diff --git a/.custodian-brief.md b/.custodian-brief.md
deleted file mode 100644
index bc1b44e..0000000
--- a/.custodian-brief.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-<!-- custodian-brief: generated by fix-consistency — do not edit manually -->
-# Custodian Brief — railiance-infra
-
-**Domain:** financials  
-**Last synced:** 2026-10-14 17:13 UTC  
-**State Hub:** http://127.0.0.1:8000 *(adjust if running on a remote machine)*
-
-## Active Workstreams
-
-### Close the encrypted S1 backup and recovery loop
-Progress: 4/6 done  |  workplan_id: `5ea28f8f-376c-5230-8bb7-ca871c1a75f4`
-
-**Open tasks:**
-- ! T05 — Integrate the governed write-only off-host lane  `783dff8b`
-  *(wait: Offsite upload goes through railiance-platform's railiance-backup-offsite-lane (CCR-2026-0004); credentials must be provisioned there.)*
-- ! T06 — Perform an attended isolated restore drill  `2ae6feab`
-  *(wait: Restore drill needs a fresh off-host artifact from T05.)*
-
-### Declare and verify the Railiance host UTC baseline
-Progress: 0/4 done  |  workplan_id: `788a005b-f6d4-5db9-8866-21251951fa0b`
-
-**Open tasks:**
-- ! Adopt the existing daemon and review a versioned UTC policy  `9e5db140`
-  *(wait: Joins RCLK-WP-0002's upstream independence, leap and health review.)*
-- ! Implement one declarative host role and verification entry point  `75f17ffa`
-  *(wait: Depends on the T01 policy review.)*
-- ! Prove IaC convergence, drift and recovery before live rollout  `c9d142b0`
-  *(wait: Depends on T02.)*
-- ! Apply the reviewed source and return steady-state handoff  `9adae3a6`
-  *(wait: Depends on T03 and reviewed live-host authorization.)*
-
-### Make the S1 declaration reproducible and the handoff verifiably green
-Progress: 8/9 done  |  workplan_id: `5738f113-1c4e-5d27-95b2-b6655e0b7279`
-
-**Open tasks:**
-- ! T08 — Automate bounded SOPS recipient rotation  `920f869a`
-  *(wait: Live recipient removal or credential replacement requires explicit operator approval after the dry run.)*
-
-## Inbox Hygiene
-
-**Stale unread:** 2 message(s) older than 3 day(s) — triage at session start.
-**Missing thread_id:** 2 unread message(s) lack supersession chains.
-
----
-## MCP Orientation (when available)
-
-If the state-hub MCP server is reachable, call:
-`get_domain_summary("financials")`
-This provides richer cross-domain context.
-If the MCP call fails, use this file as your orientation source.
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 826965b..0ac0961 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ __pycache__/
 
 # Transient verification/rotation receipts; promote reviewed evidence under docs/evidence/
 /reports/
+
+# Local State Hub orientation snapshot; authored work records remain tracked.
+/.custodian-brief.md
diff --git a/SCOPE.md b/SCOPE.md
index 7af642c..c1dc0a6 100644
--- a/SCOPE.md
+++ b/SCOPE.md
@@ -237,3 +237,11 @@ scanner routing; meaningful source commits regenerate the index before any
 configured scan.
 Generation performs no Hub calls, commits, pushes, credential access or live
 changes. Source inventories and other generated artifacts retain their owners.
+
+## Local orientation brief policy — 2026-10-19
+
+`.custodian-brief.md` is a local, ignored State Hub orientation snapshot. Its
+existing bytes remain available for offline session startup; refreshing it does
+not require a Git commit. Authored workplans and the generated WORK-RECORDS index
+retain their existing source and staged-generation contracts. No runtime or
+credential change follows from this repository hygiene policy.