diff --git a/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-skill.sh b/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-skill.sh
index 25bb0b3..0f283d6 100755
--- a/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-skill.sh
+++ b/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-skill.sh
@@ -380,14 +380,18 @@ def parse_field_values(content, slug, label):
     found" for the other two, and every caller read that as "nothing declared"
     (#121, second comment; the same failure shape as #111 and #118). A header's
     bullets stop at the first line that is neither blank nor a bullet, and a
-    '- **Other:**' bullet is the NEXT field, not a value of this one.
+    '- **Other:**' bullet is the NEXT field, not a value of this one ('* '
+    bullets count too, and a bold bullet with no colon is a value).
     """
     block = _entry_block(content, slug)
     if block is None:
         return []
     values = []
     lines = block.splitlines()
-    label_re = re.compile(r'^(?:- )?\*\*' + re.escape(label) + r':\*\*[ \t]*(.*)$')
+    label_re = re.compile(r'^(?:[-*] )?\*\*' + re.escape(label) + r':\*\*[ \t]*(.*)$')
+    # A bullet that opens with a bold '**Other:**' label is the NEXT field. A
+    # bold bullet WITHOUT the colon ('- **docs/x.md**') is just a value.
+    next_field_re = re.compile(r'^[-*] \*\*[^*]*:\*\*')
     i = 0
     while i < len(lines):
         m = label_re.match(lines[i])
@@ -398,15 +402,21 @@ def parse_field_values(content, slug, label):
         if inline:
             values.append(inline)
             continue
+        found = False
         while i < len(lines):
             line = lines[i].strip()
             if not line:
                 i += 1
                 continue
-            if not line.startswith('- ') or line.startswith('- **'):
+            if not (line.startswith('- ') or line.startswith('* ')) or next_field_re.match(line):
                 break
             values.append(line[2:].strip())
+            found = True
             i += 1
+        if not found:
+            # The field is DECLARED but carries nothing: report an empty value,
+            # not an absent field, so callers say 'empty' rather than 'missing'.
+            values.append('')
     return values
 
 def parse_research_docs(content, slug):
@@ -441,8 +451,10 @@ def parse_basis(content, slug):
 RESEARCH_DOC_ANNOTATION_RE = re.compile(r'[§→(]')
 
 def strip_research_doc_annotation(value):
-    """Path part of a Research doc value, with any section annotation removed."""
-    return RESEARCH_DOC_ANNOTATION_RE.split(value, maxsplit=1)[0].strip()
+    """Path part of a Research doc value, with any section annotation removed
+    and surrounding backticks unwrapped ('`a/b.md`' resolves as 'a/b.md')."""
+    head = RESEARCH_DOC_ANNOTATION_RE.split(value, maxsplit=1)[0].strip()
+    return head.strip('`').strip()
 
 def research_doc_is_none(value):
     """True when a Research doc value declares that no research doc backs the slug.
@@ -452,7 +464,9 @@ def research_doc_is_none(value):
     unresolvable path. Checked BEFORE the annotation strip, because '(none)'
     is itself a parenthesis and would strip to the empty string.
     """
-    return re.match(r'\(?none\b', value.strip(), re.IGNORECASE) is not None
+    # 'none/foo.md' and 'none-of-these.md' are PATHS: after 'none' only the end,
+    # whitespace or an em/en dash may follow (or the parenthesised '(none)').
+    return re.match(r'(?:\(none\)|none(?=$|\s|[\u2014\u2013]))', value.strip(), re.IGNORECASE) is not None
 
 # A Research doc or Basis value names ONE path. The three list spellings seen
 # in the corpus — a brace expansion, a comma-separated list and a
@@ -463,15 +477,48 @@ def research_doc_is_none(value):
 # said so. Detected on the raw value, with commas and semicolons INSIDE the
 # annotation left alone: those are prose ('cross-cutting; no dedicated
 # section'), and only a second path-shaped token after a ';' is a list.
-SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE = re.compile(r';\s*[\w.\-]+/[\w./\-]*\.[A-Za-z]+')
+SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE = re.compile(r'[;,]\s*[\w.\-]+/[\w./\-]*\.[A-Za-z]+')
 
-BASIS_REMOVED_RE = re.compile(r'\(removed in [0-9a-fA-F]{7,40}\b[^)]*\)')
+# Only the LAST character class matters for the removal annotation: it must end
+# the value, so '(removed in <sha>) but still here' is not the annotation.
+BASIS_REMOVED_RE = re.compile(r'\(removed in [0-9a-f]{7,40}\)\s*$')
+
+PAREN_GROUP_RE = re.compile(r'\([^()]*\)')
 
 def names_more_than_one_path(value):
-    path_part = strip_research_doc_annotation(value)
-    if '{' in path_part or '}' in path_part or ',' in path_part or ';' in path_part:
+    """True when a Research doc / Basis value is a list rather than one path.
+
+    Three places to look, none of which is prose:
+      - the leading path token: whitespace inside it ('a.md b.md'), or any of
+        , ; { } or a stray backtick, is a list;
+      - the text after it, once balanced '(...)' annotations are removed (a
+        comma or semicolon INSIDE parentheses is prose): a bare , ; { } there
+        is a second path parked after the first ('a.md (x), b.md');
+      - after a section marker (§, →) prose may hold commas, so only a
+        second path-SHAPED token after ',' or ';' counts.
+    """
+    head = strip_research_doc_annotation(value)
+    if re.search(r'[\s,;{}`]', head):
         return True
-    return SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE.search(value) is not None
+    rest = value[len(RESEARCH_DOC_ANNOTATION_RE.split(value, maxsplit=1)[0]):]
+    while True:
+        stripped = PAREN_GROUP_RE.sub('', rest)
+        if stripped == rest:
+            break
+        rest = stripped
+    if rest.lstrip().startswith(('§', '→')):
+        return SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE.search(rest) is not None
+    return re.search(r'[,;{}]', rest) is not None
+
+def path_escapes_repo(repo_root, rel_path):
+    """True when rel_path is absolute or resolves (symlinks followed) outside
+    repo_root. Research doc and Basis are repo-relative, so anything else is
+    either a mistake or a way to make the checker read a file elsewhere."""
+    if os.path.isabs(rel_path):
+        return True
+    root = os.path.realpath(repo_root)
+    real = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(root, rel_path))
+    return not (real == root or real.startswith(root + os.sep))
 
 def find_repo_root(start_dir):
     """Walk up from start_dir until we find a directory containing .git."""
@@ -904,14 +951,16 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
             f"Research doc field missing",
             f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
             f"The '## {slug}' entry in sources.md has no '- **Research doc:**' line.",
-            f"Add '- **Research doc:** <path-or-(none)>' to the '## {slug}' entry in references/sources.md."
+            f"Add '- **Research doc:** <path to the plugin's research sources.md>' to the '## {slug}' entry in references/sources.md, "
+            f"or '- **Research doc:** none' plus a '- **Basis:** <repo path>' line if no registry backs it."
         )
     elif rd_value == "" or PLACEHOLDER_RE.search(rd_value):
         emit_fail(
             f"Research doc field is empty or placeholder",
             f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
             f"The '## {slug}' entry has an unfilled Research doc value.",
-            f"Set '- **Research doc:**' to a real path relative to repo root, or '(none)' if not applicable."
+            f"Set '- **Research doc:**' to the plugin's research sources.md (a path relative to the repo root), or to 'none' "
+            f"with a '- **Basis:** <repo path>' line if no registry backs this entry."
         )
     elif research_doc_is_none(rd_value):
         # An entry with no Research registry must still say what it WAS drawn
@@ -944,6 +993,14 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                     f"The Basis value '{basis}' is a brace expansion or a comma- or semicolon-separated list.",
                     f"Write one '- **Basis:** <repo path>' line per path."
                 )
+            elif BASIS_REMOVED_RE.search(basis):
+                # A path the entry HISTORICALLY rested on, annotated
+                # '(removed in <sha>)' at the end of the value, is a declaration
+                # that it is gone on purpose. The sha is not resolved
+                # (git cat-file was judged over-engineering, ADR-0028 Q7), and
+                # with no repo root there is nothing to check either way, so
+                # this skips silently in both cases.
+                continue
             elif not repo_root:
                 emit_info(
                     f"Basis check skipped for '{slug}' — no repo root above the skill directory",
@@ -951,12 +1008,13 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                     f"'{basis}' is a path relative to the repo root, but no ancestor of the skill directory contains a .git entry, "
                     f"so it cannot be resolved. Run this script against a skill inside a checkout."
                 )
-            elif BASIS_REMOVED_RE.search(basis):
-                # A path the entry HISTORICALLY rested on, annotated
-                # '(removed in <sha>)', is a declaration that it is gone on
-                # purpose. The sha is not resolved: the annotation is the
-                # author saying "deleted, and here is where to look".
-                continue
+            elif path_escapes_repo(repo_root, basis_path):
+                emit_fail(
+                    f"Basis path '{basis_path}' is outside the repository for '{slug}'",
+                    f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                    f"'{basis_path}' is absolute or resolves outside the repo root. Basis names repo paths.",
+                    f"Use a path relative to the repo root that stays inside it."
+                )
             elif not os.path.exists(os.path.join(repo_root, basis_path)):
                 emit_fail(
                     f"Basis path '{basis_path}' does not exist",
@@ -993,6 +1051,13 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                 f"Check 7 did not run for this slug. "
                 f"Give the value a file path relative to the repo root, or record 'none' plus a '- **Basis:**' if no registry backs this entry."
             )
+        elif path_escapes_repo(repo_root, rd_path):
+            emit_fail(
+                f"Research doc '{rd_path}' for '{slug}' is outside the repository",
+                f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                f"'{rd_path}' is absolute or resolves outside the repo root. Research doc names a file in this repo.",
+                f"Point Research doc at the plugin's research sources.md, as a path relative to the repo root."
+            )
         else:
             rd_abs = os.path.join(repo_root, rd_path)
             if not os.path.isfile(rd_abs):
diff --git a/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/tests/validate-provenance-skill.bats b/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/tests/validate-provenance-skill.bats
index c7f4a02..3a51c53 100644
--- a/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/tests/validate-provenance-skill.bats
+++ b/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/tests/validate-provenance-skill.bats
@@ -1948,3 +1948,278 @@ EOF
     refute_output --partial "Research doc field missing"
     assert_output ""
 }
+
+# --- #121 review round: list detection, repo confinement, parser edge cases --
+
+# Helper: one-line Research doc / Basis fixtures over make_entry_skill.
+rd_fixture() { make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$1"; }
+basis_fixture() { make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' "$1")"; }
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a brace-only Research doc (no comma) names more than one path" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/{sources}.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a bare 'a.md; b.md' Research doc names more than one path" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md; docs/other-basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an annotated first path followed by ', second-path' is a list" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md (x), docs/research/topic.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a space-separated pair of Research docs is a list" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md docs/other-basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a space-separated pair of backticked Research docs is a list" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** `docs/research/sources.md` `docs/other-basis.md`'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a single backticked Research doc path is unwrapped before resolving" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** `docs/research/sources.md`'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a ';' inside an annotation that holds a path is prose (path part only is checked)" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md (digested; docs/other-basis.md)'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a bare 'a.md; b.md' Basis names more than one path" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md; docs/other-basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a brace Basis names more than one path" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/{basis,other-basis}.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a brace-only Basis names more than one path" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/{basis}.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a space-separated Basis pair names more than one path" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md docs/other-basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a backticked Basis path is unwrapped before resolving" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** `docs/basis.md`'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an absolute Research doc path is outside the repo" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** /etc/passwd'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a '..' Research doc escape is outside the repo" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** ../outside/sources.md'
+    mkdir -p "$TMPDIR/outside"
+    printf '# R\n\n## my-source\n' > "$TMPDIR/outside/sources.md"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an absolute Basis path is outside the repo" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** /etc/passwd'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a '..' Basis escape is outside the repo even though the file exists" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** ../outside.md'
+    printf 'x\n' > "$TMPDIR/outside.md"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: '(removed in abc)' is too short a sha to skip the check" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/deleted-adr.md (removed in abc)'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/deleted-adr.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: '(removed in <sha>)' followed by more text is not the annotation" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/deleted-adr.md (removed in 5b80f30) but really still here'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/deleted-adr.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: '(removed in <sha>)' Basis with no repo root is skipped silently" {
+    local skill="$TMPDIR/my-skill"
+    make_skill_with_source_keys "$skill"
+    mkdir -p "$skill/references"
+    cat > "$skill/references/sources.md" <<EOF
+# Sources
+
+## my-source
+
+- **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
+- **Description:** A test source.
+- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
+- **Research doc:** none
+- **Basis:** docs/gone.md (removed in 5b80f30)
+- **Status:** \`extracted\`
+EOF
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
+    assert_success
+    refute_output --partial "Basis check skipped"
+}
+
+@test "#121 parity: a '- **X**' bullet under a Basis header is a value, not the next field" {
+    make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '**Basis:**' '- **docs/gone.md**')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "does not exist"
+    refute_output --partial "Basis missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 parity: '* ' bullets under a Basis header are read" {
+    make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '**Basis:**' '* docs/basis.md' '* docs/gone.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/gone.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 'none/foo.md' is a path, not a 'none' declaration" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** none/foo.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    refute_output --partial "Basis missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 'none-of-these.md' is a path, not a 'none' declaration" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** none-of-these.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    refute_output --partial "Basis missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: 'None' and 'NONE' are recognised case-insensitively" {
+    local v
+    for v in None NONE; do
+        make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' "- **Research doc:** $v" '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md')"
+        run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+        assert_success
+        assert_output ""
+    done
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an empty Basis value is empty, not missing" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:**'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis is empty or placeholder"
+    refute_output --partial "Basis missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a 'FILL IN:' Basis is a placeholder" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** FILL IN: repo path'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis is empty or placeholder"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an empty inline Research doc says empty, not missing" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:**'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc field is empty or placeholder"
+    refute_output --partial "Research doc field missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a missing Research doc advises the new grammar, not '<path-or-(none)>'" {
+    rd_fixture ''
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc field missing"
+    refute_output --partial "path-or-(none)"
+    assert_output --partial "Basis"
+}
+
+@test "#121 parity: an inline Basis with no leading hyphen is read" {
+    basis_fixture '**Basis:** docs/gone.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/gone.md' does not exist"
+    refute_output --partial "Basis missing"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: 'a.md;b.md' with no space is a list, for Research doc" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md;docs/basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: 'a.md;b.md' with no space is a list, for Basis" {
+    basis_fixture '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md;docs/other-basis.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an absolute Basis path is outside the repo even when it points inside the checkout" {
+    make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' "- **Basis:** $TMPDIR/fakerepo/docs/basis.md")"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: an absolute Research doc path is outside the repo even when it points inside the checkout" {
+    rd_fixture "- **Research doc:** $TMPDIR/fakerepo/docs/research/sources.md"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "outside the repository"
+}
+
+@test "#121 parity: a '* **Basis:**' bullet spelling is read" {
+    make_entry_skill "$TMPDIR/fakerepo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '* **Basis:** docs/gone.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/gone.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a comma inside a section-marker annotation is prose, not a list" {
+    rd_fixture '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md § "Foo, bar and baz"'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$TMPDIR/fakerepo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}