Stonecross Directive — Late Spring, Year 1

I. The Annual Public Reweighing Delegation

The third month of spring brings the annual public reweighing at Measure House. Having completed our receipt reconciliation in Month 2 without a single discrepancy, Stonecross will present its independent reference stone openly, methodically, and with complete procedural integrity.

1. Composition & Transit of the Delegation:

   • Leadership & Personnel: I will personally lead the formal delegation to Measure House, accompanied by Ressa (Reference Custodian), Tovin (Stoneworker and Balance Specialist), Willa (Exchange Witness), and a small squad of four trusted upland road guards.
   • Custodial Transport: The locked chest containing the reference stone will travel in the fitted, padded wooden case and shoulder harness constructed by Tovin. It will be carried by hand in rotating pairs among our guards to ensure absolute protection against jarring, road shock, and moisture. Draft animals will not be used for this journey, preserving our oxen in the settlement.
   • Staging at Roadside Shelter: The delegation will march down the upland road, staging overnight at our newly rehabilitated roadside shelter to rest, inspect the carrying rig, and ensure we arrive at Measure House clean, composed, and ahead of the formal convening bell.

2. Public Reweighing Protocol at Measure House:

   • Verification of Prior Seals: Before the assembled delegates of Barleybank, Reedhaven, and Hearthmere, alongside Belen, Oren, and Sella, Ressa and I will present the locked chest and exhibit the intact cord and seal placed during last year's reweighing. Belen and the clan witnesses will be invited to inspect the seal for tampering, tool marks, or degradation.
   • Formal Unsealing & Balance Comparison: Upon collective acknowledgement of the intact seal, the cord will be cut in public view. Tovin will assist and observe as our reference stone is placed upon the certified balance beam against the Measure House working stones.
   • Precision Assessment: Tovin and Willa will carefully inspect the beam equilibrium, knife edges, and scale pans for friction, tare imbalances, or physical wear. Every result, whether exact balance or any minute variance, must be witnessed, measured with standard fractional tares if necessary, and read aloud.
   • Documentation & Resealing: Once the comparison is completed, Willa will ensure the findings are entered identically into Measure House’s central ledger, Sella’s duplicates, and Stonecross’s community ledger, signed and witnessed by all four clan delegations and Belen. The reference stone will then be returned to its chest, wrapped in fresh cord, and impressed with the collective seals of Stonecross, Measure House, and participating clan witnesses before being locked for the return journey.

II. Inter-Clan Diplomacy & Measure House Proceedings

1. Fairness and Neutrality:
   • Stonecross will act as an anchor of calm, impartial measurement. We hold no prior grievances and seek no manufactured disputes, having confirmed our own tallies to be in exact order.
   • If other settlements (Barleybank, Reedhaven, or Hearthmere) present discrepancies, claims of shrinkage, or disputes regarding Oren’s working weights:
     • Willa and I will insist on adherence to established Measure House procedures: inspectable tallies, physical evidence, and fair hearings before Belen and the four clan witnesses.
     • We will oppose hasty or unsubstantiated accusations while supporting rigorous audits where genuine error or physical drift is demonstrated.
2. Trade and Exchange Relations:
   • While in assembly, Willa will confer with trade representatives from Barleybank, Reedhaven, and Hearthmere regarding upcoming summer exchange schedules. We will communicate that Stonecross’s upland road is open, secure, and supported by our roadside shelter for traveling merchants and exchange parties.
   • Extend courtesy to Oren, acknowledging his twelve years of service, while maintaining professional cooperation with Sella and Belen to ensure institutional continuity.

III. Settlement Infrastructure & Ox Conservation

While the delegation is at Measure House, local operations at Stonecross must proceed under clear direction to preserve community momentum and road safety.

1. Retaining Wall Masonry:
   • Una (Road Forewoman): Take operational charge of the settlement's infrastructure work. With hydrostatic pressure diverted and timber cribbing holding firm, continue setting dressed stone along the permanent retaining wall foundation.
   • Continue sourcing and dressing stone directly on the upper bench to eliminate long hauls.
2. Draft Management & Ox Welfare:
   • Vann (Ox Keeper): Maintain strict pacing for the oxen. With summer approaching, draft animals must remain in prime physical condition. Oxen are to be deployed only for heavy block lifting and short bench hauls during dry spells, with no animal working more than two consecutive days.
   • Ensure pastures and fodder supplies are monitored as spring forage peaks, allowing oxen to regain full strength.
3. Roadside Shelter Maintenance:
   • Leave a small two-person caretaker watch at the roadside shelter to provide water, shelter, and direction to traveling witnesses or messengers passing between the valley and the upland road.

IV. Agriculture & Community Welfare

• Terrace Farming: With mid-spring sowing completed, agricultural crews are to focus on terrace weeding, stone border checks, and irrigation ditch clearance to protect crops against late spring downpours.
• Settlement Security: Maintain standard gate watches and storehouse security under the direction of elder councilors while the Roadwarden and primary officers are at Measure House.
• Return Schedule: Following the conclusion of the reweighing and the resealing of the stone, the Stonecross delegation will make an orderly return march up the road, safely restoring our reference weight to its locked storehouse vault.