diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index a8f80dd..e719837 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -38,6 +38,21 @@ Bromite userscript (isolated world, per-site adapters, localStorage cache)
   the web routes are not registered at all. UI mutations read-modify-write
   through `Store.Get` + `Store.Upsert` so the `updated_at` rule stays in one
   place. See `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-25-web-ui-design.md`.
+  **Design-tool caveat:** the templates link `/static/style.css` root-absolutely
+  (correct — they are served from `/`), but the impeccable detector resolves a
+  stylesheet href with `path.resolve(fileDir, href)`, which drops the directory
+  on a leading `/` and silently skips the file. A relative href does not help
+  either: the template's directory is not its served path. So
+  `detect.mjs backend/templates` reports a **false clean** — always pass
+  `backend/static` too. Its one finding there, `overused-font` on "Instrument
+  Serif", is a deliberate identity choice, not debt.
+- **Every action that moves a series out of the list is confirm-gated.**
+  Archive, finish, and remove each open their own `.confirm-row` disclosure
+  (`toggleConfirmRow(key, kind)` in `filter.js`, `kind` ∈
+  `archive|finish|remove`); restore fires instantly because it is the reversal.
+  Remove's row wears the ember wash, the two reversible ones wear `.calm` grey.
+  `--ember` stays reserved for the new-chapter signal: busy bar and inline
+  error use `--mute`.
 - **Latest-chapter poller:** a ticker goroutine in the same binary re-checks
   each bookmarked series' newest published chapter from the backend's own
   network access, so `latest_chapter` stays fresh when the user is not
diff --git a/backend/static/filter.js b/backend/static/filter.js
index ee15ec5..2902d02 100644
--- a/backend/static/filter.js
+++ b/backend/static/filter.js
@@ -25,61 +25,92 @@ function setActiveTab(el) {
   });
 }
 
-// The chapter-edit form and the delete confirm row are the two per-card
-// disclosure panels; only one makes sense open at a time. The button that
-// owns an open panel carries .open, which is how the strip shows which cell
-// the panel belongs to.
+// The chapter-edit form and the archive/finish/remove confirm rows are the
+// per-card disclosure panels; only one makes sense open at a time. The button
+// that owns an open panel carries .open, which is how the strip shows which
+// cell the panel belongs to.
 function closeCardPanels(key) {
-  var form = document.getElementById("chapter-form-" + key);
-  var confirm = document.getElementById("confirm-row-" + key);
-  if (form) form.hidden = true;
-  if (confirm) confirm.hidden = true;
   var card = document.getElementById("card-" + key);
-  if (card) {
-    card.querySelectorAll(".actions .open").forEach(function (b) {
-      b.classList.remove("open");
-    });
-  }
+  if (!card) return;
+  card.querySelectorAll(".chapter-form, .confirm-row").forEach(function (p) {
+    p.hidden = true;
+  });
+  card.querySelectorAll(".actions .open").forEach(function (b) {
+    b.classList.remove("open");
+    b.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
+  });
 }
 
 function togglePanel(key, panelId, buttonSelector) {
-  var panel = document.getElementById(panelId + key);
+  var panel = document.getElementById(panelId);
   if (!panel) return null;
   var opening = panel.hidden;
   closeCardPanels(key);
   panel.hidden = !opening;
   var card = document.getElementById("card-" + key);
   var button = card && card.querySelector(buttonSelector);
-  if (button) button.classList.toggle("open", opening);
+  if (button) {
+    button.classList.toggle("open", opening);
+    button.setAttribute("aria-expanded", opening ? "true" : "false");
+  }
   return panel;
 }
 
 function toggleChapterForm(key) {
-  var form = togglePanel(key, "chapter-form-", ".actions .pencil");
+  var form = togglePanel(key, "chapter-form-" + key, ".actions .pencil");
   if (form && !form.hidden) form.querySelector("input").focus();
 }
 
-function toggleConfirmRow(key) {
-  togglePanel(key, "confirm-row-", ".actions .remove");
+// kind is "archive" | "finish" | "remove" — the panel id and the owning action
+// cell share it.
+function toggleConfirmRow(key, kind) {
+  var cls = { archive: ".box", finish: ".finish", remove: ".remove" }[kind];
+  togglePanel(key, "confirm-" + kind + "-" + key, ".actions " + cls);
 }
 
 // A failed favourite/chapter/delete request leaves the card in place (htmx
 // does not swap on a non-2xx response) but otherwise gives no sign anything
 // went wrong. Surface it inline instead of leaving the tap looking ignored.
 (function () {
-  function showError(elt, message) {
+  function showError(elt, message, linkHref, linkText) {
     var card = elt.closest(".card");
     var slot = card && card.querySelector(".error-inline");
     if (!slot) return;
     slot.textContent = message;
+    if (linkHref) {
+      var a = document.createElement("a");
+      a.href = linkHref;
+      a.textContent = linkText;
+      a.className = "error-link";
+      slot.append(" ", a);
+    }
     slot.hidden = false;
     clearTimeout(slot._hideTimer);
     slot._hideTimer = setTimeout(function () {
       slot.hidden = true;
-    }, 5000);
+    }, linkHref ? 30000 : 5000);
+  }
+
+  // The handlers answer a bad value with http.Error, i.e. a short plain-text
+  // line — worth showing verbatim. Anything long or HTML-ish is an error page,
+  // not a reason, so fall back to the generic copy.
+  function reasonFrom(xhr) {
+    var body = (xhr.responseText || "").trim();
+    if (!body || body.length > 120 || body.indexOf("<") === 0) return "";
+    return body.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + body.slice(1);
   }
 
   document.body.addEventListener("htmx:responseError", function (e) {
+    var xhr = e.detail.xhr;
+    if (xhr.status === 401) {
+      showError(e.detail.elt, "Session expired — nothing was saved.", "/login", "Log in again");
+      return;
+    }
+    if (xhr.status === 400) {
+      var reason = reasonFrom(xhr);
+      showError(e.detail.elt, reason ? reason + "." : "That value wasn't accepted — check it and try again.");
+      return;
+    }
     showError(e.detail.elt, "Couldn't save — try again.");
   });
   document.body.addEventListener("htmx:sendError", function (e) {
diff --git a/backend/static/style.css b/backend/static/style.css
index 76692a0..d5477fa 100644
--- a/backend/static/style.css
+++ b/backend/static/style.css
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@
   --hatch-dim: repeating-linear-gradient(135deg, #1b1918 0 5px, #151313 5px 10px);
 
   --measure: 760px;
+  /* Cover width + row gap: the disclosure panels indent past the cover on
+     desktop, so both live here rather than as magic numbers. */
+  --cover-w: 86px;
+  --row-gap: 14px;
 }
 
 /* Light mode: same rules, cooler paper. Hues are re-tuned, not reused — the
@@ -142,7 +146,9 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
 
 @keyframes barSlide { from { transform: translateX(-100%) } to { transform: translateX(320%) } }
 @keyframes sheetIn { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-4px) } to { opacity: 1; transform: none } }
-@keyframes emberPulse { 0%, 100% { opacity: .5 } 50% { opacity: 1 } }
+/* Transient system states pulse in grey: ember stays reserved for "new
+   chapter" so a tired glance never misreads a busy bar as unread heat. */
+@keyframes mutePulse { 0%, 100% { opacity: .35 } 50% { opacity: 1 } }
 
 /* One measured column, edges drawn rather than boxed. */
 .sheet {
@@ -335,12 +341,12 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
 }
 .card.is-dim { background: var(--dim); }
 
-.row { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 14px; }
+.row { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: var(--row-gap); }
 
 .cover {
   position: relative;
-  width: 66px;
-  height: 88px;
+  width: var(--cover-w);
+  height: calc(var(--cover-w) * 4 / 3);
   flex: none;
   background: var(--hatch);
   display: grid;
@@ -348,7 +354,7 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   overflow: hidden;
 }
 .cover img { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; }
-.cover .monogram { font-size: 24px; }
+.cover .monogram { font-size: 30px; }
 .is-dim .cover { background: var(--hatch-dim); filter: grayscale(1); opacity: .85; }
 
 .body {
@@ -428,9 +434,20 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
 .actions .remove { color: var(--trash); }
 .actions .remove:hover { color: var(--ember); }
 .actions .open { background: var(--hover); color: var(--paper); }
+/* Lifecycle cells already sit on --ash, which is what --hover resolves to, so
+   an open one needs the next step up to stay legible as the panel's owner. */
+.actions .lifecycle.open { background: var(--rule); }
 .actions .remove.open { background: var(--ember-wash); color: var(--ember); }
 .is-dim .actions > * { color: var(--mute-2); }
 
+/* Three clusters by consequence: navigate (play) | organize (favourite,
+   chapter) | lifecycle (archive/restore, finish, remove). The lifecycle cells
+   sit on a recessed ground so the thumb reads "this one moves the series"
+   before it reads which icon it landed on. */
+.actions > .lifecycle { background: var(--ash); }
+.actions > .play + *,
+.actions > *:not(.lifecycle) + .lifecycle { box-shadow: inset 1px 0 0 var(--field-line); }
+
 /* ---- disclosure panels ---- */
 .chapter-form, .confirm-row, .error-inline { animation: sheetIn .18s ease-out; }
 
@@ -498,6 +515,17 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   color: var(--ember-ink);
   font-weight: 600;
 }
+/* Archive and finish are reversible, so their confirm asks in grey — only the
+   irreversible remove gets the ember wash. */
+.confirm-row.calm { background: var(--ash); }
+.confirm-row.calm span { color: var(--paper-dim); }
+.confirm-row .go {
+  border: none;
+  background: var(--paper);
+  color: var(--ink);
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+.confirm-row .go:hover { color: var(--ink); }
 
 .error-inline {
   display: flex;
@@ -505,10 +533,10 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   gap: 9px;
   margin: 0;
   padding: 11px 13px;
-  background: var(--ember-wash);
-  border-left: 2px solid var(--ember);
+  background: var(--ash);
+  border-left: 2px solid var(--mute);
   font: 400 16px var(--font-display);
-  color: var(--ember-soft);
+  color: var(--paper-dim);
 }
 .error-inline::before {
   content: "";
@@ -516,11 +544,16 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   width: 5px;
   height: 5px;
   border-radius: 50%;
-  background: var(--ember);
-  animation: emberPulse 1.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+  background: var(--mute);
+  animation: mutePulse 1.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+.error-inline .error-link {
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--field-line);
+  color: var(--paper);
 }
 
-/* Busy: the hairline at the top of the sheet burns across it. */
+/* Busy: a grey hairline slides across the top of the sheet — deliberately not
+   ember, which only ever means "new chapter". */
 .card.htmx-request { overflow: hidden; }
 .card.htmx-request .actions { pointer-events: none; opacity: .5; }
 .card.htmx-request::before {
@@ -530,7 +563,7 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   left: 0;
   width: 30%;
   height: 1px;
-  background: var(--ember);
+  background: var(--mute);
   animation: barSlide 1.15s linear infinite;
 }
 
@@ -616,6 +649,7 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
 
 /* ---- desktop: same measure, actions fold up beside the row ---- */
 @media (min-width: 720px) {
+  :root { --cover-w: 74px; --row-gap: 20px; }
   .topbar { padding: 26px 32px 18px; }
   .brand { font-size: 30px; }
 
@@ -634,8 +668,7 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
   .recent-cover { height: 133px; }
 
   .card { padding: 18px 32px; }
-  .row { flex-wrap: nowrap; align-items: center; gap: 20px; }
-  .cover { width: 74px; height: 100px; }
+  .row { flex-wrap: nowrap; align-items: center; }
   .cover .monogram { font-size: 26px; }
   .title { font-size: 21px; }
 
@@ -646,10 +679,17 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
     height: 40px;
     border: 1px solid var(--rule);
   }
+  /* Cells are already gapped here, so the clusters separate by space rather
+     than by the hairline the phone layout uses. */
+  .actions > .play + *,
+  .actions > *:not(.lifecycle) + .lifecycle { margin-left: 10px; box-shadow: none; }
   .is-new .actions .play { border-color: #3a1d18; }
   .actions .on { border-color: #332b14; }
 
-  .chapter-form, .confirm-row, .error-inline { margin-left: 94px; }
+  /* Panels line up with the body text, i.e. past the cover and its gap. */
+  .chapter-form, .confirm-row, .error-inline {
+    margin-left: calc(var(--cover-w) + var(--row-gap));
+  }
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
diff --git a/backend/templates/card.html b/backend/templates/card.html
index 35d0e69..6f02b20 100644
--- a/backend/templates/card.html
+++ b/backend/templates/card.html
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
          title="Continue reading" aria-label="Continue reading">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-play"/></svg>
       </a>
-      <button class="{{if .Favorite}}on{{end}}"
+      <button class="fav{{if .Favorite}} on{{end}}"
               title="{{if .Favorite}}Remove from favourites{{else}}Add to favourites{{end}}"
               aria-label="Toggle favourite"
               hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/favorite"
@@ -52,38 +52,32 @@
               onclick="toggleChapterForm('{{.Key}}')">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-pencil"/></svg>
       </button>
-      {{if eq .Status "finished"}}
-      <button class="restore" title="Restore to reading" aria-label="Restore to reading"
-              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"reading"}'
-              hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
-              hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">
-        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-undo"/></svg>
-      </button>
-      {{else}}
-      {{if eq .Status "archived"}}
-      <button class="restore" title="Restore to reading" aria-label="Restore to reading"
-              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"reading"}'
-              hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
-              hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">
-        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-undo"/></svg>
-      </button>
-      {{else}}
-      <button title="Archive" aria-label="Archive"
-              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"archived"}'
-              hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
-              hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">
+      {{/* Restore is a reversal, so it fires straight away; every move *out* of
+           the list (archive, finish, remove) goes through a confirm row. */}}
+      {{if eq .Status "reading"}}
+      <button class="lifecycle box" title="Archive" aria-label="Archive"
+              aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="confirm-archive-{{.Key}}"
+              onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'archive')">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-box"/></svg>
       </button>
-      {{end}}
-      <button title="Mark finished" aria-label="Mark finished"
-              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"finished"}'
+      {{else}}
+      <button class="lifecycle restore" title="Restore to reading" aria-label="Restore to reading"
+              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"reading"}'
               hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
               hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">
+        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-undo"/></svg>
+      </button>
+      {{end}}
+      {{if ne .Status "finished"}}
+      <button class="lifecycle finish" title="Mark finished" aria-label="Mark finished"
+              aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="confirm-finish-{{.Key}}"
+              onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'finish')">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-check"/></svg>
       </button>
       {{end}}
-      <button class="remove" title="Remove" aria-label="Remove"
-              onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}')">
+      <button class="lifecycle remove" title="Remove" aria-label="Remove"
+              aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="confirm-remove-{{.Key}}"
+              onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'remove')">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><use href="#i-trash"/></svg>
       </button>
     </div>
@@ -94,19 +88,47 @@
         hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="input, button">
     {{if .LatestChapter}}<p class="hint">Latest known: Ch {{.LatestChapter}}</p>{{end}}
     <div class="field">
-      <input name="chapter" type="number" step="0.1" min="0"
+      {{/* max is a fat-finger guard, not a real ceiling — no series is near it. */}}
+      <input name="chapter" type="number" step="0.1" min="0" max="9999"
              value="{{.LastChapterNum}}" aria-label="Chapter number" required>
       <button type="submit">Save</button>
     </div>
   </form>
-  <div class="confirm-row" id="confirm-row-{{.Key}}" hidden>
+  {{/* One confirm row per way a series leaves the list. aria-live announces the
+       step to a screen reader, which otherwise gets no word that the tap
+       opened a second question. */}}
+  {{if eq .Status "reading"}}
+  <div class="confirm-row calm" id="confirm-archive-{{.Key}}" role="group" aria-live="polite" hidden>
+    <span>Archive this?</span>
+    <div>
+      <button class="go"
+              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"archived"}'
+              hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
+              hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">Archive</button>
+      <button type="button" onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'archive')">Cancel</button>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+  {{end}}
+  {{if ne .Status "finished"}}
+  <div class="confirm-row calm" id="confirm-finish-{{.Key}}" role="group" aria-live="polite" hidden>
+    <span>Mark finished?</span>
+    <div>
+      <button class="go"
+              hx-post="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}/status" hx-vals='{"status":"finished"}'
+              hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
+              hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">Finish</button>
+      <button type="button" onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'finish')">Cancel</button>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+  {{end}}
+  <div class="confirm-row" id="confirm-remove-{{.Key}}" role="group" aria-live="polite" hidden>
     <span>Remove this?</span>
     <div>
       <button class="danger-solid"
               hx-delete="/ui/bookmarks/{{.Key}}"
               hx-target="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-swap="outerHTML"
               hx-indicator="[id='card-{{.Key}}']" hx-disabled-elt="this">Remove</button>
-      <button type="button" onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}')">Cancel</button>
+      <button type="button" onclick="toggleConfirmRow('{{.Key}}', 'remove')">Cancel</button>
     </div>
   </div>
   <p class="error-inline" hidden></p>