diff --git a/.github/forge-posts/v1.4.0.md b/.github/forge-posts/v1.4.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e91459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/forge-posts/v1.4.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+---
+subtitle: Critical Lifecycle Fixes
+versionsnatur: Stability-Hotfix
+---
+
+**Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**
+
+Erster Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Sieben
+bekannte Lifecycle- und Race-Bugs aus den Audit-Pässen
+abgearbeitet, bevor Performance- und Architektur-Refactors
+draufkommen.
+
+- **SQLite-Dispose** lehnt sich nicht mehr an GC-Druck zur
+  Datei-Freigabe an, Pooling=false auf der Connection macht
+  den manuellen GC.Collect überflüssig
+- **Worker-Threads** (PendingMessage, RetentionSweep) sind
+  jetzt explizit IsBackground=true, das Plugin-Domain kann
+  sauber unloaden bei XIVLauncher-Reload ohne darauf zu warten
+- **EmoteCache-Loader** von async-void auf async-Task mit
+  shared Task-Tracker, drain-on-Dispose. Kein Schreib-Risiko
+  mehr auf disposed EmoteImages-Einträge nach Plugin-Reload
+- **DisposeAsync-Timeout** (10s) warnt jetzt laut statt silent
+  zu failen
+- **Plugin-Dispose** flushed pending DeferredSave bevor Services
+  abgebaut werden, Settings-Änderungen aus den letzten Frames
+  vor Disable überleben jetzt zuverlässig
+- **v13→v14 Config-Migration** liest pre-v13-Backup und überträgt
+  HellionThemeWindowOpacity in das neue WindowOpacity-Feld statt
+  auf 0.85 zurückzufallen
+
+Keine Schema-Bumps, keine User-sichtbaren Funktions-Änderungen
+außer dass Reload und Shutdown spürbar sauberer laufen.
diff --git a/HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs b/HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs
index 97d5dc8..eff10ad 100644
--- a/HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using System.Numerics;
+using System.Collections.Concurrent;
+using System.Numerics;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 using Dalamud.Interface.Textures;
@@ -73,6 +74,19 @@ public static class EmoteCache
     private static CancellationTokenSource Cts = new();
     internal static CancellationToken Token => Cts.Token;
 
+    // Drain target for in-flight loads on Dispose; without this an orphan
+    // continuation could still write to a torn-down Texture/Frames field.
+    private static readonly ConcurrentBag<Task> PendingLoads = new();
+
+    internal static void TrackLoad(Task loadTask, string emoteCode)
+    {
+        PendingLoads.Add(loadTask.ContinueWith(t =>
+        {
+            if (t.IsFaulted)
+                Plugin.Log.Error(t.Exception!, $"EmoteCache load failed for {emoteCode}");
+        }, TaskScheduler.Default));
+    }
+
     public static async Task LoadData()
     {
         if (State is not LoadingState.Unloaded)
@@ -135,10 +149,20 @@ public static class EmoteCache
 
     public static void Dispose()
     {
-        // Cancel in-flight downloads / texture creates so the async-void
-        // Load methods bail out before they touch a disposed TextureProvider.
         Cts.Cancel();
 
+        // 5s upper bound; anything still running gets abandoned.
+        try
+        {
+            Task.WaitAll(PendingLoads.ToArray(), TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        }
+        catch (AggregateException)
+        {
+            // Faults already logged in TrackLoad.
+        }
+
+        while (PendingLoads.TryTake(out _)) { }
+
         foreach (var emote in EmoteImages.Values)
             emote.InnerDispose();
     }
@@ -233,11 +257,12 @@ public static class EmoteCache
         public ImGuiEmote Prepare(Emote emote)
         {
             var ct = EmoteCache.Token;
-            Task.Run(() => Load(emote, ct), ct);
+            // Task.Run keeps the sync prefix off the ImGui render thread.
+            EmoteCache.TrackLoad(Task.Run(() => LoadAsyncTracked(emote, ct), ct), emote.Code);
             return this;
         }
 
-        private async void Load(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
+        private async Task LoadAsyncTracked(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
         {
             try
             {
@@ -251,8 +276,6 @@ public static class EmoteCache
             }
             catch (OperationCanceledException)
             {
-                // Plugin disposed mid-load; the EmoteImages entry is also
-                // being torn down, no extra cleanup needed.
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
@@ -310,11 +333,11 @@ public static class EmoteCache
         public ImGuiGif Prepare(Emote emote)
         {
             var ct = EmoteCache.Token;
-            Task.Run(() => Load(emote, ct), ct);
+            EmoteCache.TrackLoad(Task.Run(() => LoadAsyncTracked(emote, ct), ct), emote.Code);
             return this;
         }
 
-        private async void Load(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
+        private async Task LoadAsyncTracked(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
         {
             try
             {
diff --git a/HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj b/HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj
index 1190e83..98f58fa 100644
--- a/HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj
+++ b/HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
              0.1.0 is our bootstrap release; the underlying Chat 2 base is
              called out in the yaml changelog so users can see what it
              derives from. -->
-        <Version>1.3.0</Version>
+        <Version>1.4.0</Version>
         <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
         <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
         <!-- Honor packages.lock.json on restore so floating version ranges
diff --git a/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml b/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml
index c2ac11f..edf3939 100755
--- a/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml
+++ b/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ description: |-
   are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect
   and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.
 
+  v1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes. Plugin reload and shutdown
+  are cleaner: SQLite no longer leans on GC pressure to release
+  its file, worker threads are explicitly background, deferred
+  config saves no longer get lost mid-disable, and pre-v13 config
+  backups carry the user's custom theme opacity into the v14 schema
+  instead of falling back to the default.
+
   Based on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.
 
   Modding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at
@@ -64,6 +71,38 @@ tags:
   - Replacement
   - Privacy
 changelog: |-
+  **Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**
+
+  First sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven
+  known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any
+  performance refactor sits on top.
+
+  - MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect
+    globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means
+    there's nothing left to clean up by hand
+  - PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are
+    explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain
+    can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting
+    for them
+  - EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void
+    to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining
+    on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write
+    to a disposed EmoteImages entry
+  - DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of
+    silently leaving the worker behind
+  - Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames
+    before tearing services down, so settings changes
+    made in the last few frames before disable are no
+    longer lost
+  - The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13
+    backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the
+    new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to
+    the default 0.85
+
+  Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
   **Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**
 
   First step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now
diff --git a/HellionChat/MessageManager.cs b/HellionChat/MessageManager.cs
index c655b0a..adcc0b1 100644
--- a/HellionChat/MessageManager.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/MessageManager.cs
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
 
         Store = new MessageStore(DatabasePath());
 
-        PendingMessageThread = new Thread(() => ProcessPendingMessages(PendingThreadCancellationToken.Token));
+        // IsBackground so a stuck worker never blocks plugin unload.
+        // Cooperative cancel via PendingThreadCancellationToken first, background flag is the safety net.
+        PendingMessageThread = new Thread(() => ProcessPendingMessages(PendingThreadCancellationToken.Token))
+        {
+            IsBackground = true,
+        };
         PendingMessageThread.Start();
 
         ContentIdResolverHook = Plugin.GameInteropProvider.HookFromAddress<RaptureLogModule.Delegates.AddMsgSourceEntry>(RaptureLogModule.MemberFunctionPointers.AddMsgSourceEntry, ContentIdResolver);
@@ -85,19 +90,22 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
         Plugin.ChatGui.ChatMessageUnhandled -= ChatMessage;
 
         await PendingThreadCancellationToken.CancelAsync();
-        var timeout = 10_000; // 10s
-        while (timeout > 0)
-        {
-            if (!PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
-                break;
 
-            timeout -= 100;
+        // 10s cooperative window; Thread.Abort is gone since .NET 5, so a
+        // stuck worker has to ride out the next AppDomain unload.
+        var deadline = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10);
+        var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
+        while (stopwatch.Elapsed < deadline && PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
             await Task.Delay(100);
-            Plugin.Log.Debug("Sleeping because PendingMessageThread thread still alive");
-        }
 
-        // CancellationTokenSource owns an unmanaged WaitHandle; dispose after the
-        // worker thread has drained, otherwise it leaks across plugin reloads.
+        if (PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
+            Plugin.Log.Warning(
+                "PendingMessageThread did not observe cancellation within 10s. " +
+                "Worker remains on a background thread; next plugin reload releases it. " +
+                "If this recurs, file a bug with /xllog after the previous reload.");
+
+        // CTS owns an unmanaged WaitHandle; dispose even if the worker is
+        // alive — it checks IsCancellationRequested via the linked token.
         PendingThreadCancellationToken.Dispose();
 
         Store.Dispose();
diff --git a/HellionChat/MessageStore.cs b/HellionChat/MessageStore.cs
index a257f3a..7ae1fc1 100644
--- a/HellionChat/MessageStore.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/MessageStore.cs
@@ -131,11 +131,12 @@ internal class MessageStore : IDisposable
 
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        // Pooling=false (set in Connect) avoids ClearAllPools, which is
+        // provider-wide and would touch other plugins' SQLite connections.
+        // GC.Collect was here as a defensive flush; removed because explicit
+        // Close already releases everything we hold.
         Connection.Close();
         Connection.Dispose();
-        // Closing the connection doesn't immediately release the file.
-        GC.Collect();
-        GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
     }
 
     private SqliteConnection Connect()
diff --git a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
index 9744593..b4bd86f 100755
--- a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
@@ -245,11 +245,24 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             // HellionThemeEnabled-Flag wird deprecated und nur noch ein Release
             // als Safety-Net im JSON behalten. Window-Opacity wandert von
             // HellionThemeWindowOpacity in das neue WindowOpacity-Feld.
+            //
+            // v1.4.0 (F5.4): Pre-v13-Backup wird gelesen, HellionThemeWindowOpacity
+            // ins neue Feld gezogen. Override nur wenn WindowOpacity noch beim
+            // Default sitzt — sonst hat der User in der Zwischenzeit (z.B. via
+            // WindowAlpha → WindowOpacity in v15→v16) explizit etwas gesetzt.
             if (Config.Version < 14)
             {
                 Config.Theme = "hellion-arctic";
-                // v1.2.0: alter Opacity-Wert wird nicht mehr migriert (Field entfernt).
-                // User die direkt v13 → v15 springen bekommen den Default 0.85.
+
+                var oldThemeOpacity = TryReadPreV13ThemeOpacity();
+                if (oldThemeOpacity is { } legacy
+                    && Math.Abs(Config.WindowOpacity - 0.85f) < 0.001f)
+                {
+                    Config.WindowOpacity = Math.Clamp(legacy, 0.5f, 1.0f);
+                    Log.Information(
+                        $"Migrated pre-v13 HellionThemeWindowOpacity {legacy} to WindowOpacity {Config.WindowOpacity}");
+                }
+
                 Config.ReduceMotion = false;
                 Config.UseCompactDensity = false;
                 Config.Version = 14;
@@ -536,6 +549,14 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
         Framework.Update -= FrameworkUpdate;
         GameFunctions.GameFunctions.SetChatInteractable(true);
 
+        // FrameworkUpdate would have fired the pending save in N frames,
+        // but we just unsubscribed it. -1 is the idle sentinel.
+        if (DeferredSaveFrames >= 0)
+        {
+            SaveConfig();
+            DeferredSaveFrames = -1;
+        }
+
         HonorificService?.Dispose();
 
         WindowSystem?.RemoveAllWindows();
@@ -560,6 +581,40 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
         EmoteCache.Dispose();
     }
 
+    // Reads HellionThemeWindowOpacity from the pre-v13 backup the v12→v13
+    // block writes alongside the live config. Null when absent, unreadable,
+    // or schema-incompatible — all valid steady states (fresh install,
+    // backup pruned, pre-v12 config). Errors log at Warning so a corrupted
+    // backup stays visible in /xllog without breaking the migration.
+    private static float? TryReadPreV13ThemeOpacity()
+    {
+        var pluginConfigsDir = Interface.ConfigDirectory.Parent?.FullName;
+        if (pluginConfigsDir is null)
+            return null;
+
+        var backupPath = Path.Combine(pluginConfigsDir, $"{Interface.InternalName}.json.pre-v13-backup");
+        if (!File.Exists(backupPath))
+            return null;
+
+        try
+        {
+            using var stream = File.OpenRead(backupPath);
+            using var doc = System.Text.Json.JsonDocument.Parse(stream);
+            if (doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("HellionThemeWindowOpacity", out var prop)
+                && prop.ValueKind == System.Text.Json.JsonValueKind.Number
+                && prop.TryGetSingle(out var value))
+            {
+                return value;
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Log.Warning(ex, "HellionChat: pre-v13 backup lookup failed, defaulting WindowOpacity");
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+
     private static void MigrateFromChatTwoLayout()
     {
         var pluginConfigsDir = Interface.ConfigDirectory.Parent?.FullName;
@@ -691,6 +746,11 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             policy[(int)(ushort)type] = days;
         var defaultDays = Config.RetentionDefaultDays;
 
+        // IsBackground = true for the same reason as PendingMessageThread:
+        // a stuck sweep must never block plugin unload. RunRetentionSweepIfDue
+        // guards the run-frequency, and the sweep itself uses the framework's
+        // cooperative cancellation pattern. The background flag is the safety
+        // net if the sweep ever takes longer than expected.
         new Thread(() =>
         {
             // Bail out cheaply if a manual sweep is already in flight; the
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8e92a6d..fa3b069 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   <img src="docs/images/hellion-forge.png" alt="Hellion Forge" width="180" />
 </p>
 
-**Version 1.3.0** — Privacy-First-Chat-Plugin für FINAL FANTASY XIV / Dalamud, basierend auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) (EUPL-1.2).
+**Version 1.4.0** — Privacy-First-Chat-Plugin für FINAL FANTASY XIV / Dalamud, basierend auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) (EUPL-1.2).
 
 Hellion Chat ist ein Privacy-First-Plugin auf dem Chat-2-Fundament. Der größte Teil der Engine kommt aus Chat 2 (Message-Store, Channel-Logik, Hook-System), die meisten Tastenkürzel funktionieren weiterhin wie gewohnt. Was sich ändert: schärfere Privacy-Defaults von Haus aus, eigene Slash-Commands unter `/hellionchat`, kein Webinterface mehr, und mit v1.1.0 eine Theme-Engine als Schritt in Richtung eigenes UI-Look-and-Feel.
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ Eine optionale Submission ans Dalamud-Main-Plugin-Repo (zusätzlich zum eigenen
 
 ## Projektstatus
 
-**Version 1.3.0** — Erster Plugin-Integrations-Cycle live (Honorific Custom-Titles im Chat-Header), Theme-Katalog auf neun Built-ins, Settings thematisch re-sortiert, Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen (Stand: 2026-05-06).
+**Version 1.4.0** — Critical Lifecycle Fixes: sieben Race- und Lifecycle-Bugs aus Audit-Pass-3 und Pass-4 abgearbeitet (GC.Collect aus SQLite-Dispose raus, Worker-Threads explizit IsBackground, EmoteCache async-void → async Task, DeferredSave-Race geschlossen, Pre-v13-Backup-Lookup für WindowOpacity-Migration). Erster Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie (Stand: 2026-05-07).
 
 Hellion Chat ist ein eigenständiges Plugin, kein Fork mehr im Repository-Sinne. Vollständig abgeschlossen:
 
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index f9802cb..a8ae940 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,40 @@ und verlinkt für Details auf die Release-Pages.
 
 ---
 
+## Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes
+
+First sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven
+known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any
+performance refactor sits on top.
+
+- MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect
+  globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means
+  there's nothing left to clean up by hand
+- PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are
+  explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain
+  can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting
+  for them
+- EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void
+  to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining
+  on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write
+  to a disposed EmoteImages entry
+- DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of
+  silently leaving the worker behind
+- Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames
+  before tearing services down, so settings changes
+  made in the last few frames before disable are no
+  longer lost
+- The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13
+  backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the
+  new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to
+  the default 0.85
+
+Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+---
+
 ## Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific
 
 First step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now
diff --git a/docs/ROADMAP.md b/docs/ROADMAP.md
index 826c4be..de76157 100644
--- a/docs/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/docs/ROADMAP.md
@@ -12,15 +12,24 @@ Privacy-First-Schnittmenge des Plugins erweisen.
 
 ---
 
-## Nächster Cycle (v1.4.0)
+## Nächster Cycle (v1.4.1)
 
-**Polish & Motion** - Theme-Crossfade, Header-Quick-Picker,
-Lerp-Animationen, ggf. Theme-Family-Picker (Carls Grün-Familie
-mit Forest/Moss/Mint-Helligkeitsstufen).
+**Theme Engine Performance** — HellionStyle Heap-Pressure
+eliminieren (StackHandle-Cache, ABGR-Cache auf Theme-Object,
+spart 47 Heap-Allocs pro Frame), ThemeRegistry File-Lock-
+Härtung beim Custom-Theme-Load.
 
-Spec wird im Brainstorming-Cycle vor Beginn der Phase ausgearbeitet.
+## v1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes (released <Datum>)
 
-## v1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific (geplant <Datum>)
+Erster Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Sieben P0-
+Findings aus Audit-Pass-3 und Pass-4 abgearbeitet:
+async-void-Loads, fehlende IsBackground-Flags, GC.Collect
+in Dispose, DeferredSave-Race und Pre-v13-Backup-Lookup für
+WindowOpacity. Keine Schema-Bumps, keine Funktions-
+Änderungen für den User außer dass Reload und Shutdown
+spürbar sauberer laufen.
+
+## v1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific (released 2026-05-07)
 
 Erster Cycle der Plugin-Integrations-Roadmap. Honorific-Custom-
 Titles werden im Chat-Header angezeigt, mit Auto-Detect und
diff --git a/repo.json b/repo.json
index 5e8a3c5..73bd6e4 100644
--- a/repo.json
+++ b/repo.json
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
     "Author": "JonKazama-Hellion",
     "Name": "Hellion Chat",
     "InternalName": "HellionChat",
-    "AssemblyVersion": "1.3.0.0",
-    "Description": "Hellion Chat is a privacy-focused chat replacement for FINAL FANTASY XIV based on the Chat 2 codebase (EUPL-1.2). One feature is intentionally removed (the optional webinterface) and a stack of privacy controls is added on top. Tabs, channel filters, RGB colours, emotes, screenshot mode, IPC integration and the chat replacement window itself work the same. The webinterface is intentionally not part of Hellion Chat because it serves a different use case from the smaller default footprint this plugin is built around.\n\nOn top of that, Hellion Chat adds privacy and data-handling controls designed to align with the modern data protection rules that apply across the EU, the United States and Japan. By default only your own conversations are stored; messages from strangers, NPCs and system spam stay out of the database. Retention windows are configurable per channel, history can be wiped retroactively, and stored data can be exported on demand.\n\nKey privacy and data-handling features:\n\n- Channel whitelist with a Privacy-First default\n- Per-channel retention with a daily background sweep\n- Retroactive cleanup with a Ctrl+Shift confirm\n- Export to Markdown, JSON or CSV\n- First-run wizard with three preset profiles (Privacy-First, Casual, Full History)\n- Bilingual UI (English and German) with live language switching\n- Independent plugin state — own config file and database directory, so Hellion Chat does not share state with upstream Chat 2\n\nv1.1.0 — Theme engine with five built-in themes (Hellion Arctic, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove) plus JSON-based custom-theme authoring. Settings rebuilt around a card grid with section detail views. See docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md.\n\nv1.2.3 — Theme catalogue grown to nine built-in themes: Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum (CVD-safe Deuteran/Protan), Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove, Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman.\n\nv1.3.0 First plugin integration cycle. Honorific custom titles are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.\n\nBased on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.\n\nModding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR — community for Hellion Chat and other Hellion Online Media plugins/tools.",
+    "AssemblyVersion": "1.4.0.0",
+    "Description": "Hellion Chat is a privacy-focused chat replacement for FINAL FANTASY XIV based on the Chat 2 codebase (EUPL-1.2). One feature is intentionally removed (the optional webinterface) and a stack of privacy controls is added on top. Tabs, channel filters, RGB colours, emotes, screenshot mode, IPC integration and the chat replacement window itself work the same. The webinterface is intentionally not part of Hellion Chat because it serves a different use case from the smaller default footprint this plugin is built around.\n\nOn top of that, Hellion Chat adds privacy and data-handling controls designed to align with the modern data protection rules that apply across the EU, the United States and Japan. By default only your own conversations are stored; messages from strangers, NPCs and system spam stay out of the database. Retention windows are configurable per channel, history can be wiped retroactively, and stored data can be exported on demand.\n\nKey privacy and data-handling features:\n\n- Channel whitelist with a Privacy-First default\n- Per-channel retention with a daily background sweep\n- Retroactive cleanup with a Ctrl+Shift confirm\n- Export to Markdown, JSON or CSV\n- First-run wizard with three preset profiles (Privacy-First, Casual, Full History)\n- Bilingual UI (English and German) with live language switching\n- Independent plugin state — own config file and database directory, so Hellion Chat does not share state with upstream Chat 2\n\nv1.1.0 — Theme engine with five built-in themes (Hellion Arctic, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove) plus JSON-based custom-theme authoring. Settings rebuilt around a card grid with section detail views. See docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md.\n\nv1.2.3 — Theme catalogue grown to nine built-in themes: Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum (CVD-safe Deuteran/Protan), Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove, Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman.\n\nv1.3.0 First plugin integration cycle. Honorific custom titles are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.\n\nv1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes. Plugin reload and shutdown are cleaner: SQLite no longer leans on GC pressure to release its file, worker threads are explicitly background, deferred config saves no longer get lost mid-disable, and pre-v13 config backups carry the user's custom theme opacity into the v14 schema instead of falling back to the default.\n\nBased on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.\n\nModding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR — community for Hellion Chat and other Hellion Online Media plugins/tools.",
     "ApplicableVersion": "any",
     "RepoUrl": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat",
     "Tags": [
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
     "CanUnloadAsync": false,
     "LoadPriority": 0,
     "Punchline": "Chat replacement with privacy controls aligned to EU, US and JP rules — based on Chat 2 (EUPL-1.2)",
-    "Changelog": "**Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**\n\nFirst step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now listens to Honorific and shows your custom title in the chat header. The slot auto-hides when Honorific is not installed, when no custom title is active, or when you are using the original FFXIV title.\n\n- New \"Integrations\" settings tab\n- Honorific integration with auto-detection and live updates\n- \"Coming soon\" preview of the next five planned integrations: context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block, ExtraChat channels, and quick DM compose\n- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi\n- New service-class pattern under HellionChat/Integrations/\n\nModding and support: join Hellion Forge - https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.2.3 — Theme Expansion**\n\nFour new built-in themes round out the picker. No engine changes, no settings touched — just more colour options.\n\n- **Night Blue** — Royal Blue on deep marine. Cool tech-dashboard mood, distinct from the brand themes.\n- **Indigo Violet** — Royal Violet on deep indigo with a turquoise-mint counter for an aurora glitter feel. Sister to Event Horizon but darker and denser; the turquoise accent keeps the two distinguishable.\n- **Forge Merchantman** — Patina bronze on workshop slate, warm amber counter. Hellion Forge given a theme of its own — sister to Hellion Arctic but greener and warmer instead of cold cyan.\n- **Hellion Spectrum** — Deuteran/Protan-safe channel colours using Wong/Okabe-Ito palette tones. Channel identity (Tell pink, Yell yellow, Shout orange, Party blue, FC green) is preserved; tones are chosen so each channel stays distinguishable under red-green colour vision deficiency. Covers the ~99% of CVD cases that are red-green.\n\nNo schema bump, no migration. Default theme is unchanged (Hellion Arctic). Existing custom themes keep working.\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n---\n\nEarlier history: https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases",
+    "Changelog": "**Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**\n\nFirst sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any performance refactor sits on top.\n\n- MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means there's nothing left to clean up by hand\n- PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting for them\n- EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write to a disposed EmoteImages entry\n- DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of silently leaving the worker behind\n- Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames before tearing services down, so settings changes made in the last few frames before disable are no longer lost\n- The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13 backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to the default 0.85\n\nModding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**\n\nFirst step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now listens to Honorific and shows your custom title in the chat header. The slot auto-hides when Honorific is not installed, when no custom title is active, or when you are using the original FFXIV title.\n\n- New \"Integrations\" settings tab\n- Honorific integration with auto-detection and live updates\n- \"Coming soon\" preview of the next five planned integrations: context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block, ExtraChat channels, and quick DM compose\n- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi\n- New service-class pattern under HellionChat/Integrations/\n\nModding and support: join Hellion Forge - https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.2.3 — Theme Expansion**\n\nFour new built-in themes round out the picker. No engine changes, no settings touched — just more colour options.\n\n- **Night Blue** — Royal Blue on deep marine. Cool tech-dashboard mood, distinct from the brand themes.\n- **Indigo Violet** — Royal Violet on deep indigo with a turquoise-mint counter for an aurora glitter feel. Sister to Event Horizon but darker and denser; the turquoise accent keeps the two distinguishable.\n- **Forge Merchantman** — Patina bronze on workshop slate, warm amber counter. Hellion Forge given a theme of its own — sister to Hellion Arctic but greener and warmer instead of cold cyan.\n- **Hellion Spectrum** — Deuteran/Protan-safe channel colours using Wong/Okabe-Ito palette tones. Channel identity (Tell pink, Yell yellow, Shout orange, Party blue, FC green) is preserved; tones are chosen so each channel stays distinguishable under red-green colour vision deficiency. Covers the ~99% of CVD cases that are red-green.\n\nNo schema bump, no migration. Default theme is unchanged (Hellion Arctic). Existing custom themes keep working.\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n---\n\nEarlier history: https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases",
     "AcceptsFeedback": true,
-    "DownloadLinkInstall": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
-    "DownloadLinkUpdate": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
-    "DownloadLinkTesting": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
-    "TestingAssemblyVersion": "1.3.0.0",
+    "DownloadLinkInstall": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.0/latest.zip",
+    "DownloadLinkUpdate": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.0/latest.zip",
+    "DownloadLinkTesting": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.0/latest.zip",
+    "TestingAssemblyVersion": "1.4.0.0",
     "IconUrl": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/icon.png",
     "ImageUrls": [
       "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/chatWindow.png",