post.html header prose branches on viewer-vs-owner: invitees see "shared with me, @viewer the {title}" + "created by @owner the {title}" instead of the owner-centric "just me / shared between" lines; owner view unchanged — TDD

- billboard.views.view_post adds viewer_is_owner + other_recipients context vars. is_real_invitee = (auth AND post has owner AND viewer != owner). Anon viewers + ownerless-post legacy path fall through to owner-style rendering (which renders empty gracefully via the at_handle / display_name AnonymousUser guards).
  - other_recipients = post.shared_with.exclude(viewer) when invitee; .all() otherwise.
  - post.html .post-header branches:
    • viewer_is_owner: existing prose ("just me, @owner …" / "shared between {recipients} & me, @owner …").
    • sole invitee: "shared with me, @viewer the {viewer.title}" + "created by @owner the {owner.title}".
    • multi invitee: "shared with {other_recipients}" + "& me, @viewer the {viewer.title}" + "created by @owner the {owner.title}".
  - lyric_extras at_handle + display_name: guard against AnonymousUser (no .email attribute) — return "" rather than crash. Preserves the Percival ch. 18 anon-views-ownerless-post path.
  - 12 new ITs in test_post_invitee_view (context vars: viewer_is_owner, other_recipients exclude/include; template prose: sole + multi invitee phrasing, owner unchanged).
  - 878 IT regression + 8 post-html FT regression green (1 Marionette flake on multi-run that passes in isolation).

Code architected by Disco DeDisco <discodedisco@outlook.com>
Git commit message Co-Authored-By:
Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/apps/billboard/migrations/0007_brief_room_alter_brief_kind_alter_brief_post.py

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Generated by Django 6.0 on 2026-05-09 04:45
+
+import django.db.models.deletion
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('billboard', '0006_alter_line_options'),
+        ('epic', '0008_blades_reversal_fickle'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='brief',
+            name='room',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(blank=True, null=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, related_name='briefs', to='epic.room'),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='brief',
+            name='kind',
+            field=models.CharField(choices=[('note_unlock', 'Note unlock'), ('user_post', 'User post'), ('share_invite', 'Share invite'), ('game_invite', 'Game invite')], default='user_post', max_length=32),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='brief',
+            name='post',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(blank=True, null=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, related_name='briefs', to='billboard.post'),
+        ),
+    ]

src/apps/billboard/models.py

@@ -94,10 +94,12 @@ class Brief(models.Model):
     KIND_NOTE_UNLOCK   = "note_unlock"
     KIND_USER_POST     = "user_post"
     KIND_SHARE_INVITE  = "share_invite"
+    KIND_GAME_INVITE   = "game_invite"
     KIND_CHOICES = [
         (KIND_NOTE_UNLOCK,  "Note unlock"),
         (KIND_USER_POST,    "User post"),
         (KIND_SHARE_INVITE, "Share invite"),
+        (KIND_GAME_INVITE,  "Game invite"),
     ]
 
     id = models.UUIDField(primary_key=True, default=uuid.uuid4, editable=False)
@@ -106,10 +108,25 @@ class Brief(models.Model):
         related_name="briefs",
         on_delete=models.CASCADE,
     )
+    # Post is nullable now: KIND_GAME_INVITE briefs ride on a Room FK
+    # instead of a Post (the gatekeeper invite confirmation has no post
+    # to navigate to). Post FKs only set for note_unlock / user_post /
+    # share_invite kinds.
     post = models.ForeignKey(
         Post,
         related_name="briefs",
         on_delete=models.CASCADE,
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
+    )
+    # Room FK — set only on KIND_GAME_INVITE briefs; FYI navigates to
+    # the gatekeeper page for that room.
+    room = models.ForeignKey(
+        "epic.Room",
+        related_name="briefs",
+        on_delete=models.CASCADE,
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
     )
     # Line is nullable because a share_invite-style Brief can race ahead of its
     # async-appended Line write; the post FK alone is enough to navigate.
@@ -142,16 +159,23 @@ class Brief(models.Model):
         """Shape this Brief for the slide-down banner JS. NOTE_UNLOCK kind
         carries a square_url pointing at /billboard/my-notes/ so the
         thumbnail-square inside the banner jumps direct to the user's Note
-        collection — other kinds get an empty square_url."""
+        collection. GAME_INVITE kind has no Post — the FYI link navigates
+        to the gatekeeper page for the brief's Room instead."""
         square_url = ""
         if self.kind == self.KIND_NOTE_UNLOCK:
             square_url = reverse("billboard:my_notes")
+        if self.post_id:
+            post_url = self.post.get_absolute_url()
+        elif self.room_id:
+            post_url = reverse("epic:gatekeeper", args=[self.room_id])
+        else:
+            post_url = ""
         return {
             "id":         str(self.id),
             "kind":       self.kind,
             "title":      self.title,
             "line_text":  self.line.text if self.line else "",
-            "post_url":   self.post.get_absolute_url(),
+            "post_url":   post_url,
             "square_url": square_url,
             "created_at": self.created_at.isoformat(),
         }

src/apps/billboard/tests/integrated/test_brief.py

@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ class BriefModelTest(TestCase):
         b = Brief.objects.create(owner=self.user, post=self.post)
         self.assertIsNone(b.line)
 
-    def test_brief_owner_post_required(self):
+    def test_brief_owner_required(self):
-        """Brief without owner OR post is invalid; both are the load-bearing
+        """Brief without owner is invalid (load-bearing for "whose
-        FKs (owner = whose attention; post = where FYI navigates)."""
+        attention"). Post used to be required too, but became nullable
+        when GAME_INVITE briefs landed (those use Brief.room instead of
+        Brief.post). The view layer enforces "post XOR room" per kind."""
         from django.db import IntegrityError, transaction
         with transaction.atomic(), self.assertRaises(IntegrityError):
             Brief.objects.create(post=self.post, line=self.line)
-        with transaction.atomic(), self.assertRaises(IntegrityError):
-            Brief.objects.create(owner=self.user, line=self.line)
 
     def test_brief_carries_title(self):
         b = Brief.objects.create(

src/apps/billboard/tests/integrated/test_post_invitee_view.py

@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+"""ITs for post.html invitee-vs-owner header rendering.
+
+The "just me, @owner the {title}" / "shared between … & me, @owner …" lines
+were owner-centric (the legacy phrasing assumed the viewer is the post
+creator). For an invitee (a user in post.shared_with), that prose is
+confusing. This view branches the .post-header block:
+
+  • Owner viewing → unchanged existing prose.
+  • Invitee viewing (sole)  → "shared with me, @viewer the {title}" +
+                              "created by @owner the {owner_title}".
+  • Invitee viewing (multi) → "shared with {other_recipients ...}" +
+                              "& me, @viewer the {title}" +
+                              "created by @owner the {owner_title}".
+
+The view layer adds `viewer_is_owner` + `other_recipients` to the
+context; template branches on those.
+"""
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.urls import reverse
+
+from apps.billboard.models import Line, Post
+from apps.lyric.models import User
+
+
+class PostInviteeViewContextTest(TestCase):
+    """Context vars: viewer_is_owner + other_recipients."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="owner")
+        self.alice = User.objects.create(email="alice@test.io", username="alice")
+        self.bob   = User.objects.create(email="bob@test.io",   username="bob")
+        self.post = Post.objects.create(owner=self.owner, title="Coolio")
+        Line.objects.create(post=self.post, text="seed", author=self.owner)
+
+    def test_owner_viewing_sets_viewer_is_owner_true(self):
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        self.assertTrue(response.context["viewer_is_owner"])
+
+    def test_invitee_viewing_sets_viewer_is_owner_false(self):
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        self.assertFalse(response.context["viewer_is_owner"])
+
+    def test_other_recipients_excludes_viewer(self):
+        """For an invitee, other_recipients = shared_with minus self."""
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice, self.bob)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        others = list(response.context["other_recipients"])
+        self.assertIn(self.bob, others)
+        self.assertNotIn(self.alice, others)
+
+    def test_other_recipients_empty_for_sole_invitee(self):
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        self.assertEqual(list(response.context["other_recipients"]), [])
+
+    def test_other_recipients_for_owner_is_full_shared_with(self):
+        """Owner viewing: other_recipients includes everyone (no self exclusion)."""
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice, self.bob)
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        others = list(response.context["other_recipients"])
+        self.assertIn(self.alice, others)
+        self.assertIn(self.bob, others)
+
+
+class PostInviteeViewTemplateTest(TestCase):
+    """Template prose: invitee branch shows "shared with me, …" /
+    "created by @owner …" — does NOT show the owner-centric "just me" or
+    "shared between"."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="owner")
+        self.alice = User.objects.create(email="alice@test.io", username="alice")
+        self.bob   = User.objects.create(email="bob@test.io",   username="bob")
+        self.post = Post.objects.create(owner=self.owner, title="Coolio")
+        Line.objects.create(post=self.post, text="seed", author=self.owner)
+
+    def test_sole_invitee_sees_shared_with_me(self):
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id]))
+        body = response.content.decode()
+        self.assertIn("shared with me", body)
+        self.assertIn("@alice", body)
+
+    def test_sole_invitee_does_not_see_just_me_or_shared_between(self):
+        """Scope to .post-header — the bud-panel JS includes 'just me,' as
+        a regex literal in inline script, so a body-wide string match
+        false-positives."""
+        import lxml.html
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        tree = lxml.html.fromstring(body)
+        header_text = tree.cssselect(".post-header")[0].text_content()
+        self.assertNotIn("just me,", header_text)
+        self.assertNotIn("shared between", header_text)
+
+    def test_invitee_sees_created_by_owner(self):
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        self.assertIn("created by", body)
+        self.assertIn("@owner", body)
+
+    def test_multi_invitee_sees_shared_with_others_then_amp_me(self):
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice, self.bob)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        self.assertIn("shared with", body)
+        self.assertIn("@bob", body)
+        self.assertIn("& me", body)
+        self.assertIn("@alice", body)
+
+    def test_multi_invitee_does_not_see_self_in_recipients_line(self):
+        """The recipients line lists OTHER invitees, not self."""
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice, self.bob)
+        self.client.force_login(self.alice)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        # Coarse check: "shared with @bob" appears w/o @alice in same line
+        # (since alice's "@alice" is on the "& me" line below). The full
+        # body contains both, but the .post-shared-recipients line should
+        # only list other_recipients (i.e., bob, not alice).
+        # Use a narrower lxml-style assertion.
+        import lxml.html
+        tree = lxml.html.fromstring(body)
+        recipients_p = tree.cssselect(".post-shared-recipients")
+        self.assertEqual(len(recipients_p), 1)
+        rec_text = recipients_p[0].text_content()
+        self.assertIn("@bob", rec_text)
+        self.assertNotIn("@alice", rec_text)
+
+    def test_owner_view_unchanged_when_recipients_present(self):
+        """Owner sees 'shared between' (old behavior)."""
+        self.post.shared_with.add(self.alice)
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        self.assertIn("shared between", body)
+        self.assertIn("& me", body)
+        self.assertNotIn("created by", body)
+
+    def test_owner_view_just_me_when_no_recipients(self):
+        """Owner with no recipients: 'just me, …' (old behavior)."""
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        body = self.client.get(reverse("billboard:view_post", args=[self.post.id])).content.decode()
+        self.assertIn("just me,", body)
+        self.assertNotIn("created by", body)

src/apps/billboard/views.py

@@ -285,9 +285,31 @@ def view_post(request, post_id):
         Brief.objects.filter(
             owner=request.user, post=our_post, is_unread=True,
         ).update(is_unread=False)
+
+    # Header-prose branching: post.html shows different self/shared lines
+    # depending on whether the viewer IS the owner. The invitee branch
+    # ("shared with me, @viewer …" + "created by @owner …") only kicks
+    # in when (a) the viewer is authenticated AND (b) the post has an
+    # owner AND (c) the viewer is NOT that owner. Ownerless posts and
+    # anonymous viewers fall through to the owner-style rendering (which
+    # handles missing data gracefully via the at_handle/display_name
+    # filter guards).
+    is_real_invitee = (
+        request.user.is_authenticated
+        and our_post.owner is not None
+        and request.user != our_post.owner
+    )
+    viewer_is_owner = not is_real_invitee
+    if is_real_invitee:
+        other_recipients = our_post.shared_with.exclude(pk=request.user.pk)
+    else:
+        other_recipients = our_post.shared_with.all()
+
     return render(request, "apps/billboard/post.html", {
         "post": our_post,
         "form": form,
+        "viewer_is_owner": viewer_is_owner,
+        "other_recipients": other_recipients,
         "page_class": "page-billpost",
     })
 

src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_invite_gamer.py

@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+"""ITs for the gatekeeper invite_gamer view post-bud-btn refactor.
+
+The legacy form-submit path (POST `invitee_email` + 302 redirect) still
+works for any pre-existing caller; the new bud-btn slide-out POSTs
+`recipient` (email OR username) w. Accept: application/json and gets
+back {brief, recipient_display}. On registered recipients we auto-add
+both directions of the buds graph (mirrors share_post per the Phase 2
+spec) and spawn a Brief w. kind=GAME_INVITE pointing at the room.
+"""
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.urls import reverse
+
+from apps.billboard.models import Brief
+from apps.epic.models import Room, RoomInvite
+from apps.lyric.models import User
+
+
+class InviteGamerAjaxTest(TestCase):
+    """Bud-btn flow: POST /room/<id>/gate/invite w. Accept: application/json."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="owner")
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        self.alice = User.objects.create(email="alice@test.io", username="alice")
+        self.room = Room.objects.create(name="Bingobango", owner=self.owner)
+
+    def _invite(self, recipient):
+        return self.client.post(
+            reverse("epic:invite_gamer", args=[self.room.id]),
+            data={"recipient": recipient},
+            HTTP_ACCEPT="application/json",
+        )
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_returns_brief_payload(self):
+        response = self._invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        body = response.json()
+        self.assertIn("brief", body)
+        self.assertIn("recipient_display", body)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(body["brief"])
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_creates_room_invite(self):
+        self._invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.assertTrue(RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+            room=self.room, inviter=self.owner, invitee_email="alice@test.io",
+        ).exists())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_resolves_username_to_email(self):
+        """Username-typed recipient stores the resolved User's email."""
+        self._invite("alice")
+        self.assertTrue(RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+            room=self.room, invitee_email="alice@test.io",
+        ).exists())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_creates_brief_with_game_invite_kind_and_room_fk(self):
+        self._invite("alice@test.io")
+        brief = Brief.objects.get(owner=self.owner)
+        self.assertEqual(brief.kind, Brief.KIND_GAME_INVITE)
+        self.assertEqual(brief.room, self.room)
+        self.assertIsNone(brief.post)
+        self.assertTrue(brief.is_unread)
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_brief_banner_dict_links_to_room_gatekeeper(self):
+        body = self._invite("alice@test.io").json()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            body["brief"]["post_url"],
+            reverse("epic:gatekeeper", args=[self.room.id]),
+        )
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_auto_adds_recipient_to_inviter_buds(self):
+        self._invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.assertIn(self.alice, self.owner.buds.all())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_auto_adds_inviter_to_recipient_buds_symmetric(self):
+        """Per Phase 2 spec: shared events imply mutual buds graph link."""
+        self._invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.assertIn(self.owner, self.alice.buds.all())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_unregistered_email_creates_invite_no_buds_add(self):
+        """Privacy + correctness: unregistered recipient still gets a
+        RoomInvite (so they can accept after registration), but the
+        inviter's buds list isn't touched (we don't auto-add a non-User)."""
+        response = self._invite("ghost@test.io")
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertTrue(RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+            room=self.room, invitee_email="ghost@test.io",
+        ).exists())
+        self.assertEqual(self.owner.buds.count(), 0)
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_self_is_silent_noop(self):
+        """Inviting yourself: brief=null, no RoomInvite, no buds touch."""
+        response = self._invite("owner@test.io")
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIsNone(response.json()["brief"])
+        self.assertFalse(RoomInvite.objects.filter(room=self.room).exists())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_blank_recipient_is_silent_noop(self):
+        response = self._invite("")
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIsNone(response.json()["brief"])
+        self.assertFalse(RoomInvite.objects.filter(room=self.room).exists())
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_recipient_display_is_username_when_registered(self):
+        body = self._invite("alice@test.io").json()
+        self.assertEqual(body["recipient_display"], "alice")
+
+    def test_ajax_invite_recipient_display_is_null_when_unregistered(self):
+        body = self._invite("ghost@test.io").json()
+        self.assertIsNone(body["recipient_display"])
+
+
+class InviteGamerLegacyFormTest(TestCase):
+    """Form-submit path (no Accept: application/json) preserved — older
+    callers still get a 302 redirect to the gatekeeper. The legacy
+    `invitee_email` field name is also still accepted for full backwards
+    compat, even though the new bud-btn uses `recipient`."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io")
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        self.room = Room.objects.create(name="Test", owner=self.owner)
+
+    def test_form_submit_with_invitee_email_redirects(self):
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("epic:invite_gamer", args=[self.room.id]),
+            data={"invitee_email": "alice@test.io"},
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 302)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response["Location"],
+            reverse("epic:gatekeeper", args=[self.room.id]),
+        )
+
+    def test_form_submit_with_recipient_field_also_works(self):
+        """The bud-btn field name (recipient) also works on form submit."""
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("epic:invite_gamer", args=[self.room.id]),
+            data={"recipient": "alice@test.io"},
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 302)
+        self.assertTrue(RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+            room=self.room, invitee_email="alice@test.io",
+        ).exists())

src/apps/epic/views.py

@@ -656,16 +656,81 @@ def pick_roles(request, room_id):
 
 @login_required
 def invite_gamer(request, room_id):
-    if request.method == "POST":
+    """Gatekeeper invite flow. Backwards-compatible w. the legacy
-        room = Room.objects.get(id=room_id)
+    `invitee_email` form-submit (still POSTs from any old caller); also
-        email = request.POST.get("invitee_email", "").strip()
+    serves the new bud-btn slide-out which sends `recipient` (email OR
-        if email:
+    username) + Accept: application/json. Bud-btn flow:
-            RoomInvite.objects.get_or_create(
+      • Resolves recipient via _resolve_recipient (registered → User; else None).
-                room=room,
+      • Stores RoomInvite using the resolved email (or raw input if unregistered).
-                inviter=request.user,
+      • Auto-adds inviter ↔ recipient to each others' buds (symmetric, per
-                invitee_email=email,
+        share_post precedent — registered recipients only).
-                defaults={"status": RoomInvite.PENDING}
+      • Spawns a Brief w. kind=GAME_INVITE + room=room (post=null).
-            )
+      • Returns JSON {brief, recipient_display} when Accept matches; else
+        redirects to gatekeeper as before."""
+    if request.method != "POST":
+        return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
+
+    from apps.billboard.models import Brief
+    from apps.billboard.views import _resolve_recipient
+
+    room = Room.objects.get(id=room_id)
+    is_ajax = "application/json" in request.headers.get("Accept", "")
+
+    # New bud-btn field name is `recipient`; legacy form uses `invitee_email`.
+    raw = (
+        request.POST.get("recipient")
+        or request.POST.get("invitee_email")
+        or ""
+    ).strip()
+
+    if not raw:
+        if is_ajax:
+            return JsonResponse({"brief": None, "recipient_display": None})
+        return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
+
+    candidate = _resolve_recipient(raw)
+    is_self = candidate is not None and candidate == request.user
+    if is_self:
+        if is_ajax:
+            return JsonResponse({"brief": None, "recipient_display": None})
+        return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
+
+    # RoomInvite uses the resolved User's email when available (so a
+    # username-typed invite doesn't store the raw username as if it were
+    # an email); falls back to the raw input for unregistered addresses.
+    invitee_email = candidate.email if candidate else raw
+    RoomInvite.objects.get_or_create(
+        room=room,
+        inviter=request.user,
+        invitee_email=invitee_email,
+        defaults={"status": RoomInvite.PENDING},
+    )
+
+    # Buds graph: symmetric auto-add on registered recipients (mirrors
+    # share_post). Idempotent on M2M; no-op on unregistered recipients.
+    if candidate is not None:
+        request.user.buds.add(candidate)
+        candidate.buds.add(request.user)
+
+    # Brief: confirmation banner for the inviter. Brief.post stays null;
+    # banner FYI navigates to the room's gatekeeper page via Brief.room.
+    brief = Brief.objects.create(
+        owner=request.user,
+        post=None,
+        room=room,
+        kind=Brief.KIND_GAME_INVITE,
+        title="Invite sent",
+    )
+
+    if is_ajax:
+        recipient_display = None
+        if candidate is not None:
+            recipient_display = candidate.username or candidate.email
+        return JsonResponse({
+            "brief":             brief.to_banner_dict(),
+            "recipient_display": recipient_display,
+        })
+
     return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
 
 

src/apps/lyric/templatetags/lyric_extras.py

@@ -43,7 +43,11 @@ def relative_ts(dt):
 
 @register.filter
 def display_name(user):
-    if user is None:
+    # `getattr` guards: AnonymousUser has no `.email` attribute and is not
+    # None, so `if user is None` doesn't catch it. Render anonymous viewers
+    # as empty rather than crashing — the legacy ownerless-post path
+    # (Percival ch. 18) shows post detail to anon visitors.
+    if user is None or not getattr(user, "is_authenticated", False):
         return ""
     if user.username:
         return user.username
@@ -55,8 +59,9 @@ def at_handle(user):
     """`@username` when the user has set one; falls back to the truncated
     email otherwise (no `@` prefix on bare emails since the address itself
     already carries the `@`). Used in post.html to colour usernames in the
-    --quaUser palette key while leaving emails as-is."""
+    --quaUser palette key while leaving emails as-is. Anonymous viewers
-    if user is None:
+    render as empty (legacy ownerless-post path)."""
+    if user is None or not getattr(user, "is_authenticated", False):
         return ""
     if user.username:
         return f"@{user.username}"

src/functional_tests/test_gatekeeper_bud_btn.py

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+"""FT for the gatekeeper invite via #id_bud_btn slide-out.
+
+Replaces the legacy inline `<form action="invite_gamer">` panel inside
+the gatekeeper modal. The bud-btn lives at the upper-right corner of
+the right sidebar (footer in landscape); slide-out hosts the email/
+username field + OK btn. Submit fires async POST to
+epic:invite_gamer w. Accept: application/json — server returns
+{brief, recipient_display}, JS shows the slide-down Brief banner.
+"""
+from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
+
+from apps.billboard.models import Brief
+from apps.epic.models import Room, RoomInvite
+from apps.lyric.models import User
+
+from .base import FunctionalTest
+
+
+class GatekeeperBudBtnPresenceTest(FunctionalTest):
+    """The bud-btn renders for the room owner during gate phase, and is
+    absent for non-owners (friend invites are owner-only)."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="owner")
+        self.gamer = User.objects.create(email="gamer@test.io", username="gamer")
+        self.room = Room.objects.create(name="Bingobango", owner=self.owner)
+        self.room_url = f"{self.live_server_url}/gameboard/room/{self.room.id}/gate/"
+
+    def test_bud_btn_renders_for_owner(self):
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session("owner@test.io")
+        self.browser.get(self.room_url)
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_bud_btn"))
+
+    def test_bud_btn_absent_for_non_owner(self):
+        # A registered non-owner viewer doesn't see the invite affordance.
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session("gamer@test.io")
+        self.browser.get(self.room_url)
+        # Gatekeeper-specific element confirms page rendered
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-modal"))
+        self.assertFalse(self.browser.find_elements(By.ID, "id_bud_btn"))
+
+    def test_legacy_invite_email_input_is_gone(self):
+        """Sanity: the old inline form has been removed."""
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session("owner@test.io")
+        self.browser.get(self.room_url)
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-modal"))
+        self.assertFalse(self.browser.find_elements(By.ID, "id_invite_email"))
+
+
+class GatekeeperBudBtnAsyncInviteTest(FunctionalTest):
+    """OK on the bud-btn slide-out fires the async invite — RoomInvite
+    persisted, Brief w/ kind=GAME_INVITE created, slide-down banner shown."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="owner")
+        self.alice = User.objects.create(email="alice@test.io", username="alice")
+        self.room = Room.objects.create(name="Bingobango", owner=self.owner)
+        self.room_url = f"{self.live_server_url}/gameboard/room/{self.room.id}/gate/"
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session("owner@test.io")
+        self.browser.get(self.room_url)
+
+    def _open_panel_and_invite(self, recipient):
+        bud_btn = self.wait_for(lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_bud_btn"))
+        bud_btn.click()
+        recipient_input = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_recipient")
+        )
+        recipient_input.send_keys(recipient)
+        self.browser.find_element(
+            By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_bud_panel .btn.btn-confirm"
+        ).click()
+        return bud_btn
+
+    def test_invite_creates_room_invite(self):
+        self._open_panel_and_invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.assertEqual(
+            RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+                room=self.room, invitee_email="alice@test.io"
+            ).count(),
+            1,
+        ))
+
+    def test_invite_spawns_game_invite_brief(self):
+        self._open_panel_and_invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.assertEqual(
+            Brief.objects.filter(
+                owner=self.owner, kind=Brief.KIND_GAME_INVITE,
+            ).count(),
+            1,
+        ))
+
+    def test_invite_renders_slide_down_banner(self):
+        self._open_panel_and_invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".note-banner"))
+
+    def test_invite_closes_panel_after_success(self):
+        bud_btn = self._open_panel_and_invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.assertNotIn("active", bud_btn.get_attribute("class")))
+
+    def test_invite_username_resolves_to_user_email(self):
+        """Username-typed invite stores the resolved User's email."""
+        self._open_panel_and_invite("alice")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.assertEqual(
+            RoomInvite.objects.filter(
+                room=self.room, invitee_email="alice@test.io"
+            ).count(),
+            1,
+        ))
+
+    def test_invite_auto_adds_recipient_to_owner_buds(self):
+        self._open_panel_and_invite("alice@test.io")
+        self.wait_for(lambda: self.assertIn(
+            self.alice, list(self.owner.buds.all())
+        ))

src/functional_tests/test_room_gatekeeper.py

@@ -127,12 +127,19 @@ class GatekeeperTest(FunctionalTest):
         self.wait_for(
             lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-slot.filled")
         )
-        # 2. Founder invites friend
+        # 2. Founder invites friend via the bud-btn slide-out (replaces
-        invite_input = self.wait_for(
+        # the legacy inline #id_invite_email form post-bud-btn refactor).
-            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_invite_email")
+        bud_btn = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_bud_btn")
         )
-        invite_input.send_keys("friend@test.io")
+        bud_btn.click()
-        self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_invite_btn").click()
+        recipient = self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_recipient")
+        )
+        recipient.send_keys("friend@test.io")
+        self.browser.find_element(
+            By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_bud_panel .btn.btn-confirm"
+        ).click()
         # 3. Friend logs in, sees invitation in My Games
         self.create_pre_authenticated_session("friend@test.io")
         self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/")

src/static_src/scss/_applets.scss

@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@
     z-index: 312;
 }
 
-// In landscape: shift gear btn and applet menus left of the footer right sidebar
+// In landscape: shift gear btn and applet menus into the footer-sidebar
-// XL override below doubles sidebar to 8rem — centre items in the wider column.
+// column. Both gear-btn (3rem wide) and the menus are centred in the
+// `var(--sidebar-w)` slot via `right: calc((var(--sidebar-w) - 3rem) / 2)`,
+// which scales with the rem-fluid root — no per-breakpoint override.
 @media (orientation: landscape) {
-    $sidebar-w: 4rem;
-
     .gameboard-page,
     .dashboard-page,
     .wallet-page,
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@
     .billboard-page,
     .billscroll-page {
         > .gear-btn {
-            right: 1rem;
+            right: calc((var(--sidebar-w) - 3rem) / 2);
-            bottom: 3.95rem;    // same gap above kit btn as portrait; no page-specific overrides needed
+            bottom: 3.95rem;
             top: auto;
         }
     }
@@ -137,32 +137,12 @@
     #id_room_menu,
     #id_billboard_applet_menu,
     #id_billscroll_menu {
-        right: 1rem;
+        right: calc((var(--sidebar-w) - 3rem) / 2);
         bottom: 6.6rem;
         top: auto;
     }
 }
 
-@media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
-    // Centre gear btn and menus in the doubled 8rem sidebar (was 0.5rem from right edge)
-    .gameboard-page,
-    .dashboard-page,
-    .wallet-page,
-    .room-page,
-    .billboard-page,
-    .billscroll-page {
-        > .gear-btn { right: 2.5rem; }
-    }
-
-    #id_dash_applet_menu,
-    #id_game_applet_menu,
-    #id_game_kit_menu,
-    #id_wallet_applet_menu,
-    #id_room_menu,
-    #id_billboard_applet_menu,
-    #id_billscroll_menu { right: 2.5rem; }
-}
-
 // ── Applet box visual shell (reusable outside the grid) ────
 %applet-box {
     border:

src/static_src/scss/_base.scss

@@ -1,3 +1,23 @@
+// ── Fluid root rem: 1rem scales with viewport ─────────────────────────────
+// All sidebar/h2/font sizes downstream are in rem, so redefining root
+// font-size against `vmin` (smaller of vh/vw) gives us a single sliding
+// scale that's invariant under phone rotation: rotating swaps width/height
+// but vmin stays the same → 1rem stays the same → navbar/footer/h2 hold
+// their size. Floor 14px on cramped viewports, ceiling 22px on huge ones.
+// 2.4vmin hits 16px (browser default) at vmin=667 (iPhone SE landscape).
+html {
+    font-size: clamp(14px, 2.4vmin, 22px);
+}
+
+// Layout custom properties — single source of truth for the landscape
+// sidebar width (navbar/footer) + the rotated-h2 column slot to the right
+// of the navbar. Container margin-left in landscape adds these so applets
+// can't bleed under the wordmark.
+:root {
+    --sidebar-w: 5rem;
+    --h2-col-w: 3rem;
+}
+
 body {
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
@@ -173,22 +193,42 @@ body {
                 max-width: inherit;
                 margin: 0 1rem;
 
+                // Two-span title: <span>BILL</span><span>POST</span>. First
+                // word (always 4 letters: BILL/DASH/GAME/etc.) gets 45% of
+                // the title width; the variable second word fills the
+                // remaining 55%. Letters within each span spread via
+                // text-align: justify + text-justify: inter-character. The
+                // first-span colour shifts to --quaUser so the two-tone
+                // heading reads "Bill | Post" / "Dash | Sky".
                 h2 {
+                    display: flex;
                     font-size: 3rem;
                     color: rgba(var(--secUser), 0.75);
                     margin-bottom: 1rem;
-                    text-align: justify;
-                    text-align-last: justify;
-                    text-justify: inter-character;
                     text-transform: uppercase;
                     text-shadow:
-                        // 1px 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.125),       // highlight (up-left)
+                        var(--title-shadow-offset) var(--title-shadow-offset) 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
-                        var(--title-shadow-offset) var(--title-shadow-offset) 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)    // shadow (down-right)
                     ;
 
-                    span {
+                    > span {
+                        text-align: justify;
+                        text-align-last: justify;
+                        text-justify: inter-character;
+                        box-sizing: border-box;
+                    }
+                    // Padding-inline (logical) creates the natural visual gap
+                    // between the two words at the 45/55 boundary — works for
+                    // both portrait (horizontal) AND the landscape rotated
+                    // wordmark (vertical-rl writing mode).
+                    > span:first-child {
+                        flex: 0 0 45%;
+                        padding-inline-end: 0.4em;
                         color: rgba(var(--quaUser), 0.75);
                     }
+                    > span:last-child {
+                        flex: 0 0 55%;
+                        padding-inline-start: 0.4em;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -201,31 +241,20 @@ body {
     }
 }
 
-@media (orientation: landscape) and (max-width: 1100px) {
-    body .container {
-        .navbar {
-            h1 {
-                font-size: 1rem !important;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 @media (orientation: landscape) {
-    $sidebar-w: 5rem;
-
     // ── Sidebar layout: navbar ← left, footer → right ────────────────────────────
     body {
         flex-direction: row;
     }
 
-    // Navbar → fixed left sidebar
+    // Navbar → fixed left sidebar (width derives from --sidebar-w which is
+    // fluid via the rem-redefine above; no per-breakpoint width jumps).
     body .container .navbar {
         position: fixed;
         left: 0;
         top: 0;
         height: 100vh;
-        width: $sidebar-w;
+        width: var(--sidebar-w);
         padding: 0.5rem 0;
         border-bottom: none;
         border-right: 0.1rem solid rgba(var(--secUser), 0.4);
@@ -292,8 +321,8 @@ body {
 
         // Login form: offset from fixed sidebars in landscape
         .input-group {
-            left: $sidebar-w;
+            left: var(--sidebar-w);
-            right: $sidebar-w;
+            right: var(--sidebar-w);
 
             .navbar-text {
                 writing-mode: horizontal-tb;
@@ -306,35 +335,47 @@ body {
         }
     }
 
-    // Container: fill center, compensate for fixed sidebars on both sides.
+    // Container: fill center, compensate for fixed sidebars on both sides
-    // max-width: none overrides the @media (min-width: 1200px) rule above so the
+    // AND for the rotated-h2 column on the left (so applets can't bleed
-    // container fills all available space between the two sidebars on wide screens.
+    // under the wordmark — true aperture clipping).
+    // max-width: none overrides the @media (min-width: 1200px) rule above
+    // so the container fills all available space between the sidebars.
     body .container {
         flex: 1;
         min-width: 0;
         max-width: none;
-        margin-left: $sidebar-w;
+        margin-left: calc(var(--sidebar-w) + var(--h2-col-w));
-        margin-right: $sidebar-w;
+        margin-right: var(--sidebar-w);
         padding: 0 0.5rem;
     }
 
-    // Header row: h2 rotates into the left gutter (just right of the navbar border).
+    // Header row: h2 rotates into the dedicated --h2-col-w slot just right
-    // position:fixed takes h2 out of flow; .row collapses to zero height automatically.
+    // of the navbar. position:fixed takes h2 out of flow; .row collapses
+    // to zero height automatically. Resets portrait flex so the rotated
+    // wordmark renders as one continuous title (not split 45/55 here).
     body .container .row {
         padding: 0;
         margin: 0;
     }
     body .container .row .col-lg-6 h2 {
         position: fixed;
-        left: 5rem; // $sidebar-w — flush with the navbar right border
+        left: var(--sidebar-w);
+        width: var(--h2-col-w);
         top: 50%;
+        height: 80vh;              // explicit height so the flex 45/55 % basis resolves
         transform: translateY(-50%) rotate(180deg);
-        writing-mode: vertical-rl;
+        writing-mode: vertical-rl; // inline axis becomes top-to-bottom; flex stacks on it
-        font-size: 1.5rem;
+        font-size: 3rem;           // rem-fluid → no min-height jumps
         letter-spacing: 0.4em;
         margin: 0;
         z-index: 85;
         pointer-events: none;
+        // Inherits display: flex + the per-span flex 45/55 + padding-inline
+        // boundary from the portrait base. With writing-mode: vertical-rl the
+        // flex axis runs vertically, so first-span (BILL) takes 45% of the
+        // height (becomes bottom 45% after rotate(180deg)) and second-span
+        // (POST) takes the upper 55%. padding-inline-end resolves to the
+        // bottom edge of the first span — natural break between words.
     }
 
     // Footer → fixed right sidebar (mirrors navbar approach — explicit right boundary)
@@ -344,7 +385,7 @@ body {
         position: fixed;
         right: 0;
         top: 0;
-        width: $sidebar-w;
+        width: var(--sidebar-w);
         height: 100vh;
         flex-direction: column;
         justify-content: center;
@@ -371,14 +412,23 @@ body {
             }
         }
 
+        // ©2026 Dis Co. — single-line vertical strip at the right edge of
+        // the right sidebar (= the very right edge of the viewport in
+        // landscape). Reads bottom-to-top via writing-mode: vertical-rl +
+        // rotate(180deg) — same pattern as the navbar's rotated brand
+        // wordmark. Tucks into the empty 0.875rem gutter between the
+        // viewport edge and the centred icon/btn column, no overlap.
         .footer-container {
             position: absolute;
-            top: 0.25rem;
+            right: 0.125rem;
-            text-align: center;
+            top: auto;
-            line-height: 0.75 !important;
+            line-height: 1 !important;
             color: rgba(var(--secUser), 1);
+            writing-mode: vertical-rl;
+            transform: rotate(180deg);
+            white-space: nowrap;
 
-            br { display: block; }
+            br { display: none; }
 
             small {
                 font-size: 0.75rem !important;
@@ -387,16 +437,11 @@ body {
     }
 }
 
+// Footer typography refinements that only kick in once the viewport is
+// wide enough to clear the cramped phone-landscape regime. Sidebar
+// dimensions themselves are now fluid via rem and don't need a per-
+// breakpoint width override (the old ≥1800px doubling block is gone).
 @media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 700px) {
-    body .container .row .col-lg-6 h2 {
-        @media (min-height: 400px) {
-            font-size: 2.5rem;
-        }
-        @media (min-height: 500px) {
-            font-size: 3rem;
-        }
-    }
-
     body #id_footer {
         #id_footer_nav {
             gap: 3rem !important;
@@ -411,7 +456,8 @@ body {
 
         .footer-container {
             line-height: 1;
-            margin-top: 0.5rem;
+            // margin-top vestige of the absolute-top-anchored layout —
+            // dropped now that the rotated text is bottom-anchored.
 
             small {
                 font-size: 1rem;
@@ -420,61 +466,6 @@ body {
     }
 }
 
-// ── XL landscape (≥1800px): double sidebar widths and scale content ────────────
-@media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
-    $sidebar-xl: 8rem;
-
-    body .container .navbar {
-        width: $sidebar-xl;
-
-        .container-fluid {
-            gap: 2rem;
-            padding: 0 0.5rem;
-        }
-
-        .navbar-brand h1  { font-size: 2.4rem; }
-        .navbar-text      { font-size: 0.78rem; }  // 0.65rem × 1.2
-        // .btn-primary      { width: 4rem; height: 4rem; font-size: 0.875rem; }
-
-        .input-group {
-            left:  $sidebar-xl;
-            right: $sidebar-xl;
-        }
-    }
-
-    body .container {
-        margin-left:  $sidebar-xl;
-        margin-right: $sidebar-xl;
-    }
-
-    // h2 page title: keep vertical rotation; shift left to clear the wider XL navbar.
-    body .container .row .col-lg-6 h2 {
-        left: 8rem; // $sidebar-xl
-        @media (min-height: 800px) {
-            font-size: 4.5rem;
-        }
-    }
-
-    body #id_footer {
-        width: $sidebar-xl;
-
-        #id_footer_nav {
-            gap: 8rem !important;
-            a { font-size: 3rem; }
-        }
-
-        .footer-container {
-            font-size: 0.85rem;
-            margin-top: 1rem;
-
-
-            small {
-                font-size: 1.2rem;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 @media (orientation: portrait) and (max-width: 500px) {
     body .container  {
         .navbar {

src/static_src/scss/_bud.scss

@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@
     bottom: 0.5rem;
     left: 0.5rem;
 
+    // In landscape, the bud-btn moves to the UPPER-RIGHT corner of the
+    // footer sidebar (top of the right sidebar). Centred within the
+    // var(--sidebar-w) column. Mirrors kit-btn / gear-btn (bottom-right)
+    // for the horizontal-centre formula, but anchors at top instead.
     @media (orientation: landscape) {
-        left: 1rem;
+        left: auto;
-        bottom: 0.5rem;
+        right: calc((var(--sidebar-w) - 3rem) / 2);
-        top: auto;
+        top: 0.5rem;
-    }
+        bottom: auto;
-
-    @media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
-        left: 2.5rem;  // mirror the doubled 8rem sidebar centring
     }
 
     z-index: 318;
@@ -63,13 +64,15 @@
     opacity: 0;
 
     @media (orientation: landscape) {
-        left: calc(4rem + 0.5rem);   // clear the navbar sidebar
+        // Bud-btn lives at the top of the right sidebar in landscape, so
-        right: calc(4rem + 0.5rem);  // clear the footer sidebar
+        // the panel slides out leftward from the right edge along the top.
-    }
+        // Clear both fixed sidebars; transform-origin flips to right so
-
+        // the closed state collapses into the bud-btn.
-    @media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
+        top: 0.5rem;
-        left: calc(8rem + 0.5rem);
+        bottom: auto;
-        right: calc(8rem + 0.5rem);
+        left: calc(var(--sidebar-w) + 0.5rem);
+        right: calc(var(--sidebar-w) + 0.5rem);
+        transform-origin: right center;
     }
 
     #id_recipient {
@@ -122,8 +125,8 @@ html:has(#id_kit_bag_dialog[open]) #id_bud_btn {
 // ── Bud autocomplete suggestions (mirror of sky-place birth picker) ──
 // Sibling of #id_bud_panel (which has overflow:hidden for the scaleX
 // slide animation, so the suggestions can't be a child or they'd clip).
-// Position-fixed above the panel; same left/right inset as the panel
+// Position-fixed; portrait sits ABOVE the panel (panel at bottom),
-// at each breakpoint so the dropdown lines up.
+// landscape sits BELOW the panel (panel at top of viewport).
 .bud-suggestions {
     position: fixed;
     bottom: 4rem;          // panel bottom (0.5rem) + height (3rem) + gap (0.5rem)
@@ -138,13 +141,12 @@ html:has(#id_kit_bag_dialog[open]) #id_bud_btn {
     box-shadow: 0 -4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
 
     @media (orientation: landscape) {
-        left: calc(4rem + 0.5rem);
+        // Panel now at top in landscape, so suggestions drop downward.
-        right: calc(4rem + 0.5rem);
+        top: 4rem;
-    }
+        bottom: auto;
-
+        box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
-    @media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
+        left: calc(var(--sidebar-w) + 0.5rem);
-        left: calc(8rem + 0.5rem);
+        right: calc(var(--sidebar-w) + 0.5rem);
-        right: calc(8rem + 0.5rem);
     }
 }
 

src/static_src/scss/_game-kit.scss

@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@
     bottom: 0.5rem;
     right: 0.5rem;
 
+    // In landscape, centre the 3rem-wide btn within the var(--sidebar-w)
+    // footer sidebar — matches the bud-btn (bottom-left) + gear-btn (above
+    // kit-btn) formula. The clamp on the root rem means the sidebar scales
+    // fluidly, so this single rule covers all viewports without a per-
+    // breakpoint override.
     @media (orientation: landscape) {
-        right: 1rem;
+        right: calc((var(--sidebar-w) - 3rem) / 2);
         bottom: 0.5rem;
         top: auto;
     }
 
-    @media (orientation: landscape) and (min-width: 1800px) {
-        right: 2.5rem;  // centre in doubled 8rem sidebar
-    }
-
     z-index: 318;
     font-size: 1.75rem;
     cursor: pointer;

src/templates/apps/billboard/_partials/_bud_invite_panel.html

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+{% load static %}
+{% load lyric_extras %}
+{# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── #}
+{# _bud_invite_panel.html — bud btn + slide-out for the gatekeeper game- #}
+{# invite flow. Replaces the legacy `<form action="invite_gamer">`        #}
+{# inline panel inside _gatekeeper.html.                                  #}
+{#                                                                         #}
+{# Differences from the post-share variant (_bud_panel.html):              #}
+{#   • POSTs to epic:invite_gamer instead of billboard:share_post.         #}
+{#   • Server returns {brief, recipient_display} — no line_text (no Post     #}
+{#     to append a Line to). JS just shows the Brief banner.               #}
+{#                                                                         #}
+{# Caller must pass `room` in context.                                    #}
+{# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── #}
+
+<button id="id_bud_btn" type="button" aria-label="Invite a friend">
+    <i class="fa-solid fa-handshake"></i>
+</button>
+
+<div id="id_bud_panel"
+     data-invite-url="{% url 'epic:invite_gamer' room.id %}"
+     data-sharer-name="{% if request.user.is_authenticated %}{{ request.user|display_name }}{% endif %}">
+    <input id="id_recipient"
+           name="recipient"
+           type="text"
+           placeholder="friend@example.com or username"
+           autocomplete="off">
+    <button id="id_bud_ok" type="button" class="btn btn-confirm">OK</button>
+</div>
+
+{# Autocomplete suggestions — sibling because the panel has overflow:hidden #}
+{# for the slide-in scaleX animation. Pulls from request.user.buds.        #}
+<div id="id_bud_suggestions" class="bud-suggestions" hidden></div>
+
+<script src="{% static 'apps/billboard/bud-autocomplete.js' %}"></script>
+<script>
+    bindBudAutocomplete(
+        document.getElementById('id_recipient'),
+        document.getElementById('id_bud_suggestions'),
+        { searchUrl: '{% url "billboard:search_buds" %}' }
+    );
+</script>
+
+<script>
+(function () {
+    'use strict';
+
+    var btn   = document.getElementById('id_bud_btn');
+    var panel = document.getElementById('id_bud_panel');
+    var input = document.getElementById('id_recipient');
+    var ok    = document.getElementById('id_bud_ok');
+    var html  = document.documentElement;
+    if (!btn || !panel || !input || !ok) return;
+
+    function _csrf() {
+        var m = document.cookie.match(/csrftoken=([^;]+)/);
+        return m ? m[1] : '';
+    }
+
+    function _open() {
+        html.classList.add('bud-open');
+        btn.classList.add('active');
+        setTimeout(function () { input.focus(); }, 60);
+    }
+
+    function _close(opts) {
+        opts = opts || {};
+        html.classList.remove('bud-open');
+        btn.classList.remove('active');
+        if (opts.clear !== false) input.value = '';
+    }
+
+    btn.addEventListener('click', function () {
+        if (html.classList.contains('bud-open')) {
+            _close();
+        } else {
+            _open();
+        }
+    });
+
+    document.addEventListener('keydown', function (e) {
+        if (e.key === 'Escape' && html.classList.contains('bud-open')) _close();
+    });
+
+    document.addEventListener('click', function (e) {
+        if (!html.classList.contains('bud-open')) return;
+        if (panel.contains(e.target)) return;
+        if (e.target === btn || btn.contains(e.target)) return;
+        // Suggestions live outside the panel; clicking inside them must
+        // NOT close+clear the panel.
+        var sg = document.getElementById('id_bud_suggestions');
+        if (sg && sg.contains(e.target)) return;
+        _close();
+    });
+
+    ok.addEventListener('click', function () {
+        var recipient = input.value.trim();
+        if (!recipient) return;
+
+        var fd = new FormData();
+        fd.set('recipient', recipient);
+
+        fetch(panel.dataset.inviteUrl, {
+            method: 'POST',
+            credentials: 'same-origin',
+            headers: {
+                'Accept':       'application/json',
+                'X-CSRFToken':  _csrf(),
+            },
+            body: fd,
+        })
+            .then(function (r) { return r.ok ? r.json() : Promise.reject(r.status); })
+            .then(function (data) {
+                if (window.Brief && data.brief) Brief.showBanner(data.brief);
+                _close({ clear: true });
+            })
+            .catch(function () {
+                // Privacy-safe: even unregistered/self resolves to 200
+                // {brief: null}; only network/5xx land here. Just close.
+            });
+    });
+
+    input.addEventListener('keydown', function (e) {
+        if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            ok.click();
+        }
+    });
+}());
+</script>

src/templates/apps/billboard/billboard.html

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% extends "core/base.html" %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Billboard{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>board{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>board</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 <div class="billboard-page">

src/templates/apps/billboard/my_buds.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load lyric_extras %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Billbuds{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>buds{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>buds</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 
 {% block content %}

src/templates/apps/billboard/my_notes.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Billnotes{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>notes{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>notes</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 <div class="note-page">

src/templates/apps/billboard/my_posts.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load lyric_extras %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Billposts{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>posts{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>posts</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 
 {% block content %}

src/templates/apps/billboard/post.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load lyric_extras %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Billpost{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>post{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>post</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 
 {% block content %}
@@ -14,14 +14,27 @@
 <div class="post-page">
     <header class="post-header">
         <h3 class="post-title">{{ post.title }}</h3>
-        {% with recipients=post.shared_with.all %}
+        {% if viewer_is_owner %}
-            {% if recipients %}
+            {# Owner viewing — owner-centric prose. "shared between" lists  #}
-                <p class="post-shared-recipients">shared between {% for r in recipients %}<span class="post-recipient post-attribution">{{ r|at_handle }}</span>{% if not forloop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %}</p>
+            {# every recipient; the self line is the owner's own handle.    #}
+            {% if other_recipients %}
+                <p class="post-shared-recipients">shared between {% for r in other_recipients %}<span class="post-recipient post-attribution">{{ r|at_handle }}</span>{% if not forloop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %}</p>
                 <p class="post-shared-self">&amp; me, <span class="post-attribution">{{ post.owner|at_handle }} the {{ post.owner.active_title_display }}</span></p>
             {% else %}
                 <p class="post-shared-self">just me, <span class="post-attribution">{{ post.owner|at_handle }} the {{ post.owner.active_title_display }}</span></p>
             {% endif %}
-        {% endwith %}
+        {% else %}
+            {# Invitee viewing — "shared with" prose centred on the viewer   #}
+            {# (request.user). Sole invitee collapses to a single line; the  #}
+            {# "created by …" line attributes the post to its founder.      #}
+            {% if other_recipients %}
+                <p class="post-shared-recipients">shared with {% for r in other_recipients %}<span class="post-recipient post-attribution">{{ r|at_handle }}</span>{% if not forloop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %}</p>
+                <p class="post-shared-self">&amp; me, <span class="post-attribution">{{ request.user|at_handle }} the {{ request.user.active_title_display }}</span></p>
+            {% else %}
+                <p class="post-shared-self">shared with me, <span class="post-attribution">{{ request.user|at_handle }} the {{ request.user.active_title_display }}</span></p>
+            {% endif %}
+            <p class="post-created-by">created by <span class="post-attribution">{{ post.owner|at_handle }} the {{ post.owner.active_title_display }}</span></p>
+        {% endif %}
     </header>
 
     <ul id="id_post_table" class="post-lines">

src/templates/apps/billboard/scroll.html

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% extends "core/base.html" %}
 
 {% block title_text %}{{ room.name }} — Billscroll{% endblock %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span>scroll{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Bill</span><span>scroll</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 {% csrf_token %}

src/templates/apps/dashboard/home.html

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 {% block title_text %}Dashboard{% endblock title_text %}
 {% block header_text %}
     {% if user.is_authenticated %}
-        <span>Dash</span>board
+        <span>Dash</span><span>board</span>
     {% else %}
-        <span>Howdy </span>stranger
+        <span>Howdy </span><span>stranger</span>
     {% endif %}
 {% endblock header_text %}
 

src/templates/apps/dashboard/sky.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static %}
 
 {% block title_text %}My Sky{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Dash</span>sky{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Dash</span><span>sky</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 <div class="sky-page"

src/templates/apps/dashboard/wallet.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Dashwallet{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Dash</span>wallet{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Dash</span><span>wallet</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
     <div class="wallet-page">

src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html

@@ -59,16 +59,9 @@
                 </div>
             </div>
 
-            {% if request.user == room.owner %}
+            {# Legacy gate-invite-panel retired in favour of #id_bud_btn at  #}
-                <div class="gate-invite-panel">
+            {# the upper-right of the footer (room.html includes the bud    #}
-                    <h3>Invite Friend</h3>
+            {# invite panel partial when the viewer owns the room).         #}
-                    <form method="POST" action="{% url 'epic:invite_gamer' room.id %}" style="display:flex; gap:0.5rem; align-items:center;">
-                        {% csrf_token %}
-                        <input type="email" name="invitee_email" id="id_invite_email" class="form-control form-control-lg" placeholder="friend@example.com" style="flex:1; min-width:0;" hx-preserve>
-                        <button type="submit" id="id_invite_btn" class="btn btn-confirm">OK</button>
-                    </form>
-                </div>
-            {% endif %}
 
         </div>
     </div>

src/templates/apps/gameboard/game_kit.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Game Kit{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span>Kit{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span><span>Kit</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 <div class="gameboard-page">

src/templates/apps/gameboard/gameboard.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Gameboard{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span>board{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span><span>board</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
     <div class="gameboard-page">

src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% load static tooltip_tags %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Gameboard{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span>room{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Game</span><span>room</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
     <div class="room-page" data-room-id="{{ room.id }}"
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@
         {% endif %}
         {% if not room.table_status and room.gate_status != "RENEWAL_DUE" %}
             {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html" %}
+            {# Owner-only invite affordance: handshake btn at the upper-right #}
+            {# of the right sidebar w. slide-out + autocomplete. Replaces the #}
+            {# legacy inline `<form action="invite_gamer">` panel.            #}
+            {% if request.user == room.owner %}
+                {% include "apps/billboard/_partials/_bud_invite_panel.html" %}
+            {% endif %}
         {% endif %}
         {% if room.table_status %}
         <div id="id_tray_wrap"{% if room.table_status == "ROLE_SELECT" and starter_roles|length < 6 %} class="role-select-phase"{% endif %}>
@@ -117,6 +123,9 @@
 {% endblock content %}
 
 {% block scripts %}
+    {# Brief module — needed by _bud_invite_panel's OK handler so the     #}
+    {# slide-down banner shows up on a successful gatekeeper invite.      #}
+    <script src="{% static 'apps/dashboard/note.js' %}"></script>
     <script src="{% static 'apps/epic/room.js' %}"></script>
     <script src="{% static 'apps/epic/gatekeeper.js' %}"></script>
     <script src="{% static 'apps/epic/role-select.js' %}"></script>

src/templates/apps/gameboard/tarot_deck.html

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% extends "core/base.html" %}
 
 {% block title_text %}Tarot — {{ room.name }}{% endblock title_text %}
-{% block header_text %}<span>Tarot</span> — {{ room.name }}{% endblock header_text %}
+{% block header_text %}<span>Tarot</span><span> — {{ room.name }}</span>{% endblock header_text %}
 
 {% block content %}
 <div class="tarot-page">