diff --git a/docs/root-custody-runtime.md b/docs/root-custody-runtime.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7cef23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/root-custody-runtime.md
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Root custody consumer delivery
+
+USER-WP-0037-T02 implements accepted NK-ADR-0017 without creating custody entries.
+The runtime remains disabled unless USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ENABLED=true. Optional
+AccountAuthority.root_grant is a source fact, never a flex-auth decision.
+
+## Configuration and owner boundary
+
+The deployment owner is rapp-user-engine: namespace user-engine, Deployment
+user-engine, ServiceAccount user-engine. A dedicated projected JWT with audience
+openbao must be supplied; the existing flex-auth audience token is unsuitable.
+railiance-platform supplies auth/kubernetes role user-engine-root-custody-reader,
+exact-path-only reader policy, no default policy, and maximum 60-second token TTL.
+No ESO AppRole or operator token is used. Login occurs on every read; revoke-self
+is best-effort and may be denied by the exact-path policy. TTL limits that residue;
+the consumer does not claim confirmed revocation.
+
+| Variable | Binding |
+| --- | --- |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ENABLED | true to opt in; unset defaults disabled |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_BAO_URL | Owner-confirmed origin only; no path or credentials |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_AUTH_MOUNT | kubernetes |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ROLE | user-engine-root-custody-reader |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_JWT_FILE | Dedicated audience=openbao projected JWT file |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_TIMEOUT | Total request deadline, default 3 seconds |
+| USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ALLOW_HTTP | Default false; true requires reviewed in-cluster transport trust and network controls |
+
+The path is fixed to /v1/platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root and the
+whole JSON document is data.data.document. Responses are bounded to 256 KiB;
+redirects, proxy environment settings, reported cache hits, compressed bodies,
+invalid records and source changes are rejected. Errors never print values.
+HTTPS uses system CA verification by default. The currently proposed in-cluster
+HTTP route has no TLS origin authentication; owner-approved network confinement
+and exact origin binding are required before enabling it. A configured origin
+alone does not prove live trust.
+
+The embedded custody_canon package contains validator/schema and provenance
+hashes, pinned to NetKingdom db319335b27b61b855382ee5af5d690f06eeb010. Only
+schema lookup is relocated. Policy updates require reviewing canon and refreshing
+pin/hashed provenance. No sibling checkout is used in production. root_grant
+retains exact subject, fixed grant, record id/revision, owner read observed_at,
+and expires_at from the record's tighter cache bound. Check time is sampled
+after I/O; local reads never renew owner read time.
+
+## Durable baseline and controlled initialization
+
+The existing USER_ENGINE_DATABASE_URL holds the singleton
+user_engine_custody_baseline table using a separate connection. Compare-and-swap
+prevents competing workers overwriting a newer baseline. Empty/revoked records
+also persist. Startup never creates an initial baseline from a record automatically.
+
+After the publisher has returned a reviewed source/read admission receipt, an
+attended owner may initialize an absent baseline. An explicitly approved empty
+entries[] document establishes no grant and needs no invented ceremony. Every
+non-empty grant still requires human custody-ceremony provenance. Initialize using:
+
+```sh
+python -m user_engine.custody_bootstrap --expected-sha256 <publisher-document-digest>
+```
+
+Run with the same secret-backed runtime environment and dedicated reader JWT.
+The non-secret digest must come from a reviewed publisher receipt, not fixtures;
+it hashes UTF-8 JSON with sorted keys, compact separators and ensure_ascii=True.
+The command performs a fresh authenticated read, validates record/id/time and
+digest, then atomically initializes only an absent baseline. It emits one boolean
+outcome and never resets an existing baseline. It creates no custody entry.
+
+Source/record changes and database restores require owner reconciliation; there
+is intentionally no automatic reset command. Preserve baseline high-water records
+outside the restored database and compare with publisher history/audit receipts.
+If both source and consumer databases restore backwards, their mutually agreeing
+old state cannot detect rollback by itself. Keep this feature disabled through
+restore until owner audit/history establishes the latest revision and a reviewed
+reconciliation updates the baseline. Never delete the row to make a read pass.
+
+## Remaining live acceptance
+
+The code and offline fixtures do not establish a real grant. Delivery requires
+publisher ceremony provenance, role/policy receipts, projected-token packaging,
+network trust, owner-reviewed baseline initialization, image digest promotion and
+positive/denial/outage/revocation/supersession/restore receipts through the actual
+Hub workload route. USER-WP-0037-T03 retains its separate Hub admission blocker.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a835d4c..861a14a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ name = "user-engine"
 version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Headless user-domain and profile engine."
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
+dependencies = ["jsonschema>=4.10,<5"]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 postgres = ["psycopg[binary]>=3.2,<4"]
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ where = ["src"]
 
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
 user_engine = ["migrations/postgres/*.sql"]
+"user_engine.custody_canon" = ["*.json"]
 
 [tool.user-engine]
 package = "user_engine"
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody.py b/src/user_engine/custody.py
index 61bfa7f..237a1d6 100644
--- a/src/user_engine/custody.py
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Proposed NK-ADR-0017 observation seam; deliberately absent from runtime.
+"""Accepted NK-ADR-0017 custody observations; runtime is unconfigured by default.
 
 Reader and baseline implementations are deployment-owner responsibilities.
 No claims, account roles, fixture identities or local cache can create a grant.
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from copy import deepcopy
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Any, Mapping, Protocol
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from typing import Any, Callable, Mapping, Protocol
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -62,22 +62,24 @@ class CustodyObservationAdapter:
         self, *, reader: CustodyReader, baselines: CustodyBaselineStore,
         policy: CustodyPolicy, source_id: str, record_id: str,
         allow_initial_baseline: bool = False,
+        clock: Callable[[], datetime] = lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc),
     ):
         if not source_id or not record_id:
             raise ValueError("trusted source and record bindings required")
         self.reader, self.baselines, self.policy = reader, baselines, policy
         self.source_id, self.record_id = source_id, record_id
         self.allow_initial_baseline = allow_initial_baseline
+        self.clock = clock
 
     def observe(
-        self, *, issuer: str, subject: str, tenant: str, now: datetime,
+        self, *, issuer: str, subject: str, tenant: str, now: datetime | None = None,
     ) -> dict | None:
         """Always re-read; failures never reuse or refresh an old observation.
 
         Diagnostics are suppressed because transport/validator errors may contain
         credentials or rejected data. This supplies a fact, never authorization.
         """
-        if tenant != "platform" or now.utcoffset() is None:
+        if tenant != "platform":
             return None
         try:
             previous = self.baselines.load()
@@ -90,6 +92,10 @@ class CustodyObservationAdapter:
             ):
                 return None
             read = self.reader.read()
+            # Sample after owner I/O; request-start time is not a check time.
+            now = self.clock() if now is None else now
+            if now.utcoffset() is None:
+                return None
             document = deepcopy(dict(read.document))
             if (read.source_id != self.source_id
                 or document.get("record_id") != self.record_id
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_bootstrap.py b/src/user_engine/custody_bootstrap.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f11944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_bootstrap.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""Controlled baseline initialization; never publishes a grant or resets history."""
+from copy import deepcopy
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+import hashlib
+import json
+import re
+
+from user_engine.custody import CustodyBaseline
+
+
+def initialize_baseline(adapter, *, expected_sha256):
+    """Bind initial authenticated read to a human-reviewed publisher receipt.
+
+    Receipt digest is SHA256 of UTF-8 canonical JSON (sorted keys, compact
+    separators, ensure_ascii=True). Existing baselines are never overwritten.
+    Exceptions/input values are suppressed, including credential errors.
+    """
+    try:
+        if not re.fullmatch("[0-9a-f]{64}", expected_sha256):
+            return False
+        if adapter.baselines.load() is not None:
+            return False
+        read = adapter.reader.read()
+        now = adapter.clock()
+        document = deepcopy(dict(read.document))
+        if (read.source_id != adapter.source_id
+                or document.get("record_id") != adapter.record_id
+                or document.get("owner_system") != "net-kingdom-custody"
+                or adapter.policy.validate(document)
+                or read.read_at.utcoffset() is None or now.utcoffset() is None):
+            return False
+        age = (now - read.read_at).total_seconds()
+        updated = datetime.fromisoformat(document["updated_at"].replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+        if updated > read.read_at or not 0 <= age <= document["freshness"]["max_cache_seconds"]:
+            return False
+        digest = hashlib.sha256(json.dumps(document, sort_keys=True, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=True).encode()).hexdigest()
+        if digest != expected_sha256:
+            return False
+        return adapter.baselines.compare_and_store(None, CustodyBaseline(adapter.source_id, document))
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
+def main():
+    import argparse
+    from user_engine.runtime import _custody_adapter, _required
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument("--expected-sha256", required=True)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    try:
+        adapter = _custody_adapter(_required("USER_ENGINE_DATABASE_URL"))
+        accepted = adapter is not None and initialize_baseline(adapter, expected_sha256=args.expected_sha256)
+    except Exception:
+        accepted = False
+    print("custody baseline initialized" if accepted else "custody baseline not initialized")
+    return 0 if accepted else 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_canon/__init__.py b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64bcdb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+"""Pinned NetKingdom custody policy; provenance in provenance.json."""
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_canon/custody-record_v0.1.schema.json b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/custody-record_v0.1.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a29ced
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/custody-record_v0.1.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://policy.coulomb.social/schemas/custody-record/v0.1",
+  "title": "NetKingdom platform-root custody record v0.1",
+  "description": "Machine-readable, non-secret form of the platform-root custody record (NK-ADR-0017, status accepted; NK-WP-0045-T02). The record is the single authority for the root grant. Entries are keyed by exact (issuer, subject), never by username. The root grant is relation platform-root-custodian in tenant:platform only; directory membership and IAM claims are projections and cannot ground an entry. Revocation and supersession are recorded custody actions that add a record revision; entries are never deleted. No secret material: token, key, share, recovery-code, password and reset-link fields are rejected everywhere.",
+  "type": "object",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": [
+    "schema_version",
+    "kind",
+    "record_id",
+    "revision",
+    "updated_at",
+    "owner_system",
+    "freshness",
+    "entries"
+  ],
+  "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+  "properties": {
+    "schema_version": { "const": "0.1" },
+    "kind": { "const": "netkingdom-custody-record" },
+    "record_id": {
+      "description": "Stable identifier of the custody record. Revisions of one record share it.",
+      "type": "string",
+      "pattern": "^nk-custody:[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]{0,62}$"
+    },
+    "revision": {
+      "description": "Monotonic per record: every custody action (grant, revocation, supersession) increments it, so a revocation is distinguishable from a stale read.",
+      "type": "integer",
+      "minimum": 1
+    },
+    "updated_at": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time" },
+    "owner_system": { "const": "net-kingdom-custody" },
+    "freshness": {
+      "description": "Consumer cache bound. Observations older than this are stale; root-grant-dependent actions re-check and fail closed when the record is unreadable or stale.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["max_cache_seconds", "on_unreadable"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "max_cache_seconds": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 900 },
+        "on_unreadable": { "const": "no-grant" }
+      }
+    },
+    "entries": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/entry" }
+    }
+  },
+  "$defs": {
+    "nonSecretName": {
+      "description": "Field names that would carry secret material are rejected at every level.",
+      "type": "string",
+      "not": {
+        "pattern": "(?i)(token|key|secret|share|recovery|password|passphrase|reset|seed|private|otp|credential)"
+      }
+    },
+    "timestamp": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time" },
+    "subject": {
+      "description": "Exact OIDC subject reference. No username, email, group or role is accepted as the key.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["issuer", "subject"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "issuer": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^https://[^\\s/]+(/[^\\s]*)?$" },
+        "subject": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 255, "pattern": "^\\S+$" }
+      }
+    },
+    "grant": {
+      "description": "Membership-envelope mapping from NK-ADR-0017 section 2. Fixed: no other tenant, relation or owner is representable.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["scope_type", "scope_id", "relation", "owner_system"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "scope_type": { "const": "tenant" },
+        "scope_id": { "const": "platform" },
+        "relation": { "const": "platform-root-custodian" },
+        "owner_system": { "const": "net-kingdom-custody" }
+      }
+    },
+    "action": {
+      "description": "A recorded custody action with actor, reason and the record revision it introduced.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["at", "actor", "reason", "revision"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "at": { "$ref": "#/$defs/timestamp" },
+        "actor": { "$ref": "#/$defs/subject" },
+        "reason": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 500 },
+        "revision": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 }
+      }
+    },
+    "evidence": {
+      "description": "Non-secret pointer to the custody ceremony that grounds the entry. A projection (directory group, IAM claim) is never a basis.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["basis", "ref"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "basis": { "const": "custody-ceremony" },
+        "ref": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 300 }
+      }
+    },
+    "supersession": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["entry_id", "revision"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "entry_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/entryId" },
+        "revision": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 }
+      }
+    },
+    "entryId": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]{0,62}$" },
+    "entry": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["entry_id", "subject", "grant", "evidence", "granted"],
+      "propertyNames": { "$ref": "#/$defs/nonSecretName" },
+      "properties": {
+        "entry_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/entryId" },
+        "subject": { "$ref": "#/$defs/subject" },
+        "grant": { "$ref": "#/$defs/grant" },
+        "evidence": { "$ref": "#/$defs/evidence" },
+        "granted": { "$ref": "#/$defs/action" },
+        "superseded_by": { "$ref": "#/$defs/supersession" },
+        "revoked": { "$ref": "#/$defs/action" }
+      },
+      "not": { "required": ["superseded_by", "revoked"] }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_canon/policy.py b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/policy.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e6dc25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/policy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# /// script
+# dependencies = ["jsonschema>=4.10,<5"]
+# ///
+"""Validate platform-root custody records (NK-ADR-0017, NK-WP-0045-T03).
+
+Checks the JSON Schema (`canon/schemas/custody-record_v0.1.schema.json`) and
+the semantics the schema cannot express: unique entries, at most one active
+grant per exact (issuer, subject), revision ordering, supersession links,
+append-only successors, and secret-looking values. It also provides the
+fail-closed read rule a consumer applies to an observation (15-minute bound).
+
+Offline and read-only: it never contacts an issuer, OpenBao or a directory.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import datetime as dt
+import json
+import pathlib
+import re
+import sys
+from typing import Any
+
+import jsonschema
+
+SCHEMA = pathlib.Path(__file__).with_name("custody-record_v0.1.schema.json")
+MAX_CACHE_SECONDS = 900
+
+# Value shapes that look like secret material (OpenBao/Vault tokens, PEM keys,
+# JWTs). Field names are rejected by the schema; this catches smuggled values.
+SECRET_VALUE = re.compile(
+    r"(\bhv[sbr]\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]{8,}|\bs\.[A-Za-z0-9]{20,}"
+    r"|-----BEGIN [A-Z ]*PRIVATE KEY-----"
+    r"|\beyJ[A-Za-z0-9_-]{8,}\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]{8,}\.)"
+)
+
+
+def load_schema() -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return json.loads(SCHEMA.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def parse_time(value: str) -> dt.datetime:
+    return dt.datetime.fromisoformat(value.replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+
+
+def key(entry: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    return (entry["subject"]["issuer"], entry["subject"]["subject"])
+
+
+def is_active(entry: dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
+    return "revoked" not in entry and "superseded_by" not in entry
+
+
+def schema_errors(document: Any, schema: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
+    validator = jsonschema.Draft202012Validator(
+        schema, format_checker=jsonschema.FormatChecker()
+    )
+    errors = []
+    for error in sorted(validator.iter_errors(document), key=lambda e: list(e.path)):
+        where = "/".join(str(part) for part in error.path) or "<root>"
+        errors.append(f"schema: {where}: {error.message}")
+    return errors
+
+
+def _walk_strings(node: Any, path: str = ""):
+    if isinstance(node, dict):
+        for name, value in node.items():
+            yield from _walk_strings(value, f"{path}/{name}")
+    elif isinstance(node, list):
+        for index, value in enumerate(node):
+            yield from _walk_strings(value, f"{path}/{index}")
+    elif isinstance(node, str):
+        yield path or "<root>", node
+
+
+def semantic_errors(record: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    for where, value in _walk_strings(record):
+        if SECRET_VALUE.search(value):
+            errors.append(f"{where}: value looks like secret material")
+
+    revision = record["revision"]
+    entries = record["entries"]
+    by_id: dict[str, dict[str, Any]] = {}
+    for entry in entries:
+        if entry["entry_id"] in by_id:
+            errors.append(f"{entry['entry_id']}: duplicate entry_id")
+        by_id[entry["entry_id"]] = entry
+
+    active: dict[tuple[str, str], str] = {}
+    for entry in entries:
+        eid = entry["entry_id"]
+        granted = entry["granted"]
+        if granted["revision"] > revision:
+            errors.append(f"{eid}: granted.revision is after record revision")
+        if is_active(entry):
+            if key(entry) in active:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{eid}: second active grant for {key(entry)} "
+                    f"(already {active[key(entry)]})"
+                )
+            active[key(entry)] = eid
+        revoked = entry.get("revoked")
+        if revoked:
+            if not granted["revision"] < revoked["revision"] <= revision:
+                errors.append(f"{eid}: revoked.revision must follow the grant and not exceed the record revision")
+            if parse_time(revoked["at"]) < parse_time(granted["at"]):
+                errors.append(f"{eid}: revoked before granted")
+        link = entry.get("superseded_by")
+        if link:
+            successor = by_id.get(link["entry_id"])
+            if successor is None or link["entry_id"] == eid:
+                errors.append(f"{eid}: superseded_by names no other entry")
+            else:
+                if successor["granted"]["revision"] != link["revision"]:
+                    errors.append(f"{eid}: superseded_by.revision must equal the successor's granted.revision")
+                if parse_time(successor["granted"]["at"]) < parse_time(granted["at"]):
+                    errors.append(f"{eid}: successor granted before the superseded entry")
+            if not granted["revision"] < link["revision"] <= revision:
+                errors.append(f"{eid}: superseded_by.revision must follow the grant and not exceed the record revision")
+    return errors
+
+
+def validate(record: Any, schema: dict[str, Any] | None = None) -> list[str]:
+    errors = schema_errors(record, schema or load_schema())
+    if errors:
+        return errors
+    return semantic_errors(record)
+
+
+def successor_errors(previous: dict[str, Any], current: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
+    """A later read must be a strictly newer, append-only revision."""
+    if validate(previous) or validate(current):
+        return ["invalid record in revision comparison"]
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    if previous["record_id"] != current["record_id"]:
+        return ["record_id changed between revisions"]
+    if current["revision"] < previous["revision"]:
+        return ["revision went backwards: stale read, keep the newer observation"]
+    if current["revision"] == previous["revision"]:
+        if current != previous:
+            errors.append("same revision with different content")
+        return errors
+    now = {entry["entry_id"]: entry for entry in current["entries"]}
+    before = {entry["entry_id"]: entry for entry in previous["entries"]}
+    if parse_time(current["updated_at"]) < parse_time(previous["updated_at"]):
+        errors.append("updated_at went backwards")
+    for entry in current["entries"]:
+        earlier = before.get(entry["entry_id"], {})
+        for field in ("granted", "revoked", "superseded_by"):
+            if field in entry and field not in earlier:
+                if entry[field]["revision"] <= previous["revision"]:
+                    errors.append(f"{entry['entry_id']}: new {field} must follow the previous record revision")
+    for entry in previous["entries"]:
+        later = now.get(entry["entry_id"])
+        if later is None:
+            errors.append(f"{entry['entry_id']}: entry removed; custody actions append, never delete")
+            continue
+        for field in ("subject", "grant", "evidence", "granted"):
+            if later[field] != entry[field]:
+                errors.append(f"{entry['entry_id']}: {field} rewritten")
+        for field in ("revoked", "superseded_by"):
+            if field in entry and later.get(field) != entry[field]:
+                errors.append(f"{entry['entry_id']}: {field} rewritten")
+    return errors
+
+
+def observe_root_grant(
+    record: dict[str, Any] | None,
+    issuer: str,
+    subject: str,
+    tenant: str,
+    read_at: dt.datetime,
+    now: dt.datetime,
+    previous_record: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+    """Return the ADR-0017 section 3 observation, or None (fail closed).
+
+    None when: the tenant is not `platform`; the record is missing, invalid or
+    older than the cache bound; or no active entry matches the exact
+    (issuer, subject).
+    """
+    if tenant != "platform" or record is None or validate(record):
+        return None
+    if previous_record is not None and successor_errors(previous_record, record):
+        return None
+    if read_at.utcoffset() is None or now.utcoffset() is None:
+        return None
+    if parse_time(record["updated_at"]) > read_at:
+        return None
+    bound = min(record["freshness"]["max_cache_seconds"], MAX_CACHE_SECONDS)
+    if not dt.timedelta(0) <= now - read_at <= dt.timedelta(seconds=bound):
+        return None
+    for entry in record["entries"]:
+        if (key(entry) == (issuer, subject) and is_active(entry)
+                and parse_time(entry["granted"]["at"]) <= read_at):
+            return {
+                "subject": dict(entry["subject"]),
+                "grant": dict(entry["grant"]),
+                "source": {"record_id": record["record_id"], "revision": record["revision"]},
+                "observed_at": read_at.isoformat().replace("+00:00", "Z"),
+                "expires_at": (read_at + dt.timedelta(seconds=bound)).isoformat().replace("+00:00", "Z"),
+            }
+    return None
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__.splitlines()[0])
+    parser.add_argument("paths", nargs="+", type=pathlib.Path)
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    schema = load_schema()
+    failed = False
+    for path in args.paths:
+        try:
+            errors = validate(json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")), schema)
+        except (OSError, ValueError):
+            errors = ["unreadable input"]
+        # jsonschema messages may contain the rejected secret value. Never
+        # expose those messages (or input paths) through the command line.
+        if errors:
+            print(f"custody record: rejected ({len(errors)} errors)", file=sys.stderr)
+        failed = failed or bool(errors)
+        if not errors:
+            print("custody record: ok")
+    return 1 if failed else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_canon/provenance.json b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/provenance.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..672ad14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_canon/provenance.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "repository": "net-kingdom",
+  "commit": "db319335b27b61b855382ee5af5d690f06eeb010",
+  "source_validator_sha256": "9156e399c8d92a45b817bfc3738c89843487ce57e1718ed747f804f95cc719bb",
+  "schema_sha256": "bb6cd6da5dc48eddcf118ae78c2cacfafd5f860098fd8a8368fe6bc845776d07",
+  "packaged_policy_sha256": "a1ba5a6f586a7d64e406aebcde783ab033db010be31c132593f07fb0a93a7bc4",
+  "adaptation": "Schema resource lookup only; no algorithm changes."
+}
diff --git a/src/user_engine/custody_runtime.py b/src/user_engine/custody_runtime.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99d7674
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/user_engine/custody_runtime.py
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+"""Bounded owner transport and durable baseline for accepted custody observations."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+import json
+import math
+from pathlib import Path
+import re
+import time
+from typing import Callable
+from urllib.parse import urlsplit
+from urllib.request import HTTPRedirectHandler, ProxyHandler, Request, build_opener
+
+from user_engine.custody import CustodyBaseline, CustodyRead
+
+
+class CustodyReadUnavailable(RuntimeError):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__("custody read unavailable")
+
+
+class NoRedirect(HTTPRedirectHandler):
+    def redirect_request(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return None
+
+
+class OpenBaoCustodyReader:
+    """Dedicated Kubernetes login, fresh exact KV read, best-effort revoke.
+
+    Never reuse the flex-auth JWT, ESO AppRole or a cached document. Tokens and
+    owner response/error bodies are never included in raised errors or reprs.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, *, base_url: str, auth_mount: str, role: str,
+                 jwt_file: str, source_id: str,
+                 data_path: str = "platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root",
+                 timeout_seconds: float = 3, max_bytes: int = 262144,
+                 allow_http: bool = False, opener=None,
+                 clock: Callable = lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc)):
+        url = urlsplit(base_url)
+        if (url.scheme not in ({"https", "http"} if allow_http else {"https"})
+                or not url.hostname or url.username or url.password
+                or url.path not in ("", "/") or url.query or url.fragment):
+            raise ValueError("trusted OpenBao origin required")
+        if (not re.fullmatch(r"[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+", auth_mount)
+                or not re.fullmatch(r"[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+", role)
+                or data_path != "platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root"
+                or not source_id or not jwt_file
+                or not math.isfinite(timeout_seconds) or not 0 < timeout_seconds <= 30
+                or not 1024 <= max_bytes <= 262144):
+            raise ValueError("invalid custody reader configuration")
+        self.base_url = base_url.rstrip("/")
+        self.auth_mount, self.role, self.jwt_file = auth_mount, role, jwt_file
+        self.source_id, self.data_path = source_id, data_path
+        self.timeout_seconds, self.max_bytes = timeout_seconds, max_bytes
+        self.opener = opener or build_opener(ProxyHandler({}), NoRedirect())
+        self.clock = clock
+
+    def _request(self, path, *, deadline, token=None, body=None):
+        remaining = deadline - time.monotonic()
+        if remaining <= 0:
+            raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+        headers = {"Accept": "application/json", "Cache-Control": "no-cache, no-store"}
+        if token:
+            headers["X-Vault-Token"] = token
+        data = None if body is None else json.dumps(body).encode()
+        if data is not None:
+            headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+        request = Request(self.base_url + "/v1/" + path, data=data, headers=headers,
+                          method="GET" if data is None else "POST")
+        with self.opener.open(request, timeout=remaining) as response:
+            if response.status != 200:
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            if (response.headers.get("Age") not in (None, "0")
+                    or response.headers.get("X-Cache", "").lower() not in ("", "miss")
+                    or response.headers.get("Content-Encoding", "identity") != "identity"):
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            # Read incrementally under one overall deadline, including body I/O.
+            chunks, size = [], 0
+            while True:
+                if time.monotonic() >= deadline:
+                    raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+                read_chunk = getattr(response, "read1", response.read)
+                chunk = read_chunk(min(65536, self.max_bytes + 1 - size))
+                size += len(chunk)
+                if size > self.max_bytes:
+                    raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+                if not chunk:
+                    break
+                chunks.append(chunk)
+            return json.loads(b"".join(chunks))
+
+    def read(self):
+        token = None
+        deadline = time.monotonic() + self.timeout_seconds
+        try:
+            with Path(self.jwt_file).open("rb") as handle:
+                raw = handle.read(16385)
+            if len(raw) > 16384:
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            jwt = raw.decode().strip()
+            if not jwt or "\n" in jwt or "\r" in jwt:
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            login = self._request("auth/" + self.auth_mount + "/login", deadline=deadline,
+                                  body={"role": self.role, "jwt": jwt})
+            token = login["auth"]["client_token"]
+            if not isinstance(token, str) or not token or "\n" in token or "\r" in token:
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            envelope = self._request(self.data_path, deadline=deadline, token=token)
+            document = envelope["data"]["data"]["document"]
+            if not isinstance(document, dict):
+                raise CustodyReadUnavailable()
+            return CustodyRead(self.source_id, document, self.clock())
+        except Exception:
+            raise CustodyReadUnavailable() from None
+        finally:
+            # Revoke via same trusted origin. This never renews observation time.
+            if token:
+                try:
+                    request = Request(self.base_url + "/v1/auth/token/revoke-self",
+                                      data=b"{}", headers={"X-Vault-Token": token}, method="POST")
+                    remaining = deadline - time.monotonic()
+                    if remaining > 0:
+                        with self.opener.open(request, timeout=remaining):
+                            pass
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+
+
+class PostgresCustodyBaselineStore:
+    """One persistent singleton row, with compare-and-swap across workers.
+
+    Use a separate DB connection; no domain-store transaction is committed here.
+    Backups/restores must preserve this security high-water mark. A rolled-back
+    database requires controlled reconciliation before runtime reactivation.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, connection):
+        self.connection = connection
+        with connection.transaction():
+            with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+                cursor.execute("CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS user_engine_custody_baseline "
+                               "(singleton boolean PRIMARY KEY CHECK (singleton), payload jsonb NOT NULL)")
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _payload(baseline):
+        return json.dumps({"source_id": baseline.source_id, "document": baseline.document}, sort_keys=True)
+
+    def load(self):
+        with self.connection.transaction():
+            with self.connection.cursor() as cursor:
+                cursor.execute("SELECT payload FROM user_engine_custody_baseline WHERE singleton = true")
+                row = cursor.fetchone()
+        if row is None:
+            return None
+        value = json.loads(row[0]) if isinstance(row[0], str) else row[0]
+        return CustodyBaseline(value["source_id"], value["document"])
+
+    def compare_and_store(self, previous, current):
+        with self.connection.transaction():
+            with self.connection.cursor() as cursor:
+                if previous is None:
+                    cursor.execute("INSERT INTO user_engine_custody_baseline (singleton, payload) "
+                                   "VALUES (true, %s::jsonb) ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING RETURNING singleton",
+                                   (self._payload(current),))
+                else:
+                    cursor.execute("UPDATE user_engine_custody_baseline SET payload = %s::jsonb "
+                                   "WHERE singleton = true AND payload = %s::jsonb RETURNING singleton",
+                                   (self._payload(current), self._payload(previous)))
+                return cursor.fetchone() is not None
diff --git a/src/user_engine/runtime.py b/src/user_engine/runtime.py
index 9a32433..909fd63 100644
--- a/src/user_engine/runtime.py
+++ b/src/user_engine/runtime.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ def create_application() -> PortalApplication:
             expected_issuer=_required("USER_ENGINE_OIDC_ISSUER"),
             expected_audience=_required("USER_ENGINE_OIDC_AUDIENCE"),
         ),
+        custody=_custody_adapter(database_url),
         authorization=FlexAuthHTTPAdapter(
             base_url=_required("USER_ENGINE_FLEX_AUTH_URL"),
             timeout_seconds=float(os.environ.get("USER_ENGINE_FLEX_AUTH_TIMEOUT", "3")),
@@ -171,5 +172,34 @@ def _required(name: str) -> str:
     return value
 
 
+
+
+
+def _custody_adapter(database_url):
+    """Opt-in only after owner delivery/admission and baseline bootstrap."""
+    if os.environ.get("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ENABLED", "false").lower() != "true":
+        return None
+    import psycopg
+    from user_engine.custody import CustodyObservationAdapter
+    from user_engine.custody_runtime import OpenBaoCustodyReader, PostgresCustodyBaselineStore
+    from user_engine.custody_canon import policy
+
+    origin = _required("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_BAO_URL")
+    mount = _required("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_AUTH_MOUNT")
+    role = _required("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ROLE")
+    source = origin.rstrip("/") + "/v1/platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root#auth=" + mount + "/" + role
+    reader = OpenBaoCustodyReader(
+        base_url=origin, auth_mount=mount, role=role,
+        jwt_file=_required("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_JWT_FILE"), source_id=source,
+        timeout_seconds=float(os.environ.get("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_TIMEOUT", "3")),
+        allow_http=os.environ.get("USER_ENGINE_CUSTODY_ALLOW_HTTP", "false").lower() == "true",
+    )
+    baselines = PostgresCustodyBaselineStore(psycopg.connect(database_url))
+    return CustodyObservationAdapter(
+        reader=reader, baselines=baselines, policy=policy, source_id=source,
+        record_id="nk-custody:platform-root", allow_initial_baseline=False,
+    )
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
diff --git a/src/user_engine/service.py b/src/user_engine/service.py
index 3b9301a..38f4f3a 100644
--- a/src/user_engine/service.py
+++ b/src/user_engine/service.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass, field, replace
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from typing import Any, Callable, Iterable, Mapping
 
+from user_engine.custody import CustodyObservationAdapter
+
 from user_engine.domain import (
     Account,
     AccessControlFact,
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ class ReadinessReport:
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class AccountAuthority:
-    """Current account state only; not a root entitlement or tenant lifecycle grant."""
+    """Account state and optional observed custody fact; never authorization."""
     issuer: str
     subject: str
     tenant: str
@@ -121,6 +123,7 @@ class AccountAuthority:
     tenant_account_status: AccountStatus | None
     observed_at: datetime
     decision_id: str | None
+    root_grant: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -310,11 +313,13 @@ class UserEngineService:
         identity_adapter: IdentityClaimsAdapter,
         authorization: AuthorizationCheckPort,
         factor_verifier: FactorVerificationAdapter | None = None,
+        custody: CustodyObservationAdapter | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         self.store = store
         self.identity_adapter = identity_adapter
         self.authorization = authorization
         self.factor_verifier = factor_verifier
+        self.custody = custody
         if not self.store.ready:
             self.store.migrate()
 
@@ -1820,6 +1825,8 @@ class UserEngineService:
             account_status=account.status,
             tenant_account_status=scoped.status if scoped is not None else None,
             observed_at=observed_at, decision_id=decision.decision_id,
+            root_grant=(self.custody.observe(issuer=issuer, subject=subject, tenant=tenant)
+                        if self.custody is not None else None),
         )
 
     def create_user(
diff --git a/tests/test_account_authority.py b/tests/test_account_authority.py
index d4c9c51..14fada1 100644
--- a/tests/test_account_authority.py
+++ b/tests/test_account_authority.py
@@ -62,8 +62,25 @@ class AccountAuthorityTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.store.find_identity = checked
         with self.assertRaises(AuthorizationDenied): self.lookup()
 
+    def test_custody_mapping_only_after_independent_authorization(self):
+        calls = []
+        class Custody:
+            def observe(inner, **values):
+                calls.append(values)
+                return {"fixture": "observed-fact"} if values["tenant"] == "platform" else None
+        self.service.custody = Custody()
+        result = self.lookup(tenant="platform")
+        self.assertEqual(result.root_grant, {"fixture": "observed-fact"})
+        self.assertEqual(calls[-1], {"issuer": self.session.actor.issuer, "subject": self.session.actor.subject, "tenant": "platform"})
+        self.policy.effect = AuthorizationEffect.DENY
+        with self.assertRaises(AuthorizationDenied):
+            self.lookup(tenant="platform")
+        self.assertEqual(len(calls), 1)
+
+
     def test_does_not_emit_root_grants_or_profile_details(self):
         result = self.lookup()
+        self.assertIsNone(result.root_grant)
         self.assertFalse(hasattr(result,'root_entitled'))
         self.assertFalse(hasattr(result,'roles'))
         self.assertFalse(hasattr(result,'primary_email'))
diff --git a/tests/test_custody_adapter.py b/tests/test_custody_adapter.py
index 1037183..2b7ae86 100644
--- a/tests/test_custody_adapter.py
+++ b/tests/test_custody_adapter.py
@@ -8,12 +8,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from user_engine.custody import CustodyBaseline, CustodyObservationAdapter, CustodyRead
 
 CANON = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "net-kingdom/tools/custody-record"
-try:
-    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("custody_canon", CANON / "validate.py")
-    policy = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
-    spec.loader.exec_module(policy)
-except (FileNotFoundError, ModuleNotFoundError):
-    policy = None
+from user_engine.custody_canon import policy
 
 
 class Baselines:
@@ -31,7 +26,7 @@ class Baselines:
         return True
 
 
-@unittest.skipIf(policy is None, "optional sibling NetKingdom validator/jsonschema absent")
+@unittest.skipUnless(CANON.exists(), "optional sibling NetKingdom fixtures absent")
 class CustodyAdapterTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.document = json.loads((CANON / "fixtures/valid/grant.json").read_text())
@@ -106,6 +101,14 @@ class CustodyAdapterTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIsNone(self.observe())
         self.assertIsNone(self.baselines.value)
 
+    def test_check_clock_sampled_after_owner_read(self):
+        self.adapter.clock = lambda: self.now + timedelta(seconds=2)
+        self.read_at = self.now + timedelta(seconds=1)
+        result = self.adapter.observe(**self.subject, tenant="platform")
+        self.assertIsNotNone(result)
+        self.assertEqual(result["observed_at"], self.read_at.isoformat().replace("+00:00", "Z"))
+
+
     def test_bootstrap_and_persistence_conflict_deny(self):
         self.adapter.allow_initial_baseline = False
         self.assertIsNone(self.observe())
diff --git a/tests/test_custody_bootstrap.py b/tests/test_custody_bootstrap.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f6c6d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_custody_bootstrap.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import hashlib
+import json
+import unittest
+import test_custody_adapter as adapter_fixtures
+CANON = adapter_fixtures.CANON
+from user_engine.custody_bootstrap import initialize_baseline
+
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(CANON.exists(), "optional sibling fixtures absent")
+class CustodyBootstrapTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.fixture = adapter_fixtures.CustodyAdapterTests()
+        self.fixture.setUp()
+        self.fixture.adapter.clock = lambda: self.fixture.now
+        self.digest = hashlib.sha256(json.dumps(self.fixture.document, sort_keys=True, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=True).encode()).hexdigest()
+
+    def test_authenticated_receipt_match_initializes_once(self):
+        self.assertTrue(initialize_baseline(self.fixture.adapter, expected_sha256=self.digest))
+        self.assertFalse(initialize_baseline(self.fixture.adapter, expected_sha256=self.digest))
+        self.assertEqual(self.fixture.reads, 1)
+
+    def test_wrong_receipt_and_failure_do_not_seed_baseline(self):
+        self.assertFalse(initialize_baseline(self.fixture.adapter, expected_sha256="0" * 64))
+        self.fixture.failure = True
+        self.assertFalse(initialize_baseline(self.fixture.adapter, expected_sha256=self.digest))
+        self.assertIsNone(self.fixture.baselines.value)
+
+
+    def test_empty_approved_document_initializes_no_grant(self):
+        self.fixture.document["entries"] = []
+        digest = hashlib.sha256(json.dumps(self.fixture.document, sort_keys=True, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=True).encode()).hexdigest()
+        self.assertTrue(initialize_baseline(self.fixture.adapter, expected_sha256=digest))
+        self.assertIsNone(self.fixture.observe())
diff --git a/tests/test_custody_policy_package.py b/tests/test_custody_policy_package.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16115d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_custody_policy_package.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import hashlib
+from importlib.resources import files
+import json
+import unittest
+from user_engine.custody_canon import policy
+
+
+class CustodyPolicyPackageTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_pinned_policy_and_schema_integrity(self):
+        package = files("user_engine.custody_canon")
+        receipt = json.loads(package.joinpath("provenance.json").read_text())
+        self.assertEqual(hashlib.sha256(package.joinpath("policy.py").read_bytes()).hexdigest(), receipt["packaged_policy_sha256"])
+        self.assertEqual(hashlib.sha256(package.joinpath("custody-record_v0.1.schema.json").read_bytes()).hexdigest(), receipt["schema_sha256"])
+        self.assertEqual(policy.load_schema()["$id"], "https://policy.coulomb.social/schemas/custody-record/v0.1")
diff --git a/tests/test_custody_transport.py b/tests/test_custody_transport.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b86513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_custody_transport.py
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+import io
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from urllib.error import HTTPError
+
+from user_engine.custody_runtime import OpenBaoCustodyReader, CustodyReadUnavailable
+
+
+class Response(io.BytesIO):
+    def __init__(self, value, *, headers=None):
+        super().__init__(json.dumps(value).encode())
+        self.headers = headers or {}
+        self.status = 200
+
+
+class Opener:
+    def __init__(self, responses):
+        self.responses, self.requests = list(responses), []
+    def open(self, request, timeout):
+        self.requests.append((request, timeout))
+        response = self.responses.pop(0)
+        if isinstance(response, Exception):
+            raise response
+        return response
+
+
+class CustodyTransportTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.temp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.temp.cleanup)
+        self.jwt = Path(self.temp.name) / "token"
+        self.jwt.write_text("fixture-jwt\n")
+        self.now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        self.document = {"revision": 4}
+
+    def reader(self, opener, **options):
+        return OpenBaoCustodyReader(base_url="https://bao.example", auth_mount="kubernetes",
+            role="user-engine-root-custody-reader", jwt_file=str(self.jwt), source_id="trusted",
+            opener=opener, clock=lambda: self.now, **options)
+
+    def login(self):
+        return Response({"auth": {"client_token": "fixture-reader-token"}})
+
+    def test_dedicated_login_fresh_exact_read_and_revoke(self):
+        opener = Opener([self.login(), Response({"data": {"data": {"document": self.document}}}), Response({})])
+        result = self.reader(opener).read()
+        self.assertEqual(result.document, self.document)
+        self.assertEqual(result.read_at, self.now)
+        login, read, revoke = [entry[0] for entry in opener.requests]
+        self.assertEqual(json.loads(login.data), {"role": "user-engine-root-custody-reader", "jwt": "fixture-jwt"})
+        self.assertEqual(read.full_url, "https://bao.example/v1/platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root")
+        self.assertEqual(read.get_header("X-vault-token"), "fixture-reader-token")
+        self.assertTrue(revoke.full_url.endswith("auth/token/revoke-self"))
+        self.assertTrue(all(0 < timeout <= 3 for _, timeout in opener.requests))
+
+    def test_owner_denial_errors_are_suppressed(self):
+        opener = Opener([HTTPError("https://secret-value.invalid", 403, "sensitive", {}, None)])
+        with self.assertRaises(CustodyReadUnavailable) as error:
+            self.reader(opener).read()
+        self.assertEqual(str(error.exception), "custody read unavailable")
+        self.assertIsNone(error.exception.__cause__)
+
+    def test_cache_hit_malformed_and_oversized_responses_deny(self):
+        for response in (Response({"data": {}}, headers={"Age": "1"}), Response({"wrong": "envelope"}),
+                         Response({"data": {"data": {"document": {"padding": "x" * 2000}}}})):
+            opener = Opener([self.login(), response, Response({})])
+            with self.assertRaises(CustodyReadUnavailable):
+                self.reader(opener, max_bytes=1024).read()
+
+    def test_token_rotation_is_read_from_file_each_login(self):
+        opener = Opener([self.login(), Response({"data": {"data": {"document": self.document}}}), Response({}),
+                         self.login(), Response({"data": {"data": {"document": self.document}}}), Response({})])
+        reader = self.reader(opener)
+        reader.read()
+        self.jwt.write_text("rotated-fixture-jwt")
+        reader.read()
+        self.assertEqual(json.loads(opener.requests[3][0].data)["jwt"], "rotated-fixture-jwt")
+
+    def test_plaintext_untrusted_origin_and_path_are_configuration_errors(self):
+        for origin in ("http://bao.example", "https://user:pass@bao.example", "https://bao.example/path"):
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                OpenBaoCustodyReader(base_url=origin, auth_mount="kubernetes", role="reader", jwt_file="fixture", source_id="source")
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            self.reader(Opener([]), data_path="platform/data/other")
+
+
+class CustodyNestedIntegrationTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_nested_owner_response_to_serialized_account_authority(self):
+        from datetime import timedelta
+        from dataclasses import replace
+        from user_engine.adapters.local import InMemoryUserEngineStore
+        from user_engine.custody import CustodyObservationAdapter
+        from user_engine.custody_canon import policy
+        from user_engine.service import UserEngineService
+        from user_engine.testing.fixtures import FixtureIdentityClaimsAdapter, StaticAuthorizationCheckPort, human_actor_claims
+        from user_engine.web import _jsonable
+        from test_custody_adapter import Baselines, CANON
+        if not CANON.exists():
+            self.skipTest("optional sibling fixtures absent")
+        document = json.loads((CANON / "fixtures/valid/grant.json").read_text())
+        now = datetime(2026, 10, 3, 12, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        claims = human_actor_claims()
+        claims.update(iss=document["entries"][0]["subject"]["issuer"], sub=document["entries"][0]["subject"]["subject"], tenant="platform")
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
+            jwt_file = Path(directory) / "token"
+            jwt_file.write_text("fixture-openbao-audience-jwt")
+            opener = Opener([Response({"auth": {"client_token": "fixture-token"}}),
+                Response({"data": {"data": {"document": document}}}), Response({})])
+            source = "https://bao.example/v1/platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root#auth=kubernetes/user-engine-root-custody-reader"
+            reader = OpenBaoCustodyReader(base_url="https://bao.example", auth_mount="kubernetes",
+                role="user-engine-root-custody-reader", jwt_file=str(jwt_file), source_id=source,
+                opener=opener, clock=lambda: now)
+            adapter = CustodyObservationAdapter(reader=reader, baselines=Baselines(), policy=policy,
+                source_id=source, record_id=document["record_id"], allow_initial_baseline=True,
+                clock=lambda: now + timedelta(milliseconds=1))
+            service = UserEngineService(store=InMemoryUserEngineStore(), identity_adapter=FixtureIdentityClaimsAdapter(),
+                authorization=StaticAuthorizationCheckPort(), custody=adapter)
+            session = service.me(claims)
+            result = service.lookup_account_authority(replace(session.actor, subject="fixture-hub-reader"),
+                issuer=claims["iss"], subject=claims["sub"], tenant="platform")
+            envelope = _jsonable(result)
+            observation = envelope["root_grant"]
+            self.assertEqual(observation["source"], {"record_id": document["record_id"], "revision": 1})
+            self.assertEqual(observation["subject"], document["entries"][0]["subject"])
+            self.assertEqual(observation["observed_at"], "2026-10-03T12:00:00Z")
+            self.assertEqual(observation["expires_at"], "2026-10-03T12:15:00Z")
+            self.assertEqual(opener.requests[1][0].full_url, "https://bao.example/v1/platform/data/custody/net-kingdom/platform-root")
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 30311c0..c4e180a 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 version = 1
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "attrs"
+version = "26.1.0"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/9a/8e/82a0fe20a541c03148528be8cac2408564a6c9a0cc7e9171802bc1d26985/attrs-26.1.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:d03ceb89cb322a8fd706d4fb91940737b6642aa36998fe130a9bc96c985eff32", size = 952055 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/64/b4/17d4b0b2a2dc85a6df63d1157e028ed19f90d4cd97c36717afef2bc2f395/attrs-26.1.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:c647aa4a12dfbad9333ca4e71fe62ddc36f4e63b2d260a37a8b83d2f043ac309", size = 67548 },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cffi"
 version = "2.1.1"
@@ -136,6 +145,33 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/99/89/87ef49ffe383ef4e147d27b7bf2088fb0b54ea409dd87b5a89442e5828a5/cryptography-50.0.1-cp39-abi3-win_amd64.whl", hash = "sha256:55d16b1ef3ee0958d893a977b19777887e546c9954ea81b200c3301a864013f2", size = 3875429 },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "jsonschema"
+version = "4.26.0"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "attrs" },
+    { name = "jsonschema-specifications" },
+    { name = "referencing" },
+    { name = "rpds-py" },
+]
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/b3/fc/e067678238fa451312d4c62bf6e6cf5ec56375422aee02f9cb5f909b3047/jsonschema-4.26.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:0c26707e2efad8aa1bfc5b7ce170f3fccc2e4918ff85989ba9ffa9facb2be326", size = 366583 }
+wheels = [
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+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "jsonschema-specifications"
+version = "2025.9.1"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "referencing" },
+]
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/19/74/a633ee74eb36c44aa6d1095e7cc5569bebf04342ee146178e2d36600708b/jsonschema_specifications-2025.9.1.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:b540987f239e745613c7a9176f3edb72b832a4ac465cf02712288397832b5e8d", size = 32855 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/41/45/1a4ed80516f02155c51f51e8cedb3c1902296743db0bbc66608a0db2814f/jsonschema_specifications-2025.9.1-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:98802fee3a11ee76ecaca44429fda8a41bff98b00a0f2838151b113f210cc6fe", size = 18437 },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "psycopg"
 version = "3.3.5"
@@ -217,6 +253,116 @@ crypto = [
     { name = "cryptography" },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "referencing"
+version = "0.37.0"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
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+    { name = "rpds-py" },
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+]
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+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "typing-extensions"
 version = "4.16.0"
@@ -239,6 +385,9 @@ wheels = [
 name = "user-engine"
 version = "0.1.0"
 source = { editable = "." }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "jsonschema" },
+]
 
 [package.optional-dependencies]
 oidc = [
@@ -254,6 +403,7 @@ runtime = [
 
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
+    { name = "jsonschema", specifier = ">=4.10,<5" },
     { name = "psycopg", extras = ["binary"], marker = "extra == 'postgres'", specifier = ">=3.2,<4" },
     { name = "psycopg", extras = ["binary"], marker = "extra == 'runtime'", specifier = ">=3.2,<4" },
     { name = "pyjwt", extras = ["crypto"], marker = "extra == 'oidc'", specifier = ">=2.10,<3" },
diff --git a/workplans/USER-WP-0037-hub-authority-lookup.md b/workplans/USER-WP-0037-hub-authority-lookup.md
index 0405905..bcb953f 100644
--- a/workplans/USER-WP-0037-hub-authority-lookup.md
+++ b/workplans/USER-WP-0037-hub-authority-lookup.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ id: USER-WP-0037-T02
 status: wait
 depends_on: [NK-WP-0045-T05]
 blocked_on: repo:railiance-platform
-blocking_reason: "ADR and OpenBao design approved; awaits NK-WP-0045-T05 authenticated delivery plus consumer identity admission, durable baseline, canon policy packaging and live mapping/integration receipts."
+blocking_reason: "Consumer transport, durable baseline, pinned canon and optional mapping implemented; awaits NK-WP-0045-T05 real provenance/admission plus owner image promotion, receipt-bound baseline initialization and live integration evidence."
 priority: high
 state_hub_task_id: "23a5c211-277b-561e-a4b3-0f8e99537cac"
 ```
@@ -122,6 +122,44 @@ withheld due to changed informed-decision source. Reviewed current local source
 README plus current NetKingdom companion and custodian build guidance; restricted
 work to offline source/tests, with no authority or live-readiness inference.
 
+2026-10-03 continued go-forward implementation: the source is now complete for
+the confirmed OpenBao/Kubernetes interface. Added dedicated projected-JWT login,
+exact-path fresh KV reader (256 KiB; bounded timeout; denied redirects/cache hits;
+safe errors), persistent PostgreSQL baseline compare-and-swap in the existing
+database, optional AccountAuthority.root_grant and disabled-by-default runtime
+configuration. Owner check time is sampled after I/O; returned observation retains
+the canon-derived expires_at. Embedded validator/schema/provenance are pinned to
+NetKingdom `db319335b27b61b855382ee5af5d690f06eeb010`, with schema lookup only
+relocated. No sibling checkout dependency in the runtime.
+
+Confirmed deployment source in `rapp-user-engine/manifests/runtime.yaml`: namespace
+and ServiceAccount user-engine; existing flex-auth audience is not reused. Platform
+agreed dedicated auth/kubernetes role user-engine-root-custody-reader, audience
+openbao, no default policy and 60-second maximum token lifetime. The packaging
+owner prepares the separate projected token and disabled overlay. No live grant,
+credential provisioning or deployment acceptance is inferred from source changes.
+
+`python -m user_engine.custody_bootstrap --expected-sha256 <publisher-digest>` is
+the concrete controlled initialization tool: fresh authenticated read, exact
+source/record binding and validated canonical JSON digest from a reviewed owner
+receipt; initialize absent baseline once, never reset. Restore/source changes
+require external producer audit/high-water reconciliation before reactivation.
+Complete procedures and configuration: `docs/root-custody-runtime.md`.
+
+Validation: full make test passed296 tests (eight optional skips), with layer
+conformance and diff checks passing; isolated disposable
+PostgreSQL16 verified bootstrap CAS, competing-writer conflict and reconnect
+persistence. Wheel build succeeded with embedded policy/schema/provenance. Offline
+integration covers nested data.data.document to serialized AccountAuthority,
+exact source/path/role mapping, post-read timing and emitted expires_at. No live
+OpenBao or production database was accessed by these checks.
+
+Founder reports no existing ceremony record; the approved initial document may
+contain entries[] and therefore no grant. T02 remains wait for authenticated
+publisher receipt (empty no-grant initialization is acceptable), platform reader admission,
+owner image promotion, reviewed baseline initialization and live acceptance.
+USER-WP-0037 stays blocked; T03 retains its independent Hub admission dependency.
+
 ## Authenticated workload transport and private acceptance
 
 ```task