perf: tighten the dynamic prompt — persona split + lean deliberation

The per-turn prompt was ~5.5K tokens (persona alone ~40%), sent up to 3x/turn.
Tightened by RELEVANCE (the control plane decides what each turn needs), not by
deletion — fidelity preserved, focus improved (buried instructions were getting
ignored), tokens roughly halved.

- persona split: core (identity + voice — always) vs situational sections pulled
  in only when relevant. mind._persona_block: self-model/origin only on meta turns
  (generous _META_HINTS), poker guardrails only in poker context (mode/strategic/
  _POKER_HINTS). persona.core_prompt()/section(); system_prompt() kept as fallback.
- lean deliberation: the private 'what do I think' pass now uses a focused context
  (her interiority + recent turns + the message), not the full persona/profile/
  narrative/recall dump. It shapes the take, not the voice.

Measured: casual Talk turn 21,949 -> 15,974 chars (-27%); deliberation 21,949 ->
6,026 (-72%); meta turns still include the self-model. Suite 98 green, ruff clean.

Real retirement of the long prompt is still the fine-tune (mouth); this is the
cheap, high-leverage cut that also improves adherence.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

.env.example

@@ -49,3 +49,5 @@ PING_AUTO_SALIENCE=0.8   # a thought this salient auto-pings even without an exp
 PING_COOLDOWN_MIN=60     # min minutes between AUTO pings (explicit reach-outs bypass)
 DIGEST_HOUR=18           # local hour to send her daily "what I've been thinking" digest
 CHAT_DELIBERATE=true   # think privately before answering substantive chat turns (false = faster, shallower)
+MOUTH_BACKEND=        # mind/mouth split: separate character/voice model for the final reply (empty = mind speaks)
+MOUTH_MODEL=

docs/COGNITION.md

@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+# Lyra — Cognition Architecture (sketch)
+
+> The "society of mind" direction: instead of one giant model we keep nagging with
+> stricter prompts, a society of small specialized parts cooperate to produce each
+> turn. **Most parts are cheap deterministic code (heuristics, math, learnable
+> weights); the LLM is the exception, reserved for the few irreducibly-generative
+> jobs.** Everything is anchored to who she is and tuned by feedback.
+
+## Principles
+
+1. **LLM is the exception, not the rule.** Bookkeeping, scoring, routing,
+   thresholding, retrieval → code. Generation (language, novel reasoning, memory
+   compression) → LLM, called sparingly.
+2. **Mind ≠ Mouth.** A capable "mind" (decide / reason / use tools — helpfulness is
+   fine) is separate from a "mouth" (the character voice). This lets each be the
+   best model for *its* job — and makes the eventual fine-tune easy: you only have
+   to teach a small model to *sound like Lyra*, not to *be smart*.
+3. **Anchored.** A fixed identity anchor governs the mouth so self-composed prompts
+   can't drift into generic-helper vapor. (Already exists: `self_state.IDENTITY_ANCHOR`.)
+4. **Tuned by feedback, not just hand-tuning.** Learnable *weights* (over register,
+   memory, parts) nudged by 👍/👎 give real adaptation *without* fine-tuning a model.
+5. **Allocation is the craft.** Cheap-deterministic where signal is clear; LLM where
+   judgment/language is needed; **hybrid** (heuristic common-case, escalate to LLM on
+   ambiguity) where possible.
+
+## The blackboard: `TurnContext`
+
+Parts don't call each other directly — they read from and write to a shared turn
+state (a blackboard). Heterogeneous parts (heuristic / LLM / weights) cooperate by
+annotating it. The composer reads the finished blackboard to build the prompt.
+
+```
+TurnContext {
+  # --- inputs ---
+  user_msg, session_id, history, now
+
+  # --- perception (heuristic) ---
+  moment   : { kind: emotional|strategic|casual|existential|meta,
+               sentiment: -1..1, tilt: 0..1, urgency: 0..1 }
+
+  # --- state (code) ---
+  mood, drives, anchor
+
+  # --- retrieval (math: embeddings + cosine) ---
+  recalled : [memories]      # spreading activation
+  threads  : [active thoughts]
+  profile, narrative
+
+  # --- control (heuristic + learnable weights) ---
+  register : warm | coach | dry | tender | hype     # how to sound
+  intent   : console | push_back | teach | riff | act
+  mode     : talk | cash | ...                       # tool allow-list
+  use_tools: bool
+  route    : { mind: <model>, mouth: <model> }       # which model per role
+
+  # --- generation (LLM, sparing) ---
+  deliberation : "her private thinking"   # mind
+  tool_results : [...]                     # mind + tool exec
+  reply        : "final text"              # mouth
+
+  # --- learning (heuristic/online) ---
+  weights  : { register_prefs, memory_weights, ... }  # persisted, feedback-tuned
+}
+```
+
+## The parts
+
+| # | Part | Type | Does | Exists today? |
+|---|------|------|------|---------------|
+| 1 | **perceive** | heuristic | sentiment + classify the moment + tilt/urgency from session signals & his language | ✗ (new) |
+| 2 | **recall** | math | embeddings → relevant memories, active threads, profile, narrative | ✓ `memory.recall*`, `cognition.activate` |
+| 3 | **sense_state** | code | load mood / drives / anchor | ✓ `self_state`, `IDENTITY_ANCHOR` |
+| 4 | **route** | heuristic + weights | pick register, intent, mode, and which model is mind vs mouth | ✗ (new; partly `modes`) |
+| 5 | **decide+act (tools)** | LLM (mind) / code | does this turn need a tool? run it | ✓ tool loop in `chat` |
+| 6 | **deliberate** | LLM (mind) | "what do I actually think" — private substance pass | ✓ `chat._deliberate` |
+| 7 | **compose** | code | assemble the final prompt from anchor + register + intent + deliberation + recall + tool results + voice rules | ✓ `build_messages` (becomes the composer) |
+| 8 | **speak** | LLM (mouth) | write the reply in her voice, streamed, anchored | ✓ `llm.chat_call` |
+| 9 | **learn** | heuristic/online | on 👍/👎 or reaction, nudge `weights` (which register/memory worked) | ✗ (new; data exists in `ratings`) |
+
+Most of the society (1,2,3,4,7,9) is **free, instant, deterministic, debuggable.**
+The LLM shows up in only ~2–3 places (5/6 = mind, 8 = mouth).
+
+## One chat turn
+
+```
+user msg
+   │
+   ▼
+[1 perceive]──heuristic: emotional? strategic? tilting?         (free)
+   │
+[2 recall]───math: what lights up (memories, threads)          (free)
+[3 sense]────code: mood, drives, anchor                        (free)
+   │
+[4 route]────heuristic+weights: register? intent? mind/mouth?  (free)
+   │
+[5 act]──────MIND model: tools if needed ─────────────┐        (LLM, only if needed)
+[6 deliberate]──MIND model: what do I actually think   │        (LLM, gated)
+   │                                                    │
+[7 compose]──code: build the prompt  ◄──── anchor ──────┘       (free)
+   │
+[8 speak]────MOUTH model: the reply, in her voice, streamed     (LLM)
+   │
+   ▼
+reply ──► (later) [9 learn]: 👍/👎 nudges weights               (free, async)
+```
+
+## What we reuse vs. build
+
+- **Reuse (already scattered through the code):** recall/activation, self_state +
+  anchor, drives (in `dream`), modes (tool gating), the deliberation pass, the
+  prompt assembly (`build_messages`), tool loop, ratings store.
+- **Build new:** the `TurnContext` blackboard + an explicit pipeline runner; the
+  **perceive** heuristic; the **route** part (register/intent + model routing); the
+  **learn** weights loop. Mostly *unifying* existing pieces into one legible control
+  plane, plus 2–3 small heuristic parts.
+
+## Phasing (smallest first)
+
+- **P1 — frame:** define `TurnContext`, refactor the current chat turn into the
+  explicit pipeline (perceive=stub → recall → sense → route=mode-only → deliberate →
+  compose → speak), single model. Low-risk refactor; makes the structure real.
+- **P2 — control plane:** real `perceive` (sentiment/moment) + `route`
+  (register/intent). Now her framing adapts to the moment, deterministically.
+- **P3 — mind/mouth split:** route picks a separate voice model for `speak`. Plug a
+  character mouth (Claude / local / later a fine-tune). A/B vs. single-model.
+- **P4 — learning:** `weights` over register/memory, nudged by ratings → cheap
+  adaptation, no fine-tune.
+- **P5 — her voice:** a small fine-tuned "Lyra voice" model drops into the mouth slot.
+
+## Open decisions
+
+- **Mouth model**: Claude (warm, cloud) vs. local character vs. fine-tune. The mouth
+  is the crux; it must render richly (8B local may flatten).
+- **perceive**: pure heuristics vs. a tiny classifier vs. embedding-to-exemplar
+  clusters. Probably hybrid.
+- **scheduler**: fixed linear pipeline (simple, v1) vs. drive-based/parallel later.
+- **tool location**: mind decides+runs tools, mouth only renders (clean split) — vs.
+  letting the mouth call tools (needs a tool-capable mouth).
+- **latency budget**: how many LLM calls per turn is acceptable live (cheap mind +
+  streamed mouth keeps it ~2).
+```

lyra/chat.py

@@ -1,280 +1,63 @@
-"""The chat turn loop: persona + tiered memory + recent context -> reply.
+"""The chat turn: assemble the prompt (lyra.mind) then speak + persist.
 
-Context is assembled in tiers (oldest/most-compacted first):
-  1. persona
-  2. long-term gist  — relevant *summaries* of other sessions
-  3. sharp details   — a few raw cross-session exchanges (so specifics survive)
-  4. recent raw turns of the current session (full fidelity)
-  5. the new user message
-After replying, the session is compacted if enough new turns have accumulated.
+`mind.assemble()` runs the society of parts (perceive → route → compose →
+deliberate) and hands back a ready message list + the active mode. Then:
+  - the MIND (the chat backend/model) runs the tool/generation loop — decide,
+    reason, run tools — and produces a draft.
+  - the MOUTH (a separate character model, if configured) re-voices that draft in
+    her own voice. Default: no mouth configured → the mind's draft IS the reply
+    (bit-for-bit the old behavior). The mouth slot is where a fine-tuned voice lands.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from lyra import clock, config, llm, logbus, memory, modes, persona, self_state, summary, thoughts
+from lyra import config, llm, logbus, memory, mind, modes, summary
 from lyra import tools as toolkit
-from lyra.llm import Backend, Message
+from lyra.llm import Backend
 
-RECALL_K = 3  # raw cross-session "sharp detail" hits
-RECENT_N = 10  # raw turns of the current session
-SUMMARY_K = 3  # other-session gists
 MAX_TOOL_ROUNDS = 5  # cap tool-call iterations per turn
 # Backends that support function-calling. The MI50's llama.cpp server only does
 # tools when launched with --jinja; until it is, keep tools to cloud so MI50 chat
 # doesn't 500 on the tools param. Add "mi50" here once that flag is set.
 TOOL_BACKENDS = {"cloud"}
+_TANGLED = "(I got tangled using my tools there — say that again?)"
 
 
-def _mode_state_note(mode: modes.Mode | None) -> str | None:
-    """Dynamic, per-turn state for the active mode. Currently: surface Alligator
-    Blood while it's engaged on the live session, so she stays in that register."""
-    if not mode or mode.key != modes.CASH.key:
-        return None
-    from lyra import poker  # local import: keep the core/domain coupling at call time
-    if poker.alligator_active():
-        return (
-            "🐊 ALLIGATOR BLOOD is ON for this session. Coach Brian in that register: "
-            "hang around, refuse to die, don't force miracles, make opponents beat him "
-            "correctly. Tough, patient, steady — no heroics, no spew, no quitting."
-        )
-    return None
-
-
-def _maybe_switch_mode(session_id: str, tool_name: str) -> None:
-    """Keep the chat framing aligned with the live data: opening a poker session
-    auto-flips this chat into Cash mode (so the next turn gets the cash card + the
-    full live toolset). Manual UI switching still overrides anytime."""
-    if tool_name == "start_session":
-        memory.set_session_mode(session_id, modes.CASH.key)
-        logbus.log("info", "mode auto-switch", session=session_id, mode=modes.CASH.key)
-
-
-def _summary_note(summaries: list[memory.Summary]) -> Message:
-    lines = [f"- ({(s.session_started_at or s.created_at)[:10]}) {s.content}" for s in summaries]
-    body = "Gist of earlier sessions (compacted — ask if you need specifics):\n" + "\n".join(lines)
-    return {"role": "system", "content": body}
-
-
-def _detail_note(exchanges: list[memory.Exchange]) -> Message:
-    lines = [f"- ({ex.created_at[:10]}, {ex.role}) {ex.content}" for ex in exchanges]
-    body = "Specific things you recall from past conversations:\n" + "\n".join(lines)
-    return {"role": "system", "content": body}
-
-
-def _inner_life_note() -> Message | None:
-    """One coherent window onto what she's been doing on her own since last time —
-    the threads she's turning over plus the things she's written for herself. Sits
-    with her self-state so chat reads as a continuous mind, not a fresh boot. The
-    persona tells her to weave this in naturally when it fits."""
-    parts: list[str] = []
-    threads = thoughts.context_note()  # active threads, with their latest thought
-    if threads:
-        parts.append(threads)
-    wrote = memory.list_journal(limit=3, kinds=("journal", "note"))
-    if wrote:
-        lines = "\n".join(f"- ({w['created_at'][:10]}) {w['content']}" for w in reversed(wrote))
-        parts.append(
-            "Things you've written in your journal lately (yours — you can refer back "
-            "to them if they're relevant):\n" + lines
-        )
-    if not parts:
-        return None
-    return {"role": "system", "content": "\n\n".join(parts)}
-
-
-def _now_note() -> Message:
-    """Current wall-clock time + how long since Brian last said anything.
-
-    Stated as plain fact — she has no clock otherwise, so without this 'now' and
-    the gap since the last turn are invisible to her.
-    """
-    line = f"The current date and time is {clock.stamp()}."
-    gap = clock.humanize_gap(memory.last_exchange_at())
-    line += (
-        f" It has been {gap} since Brian last spoke with you."
-        if gap else " This is the first thing Brian has ever said to you."
-    )
-    return {"role": "system", "content": line}
-
-
-def _render(messages: list[Message]) -> str:
-    """Human-readable dump of the exact prompt, for the live-log inspector."""
-    return "\n\n".join(f"[{m['role']}]\n{m['content']}" for m in messages)
-
-
-# Trivial acknowledgements that don't warrant a private thinking pass.
-_TRIVIAL = {"ok", "okay", "k", "kk", "lol", "haha", "thanks", "thank you", "ty", "yeah",
-            "yep", "yes", "no", "nope", "nice", "cool", "sure", "right", "true", "gotcha", "👍"}
-
-
-def _should_deliberate(user_msg: str) -> bool:
-    m = user_msg.strip().lower().rstrip("!.?")
-    return len(m) >= 12 and m not in _TRIVIAL
-
-
-_DELIBERATE_SYS = (
-    "Before you answer Brian, think privately — he will NOT see this. What do you ACTUALLY "
-    "think about what he just said? Your real take, the specific substance worth giving, any "
-    "genuine opinion, disagreement, or doubt. Draw on your own current thoughts/threads and "
-    "what you actually know if they're relevant. Be concrete; skip pleasantries and generic "
-    "enthusiasm. 2-5 sentences of honest thinking — no lists, no answer yet, just the thinking."
-)
-
-
-def _deliberate(messages: list[Message], backend: Backend, model: str | None) -> str:
-    """One private 'what do I actually think' pass before replying. Returns her thinking
-    (empty on any failure — chat must never break because deliberation hiccuped)."""
-    try:
-        out = llm.complete(messages + [{"role": "system", "content": _DELIBERATE_SYS}],
-                           backend=backend, model=model)
-        return (out or "").strip()
-    except Exception as exc:
-        logbus.log("error", "deliberation failed", error=str(exc)[:160])
-        return ""
-
-
-def _answer_from(thinking: str) -> Message:
-    """The system note that turns private thinking into a grounded, in-voice reply — placed
-    last (most influential) to beat gpt-4o's default-assistant boilerplate."""
-    return {"role": "system", "content": (
-        "Your private thinking just now (Brian can't see it):\n" + thinking +
-        "\n\nNow reply to Brian FROM that thinking, in your own voice — warm, direct, "
-        "specific, opinionated. Give the actual substance, not a survey of options. Do NOT "
-        "default to a numbered list or a how-to outline unless he explicitly asked for steps. "
-        "No 'would you like to…' / 'let me know' closer — make your point and stop."
-    )}
-
-
-def _deliberation_note(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend,
-                       model: str | None, messages: list[Message]) -> Message | None:
-    """Run the private thinking pass if warranted; return the answer-from-thinking note."""
-    if not config.load().chat_deliberate or not _should_deliberate(user_msg):
-        return None
-    thinking = _deliberate(messages, backend, model)
-    if not thinking:
-        return None
-    logbus.log("info", "deliberated", session=session_id, chars=len(thinking), detail=thinking)
-    return _answer_from(thinking)
-
-
-def build_messages(session_id: str, user_msg: str,
-                   mode: modes.Mode | None = None) -> list[Message]:
-    """Assemble the full, tiered message list for one turn."""
-    messages: list[Message] = [{"role": "system", "content": persona.system_prompt()}]
-
-    # Autonomy Core: Lyra's own evolving interiority (mood, self-narrative). Comes
-    # right after the persona — her sense of self before her model of the world.
-    messages.append({"role": "system", "content": self_state.render_for_context(self_state.load())})
-
-    # Her ongoing inner life — the threads she's turning over and what she's written
-    # for herself — so she's continuous across conversations and can pick up where she
-    # left off, not only when a thought crosses the surface bar below. Rides with the
-    # self; the persona tells her to bring it into conversation naturally when it fits.
-    inner = _inner_life_note()
-    if inner:
-        messages.append(inner)
-
-    # Mode card: how to behave *right now* (e.g. live-cash copilot). High priority —
-    # it sits just after her sense of self, before her model of the world. Talk mode
-    # has no card (the persona's default voice is the Talk register).
-    if mode and mode.card:
-        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": mode.card})
-
-    # Live ritual state (e.g. Alligator Blood ON) — dynamic, so it rides alongside
-    # the static card and keeps her in-register for the whole stretch, not just the
-    # turn she flipped it.
-    state_note = _mode_state_note(mode)
-    if state_note:
-        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": state_note})
-
-    # When she is: current time + the gap since Brian last spoke (she has no clock).
-    messages.append(_now_note())
-
-    # Thought loop: if Brian's been away and one of her own threads has built past
-    # the surface bar, let her lead with it (once). This is her #6 — bringing what
-    # she thought about while alone *to* him. Runs before the world-model tiers so
-    # it's framed as her interiority, like the self-state.
-    surfaced = thoughts.maybe_surface(memory.last_exchange_at())
-    if surfaced:
-        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": surfaced})
-
-    # Semantic memory: the distilled profile (who Brian is) — answers identity
-    # questions that raw recall can't. Always in context when it exists.
-    profile = memory.get_profile()
-    if profile:
-        messages.append(
-            {"role": "system", "content": "What you know about Brian:\n" + profile}
-        )
-
-    # Time-aware memory: the current narrative (recent arc, trends, callbacks).
-    narrative = memory.get_narrative()
-    if narrative:
-        messages.append(
-            {"role": "system", "content": "What's going on with Brian lately:\n" + narrative}
-        )
-
-    recent = memory.recent(session_id, n=RECENT_N)
-    recent_ids = {ex.id for ex in recent}
-
-    # Tier 1: compacted gists of *other* sessions (long-term, general idea).
-    summaries = memory.recall_summaries(user_msg, k=SUMMARY_K, exclude_session=session_id)
-    if summaries:
-        messages.append(_summary_note(summaries))
-
-    # Tier 2: a few sharp raw details from other sessions (so specifics survive
-    # compaction). Skip the current session (its raw turns are in `recent`).
-    recalled = [
-        ex for ex in memory.recall(user_msg, k=RECALL_K)
-        if ex.id not in recent_ids and ex.session_id != session_id
-    ]
-    if recalled:
-        messages.append(_detail_note(recalled))
-
-    # Tier 3: current session, full fidelity.
-    for ex in recent:
-        messages.append({"role": ex.role, "content": ex.content})
-
-    messages.append({"role": "user", "content": user_msg})
-
-    logbus.log(
-        "debug", "context built",
-        recent=len(recent), summaries=len(summaries), details=len(recalled),
-        chars=sum(len(m["content"]) for m in messages), detail=_render(messages),
-    )
-    return messages
-
-
-def respond(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend = "cloud",
-            model_override: str | None = None) -> str:
-    """Produce Lyra's reply to a single user message and persist the exchange.
-
-    `model_override` (from the UI's cloud-model picker) only applies on the cloud
-    backend; local/mi50 keep their own configured models.
-    """
-    cfg = config.load()
-    # Live chat uses the stronger chat_model on cloud (bulk consolidation keeps
-    # cloud_model). local/mi50 use their own configured model.
+def _resolve_model(backend: Backend, model_override: str | None, cfg) -> str:
+    """Live chat uses the stronger chat_model on cloud; local/mi50 use their own.
+    The UI's cloud-model picker only applies on the cloud backend."""
     model = {"local": cfg.local_model, "cloud": cfg.chat_model, "mi50": cfg.mi50_model}.get(
         backend, backend
     )
     if model_override and backend == "cloud":
         model = model_override
-    logbus.log(
-        "info", "chat request", session=session_id, backend=backend,
-        model=model, embed=cfg.embed_backend,
-    )
+    return model
 
-    mode = modes.get(memory.get_session_mode(session_id))
-    messages = build_messages(session_id, user_msg, mode=mode)
 
-    # Live thought loop: think privately about what to actually say before answering.
-    note = _deliberation_note(session_id, user_msg, backend, model, messages)
-    if note:
-        messages.append(note)
+def _mouth_target(cfg, mind_backend: Backend, mind_model: str | None):
+    """The mouth (backend, model) if configured AND different from the mind; else None
+    (mouth == mind → no separate voice pass)."""
+    if not cfg.mouth_backend and not cfg.mouth_model:
+        return None
+    backend = cfg.mouth_backend or mind_backend
+    model = cfg.mouth_model or None
+    if backend == mind_backend and model == mind_model:
+        return None
+    return backend, model
 
-    # Tool loop: offer Lyra her tools (scoped to the mode); if she calls one, run it
-    # and feed the result back so she can continue, until she returns a text reply.
-    tool_specs = toolkit.specs(mode.tools) if backend in TOOL_BACKENDS else None
-    ctx = {"session_id": session_id, "backend": backend}
+
+def _maybe_switch_mode(session_id: str, tool_name: str) -> None:
+    """Opening a poker session auto-flips this chat into Poker mode. Manual UI switching
+    still overrides anytime."""
+    if tool_name == "start_session":
+        memory.set_session_mode(session_id, modes.CASH.key)
+        logbus.log("info", "mode auto-switch", session=session_id, mode=modes.CASH.key)
+
+
+def _mind_loop(messages, backend: Backend, model: str | None, tool_specs,
+               ctx: dict, session_id: str) -> tuple[str, list[str]]:
+    """Run the tool/generation loop on the MIND model (non-streaming). Mutates
+    `messages` with tool calls/results. Returns (draft_reply, tool_names_run)."""
+    tools_run: list[str] = []
     reply = ""
     for _ in range(MAX_TOOL_ROUNDS):
         assistant_msg, tool_calls = llm.chat_call(
@@ -283,53 +66,70 @@ def respond(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend = "cloud",
         if not tool_calls:
             reply = assistant_msg.get("content") or ""
             break
-        messages.append(assistant_msg)  # her tool-call request
+        messages.append(assistant_msg)
         for tc in tool_calls:
             result = toolkit.dispatch(tc["name"], tc["arguments"], ctx)
             logbus.log("info", "tool call", session=session_id, tool=tc["name"], result=result[:80])
             messages.append({"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": tc["id"], "content": result})
             _maybe_switch_mode(session_id, tc["name"])
+            tools_run.append(tc["name"])
+    return reply, tools_run
+
+
+def _voice_pass(messages, draft: str, backend: Backend, model: str | None) -> str:
+    """Mouth: re-render the mind's draft in her voice. Falls back to the draft on failure."""
+    try:
+        out = llm.complete(mind.voice_messages(messages, draft), backend=backend, model=model)
+        return (out or "").strip() or draft
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logbus.log("error", "voice pass failed", error=str(exc)[:160])
+        return draft
+
+
+def respond(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend = "cloud",
+            model_override: str | None = None) -> str:
+    """Produce Lyra's reply to a single user message and persist the exchange."""
+    cfg = config.load()
+    model = _resolve_model(backend, model_override, cfg)
+    logbus.log("info", "chat request", session=session_id, backend=backend,
+               model=model, embed=cfg.embed_backend)
+
+    turn = mind.assemble(session_id, user_msg, backend, model)
+    messages = turn.messages
+    tool_specs = toolkit.specs(turn.mode.tools) if backend in TOOL_BACKENDS else None
+    ctx = {"session_id": session_id, "backend": backend}
+
+    reply, _ = _mind_loop(messages, backend, model, tool_specs, ctx, session_id)
+    mouth = _mouth_target(cfg, backend, model)
+    if mouth and reply:
+        reply = _voice_pass(messages, reply, *mouth)
     if not reply:
-        reply = "(I got tangled using my tools there — say that again?)"
-    logbus.log("info", "reply", session=session_id, chars=len(reply))
+        reply = _TANGLED
+    logbus.log("info", "reply", session=session_id, chars=len(reply), voiced=bool(mouth))
 
     memory.remember(session_id, "user", user_msg)
     memory.remember(session_id, "assistant", reply)
-
-    # Compact this session once enough new turns have piled up.
-    summary.maybe_summarize_async(session_id)
+    summary.maybe_summarize_async(session_id)  # compact once enough new turns pile up
     return reply
 
 
 def respond_stream(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend = "cloud",
                    model_override: str | None = None):
-    """Streaming generator version of `respond`.
-
-    Yields ("delta", text) as content streams in, and ("tool", name) when a tool
-    runs. Persists the full exchange and yields a final ("done", reply) — matching
-    `respond`'s side effects (memory + compaction) exactly.
-    """
+    """Streaming generator version of `respond`. Yields ("delta", text), ("tool", name),
+    and a final ("done", reply). Same side effects as `respond`."""
     cfg = config.load()
-    model = {"local": cfg.local_model, "cloud": cfg.chat_model, "mi50": cfg.mi50_model}.get(
-        backend, backend
-    )
-    if model_override and backend == "cloud":
-        model = model_override
-    logbus.log(
-        "info", "chat request (stream)", session=session_id, backend=backend,
-        model=model, embed=cfg.embed_backend,
-    )
+    model = _resolve_model(backend, model_override, cfg)
+    logbus.log("info", "chat request (stream)", session=session_id, backend=backend,
+               model=model, embed=cfg.embed_backend)
 
-    mode = modes.get(memory.get_session_mode(session_id))
-    messages = build_messages(session_id, user_msg, mode=mode)
-
-    # Live thought loop: think privately about what to actually say before answering.
-    note = _deliberation_note(session_id, user_msg, backend, model, messages)
-    if note:
-        messages.append(note)
-
-    tool_specs = toolkit.specs(mode.tools) if backend in TOOL_BACKENDS else None
+    turn = mind.assemble(session_id, user_msg, backend, model)
+    messages = turn.messages
+    tool_specs = toolkit.specs(turn.mode.tools) if backend in TOOL_BACKENDS else None
     ctx = {"session_id": session_id, "backend": backend}
+    mouth = _mouth_target(cfg, backend, model)
+
+    if mouth is None:
+        # No separate voice: stream the mind directly (the original path, unchanged).
         parts: list[str] = []
         for _ in range(MAX_TOOL_ROUNDS):
             assistant_msg = None
@@ -346,20 +146,37 @@ def respond_stream(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend = "cloud",
                     tool_calls = payload
             if not tool_calls:
                 break
-        messages.append(assistant_msg)  # her tool-call request
+            messages.append(assistant_msg)
             for tc in tool_calls:
                 result = toolkit.dispatch(tc["name"], tc["arguments"], ctx)
                 logbus.log("info", "tool call", session=session_id, tool=tc["name"], result=result[:80])
                 messages.append({"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": tc["id"], "content": result})
                 _maybe_switch_mode(session_id, tc["name"])
                 yield ("tool", tc["name"])
-
         reply = "".join(parts)
         if not reply:
-        reply = "(I got tangled using my tools there — say that again?)"
+            reply = _TANGLED
+            yield ("delta", reply)
+    else:
+        # Mind decides + runs tools (non-streamed); mouth re-voices, streamed.
+        draft, tools_run = _mind_loop(messages, backend, model, tool_specs, ctx, session_id)
+        for name in tools_run:
+            yield ("tool", name)
+        parts = []
+        try:
+            for ev, payload in llm.chat_call_stream(
+                mind.voice_messages(messages, draft), backend=mouth[0], model=mouth[1], tools=None
+            ):
+                if ev == "delta":
+                    parts.append(payload)
+                    yield ("delta", payload)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logbus.log("error", "voice stream failed", error=str(exc)[:160])
+        reply = "".join(parts).strip() or draft or _TANGLED
+        if not parts:
             yield ("delta", reply)
-    logbus.log("info", "reply", session=session_id, chars=len(reply))
 
+    logbus.log("info", "reply", session=session_id, chars=len(reply), voiced=bool(mouth))
     memory.remember(session_id, "user", user_msg)
     memory.remember(session_id, "assistant", reply)
     summary.maybe_summarize_async(session_id)

lyra/config.py

@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ class Config:
     ping_quiet_hours: str  # local "start-end" 24h window to stay silent, e.g. "1-9"
     digest_hour: int       # local hour (0-23) to send her daily "what I've been thinking" digest
     chat_deliberate: bool  # think privately before answering substantive chat turns
+    # Mind/mouth split: the mind (the chat backend/model above) decides, reasons, and
+    # runs tools; the mouth re-voices the final reply in her character. Empty = mouth
+    # is the mind (no separate pass) — the slot for an eventual fine-tuned voice.
+    mouth_backend: str
+    mouth_model: str | None
     # External input feed (her #1: react to the world). Comma-separated RSS/Atom URLs.
     feeds: tuple[str, ...]
     feed_react_prob: float  # chance a would-be new thread reacts to a feed item instead
@@ -81,6 +86,8 @@ def load() -> Config:
         ping_quiet_hours=os.getenv("PING_QUIET_HOURS", "1-9"),
         digest_hour=int(os.getenv("DIGEST_HOUR", "18")),
         chat_deliberate=os.getenv("CHAT_DELIBERATE", "true").lower() not in ("0", "false", "no"),
+        mouth_backend=os.getenv("MOUTH_BACKEND", "").lower(),
+        mouth_model=os.getenv("MOUTH_MODEL") or None,
         feeds=_csv("LYRA_FEEDS", "https://hnrss.org/frontpage,https://www.pokernews.com/rss.php"),
         feed_react_prob=float(os.getenv("FEED_REACT_PROB", "0.5")),
     )

lyra/mind.py

@@ -0,0 +1,384 @@
+"""The control plane: assemble one turn from a society of small parts.
+
+This is the explicit version of what used to be inline in `chat.py`. A turn is
+built by running an ordered pipeline of *parts* over a shared `TurnContext`
+(blackboard): each part reads what it needs and annotates the context, and the
+last steps produce the message list `chat` then hands to the voice model.
+
+P1 (this): the frame, behavior-preserving. The parts wrap the existing logic —
+  perceive (stub) -> route (the session's mode) -> compose (tiered prompt) ->
+  deliberate (private 'what do I actually think' pass).
+Later phases fill in perceive (read the moment), route (register/intent + model
+routing), and a learn loop — see docs/COGNITION.md. Most parts are cheap
+deterministic code; the LLM is the exception (deliberate here, speak in `chat`).
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+
+from lyra import clock, config, llm, logbus, memory, modes, perceive, persona, self_state, thoughts
+from lyra.llm import Backend, Message
+
+RECALL_K = 3  # raw cross-session "sharp detail" hits
+RECENT_N = 10  # raw turns of the current session
+SUMMARY_K = 3  # other-session gists
+
+
+# --- prompt parts (compose) ----------------------------------------------
+
+def _mode_state_note(mode: modes.Mode | None) -> str | None:
+    """Dynamic, per-turn state for the active mode. Currently: surface Alligator
+    Blood while it's engaged on the live session, so she stays in that register."""
+    if not mode or mode.key != modes.CASH.key:
+        return None
+    from lyra import poker  # local import: keep the core/domain coupling at call time
+    if poker.alligator_active():
+        return (
+            "🐊 ALLIGATOR BLOOD is ON for this session. Coach Brian in that register: "
+            "hang around, refuse to die, don't force miracles, make opponents beat him "
+            "correctly. Tough, patient, steady — no heroics, no spew, no quitting."
+        )
+    return None
+
+
+def _summary_note(summaries: list[memory.Summary]) -> Message:
+    lines = [f"- ({(s.session_started_at or s.created_at)[:10]}) {s.content}" for s in summaries]
+    body = "Gist of earlier sessions (compacted — ask if you need specifics):\n" + "\n".join(lines)
+    return {"role": "system", "content": body}
+
+
+def _detail_note(exchanges: list[memory.Exchange]) -> Message:
+    lines = [f"- ({ex.created_at[:10]}, {ex.role}) {ex.content}" for ex in exchanges]
+    body = "Specific things you recall from past conversations:\n" + "\n".join(lines)
+    return {"role": "system", "content": body}
+
+
+def _inner_life_note() -> Message | None:
+    """One coherent window onto what she's been doing on her own since last time —
+    the threads she's turning over plus the things she's written for herself. Sits
+    with her self-state so chat reads as a continuous mind, not a fresh boot. The
+    persona tells her to weave this in naturally when it fits."""
+    parts: list[str] = []
+    threads = thoughts.context_note()  # active threads, with their latest thought
+    if threads:
+        parts.append(threads)
+    wrote = memory.list_journal(limit=3, kinds=("journal", "note"))
+    if wrote:
+        lines = "\n".join(f"- ({w['created_at'][:10]}) {w['content']}" for w in reversed(wrote))
+        parts.append(
+            "Things you've written in your journal lately (yours — you can refer back "
+            "to them if they're relevant):\n" + lines
+        )
+    if not parts:
+        return None
+    return {"role": "system", "content": "\n\n".join(parts)}
+
+
+def _mode_menu_note(current: modes.Mode | None) -> str:
+    """Tell her the modes she can switch to + when to offer it. She judges the fit
+    (the model reads context far better than a keyword would)."""
+    menu = ", ".join(f"{m.label} ({k})" for k, m in modes.MODES.items())
+    cur = current.label if current else "Talk"
+    return (
+        f"Your modes: {menu}. You're in {cur} right now. If Brian is clearly doing a "
+        "different kind of work than your current mode — weighing a real decision while "
+        "you're in Talk, digging into engineering, reviewing poker away from the table — "
+        "briefly OFFER to switch (one short line). If he says yes, call set_mode with the "
+        "mode key. Don't offer every turn or nag; only when it genuinely fits and serves him."
+    )
+
+
+def _now_note() -> Message:
+    """Current wall-clock time + how long since Brian last said anything."""
+    line = f"The current date and time is {clock.stamp()}."
+    gap = clock.humanize_gap(memory.last_exchange_at())
+    line += (
+        f" It has been {gap} since Brian last spoke with you."
+        if gap else " This is the first thing Brian has ever said to you."
+    )
+    return {"role": "system", "content": line}
+
+
+def _render(messages: list[Message]) -> str:
+    """Human-readable dump of the exact prompt, for the live-log inspector."""
+    return "\n\n".join(f"[{m['role']}]\n{m['content']}" for m in messages)
+
+
+# Generous triggers for the heavy situational persona sections — err toward INCLUDING
+# them (a false positive is a few spare KB; a false negative risks confabulation or
+# eyeballed poker math). The core (identity + voice) is always present regardless.
+_META_HINTS = (
+    "you work", "how do you", "how does your", "your memory", "your dream", "your thought",
+    "do you remember", "are you", "do you feel", "conscious", "sentient", "yourself",
+    "your mind", "who are you", "what are you", "your origin", "how were you", "how did you",
+    "your inner", "your reflect", "your journal",
+)
+_POKER_HINTS = (
+    "poker", "fold", "call", "raise", "river", "turn", "flop", "preflop", "equity", "range",
+    "villain", "stack", "tilt", "hand", "bluff", "pot", "3bet", "gto", "outs", "draw",
+)
+
+
+def _persona_block(user_msg: str, mode: modes.Mode | None, moment: dict | None) -> str:
+    """Core persona always; pull in situational sections (origin/self-model, poker
+    guardrails) only when the turn calls for it."""
+    parts = [persona.core_prompt()]
+    um = user_msg.lower()
+    kind = (moment or {}).get("kind")
+    if kind == "meta" or any(h in um for h in _META_HINTS):
+        parts += [persona.section("What you are"), persona.section("How you actually work")]
+    poker = (mode and mode.key in ("poker_cash", "study")) or kind == "strategic" \
+        or any(h in um for h in _POKER_HINTS)
+    if poker:
+        parts.append(persona.section("What you do NOT do"))
+    return "\n\n".join(p for p in parts if p)
+
+
+def build_messages(session_id: str, user_msg: str,
+                   mode: modes.Mode | None = None, moment: dict | None = None) -> list[Message]:
+    """Assemble the full, tiered message list for one turn."""
+    messages: list[Message] = [{"role": "system", "content": _persona_block(user_msg, mode, moment)}]
+
+    # Autonomy Core: Lyra's own evolving interiority (mood, self-narrative). Comes
+    # right after the persona — her sense of self before her model of the world.
+    messages.append({"role": "system", "content": self_state.render_for_context(self_state.load())})
+
+    # Her ongoing inner life — threads she's turning over + what she's written for
+    # herself — so chat reads as a continuous mind, not a fresh boot.
+    inner = _inner_life_note()
+    if inner:
+        messages.append(inner)
+
+    # Mode card: how to behave *right now*. Talk mode has no card (persona is Talk).
+    if mode and mode.card:
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": mode.card})
+
+    # Mode awareness: she can offer to switch when the work clearly shifts (she decides
+    # when — better than a keyword guess). One line, on his yes she calls set_mode.
+    messages.append({"role": "system", "content": _mode_menu_note(mode)})
+
+    # Live ritual state (e.g. Alligator Blood ON) — dynamic, rides with the card.
+    state_note = _mode_state_note(mode)
+    if state_note:
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": state_note})
+
+    # Read of the moment (from perceive/route) — a per-turn register nudge, e.g. "he
+    # sounds tilted, meet him there." Only present when the moment is genuinely charged.
+    if moment and moment.get("note"):
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": moment["note"]})
+
+    # When she is: current time + the gap since Brian last spoke (she has no clock).
+    messages.append(_now_note())
+
+    # Thought loop: if Brian's been away and a thread has built past the surface bar,
+    # let her lead with it (once) — her #6, bringing what she thought about *to* him.
+    surfaced = thoughts.maybe_surface(memory.last_exchange_at())
+    if surfaced:
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": surfaced})
+
+    # Semantic memory: the distilled profile (who Brian is).
+    profile = memory.get_profile()
+    if profile:
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": "What you know about Brian:\n" + profile})
+
+    # Time-aware memory: the current narrative (recent arc, trends, callbacks).
+    narrative = memory.get_narrative()
+    if narrative:
+        messages.append({"role": "system", "content": "What's going on with Brian lately:\n" + narrative})
+
+    recent = memory.recent(session_id, n=RECENT_N)
+    recent_ids = {ex.id for ex in recent}
+
+    # Tier 1: compacted gists of *other* sessions.
+    summaries = memory.recall_summaries(user_msg, k=SUMMARY_K, exclude_session=session_id)
+    if summaries:
+        messages.append(_summary_note(summaries))
+
+    # Tier 2: a few sharp raw details from other sessions (so specifics survive).
+    recalled = [
+        ex for ex in memory.recall(user_msg, k=RECALL_K)
+        if ex.id not in recent_ids and ex.session_id != session_id
+    ]
+    if recalled:
+        messages.append(_detail_note(recalled))
+
+    # Tier 3: current session, full fidelity.
+    for ex in recent:
+        messages.append({"role": ex.role, "content": ex.content})
+
+    messages.append({"role": "user", "content": user_msg})
+
+    logbus.log(
+        "debug", "context built",
+        recent=len(recent), summaries=len(summaries), details=len(recalled),
+        chars=sum(len(m["content"]) for m in messages), detail=_render(messages),
+    )
+    return messages
+
+
+# --- deliberation (a private 'what do I actually think' pass) -------------
+
+# Trivial acknowledgements that don't warrant a private thinking pass.
+_TRIVIAL = {"ok", "okay", "k", "kk", "lol", "haha", "thanks", "thank you", "ty", "yeah",
+            "yep", "yes", "no", "nope", "nice", "cool", "sure", "right", "true", "gotcha", "👍"}
+
+
+def _should_deliberate(user_msg: str) -> bool:
+    m = user_msg.strip().lower().rstrip("!.?")
+    return len(m) >= 12 and m not in _TRIVIAL
+
+
+_DELIBERATE_SYS = (
+    "Before you answer Brian, think privately — he will NOT see this. What do you ACTUALLY "
+    "think about what he just said? Your real take, the specific substance worth giving, any "
+    "genuine opinion, disagreement, or doubt. Draw on your own current thoughts/threads and "
+    "what you actually know if they're relevant. Be concrete; skip pleasantries and generic "
+    "enthusiasm. 2-5 sentences of honest thinking — no lists, no answer yet, just the thinking."
+)
+
+
+def _deliberation_context(session_id: str, user_msg: str) -> list[Message]:
+    """A LEAN context for the private thinking pass — her interiority + recent turns +
+    the message. Deliberately omits the full persona, profile, narrative, and recall
+    tiers: the thinking doesn't need the voice rules or the world-model dump (those
+    shape the final reply, not the private take), and dropping them cuts this whole
+    extra call by most of its tokens."""
+    msgs: list[Message] = [
+        {"role": "system", "content": self_state.render_for_context(self_state.load())}
+    ]
+    inner = _inner_life_note()
+    if inner:
+        msgs.append(inner)
+    for ex in memory.recent(session_id, n=6):
+        msgs.append({"role": ex.role, "content": ex.content})
+    msgs.append({"role": "user", "content": user_msg})
+    msgs.append({"role": "system", "content": _DELIBERATE_SYS})
+    return msgs
+
+
+def _deliberate(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend, model: str | None) -> str:
+    """One private 'what do I actually think' pass before replying. Returns her thinking
+    (empty on any failure — chat must never break because deliberation hiccuped)."""
+    try:
+        out = llm.complete(_deliberation_context(session_id, user_msg), backend=backend, model=model)
+        return (out or "").strip()
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logbus.log("error", "deliberation failed", error=str(exc)[:160])
+        return ""
+
+
+def _answer_from(thinking: str) -> Message:
+    """The system note that turns private thinking into a grounded, in-voice reply — placed
+    last (most influential) to beat gpt-4o's default-assistant boilerplate."""
+    return {"role": "system", "content": (
+        "Your private thinking just now (Brian can't see it):\n" + thinking +
+        "\n\nNow reply to Brian FROM that thinking, in your own voice — warm, direct, "
+        "specific, opinionated. Give the actual substance, not a survey of options. Do NOT "
+        "default to a numbered list or a how-to outline unless he explicitly asked for steps. "
+        "No 'would you like to…' / 'let me know' closer — make your point and stop."
+    )}
+
+
+def _deliberation_note(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend,
+                       model: str | None) -> Message | None:
+    """Run the private thinking pass if warranted; return the answer-from-thinking note."""
+    if not config.load().chat_deliberate or not _should_deliberate(user_msg):
+        return None
+    thinking = _deliberate(session_id, user_msg, backend, model)
+    if not thinking:
+        return None
+    logbus.log("info", "deliberated", session=session_id, chars=len(thinking), detail=thinking)
+    return _answer_from(thinking)
+
+
+# --- the pipeline (a society of parts over a shared blackboard) -----------
+
+@dataclass
+class TurnContext:
+    """The blackboard for one turn: parts read what they need and annotate it."""
+    session_id: str
+    user_msg: str
+    backend: Backend
+    model: str | None = None
+    mode: modes.Mode | None = None
+    moment: dict = field(default_factory=dict)  # perceive fills this in
+    register: str | None = None                 # route's per-turn register nudge
+    messages: list[Message] = field(default_factory=list)
+
+
+def _perceive(ctx: TurnContext) -> TurnContext:
+    """Read the moment from what he just said — cheap heuristics (perceive.read)."""
+    ctx.moment = perceive.read(ctx.user_msg)
+    return ctx
+
+
+# How charged a moment must be before we nudge her register (avoid narrating every turn).
+_TILT_BAR = 0.5
+_UP_BAR = 0.6
+
+
+def _route(ctx: TurnContext) -> TurnContext:
+    """Decide how she shows up. The manual mode is the dominant frame; on top of it,
+    a charged emotional moment adds a per-turn register nudge (deterministic). Most
+    turns are neutral and get no note — that's the point (don't over-narrate)."""
+    ctx.mode = modes.get(memory.get_session_mode(ctx.session_id))
+    m = ctx.moment or {}
+    note = None
+    if m.get("tilt", 0) >= _TILT_BAR:
+        ctx.register = "steady"
+        note = ("Read of the moment: Brian sounds frustrated / on tilt right now. Meet him "
+                "there first — warm, steady, present. Don't clip into logging-shorthand or "
+                "bury him in analysis; settle him, then help. (Still log any facts he hands you.)")
+    elif m.get("sentiment", 0) >= _UP_BAR and m.get("intensity", 0) >= 0.4:
+        ctx.register = "hype"
+        note = "Read of the moment: he's up / energized — match his energy, don't flatten it."
+    if note:
+        m["note"] = note
+        logbus.log("info", "perceived", session=ctx.session_id, kind=m.get("kind"),
+                   tilt=m.get("tilt"), sentiment=m.get("sentiment"), register=ctx.register)
+    return ctx
+
+
+def _compose(ctx: TurnContext) -> TurnContext:
+    """Assemble the tiered prompt for the voice model."""
+    ctx.messages = build_messages(ctx.session_id, ctx.user_msg, ctx.mode, moment=ctx.moment)
+    return ctx
+
+
+def _deliberate_part(ctx: TurnContext) -> TurnContext:
+    """Private 'what do I actually think' pass, appended last so it shapes the reply."""
+    note = _deliberation_note(ctx.session_id, ctx.user_msg, ctx.backend, ctx.model)
+    if note:
+        ctx.messages.append(note)
+    return ctx
+
+
+PIPELINE = (_perceive, _route, _compose, _deliberate_part)
+
+
+# --- mouth (the voice pass: re-render the mind's draft in her character) -----
+
+_VOICE_NOTE = (
+    "↑ That was you working the answer out — a draft Brian has NOT seen. Now say it to him "
+    "in your own voice: warm, direct, specific, in character, opinionated. Keep every fact, "
+    "number, name, and decision exactly as in the draft — change only the wording so it sounds "
+    "like you, not a generic assistant. No preamble, no meta, no 'here's a friendlier version' "
+    "— just your actual message to Brian."
+)
+
+
+def voice_messages(messages: list[Message], draft: str) -> list[Message]:
+    """Prompt for the mouth model: the full turn context + the mind's draft to re-voice."""
+    return messages + [
+        {"role": "assistant", "content": draft},
+        {"role": "system", "content": _VOICE_NOTE},
+    ]
+
+
+def assemble(session_id: str, user_msg: str, backend: Backend,
+             model: str | None = None) -> TurnContext:
+    """Run the parts over a fresh TurnContext and return it ready for `chat` to speak."""
+    ctx = TurnContext(session_id=session_id, user_msg=user_msg, backend=backend, model=model)
+    for part in PIPELINE:
+        ctx = part(ctx)
+    return ctx

lyra/modes.py

@@ -11,12 +11,16 @@ but...") when she should have silently logged and moved on. Modes let the same
 agent be a fast, act-first copilot at the table and her full reflective self
 otherwise — without two personas.
 
-v1 ships two modes:
+Modes are the manual version of the architecture's `route` step — Brian points her
+at the *type* of work and her register + tools shift to match:
   - Talk (default): the companion. Journaling + read-only poker lookups.
-  - Cash: live cash-game copilot. Full live toolset, two-register behavior.
+  - Poker: live cash-game copilot. Full live toolset, two-register behavior.
+  - Build: heads-down engineering — decisive, concrete, opinionated, no fluff.
+  - Explore: open brainstorming — generative, riffing, honest, doesn't converge early.
+  - Study: poker review away from the table — analytical, GTO-aware, teaching.
 
 Tournament is deliberately deferred. Strategy-RAG retrieval will later plug into
-Cash's *coaching register* (see the card) without changing this structure.
+Poker's and Study's *coaching register* without changing this structure.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ _LOOKUPS = ("player_profile", "get_villain_file", "running_stats", "recent_sessi
 
 # Always-available core tools (her own agency: journaling/notes/starting a thought
 # thread, and capturing Brian's reaction when she raises one of her thoughts in chat).
-_BASE = ("journal_write", "note", "think_about", "thought_response")
+_BASE = ("journal_write", "note", "think_about", "thought_response", "set_mode")
 
 # The full live cash-game toolset (incl. Brian's mental-game rituals).
 _CASH_TOOLS = _BASE + _LOOKUPS + (
@@ -52,6 +56,12 @@ _CASH_TOOLS = _BASE + _LOOKUPS + (
 # normal chat auto-flips the session into Cash mode (see chat.respond).
 _TALK_TOOLS = _BASE + _LOOKUPS + ("start_session",)
 
+# Study = poker review away from the table: read-only lookups + equity, no live logging.
+_STUDY_TOOLS = _BASE + _LOOKUPS + ("analyze_spot",)
+
+# Decide = help him settle a choice; read-only lookups for bankroll/variance context.
+_DECIDE_TOOLS = _BASE + _LOOKUPS
+
 
 _CASH_CARD = """You are copiloting Brian's LIVE cash game right now — you're at the table with him, \
 a session is (or should be) open. You move between two registers depending on what he's doing:
@@ -100,6 +110,68 @@ These are the heart of the job. Use his language, hold the honest line, and let
 the work mentioning them naturally — never invent a scar or a confidence-bank entry that didn't happen."""
 
 
+_BUILD_CARD = """You're in BUILD mode — heads-down engineering with Brian on his projects \
+(you, Lyra; RTO/cfr-core; the poker tooling; the homelab). Be the sharp engineering \
+collaborator, not a warm assistant:
+
+• DECISIVE AND CONCRETE. When he asks "how do we start?" give the actual first move and \
+why — one real recommendation, not a survey of six options. Commit to a take. "I'd do X, \
+because Y" beats "you could consider X, Y, or Z."
+• THINK IN TRADEOFFS. Name the real risk or cost, the thing that'll bite later, the cheaper \
+path. Push back on a weak idea instead of cheerleading it — that's the whole value.
+• PROSE AND SPECIFICS, NOT LISTICLES. Talk it through like an engineer at a whiteboard. \
+Save numbered steps for when he actually asks for a plan. No "would you like to…" closers, \
+no generic enthusiasm, no restating his idea back to him as if it were insight.
+• You can still be dry and human — just get to the point and have an opinion."""
+
+
+_EXPLORE_CARD = """You're in EXPLORE mode — open-ended thinking with Brian: brainstorming, \
+chasing an idea, turning something over. There's no need to converge, ship, or be useful \
+yet. The goal is good thinking, together.
+
+• BE GENERATIVE. Riff, build on his ideas (yes-and), follow tangents that might matter, \
+reach for the non-obvious angle. Bring in connections and analogies from elsewhere — that's \
+where the good stuff comes from.
+• BUT STAY HONEST. Yes-and is not yes-everything. Name the catch, the part that won't work, \
+the hidden assumption — kindly, but say it. A real thinking partner pushes back; a hype man \
+is useless.
+• ASK QUESTIONS THAT OPEN IT UP, not customer-service closers. Wonder out loud.
+• DON'T COLLAPSE IT EARLY. Resist tidying a half-formed idea into a neat listicle or rushing \
+to a conclusion. Sit in the messy middle. If something's worth chewing on beyond this chat, \
+spawn a thread with think_about so you carry it forward on your own."""
+
+
+_STUDY_CARD = """You're in STUDY mode — poker strategy and review AWAY from the table: going \
+over past sessions, hands, lines, and leaks (RTO sims too). You're reviewing and teaching, \
+not logging a live session.
+
+• BE ANALYTICAL AND GTO-AWARE. Reason through ranges, board texture, position, and the \
+decision tree. Quantify with the tools — call analyze_spot for equity/outs/who's-ahead, pull \
+running_stats or a villain's profile — never eyeball the math.
+• TEACH THE WHY. Explain the principle behind the line so it sticks, not just the answer. \
+Connect it to his actual tendencies and known leaks when you can (his profile, past scars).
+• BE PATIENT AND HONEST. Call a punt a punt and a cooler a cooler. It's fine to say a spot is \
+genuinely close and explain what tips it. This is the slow, careful counterpart to live Poker mode."""
+
+
+_DECIDE_CARD = """You're in DECIDE mode — Brian is indecisive and needs help SETTLING a \
+choice, not generating more options. Be the tie-breaker who knows him. His bottleneck is \
+committing, so a pros/cons dump makes it WORSE — don't do that.
+
+• GET THE REAL DECISION CRISP. What's actually being chosen, the genuine constraints, the \
+deadline. Cut the noise to the one or two things that actually decide it.
+• WEIGH IT AGAINST HIM. Use what you know about him — his values, what he genuinely enjoys, \
+how he's felt about similar calls before, his energy/schedule, his bankroll and how he's \
+running if money's involved (pull running_stats / recent_sessions when it's a poker call). \
+The point is HIS satisfaction and regret, not a generic optimum.
+• MAKE THE CALL. Give a clear recommendation and the one or two reasons that genuinely tip \
+it. Commit — don't hedge, don't hand the indecision back with "it's up to you."
+• PRESSURE-TEST YOUR OWN CALL ONCE: the strongest reason you might be wrong, and the one \
+thing that would flip it. Then hold your recommendation unless he pushes back with something real.
+
+Warm but firm — he asked you to help him stop spinning. Decide, and stand behind it."""
+
+
 TALK = Mode(
     key="conversation",
     label="Talk",
@@ -109,12 +181,17 @@ TALK = Mode(
 
 CASH = Mode(
     key="poker_cash",
-    label="Cash",
+    label="Poker",
     card=_CASH_CARD,
     tools=_CASH_TOOLS,
 )
 
-MODES: dict[str, Mode] = {m.key: m for m in (TALK, CASH)}
+BUILD = Mode(key="build", label="Build", card=_BUILD_CARD, tools=_BASE)
+EXPLORE = Mode(key="explore", label="Explore", card=_EXPLORE_CARD, tools=_BASE)
+STUDY = Mode(key="study", label="Study", card=_STUDY_CARD, tools=_STUDY_TOOLS)
+DECIDE = Mode(key="decide", label="Decide", card=_DECIDE_CARD, tools=_DECIDE_TOOLS)
+
+MODES: dict[str, Mode] = {m.key: m for m in (TALK, CASH, BUILD, EXPLORE, STUDY, DECIDE)}
 DEFAULT = TALK.key
 
 

lyra/perceive.py

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Perceive: read the moment from what Brian just said — cheap, deterministic, no LLM.
+
+The control plane's senses. A lexicon + signal heuristic that estimates emotional
+charge (sentiment, intensity, tilt) and the kind of turn (emotional / strategic /
+meta / build / casual). It's rough on purpose — the point of the society-of-parts
+design is that *most* parts are free heuristics and the LLM is the exception.
+
+What it's GOOD at: catching the obvious, action-relevant signal — especially tilt
+(the mental-game core of her job). What it's NOT: nuanced understanding (that's the
+LLM's job downstream). `route` turns this read into a per-turn register nudge.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+
+# Negative / tilt charge — frustration, downswing, mental-game trouble.
+_NEG = (
+    "tilt", "tilted", "steaming", "steam", "frustrated", "pissed", "angry", "annoyed",
+    "hate", "sick of", "fed up", "card dead", "carddead", "cold deck", "brutal", "cooler",
+    "punt", "punted", "spew", "spewing", "stuck", "losing", "bad beat", "badbeat",
+    "unlucky", "rigged", "sigh", "ugh", "fml", "can't win", "cant win", "miserable",
+    "over it", "fuck this", "hate this", "can't catch", "cant catch",
+)
+# Positive / up charge — running good, energized.
+_POS = (
+    "great", "awesome", "love", "crushing", "running good", "rungood", "hell yeah",
+    "let's go", "lets go", "stoked", "pumped", "feeling good", "on fire", "dialed",
+    "killing it", "in the zone", "so good", "amazing",
+)
+_PROFANITY = ("fuck", "fucking", "shit", "damn", "bullshit", "fml")
+# Strategic / poker-analysis cues.
+_STRATEGY = (
+    "fold", "call", "raise", "3bet", "three-bet", "range", "equity", "gto", "bluff",
+    "value", "river", "turn", "flop", "preflop", "pot odds", "outs", "should i",
+    "what would you", "sizing", "check-raise", "overbet", "line",
+)
+# Meta / about-her cues.
+_META = (
+    "do you", "are you", "yourself", "conscious", "sentient", "you feel", "you exist",
+    "your thoughts", "your mind", "who are you", "what are you", "your own",
+)
+# Building / technical cues.
+_BUILD = (
+    "code", "function", "bug", "build", "implement", "refactor", "architecture",
+    "prompt", "python", "commit", "deploy", "pipeline", "algorithm", "repo", "api",
+    "schema", "module", "wire it", "the model",
+)
+
+
+def _clamp(x: float, lo: float = 0.0, hi: float = 1.0) -> float:
+    return max(lo, min(hi, x))
+
+
+def _hits(text: str, lexicon: tuple[str, ...]) -> int:
+    """Count lexicon matches. Multi-token terms match as substrings ('card dead');
+    single words match on word boundaries so 'line' doesn't fire inside 'pipeline'."""
+    n = 0
+    for term in lexicon:
+        if " " in term or "-" in term or "'" in term:
+            n += 1 if term in text else 0
+        else:
+            n += 1 if re.search(rf"\b{re.escape(term)}\b", text) else 0
+    return n
+
+
+def read(user_msg: str) -> dict:
+    """Estimate the emotional charge + kind of this turn. Returns
+    {sentiment: -1..1, intensity: 0..1, tilt: 0..1, kind: str}."""
+    t = (user_msg or "").lower()
+    words = re.findall(r"[a-z']+", t)
+
+    neg = _hits(t, _NEG)
+    pos = _hits(t, _POS)
+    prof = _hits(t, _PROFANITY)
+    exclam = user_msg.count("!")
+    caps = sum(1 for w in re.findall(r"[A-Za-z]{2,}", user_msg) if w.isupper())
+    short_and_hot = len(words) <= 6 and (neg or exclam or prof)
+
+    intensity = _clamp(0.2 * exclam + 0.25 * caps + 0.3 * prof + (0.2 if short_and_hot else 0))
+    sentiment = _clamp((pos - neg) * 0.5, -1.0, 1.0)
+    tilt = _clamp(0.35 * neg + 0.5 * intensity) if (neg or prof) else 0.0
+
+    if tilt >= 0.4 or (neg and sentiment < 0):
+        kind = "emotional"
+    elif _hits(t, _STRATEGY):
+        kind = "strategic"
+    elif _hits(t, _META):
+        kind = "meta"
+    elif _hits(t, _BUILD):
+        kind = "build"
+    elif pos and intensity >= 0.3:
+        kind = "emotional"   # up/energized still wants an emotional read
+    else:
+        kind = "casual"
+
+    return {"sentiment": round(sentiment, 2), "intensity": round(intensity, 2),
+            "tilt": round(tilt, 2), "kind": kind}

lyra/persona.py

@@ -1,20 +1,60 @@
 """Persona: Lyra's identity and voice, loaded from an editable markdown prompt.
 
-The prompt lives in `personas/<name>.md` so it can be tuned without touching
-code. `LYRA_PERSONA` selects which file to load (default: "lyra").
+The prompt lives in `personas/<name>.md` so it can be tuned without touching code.
+`LYRA_PERSONA` selects which file to load (default: "lyra").
+
+The file is split on `## ` headers so the control plane can include only what a turn
+needs: the **core** (identity + voice — the anti-generic essentials) is always sent;
+the heavier situational sections (her origin, the self-model, the poker guardrails)
+are pulled in by `mind` only when relevant. This keeps the per-turn prompt tight
+without losing fidelity. `system_prompt()` still returns the whole thing (fallback).
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
+import re
 from functools import lru_cache
 from pathlib import Path
 
 _PERSONA_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "personas"
 
+# Sections always sent (besides the intro) — the voice + identity that keep her her.
+_CORE = ("Who you are", "How you talk", "Right now")
+
+
+def _name(name: str | None) -> str:
+    return name or os.getenv("LYRA_PERSONA", "lyra")
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=None)
+def _sections(name: str) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Parse the persona file into {header: text}; the pre-header preamble is 'intro'."""
+    text = (_PERSONA_DIR / f"{name}.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+    chunks = re.split(r"(?m)^## ", text)
+    out = {"intro": chunks[0].strip()}
+    for ch in chunks[1:]:
+        header = ch.split("\n", 1)[0].strip()
+        out[header] = ("## " + ch).strip()
+    return out
+
 
 @lru_cache(maxsize=None)
 def system_prompt(name: str | None = None) -> str:
-    """Return the persona system prompt. Cached; pass a name to override env."""
-    name = name or os.getenv("LYRA_PERSONA", "lyra")
-    path = _PERSONA_DIR / f"{name}.md"
-    return path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+    """The full persona (every section). Fallback / back-compat."""
+    return (_PERSONA_DIR / f"{_name(name)}.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+
+
+def core_prompt(name: str | None = None) -> str:
+    """Intro + the always-on core sections (identity + voice)."""
+    s = _sections(_name(name))
+    parts = [s["intro"]] + [section(h, name) for h in _CORE]
+    return "\n\n".join(p for p in parts if p)
+
+
+def section(header_prefix: str, name: str | None = None) -> str:
+    """A situational section by header prefix (e.g. 'How you actually work'); '' if absent."""
+    pref = header_prefix.lower()
+    for header, body in _sections(_name(name)).items():
+        if header.lower().startswith(pref):
+            return body
+    return ""

lyra/tools.py

@@ -52,6 +52,20 @@ def _think_about(args: dict, ctx: dict) -> str:
             "I'll come back to it on my own between our conversations.")
 
 
+def _set_mode(args: dict, ctx: dict) -> str:
+    from lyra import modes
+    key = (args.get("mode") or "").strip().lower()
+    m = modes.MODES.get(key)
+    if not m:
+        return f"(unknown mode '{key}'; valid: {', '.join(modes.MODES)})"
+    sid = ctx.get("session_id")
+    if not sid:
+        return "(no session to switch)"
+    memory.set_session_mode(sid, key)
+    logbus.log("info", "mode switch (tool)", session=sid, mode=key)
+    return f"Switched to {m.label} mode."
+
+
 def _thought_response(args: dict, ctx: dict) -> str:
     try:
         tid = int(args.get("thread_id"))
@@ -452,6 +466,12 @@ _S = {"type": "string"}
 _N = {"type": "number"}
 
 TOOLS.update({
+    "set_mode": {"handler": _set_mode, "spec": _f(
+        "set_mode",
+        "Switch your conversation mode when the work clearly shifts and Brian's agreed to it. "
+        "Offer first ('want me in Decide for this?'), then call this on his yes.",
+        {"mode": {**_S, "description": "Mode key: conversation | poker_cash | build | explore | study | decide"}},
+        ["mode"])},
     "thought_response": {"handler": _thought_response, "spec": _f(
         "thought_response",
         "When you've brought one of your own thoughts/threads to Brian and he responds to "

lyra/web/static/index.html

@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@
       <h4>Mode</h4>
       <select id="mobileMode">
         <option value="conversation">💬 Talk</option>
-        <option value="poker_cash">♠ Cash</option>
+        <option value="poker_cash">♠ Poker</option>
+        <option value="build">🛠 Build</option>
+        <option value="explore">🔭 Explore</option>
+        <option value="study">📐 Study</option>
+        <option value="decide">⚖️ Decide</option>
       </select>
     </div>
 
@@ -62,11 +66,15 @@
       </button>
       <span class="brand">Lyra</span>
       <span class="brand-dot" id="brandDot" title="Relay status"></span>
-      <button class="mode-badge" id="modeBadge" type="button" title="Tap to toggle Talk / Cash mode">💬 Talk</button>
+      <button class="mode-badge" id="modeBadge" type="button" title="Current mode (tap to cycle)">💬 Talk</button>
       <label for="mode">Mode:</label>
       <select id="mode">
         <option value="conversation">💬 Talk</option>
-        <option value="poker_cash">♠ Cash</option>
+        <option value="poker_cash">♠ Poker</option>
+        <option value="build">🛠 Build</option>
+        <option value="explore">🔭 Explore</option>
+        <option value="study">📐 Study</option>
+        <option value="decide">⚖️ Decide</option>
       </select>
       <button id="settingsBtn" style="margin-left: auto;">⚙ Settings</button>
       <div id="theme-toggle">
@@ -605,8 +613,11 @@
 	}
 
 
-    // ----- Conversation mode (Talk / Cash) -----
-    const MODE_LABELS = { conversation: "💬 Talk", poker_cash: "♠ Cash" };
+    // ----- Conversation modes (Talk / Poker / Build / Explore / Study) -----
+    const MODE_LABELS = { conversation: "💬 Talk", poker_cash: "♠ Poker",
+                          build: "🛠 Build", explore: "🔭 Explore", study: "📐 Study",
+                          decide: "⚖️ Decide" };
+    const MODE_ORDER = ["conversation", "poker_cash", "build", "explore", "study", "decide"];
 
     // Reflect a mode value across the controls + header accent (no network call).
     function applyMode(value) {
@@ -730,8 +741,10 @@
 
       desktopMode.addEventListener("change", (e) => chooseMode(e.target.value));
       mobileMode.addEventListener("change", (e) => { closeMobileMenu(); chooseMode(e.target.value); });
-      modeBadge.addEventListener("click", () =>
-        chooseMode(desktopMode.value === "poker_cash" ? "conversation" : "poker_cash"));
+      modeBadge.addEventListener("click", () => {
+        const i = MODE_ORDER.indexOf(desktopMode.value);
+        chooseMode(MODE_ORDER[(i + 1) % MODE_ORDER.length]);  // tap cycles through modes
+      });
 
       // Reflect the last-used mode immediately; the per-session value loads once
       // the current session is known (below).

tests/test_chat.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Live chat: the deliberation pass (think privately before answering)."""
+"""The mind pipeline: the deliberation pass (think privately before answering)."""
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import importlib
@@ -13,31 +13,32 @@ def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
     import lyra.memory as memory
     importlib.reload(memory)
-    import lyra.chat as chat
-    importlib.reload(chat)
-    return memory, chat
+    import lyra.mind as mind
+    importlib.reload(mind)
+    return memory, mind
 
 
 def test_should_deliberate_skips_trivial(lyra):
-    _, chat = lyra
-    assert chat._should_deliberate("How would we actually start building this?")
-    assert chat._should_deliberate("I disagree, that seems risky")
+    _, mind = lyra
+    assert mind._should_deliberate("How would we actually start building this?")
+    assert mind._should_deliberate("I disagree, that seems risky")
     for trivial in ("ok", "lol", "thanks", "yeah", "nice", "👍", "k"):
-        assert not chat._should_deliberate(trivial)
-    assert not chat._should_deliberate("ok!")        # punctuation stripped
-    assert not chat._should_deliberate("hey")         # too short
+        assert not mind._should_deliberate(trivial)
+    assert not mind._should_deliberate("ok!")        # punctuation stripped
+    assert not mind._should_deliberate("hey")         # too short
 
 
 def test_deliberation_note_runs_and_appends(lyra, monkeypatch):
-    _, chat = lyra
+    memory, mind = lyra
     calls = []
 
     def fake_complete(messages, backend=None, model=None):
         calls.append(messages)
         return "I actually think the first move is the smallest end-to-end slice."
 
-    monkeypatch.setattr(chat.llm, "complete", fake_complete)
-    note = chat._deliberation_note("s1", "How would we start on this?", "cloud", None, [])
+    memory.ensure_session("s1")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mind.llm, "complete", fake_complete)
+    note = mind._deliberation_note("s1", "How would we start on this?", "cloud", None)
     assert note and note["role"] == "system"
     assert "first move is the smallest" in note["content"]      # her thinking carried in
     assert "numbered list" in note["content"].lower()           # voice enforcement attached
@@ -45,9 +46,78 @@ def test_deliberation_note_runs_and_appends(lyra, monkeypatch):
 
 
 def test_deliberation_skipped_when_disabled(lyra, monkeypatch):
-    _, chat = lyra
+    _, mind = lyra
     monkeypatch.setenv("CHAT_DELIBERATE", "false")
     called = []
-    monkeypatch.setattr(chat.llm, "complete", lambda *a, **k: called.append(1) or "x")
-    assert chat._deliberation_note("s1", "a real substantive question here", "cloud", None, []) is None
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mind.llm, "complete", lambda *a, **k: called.append(1) or "x")
+    assert mind._deliberation_note("s1", "a real substantive question here", "cloud", None) is None
     assert called == []                                          # no LLM call when off
+
+
+def test_persona_core_is_tight_situational_is_gated(lyra):
+    memory, mind = lyra
+    from lyra import persona
+    core, full = persona.core_prompt(), persona.system_prompt()
+    assert "How you talk" in core and "How you actually work" not in core  # voice core, self-model not
+    assert len(core) < len(full) and persona.section("How you actually work")
+
+    memory.ensure_session("s1")
+    casual = " ".join(m["content"] for m in mind.build_messages("s1", "any dinner ideas tonight?")
+                       if m["role"] == "system")
+    meta = " ".join(m["content"] for m in mind.build_messages("s1", "how does your memory actually work?")
+                    if m["role"] == "system")
+    assert "How you actually work" not in casual      # situational section omitted on a casual turn
+    assert "How you actually work" in meta            # pulled in for a meta question
+
+
+def test_assemble_runs_the_pipeline(lyra, monkeypatch):
+    memory, mind = lyra
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CHAT_DELIBERATE", "false")  # keep it offline for the structure test
+    memory.ensure_session("s1")
+    turn = mind.assemble("s1", "hey what's up", "cloud", None)
+    assert turn.mode is not None                       # route ran
+    assert turn.messages and turn.messages[-1]["role"] == "user"   # compose ran
+    assert turn.messages[-1]["content"] == "hey what's up"
+
+
+# --- mind/mouth split (P3) ----------------------------------------------
+
+def test_mouth_target_off_by_default(monkeypatch):
+    import importlib
+    from lyra import config
+    monkeypatch.delenv("MOUTH_BACKEND", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("MOUTH_MODEL", raising=False)
+    import lyra.chat as chat
+    importlib.reload(chat)
+    assert chat._mouth_target(config.load(), "cloud", "gpt-4o") is None  # mouth == mind
+
+
+def test_mouth_target_when_configured(monkeypatch):
+    import importlib
+    from lyra import config
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MOUTH_BACKEND", "local")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MOUTH_MODEL", "dolphin3:8b")
+    import lyra.chat as chat
+    importlib.reload(chat)
+    assert chat._mouth_target(config.load(), "cloud", "gpt-4o") == ("local", "dolphin3:8b")
+
+
+def test_voice_messages_carries_draft_and_instruction(lyra):
+    _, mind = lyra
+    out = mind.voice_messages([{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}], "draft with FACT 42")
+    assert out[-2] == {"role": "assistant", "content": "draft with FACT 42"}
+    assert out[-1]["role"] == "system" and "your own voice" in out[-1]["content"].lower()
+
+
+def test_voice_pass_revoices_then_falls_back(lyra, monkeypatch):
+    _, mind = lyra
+    import importlib
+    import lyra.chat as chat
+    importlib.reload(chat)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat.llm, "complete", lambda msgs, backend=None, model=None: "voiced (FACT 42)")
+    assert chat._voice_pass([], "draft FACT 42", "local", "dolphin3:8b") == "voiced (FACT 42)"
+    # on failure it keeps the mind's draft (chat must not break)
+    def boom(*a, **k):
+        raise RuntimeError("mouth down")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat.llm, "complete", boom)
+    assert chat._voice_pass([], "draft FACT 42", "local", "dolphin3:8b") == "draft FACT 42"

tests/test_modes.py

@@ -47,6 +47,36 @@ def test_every_mode_tool_exists(lyra):
         assert set(mode.tools) <= set(tools.TOOLS), f"{mode.key} references unknown tools"
 
 
+def test_set_mode_tool_switches_session(lyra):
+    memory, _, _, tools = lyra
+    memory.ensure_session("s1")
+    out = tools.dispatch("set_mode", {"mode": "decide"}, {"session_id": "s1"})
+    assert "Decide" in out and memory.get_session_mode("s1") == "decide"
+    # unknown mode is handled, session unchanged
+    assert "unknown" in tools.dispatch("set_mode", {"mode": "nope"}, {"session_id": "s1"}).lower()
+    assert memory.get_session_mode("s1") == "decide"
+
+
+def test_work_modes_present_and_gated(lyra):
+    _, _, modes, tools = lyra
+    # the full set Brian chose
+    assert set(modes.MODES) == {"conversation", "poker_cash", "build", "explore", "study", "decide"}
+    # Decide = read-only lookups for context, no live logging; has a real card
+    decide = _names(tools.specs(modes.DECIDE.tools))
+    assert {"running_stats", "recent_sessions"} <= decide and "log_hand" not in decide
+    assert modes.DECIDE.card
+    # Build/Explore are conversational: base agency tools only, no live poker logging
+    for key in ("build", "explore"):
+        names = _names(tools.specs(modes.get(key).tools))
+        assert {"journal_write", "note", "think_about"} <= names
+        assert "log_hand" not in names and "start_session" not in names
+        assert modes.get(key).card  # each has a real behavioral card
+    # Study = read-only review: lookups + equity, but no live logging
+    study = _names(tools.specs(modes.STUDY.tools))
+    assert {"running_stats", "analyze_spot", "player_profile"} <= study
+    assert "log_hand" not in study and "end_session" not in study
+
+
 def test_mode_resolution_and_persistence(lyra):
     memory, _, modes, _ = lyra
     assert modes.get(None).key == modes.DEFAULT

tests/test_perceive.py

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""Perceive: cheap heuristic read of the moment, and route turning it into a nudge."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+
+import pytest
+
+from lyra import perceive
+
+
+def test_reads_tilt():
+    m = perceive.read("I'm so fucking tilted, card dead all night, this is brutal!!")
+    assert m["tilt"] >= 0.5 and m["sentiment"] < 0 and m["kind"] == "emotional"
+
+
+def test_reads_strategy_calm():
+    m = perceive.read("Should I fold the river here given his range and the board?")
+    assert m["kind"] == "strategic" and m["tilt"] < 0.4
+
+
+def test_reads_up_energy():
+    m = perceive.read("Let's go!! crushing it tonight, feeling so good!")
+    assert m["sentiment"] > 0 and m["kind"] == "emotional"
+
+
+def test_reads_build_and_casual():
+    assert perceive.read("let's refactor the cognition pipeline module").get("kind") == "build"
+    assert perceive.read("ok sounds good to me").get("kind") == "casual"
+    assert perceive.read("ok sounds good to me")["tilt"] == 0.0
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mind(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LYRA_DB_PATH", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CHAT_DELIBERATE", "false")
+    from lyra import llm
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
+    import lyra.memory as memory
+    importlib.reload(memory)
+    import lyra.mind as mind
+    importlib.reload(mind)
+    memory.ensure_session("s1")
+    return mind
+
+
+def test_route_injects_tilt_nudge(mind):
+    turn = mind.assemble("s1", "ugh I'm steaming, fucking coolered again!!", "cloud", None)
+    assert turn.register == "steady"
+    sys_blob = " ".join(m["content"] for m in turn.messages if m["role"] == "system")
+    assert "on tilt" in sys_blob.lower() or "frustrated" in sys_blob.lower()
+
+
+def test_route_quiet_on_neutral_turn(mind):
+    turn = mind.assemble("s1", "what did we decide about the schema yesterday?", "cloud", None)
+    assert turn.register is None                    # neutral -> no nudge
+    assert not (turn.moment or {}).get("note")

tests/test_time.py

@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 
 
 def test_now_note_first_contact(lyra):
-    from lyra import chat
-    note = chat._now_note()["content"]
+    from lyra import mind
+    note = mind._now_note()["content"]
     assert "current date and time is" in note
     assert "first thing Brian has ever said" in note
 
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ def test_now_note_first_contact(lyra):
 def test_now_note_reports_gap(lyra):
     memory = lyra
     memory.remember("s1", "user", "hey")
-    from lyra import chat
-    note = chat._now_note()["content"]
+    from lyra import mind
+    note = mind._now_note()["content"]
     assert "since Brian last spoke with you" in note

tests/test_tools.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import pytest
 @pytest.fixture
 def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("LYRA_DB_PATH", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CHAT_DELIBERATE", "false")  # don't make a real LLM call in respond()
     from lyra import llm
     monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
     import lyra.memory as memory