.about-page .paper-art { display: none; }
.about-page h1,.about-page h2,.about-page h3,.about-page p { text-wrap: balance; }
.about-hero,.about-band,.about-authors { position: relative; isolation: isolate; }
.about-paper { background: var(--color-paper); }
.about-paper::after { content: ''; position: absolute; inset: 50px 0; z-index: -1; pointer-events: none; background: radial-gradient(ellipse 26% 42% at 78% 48%,#d9e8f5aa,transparent 72%),radial-gradient(ellipse 24% 34% at 20% 55%,#ebd1bc66,transparent 72%),url('../img/decor/classroom-objects.svg') right 12px center / clamp(40px,calc(50vw - 660px),160px) auto no-repeat; }
html[dir="rtl"] .about-paper::after { transform: scaleX(-1); }
.about-hero-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1.25fr .8fr; align-items: center; gap: clamp(36px,6vw,84px); padding-block: clamp(56px,7vw,108px); }
.about-kicker { margin: 0 0 14px; font-size: .8rem; font-weight: 700; color: var(--color-green); }
.about-hero h1 { max-width: 16ch; margin: 0; color: var(--color-navy); font-size: clamp(2.5rem,4.7vw,4.6rem); line-height: 1.08; letter-spacing: -.035em; }
html[lang="ar"] .about-hero h1 { letter-spacing: 0; }
.about-lead { max-width: 52ch; font-size: clamp(1.07rem,1.4vw,1.25rem); line-height: 1.6; }
.about-reading { max-width: 60ch; font-size: 1.02rem; line-height: 1.8; }
.about-reading p { margin: 0 0 20px; }
.about-hero .about-reading { margin-bottom: 26px; color: var(--color-text-muted); }
.about-character { margin: 0; }
.about-character img { width: 100%; height: auto; object-fit: contain; max-height: 530px; filter: drop-shadow(0 18px 20px #173f7814); }
.about-band { padding-block: clamp(88px,8vw,128px); }
.about-dark { color: var(--color-on-dark); background: var(--color-navy); }
.about-dark::after { content: ''; position: absolute; z-index: -1; inset: auto 0 0; height: 300px; opacity: .065; background: var(--qalam-letter-field, url('../img/decor/letter-field-about.svg')) left bottom / 1920px 560px repeat; mask: linear-gradient(to top,#000,transparent); }

.about-split { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1.25fr; gap: clamp(32px,7vw,100px); align-items: start; }
.about-page .about-split h2 { max-width: 100%; font-size: clamp(2rem,2.75vw,2.7rem); }
.about-page h2 { max-width: 20ch; font-size: clamp(2rem,3.3vw,3.4rem); line-height: 1.14; margin: 0; letter-spacing: -.025em; }
html[lang="ar"] .about-page h2 { letter-spacing: 0; }
.about-section-head { margin-bottom: 48px; max-width: 780px; }
.about-section-head h2 { max-width: 24ch; }
.about-stages { padding: 0; margin: 0; list-style: none; display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(5,minmax(0,1fr)); gap: 24px; }
.about-stages > li { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: start; border-top: 3px solid var(--stage-color); padding-top: 18px; }
.about-stage-label { display: inline-block; border-radius: 999px; padding: 3px 12px; background: var(--stage-color); color: #fff; font: 700 .85rem/1.6 var(--font-latin); }
.about-stages h3 { font-size: 1.15rem; line-height: 1.4; margin: 18px 0 0; }
.about-stages p { color: var(--color-text-muted); font-size: .9rem; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 24px; }
.about-covers { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: end; gap: 6%; padding-top: 10px; margin-top: auto; width: 100%; }
.about-covers img { width: 46%; height: auto; border-radius: 3px 6px 6px 3px; box-shadow: 0 12px 20px #173f7820; }
.about-covers img:first-child { transform: rotate(-3deg); }
.about-covers img:nth-child(2) { transform: rotate(3deg); }
.about-skills { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(4,minmax(0,1fr)); gap: 32px; }
.about-skills article { border-top: 1px solid #ffffff44; padding-top: 24px; }
.about-skills h3 { font-size: 1.4rem; margin: 14px 0; }
.about-skills p { font-size: 1rem; color: #e0e8f1; line-height: 1.7; }
.about-skills img { filter: brightness(0) saturate(100%) invert(85%) sepia(74%) saturate(579%) hue-rotate(340deg); }
.about-skill-symbol { display: block; height: 32px; font-size: 1.7rem; color: var(--color-qalam-yellow); line-height: 1; }
.about-skill-icon { display: block; width: 34px; height: 34px; fill: none; stroke: var(--color-qalam-yellow); stroke-width: 1.8; stroke-linejoin: round; stroke-linecap: round; }
.about-authors { padding-block: 32px 90px; }
.about-authors::after { background: radial-gradient(ellipse 24% 34% at 20% 55%,#ebd1bc66,transparent 72%); }
.about-author-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 12px 24px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--color-navy); }
.about-page .site-footer { margin-top: 0; }
.about-paper::after { background-size: auto, auto, clamp(80px,calc(50vw - 660px),220px) auto; }
.about-covers:has(img:only-child) { justify-content: center; }
.about-covers img:only-child { transform: none; }
@media (max-width: 1000px) { .about-stages { grid-template-columns: repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr)); gap: 36px; } .about-hero-grid { grid-template-columns: 1.2fr .8fr; gap: 20px; } }
@media (max-width: 760px) {
 .about-hero-grid,.about-split { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
 .about-hero h1 { max-width: 18ch; }
 .about-character { max-width: 340px; margin-inline: auto; }
 .about-character img { max-height: 340px; }
 .about-stages { grid-template-columns: repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr)); gap: 32px 22px; }
 .about-skills { grid-template-columns: repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr)); gap: 28px; }
 .about-paper::after { background: radial-gradient(ellipse 45% 30% at 70% 45%,#d9e8f5aa,transparent 72%); }
 .about-author-list { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
}
/* A lone fifth stage becomes a short full-width row. */
@media (max-width: 1000px) {
 .about-stages { grid-template-columns: repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr)); }
 .about-stages > li:last-child { grid-column: 1 / -1; display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0,1fr) minmax(80px,25%); column-gap: 28px; align-content: center; }
 .about-stages > li:last-child > :not(.about-covers) { grid-column: 1; }
 .about-stages > li:last-child .about-stage-label { justify-self: start; }
 .about-stages > li:last-child .about-covers { grid-column: 2; grid-row: 1 / 4; align-self: center; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
 .about-stages > li:last-child .about-covers img { width: min(100%,120px); }
 .about-stages > li:last-child p { margin-bottom: 0; }
}
.about-paper::after { background-size: auto, auto, 440px auto; background-position: center, center, right 12px top 72px; }
@media (max-width: 1100px) { .about-paper::after { background-image: radial-gradient(ellipse 26% 42% at 78% 48%,#d9e8f5aa,transparent 72%),radial-gradient(ellipse 24% 34% at 20% 55%,#ebd1bc66,transparent 72%); } }

.about-band::before { content: ''; position: absolute; inset: auto -1px -1px; height: 52px; background: var(--color-navy); mask: url('../img/decor/wave.svg') center / 100% 100% no-repeat; transform: scaleY(-1); z-index: 2; pointer-events: none; }
.about-dark::before { background: var(--color-paper); }
.about-hero::before { content: ''; position: absolute; inset: auto -1px -1px; height: 52px; background: var(--color-navy); mask: url('../img/decor/wave.svg') center / 100% 100% no-repeat; transform: scaleY(-1); pointer-events: none; }

.about-band:has(+ .about-authors)::before { display: none; }

.about-paper::after { mask-image: linear-gradient(90deg,transparent,#000 12%,#000 88%,transparent),linear-gradient(transparent,#000 18%,#000 82%,transparent); mask-composite: intersect; }