fix(release): shrink v1.2.0 changelog under Discord embed-description 4096 cap

Forge-Auto-Announce workflow failed twice on tag push because the
Discord webhook returned 400 — embed.description hit 5346 chars,
which exceeds Discord's hard 4096-per-field limit. The workflow's
own 5500-total cap (V6 check) didn't catch it because it was a
per-field overflow, not a total-payload overflow.

Both yaml changelog block and forge-post DE-body trimmed:
- yaml v1.2.0 EN-block: 3249 → 2104 chars
- forge-post DE-body: 2069 → 1543 chars
- description final: 3675 chars (with ~420 char headroom)
- total payload: 3740 / 5500

Plugin-Manager-facing changelog still covers all v1.2.0 highlights
plus the post-test bug fixes; just denser. Tag will be force-recreated
on this commit so workflow_dispatch picks up the trimmed files from
the v1.2.0 tag tree.

Backlog item: workflow should add a per-field cap check (4096 for
description, 1024 for field values) so future releases fail-fast
locally before hitting Discord.

.github/forge-posts/v1.2.0.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+subtitle: "Layout Refresh"
+versionsnatur: "Major-UI-Cycle"
+---
+- Sidebar im neuen Look: fix 44 px breit, nur Icons, Tab-Name als Tooltip beim Hover, vertikale Akzent-Pill markiert den aktiven Tab
+- Top-Tabs bekommen eine Akzent-Underline statt Background-Fill am aktiven Tab
+- Pro Tab eigenes Icon wählbar in Einstellungen → Tabs (FontAwesome-Pool)
+- Auto-Tell-Tabs sind jetzt visuell unterscheidbar: jeder Tell-Partner bekommt ein eigenes Icon (envelope/star/heart/bell/bookmark/flag/fire) plus eigene Farbe aus 12-Farb-Palette — 84 Kombinationen, gleicher Partner ergibt konsistent dieselbe
+- Pulsierender roter Dot oben rechts am Sidebar-Icon zeigt ungelesene Nachrichten an. Sanft, 2-Sekunden-Cycle, deaktivierbar über `Configuration.ReduceMotion` (UI-Toggle in v1.3.0)
+- Bottom-Status-Bar (22 px) mit fünf Live-Slots: aktiver Channel + Color-Dot, Privacy-Badge, Tab/Message-Counter, Auto-Tell-Counter, Plugin-Version. Update 1×/Sek
+- Card-Rows als Default-Message-Render: Sender-Header in Channel-Farbe, Body neue Zeile, dezenter Trenner. `Compact Density`-Toggle in Aussehen schaltet zurück auf den Einzeiler
+- Bug-Fix: Settings speichern löscht den Chat-Verlauf nicht mehr. Refilter läuft jetzt nur wenn Filter-relevante Settings geändert wurden — Cosmetic-Änderungen lassen den Chat unverändert. Persistente und Auto-Tell-Tabs überleben beide
+- Bug-Fix: Hellion-Schrift (Exo 2) blockt die Schriftgröße nicht mehr — 4K-User können hochskalieren
+- Migration v14 → v15: alte Theme-Felder entfernt, alle anderen Settings bleiben
+
+Animation-Polish (Lerps, Theme-Crossfade, Quick-Picker) folgt in v1.3.0.

.github/workflows/forge-announce.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+name: Forge Announce
+
+# Triggered when a vX.Y.Z tag is pushed. Reads .github/forge-posts/<tag>.md
+# (Frontmatter + DE bullet body) and the matching English block from
+# HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml, builds a Discord-Webhook embed and posts
+# it to the Hellion Forge #changelog channel.
+#
+# Decoupled from release.yml: a fail here does not block the GitHub
+# release, and a fail there does not block the announce. Spec lives in
+# the Vault under "Hellion Chat Forge-Auto-Announce Spec".
+#
+# Security: the only user-controlled inputs that enter run-steps are the
+# tag name and the frontmatter values from a repo-internal markdown file.
+# Tag name is read via env: (TAG_NAME, $env:TAG_NAME) and validated against
+# ^v\d+\.\d+\.\d+$ before any string interpolation. Frontmatter values are
+# parsed by regex with explicit length caps. No webhook event payload data
+# (issue titles, PR bodies, commit messages, etc.) flows into run-steps.
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - 'v*'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'Existing tag to (re)post, e.g. v1.1.0'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  announce:
+    name: Post changelog to Hellion Forge
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # The DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK secret lives under Settings → Environments
+    # → Webhook (case-sensitive). Without this declaration the secret is
+    # not in scope for the job.
+    environment: Webhook
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+
+    steps:
+      # On push:tags github.ref points at the tag commit; on workflow_dispatch
+      # the user supplies the tag explicitly. Always check out that tag so
+      # the yaml + forge-posts file are read from the tagged tree, not main.
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd  # v6.0.2
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref }}
+
+      # Build embed-payload as a JSON file on disk. PowerShell-Core (pwsh)
+      # ships pre-installed on ubuntu-latest so we get the same scripting
+      # patterns release.yml uses on windows-latest. Tag is read via env: to
+      # treat it as a string variable rather than inline shell text, and
+      # validated against the semver regex before any interpolation.
+      - name: Build embed payload
+        id: build
+        shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          TAG_NAME: ${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
+        run: |
+          $tag = $env:TAG_NAME
+          if ($tag -notmatch '^v\d+\.\d+\.\d+$') {
+              throw "V1: Refusing to announce non-semver tag: $tag"
+          }
+          $version = $tag.Substring(1)
+
+          # ---------- Forge-Post-Datei lesen ----------
+          $forgePath = ".github/forge-posts/$tag.md"
+          if (-not (Test-Path $forgePath)) {
+              throw "V2: Forge-Post-Datei für $tag fehlt unter .github/forge-posts/. Datei vor dem Tag anlegen, dann Tag re-pushen oder workflow_dispatch."
+          }
+          $forgeRaw = Get-Content -Path $forgePath -Raw
+
+          # Frontmatter (--- … ---) am Datei-Anfang
+          if ($forgeRaw -notmatch '(?s)\A---\s*\r?\n(.*?)\r?\n---\s*\r?\n(.*)\z') {
+              throw "V3: Frontmatter (---) fehlt oder ist defekt in $forgePath"
+          }
+          $fmText = $matches[1]
+          $deBody = $matches[2].Trim()
+
+          $subtitle = $null
+          $versionsnatur = $null
+          foreach ($line in ($fmText -split "`r?`n")) {
+              if ($line -match '^subtitle:\s*"?([^"]*)"?\s*$')      { $subtitle = $matches[1] }
+              if ($line -match '^versionsnatur:\s*"?([^"]*)"?\s*$') { $versionsnatur = $matches[1] }
+          }
+          if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($subtitle))      { throw "V3: Frontmatter-Feld 'subtitle' fehlt in $forgePath" }
+          if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($versionsnatur)) { throw "V3: Frontmatter-Feld 'versionsnatur' fehlt in $forgePath" }
+          if ($subtitle.Length      -gt 60) { throw "V4: Frontmatter-Feld 'subtitle' überschreitet Limit ($($subtitle.Length) Char, max 60)" }
+          if ($versionsnatur.Length -gt 40) { throw "V4: Frontmatter-Feld 'versionsnatur' überschreitet Limit ($($versionsnatur.Length) Char, max 40)" }
+          if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($deBody)) { throw "V3: DE-Body fehlt in $forgePath" }
+
+          # ---------- EN-Block aus HellionChat.yaml ziehen ----------
+          # 1:1 Pattern aus release.yml — gleicher Header-Marker, gleiches
+          # Trailer-Verhalten. Bei Drift die zwei Workflows synchron halten.
+          $yamlPath = "HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml"
+          $raw = Get-Content -Path $yamlPath -Raw
+          $marker = "changelog: |-"
+          $idx = $raw.IndexOf($marker)
+          if ($idx -lt 0) { throw "V5: changelog-Block nicht gefunden in $yamlPath" }
+          $afterMarker = $raw.Substring($idx + $marker.Length)
+          $changelogBody = (($afterMarker -split "`r?`n") | ForEach-Object {
+              if ($_ -match '^  ') { $_.Substring(2) } else { $_ }
+          }) -join "`n"
+
+          $header = "**Hellion Chat $version"
+          $start = $changelogBody.IndexOf($header)
+          if ($start -lt 0) {
+              throw "V5: No changelog entry for version $version found in $yamlPath. Update the changelog block before tagging."
+          }
+          $rest = $changelogBody.Substring($start)
+          $nextHdr = $rest.IndexOf("`n`n**Hellion Chat ", 1)
+          $trailer = $rest.IndexOf("`n`n---")
+          if ($nextHdr -ge 0 -and ($trailer -lt 0 -or $nextHdr -lt $trailer)) {
+              $enBlock = $rest.Substring(0, $nextHdr).TrimEnd()
+          } elseif ($trailer -ge 0) {
+              $enBlock = $rest.Substring(0, $trailer).TrimEnd()
+          } else {
+              $enBlock = $rest.TrimEnd()
+          }
+
+          # ---------- Char-Cap-Check (5500 Total auf title + description + footer) ----------
+          $title = "Hellion Chat $version — $subtitle"
+          $description = "**Deutsch**`n`n$deBody`n`n**English**`n`n$enBlock"
+          $footerText = "Hellion Forge · $versionsnatur"
+          $totalChars = $title.Length + $description.Length + $footerText.Length
+          if ($totalChars -gt 5500) {
+              throw "V6: Total char count $totalChars exceeds 5500 limit. Major-Release detected — please post manually via Bot/Multi-Embed (see forge style §8). Forge-Auto-Announce stays off for this tag."
+          }
+          Write-Host "Char-Cap OK: $totalChars / 5500"
+
+          # ---------- Embed-Payload bauen ----------
+          $payload = [ordered]@{
+              username = "Forge Herald"
+              avatar_url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/icon.png"
+              content = "<@&1500489631555260446>"
+              allowed_mentions = [ordered]@{
+                  parse = @()
+                  roles = @("1500489631555260446")
+              }
+              embeds = @(
+                  [ordered]@{
+                      title = $title
+                      url = "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/tag/$tag"
+                      color = 12730636
+                      description = $description
+                      footer = [ordered]@{ text = $footerText }
+                      timestamp = (Get-Date).ToUniversalTime().ToString("yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ss.fffZ")
+                  }
+              )
+          }
+
+          $payloadJson = $payload | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 8 -Compress
+          # Ausgabe-Datei ohne trailing newline für sauberes curl --data-binary @-
+          [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText("$PWD/embed-payload.json", $payloadJson, [System.Text.UTF8Encoding]::new($false))
+
+          Write-Host "Payload size: $($payloadJson.Length) chars"
+          Write-Host "Embed title:  $title"
+          Write-Host "Embed footer: $footerText"
+
+      # POST to the Hellion Forge changelog webhook. curl from PowerShell-Core
+      # so we can pipe the payload via stdin (--data-binary @-) and keep
+      # secrets out of process arg lists. One retry on 5xx, hard fail on 4xx.
+      - name: POST to Hellion Forge webhook
+        shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK }}
+        run: |
+          if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($env:DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK)) {
+              throw "V7: DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK secret is empty. Check Settings → Environments → Webhook."
+          }
+
+          $payloadFile = "$PWD/embed-payload.json"
+          if (-not (Test-Path $payloadFile)) {
+              throw "Embed payload file missing — previous step did not produce embed-payload.json"
+          }
+
+          $maxAttempts = 2
+          $attempt = 0
+          while ($attempt -lt $maxAttempts) {
+              $attempt++
+              Write-Host "POST attempt $attempt of $maxAttempts"
+              $tmpResp = "$PWD/.webhook-response"
+              $tmpHeaders = "$PWD/.webhook-headers"
+              # --silent suppresses progress; --show-error prints errors so
+              # the workflow log shows what happened. -w prints HTTP status
+              # to stdout for inspection. -o captures body for diagnosis,
+              # -D captures headers.
+              $rawStatus = Get-Content $payloadFile -Raw |
+                  curl --silent --show-error `
+                       --header 'Content-Type: application/json' `
+                       --data-binary '@-' `
+                       -D $tmpHeaders `
+                       -o $tmpResp `
+                       -w '%{http_code}' `
+                       "$env:DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK"
+              $status = [int]$rawStatus
+              Write-Host "HTTP status: $status"
+
+              if ($status -ge 200 -and $status -lt 300) {
+                  Write-Host "Forge announce POST succeeded."
+                  exit 0
+              }
+
+              $bodySnippet = ""
+              if (Test-Path $tmpResp) {
+                  $bodySnippet = (Get-Content $tmpResp -Raw -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
+                  if ($bodySnippet.Length -gt 500) { $bodySnippet = $bodySnippet.Substring(0, 500) + " …" }
+              }
+
+              if ($status -ge 400 -and $status -lt 500) {
+                  # E2: 4xx is permanent — webhook revoked, channel deleted,
+                  # payload malformed. No retry.
+                  throw "E2: Discord-Webhook returned permanent $status. Body: $bodySnippet"
+              }
+
+              # E1: 5xx (or transport-level fail with status 0) — wait + retry once
+              if ($attempt -lt $maxAttempts) {
+                  Write-Host "Transient $status — sleeping 30s before retry."
+                  Start-Sleep -Seconds 30
+              } else {
+                  throw "E1: Discord-Webhook returned transient $status after $maxAttempts attempts. Body: $bodySnippet"
+              }
+          }

CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md

@@ -1,48 +1,98 @@
-# Code of conduct
+# Code of Conduct
 
-HellionChat is a small hobby project. The contributor base is tiny and
-the moderation overhead I can afford is equally small, so this document
-is short and direct.
+## A Note on This Project
 
-## What I expect from contributors
+HellionChat is a one-person side project developed under Hellion Forge.
+I maintain this in my spare time, which means replies can take a few
+days. Please do not escalate just because a thread is quiet.
 
-- Be respectful in issues, pull requests, discussions and any other
-  project space (Discord, email).
-- Keep feedback focused on the code, the design or the documentation.
-  Critique the work, not the person.
-- Assume good intent. People come from different backgrounds, time
-  zones and skill levels. A clarifying question is almost always a
-  better first move than an accusation.
-- Stay on topic. This project is about a Dalamud chat plugin. Off-topic
-  arguments belong elsewhere.
-- Respect that I maintain this in my spare time. Replies can take a
-  few days. Please do not escalate just because a thread is quiet.
+When in doubt, assume good intent. Contributors come from different
+backgrounds, time zones and skill levels. A clarifying question is
+almost always a better first move than an accusation.
 
-## What is not welcome
+Please also keep discussions on topic. This project is about a Dalamud
+chat plugin. Off-topic arguments belong elsewhere.
 
-- Personal attacks, slurs, doxxing, sustained disruption of threads.
-- Unsolicited private contact after I have asked someone to stop.
-- Sharing of private conversations without consent.
-- Any content that would put other contributors or end users at risk.
+---
 
-## Scope
+## Our Pledge
 
-This applies to every space the project owns or that I run on its
-behalf: the GitHub repository, GitHub Discussions, project-related
-Discord conversations and the maintainer email address listed in
-`SECURITY.md`.
+We pledge to make our community welcoming, safe, and equitable for all.
 
-It also applies when someone is identifiably representing the project
-in another space, for example posting as a HellionChat maintainer in
-the Dalamud Discord.
+We are committed to fostering an environment that respects and promotes
+the dignity, rights, and contributions of all individuals, regardless
+of characteristics including race, ethnicity, caste, color, age,
+physical characteristics, neurodiversity, disability, sex or gender,
+gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, language, philosophy
+or religion, national or social origin, socio-economic position, level
+of education, or other status. The same privileges of participation are
+extended to everyone who participates in good faith and in accordance
+with this Covenant.
+
+## Encouraged Behaviors
+
+While acknowledging differences in social norms, we all strive to meet
+our community's expectations for positive behavior. We also understand
+that our words and actions may be interpreted differently than we intend
+based on culture, background, or native language.
+
+With these considerations in mind, we agree to behave mindfully toward
+each other and act in ways that center our shared values, including:
+
+1. Respecting the **purpose of our community**, our activities, and our
+   ways of gathering.
+2. Engaging **kindly and honestly** with others.
+3. Respecting **different viewpoints** and experiences.
+4. **Taking responsibility** for our actions and contributions.
+5. Gracefully giving and accepting **constructive feedback**.
+6. Committing to **repairing harm** when it occurs.
+7. Behaving in other ways that promote and sustain the **well-being of
+   our community**.
+
+## Restricted Behaviors
+
+We agree to restrict the following behaviors in our community.
+Instances, threats, and promotion of these behaviors are violations of
+this Code of Conduct.
+
+1. **Harassment.** Violating explicitly expressed boundaries or engaging
+   in unnecessary personal attention after any clear request to stop.
+2. **Character attacks.** Making insulting, demeaning, or pejorative
+   comments directed at a community member or group of people.
+3. **Stereotyping or discrimination.** Characterizing anyone's
+   personality or behavior on the basis of immutable identities or
+   traits.
+4. **Sexualization.** Behaving in a way that would generally be
+   considered inappropriately intimate in the context or purpose of the
+   community.
+5. **Violating confidentiality.** Sharing or acting on someone's
+   personal or private information without their permission.
+6. **Endangerment.** Causing, encouraging, or threatening violence or
+   other harm toward any person or group.
+7. Behaving in other ways that **threaten the well-being** of our
+   community.
+
+### Other Restrictions
+
+1. **Misleading identity.** Impersonating someone else for any reason,
+   or pretending to be someone else to evade enforcement actions.
+2. **Failing to credit sources.** Not properly crediting the sources of
+   content you contribute.
+3. **Promotional materials.** Sharing marketing or other commercial
+   content in a way that is outside the norms of the community.
+4. **Irresponsible communication.** Failing to responsibly present
+   content which includes, links to, or describes any other restricted
+   behaviors.
 
 ## Reporting
 
 If something here is being broken, contact me directly. Do not open a
 public issue.
 
-- Email: `kontakt@hellion-media.de`
-- Discord DM: `@j.j_kazama`
+| Channel    | Address                  |
+| ---------- | ------------------------ |
+| Email      | `kontakt@hellion-media.de` |
+| Discord DM | `@j.j_kazama`            |
 
 Reports stay private. I will acknowledge within a few weekdays
 (European business hours) and tell you what I plan to do.
@@ -50,22 +100,34 @@ Reports stay private. I will acknowledge within a few weekdays
 ## Enforcement
 
 I am the sole maintainer, so enforcement is a single-person process.
-Depending on what happened and how the person responds, I will pick
-the lightest measure that resolves the issue:
+I will pick the lightest measure that actually resolves the situation:
 
 1. Private note asking the behaviour to stop.
 2. Public correction in the affected thread.
 3. Edit or removal of the offending content.
-4. Temporary block from the repository or related spaces.
-5. Permanent block.
+4. Private written warning with a cooldown period.
+5. Temporary block from the repository or related spaces.
+6. Permanent block.
 
-Severe cases skip the lower steps. I will not negotiate over
-harassment or threats.
+Severe cases skip the lower steps. I will not negotiate over harassment
+or threats.
 
-## Acknowledgement
+## Scope
 
-This document is intentionally short and project-specific rather than
-a copy of a longer template. If you need a more formal reference, the
-[Contributor Covenant](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/) is a
-widely adopted starting point and the spirit of this document is
-compatible with it.
+This Code of Conduct applies to all spaces the project owns or that I
+run on its behalf: the GitHub repository, GitHub Discussions,
+project-related Discord conversations, and the maintainer contact
+listed in [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md). It also applies when someone
+is identifiably representing HellionChat elsewhere, for example when
+posting as a HellionChat maintainer in the Dalamud Discord.
+
+## Attribution
+
+This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version
+3.0, available at
+[https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/3/0/](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/3/0/).
+
+Contributor Covenant is stewarded by the Organization for Ethical
+Source and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this
+license, visit
+[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -1,47 +1,55 @@
 # Contributing to HellionChat
 
-Thanks for taking a look. HellionChat is a small, opinionated fork of
-[Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) maintained by one
-person in spare time. This document explains what I am looking for,
-what I am not, and how to make a contribution land smoothly.
+Thanks for taking a look. HellionChat is a one-person side project
+developed under Hellion Forge. It started as a fork of
+[Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) and has since become
+a standalone plugin under its own namespace, IPC channels and
+source tree (standalone-cut completed in v1.0.0). Forking HellionChat
+itself is explicitly permitted under the EUPL-1.2.
 
-## Before you open anything
+This document explains what I am looking for, what I am not, and how
+to make a contribution land smoothly.
 
-- Read the [README](README.md) so you understand the scope: this is a
+## Before You Open Anything
+
+- Read the [README](README.md) so you understand the scope: a
   privacy-focused, EUPL-1.2-licensed Dalamud plugin that intentionally
-  removes the upstream webinterface and ships smaller defaults.
-- Read [UPSTREAM_SYNC.md](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md). Cherry-picks from upstream
-  Chat 2 are selective and conscious; not everything that lands there
-  belongs here.
-- Read [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md). Anything security-sensitive goes
+  removes the upstream webinterface and ships privacy-first defaults.
+- Read [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md). Cherry-picks
+  from upstream Chat 2 are selective and deliberate; not everything
+  that lands there belongs here.
+- Read [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md). Anything security-sensitive goes
   through a private advisory, never a public issue or PR.
-- Read the [code of conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
+- Read the [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
 
-## What I will accept
+## What I Will Accept
 
 - Bug fixes for behaviour documented in the README, the in-plugin
   settings or the changelog.
 - Translation contributions for Hellion-specific strings via direct
-  pull requests against `HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.*.resx`.
-  Translations for the upstream Chat 2 strings (`Language.*.resx`) are
-  not handled here; they go through the upstream Chat 2 project.
+  pull requests against
+  `HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.*.resx`. Translations for
+  upstream Chat 2 strings (`Language.*.resx`) are not handled here;
+  those go to the upstream Chat 2 project.
 - Documentation improvements (README, comments, this file).
 - Performance fixes with a measurable before/after.
 - New features that fit the privacy-first scope and do not duplicate
   what an existing Dalamud plugin already does well.
 
-## What I will probably decline
+## What I Will Probably Decline
 
 - Re-introducing the webinterface or any remote-access feature. It was
-  removed in v0.2.0 on purpose. See README "Was gegenüber Chat 2 fehlt".
+  removed in v0.2.0 on purpose. See the README section
+  "Was gegenüber Chat 2 fehlt".
 - Features that bypass the privacy filter or weaken the default
   retention behaviour without an explicit, documented opt-in.
-- Sweeping refactors that touch large parts of the upstream codebase.
-  They make selective upstream cherry-picks much harder and the
-  maintenance cost outweighs the benefit for a one-person project.
+- Sweeping refactors that touch large parts of the codebase. They make
+  selective upstream cherry-picks much harder and the maintenance cost
+  outweighs the benefit for a one-person project.
 - AI-generated code dropped in without disclosure or human review. See
-  [AI_DISCLOSURE.md](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) for how I handle AI assistance
-  on my side; I expect comparable transparency from contributors.
+  [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) for how I handle
+  AI assistance on my side; I expect comparable transparency from
+  contributors.
 
 If you are unsure whether an idea fits, open a feature-request issue
 first and ask before writing code. I would rather say "no" to a
@@ -50,56 +58,69 @@ proposal than to a finished pull request.
 ## Workflow
 
 1. Open an issue (bug or feature request) using the templates under
-   `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`. Skip this step only for trivial typos.
+   `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`. Skip this for trivial typos.
 2. Fork the repository and branch off `main`. Branch naming is
    informal; something like `fix/auto-tell-history-empty` or
-   `feat/adblock-light-mode` is plenty.
+   `feat/theme-export` is fine.
 3. Match the existing code style. The repository ships an
    `.editorconfig` that VS Code and Rider pick up automatically.
 4. Keep commits focused. Several small commits with clear messages are
-   easier to review than one big one. Squash-on-merge happens at the
-   PR level if needed.
+   easier to review than one large one. Squash-on-merge happens at
+   the PR level if needed.
 5. If your change touches user-visible behaviour, update the README
    and/or the changelog block in `HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml` and
-   `repo.json` for the next version. I bump the version number myself
-   at release time, so you do not need to.
+   `repo.json`. I bump the version number myself at release time.
 6. Open the pull request against `main`. The PR template will ask
    you to summarise the change, the testing you did and any
    compatibility notes.
 
-## Build and test
+## Build and Test
 
 The project targets `net10.0-windows` against Dalamud SDK 15. To build
 locally you need:
 
 - .NET 10 SDK
-- A working Dalamud development environment with `DALAMUD_HOME` set
+- A working Dalamud dev environment with `DALAMUD_HOME` set
   (XIVLauncher installed and launched once is the simplest path)
 - VS Code with the C# Dev Kit, Rider, or Visual Studio
 
-```
+```bash
 dotnet restore
 dotnet build HellionChat.sln -c Release
 ```
 
-Tests are not part of the current `HellionChat.sln`. If you add a test
+There are currently no tests in `HellionChat.sln`. If you add a test
 project, point it at the relevant subsystems (privacy filter,
 configuration migration, message store) and mention it in the PR.
 
 For a smoke test in-game: build, copy the output into your Dalamud
-`devPlugins/HellionChat/` directory and load it through `/xlplugins`.
+`devPlugins/HellionChat/` directory and load it via `/xlplugins`.
 
-## Continuous integration
+## Continuous Integration
 
 Every push and every pull request runs:
 
-- `build.yml` — `dotnet build` and `dotnet test`
-- `codeql.yml` — CodeQL security analysis
+| Workflow      | What it checks                        |
+| ------------- | ------------------------------------- |
+| `build.yml`   | `dotnet build` and `dotnet test`      |
+| `codeql.yml`  | CodeQL security analysis              |
 
 A pull request will not be merged while either of these is failing.
 CodeQL findings on changed code need to be addressed; pre-existing
 findings on untouched code are tracked separately.
 
+## Translations
+
+Hellion-specific strings live in
+`HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.resx` (English source) and
+`HellionStrings.<lang>.resx` (per-language). These are accepted as
+direct pull requests.
+
+The upstream Chat 2 strings in `HellionChat/Resources/Language.*.resx`
+are **not** translated here. They are owned by the upstream project
+and synced in via cherry-pick. Please contribute those to
+[Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) instead.
+
 ## Licensing
 
 By submitting a pull request you confirm that:
@@ -109,23 +130,18 @@ By submitting a pull request you confirm that:
 - You agree that your contribution will be released under the
   [EUPL-1.2](LICENSE), the same licence as the rest of the project.
 
-There is no separate CLA.
+There is no separate CLA. Forking HellionChat is explicitly permitted
+under the EUPL-1.2, as with any EUPL-licensed project.
 
-## Translations
+## Response Times
 
-Hellion-specific strings live in `HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.resx`
-(English source) and `HellionStrings.<lang>.resx` (per-language).
-Translations are accepted as direct pull requests against those files.
+| Channel       | Address                    |
+| ------------- | -------------------------- |
+| GitHub Issues | Preferred for bugs and feature requests |
+| Discord DM    | `@j.j_kazama`              |
+| Email         | `kontakt@hellion-media.de` |
 
-The upstream Chat 2 strings in `HellionChat/Resources/Language.*.resx` are
-**not** translated in this repository. They are owned by the upstream
-Chat 2 project and synced in via cherry-pick. Please contribute
-upstream-string translations to
-[Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) instead.
-
-## A note on response times
-
-I respond on weekdays during European business hours and I take
-weekends and FFXIV patch days off. A pull request that sits for a few
-days has not been ignored; I just have not gotten to it yet. Pinging
-once after a week is fine; please do not ping daily.
+I respond on weekdays during European business hours and take weekends
+and FFXIV patch days off. A pull request that sits for a few days has
+not been ignored. Pinging once after a week is fine; please do not
+ping daily.

COPYRIGHT

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 HellionChat — a privacy-focused fork of ChatTwo for FINAL FANTASY XIV
 
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Source code
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
 Copyright (c) 2022-2026 Infiziert90 (Infi) and Anna Clemens (ascclemens)
     Original ChatTwo authors and copyright holders of the upstream
     plugin this fork is built on. Their work covers the message store,
@@ -10,18 +14,38 @@ Copyright (c) 2022-2026 Infiziert90 (Infi) and Anna Clemens (ascclemens)
 Copyright (c) 2025-2026 Florian Wathling / Hellion Online Media
     HellionChat-specific modifications, including the privacy filter,
     per-channel retention sweep, export pipeline, Auto-Tell-Tabs,
-    Hellion theme and font integration, German localisation and the
-    EUPL-1.2 fork maintenance.
+    German localisation and the EUPL-1.2 fork maintenance.
 
-Licensed under the European Union Public Licence (EUPL), Version 1.2
-only. The full Licence text lives in the LICENSE file at the root of
-this repository. The official Licence website is at:
-
-    https://eupl.eu/1.2/en/
+Source code is licensed under the European Union Public Licence
+(EUPL), Version 1.2 only. The full Licence text lives in the LICENSE
+file at the root of this repository. The official Licence website is
+at: https://eupl.eu/1.2/en/
 
 This Work is provided "AS IS" without warranties of any kind. See
 Article 7 (Disclaimer of Warranty) and Article 8 (Disclaimer of
 Liability) of the Licence for the legally binding wording.
 
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Visual assets
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Copyright (c) 2026 Florian Eck
+
+    Designer of the Hellion Forge logo and Hellion Online Media logo
+    (variants located in docs/images and HellionChat/images).
+    Exclusive usage and marketing rights licensed to Hellion Online
+    Media. These assets are NOT covered by the EUPL-1.2 source code
+    licence above and may not be reused, modified, or redistributed
+    without separate permission from the copyright holder.
+
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bundled assets
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+Exo 2 font (HellionChat/Resources/HellionFont.ttf)
+    SIL Open Font License 1.1, full text in HellionFont-OFL.txt.
+    Bundled with permission per the OFL terms.
+
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
 Acknowledgements directed at the upstream ChatTwo authors live in
 NOTICE.md. The manual upstream-sync workflow lives in UPSTREAM_SYNC.md.

HellionChat/Configuration.cs

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class ConfigKeyBind
 [Serializable]
 public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
 {
-    private const int LatestVersion = 14;
+    private const int LatestVersion = 15;
 
     public int Version { get; set; } = LatestVersion;
 
@@ -80,19 +80,6 @@ public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
     // ChatTwo users skip it because the v6→v7 migration sets the flag.
     public bool FirstRunCompleted;
 
-    // Hellion Chat global ImGui theme — applied to every plugin window in
-    // Plugin.Draw. Default ON; users who prefer the upstream Dalamud look
-    // can flip this off in the Privacy tab.
-    [Obsolete("Replaced by Theme slug + WindowOpacity in v14")]
-    public bool HellionThemeEnabled = true;
-
-    // Window background opacity, 0.5–1.0. Lower values make the plugin
-    // panes more glass-like so the game shines through. Default 0.5
-    // matches the maintainer's daily-driver preference; users who want
-    // a less translucent look bump it up in Aussehen → Theme.
-    [Obsolete("Replaced by WindowOpacity in v14")]
-    public float HellionThemeWindowOpacity = 0.5f;
-
     // Use the bundled Exo 2 font (OFL-1.1) for the regular plugin font
     // instead of whatever GlobalFontV2.FontId points at. Default ON so a
     // fresh install gets the Hellion typography out-of-the-box; flip OFF
@@ -315,10 +302,33 @@ public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
         // never present in a disk-loaded copy. Keep the live temp tabs of
         // *this* configuration alive across an UpdateFrom so a settings
         // save (or sidebar-mode toggle) does not silently destroy the
-        // user's open tell conversations. Persistent tabs from `other`
-        // still get the regular clone-replace treatment.
+        // user's open tell conversations.
+        //
+        // For persistent tabs we go through Tab.Clone() which intentionally
+        // does NOT copy the NonSerialized Messages list (avoids shared
+        // mutable state on disk-load). On a settings save that means the
+        // chat history for every persistent tab would be wiped — bug
+        // reported by Flo 2026-05-05. We work around it by capturing the
+        // live MessageList (and LastSendUnread counter) by Identifier
+        // before the replace, then restoring it onto the freshly cloned
+        // tabs whose Identifier survives Tab.Clone(). New tabs added in
+        // settings get a fresh empty MessageList; deleted tabs lose their
+        // history (intended).
         var liveTempTabs = Tabs.Where(t => t.IsTempTab).ToList();
-        Tabs = other.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab).Select(t => t.Clone()).ToList();
+        var livePersistentSession = Tabs
+            .Where(t => !t.IsTempTab)
+            .ToDictionary(t => t.Identifier, t => (t.Messages, t.LastSendUnread));
+
+        Tabs = other.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab).Select(t =>
+        {
+            var clone = t.Clone();
+            if (livePersistentSession.TryGetValue(clone.Identifier, out var live))
+            {
+                clone.Messages = live.Messages;
+                clone.LastSendUnread = live.LastSendUnread;
+            }
+            return clone;
+        }).ToList();
         Tabs.AddRange(liveTempTabs);
 
         OverrideStyle = other.OverrideStyle;
@@ -336,10 +346,6 @@ public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
         RetentionLastRunAt = other.RetentionLastRunAt;
 
         FirstRunCompleted = other.FirstRunCompleted;
-#pragma warning disable CS0612, CS0618 // Obsolete-Felder bleiben bis v1.2.0 als JSON-Safety-Net erhalten
-        HellionThemeEnabled = other.HellionThemeEnabled;
-        HellionThemeWindowOpacity = other.HellionThemeWindowOpacity;
-#pragma warning restore CS0612, CS0618
         UseHellionFont = other.UseHellionFont;
 
         // v1.1.0 theme engine fields
@@ -394,6 +400,11 @@ public class Tab
 {
     public string Name = Language.Tab_DefaultName;
 
+    // v1.2.0 — optionaler FontAwesome-Glyph-Name. Null bedeutet:
+    // Default-Mapping aus TabIconMapping greift (basiert auf Tab-Name).
+    // User können hier per Settings → Tabs einen eigenen Glyph setzen.
+    public string? Icon = null;
+
     [Obsolete("Removed in favor of SelectedChannels")]
     public Dictionary<ChatType, ChatSource> ChatCodes = new();
 
@@ -598,6 +609,20 @@ public class Tab
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Aktuelle Anzahl der gespeicherten Messages. Lock-acquire pro Read
+        /// ist OK für 1×/sec Status-Bar-Polling (v1.2.0).
+        /// </summary>
+        public int Count
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                LockSlim.Wait(-1);
+                try { return Messages.Count; }
+                finally { LockSlim.Release(); }
+            }
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns an array copy of the message list for usage outside of main thread
         /// </summary>

HellionChat/FontManager.cs

@@ -120,7 +120,16 @@ public class FontManager
             e => e.OnPreBuild(
                 tk =>
                 {
-                    var config = new SafeFontConfig {SizePt = Plugin.Config.GlobalFontV2.SizePt, GlyphRanges = Ranges};
+                    // v1.2.0 — Bei aktiver Hellion-Schrift (Exo 2 ist Variable-Font)
+                    // wird die User-Schriftgröße aus FontSizeV2 als SizePt angewendet.
+                    // Der Bestand-Pfad nutzt weiter GlobalFontV2.SizePt aus dem
+                    // Custom-Font-Stack. Ohne diese Verzweigung war FontSizeV2 bei
+                    // UseHellionFont=true wirkungslos, was 4K-User mit größerer
+                    // Skalierung blockierte (Settings → Erscheinungsbild → Schriftarten).
+                    var basePt = Plugin.Config.UseHellionFont
+                        ? Plugin.Config.FontSizeV2
+                        : Plugin.Config.GlobalFontV2.SizePt;
+                    var config = new SafeFontConfig {SizePt = basePt, GlyphRanges = Ranges};
                     config.MergeFont = Plugin.Config.UseHellionFont
                         ? tk.AddFontFromMemory(GetHellionFontBytes(), config, "Hellion-Exo2")
                         : AddFontWithFallback(tk, Plugin.Config.GlobalFontV2.FontId, config, "global");

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>1.1.0</Version>
+        <Version>1.2.0</Version>
         <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
         <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
         <!-- Honor packages.lock.json on restore so floating version ranges

HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml

@@ -55,6 +55,64 @@ tags:
   - Replacement
   - Privacy
 changelog: |-
+  **Hellion Chat 1.2.0 — Layout Refresh**
+
+  Second UI cycle: tab layouts modernised in both modes, a new
+  bottom status bar, card-rows as default message render, and
+  Auto-Tell tabs that you can finally tell apart at a glance.
+
+  Sidebar (icon-only, fixed 44 px):
+
+  - Tab name on hover-tooltip, vertical accent pill on the
+    active tab, child background no longer paints the top
+    padding area.
+  - Per-tab custom icons via Settings → Tabs.
+  - Auto-Tell tabs: each partner gets a hashed icon (envelope/
+    star/heart/bell/bookmark/flag/fire) plus hashed color
+    (12-color palette) — 84 distinct combinations.
+  - Pulsing red dot in the top-right of any tab with unread
+    messages, subtle 2-second sine pulse, respects
+    Configuration.ReduceMotion.
+
+  Top tabs:
+
+  - Accent underline pill on the active tab instead of the old
+    background fill. Icon prefixes were attempted but reverted
+    — Dalamud's default font atlas has no FontAwesome glyphs.
+
+  Bottom status bar (22 px, 1×/sec cached):
+
+  - Active channel with color dot, Privacy-First badge, tab +
+    message counters, auto-tell counter (hidden at zero),
+    plugin version (right-aligned, muted).
+
+  Message rendering:
+
+  - Card rows by default — sender header in channel color, body
+    on its own line, subtle border between cards.
+  - Compact-Density toggle in Appearance returns the classic
+    single-line `[HH:mm] Sender: Text` layout.
+
+  Bug fixes from in-game testing:
+
+  - Settings save no longer wipes chat history. Refilter cycle
+    only runs when filter-relevant settings actually changed
+    (privacy, channel selection); cosmetic changes leave the
+    chat intact. Persistent and Auto-Tell tabs both survive.
+  - Hellion Schrift (Exo 2) no longer blocks font-size
+    adjustment — 4K users can scale up properly.
+  - Sidebar buttons align with the first message row, status
+    bar version slot is no longer clipped.
+
+  Migration v14 → v15: legacy theme fields removed
+  (HellionThemeEnabled, HellionThemeWindowOpacity). All other
+  settings preserved.
+
+  Polish (lerps, theme crossfade, header quick-picker) follows
+  in v1.3.0.
+
+  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
   **Hellion Chat 1.1.0 — Theme Foundation**
 
   First major UI cycle after the standalone v1.0.0 cut. Theme engine,

HellionChat/MessageManager.cs

@@ -151,7 +151,13 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
 
     internal void ClearAllTabs()
     {
-        foreach (var tab in Plugin.Config.Tabs)
+        // Hellion Chat — TempTabs haben keine DB-Persistenz (session-only,
+        // direkt vom AutoTellTabsService befüllt). Ein Clear+Refilter würde
+        // sie leer hinterlassen weil FilterAllTabs nichts aus der DB
+        // findet — Tells sind oft durch Privacy-Filter blockiert oder
+        // schlicht session-flüchtig. TempTabs vom Clear-Pfad ausschließen
+        // damit Settings-Save den Tell-Verlauf nicht zerstört.
+        foreach (var tab in Plugin.Config.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab))
             tab.Clear();
     }
 
@@ -165,7 +171,11 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
 
         // We store the pending messages to be added to the chat log in a
         // temporary list, and apply them all at once after filtering.
-        var pendingTabs = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Select(tab => (tab, new List<Message>())).ToList();
+        // TempTabs werden ausgeschlossen — sie bleiben live-state aus dem
+        // AutoTellTabsService, ein DB-Refilter würde sie nur partial
+        // wiederherstellen falls Tells in DB liegen, oder leer lassen wenn
+        // Privacy-Filter sie blockiert hat.
+        var pendingTabs = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab).Select(tab => (tab, new List<Message>())).ToList();
         foreach (var message in messages)
             foreach (var (_, pendingMessages) in pendingTabs.Where(ptab => ptab.Item1.Matches(message)))
                 pendingMessages.Add(message);

HellionChat/Plugin.cs

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
     internal TypingIpc TypingIpc { get; }
     internal FontManager FontManager { get; }
     internal Themes.ThemeRegistry ThemeRegistry { get; private set; } = null!;
+    internal Ui.StatusBar StatusBar { get; private set; } = null!;
 
     internal int DeferredSaveFrames = -1;
 
@@ -246,9 +247,8 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             if (Config.Version < 14)
             {
                 Config.Theme = "hellion-arctic";
-                #pragma warning disable CS0612, CS0618 // Obsolete: HellionThemeWindowOpacity bleibt readable bis v1.2.0
-                Config.WindowOpacity = Config.HellionThemeWindowOpacity;
-                #pragma warning restore CS0612, CS0618
+                // v1.2.0: alter Opacity-Wert wird nicht mehr migriert (Field entfernt).
+                // User die direkt v13 → v15 springen bekommen den Default 0.85.
                 Config.ReduceMotion = false;
                 Config.UseCompactDensity = false;
                 Config.ShowThemeQuickPicker = false;
@@ -259,6 +259,20 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
                     "pick chat2-classic in Settings → Themes for the upstream look");
             }
 
+            if (Config.Version < 15)
+            {
+                // v1.2.0 — keine Datenmigration nötig. Removal der deprecated
+                // Theme-Felder ist reine Schema-Bereinigung (System.Text.Json
+                // ignoriert unbekannte Felder im JSON, daher kein Crash bei
+                // Configs die noch HellionThemeEnabled/HellionThemeWindowOpacity
+                // serialisiert haben — die Werte verfallen einfach).
+                Config.Version = 15;
+                SaveConfig();
+                Log.Information(
+                    "Migrated config v14 → v15: legacy theme fields removed " +
+                    "(HellionThemeEnabled, HellionThemeWindowOpacity)");
+            }
+
             // Hellion v1.0.0 default tab layout. Five thematically separated
             // tabs: General catches the immediate-surroundings public chat
             // (Say/Yell/Shout) only; System absorbs the rest of the technical
@@ -296,6 +310,8 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             ThemeRegistry = new Themes.ThemeRegistry(customThemesDir);
             ThemeRegistry.Switch(Config.Theme);
 
+            StatusBar = new Ui.StatusBar();
+
             MessageManager = new MessageManager(this); // Does it require UI?
 
             // Hellion Chat — Auto-Tell-Tabs service. Subscribes to the

HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.Designer.cs

@@ -276,6 +276,11 @@ internal class HellionStrings
     internal static string Tabs_Presets_Linkshell => Get(nameof(Tabs_Presets_Linkshell));
     internal static string Tabs_Presets_Linkshell_Hint => Get(nameof(Tabs_Presets_Linkshell_Hint));
 
+    // Hellion Chat — v1.2.0 per-tab icon override
+    internal static string Tabs_Icon_Label => Get(nameof(Tabs_Icon_Label));
+    internal static string Tabs_Icon_HelpMarker => Get(nameof(Tabs_Icon_HelpMarker));
+    internal static string Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption => Get(nameof(Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption));
+
     // Hellion Chat — v0.6.0 chat colour presets (display labels)
     internal static string ChatColourPresets_Default => Get(nameof(ChatColourPresets_Default));
     internal static string ChatColourPresets_HighContrast => Get(nameof(ChatColourPresets_HighContrast));
@@ -310,4 +315,12 @@ internal class HellionStrings
     internal static string ChatTwoConflictTitle => Get(nameof(ChatTwoConflictTitle));
     internal static string ChatTwoConflictBody => Get(nameof(ChatTwoConflictBody));
     internal static string ChatTwoConflictAction => Get(nameof(ChatTwoConflictAction));
+
+    // Hellion Chat — v1.2.0 Bottom-Status-Bar Privacy-Badge labels
+    internal static string StatusBar_Privacy_Enabled => Get(nameof(StatusBar_Privacy_Enabled));
+    internal static string StatusBar_Privacy_Open => Get(nameof(StatusBar_Privacy_Open));
+
+    // Hellion Chat — v1.2.0 Appearance / Compact-Density toggle
+    internal static string Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Name => Get(nameof(Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Name));
+    internal static string Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Description => Get(nameof(Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Description));
 }

HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.de.resx

@@ -561,6 +561,17 @@
   <data name="Tabs_Presets_Linkshell_Hint" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Wenn du mehrere Linkshells benutzt, empfiehlt der Maintainer einen Tab pro Shell für eine sauberere Übersicht. Tab duplizieren und je Kopie die Kanalauswahl einschränken.</value>
   </data>
+
+  <!-- Hellion Chat — v1.2.0 per-tab icon override -->
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_Label" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Tab-Icon</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_HelpMarker" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>FontAwesome-Glyph für die Sidebar. Default greift auf Tab-Name oder Channel-Typ.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>(Default-Mapping)</value>
+  </data>
   <data name="ChatColourPresets_Default" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Klassik (Chat 2 Default)</value>
   </data>
@@ -705,4 +716,16 @@
   <data name="Settings_Themes_ApplyChatColors_Keep" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Behalten</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="StatusBar_Privacy_Enabled" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Privacy-First</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="StatusBar_Privacy_Open" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Offen</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Name" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Kompakte Dichte</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Description" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Schaltet das Message-Layout vom Card-Row-Default zurück auf einzeilige `[HH:mm] Sender: Text` Zeilen.</value>
+  </data>
 </root>

HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings.resx

@@ -561,6 +561,17 @@
   <data name="Tabs_Presets_Linkshell_Hint" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>If you use multiple linkshells, the maintainer recommends one tab per shell for cleaner readability. Duplicate this tab and narrow the channel selection per copy.</value>
   </data>
+
+  <!-- Hellion Chat — v1.2.0 per-tab icon override -->
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_Label" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Tab-Icon</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_HelpMarker" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>FontAwesome-Glyph für die Sidebar. Default greift auf Tab-Name oder Channel-Typ.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>(Default-Mapping)</value>
+  </data>
   <data name="ChatColourPresets_Default" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Klassik (Chat 2 Default)</value>
   </data>
@@ -705,4 +716,16 @@
   <data name="Settings_Themes_ApplyChatColors_Keep" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Keep current</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="StatusBar_Privacy_Enabled" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Privacy-First</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="StatusBar_Privacy_Open" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Open</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Name" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Compact Density</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Description" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Schaltet das Message-Layout vom Card-Row-Default zurück auf einzeilige `[HH:mm] Sender: Text` Zeilen.</value>
+  </data>
 </root>

HellionChat/Ui/AutoTellTabTint.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+namespace HellionChat.Ui;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Hash-Color-Tinting für Auto-Tell-Tabs in der Sidebar (v1.2.0).
+/// Differenziert Tells visuell ohne dass User pro Tab manuell ein
+/// Custom-Icon setzen muss. Gleicher Tell-Partner (Name+World) liefert
+/// konsistent dieselbe Farbe über Sessions hinweg.
+///
+/// Kuratierte 12-Farb-Palette aus dem Hellion-Theme-Pool: alle saturiert
+/// mid-bright, lesbar gegen Dark-Theme-Backgrounds. Bei realistischen
+/// 1-5 parallelen Tells ist Kollisions-Wahrscheinlichkeit gering.
+///
+/// Reine String-Logik (kein Dalamud-Dep) — testbar im HellionChat.Tests-
+/// Projekt das ohne Dalamud-Reference baut.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class AutoTellTabTint
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fallback bei ungültigem Input (leerer Name, World=0). Standard-
+    /// Text-Color (weiß) — passt mit existierendem TextPrimary-Default
+    /// zusammen, sodass die Sidebar visuell konsistent bleibt.
+    /// </summary>
+    public const uint Fallback = 0xFFFFFFFFu;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// 12 saturierte mid-bright Farben aus den 5 Built-In-Themes
+    /// (Hellion-Arctic, Chat2-Klassik, Event-Horizon, Moonlit-Bloom,
+    /// Mint-Grove). Reihenfolge ist deterministisch — Hash-Index wählt
+    /// Farbe per Modulo. RGBA-Format (passt zu ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr-
+    /// Konvention im restlichen Code).
+    /// </summary>
+    public static readonly IReadOnlyList<uint> Palette = new uint[]
+    {
+        0x00BED2FFu, // Arctic Cyan
+        0xF97316FFu, // Ember Orange
+        0xB585FFFFu, // Light Cosmic Purple
+        0xE374E8FFu, // Bloom Magenta
+        0x5DD39EFFu, // Mint Green
+        0xF0AD4EFFu, // Warning Yellow
+        0xE85C6AFFu, // Coral
+        0x5CB85CFFu, // Status Green
+        0x6278FFFFu, // Bloom Blue
+        0xC9982EFFu, // Warm Gold
+        0x9CCB7CFFu, // Soft Sage
+        0xE85D04FFu, // Deep Ember
+    };
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Liefert eine konsistente Tint-Color für einen Tell-Partner.
+    /// Hash basiert auf "Name@World" — Cross-World-Namen kollidieren
+    /// nur bei Hash-Bucket-Kollision, nicht durch Identitäts-Annahme.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static uint For(string name, uint world)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(name) || world == 0)
+            return Fallback;
+
+        // GetHashCode kann negativ sein; Bitmaske auf positive Range
+        // damit Modulo-Division immer einen validen Index liefert.
+        var key = $"{name}@{world}";
+        var hash = (uint)(key.GetHashCode() & 0x7FFFFFFF);
+        return Palette[(int)(hash % Palette.Count)];
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Tell-spezifischer Icon-Pool. 7 visuell distinkte FontAwesome-Glyphen
+    /// die im Tell-Kontext sinnvoll wirken (envelope = Tell-Default, star/
+    /// heart/bell = personalisiert, bookmark/flag/fire = markiert/wichtig).
+    /// Bewusst kein cog/comment/users — die wären für System-/Group-Tabs
+    /// reserviert und würden im Tell-Bereich verwirrend wirken.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static readonly IReadOnlyList<string> IconPool = new[]
+    {
+        "envelope",
+        "star",
+        "heart",
+        "bell",
+        "bookmark",
+        "flag",
+        "fire",
+    };
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fallback-Icon bei ungültigem Input. "envelope" passt semantisch zum
+    /// Tell-Kontext besser als das alte hardcoded "clock".
+    /// </summary>
+    public const string IconFallback = "envelope";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Liefert ein konsistentes Icon-Glyph für einen Tell-Partner.
+    /// Nutzt einen anderen Hash-Bias als For() (Color), damit Icon und
+    /// Color unabhängig variieren — gibt 7 × 12 = 84 distinct Combinations.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string IconFor(string name, uint world)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(name) || world == 0)
+            return IconFallback;
+
+        // Anderer Hash-Bias als For() (verschiedene Modulo-Basis): wir
+        // nutzen "world@name" statt "name@world" damit Icon und Color
+        // nicht synchron variieren. Ohne Bias-Trennung würden alle Tells
+        // mit derselben Color auch dasselbe Icon haben.
+        var key = $"{world}@{name}";
+        var hash = (uint)(key.GetHashCode() & 0x7FFFFFFF);
+        return IconPool[(int)(hash % IconPool.Count)];
+    }
+}

HellionChat/Ui/ChatLogWindow.cs

@@ -375,6 +375,9 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
         // weil der Cursor schon weiter unten steht — kein eigener Abzug.
         height -= ImGui.GetFrameHeightWithSpacing();
 
+        // v1.2.0 — Status-Bar am Window-Boden reserviert 22 px + 2 px Spacing.
+        height -= StatusBar.Height + 2;
+
         return height;
     }
 
@@ -790,13 +793,17 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
         if (ImGui.IsWindowHovered(ImGuiHoveredFlags.ChildWindows))
             LastActivityTime = FrameTime;
 
-        if (!showNovice)
-            return;
+        if (showNovice)
+        {
+            ImGui.SameLine();
 
-        ImGui.SameLine();
+            if (ImGuiUtil.IconButton(FontAwesomeIcon.Leaf))
+                GameFunctions.GameFunctions.ClickNoviceNetworkButton();
+        }
 
-        if (ImGuiUtil.IconButton(FontAwesomeIcon.Leaf))
-            GameFunctions.GameFunctions.ClickNoviceNetworkButton();
+        // v1.2.0 — Bottom-Status-Bar. Letzter Render-Step in DrawChatLog,
+        // damit alle Zeilen-Operationen davor keine Layout-Sprünge auslösen.
+        Plugin.StatusBar.Draw(Plugin);
     }
 
     internal Dictionary<string, InputChannel> GetValidChannels()
@@ -1316,17 +1323,63 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                     ImGui.TableNextColumn();
 
                 var lineWidth = ImGui.GetContentRegionAvail().X;
-                if (message.Sender.Count > 0)
-                {
-                    DrawChunks(message.Sender, true, handler, lineWidth);
-                    ImGui.SameLine();
-                }
 
-                // We need to draw something otherwise the item visibility check below won't work.
-                if (message.Content.Count == 0)
-                    DrawChunks([new TextChunk(ChunkSource.Content, null, " ")], true, handler, lineWidth);
+                // v1.2.0 — Card-Rows als Default, Compact-Density als Opt-Out.
+                // Card-Mode: Sender-Header in Channel-Color auf eigener Zeile,
+                // dann Body, dann subtile Border-Bottom als Card-Trenner.
+                // Compact-Mode: bisheriges Verhalten — Sender + Space + Content
+                // auf einer Zeile via SameLine.
+                var useCard = !Plugin.Config.UseCompactDensity;
+                if (useCard)
+                {
+                    if (message.Sender.Count > 0)
+                    {
+                        var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+                        var senderColor = Plugin.Functions.Chat.GetChannelColor(message.Code.Type)
+                                          ?? theme.Colors.TextPrimary;
+                        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Text, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(senderColor)))
+                        {
+                            DrawChunks(message.Sender, true, handler, lineWidth);
+                        }
+                        // KEIN SameLine — Body landet auf eigener Zeile.
+                    }
+
+                    // We need to draw something otherwise the item visibility check below won't work.
+                    if (message.Content.Count == 0)
+                        DrawChunks([new TextChunk(ChunkSource.Content, null, " ")], true, handler, lineWidth);
+                    else
+                        DrawChunks(message.Content, true, handler, lineWidth);
+
+                    // Subtile Border-Bottom als Card-Trenner. Border-Farbe mit
+                    // reduzierter Alpha (RGBA → 0x33) für dezente Trennung.
+                    {
+                        var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+                        var rowEndY = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos().Y;
+                        var winLeft = ImGui.GetWindowPos().X;
+                        var winRight = winLeft + ImGui.GetWindowSize().X;
+                        var borderRgba = (theme.Colors.Border & 0xFFFFFF00u) | 0x33u;
+                        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddLine(
+                            new Vector2(winLeft + 4, rowEndY - 1),
+                            new Vector2(winRight - 4, rowEndY - 1),
+                            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(borderRgba),
+                            1f);
+                        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0, 2));
+                    }
+                }
                 else
-                    DrawChunks(message.Content, true, handler, lineWidth);
+                {
+                    if (message.Sender.Count > 0)
+                    {
+                        DrawChunks(message.Sender, true, handler, lineWidth);
+                        ImGui.SameLine();
+                    }
+
+                    // We need to draw something otherwise the item visibility check below won't work.
+                    if (message.Content.Count == 0)
+                        DrawChunks([new TextChunk(ChunkSource.Content, null, " ")], true, handler, lineWidth);
+                    else
+                        DrawChunks(message.Content, true, handler, lineWidth);
+                }
 
                 message.IsVisible[tab.Identifier] = ImGui.IsItemVisible();
             }
@@ -1366,6 +1419,20 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
             if (!tabItem.Success)
                 continue;
 
+            // v1.2.0 — Active-Tab-Underline-Pill (2 px Akzent statt Background-Fill).
+            // Bewusst direkt nach TabItem-Setup; GetItemRectMin/Max referenziert noch
+            // das Tab. ImGui hat keine native Underline-API, daher direkter DrawList-Pass.
+            {
+                var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+                var min = ImGui.GetItemRectMin();
+                var max = ImGui.GetItemRectMax();
+                const float pillHeight = 2f;
+                ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddRectFilled(
+                    new Vector2(min.X, max.Y - pillHeight),
+                    new Vector2(max.X, max.Y),
+                    ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.Accent));
+            }
+
             var hasTabSwitched = Plugin.LastTab != tabI;
             Plugin.LastTab = tabI;
 
@@ -1383,21 +1450,36 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
     private void DrawTabSidebar()
     {
         var currentTab = -1;
-        using var tabTable = ImRaii.Table("tabs-table", 2, ImGuiTableFlags.BordersInnerV | ImGuiTableFlags.SizingStretchProp | ImGuiTableFlags.Resizable);
+        // v1.2.0 — Sidebar fix 44 px, kein Resize. Mehr Platz fürs Chat-Log.
+        using var tabTable = ImRaii.Table("tabs-table", 2, ImGuiTableFlags.BordersInnerV | ImGuiTableFlags.SizingFixedFit);
         if (!tabTable.Success)
             return;
 
-        ImGui.TableSetupColumn("tabs", ImGuiTableColumnFlags.WidthStretch, 1);
-        ImGui.TableSetupColumn("chat", ImGuiTableColumnFlags.WidthStretch, 4);
+        ImGui.TableSetupColumn("tabs", ImGuiTableColumnFlags.WidthFixed, 44f);
+        ImGui.TableSetupColumn("chat", ImGuiTableColumnFlags.WidthStretch, 1);
 
         ImGui.TableNextColumn();
 
         var hasTabSwitched = false;
         var childHeight = GetRemainingHeightForMessageLog();
+        // v1.2.0 — Sidebar-Child ohne Theme-ChildBg, sonst füllt das
+        // bläuliche Frame-Rect auch den oberen HeaderToolbar-Padding-Bereich
+        // aus (sieht aus wie ein angeschnittener Block oberhalb der Buttons).
+        // Vertikale Trennung zur Message-Spalte bleibt durch BordersInnerV
+        // der Tab-Table erhalten.
+        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ChildBg, 0u))
         using (var child = ImRaii.Child("##chat2-tab-sidebar", new Vector2(-1, childHeight)))
         {
             if (child)
             {
+                // v1.2.0 — Top-Padding spiegelt die HeaderToolbar-Höhe der
+                // rechten Spalte (DrawChatHeaderToolbar wird dort als erstes
+                // gerendert, eine Frame-Zeile + ItemSpacing). Ohne diesen
+                // Padding würden die Sidebar-Buttons oben am Window-Top
+                // kleben, während die Messages erst unter der Toolbar
+                // beginnen — vertikales Mismatch.
+                ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0, ImGui.GetFrameHeightWithSpacing()));
+
                 var previousTab = Plugin.CurrentTab;
                 // Hellion Chat — auto-tell-tabs section divider rendered
                 // exactly once before the first temp tab, with a live unit
@@ -1422,7 +1504,6 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                     }
 
                     var unread = tabI == Plugin.LastTab || tab.UnreadMode == UnreadMode.None || tab.Unread == 0 ? "" : $" ({tab.Unread})";
-                    var selectableLabel = $"{tab.Name}{unread}###log-tab-{tabI}";
                     var isCurrentTab = Plugin.LastTab == tabI || Plugin.WantedTab == tabI;
 
                     var showGreetedAffordance = tab.IsTempTab && Plugin.Config.AutoTellTabsShowGreetedToggle;
@@ -1457,34 +1538,107 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                         ImGui.SameLine();
                     }
 
-                    bool clicked;
-                    if (showGreetedAffordance && tab.IsGreeted)
+                    // v1.2.0 — Icon-only Sidebar mit Tooltip beim Hover.
+                    // Active-Tab kriegt Akzent-Color am Icon, Greeted-Tabs
+                    // werden auf TextDim gedimmt (löst den alten Header-
+                    // Dim-Trick ab, da wir keine Selectable mehr nutzen).
+                    var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+                    var icon = TabIconMapping.Resolve(tab);
+                    uint iconColor;
+                    if (isCurrentTab)
                     {
-                        // Dim the tab name once the user marked the partner
-                        // as greeted, so a glance at the sidebar tells them
-                        // who still needs attention. Selectable has no idle
-                        // background slot in ImGui, so the dim only applies
-                        // to the selected and hovered states — the text dim
-                        // alone signals greeted in the idle state.
-                        var headerBase = ImGui.GetColorU32(ImGuiCol.Header);
-                        var hoverBase = ImGui.GetColorU32(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered);
-                        var dimHeader = (headerBase & 0xFF000000u) | ((headerBase & 0x00FEFEFEu) >> 1);
-                        var dimHover = (hoverBase & 0xFF000000u) | ((hoverBase & 0x00FEFEFEu) >> 1);
-
-                        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Text, ImGui.GetColorU32(ImGuiCol.TextDisabled)))
-                        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Header, dimHeader))
-                        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered, dimHover))
-                        {
-                            clicked = ImGui.Selectable(selectableLabel, isCurrentTab);
-                        }
+                        iconColor = theme.Colors.Accent;
+                    }
+                    else if (showGreetedAffordance && tab.IsGreeted)
+                    {
+                        iconColor = theme.Colors.TextDim;
+                    }
+                    else if (tab.IsTempTab && tab.TellTarget != null && tab.TellTarget.IsSet())
+                    {
+                        // v1.2.0 — Hash-Color-Tint differenziert parallele Auto-Tell-Tabs
+                        // visuell ohne dass User pro Tab manuell ein Custom-Icon setzen muss.
+                        iconColor = AutoTellTabTint.For(tab.TellTarget.Name, tab.TellTarget.World);
                     }
                     else
                     {
-                        clicked = ImGui.Selectable(selectableLabel, isCurrentTab);
+                        iconColor = theme.Colors.TextPrimary;
+                    }
+
+                    bool clicked;
+                    using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Button, 0u))
+                    using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonHovered, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.SurfaceHover)))
+                    using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonActive, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.Surface)))
+                    using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Text, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(iconColor)))
+                    using (Plugin.FontManager.FontAwesome.Push())
+                    {
+                        clicked = ImGui.Button($"{icon.ToIconString()}##sidebar-tab-{tabI}", new Vector2(36f, ImGui.GetFrameHeight()));
+                    }
+
+                    if (isCurrentTab)
+                    {
+                        // v1.2.0 — Vertikale Akzent-Pill an der linken Window-Kante.
+                        // 3 px breit, halbe Tab-Höhe, vertikal zentriert. ImGui hat keine
+                        // native Pill-API, daher direkter DrawList-Pass.
+                        var min = ImGui.GetItemRectMin();
+                        var max = ImGui.GetItemRectMax();
+                        const float pillWidth = 3f;
+                        var pillHeight = (max.Y - min.Y) * 0.5f;
+                        var pillCenterY = (min.Y + max.Y) * 0.5f;
+                        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddRectFilled(
+                            new Vector2(min.X, pillCenterY - pillHeight * 0.5f),
+                            new Vector2(min.X + pillWidth, pillCenterY + pillHeight * 0.5f),
+                            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.Accent),
+                            1.5f); // leichter Rounding
+                    }
+
+                    // v1.2.0 — Unread-Dot oben rechts am Icon. Sichtbar ohne Hover, damit
+                    // User Tabs mit ungelesenen Messages sofort erkennt. Aktive Tabs haben
+                    // per Konvention Unread = 0 (LastTab-Branch in ChatLogWindow), daher
+                    // kollidiert der Dot nicht mit der Active-Pill.
+                    if (!isCurrentTab && tab.UnreadMode != UnreadMode.None && tab.Unread > 0)
+                    {
+                        var min = ImGui.GetItemRectMin();
+                        var max = ImGui.GetItemRectMax();
+                        const float dotRadius = 4f;
+                        const float dotPadding = 3f;
+                        var dotCenter = new Vector2(
+                            max.X - dotRadius - dotPadding,
+                            min.Y + dotRadius + dotPadding);
+
+                        // v1.2.0 — Sanfter Pulse-Effekt: Alpha schwankt zwischen 60% und
+                        // 100% mit ~2-Sekunden-Cycle (subtil, nicht hektisch).
+                        // Plugin.Config.ReduceMotion (Field seit v1.1.0) skipt den Pulse
+                        // und rendert statisch — Default ist Animation an.
+                        var dotColor = theme.Colors.StatusDanger;
+                        if (!Plugin.Config.ReduceMotion)
+                        {
+                            // Sin-basierter 2s-Cycle: -1..1 → 0..1 → 0.6..1.0 Alpha-Skala.
+                            var phase = (float)((Math.Sin(Environment.TickCount64 / 1000.0 * Math.PI) + 1.0) * 0.5);
+                            var alphaScale = 0.6f + 0.4f * phase;
+                            var origAlpha = dotColor & 0xFFu;
+                            var pulsedAlpha = (uint)(origAlpha * alphaScale);
+                            dotColor = (dotColor & 0xFFFFFF00u) | pulsedAlpha;
+                        }
+
+                        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddCircleFilled(
+                            dotCenter,
+                            dotRadius,
+                            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(dotColor),
+                            12);
+                    }
+
+                    // Tooltip mit Tab-Name + Unread-Counter beim Hover.
+                    if (ImGui.IsItemHovered())
+                    {
+                        using var tt = ImRaii.Tooltip();
+                        ImGui.TextUnformatted($"{tab.Name}{unread}");
                     }
 
                     DrawTabContextMenu(tab, tabI);
 
+                    if (clicked)
+                        Plugin.WantedTab = tabI;
+
                     if (!clicked && Plugin.WantedTab != tabI)
                         continue;
 

HellionChat/Ui/Settings.cs

@@ -210,14 +210,24 @@ public sealed class SettingsWindow : Dalamud.Interface.Windowing.Window
         var fontSizeChanged = Math.Abs(Mutable.SymbolsFontSizeV2 - Plugin.Config.SymbolsFontSizeV2) > 0.001
                           || Math.Abs(Mutable.FontSizeV2 - Plugin.Config.FontSizeV2) > 0.001;
         var italicStateChanged = Mutable.ItalicEnabled != Plugin.Config.ItalicEnabled;
+        // v1.2.0 — Refilter only if a filter-relevant setting actually
+        // changed. The Clear+Refilter cycle reloads messages from the DB,
+        // which silently wipes any in-session message that wasn't
+        // persisted (Privacy-First config blocks most channels from DB).
+        // Cosmetic changes (theme, tab icons, layout flags) trigger no
+        // refilter — chat history stays intact.
+        var filtersChanged = HasFilterRelevantChanges();
 
         Plugin.Config.UpdateFrom(Mutable, true);
 
         // save after 60 frames have passed, which should hopefully not
         // commit any changes that cause a crash
         Plugin.DeferredSaveFrames = 60;
-        Plugin.MessageManager.ClearAllTabs();
-        Plugin.MessageManager.FilterAllTabsAsync();
+        if (filtersChanged)
+        {
+            Plugin.MessageManager.ClearAllTabs();
+            Plugin.MessageManager.FilterAllTabsAsync();
+        }
 
         if (fontChanged || fontSizeChanged || italicStateChanged)
             Plugin.FontManager.BuildFonts();
@@ -233,4 +243,59 @@ public sealed class SettingsWindow : Dalamud.Interface.Windowing.Window
 
         Initialise();
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// v1.2.0 — Detects whether any setting that influences message
+    /// filtering changed between Plugin.Config and the Mutable working
+    /// copy. Used to gate the heavy ClearAllTabs+FilterAllTabsAsync cycle
+    /// in Save: cosmetic changes (theme, tab icons, layout flags) do not
+    /// touch the chat log, only filter-relevant changes do. Without this
+    /// gate, every settings save wipes the chat history of any channel
+    /// the Privacy filter blocks from being persisted to the DB —
+    /// reported by Flo from in-game testing 2026-05-05/06.
+    /// </summary>
+    private bool HasFilterRelevantChanges()
+    {
+        // Top-level privacy controls.
+        if (Mutable.PrivacyFilterEnabled != Plugin.Config.PrivacyFilterEnabled) return true;
+        if (Mutable.PrivacyPersistUnknownChannels != Plugin.Config.PrivacyPersistUnknownChannels) return true;
+        if (!Mutable.PrivacyPersistChannels.SetEquals(Plugin.Config.PrivacyPersistChannels)) return true;
+
+        // FilterIncludePreviousSessions changes the GetMostRecentMessages
+        // window in MessageManager.FilterAllTabs and is therefore filter-
+        // relevant even though it lives outside the Privacy block.
+        if (Mutable.FilterIncludePreviousSessions != Plugin.Config.FilterIncludePreviousSessions) return true;
+
+        // Per-tab channel selection. Compare persistent tabs only —
+        // TempTabs are session-only and never refiltered anyway.
+        var origPersistent = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab).ToList();
+        var newPersistent = Mutable.Tabs.Where(t => !t.IsTempTab).ToList();
+
+        if (origPersistent.Count != newPersistent.Count) return true; // add or delete
+
+        for (var i = 0; i < origPersistent.Count; i++)
+        {
+            var orig = origPersistent[i];
+            var neu = newPersistent[i];
+
+            // Identifier mismatch at the same index means reorder or
+            // a slot got swapped — treat as filter-relevant so the new
+            // channel-selection layout actually applies.
+            if (orig.Identifier != neu.Identifier) return true;
+
+            if (orig.ExtraChatAll != neu.ExtraChatAll) return true;
+            if (!orig.ExtraChatChannels.SetEquals(neu.ExtraChatChannels)) return true;
+
+            // SelectedChannels is a Dictionary<ChatType, (ChatSource, ChatSource)>
+            // — value-tuple equality already does the right thing per-pair.
+            if (orig.SelectedChannels.Count != neu.SelectedChannels.Count) return true;
+            foreach (var pair in orig.SelectedChannels)
+            {
+                if (!neu.SelectedChannels.TryGetValue(pair.Key, out var nv)) return true;
+                if (!pair.Value.Equals(nv)) return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
 }

HellionChat/Ui/SettingsTabs/Appearance.cs

@@ -45,32 +45,11 @@ internal sealed class Appearance : ISettingsTab
 
         using (ImRaii.PushIndent(ImGui.GetStyle().IndentSpacing, false))
         {
-            // v1.1.0 — Diese Settings-UI wird in Phase J durch den dedizierten
-            // Themes-Tab ersetzt. Bis dahin bleiben die alten Toggles erhalten,
-            // damit die Settings-Seite kompiliert; sie schreiben in die mit
-            // [Obsolete] markierten Felder, die bis v1.2.0 als JSON-Safety-Net
-            // bestehen bleiben. Das pragma unterdrückt die CS0612-Warnungen
-            // gezielt für diesen Übergangs-Block.
-#pragma warning disable CS0612, CS0618
-            ImGui.Checkbox(HellionStrings.Theme_Enabled_Name, ref Mutable.HellionThemeEnabled);
-            ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(HellionStrings.Theme_Enabled_Description);
-
-            // Clamp 0.5–1.0 stays consistent with Privacy.cs which already
-            // shipped this slider; lower values would let chat windows
-            // disappear behind game UI.
-            using (ImRaii.Disabled(!Mutable.HellionThemeEnabled))
-            {
-                ImGui.SetNextItemWidth(200f * ImGuiHelpers.GlobalScale);
-                var opacity = Mutable.HellionThemeWindowOpacity;
-                if (ImGui.SliderFloat($"{HellionStrings.Theme_WindowOpacity_Label}##theme-opacity", ref opacity, 0.5f, 1.0f, "%.2f"))
-                {
-                    Mutable.HellionThemeWindowOpacity = Math.Clamp(opacity, 0.5f, 1.0f);
-                }
-                ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(HellionStrings.Theme_WindowOpacity_Help);
-            }
-
-            ImGui.Spacing();
-
+            // v1.2.0 — Legacy HellionThemeEnabled/HellionThemeWindowOpacity-Bindings
+            // entfernt. Theme-Auswahl + globale Window-Opacity leben jetzt in
+            // Settings → Themes (eingeführt mit v1.1.0). Hier verbleibt nur der
+            // klassische OverrideStyle-Toggle plus der Bestand-WindowAlpha-Slider
+            // für das Chat-Log-Fenster.
             ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_OverrideStyle_Name, ref Mutable.OverrideStyle);
             ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(Language.Options_OverrideStyle_Name_Desc);
 
@@ -79,16 +58,7 @@ internal sealed class Appearance : ISettingsTab
                 DrawStyleCombo();
             }
 
-            // The Bestand-Slider WindowAlpha targets the chat log window's
-            // background only. The Hellion theme opacity above already covers
-            // every plugin window globally, so the two sliders fight each
-            // other when the theme is active. Disable the legacy slider in
-            // that case to make Hellion theme the single source of truth.
-            using (ImRaii.Disabled(Mutable.HellionThemeEnabled))
-            {
-                ImGuiUtil.DragFloatVertical(Language.Options_WindowOpacity_Name, ref Mutable.WindowAlpha, .25f, 0f, 100f, $"{Mutable.WindowAlpha:N2}%%", ImGuiSliderFlags.AlwaysClamp);
-            }
-#pragma warning restore CS0612, CS0618
+            ImGuiUtil.DragFloatVertical(Language.Options_WindowOpacity_Name, ref Mutable.WindowAlpha, .25f, 0f, 100f, $"{Mutable.WindowAlpha:N2}%%", ImGuiSliderFlags.AlwaysClamp);
         }
     }
 
@@ -139,7 +109,22 @@ internal sealed class Appearance : ISettingsTab
             ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(HellionStrings.Theme_UseHellionFont_Description);
             ImGui.Spacing();
 
-            using var fontDisabled = ImRaii.Disabled(Mutable.UseHellionFont);
+            // v1.2.0 — Schriftgröße muss auch bei aktiver Hellion-Schrift
+            // editierbar sein (Exo 2 ist Variable-Font, FontSizeV2 wird in
+            // FontManager als SizePt angewendet). Disabled-Wrap nur noch
+            // um den Bestand-Custom-Font-Stack (FontsEnabled-Toggle und
+            // die Font-Chooser) — der ist weiter exclusive zu HellionFont.
+            if (Mutable.UseHellionFont)
+            {
+                ImGuiUtil.FontSizeCombo(Language.Options_FontSize_Name, ref Mutable.FontSizeV2);
+                ImGui.Spacing();
+
+                ImGuiUtil.FontSizeCombo(Language.Options_SymbolsFontSize_Name, ref Mutable.SymbolsFontSizeV2);
+                ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(Language.Options_SymbolsFontSize_Description);
+
+                ImGui.Spacing();
+                return;
+            }
 
             ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_FontsEnabled, ref Mutable.FontsEnabled);
             ImGui.Spacing();
@@ -356,6 +341,11 @@ internal sealed class Appearance : ISettingsTab
                 ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_MoreCompactPretty_Name, ref Mutable.MoreCompactPretty);
                 ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(Language.Options_MoreCompactPretty_Description);
 
+                // v1.2.0 — Card-Rows als Default. Compact-Density schaltet auf den
+                // klassischen Single-Line-Mode `[HH:mm] Sender: Text` zurück.
+                ImGui.Checkbox(HellionStrings.Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Name, ref Mutable.UseCompactDensity);
+                ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(HellionStrings.Appearance_UseCompactDensity_Description);
+
                 ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_HideSameTimestamps_Name, ref Mutable.HideSameTimestamps);
                 ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(Language.Options_HideSameTimestamps_Description);
             }

HellionChat/Ui/SettingsTabs/Tabs.cs

@@ -91,6 +91,40 @@ internal sealed class Tabs : ISettingsTab
             }
 
             ImGui.InputText(Language.Options_Tabs_Name, ref tab.Name, 512, ImGuiInputTextFlags.EnterReturnsTrue);
+
+            // v1.2.0 — Per-Tab Icon-Override. Default-Mapping greift falls nichts gesetzt.
+            ImGui.TextUnformatted(HellionStrings.Tabs_Icon_Label);
+            ImGui.SameLine();
+            ImGuiUtil.HelpMarker(HellionStrings.Tabs_Icon_HelpMarker);
+
+            var iconCurrent = string.IsNullOrEmpty(tab.Icon) ? "" : tab.Icon;
+            var iconPreview = iconCurrent.Length == 0
+                ? HellionStrings.Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption
+                : iconCurrent;
+            using (var combo = ImRaii.Combo($"##icon-{i}", iconPreview))
+            {
+                if (combo.Success)
+                {
+                    // Erste Option: Default (löscht Icon, lässt Mapping greifen).
+                    if (ImGui.Selectable(HellionStrings.Tabs_Icon_DefaultOption, iconCurrent.Length == 0))
+                    {
+                        tab.Icon = null;
+                    }
+
+                    ImGui.Separator();
+
+                    // Pool-Optionen aus TabIconGlyphResolver.PickerOptions (Single-Source-of-Truth).
+                    foreach (var option in TabIconGlyphResolver.PickerOptions)
+                    {
+                        var isSelected = string.Equals(iconCurrent, option, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+                        if (ImGui.Selectable(option, isSelected))
+                        {
+                            tab.Icon = option;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_Tabs_ShowTimestamps, ref tab.DisplayTimestamp);
             ImGui.Checkbox(Language.Options_Tabs_PopOut, ref tab.PopOut);
             if (tab.PopOut)

HellionChat/Ui/StatusBar.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Numerics;
+using Dalamud.Bindings.ImGui;
+using Dalamud.Interface;
+using Dalamud.Interface.Utility.Raii;
+using HellionChat.Code;
+using HellionChat.Resources;
+using HellionChat.Util;
+
+namespace HellionChat.Ui;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Bottom-Status-Bar (v1.2.0). Fix 22 px hoch, BorderTop als Trenner.
+/// Slots links → rechts: Channel-Indicator (Color-Dot + Channel-Name),
+/// Privacy-Badge (Lock-Icon + Privacy-Label), Counts (Tabs + Msgs),
+/// Tells (Auto-Tell-Counter, hidden bei 0), Version (rechtsbündig, muted).
+///
+/// Update-Frequenz: 1×/Sekunde. Format-Strings werden zwischen Updates
+/// gecached, damit kein Per-Frame-Format-Allocation entsteht.
+/// </summary>
+internal sealed class StatusBar
+{
+    public const float Height = 22f;
+    private const long UpdateIntervalMs = 1000;
+
+    // Cache-State — initial outdated, damit der erste Frame frisch berechnet.
+    private long _lastUpdateMs = -UpdateIntervalMs;
+    private string _cachedCountsText = string.Empty;
+    private string _cachedTellsText = string.Empty;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Reine String-Logik — testbar ohne ImGui-Init.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string FormatCounts(int tabs, int messages)
+    {
+        // InvariantCulture: User-System-Locale darf das Format nicht
+        // verändern (de_DE würde sonst "1,2k" statt "1.2k" liefern).
+        var msgPart = messages >= 1000
+            ? string.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "{0:0.0}k msg", messages / 1000.0)
+            : $"{messages} msg";
+        var tabsPart = $"{tabs} {(tabs == 1 ? "tab" : "tabs")}";
+        return $"{tabsPart} · {msgPart}";
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Reine String-Logik — testbar ohne ImGui-Init.
+    /// 0 Tells → Leerstring (Slot wird ausgeblendet).
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string FormatTells(int count)
+    {
+        if (count <= 0) return string.Empty;
+        return $"{count} {(count == 1 ? "tell" : "tells")}";
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Test-Hook: Cache-Logic ohne reale Time-Source verifizieren.
+    /// Nicht für Production-Render.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal (string counts, string tells) SnapshotForTest(long now, int tabs, int messages, int tells)
+    {
+        UpdateCacheIfDue(now, tabs, messages, tells);
+        return (_cachedCountsText, _cachedTellsText);
+    }
+
+    private void UpdateCacheIfDue(long now, int tabs, int messages, int tells)
+    {
+        if (now - _lastUpdateMs < UpdateIntervalMs)
+            return;
+        _cachedCountsText = FormatCounts(tabs, messages);
+        _cachedTellsText = FormatTells(tells);
+        _lastUpdateMs = now;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Render-Pfad. Aufrufer pusht bereits den HellionStyle/Theme;
+    /// wir lesen nur die aktiven Theme-Farben und zeichnen.
+    /// </summary>
+    public void Draw(Plugin plugin)
+    {
+        var theme = plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+        var now = Environment.TickCount64;
+
+        // Counts pro Frame berechnen ist günstig (List<>.Count, kleine
+        // Sums); Format-String wird gecached.
+        var tabs = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Count;
+        var messages = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Sum(t => t.Messages.Count);
+        var tells = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Count(t => t.IsTempTab);
+        UpdateCacheIfDue(now, tabs, messages, tells);
+
+        // BorderTop als Trenner — DrawList-Line, ImGui-Separator hat zu viel Padding.
+        var cursorY = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos().Y;
+        var winLeft = ImGui.GetWindowPos().X;
+        var winRight = winLeft + ImGui.GetWindowSize().X;
+        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddLine(
+            new Vector2(winLeft, cursorY),
+            new Vector2(winRight, cursorY),
+            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.Border),
+            1f);
+
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0, 2)); // BorderTop-Spacing
+
+        // Slot 1: Active-Channel-Indicator
+        var inputCh = plugin.CurrentTab?.CurrentChannel?.Channel ?? InputChannel.Invalid;
+        var hasChannel = inputCh != InputChannel.Invalid;
+        var chatType = inputCh.ToChatType();
+        var channelName = hasChannel ? chatType.Name() : "—";
+        var channelColor = hasChannel
+            ? (plugin.Functions.Chat.GetChannelColor(chatType) ?? theme.Colors.TextMuted)
+            : theme.Colors.TextMuted;
+        DrawDot(channelColor);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.TextUnformatted(channelName);
+
+        // Slot 2: Privacy-Badge — abgeleitet aus PrivacyFilterEnabled.
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        DrawSeparator();
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        using (plugin.FontManager.FontAwesome.Push())
+        {
+            ImGui.TextUnformatted(FontAwesomeIcon.Lock.ToIconString());
+        }
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        var privacyLabel = Plugin.Config.PrivacyFilterEnabled
+            ? HellionStrings.StatusBar_Privacy_Enabled
+            : HellionStrings.StatusBar_Privacy_Open;
+        ImGui.TextUnformatted(privacyLabel);
+
+        // Slot 3: Counts
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        DrawSeparator();
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.TextUnformatted(_cachedCountsText);
+
+        // Slot 4: Tells (nur wenn > 0)
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(_cachedTellsText))
+        {
+            ImGui.SameLine();
+            DrawSeparator();
+            ImGui.SameLine();
+            ImGui.TextUnformatted(_cachedTellsText);
+        }
+
+        // Slot 5: Version (rechtsbündig, muted)
+        var versionText = $"v{Plugin.Interface.Manifest.AssemblyVersion} · Hellion";
+        var versionWidth = ImGui.CalcTextSize(versionText).X;
+        var contentRegionMax = ImGui.GetContentRegionMax().X;
+        ImGui.SameLine(contentRegionMax - versionWidth);
+        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Text, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(theme.Colors.TextMuted)))
+        {
+            ImGui.TextUnformatted(versionText);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void DrawDot(uint rgba)
+    {
+        var pos = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        const float radius = 4f;
+        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddCircleFilled(
+            new Vector2(pos.X + radius, pos.Y + ImGui.GetTextLineHeight() / 2f),
+            radius,
+            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(rgba));
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(radius * 2 + 4, ImGui.GetTextLineHeight()));
+    }
+
+    private static void DrawSeparator()
+    {
+        ImGui.TextDisabled("·");
+    }
+}

HellionChat/Ui/TabIconGlyphResolver.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+namespace HellionChat.Ui;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Reine String-Resolver-Logik ohne Dalamud-Dependency. Bewusst in
+/// eigener Datei (Dependency-Boundary auf File-Level sichtbar), damit
+/// Tests (HellionChat.Tests, Microsoft.NET.Sdk ohne Dalamud-Reference)
+/// sie aufrufen können, ohne dass die JIT beim Methodenaufruf die
+/// Dalamud-Assembly laden muss.
+///
+/// Wird im Settings-UI (T7) für die Glyph-Picker-Combobox und im
+/// Render-Code indirekt über <see cref="TabIconMapping.Resolve(Tab)"/>
+/// verwendet.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class TabIconGlyphResolver
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Picker-Options-Pool — Single Source of Truth für das Glyph-Set.
+    /// Reihenfolge ist die UI-Reihenfolge im Settings-Tab Icon-Combobox.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static readonly IReadOnlyList<string> PickerOptions =
+        ["comment", "comments", "cog", "users", "user-friends", "link",
+         "envelope", "clock", "hashtag", "star", "heart", "bell",
+         "bookmark", "flag", "fire"];
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Glyph-Set, das überhaupt als Override akzeptiert wird. Aus
+    /// <see cref="PickerOptions"/> abgeleitet — KnownGlyphs nie
+    /// manuell pflegen.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly HashSet<string> KnownGlyphs =
+        new(PickerOptions, StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Tab-Name → Default-Glyph-Name. Tab.Name wird per Lokalisierung
+    /// gesetzt; wir matchen daher gegen einen Pool aus DE/EN-Synonymen.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly Dictionary<string, string> NameDefaults = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+    {
+        ["allgemein"] = "comment",
+        ["general"] = "comment",
+        ["system"] = "cog",
+        ["free company"] = "users",
+        ["fc"] = "users",
+        ["gruppe"] = "user-friends",
+        ["group"] = "user-friends",
+        ["party"] = "user-friends",
+        ["linkshell"] = "link",
+        ["ls"] = "link",
+        ["cwls"] = "link",
+        ["tells"] = "envelope",
+        ["tell"] = "envelope",
+    };
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Test-Surface: Glyph-Name-Resolver ohne Dalamud-Dependency.
+    /// Reihenfolge:
+    /// 1. Tab.Icon-Override (falls gesetzt und nicht nur Whitespace):
+    ///    a) bekannter Glyph → diesen Glyph
+    ///    b) unbekannter Glyph → harter Fallback "hashtag" (User hat
+    ///       bewusst etwas gesetzt, also überstimmt das die Defaults)
+    /// 2. Auto-Tell-Tab → <paramref name="autoTellGlyph"/> falls
+    ///    übergeben, sonst "clock".
+    /// 3. Tab-Name-Default (<see cref="NameDefaults"/>-Lookup)
+    /// 4. Fallback "hashtag"
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string ResolveGlyphName(Tab tab, string? autoTellGlyph = null)
+    {
+        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(tab.Icon))
+            return KnownGlyphs.Contains(tab.Icon) ? tab.Icon : "hashtag";
+
+        if (tab.IsTempTab)
+            return autoTellGlyph ?? "clock";
+
+        if (tab.Name is { } name && NameDefaults.TryGetValue(name, out var byName))
+            return byName;
+
+        return "hashtag";
+    }
+}

HellionChat/Ui/TabIconMapping.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+using Dalamud.Interface;
+
+namespace HellionChat.Ui;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Default-Icon-Mapping für Tabs. v1.2.0 Layout-Refresh nutzt das
+/// in Top-Tabs (Icon-Prefix) und Sidebar (Icon-only mit Tooltip).
+/// User können in Settings → Tabs per Tab.Icon-Override eigene
+/// FontAwesome-Glyphen setzen.
+///
+/// Diese Klasse ist Dalamud-abhängig (FontAwesomeIcon-Enum). Die
+/// reine String-Resolver-Logik liegt bewusst in
+/// <see cref="TabIconGlyphResolver"/> (eigene Datei, ohne
+/// Dalamud-Imports), damit Tests sie ohne Dalamud-Reference aufrufen
+/// können.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class TabIconMapping
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// FontAwesome-Glyph-Name → Icon-Enum-Lookup. Wird für die
+    /// Production-Resolve-API benötigt.
+    ///
+    /// INVARIANTE: Jeder Key in <see cref="GlyphLookup"/> muss auch in
+    /// <see cref="TabIconGlyphResolver.PickerOptions"/> stehen. Wird
+    /// ein Glyph zu PickerOptions hinzugefügt, aber nicht hier, fällt
+    /// die Override-Auflösung still auf <see cref="FontAwesomeIcon.Hashtag"/>
+    /// zurück (degraded, kein Crash). Build-Time-Enforcement ist nicht
+    /// möglich, weil PickerOptions ohne Dalamud-Reference auskommt.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly Dictionary<string, FontAwesomeIcon> GlyphLookup = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+    {
+        ["comment"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Comment,
+        ["comments"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Comments,
+        ["cog"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Cog,
+        ["users"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Users,
+        ["user-friends"] = FontAwesomeIcon.UserFriends,
+        ["link"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Link,
+        ["envelope"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Envelope,
+        ["clock"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Clock,
+        ["hashtag"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Hashtag,
+        ["star"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Star,
+        ["heart"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Heart,
+        ["bell"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Bell,
+        ["bookmark"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Bookmark,
+        ["flag"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Flag,
+        ["fire"] = FontAwesomeIcon.Fire,
+    };
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Production-Surface: liefert das Icon für einen Tab. Wrapper um
+    /// <see cref="TabIconGlyphResolver.ResolveGlyphName(Tab)"/> plus
+    /// Enum-Lookup. Wird von Render-Code (T3, T5) verwendet.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static FontAwesomeIcon Resolve(Tab tab)
+    {
+        // v1.2.0 — Auto-Tell-Tabs bekommen ein per-Partner gehashtes
+        // Icon aus dem Tell-Pool. Damit unterscheiden sich parallele
+        // Tells nicht nur über die Color (For), sondern auch über die
+        // Glyph-Form. Berechnung bleibt hier (Dalamud-bound), weil
+        // TellTarget Dalamud-Imports hat.
+        string? autoTellGlyph = null;
+        if (tab.IsTempTab && tab.TellTarget != null && tab.TellTarget.IsSet())
+        {
+            autoTellGlyph = AutoTellTabTint.IconFor(tab.TellTarget.Name, tab.TellTarget.World);
+        }
+
+        var glyph = TabIconGlyphResolver.ResolveGlyphName(tab, autoTellGlyph);
+        return GlyphLookup.TryGetValue(glyph, out var icon)
+            ? icon
+            : FontAwesomeIcon.Hashtag;
+    }
+}

NOTICE.md

@@ -87,3 +87,7 @@ this file, the README). The Hellion brand is mine.
 This file is the canonical place for "is this attribution correct, is the
 maintainer reachable, is the relationship to Chat 2 documented". If
 anything in here is wrong, please open an issue or contact me directly.
+
+---
+
+Maintained under **Hellion Forge**, the modding and plugin line of **Hellion Online Media** | Bad Harzburg | [hellion-media.de](https://hellion-media.de)

PRIVACY.md

@@ -1,16 +1,8 @@
 # Privacy notice
 
-HellionChat is a Dalamud plugin for FINAL FANTASY XIV that focuses on
-giving the user explicit control over what their chat client stores
-locally. This document describes what the plugin does with your data,
-what it does not do, and how you exercise the rights the GDPR gives
-you over data you generate yourself.
+HellionChat is a Dalamud plugin for FINAL FANTASY XIV, focused on giving the user explicit control over what their chat client stores locally. This document describes what the plugin does with your data, what it does not do, and how you exercise the rights the GDPR gives you over data you generate yourself.
 
-This document is informational. The maintainer of HellionChat is
-**not** a controller or processor of your data in the GDPR sense,
-because no data ever leaves your machine on the maintainer's
-infrastructure. Independently of that, the plugin is built so that
-you can act on your own data the way the GDPR expects.
+This document is informational. The maintainer of HellionChat is **not** a controller or processor of your data in the GDPR sense, because no data ever leaves your machine on the maintainer's infrastructure. Independently of that, the plugin is built so that you can act on your own data the way the GDPR expects.
 
 Last reviewed: 2026-05-05 (HellionChat v1.1.0).
 
@@ -18,195 +10,109 @@ Last reviewed: 2026-05-05 (HellionChat v1.1.0).
 
 ## TL;DR
 
-- All chat data the plugin stores stays on your machine, in your
-  Dalamud `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` directory.
-- The plugin does not phone home. There is no telemetry, no analytics,
-  no crash reporter, no usage counter, no remote update check beyond
-  what Dalamud itself does.
-- One outbound network call exists by design: the BetterTTV emote
-  service (for chat emotes). It is documented in detail below and
-  can be reasoned about per request.
-- You can export every message the plugin has stored, in Markdown,
-  JSON or CSV, and you can wipe stored history per channel, per date
-  range, or globally.
+- All chat data the plugin stores stays on your machine, in your Dalamud `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` directory.
+- The plugin does not phone home. No telemetry, no analytics, no crash reporter, no usage counter, no remote update check beyond what Dalamud itself does.
+- One outbound network call exists by design: the BetterTTV emote service (for chat emotes). It is documented in detail below and can be reasoned about per request.
+- You can export every message the plugin has stored, in Markdown, JSON or CSV, and you can wipe stored history per channel, per date range, or globally.
 
 ---
 
 ## What the plugin stores locally
 
-HellionChat keeps three kinds of state on your machine, all under
-`%appdata%\XIVLauncher\pluginConfigs\HellionChat\` on Windows
-(`~/.xlcore/pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` on Linux/macOS via XIVLauncher
-Core):
+HellionChat keeps three kinds of state on your machine, all under `%appdata%\XIVLauncher\pluginConfigs\HellionChat\` on Windows (`~/.xlcore/pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` on Linux/macOS via XIVLauncher Core):
 
-1. **Configuration** (`HellionChat.json`)
-   Plugin settings, channel whitelist, retention values, layout state,
-   theme colours. Contains no chat content.
+1. **Configuration** (`HellionChat.json`).
+   Plugin settings, channel whitelist, retention values, layout state, theme colours. Contains no chat content.
 
-2. **Message database** (SQLite file in the same directory)
-   Chat messages from the channels on your whitelist, stored as
-   MessagePack-encoded blobs. Default whitelist out of the box covers
-   only your own conversations: tells, party, free company, linkshells,
-   cross-world linkshells, alliance, ExtraChat. Public chat, NPC
-   dialogue, system messages and battle logs are dropped on the
-   storage layer and never written to disk.
+2. **Message database** (SQLite file in the same directory).
+   Chat messages from the channels on your whitelist, stored as MessagePack-encoded blobs. The default whitelist out of the box covers only your own conversations: tells, party, free company, linkshells, cross-world linkshells, alliance, ExtraChat. Public chat, NPC dialogue, system messages and battle logs are dropped on the storage layer and never written to disk.
 
-3. **Cached emote images** (`EmoteCacheV1/` directory)
-   Image files downloaded from BetterTTV when an emote appears in a
-   message you receive. See "Outbound network calls" below.
+3. **Cached emote images** (`EmoteCacheV1/` directory).
+   Image files downloaded from BetterTTV when an emote appears in a message you receive. See "Outbound network calls" below.
 
-There is no shared state with the upstream Chat 2 plugin.
-`pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` is independent from `pluginConfigs/ChatTwo/`.
+There is no shared state with the upstream Chat 2 plugin. `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` is independent from `pluginConfigs/ChatTwo/`.
 
 ### Retention defaults
 
 - Tells: 365 days
-- Your-conversation channels (party, FC, linkshells, cross-world LS,
-  alliance, ExtraChat): 90 days
+- Your-conversation channels (party, FC, linkshells, cross-world LS, alliance, ExtraChat): 90 days
 - Global default for anything else: 30 days
 
-**Retention is off by default.** The plugin does not delete anything
-on its own until you explicitly turn the retention sweep on in the
-settings. Until then, stored messages stay until you clear them.
+**Retention is off by default.** The plugin does not delete anything on its own until you explicitly turn the retention sweep on in the settings. Until then, stored messages stay until you clear them.
 
 ---
 
 ## What the plugin does not store
 
-- Public chat (`/say`, `/yell`, `/shout`), NPC dialogue, system
-  messages and battle logs. These are filtered before they reach the
-  storage layer.
-- Anything from channels you remove from the whitelist. The privacy
-  filter runs on the way in, not on the way out.
-- Login credentials, character IDs, account IDs. The plugin uses
-  whatever Dalamud already exposes about the local character to
-  attribute messages; nothing of that is sent anywhere or persisted
-  beyond the message itself.
+- Public chat (`/say`, `/yell`, `/shout`), NPC dialogue, system messages and battle logs. These are filtered before they reach the storage layer.
+- Anything from channels you remove from the whitelist. The privacy filter runs on the way in, not on the way out.
+- Login credentials, character IDs, account IDs. The plugin uses whatever Dalamud already exposes about the local character to attribute messages. Nothing of that is sent anywhere or persisted beyond the message itself.
 
 ---
 
 ## Outbound network calls
 
-HellionChat makes two kinds of automatic outbound network requests.
-Both are inherited from upstream Chat 2 and both are documented here
-because "DSGVO-by-design" means you should know what your client does
-on your behalf.
+HellionChat makes two kinds of automatic outbound network requests. Both are inherited from upstream Chat 2 and both are documented here because "GDPR-by-design" means you should know what your client does on your behalf.
 
 ### 1. BetterTTV emote service (`api.betterttv.net`, `cdn.betterttv.net`)
 
-- **What it does:** When a chat message arrives that references a
-  BetterTTV emote, the plugin asks the BetterTTV API for the emote
-  metadata and downloads the image from the BetterTTV CDN to display
-  it inline.
-- **What is sent:** A standard HTTPS GET request. Your IP address
-  reaches BetterTTV (unavoidable for any HTTPS request); the request
-  itself contains no identifying user data, no character name, no
-  message text. Only the emote ID being looked up is in the URL path.
+- **What it does:** When a chat message arrives that references a BetterTTV emote, the plugin asks the BetterTTV API for the emote metadata and downloads the image from the BetterTTV CDN to display it inline.
+- **What is sent:** A standard HTTPS GET request. Your IP address reaches BetterTTV (unavoidable for any HTTPS request); the request itself contains no identifying user data, no character name, no message text. Only the emote ID being looked up is in the URL path.
 - **When it triggers:**
-  - The emote *list* (global emotes plus the top-1500 community emotes
-    over fifteen API pages) is fetched from `api.betterttv.net` once
-    per session at plugin startup, provided the **Show emotes** option
-    is on. This first list-fetch happens before any chat message has
-    arrived; BetterTTV's edge therefore sees your IP as soon as the
-    plugin loads, not only after an emote is mentioned.
-  - The individual emote *images* on `cdn.betterttv.net` are fetched
-    on demand, only when an incoming chat message contains a token
-    matching one of the cached IDs. These are cached locally
-    (`emoteCache/`) and reused across sessions.
-- **Cached:** Yes, in `emoteCache/`. A given emote is downloaded once
-  per machine and reused.
-- **How to opt out:** Turn off the **Show emotes** option in
-  Settings → Chat. With it disabled, the emote cache does not load
-  and no requests to BetterTTV are made for the rest of the session.
+  - The emote *list* (global emotes plus the top-1500 community emotes over fifteen API pages) is fetched from `api.betterttv.net` once per session at plugin startup, provided the **Show emotes** option is on. This first list-fetch happens before any chat message has arrived. BetterTTV's edge therefore sees your IP as soon as the plugin loads, not only after an emote is mentioned.
+  - The individual emote *images* on `cdn.betterttv.net` are fetched on demand, only when an incoming chat message contains a token matching one of the cached IDs. These are cached locally (`emoteCache/`) and reused across sessions.
+- **Cached:** Yes, in `emoteCache/`. A given emote is downloaded once per machine and reused.
+- **How to opt out:** Turn off the **Show emotes** option in Settings → Chat. With it disabled, the emote cache does not load and no requests to BetterTTV are made for the rest of the session.
 - **BetterTTV's privacy policy:** <https://betterttv.com/privacy>
 
 Source: `HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs`.
 
-### 2. Square Enix Lodestone font — removed in v1.0.4
+### 2. Square Enix Lodestone font (removed in v1.0.4)
 
-Earlier versions of HellionChat (and upstream Chat 2) downloaded
-`FFXIV_Lodestone_SSF.ttf` from `img.finalfantasyxiv.com` once during
-font setup. That code path was a leftover from upstream's removed
-webinterface feature and was no longer consumed anywhere — the in-game
-symbol glyphs (job icons, item glyphs, status effects) come from
-Dalamud's bundled symbol-font helper, not from the downloaded TTF.
+Earlier versions of HellionChat (and upstream Chat 2) downloaded `FFXIV_Lodestone_SSF.ttf` from `img.finalfantasyxiv.com` once during font setup. That code path was a leftover from upstream's removed webinterface feature and was no longer consumed anywhere. The in-game symbol glyphs (job icons, item glyphs, status effects) come from Dalamud's bundled symbol-font helper, not from the downloaded TTF.
 
-The download was removed in v1.0.4. As of that version HellionChat
-makes no automatic network call to Square Enix or to any
-`finalfantasyxiv.com` host.
+The download was removed in v1.0.4. As of that version HellionChat makes no automatic network call to Square Enix or to any `finalfantasyxiv.com` host.
 
-Cached `FFXIV_Lodestone_SSF.ttf` files left over from earlier versions
-remain in `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` until manually deleted; they
-are no longer read.
+Cached `FFXIV_Lodestone_SSF.ttf` files left over from earlier versions remain in `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` until manually deleted. They are no longer read.
 
 ### Links you click yourself (no automatic traffic)
 
-The settings panel contains a few buttons that open external pages in
-your browser when you click them: the upstream Chat 2 GitHub repo,
-the upstream maintainers' Ko-fi pages, the HellionChat issue tracker
-and `hellion-media.de`. Nothing happens until you click. They are
-documented here for completeness, not because they generate background
-traffic.
+The settings panel contains a few buttons that open external pages in your browser when you click them: the upstream Chat 2 GitHub repo, the upstream maintainers' Ko-fi pages, the HellionChat issue tracker and `hellion-media.de`. Nothing happens until you click. They are documented here for completeness, not because they generate background traffic.
 
 ---
 
 ## What the plugin does not do
 
-- **No telemetry.** Source verified: no calls to AppInsights, Sentry,
-  PostHog, Plausible, Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity or any
-  comparable service exist in the codebase, nor in the direct
-  dependencies the plugin pulls in. See `docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`.
-- **No crash reporting.** Crashes go to Dalamud's local `xllog`,
-  not to a remote endpoint controlled by HellionChat.
-- **No usage counters.** The plugin does not count installs, sessions,
-  feature usage, channel activity or anything else for the maintainer.
-- **No phone-home update check.** Updates are delivered through
-  Dalamud's plugin installer, which polls the custom-repo
-  `repo.json` on GitHub. That is GitHub's traffic and falls under
-  GitHub's privacy policy; the plugin code does no separate update
-  check.
-- **No background sync.** Messages stay on your machine. There is no
-  cloud backup, no sharing feature, no remote viewer.
+- **No telemetry.** Source verified: no calls to AppInsights, Sentry, PostHog, Plausible, Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity or any comparable service exist in the codebase, nor in the direct dependencies the plugin pulls in. See `docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`.
+- **No crash reporting.** Crashes go to Dalamud's local `xllog`, not to a remote endpoint controlled by HellionChat.
+- **No usage counters.** The plugin does not count installs, sessions, feature usage, channel activity or anything else for the maintainer.
+- **No phone-home update check.** Updates are delivered through Dalamud's plugin installer, which polls the custom-repo `repo.json` on GitHub. That is GitHub's traffic and falls under GitHub's privacy policy. The plugin code does no separate update check.
+- **No background sync.** Messages stay on your machine. No cloud backup, no sharing feature, no remote viewer.
 
 ---
 
 ## Your data, your rights
 
-The GDPR gives you specific rights over data about you. Because
-HellionChat stores everything locally, those rights translate
-directly into plugin features:
+The GDPR gives you specific rights over data about you. Because HellionChat stores everything locally, those rights translate directly into plugin features:
 
 ### Right to access (Art. 15)
 
-Use the export feature in the plugin settings. You can export to
-**Markdown**, **JSON** or **CSV**, filtered by channel, date range
-or sender substring. The export goes through a Dalamud file dialog
-and writes wherever you point it, on your machine.
+Use the export feature in the plugin settings. You can export to **Markdown**, **JSON** or **CSV**, filtered by channel, date range or sender substring. The export goes through a Dalamud file dialog and writes wherever you point it, on your machine.
 
 ### Right to erasure (Art. 17)
 
 Two options:
 
-1. **Targeted deletion** — the "retroactive cleanup" feature lets you
-   apply your current whitelist to the existing database. It shows a
-   preview of what will be removed before you confirm with
-   Ctrl+Shift, runs in the background, and calls `VACUUM` afterwards
-   to actually shrink the file.
-2. **Full deletion** — close the game and delete the
-   `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` directory. Next plugin start will
-   produce a fresh, empty configuration.
+1. **Targeted deletion.** The "retroactive cleanup" feature lets you apply your current whitelist to the existing database. It shows a preview of what will be removed before you confirm with Ctrl+Shift, runs in the background, and calls `VACUUM` afterwards to actually shrink the file.
+2. **Full deletion.** Close the game and delete the `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/` directory. The next plugin start will produce a fresh, empty configuration.
 
 ### Right to portability (Art. 20)
 
-The JSON and CSV exports are open formats. The Markdown export is
-human-readable and machine-parseable. Nothing is locked into a
-proprietary container.
+The JSON and CSV exports are open formats. The Markdown export is human-readable and machine-parseable. Nothing is locked into a proprietary container.
 
 ### Right to object / restrict processing (Art. 21, 18)
 
-Adjust the channel whitelist or set retention to a low value. Both
-take effect immediately on new messages; existing data needs the
-retroactive cleanup to apply retroactively, by design.
+Adjust the channel whitelist or set retention to a low value. Both take effect immediately on new messages. Existing data needs the retroactive cleanup to apply retroactively, by design.
 
 ---
 
@@ -218,37 +124,27 @@ retroactive cleanup to apply retroactively, by design.
 | GitHub (Microsoft) | Plugin distribution via custom repo, issue tracker | Whatever GitHub sees from any HTTPS request to a public repo | <https://docs.github.com/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-general-privacy-statement> |
 | Dalamud / XIVLauncher (goatcorp) | Plugin loader, font subsystem, repo polling | Whatever Dalamud reports for itself; out of HellionChat's scope | <https://github.com/goatcorp/Dalamud> |
 
-GitHub and the Dalamud/XIVLauncher loader are unavoidable for anyone
-playing FFXIV through Dalamud at all. BetterTTV is the only third
-party HellionChat introduces on top of that baseline, and it is
-opt-out via settings.
+GitHub and the Dalamud/XIVLauncher loader are unavoidable for anyone playing FFXIV through Dalamud at all. BetterTTV is the only third party HellionChat introduces on top of that baseline, and it is opt-out via settings.
 
 ---
 
 ## Dependencies that touch the network
 
-For a full dependency inventory see `docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`. Of the
-direct dependencies the plugin pulls in:
+For a full dependency inventory see `docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`. Of the direct dependencies the plugin pulls in:
 
-- `MessagePack` — local serialisation, no network.
-- `Microsoft.Data.Sqlite` — local SQLite access, no network.
-- `morelinq` — LINQ helpers, no network.
-- `Pidgin` — parser combinators, no network.
-- `SixLabors.ImageSharp` — image decoding (used for the BetterTTV
-  emote pipeline), no network on its own.
+- `MessagePack`: local serialisation, no network.
+- `Microsoft.Data.Sqlite`: local SQLite access, no network.
+- `morelinq`: LINQ helpers, no network.
+- `Pidgin`: parser combinators, no network.
+- `SixLabors.ImageSharp`: image decoding (used for the BetterTTV emote pipeline), no network on its own.
 
-The single network call listed under "Outbound network calls" is
-written directly in HellionChat's own source, not delegated to a
-dependency.
+The single network call listed under "Outbound network calls" is written directly in HellionChat's own source, not delegated to a dependency.
 
 ---
 
 ## Changes to this notice
 
-If a future release changes what HellionChat stores, sends or caches,
-this document will be updated and the change called out in the
-changelog block of that release. The "Last reviewed" date at the top
-tracks the version this document is accurate for.
+If a future release changes what HellionChat stores, sends or caches, this document will be updated and the change called out in the changelog block of that release. The "Last reviewed" date at the top tracks the version this document is accurate for.
 
 ---
 
@@ -259,6 +155,8 @@ For privacy-related questions specific to HellionChat:
 - Email: `kontakt@hellion-media.de`
 - Discord DM: `@j.j_kazama`
 
-Security-relevant findings (e.g. the plugin storing or sending
-something this document says it does not) go through the private
-advisory in `SECURITY.md`, not a public issue.
+Security-relevant findings (for example, the plugin storing or sending something this document says it does not) go through the private advisory in `SECURITY.md`, not a public issue.
+
+---
+
+Maintained under **Hellion Forge**, the modding and plugin line of **Hellion Online Media** | Bad Harzburg | [hellion-media.de](https://hellion-media.de)

README.md

@@ -8,15 +8,23 @@
 [![.NET](https://img.shields.io/badge/.NET-10.0-512BD4)](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/)
 [![FFXIV](https://img.shields.io/badge/FFXIV-Dawntrail-c3a37f)](https://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/)
 
-**Version 1.0.3** — DSGVO-bewusster Chat-Ersatz für FINAL FANTASY XIV / Dalamud, basierend auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) (EUPL-1.2).
+<p align="center">
+  <img src="docs/images/hellion-forge.png" alt="Hellion Forge" width="180" />
+</p>
 
-Hellion Chat ergänzt das ursprüngliche Chat-2-Fundament um Datenschutz- und Daten-Handling-Kontrollen, die mit den Datenschutz-Regeln in der EU, den USA und Japan im Einklang sind. Alle aus Chat 2 übernommenen Funktionen, Befehle und Tastenkürzel funktionieren unverändert. Eigenständiger Plugin-Slot, eigene Konfiguration, eigene Datenbank.
+**Version 1.1.0** — 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.
+
+Der Daten-Handling-Fokus liegt auf den DSGVO/EU-, US- und JP-Regelungen, soweit für ein Chat-Plugin praktisch umsetzbar: Speicherzeit pro Kanal, granulare Filter, Selbstauskunft per Export. Eine ausführliche Auflistung steht in [`PRIVACY.md`](PRIVACY.md).
 
 Eigenständiges Repository, EUPL-1.2-lizenziert. Mit v1.0.0 ist der Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen: eigener Namespace `HellionChat.*`, eigene IPC-Kanäle, eigene Source-Tree-Struktur. Distribution über Custom-Repo. Selektive Cherry-Picks von Upstream-Chat-2 nach Bedarf, dokumentiert in [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md).
 
 ## Acknowledgements
 
-Hellion Chat baut auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) von **Infiziert90 (Infi)** und **Anna Clemens** auf, die das Plugin über Jahre gepflegt haben bevor ich den Source-Code überhaupt gesehen habe. Die ganze Kern-Architektur, der Message-Store, die Channel-Logik, das Hook-System und vieles mehr stammt von ihnen. Wenn dir Hellion Chat hilft, dann läuft die Anerkennung dafür zu großen Teilen an Infi und Anna. Eine ausführliche Danksagung liegt in [NOTICE.md](NOTICE.md).
+Hellion Chat baut auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) von **Infiziert90 (Infi)** und **Anna Clemens** auf, die das Plugin über Jahre gepflegt haben bevor ich den Source-Code überhaupt gesehen habe. Die ganze Kern-Architektur, der Message-Store, die Channel-Logik, das Hook-System und vieles mehr stammt von ihnen. Wenn dir Hellion Chat hilft, läuft die Anerkennung dafür zu großen Teilen an Infi und Anna. Eine ausführliche Danksagung liegt in [NOTICE.md](NOTICE.md).
+
+Hellion Chat wird unter **Hellion Forge** entwickelt, der spezialisierten Modding- und Plugin-Linie von [Hellion Online Media](https://hellion-media.de).
 
 ---
 
@@ -32,7 +40,7 @@ Hellion Chat baut auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) von **Inf
 | Lokalisierung   | ResX (HellionStrings.resx, .de.resx; PR-basiert)     |
 | Schriftart      | Exo 2 (SIL Open Font License 1.1, gebündelt)         |
 | Toolchain       | dotnet 10 SDK, VS Code mit C# Dev Kit                |
-| Deployment      | GitHub Releases + Custom-Repo (`repo.json`)          |
+| Deployment      | GitHub Releases plus Custom-Repo (`repo.json`)       |
 
 ---
 
@@ -55,7 +63,7 @@ Hellion Chat baut auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) von **Inf
 
 ### Look & Feel
 
-- **Bilinguale UI** (Englisch + Deutsch) mit Live-Sprachwechsel. Hellion-spezifische Strings in `HellionStrings.<lang>.resx`.
+- **Bilinguale UI** (Englisch und Deutsch) mit Live-Sprachwechsel. Hellion-spezifische Strings in `HellionStrings.<lang>.resx`.
 - **Hellion-HUD-Theme** mit Cyan-Teal-Akzenten, Slate-Violet-Tabs, Bernstein-Highlights für aktive Zustände.
 - **Chat-Farben-Presets** (v0.6.0) mit sieben Built-in-Bundles in Settings → Aussehen → Chat-Farben: Klassik (Chat 2 Default), High-Contrast, Pastell, Dark-Mode-Tuned, Hellion (Brand), plus Bonus-Stimmungen Night Blue und Indigo Violet. One-Click-Apply, Battle-Channels bleiben unangetastet.
 - **Fenster-Deckkraft-Slider** für Kampf-freundliche Transparenz.
@@ -64,16 +72,13 @@ Hellion Chat baut auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) von **Inf
 
 #### Custom Themes (v1.1.0)
 
-HellionChat 1.1.0 bringt eine Theme-Engine mit fünf eingebauten Themes
-(Hellion Arctic, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove)
-und ein JSON-basiertes Authoring-Format für eigene Themes. Schema und
-Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung in [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md).
+HellionChat 1.1.0 bringt eine Theme-Engine mit fünf eingebauten Themes (Hellion Arctic, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove) und ein JSON-basiertes Authoring-Format für eigene Themes. Schema und Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung in [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md).
 
 ### Pop-Out Convenience (v0.6.0)
 
-- **Eingabe-Bar in Pop-Out-Fenstern** als globaler Opt-In in Settings → Fenster → Fenster-Rahmen. Wenn aktiv hat jedes Pop-Out-Window unten einen kompakten Input mit kanal-farbigem Icon-Button und Text-Eingabe — kein Wechsel mehr ins Hauptfenster für eine schnelle Antwort.
+- **Eingabe-Bar in Pop-Out-Fenstern** als globaler Opt-In in Settings → Fenster → Fenster-Rahmen. Wenn aktiv, hat jedes Pop-Out-Window unten einen kompakten Input mit kanal-farbigem Icon-Button und Text-Eingabe. Kein Wechsel mehr ins Hauptfenster für eine schnelle Antwort.
 - **Pro-Pop-Out unabhängiger Text-Buffer und History-Cursor.** Channel-Wechsel im Pop-Out wirkt global wie im Hauptfenster (FFXIV-Channel-API), aber halb-getippte Eingaben kollidieren nicht zwischen Hauptfenster und Pop-Outs.
-- **Geteilte Eingabe-Historie** zwischen allen Fenstern via Singleton-Service — Up/Down-Pfeile navigieren überall durch dieselbe Liste der letzten 30 Eingaben.
+- **Geteilte Eingabe-Historie** zwischen allen Fenstern via Singleton-Service. Up/Down-Pfeile navigieren überall durch dieselbe Liste der letzten 30 Eingaben.
 
 ### Stability
 
@@ -83,7 +88,9 @@ Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung in [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORI
 
 ### Was gegenüber Chat 2 fehlt
 
-- **Webinterface** wurde in Hellion Chat 0.2.0 entfernt. Es bedient einen anderen Anwendungsfall als der Fokus dieses Forks, nämlich Remote-Zugriff auf den Chat von einem zweiten Gerät. An die kleineren Defaults dieses Forks anzupassen hätte einen erheblichen Umbau bedeutet, also ist es ersatzlos entfernt worden. Wer den vollen Funktionsumfang von Chat 2 möchte, ist mit dem Upstream-Plugin besser bedient. Hellion Chat fokussiert sich auf einen schmaleren Datenbestand und verzichtet bewusst auf Remote-Zugriffs-Features.
+Das Webinterface wurde in Hellion Chat 0.2.0 entfernt. Es bedient einen anderen Anwendungsfall als der Fokus dieses Forks, nämlich Remote-Zugriff auf den Chat von einem zweiten Gerät. Genau das kollidiert mit der Privacy-First-These dieses Forks: Ein Chat-Plugin, das einen lokalen HTTP-Server startet, ist für mein Threat-Model eine zu große Angriffsfläche. Also raus damit.
+
+Wer den vollen Funktionsumfang von Chat 2 möchte, ist mit dem Upstream-Plugin besser bedient. Hellion Chat ist bewusst der schmalere Fork.
 
 ---
 
@@ -105,7 +112,7 @@ HellionChat/
 │   └── Language*.resx           # Upstream-Lokalisierung (Crowdin)
 ├── Ui/
 │   ├── FirstRunWizard.cs        # Drei-Profile-Onboarding
-│   ├── HellionStyle.cs          # ImGui-Theme-Push (lokal + global)
+│   ├── HellionStyle.cs          # ImGui-Theme-Push (lokal und global)
 │   └── SettingsTabs/
 │       └── Privacy.cs           # Datenschutz-Tab (Filter, Retention, Cleanup, Export)
 ├── Ipc/                         # IPC-Kanäle, in v1.0.0 auf HellionChat.* migriert
@@ -118,11 +125,11 @@ HellionChat/
 
 ### Regeln
 
-- **Code-Namespace ist `HellionChat.*`** — seit v1.0.0 vollständig konsolidiert auf den Plugin-Namen, kein verbleibender `ChatTwo.*`-Bestand im Source-Tree.
-- **AssemblyName ist `HellionChat`** — eigener Slot in `pluginConfigs/`, eigenes Datei-Manifest, kein Shared State mit Chat 2. Parallel-Load mit Upstream Chat 2 wird beim Start aktiv geblockt (bilinguale Konflikt-Meldung).
-- **IPC-Kanäle sind `HellionChat.*`** — sechs Kanäle für Drittplugin-Anbindung (`Register`, `Available`, `Unregister`, `Invoke`, `GetChatInputState`, `ChatInputStateChanged`). Details in [`docs/IPC.md`](docs/IPC.md).
-- **Hellion-eigene Strings in `HellionStrings.*.resx`**, übernommene Strings aus dem Chat-2-Bestand in `Language.*.resx` — die Original-`Language.*.resx` bleibt strukturell erhalten, weil die existierenden Übersetzungen aus dem Crowdin-Bestand der Upstream-Community weiter wertvoll sind.
-- **Kein Direkt-Eingriff in `Plugin.Interface.UiBuilder.FontAtlas`** außerhalb von `FontManager` — Font-Fallback und Hellion-Font laufen zentral.
+- **Code-Namespace ist `HellionChat.*`.** Seit v1.0.0 vollständig konsolidiert auf den Plugin-Namen, kein verbleibender `ChatTwo.*`-Bestand im Source-Tree.
+- **AssemblyName ist `HellionChat`.** Eigener Slot in `pluginConfigs/`, eigenes Datei-Manifest, kein Shared State mit Chat 2. Parallel-Load mit Upstream Chat 2 wird beim Start aktiv geblockt (bilinguale Konflikt-Meldung).
+- **IPC-Kanäle sind `HellionChat.*`.** Sechs Kanäle für Drittplugin-Anbindung (`Register`, `Available`, `Unregister`, `Invoke`, `GetChatInputState`, `ChatInputStateChanged`). Details in [`docs/IPC.md`](docs/IPC.md).
+- **Hellion-eigene Strings in `HellionStrings.*.resx`,** übernommene Strings aus dem Chat-2-Bestand in `Language.*.resx`. Die Original-`Language.*.resx` bleibt strukturell erhalten, weil die existierenden Übersetzungen aus dem Crowdin-Bestand der Upstream-Community weiter wertvoll sind.
+- **Kein Direkt-Eingriff in `Plugin.Interface.UiBuilder.FontAtlas`** außerhalb von `FontManager`. Font-Fallback und Hellion-Font laufen zentral.
 
 ---
 
@@ -150,9 +157,9 @@ Pfad: `pluginConfigs/HellionChat/chat-sqlite.db`. WAL-Modus, Synchronous=NORMAL.
 
 ---
 
-## Installation (Tester)
+## Installation
 
-Hellion Chat wird während der Bootstrap-Phase über ein Dalamud-**Custom-Repository** verteilt.
+Hellion Chat wird über ein Dalamud-**Custom-Repository** verteilt.
 
 ### Frische Installation (kein Chat 2 vorher)
 
@@ -162,14 +169,14 @@ Hellion Chat wird während der Bootstrap-Phase über ein Dalamud-**Custom-Reposi
    https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/repo.json
    ```
 3. **Save**, dann in `/xlplugins` → **All Plugins** → Refresh.
-4. **Hellion Chat** taucht in der Liste auf — installieren.
+4. Hellion Chat taucht in der Liste auf, dann installieren wie jedes andere Plugin.
 
 ### Migration aus Chat 2 (mit bestehendem Verlauf)
 
 Chat 2 und Hellion Chat teilen sich die Datenbank-Datei, bis Hellion Chat sie beim ersten Start in den eigenen Pfad verschiebt. Die Reihenfolge ist wichtig:
 
 1. **Chat 2 deaktivieren** in `/xlplugins` (nicht deinstallieren, nur deaktivieren).
-2. **FFXIV komplett schließen**, damit SQLite die Datei-Sperre freigibt. Plugin-Reload allein reicht nicht.
+2. **FFXIV komplett schließen,** damit SQLite die Datei-Sperre freigibt. Plugin-Reload allein reicht nicht.
 3. Spiel neu starten.
 4. Custom-Repo wie oben hinzufügen.
 5. Hellion Chat installieren. Beim ersten Start wandert die Konfigurations-Datei und das gesamte Datenbank-Verzeichnis in das HellionChat-Layout.
@@ -200,61 +207,51 @@ Spiel starten, Hellion Chat aktivieren, Verlauf ist zurück.
 
 ### Updates
 
-Updates erscheinen automatisch in der Plugin-Liste, sobald ein neuer `v0.X.Y`-Tag mit GitHub-Release publiziert ist. Keine Neu-Installation nötig.
+Updates erscheinen automatisch in der Plugin-Liste, sobald ein neuer `vX.Y.Z`-Tag mit GitHub-Release publiziert ist. Keine Neu-Installation nötig.
 
 ---
 
 ## Distribution
 
-Hellion Chat wird über ein eigenes Dalamud-Custom-Repository verteilt
-(`repo.json` im Repo-Root). Tag-Pushes auf `vX.Y.Z` lösen den
-[`release.yml`](.github/workflows/release.yml)-Workflow aus, der den
-Build-Output (`HellionChat/bin/Release/HellionChat/latest.zip`) plus den
-passenden Changelog-Block aus `HellionChat.yaml` an das GitHub-Release
-hängt. Manueller Recovery-Pfad bei verpasstem Auto-Trigger:
-`gh workflow run release.yml -f tag=vX.Y.Z`.
+Hellion Chat wird über ein eigenes Dalamud-Custom-Repository verteilt (`repo.json` im Repo-Root). Tag-Pushes auf `vX.Y.Z` lösen den [`release.yml`](.github/workflows/release.yml)-Workflow aus, der den Build-Output (`HellionChat/bin/Release/HellionChat/latest.zip`) plus den passenden Changelog-Block aus `HellionChat.yaml` an das GitHub-Release hängt. Manueller Recovery-Pfad bei verpasstem Auto-Trigger: `gh workflow run release.yml -f tag=vX.Y.Z`.
 
-Eine optionale Submission ans Dalamud-Main-Plugin-Repo (zusätzlich zum
-eigenen Custom-Repo) steht in der [Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md).
+Eine optionale Submission ans Dalamud-Main-Plugin-Repo (zusätzlich zum eigenen Custom-Repo) steht in der [Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md).
 
 ---
 
 ## Projektstatus
 
-**Version 1.0.0** — Standalone-Cut live (Stand: 2026-05-04).
+**Version 1.1.0** — Theme-Engine live, Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen (Stand: 2026-05-04).
 
-Mit v1.0.0 ist Hellion Chat ein eigenständiges Plugin, kein Fork mehr im
-Repository-Sinne. Vollständig abgeschlossen:
+Hellion Chat ist ein eigenständiges Plugin, kein Fork mehr im Repository-Sinne. Vollständig abgeschlossen:
 
 - Privacy-Filter (Whitelist, Retention, retroaktive Cleanup, Export)
 - First-Run-Wizard mit drei Profilen
 - Plugin-Identity: eigener `HellionChat`-Slot, Layout-Migration aus Chat 2, Migrate3-Recovery
-- Bilinguale UI (EN + DE) mit Live-Sprachwechsel
+- Bilinguale UI (EN und DE) mit Live-Sprachwechsel
 - Hellion-Theme, Hellion-Logo, gebündelter Exo-2-Font
 - Custom-Repo-Pipeline mit automatisierter GitHub-Release-Distribution
-- Slash-Commands auf die `/hellion`-Familie konsolidiert
+- Slash-Commands auf die `/hellionchat`-Familie konsolidiert
 - Webinterface entfernt (v0.2.0)
 - Audit-Hardening (Path-Traversal, Retention-Race, DbViewer-Konsistenz)
-- About-Tab im Hellion-Branding, EN + DE lokalisiert, mit License und Disclaimer
+- About-Tab im Hellion-Branding, EN und DE lokalisiert, mit License und Disclaimer
 - AI-Disclosure dokumentiert (siehe [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md))
 - Standalone-Cut: Namespace `HellionChat.*`, IPC-Kanäle `HellionChat.*`, Source-Tree-Restructure, Conflict-Detection gegen Upstream Chat 2, SQLite-CVE-Härtung (3.50.3)
+- Theme-Engine mit fünf eingebauten Themes plus JSON-Authoring-Format (v1.1.0)
 
-Was als Nächstes geplant ist und welche Themen langfristig auf der Liste
-stehen, steht in [`docs/ROADMAP.md`](docs/ROADMAP.md). Konkrete
-eingeplante Items werden zusätzlich im
-[GitHub-Issue-Tracker](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues)
-mit dem `roadmap`-Label geführt.
+In Arbeit: schrittweise Modernisierung des UI-Look-and-Feel über die Theme-Engine hinaus. Was als Nächstes geplant ist und welche Themen langfristig auf der Liste stehen, steht in [`docs/ROADMAP.md`](docs/ROADMAP.md). Konkrete eingeplante Items werden zusätzlich im [GitHub-Issue-Tracker](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues) mit dem `roadmap`-Label geführt.
 
 ### Zur Release-Kadenz
 
-Wer den Repo zum ersten Mal sieht, bemerkt schnell viele Releases und sehr viele Commits in kurzer Zeit. Beides ist eine bewusste Entscheidung, keine KI-Slop-Symptomatik: Vorarbeit vor dem Fork (Issues und Commits gelesen, Chat 2 ingame genutzt), eine sauber strukturierte Upstream-Codebase als Fundament, atomare Commits im Stil des Upstream und AI-gestütztes Review-Sparring, das ich nicht blind übernehme. Die volle Begründung steht in [`docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md`](docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md), Sektion "Wie ich so schnell release".
+Wer den Repo zum ersten Mal sieht, bemerkt schnell viele Releases und sehr viele Commits in kurzer Zeit. Beides ist eine bewusste Entscheidung. Die volle Begründung mit den vier Faktoren dahinter steht in [`docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md`](docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md), Sektion "Wie ich so schnell release".
 
 ---
 
-## Community & Support
+## Community und Support
 
 - **Hellion Forge Discord** (Modding- und Plugin-Community von Hellion Online Media): https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
 - Bug-Reports und Feature-Requests: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues)
+- Discord DM: `@j.j_kazama`
 - Weitere Kontaktwege (Security, Privacy, Quick-Questions): siehe [SUPPORT.md](SUPPORT.md)
 
 ---
@@ -268,9 +265,9 @@ EUPL-1.2 (gleiche Lizenz wie Upstream Chat 2). Volltext in [LICENSE](LICENSE), C
 
 ### Acknowledgments
 
-- **Infi & Anna (ascclemens)** — die Chat-2-Engine, ohne die dieser Fork nicht existieren würde.
-- **Dalamud-Team** — das Plugin-Framework.
-- **Chat-2-Crowdin-Community** — Übersetzungen der Upstream-Strings (siehe Settings → Info → "Chat 2 community translators").
+- **Infi und Anna (ascclemens)** für die Chat-2-Engine, ohne die dieser Fork nicht existieren würde.
+- **Dalamud-Team** für das Plugin-Framework.
+- **Chat-2-Crowdin-Community** für die Übersetzungen der Upstream-Strings (siehe Settings → Info → "Chat 2 community translators").
 
 ### FFXIV-Disclaimer
 
@@ -284,8 +281,7 @@ Siehe [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) für die Pair-Level-Discl
 
 ## Projekt-Dokumente
 
-Im Repo-Root liegen die Standard-Repository-Dokumente, vertiefende
-Dokumentation lebt unter [`docs/`](docs/).
+Im Repo-Root liegen die Standard-Repository-Dokumente, vertiefende Dokumentation lebt unter [`docs/`](docs/).
 
 ### Repo-Root
 
@@ -309,11 +305,11 @@ Dokumentation lebt unter [`docs/`](docs/).
 | [`docs/CONTRIBUTORS.md`](docs/CONTRIBUTORS.md) | Tester, Übersetzer und Code-Beiträger der Hellion-Seite. |
 | [`docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md`](docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md) | Entwicklungsgeschichte, vom Web-Stack zu C# / Dalamud, was ich aus dem Fork gelernt habe. |
 | [`docs/IPC.md`](docs/IPC.md) | IPC-Kanal-Reference, Tuple-Payload-Felder, Migrations-Diff für Drittplugins. |
-| [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md) | Theme-Engine-Authoring-Guide (EN): JSON-Schema, Color-/Layout-Slots, Channel-Identity-Regeln, Validierung. |
+| [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md) | Theme-Engine-Authoring-Guide (EN): JSON-Schema, Color- und Layout-Slots, Channel-Identity-Regeln, Validierung. |
 | [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md) | Cherry-Pick-Policy gegenüber Chat 2. |
 | [`docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`](docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md) | NuGet-Dependencies mit Lizenzen, Bundled Assets, Network-Status pro Komponente. |
 | [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) | Offenlegung der KI-Unterstützung im Entwicklungsprozess. |
 
 ---
 
-**Hellion Online Media** | Bad Harzburg | [hellion-media.de](https://hellion-media.de)
+Entwickelt unter **Hellion Forge**, der Modding- und Plugin-Linie von **Hellion Online Media** | Bad Harzburg | [hellion-media.de](https://hellion-media.de)

SECURITY.md

@@ -1,49 +1,55 @@
-# Security policy
+# Security Policy
 
-## Reporting a vulnerability
+## Reporting a Vulnerability
 
-If you find a security issue in HellionChat, please do not open a public
-GitHub issue. Use one of the private channels below instead so we can
-investigate and ship a fix before the details go out.
+If you find a security issue in HellionChat, please do not open a
+public GitHub issue. Use one of the private channels below so I can
+investigate and ship a fix before the details go public.
 
 **Preferred:**
 [Privately report a vulnerability](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/security/advisories/new)
-through GitHub's Security Advisories. This routes the report directly to
-me and keeps the conversation off the public timeline.
+via GitHub Security Advisories. This routes the report directly to me
+and keeps the conversation off the public timeline.
 
 **Alternative:**
-- Email: `kontakt@hellion-media.de`
-- Discord: `@j.j_kazama`
+
+| Channel    | Address                    |
+| ---------- | -------------------------- |
+| Email      | `kontakt@hellion-media.de` |
+| Discord DM | `@j.j_kazama`              |
 
 I respond on weekdays during European business hours. For urgent
 disclosures (active exploitation, user-data exposure) email is the
 fastest path.
 
-## What I treat as in scope
+## Scope
 
-- Code paths in HellionChat that touch user-controlled input (chat
-  messages, plugin config, file paths the user can influence)
-- The privacy filter in MessageStore.cs and the export pipeline
-- The Configuration migration logic
-- The EmoteCache HTTP client and path handling
+### In scope
+
+- Code paths that touch user-controlled input (chat messages, plugin
+  config, file paths the user can influence)
+- The privacy filter in `MessageStore.cs` and the export pipeline
+- The configuration migration logic
+- The `EmoteCache` HTTP client and path handling
 - The Auto-Tell-Tabs spawn logic and history preload
 
-## What is not in scope
+### Out of scope
 
-- Issues in upstream Chat 2 that we have not modified — please report
+- Issues in upstream Chat 2 that HellionChat has not modified — report
   those at <https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo/issues>
-- Issues in Dalamud itself — those go to <https://github.com/goatcorp/Dalamud>
+- Issues in Dalamud itself — those go to
+  <https://github.com/goatcorp/Dalamud>
 - Issues in the FFXIV game client
-- Anything that needs the user to install a malicious plugin first
+- Anything that requires the user to install a malicious plugin first
 
-## Acknowledgement
-
-I list everyone who reports a real issue in the changelog of the release
-that fixes it, unless they prefer to stay anonymous. No bug bounty,
-nothing financial; this is a hobby plugin.
-
-## Disclosure window
+## Disclosure Window
 
 I aim to ship a fix within 14 days for high-severity issues and within
 30 days for everything else. If a fix needs more time I will say so in
 the private thread.
+
+## Credits
+
+Everyone who reports a real issue gets listed in the changelog of the
+release that fixes it, unless they prefer to stay anonymous. No bug
+bounty, nothing financial — this is a hobby plugin.

SUPPORT.md

@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 # Support
 
-HellionChat is a small hobby project maintained by one person. There
-are a few different paths depending on what you need; please pick the
-one that matches.
+HellionChat is a small hobby project maintained by one person. There are a few different paths depending on what you need. Pick the one that matches.
 
 ## Bugs and feature requests
 
@@ -11,43 +9,36 @@ GitHub issues, using the templates:
 - [Bug report](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues/new?template=bug_report.yml)
 - [Feature request](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues/new?template=feature_request.yml)
 
-Please search [existing issues](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues?q=is%3Aissue)
-first. Duplicates get closed and pointed at the original.
+Please search [existing issues](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues?q=is%3Aissue) first. Duplicates get closed and pointed at the original.
 
 ## Security
 
-Do **not** open a public issue for security-relevant findings. Use
-the private advisory route described in [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md):
+Do **not** open a public issue for security-relevant findings. Use the private advisory route described in [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md):
 
 - [Private vulnerability advisory](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/security/advisories/new)
 - Email `kontakt@hellion-media.de`
 
 ## Privacy questions
 
-Specific questions about what HellionChat does or does not store and
-send are covered in [PRIVACY.md](PRIVACY.md). For follow-ups beyond
-that document:
+Specific questions about what HellionChat does or does not store and send are covered in [PRIVACY.md](PRIVACY.md). For follow-ups beyond that document:
 
 - Email `kontakt@hellion-media.de`
 
 ## Quick questions and casual feedback
 
-- **Hellion Forge Discord** — community for HellionChat and other
-  Hellion Online Media plugins/tools: https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
-- Discord DM `@j.j_kazama`
+- **Hellion Forge Discord** (community for HellionChat and other Hellion Online Media plugins and tools): https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+- Discord DM: `@j.j_kazama`
 
-Bug reports still go through the issue tracker so they can be tracked,
-but a quick "is this a bug or am I holding it wrong" message is fine.
+Bug reports still go through the issue tracker so they can be tracked, but a quick "is this a bug or am I holding it wrong" message is fine.
 
 ## Upstream Chat 2 issues
 
-If the issue exists in upstream Chat 2 too, please report it at
-[Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo/issues).
-That keeps the original maintainers in the loop and helps everyone
-who uses Chat 2 directly.
+If the issue exists in upstream Chat 2 too, please report it at [Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo/issues). That keeps the original maintainers in the loop and helps everyone who uses Chat 2 directly.
 
 ## Response times
 
-Weekdays during European business hours. Weekends and FFXIV patch
-days, replies will be slower. A few days of silence on a non-urgent
-issue is normal; pinging once after a week is fine.
+Weekdays during European business hours. On weekends and FFXIV patch days, replies will be slower. A few days of silence on a non-urgent issue is normal. Pinging once after a week is fine.
+
+---
+
+Maintained under **Hellion Forge**, the modding and plugin line of **Hellion Online Media** | Bad Harzburg | [hellion-media.de](https://hellion-media.de)

docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md

@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
-# AI assistance disclosure
+# AI Assistance Disclosure
 
-This fork uses AI assistance per the [Dalamud Plugin AI Usage Policy](https://github.com/goatcorp/DalamudPluginsD17/)
+HellionChat uses AI assistance per the
+[Dalamud Plugin AI Usage Policy](https://github.com/goatcorp/DalamudPluginsD17/)
 at the **Pair** level.
 
-A note up front: Hellion Chat is currently in a rebuild and adjustment
-phase, and there are no plans to submit it to the Dalamud team for review
-while it stays standalone. If the plugin stays out of the official repo I
-technically wouldn't need to disclose any of this, but I'd rather be
-upfront about how it's built.
+A note up front: HellionChat is currently not submitted to the official
+Dalamud plugin repository and technically has no obligation to disclose
+this. I would rather be upfront about how it is built.
 
-Hellion Chat is my entry point into game modding and plugin development. I
-have never written a plugin for a game before. I work alone, so I get help
-where I need it. That's not something I want to hide.
+HellionChat is my entry point into game modding and plugin development.
+I have never written a plugin for a game before. I work alone, so I get
+help where I need it. That is not something I want to hide.
 
-## How I actually work
+## How I Actually Work
 
 I plan the architecture, decide what gets built, and own every design
 decision. For each change I:
@@ -23,55 +22,64 @@ decision. For each change I:
 - Read the Dalamud log output to verify behaviour
 - Run security and privacy audits on anything that touches user data
 
-One of the main reasons I use AI is consistency. I want the Hellion code to
-match the style of the upstream Chat 2 codebase and stay readable for
-anyone who opens the repo, not just for me. Claude helps me catch when I'm
-drifting from upstream conventions or writing something that only makes
-sense in my own head.
+One of the main reasons I use AI is consistency. I want the HellionChat
+code to match the style of the upstream Chat 2 codebase and stay
+readable for anyone who opens the repo, not just for me. Claude helps
+me catch when I am drifting from upstream conventions or writing
+something that only makes sense in my own head.
 
 The balance is shifting toward more hand-written work as I get more
 comfortable with Dalamud and plugin development in general.
 
-## What AI is used for
+## What AI Is Used For
 
-- API explanations (Dalamud, ImGui, .NET specifics I haven't worked with before)
+- API explanations (Dalamud, ImGui, .NET specifics I have not worked
+  with before)
 - Code drafts that I read, edit, and integrate
 - Pattern suggestions and code review
-- Keeping the style aligned with the upstream Chat 2 codebase
+- Keeping style aligned with the upstream Chat 2 codebase
 
-## What AI isn't used for
+## What AI Is Not Used For
 
-- **Visual assets.** Logos, icons, banners, and screenshots are human-drawn
-  or taken from the running game.
+- **Visual assets.** Logos, icons, banners, and screenshots are
+  human-drawn or taken from the running game.
 - **German translations.** Written by me as a native speaker.
 
-## What's where
+## What Is Where
 
-Upstream Chat 2 (by Infi & Anna, EUPL-1.2) is the foundation and was not
-produced with AI assistance. Hellion-specific code lives in
-`HellionChat/Privacy/`, `HellionChat/Export/`, `HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings*`,
-`Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs`, `Ui/FirstRunWizard.cs`, `Ui/HellionStyle.cs`,
-plus the Migrate3 recovery and plugin layout migration in `MessageStore.cs`
-and `Plugin.cs`. These were developed with Pair-level assistance as
+Upstream Chat 2 (by Infi & Anna, EUPL-1.2) is the foundation and was
+not produced with AI assistance. HellionChat-specific code lives in
+`HellionChat/Privacy/`, `HellionChat/Export/`,
+`HellionChat/Resources/HellionStrings*`, `Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs`,
+`Ui/FirstRunWizard.cs`, `Ui/HellionStyle.cs`, plus the Migrate3
+recovery and plugin layout migration in `MessageStore.cs` and
+`Plugin.cs`. These were developed with Pair-level assistance as
 described above.
 
-## If AI-assisted development is a dealbreaker for you
+## If AI-Assisted Development Is a Dealbreaker for You
 
-Fair enough. There are solid alternatives that don't rely on AI in their
-development:
+Fair enough. There are solid alternatives:
 
-- [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo), the original upstream
-  this fork is based on
+- [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo), the upstream
+  project HellionChat is built on
 - [XIV Instant Messenger](https://github.com/NightmareXIV/XIVInstantMessenger),
-  a different approach to chat in FFXIV
+  a different approach to FFXIV chat
 
 Both are good projects. Use what fits you best.
 
 ## Tooling
 
-- Claude (Anthropic) via Claude Code CLI
-- Context7 / Microsoft Learn for current Dalamud and .NET documentation
+| Tool | Purpose |
+| ---- | ------- |
+| [Claude](https://claude.ai) (Anthropic) | Pair-level AI assistance via Claude Code CLI |
+| [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com) + C# Dev Kit | Primary IDE |
+| Dedicated Windows 11 VM | Build and in-game test environment (Dalamud requires Windows) |
+| [dalamud.dev](https://dalamud.dev) | Dalamud API reference |
+| [Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com) | .NET and C# documentation |
+| [Context7](https://context7.com) | Up-to-date library docs for Claude context |
+| [Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com) | General C# and .NET problem-solving |
 
 ## Contact
 
-Questions about this disclosure: <https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues>.
+Questions about this disclosure:
+<https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues>

docs/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -12,6 +12,33 @@ und verlinkt für Details auf die Release-Pages.
 
 ---
 
+## v1.2.0 — Layout Refresh (2026-05-05)
+
+### Added
+- Sidebar tab modernization: icon-only at fixed 44 px, tooltip on hover, vertical accent pill for active tab
+- Top tabs: accent underline pill replaces background fill on active tab
+- Per-tab custom icons in Settings → Tabs (15-glyph FontAwesome picker)
+- Bottom status bar (22 px): channel indicator, privacy badge, counters, tells, version — updates 1×/sec
+- Card rows as default message render: sender header in channel color, subtle border between cards
+- Compact-Density toggle in Appearance: switches back to single-line `[HH:mm] Sender: Text` layout
+- Auto-Tell tabs: per-partner hashed icon (7-glyph pool: envelope/star/heart/bell/bookmark/flag/fire) plus hashed color (12-color palette) — 84 distinct icon+color combinations
+- Unread indicator: pulsing red dot in the top-right corner of any sidebar tab icon with unread messages, 2-second sine-wave pulse, respects `Configuration.ReduceMotion`
+
+### Changed
+- Migration v14 → v15: deprecated Configuration fields `HellionThemeEnabled` and `HellionThemeWindowOpacity` removed
+- Appearance settings cleaned: legacy theme-engine bindings replaced by Themes tab (introduced in v1.1.0)
+
+### Fixed
+- Settings save no longer wipes chat history by default — the heavy `ClearAllTabs + FilterAllTabsAsync` cycle now only runs when a filter-relevant setting actually changed (Privacy filter, persisted channels, per-tab channel selection). Cosmetic changes keep the in-session chat intact
+- Identifier-based `MessageList` restore in `Configuration.UpdateFrom` plus TempTab skip in `ClearAllTabs`/`FilterAllTabs` ensure persistent tabs and Auto-Tell tabs both survive the save
+- Sidebar buttons now align vertically with the first message row (top padding mirrors the chat header toolbar height)
+- Sidebar child window no longer paints the top padding area with its frame background
+- Status bar version slot (`vX.Y.Z · Hellion`) no longer clips its rightmost character
+
+### Notes
+- Polish phase (animations, theme crossfade, header quick-picker) follows in v1.3.0
+- Top-Tab icon prefixes were considered but dropped: Dalamud's default font atlas does not include FontAwesome codepoints, so mixed-font in a single TabItem label renders as tofu. Underline pill alone is the v1.2.0 visual treatment for top tabs. Resolution would require Font-Atlas merge at FontManager level — out of scope.
+
 ## [1.1.0] — 2026-05-05 — Theme Foundation
 
 Erster großer UI-Cycle nach v1.0.0. Theme-Engine, fünf Built-In-Themes,

docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md

@@ -1,11 +1,34 @@
-# Upstream sync workflow
+# Upstream Sync
 
-HellionChat is a standalone EUPL-1.2 fork of [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo).
-We pull selected patches from upstream manually instead of running an
-automated mirror. This file documents how that works so anyone (including
-future-me) can do it cleanly.
+HellionChat is a standalone EUPL-1.2 plugin that originated from
+[Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo). Since v1.0.0 it
+lives under its own namespace, IPC channels and source tree. I no
+longer track upstream as a Git fork, but I do monitor Chat 2 commits
+regularly and cherry-pick selectively where it makes sense.
 
-## One-time setup
+This document covers how that works so anyone (including future-me)
+can do it cleanly.
+
+## A Word on Intent
+
+HellionChat is not trying to replace Chat 2. I build it for myself,
+and maybe for people who want the same things I do: a privacy-first
+chat plugin with tighter defaults and no remote-access surface. If
+that is not you, Chat 2 is the better choice and a well-maintained
+project.
+
+I am available to Infi if he ever has questions about HellionChat or
+how I have diverged from the upstream code. What I will not do is
+interfere with Chat 2's direction or push unsolicited opinions into
+his project.
+
+Long-term compatibility between Chat 2 and HellionChat is not
+guaranteed and, frankly, not technically possible. I am building a
+new UI from scratch and making deliberate architectural decisions that
+pull in a different direction. Some upstream patches will simply stop
+applying cleanly and that is expected.
+
+## One-Time Setup
 
 Add the upstream repo as a remote on a fresh clone:
 
@@ -24,36 +47,42 @@ git remote -v
 # upstream  https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo.git (push)
 ```
 
-You never push to `upstream`. It is read-only for us.
+`upstream` is read-only. Never push to it.
 
-## Reviewing what is new upstream
+## Reviewing What Is New Upstream
 
-Before any feature cycle starts I run a quick check:
+Before any feature cycle I run a quick check:
 
 ```bash
 git fetch upstream
 git log --oneline main..upstream/main | head -30
 ```
 
-That shows every commit Infi or contributors landed since the last sync.
-Read the messages, decide which ones apply.
+That shows every commit Infi or contributors landed since the last
+sync. I read the messages and decide which ones apply to HellionChat.
 
-## What we cherry-pick
+## What I Cherry-Pick
 
-**Always:** security fixes, API-version compatibility patches (Dalamud
-API 15 → 16 → ...), BetterTTV / emote-cache fixes, regression fixes for
-the upstream behaviour we still rely on.
+**Always:** security fixes, Dalamud API compatibility patches,
+BetterTTV and emote-cache fixes, regression fixes for upstream
+behaviour HellionChat still relies on.
 
-**Sometimes:** small bug fixes in `MessageManager.cs`, `MessageStore.cs`,
-`ChatLogWindow.cs`, the Tabs system. Pull them when they touch code we
-have not heavily modified.
+**Sometimes:** small bug fixes in `MessageManager.cs`,
+`MessageStore.cs`, `ChatLogWindow.cs`, the Tabs system. These come in
+when they touch code I have not heavily modified.
 
-**Never:** webinterface changes (the entire webinterface tree is gone in
-HellionChat), changes that conflict with the privacy filter, changes that
-re-add upstream defaults we deliberately reversed (full-history logging,
-Tell Exclusive defaults, etc.).
+**Never:** webinterface changes (the entire webinterface tree is gone
+in HellionChat), changes that conflict with the privacy filter, changes
+that re-add upstream defaults I deliberately reversed (full-history
+logging, Tell Exclusive defaults, etc.).
 
-## How we cherry-pick
+As HellionChat's UI moves further from the Chat 2 baseline, upstream
+patches will increasingly require adaptation rather than a clean
+apply. If a patch cannot be ported without breaking HellionChat
+behaviour or the privacy model, I skip it rather than force a
+compromised version in.
+
+## How I Cherry-Pick
 
 Always with `-x` so authorship and the original commit hash stay
 visible:
@@ -63,48 +92,63 @@ git checkout -b sync/upstream-<topic> main
 git cherry-pick -x <upstream-commit-sha>
 ```
 
-`-x` adds a `(cherry picked from commit <sha>)` line to the commit
-message. That preserves the upstream-author credit and lets anyone
-reading `git log` trace the change back to ChatTwo. Co-Author trail
-intact, no AI lines, no "Hellion" prefix on commits that were not
-authored by us.
+`-x` appends a `(cherry picked from commit <sha>)` line to the commit
+message. That preserves upstream-author credit and lets anyone reading
+`git log` trace the change back to Chat 2. Commit messages stay
+identical to the upstream original; I do not rewrite them to match the
+HellionChat format.
 
-## Conflict handling
+## Conflict Handling
 
 When a cherry-pick conflicts:
 
-1. Resolve the conflict by hand. Do not "fix" upstream code to match
-   Hellion conventions; that is what the merge marker showed us.
+1. Resolve by hand. Do not rewrite upstream code to match HellionChat
+   conventions; that is what the merge marker showed.
 2. If the conflict is fundamental (touches code that no longer exists
-   in our fork), abort the cherry-pick and document why in
-   `Hellion Chat Backlog.md` instead. Some upstream patches are not
-   portable; that is fine.
-3. After a successful resolve, the commit message stays identical to
-   the upstream message, with the `-x` cherry-pick footer Git appends
-   automatically. Do not rewrite the message to match our format.
+   in HellionChat), abort the cherry-pick and note why in the
+   relevant GitHub issue or backlog item. Some upstream patches are
+   simply not portable and that is fine.
+3. After a clean resolve the commit message stays as-is, with the
+   `-x` footer Git appends automatically.
 
-## Pushing the sync
+## Pushing the Sync
 
-Cherry-picked commits go through the same review as our own work: the
-sync branch lands in `main` via a no-fast-forward merge, then a release
-tag if the user-visible behaviour changes (otherwise just merged).
+Cherry-picked commits go through the same review as any other change.
+The sync branch lands in `main` via a no-fast-forward merge, then gets
+a release tag if user-visible behaviour changed:
 
 ```bash
 git checkout main
 git merge --no-ff sync/upstream-<topic> -m "merge: upstream sync — <topic>"
 ```
 
-## When upstream goes silent
+## Contributing Back
 
-If Chat 2 stops receiving updates entirely we keep this workflow alive
-anyway. The remote stays configured, the documentation stays here. The
-moment maintenance picks back up we are ready to pull again.
+HellionChat benefits from Chat 2's work, so I try to give something
+back where I can. If I fix a bug or improve something that would be
+useful to Chat 2 and is not HellionChat-specific, I submit a
+good-will PR to [Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo).
 
-## When upstream takes a direction we cannot follow
+A few things to note about that process:
 
-If a future ChatTwo release breaks compatibility with our privacy
-philosophy in a way we cannot resolve (e.g. mandatory cloud sync,
-removal of the local message store, a license change that makes EUPL
-incompatible), HellionChat continues on its own from the last
-compatible cherry-pick. The history we already inherited stays under
-EUPL-1.2 and stays attributed.
+- Good-will PRs are validated in a separate fork first to make sure
+  the fix stands on its own without HellionChat context.
+- They are written by hand. No AI-generated code goes to Infi's
+  project. He did not ask for Pair-level AI involvement and I will
+  not push that decision onto his codebase.
+- This is not guaranteed for every change, only where it makes sense
+  and where I am confident the fix is clean and self-contained.
+
+## When Upstream Goes Silent
+
+If Chat 2 stops receiving updates the remote stays configured and this
+workflow stays documented. The moment maintenance picks back up I am
+ready to pull again.
+
+## When Upstream Takes a Direction I Cannot Follow
+
+If a future Chat 2 release breaks compatibility with the HellionChat
+privacy philosophy in a way that cannot be resolved (mandatory cloud
+sync, removal of the local message store, an incompatible license
+change), HellionChat continues from the last compatible cherry-pick.
+The inherited history stays under EUPL-1.2 and stays attributed.