diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
index b4f795e..a02182b 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
@@ -512,3 +512,61 @@ class MySeaViewTest(TestCase):
         response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
         self.assertIn("page-gameboard", response.content.decode())
         self.assertIn("page-my-sea", response.content.decode())
+
+
+class MySeaDrawSeaLandingViewTest(TestCase):
+    """Sprint 5 iter 1 — view context for the DRAW SEA landing UX. Pins
+    `no_equipped_deck` + `show_backup_intro_banner` context keys + the
+    presence of the new landing template elements when user passes the
+    Sprint 4b sign-gate."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        from apps.epic.models import personal_sig_cards
+        self.user = User.objects.create(email="draw@test.io")
+        self.client.force_login(self.user)
+        # Assign a sig so the view's landing branch (not the gate) renders.
+        self.user.significator = personal_sig_cards(self.user)[0]
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["significator"])
+
+    def test_context_no_equipped_deck_false_when_user_has_deck(self):
+        # post_save auto-equips Earthman; `no_equipped_deck` should be False.
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertFalse(response.context["no_equipped_deck"])
+
+    def test_context_no_equipped_deck_true_when_user_cleared_deck(self):
+        self.user.equipped_deck = None
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["equipped_deck"])
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertTrue(response.context["no_equipped_deck"])
+
+    def test_context_show_backup_intro_banner_when_no_deck_and_has_sig(self):
+        # Brief banner fires when user has a sig AND no deck — they're on the
+        # landing UX (gate passed) but headed for the backup-deck draw path.
+        self.user.equipped_deck = None
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["equipped_deck"])
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertTrue(response.context["show_backup_intro_banner"])
+
+    def test_context_show_backup_intro_banner_false_when_deck_equipped(self):
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertFalse(response.context["show_backup_intro_banner"])
+
+    def test_landing_renders_draw_sea_btn_when_sig_set(self):
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertContains(response, 'id="id_draw_sea_btn"')
+
+    def test_landing_renders_six_chair_seats_with_C_suffix(self):
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        html = response.content.decode()
+        for n in range(1, 7):
+            with self.subTest(slot=n):
+                self.assertIn(f'data-slot="{n}"', html)
+                self.assertIn(f"{n}C", html)
+
+    def test_landing_not_rendered_when_user_has_no_sig(self):
+        # Sprint 4b gate still wins precedence — DRAW SEA must not render
+        # when significator is None.
+        self.user.significator = None
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["significator"])
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertNotContains(response, 'id="id_draw_sea_btn"')
diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
index 9f16e16..13b6a28 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
@@ -170,16 +170,23 @@ def toggle_game_kit_sections(request):
 def my_sea(request):
     """Shell view for the My Sea standalone page.
 
-    Sprint 3 scaffolding + Sprint 4b sign-gate. The gate fires when the
-    user has no saved significator — a Look!-formatted Brief-style line
-    nudges them to /billboard/my-sign/ (FYI) or back to /gameboard/
-    (BACK) before the draw UX can be reached. With a sig set, the draw
-    shell renders normally (gatekeeper / sig-select / sea-select land
-    in Sprints 5-9).
+    Branches three ways:
+
+    1. No sig → Look!-formatted gate w. FYI/NVM (Sprint 4b).
+    2. Sig + equipped deck → DRAW SEA landing (Sprint 5 iter 1) — hex w.
+       6 chair seats labeled 1C-6C + central DRAW SEA btn. Click swaps
+       data-phase to picker (the picker UX itself lands in iter 2).
+    3. Sig + no equipped deck → same landing PLUS a 'Default deck warning'
+       Brief banner identical to the one on /billboard/my-sign/ (the user
+       is headed for a draw against the Earthman [Shabby Cardstock]
+       backup deck unless they equip one first).
     """
     user_has_sig = request.user.significator_id is not None
+    no_equipped_deck = request.user.equipped_deck_id is None
     return render(request, "apps/gameboard/my_sea.html", {
         "user_has_sig": user_has_sig,
+        "no_equipped_deck": no_equipped_deck,
+        "show_backup_intro_banner": user_has_sig and no_equipped_deck,
         "page_class": "page-gameboard page-my-sea",
     })
 
diff --git a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
index 802845a..2f3df7c 100644
--- a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
+++ b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Sprint 4b of [[project-my-sea-roadmap]]. The /gameboard/my-sea/ page is
 gated behind sig selection — when `user.significator` is None, render a
-Look!-formatted Brief-style line w. FYI (→ /billboard/my-sign/) + BACK
+Look!-formatted Brief-style line w. FYI (→ /billboard/my-sign/) + NVM
 (→ /gameboard/) instead of the draw UX. The My Sea applet on /gameboard/
 mirrors the gate hint in its empty-state slot.
 """
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def _seed_gameboard_applets():
 class MySeaSignGateTest(FunctionalTest):
     """Sign-gate UX on the standalone /gameboard/my-sea/ page + the
     /gameboard/ My Sea applet. User without a saved sig sees a Look!-
-    formatted nudge w. FYI to the picker + BACK to the gameboard."""
+    formatted nudge w. FYI to the picker + NVM to the gameboard."""
 
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp()
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class MySeaSignGateTest(FunctionalTest):
 
     def test_no_sig_renders_lookline_gate_on_standalone_page(self):
         """User without significator → /gameboard/my-sea/ shows the Look!-
-        formatted Brief-style line w. the gate copy + FYI + BACK buttons."""
+        formatted Brief-style line w. the gate copy + FYI + NVM buttons."""
         self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
         self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
         gate = self.wait_for(
@@ -67,11 +67,12 @@ class MySeaSignGateTest(FunctionalTest):
         self.assertIn("Look!", text)
         self.assertIn("pick your sign", text.lower())
         self.assertIn("drawing the Sea", text)
-        # FYI + BACK action buttons
+        # FYI + NVM action buttons (class .my-sea-sign-gate__back retained
+        # post-relabel; the BACK→NVM swap was label-only).
         fyi = gate.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-sign-gate__fyi")
         self.assertTrue(fyi.is_displayed())
-        back = gate.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-sign-gate__back")
-        self.assertTrue(back.is_displayed())
+        nvm = gate.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-sign-gate__back")
+        self.assertTrue(nvm.is_displayed())
 
     # ── Test 2 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -93,18 +94,19 @@ class MySeaSignGateTest(FunctionalTest):
     # ── Test 3 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     def test_gate_back_links_to_gameboard(self):
-        """BACK button is an `<a href>` pointing at /gameboard/."""
+        """NVM button is an `<a href>` pointing at /gameboard/. CSS class
+        `.my-sea-sign-gate__back` retained post BACK→NVM label swap."""
         self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
         self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
-        back = self.wait_for(
+        nvm = self.wait_for(
             lambda: self.browser.find_element(
                 By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-sign-gate__back"
             )
         )
-        href = back.get_attribute("href") or ""
+        href = nvm.get_attribute("href") or ""
         self.assertTrue(
             href.endswith("/gameboard/"),
-            f"BACK should link to /gameboard/, got {href!r}",
+            f"NVM should link to /gameboard/, got {href!r}",
         )
 
     # ── Test 4 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -159,3 +161,134 @@ class MySeaSignGateTest(FunctionalTest):
             )),
             0,
         )
+
+
+class MySeaDrawSeaLandingTest(FunctionalTest):
+    """Sprint 5 iter 1 — DRAW SEA landing on /gameboard/my-sea/ for a
+    user w. a saved sig (past the [[sprint-my-sea-sign-gate-may19]] gate).
+
+    Landing renders a DRY table hex (parameterized from the room) w. 6
+    chair seats labeled 1C-6C (placeholders for the eventual friend-
+    invite feature per [[project-my-sea-roadmap]] architectural anchor
+    "Six chairs retained even in solo") + a central DRAW SEA `.btn-
+    primary` mirroring SCAN SIGN on /billboard/my-sign/. The same Brief
+    "Default deck warning" copy from my-sign fires when the user has no
+    equipped deck.
+
+    Iter 1 scope: landing render + DRAW SEA click swaps `data-phase` to
+    `picker` (picker UX itself lands in iter 2). Form-col (spread
+    dropdown / decks / LOCK HAND / DEL) lands in iter 3."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+        _seed_earthman_sig_pile()
+        _seed_gameboard_applets()
+        self.email = "draw@test.io"
+        self.gamer = User.objects.create(email=self.email)
+        # Assign a sig so the page passes the Sprint 4b gate + lands on
+        # the new DRAW SEA UX rather than the Look!-line gate.
+        self.target_card = _assign_sig(self.gamer)
+
+    # ── Test 1 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_landing_renders_hex_with_draw_sea_btn(self):
+        """User w. sig → /gameboard/my-sea/ shows the DRY table hex (re-
+        used from my-sign / the room shell) w. a central DRAW SEA btn."""
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
+        # data-phase=landing on the page wrapper
+        page = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-page[data-phase='landing']")
+        )
+        # Hex shell present
+        page.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".room-shell .table-hex")
+        # DRAW SEA btn in hex center
+        btn = page.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_draw_sea_btn")
+        self.assertTrue(btn.is_displayed())
+        self.assertIn("DRAW", btn.text.upper())
+        self.assertIn("SEA", btn.text.upper())
+        self.assertIn("btn-primary", btn.get_attribute("class"))
+
+    # ── Test 2 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_landing_renders_six_chair_seats_labeled_1C_to_6C(self):
+        """All 6 chair positions render w. labels 1C-6C (placeholder for
+        friend-invite). CSS class `.table-seat` is preserved so the SCSS
+        positioning rules (data-slot=N) carry over from the room shell."""
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
+        seats = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self._six_seats()
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(len(seats), 6)
+        labels = [
+            "".join(s.text.upper().split()) for s in seats
+        ]
+        for n in range(1, 7):
+            with self.subTest(slot=n):
+                self.assertIn(f"{n}C", labels[n - 1])
+
+    def _six_seats(self):
+        seats = self.browser.find_elements(
+            By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-page[data-phase='landing'] .table-seat"
+        )
+        if len(seats) != 6:
+            raise AssertionError(f"expected 6 seats, got {len(seats)}")
+        return seats
+
+    # ── Test 3 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_draw_sea_click_transitions_to_picker_phase(self):
+        """Click DRAW SEA → page wrapper's data-phase swaps to 'picker';
+        landing hides. Picker content itself lands in iter 2 — this test
+        pins only the phase-swap contract iter 1 must establish."""
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
+        btn = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_draw_sea_btn")
+        )
+        btn.click()
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(
+                By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-page[data-phase='picker']"
+            )
+        )
+        # Landing block hidden after swap.
+        landing = self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-landing")
+        self.assertFalse(landing.is_displayed())
+
+    # ── Test 4 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_brief_banner_renders_when_no_deck_equipped(self):
+        """No equipped deck → the same 'Default deck warning' Brief
+        banner from my-sign fires (lifted verbatim). Tagged w. a my-sea-
+        specific class so FTs can disambiguate from any other Briefs."""
+        self.gamer.equipped_deck = None
+        self.gamer.save(update_fields=["equipped_deck"])
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
+        banner = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(
+                By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-intro-banner"
+            )
+        )
+        self.assertIn("Default deck warning", banner.text)
+        self.assertIn("no deck is equipped", banner.text)
+        self.assertIn("Shabby Cardstock", banner.text)
+
+    # ── Test 5 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_no_brief_banner_when_deck_equipped(self):
+        """User w. an equipped deck → no Default-deck-warning Brief on
+        landing. Auto-equip via the User post_save signal handles this
+        for fresh users; assertion guards against accidental render of
+        the banner when the condition shouldn't fire."""
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session(self.email)
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/my-sea/")
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_draw_sea_btn")
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            len(self.browser.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".my-sea-intro-banner")),
+            0,
+        )
diff --git a/src/static_src/scss/_gameboard.scss b/src/static_src/scss/_gameboard.scss
index e14cfe4..a5a6192 100644
--- a/src/static_src/scss/_gameboard.scss
+++ b/src/static_src/scss/_gameboard.scss
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ body.page-gameboard {
         align-items: center;
     }
 
-    // Applet variant — denser layout, omits BACK (the user is already on
+    // Applet variant — denser layout, omits NVM (the user is already on
     // the gameboard). Smaller line + just the FYI action surviving.
     &.my-sea-sign-gate--applet {
         padding: 0.5rem;
@@ -205,3 +205,54 @@ body.page-gameboard {
         }
     }
 }
+
+// ─── My Sea DRAW SEA landing ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Sprint 5 iter 1 of [[project-my-sea-roadmap]]. When a user has a saved
+// significator (gate passed), /gameboard/my-sea/ renders this landing
+// screen: DRY table hex w. 6 chair seats labeled 1C-6C + central DRAW
+// SEA btn. Mirrors my-sign's `.my-sign-page` + `.my-sign-landing`
+// structure — same room-shell chain so room.js's scaleTable() can size
+// the hex; same flex setup so the container chain propagates real
+// height down for the scale calc.
+.my-sea-page {
+    flex: 1;
+    min-height: 0;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    position: relative;
+}
+
+.my-sea-landing {
+    flex: 1;
+    min-height: 0;
+    display: flex;
+
+    // DRAW SEA btn — centered in the hex, mirrors SCAN SIGN's 2-line
+    // font sizing so "DRAW/SEA" sits cleanly inside the 4rem circle.
+    #id_draw_sea_btn {
+        font-size: 0.75rem;
+        line-height: 1.1;
+        white-space: normal;
+    }
+
+    // Chair-seat labels (1C-6C) sit beside the chair icon. The room's
+    // .table-seat positioning by data-slot (1-6) already places them
+    // around the hex — this just sizes the label readably + colors it
+    // to match the gate's --terUser accent.
+    .table-seat .seat-label {
+        font-size: 0.8rem;
+        font-weight: 600;
+        color: rgba(var(--terUser), 1);
+        margin-left: 0.25rem;
+    }
+}
+
+.my-sea-picker {
+    // Iter-1 placeholder — iter 2 will populate w. the three-card cross
+    // (sig in center + cover/leave/loom) on a --duoUser background.
+    flex: 1;
+    min-height: 0;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+}
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
index 9994a28..0f86739 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 {% block header_text %}<span>Game</span><span>Sea</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
-    <div class="my-sea-page">
+    <div class="my-sea-page" data-phase="landing">
         {% if not user_has_sig %}
             {# Sprint 4b sign-gate. The draw UX is gated behind a saved      #}
             {# significator — render a Look!-formatted Brief-style line w.  #}
-            {# FYI (→ /billboard/my-sign/) + BACK (→ /gameboard/) until the #}
+            {# FYI (→ /billboard/my-sign/) + NVM (→ /gameboard/) until the  #}
             {# user picks a sign. Inline (not portaled like .note-banner)   #}
             {# because the gate IS the page content, not a transient nudge. #}
             <div class="my-sea-sign-gate">
@@ -18,15 +18,95 @@
                 </p>
                 <div class="my-sea-sign-gate__actions">
                     <a class="btn btn-cancel my-sea-sign-gate__back"
-                       href="{% url 'gameboard' %}">BACK</a>
+                       href="{% url 'gameboard' %}">NVM</a>
                     <a class="btn btn-info my-sea-sign-gate__fyi"
                        href="{% url 'billboard:my_sign' %}">FYI</a>
                 </div>
             </div>
         {% else %}
-            {# Sprint 3 shell — gatekeeper / sig-select / sea-select phases #}
-            {# will land here in later sprints of the My Sea roadmap.       #}
-            <p class="my-sea-page__empty">No draws yet&mdash;the depths remain unfathomable.</p>
+            {# Sprint 5 iter 1 — DRAW SEA landing UX. DRY table hex from    #}
+            {# the room shell (.room-shell > .room-table > … > .table-hex) #}
+            {# w. 6 chair seats labeled 1C-6C as placeholders for the      #}
+            {# friend-invite feature per the My Sea roadmap architectural  #}
+            {# anchor "Six chairs retained even in solo". DRAW SEA btn     #}
+            {# mirrors SCAN SIGN on /billboard/my-sign/.                   #}
+            <div class="my-sea-landing">
+                <div class="room-shell">
+                    <div id="id_game_table" class="room-table">
+                        <div class="room-table-scene">
+                            <div class="table-hex-border">
+                                <div class="table-hex">
+                                    <div class="table-center">
+                                        <button id="id_draw_sea_btn" type="button" class="btn btn-primary">DRAW<br>SEA</button>
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+                            </div>
+                            {% for n in "123456" %}
+                                <div class="table-seat" data-slot="{{ n }}">
+                                    <i class="fa-solid fa-chair"></i>
+                                    <span class="seat-label">{{ n }}C</span>
+                                </div>
+                            {% endfor %}
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+
+            {# Picker phase placeholder — iter 2 wires up the three-card    #}
+            {# cross layout (sig in center + cover/leave/loom) w. the      #}
+            {# --duoUser bg + form col (spread dropdown / decks / LOCK     #}
+            {# HAND / DEL). For iter 1 it's just a phase-swap target.      #}
+            <div class="my-sea-picker" style="display:none">
+                <p class="my-sea-picker__placeholder">DRAW SEA picker — wiring lands in Sprint 5 iter 2.</p>
+            </div>
+
+            <script src="{% static 'apps/epic/room.js' %}"></script>
+            <script>
+            (function () {
+                var page = document.querySelector('.my-sea-page');
+                if (!page) return;
+                var landing = page.querySelector('.my-sea-landing');
+                var picker  = page.querySelector('.my-sea-picker');
+                var drawBtn = document.getElementById('id_draw_sea_btn');
+                if (drawBtn) {
+                    drawBtn.addEventListener('click', function () {
+                        page.setAttribute('data-phase', 'picker');
+                        if (landing) landing.style.display = 'none';
+                        if (picker)  picker.style.display  = '';
+                    });
+                }
+                // Mirror my-sign's scaleTable() init timing fix — the
+                // .my-sea-page hasn't flushed its flex sizing on
+                // DOMContentLoaded, so the hex stays unscaled until we
+                // dispatch a resize once layout settles.
+                window.requestAnimationFrame(function () {
+                    window.dispatchEvent(new Event('resize'));
+                });
+            }());
+            </script>
+
+            {# Brief 'Default deck warning' banner — lifted verbatim from  #}
+            {# /billboard/my-sign/'s no-equipped-deck path. Same copy,    #}
+            {# same FYI (→ /gameboard/) + NVM (dismiss + proceed) actions.#}
+            {# Tagged w. .my-sea-intro-banner so FTs disambiguate from    #}
+            {# any other Briefs on the page.                              #}
+            <script src="{% static 'apps/dashboard/note.js' %}"></script>
+            {% if show_backup_intro_banner %}
+            <script>
+                document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
+                    if (!window.Brief || !Brief.showBanner) return;
+                    Brief.showBanner({
+                        title: 'Default deck warning',
+                        line_text: 'Look!—no deck is equipped. Navigate to the Game Kit to equip one (FYI) or (NVM) proceed with the Earthman [Shabby Cardstock] deck.',
+                        post_url: '{% url "gameboard" %}',
+                        created_at: '',
+                        kind: 'NUDGE',
+                    });
+                    var banner = document.querySelector('.note-banner');
+                    if (banner) banner.classList.add('my-sea-intro-banner');
+                });
+            </script>
+            {% endif %}
         {% endif %}
     </div>
 {% endblock content %}