diff --git a/client/src/App.jsx b/client/src/App.jsx
index 591df74..1560d18 100644
--- a/client/src/App.jsx
+++ b/client/src/App.jsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import SettingsAdmin from './routes/admin/views/SettingsAdmin.jsx'
 import ActivityAdmin from './routes/admin/views/ActivityAdmin.jsx'
 import BotActivityAdmin from './routes/admin/views/BotActivityAdmin.jsx'
 import DiscordBotAdmin from './routes/admin/views/DiscordBotAdmin.jsx'
+import ShardAdmin from './routes/admin/views/ShardAdmin.jsx'
 import AuthProvidersAdmin from './routes/admin/views/AuthProvidersAdmin.jsx'
 import UsersAdmin from './routes/admin/views/UsersAdmin.jsx'
 import AccountAdmin from './routes/admin/views/AccountAdmin.jsx'
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ export default function App() {
             <Route path="activity" element={<ActivityAdmin />} />
             <Route path="bot-activity" element={<BotActivityAdmin />} />
             <Route path="discord-bot" element={<DiscordBotAdmin />} />
+            <Route path="shard" element={<ShardAdmin />} />
             <Route path="auth-providers" element={<AuthProvidersAdmin />} />
             <Route path="users" element={<UsersAdmin />} />
             <Route path="account" element={<AccountAdmin />} />
diff --git a/client/src/api/client.js b/client/src/api/client.js
index b3021dd..8263791 100644
--- a/client/src/api/client.js
+++ b/client/src/api/client.js
@@ -223,6 +223,12 @@ export const api = {
     getDiscordBotConfig: () => req('/admin/discord-bot/config'),
     saveDiscordBotConfig: (data) => req('/admin/discord-bot/config', { method: 'PUT', body: data }),
 
+    // ----- uo-link sidecar control (admin only) -----
+    getUoLinkConfig: () => req('/admin/uo-link/config'),
+    saveUoLinkConfig: (data) => req('/admin/uo-link/config', { method: 'PUT', body: data }),
+    postTownCrier: (data) => req('/admin/uo-link/towncrier', { method: 'POST', body: data }),
+    deleteTownCrier: (id) => req(`/admin/uo-link/towncrier/${encodeURIComponent(id)}`, { method: 'DELETE' }),
+
     // ----- Email delivery / Gmail OAuth2 (admin only) -----
     getEmailConfig: () => req('/admin/email/config'),
     saveEmailConfig: (data) => req('/admin/email/config', { method: 'PUT', body: data }),
diff --git a/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx b/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
index 9cf3c69..4c6358b 100644
--- a/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
+++ b/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ const IconKey = () => <Icon><circle cx="8" cy="12" r="4" /><path d="M12 12h9M18
 const IconBot = () => <Icon><rect x="4" y="8" width="16" height="11" rx="2" /><path d="M12 8V4M8 13h.01M16 13h.01M9 17h6" /></Icon>
 const IconPulse = () => <Icon><path d="M3 12h3l2 6 4-14 2 8h7" /></Icon>
 const IconUser = () => <Icon><circle cx="12" cy="8" r="4" /><path d="M4 21a8 8 0 0 1 16 0" /></Icon>
+const IconShard = () => <Icon><path d="M12 2l7 6-7 14-7-14z" /><path d="M5 8h14" /></Icon>
 
 // Nav is grouped into collapsible categories. A group with no `title` renders
 // its items ungrouped (Dashboard at top, Account at bottom). Each item's `roles`
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ const NAV = [
       { to: '/admin/hero', label: 'Hero Editor', icon: IconHero, roles: ['admin'] },
       { to: '/admin/auth-providers', label: 'Authentication', icon: IconKey, roles: ['admin'] },
       { to: '/admin/discord-bot', label: 'Discord Bot', icon: IconBot, roles: ['admin'] },
+      { to: '/admin/shard', label: 'Shard (uo-link)', icon: IconShard, roles: ['admin'] },
       { to: '/admin/bot-activity', label: 'Web Bot Activity', icon: IconPulse, roles: ['admin'] },
     ],
   },
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ const TITLES = {
   '/admin/activity': 'Activity Log',
   '/admin/bot-activity': 'Web Bot Activity',
   '/admin/discord-bot': 'Discord Bot',
+  '/admin/shard': 'Shard (uo-link)',
   '/admin/auth-providers': 'Authentication',
   '/admin/users': 'Users',
   '/admin/account': 'Account Security',
diff --git a/client/src/routes/admin/views/ShardAdmin.jsx b/client/src/routes/admin/views/ShardAdmin.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc854aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/routes/admin/views/ShardAdmin.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { Loading, ErrorState } from '../../../components/PageState.jsx'
+import { api } from '../../../api/client.js'
+
+// uo-link sidecar control panel. The auth token is write-only over this API —
+// stored encrypted, never returned — same convention as the Discord bot token.
+// Saving (re)starts the WS ingest client, so Enabled/URL/token changes take
+// effect immediately with no redeploy.
+
+function Toggle({ checked, onChange, label }) {
+  return (
+    <label className="sans" style={{ display: 'inline-flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 10, cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.9rem', color: 'var(--ink)' }}>
+      <input type="checkbox" checked={checked} onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.checked)} />
+      {label}
+    </label>
+  )
+}
+
+const STATUS_COLOR = {
+  connected: '#7fd0a4',
+  reconnecting: '#e0b070',
+  error: '#d98b84',
+  disconnected: 'var(--muted)',
+}
+
+function StatusPanel({ config }) {
+  const color = STATUS_COLOR[config.status] || 'var(--muted)'
+  const ingest = config.ingest || {}
+  const health = config.health || {}
+  return (
+    <div style={{ border: '1px solid var(--line)', borderRadius: 10, padding: 16, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 8 }}>
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 8 }}>
+        <span style={{ width: 9, height: 9, borderRadius: '50%', background: color, boxShadow: `0 0 8px ${color}` }} />
+        <span className="sans" style={{ fontSize: '0.9rem', color: 'var(--ink)', textTransform: 'capitalize' }}>
+          {config.status || 'disconnected'}
+        </span>
+      </div>
+      {config.statusDetail && (
+        <p className="sans" style={{ margin: 0, fontSize: '0.82rem', color: 'var(--muted)' }}>{config.statusDetail}</p>
+      )}
+      <div className="sans dim" style={{ display: 'grid', gridTemplateColumns: '1fr 1fr', gap: '4px 16px', fontSize: '0.78rem', marginTop: 2 }}>
+        <span>Shard link: <strong style={{ color: 'var(--ink)' }}>{config.pluginConnected ? 'up' : 'down'}</strong></span>
+        <span>WS ingest: <strong style={{ color: 'var(--ink)' }}>{ingest.connected ? 'connected' : 'offline'}</strong></span>
+        <span>Reconnects: <strong style={{ color: 'var(--ink)' }}>{ingest.reconnects ?? 0}</strong></span>
+        <span>SSE clients: <strong style={{ color: 'var(--ink)' }}>{(config.sse?.publicClients ?? 0) + (config.sse?.adminClients ?? 0)}</strong></span>
+        {config.lastEventAt && <span style={{ gridColumn: '1 / -1' }}>Last event: {new Date(config.lastEventAt).toLocaleString()}</span>}
+        {health.uptime && <span style={{ gridColumn: '1 / -1' }}>Sidecar uptime: {health.uptime}</span>}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+// ── Town crier ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+function TownCrier() {
+  const [id, setId] = useState('')
+  const [text, setText] = useState('')
+  const [durationSec, setDurationSec] = useState(3600)
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false)
+  const [msg, setMsg] = useState('')
+  const [error, setError] = useState('')
+
+  async function post() {
+    setBusy(true); setMsg(''); setError('')
+    const lines = text.split('\n').map((l) => l.trim()).filter(Boolean)
+    if (!id.trim() || lines.length === 0) {
+      setBusy(false)
+      return setError('An id and at least one line are required.')
+    }
+    try {
+      await api.admin.postTownCrier({ id: id.trim(), lines, durationSec: Number(durationSec) || undefined })
+      setMsg(`Posted “${id.trim()}”.`)
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not post.')
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+  async function remove() {
+    if (!id.trim()) return setError('Enter the id to remove.')
+    setBusy(true); setMsg(''); setError('')
+    try {
+      await api.admin.deleteTownCrier(id.trim())
+      setMsg(`Removed “${id.trim()}”.`)
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not remove.')
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <section style={{ borderTop: '1px solid var(--line-soft)', paddingTop: 22, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
+      <h3 className="display" style={{ margin: 0, fontSize: '1.05rem', color: 'var(--head)' }}>Town crier</h3>
+      <p className="sans" style={{ margin: 0, color: 'var(--muted)', fontSize: '0.86rem', lineHeight: 1.6 }}>
+        Broadcast a message that every in-game town crier announces until it expires. Re-posting the same id replaces it.
+      </p>
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Message id</span>
+        <input type="text" value={id} onChange={(e) => setId(e.target.value)} className="input" placeholder="news-42" autoComplete="off" style={{ maxWidth: 220 }} />
+      </label>
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Lines (one per line)</span>
+        <textarea value={text} onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)} className="input" rows={3} placeholder={'Hear ye!\nMarket tax is now 5%.'} style={{ resize: 'vertical' }} />
+      </label>
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Duration (seconds)</span>
+        <input type="number" value={durationSec} onChange={(e) => setDurationSec(e.target.value)} className="input" min={1} max={86400} style={{ maxWidth: 160 }} />
+      </label>
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 10, alignItems: 'center' }}>
+        <button onClick={post} disabled={busy} className="btn btn-primary btn-sq">{busy ? 'Working…' : 'Post message'}</button>
+        <button onClick={remove} disabled={busy} className="btn btn-sq" style={{ borderColor: '#d98b84', color: '#d98b84' }}>Remove by id</button>
+        {msg && <span className="sans" style={{ color: '#7fd0a4', fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>{msg}</span>}
+        {error && <span className="sans" style={{ color: '#d98b84', fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>{error}</span>}
+      </div>
+    </section>
+  )
+}
+
+export default function ShardAdmin() {
+  const [config, setConfig] = useState(null)
+  const [error, setError] = useState('')
+  const [baseUrl, setBaseUrl] = useState('')
+  const [wsUrl, setWsUrl] = useState('')
+  const [token, setToken] = useState('')
+  const [protocol, setProtocol] = useState(1)
+  const [enabled, setEnabled] = useState(false)
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false)
+  const [msg, setMsg] = useState('')
+  const [saveError, setSaveError] = useState('')
+  const pollRef = useRef(null)
+  const initializedRef = useRef(false)
+
+  const load = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const c = await api.admin.getUoLinkConfig()
+      setConfig(c)
+      // Seed the editable fields once; later polls only refresh the status panel
+      // so they never clobber what the admin is mid-typing.
+      if (!initializedRef.current) {
+        setBaseUrl(c.baseUrl || '')
+        setWsUrl(c.wsUrl || '')
+        setProtocol(c.protocol || 1)
+        setEnabled(c.enabled)
+        initializedRef.current = true
+      }
+    } catch {
+      setError('Could not load uo-link config.')
+    }
+  }, [])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    load()
+    pollRef.current = setInterval(load, 5000)
+    return () => clearInterval(pollRef.current)
+  }, [load])
+
+  async function save() {
+    setBusy(true); setMsg(''); setSaveError('')
+    try {
+      const body = { baseUrl, wsUrl, protocol: Number(protocol), enabled }
+      if (token) body.token = token
+      const saved = await api.admin.saveUoLinkConfig(body)
+      setConfig(saved)
+      setToken('')
+      setMsg('Saved.')
+    } catch (err) {
+      setSaveError(err.message || 'Could not save.')
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (error) return <ErrorState message={error} />
+  if (!config) return <Loading />
+
+  return (
+    <section style={{ maxWidth: 560, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 20 }}>
+      <h2 className="display" style={{ margin: 0, fontSize: '1.2rem', color: 'var(--head)' }}>Shard (uo-link)</h2>
+
+      <StatusPanel config={config} />
+
+      <Toggle checked={enabled} onChange={setEnabled} label="Enable the shard integration" />
+
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Base URL (REST)</span>
+        <input type="text" value={baseUrl} onChange={(e) => setBaseUrl(e.target.value)} className="input" autoComplete="off" placeholder="http://127.0.0.1:8080" />
+      </label>
+
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">WebSocket URL (feed)</span>
+        <input type="text" value={wsUrl} onChange={(e) => setWsUrl(e.target.value)} className="input" autoComplete="off" placeholder="ws://127.0.0.1:8080/ws" />
+      </label>
+
+      <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Auth token</span>
+        <input type="password" value={token} onChange={(e) => setToken(e.target.value)} className="input" autoComplete="new-password" placeholder={config.hasToken ? '•••••••• configured — leave blank to keep' : 'Shared secret from sidecar.toml'} />
+      </label>
+
+      <label style={{ display: 'block', maxWidth: 140 }}>
+        <span className="field-label">Protocol</span>
+        <input type="number" value={protocol} onChange={(e) => setProtocol(e.target.value)} className="input" min={1} max={99} />
+      </label>
+
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 10, alignItems: 'center', marginTop: 4 }}>
+        <button onClick={save} disabled={busy} className="btn btn-primary btn-sq">{busy ? 'Saving…' : 'Save changes'}</button>
+        {msg && <span className="sans" style={{ color: '#7fd0a4', fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>{msg}</span>}
+        {saveError && <span className="sans" style={{ color: '#d98b84', fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>{saveError}</span>}
+      </div>
+
+      <TownCrier />
+    </section>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
index 95d9f6a..91e60ff 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const botActivity = require('./botActivity.controller')
 const authProviders = require('./authProviders.controller')
 const discordBot = require('./discordBot.controller')
 const emailConfig = require('./emailConfig.controller')
+const uoLink = require('./uoLink.controller')
 const moderation = require('./moderation.controller')
 const pagesCtrl = require('./pages.controller')
 const { isLoggedIn, requireRole } = require('../../../utils/auth')
@@ -985,4 +986,75 @@ adminRouter.delete(
   ctrl.deleteUser,
 )
 
+// ── uo-link sidecar control (admin only) ──────────────────────────────────
+// Connection config (base/ws URL + token + protocol + enabled) and the town
+// crier. The token is write-only (SECURITY note in uoLink.controller.js).
+adminRouter.get(
+  '/uo-link/config',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Shard']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Get uo-link config + live status + ingestion stats (admin only)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Masked config, health and ingestion stats', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[403] = { description: 'Admin role required', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  adminOnly,
+  uoLink.getConfig,
+)
+adminRouter.put(
+  '/uo-link/config',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Shard']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Save uo-link connection config (admin only)'
+  // #swagger.description = 'token is write-only — omit/blank it to keep the existing one. Saving (re)starts the WS ingest client.'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { required: true, content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", properties: { baseUrl: { type: "string" }, wsUrl: { type: "string" }, token: { type: "string" }, protocol: { type: "integer" }, enabled: { type: "boolean" } } } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Updated config + live status', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[400] = { description: 'Validation error, or missing token while enabling', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[403] = { description: 'Admin role required', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  adminOnly,
+  body('baseUrl').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().trim().isURL({ require_tld: false, protocols: ['http', 'https'] }),
+  body('wsUrl').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().trim().isURL({ require_tld: false, protocols: ['ws', 'wss'] }),
+  body('token').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().trim(),
+  body('protocol').optional().isInt({ min: 1, max: 99 }),
+  body('enabled').optional().isBoolean(),
+  validate,
+  uoLink.saveConfig,
+)
+adminRouter.post(
+  '/uo-link/towncrier',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Shard']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Publish / replace a town-crier message (admin only)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { required: true, content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/TownCrierRequest" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Posted', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[400] = { description: 'Rejected (over caps)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[503] = { description: 'Shard unavailable', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  adminOnly,
+  body('id').isString().trim().isLength({ min: 1, max: 64 }),
+  body('lines').isArray({ min: 1, max: 8 }),
+  body('lines.*').isString().isLength({ max: 200 }),
+  body('durationSec').optional().isInt({ min: 1, max: 86400 }),
+  validate,
+  uoLink.postTownCrier,
+)
+adminRouter.delete(
+  '/uo-link/towncrier/:id',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Shard']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Remove a town-crier message (admin only)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Town-crier message id.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Removed', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Unknown id', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  adminOnly,
+  param('id').isString().trim().isLength({ min: 1, max: 64 }),
+  validate,
+  uoLink.deleteTownCrier,
+)
+adminRouter.get(
+  '/uo-link/stream',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Shard']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Full live shard event stream incl. audit/cheat (SSE, admin only)'
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'An SSE stream (Content-Type: text/event-stream).' } */
+  adminOnly,
+  uoLink.stream,
+)
+
 module.exports = adminRouter
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/uoLink.controller.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/uoLink.controller.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04d89be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/uoLink.controller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+// ── Admin: uo-link sidecar control ─────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// Configure the connection to the uo-link sidecar (base/ws URL, shared-secret
+// token, protocol pin, enabled) and drive the town crier. SECURITY: the token
+// is write-only over this API — stored encrypted, NEVER returned; responses
+// expose only `hasToken` (same convention as the Discord bot token). Saving
+// (re)starts the WS ingest client so a change takes effect with no redeploy.
+
+const uoLinkConfig = require('../../../model/uoLinkConfig/uoLinkConfig.model')
+const uoLinkClient = require('../../../utils/uoLinkClient')
+const uoLinkSocket = require('../../../utils/uoLinkSocket')
+const shardBroadcast = require('../../../utils/shardBroadcast')
+const activity = require('../../../model/activity/activity.model')
+
+const log = require('../../../utils/logger')('admin-uolink')
+
+// Assemble the masked config + live health + ingestion stats for the panel.
+async function buildStatus() {
+  const config = await uoLinkConfig.getSafe()
+  const health = await uoLinkClient.health()
+  return {
+    ...config,
+    health: health.ok ? health.data : { ok: false, error: health.error || `status ${health.status}` },
+    ingest: uoLinkSocket.getState(),
+    sse: shardBroadcast.stats(),
+  }
+}
+
+// GET /admin/uo-link/config — masked config + live status + ingestion stats.
+async function getConfig(req, res) {
+  try {
+    return res.json(await buildStatus())
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('uoLink.getConfig', err)
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
+// PUT /admin/uo-link/config — save connection settings + (re)start the socket.
+async function saveConfig(req, res) {
+  const { baseUrl, wsUrl, token, protocol, enabled } = req.body
+  try {
+    const current = await uoLinkConfig.getSafe()
+    const willHaveToken = Boolean(token) || current.hasToken
+    if (enabled && !willHaveToken) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ message: 'An auth token is required before enabling.' })
+    }
+
+    await uoLinkConfig.save({
+      baseUrl,
+      wsUrl,
+      token,
+      protocol: protocol !== undefined ? Number(protocol) : undefined,
+      enabled,
+      updatedBy: req.user.id,
+    })
+    // Drop the client's cached config so the health check below uses the new values.
+    uoLinkClient.invalidateConfig()
+
+    // (Re)start or stop the ingest socket to match the new enabled/URL/token.
+    const saved = await uoLinkConfig.getSafe()
+    if (saved.enabled && saved.hasToken) {
+      await uoLinkSocket.start()
+    } else {
+      uoLinkSocket.stop()
+      await uoLinkConfig.recordStatus({ status: 'disconnected', pluginConnected: false })
+    }
+
+    await activity.log({ req, action: 'uoLink.config.update', detail: { baseUrl: saved.baseUrl, enabled: saved.enabled } })
+    log.info('uo-link config updated', { by: req.user.username, enabled: saved.enabled })
+    return res.json(await buildStatus())
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('uoLink.saveConfig', err)
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
+// POST /admin/uo-link/towncrier — publish/replace a town-crier message.
+async function postTownCrier(req, res) {
+  const { id, lines, durationSec } = req.body
+  try {
+    const result = await uoLinkClient.postTownCrier({ id, lines, durationSec })
+    if (result.ok) {
+      await activity.log({ req, action: 'uoLink.towncrier.post', detail: { id } })
+      return res.json(result.data || { ok: true, id })
+    }
+    if (result.status === 400) return res.status(400).json({ message: 'The shard rejected that message (over the line/duration caps?).' })
+    if (result.status === 503 || result.status === 0) {
+      return res.status(503).json({ message: 'The shard is unavailable right now.' })
+    }
+    return res.status(502).json({ message: 'Could not reach the shard.' })
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('uoLink.postTownCrier', err)
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
+// DELETE /admin/uo-link/towncrier/:id — remove a town-crier message.
+async function deleteTownCrier(req, res) {
+  const { id } = req.params
+  try {
+    const result = await uoLinkClient.deleteTownCrier(id)
+    if (result.ok) {
+      await activity.log({ req, action: 'uoLink.towncrier.delete', detail: { id } })
+      return res.json(result.data || { ok: true, id })
+    }
+    if (result.status === 404) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'No town-crier message with that id.' })
+    if (result.status === 503 || result.status === 0) {
+      return res.status(503).json({ message: 'The shard is unavailable right now.' })
+    }
+    return res.status(502).json({ message: 'Could not reach the shard.' })
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('uoLink.deleteTownCrier', err)
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
+// GET /admin/uo-link/stream — the full live feed (incl. audit/cheat), staff only.
+function stream(req, res) {
+  shardBroadcast.subscribe(req, res, 'admin')
+}
+
+module.exports = { getConfig, saveConfig, postTownCrier, deleteTownCrier, stream }
diff --git a/server/src/server.js b/server/src/server.js
index 12cd45c..dff53ec 100644
--- a/server/src/server.js
+++ b/server/src/server.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ const app = require('./app')
 const internalApp = require('./internalApp')
 const botScore = require('./middleware/botScore')
 const uoLinkSocket = require('./utils/uoLinkSocket')
+const uoLinkClient = require('./utils/uoLinkClient')
+const uoLinkConfig = require('./model/uoLinkConfig/uoLinkConfig.model')
 const shardBroadcast = require('./utils/shardBroadcast')
 const { ensureSchema, close } = require('./utils/db')
 const { seedDefaults, createInitialAdminFromEnv } = require('../db/seed')
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ async function start() {
   // sidecar problem block server startup.
   try {
     await uoLinkSocket.start()
+    await checkUoLink()
   } catch (err) {
     log.warn('uo-link socket failed to start (continuing)', { error: err.message })
   }
@@ -92,6 +95,33 @@ async function start() {
   setupShutdown(server, internalServer)
 }
 
+// Best-effort startup probe of the uo-link sidecar: if the integration is
+// enabled, log whether it is reachable and warn loudly on a protocol mismatch
+// (fail-fast visibility rather than silently mis-parsing a newer wire format).
+async function checkUoLink() {
+  const config = await uoLinkConfig.getSafe()
+  if (!config.enabled) return
+  const health = await uoLinkClient.health()
+  if (!health.ok) {
+    log.warn('uo-link is enabled but the sidecar is unreachable at startup', {
+      baseUrl: config.baseUrl,
+      error: health.error || `status ${health.status}`,
+    })
+    return
+  }
+  if (health.data && health.data.protocol && health.data.protocol !== config.protocol) {
+    log.error('uo-link PROTOCOL MISMATCH — pinned vs sidecar', {
+      pinned: config.protocol,
+      sidecar: health.data.protocol,
+    })
+  } else {
+    log.info('uo-link sidecar reachable', {
+      pluginConnected: health.data && health.data.plugin_connected,
+      protocol: health.data && health.data.protocol,
+    })
+  }
+}
+
 function setupShutdown(server, internalServer) {
   let closing = false
   const shutdown = async (signal) => {
diff --git a/server/swagger/swagger-output.json b/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
index 918fbc3..f7770f8 100644
--- a/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
+++ b/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@
       "name": "Admin · Discord Bot",
       "description": "Discord bot token/config and live status (admin only)"
     },
+    {
+      "name": "Admin · Shard",
+      "description": "uo-link sidecar connection config, live status and town crier (admin only)"
+    },
     {
       "name": "Admin · Auth Providers",
       "description": "SSO provider configuration (admin only)"
@@ -5761,6 +5765,270 @@
         ]
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/admin/uo-link/config": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Shard"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Get uo-link config + live status + ingestion stats (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Masked config, health and ingestion stats",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Admin role required",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      "put": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Shard"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Save uo-link connection config (admin only)",
+        "description": "token is write-only — omit/blank it to keep the existing one. Saving (re)starts the WS ingest client.",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Updated config + live status",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Validation error, or missing token while enabling",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Admin role required",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "required": true,
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "baseUrl": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "wsUrl": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "token": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "protocol": {
+                    "type": "integer"
+                  },
+                  "enabled": {
+                    "type": "boolean"
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/uo-link/towncrier": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Shard"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Publish / replace a town-crier message (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Posted",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Rejected (over caps)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          },
+          "502": {
+            "description": "Bad Gateway"
+          },
+          "503": {
+            "description": "Shard unavailable",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "required": true,
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/TownCrierRequest"
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/uo-link/towncrier/{id}": {
+      "delete": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Shard"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Remove a town-crier message (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "description": "Town-crier message id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Removed",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Unknown id",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          },
+          "502": {
+            "description": "Bad Gateway"
+          },
+          "503": {
+            "description": "Service Unavailable"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/uo-link/stream": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Shard"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Full live shard event stream incl. audit/cheat (SSE, admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "An SSE stream (Content-Type: text/event-stream)."
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/player/account": {
       "get": {
         "tags": [
@@ -10408,6 +10676,104 @@
             }
           }
         }
+      },
+      "TownCrierRequest": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "type": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "example": "object"
+          },
+          "required": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "example": [
+              "id",
+              "lines"
+            ],
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "properties": {
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+              "id": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "type": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "example": "string"
+                  },
+                  "maxLength": {
+                    "type": "number",
+                    "example": 64
+                  },
+                  "description": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "example": "Re-posting the same id replaces the prior entry."
+                  },
+                  "example": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "example": "news-42"
+                  }
+                }
+              },
+              "lines": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "type": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "example": "array"
+                  },
+                  "items": {
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "properties": {
+                      "type": {
+                        "type": "string",
+                        "example": "string"
+                      },
+                      "maxLength": {
+                        "type": "number",
+                        "example": 200
+                      }
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "example": {
+                    "type": "array",
+                    "example": [
+                      "Hear ye!",
+                      "Market tax is now 5%."
+                    ],
+                    "items": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              },
+              "durationSec": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "type": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "example": "integer"
+                  },
+                  "minimum": {
+                    "type": "number",
+                    "example": 1
+                  },
+                  "maximum": {
+                    "type": "number",
+                    "example": 86400
+                  },
+                  "example": {
+                    "type": "number",
+                    "example": 3600
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/server/swagger/swagger.js b/server/swagger/swagger.js
index 7b407e7..56a1bfe 100644
--- a/server/swagger/swagger.js
+++ b/server/swagger/swagger.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ const doc = {
     { name: 'Admin · Activity', description: 'Admin activity log' },
     { name: 'Admin · Bot Activity', description: 'Bot-scoring/ban state and emergency unban (admin only)' },
     { name: 'Admin · Discord Bot', description: 'Discord bot token/config and live status (admin only)' },
+    { name: 'Admin · Shard', description: 'uo-link sidecar connection config, live status and town crier (admin only)' },
     { name: 'Admin · Auth Providers', description: 'SSO provider configuration (admin only)' },
     { name: 'Admin · Users', description: 'User management (admin only)' },
   ],
@@ -587,6 +588,15 @@ const doc = {
           linkedAt: { type: 'string', format: 'date-time' },
         },
       },
+      TownCrierRequest: {
+        type: 'object',
+        required: ['id', 'lines'],
+        properties: {
+          id: { type: 'string', maxLength: 64, description: 'Re-posting the same id replaces the prior entry.', example: 'news-42' },
+          lines: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string', maxLength: 200 }, example: ['Hear ye!', 'Market tax is now 5%.'] },
+          durationSec: { type: 'integer', minimum: 1, maximum: 86400, example: 3600 },
+        },
+      },
     },
   },
 }