch
  - the setting

priority: 15
summary: "Core setting overview for the Greymarch campaign. Seed entry -- provides context to AI search on new chats."
---

# Greymarch Setting Overview

Greymarch is a northern territory of crumbling fortresses, dense forests, and coastal cities built on trade and old grudges. Magic is rare and feared. The [[Ironveil Guild]] is the dominant military force. The noble houses are fractured and paranoid.

The story follows [[Valen Ashwick]], a deserter from the Guild who discovered they're building a soul-bound army. He's gathering allies -- [[Sera Thornwick]], information broker; and whoever he can trust -- to expose the conspiracy before the Guild's army is complete.

Key factions: [[Ironveil Guild]] (antagonist), the Northern Lords (fractured, unaware), the [[Arcanist's Archive]] (neutral scholars), and various independent operators in the [[The Drowned Lantern|Docks district]].

9. Bootstrap Entry

Bootstrap entries are force-injected when the chat is short (below the New Chat Threshold, default 3 messages). After that, they become regular keyword entries. Use this for context that's essential in early messages but not needed once the conversation is established.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
  - lorebook-bootstrap
keys:
  - Valen
  - Ashwick

priority: 20
summary: "Protagonist quick-reference. Bootstrap entry -- force-injected at chat start, then becomes keyword entry."
---

# Valen Ashwick - Quick Reference

Valen Ashwick is the protagonist. He's a half-elf spellsword, mid-30s, sardonic and guarded. He deserted the [[Ironveil Guild]] five years ago after discovering the [[Soulbrand]] program. He fights with twin short swords and shadow magic.

**Current situation:** On the run from Guild hunters. Working as a mercenary out of the [[The Drowned Lantern|Docks district]]. Trusts [[Sera Thornwick]] and almost no one else.

**Voice:** Dry humor, avoids titles, speaks in short sentences when tense. Opens up slightly around people he trusts.

10. Conditional Gating (Requires / Excludes)

Use requires to make an entry activate only when other specific entries are also matched. Use excludes to block an entry when certain entries are present.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - Valen's scar
  - brand scar
  - wrist scar

priority: 50

# This entry only activates if BOTH Valen Ashwick AND The Soulbrand
# are also matched in the same generation.
requires:
  - Valen Ashwick
  - The Soulbrand

# This entry is blocked if the following entry is matched.
# Useful for mutually exclusive states or spoiler prevention.
excludes:
  - Brand Removed

summary: "Description of Valen's burned Soulbrand scar. Only relevant when both Valen and the Soulbrand are being discussed. Select when the scar is examined, the brand's residual effects, or Valen's past with the Guild comes up."
---

# Valen's Brand Scar

The scar on Valen's left wrist is a raised, blackened sigil -- the remains of his [[Soulbrand]], burned away with alchemical fire. It still aches in the presence of branded Guild members, and faintly pulses when he uses shadow magic.

He keeps it wrapped in leather. When asked, he says it's a burn from a forge accident. [[Sera Thornwick]] is one of the few who's seen it unwrapped.

11. Per-Entry Injection Override

Override where and how this specific entry is injected, regardless of global settings. See Settings Reference for the global defaults.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - inner thoughts
  - Valen thinks
  - internal monologue

priority: 25

# Override injection position for this entry only.
# "before" = before the main prompt
# "after" = after the main prompt
# "in_chat" = inserted between chat messages at the specified depth
position: in_chat

# How many messages from the bottom to inject (only used with in_chat).
# depth: 1 = just before the last message, 2 = before the second-to-last, etc.
depth: 1

# What role the injected message appears as.
# "system" = system message (invisible to the "characters")
# "user" = appears as a user message
# "assistant" = appears as an assistant message
role: system

summary: "Valen's internal monologue style guide. Select when the scene is introspective, emotionally charged, or involves difficult decisions."
---

# Valen's Inner Voice

When writing Valen's internal thoughts, follow these guidelines:

- Short, fragmented sentences when stressed ("Not again. Not here. Move.")
- Longer, more reflective prose when safe or alone
- He mentally argues with himself, sometimes addressing his past self
- He suppresses emotion by cataloguing his surroundings ("Three exits. Two armed. The barkeep's reaching under the counter.")
- Genuine vulnerability only surfaces around [[Sera Thornwick]], and even then, reluctantly

12. Cooldown and Warmup

Cooldown prevents an entry from triggering again for N generations after it fires. Warmup requires a keyword to appear in N separate messages before the entry triggers for the first time.

---
tags:
  - lorebook
keys:
  - weather
  - rain
  - storm
  - fog

priority: 70

# After this entry triggers, skip it for the next 5 generations.
# Prevents atmospheric descriptions from repeating too often.
cooldown: 5

# The keyword must appear in at least 2 separate messages before
# this entry triggers for the first time. Prevents one-off mentions
# from pulling in the entry.
warmup: 2

summary: "Greymarch weather patterns and atmospheric descriptions. Select when weather, climate, travel conditions, or outdoor scenes come up. Low priority flavor entry."
---

# Greymarch Weather

The northern coast of Greymarch is defined by its weather. Fog rolls in from the sea most mornings, burning off by midday only to return at dusk. Rain is frequent -- not the dramatic downpours of the south, but a persistent, cold drizzle that soaks through everything.

**Seasonal patterns:**
- **Spring:** Dense fog, intermittent rain, muddy roads
- **Summer:** Brief and mild. The only reliable sunshine. Fog lifts by mid-morning.
- **Autumn:** Storms off the coast. Heavy wind. Ships avoid the harbor.
- **Winter:** Bitter cold, sleet, occasional snow. The Docks district floods regularly.

Locals don't comment on the weather unless it's unusually clear. Sunshine is suspicious.

Tips

  • Start simple. A tag and some keywords is enough. Add fields as you need them.
  • Keywords are case-insensitive by default. "Valen", "valen", and "VALEN" all match. You can change this in Settings Reference.
  • Use wikilinks. When entry A links to entry B with [[Entry B]], recursive scanning can pull in related entries automatically.
  • Test with Context Cartographer. After generating a message, check what was injected and why. See Features for details.
  • Summaries are for the search AI, not the writing AI. Don't put character descriptions in summaries. Put when to select this entry in summaries.
  • Priority matters for constants too. Even always-send entries use priority to determine injection order.
  • Don't over-tag. An entry only needs #lorebook. Add special tags (#lorebook-always, etc.) only when you specifically need that behavior.

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