:root {
      --bg:          #0e0c0a;
      --surface:     #1a1714;
      --border:      #3a3530;
      --text-body:   #d4cfc8;
      --text-light:  #7a746e;

      --hero-bg:     #0a0a0a;
      --hero-grad:   #1e1e1e;
      --hero-text:   #f5f0e8;
      --hero-meta:   #888888;

      --black:       #0a0a0a;
      --off-black:   #111111;
      --groove-dark: #1a1a1a;
      --charcoal:    #2c2c2c;
      --warm-white:  #f5f0e8;
      --cream:       #ede8dc;
      --label-tan:   #c8b99a;
      --label-rust:  #9c4a2a;
      --gold:        #c4922a;

      --col-width: 680px;
    }

    [data-theme="light"] {
      --bg:         #f5f0e8;
      --surface:    #ede8dc;
      --border:     #c8bfaa;
      --text-body:  #2a2520;
      --text-light: #6b6560;

      --hero-bg:    #f0ebe0;
      --hero-grad:  #e0d8cc;
      --hero-text:  #2a2520;
      --hero-meta:  #7a6a5a;
    }

    *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
    html { font-size: 18px; scroll-behavior: smooth; overflow-x: hidden; }

    body {
      background-color: var(--bg);
      color: var(--text-body);
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', Georgia, serif;
      font-weight: 300;
      line-height: 1.75;
      -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
    }

    a { color: var(--gold); text-decoration: none; }
    a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }

    /* ── PARTICLES ──────────────────────────────────────────────── */
    #particles {
      position: fixed;
      inset: 0;
      z-index: 0;
      pointer-events: none;
      opacity: 0.45;
    }

    /* ── ARTICLES NAV ───────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .articles-nav {
      position: relative;
      z-index: 10;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      padding: 0.7rem 1rem;
      background: var(--black);
      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--charcoal);
    }
    .articles-nav.bottom {
      border-bottom: none;
      border-top: 1px solid var(--charcoal);
    }
    .articles-nav a.nav-back {
      font-size: 0.7rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.18em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--label-tan);
      text-decoration: none;
      font-family: 'IBM Plex Mono', monospace;
      transition: color 0.2s;
    }
    .articles-nav a.nav-back:hover { color: var(--gold); }

    /* ── THEME TOGGLE ───────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .theme-toggle {
      position: absolute;
      right: 1rem;
      top: 50%;
      transform: translateY(-50%);
      background: none;
      border: 1px solid var(--charcoal);
      color: var(--label-tan);
      cursor: pointer;
      display: inline-flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 0.4em;
      font-size: 0.7rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.1em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      font-family: 'IBM Plex Mono', monospace;
      padding: 0.3em 0.7em;
      transition: border-color 0.2s, color 0.2s;
    }
    .theme-toggle:hover { border-color: var(--gold); color: var(--gold); }
    [data-theme="light"] .theme-toggle { border-color: #b0a890; color: #6b6560; }
    [data-theme="light"] .theme-toggle:hover { border-color: var(--label-rust); color: var(--label-rust); }

    /* ── HERO ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .hero {
      background: var(--hero-bg);
      color: var(--hero-text);
      padding: 0;
      overflow: hidden;
      position: relative;
      z-index: 1;
      min-height: 520px;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
    }
    .hero-bg {
      position: absolute;
      inset: 0;
      background: radial-gradient(ellipse 80% 80% at 40% 50%, var(--hero-grad) 0%, var(--hero-bg) 70%);
    }
    .hero-content {
      position: relative;
      z-index: 4;
      max-width: 680px;
      padding: 5rem 2rem;
      text-align: center;
    }
    .hero-kicker {
      font-size: 0.7rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.25em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--gold);
      font-weight: 400;
      margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', serif;
    }
    .hero-title {
      font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
      font-size: clamp(2.1rem, 4.5vw, 3.1rem);
      font-weight: 900;
      line-height: 1.05;
      color: var(--hero-text);
      margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
      letter-spacing: -0.01em;
    }
    .hero-title em { font-style: italic; color: var(--label-tan); }
    .hero-meta {
      font-size: 0.78rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.1em;
      color: var(--hero-meta);
      text-transform: uppercase;
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', serif;
    }
    .hero-meta span { color: var(--label-tan); }

    /* ── ARTICLE BODY ───────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .article-outer {
      background: transparent;
      padding: 0 1.5rem 6rem;
      position: relative;
      z-index: 1;
    }
    .article-inner {
      max-width: var(--col-width);
      margin: 0 auto;
    }
    .article-inner::before {
      content: '';
      display: block;
      height: 3px;
      background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--charcoal) 0%, var(--label-rust) 50%, transparent 100%);
      margin: 0 0 3rem;
    }

    p { margin-bottom: 1.5rem; font-size: 1.05rem; }
    em { font-style: italic; }
    strong { font-weight: 600; }

    .drop-cap::first-letter {
      font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
      font-size: 3.85rem;
      font-weight: 900;
      float: left;
      line-height: 0.8;
      margin: 0.08em 0.12em -0.05em 0;
      color: var(--gold);
    }

    /* ── SECTION HEADINGS (left-bar h2) ─────────────────────────── */
    h2 {
      font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
      font-size: 1.45rem;
      font-weight: 700;
      color: var(--text-body);
      margin: 3rem 0 1rem;
      letter-spacing: -0.01em;
      line-height: 1.2;
      position: relative;
      padding-left: 1.1rem;
    }
    h2::before {
      content: '';
      position: absolute;
      left: 0;
      top: 0.15em;
      bottom: 0.1em;
      width: 3px;
      background: var(--label-rust);
    }

    /* ── PULL QUOTE ─────────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .pullquote {
      margin: 3rem -2rem;
      padding: 0.75rem 2.5rem 2rem;
      background: var(--groove-dark);
      color: var(--warm-white);
      border-left: 4px solid var(--gold);
      position: relative;
      overflow: hidden;
    }
    .pullquote::before {
      content: '\201C';
      display: block;
      font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
      font-size: 3rem;
      line-height: 0.85;
      color: rgba(255,255,255,0.3);
      margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
      pointer-events: none;
    }
    .pullquote p {
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', Georgia, serif;
      font-size: 1.25rem;
      line-height: 1.5;
      color: var(--cream);
      margin: 0;
      position: relative;
      z-index: 1;
    }

    /* ── COMPARISON CARD ────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .comparison {
      margin: 3rem 0;
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
      gap: 0;
      border: 1px solid var(--charcoal);
      overflow: hidden;
    }
    .comp-col { padding: 1.75rem 1.5rem; }
    .comp-col:first-child { background: var(--off-black); color: var(--warm-white); }
    .comp-col:last-child  { background: #2e1a0e; color: #e8d5c0; }
    .comp-label {
      font-size: 0.65rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.22em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      font-weight: 600;
      margin-bottom: 0.8rem;
      opacity: 0.6;
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', serif;
    }
    .comp-heading {
      font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
      font-size: 1.05rem;
      font-weight: 700;
      margin-bottom: 1rem;
    }
    .comp-col:first-child .comp-heading { color: var(--label-tan); }
    .comp-col:last-child  .comp-heading { color: #c4845a; }
    .comp-list { list-style: none; font-size: 0.88rem; line-height: 1.9; }
    .comp-col:first-child .comp-list li::before { content: '✓  '; color: var(--gold); }
    .comp-col:last-child  .comp-list li::before { content: '✗  '; color: #c4845a; opacity: 0.8; }

    /* ── INLINE IMAGE ───────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .article-image {
      margin: 2.5rem -1rem;
      text-align: center;
    }
    .article-image img {
      max-width: 100%;
      height: auto;
      display: block;
      margin: 0 auto;
      border: 1px solid var(--border);
    }
    .article-image figcaption {
      font-size: 0.75rem;
      color: var(--text-light);
      letter-spacing: 0.05em;
      margin-top: 0.6rem;
      font-style: italic;
    }

    /* ── VERDICT / CALLOUT BOX ──────────────────────────────────── */
    .verdict {
      margin: 3rem 0 1.5rem;
      padding: 1.75rem 2rem;
      background: var(--surface);
      border: 1px solid var(--border);
      position: relative;
    }
    .verdict-eyebrow {
      font-size: 0.65rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.22em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--label-rust);
      font-weight: 600;
      margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
      font-family: 'Source Serif 4', serif;
    }
    .verdict p { margin: 0; font-size: 0.97rem; color: var(--text-body); }

    /* ── BYLINE ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .byline {
      margin-top: 4rem;
      padding-top: 1.5rem;
      border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 1.2rem;
    }
    .byline-disc {
      width: 48px;
      height: 48px;
      border-radius: 50%;
      background: var(--off-black);
      flex-shrink: 0;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
    }
    .byline-disc svg { width: 32px; height: 32px; }
    .byline-text { font-size: 0.82rem; color: var(--text-light); line-height: 1.5; }
    .byline-text strong { display: block; color: var(--text-body); font-size: 0.9rem; }

    /* ── RESPONSIVE ─────────────────────────────────────────────── */
    @media (max-width: 700px) {
      .hero-content { padding: 3.5rem 1.5rem; }
      .pullquote { margin: 2.5rem 0; }
      .comparison { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
      .article-image { margin: 2rem 0; }
    }
    @media (max-width: 600px) {
      html { font-size: 16px; }
      .hero-content, header { padding-left: 1.25rem; padding-right: 1.25rem; }
      .comparison { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; }
      .pullquote { margin: 2rem 0; padding: 1.5rem 1.25rem; }
      .byline { flex-direction: column; }
    }

    [data-theme="light"] { --accent: #906428; }
/* ── LAYERING (shared across production articles) ── */
.articles-nav, .articles-nav--top, .articles-nav--bottom {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 10;
}
.hero, .article-outer, main, header, .container, .page {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
}
.articles-nav a.nav-back, .articles-nav__btn {
  font-family: 'IBM Plex Mono', monospace;
}

/* Optional byline variant used on some articles */
.byline-icon {
  width: 48px;
  height: 48px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--surface);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  flex-shrink: 0;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  font-size: 1.3rem;
}