Vault Recall

Answer the user's questions from what the second brain already holds. Read-only: recall never mutates the vault. If the answer prompts a change ("actually, mark that done"), route it to the owning skill afterwards.

Use second-brain for vault conventions and the shared tool surface. An empty search result and a "not found" are authoritative answers, not errors — see second-brain -> Tools.

Tools

Every tool here is read-only. Never construct a file path: pass the note name as it appears in a wikilink and the server resolves it.

Search Strategy (layered — stop as soon as the question is answered)

1. Named entity first. If the question names a person, project, store, topic, or idea, read its note directly with obsidian__vault_read note="…". The note and its tables usually answer the question outright.
2. Search. obsidian__vault_search on the key terms; try 2-3 phrasings before concluding absence. Narrow with type or folder when you know where the answer lives.
3. Follow the graph one hop. obsidian__vault_links direction="in" and direction="out" on the notes found, then read their ## Related sections. This catches context that keyword search missed.
4. Time questions use time sources. For a date range, list the daily and synthesis notes in range with obsidian__vault_list folder="Daily" changed_since="2026-07-01", then read them — plus completed tasks and dated table rows.

A search that returns nothing has answered the question. Do not re-run it a third way.

Recipes by Question Shape

• "What do I know about TOPIC" -> obsidian__vault_search query="TOPIC" type="knowledge", then the topic's MOC note, then the notes it lists. Answer from the notes and name the ones used.
• "What did PERSON and I discuss / what's pending with them" -> obsidian__vault_read note="First Last" section="Conversation History" and section="Pending Topics", then obsidian__vault_links direction="in" note="First Last" for project notes that mention them.
• "Why/when did we decide X" -> the project note's ## Key Decisions table first, then obsidian__vault_search.
• "Summarize my week/month" -> daily notes and syntheses in range, tasks completed in range, project ## Conversation Log rows in range.
• "What am I waiting on / what's stale" -> that is standup's shape. Run standup rather than reinventing it.

Answer Style

• Answer first, then sources: name the notes used so the user can jump in.
• Quote the user's own recorded wording for decisions and journal content; do not paraphrase it into new claims.
• "The vault says nothing about this" is a real answer — say which places were checked. Distinguish it from "found but thin."
• Never fill a gap from general knowledge without labelling it as outside the vault.

Privacy

Journal and people-note content is sensitive: answer in the current direct channel only, include the minimum detail that answers the question, and never surface private details in group or public channels.