diff --git a/frontend/src/components/CyberFx.astro b/frontend/src/components/CyberFx.astro
index 7f087c7..33d2250 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/CyberFx.astro
+++ b/frontend/src/components/CyberFx.astro
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@
 	<div class="cs-fx-halftone"></div>
 	<div class="cs-fx-wire"></div>
 	<div class="cs-fx-tear"></div>
-	<i class="cs-fx-corner cs-fx-corner--tl"></i>
-	<i class="cs-fx-corner cs-fx-corner--tr"></i>
-	<i class="cs-fx-corner cs-fx-corner--bl"></i>
-	<i class="cs-fx-corner cs-fx-corner--br"></i>
 	<i class="cs-fx-edge cs-fx-edge--l"></i>
 	<i class="cs-fx-edge cs-fx-edge--r"></i>
 </div>
@@ -31,34 +27,25 @@
 
 		const reduced = window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches;
 
-		/* ─── Generated sigil growths in the four corners ─── */
-		/* One sigil per page load; the four corner transforms in global.css
-		 * (scaleX / scaleY / scale) splay it into each corner. */
-		const corners = document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.cs-fx-corner');
-		if (corners.length) {
-			const svg = buildCybersigil();
-			corners.forEach((c) => {
-				if (c.classList.contains('cs-fx-corner--sig')) return;
-				c.innerHTML = svg;
-				c.classList.add('cs-fx-corner--sig');
-			});
-		}
-
 		/* ─── Tall sigil vines pinned to the left/right screen edges ─── */
-		/* Each edge gets its own growth (more organic than a shared one);
-		 * CSS pins the spine to the edge and clips the outer half so it
+		/* Built once and shared by both edges so left/right are symmetric;
+		 * the right edge is flipped in CSS (scaleX(-1)). Edge-mode crops the
+		 * SVG to the inward half + stretches it to fill the ribbon, so it
 		 * reads as an inward-creeping border vine. */
 		const edges = document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.cs-fx-edge');
-		edges.forEach((e) => {
-			if (e.classList.contains('cs-fx-edge--sig')) return;
-			e.innerHTML = buildCybersigil({ count: 8 });
-			e.classList.add('cs-fx-edge--sig');
-		});
+		if (edges.length) {
+			const vine = buildCybersigil({ count: 22, spineWave: 4, edge: true });
+			edges.forEach((e) => {
+				if (e.classList.contains('cs-fx-edge--sig')) return;
+				e.innerHTML = vine;
+				e.classList.add('cs-fx-edge--sig');
+			});
+		}
 
 		/* ─── One slow-spinning sigil filling the background ─── */
 		const wire = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>('.cs-fx-wire');
 		if (wire && !wire.classList.contains('cs-fx-wire--sig')) {
-			wire.innerHTML = buildCybersigil({ count: 9 });
+			wire.innerHTML = buildCybersigil({ count: 20 });
 			wire.classList.add('cs-fx-wire--sig');
 		}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.test.ts
index df3cb89..f3f462d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.test.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ describe('buildCybersigil', () => {
     const dense = buildCybersigil({ count: 9, rng: seeded(5) });
     const n = (s: string) => (s.match(/<path/g) ?? []).length;
     expect(n(dense)).toBeGreaterThan(n(sparse));
-    expect(n(dense)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(260); // MAX_PATHS(110) mirrored + ornaments
+    expect(n(dense)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(440); // MAX_PATHS(200) mirrored + ornaments
   });
 
   it('ships a non-empty glyph library with valid path data', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
index ffd2c39..f340e13 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
@@ -36,11 +36,25 @@ export interface SigilOptions {
 	count?: number;
 	/** injectable RNG (0..1); default Math.random */
 	rng?: () => number;
+	/**
+	 * Spine sinuosity. Default `1` keeps the original gentle one-sided bow
+	 * (byte-identical output). Values >1 make the spine weave inward and
+	 * back (staying ≥0 so it never crosses the edge clip) with amplitude
+	 * ×spineWave — a serpentine vine for tall edge ribbons.
+	 */
+	spineWave?: number;
+	/**
+	 * Edge mode: crop the viewBox to the inward half (spine pinned at x=0)
+	 * and emit a single half with `preserveAspectRatio="none"`, so the
+	 * figure stretches to fill a tall narrow border ribbon instead of
+	 * scaling uniformly and overflowing it.
+	 */
+	edge?: boolean;
 }
 
 const H = 200; // internal canvas height (viewBox scales it to fit)
 const PAD = 14;
-const MAX_PATHS = 110; // safety ceiling; real density is bounded by the params
+const MAX_PATHS = 200; // safety ceiling; real density is bounded by the params
 
 type Pt = [number, number];
 
@@ -64,7 +78,7 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 	const emit = (d: string, cls: string) => {
 		if (strokeCount >= MAX_PATHS) return;
 		parts.push(
-			`<path class="${cls}" d="${d}" pathLength="1" style="--i:${strokeCount % 16}"/>`,
+			`<path class="${cls}" d="${d}" pathLength="1" style="--i:${strokeCount % 40}"/>`,
 		);
 		strokeCount++;
 	};
@@ -115,7 +129,7 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 		track(at[0] + g.w * s);
 		parts.push(
 			`<g transform="translate(${n(at[0])} ${n(at[1])}) rotate(${n(deg)}) scale(${n(s)})">` +
-				`<path class="cs-sig-orn" d="${g.d}" pathLength="1" style="--i:${strokeCount % 16}"/></g>`,
+				`<path class="cs-sig-orn" d="${g.d}" pathLength="1" style="--i:${strokeCount % 40}"/></g>`,
 		);
 		strokeCount++;
 	};
@@ -125,7 +139,7 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 	// with a motif.
 	const limb = (ox: number, oy: number, ang: number, scale: number, depth: number) => {
 		if (strokeCount >= MAX_PATHS) return;
-		const L = scale * rnd(34, 64);
+		const L = scale * rnd(50, 92);
 		const dx = Math.cos(ang) * L;
 		const dy = Math.sin(ang) * L;
 		const peak: Pt = [ox + dx, oy + dy];
@@ -143,7 +157,7 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 		emit(spline(pts), 'cs-sig-main');
 
 		// terminal spike off the outermost point
-		barb(peak, ang + rnd(-0.5, 0.5), scale * rnd(8, 18));
+		barb(peak, ang + rnd(-0.5, 0.5), scale * rnd(12, 26));
 
 		// filament shadow trailing the main sweep
 		if (rng() < 0.4) {
@@ -169,7 +183,7 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 			const tt = seg[2] as number;
 			const base: Pt = [a[0] + (b[0] - a[0]) * tt, a[1] + (b[1] - a[1]) * tt];
 			const side = k % 2 ? 1 : -1;
-			barb(base, ang + side * rnd(0.6, 1.3), scale * rnd(6, 16));
+			barb(base, ang + side * rnd(0.6, 1.3), scale * rnd(9, 22));
 		}
 
 		// recurse — one child curls off the mid/peak region
@@ -188,12 +202,21 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 		if (depth === 0 && rng() < 0.3) ornament(peak, ang);
 	};
 
-	// ── Wavering spine: a curve from top to bottom, gently bowing in +x.
+	// ── Wavering spine: a curve from top to bottom. Default gently bows in
+	// +x; spineWave>1 makes it weave side-to-side (a serpentine edge vine).
+	const sw = opts.spineWave ?? 1;
 	const spineNodes = 5 + Math.floor(rng() * 3);
 	const spinePts: Pt[] = [];
 	for (let i = 0; i <= spineNodes; i++) {
 		const y = (H * i) / spineNodes;
-		const x = i === 0 || i === spineNodes ? 0 : rnd(0, 11);
+		const x =
+			i === 0 || i === spineNodes
+				? 0
+				: sw === 1
+					? rnd(0, 11) // unchanged default — center/corner/plate sigils
+					: i % 2
+						? rnd(2, 8) // near the edge
+						: rnd(9, 15) * sw; // inward bulge — one-sided weave, never < 0
 		spinePts.push([x, y]);
 	}
 	emit(spline(spinePts), 'cs-sig-main');
@@ -234,18 +257,22 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 			limb(node[0], node[1], ang, rnd(0.65, 1.05) * (0.8 + tc * 0.5), 1);
 		}
 		// the odd bare barb straight off the spine keeps the trunk prickly
-		if (rng() < 0.55) barb(node, bias + rnd(-0.3, 0.3), rnd(7, 14) * spike);
+		if (rng() < 0.55) barb(node, bias + rnd(-0.3, 0.3), rnd(11, 20) * spike);
 	}
 
 	const half = parts.join('');
-	const minX = -(maxX + PAD);
-	const vbW = 2 * (maxX + PAD);
+	// Edge mode crops to the inward half (spine at x=0) and lets the ribbon
+	// stretch it (none); normal mode is symmetric and uniformly fitted.
+	const minX = opts.edge ? 0 : -(maxX + PAD);
+	const vbW = opts.edge ? maxX + PAD : 2 * (maxX + PAD);
+	const par = opts.edge ? 'none' : 'xMidYMid meet';
+	const body = opts.edge
+		? `<g class="cs-sig-half">${half}</g>`
+		: `<g class="cs-sig-half">${half}</g>` +
+			`<g class="cs-sig-half" transform="scale(-1 1)">${half}</g>`;
 	return (
 		`<svg class="cs-sigil" viewBox="${n(minX)} ${-PAD} ${n(vbW)} ${H + 2 * PAD}" ` +
-		`preserveAspectRatio="xMidYMid meet" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" ` +
-		`xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">` +
-		`<g class="cs-sig-half">${half}</g>` +
-		`<g class="cs-sig-half" transform="scale(-1 1)">${half}</g>` +
-		`</svg>`
+		`preserveAspectRatio="${par}" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" ` +
+		`xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">${body}</svg>`
 	);
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/partials/70-cybersigil.css b/frontend/src/styles/partials/70-cybersigil.css
index a733ddd..c6efa7e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/partials/70-cybersigil.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/partials/70-cybersigil.css
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 .cybersigil {
   --font-sans: 'Space Mono', 'Courier New', ui-monospace, monospace;
   --font-display: 'VT323', 'Space Mono', 'Courier New', monospace;
-  --cs-corner: url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 100 100' fill='none' stroke='%23fff' stroke-linecap='round' stroke-linejoin='round'><path stroke-width='2.4' d='M3 3 C 26 10 33 26 36 44 C 38 60 46 70 60 78 C 74 86 84 86 97 84 M16 7 C 22 2 30 1 40 2 M14 17 C 8 24 5 33 4 45 M35 40 C 45 36 56 37 66 41 M34 49 C 30 60 30 71 33 83 M52 73 C 60 66 70 64 82 65 M58 80 C 55 90 56 97 60 99'/><path stroke-width='1' opacity='0.8' d='M24 9 L30 3 M10 31 L3 34 M41 38 L47 31 M33 61 L26 66 M71 66 L79 61 M49 55 L44 49 M22 24 L17 20'/></svg>");
   --cs-barb: url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 120 22' fill='none' stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='1.6' stroke-linecap='round' stroke-linejoin='round'><path d='M2 11 C 24 4 40 18 60 11 C 80 4 96 18 118 11'/><path stroke-width='1.3' d='M18 8 L22 1 M30 13 L27 21 M48 12 L48 2 M60 11 L60 1 M72 12 L76 20 M90 9 L87 1 M104 13 L108 21'/></svg>");
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-halftone,
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-wire,
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-tear,
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner,
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge {
   position: fixed;
   pointer-events: none;
@@ -110,14 +108,17 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 6px color-mix(in srgb, var(--sky) 35%, transparent));
 }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-wire .cs-sigil path {
-  animation: cs-redraw 5.5s ease-in-out infinite;
-  /* negative, per-stroke offset: the field is always mid-carve, never blank */
-  animation-delay: calc(var(--i, 0) * -0.34s);
+  /* slower than the edges + a tighter stagger: the dense background field
+   * spends most of the cycle solid, so it no longer reads as dotted while
+   * many strokes wipe out of phase. */
+  animation: cs-redraw 8s linear infinite;
+  animation-delay: calc(var(--i, 0) * -0.13s);
 }
+/* Continuous carve: draws on through the first half, wipes off through the
+ * second, no plateau — the stroke is always in motion. */
 @keyframes cs-redraw {
   0%   { stroke-dashoffset: 1; }
-  35%  { stroke-dashoffset: 0; }
-  60%  { stroke-dashoffset: 0; }
+  50%  { stroke-dashoffset: 0; }
   100% { stroke-dashoffset: -1; }
 }
 
@@ -147,21 +148,6 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   );
 }
 
-/* Thorny sigil growths anchoring the four screen corners. */
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner {
-  width: clamp(96px, 13vw, 188px);
-  height: clamp(96px, 13vw, 188px);
-  background-color: var(--sky);
-  opacity: 0.26;
-  -webkit-mask: var(--cs-corner) center / contain no-repeat;
-  mask: var(--cs-corner) center / contain no-repeat;
-  filter: drop-shadow(0 0 5px color-mix(in srgb, var(--sky) 45%, transparent));
-  animation: cs-flicker 7s linear infinite;
-}
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--tl { top: 0;    left: 0;  }
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--tr { top: 0;    right: 0; transform: scaleX(-1); animation-delay: -1.7s; }
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--bl { bottom: 0; left: 0;  transform: scaleY(-1); animation-delay: -3.4s; }
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--br { bottom: 0; right: 0; transform: scale(-1);  animation-delay: -5.1s; }
 
 /* Edge vines — a tall sigil growth pinned to each screen edge, spine on
  * the edge with its outer half clipped so it creeps inward only. Subtle
@@ -169,27 +155,25 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge {
   top: 0;
   bottom: 0;
-  width: clamp(64px, 9vw, 132px);
+  width: clamp(96px, 12vw, 184px);
   overflow: hidden;
-  opacity: 0.1;
+  opacity: 0.26;
 }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge--l { left: 0; }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge--r { right: 0; transform: scaleX(-1); }
+/* edge-mode SVG is pre-cropped to the inward half + preserveAspectRatio
+ * none, so it just fills the ribbon: full height, stretched to width. */
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge .cs-sigil {
   position: absolute;
-  top: 0;
-  left: 0;
-  width: auto;
+  inset: 0;
+  width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
-  /* spine sits at the SVG's horizontal centre — shift it onto the edge so
-   * only the inward-growing half stays within the clipped box */
-  transform: translateX(-50%);
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 5px color-mix(in srgb, var(--sky) 35%, transparent));
 }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge .cs-sigil path,
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge .cs-sigil line {
-  animation: cs-redraw 5.5s ease-in-out infinite;
-  animation-delay: calc(var(--i, 0) * -0.34s);
+  animation: cs-redraw 6.5s linear infinite;
+  animation-delay: calc(var(--i, 0) * -0.13s);
 }
 
 /* ─── Generated sigils (cs-sigil markup from lib/cybersigil.ts) ──────────
@@ -223,19 +207,6 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   to { stroke-dashoffset: 0; }
 }
 
-/* Corner growths: swap the static mask box for the live SVG, keep the box's
- * size / placement / flicker opacity. Strokes carve in and wipe out forever
- * (same perpetual self-redraw as the background sigil). */
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--sig {
-  background: none;
-  -webkit-mask: none;
-  mask: none;
-}
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--sig .cs-sigil path,
-.cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--sig .cs-sigil line {
-  animation: cs-redraw 5.5s ease-in-out infinite;
-  animation-delay: calc(var(--i, 0) * -0.34s);
-}
 
 /* Selection — magenta block, bone glyph, cyan bleed. */
 .cybersigil ::selection {
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/partials/90-keyframes.css b/frontend/src/styles/partials/90-keyframes.css
index 99b2cb5..ca436ff 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/partials/90-keyframes.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/partials/90-keyframes.css
@@ -3,14 +3,6 @@
   0%, 49%  { opacity: 1; }
   50%, 100% { opacity: 0; }
 }
-@keyframes cs-flicker {
-  0%, 8%    { opacity: 0.26; }
-  9%        { opacity: 0.46; }
-  10%, 70%  { opacity: 0.26; }
-  71%       { opacity: 0.08; }
-  72%       { opacity: 0.34; }
-  73%, 100% { opacity: 0.26; }
-}
 @keyframes cs-tear {
   0%, 21%   { opacity: 0; top: 18%; }
   22%       { opacity: 0.85; top: 18%; transform: translateX(-7px); }
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/partials/99-reduced-motion.css b/frontend/src/styles/partials/99-reduced-motion.css
index 652fef4..9a3f196 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/partials/99-reduced-motion.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/partials/99-reduced-motion.css
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
   /* The looping sigils would otherwise collapse to their hidden end-state —
    * pin them fully drawn instead so they stay visible, just still. */
   .cybersigil .cs-fx-wire .cs-sigil path,
-  .cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--sig .cs-sigil path,
   .cybersigil .cs-fx-edge .cs-sigil path {
     animation: none !important;
     stroke-dashoffset: 0 !important;
diff --git a/node_modules/.vite/vitest/da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709/results.json b/node_modules/.vite/vitest/da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709/results.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fe31d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node_modules/.vite/vitest/da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709/results.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"version":"4.1.6","results":[[":frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.test.ts",{"duration":66.06918499999995,"failed":false}]]}
\ No newline at end of file