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+# Email Templates: Brand + Hygiene Pass — Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Reskin all 10 `email/` templates to the Westgate brand, eliminate ~390 lines/file of duplication by wiring up real shared `header.html`/`footer.html` partials via Benchpress `IMPORT`, and close template-level inbox-hygiene gaps (non-empty `<title>`, preheader preview text).
+
+**Architecture:** Each template collapses from ~400 lines to ~40: `IMPORT emails/partials/header.html` → preheader + body → `IMPORT emails/partials/footer.html`. The shared head/letterhead/footer carry the brand. The body keeps only this template's content and loops. Palette is applied as literal inline hex (no `var()` — Outlook/Gmail strip it); `scss/westgate/_tokens.scss` is the value source, copied as literals.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Benchpress templating (`{var}`, `{{{ if }}}`, `[[ns:key]]`, `<!-- IMPORT … -->`), HTML email (table layout, inline CSS, MSO conditional comments), NodeBB language JSON files, a tiny dependency-free Node assertion script for regression.
+
+## Global Constraints
+
+Copied verbatim from the spec — every task implicitly includes these:
+
+- **No CSS custom properties.** `var(--…)` is stripped by Outlook/Gmail. All brand color/spacing is **literal hex, inline on each element**.
+- **Keep table layout, inline CSS, MSO conditional comments.** No flex/grid/modern CSS refactor. The shared `<style>` block holds only what *must* be in a stylesheet: `:hover` states and `@media` queries.
+- **No hardcoded user-facing copy.** Every visible string stays a `[[email:…]]` key. Strings with no existing key (preheaders) get a new key added to the theme language file.
+- **Web fonts barely load in email** (Cinzel/Jost only in Apple/iOS Mail). The serif/sans *fallback* stacks carry the look everywhere else.
+- **Markup must stay balanced and build cleanly** (`./nodebb build` from the NodeBB root where this theme is installed).
+- Reuse the current feature branch (`email-brand-hygiene-spec`). Never commit to `main`.
+
+### Brand palette — literal hex (the single source of truth for every task)
+
+| Slot | Old value | New value | Token |
+|------|-----------|-----------|-------|
+| Page background | `#f6f6f6` | `#ece6da` | adapted neutral |
+| Letterhead band | — | `#18141d` | `--wg-panel` |
+| Header/footer hairline | — | `#c2a35a` | `--wg-gold` |
+| Card background | `#ffffff` | `#fbf7ef` | adapted parchment |
+| H1 / greeting | `#333333` | `#1a1418` | ink |
+| Sub-heading | `#aaaaaa` | `#9a9086` | `--wg-text-muted` |
+| Body text | `#555555` | `#3a3340` | ink |
+| Button bg | `#222222` | `#2a1222` | `--wg-plum` |
+| Button border | — | `#c2a35a` | `--wg-gold` |
+| Button text | `#ffffff` | `#f4ecd8` | parchment |
+| Button hover | `#555555` | `#3a1830` | `--wg-plum-soft` |
+| Links | default | `#a8893f` | `--wg-gold-soft` |
+| Footer text | `#888888` | `#9a9086` | `--wg-text-muted` |
+
+### Font stacks — literal, inline
+
+- **Headings:** `Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif`
+- **Body / UI:** `Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif`
+
+Every existing `-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Segoe UI,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol` stack becomes the **Body** stack, except `<h1>` greeting/heading elements which become the **Headings** stack.
+
+---
+
+## Decisions & deviations from the spec (review before executing)
+
+Two points the spec leaves open; resolved here, flag to the user if either is wrong:
+
+1. **`<title>` is `{site_title}`, not per-email.** Benchpress `IMPORT` is a static include with no argument passing, so a *shared* `header.html` cannot receive a per-template title. Using `{site_title}` makes the title **non-empty and graceful everywhere** (the actual hygiene gap), with zero fragile per-template wiring. Per-message specificity lives in the **preheader**, which *is* per-template and trivial. This satisfies the spec's "populate per email / falls back gracefully" intent without a brittle mechanism. If true per-email titles are required, the alternative is keeping `<head>` out of the partial — reject unless asked.
+2. **Preheaders need a theme language file.** The theme currently ships no `languages/` dir and no `languages` key in `plugin.json`. New preheader copy can't be hardcoded (Global Constraint), so Task 5 creates `languages/en-GB/email.json` and registers it. Titles need no key (decision 1).
+
+---
+
+## File structure
+
+```
+email/
+  partials/
+    header.html          # MODIFY: doctype, <head>, brand <style>, letterhead band, open container, title={site_title}
+    footer.html          # MODIFY: gold hairline, reskinned unsubscribe block, closing tags
+    post-queue-body.html # MODIFY: reskinned (links/text colors)
+  reset.html             # MODIFY: thin body — IMPORT header + body + IMPORT footer + preheader  (worked example)
+  welcome.html           # MODIFY: same transform
+  verify-email.html      # MODIFY
+  reset_notify.html      # MODIFY
+  registration_accepted.html # MODIFY
+  invitation.html        # MODIFY
+  banned.html            # MODIFY
+  test.html              # MODIFY
+  notification.html      # MODIFY: keeps body, IMPORTs post-queue-body when applicable
+  digest.html            # MODIFY: keeps loops; reskinned
+  README.md              # MODIFY: partials now real; document IMPORT + literal-hex constraint
+languages/
+  en-GB/email.json       # CREATE: preheader keys
+plugin.json              # MODIFY: add "languages": "languages"
+scripts/check-emails.js  # CREATE: dependency-free regression guard
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 1: Reskin shared `header.html` (letterhead band, palette, title, styles)
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/partials/header.html`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Produces: an `IMPORT`-able partial that opens `<html><head>…</head><body>…<center>…<div class="email-container">` and renders the dark letterhead band with `{logo.src}`. Every template `IMPORT`s it first. It does **not** open the body content table — templates do that.
+- Consumes (Benchpress params, already provided by NodeBB): `{site_title}`, `{logo.src}`, `{logo.width}`, `{{{ if rtl }}}`, `{{{ if logo.src }}}`.
+
+- [x] **Step 1: Replace the empty title with `{site_title}`**
+
+In `email/partials/header.html`, change line 17 from:
+
+```html
+    <title></title>
+```
+
+to:
+
+```html
+    <title>{site_title}</title>
+```
+
+- [x] **Step 2: Add the guarded webfont link** (low-risk progressive enhancement)
+
+Replace the empty webfont placeholder block (currently lines 30–32):
+
+```html
+    <!--[if !mso]><!-->
+    <!-- insert web font reference, eg: <link href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Roboto:400,700' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'> -->
+    <!--<![endif]-->
+```
+
+with:
+
+```html
+    <!--[if !mso]><!-->
+    <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Cinzel:wght@400;600&family=Jost:wght@400;600&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
+    <!--<![endif]-->
+```
+
+- [x] **Step 3: Update the button hover color in the progressive-enhancement `<style>`**
+
+In the `.button-td:hover, .button-a:hover` rule (currently lines 118–122), change both `#555555` to the brand hover `#3a1830`:
+
+```css
+      .button-td:hover,
+      .button-a:hover {
+        background: #3a1830 !important;
+        border-color: #3a1830 !important;
+      }
+```
+
+- [x] **Step 4: Recolor the page background on `<body>` and `<center>`**
+
+Change `<body … bgcolor="#f6f6f6">` (line 148) to `bgcolor="#ece6da"`, and the `<center style="width: 100%; background: #f6f6f6; …">` (line 151) to `background: #ece6da`.
+
+- [x] **Step 5: Replace the light logo header with the dark letterhead band + gold hairline**
+
+Replace the entire `<!-- Email Header : BEGIN -->` … `<!-- Email Header : END -->` table (currently lines 166–191) with:
+
+```html
+        <!-- Letterhead Band : BEGIN -->
+        <table
+          role="presentation"
+          cellspacing="0"
+          cellpadding="0"
+          border="0"
+          align="center"
+          width="100%"
+          style="max-width: 600px"
+        >
+          <tr>
+            <td bgcolor="#18141d" style="padding: 24px 0; text-align: center; background: #18141d;">
+              {{{ if logo.src }}}
+              <img
+                src="{logo.src}"
+                height="auto"
+                width="{logo.width}"
+                alt="{site_title}"
+                border="0"
+                style="height: auto; width: {logo.width}px; background: #18141d; font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #c2a35a;"
+              />
+              {{{ else }}}
+              <span style="font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 22px; color: #c2a35a;">{site_title}</span>
+              {{{ end }}}
+            </td>
+          </tr>
+          <tr>
+            <td height="2" bgcolor="#c2a35a" style="height: 2px; line-height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #c2a35a;">&nbsp;</td>
+          </tr>
+        </table>
+        <!-- Letterhead Band : END -->
+```
+
+> Note: the partial intentionally ends with the container still open (the existing file already closes `</div></center></body></html>` at the end — **delete those closing tags**, see Step 6). Templates supply the body table; `footer.html` supplies the closing tags.
+
+- [x] **Step 6: Remove the stray closing tags so the partial leaves the container open**
+
+Delete the final `</div>`, `</center>`, `</body>`, `</html>` (currently lines 192–195). The file must end right after `<!-- Letterhead Band : END -->`. (`footer.html` owns these closing tags.)
+
+- [x] **Step 7: Verify the file is well-formed manually**
+
+Read `email/partials/header.html` end-to-end. Confirm: one `<html>`/`<head>`/`<body>` opened and **not** closed; `email-container` div opened and **not** closed; letterhead `bgcolor="#18141d"` and hairline `bgcolor="#c2a35a"` present; `<title>{site_title}</title>`.
+
+- [x] **Step 8: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/partials/header.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): brand letterhead band + palette in shared header partial"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 2: Reskin shared `footer.html` (gold hairline, muted unsubscribe, closing tags)
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/partials/footer.html`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `{{{ if showUnsubscribe }}}`, `{url}`, `{uid}`, `{unsubUrl}` (NodeBB params).
+- Produces: the gold hairline + footer text + the closing `</div></center></body></html>` and MSO close. Every template `IMPORT`s it last.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add a gold hairline above the footer and recolor the footer text**
+
+Replace the entire current `email/partials/footer.html` with:
+
+```html
+<!-- Email Footer : BEGIN -->
+<table role="presentation" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" width="100%" style="max-width: 680px;">
+<tr>
+<td height="1" bgcolor="#c2a35a" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; font-size: 1px; background: #c2a35a;">&nbsp;</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td style="padding: 28px 10px 40px 10px; width: 100%; font-size: 12px; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center; color: #9a9086;">
+{{{ if showUnsubscribe }}}
+[[email:notif.post.unsub.info]] <a href="{url}/uid/{uid}/settings" style="color: #a8893f;">[[email:unsub.cta]]</a>.
+<br />[[email:notif.post.unsub.one-click]] <a href="{unsubUrl}" style="color: #a8893f;">[[email:unsubscribe]]</a>.
+{{{ end }}}
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<!-- Email Footer : END -->
+<!--[if mso]>
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<![endif]-->
+</div>
+</center>
+</body>
+</html>
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/partials/footer.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): gold hairline + muted unsubscribe in shared footer partial"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 3: Convert `reset.html` to the thin-body pattern + verify `IMPORT` resolves (worked example)
+
+This task establishes the exact transform and **confirms the import path** before the others copy it. `reset.html` is the simplest template.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/reset.html`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes from Tasks 1–2: `emails/partials/header.html`, `emails/partials/footer.html`.
+- Produces: the canonical `IMPORT header → preheader → body → IMPORT footer` shape that Tasks 6–9 replicate. The preheader pattern and the `<!-- preheader -->` marker comment (asserted by Task 4's script) are defined here.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Replace the entire `reset.html` with the thin body**
+
+Replace the full contents of `email/reset.html` (all 446 lines) with:
+
+```html
+<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/header.html -->
+<!-- preheader -->
+<div style="display: none; max-height: 0; overflow: hidden; mso-hide: all;">[[email:reset.preheader]]</div>
+<div style="display: none; max-height: 0; overflow: hidden; mso-hide: all;">&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;</div>
+<!-- Email Body : BEGIN -->
+<table role="presentation" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" width="100%" style="max-width: 600px;">
+<tr>
+<td bgcolor="#fbf7ef">
+<table role="presentation" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="100%">
+<tr>
+<td style="padding: 40px 40px 6px 40px; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #3a3340;">
+<h1 style="margin: 0; font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 27px; color: #1a1418; font-weight: normal;">[[email:greeting-no-name]]</h1>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td style="padding: 0px 40px; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #3a3340;">
+<h1 style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; color: #9a9086; font-weight: normal;">[[email:reset.text1]]</h1>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td style="padding: 20px 40px; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #3a3340;">
+<p style="margin: 0">[[email:reset.text2]]</p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td style="padding: 32px 40px; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #3a3340;">
+<!-- Button : BEGIN -->
+<table role="presentation" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" style="margin: auto">
+<tr>
+<td style="border-radius: 3px; background: #2a1222; text-align: center;" class="button-td">
+<a href="{reset_link}" style="background: #2a1222; border: 15px solid #2a1222; border-color: #c2a35a; font-family: Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.1; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; display: block; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold;" class="button-a">
+<span style="color: #f4ecd8" class="button-link">[[email:reset.cta]] &rarr;</span>
+</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<!-- Button : END -->
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<!-- Email Body : END -->
+<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/footer.html -->
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Build NodeBB and confirm the import path resolves**
+
+From the NodeBB root where this theme is installed:
+
+Run: `./nodebb build`
+Expected: build completes with no template/IMPORT error. If it errors with an unresolved import, retry the import lines with `.tpl`:
+`<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/header.tpl -->` / `footer.tpl`, rebuild, and **use whichever extension resolves** for every subsequent template. Record the working form in a one-line note at the top of `email/README.md`.
+
+> If neither extension resolves (import genuinely unsupported for theme emails — not expected, core uses it): fall back to self-contained templates and delete the dead partials. Stop and raise this with the user before proceeding — it changes the whole plan.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Send a test reset email and eyeball it**
+
+ACP → Settings → Email → "Send test email" won't trigger `reset`; instead trigger a real password reset for a test account, or temporarily point the test button at `reset`. Confirm: dark letterhead renders, plum button with gold border and readable parchment text, gold hairline above footer, preheader text shows in the inbox list, body card is cream not white.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/reset.html email/README.md
+git commit -m "feat(email): convert reset.html to shared-partial thin body + preheader"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 4: Regression guard script (dependency-free)
+
+Cheap catch for future drift, and the **gate** for Tasks 6–9. No test framework.
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `scripts/check-emails.js`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Produces: a script that exits non-zero if any `email/*.html` (excluding `partials/`) is missing a header IMPORT, footer IMPORT, or `<!-- preheader -->` marker. Run after every template conversion.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the script**
+
+```js
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// ponytail: 30-line structural guard, not a render test. Catches drift, not pixels.
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const dir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'email');
+const files = fs.readdirSync(dir).filter((f) => f.endsWith('.html'));
+
+const failures = [];
+for (const f of files) {
+  const src = fs.readFileSync(path.join(dir, f), 'utf8');
+  const checks = [
+    [/IMPORT emails\/partials\/header\.(html|tpl)/, 'missing header IMPORT'],
+    [/IMPORT emails\/partials\/footer\.(html|tpl)/, 'missing footer IMPORT'],
+    [/<!-- preheader -->/, 'missing preheader marker'],
+  ];
+  for (const [re, msg] of checks) {
+    if (!re.test(src)) failures.push(`${f}: ${msg}`);
+  }
+}
+
+if (failures.length) {
+  console.error('Email template check FAILED:\n' + failures.join('\n'));
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+console.log(`Email template check passed (${files.length} templates).`);
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run it — expect failures for every not-yet-converted template, pass for `reset.html`**
+
+Run: `node scripts/check-emails.js`
+Expected: FAIL, listing `welcome.html`, `verify-email.html`, `reset_notify.html`, `registration_accepted.html`, `invitation.html`, `banned.html`, `test.html`, `notification.html`, `digest.html` (reset.html absent from the list). This proves the guard discriminates.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add scripts/check-emails.js
+git commit -m "test(email): structural regression guard for partial imports + preheader"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 5: Theme language file for preheader copy
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `languages/en-GB/email.json`
+- Modify: `plugin.json`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Produces: the `[[email:<name>.preheader]]` keys referenced by every template's preheader. Tasks 3, 6–9 reference these.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Create the language file with one preheader key per template**
+
+```json
+{
+  "reset.preheader": "Reset your Shadows Over Westgate password",
+  "welcome.preheader": "Confirm your email to enter Shadows Over Westgate",
+  "verify-email.preheader": "Confirm your new email address",
+  "reset_notify.preheader": "Your Shadows Over Westgate password was changed",
+  "registration_accepted.preheader": "Your Shadows Over Westgate account is approved",
+  "invitation.preheader": "You have been invited to Shadows Over Westgate",
+  "banned.preheader": "Your Shadows Over Westgate account status has changed",
+  "test.preheader": "Test email from Shadows Over Westgate",
+  "notification.preheader": "You have a new notification on Shadows Over Westgate",
+  "digest.preheader": "Your Shadows Over Westgate activity digest"
+}
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Register the languages directory in `plugin.json`**
+
+Add a `"languages"` key alongside the existing `"templates": "templates"` key:
+
+```json
+  "templates": "templates",
+  "languages": "languages",
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Build and confirm keys resolve (no raw `[[email:reset.preheader]]` in output)**
+
+Run: `./nodebb build` then re-send the `reset` test email.
+Expected: build clean; the inbox preview shows "Reset your Shadows Over Westgate password", not the raw key.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add languages/en-GB/email.json plugin.json
+git commit -m "feat(email): add theme language file with preheader copy"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 6: Convert the six single-column "text + button/link" templates
+
+`welcome.html`, `verify-email.html`, `reset_notify.html`, `registration_accepted.html`, `invitation.html`, `test.html`. These share `reset.html`'s structure; apply the **same transform**, changing only the per-template keys/links below.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/welcome.html`, `email/verify-email.html`, `email/reset_notify.html`, `email/registration_accepted.html`, `email/invitation.html`, `email/test.html`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: the Task 3 thin-body shape (copy it), Task 5 preheader keys.
+- Produces: six converted templates that pass `scripts/check-emails.js`.
+
+**The transform (apply to each file):**
+1. Delete everything from `<!doctype html>` through `<!-- Email Header : END -->` and replace with `<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/header.html -->` + the two-line preheader block from Task 3, using that template's preheader key (e.g. `[[email:welcome.preheader]]`).
+2. Keep only the `<!-- Email Body : BEGIN -->` … `<!-- Email Body : END -->` table.
+3. Delete the original footer table and trailing `</div></center></body></html>`/MSO close; replace with `<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/footer.html -->`.
+4. Apply the **palette + font find/replace** across the retained body (uniform for all templates):
+
+| Find | Replace |
+|------|---------|
+| `bgcolor="#ffffff"` | `bgcolor="#fbf7ef"` |
+| `color: #333333` (on `<h1>`) | `color: #1a1418` |
+| `color: #aaaaaa` | `color: #9a9086` |
+| `color: #555555` | `color: #3a3340` |
+| `background: #222222` and `border: 15px solid #222222` | `background: #2a1222` / `border: 15px solid #2a1222; border-color: #c2a35a` |
+| `color: #ffffff` (button span) | `color: #f4ecd8` |
+| any link `color:` default / `#333333` | `color: #a8893f` |
+| `-apple-system,…,Segoe UI Symbol` stack on `<h1>` | `Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif` |
+| `-apple-system,…,Segoe UI Symbol` stack elsewhere | `Jost, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif` |
+
+**Per-template specifics** (button/link href and any existing keys are already correct — do not change copy keys):
+
+| File | Preheader key | Button/link href var |
+|------|---------------|----------------------|
+| `welcome.html` | `welcome.preheader` | confirmation link (existing `{confirm_link}` / as present) |
+| `verify-email.html` | `verify-email.preheader` | confirmation link (as present) |
+| `reset_notify.html` | `reset_notify.preheader` | none (informational — no button table; skip button rows) |
+| `registration_accepted.html` | `registration_accepted.preheader` | `{url}` login link (as present) |
+| `invitation.html` | `invitation.preheader` | invite link (existing var, as present) |
+| `test.html` | `test.preheader` | none (skip button rows) |
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Convert `welcome.html`** per the transform + its row above.
+- [ ] **Step 2: Convert `verify-email.html`.**
+- [ ] **Step 3: Convert `reset_notify.html`** (no button — keep only the text rows).
+- [ ] **Step 4: Convert `registration_accepted.html`.**
+- [ ] **Step 5: Convert `invitation.html`.**
+- [ ] **Step 6: Convert `test.html`** (no button).
+
+- [ ] **Step 7: Run the regression guard — expect only `banned`, `notification`, `digest` failing**
+
+Run: `node scripts/check-emails.js`
+Expected: FAIL listing exactly `banned.html`, `notification.html`, `digest.html`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 8: Build + commit**
+
+```bash
+./nodebb build
+git add email/welcome.html email/verify-email.html email/reset_notify.html email/registration_accepted.html email/invitation.html email/test.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): convert single-column templates to shared partials + brand"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 7: Convert `banned.html`
+
+Separated because the ban template carries a reason/expiry block, not the standard button.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/banned.html`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Read `email/banned.html`** to see its body rows (greeting, ban reason, expiry).
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Apply the Task 6 transform** — IMPORT header + `[[email:banned.preheader]]` preheader + retained body (with the palette/font find/replace) + IMPORT footer. Keep all existing `[[email:ban.*]]` / reason / expiry keys and `{{{ if }}}` conditionals unchanged. Recolor any reason/quote block: card `bgcolor` → `#fbf7ef`, body text → `#3a3340`, any muted text → `#9a9086`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Guard + build**
+
+Run: `node scripts/check-emails.js` → expect only `notification.html`, `digest.html` failing.
+Run: `./nodebb build` → clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/banned.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): convert banned.html to shared partials + brand"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 8: Convert `notification.html` + reskin `post-queue-body.html`
+
+`notification.html` keeps its notification body and imports `post-queue-body.html` for post-queue notifications.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/notification.html`, `email/partials/post-queue-body.html`
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `{{{ if showUnsubscribe }}}` (footer handles it), notification body params (`{notification.bodyLong}` / as present).
+- Produces: converted `notification.html` passing the guard; reskinned post-queue partial.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Reskin `post-queue-body.html`** — add link/text color to its `<a>` and `<p>` tags so it matches the card: links `style="color: #a8893f;"`, body `<p>` `style="color: #3a3340;"`, labels keep `<strong>`. Structure unchanged.
+
+```html
+<p><strong>[[post-queue:category]]</strong></p>
+<p><a href="{category.url}" style="color: #a8893f;">{category.name}</a></p>
+<p>
+  <strong
+    >{{{ if topic.tid }}}[[post-queue:topic]]{{{ else }}}[[post-queue:title]]{{{
+    end }}}</strong
+  >
+</p>
+<p>
+  {{{ if topic.url }}}<a href="{topic.url}" style="color: #a8893f;">{topic.title}</a>{{{ else
+  }}}{topic.title}{{{ end }}}
+</p>
+<p><strong>[[post-queue:user]]</strong></p>
+<p>
+  {{{ if user.url }}}<a href="{user.url}" style="color: #a8893f;">{user.username}</a>{{{ else
+  }}}{user.username}{{{ end }}}
+</p>
+<p style="color: #3a3340;">{content}</p>
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Read `email/notification.html`** (lines ~166–417 are the header/body/footer). Note where it renders the notification body and whether it already `IMPORT`s `post-queue-body.html`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Apply the Task 6 transform to `notification.html`** — IMPORT header + `[[email:notification.preheader]]` preheader + retained body table (palette/font find/replace) + IMPORT footer. Preserve the `.notification-body` content and any `{{{ if }}}` post-queue branch; if the body renders a post-queue item, keep/add `<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/post-queue-body.html -->` inside that branch. Add `style="color: #a8893f;"` to notification body links.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Guard + build**
+
+Run: `node scripts/check-emails.js` → expect only `digest.html` failing.
+Run: `./nodebb build` → clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/notification.html email/partials/post-queue-body.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): convert notification.html + reskin post-queue partial"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 9: Convert `digest.html` (preserve all loops)
+
+The largest template — keeps `{{{ each notifications }}}`, `publicRooms`, `topTopics`, `popularTopics` loops and the `digest.title.{interval}` heading.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/digest.html`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Replace the head/header (lines ~1–160) with IMPORT header + preheader**
+
+Prepend `<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/header.html -->` + the two-line preheader block using `[[email:digest.preheader]]`, deleting everything through `<!-- Email Header : END -->`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Apply the palette/font find/replace across the body and every loop row**
+
+Same find/replace as Task 6, applied to all loop iterations. Specifically:
+- card `bgcolor="#ffffff"` → `#fbf7ef`
+- greeting `<h1>` `#333333` → `#1a1418`, font → Cinzel stack
+- section headings `#aaaaaa` → `#9a9086`, font → Cinzel stack
+- list-item link/text `#333333` → body `#3a3340`, links `#a8893f`
+- teaser text `#666666` → `#3a3340`; secondary `#aaaaaa` → `#9a9086`
+- the `border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd` separator → `#e2d8c4`
+- all `-apple-system,…` stacks → Jost stack (non-`<h1>`), Cinzel stack on `<h1>`
+
+Leave every `{{{ each }}}`, `{{{ if }}}`, `{var}`, `[[email:digest.*]]`, and `{renderDigestAvatar(@value)}` untouched.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Replace the original footer with IMPORT footer**
+
+Delete the digest's own footer table + trailing `</div></center></body></html>`/MSO close; replace with `<!-- IMPORT emails/partials/footer.html -->`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Guard passes for all templates**
+
+Run: `node scripts/check-emails.js`
+Expected: PASS (`Email template check passed (10 templates).`).
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Build + test-send the digest**
+
+Run: `./nodebb build`. Trigger a digest (ACP → manually run digest, or test account). Confirm loops render, headings are serif/gold-muted, separators visible, button-free.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/digest.html
+git commit -m "feat(email): convert digest.html to shared partials + brand, loops intact"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 10: Update `email/README.md`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/README.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Fix the Partials section** — it currently says the partials are "included by the templates above" (was false, now true). State that every non-partial template `IMPORT`s `header.html` first and `footer.html` last, using the form confirmed in Task 3 (`emails/partials/header.html` or `.tpl`), and that `notification.html` imports `post-queue-body.html` for post-queue items.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Add a brand/constraint note to Editing notes** — add a bullet: brand colors are **literal inline hex** (Outlook/Gmail strip `var()`); `scss/westgate/_tokens.scss` holds the source values but cannot be referenced at runtime. Note the dark letterhead band + light cream card pattern, and that preheader copy lives in `languages/en-GB/email.json`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/README.md
+git commit -m "docs(email): document IMPORT structure + literal-hex brand constraint"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 11: Out-of-scope deliverability note for ops
+
+The reskin is not an anti-spam fix; record what templates can't touch so it isn't mistaken for one.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `email/README.md` (append a short "Deliverability — out of scope (ops)" section)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Append the ops section**
+
+```markdown
+## Deliverability — out of scope for these templates (ops/mail layer)
+
+Templates cannot affect these; they are flagged so the brand reskin is not
+mistaken for a complete anti-spam fix:
+
+- **SPF / DKIM / DMARC** records + alignment for the sending domain.
+- A From-address on a domain with sending reputation (not a bare/shared host).
+- `List-Unsubscribe` / `List-Unsubscribe-Post` (one-click) **headers** — set by
+  the mail layer, distinct from the in-body unsubscribe link the footer renders.
+- A dedicated sending domain/subdomain and IP warm-up if volume grows.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add email/README.md
+git commit -m "docs(email): flag out-of-scope deliverability work for ops"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 12: Final cross-client verification pass
+
+**Files:** none (verification only).
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Build clean + guard green**
+
+Run: `./nodebb build` (clean) and `node scripts/check-emails.js` (`passed (10 templates)`).
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Test-send every template type** via ACP "Send test email" and real triggers (reset, verify, digest).
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Eyeball across clients** — Gmail web, Outlook desktop (MSO), Apple Mail, and one dark-mode client (iOS Mail dark or Gmail dark). For each confirm: letterhead band renders with logo/hairline; plum button has gold border + readable parchment text; no broken Outlook layout; preheader shows in the inbox list; dark mode does not destroy legibility (cream card + dark band should survive auto-inversion better than a full-dark design).
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: If issues found**, fix inline and re-run Steps 1–3; otherwise the branch is ready for the finishing-a-development-branch skill.
+
+---
+
+## Self-review
+
+**Spec coverage:**
+- Reskin all 10 to brand (light treatment) → Tasks 1–3, 6–9. ✓
+- Eliminate duplication via real `IMPORT` partials → Tasks 1–3. ✓
+- Hygiene: non-empty `<title>` → Task 1 (`{site_title}`, deviation flagged); preheader → Tasks 3, 5, 6–9. ✓
+- No hardcoded copy / new keys in language files → Task 5. ✓
+- Document deliverability templates can't fix → Task 11. ✓
+- Letterhead band, palette table, font stacks → Task 1 + Global Constraints. ✓
+- Import-path verification → Task 3 Step 2. ✓
+- `notification` + `post-queue-body`, `digest` loops preserved → Tasks 8–9. ✓
+- README correction → Task 10. ✓
+- Optional regression guard → Task 4. ✓
+- Implementation order matches spec's suggested order. ✓
+
+**Placeholder scan:** Color/font changes given as a concrete find/replace table; `header.html`/`footer.html`/`reset.html`/`post-queue-body.html` given as complete markup; per-template specifics tabulated. Tasks 6–9 reference complete bodies that already exist in the repo (transform, not author-from-scratch) — the engineer reads the existing file and applies the listed mechanical changes. No "TBD"/"handle edge cases".
+
+**Type/name consistency:** Import paths (`emails/partials/header.html`/`footer.html`/`post-queue-body.html`), preheader keys (`[[email:<name>.preheader]]`), the `<!-- preheader -->` marker, and the guard script's regexes all agree across tasks.
diff --git a/email/partials/header.html b/email/partials/header.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..812e6bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/email/partials/header.html
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<html
+  lang="en"
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
+  xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml"
+  xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
+>
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8" />
+    <!-- utf-8 works for most cases -->
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" />
+    <!-- Forcing initial-scale shouldn't be necessary -->
+    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" />
+    <!-- Use the latest (edge) version of IE rendering engine -->
+    <meta name="x-apple-disable-message-reformatting" />
+    <!-- Disable auto-scale in iOS 10 Mail entirely -->
+    <title>{site_title}</title>
+    <!-- The title tag shows in email notifications, like Android 4.4. -->
+    <!-- Web Font / @font-face : BEGIN -->
+    <!-- NOTE: If web fonts are not required, lines 10 - 27 can be safely removed. -->
+    <!-- Desktop Outlook chokes on web font references and defaults to Times New Roman, so we force a safe fallback font. -->
+    <!--[if mso]>
+      <style>
+        * {
+          font-family: sans-serif !important;
+        }
+      </style>
+    <![endif]-->
+    <!-- All other clients get the webfont reference; some will render the font and others will silently fail to the fallbacks. More on that here: http://stylecampaign.com/blog/2015/02/webfont-support-in-email/ -->
+    <!--[if !mso]><!-->
+    <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Cinzel:wght@400;600&family=Jost:wght@400;600&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
+    <!--<![endif]-->
+    <!-- Web Font / @font-face : END -->
+    <!-- CSS Reset -->
+    <style>
+      /* What it does: Remove spaces around the email design added by some email clients. */
+      /* Beware: It can remove the padding / margin and add a background color to the compose a reply window. */
+      html,
+      body {
+        margin: 0 auto !important;
+        padding: 0 !important;
+        height: 100% !important;
+        width: 100% !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Stops email clients resizing small text. */
+      * {
+        -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+        -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Centers email on Android 4.4 */
+      div[style*="margin: 16px 0"] {
+        margin: 0 !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Stops Outlook from adding extra spacing to tables. */
+      table,
+      td {
+        mso-table-lspace: 0pt !important;
+        mso-table-rspace: 0pt !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Fixes webkit padding issue. Fix for Yahoo mail table alignment bug. Applies table-layout to the first 2 tables then removes for anything nested deeper. */
+      table {
+        border-spacing: 0 !important;
+        border-collapse: collapse !important;
+        table-layout: fixed !important;
+        margin: 0 auto !important;
+      }
+      table table table {
+        table-layout: auto;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Uses a better rendering method when resizing images in IE. */
+      img {
+        -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;
+      }
+      /* What it does: A work-around for email clients meddling in triggered links. */
+      *[x-apple-data-detectors],	/* iOS */
+.x-gmail-data-detectors, 	/* Gmail */
+.x-gmail-data-detectors *,
+.aBn {
+        border-bottom: 0 !important;
+        cursor: default !important;
+        color: inherit !important;
+        text-decoration: none !important;
+        font-size: inherit !important;
+        font-family: inherit !important;
+        font-weight: inherit !important;
+        line-height: inherit !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Prevents Gmail from displaying an download button on large, non-linked images. */
+      .a6S {
+        display: none !important;
+        opacity: 0.01 !important;
+      }
+      /* If the above doesn't work, add a .g-img class to any image in question. */
+      img.g-img + div {
+        display: none !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Prevents underlining the button text in Windows 10 */
+      .button-link {
+        text-decoration: none !important;
+      }
+      /* What it does: Removes right gutter in Gmail iOS app: https://github.com/TedGoas/Cerberus/issues/89  */
+      /* Create one of these media queries for each additional viewport size you'd like to fix */
+      /* Thanks to Eric Lepetit (@ericlepetitsf) for help troubleshooting */
+      @media only screen and (min-device-width: 375px) and (max-device-width: 413px) {
+        /* iPhone 6 and 6+ */
+        .email-container {
+          min-width: 375px !important;
+        }
+      }
+    </style>
+    <!-- Progressive Enhancements -->
+    <style>
+      /* What it does: Hover styles for buttons */
+      .button-td,
+      .button-a {
+        transition: all 100ms ease-in;
+      }
+      .button-td:hover,
+      .button-a:hover {
+        background: #3a1830 !important;
+        border-color: #3a1830 !important;
+      }
+      /* Media Queries */
+      @media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
+        /* What it does: Adjust typography on small screens to improve readability */
+        .email-container p {
+          font-size: 17px !important;
+          line-height: 26px !important;
+        }
+      }
+      .notification-body img {
+        max-width: 100%;
+        height: auto;
+      }
+    </style>
+    <!-- What it does: Makes background images in 72ppi Outlook render at correct size. -->
+    <!--[if gte mso 9]>
+      <xml>
+        <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
+          <o:AllowPNG />
+          <o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch>
+        </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
+      </xml>
+    <![endif]-->
+  </head>
+  <body
+    width="100%"
+    bgcolor="#ece6da"
+    style="margin: 0; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"
+  >
+    <center style="width: 100%; background: #ece6da; text-align: left">
+      <!--
+Set the email width. Defined in two places:
+1. max-width for all clients except Desktop Windows Outlook, allowing the email to squish on narrow but never go wider than 600px.
+2. MSO tags for Desktop Windows Outlook enforce a 600px width.
+-->
+      <div
+        style="max-width: 600px; margin: auto;{{{ if rtl }}} text-align: right; direction: rtl;{{{ end }}}"
+        class="email-container"
+      >
+        <!--[if mso]>
+<table role="presentation" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="600" align="center">
+<tr>
+<td>
+<![endif]-->
+        <!-- Letterhead Band : BEGIN -->
+        <table
+          role="presentation"
+          cellspacing="0"
+          cellpadding="0"
+          border="0"
+          align="center"
+          width="100%"
+          style="max-width: 600px"
+        >
+          <tr>
+            <td bgcolor="#18141d" style="padding: 24px 0; text-align: center; background: #18141d;">
+              {{{ if logo.src }}}
+              <img
+                src="{logo.src}"
+                height="auto"
+                width="{logo.width}"
+                alt="{site_title}"
+                border="0"
+                style="height: auto; width: {logo.width}px; background: #18141d; font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; color: #c2a35a;"
+              />
+              {{{ else }}}
+              <span style="font-family: Cinzel, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 22px; color: #c2a35a;">{site_title}</span>
+              {{{ end }}}
+            </td>
+          </tr>
+          <tr>
+            <td height="2" bgcolor="#c2a35a" style="height: 2px; line-height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #c2a35a;">&nbsp;</td>
+          </tr>
+        </table>
+        <!-- Letterhead Band : END -->