diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 30ed4c8..ac81c8b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,60 +1,54 @@
-# Railiance Cluster
+# railiance-cluster
 [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](LICENSE)
 
-Opinionated Infrastructure-as-Code framework for reproducible, self-reliant systems.
+S2 cluster runtime home for Railiance: Kubernetes substrate ownership, cluster
+operators, kubeconfig delivery, backup/preflight safety rails, and published
+cluster facts that downstream workload rails depend on.
 
-Railiance is an opinionated **Infrastructure-as-Code framework** —  
-think *Rails for Ops*: convention over configuration, reproducibility first.
+This repo is the Kubernetes substrate owner, not the long-term home for the
+generic workload-on-Kubernetes contract. The staged workload lifecycle,
+`railiance/app.toml`, and overlay/wrapper scaffolding still live here as a
+compatibility layer and are being prepared for extraction to a future
+`rail-kubernetes` repo.
 
-This repo (`railiance-cluster`) is the **cluster runtime entry point**:  
-from two bare Linux servers, a Git repo, and credentials, you can rebuild  
-a fully automated Kubernetes-based environment.
+## Current Boundary
 
----
+- S2-owned here: k3s bootstrap, Helm and kubeconfig access, cluster-level
+  backup/preflight, smoke checks, and published substrate expectations.
+- Transitional here only: generic Stage 1/2/3 workload lifecycle semantics,
+  `railiance/app.toml`, canary/promotion CLI commands, and overlay scaffolding.
+- Reviewed move map:
+  [docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md](docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md)
+- Published substrate profile:
+  [docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md](docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md)
 
-## 🚀 Quick Start
+## Quick Start
 
-1. **Clone this repo**
+1. Clone this repo.
    ```bash
    git clone <your-gitea-url>/railiance-cluster.git
    cd railiance-cluster
    ```
+2. Configure Gitea access in `~/.railiance_gitea.conf`.
+3. Bootstrap a host with the Ansible playbooks in `ansible/`.
+4. Validate the cluster substrate with the documented smoke/preflight targets.
 
-2. **Configure Gitea access**  
-   Edit `~/.railiance_gitea.conf` with your server URL, username, and token.  
-   *(Never commit this file!)*
+## Repo Structure
 
-3. **Bootstrap a host**  
-   Run the Ansible playbooks in `ansible/` to set up k3s, Helm, kubectl.  
+- `ansible/` - S2 bootstrap playbooks
+- `helm/` - retained cluster-side helper manifests
+- `tests/` - cluster validation and HA smoke checks
+- `docs/` - S2 substrate docs plus transitional rail-kubernetes specs
+- `tools/` - S2 operations plus compatibility tooling that is being split out
+- `workplans/` - repo-local cluster work records
 
-4. **Deploy baseline services**  
-   Use `helm/` charts to roll out essential services (GitOps, monitoring, etc.).  
+## Key Docs
 
-5. **Validate**  
-   Check the automated tests in `tests/` to confirm infra health.  
+- [SCOPE.md](SCOPE.md)
+- [docs/README.md](docs/README.md)
+- [docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md](docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md)
+- [docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md](docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md)
 
----
+## Contributing
 
-## 📂 Repo Structure
-
-- `ansible/` — Playbooks for provisioning  
-- `helm/` — Opinionated Helm charts  
-- `k8s/` — Kubernetes manifests  
-- `tests/` — Automated validation  
-- `docs/` — Documentation (see [docs/README.md](./docs/README.md))  
-- `tools/` — Helper scripts (e.g. `create_railiance_repo.sh`)  
-
----
-
-## 🤝 Contributing
-
-See [docs/CONTRIBUTING.md](./docs/CONTRIBUTING.md).  
-
----
-
-## 🌍 Vision
-
-Railiance aims for **self-reliant infrastructure**:  
-automation you can rebuild from scratch, with calmness and clarity.  
-
-> *From bare metal to resilient clusters — in one repo.*
+See [docs/CONTRIBUTING.md](docs/CONTRIBUTING.md).
diff --git a/SCOPE.md b/SCOPE.md
index 15d7933..4716c1d 100644
--- a/SCOPE.md
+++ b/SCOPE.md
@@ -8,13 +8,23 @@
 
 ## One-liner
 
-S2 Cluster Runtime layer of the Railiance OAS Stack — owns k3s installation, Helm, ingress, CNI, admission controllers, operators, and kubeconfig management.
+S2 Cluster Runtime layer of the Railiance OAS Stack - owns k3s installation,
+Helm, ingress, CNI, admission controllers, operators, kubeconfig management,
+and the substrate facts published to downstream workload rails.
 
 ---
 
 ## Core Idea
 
-Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo is S2. It installs and configures the Kubernetes cluster runtime: k3s, Helm, ingress controller, CNI plugin, cluster addons and operators. S1 (OS) must be converged before S2 can run. S2 explicitly does not own platform services (PostgreSQL, caches) — those are S3.
+Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
+is S2. It installs and configures the Kubernetes cluster runtime: k3s, Helm,
+ingress controller, CNI plugin, cluster addons and operators. S1 (OS) must be
+converged before S2 can run. S2 explicitly does not own platform services
+(PostgreSQL, caches) - those are S3.
+
+Some generic workload lifecycle docs and commands still live here as a temporary
+compatibility layer. That material is transition debt pending extraction to a
+future `rail-kubernetes` repo and must not be treated as long-term S2 scope.
 
 ---
 
@@ -27,15 +37,17 @@ Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
 - Cluster addons (cert-manager, etc.)
 - kubeconfig management and access
 - Smoke tests to validate cluster health
+- Published substrate facts and safety expectations for downstream workload rails
 
 ---
 
 ## Out of Scope
 
-- OS security hardening, SSH, firewall → railiance-infra (S1)
-- Platform services (PostgreSQL HA, Valkey, object storage) → railiance-platform (S3)
-- CI/CD and developer tooling → railiance-enablement (S4)
-- Application deployments → railiance-apps (S5)
+- OS security hardening, SSH, firewall -> railiance-infra (S1)
+- Platform services (PostgreSQL HA, Valkey, object storage) -> railiance-platform (S3)
+- CI/CD and developer tooling -> railiance-enablement (S4)
+- Application deployments -> railiance-apps (S5)
+- Generic workload lifecycle semantics, `railiance/app.toml`, and wrapper scaffolding as long-term ownership concerns -> future `rail-kubernetes` / `rapp-*`
 - No re-configuration of S1 concerns from this repo
 
 ---
@@ -46,6 +58,7 @@ Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
 - Installing or updating cluster-level operators and addons
 - Diagnosing cluster health (smoke tests)
 - k3s upgrades or kubeconfig rotation
+- Defining what the current Kubernetes substrate guarantees to downstream workload rails
 
 ---
 
@@ -60,8 +73,8 @@ Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
 ## Current State
 
 - Status: active / stable
-- Implementation: k3s baseline, pgpool HA failover fix, age-encrypted backup, kubeconfig delivery, staged promotion lifecycle, and activity-core/llm-connect reconcile gates all finished (RAIL-BS-WP-0002…0006, RAILIANCE-WP-0012…0014)
-- Open work: RAIL-BS-WP-0007 ThreePhoenix HA cluster (active, 0/7); RAIL-BS-WP-0008 activity-core WP-0016 deploy (ready); RAIL-BS-WP-0009 admin-sync smoke (ready)
+- Implementation: k3s baseline, age-encrypted backup, kubeconfig delivery, and cluster operator/addon management are established; generic workload lifecycle docs/tooling remain here as transition debt pending `rail-kubernetes` extraction
+- Open work: RAIL-BS-WP-0007 ThreePhoenix HA cluster (active, 0/7); RAIL-BS-WP-0008 activity-core WP-0016 deploy (ready); RAIL-BS-WP-0009 admin-sync smoke (ready); RAIL-BS-WP-0012 rail-kubernetes extraction (active)
 - Usage: core Kubernetes runtime for all Railiance deployments; runs on COULOMBCORE (92.205.130.254)
 - Also deployed at cluster level: cert-manager, ArgoCD, CloudNative PG operator (cnpg), nginx ingress, SSO stack (mfa + sso namespaces via net-kingdom)
 
@@ -69,7 +82,7 @@ Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
 
 ## How It Fits
 
-- Upstream dependencies: railiance-infra (S1) — OS must be converged and verified
+- Upstream dependencies: railiance-infra (S1) - OS must be converged and verified
 - Downstream consumers: railiance-platform (S3), railiance-enablement (S4), railiance-apps (S5)
 - Often used with: railiance-platform (next layer to configure after cluster is up)
 
@@ -78,21 +91,21 @@ Railiance is structured as five independent repos per OAS Stack layer. This repo
 ## Terminology
 
 - Preferred terms: OAS Stack Level S2, smoke test, pre-condition chain, boundary rule
-- Potentially confusing terms: cluster runtime ≠ platform services; Gitea and databases are NOT S2 concerns
+- Potentially confusing terms: cluster runtime != platform services; cluster runtime != generic workload rail; Gitea and databases are not S2 concerns
 
 ---
 
 ## Related / Overlapping
 
-- `railiance-infra` (S1) — must be converged before this layer runs
-- `railiance-platform` (S3) — consumes the cluster runtime provided by S2
+- `railiance-infra` (S1) - must be converged before this layer runs
+- `railiance-platform` (S3) - consumes the cluster runtime provided by S2
 
 ---
 
 ## Getting Oriented
 
-- Start with: `CLAUDE.md` (session protocol, remote execution via SSH tunnel), `README.md`
-- Key files / directories: `workplans/` (4 active), `.sops.yaml` (secret encryption)
+- Start with: `CLAUDE.md`, `README.md`
+- Key files / directories: `workplans/`, `.sops.yaml`, `docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md`, `docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md`
 - Entry points: `Makefile` targets; remote work requires SSH tunnel to State Hub
 
 ---
@@ -124,4 +137,11 @@ keywords: [backup, restore, age, encryption, k3s, state, helm, kubeconfig, disas
 
 ## Notes
 
-Runs on COULOMBCORE (92.205.130.254). State Hub access via ops-bridge reverse tunnel — `bridge up state-hub-coulombcore` from the workstation (see ADR-004). Gitea Helm values were migrated to S5 (railiance-apps) in RAIL-HO-WP-0004-T06 — boundary violation resolved.
+Runs on COULOMBCORE (92.205.130.254). State Hub access via ops-bridge reverse
+tunnel - `bridge up state-hub-coulombcore` from the workstation (see ADR-004).
+Gitea Helm values were migrated to S5 (railiance-apps) in RAIL-HO-WP-0004-T06 -
+boundary violation resolved.
+
+`bin/railiance` lifecycle subcommands, `railiance/app.toml`, and overlay/wrapper
+scaffolding stay in this repo only as a migration bridge. They are not the
+steady-state S2 identity.
diff --git a/WORK-RECORDS.md b/WORK-RECORDS.md
index dddf5b1..9db6547 100644
--- a/WORK-RECORDS.md
+++ b/WORK-RECORDS.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 | workplan | RAIL-BS-WP-0009 | finished | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0009-activity-core-admin-sync-smoke.md |
 | workplan | RAIL-BS-WP-0010 | finished | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0010-weekly-legacy-meter-review-rollout.md |
 | workplan | RAIL-BS-WP-0011 | finished | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0011-legacy-meter-8h-capture-image-reconcile.md |
-| workplan | RAIL-BS-WP-0012 | ready | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
+| workplan | RAIL-BS-WP-0012 | active | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0007-T01 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0007-threephoenix-ha-cluster.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0007-T02 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0007-threephoenix-ha-cluster.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0007-T03 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0007-threephoenix-ha-cluster.md |
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0011-T02 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0011-legacy-meter-8h-capture-image-reconcile.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0011-T03 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0011-legacy-meter-8h-capture-image-reconcile.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0011-T04 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0011-legacy-meter-8h-capture-image-reconcile.md |
-| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T01 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
-| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T02 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
-| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T03 | todo | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
+| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T01 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
+| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T02 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
+| task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T03 | done | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
 | task | RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T04 | wait | — | workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md |
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index c8fb424..6172bd8 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -1,77 +1,30 @@
-# Railiance Documentation
+# railiance-cluster Docs
 
-Welcome to **Railiance** — an opinionated framework for Infrastructure-as-Code.  
-Think of it as *Rails for Ops*: convention over configuration, productivity first, reproducible everywhere.
+This directory mixes two kinds of material:
 
----
+- stable S2 cluster-substrate docs that belong in `railiance-cluster`
+- transitional workload-contract docs that are temporarily hosted here until
+  `rail-kubernetes` exists
 
-## 🚀 What is Railiance?
+Use the sections below to keep those concerns separate.
 
-Railiance is the **self-reliant infrastructure bootstrap** for Coulomb and beyond.  
-From two bare Linux servers, a Git repo, and valid credentials, you can rebuild a full Kubernetes-based environment with:
+## S2 Substrate Docs
 
-- **Automated provisioning** (Ansible, Helm, k3s)  
-- **Git-driven state** (ArgoCD / Flux)  
-- **AI-ready automation** with OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act)  
-- **End-to-end reproducibility** — no hidden steps, no snowflake servers  
+- [Operator runbook](operator-runbook.md)
+- [Backup and restore](backup-restore.md)
+- [Kubeconfig](kubeconfig.md)
+- [First host](first_host.md)
 
----
+## Published Boundary Docs
 
-## 🌱 Core Principles
+- [rail-kubernetes extraction map](rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md)
+- [rail-kubernetes substrate profile](rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md)
 
-1. **Convention over configuration**  
-   Opinionated defaults remove friction.  
+## Transitional Workload-Contract Docs
 
-2. **Don’t repeat yourself (DRY)**  
-   Single source of truth in Git, reused everywhere.  
-
-3. **Automated OODA**  
-   - *Observe*: collect telemetry.  
-   - *Orient*: AI interprets state.  
-   - *Decide*: human reviews & authorizes.  
-   - *Act*: automation applies changes.  
-
-4. **Self-Reliance**  
-   Everything can be rebuilt from scratch, with no external dependencies beyond Git + credentials.  
-
-5. **Calm Ops**  
-   Systems should be simple, resilient, and predictable.  
-
----
-
-## 📂 Repo Layout
-
-- `ansible/` — bootstrap playbooks (OS setup, k3s install, etc.)  
-- `helm/` — Helm charts for services  
-- `k8s/` — raw manifests & overlays  
-- `tests/` — automated validation of infra steps  
-- `docs/` — documentation & contributor guides  
-- `tools/` — helper scripts (e.g. repo bootstrap)  
-
----
-
-## 🛠 Getting Started
-
-1. **Clone the repo**  
-   ```bash
-   git clone <your-gitea-url>/railiance-cluster.git
-   cd railiance-cluster
-   
-2. **Prepare your config**
-    Edit ~/.railiance_gitea.conf with your Gitea URL, user, and token.
-    (Never commit this file!)
-
-3. **Run bootstrap**
-   Use the playbooks in ansible/ to turn a bare Ubuntu server into a Kubernetes host.
-
-4. **Deploy services**
-   Install baseline services via Helm from the helm/ directory.
-
-## Incidents
-
-- [2026-03-10 — pgpool CrashLoopBackOff on PostgreSQL HA failover](incidents/2026-03-10-pgpool-missing-secret.md)
-
-## Operations
+These docs describe the generic workload-on-Kubernetes contract. They are still
+hosted in this repo for compatibility, but they are targeted for extraction to
+future `rail-kubernetes`.
 
 - [Deployment lifecycle](deployment-lifecycle.md)
 - [Railiance app.toml contract](app-toml-contract.md)
@@ -81,13 +34,6 @@ From two bare Linux servers, a Git repo, and valid credentials, you can rebuild
 - [Promote, rollback, and onboarding](promote-rollback-onboarding.md)
 - [Railiance run command](railiance-run-command.md)
 
-## 👥 Contributing
+## Incidents
 
-See CONTRIBUTING.md for rules, coding style, and workflow.
-
-## 🌍 Vision
-
-Railiance is more than infra scripts: it’s the foundation of self-empowering infrastructure,
-where humans and AI agents collaborate to manage systems with trust, clarity, and calmness.
-
-From bare metal to resilient clusters, in one repo.
+- [2026-03-10 - pgpool CrashLoopBackOff on PostgreSQL HA failover](incidents/2026-03-10-pgpool-missing-secret.md)
diff --git a/docs/app-toml-contract.md b/docs/app-toml-contract.md
index ca7f0c1..cbd2d28 100644
--- a/docs/app-toml-contract.md
+++ b/docs/app-toml-contract.md
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ dependencies, and secret references are described by stable names. Plaintext
 secrets, bearer tokens, kubeconfigs, and private key material must never appear
 in `railiance/app.toml`.
 
+Ownership note: this contract is temporarily hosted in `railiance-cluster`
+while the wave-1 split prepares a future `rail-kubernetes` repo. Long-term
+ownership belongs with the generic workload-on-Kubernetes contract, not with S2
+cluster substrate ownership.
+
 The machine-readable schema lives at `schemas/railiance-app.schema.json`. A
 minimal example lives at `examples/railiance/app.toml`.
 
diff --git a/docs/deployment-lifecycle.md b/docs/deployment-lifecycle.md
index b7bcaad..2dcdf5d 100644
--- a/docs/deployment-lifecycle.md
+++ b/docs/deployment-lifecycle.md
@@ -9,16 +9,24 @@ stage must leave evidence, every promotion must have a rollback path, and
 critical workloads require explicit human approval before production traffic is
 changed.
 
+Ownership note: this specification is temporarily hosted in
+`railiance-cluster` during the wave-1 split. Its long-term home is future
+`rail-kubernetes`; `railiance-cluster` should retain only substrate
+prerequisites and compatibility shims once that repo exists.
+
 ## Scope
 
-This specification is owned by `railiance-cluster` because it defines the
-cluster runtime contract for promotion gates, canary validation, production
-routing, and rollback expectations.
+This specification currently lives beside the cluster substrate because the
+compatibility tooling still lives here. Long-term ownership is not S2.
 
 Repo boundaries:
 
-- `railiance-cluster` owns the lifecycle semantics, cluster prerequisites,
-  ingress/routing expectations, and acceptance gates.
+- future `rail-kubernetes` owns lifecycle semantics, generic promotion gates,
+  canary validation, production routing expectations, rollback expectations,
+  and the generic workload contract.
+- `railiance-cluster` owns only the substrate prerequisites published to that
+  rail: cluster connectivity, namespace behavior, ingress availability, and
+  operator/runtime expectations.
 - `railiance-apps` owns workload-specific Helm values, application release
   definitions, and production workload configuration.
 - `railiance-platform` owns shared platform services such as databases,
@@ -329,4 +337,3 @@ bin/railiance rollback <overlay-dir> --plan             # rollback to previous s
 
 The exact command names may change as implementation lands, but the behavior
 must preserve the stage gates and evidence requirements in this document.
-
diff --git a/docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md b/docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8034f07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+# rail-kubernetes Extraction Map
+
+This document records the reviewed wave-1 extraction map from
+`railiance-cluster` to a future `rail-kubernetes` repo.
+
+The goal is to separate:
+
+- S2 Kubernetes substrate ownership that stays in `railiance-cluster`
+- generic workload-on-Kubernetes contract material that moves to
+  `rail-kubernetes`
+- unrelated or workload-specific helpers that must be rehomed elsewhere instead
+  of being normalized into either repo
+
+## Move To Future `rail-kubernetes`
+
+| Path | Why it moves |
+| --- | --- |
+| `docs/deployment-lifecycle.md` | Generic Stage 1/2/3 workload lifecycle semantics, not S2 substrate ownership |
+| `docs/app-toml-contract.md` | Generic workload declaration contract |
+| `docs/overlay-repo-pattern.md` | Generic wrapper/overlay packaging pattern |
+| `docs/canary-helm-template.md` | Generic canary chart pattern for workloads |
+| `docs/stage2-deploy-observe.md` | Generic Stage 2 command behavior |
+| `docs/promote-rollback-onboarding.md` | Generic workload onboarding to the lifecycle |
+| `docs/railiance-run-command.md` | Generic Stage 1 command contract |
+| `schemas/railiance-app.schema.json` | Schema for the generic workload contract |
+| `examples/railiance/app.toml` | Example for the generic workload contract |
+| `tools/create_railiance_overlay_repo.sh` | Generic wrapper/overlay scaffolding |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-run` | Generic Stage 1 executor |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-stage2` | Generic Stage 2 canary deploy/observe executor |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-stage3` | Generic Stage 3 promote/rollback executor |
+| `bin/railiance` subcommands `create-overlay`, `run`, `deploy`, `observe`, `promote`, `rollback` | Dispatcher surface for the generic workload rail |
+| `tools/README_tools.md` sections for `railiance-run`, `railiance-stage2`, `railiance-stage3`, and `create_railiance_overlay_repo.sh` | Tool documentation should move with the tools it describes |
+
+## Retain In `railiance-cluster`
+
+| Path | Why it stays |
+| --- | --- |
+| `ansible/bootstrap.yml` | k3s and Helm bootstrap are core S2 substrate ownership |
+| `docs/backup-restore.md` | Cluster-state backup and restore posture |
+| `docs/kubeconfig.md` | Cluster access delivery and handling |
+| `docs/operator-runbook.md` | Operator-facing cluster-touching commands, though some rows need separate cleanup |
+| `docs/first_host.md` | Host-to-cluster bootstrap guidance tied to S2 setup |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-backup-s2` | S2 cluster-state backup helper |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-restore-s2` | S2 restore guidance helper |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-preflight` | Cluster safety gate before invasive work |
+| `tests/smoke_kube.sh` | Cluster health smoke test |
+| `tests/test_ha_failover.sh` | Cluster/platform integration smoke for HA failover expectations |
+| `Makefile` targets `k3s-install`, `smoke`, `backup`, `restore`, `preflight`, `test-ha-failover` | Cluster substrate operations and safety rails |
+| `bin/railiance` subcommands `backup` and `preflight` | Compatibility wrapper for retained S2 operations until a cleaner CLI split exists |
+
+## Rehome Outside Both Repos
+
+These files are real migration debt, but they should not be normalized into
+future `rail-kubernetes` or kept as permanent S2 identity.
+
+| Path | Why it needs another home |
+| --- | --- |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-verify-activity-core` | Workload-specific reconcile/verify flow for one app |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-reconcile-activity-core-llm-connect` | Cross-repo workload-specific helper, not generic substrate or generic rail |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-deploy-activity-core-triage-robustness` | Workload-specific deployment hardening helper |
+| `tools/cmd/railiance-admin-sync-smoke` | Workload-specific app smoke command |
+| `Makefile` targets `verify-activity-core`, `reconcile-activity-core-llm-connect`, `deploy-activity-core-triage-robustness`, `admin-sync-smoke` | Operator entry points for workload-specific helpers above |
+| `bin/railiance` subcommands `deploy-triage-robustness` and `admin-sync-smoke` | Dispatcher surface for workload-specific helpers |
+
+## Shared Tooling Debt Outside This Wave
+
+The repo also contains bootstrap and shared-tooling commands that belong
+neither to S2 substrate ownership nor to the future `rail-kubernetes` rail.
+They should get a separate placement review rather than piggybacking on the
+current extraction:
+
+- `bin/railiance` subcommands `doctor`, `next`, `plan-host`, `gen-ssh-key`,
+  `cloudinit`, `init-repo`, `build-spore`, `seed-local`, `checklist`
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-doctor`
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-plan-host`
+- `tools/build_spore.sh`
+- `tools/seed_node.sh`
+- `tools/create_railiance_repo.sh`
+- `tools/furnish_railiance_repo.sh`
+
+## Resulting Rule
+
+Until `rail-kubernetes` exists, `railiance-cluster` may host compatibility
+copies of the generic lifecycle and command surface. It must not keep claiming
+that those materials are the steady-state S2 ownership boundary.
diff --git a/docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md b/docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2c4ca6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# rail-kubernetes Substrate Profile
+
+This document records the minimum cluster substrate facts that
+`railiance-cluster` publishes for a future `rail-kubernetes` repo.
+
+The intent is narrow: future rail code should depend on explicit substrate
+capabilities, not on incidental implementation details scattered across this
+repo.
+
+## Runtime Base
+
+- Kubernetes runtime: k3s installed by `ansible/bootstrap.yml`
+- Current pinned k3s version in repo: `v1.35.1+k3s1`
+- Current pinned Helm version in repo: `v3.17.3`
+- Baseline health checks: `make smoke`
+- Cluster safety gate before invasive work: `make preflight`
+
+`rail-kubernetes` may assume a k3s-backed Kubernetes API plus Helm-based apply
+paths on the current Railiance substrate. It should not assume more than that
+without a declared extension.
+
+## Access Model
+
+- Operator access is delivered from `/etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml` to
+  `~/.kube/config-hosteurope` as documented in `docs/kubeconfig.md`
+- The raw k3s kubeconfig uses `127.0.0.1` as the server address and may require
+  rewrite or tunneling for remote use
+- The documented operator model is cluster-admin kubeconfig access, not a
+  least-privilege workload service-account contract
+
+Future `rail-kubernetes` should assume operator-driven cluster access for now.
+It should not assume a published per-workload RBAC template yet.
+
+## Routing And Canary Exposure
+
+- The current generic tooling supports isolated canary deployment by creating a
+  separate Stage 2 release and namespace
+- `docs/canary-helm-template.md` documents a Traefik weighted-routing example,
+  but `railiance-cluster` does not currently publish weighted routing as a
+  guaranteed substrate capability
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-stage2` can inspect rollout, pods, and ingress/routing
+  resources for the canary release
+
+Published guarantee for wave 1: isolated canary exposure is the safe default.
+Weighted, header-based, path-based, or shadow routing must be treated as
+optional future capabilities until S2 documents them explicitly.
+
+## TLS And Cluster Operators
+
+`SCOPE.md` currently records these cluster-level addons/operators on the active
+substrate:
+
+- nginx ingress
+- cert-manager
+- ArgoCD
+- CloudNative PG operator
+- SSO stack namespaces (`mfa`, `sso`) via Net Kingdom
+
+Future `rail-kubernetes` should depend on capabilities such as ingress
+availability or TLS readiness, not on owning these operators directly.
+
+## Observability Expectations
+
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-stage2` live observe checks rollout status, deployment
+  JSON, canary pod state, ingress/routing resources, and pod metrics
+- `docs/stage2-deploy-observe.md` explicitly treats metrics-server absence as a
+  separate observability note rather than as proof that rollout failed
+
+Published guarantee for wave 1: rollout, pod, and ingress inspection are part
+of the substrate contract. Metrics availability is opportunistic unless the
+cluster profile is later strengthened.
+
+## Namespace And Release Behavior
+
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-stage2` and `tools/cmd/railiance-stage3` use
+  `--create-namespace`
+- Stage defaults derive namespace and release names from workload contract data
+  when the workload does not override them
+
+Future `rail-kubernetes` may assume that namespace creation is acceptable in the
+current operator flow. It should not assume namespaces or release names are
+pre-provisioned by S2.
+
+## Storage And Stateful Constraints
+
+- `tools/cmd/railiance-backup-s2` documents that the current cluster runs k3s
+  in SQLite mode and backs up `/var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/db/state.db`
+- This repo does not yet publish a generic storage-class, PVC, or stateful
+  workload placement contract for downstream workload rails
+
+That means stateful workload assumptions remain explicit-review territory for
+now. `rail-kubernetes` should not invent a storage contract on behalf of S2.
+
+## Safety Rails Published By S2
+
+- age-encrypted cluster backup via `make backup`
+- printed restore procedure via `make restore`
+- preflight gate via `make preflight`
+- smoke validation via `make smoke`
+
+These are substrate safety rails. They are not a substitute for workload-level
+promotion or rollback logic.
+
+## Not Yet Published
+
+The future `rail-kubernetes` must currently treat these as absent or
+repo-specific until S2 publishes them explicitly:
+
+- guaranteed weighted routing on the active ingress controller
+- a generic workload RBAC model
+- a generic storage-class or persistent-volume contract
+- a secret-delivery contract at the S2 layer
+- multi-node HA assumptions beyond the active `RAIL-BS-WP-0007` work
diff --git a/workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md b/workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md
index 762d13a..84c1fa6 100644
--- a/workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md
+++ b/workplans/RAIL-BS-WP-0012-rail-kubernetes-extraction.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ type: workplan
 title: "rail-kubernetes extraction from railiance-cluster"
 domain: financials
 repo: railiance-cluster
-status: ready
+status: active
 owner: codex
 topic_slug: railiance
 created: "2026-07-25"
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ It must not:
 
 ```task
 id: RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T01
-status: todo
+status: done
 priority: high
 state_hub_task_id: "7255ef32-3fdf-473f-a5c0-62b509ee7a4e"
 ```
@@ -55,11 +55,16 @@ Update S2 scope and related docs so they clearly distinguish:
 Done when the repo no longer describes the staged workload lifecycle as a
 long-term S2 ownership concern.
 
+2026-07-25: Updated `SCOPE.md`, `README.md`, and `docs/README.md` so S2 now
+claims Kubernetes substrate ownership only, while the generic workload
+lifecycle is marked as transitional material targeted for future
+`rail-kubernetes`.
+
 ## T02 - Inventory exact extraction candidates and retained files
 
 ```task
 id: RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T02
-status: todo
+status: done
 priority: high
 state_hub_task_id: "e80b511a-33c6-445b-95e2-3d0755ea9b5e"
 ```
@@ -70,11 +75,15 @@ files remain cluster-owned.
 
 Done when the repo has one reviewed move map tied to real file paths.
 
+2026-07-25: Added `docs/rail-kubernetes-extraction-map.md` with reviewed file
+paths for material that moves to `rail-kubernetes`, material that remains
+cluster-owned, and migration debt that must be rehomed elsewhere.
+
 ## T03 - Define the cluster substrate profile consumed by `rail-kubernetes`
 
 ```task
 id: RAIL-BS-WP-0012-T03
-status: todo
+status: done
 priority: high
 state_hub_task_id: "517e2849-9b36-4508-9e2a-90f219e211c7"
 ```
@@ -90,6 +99,10 @@ Define the minimum cluster profile that S2 publishes for the future rail:
 
 Done when `rail-kubernetes` has a narrow substrate contract to depend on.
 
+2026-07-25: Added `docs/rail-kubernetes-substrate-profile.md` to publish the
+current S2 substrate facts, guaranteed canary mode, operator/runtime
+expectations, and explicit non-guarantees for wave 1.
+
 ## T04 - Prepare compatibility shims for the migration window
 
 ```task