@bongos/core 1.19.900 → 1.19.902

package/.bongos-core.json

@@ -2,22 +2,22 @@
   "artifact": "bongos-core",
   "manifest_schema": 1,
   "generator": "scripts/gds/package-core.js",
-  "core_version": "1.19.900",
-  "core_contract": "1.19.900",
-  "source_commit": "b8386b789a905d1c25afd561989ef249965fd27f",
+  "core_version": "1.19.902",
+  "core_contract": "1.19.902",
+  "source_commit": "2ec480ac926f1b9c899eef2576b1e6a7409e9013",
   "source_ref": "HEAD",
-  "built_at": "2026-09-20T05:47:20.635Z",
+  "built_at": "2026-09-20T07:49:00.223Z",
   "redaction": {
     "model": "docs-redacted+functional-verbatim",
     "docs_redacted": 502,
     "agent_docs_stubbed": 26,
-    "functional_verbatim": 2281,
+    "functional_verbatim": 2284,
     "rules": 3,
     "gate_literals": 3,
     "gate": "passed"
   },
-  "file_count": 2809,
-  "tree_sha256": "4b02605822334dafaf22a01bd8c5d34a16066b4f1afa4b9ee147b59d385f3c3b",
+  "file_count": 2812,
+  "tree_sha256": "e1c4784e88618bc042732cabcda2e40e5af8c8a4f21282de67baa72990fe7b6b",
   "files": [
     {
       "path": ".claude/skills/ask-for-help/SKILL.md",
@@ -2097,12 +2097,12 @@
     {
       "path": "docs/copy-inventory.md",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "f1b9049057c56a02af6031f472a2634050753ca1539aa79549f663851db22e54"
+      "sha256": "bee7d1411eaf22aaaf7887b53e1151a0654055f8b4a7f6d78802b1eea766aa71"
     },
     {
       "path": "docs/copy-registry.json",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "969894adbb9bc33d4e6f1656aaaa3ba863aba18a5fa7cdce15922916e4d43a6d"
+      "sha256": "120d68ae5ad77ce670704ccd385b14b523ff7a530742b0038788e480084c6e34"
     },
     {
       "path": "docs/design/apex-pass-2-direction.md",
@@ -2632,7 +2632,7 @@
     {
       "path": "docs/module-api-changelog.md",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "180322d6ddd7b22d93aa7fada4e8124cc9949afc06b97995a8394c1d472a31be"
+      "sha256": "367d63ea84eaa28d8ccbadc967d41fb94a689906a8d8438e8b6a123c6ff4489e"
     },
     {
       "path": "docs/modules-contract.md",
@@ -4182,7 +4182,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/economy/credits.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "ec69c40c89a3bb5f49dae8c04076646c972d1ed21d3b556ed6bc492dd15628c7"
+      "sha256": "b0f36f5d71bc376e090b14c6c95b3ac005fecd464e59bc73213d1d3a2b662469"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/economy/migrations/economy_001_fix_gds_shipper_description.sql",
@@ -4202,12 +4202,12 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/economy/reward-policy.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "e1f432cc9871bcb992face1f8ecd9f63fea17b3b67c121d59e8e28a89ba8d7d5"
+      "sha256": "817f400faa29aabcfdeb98eabeca45790203dff2dbca2ed01336d69078dd2be2"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/economy/reward.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "c4245b1b7c361eb44e0034f19227e208b956e9eb9ac03924e22b3017dd4a343a"
+      "sha256": "05f2aa731ed9bfc19088c0c6a59e0f91c6096806285e74e74b48f4530bcfa5f0"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/economy/routes/cost.js",
@@ -5037,7 +5037,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "201199cc05841179b975cd46f22a9b82a312a748256733aa758f8fe55bb99aa6"
+      "sha256": "0ca0433fa846d12e2ea2d69084ad406d6e23fbe92e20c7364da4e92e54e26cf4"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.states.json",
@@ -5312,7 +5312,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/descent.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "b735a1a1c6bf892ca631b1ae8d1bac7643ea9adf39d243ef8a6c27d83451dbca"
+      "sha256": "778558f148d8b403b64f0714b27436b08c41ae0d21ed18b4ed73939928e05cd4"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/homeless-home.js",
@@ -5362,7 +5362,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/module.json",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "d78cc041fcd92485e38684a216a846e163ea443a8afea9f304aca3a2ac086d4d"
+      "sha256": "c23099e7c3a4768dc68778292c42988ee21234ed81d1832347e9fd272f6137d9"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/pollers/descent-writer.js",
@@ -5377,7 +5377,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/routes/inbox.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "0f5997e58ca3f8ee33e84948136697519f095670387f0ae26cadb325f2389268"
+      "sha256": "d4c91dcc603e4fc72ef6110a32350b2f59df19858f83a70962645a7fa09a55c4"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/ideas/routing.js",
@@ -5394,6 +5394,11 @@
       "mode": "0000644",
       "sha256": "eade9a2d07da0a39af17c086d188a195be00c544889d61454ed3c6368d39ea04"
     },
+    {
+      "path": "modules/ideas/trail-descent.js",
+      "mode": "0000644",
+      "sha256": "2d0693b00dded081b6a0082c450762763d324d54f098a8f42a9aa25ec27370c4"
+    },
     {
       "path": "modules/lifecycle/CLAUDE.md",
       "mode": "0000644",
@@ -5512,7 +5517,7 @@
     {
       "path": "modules/lifecycle/db-ship.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "fc65aa01818dcd8c74d013e074ff9b6c71c34537230fc844e6a23b69cc93e22f"
+      "sha256": "14c269ad1bf569976421c71e0814d47338bd11f9382e9949e2e01f6f6f15f6c7"
     },
     {
       "path": "modules/lifecycle/db-tasks.js",
@@ -7757,12 +7762,12 @@
     {
       "path": "package-lock.json",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "a64d0eb048b0bbaebc11226da0ba59ecf3724630719a4c1e6f598d4e93f7fb64"
+      "sha256": "b072b5799f9a792ea474fc50364b099b477a89037abac29f31a80a4e0afd56a4"
     },
     {
       "path": "package.json",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "0e217566767957cb7ec7607c94c10c1e99bf7b5aba1605e886058ce7929b1c2f"
+      "sha256": "70ca20ce45a63886eff37d367e9574ab1ecc6d77191d500bc9c080ac80e71f8a"
     },
     {
       "path": "public-docs/index.html",
@@ -9772,7 +9777,7 @@
     {
       "path": "src/module-api.js",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "633c325acecc72b19dc2c6758f4bcd8e5712bd4251681bbd25b1aff4e9e907bd"
+      "sha256": "46c60fef08ac1cdeedec15a52a867d37f30a61e0ddbf9092a489fc7f5eae3a01"
     },
     {
       "path": "src/module-loader/catalog.js",
@@ -11722,7 +11727,7 @@
     {
       "path": "tests/helpers.mjs",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "d90ec6d640f3a9a389169180d4a852c85e7c3a5336900f93b871673681b8718a"
+      "sha256": "40b3377e8f1e69f5f3465297018c9e148582a23aca85d5ea5802c119620562c6"
     },
     {
       "path": "tests/hierarchy-config.mjs",
@@ -11809,6 +11814,11 @@
       "mode": "0000644",
       "sha256": "3e43b2afa7ea9e8ccee99759c27f7ab28f7a49823cc3b7e921071714d2d0d7f1"
     },
+    {
+      "path": "tests/idea_descent_ship_credit.mjs",
+      "mode": "0000644",
+      "sha256": "e2bc31f771f80549cf50f9614b5473485f6c9db9b9179f3830a76738e1247ac7"
+    },
     {
       "path": "tests/idea_detail_page.mjs",
       "mode": "0000644",
@@ -11887,7 +11897,7 @@
     {
       "path": "tests/idea_task_descent.mjs",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "3adfccf9381985ad2fbf4e8911ef6cd0fcb66714a13c77de5a8318d185000d66"
+      "sha256": "36674ef87ccf2d10fca66f4999e62ec8c3518798618c1abfc77f3a6dcc9c330f"
     },
     {
       "path": "tests/idea_task_lineage.mjs",
@@ -11904,6 +11914,11 @@
       "mode": "0000644",
       "sha256": "943afa2366f92c4d6188ce9f8d68f499aac8d67930f91d6860a2cb83020642ab"
     },
+    {
+      "path": "tests/idea_trail_descent.mjs",
+      "mode": "0000644",
+      "sha256": "00701012dbdc9c4d9cb2484aeff4426cb1af0a4643bd979211b361b00af80c69"
+    },
     {
       "path": "tests/idea_triage.mjs",
       "mode": "0000644",
@@ -12577,7 +12592,7 @@
     {
       "path": "tests/profile_activity.mjs",
       "mode": "0000644",
-      "sha256": "840aad045289d95ef44c011934e782da23e5ba687d4b2163da99a54062bbc676"
+      "sha256": "483d249339dd696809a4d9ac53aa10d7b67a35ce064884ef5590cc7249418047"
     },
     {
       "path": "tests/profile_connections_ui.mjs",

package/docs/copy-inventory.md

@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@
 > Deterministic on a given tree — regenerate and commit rather than hand-editing.
 > Machine-readable twin: [`copy-registry.json`](copy-registry.json).
 
-**1826 strings** across 3 surfaces · 1584 distinct pieces of copy · 1826 certain, 0 heuristic · 166 shown in more than one place.
+**1827 strings** across 3 surfaces · 1585 distinct pieces of copy · 1827 certain, 0 heuristic · 166 shown in more than one place.
 
 ## Surfaces
 
 | surface | lives at | files | strings |
 |---|---|---|---|
-| `builders-hall` | `modules/hall-ui/public` | 84 | 1336 |
+| `builders-hall` | `modules/hall-ui/public` | 84 | 1337 |
 | `status-dashboard` | `modules/status-ui/public` | 4 | 100 |
 | `landing` | `modules/public-landing/public` | 5 | 390 |
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `996edffc1966` | 2x | Access requests | modules/hall-ui/public/watch.html:46, modules/hall-ui/public/watch.html:61 |
 | … | | _126 more in the JSON registry_ | |
 
-## `builders-hall` — 1336 strings
+## `builders-hall` — 1337 strings
 
 | id | conf | text | where |
 |---|---|---|---|
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `7775fec0fa85` | certain | Could not load sessions. | `modules/hall-ui/public/sessions.js:437` |
 | `a2f2e8babef5` | certain | Could not load that page. Try again. | `modules/hall-ui/public/blockers.js:274` |
 | `b2147cc90e36` | certain | Could not load the idea template. Reload, or file from the terminal with capture.js. | `modules/hall-ui/public/ideas.js:626` |
-| `7604af13c40e` | certain | Could not load the profile. | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:790` |
+| `7604af13c40e` | certain | Could not load the profile. | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:836` |
 | `8b69e445592a` | certain | Could not load the question labels; showing the answers as stored. | `modules/hall-ui/public/idea.js:244` |
 | `edd5bafbe075` | certain | Could not load the queue just now. | `modules/hall-ui/public/ideas.js:565` |
 | `02bb0570996a` | certain | Could not load the ranks. | `modules/hall-ui/public/ranks.js:197` |
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `6e73716aec6c` | certain | May be offered for sale later | `modules/hall-ui/public/settings.html:297` |
 | `df335a1224ae` | certain | Member since {…} | `modules/hall-ui/public/hall-render.js:563` |
 | `df335a1224ae` | certain | Member since {…} | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:94` |
-| `c7a670e9552d` | certain | Merged into | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:406` |
+| `c7a670e9552d` | certain | Merged into | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:452` |
 | `dce0546c9e34` | certain | Merging work does not put it in front of anyone. This is the step that does: it moves this platform — or any p | `modules/hall-ui/public/deploy.html:39` |
 | `7637613c231b` | certain | Metic rank and above may vote | `modules/hall-ui/public/builders.js:781` |
 | `91328a97fe68` | certain | Mingle pairs you with someone from another role. Saying no costs nothing. | `modules/hall-ui/public/collab.html:87` |
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `9d4372b173cf` | certain | Standing sections | `modules/hall-ui/public/index.html:79` |
 | `ec1c2dae4a90` | certain | Standing there | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:314` |
 | `eaad12cacb9d` | certain | Start over | `modules/hall-ui/public/studio.js:235` |
-| `efe530c0e3a7` | certain | Still open | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:411` |
+| `efe530c0e3a7` | certain | Still open | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:457` |
 | `9a4ced1afb6c` | certain | Stop waiting on task {…} | `modules/hall-ui/public/task.js:278` |
 | `b0861c874a2f` | certain | Stopped using it. | `modules/hall-ui/public/settings-specialities.js:200` |
 | `6c6544f5c011` | certain | Stored encrypted; never shown again after saving — only its last four digits. | `modules/hall-ui/public/settings.html:193` |
@@ -1180,6 +1180,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `bc960f460250` | certain | and install dependencies ( | `modules/hall-ui/public/hall-render.js:864` |
 | `2177da93be9b` | certain | and leave this alone. | `modules/hall-ui/public/settings.html:339` |
 | `b867876e8b6c` | certain | and press Enter. | `modules/hall-ui/public/hall-render.js:825` |
+| `0257cb508ae7` | certain | and {…} more below this thought | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:415` |
 | `d86265f99668` | certain | and {…} more waiting{…} | `modules/hall-ui/public/studio.js:277` |
 | `520853131591` | certain | artist mode | `modules/hall-ui/public/studio.html:36` |
 | `b4033000c537` | certain | as a table | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile-charts.js:205` |
@@ -1352,7 +1353,7 @@ Identical copy within one surface. Sometimes right (a repeated button), sometime
 | `cc5106af4b35` | certain | {…} of {…} criteria satisfied | `modules/hall-ui/public/goals-lib.js:32` |
 | `cc5106af4b35` | certain | {…} of {…} criteria satisfied | `modules/hall-ui/public/goals-render.js:682` |
 | `cc5106af4b35` | certain | {…} of {…} criteria satisfied | `modules/hall-ui/public/goals.js:45` |
-| `c3d9687e2375` | certain | {…} of {…} shipped | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:512` |
+| `c3d9687e2375` | certain | {…} of {…} shipped | `modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js:558` |
 | `f32710d0ef37` | certain | {…} of {…} steps cleared. | `modules/hall-ui/public/hall-render.js:1037` |
 | `60743fe1e40d` | certain | {…} per page | `modules/hall-ui/public/hall-kit.js:74` |
 | `154bc518bab4` | certain | {…} proposed | `modules/hall-ui/public/government.js:695` |

package/docs/copy-registry.json

@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
   "generator": "scripts/gds/copy-inventory.js",
   "goal": 1000074,
   "counts": {
-    "strings": 1826,
-    "unique_ids": 1584,
-    "certain": 1826,
+    "strings": 1827,
+    "unique_ids": 1585,
+    "certain": 1827,
     "heuristic": 0,
     "duplicate_ids": 166
   },
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "builders-hall": {
       "at": "modules/hall-ui/public",
       "files": 84,
-      "strings": 1336
+      "strings": 1337
     },
     "status-dashboard": {
       "at": "modules/status-ui/public",
@@ -3824,7 +3824,7 @@
       "surface": "builders-hall",
       "text": "Could not load the profile.",
       "file": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
-      "line": 790,
+      "line": 836,
       "origin": "js-notice",
       "confidence": "certain"
     },
@@ -6452,7 +6452,7 @@
       "surface": "builders-hall",
       "text": "Merged into",
       "file": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
-      "line": 406,
+      "line": 452,
       "origin": "js-markup",
       "confidence": "certain"
     },
@@ -9314,7 +9314,7 @@
       "surface": "builders-hall",
       "text": "Still open",
       "file": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
-      "line": 411,
+      "line": 457,
       "origin": "js-markup",
       "confidence": "certain"
     },
@@ -11658,6 +11658,15 @@
       "origin": "js-markup",
       "confidence": "certain"
     },
+    {
+      "id": "0257cb508ae7",
+      "surface": "builders-hall",
+      "text": "and {…} more below this thought",
+      "file": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
+      "line": 415,
+      "origin": "js-markup",
+      "confidence": "certain"
+    },
     {
       "id": "d86265f99668",
       "surface": "builders-hall",
@@ -13211,7 +13220,7 @@
       "surface": "builders-hall",
       "text": "{…} of {…} shipped",
       "file": "modules/hall-ui/public/profile.js",
-      "line": 512,
+      "line": 558,
       "origin": "js-markup",
       "confidence": "certain"
     },

package/docs/module-api-changelog.md

@@ -2274,5 +2274,9 @@ is load-bearing: the script throws rather than guess if it is missing, and
         landed since 1.19.898 with no explicit bump. run 35488237998. (task 1002620)
   1.19.900 — CI auto-patch (publish-on-merge, ADR 0161): carrier for merges
         landed since 1.19.899 with no explicit bump. run 35492534307. (task 1002620)
+  1.19.901 — CI auto-patch (publish-on-merge, ADR 0161): carrier for merges
+        landed since 1.19.900 with no explicit bump. run 35494090938. (task 1002620)
+  1.19.902 — CI auto-patch (publish-on-merge, ADR 0161): carrier for merges
+        landed since 1.19.901 with no explicit bump. run 35497860558. (task 1002620)
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ```

package/modules/economy/credits.js

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 // (db.applyGrade/confirmTask/upsertSessionRecordWithReward) resolves these
 // through the `reward` kernel PORT rather than importing this module.
 
-const { pool, branding } = require('../../src/module-api');
+const { pool, branding, resolveOptional } = require('../../src/module-api');
 const { priceModelUsage, PRICES } = require('../../src/module-api').llmPricing; // cost-plus session reward (task 1005)
 const achievements = require('./achievements');
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ const IDEA_GOVERNANCE_PASS_FLOOR = 30;  // owner: floor ~30 — see the note on
 // Re-exported below, so this module is still the one place reward resolution lives
 // (ADR 0146) and every existing caller is unchanged.
 const {
-  REWARD_MARGIN_PCT, REWARD_MODE_DEFAULT, REWARD_MODE_COST_PLUS_ONLY, rewardPolicy,
+  REWARD_MARGIN_PCT, REWARD_MODE_DEFAULT, REWARD_MODE_COST_PLUS_ONLY, IDEA_DESCENT_DECAY, rewardPolicy,
 } = require('./reward-policy');
 
 // Per-instance reward policy, resolved over the code defaults. Stays HERE, not in
@@ -502,6 +502,40 @@ async function awardIdeaFullPassCredit(client, { ideaId, authorId, completenessS
   };
 }
 
+// descentPayoutMaxDepth — the deepest hop that can still pay a single credit.
+//
+// The decayed share is base × factor × decay^d, and the best case for factor is
+// 1 (a 100%-complete Full Idea). Once that rounds to 0 no deeper ancestor can
+// ever be paid, whatever its grade, so walking further is pure round trips.
+// Returned as a DEPTH CAP for the walk rather than a break in the payout loop,
+// because the round trips happen inside the walk, not in the loop.
+//
+// Derived, never picked: at the default half it comes out at 4, and a steeper
+// rate gives a smaller number. DESCENT_MAX_DEPTH remains the outer backstop.
+function descentPayoutMaxDepth(decay, base = IDEA_TASK_SHIP_BASE, cap = 64) {
+  if (!(decay > 0)) return 0;
+  for (let d = 1; d <= cap; d += 1) {
+    if (Math.round(base * Math.pow(decay, d)) <= 0) return d - 1;
+  }
+  return cap;
+}
+
+// ideaGradeFactor — what one shipped task under an idea is worth, BEFORE depth.
+//
+// A Full Idea earns in proportion to its completeness; a Quick or Spark idea
+// (no completeness score) earns the flat quick factor. A full idea with no score
+// yet also falls back to the quick factor rather than 0 — the work shipped, and
+// the idea is at least quick-grade.
+//
+// EXTRACTED so the direct payout and the decayed descent payout below cannot
+// disagree about what an idea's work is worth: the two differ only by the decay
+// term, and a second copy of this clamp would make them differ by more.
+function ideaGradeFactor(grade, completeness) {
+  return (grade === 'full' && completeness != null && Number.isFinite(Number(completeness)))
+    ? Math.max(0, Math.min(1, Number(completeness) / 100))
+    : QUICK_IDEA_FACTOR;
+}
+
 // Stream 1 (ADR 0172 / goal 1000067 IC4): as each task descended from an idea
 // SHIPS, pay the idea's author IDEA_TASK_SHIP_BASE credits, SCALED by the idea's
 // grade — a Full Idea by its completeness, a Quick/Spark idea by a flat factor.
@@ -560,13 +594,7 @@ async function awardIdeaTaskShipCredit(client, { taskId, config = rewardConfig()
     return { credited: 0, reason: 'no_source_idea', ideaId: null, authorId: null };
   }
   const { idea_id: ideaId, captured_by: authorId, grade, completeness, developed_by: developedBy } = rows[0];
-  // Grade factor: a Full Idea earns in proportion to its completeness; a Quick
-  // or Spark idea (no completeness score) earns the flat quick factor. A full
-  // idea with no score yet also falls back to the quick factor rather than 0 —
-  // the work shipped, the idea is at least quick-grade.
-  const factor = (grade === 'full' && completeness != null && Number.isFinite(Number(completeness)))
-    ? Math.max(0, Math.min(1, Number(completeness) / 100))
-    : QUICK_IDEA_FACTOR;
+  const factor = ideaGradeFactor(grade, completeness);
   const delta = Math.round(IDEA_TASK_SHIP_BASE * factor);
   if (delta <= 0) {
     return { credited: 0, reason: 'zero_after_scaling', ideaId: Number(ideaId), authorId: Number(authorId) };
@@ -592,6 +620,184 @@ async function awardIdeaTaskShipCredit(client, { taskId, config = rewardConfig()
     : { credited: 0, reason: 'already_paid', ideaId: Number(ideaId), authorId: Number(authorId) };
 }
 
+// awardIdeaDescentShipCredit — the same stream 1 payout, for the origins the
+// shipping task descends from RATHER THAN the one it was promoted from
+// (task 1004088, BV2.R09; ADR 0312, spec decisions 6 + 7 + 16).
+//
+// WHAT WAS MISSING. awardIdeaTaskShipCredit above pays the idea whose
+// ideas_task_lineage row names THIS task. That is one hop. A task split off a
+// task an idea produced, a cascade its ship fired, a child of a child — all of
+// them ship and pay the origin nothing, because the origin is not on their
+// lineage row and never will be. The idea's descent grew; its ledger did not.
+//
+// THE RULE: full share at the direct task, `decay` per hop below it. At the
+// default half, an unbounded descent is worth at most twice the direct task, so
+// the series converges and no hop limit has to be invented. The rate is a
+// per-instance dial (config.ideaDescentDecay; modules/economy/reward-policy.js).
+//
+// THE BOUNDARY THAT STOPS FARMING (spec decision 7): DESCENDANT WORK pays the
+// origin; a separate thought that merely cites it does not. Nothing here reads
+// an idea→idea relation — not merged_into_idea_id, not the trail's merge follow.
+// It walks ideas_task_descent, which carries only task→task edges the system
+// derived from a cascade, a split or a fold. That asymmetry is deliberate and is
+// the difference between the two surfaces: the descent DISPLAYS more than the
+// payout COUNTS.
+//
+// ONE PAYMENT PER ORIGIN PER SHIP, AT THE SHORTEST DEPTH. A merge makes the
+// descent a DAG, so one origin can sit above a shipping task by two routes of
+// different length, and two ancestors can share a source idea. Each origin is
+// therefore resolved once, at the smallest depth — the same rule the walk itself
+// applies, for the same reason: at two depths it would be paid twice for one
+// piece of work. The reason key is already per (idea, task), so the ledger would
+// have caught the duplicate; resolving it here means the RETURNED numbers are
+// right too, rather than depending on which booking ran first.
+//
+// FAIL-SOFT AROUND THE WALK, NOT AROUND THE MONEY. If the ideas module is absent
+// (no provider) or has no edges yet, this returns nothing paid and the direct
+// payout above is untouched — which is exactly today's behaviour, and is what
+// "existing first-hop behaviour preserved" means. A walk that THROWS is a
+// different matter and is left to propagate: this runs inside the ship
+// transaction beside the direct credit, and silently swallowing a failure here
+// would under-pay an origin with no record that it happened.
+//
+//   client   — pg client / pool (transaction participant)
+//   taskId   — the task that just shipped
+//   skipIdeaIds — origins already paid for this ship at depth 0, so the direct
+//                 payout always wins over a decayed one for the same idea
+//   config   — resolved reward policy; gates on config.ideatorCredit
+//
+// Returns { credited, reason, payments: [{ ideaId, depth, delta, payees }] }.
+async function awardIdeaDescentShipCredit(client, { taskId, skipIdeaIds = [], config = rewardConfig() } = {}) {
+  if (config && config.ideatorCredit === false) {
+    return { credited: 0, reason: 'ideator_lane_off', payments: [] };
+  }
+  // BOUNDED HERE TOO, not only in rewardPolicy(). This is a PORT method: the
+  // reward port hands it to any module that resolves it, and a caller may pass
+  // its own `config` object that never went through the resolver. A rate of 1
+  // or more does not converge — the comment on IDEA_DESCENT_DECAY promises it
+  // cannot happen, and a promise the function does not enforce is a promise the
+  // next caller breaks. Out of range falls back to the default, exactly as the
+  // resolver does, rather than throwing inside a ship transaction.
+  const rawDecay = (config && config.ideaDescentDecay) == null
+    ? NaN
+    : Number(config.ideaDescentDecay);
+  const decay = Number.isFinite(rawDecay) && rawDecay >= 0 && rawDecay < 1
+    ? rawDecay
+    : IDEA_DESCENT_DECAY;
+  // 0 means "only the direct task pays" — a legal instance setting, and the
+  // cheapest possible answer, so it short-circuits before the walk.
+  if (!(decay > 0)) return { credited: 0, reason: 'decay_off', payments: [] };
+
+  // The walk lives in the ideas module and is reached through the switchboard:
+  // a module may not require a sibling (ADR 0083 rule 1), and a second copy of
+  // a breadth-first shortest-depth walk would drift into a different amount of
+  // money. resolveOptional, because an instance running without the ideas
+  // module has no descent to follow and must still ship tasks.
+  const port = resolveOptional && resolveOptional('ideas.descent');
+  if (!port || typeof port.ancestorsOfTask !== 'function') {
+    return { credited: 0, reason: 'no_descent_port', payments: [] };
+  }
+  // DON'T WALK FURTHER THAN THE MONEY REACHES. Past the depth at which even a
+  // 100%-complete idea's decayed share stops rounding to a credit, every
+  // remaining hop is a round trip that provably pays nobody. The cap is derived
+  // from the rate rather than picked: at the default half it is 4, and a
+  // shallower rate makes it smaller, not larger. Bounded by the walk's own
+  // DESCENT_MAX_DEPTH, which stays the backstop.
+  const maxDepth = descentPayoutMaxDepth(decay);
+  const ancestors = await port.ancestorsOfTask(taskId, { client, maxDepth });
+  if (!ancestors || ancestors.length === 0) {
+    return { credited: 0, reason: 'no_ancestors', payments: [] };
+  }
+
+  // The shortest depth at which each ancestor TASK sits above this ship.
+  // ancestorsOfTask already returns nearest-first with each node once, so the
+  // first sighting is the shortest; the map is here so the lookup below cannot
+  // accidentally read a later one.
+  const depthByTask = new Map();
+  for (const a of ancestors) {
+    const key = String(a.id);
+    if (!depthByTask.has(key)) depthByTask.set(key, a.depth);
+  }
+
+  // Which idea each ancestor task came from — ONE query, not one per ancestor.
+  // DISTINCT ON picks the EARLIEST lineage link per task, which is the same rule
+  // awardIdeaTaskShipCredit applies to the direct task (task 1003515 / ADR 0236:
+  // a task subsumed from several ideas keeps a row for each, so the read must
+  // choose, and it must choose the way the trail and inbox.sourceIdeaForTask do
+  // or the ledger and the money name different ideas).
+  const { rows } = await client.query(
+    `SELECT DISTINCT ON (l.task_id)
+            l.task_id,
+            l.idea_id,
+            i.captured_by,
+            COALESCE(g.grade, 'quick')        AS grade,
+            g.completeness_score              AS completeness,
+            g.developed_by                    AS developed_by
+       FROM ideas_task_lineage l
+       JOIN idea_inbox i        ON i.id = l.idea_id
+       LEFT JOIN ideas_grades g ON g.idea_id = l.idea_id
+      WHERE l.task_id = ANY($1::bigint[])
+      ORDER BY l.task_id, l.created_at ASC, l.idea_id ASC`,
+    [[...depthByTask.keys()].map(Number)]
+  );
+
+  // Collapse ancestor tasks onto their ORIGINS: two ancestors can share one
+  // source idea, and that idea is owed one payment at the shallower of the two.
+  const skip = new Set((skipIdeaIds || []).map(String));
+  const byIdea = new Map();
+  for (const row of rows) {
+    if (row.captured_by == null) continue;
+    const ideaKey = String(row.idea_id);
+    if (skip.has(ideaKey)) continue;          // already paid in full at depth 0
+    const depth = depthByTask.get(String(row.task_id));
+    if (!Number.isInteger(depth) || depth < 1) continue;
+    const prev = byIdea.get(ideaKey);
+    if (prev && prev.depth <= depth) continue;
+    byIdea.set(ideaKey, { row, depth });
+  }
+
+  const payments = [];
+  let credited = 0;
+  // Nearest origins first, so a partially-booked run resumes in a stable order
+  // and the returned list reads the way the descent does.
+  const ordered = [...byIdea.values()].sort((a, b) => a.depth - b.depth || Number(a.row.idea_id) - Number(b.row.idea_id));
+  for (const { row, depth } of ordered) {
+    const { idea_id: ideaId, captured_by: authorId, grade, completeness, developed_by: developedBy } = row;
+    // The SAME grade factor the direct payout applies — a Full Idea earns in
+    // proportion to its completeness, a Quick or Spark idea the flat factor.
+    // Spelled through the shared helper so the two paths cannot disagree about
+    // what an idea's work is worth before depth is taken into account.
+    const factor = ideaGradeFactor(grade, completeness);
+    // ROUNDED ONCE, at the end. Rounding per hop would compound the error, and
+    // rounding to zero IS the floor the spec's open question asked about: a
+    // descendant stops paying when its decayed share no longer rounds to a
+    // credit, which needs no separately-chosen hop limit.
+    const delta = Math.round(IDEA_TASK_SHIP_BASE * factor * Math.pow(decay, depth));
+    if (delta <= 0) continue;
+    const payees = splitIdeaCredit(delta, { authorId, developedBy });
+    if (payees.length === 0) continue;
+    // THE SAME REASON KEY the direct payout uses — per (idea, task), not per
+    // (idea, task, depth). An origin is paid once for one ship however the
+    // descent is re-walked, and a re-run after a partial failure is safe.
+    const reason = `idea.credit.task_ship:${ideaId}:${taskId}`;
+    const gradeLabel = `${grade}${completeness != null ? ` ${Math.round(Number(completeness))}%` : ''}`;
+    const { credited: paid, payees: booked } = await bookIdeaSplit(client, {
+      payees,
+      reason,
+      taskId,
+      describe: (p) => `Task #${taskId} shipped ${depth} hop${depth === 1 ? '' : 's'} below idea #${ideaId} (${gradeLabel}) → ${p.delta}c to its ${p.role.replace(/_/g, ' ')} (ideator lane stream 1, decayed by depth, BV2.R09/ADR 0312)`,
+    });
+    credited += paid;
+    payments.push({ ideaId: Number(ideaId), depth, delta, credited: paid, payees: booked });
+  }
+
+  return {
+    credited,
+    reason: credited > 0 ? 'paid' : (payments.length > 0 ? 'already_paid' : 'nothing_to_pay'),
+    payments,
+  };
+}
+
 // Stream 3 (ADR 0172 / goal 1000067 IC5): a Full Idea that PASSES the Board
 // Room's ratification vote pays a share of a 100-credit ceiling, scaled by the
 // idea's R142 completeness — "70%-complete + passes = 70". The ideator lane, so
@@ -1059,6 +1265,7 @@ module.exports = {
   maybeAwardIdeaPromotionBonus,
   awardIdeaFullPassCredit,
   awardIdeaTaskShipCredit,
+  awardIdeaDescentShipCredit,
   awardIdeaGovernancePassCredit,
   // the spark-handoff split (task 1002923 / BV1.R147, ADR 0185)
   splitIdeaCredit,