# γ scaffold — cycle/414

**Issue:** [cnos#414](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/414) — Add design essay `DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` to `docs/gamma/essays/` (companion to `CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md`).

**Mode:** docs-only; γ+α+β-collapsed-on-δ (per `ROLES.md §4`-precedent for skill/docs-class cycles; α=β permitted because the primary product is verbatim markdown with mechanical AC oracles).

**Branch:** `cycle/414` from `origin/main` (`fb39b2fb` — the cycle/413 merge that activated Sigma).

## Surface (2-file delta + close-out artifacts)

Essay + README update at `docs/gamma/essays/`:

- **D1:** `docs/gamma/essays/DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` (new; 610 lines; DRAFT v0.1.0). Verbatim from dispatch brief; Unicode substitution table applied as a defensive pass (the source was already cleaned). Frontmatter has 15 `related:` entries (13 cnos-internal + 2 `usurobor/tsc:*` cross-repo). 21 top-level sections matching the AC3 required list verbatim.
- **D2:** `docs/gamma/essays/README.md` (edit; 2 lines added). One row added to Document Map after `CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md`; one item added to Reading Order at position 5.

Close-out artifacts at `.cdd/unreleased/414/`:

- `gamma-scaffold.md` (this file)
- `self-coherence.md` (α-side AC verification, all 9)
- `beta-review.md` (β-side R1 review)
- `alpha-closeout.md`, `beta-closeout.md`, `gamma-closeout.md` (per-role closeouts)
- `cdd-iteration.md` (courtesy stub; expected `protocol_gap_count: 0`)
- INDEX.md row appended at `.cdd/iterations/INDEX.md`.

## Implementation contract (pinned by δ at dispatch; α MUST NOT improvise — verified at this scaffold)

| Axis | Pinned value | Conforms? |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Markdown | yes |
| CLI integration target | None | yes (N/A for docs-only) |
| Package scoping | `docs/gamma/essays/DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` (new) + `docs/gamma/essays/README.md` (edit) | yes (exact 2-file delta) |
| Existing-binary disposition | N/A | yes |
| Runtime dependencies | None | yes |
| JSON/wire contract | N/A | yes |
| Backward compat | All four existing essays preserved unchanged in `docs/gamma/essays/` | yes (`git diff origin/main -- docs/gamma/essays/STATELESS-AGENCY.md docs/gamma/essays/EXECUTABLE-SKILLS.md docs/gamma/essays/COHERENCE-MUST-BE-FREE.md docs/gamma/essays/CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md` returns 0 lines) |

## AC oracle approach (issue body verbatim)

| AC | Oracle (mechanical) | Surface |
|----|---------------------|---------|
| AC1 | file exists ≥ 300 lines | `wc -l docs/gamma/essays/DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` ≥ 300 |
| AC2 | frontmatter has title/status/version/date/proposed-path/class/axis + ≥15 related entries | `sed -n '1,26p'` |
| AC3 | 21 required top-level sections present | `grep "^## " docs/gamma/essays/DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` |
| AC4 | no mojibake remaining | `grep -E "Î[±²³´µ]\|â¡\|matterâ\|Î±â"` returns 0 |
| AC5 | Greek/subscript/arrow/C≡ counts | grep counts ≥ 20/5/10/1 |
| AC6 | README.md Document Map + Reading Order updated | grep "DECREASING-INCOHERENCE" docs/gamma/essays/README.md |
| AC7 | only docs/ files modified | `git diff origin/main..HEAD --name-only -- docs/` returns exactly the 2 files |
| AC8 | no src/ or schemas/ edits | `git diff origin/main..HEAD -- src/ schemas/` returns 0 lines |
| AC9 | frontmatter related: paths resolve (spot-check ≥5 cnos-internal) | `ls` each path |

## Branch + commit shape

- α-414: essay authoring + README update (single commit; both D1 and D2 land together because README cannot point at a file that doesn't exist)
- β-414: R1 review verdict
- γ-414: close-outs (α/β/γ) + cdd-iteration courtesy stub + INDEX.md row

Push to `origin/cycle/414`; do NOT merge to main (operator's call). Merge instruction reported in γ closeout.

## Critical refusal conditions surfaced during authoring

- **Source already Unicode-clean.** The dispatch brief noted that "the source above ALREADY HAS the Unicode characters cleaned up" and that the substitution table was "provided as guidance in case any mojibake survived in your copy." α spot-checked the authored file post-Write with `grep -E "Î[±²³´µ]|â¡|matterâ|Î±â"` (AC4 oracle); 0 hits. No substitution was required at author time.
- **Verbatim discipline.** α did not editorialize, rephrase, or "improve" any prose from the dispatch brief's source. The only authoring decision was the trailing newline at end-of-file (conventional Markdown hygiene; no AC impact).
- **No other essay edits.** The four existing essays (`STATELESS-AGENCY.md`, `EXECUTABLE-SKILLS.md`, `COHERENCE-MUST-BE-FREE.md`, `CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md`) remain byte-identical to origin/main. Verified by `git diff origin/main -- docs/gamma/essays/STATELESS-AGENCY.md docs/gamma/essays/EXECUTABLE-SKILLS.md docs/gamma/essays/COHERENCE-MUST-BE-FREE.md docs/gamma/essays/CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md` returning 0 lines.

Filed by γ@cnos (γ+α+β-collapsed-on-δ) on 2026-05-22.
