Stonecross Directive — Mid-Spring, Year 1

I. Measure House Delegations & Month 2 Preparation

The second month of spring brings the formal preparation phase at Measure House: copying receipts, verifying tallies, and inspecting seals ahead of next month’s public reweighing.

1. Exchange Delegation Dispatch:

   • Willa (Exchange Witness): Lead a small, agile delegation (traveling on foot to spare draft animals) down to Measure House carrying Stonecross’s full portfolio of verified receipts, transaction chits, and our community ledger.
   • Receipt Reconciliation: Work systematically with Sella to cross-check Stonecross’s receipts against the duplicate tallies and Oren’s central ledger. Note and transcribe any discrepancies in grain volumes, tare, dates, or recorded grades.
   • Seal & Document Verification: Participate in the customary inspection of seals on central records. Ensure Stonecross’s documentation is stamped, witnessed, and countersigned in accordance with established Measure House procedures.
   • Protocol Consultation with Belen: Meet with Belen to confirm the exact schedule, witness rules, and formal order of comparison for Month 3's public reweighing. Inquire into the handling protocols for our independent reference stone when it is brought down next month.

2. Diplomatic & Clan Observation:

   • Willa and her escorts should engage courteously with the delegations from Barleybank, Reedhaven, and Hearthmere.
   • Without taking partisan stances or voicing unverified suspicions, observe their positions: Are other settlements raising concerns about grain shrinkage, storage quality, or weighing accuracy? Are any formal complaints, censure motions, or restitution claims being prepared? Report all observations back upon return.

II. Reference Stone Security & Custody

1. Maintain On-Site Custody:
   • The independent reference stone remains in its locked dry chest within our secure upland store throughout Month 2. It will not be transported across muddy spring roads until the actual reweighing in Month 3.
2. Environmental & Custodial Vigil:
   • Ressa (Custodian): Maintain strict physical security and daily logging of the storehouse. Ensure humidity and temperature remain stable so no moisture damages the chest, cord, or seal.
   • Tovin (Stoneworker): Design a padded, weather-resistant carrying case and harness suitable for safely transporting the locked chest to Measure House next month without subjecting the stone to shock or abrasion.

III. Infrastructure: Retaining Wall & Roadside Shelter

1. Measured Masonry on Retaining Wall:
   • With hydrostatic pressure relieved and timber cribbing holding the failure plane, shift from emergency shoring to gradual, permanent stone placement.
   • Una (Road Forewoman) & Tovin: Source and dress stone locally near the upper bench to reduce hauling distances.
   • Vann (Ox Keeper): Enforce strict pacing for the oxen. Limit heavy stone hauling to dry days and maintain rotational duty (no ox worked more than two hauling days per week). If weather turns wet and tracks soften, pause draft hauling entirely and rely on hand crews.
2. Roadside Shelter Completion:
   • Direct a secondary carpentry crew to finish restoring the roadside shelter along our valley route.
   • Ensure the roof is weatherproofed, a dry supply of firewood is stacked inside, and basic sleeping bunks are repaired. This shelter will serve as a staging and resting point for Willa’s team this month and our larger custodial escort in Month 3.

IV. Agriculture & Seasonal Routine

• As mid-spring ground warms, community labor must prioritize sowing and terrace field maintenance. Because steep slopes naturally preclude heavy ox work, terrace planting must proceed unhampered by construction schedules.
• Maintain routine road patrols between Stonecross and the valley to assist any visiting witnesses or traders traveling toward Measure House.