/* R8 / Mercurial: The Crucible Protocol — story separation and public narrative */
.mercurial-hero{position:relative;min-height:72vh;display:grid;align-items:end;overflow:hidden;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.18);background:#050708}
.mercurial-hero::before{content:"";position:absolute;inset:0;background:linear-gradient(90deg,rgba(4,6,7,.98) 0%,rgba(4,6,7,.9) 38%,rgba(4,6,7,.4) 70%,rgba(4,6,7,.86) 100%),url('assets/xavier-loft.png') center 38%/cover no-repeat;filter:saturate(.82)}
.mercurial-hero::after{content:"";position:absolute;inset:0;background:radial-gradient(circle at 73% 25%,rgba(205,170,94,.09),transparent 32%),linear-gradient(180deg,transparent 50%,rgba(0,0,0,.62))}
.mercurial-hero .shell{position:relative;z-index:2;width:min(1180px,calc(100% - 40px));padding:130px 0 72px}
.mercurial-hero .eyebrow,.merc-section .micro{font:600 10px/1.4 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.2em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#c9ad6a}
.mercurial-hero h1{margin:14px 0 18px;max-width:860px;font:400 clamp(54px,8vw,118px)/.88 Georgia,serif;letter-spacing:-.055em;color:#f0e8d9}
.mercurial-hero h1 span{display:block;font-size:.43em;line-height:1.05;letter-spacing:-.02em;color:#d1b878;margin-top:14px}
.mercurial-hero .lead{max-width:720px;margin:0;color:#c7c9c6;font:400 clamp(18px,2vw,24px)/1.58 Georgia,serif}
.mercurial-hero .hero-actions{display:flex;gap:12px;flex-wrap:wrap;margin-top:28px}
.mercurial-hero .hero-actions a,.merc-cta{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;border:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.42);padding:11px 14px;color:#e6cf99;text-decoration:none;font:600 10px/1.2 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;background:rgba(5,7,8,.72)}
.mercurial-hero .hero-actions a:hover,.merc-cta:hover{border-color:#d9ba75;color:#f2dfb1}
.merc-route{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(8,minmax(0,1fr));gap:1px;background:rgba(201,173,106,.15);border-top:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.14);border-bottom:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.14)}
.merc-route a{padding:13px 10px;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;color:#aab1b3;background:#080a0b;font:600 9px/1.25 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase}
.merc-route a b{display:block;color:#c9ad6a;margin-bottom:4px;font-weight:600}
.merc-route a:hover{color:#efe5d2;background:#0d1012}
.merc-section{padding:76px 0;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(170,180,182,.12);background:linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(7,9,10,.97),rgba(5,7,8,.99))}
.merc-section .shell{width:min(1180px,calc(100% - 40px));margin:0 auto}
.merc-section .section-head{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,.85fr) minmax(280px,1.15fr);gap:44px;align-items:start;margin-bottom:30px}
.merc-section h2{margin:7px 0 0;font:400 clamp(36px,5.2vw,72px)/.96 Georgia,serif;letter-spacing:-.04em;color:#eee6d8}
.merc-section .section-head p,.merc-copy p{margin:0;color:#b7c0c3;font:400 17px/1.72 Georgia,serif}
.merc-media{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1.1fr .9fr;gap:30px;align-items:center}
.merc-media.reverse{grid-template-columns:.9fr 1.1fr}
.merc-media figure{margin:0;border:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.18);background:#080a0b;overflow:hidden}
.merc-media figure img{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;max-height:680px;object-fit:cover}
.merc-media figure figcaption{padding:12px 14px;color:#8f9a9e;font:600 9px/1.45 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.11em;text-transform:uppercase;border-top:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.12)}
.merc-copy h3{margin:7px 0 14px;color:#eee6d8;font:400 clamp(28px,3vw,44px)/1.04 Georgia,serif}
.merc-copy .micro{display:block;margin-bottom:6px}
.merc-copy p+p{margin-top:16px}
.merc-evidence{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));gap:1px;background:rgba(201,173,106,.15);border:1px solid rgba(201,173,106,.15);margin-top:30px}
.merc-evidence article{background:#07090a;padding:22px}
.merc-evidence article span{font:600 9px/1.3 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.15em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#c9ad6a}
.merc-evidence article strong{display:block;margin-top:8px;color:#eee6d8;font:400 21px/1.18 Georgia,serif}
.merc-evidence article p{margin:9px 0 0;color:#99a4a8;font:400 14px/1.55 Georgia,serif}
.merc-record{margin-top:28px;border:1px solid rgba(119,178,190,.22);border-left:2px solid #6f9eaa;background:#061013;padding:22px 24px}
.merc-record b{display:block;color:#9fd0db;font:600 10px/1.4 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Consolas,monospace;letter-spacing:.16em;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:10px}
.merc-record p{margin:0;color:#c8d1d3;font:400 16px/1.65 Georgia,serif}
.merc-articles-note{margin-top:20px;padding:18px 20px;border-left:2px solid #c9ad6a;background:rgba(201,173,106,.045);color:#b9b2a3;font:400 15px/1.65 Georgia,serif}
.merc-articles-note strong{color:#ead8af;font-weight:500}
.merc-final{background:radial-gradient(circle at 75% 25%,rgba(194,160,85,.08),transparent 34%),#050708}
.merc-final .closing{max-width:860px;font:400 clamp(24px,3vw,38px)/1.35 Georgia,serif;color:#e3dccf;margin:24px 0}
.merc-final .small{max-width:820px;color:#9fa9ac;line-height:1.7}
@media(max-width:900px){.merc-route{grid-template-columns:repeat(4,minmax(0,1fr))}.merc-section .section-head,.merc-media,.merc-media.reverse{grid-template-columns:1fr}.merc-evidence{grid-template-columns:1fr}.mercurial-hero .shell,.merc-section .shell{width:min(100% - 28px,1180px)}}
@media(max-width:560px){.mercurial-hero{min-height:64vh}.mercurial-hero .shell{padding-top:105px}.merc-route{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr))}.merc-section{padding:54px 0}}