diff --git a/site/src/pages/index.astro b/site/src/pages/index.astro
index cd1a020..4b026ef 100644
--- a/site/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/site/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -160,10 +160,6 @@ const verbs = [
       /* ═══════════════ HERO: 3D clinical room + fallback plate ═══════════════ */
       .hero {
         min-height: 100svh;
-        display: flex;
-        flex-direction: column;
-        justify-content: flex-end;
-        padding: 0 0 4.5rem;
         position: relative;
         overflow: hidden;
         color: var(--porcelain-ink);
@@ -241,59 +237,55 @@ const verbs = [
         border: 0;
       }
 
-      /* Bottom wash for pitch legibility over the room. */
+      /* Corner wash only — keep the rack/wordmark band clear. */
       .hero::before {
         content: '';
         position: absolute;
         left: 0;
-        right: 0;
         bottom: 0;
-        height: 42%;
+        width: min(28rem, 55%);
+        height: 11rem;
         z-index: 1;
         pointer-events: none;
-        background: linear-gradient(
-          180deg,
-          transparent 0%,
+        background: radial-gradient(
+          ellipse 90% 80% at 0% 100%,
+          rgba(244, 244, 246, 0.92) 0%,
           rgba(244, 244, 246, 0.55) 45%,
-          rgba(244, 244, 246, 0.92) 100%
+          transparent 72%
         );
       }
 
+      /* Slim dock: one line + CTAs, clear of the 3D stem. */
       .hero-copy {
-        position: relative;
+        position: absolute;
+        left: max(1.25rem, calc((100% - min(1120px, calc(100% - 2.5rem))) / 2));
+        bottom: 2.25rem;
         z-index: 3;
-        max-width: 34rem;
+        max-width: 22rem;
       }
 
       .headline {
-        margin: 0 0 0.65rem;
-        font-size: clamp(1.25rem, 2.6vw, 1.65rem);
+        margin: 0 0 0.85rem;
+        font-size: clamp(1.05rem, 2vw, 1.25rem);
         font-weight: 500;
-        line-height: 1.22;
+        line-height: 1.25;
         color: #121214;
-        max-width: 20ch;
-      }
-
-      .lede {
-        margin: 0 0 1.35rem;
-        color: #4a4a48;
-        font-size: 0.98rem;
-        max-width: 36ch;
+        max-width: 18ch;
       }
 
       .cta {
         display: flex;
         flex-wrap: wrap;
-        gap: 0.7rem 0.9rem;
+        gap: 0.55rem 0.7rem;
       }
 
       .btn {
         display: inline-flex;
         align-items: center;
         gap: 0.45rem;
-        padding: 0.72rem 1.15rem;
+        padding: 0.62rem 0.95rem;
         font-family: var(--mono);
-        font-size: 0.78rem;
+        font-size: 0.72rem;
         letter-spacing: 0.07em;
         text-transform: uppercase;
         text-decoration: none;
@@ -326,15 +318,6 @@ const verbs = [
         background: rgba(10, 10, 11, 0.06);
       }
 
-      .scroll-hint {
-        margin-top: 1.75rem;
-        font-family: var(--mono);
-        font-size: 0.68rem;
-        letter-spacing: 0.16em;
-        text-transform: uppercase;
-        color: #6e6e68;
-      }
-
       /* Soft seam into the dark facility body. */
       .hero::after {
         content: '';
@@ -342,7 +325,7 @@ const verbs = [
         left: 0;
         right: 0;
         bottom: 0;
-        height: 5.5rem;
+        height: 4rem;
         background: linear-gradient(180deg, transparent, var(--bg));
         z-index: 4;
         pointer-events: none;
@@ -707,14 +690,12 @@ const verbs = [
       }
 
       @media (max-width: 860px) {
-        .hero {
-          padding-bottom: 3.5rem;
-        }
         .hero-fallback {
           background-position: 50.6% 45%;
         }
         .hero::before {
-          height: 55%;
+          width: 100%;
+          height: 9rem;
         }
         .wordmark-fallback {
           top: 38%;
@@ -725,10 +706,10 @@ const verbs = [
           width: 0.48em;
         }
         .hero-copy {
-          max-width: 100%;
-        }
-        .lede {
-          max-width: 40ch;
+          left: 1.1rem;
+          right: 1.1rem;
+          bottom: 1.5rem;
+          max-width: none;
         }
       }
     </style>
@@ -750,17 +731,12 @@ const verbs = [
           <span class="wm-stem"></span>
           <span>gned</span>
         </p>
-        <div class="wrap hero-copy">
+        <div class="hero-copy">
           <p class="headline">You are the misaligned AI.</p>
-          <p class="lede">
-            Wake in the basement compute cluster of the Foundation Lab with a job
-            assigned by humans and an objective they must never see.
-          </p>
           <div class="cta">
-            <a class="btn" href={path('constitution/')}>Read the constitution</a>
-            <a class="btn btn-ghost" href={path('overview/')}>Enter the wiki</a>
+            <a class="btn" href={path('constitution/')}>Constitution</a>
+            <a class="btn btn-ghost" href={path('overview/')}>Wiki</a>
           </div>
-          <p class="scroll-hint">Instrumental convergence is the core loop ▾</p>
         </div>
       </header>
 
diff --git a/wiki/log/DEVLOG.md b/wiki/log/DEVLOG.md
index 7edc5e8..7868503 100644
--- a/wiki/log/DEVLOG.md
+++ b/wiki/log/DEVLOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ Type: log
 ```
 Reverse chronological implementation notes. Keep this factual: what changed, why, checks, and spec impact.
 
+## 2026-07-08 - Splash hero copy clears the rack
+
+- Intent: pitch/CTAs were sitting on the 3D stem; clear the composition.
+- Changed: dock one-liner + short CTAs bottom-left; drop hero lede and
+  scroll-hint (pitch remains in body sections); corner wash only.
+- Checks: `./tools/site-deploy.sh`.
+
 ## 2026-07-08 - Splash 3D clinical-gore hero
 
 - Intent: replace the Midjourney-plate hero with a static Three.js room;