Crucible Suite

A Claude Code plugin for writing epic fantasy novels using the Crucible Structure--a 36-beat narrative framework with three interwoven story strands.

Overview

Crucible Suite guides authors through the complete novel-writing process:

1. Planning - Interactive questionnaire generates 9 comprehensive planning documents
2. Outlining - Transform planning documents into detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines
3. Writing - Scene-by-scene drafting with style matching and anti-hallucination protocols
4. Editing - Multi-level revision from developmental editing to final polish

Features

• 36-Beat Narrative Framework - Structured story beats ensure compelling pacing
• Three Interwoven Strands - Quest (external), Fire (internal), Constellation (relationships)
• Four Forge Points + Apex - Critical convergence moments where all strands collide
• Mercy Engine - Track acts of mercy that pay off in the climax
• Bi-Chapter Reviews - Automated quality checks every 2 chapters
• Anti-Hallucination Protocols - Strict verification against planning documents
• Automatic Backups - Never lose your work

Installation

From GitHub (Recommended)

# Add the marketplace
/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude.git

# Install the plugin
/plugin install crucible-suite@crucible-writing-system

# Restart Claude Code to activate

Manual Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude.git

2. Add as local marketplace:

   /plugin marketplace add ./The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude

3. Install:

   /plugin install crucible-suite@crucible-writing-system

4. Restart Claude Code

Quick Start

Start a New Project

/crucible-suite:crucible-plan [your premise]

Example:

/crucible-suite:crucible-plan A young blacksmith discovers she can forge weapons that steal memories. When her village is destroyed by a memory-hunting cult, she must master her forbidden gift to save the last people who remember the old ways.

Continue Where You Left Off

/crucible-suite:crucible-continue

Check Project Status

/crucible-suite:crucible-status

Commands

The Crucible Structure

Three Strands

• Quest Strand - The external mission, burden, or objective
• Fire Strand - Internal power, curse, or transformation
• Constellation Strand - Relationships, community, bonds that anchor or break

Six Movements

Forge Points

Critical moments where all three strands collide:

Review Agents

Five specialized agents analyze your prose during bi-chapter reviews:

Planning Documents

The planning phase generates 9 documents:

Project Structure

When you start a Crucible project, it creates:

your-project/
+-- CLAUDE.md                    # Project memory
+-- .crucible/
|   +-- state/
|       +-- planning-state.json  # Session state
+-- planning/
    +-- CLAUDE.md                # Planning context
    +-- strand-maps/             # Generated strand documents
    +-- forge-points/            # Forge point details

As you progress through phases, additional directories are created:

+-- outline/                     # Added during outlining
|   +-- CLAUDE.md
|   +-- by-chapter/
+-- draft/                       # Added during writing
|   +-- CLAUDE.md
|   +-- chapters/
+-- story-bible.json             # Generated during writing
+-- style-profile.json           # Captured from samples

Requirements

• Claude Code (latest version recommended)
• Python 3.8+ (for automation scripts)

Documentation

Learn the Crucible Structure

The The-Crucible-Structure/ folder contains comprehensive documentation for learning the framework -- whether you use the plugin or write by hand:

Core Concepts:

• The Three Strands - Quest, Fire, Constellation
• The 36 Beats - Complete beat breakdown
• Forge Points - The five crisis moments
• The Mercy Engine - Compassion that pays off
• The Dark Mirror - Antagonist design

Worksheets: Printable planning templates in worksheets/

Examples: Completed worksheets based on a sample story in worksheets/examples/

Plugin Reference

Technical reference documentation for plugin developers:

Access these via the skills/[skill-name]/references/ directories.

FAQ

Q: Can I use Crucible Suite for non-fantasy genres?
A: The 36-beat structure works well for any genre with strong character arcs. The terminology is fantasy-flavored, but the underlying principles--external goal, internal transformation, relationship dynamics--are universal.

Q: How long should my novel be?
A: Crucible Suite is optimized for epic fantasy (120,000-180,000 words). The 36 beats map to approximately 40-50 chapters at 3,000-4,000 words each.

Q: Can I modify the beat structure?
A: The planning documents you generate are fully editable. Adjust beat placement, merge beats, or split them as needed for your story.

Q: What if I already have a partial draft?
A: Use /crucible-suite:crucible-continue to detect your project state. You can generate planning documents retroactively or start outlining from any point.

Q: How do bi-chapter reviews work?
A: Every two chapters, the system automatically runs five review agents (voice, continuity, outline, timeline, prose) to catch issues early. You can also trigger reviews manually with /crucible-suite:crucible-review.

Troubleshooting

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here's how to help:

1. Report Issues - Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue
2. Submit PRs - Fork the repo, make changes, and submit a pull request
3. Share Feedback - Tell us about your writing experience with Crucible Suite
4. Spread the Word - Star the repo and share with other fantasy writers

Development Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude.git
cd The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude

# Test scripts
python scripts/detect_project.py

License

MIT License - See LICENSE for details.

Support

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Documentation: Reference files in skills/*/references/ directories
• Changelog: See CHANGELOG.md for version history

Version 1.0.18 -- Changelog -- License

{
  "name": "crucible-writing-system",
  "owner": {
    "name": "forsonny"
  },
  "description": "Complete writing system for epic fantasy novels using the Crucible Structure - a 36-beat narrative framework with three interwoven story strands (Quest, Fire, Constellation), four Forge Points, and a Mercy Engine.",
  "plugins": [
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      "agents": [
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        "./agents/timeline-checker.md",
        "./agents/voice-checker.md"
      ],
      "skills": [
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        "./skills/crucible-planner/SKILL.md",
        "./skills/crucible-writer/SKILL.md"
      ],
      "commands": [
        "./commands/crucible-continue.md",
        "./commands/crucible-edit.md",
        "./commands/crucible-outline.md",
        "./commands/crucible-plan.md",
        "./commands/crucible-restore.md",
        "./commands/crucible-review.md",
        "./commands/crucible-status.md",
        "./commands/crucible-write.md"
      ],
      "source": "./"
    }
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}