HLLMR · HLLMR · Aug 30, 2026 · Aug 30, 2026
diff --git a/ADOPTING.md b/ADOPTING.md
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ mechanical route below. In particular, make the self-contained adoption bundle
 and these instructions local **before the wall is registered**. A correctly
 locked session may deny the network request that would otherwise retrieve them.
 
+For a first adoption, the default is the day-zero coordinator:
+
+```text
+# Windows
+py -3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root C:\path\to\your-project
+
+# macOS or Linux
+python3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root /path/to/your-project
+```
+
+It classifies the target from repository bytes, copies the complete skill bundle
+into a temporary `.writwall-bootstrap/` directory, and emits the exact next
+prompt. It is create-only bootstrap tooling, not an authority or installer.
+Contradictory active state stops before output. Full interface and external-
+Operator packet behavior are documented in
+[`docs/day-zero-coordinator.md`](docs/day-zero-coordinator.md).
+
 | Route | Use when | Tooling | What it produces |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | A. Chat prompt | You want to think it through with a model before touching the repo, or your project has an existing document corpus that needs mapping | Any capable chat model | Draft DR-001, draft adoption mapping, draft charter kill list, a checklist of manual steps |
@@ -48,6 +65,9 @@ locked session may deny the network request that would otherwise retrieve them.
 
 Routes combine. A common path for an existing project is A (mapping conversation) followed by B (mechanical bootstrap) followed by the Owner steps in section 5.
 
+The coordinator selects among these routes; it does not replace them. Its
+handoff is temporary and must be removed before the adoption commit.
+
 ---
 
 ## 2. Route A: the adoption prompt

diff --git a/LICENSE-MAP.md b/LICENSE-MAP.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ the root `LICENSE` for every path assigned differently below.
 
 | Scope | License | SPDX identifier |
 |---|---|---|
-| `DOCTRINE.md`, `README.md`, `START-HERE.md`, `ADOPTING.md`, `SELF-HOSTING.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `migration-guides/**`, `decisions/**`, `governance/**`, `archive/**`, `examples/**`, `identity/**`, `docs/assets/**`, `docs/agents/**`, `docs/name-clearance.md`, `docs/identity-migration.md`, `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/**`, `.github/pull_request_template.md`, and other prose or public visual assets | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International | `CC-BY-4.0` |
+| `DOCTRINE.md`, `README.md`, `START-HERE.md`, `ADOPTING.md`, `SELF-HOSTING.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `migration-guides/**`, `decisions/**`, `governance/**`, `archive/**`, `examples/**`, `identity/**`, `docs/assets/**`, `docs/agents/**`, `docs/day-zero-coordinator.md`, `docs/name-clearance.md`, `docs/identity-migration.md`, `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/**`, `.github/pull_request_template.md`, and other prose or public visual assets | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International | `CC-BY-4.0` |
 | `templates/**` | Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal | `CC0-1.0` |
 | `adapters/**`, `.claude/hooks/wo_capability_wall.py`, and `init.sh` | MIT No Attribution | `MIT-0` |
 | `scripts/**`, `checks/**`, `tests/**`, and `.github/workflows/**` | Apache License 2.0 | `Apache-2.0` |

diff --git a/PROJECTION-MANIFEST.sha256 b/PROJECTION-MANIFEST.sha256
@@ -5,28 +5,28 @@ b2e36dfcfc6eb31570c9340640bcd73abc62f57c80b4794abf36e3d3e89ab34f  .github/depend
 9e90d43615b02a265b08692ef7a1c00a37477a5c6b1e8233a8fc7bedefaedea6  .github/pull_request_template.md
 419af9d8c4b603dd0c48b9897894a836125f9de10290f8af026a3b4e5565987d  .github/workflows/ci.yml
 e544abe8ffd83c81c7b002cbd2e552f9d56f226ea20e1e0722c5d1bdec914fe0  .gitignore
-fb3be6732ba55f0684205b70e04c1f2d7e27a49b503ed847e5fd7603300d5ac4  ADOPTING.md
+8f238796fff926a4fffe33080b4ff6face299ae84d9e60da532d71257465f00b  ADOPTING.md
 1179c999034f4ec1c1d44c1946bd2955c4625905e80767abe760c8c3ab01c493  CLAUDE.md
 e32e0cc74d7f5992c6ce87d68bd17fca5f158570a00fc05c695c3f2e508d37d8  CONTRIBUTING.md
 664196054cd98585105be457afa09c788a482416ccb48a87bb269b2156e49ae6  DOCTRINE.md
 9ba9550ad48438d0836ddab3da480b3b69ffa0aac7b7878b5a0039e7ab429411  LICENSE
-d00edb1fc3074e38b37e25d137ca3b7591e3506621d16a42a16963d0bb531d13  LICENSE-MAP.md
+65b5178d1d9cd38398141d6c3cce98afbef3bed01078649dfc2cc0e13442f83b  LICENSE-MAP.md
 c274f80372d90c012937370f0e1f15087d22e308ef98b27cea5dc0d2d088366c  LICENSES/Apache-2.0.txt
 9ba9550ad48438d0836ddab3da480b3b69ffa0aac7b7878b5a0039e7ab429411  LICENSES/CC-BY-4.0.txt
 a2010f343487d3f7618affe54f789f5487602331c0a8d03f49e9a7c547cf0499  LICENSES/CC0-1.0.txt
 59746d6285ffa44bfc7ecada352aa5d6a20dc8eab418a60ce091cc739012c135  LICENSES/MIT-0.txt
 35e6d37b7c5fa0c1fc872315cbd362cd24bfa41e1b7dc3019fbcd31e99350f51  NAMING.md
-bd4ecb88f14a7201ff0dec20a3233dde8aa78ab42ff680909bc93a9c8d3b336e  PROJECTION-PROVENANCE.md
+bd0dc7b20da29af00b98aa0180d6c0fecd43552180f2578e687c1816e53e14f9  PROJECTION-PROVENANCE.md
 20dd826e70636087c9f7758402990d4b0f13a3b64cc685d8f783afa16e092caf  PUBLICATION.md
-4b01bc93641761adbaf3b28819abdd347f3a8ea7e557fa3fe61382027451e21c  README.md
-8692caf4284aa02b2fca277a9fa0285ffcb18023e59b89ce31761f5f1c2011e0  REUSE.toml
+6bb209548bee395394c53b8a04cec1ed558730b1fb6af6c4f60334ab1e4a9a6d  README.md
+5c91b3001237004226fcb3869cf9569f6d4987bb9f7f2c5704c9909a9c627e59  REUSE.toml
 ab75b39490b4db4e203f5b23b480a1c998d87cf07d760cb787cb260778b21d0a  SECURITY.md
 6a51c1211cc675599634d144ca24a705ec1696f84640a6464b14efb1d6c3a629  SELF-HOSTING.md
-7969a1e8b889dcde7789a079aee017a8312dcaa656f3539d6a57717a2402e5b5  START-HERE.md
+7f916275e4876652ecbc181faf3394eceb182634842365dbff91edfa6751dc96  START-HERE.md
 a4723267565778de85ae6f00f99bb903eab625e98917389fe1821a463d3d867d  adapters/claude-code/README.md
 aeb7f81d139e7ffa6de9a1782444b99eb6d549ac1c3a8b9c0f8bcb9c6addfa6d  adapters/claude-code/SECURITY.md
 dd29af2a39d25e0270ad9acc23ee912f81e39c674e1179759f4a3010c6a0c1a0  adapters/claude-code/wo_capability_wall.py
-1e988ba28767063ff0d93969730321b4d7942f992edb3bbc177fbd2124c29f1b  checks/check_distribution.py
+da0b19de32aa43c9b97b05d74681a306d1b3e41c0e3f4de08aa2be85c4827241  checks/check_distribution.py
 60fe377dac32b8d1697f859371ef40d26ed4e695fdceeda6d29ec0318d539504  checks/check_identity.py
 30986c40ff7c9b29e2fba39ec04c18af3c1c351490410bd532a8391bcb92ed11  checks/check_licenses.py
 e843892f24360174620fa02f3adf142a5eb5e2aac4bbfea786648f8b49375192  checks/check_name_clearance.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ fa88788242d920999b6e6737ea60b03dfe3f9ba2e0d90386b6bbcfeb6acd0509  docs/agents/do
 55816569390363947ecc7735d7de13a3f59b8dae51f92383967e130b3a56d2a6  docs/assets/writwall-og.svg
 0a5259d80265765aee16a421546e44458a1aabeecfa8c7f7dea8aead6a79655b  docs/assets/writwall-readme-banner-0a5259d8.png
 ad0fb4f671b8da9e3ab9720af7b39ac9c93201e6131c1df996e090a2bb2acc8a  docs/assets/writwall-readme-banner.svg
+78f1d4bb82cea5a048ddf867f54e67eb64bc71e2e3c222818a685074f75f4b57  docs/day-zero-coordinator.md
 e1214e3e6018642809339249bb091a6fd754847b4f77c4bc7a39c5c87e6769cc  docs/identity-migration.md
 4d54cd53db8c165b40af7eb11b97a7f4faf5f23479c0efc8238e5d463b159008  docs/name-clearance.md
 55716ad256ad76dd355d10ab872ffcd29b03fbf9651763b21351e813ef89d0c5  examples/README.md
@@ -57,10 +58,10 @@ d2c5a8ca21edf842dfd17a83862024afa0a92349abf693a60e55ce454c8d78fa  examples/name-
 30cdb11fbeb2fd9bbf4048255331ccbbdd6e516fae5adfa5317af00ce53607c9  governance/ADOPTION-MAPPING.md
 08b235351ab7799715b1e2df4fa3dd9fa88bb85084c8aade4d01039bf255b489  governance/LOG-denials-probes.md
 50784b173c90c4fd22572306429187c8a7e22614f4b9ad649a3005647467c7fa  governance/LOG-denials.jsonl
-37f2db9b6959ca756c57b2f6e66fc7accb33c0323fa2d4be5d5cd94de3f0f80f  governance/LOG.md
+d1553b059c3b35b5c540f90ee1aecbcb6cff635926a5d90bcbbfb75866dd9b6c  governance/LOG.md
 4421b3b6d1ddbfaf028ad8df19b8b27424db51d36278f249975bc76ab849673e  governance/PLAN.md
 2f534d0b74d644686344128e7cc6627ee965e6956d8d1e0b150ee4ca58f56879  governance/ROUTING.md
-8f07eebcfd887ff6ad0900a7111e719ec51ac972565cc88f1bf6f9c1c6c73a30  governance/STATE.md
+0d878b1813dcb3e7588193b0f2d9e4fafa645db4b726261b5796f8caf74db609  governance/STATE.md
 e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855  governance/archive/.gitkeep
 e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855  governance/briefs/.gitkeep
 e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855  governance/decisions/.gitkeep
@@ -77,17 +78,18 @@ b567ce0c0867464328e81774d888f6491fa66b68ac73be01f993e5c4c66d3ed8  governance/tem
 d355e46f978f17de8824af805e05124e0f20b1c072523b518422044f88c6f079  governance/templates/D-adoption-record.md
 2b586efadab716a59fcafb74312a45a05401a4787fee6ae18cb5c9dd14ef3a09  governance/templates/E-adoption-mapping.md
 e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855  governance/work-orders/.gitkeep
-d78aa2546ec994415ce40602fd889f89b3c6d84696a3e747989fc5b0271444bb  identity/legacy-references.json
+547b1cce3b6e12cfd8a7bf3b9bce56f41d47193f1662a91531b0f3c19c5c5432  identity/legacy-references.json
 345b7e962731c085a95aea66a344eae000b27c9bde13b0d790c76b73273dbe7a  init.sh
 5c90584642f405534b2071f27396ff293ab01632e4dbb8ccb6b8ec043dca4cc9  migration-guides/0.1-to-0.6.md
 ba4eff258ca5b9a45f3f9f1cbf646ba5bc5521fae812adacac65cd2e78698c9d  migration-guides/0.6-to-0.7.md
 7be9ff49c33830f929584e9e6756f06be8634b1c79ff7210bf5184b51bfc0769  migration-guides/0.7-to-0.8.md
-0b20940fecd22683586c5947b129e0203ed1534692993e40068f6305bfef8106  projection/public-files.txt
+bd649302c60a6fb8d255c8b0d157cc1fbc6e95b6f626656d77d5df9abf71ea3f  projection/public-files.txt
 455ca1ab3c9e7e78afbb9946e13b94497ba24003ab6f411ea96cce26d4ecc39e  scripts/build_distribution.py
 762973ced40b5746a017eac52e4ce58180419f20c95bd861829cb7332f76fcd2  scripts/build_public_projection.py
 3cf88f936599e0e84bc2368bc0503a39b9f96e47b473e09b26569e5c3c9edbd9  scripts/collect_name_clearance.py
+1f06adfbd54410d13b518019db825c042017bca8e3df93b87130152f166e3f10  scripts/start_writwall.py
 136fbbf25121905bd39828f7f0fe01c688908553f523e295f04f514552ab78aa  skills/writwall-adopt/LICENSE-MAP.md
-00731110a4f72a47caf6d680f1c8ccbcc232e8b5cf5384af6a2f837a4120a5df  skills/writwall-adopt/SKILL.md
+df64fb9788240618693f7e32aad3a73b6d724849a1d889569a961c66287604a4  skills/writwall-adopt/SKILL.md
 a4723267565778de85ae6f00f99bb903eab625e98917389fe1821a463d3d867d  skills/writwall-adopt/assets/adapters/claude-code/README.md
 dd29af2a39d25e0270ad9acc23ee912f81e39c674e1179759f4a3010c6a0c1a0  skills/writwall-adopt/assets/adapters/claude-code/wo_capability_wall.py
 bb54d108d1dff56291169624d26eac4f44db00ebf98e38bf7e6d56cd9b8d9647  skills/writwall-adopt/assets/checks/check_work_order_dispatch.py
@@ -105,12 +107,13 @@ b567ce0c0867464328e81774d888f6491fa66b68ac73be01f993e5c4c66d3ed8  templates/A-ch
 5bfaa890ffddd423644428606753bc2e6562e3e5d67c1dc522172710708a4bf0  templates/C-owner-brief.md
 d355e46f978f17de8824af805e05124e0f20b1c072523b518422044f88c6f079  templates/D-adoption-record.md
 2b586efadab716a59fcafb74312a45a05401a4787fee6ae18cb5c9dd14ef3a09  templates/E-adoption-mapping.md
-5dca1b9e7e1059a631cdd9b5da02d6cdc5b2a6ed9cbff48faff37c1d81adec49  tests/test_check_distribution.py
+f555e5f2593043b4b897b1dcaa038dbce7b09890a37000e046e2f2a66f3708c9  tests/test_check_distribution.py
 b046f2eea794070194294a33f2914e627eed384e63fccffc2ac46693db2a968c  tests/test_check_licenses.py
 9a106ff5182b4a15713575de42e90b0dc5cdeebcb17ba08d97522a4c9aa6b2fa  tests/test_check_work_order_dispatch.py
-05698dd8ad9b22d5b40f8ab3bd733afcfc0302ea31a8769eafc80305c321b1b5  tests/test_distribution.py
+9e09d9c35634505bd8ad9291812cce2aaa93a1948f8ff52e9073dc6c38462318  tests/test_distribution.py
 e150a2f988a4b0beac5f70644f55f5e185a8aa575e988a19642bafabc0f07775  tests/test_identity_migration.py
 011d79618848880de8600b11bcedbdd6ba8b68124ddc3ae3e522288639c2498c  tests/test_init_sh.py
 96c255d84e37b8884cde769897e763776b81027080c2308c33dc5e4b8df4a4bf  tests/test_name_clearance.py
 2636e1f2c1f23c4d234b7b8c8886c3922cd94005bd20aed05c3846cd0aabe891  tests/test_public_projection.py
+72d30a1c670af5019ef657af4dc6fc7a347fa15997abc576e89bb50540b5710c  tests/test_start_writwall.py
 0684c04067eb95eadc9f72ab126d8662b4a5e2005c80b2dea174075a6140eebc  tests/test_wo_capability_wall.py
diff --git a/PROJECTION-PROVENANCE.md b/PROJECTION-PROVENANCE.md
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ Legacy commit identifiers in projected records refer to that private
 source and are intentionally not resolvable from fresh public history.
 No private remote URL is recorded here.
 
-- Source commit: `3d5dc47f5c0c046a384dedc17fdc1a673fcd05d1`
-- Source commit time: `2026-08-29T18:03:18-05:00`
-- Projection allowlist SHA-256: `0b20940fecd22683586c5947b129e0203ed1534692993e40068f6305bfef8106`
+- Source commit: `10fbff507409e1b549db69ecb462b7cdeb4e66b4`
+- Source commit time: `2026-08-29T21:39:04-05:00`
+- Projection allowlist SHA-256: `bd649302c60a6fb8d255c8b0d157cc1fbc6e95b6f626656d77d5df9abf71ea3f`
 
 ## Legacy identifier inventory
 

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -93,23 +93,31 @@ actually blocks the current session before real work begins.
 
 ## Try it in five minutes
 
-If you are new to Writwall, begin with [START-HERE.md](START-HERE.md). It tells
-you which role to engage, whether that agent belongs inside or outside the IDE,
-and gives you the exact first prompt. The create-only scaffolder is useful only
-after you understand that it does not complete adoption:
+If you are new to Writwall, run the day-zero coordinator from this clean source
+distribution. It inspects the target before assigning a role, makes the complete
+adoption bundle local, and writes the exact next prompt without installing the
+wall or claiming adoption:
 
 ```text
-./init.sh /absolute/path/to/your-project
-python3 /absolute/path/to/your-project/checks/check_work_order_dispatch.py --lockout
+# Windows
+py -3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root C:\path\to\your-project
+
+# macOS or Linux
+python3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root /path/to/your-project
 ```
 
-This creates the governance directories, copies the templates, and installs
-the pre-dispatch validator. If the target already has a `.claude/` directory,
-it also copies the adapter file; it **does not register, activate, or birth-test**
-that hook, inventory existing project authority, ratify adoption, or make a commit.
-Read [ADOPTING.md](ADOPTING.md) next for the complete adoption sequence. Make
-the bundled adoption skill local before registering a wall that may deny the
-agent's network access.
+The command asks one question at a time and creates only
+`.writwall-bootstrap/` in the target. Read its `HANDOFF.md`, open the named
+agent in the named location, and paste the supplied prompt. Do not enter
+passwords, API tokens, private keys, mailbox contents, DNS values, or other
+secrets; intake is stored as local plain text. See the
+[coordinator reference](docs/day-zero-coordinator.md), or use
+[START-HERE.md](START-HERE.md) for the manual and recovery routes.
+The coordinator does not register, activate, or birth-test the wall.
+
+The lower-level `init.sh` scaffolder remains available after you understand
+the adoption sequence. It creates directories and template copies but does not
+inventory authority, register or birth-test a hook, ratify adoption, or commit.
 
 If the project does not yet have a settled public identity, stop before naming
 packages, repositories, domains, or launch assets. Run the evidence-producing

diff --git a/REUSE.toml b/REUSE.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ path = [
   "decisions/**",
   "docs/assets/**",
   "docs/agents/**",
+  "docs/day-zero-coordinator.md",
   "docs/identity-migration.md",
   "docs/name-clearance.md",
   "examples/**",

diff --git a/START-HERE.md b/START-HERE.md
@@ -59,16 +59,44 @@ names, repository slugs, domains, logos, or launch copy. The coordinator may
 collect evidence, but the Owner chooses the identity; unavailable sources are
 not clear results.
 
-1. Obtain the Writwall source distribution. Do not unpack it over your project.
-2. Copy the complete `skills/writwall-adopt/` directory into the target
-   provider's temporary skill location. For Claude Code, use
-   `.claude/skills/writwall-adopt/`.
-3. Confirm the bundle is locally readable. It contains the Doctrine, adapter,
-   checker, templates, and migration guides it needs.
-4. Start the adoption coordinator. The bundle stays available until recorder
-   closeout no longer needs it and is removed before the adoption commit.
-5. Register and birth-test the wall only through the exact lifecycle the
-   coordinator prepares and you ratify.
+1. Obtain a clean Writwall source distribution. Do not unpack it over your
+   project.
+2. From that distribution, run one command:
+
+   ```text
+   # Windows
+   py -3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root C:\path\to\your-project
+
+   # macOS or Linux
+   python3 scripts/start_writwall.py --project-root /path/to/your-project
+   ```
+
+3. If you choose to track Owner active minutes, start the timer when the first
+   question tells you to; do not reconstruct time later. Answer one question at
+   a time without entering secrets. You may point it at an existing brief. The
+   command observes actual repository lifecycle state and creates only
+   `<project>/.writwall-bootstrap/`.
+4. Open its `HANDOFF.md`. Start the agent and location it names and paste the
+   exact prompt. The complete local `writwall-adopt` bundle is already beside
+   the handoff.
+5. Keep that temporary directory until recorder closeout no longer needs it;
+   remove it before the adoption commit. Register and birth-test the wall only
+   through the exact lifecycle the coordinator prepares and you ratify.
+
+The command does not install Writwall, interpret intake as ratified intent,
+create an activation pointer, contact an external system, or replace the
+Owner-Agent. It stops on contradictory state instead of guessing from prior
+chat. See [`docs/day-zero-coordinator.md`](docs/day-zero-coordinator.md) for
+the complete contract.
+
+### Manual fallback
+
+If Python is unavailable, copy the complete `skills/writwall-adopt/` directory
+into a temporary project-local location before registering any wall, confirm
+it is readable, then use the prompt below. For Claude Code, a temporary
+`.claude/skills/writwall-adopt/` location is supported. Keep the bundle until
+the final authorized recorder action that needs it and remove it before the
+adoption commit.
 
 Paste this first: