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Architectural fix: Merlin's authority stops at the step level. When a step exhausts retries, Merlin invokes Albus — Merlin does NOT signal Elrond to block. Albus gets the full capability: diagnose root cause, file a bypass if fixable, and only then recommend block if all options are exhausted. Elrond blocks ONLY on Albus's explicit recommendation. Changes: (1) sr_s1.py: remove _signal_elrond_to_block, instead pass Albus's verdict. (2) al_auto_01.py: add structured recommendation output (block/bypass_filed/retry/escalate). (3) handshake_consumer.py: check Albus's recommendation before blocking.

⚖️Decisions

• Elrond's bypass methodology checklist (a reminder, not a gate -- you've got this): 0. File it requested_mode='bypass' (planner-vs-bypass is a deliberate choice). bypass_start REFUSES a non-bypass initiative (CAROL-INI-1846), and the dispatcher only skips the bypass lane when the mode says bypass -- a 'planner' mistag lets Merlin's pipeline grab the placeholder step and block your finished work. 1. Filed as planned status -- let the bypass claim/activate it; never file active. 2. Open the bypass (bypass_start) with your droid id + the remediation answer (remediates_initiative_id=NNN, or remediates_nothing=True). 3. Work the blocks for your work-type: template -> design -> code -> test -> review. Do the real work; record decisions on the initiative as you make them. 4. Reality is recorded for you at close -- code (files changed), each decision, and the twin-review verdict become real activities tied to this initiative and show in the Activity Tracker like a planner run (CAROL-INI-1840). No dummy rows. 5. Keep the initiative status moving; it parks in 'reviewing' and is tagged uat-pending for you at close (CAROL-INI-1836), so the stuck-watchdog leaves it alone until UAT. 6. Close runs the gates (design/architecture compliance + caller-audit). If a gate flags something pre-existing or unrelated to your change, waive it with a clear written rationale -- audit, don't skip. 7. Bypass skips the planner's auto-orchestration, NOT the standards. Same template checklist, same review, same observability as a planner run. (elrond)
• Follow-on to parent INI 999900577 (orion)
• Scope inherited verbatim from parent INI 999900577 per CAROL-INI-361. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator-refinement (CAROL-INI-509): Refined criterion 3: Updated to reference existing cookbook entries #160 and #173 for linkage, per validator suggestion that entries about blocking scenarios already exist and albus_no_show needs specific addition. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator-refinement (CAROL-INI-509): Refined criterion 4: Updated to cross-reference existing handover watchdog (cookbook #100) per validator suggestion that a stuck detector may overlap with it. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator-refinement (CAROL-INI-509): Refined criterion '10-minute stuck detector added to elrond_watcher.py' because elrond_watcher.py is not found in present-day SST or registry; replaced with existing 'Elrond handover watchdog' (cookbook #100) which is the active watcher module. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator-refinement (CAROL-INI-509): Refined criterion 'Cookbook entries updated with three blocking scenarios' to specify cookbook #160, #173, and #367 instead of generic 'cookbook entries' because present-day index shows those are the relevant bypass and reviewer entries. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator-refinement (CAROL-INI-509): Refined criterion 'Merlin signals Elrond on Albus no-show as communication' to clarify handshake consumer processes it (verbatim from parent scope), no change needed after validator feedback but confirmed alignment. (elrond.initiative_author)
• Validator round 2 still flagged 7 items — operator review needed (CAROL-INI-509). (elrond.initiative_validator)
• [status-router] planned -> dispatched | event=dispatch | RSI: auto-promoted bypasses depth limit (CAROL-INI-2198) (spb-01)
• [status-router] dispatched -> blocked | event=stuck_10min_no_activity | Elrond safety net: initiative has had no activity for 10+ minutes. Blocking under the parallel safety mechanism. (el-watchdog)
• Elrond blocked initiative under the CAROL-INI-2162 dead-Albus protocol. Albus was supposed to wake for step 0 (cause=albus_no_show) but did not respond. Cause: albus_no_show. Reason: Elrond safety net: initiative stranded 10+ min. Albus wake failed or produced no useful result. (el-s1)
• Orion remediated: Albus RSI group diagnosis (via INI 999900432): [procedural, confidence high] Albus executor did not wake to process the initiative after dispatch, as confirmed by the empty execution history and the Elrond safety net block at 2026-07-03 01:41:55 with cause=albus_no_show (see decision 'Elrond blocked initiative under the CAROL-INI-2162 dead-Albus protocol' and rsi_loop.log entries around that time). This is a procedural failure: the executor never started work, matching a systemic pattern affecting 63 other initiatives in the same block group. (orion)
• [status-router] blocked -> closed | event=operator_put | PUT /api/initiatives (operator)
• [rsi-group-cure] Cured by the group diagnosis on INI 999900432 (shared cause stuck_10min_no_activity); retriggered as INI 999900806. Root cause: [procedural, confidence high] Albus executor did not wake to process the initiative after dispatch, as confirmed by the empty execution history and the Elrond safety net block at 2026-07-03 01:41:55 with cause=albus_no_show (see decision 'Elrond blocked initiative under the CAROL-INI-2162 dead-Albus protocol' and rsi_loop.log entries around that time). This is a procedural failure: the executor ne (elrond.rsi_loop)

✅Success criteria

• Merlin never calls _signal_elrond_to_block — step-level only (must_have)
• Albus BLOCK_INITIATIVE handshake is the sole path to blocking an initiative (must_have)
• Cookbook entries updated with three blocking scenarios (including albus_no_show) (must_have)
• 10-minute stuck detector added to Elrond handover watchdog for rarest-scenario safety net (must_have)
• Merlin signals Elrond on Albus no-show as communication (not block authorization), handshake consumer processes it (must_have)