diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 01473fa..85540fc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,7 @@ node_modules
 dist
 .env
 *.local
+
+# Raw source image — public/intro.webp is the optimized derivative that
+# actually ships; no need to bloat the repo with the 1.7MB original.
+/intro.png
diff --git a/public/intro.webp b/public/intro.webp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea51677
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/intro.webp differ
diff --git a/src/style.css b/src/style.css
index 9fbff8b..5482cff 100644
--- a/src/style.css
+++ b/src/style.css
@@ -74,8 +74,14 @@ button { font: inherit; }
 .penalty { margin-bottom: 12px; color: var(--danger); font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; }
 .result button { border: 0; background: none; color: var(--text); cursor: pointer; }
 .intro-screen, .end-screen { min-height: calc(100vh - 62px); display: grid; place-items: center; padding: 30px; background: radial-gradient(circle, #20192c 0, var(--bg) 66%); }
-.intro-screen { grid-template-columns: auto minmax(280px, 540px); gap: clamp(30px, 7vw, 90px); }
-.seal { width: clamp(160px, 25vw, 260px); aspect-ratio: 1; display: grid; place-items: center; border: 8px double var(--stamp); border-radius: 50%; color: var(--stamp); font: 700 clamp(90px, 16vw, 160px)/1 'Special Elite'; transform: rotate(-8deg); opacity: .78; box-shadow: 0 0 60px rgba(217,84,98,.12); }
+.intro-screen {
+  grid-template-columns: auto minmax(280px, 540px);
+  gap: clamp(30px, 7vw, 90px);
+  background:
+    linear-gradient(rgba(13, 13, 26, 0.6), rgba(13, 13, 26, 0.88)),
+    url('/intro.webp') center / cover no-repeat;
+}
+.seal { width: clamp(160px, 25vw, 260px); aspect-ratio: 1; display: grid; place-items: center; border: 8px double var(--stamp); border-radius: 50%; color: var(--stamp); font: 700 clamp(90px, 16vw, 160px)/1 'Special Elite'; transform: rotate(-8deg); opacity: .85; box-shadow: 0 0 60px rgba(217,84,98,.25); background: rgba(13, 13, 26, 0.35); backdrop-filter: blur(1px); }
 .intro-copy h1 { margin: 0; color: var(--stamp); font-size: clamp(52px, 10vw, 92px); letter-spacing: .15em; line-height: 1; }
 .intro-sub { color: var(--dim); font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: .15em; text-transform: uppercase; }
 .intro-copy > p:not(.intro-sub) { color: #b0b0c4; }