Phase 1a.1: promote the Rescue Room tokens site-wide (zero visual delta)

.okf/architecture/css-pipeline.md

@@ -28,6 +28,34 @@ gzip first-visit per page). Any size/perf claim must be validated on
 **compiled + gzip per-page payload**, never raw source line counts —
 see [css-maintainability-plan](/workflows/css-maintainability-plan.md).
 
+# Token layer: `foundations/css-variables.css`
+
+The one file every page can rely on. It loads **inline site-wide** via the
+`navigation` bundle, so a token defined here resolves in all 19 bundles —
+which is precisely why promoting a colour into it is the unlock for any
+site-wide recolour, and why a page-scoped `:root` block reaches only that
+page's bundles.
+
+Since 2608 Phase 1a.1 (2026-08-20) it holds the **light Rescue Room palette**
+(ADR-0003): `--ink-900/700/500/300`, `--line`, `--surface{,-raised,-sunken,-ink}`,
+`--ruby-{700,100,050}`, alongside the pre-existing `--color-ruby` and the
+`--color-obsidian*` dark family (one dark band per page; cover art; the
+vibe-code-rescue campaign page).
+
+**The zero-delta promotion pattern.** Moving tokens into this file is done in
+its own commit, with the old names kept as aliases (`--rr-x: var(--x)`) and
+identical values, so nothing renders differently and no baseline moves. That
+turns the *next* commit — deleting a token and repointing its consumers — into
+a value change rather than a rename, so its diff is about colour roles only.
+Verified in 1a.1 by computed-value checks in the browser plus 53 screenshots
+compared with zero churn.
+
+**Deprecation in progress:** `--color-primary` (`#1a8cff`) is named "primary"
+but appears in no brand definition; it and the late-cascade `#0066d6` anchor
+rule are deleted in Phase 1a.2/1a.3. Until then, three page files carry scoped
+`!important` workarounds against that rule — retiring all of them is the
+phase's success signal.
+
 # Legacy liability: FL-Builder export CSS
 
 A large portion of shipped CSS (~75K lines at audit time) is

.okf/architecture/index.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Architecture
 
 * [Hugo Site](hugo-site.md) - Hugo static site setup, theme, build/test commands
-* [CSS Build Pipeline](css-pipeline.md) - PostCSS + per-bundle PurgeCSS, FL-Builder legacy CSS
+* [CSS Build Pipeline](css-pipeline.md) - PostCSS + per-bundle PurgeCSS, the site-wide token layer and its zero-delta promotion pattern, FL-Builder legacy CSS
 * [Blog Index / Listing Page](blog-list-page.md) - index AND tag-page templates, the shared row/filter/CTA partials, blog-list CSS bundle, and the term-kind / date-fallback traps
 * [Blog Cover Image Pipeline](cover-image-pipeline.md) - JetVelocity cover generation, og:image vs thumbnail rendering, and the responsive mobileWidth/mobileSizes params list covers need
 * [Enhanced SEO Meta Tags](seo-meta-tags.md) - per-section title/description generation partial

.okf/log.md

@@ -2357,3 +2357,20 @@ Phase 1a written up (20.02) with the surface measured rather than estimated:
 !important workarounds across four files that exist ONLY until that anchor rule
 dies. Success signal for the phase is exactly that - if all 55 can't go, the
 replacement isn't right yet.
+
+## 2026-08-20 - Token layer documented; Phase 1a.1 promoted the light palette
+
+The css-pipeline concept had no token layer at all - a real gap, since
+`foundations/css-variables.css` is the one file loaded inline in every bundle
+and is therefore the only place a site-wide colour change can start. Phase
+1a.1 made that concrete by promoting the light Rescue Room palette there
+(ADR-0003 resolved LIGHT), so the concept now documents the file, its
+contents, and the pattern worth reusing:
+
+**Zero-delta promotion.** Move tokens in their own commit, keep the old names
+as aliases with identical values, verify nothing renders differently - then
+the NEXT commit, which deletes a token and repoints consumers, is a value
+change rather than a rename, and its diff is about colour roles only. 1a.1
+verified this rather than assuming it: computed values checked in the browser,
+53 screenshots compared, zero baseline churn, course suite green (it shares
+single-post.css, so the dedup had to leave it untouched).

themes/beaver/assets/css/foundations/css-variables.css

@@ -48,4 +48,49 @@
   --color-ruby-hover: #e04a42;
   --color-on-dark: #dfe2eb;
   --color-label-dark: #8f97a8;
+
+  /* ==================================================================
+     Rescue Room light palette — promoted here 2026-08-20 (2608 Phase 1a.1)
+     from the three blog page files that scoped them under an `rr-` prefix
+     (single-post.css, pages/blog-single.css, pages/blog-list.css).
+     Palette resolved LIGHT in ADR-0003; this file loads inline site-wide
+     via the `navigation` bundle, so defining them here is what makes them
+     available to the other 17 bundles in 1a.2-1a.4.
+
+     ZERO-DELTA BY CONSTRUCTION: the values are identical to the `rr-`
+     definitions being replaced, and the `rr-` names are kept below as
+     aliases, so every existing consumer resolves to exactly the same
+     colour. Nothing should move in a screenshot. That is the point —
+     it turns the 1a.2 deletion into a value change rather than a rename.
+     ================================================================== */
+
+  /* Ink: warm neutral ramp. Replaces the cool --color-dark #121212 /
+     --color-muted #969798 pair as those consumers migrate in 1a.2. */
+  --ink-900: #14110f;   /* headings, primary text */
+  --ink-700: #3d3733;   /* body */
+  --ink-500: #6b625c;   /* secondary, captions, meta */
+  --ink-300: #a49b94;   /* disabled, placeholder */
+  --line:    #e7e1d9;   /* hairlines — the only border colour */
+
+  /* Light surfaces. The dark counterpart is the existing
+     --color-obsidian* family; one dark band per page (ADR-0003). */
+  --surface:         #ffffff;
+  --surface-raised:  #faf7f3;   /* warm, not the cool #f5f6f7 it replaces */
+  --surface-sunken:  #f2ece4;
+  --surface-ink:     #14110f;   /* the single dark band */
+
+  /* Ruby tints. --color-ruby #cc342d (5.1:1 on white, AA both
+     directions) and --color-ruby-hover already exist above. */
+  --ruby-700: #9e2620;  /* pressed / text-on-light where AA needs more */
+  --ruby-100: #fbeae8;  /* tint background */
+  --ruby-050: #fdf5f4;  /* hero blush (course page, campaign heroes) */
+
+  /* Aliases: the blog shipped against these names. Kept so 1a.1 renders
+     identically; DELETE in 1a.4 once the three page files consume the
+     canonical names. */
+  --rr-ink-900: var(--ink-900);
+  --rr-ink-700: var(--ink-700);
+  --rr-ink-500: var(--ink-500);
+  --rr-line: var(--line);
+  --rr-surface-raised: var(--surface-raised);
 }

themes/beaver/assets/css/single-post.css

@@ -418,17 +418,14 @@
 /* ==================================================================
    Rescue Room shared pieces (moved from pages/blog-list.css 2026-08-20).
    single-post.css is a member of the blog-list, blog-single and
-   course-single bundles, so these serve all three surfaces from one
-   definition site. Tokens: SCOPED on purpose (blog-first, 20.01 plan) -
-   promote to foundations/css-variables.css in Phase 1a, then delete.
+   course-single bundles, so these serve all three surfaces.
+
+   The token :root block that lived here was PROMOTED to
+   foundations/css-variables.css in Phase 1a.1 (2026-08-20) - that file
+   loads inline site-wide, so the other 17 bundles can now resolve them
+   too. The `rr-` names survive there as aliases; the consumers below
+   move to the canonical names in 1a.4.
    ================================================================== */
-:root {
-  --rr-ink-900: #14110f;
-  --rr-ink-700: #3d3733;
-  --rr-ink-500: #6b625c;
-  --rr-line: #e7e1d9;
-  --rr-surface-raised: #faf7f3;
-}
 
 /* Audit CTA band - blog index (before pagination) and post pages
    (after tags). Rendered by partials/blog/cta-band.html. */