diff --git a/apps/site/src/components/Header.astro b/apps/site/src/components/Header.astro
index 4380700..961e0fa 100644
--- a/apps/site/src/components/Header.astro
+++ b/apps/site/src/components/Header.astro
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
 ---
+import NorthGuildMark from "./NorthGuildMark.astro";
+
+interface Props {
+  /** Plays the aurora entrance (`.ng-enter-pane`, Base.astro). */
+  entrance?: boolean;
+}
+const { entrance = false } = Astro.props;
+
 const links = [
   {
     label: "NorthGuild on GitHub",
@@ -13,8 +21,10 @@ const links = [
 ];
 ---
 
-<header class="gmt-glass site-header">
-  <a class="wordmark" href="/">NorthGuild</a>
+<header
+  class:list={["gmt-glass", "site-header", { "ng-enter-pane": entrance }]}
+>
+  <div class="wordmark"><NorthGuildMark />NorthGuild</div>
   <nav aria-label="NorthGuild community">
     {
       links.map((l) => (
@@ -56,15 +66,14 @@ const links = [
     display: none;
   }
   .wordmark {
+    display: inline-flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    /* Matches the space either side of the GMT header's divider. */
+    gap: var(--gmt-space-6);
     font-family: var(--gmt-font-display);
     color: var(--gmt-ice);
-    text-decoration: none;
     letter-spacing: 0.04em;
   }
-  .wordmark:focus-visible {
-    outline: 2px solid var(--gmt-cyan);
-    outline-offset: 4px;
-  }
   nav {
     display: flex;
     gap: 1rem;
diff --git a/apps/site/src/components/NorthGuildMark.astro b/apps/site/src/components/NorthGuildMark.astro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81c7130
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/site/src/components/NorthGuildMark.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+---
+/**
+ * The NorthGuild shield, drawn as frost on glass rather than flat fills.
+ *
+ * The shapes are the GMT docs mark (gmt `apps/dox/src/assets/northguild-logo.svg`):
+ * the shield, its lit left half, the mountain field and the `</>`. Here it is
+ * kept quiet to sit in the night sky: everything is the wordmark's ice tone at
+ * low opacity, the panes are washes that fade out towards the point, and only
+ * the shield's edge, the mountain ridge and the `</>` are drawn as lines.
+ *
+ * Inline, not an `<img>`, so the theme tokens reach every path. `aria-hidden`:
+ * the wordmark beside it already reads "NorthGuild". The gradient ids are
+ * fixed, so render this once per page.
+ */
+---
+
+<svg
+  class="ng-mark"
+  viewBox="0 0 1000 1317"
+  aria-hidden="true"
+  focusable="false"
+>
+  <defs>
+    <linearGradient id="ng-mark-pane" x1="0" y1="0" x2="0" y2="1">
+      <stop class="pane-top" offset="0"></stop>
+      <stop class="pane-bottom" offset="1"></stop>
+    </linearGradient>
+    <linearGradient id="ng-mark-sheen" x1="0" y1="0" x2="1" y2="1">
+      <stop class="sheen-top" offset="0"></stop>
+      <stop class="sheen-bottom" offset="0.7"></stop>
+    </linearGradient>
+  </defs>
+  <!-- Back to front: the panes of ice, then the lines drawn over them. -->
+  <path
+    class="pane"
+    d="M500 0 L0 179.1 L0 709.1 C0 1018.6 373.1 1206.2 500 1317 C626.9 1206.2 1000 1018.6 1000 709.1 L1000 179.1 Z"
+  ></path>
+  <path
+    class="sheen"
+    d="M500 0 L0 179.1 L0 709.1 C0 1018.6 373.1 1206.2 500 1317 Z"></path>
+  <path
+    class="pane"
+    d="M93.3 243.9 L500 99 L906.7 243.9 L906.7 686.5 L709.3 390.2 L654.9 470.3 L500 239.5 L345.1 470.3 L290.7 390.2 L93.3 686.5 Z"
+  ></path>
+  <path
+    class="edge"
+    d="M500 0 L0 179.1 L0 709.1 C0 1018.6 373.1 1206.2 500 1317 C626.9 1206.2 1000 1018.6 1000 709.1 L1000 179.1 Z"
+  ></path>
+  <path
+    class="ridge"
+    d="M93.3 686.5 L290.7 390.2 L345.1 470.3 L500 239.5 L654.9 470.3 L709.3 390.2 L906.7 686.5"
+  ></path>
+  <path
+    class="glyph"
+    d="M366 640 L212 736.5 L366 833 M634 640 L788 736.5 L634 833 M560 560 L443 910"
+  ></path>
+</svg>
+
+<style>
+  .ng-mark {
+    display: block;
+    block-size: 1.75rem;
+    inline-size: auto;
+    overflow: visible;
+  }
+
+  /* Faintly lighter at the top, clear at the point. */
+  .pane-top {
+    stop-color: var(--gmt-ice);
+    stop-opacity: 0.07;
+  }
+  .pane-bottom {
+    stop-color: var(--gmt-ice);
+    stop-opacity: 0;
+  }
+  .sheen-top {
+    stop-color: var(--gmt-ice);
+    stop-opacity: 0.05;
+  }
+  .sheen-bottom {
+    stop-color: var(--gmt-ice);
+    stop-opacity: 0;
+  }
+  .pane {
+    fill: url(#ng-mark-pane);
+  }
+  .sheen {
+    fill: url(#ng-mark-sheen);
+  }
+
+  .edge,
+  .ridge,
+  .glyph {
+    fill: none;
+    stroke: var(--gmt-ice);
+    stroke-linejoin: round;
+    stroke-linecap: round;
+  }
+  /* Hairlines stay one pixel at any size, like the borders around them. */
+  .edge,
+  .ridge {
+    vector-effect: non-scaling-stroke;
+    stroke-width: 1px;
+  }
+  .edge {
+    stroke-opacity: 0.5;
+  }
+  .ridge {
+    stroke-opacity: 0.35;
+  }
+  /* In viewBox units, so the glyph keeps its weight against the shield. */
+  .glyph {
+    stroke-opacity: 0.75;
+    stroke-width: 36;
+  }
+
+  /* System colours: drop the washes, keep every line at full strength. */
+  @media (forced-colors: active) {
+    .ng-mark {
+      forced-color-adjust: none;
+    }
+    .pane,
+    .sheen {
+      fill: none;
+    }
+    .edge,
+    .ridge,
+    .glyph {
+      stroke: CanvasText;
+      stroke-opacity: 1;
+    }
+  }
+</style>
diff --git a/apps/site/src/components/RepoCard.astro b/apps/site/src/components/RepoCard.astro
index 704788c..2a827d1 100644
--- a/apps/site/src/components/RepoCard.astro
+++ b/apps/site/src/components/RepoCard.astro
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ interface Props {
   description: string;
   docsHref: string;
   githubHref: string;
+  /** Position in the list, for the page's staggered entrance. */
+  order?: number;
 }
-const { name, description, docsHref, githubHref } = Astro.props;
+const { name, description, docsHref, githubHref, order = 0 } = Astro.props;
 ---
 
-<article class="gmt-glass repo-card">
+<article class="gmt-glass repo-card ng-enter-pane" style={`--order: ${order}`}>
   <h2>{name}</h2>
   <p>{description}</p>
   <div class="links">
diff --git a/apps/site/src/layouts/Base.astro b/apps/site/src/layouts/Base.astro
index 02977c1..663fc6f 100644
--- a/apps/site/src/layouts/Base.astro
+++ b/apps/site/src/layouts/Base.astro
@@ -7,9 +7,16 @@ import Header from "../components/Header.astro";
 interface Props {
   title: string;
   description?: string;
+  /** Plays the aurora entrance on the header. The page's own blocks opt in
+      with `.ng-enter-*`, so a page that sets this should stagger them after
+      it. */
+  entrance?: boolean;
 }
-const { title, description = "NorthGuild: open-source tools for developers." } =
-  Astro.props;
+const {
+  title,
+  description = "NorthGuild: open-source tools for developers.",
+  entrance = false,
+} = Astro.props;
 ---
 
 <!doctype html>
@@ -30,7 +37,7 @@ const { title, description = "NorthGuild: open-source tools for developers." } =
     />
   </head>
   <body>
-    <Header />
+    <Header entrance={entrance} />
     <main>
       <slot />
     </main>
@@ -73,4 +80,98 @@ const { title, description = "NorthGuild: open-source tools for developers." } =
   a {
     color: var(--gmt-cyan);
   }
+  /* ---- Entrance ----
+   * Each block condenses out of the sky like a curtain of aurora drifting
+   * across: a soft-edged band of light passes left to right, the blur clears
+   * behind it, and the green-to-cyan tint it carries settles into the usual
+   * ice. Nothing moves; it only comes into focus. `.ng-enter-text` is for type,
+   * `.ng-enter-pane` for glass (it tints the border and glow instead). Set
+   * `--ng-delay` to stagger.
+   *
+   * `backwards` only: once it ends every property falls back to the normal
+   * style, so no filter or mask is left on the glass. The last keyframe is
+   * that normal look, so there is no jump. */
+  .ng-enter-text,
+  .ng-enter-pane {
+    --ng-aurora: color-mix(in oklab, var(--gmt-spring) 45%, var(--gmt-cyan));
+    --ng-sweep: linear-gradient(100deg, #000 38%, transparent 62%);
+    mask-size: 300% 100%;
+    /* Let the blur and glow spill past the box instead of stopping at a hard
+       edge: the mask repeats up and down and paints outside the box. */
+    mask-repeat: repeat-y;
+    mask-clip: no-clip;
+    /* Longhands: the build's minifier turns this shorthand into
+       `animation: none`. */
+    animation-duration: 2.4s;
+    animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.6, 0.2, 1);
+    animation-fill-mode: backwards;
+    animation-delay: var(--ng-delay, 0s);
+  }
+  .ng-enter-text {
+    animation-name: ng-aurora-text;
+  }
+  .ng-enter-pane {
+    animation-name: ng-aurora-pane;
+  }
+
+  /* The clear box-shadow is never seen. Chrome only paints a mask over the
+     box and its shadows, so it gives the text's blur and glow room to fade
+     out instead of stopping at the box's edge. */
+  @keyframes ng-aurora-text {
+    0% {
+      mask-image: var(--ng-sweep);
+      mask-position: 100% 0;
+      filter: blur(12px);
+      color: var(--ng-aurora);
+      text-shadow: 0 0 24px color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.7);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 48px 32px transparent;
+    }
+    45% {
+      filter: blur(3px);
+      color: var(--ng-aurora);
+      text-shadow: 0 0 18px color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.45);
+    }
+    100% {
+      mask-image: var(--ng-sweep);
+      mask-position: 0% 0;
+      filter: blur(0);
+      text-shadow: 0 0 0 transparent;
+      box-shadow: 0 0 48px 32px transparent;
+    }
+  }
+
+  @keyframes ng-aurora-pane {
+    0% {
+      mask-image: var(--ng-sweep);
+      mask-position: 100% 0;
+      filter: blur(10px);
+      border-color: color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.6);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 40px -6px color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.4);
+    }
+    45% {
+      filter: blur(2px);
+      border-color: color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.4);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 32px -6px color(from var(--ng-aurora) srgb r g b / 0.25);
+    }
+    100% {
+      mask-image: var(--ng-sweep);
+      mask-position: 0% 0;
+      filter: blur(0);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /* Reduced motion: no drifting light or blur, just a short fade. */
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+    .ng-enter-text,
+    .ng-enter-pane {
+      animation-name: ng-fade;
+      animation-duration: 0.6s;
+      animation-delay: 0s;
+    }
+  }
+  @keyframes ng-fade {
+    from {
+      opacity: 0;
+    }
+  }
 </style>
diff --git a/apps/site/src/pages/index.astro b/apps/site/src/pages/index.astro
index 6928e46..7584170 100644
--- a/apps/site/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/apps/site/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -22,20 +22,44 @@ const repos = [
 ];
 ---
 
-<Base title="NorthGuild">
+<Base title="NorthGuild" entrance>
   <Aurora />
-  <h1>NorthGuild</h1>
-  <p class="intro">Open-source tools for developers, built in the frigid north.</p>
+  <h1 class="ng-enter-text">NorthGuild</h1>
+  <p class="intro ng-enter-text">Open-source tools for developers, built in the frigid north.</p>
   <div class="grid">
-    {repos.map((r) => <RepoCard {...r} />)}
+    {repos.map((r, i) => <RepoCard {...r} order={i} />)}
   </div>
 </Base>
 
 <style>
+  /* The sky only answers the pointer over bare page (Aurora.astro,
+     `isBareSky`), so each block is only as wide as its own text, and the grid
+     lets the pointer through its gaps to the sky behind. */
+  h1,
+  .intro {
+    inline-size: fit-content;
+  }
   .grid {
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(min(100%, 20rem), 1fr));
     gap: 1rem;
     margin-top: 2rem;
+    pointer-events: none;
+  }
+  .grid > :global(*) {
+    pointer-events: auto;
+  }
+
+  /* The entrance (`.ng-enter-*`, Base.astro): the header leads, then the
+     title, the line under it, and the cards in turn, landing as the sky's own
+     fade-in (1.6s) finishes. */
+  h1 {
+    --ng-delay: 0.25s;
+  }
+  .intro {
+    --ng-delay: 0.55s;
+  }
+  .grid > :global(*) {
+    --ng-delay: calc(0.9s + var(--order, 0) * 0.25s);
   }
 </style>