Authors and agents get a check that catches untyped or broken Parent intent: and Brief: pointers in the artifacts a change adds or modifies, so a bad link to an intent or brief is fixed before it merges.
Artifacts a change leaves untouched are never checked, so older documents with legacy pointers do not block new work.
Skills now write typed pointers by default, so new specs and briefs start out well formed.
The work-loop finish step and the repository gate both run the check, and an incomplete check counts as a failure, not a pass.