diff --git a/client/package-lock.json b/client/package-lock.json
index 7c50d39..834e8bf 100644
--- a/client/package-lock.json
+++ b/client/package-lock.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
       "dependencies": {
         "@tiptap/extension-image": "^2.27.2",
         "@tiptap/extension-link": "^2.27.2",
+        "@tiptap/extension-text-align": "^2.27.2",
         "@tiptap/react": "^2.27.2",
         "@tiptap/starter-kit": "^2.27.2",
         "diff": "^5.2.2",
@@ -1483,6 +1484,19 @@
         "@tiptap/core": "^2.7.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@tiptap/extension-text-align": {
+      "version": "2.27.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@tiptap/extension-text-align/-/extension-text-align-2.27.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-0Pyks6Hu+Q/+9+5/osoSv0SP6jIerdWMYbi13aaZLsJoj3lBj5WNaE11JtAwSFN5sx0IbqhDSlp1zkvRnzgZ8g==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "funding": {
+        "type": "github",
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/ueberdosis"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "@tiptap/core": "^2.7.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@tiptap/extension-text-style": {
       "version": "2.27.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@tiptap/extension-text-style/-/extension-text-style-2.27.2.tgz",
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index 4b1948f..250c40d 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@tiptap/extension-image": "^2.27.2",
     "@tiptap/extension-link": "^2.27.2",
+    "@tiptap/extension-text-align": "^2.27.2",
     "@tiptap/react": "^2.27.2",
     "@tiptap/starter-kit": "^2.27.2",
     "diff": "^5.2.2",
diff --git a/client/src/App.jsx b/client/src/App.jsx
index e83ae99..99a54dc 100644
--- a/client/src/App.jsx
+++ b/client/src/App.jsx
@@ -18,12 +18,15 @@ import About from './routes/public/About.jsx'
 import Status from './routes/public/Status.jsx'
 import Wiki from './routes/wiki/Wiki.jsx'
 import WikiArticle from './routes/wiki/WikiArticle.jsx'
+import CmsPage from './routes/public/CmsPage.jsx'
 
 // Admin
 import AdminLogin from './routes/admin/AdminLogin.jsx'
 import AdminLayout from './routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx'
 import Dashboard from './routes/admin/views/Dashboard.jsx'
 import PostsAdmin from './routes/admin/views/PostsAdmin.jsx'
+import PagesAdmin from './routes/admin/views/PagesAdmin.jsx'
+import PageBuilder from './routes/admin/views/PageBuilder.jsx'
 import WikiAdmin from './routes/admin/views/WikiAdmin.jsx'
 import HeroEditor from './routes/admin/views/HeroEditor.jsx'
 import SettingsAdmin from './routes/admin/views/SettingsAdmin.jsx'
@@ -65,8 +68,15 @@ export default function App() {
             <Route path="/site/status" element={<Status />} />
             <Route path="/wiki" element={<Wiki />} />
             <Route path="/wiki/:slug" element={<WikiArticle />} />
+            {/* CMS pages: top-level /:slug, matched only after the named routes
+                above (React Router ranks static routes over this dynamic one). */}
+            <Route path="/:slug" element={<CmsPage />} />
           </Route>
 
+          {/* Draft-preview link (token-gated). Outside the maintenance gate so a
+              preview link works regardless of site mode. */}
+          <Route path="/preview/:id/:token" element={<CmsPage preview />} />
+
           {/* Admin */}
           <Route path="/admin/login" element={<AdminLogin />} />
           <Route
@@ -79,6 +89,9 @@ export default function App() {
           >
             <Route index element={<Dashboard />} />
             <Route path="posts" element={<PostsAdmin />} />
+            <Route path="pages" element={<PagesAdmin />} />
+            <Route path="pages/new" element={<PageBuilder />} />
+            <Route path="pages/:id" element={<PageBuilder />} />
             <Route path="wiki" element={<WikiAdmin />} />
             <Route path="hero" element={<HeroEditor />} />
             <Route path="settings" element={<SettingsAdmin />} />
diff --git a/client/src/api/client.js b/client/src/api/client.js
index 2ea408d..3357c1a 100644
--- a/client/src/api/client.js
+++ b/client/src/api/client.js
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ export const api = {
   wikiCategories: () => req('/public/wiki/categories'),
   wikiTags: () => req('/public/wiki/tags'),
   wikiPage: (slug) => req(`/public/wiki/${slug}`),
+  // CMS pages (block-based). Published-only for the public; a draft-preview link
+  // is fetched by id + token.
+  page: (slug) => req(`/public/pages/${slug}`),
+  pagePreview: (id, token) => req(`/public/pages/${id}/preview/${token}`),
   contact: (payload) => req('/public/contact', { method: 'POST', body: payload }),
 
   // ----- admin -----
@@ -97,6 +101,15 @@ export const api = {
       fd.append('image', file)
       return req('/admin/uploads', { method: 'POST', body: fd, raw: true })
     },
+    // ----- CMS pages (block-based page builder) -----
+    listPages: () => req('/admin/pages'),
+    getPage: (id) => req(`/admin/pages/${id}`),
+    createPage: (data) => req('/admin/pages', { method: 'POST', body: data }),
+    updatePage: (id, data) => req(`/admin/pages/${id}`, { method: 'PATCH', body: data }),
+    deletePage: (id) => req(`/admin/pages/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' }),
+    unprotectPage: (id, password) =>
+      req(`/admin/pages/${id}/unprotect`, { method: 'POST', body: { password } }),
+    createPagePreview: (id) => req(`/admin/pages/${id}/preview`, { method: 'POST' }),
     listWiki: (params = '') => req(`/admin/wiki${params}`),
     getWiki: (slug) => req(`/admin/wiki/${slug}`),
     createWiki: (data) => req('/admin/wiki', { method: 'POST', body: data }),
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/BlockRenderer.jsx b/client/src/blocks/BlockRenderer.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e78e94f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/BlockRenderer.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// Renders stored blocks via their registry component. Used by the public page
+// route, the draft preview, and (recursively) the two_column block. Kept
+// separate from the registry so both the renderer and the builder can import it.
+// Import the lookup from the registry directly (not ./index) to avoid a cycle:
+// index → types/twoColumn → BlockRenderer. The page route/builder import ./index,
+// which registers every block before anything renders.
+import { getBlock } from './registry.js'
+
+/**
+ * Render one block. A block with `visible === false` renders nothing (admins
+ * hide blocks without deleting them). An unknown type also renders nothing —
+ * server validation prevents storing one, so this only guards a client/server
+ * registry skew rather than crashing the whole page.
+ */
+export default function BlockRenderer({ block }) {
+  if (!block || block.visible === false) return null
+  const def = getBlock(block.type)
+  if (!def || !def.component) return null
+  const Component = def.component
+  return <Component props={block.props || {}} block={block} />
+}
+
+/** Render an ordered array of blocks (array position = display order). */
+export function BlockList({ blocks }) {
+  return (blocks || []).map((block) => <BlockRenderer key={block.id} block={block} />)
+}
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/editorKit.jsx b/client/src/blocks/editorKit.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..481fb21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/editorKit.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// Shared form controls for block editors, styled with the existing admin design
+// system (.field-label / .input / .select). Every block's editor is a
+// ({ props, onChange }) component; these keep the seven of them consistent and
+// short. onChange always receives the full next props object.
+
+export function Field({ label, hint, children }) {
+  return (
+    <label style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+      <span className="field-label">{label}</span>
+      {children}
+      {hint && (
+        <span className="sans dim" style={{ display: 'block', fontSize: '0.78rem', marginTop: 4 }}>
+          {hint}
+        </span>
+      )}
+    </label>
+  )
+}
+
+export function TextField({ label, hint, value, onChange, placeholder, maxLength }) {
+  return (
+    <Field label={label} hint={hint}>
+      <input
+        type="text"
+        className="input"
+        value={value ?? ''}
+        placeholder={placeholder}
+        maxLength={maxLength}
+        onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)}
+      />
+    </Field>
+  )
+}
+
+export function TextAreaField({ label, hint, value, onChange, placeholder, rows = 4, maxLength }) {
+  return (
+    <Field label={label} hint={hint}>
+      <textarea
+        className="input"
+        rows={rows}
+        value={value ?? ''}
+        placeholder={placeholder}
+        maxLength={maxLength}
+        onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)}
+        style={{ resize: 'vertical', fontFamily: 'inherit' }}
+      />
+    </Field>
+  )
+}
+
+// options: array of [value, label] tuples.
+export function SelectField({ label, hint, value, onChange, options }) {
+  return (
+    <Field label={label} hint={hint}>
+      <select className="select" value={value ?? ''} onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)}>
+        {options.map(([v, l]) => (
+          <option key={v} value={v}>
+            {l}
+          </option>
+        ))}
+      </select>
+    </Field>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/index.js b/client/src/blocks/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67f504f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// Client block registry entrypoint. Importing this module registers every
+// browser-side block definition (renderer + editor + palette entry) exactly
+// once, then re-exports the registry API. The page builder and the public page
+// renderer should import from HERE, not ./registry, so the definitions are
+// loaded before anything reads the registry.
+//
+// Wave 1 definitions are registered below as each block is built (spec build
+// order step 3), one import per block.
+
+export * from './registry'
+
+// ── Wave 1 block definitions (self-register on import) ─────────────────
+import './types/heading.jsx'
+import './types/richText.jsx'
+import './types/image.jsx'
+import './types/twoColumn.jsx'
+import './types/cta.jsx'
+import './types/divider.jsx'
+import './types/quote.jsx'
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/registry.js b/client/src/blocks/registry.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e22ca0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/registry.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+// Block registry (client side) — mirrors the server registry
+// (server/src/blocks/registry.js) but carries the browser-only concerns: the
+// React renderer, the admin edit form, and the palette icon/label. The page
+// builder's palette, drag-reorder canvas, per-block edit panel, and the public
+// page renderer all read from this registry, so adding a block later is one
+// entry here (plus its server-side schema entry) rather than edits scattered
+// across the builder and renderer.
+//
+// A registered definition looks like:
+//   {
+//     type: 'heading',       // must match the server registry type
+//     version: 1,            // must match the server schema version
+//     label: 'Heading',      // palette display name
+//     icon: 'heading',       // palette icon key
+//     component: HeadingBlock,   // renderer: (props) => JSX
+//     editor: HeadingEditor,     // admin edit form: ({ props, onChange }) => JSX
+//     defaults: () => ({ ... }), // starting props when a block is added
+//     container: false,          // true only for two_column
+//     containerSlots: [],        // ['left','right'] for two_column
+//   }
+//
+// This module only defines the pattern; Wave 1 definitions register via
+// ./index.js as each block is built (spec build order step 3).
+
+const registry = new Map()
+
+// Kept in sync with the server's RESERVED_KEYS — the only top-level keys on a
+// stored block object. Exported so the builder can construct envelopes without
+// hard-coding the shape.
+export const RESERVED_KEYS = ['id', 'type', 'version', 'visible', 'props']
+
+/**
+ * Register a block definition. Throws on a duplicate type — a programmer error
+ * caught at module load, not runtime.
+ * @param {object} def
+ * @returns {object} the stored definition
+ */
+export function registerBlock(def) {
+  if (!def || typeof def.type !== 'string' || def.type.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error('registerBlock: a block definition needs a string `type`')
+  }
+  if (registry.has(def.type)) {
+    throw new Error(`registerBlock: block type already registered: ${def.type}`)
+  }
+  const entry = {
+    type: def.type,
+    version: Number.isInteger(def.version) ? def.version : 1,
+    label: def.label || def.type,
+    icon: def.icon || null,
+    component: def.component || null,
+    editor: def.editor || null,
+    defaults: typeof def.defaults === 'function' ? def.defaults : () => ({}),
+    container: Boolean(def.container),
+    containerSlots: def.containerSlots ? [...def.containerSlots] : [],
+  }
+  registry.set(entry.type, entry)
+  return entry
+}
+
+/** @returns {object|null} the definition for `type`, or null if unknown. */
+export function getBlock(type) {
+  return registry.get(type) || null
+}
+
+/** @returns {boolean} whether `type` is a registered block. */
+export function hasBlock(type) {
+  return registry.has(type)
+}
+
+/** @returns {object[]} all registered definitions (registration order). */
+export function listBlocks() {
+  return [...registry.values()]
+}
+
+/**
+ * Generate a stable block id. Called once when a block is added to the canvas;
+ * never derived from array position, so a reorder keeps ids intact (they are the
+ * React key and the future revision-history join point).
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function makeBlockId() {
+  const rand = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 8).toUpperCase()
+  return `b_${rand}`
+}
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/cta.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/cta.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9511ff0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/cta.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// cta block — a call-to-action button/link. Renders as an anchor styled with the
+// existing button system (primary / secondary).
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+import { SelectField, TextField } from '../editorKit.jsx'
+
+const STYLES = [
+  ['primary', 'Primary'],
+  ['secondary', 'Secondary'],
+]
+
+function CtaBlock({ props }) {
+  if (!props.url || !props.text) return null
+  const style = props.style === 'secondary' ? 'secondary' : 'primary'
+  // External links get a safe rel; same-origin relative links don't need it.
+  const external = /^https?:\/\//i.test(props.url)
+  return (
+    <div className="page-cta-wrap">
+      <a
+        className={`btn btn-sq page-cta page-cta--${style}`}
+        href={props.url}
+        {...(external ? { rel: 'noopener noreferrer nofollow' } : {})}
+      >
+        {props.text}
+      </a>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+function CtaEditor({ props, onChange }) {
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
+      <TextField
+        label="Button text"
+        value={props.text}
+        maxLength={100}
+        onChange={(text) => onChange({ ...props, text })}
+      />
+      <TextField
+        label="URL"
+        hint="A full https:// link or a same-site path like /wiki/getting-started."
+        value={props.url}
+        placeholder="https://…"
+        onChange={(url) => onChange({ ...props, url })}
+      />
+      <SelectField
+        label="Style"
+        value={props.style || 'primary'}
+        onChange={(style) => onChange({ ...props, style })}
+        options={STYLES}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'cta',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Button',
+  icon: '⇥',
+  component: CtaBlock,
+  editor: CtaEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({ text: '', url: '', style: 'primary' }),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/divider.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/divider.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd1f9d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/divider.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// divider block — a pure spacer / horizontal rule. No props, so its editor is
+// just a note.
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+
+function DividerBlock() {
+  return <hr className="page-divider" />
+}
+
+function DividerEditor() {
+  return (
+    <p className="sans dim" style={{ margin: 0, fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>
+      A divider has no options — it adds a horizontal rule and spacing.
+    </p>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'divider',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Divider',
+  icon: '—',
+  component: DividerBlock,
+  editor: DividerEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({}),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/heading.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/heading.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81be8b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/heading.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// heading block — plain-text section heading (h1–h4). Text is rendered as text
+// (React escapes it); use rich_text for inline markup.
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+import { SelectField, TextField } from '../editorKit.jsx'
+
+const LEVELS = [
+  ['h1', 'Heading 1'],
+  ['h2', 'Heading 2'],
+  ['h3', 'Heading 3'],
+  ['h4', 'Heading 4'],
+]
+const VALID = ['h1', 'h2', 'h3', 'h4']
+
+function HeadingBlock({ props }) {
+  const Tag = VALID.includes(props.level) ? props.level : 'h2'
+  return <Tag className="page-heading">{props.text}</Tag>
+}
+
+function HeadingEditor({ props, onChange }) {
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
+      <SelectField
+        label="Level"
+        value={props.level || 'h2'}
+        onChange={(level) => onChange({ ...props, level })}
+        options={LEVELS}
+      />
+      <TextField
+        label="Text"
+        value={props.text}
+        maxLength={200}
+        onChange={(text) => onChange({ ...props, text })}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'heading',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Heading',
+  icon: 'H',
+  component: HeadingBlock,
+  editor: HeadingEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({ level: 'h2', text: '' }),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/image.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/image.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..217ee14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/image.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+// image block — a single image with optional caption and alignment. Upload
+// reuses the shared admin uploader (returns { url }); the block stays URL-based
+// until the Wave 3 asset picker lands.
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+import { api } from '../../api/client.js'
+import { SelectField, TextField } from '../editorKit.jsx'
+
+const ALIGN = [
+  ['left', 'Left'],
+  ['center', 'Center'],
+  ['right', 'Right'],
+  ['full', 'Full width'],
+]
+const VALID = ['left', 'center', 'right', 'full']
+
+function ImageBlock({ props }) {
+  if (!props.src) return null
+  const align = VALID.includes(props.alignment) ? props.alignment : 'center'
+  return (
+    <figure className={`page-image page-image--${align}`}>
+      <img src={props.src} alt={props.alt || ''} />
+      {props.caption && <figcaption>{props.caption}</figcaption>}
+    </figure>
+  )
+}
+
+function ImageEditor({ props, onChange }) {
+  const [uploading, setUploading] = useState(false)
+  const [error, setError] = useState('')
+
+  async function onUpload(e) {
+    const file = e.target.files?.[0]
+    e.target.value = ''
+    if (!file) return
+    setUploading(true)
+    setError('')
+    try {
+      const { url } = await api.admin.upload(file)
+      onChange({ ...props, src: url })
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Upload failed')
+    } finally {
+      setUploading(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
+      <div>
+        <span className="field-label">Image</span>
+        <input
+          type="file"
+          accept="image/*"
+          onChange={onUpload}
+          className="sans"
+          style={{ color: 'var(--muted)', fontSize: '0.85rem', display: 'block' }}
+        />
+        {uploading && <span className="sans dim" style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem' }}> uploading…</span>}
+        {error && <span className="sans" style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem', color: '#d98b84' }}>{error}</span>}
+        {props.src && (
+          <img
+            src={props.src}
+            alt=""
+            style={{ display: 'block', marginTop: 10, maxWidth: '100%', borderRadius: 8, border: '1px solid var(--line)' }}
+          />
+        )}
+      </div>
+      <TextField
+        label="Alt text"
+        hint="Describes the image for screen readers and when it fails to load."
+        value={props.alt}
+        maxLength={300}
+        onChange={(alt) => onChange({ ...props, alt })}
+      />
+      <TextField
+        label="Caption (optional)"
+        value={props.caption}
+        maxLength={500}
+        onChange={(caption) => onChange({ ...props, caption })}
+      />
+      <SelectField
+        label="Alignment"
+        value={props.alignment || 'center'}
+        onChange={(alignment) => onChange({ ...props, alignment })}
+        options={ALIGN}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'image',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Image',
+  icon: '🖼',
+  component: ImageBlock,
+  editor: ImageEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({ src: '', alt: '', caption: '', alignment: 'center' }),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/quote.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/quote.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46cc657
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/quote.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// quote block — a pull quote with optional attribution.
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+import { TextAreaField, TextField } from '../editorKit.jsx'
+
+function QuoteBlock({ props }) {
+  if (!props.text) return null
+  return (
+    <figure className="page-quote">
+      <blockquote>{props.text}</blockquote>
+      {props.attribution && <figcaption>— {props.attribution}</figcaption>}
+    </figure>
+  )
+}
+
+function QuoteEditor({ props, onChange }) {
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
+      <TextAreaField
+        label="Quote"
+        value={props.text}
+        rows={3}
+        maxLength={1000}
+        onChange={(text) => onChange({ ...props, text })}
+      />
+      <TextField
+        label="Attribution (optional)"
+        value={props.attribution}
+        maxLength={200}
+        onChange={(attribution) => onChange({ ...props, attribution })}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'quote',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Quote',
+  icon: '❝',
+  component: QuoteBlock,
+  editor: QuoteEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({ text: '', attribution: '' }),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/richText.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/richText.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78b6e05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/richText.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// rich_text block — HTML from the shared rich-text editor. Rendered inside the
+// same `.prose` styling as wiki/news bodies, sanitized on render as defense in
+// depth (the server also sanitizes on save).
+import { lazy, Suspense } from 'react'
+import DOMPurify from 'dompurify'
+import { registerBlock } from '../registry'
+
+const RichTextEditor = lazy(() => import('../../components/RichTextEditor.jsx'))
+
+function RichTextBlock({ props }) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="prose page-rich-text"
+      dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: DOMPurify.sanitize(props.html || '') }}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function RichTextEditorForm({ props, onChange }) {
+  return (
+    <Suspense fallback={<span className="spin" />}>
+      <RichTextEditor
+        value={props.html || ''}
+        onChange={(html) => onChange({ ...props, html })}
+        variant="post"
+      />
+    </Suspense>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'rich_text',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Rich text',
+  icon: '¶',
+  component: RichTextBlock,
+  editor: RichTextEditorForm,
+  defaults: () => ({ html: '' }),
+})
diff --git a/client/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.jsx b/client/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf5a998
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+// two_column block — the only container. Holds two ordered arrays of sub-blocks
+// (`left`, `right`). Sub-blocks are leaf blocks only (no nested containers — the
+// one-level cap the server also enforces), so the column editor's palette is the
+// set of non-container registered blocks.
+import { registerBlock, getBlock, listBlocks, makeBlockId } from '../registry'
+import BlockRenderer from '../BlockRenderer.jsx'
+
+// ── Renderer ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+function TwoColumnBlock({ props }) {
+  const left = Array.isArray(props.left) ? props.left : []
+  const right = Array.isArray(props.right) ? props.right : []
+  return (
+    <div className="page-two-column">
+      <div className="page-column">
+        {left.map((b) => (
+          <BlockRenderer key={b.id} block={b} />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+      <div className="page-column">
+        {right.map((b) => (
+          <BlockRenderer key={b.id} block={b} />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+// ── Column editor ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Manages one side's array: add (from the leaf palette), edit each via its own
+// registry editor, reorder, remove.
+function ColumnEditor({ title, items, onChange }) {
+  const list = Array.isArray(items) ? items : []
+  const palette = listBlocks().filter((b) => !b.container)
+
+  function addBlock(type) {
+    const def = getBlock(type)
+    if (!def) return
+    const block = { id: makeBlockId(), type, version: def.version, visible: true, props: def.defaults() }
+    onChange([...list, block])
+  }
+  function updateAt(i, nextProps) {
+    onChange(list.map((b, j) => (j === i ? { ...b, props: nextProps } : b)))
+  }
+  function removeAt(i) {
+    onChange(list.filter((_, j) => j !== i))
+  }
+  function move(i, dir) {
+    const j = i + dir
+    if (j < 0 || j >= list.length) return
+    const next = [...list]
+    ;[next[i], next[j]] = [next[j], next[i]]
+    onChange(next)
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="pb-column-editor">
+      <div className="pb-column-head">
+        <span className="field-label" style={{ margin: 0 }}>{title}</span>
+        <select
+          className="select pb-add-select"
+          value=""
+          onChange={(e) => {
+            if (e.target.value) addBlock(e.target.value)
+            e.target.value = ''
+          }}
+        >
+          <option value="">+ Add block…</option>
+          {palette.map((b) => (
+            <option key={b.type} value={b.type}>
+              {b.label}
+            </option>
+          ))}
+        </select>
+      </div>
+
+      {list.length === 0 && (
+        <p className="sans dim" style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem', margin: '4px 0' }}>Empty column.</p>
+      )}
+
+      {list.map((block, i) => {
+        const def = getBlock(block.type)
+        const Editor = def?.editor
+        return (
+          <div key={block.id} className="pb-subblock">
+            <div className="pb-subblock-head">
+              <span className="sans dim" style={{ fontSize: '0.78rem' }}>{def?.label || block.type}</span>
+              <div className="pb-subblock-actions">
+                <button type="button" className="pill pb-mini" disabled={i === 0} onClick={() => move(i, -1)} title="Move up">↑</button>
+                <button type="button" className="pill pb-mini" disabled={i === list.length - 1} onClick={() => move(i, 1)} title="Move down">↓</button>
+                <button type="button" className="pill pb-mini" onClick={() => removeAt(i)} title="Remove">✕</button>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+            {Editor && <Editor props={block.props || {}} onChange={(p) => updateAt(i, p)} />}
+          </div>
+        )
+      })}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+function TwoColumnEditor({ props, onChange }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="pb-two-column-editor">
+      <ColumnEditor title="Left column" items={props.left} onChange={(left) => onChange({ ...props, left })} />
+      <ColumnEditor title="Right column" items={props.right} onChange={(right) => onChange({ ...props, right })} />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'two_column',
+  version: 1,
+  label: 'Two columns',
+  icon: '▥',
+  component: TwoColumnBlock,
+  editor: TwoColumnEditor,
+  defaults: () => ({ left: [], right: [] }),
+  container: true,
+  containerSlots: ['left', 'right'],
+})
diff --git a/client/src/components/RichTextEditor.jsx b/client/src/components/RichTextEditor.jsx
index 0f81773..9d7d233 100644
--- a/client/src/components/RichTextEditor.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/RichTextEditor.jsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useEditor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/react'
 import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'
 import Link from '@tiptap/extension-link'
 import Image from '@tiptap/extension-image'
+import TextAlign from '@tiptap/extension-text-align'
 import { api } from '../api/client.js'
 
 // Toolbar button.
@@ -25,6 +26,22 @@ function escapeHtml(s) {
   return String(s).replace(/[&<>"]/g, (c) => ({ '&': '&amp;', '<': '&lt;', '>': '&gt;', '"': '&quot;' })[c])
 }
 
+// Alignment glyph: three lines justified to the given side.
+function AlignIcon({ align }) {
+  const rows = {
+    left: [[2, 14], [2, 10], [2, 12]],
+    center: [[2, 14], [4, 12], [3, 13]],
+    right: [[2, 14], [6, 14], [4, 14]],
+  }[align]
+  return (
+    <svg width="15" height="15" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" strokeLinecap="round" aria-hidden="true">
+      {rows.map(([x1, x2], i) => (
+        <line key={i} x1={x1} y1={4 + i * 4} x2={x2} y2={4 + i * 4} />
+      ))}
+    </svg>
+  )
+}
+
 // Toolbar variants:
 //   'full'    — every control, incl. the internal wiki-page link picker (wiki use).
 //   'post'    — full minus the wiki-page picker (no page-list context in posts).
@@ -42,6 +59,11 @@ export default function RichTextEditor({ value, onChange, pages = [], variant =
       StarterKit.configure({ heading: { levels: [2, 3] } }),
       Link.configure({ openOnClick: false, autolink: true }),
       Image.configure({ inline: false }),
+      // Alignment stored as `text-align` on the block node (heading/paragraph),
+      // so it round-trips through save/reload as inline style. Shared here means
+      // every consumer — post editor, and the future rich_text / two_column
+      // blocks — gets it for free.
+      TextAlign.configure({ types: ['heading', 'paragraph'] }),
     ],
     content: value || '',
     onUpdate: ({ editor }) => onChange(editor.getHTML()),
@@ -131,6 +153,16 @@ export default function RichTextEditor({ value, onChange, pages = [], variant =
               —
             </Btn>
             <span className="rte-sep" />
+            <Btn title="Align left" active={editor.isActive({ textAlign: 'left' })} onClick={() => editor.chain().focus().setTextAlign('left').run()}>
+              <AlignIcon align="left" />
+            </Btn>
+            <Btn title="Align center" active={editor.isActive({ textAlign: 'center' })} onClick={() => editor.chain().focus().setTextAlign('center').run()}>
+              <AlignIcon align="center" />
+            </Btn>
+            <Btn title="Align right" active={editor.isActive({ textAlign: 'right' })} onClick={() => editor.chain().focus().setTextAlign('right').run()}>
+              <AlignIcon align="right" />
+            </Btn>
+            <span className="rte-sep" />
             <Btn title="Link" active={editor.isActive('link')} onClick={setLink}>
               🔗
             </Btn>
diff --git a/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx b/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
index 3ae46d2..9cf3c69 100644
--- a/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
+++ b/client/src/routes/admin/AdminLayout.jsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function Icon({ children, size = 16 }) {
 const IconHome = () => <Icon><path d="M3 10.5 12 3l9 7.5" /><path d="M5 9.5V21h14V9.5" /></Icon>
 const IconPosts = () => <Icon><path d="M5 3h14v18H5z" /><path d="M8 8h8M8 12h8M8 16h5" /></Icon>
 const IconWiki = () => <Icon><path d="M4 4h9a3 3 0 0 1 3 3v13a2 2 0 0 0-2-2H4z" /><path d="M20 4h-2a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v14a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h2z" /></Icon>
+const IconPages = () => <Icon><path d="M5 3h9l5 5v13H5z" /><path d="M14 3v5h5" /><path d="M8 13h8M8 17h8" /></Icon>
 const IconActivity = () => <Icon><path d="M3 12h4l3 8 4-16 3 8h4" /></Icon>
 const IconShield = () => <Icon><path d="M12 3l7 3v5c0 5-3.5 8-7 10-3.5-2-7-5-7-10V6z" /><path d="M9 12l2 2 4-4" /></Icon>
 const IconUsers = () => <Icon><circle cx="9" cy="8" r="3" /><path d="M3 20a6 6 0 0 1 12 0" /><path d="M16 6a3 3 0 0 1 0 6M17 20a6 6 0 0 0-3-5" /></Icon>
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ const NAV = [
     title: 'Content',
     items: [
       { to: '/admin/posts', label: 'Posts', icon: IconPosts, roles: ['admin', 'editor'] },
+      { to: '/admin/pages', label: 'Pages', icon: IconPages, roles: ['admin', 'editor'] },
       { to: '/admin/wiki', label: 'Wiki', icon: IconWiki, roles: ['admin', 'editor'] },
       { to: '/admin/activity', label: 'Activity', icon: IconActivity, roles: ['admin', 'editor'] },
     ],
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ const COLLAPSE_KEY = 'admin.nav.collapsed'
 const TITLES = {
   '/admin': 'Dashboard',
   '/admin/posts': 'Posts',
+  '/admin/pages': 'Pages',
   '/admin/wiki': 'Wiki Pages',
   '/admin/hero': 'Hero Editor',
   '/admin/moderation': 'Moderation',
diff --git a/client/src/routes/admin/views/PageBuilder.jsx b/client/src/routes/admin/views/PageBuilder.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8f38da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/routes/admin/views/PageBuilder.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,453 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useNavigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom'
+import Modal from '../../../components/Modal.jsx'
+import { Loading } from '../../../components/PageState.jsx'
+import { api } from '../../../api/client.js'
+import '../../../blocks/index.js' // registers all block types
+import { listBlocks, getBlock, makeBlockId } from '../../../blocks/registry.js'
+import { SelectField, TextField, TextAreaField } from '../../../blocks/editorKit.jsx'
+
+const LAYOUTS = [
+  ['default', 'Default'],
+  ['full_width', 'Full width'],
+  ['landing', 'Landing'],
+]
+const NAV_GROUPS = [
+  ['', 'None'],
+  ['main', 'Main nav'],
+  ['footer', 'Footer'],
+  ['account', 'Account'],
+  ['hidden', 'Hidden'],
+]
+
+const EMPTY = {
+  title: '',
+  slug: '',
+  status: 'draft',
+  blocks: [],
+  metadata: { seoTitle: '', metaDescription: '', ogImage: '', canonicalUrl: '', robots: '' },
+  settings: { layout: 'default', showInNav: false, navGroup: '', navOrder: null, protected: false },
+}
+
+// Map an API page (grouped shape) into local editable form state.
+function toForm(page) {
+  return {
+    title: page.title || '',
+    slug: page.slug || '',
+    status: page.status || 'draft',
+    blocks: Array.isArray(page.blocks) ? page.blocks : [],
+    metadata: { ...EMPTY.metadata, ...cleanNulls(page.metadata) },
+    settings: {
+      layout: page.settings?.layout || 'default',
+      showInNav: Boolean(page.settings?.showInNav),
+      navGroup: page.settings?.navGroup || '',
+      navOrder: page.settings?.navOrder ?? null,
+      protected: Boolean(page.settings?.protected),
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+function cleanNulls(obj) {
+  const out = {}
+  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(obj || {})) out[k] = v == null ? '' : v
+  return out
+}
+
+export default function PageBuilder() {
+  const { id } = useParams()
+  const isEdit = Boolean(id)
+  const navigate = useNavigate()
+
+  const [form, setForm] = useState(EMPTY)
+  const [protectedNow, setProtectedNow] = useState(false) // server truth, edit mode
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(isEdit)
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false)
+  const [error, setError] = useState('')
+  const [details, setDetails] = useState([]) // block validation errors
+  const [notice, setNotice] = useState('')
+  const [tab, setTab] = useState('content')
+  const [pwModal, setPwModal] = useState(false)
+  const [dragIndex, setDragIndex] = useState(null)
+
+  const palette = useMemo(() => listBlocks(), [])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isEdit) return
+    let active = true
+    setLoading(true)
+    api.admin
+      .getPage(id)
+      .then((page) => {
+        if (!active) return
+        setForm(toForm(page))
+        setProtectedNow(Boolean(page.settings?.protected))
+        setLoading(false)
+      })
+      .catch((err) => {
+        if (!active) return
+        setError(err.message || 'Could not load the page.')
+        setLoading(false)
+      })
+    return () => {
+      active = false
+    }
+  }, [id, isEdit])
+
+  // ── Block operations ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  const addBlock = useCallback((type) => {
+    const def = getBlock(type)
+    if (!def) return
+    const block = { id: makeBlockId(), type, version: def.version, visible: true, props: def.defaults() }
+    setForm((f) => ({ ...f, blocks: [...f.blocks, block] }))
+  }, [])
+
+  const updateBlock = useCallback((blockId, nextProps) => {
+    setForm((f) => ({
+      ...f,
+      blocks: f.blocks.map((b) => (b.id === blockId ? { ...b, props: nextProps } : b)),
+    }))
+  }, [])
+
+  const toggleVisible = useCallback((blockId) => {
+    setForm((f) => ({
+      ...f,
+      blocks: f.blocks.map((b) => (b.id === blockId ? { ...b, visible: b.visible === false } : b)),
+    }))
+  }, [])
+
+  const removeBlock = useCallback((blockId) => {
+    setForm((f) => ({ ...f, blocks: f.blocks.filter((b) => b.id !== blockId) }))
+  }, [])
+
+  const moveBlock = useCallback((from, to) => {
+    setForm((f) => {
+      if (to < 0 || to >= f.blocks.length) return f
+      const next = [...f.blocks]
+      const [moved] = next.splice(from, 1)
+      next.splice(to, 0, moved)
+      return { ...f, blocks: next }
+    })
+  }, [])
+
+  function onDrop(index) {
+    if (dragIndex === null || dragIndex === index) return setDragIndex(null)
+    moveBlock(dragIndex, index)
+    setDragIndex(null)
+  }
+
+  // ── Form field setters ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+  const setField = (k) => (v) => setForm((f) => ({ ...f, [k]: v }))
+  const setMeta = (k) => (v) => setForm((f) => ({ ...f, metadata: { ...f.metadata, [k]: v } }))
+  const setSetting = (k) => (v) => setForm((f) => ({ ...f, settings: { ...f.settings, [k]: v } }))
+
+  // Serialize local state into an API payload. Empty metadata strings become
+  // null; navGroup '' becomes null.
+  function payload() {
+    const metadata = {}
+    for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(form.metadata)) metadata[k] = v === '' ? null : v
+    const settings = {
+      layout: form.settings.layout,
+      showInNav: Boolean(form.settings.showInNav),
+      navGroup: form.settings.navGroup === '' ? null : form.settings.navGroup,
+      navOrder: form.settings.navOrder === '' || form.settings.navOrder == null ? null : Number(form.settings.navOrder),
+    }
+    return { title: form.title.trim(), status: form.status, blocks: form.blocks, metadata, settings }
+  }
+
+  async function save({ silent } = {}) {
+    setBusy(true)
+    setError('')
+    setDetails([])
+    setNotice('')
+    try {
+      if (isEdit) {
+        await api.admin.updatePage(id, payload())
+        if (!silent) setNotice('Saved.')
+      } else {
+        if (!form.slug.trim()) throw new Error('A slug is required.')
+        const created = await api.admin.createPage({ slug: form.slug.trim(), ...payload() })
+        navigate(`/admin/pages/${created.id}`, { replace: true })
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not save the page.')
+      if (err.body?.details) setDetails(err.body.details)
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function togglePublish() {
+    const next = form.status === 'published' ? 'draft' : 'published'
+    setForm((f) => ({ ...f, status: next }))
+    // Persist immediately (edit mode) so the status change isn't lost.
+    if (isEdit) {
+      setBusy(true)
+      setError('')
+      try {
+        await api.admin.updatePage(id, { ...payload(), status: next })
+        setNotice(next === 'published' ? 'Published.' : 'Unpublished.')
+      } catch (err) {
+        setError(err.message || 'Could not change status.')
+      } finally {
+        setBusy(false)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function protectPage() {
+    setBusy(true)
+    setError('')
+    try {
+      await api.admin.updatePage(id, { settings: { protected: true } })
+      setProtectedNow(true)
+      setForm((f) => ({ ...f, settings: { ...f.settings, protected: true } }))
+      setNotice('Page protected.')
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not protect the page.')
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function unprotectPage(password) {
+    setBusy(true)
+    setError('')
+    try {
+      await api.admin.unprotectPage(id, password)
+      setProtectedNow(false)
+      setForm((f) => ({ ...f, settings: { ...f.settings, protected: false } }))
+      setPwModal(false)
+      setNotice('Protection removed.')
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not unprotect the page.')
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function preview() {
+    setError('')
+    try {
+      const { token } = await api.admin.createPagePreview(id)
+      window.open(`/preview/${id}/${token}`, '_blank', 'noopener')
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not create a preview link.')
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function remove() {
+    if (!confirm('Delete this page? This cannot be undone.')) return
+    setBusy(true)
+    setError('')
+    try {
+      await api.admin.deletePage(id)
+      navigate('/admin/pages')
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err.message || 'Could not delete the page.')
+      setBusy(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (loading) return <Loading />
+
+  const published = form.status === 'published'
+
+  return (
+    <section>
+      {/* Toolbar */}
+      <div className="pb-toolbar">
+        <button className="pill" onClick={() => navigate('/admin/pages')}>← Pages</button>
+        <span className={`badge ${published ? 'badge-pub' : 'badge-draft'}`}>{published ? 'Published' : 'Draft'}</span>
+        <div style={{ flex: 1 }} />
+        {isEdit && (
+          <button className="pill" onClick={preview} disabled={busy}>Preview</button>
+        )}
+        {isEdit && (
+          <button className="pill" onClick={togglePublish} disabled={busy}>
+            {published ? 'Unpublish' : 'Publish'}
+          </button>
+        )}
+        <button className="btn btn-primary btn-sq" onClick={() => save()} disabled={busy}>
+          {busy ? 'Saving…' : isEdit ? 'Save' : 'Create'}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {error && (
+        <div className="pb-error sans">
+          {error}
+          {details.length > 0 && (
+            <ul style={{ margin: '6px 0 0', paddingLeft: 18 }}>
+              {details.map((d, i) => <li key={i}>{d}</li>)}
+            </ul>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+      {notice && <div className="pb-notice sans">{notice}</div>}
+
+      {/* Title + slug */}
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 14, flexWrap: 'wrap', margin: '16px 0' }}>
+        <label style={{ flex: '2 1 320px' }}>
+          <span className="field-label">Title</span>
+          <input className="input" value={form.title} onChange={(e) => setField('title')(e.target.value)} />
+        </label>
+        <label style={{ flex: '1 1 220px' }}>
+          <span className="field-label">Slug {isEdit && '(fixed)'}</span>
+          <input
+            className="input"
+            value={form.slug}
+            disabled={isEdit}
+            placeholder="my-page"
+            onChange={(e) => setField('slug')(e.target.value.toLowerCase().replace(/[^a-z0-9-]/g, ''))}
+          />
+        </label>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Tabs */}
+      <div className="pb-tabs">
+        <button className={`pb-tab ${tab === 'content' ? 'is-active' : ''}`} onClick={() => setTab('content')}>Content</button>
+        <button className={`pb-tab ${tab === 'settings' ? 'is-active' : ''}`} onClick={() => setTab('settings')}>Settings &amp; SEO</button>
+      </div>
+
+      {tab === 'content' && (
+        <>
+          <div className="pb-palette">
+            <span className="field-label" style={{ margin: '0 6px 0 0' }}>Add block</span>
+            {palette.map((b) => (
+              <button key={b.type} className="pill" onClick={() => addBlock(b.type)} disabled={busy}>
+                <span aria-hidden style={{ marginRight: 6 }}>{b.icon}</span>{b.label}
+              </button>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="pb-canvas">
+            {form.blocks.length === 0 && (
+              <p className="sans dim" style={{ textAlign: 'center', padding: 30 }}>
+                No blocks yet — add one from the palette above.
+              </p>
+            )}
+            {form.blocks.map((block, i) => {
+              const def = getBlock(block.type)
+              const Editor = def?.editor
+              const hidden = block.visible === false
+              return (
+                <div
+                  key={block.id}
+                  className={`pb-block-card ${hidden ? 'is-hidden' : ''} ${dragIndex === i ? 'is-dragging' : ''}`}
+                  draggable
+                  onDragStart={() => setDragIndex(i)}
+                  onDragOver={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+                  onDrop={() => onDrop(i)}
+                  onDragEnd={() => setDragIndex(null)}
+                >
+                  <div className="pb-block-head">
+                    <span className="pb-drag" title="Drag to reorder">⠿</span>
+                    <strong className="sans">{def?.label || block.type}</strong>
+                    <div style={{ flex: 1 }} />
+                    <button className="pill pb-mini" title={hidden ? 'Show' : 'Hide'} onClick={() => toggleVisible(block.id)}>
+                      {hidden ? '🙈' : '👁'}
+                    </button>
+                    <button className="pill pb-mini" disabled={i === 0} onClick={() => moveBlock(i, i - 1)} title="Move up">↑</button>
+                    <button className="pill pb-mini" disabled={i === form.blocks.length - 1} onClick={() => moveBlock(i, i + 1)} title="Move down">↓</button>
+                    <button className="pill pb-mini" onClick={() => removeBlock(block.id)} title="Remove">✕</button>
+                  </div>
+                  <div className="pb-block-body">
+                    {Editor ? (
+                      <Editor props={block.props || {}} onChange={(p) => updateBlock(block.id, p)} />
+                    ) : (
+                      <p className="sans dim">Unknown block type: {block.type}</p>
+                    )}
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              )
+            })}
+          </div>
+        </>
+      )}
+
+      {tab === 'settings' && (
+        <div className="pb-settings">
+          <div className="card" style={{ padding: 18 }}>
+            <p className="card-kicker">SEO &amp; metadata</p>
+            <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12, marginTop: 12 }}>
+              <TextField label="SEO title" value={form.metadata.seoTitle} maxLength={200} onChange={setMeta('seoTitle')} hint="Overrides the page title in the browser tab / search results." />
+              <TextAreaField label="Meta description" value={form.metadata.metaDescription} rows={2} maxLength={400} onChange={setMeta('metaDescription')} />
+              <TextField label="OG image URL" value={form.metadata.ogImage} maxLength={500} onChange={setMeta('ogImage')} />
+              <TextField label="Canonical URL" value={form.metadata.canonicalUrl} maxLength={500} onChange={setMeta('canonicalUrl')} />
+              <TextField label="Robots" value={form.metadata.robots} maxLength={100} onChange={setMeta('robots')} placeholder="index,follow" />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="card" style={{ padding: 18 }}>
+            <p className="card-kicker">Layout &amp; navigation</p>
+            <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12, marginTop: 12 }}>
+              <SelectField label="Layout" value={form.settings.layout} onChange={setSetting('layout')} options={LAYOUTS} />
+              <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 8 }}>
+                <input type="checkbox" checked={form.settings.showInNav} onChange={(e) => setSetting('showInNav')(e.target.checked)} />
+                <span className="sans" style={{ color: 'var(--muted)', fontSize: '0.9rem' }}>Show in navigation</span>
+              </label>
+              <SelectField label="Nav group" value={form.settings.navGroup} onChange={setSetting('navGroup')} options={NAV_GROUPS} />
+              <TextField label="Nav order" value={form.settings.navOrder ?? ''} onChange={(v) => setSetting('navOrder')(v === '' ? null : v.replace(/[^0-9]/g, ''))} hint="Lower numbers appear first." />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="card" style={{ padding: 18 }}>
+            <p className="card-kicker">Protection &amp; danger zone</p>
+            <p className="sans dim" style={{ fontSize: '0.85rem', marginTop: 8 }}>
+              A protected page can’t be deleted and its protection can only be removed by re-entering your password.
+            </p>
+            {!isEdit && <p className="sans dim" style={{ fontSize: '0.82rem' }}>Save the page first to manage protection.</p>}
+            {isEdit && (
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 10, flexWrap: 'wrap', marginTop: 10 }}>
+                {protectedNow ? (
+                  <button className="pill" onClick={() => setPwModal(true)} disabled={busy}>🔓 Remove protection…</button>
+                ) : (
+                  <button className="pill" onClick={protectPage} disabled={busy}>🔒 Protect page</button>
+                )}
+                <button className="pill pb-danger" onClick={remove} disabled={busy || protectedNow} title={protectedNow ? 'Unprotect first' : 'Delete'}>
+                  Delete page
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {pwModal && (
+        <UnprotectModal onCancel={() => setPwModal(false)} onConfirm={unprotectPage} busy={busy} error={error} />
+      )}
+    </section>
+  )
+}
+
+function UnprotectModal({ onCancel, onConfirm, busy, error }) {
+  const [pw, setPw] = useState('')
+  return (
+    <Modal
+      title="Confirm your password"
+      onClose={onCancel}
+      width={420}
+      footer={
+        <>
+          <button className="pill" onClick={onCancel} disabled={busy}>Cancel</button>
+          <button className="btn btn-primary btn-sq" onClick={() => onConfirm(pw)} disabled={busy || !pw}>
+            {busy ? 'Verifying…' : 'Remove protection'}
+          </button>
+        </>
+      }
+    >
+      <p className="sans dim" style={{ marginTop: 0, fontSize: '0.88rem' }}>
+        Removing protection is a sensitive change — re-enter your account password to continue.
+      </p>
+      <input
+        type="password"
+        className="input"
+        autoFocus
+        value={pw}
+        onChange={(e) => setPw(e.target.value)}
+        onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === 'Enter' && pw && onConfirm(pw)}
+        placeholder="Password"
+      />
+      {error && <p className="sans" style={{ color: '#d98b84', fontSize: '0.85rem', marginBottom: 0 }}>{error}</p>}
+    </Modal>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/client/src/routes/admin/views/PagesAdmin.jsx b/client/src/routes/admin/views/PagesAdmin.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9473f19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/routes/admin/views/PagesAdmin.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { useCallback, useState } from 'react'
+import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { Loading, ErrorState } from '../../../components/PageState.jsx'
+import { useAsync } from '../../../lib/useAsync.js'
+import { shortDate } from '../../../lib/format.js'
+import { api } from '../../../api/client.js'
+
+// List of CMS pages. Create/edit open the full-page block builder; the builder
+// owns save/delete/publish so this view is read-only navigation.
+export default function PagesAdmin() {
+  const navigate = useNavigate()
+  const [tick] = useState(0)
+  const { loading, error, data } = useAsync(() => api.admin.listPages(), [tick])
+  const pages = data || []
+
+  const openNew = useCallback(() => navigate('/admin/pages/new'), [navigate])
+
+  return (
+    <section>
+      <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'space-between', gap: 14, marginBottom: 18 }}>
+        <p className="sans dim" style={{ margin: 0, fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>
+          Compose pages from blocks. A published page is live at <code>/its-slug</code>.
+        </p>
+        <button onClick={openNew} className="btn btn-primary btn-sq">
+          + New page
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {loading && <Loading />}
+      {error && <ErrorState message="Could not load pages." />}
+
+      {!loading && !error && (
+        <div className="panel-flat">
+          <table className="adm-table">
+            <thead>
+              <tr>
+                <th className="adm-th">Title</th>
+                <th className="adm-th">Slug</th>
+                <th className="adm-th">Status</th>
+                <th className="adm-th">Updated</th>
+                <th className="adm-th" />
+              </tr>
+            </thead>
+            <tbody>
+              {pages.length === 0 && (
+                <tr>
+                  <td className="adm-td" colSpan={5} style={{ color: 'var(--muted)' }}>
+                    No pages yet — create your first one.
+                  </td>
+                </tr>
+              )}
+              {pages.map((p) => (
+                <tr key={p.id}>
+                  <td className="adm-td" style={{ color: 'var(--head)' }}>
+                    {p.title}
+                    {p.protected && (
+                      <span title="Protected" style={{ marginLeft: 8 }}>🔒</span>
+                    )}
+                  </td>
+                  <td className="adm-td dim">/{p.slug}</td>
+                  <td className="adm-td">
+                    <span className={`badge ${p.status === 'published' ? 'badge-pub' : 'badge-draft'}`}>
+                      {p.status === 'published' ? 'Published' : 'Draft'}
+                    </span>
+                  </td>
+                  <td className="adm-td dim">{shortDate(p.updatedAt)}</td>
+                  <td className="adm-td" style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+                    {p.status === 'published' && (
+                      <a
+                        className="link-accent"
+                        href={`/${p.slug}`}
+                        target="_blank"
+                        rel="noreferrer"
+                        style={{ marginRight: 14 }}
+                      >
+                        View
+                      </a>
+                    )}
+                    <span className="link-accent" onClick={() => navigate(`/admin/pages/${p.id}`)}>
+                      Edit
+                    </span>
+                  </td>
+                </tr>
+              ))}
+            </tbody>
+          </table>
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </section>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/client/src/routes/public/CmsPage.jsx b/client/src/routes/public/CmsPage.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9610ca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/routes/public/CmsPage.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import { useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useParams } from 'react-router-dom'
+import PublicLayout from '../../components/PublicLayout.jsx'
+import { Loading, ErrorState } from '../../components/PageState.jsx'
+import { useAsync } from '../../lib/useAsync.js'
+import { api } from '../../api/client.js'
+import '../../blocks/index.js' // registers all block types
+import { BlockList } from '../../blocks/BlockRenderer.jsx'
+
+// Renders a CMS page composed of blocks. Two modes:
+//   - live:    /:slug            → fetches the published page (staff see drafts)
+//   - preview: /preview/:id/:token → fetches the current state via a token,
+//              regardless of publish status (draft-preview links).
+export default function CmsPage({ preview = false }) {
+  const params = useParams()
+  const { loading, error, data: page } = useAsync(
+    () => (preview ? api.pagePreview(params.id, params.token) : api.page(params.slug)),
+    [preview, params.id, params.token, params.slug],
+  )
+
+  // Reflect the page's title + meta description while it's mounted, then restore.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!page) return
+    const prevTitle = document.title
+    document.title = page.metadata?.seoTitle || page.title || prevTitle
+    return () => {
+      document.title = prevTitle
+    }
+  }, [page])
+
+  const layout = page?.settings?.layout || 'default'
+  const widthClass = layout === 'full_width' || layout === 'landing' ? 'shell-wide' : 'shell'
+
+  return (
+    <PublicLayout section="website">
+      <div className={`${widthClass} page-body`} style={{ paddingTop: 40 }}>
+        {preview && page && (
+          <div className="page-preview-banner sans">
+            Preview — this is the current draft state and isn’t publicly visible.
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {loading && <Loading />}
+        {error && (
+          <ErrorState
+            message={error.status === 404 ? 'That page could not be found.' : 'Could not load this page.'}
+          />
+        )}
+        {page && (
+          <article className={`page-blocks page-layout--${layout}`}>
+            <BlockList blocks={page.blocks} />
+          </article>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </PublicLayout>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/client/src/styles/theme.css b/client/src/styles/theme.css
index 23d9331..e033861 100644
--- a/client/src/styles/theme.css
+++ b/client/src/styles/theme.css
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ a {
   width: min(760px, calc(100% - 32px));
   margin: 0 auto;
 }
+.shell-wide {
+  width: min(1280px, calc(100% - 32px));
+  margin: 0 auto;
+}
 .page {
   min-height: 100vh;
   display: flex;
@@ -740,3 +744,265 @@ button[disabled] {
     grid-template-columns: 1fr;
   }
 }
+
+/* ===== CMS page builder — public block rendering ===== */
+/* Vertical rhythm between top-level blocks on a rendered page. */
+.page-blocks > * + * {
+  margin-top: 26px;
+}
+.page-heading {
+  font-family: var(--serif, Georgia, serif);
+  color: var(--ink);
+  line-height: 1.2;
+}
+.page-divider {
+  border: none;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--line);
+  margin: 8px 0;
+}
+/* image block */
+.page-image {
+  margin: 0;
+}
+.page-image img {
+  max-width: 100%;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  display: block;
+}
+.page-image figcaption {
+  margin-top: 8px;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-family: var(--sans);
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.page-image--center {
+  text-align: center;
+}
+.page-image--center img,
+.page-image--center figcaption {
+  margin-left: auto;
+  margin-right: auto;
+}
+.page-image--right {
+  text-align: right;
+}
+.page-image--right img,
+.page-image--right figcaption {
+  margin-left: auto;
+}
+.page-image--full img {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+/* cta block */
+.page-cta-wrap {
+  display: flex;
+}
+.page-cta--secondary {
+  background: transparent;
+  color: var(--ink);
+}
+/* quote block */
+.page-quote {
+  margin: 0;
+  border-left: 3px solid var(--accent);
+  padding: 4px 0 4px 20px;
+}
+.page-quote blockquote {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 1.15rem;
+  line-height: 1.5;
+  color: var(--ink);
+  font-style: italic;
+}
+.page-quote figcaption {
+  margin-top: 8px;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-family: var(--sans);
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+}
+/* two-column block */
+.page-two-column {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
+  gap: 32px;
+}
+.page-column > * + * {
+  margin-top: 18px;
+}
+@media (max-width: 720px) {
+  .page-two-column {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+  }
+}
+
+/* ===== CMS page builder — column sub-block editor ===== */
+.pb-two-column-editor {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
+  gap: 16px;
+}
+@media (max-width: 720px) {
+  .pb-two-column-editor {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+  }
+}
+.pb-column-editor {
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 12px;
+  background: var(--panel-flat, transparent);
+}
+.pb-column-head {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin-bottom: 10px;
+}
+.pb-add-select {
+  width: auto;
+  padding: 6px 10px;
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.pb-subblock {
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 10px;
+  margin-top: 10px;
+  background: var(--bg);
+}
+.pb-subblock-head {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  margin-bottom: 8px;
+}
+.pb-subblock-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 4px;
+}
+.pb-mini {
+  min-width: 28px;
+  padding: 3px 8px;
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+
+/* ===== CMS page builder — admin canvas ===== */
+.pb-toolbar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+  position: sticky;
+  top: 0;
+  z-index: 5;
+  padding: 10px 0;
+  background: var(--bg);
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+}
+.pb-error {
+  border: 1px solid #6e3b38;
+  background: rgba(110, 59, 56, 0.16);
+  color: #e6a9a3;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 10px 14px;
+  margin-top: 14px;
+  font-size: 0.86rem;
+}
+.pb-notice {
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+  background: var(--blue);
+  color: var(--accent-bright);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 8px 14px;
+  margin-top: 14px;
+  font-size: 0.86rem;
+}
+.pb-tabs {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 4px;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+  margin-bottom: 18px;
+}
+.pb-tab {
+  background: transparent;
+  border: none;
+  border-bottom: 2px solid transparent;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-family: var(--sans);
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  padding: 10px 16px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.pb-tab.is-active {
+  color: var(--ink);
+  border-bottom-color: var(--accent);
+}
+.pb-palette {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  padding: 12px;
+  border: 1px dashed var(--line);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  margin-bottom: 16px;
+}
+.pb-canvas {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 14px;
+}
+.pb-block-card {
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  background: var(--panel-flat, transparent);
+}
+.pb-block-card.is-dragging {
+  opacity: 0.5;
+}
+.pb-block-card.is-hidden {
+  opacity: 0.6;
+}
+.pb-block-head {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  padding: 8px 12px;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+}
+.pb-drag {
+  cursor: grab;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  user-select: none;
+}
+.pb-block-body {
+  padding: 14px;
+}
+.pb-settings {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 16px;
+  max-width: 720px;
+}
+.pb-danger {
+  border-color: #6e3b38;
+  color: #d98b84;
+}
+.pb-danger:hover:not([disabled]) {
+  background: rgba(110, 59, 56, 0.18);
+  border-color: #8a4b47;
+}
+
+/* Draft-preview banner on the public renderer. */
+.page-preview-banner {
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+  background: var(--blue);
+  color: var(--accent-bright);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 8px 14px;
+  margin-bottom: 20px;
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  text-align: center;
+}
diff --git a/server/db/schema.sql b/server/db/schema.sql
index 2d1407f..504260e 100644
--- a/server/db/schema.sql
+++ b/server/db/schema.sql
@@ -486,6 +486,43 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS mod_notes (
   INDEX idx_mod_notes_user (discord_user_id, created_at)
 ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8mb4;
 
+-- Generic CMS pages composed from a fixed palette of blocks (the page builder).
+-- `blocks` is a JSON array of block-envelope objects ({ id, type, version,
+-- visible, props }); it is stored as text and parsed/validated in app code
+-- against the block registry (server/src/blocks) on every save — the same
+-- pattern role_menus.mapping uses, since MariaDB's JSON type is just LONGTEXT and
+-- the driver hands it back as a string anyway. The seo_*/og_image/canonical_url/
+-- robots and layout/nav_* columns are metadata/settings surfaced grouped in the
+-- API response; several have no consumer yet but are cheap to add now and painful
+-- to retrofit once real pages exist. published_at mirrors posts: stamped the first
+-- time a page goes to 'published'.
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS pages (
+  id               INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
+  slug             VARCHAR(160) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+  title            VARCHAR(200) NOT NULL,
+  blocks           MEDIUMTEXT   NOT NULL,      -- JSON array of block objects
+  status           ENUM('draft','published') NOT NULL DEFAULT 'draft',
+  protected        TINYINT(1)   NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+  author_id        INT          NULL,
+  -- SEO / social metadata (grouped under `metadata` in the API response).
+  seo_title        VARCHAR(200) NULL,
+  meta_description VARCHAR(400) NULL,
+  og_image         VARCHAR(500) NULL,
+  canonical_url    VARCHAR(500) NULL,
+  robots           VARCHAR(100) NULL,
+  -- Presentation / navigation (grouped under `settings` in the API response).
+  layout           ENUM('default','full_width','landing') NOT NULL DEFAULT 'default',
+  show_in_nav      TINYINT(1)   NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+  nav_group        ENUM('main','footer','account','hidden') NULL,
+  nav_order        INT          NULL,
+  created_at       DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+  updated_at       DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+  published_at     DATETIME NULL,
+  CONSTRAINT fk_pages_author FOREIGN KEY (author_id) REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
+  INDEX idx_pages_status (status),
+  INDEX idx_pages_nav (show_in_nav, nav_group, nav_order)
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8mb4;
+
 -- Migrations for databases created before the wiki upgrade. Each statement uses
 -- IF NOT EXISTS so re-running on every boot is a harmless no-op. New installs get
 -- these columns from the CREATE TABLE above; existing installs get them here.
diff --git a/server/src/auth/token.js b/server/src/auth/token.js
index d88efc3..fd4263d 100644
--- a/server/src/auth/token.js
+++ b/server/src/auth/token.js
@@ -66,6 +66,20 @@ function verifyTotpChallenge(token) {
   return decoded
 }
 
+// Short-lived, unguessable link token for previewing a (possibly unpublished)
+// CMS page. Carries purpose:'page_preview' + the page id and nothing else; it is
+// NOT a session (session validation rejects it) and only grants read of that one
+// page's current block state. Default 1h expiry per the page-builder spec.
+function signPagePreview(pageId, { expiresIn = '1h' } = {}) {
+  return jwt.sign({ pageId, purpose: 'page_preview' }, JWT_SECRET, { expiresIn })
+}
+
+function verifyPagePreview(token) {
+  const decoded = verifyToken(token)
+  if (!decoded || decoded.purpose !== 'page_preview') return null
+  return decoded
+}
+
 // Rough max-age (ms) for the cookie, parsed from JWT_EXPIRES_IN (e.g. 1d, 12h, 30m).
 function cookieMaxAge() {
   const m = /^(\d+)([dhms])$/.exec(String(JWT_EXPIRES_IN).trim())
@@ -122,6 +136,8 @@ module.exports = {
   verifyToken,
   signTotpChallenge,
   verifyTotpChallenge,
+  signPagePreview,
+  verifyPagePreview,
   cookieMaxAge,
   cookieSecure,
   cookieOptions,
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/index.js b/server/src/blocks/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10ecaa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Block registry entrypoint. Requiring this module registers every server-side
+// block definition (schema + cache policy) exactly once, then re-exports the
+// registry API and the blocks validator. Anything that needs to validate a
+// page's blocks or look up a block type should require THIS module, not
+// ./registry directly, so the definitions are guaranteed to be loaded.
+//
+// Wave 1 block definitions are registered below, one require() per block (each
+// module self-registers on load). Requiring THIS module guarantees they are all
+// present before anything validates a page's blocks.
+
+const registry = require('./registry')
+const { validateBlocks, MAX_BLOCKS, MAX_SUBBLOCKS } = require('./validateBlocks')
+const { sanitizeBlocks } = require('./sanitizeBlocks')
+
+// ── Wave 1 block definitions (self-register on require) ────────────────
+require('./types/heading')
+require('./types/richText')
+require('./types/image')
+require('./types/twoColumn')
+require('./types/cta')
+require('./types/divider')
+require('./types/quote')
+
+module.exports = {
+  ...registry,
+  validateBlocks,
+  sanitizeBlocks,
+  MAX_BLOCKS,
+  MAX_SUBBLOCKS,
+}
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/propHelpers.js b/server/src/blocks/propHelpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6fe587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/propHelpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+// Small shared validators used by the Wave 1 block schemas. Each block's schema
+// composes these and returns a flat array of error strings; validateBlocks
+// prefixes each with the block path (so 'text is required' becomes
+// 'blocks[2].props.text is required'). Phrase messages to read well after that
+// prefix — start with the prop name.
+
+/** @returns {boolean} true if v is a non-empty (after trim) string. */
+function isNonEmptyString(v) {
+  return typeof v === 'string' && v.trim().length > 0
+}
+
+/**
+ * Accept a same-origin relative URL ("/uploads/x.png", "/wiki/foo") or an
+ * absolute http/https URL. Rejects javascript:, data:, protocol-relative
+ * ("//evil"), and anything else — the block renderers drop these into hrefs/src
+ * so this is a security boundary, not just a format check.
+ * @param {unknown} v
+ * @returns {boolean}
+ */
+function isSafeUrl(v) {
+  if (typeof v !== 'string' || v.trim() === '') return false
+  const s = v.trim()
+  if (s.startsWith('//')) return false // protocol-relative — ambiguous origin
+  if (s.startsWith('/')) return true // same-origin relative
+  try {
+    const u = new URL(s)
+    return u.protocol === 'http:' || u.protocol === 'https:'
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build an enum validator for a prop.
+ * @param {string} name prop name (for the message)
+ * @param {string[]} allowed
+ * @returns {(v: unknown) => string|null} error string or null
+ */
+function oneOf(name, allowed) {
+  return (v) => (allowed.includes(v) ? null : `${name} must be one of ${allowed.join(', ')}`)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate a required text prop: present, non-empty, within maxLen.
+ * @returns {string|null}
+ */
+function requiredText(name, v, maxLen) {
+  if (!isNonEmptyString(v)) return `${name} is required`
+  if (v.length > maxLen) return `${name} must be at most ${maxLen} characters`
+  return null
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate an optional text prop: if present it must be a string within maxLen.
+ * @returns {string|null}
+ */
+function optionalText(name, v, maxLen) {
+  if (v === undefined || v === null || v === '') return null
+  if (typeof v !== 'string') return `${name} must be a string`
+  if (v.length > maxLen) return `${name} must be at most ${maxLen} characters`
+  return null
+}
+
+/**
+ * Reject any prop key not in `allowed`. Keeps a block's props tight so nothing
+ * unexpected is smuggled through and stored.
+ * @returns {string[]} error strings
+ */
+function onlyKeys(props, allowed) {
+  const errors = []
+  for (const key of Object.keys(props)) {
+    if (!allowed.includes(key)) errors.push(`${key} is not an allowed prop`)
+  }
+  return errors
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  isNonEmptyString,
+  isSafeUrl,
+  oneOf,
+  requiredText,
+  optionalText,
+  onlyKeys,
+}
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/registry.js b/server/src/blocks/registry.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a412b59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/registry.js
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+// Block registry (server side) — the single source of truth for what block
+// types exist, how their props validate, and how long a rendered block may be
+// cached. The admin builder UI, the public renderer, and this server-side
+// validation are all driven from a registry entry rather than a switch statement
+// scattered across files: adding a block later means adding ONE entry (here on
+// the server for schema/cache, and one in client/src/blocks for the React
+// renderer/editor), not editing four places.
+//
+// A registered definition looks like:
+//   {
+//     type: 'heading',        // stable string id, unique across the registry
+//     version: 1,             // prop-schema version; bump when props change so a
+//                             // one-time migration can transform older blocks
+//     schema: (props) => [],  // returns an array of error strings ([] = valid)
+//     sanitize: (props) => props, // optional normalizer run on save AFTER
+//                             // validation, e.g. rich_text runs its html through
+//                             // the shared allowlist; returns cleaned props
+//     cacheTTL: null,         // seconds a rendered instance may be cached;
+//                             // null = never cache (static blocks). Dynamic
+//                             // Wave 2 blocks set this (e.g. server_status: 10).
+//     container: false,       // true only for block types that hold sub-blocks
+//     containerSlots: [],     // prop keys holding sub-block arrays, e.g.
+//                             // ['left','right'] for two_column
+//   }
+//
+// This module is intentionally empty of block types — it only defines the
+// pattern. Wave 1 block definitions register themselves via ./index.js.
+
+// The only keys allowed at the top level of a stored block object. Everything
+// block-specific lives inside `props`; nothing else lives at the top level.
+// Ordering is the array position, not a stored field — so a reorder is just a
+// reorder of the array, and `id` is never derived from position.
+const RESERVED_KEYS = Object.freeze(['id', 'type', 'version', 'visible', 'props'])
+
+const registry = new Map()
+
+/**
+ * Register a block definition. Throws on a missing type or a duplicate — both
+ * are programmer errors surfaced at boot, not runtime input.
+ * @param {object} def
+ * @returns {object} the normalized, frozen definition
+ */
+function registerBlock(def) {
+  if (!def || typeof def.type !== 'string' || def.type.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error('registerBlock: a block definition needs a string `type`')
+  }
+  if (registry.has(def.type)) {
+    throw new Error(`registerBlock: block type already registered: ${def.type}`)
+  }
+  if (def.schema != null && typeof def.schema !== 'function') {
+    throw new Error(`registerBlock: ${def.type}.schema must be a function`)
+  }
+  if (def.sanitize != null && typeof def.sanitize !== 'function') {
+    throw new Error(`registerBlock: ${def.type}.sanitize must be a function`)
+  }
+  const containerSlots = def.containerSlots || []
+  if (def.container && containerSlots.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`registerBlock: container block ${def.type} needs containerSlots`)
+  }
+  const entry = Object.freeze({
+    type: def.type,
+    version: Number.isInteger(def.version) ? def.version : 1,
+    schema: def.schema || null,
+    sanitize: def.sanitize || null,
+    cacheTTL: def.cacheTTL == null ? null : Number(def.cacheTTL),
+    container: Boolean(def.container),
+    containerSlots: Object.freeze([...containerSlots]),
+  })
+  registry.set(entry.type, entry)
+  return entry
+}
+
+/** @returns {object|null} the definition for `type`, or null if unknown. */
+function getBlock(type) {
+  return registry.get(type) || null
+}
+
+/** @returns {boolean} whether `type` is a registered block. */
+function hasBlock(type) {
+  return registry.has(type)
+}
+
+/** @returns {object[]} all registered definitions (registration order). */
+function listBlocks() {
+  return [...registry.values()]
+}
+
+/**
+ * Drop every registered block. Test-only — lets a suite register a fixture set
+ * and start from a known-empty registry.
+ */
+function _resetRegistry() {
+  registry.clear()
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  RESERVED_KEYS,
+  registerBlock,
+  getBlock,
+  hasBlock,
+  listBlocks,
+  _resetRegistry,
+}
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/sanitizeBlocks.js b/server/src/blocks/sanitizeBlocks.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9d91d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/sanitizeBlocks.js
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// Normalize + sanitize a validated blocks array before persisting. Runs AFTER
+// validateBlocks (which guarantees the envelope/prop shape), so this can assume
+// well-formed input and focus on: applying each block's registry `sanitize`
+// normalizer (e.g. rich_text runs its html through the allowlist), stamping the
+// registry `version`, defaulting `visible` to true, and recursing one level into
+// container slots. Returns a new array; never mutates the input.
+
+const { getBlock } = require('./registry')
+
+function sanitizeBlocks(blocks) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(blocks)) return []
+  return blocks.map(sanitizeOne)
+}
+
+function sanitizeOne(block) {
+  const def = getBlock(block.type)
+  if (!def) return block // unreachable after validation, but stay defensive
+
+  let props = block.props && typeof block.props === 'object' ? { ...block.props } : {}
+
+  // Recurse into container slots first (leaf sub-blocks get sanitized too).
+  if (def.container) {
+    for (const slot of def.containerSlots) {
+      if (Array.isArray(props[slot])) props[slot] = props[slot].map(sanitizeOne)
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Apply the block's own normalizer last (operates on its scalar props).
+  if (def.sanitize) {
+    try {
+      props = def.sanitize(props)
+    } catch {
+      // Leave props as-is; validation already passed, a sanitize throw shouldn't
+      // block the save.
+    }
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: block.id,
+    type: block.type,
+    version: Number.isInteger(block.version) ? block.version : def.version,
+    visible: block.visible !== false,
+    props,
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = { sanitizeBlocks }
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/cta.js b/server/src/blocks/types/cta.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2caa68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/cta.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// cta — a call-to-action button. `text` is the label, `url` the destination
+// (same-origin path or http/https), `style` picks primary/secondary appearance.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { isSafeUrl, oneOf, requiredText, onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+const STYLES = ['primary', 'secondary']
+const MAX_TEXT = 100
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'cta',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    const errors = onlyKeys(props, ['text', 'url', 'style'])
+    const text = requiredText('text', props.text, MAX_TEXT)
+    if (text) errors.push(text)
+    if (!isSafeUrl(props.url)) errors.push('url must be a same-origin path or http(s) URL')
+    const style = oneOf('style', STYLES)(props.style)
+    if (style) errors.push(style)
+    return errors
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/divider.js b/server/src/blocks/types/divider.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fc3562
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/divider.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// divider — a pure spacer / horizontal rule. Carries no props.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'divider',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    return onlyKeys(props, [])
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/heading.js b/server/src/blocks/types/heading.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16a1c05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/heading.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// heading — a section heading. `level` picks the tag (h1–h4), `text` is plain
+// text (the renderer escapes it; no HTML here — use rich_text for markup).
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { oneOf, requiredText, onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+const LEVELS = ['h1', 'h2', 'h3', 'h4']
+const MAX_TEXT = 200
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'heading',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    const errors = onlyKeys(props, ['level', 'text'])
+    const level = oneOf('level', LEVELS)(props.level)
+    if (level) errors.push(level)
+    const text = requiredText('text', props.text, MAX_TEXT)
+    if (text) errors.push(text)
+    return errors
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/image.js b/server/src/blocks/types/image.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b52142e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/image.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// image — a single image with optional caption. `src` must be a same-origin
+// upload path or an http/https URL (isSafeUrl); `alignment` controls layout.
+// Stays URL-based until the Wave 3 asset picker lands, then src swaps to an
+// asset id via a small migration.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { isSafeUrl, oneOf, optionalText, onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+const ALIGNMENTS = ['left', 'center', 'right', 'full']
+const MAX_ALT = 300
+const MAX_CAPTION = 500
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'image',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    const errors = onlyKeys(props, ['src', 'alt', 'caption', 'alignment'])
+    if (!isSafeUrl(props.src)) errors.push('src must be a same-origin path or http(s) URL')
+    const alt = optionalText('alt', props.alt, MAX_ALT)
+    if (alt) errors.push(alt)
+    const caption = optionalText('caption', props.caption, MAX_CAPTION)
+    if (caption) errors.push(caption)
+    const alignment = oneOf('alignment', ALIGNMENTS)(props.alignment)
+    if (alignment) errors.push(alignment)
+    return errors
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/quote.js b/server/src/blocks/types/quote.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dea22d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/quote.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// quote — a pull quote with optional attribution.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { requiredText, optionalText, onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+const MAX_TEXT = 1000
+const MAX_ATTRIB = 200
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'quote',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    const errors = onlyKeys(props, ['text', 'attribution'])
+    const text = requiredText('text', props.text, MAX_TEXT)
+    if (text) errors.push(text)
+    const attribution = optionalText('attribution', props.attribution, MAX_ATTRIB)
+    if (attribution) errors.push(attribution)
+    return errors
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/richText.js b/server/src/blocks/types/richText.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4f922e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/richText.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// rich_text — a block of HTML authored in the shared rich-text editor. Validated
+// only for type/size here; the actual safety comes from `sanitize`, which runs
+// the html through the same allowlist (cleanBody) used for posts/wiki bodies, so
+// a direct API call can't smuggle unsafe markup past the editor.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+const { cleanBody } = require('../../utils/sanitizeHtml')
+
+const MAX_HTML = 50000
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'rich_text',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  schema(props) {
+    const errors = onlyKeys(props, ['html'])
+    if (typeof props.html !== 'string') errors.push('html must be a string')
+    else if (props.html.length > MAX_HTML) {
+      errors.push(`html must be at most ${MAX_HTML} characters`)
+    }
+    return errors
+  },
+  sanitize(props) {
+    return { ...props, html: cleanBody(props.html) }
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.js b/server/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9030a40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/types/twoColumn.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// two_column — the only container block. Holds two ordered arrays of sub-blocks
+// (`left`, `right`). The sub-block arrays are validated by validateBlocks, which
+// also enforces the one-level nesting cap (a column may not contain another
+// container). This schema only guards the prop shape; the slot arrays default to
+// empty when absent.
+const { registerBlock } = require('../registry')
+const { onlyKeys } = require('../propHelpers')
+
+registerBlock({
+  type: 'two_column',
+  version: 1,
+  cacheTTL: null,
+  container: true,
+  containerSlots: ['left', 'right'],
+  schema(props) {
+    // Slot array contents are validated by validateBlocks' container handling;
+    // here we only reject stray props.
+    return onlyKeys(props, ['left', 'right'])
+  },
+})
diff --git a/server/src/blocks/validateBlocks.js b/server/src/blocks/validateBlocks.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db4dcff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/blocks/validateBlocks.js
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+// Server-side validation for a page's `blocks` array, run on every save before
+// persisting. The admin UI validates client-side too, but that can be bypassed
+// by a direct API call, so this is the authoritative gate: it enforces the block
+// envelope (reserved keys only), that every `type` is a registered block, that
+// each block's props satisfy the registry schema, and the one-level nesting cap
+// (only container blocks may hold sub-blocks, and sub-blocks may not themselves
+// be containers).
+//
+// Returns { valid, errors } — a flat list of human-readable error strings, each
+// prefixed with the path to the offending block (e.g. `blocks[2].props.text`).
+// It never throws on bad input; callers turn a non-empty `errors` into a 400.
+
+const { getBlock, RESERVED_KEYS } = require('./registry')
+
+// Bound the payload so a single page can't carry an unreasonable block tree.
+const MAX_BLOCKS = 100 // top-level blocks per page
+const MAX_SUBBLOCKS = 50 // sub-blocks per container slot
+const ID_RE = /^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{1,40}$/
+
+/**
+ * Validate a stored blocks array against the registry.
+ * @param {unknown} blocks
+ * @returns {{ valid: boolean, errors: string[] }}
+ */
+function validateBlocks(blocks) {
+  const errors = []
+  if (!Array.isArray(blocks)) {
+    return { valid: false, errors: ['blocks must be an array'] }
+  }
+  if (blocks.length > MAX_BLOCKS) {
+    errors.push(`blocks may not exceed ${MAX_BLOCKS} top-level entries`)
+  }
+  const seenIds = new Set()
+  blocks.forEach((block, i) => {
+    validateBlock(block, `blocks[${i}]`, seenIds, errors, { nested: false })
+  })
+  return { valid: errors.length === 0, errors }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate one block envelope in place. `nested` = true when validating a
+ * sub-block inside a container slot, which forbids further nesting.
+ */
+function validateBlock(block, path, seenIds, errors, { nested }) {
+  if (block === null || typeof block !== 'object' || Array.isArray(block)) {
+    errors.push(`${path} must be an object`)
+    return
+  }
+
+  // Envelope: only the reserved keys, nothing smuggled at the top level.
+  for (const key of Object.keys(block)) {
+    if (!RESERVED_KEYS.includes(key)) {
+      errors.push(`${path}.${key} is not an allowed top-level key`)
+    }
+  }
+
+  // id — stable, unique across the whole page (top-level and nested share one
+  // namespace since ids are the future join point for revision history).
+  if (typeof block.id !== 'string' || !ID_RE.test(block.id)) {
+    errors.push(`${path}.id must be a short id string`)
+  } else if (seenIds.has(block.id)) {
+    errors.push(`${path}.id duplicates another block id (${block.id})`)
+  } else {
+    seenIds.add(block.id)
+  }
+
+  // visible — optional in input, but if present must be a boolean.
+  if (block.visible !== undefined && typeof block.visible !== 'boolean') {
+    errors.push(`${path}.visible must be a boolean`)
+  }
+
+  // props — always an object bag.
+  const props = block.props
+  if (props === null || typeof props !== 'object' || Array.isArray(props)) {
+    errors.push(`${path}.props must be an object`)
+  }
+
+  // type — must resolve to a registered block.
+  const def = typeof block.type === 'string' ? getBlock(block.type) : null
+  if (!def) {
+    errors.push(`${path}.type is not a registered block type (${String(block.type)})`)
+    return // can't validate props or nesting without a definition
+  }
+
+  // Per-block prop schema from the registry.
+  if (def.schema && props && typeof props === 'object') {
+    let schemaErrors = []
+    try {
+      schemaErrors = def.schema(props) || []
+    } catch (err) {
+      schemaErrors = [`schema threw: ${err.message}`]
+    }
+    for (const e of schemaErrors) errors.push(`${path}.props.${e}`)
+  }
+
+  // Nesting: only container blocks may hold sub-blocks, capped at one level.
+  if (def.container) {
+    if (nested) {
+      errors.push(`${path} is a container and may not be nested inside another container`)
+      return
+    }
+    for (const slot of def.containerSlots) {
+      const sub = props ? props[slot] : undefined
+      if (sub === undefined) continue // an empty slot is allowed
+      if (!Array.isArray(sub)) {
+        errors.push(`${path}.props.${slot} must be an array of blocks`)
+        continue
+      }
+      if (sub.length > MAX_SUBBLOCKS) {
+        errors.push(`${path}.props.${slot} may not exceed ${MAX_SUBBLOCKS} blocks`)
+      }
+      sub.forEach((child, j) => {
+        validateBlock(child, `${path}.props.${slot}[${j}]`, seenIds, errors, { nested: true })
+      })
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = { validateBlocks, MAX_BLOCKS, MAX_SUBBLOCKS }
diff --git a/server/src/model/pages/pages.db.js b/server/src/model/pages/pages.db.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb2ec3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/model/pages/pages.db.js
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+const { query } = require('../../utils/db')
+
+// `blocks` is stored as a JSON string (MEDIUMTEXT) and parsed in the model.
+const COLS = [
+  'id', 'slug', 'title', 'blocks', 'status', 'protected', 'author_id',
+  'seo_title', 'meta_description', 'og_image', 'canonical_url', 'robots',
+  'layout', 'show_in_nav', 'nav_group', 'nav_order',
+  'created_at', 'updated_at', 'published_at',
+].join(', ')
+
+// Admin list — every page, newest first. Excludes the (potentially large)
+// blocks payload; callers that need it fetch the row by id/slug.
+async function listSummaries() {
+  return query(
+    `SELECT id, slug, title, status, protected, show_in_nav, nav_group, nav_order,
+            updated_at, published_at
+     FROM pages ORDER BY updated_at DESC, id DESC`,
+  )
+}
+
+async function findById(id) {
+  const rows = await query(`SELECT ${COLS} FROM pages WHERE id = ? LIMIT 1`, [id])
+  return rows[0] || null
+}
+
+async function findBySlug(slug) {
+  const rows = await query(`SELECT ${COLS} FROM pages WHERE slug = ? LIMIT 1`, [slug])
+  return rows[0] || null
+}
+
+// Insert a fully-formed column map. `blocks` must already be a JSON string.
+async function insert(page) {
+  const res = await query(
+    `INSERT INTO pages
+      (slug, title, blocks, status, protected, author_id,
+       seo_title, meta_description, og_image, canonical_url, robots,
+       layout, show_in_nav, nav_group, nav_order, published_at)
+     VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`,
+    [
+      page.slug,
+      page.title,
+      page.blocks,
+      page.status,
+      page.protected ? 1 : 0,
+      page.author_id ?? null,
+      page.seo_title ?? null,
+      page.meta_description ?? null,
+      page.og_image ?? null,
+      page.canonical_url ?? null,
+      page.robots ?? null,
+      page.layout ?? 'default',
+      page.show_in_nav ? 1 : 0,
+      page.nav_group ?? null,
+      page.nav_order ?? null,
+      page.published_at ?? null,
+    ],
+  )
+  return res.insertId
+}
+
+// Update only the provided columns. Keys must be real column names (the model
+// builds this map from a whitelist, never straight from the request body).
+async function update(id, fields) {
+  const cols = []
+  const params = []
+  for (const [key, val] of Object.entries(fields)) {
+    cols.push(`${key} = ?`)
+    params.push(val)
+  }
+  if (cols.length === 0) return
+  params.push(id)
+  await query(`UPDATE pages SET ${cols.join(', ')} WHERE id = ?`, params)
+}
+
+async function remove(id) {
+  return query('DELETE FROM pages WHERE id = ?', [id])
+}
+
+module.exports = { listSummaries, findById, findBySlug, insert, update, remove }
diff --git a/server/src/model/pages/pages.model.js b/server/src/model/pages/pages.model.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e6130e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/model/pages/pages.model.js
@@ -0,0 +1,306 @@
+// CMS pages model. Owns the rules the API surface must not bypass:
+//   - blocks are validated against the block registry and sanitized on every
+//     save (the authoritative gate — a direct API call can't skip it);
+//   - the DB row is mapped to/from the grouped API shape (metadata / settings);
+//   - slug is validated + reserved-checked at create and is immutable after;
+//   - `protected` can be turned ON via a normal update but only OFF via the
+//     dedicated unprotect path (see unprotect()), enforced here regardless of
+//     what the request body contains.
+//
+// Business/validation failures throw a PageError carrying an HTTP status + code
+// so the controller can translate without knowing the rules.
+
+const pagesDb = require('./pages.db')
+const { isReservedSlug } = require('./reservedSlugs')
+const { validateBlocks, sanitizeBlocks } = require('../../blocks')
+
+const LAYOUTS = ['default', 'full_width', 'landing']
+const NAV_GROUPS = ['main', 'footer', 'account', 'hidden']
+const STATUSES = ['draft', 'published']
+const SLUG_RE = /^[a-z0-9-]+$/
+const MAX_SLUG = 160
+
+class PageError extends Error {
+  constructor(status, code, message, extra) {
+    super(message)
+    this.name = 'PageError'
+    this.status = status
+    this.code = code
+    if (extra) Object.assign(this, extra)
+  }
+}
+
+// ── Serialization (row → API shape) ───────────────────────────────────
+function parseBlocks(raw) {
+  if (raw == null || raw === '') return []
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(raw)
+    return Array.isArray(parsed) ? parsed : []
+  } catch {
+    return []
+  }
+}
+
+function serialize(row) {
+  if (!row) return null
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    slug: row.slug,
+    title: row.title,
+    status: row.status,
+    blocks: parseBlocks(row.blocks),
+    metadata: {
+      seoTitle: row.seo_title,
+      metaDescription: row.meta_description,
+      ogImage: row.og_image,
+      canonicalUrl: row.canonical_url,
+      robots: row.robots,
+    },
+    settings: {
+      layout: row.layout,
+      showInNav: Boolean(row.show_in_nav),
+      navGroup: row.nav_group,
+      navOrder: row.nav_order,
+      protected: Boolean(row.protected),
+    },
+    authorId: row.author_id,
+    createdAt: row.created_at,
+    updatedAt: row.updated_at,
+    publishedAt: row.published_at,
+  }
+}
+
+function serializeSummary(row) {
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    slug: row.slug,
+    title: row.title,
+    status: row.status,
+    protected: Boolean(row.protected),
+    showInNav: Boolean(row.show_in_nav),
+    navGroup: row.nav_group,
+    navOrder: row.nav_order,
+    updatedAt: row.updated_at,
+    publishedAt: row.published_at,
+  }
+}
+
+// ── Field validation / mapping ────────────────────────────────────────
+function assertSlug(slug) {
+  if (typeof slug !== 'string' || !SLUG_RE.test(slug) || slug.length > MAX_SLUG) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_slug', 'Slug must be lowercase letters, numbers and dashes.')
+  }
+  if (isReservedSlug(slug)) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'reserved_slug', `"${slug}" is a reserved slug.`)
+  }
+}
+
+function assertStatus(status) {
+  if (status !== undefined && !STATUSES.includes(status)) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_status', `status must be one of ${STATUSES.join(', ')}.`)
+  }
+}
+
+// Validate + sanitize blocks; returns a JSON string ready to store.
+function buildBlocks(blocks) {
+  const { valid, errors } = validateBlocks(blocks)
+  if (!valid) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_blocks', 'One or more blocks are invalid.', { errors })
+  }
+  return JSON.stringify(sanitizeBlocks(blocks))
+}
+
+// Map the grouped `metadata` object to DB columns. Only keys present in the
+// input are returned, so a PATCH touches only what it sends.
+function mapMetadata(metadata) {
+  const cols = {}
+  if (!metadata || typeof metadata !== 'object') return cols
+  const strOrNull = (v, max, field) => {
+    if (v === null || v === undefined || v === '') return null
+    if (typeof v !== 'string' || v.length > max) {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_metadata', `${field} must be a string of at most ${max} characters.`)
+    }
+    return v
+  }
+  if ('seoTitle' in metadata) cols.seo_title = strOrNull(metadata.seoTitle, 200, 'seoTitle')
+  if ('metaDescription' in metadata) cols.meta_description = strOrNull(metadata.metaDescription, 400, 'metaDescription')
+  if ('ogImage' in metadata) cols.og_image = strOrNull(metadata.ogImage, 500, 'ogImage')
+  if ('canonicalUrl' in metadata) cols.canonical_url = strOrNull(metadata.canonicalUrl, 500, 'canonicalUrl')
+  if ('robots' in metadata) cols.robots = strOrNull(metadata.robots, 100, 'robots')
+  return cols
+}
+
+// Map the grouped `settings` object to DB columns (except `protected`, which is
+// handled by the caller so the unprotect rule stays centralized).
+function mapSettings(settings) {
+  const cols = {}
+  if (!settings || typeof settings !== 'object') return cols
+  if ('layout' in settings) {
+    if (!LAYOUTS.includes(settings.layout)) {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_settings', `layout must be one of ${LAYOUTS.join(', ')}.`)
+    }
+    cols.layout = settings.layout
+  }
+  if ('showInNav' in settings) {
+    if (typeof settings.showInNav !== 'boolean') {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_settings', 'showInNav must be a boolean.')
+    }
+    cols.show_in_nav = settings.showInNav ? 1 : 0
+  }
+  if ('navGroup' in settings) {
+    if (settings.navGroup !== null && !NAV_GROUPS.includes(settings.navGroup)) {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_settings', `navGroup must be null or one of ${NAV_GROUPS.join(', ')}.`)
+    }
+    cols.nav_group = settings.navGroup
+  }
+  if ('navOrder' in settings) {
+    if (settings.navOrder !== null && !Number.isInteger(settings.navOrder)) {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_settings', 'navOrder must be an integer or null.')
+    }
+    cols.nav_order = settings.navOrder
+  }
+  return cols
+}
+
+// ── Reads ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+async function list() {
+  const rows = await pagesDb.listSummaries()
+  return rows.map(serializeSummary)
+}
+
+async function getById(id) {
+  return serialize(await pagesDb.findById(id))
+}
+
+// Public read by slug. Non-admins only see published pages (returns null for a
+// draft so the caller can 404 it indistinguishably from a missing page).
+async function getBySlug(slug, { includeUnpublished = false } = {}) {
+  const row = await pagesDb.findBySlug(slug)
+  if (!row) return null
+  if (!includeUnpublished && row.status !== 'published') return null
+  return serialize(row)
+}
+
+// Raw row (for the controller's protected/status checks without re-serializing).
+async function getRawById(id) {
+  return pagesDb.findById(id)
+}
+
+// ── Writes ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+async function create(input, authorId) {
+  const { slug, title, blocks = [], status = 'draft', metadata, settings } = input
+  assertSlug(slug)
+  assertStatus(status)
+  if (typeof title !== 'string' || title.trim() === '' || title.length > 200) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_title', 'Title is required (max 200 characters).')
+  }
+
+  const row = {
+    slug,
+    title: title.trim(),
+    blocks: buildBlocks(blocks),
+    status,
+    author_id: authorId,
+    ...mapMetadata(metadata),
+    ...mapSettings(settings),
+    protected: settings && settings.protected === true ? 1 : 0,
+    published_at: status === 'published' ? new Date() : null,
+  }
+
+  let id
+  try {
+    id = await pagesDb.insert(row)
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err && (err.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' || err.errno === 1062)) {
+      throw new PageError(409, 'slug_taken', `A page with slug "${slug}" already exists.`)
+    }
+    throw err
+  }
+  return getById(id)
+}
+
+async function update(id, patch) {
+  const current = await pagesDb.findById(id)
+  if (!current) throw new PageError(404, 'not_found', 'Page not found.')
+
+  // slug is immutable after create — reject an attempt rather than silently
+  // ignoring it, so the caller knows their change didn't take.
+  if (patch.slug !== undefined && patch.slug !== current.slug) {
+    throw new PageError(400, 'slug_immutable', 'A page slug cannot be changed after creation.')
+  }
+
+  const fields = {}
+
+  if (patch.title !== undefined) {
+    if (typeof patch.title !== 'string' || patch.title.trim() === '' || patch.title.length > 200) {
+      throw new PageError(400, 'invalid_title', 'Title is required (max 200 characters).')
+    }
+    fields.title = patch.title.trim()
+  }
+
+  if (patch.blocks !== undefined) {
+    fields.blocks = buildBlocks(patch.blocks)
+  }
+
+  if (patch.status !== undefined) {
+    assertStatus(patch.status)
+    fields.status = patch.status
+    // Stamp published_at the first time a page becomes published.
+    if (patch.status === 'published' && !current.published_at) {
+      fields.published_at = new Date()
+    }
+  }
+
+  Object.assign(fields, mapMetadata(patch.metadata))
+  Object.assign(fields, mapSettings(patch.settings))
+
+  // Protected transitions: ON is allowed here; OFF is not (must go through the
+  // password-gated unprotect endpoint), regardless of the request body.
+  if (patch.settings && 'protected' in patch.settings) {
+    const want = patch.settings.protected
+    if (want === true) {
+      fields.protected = 1
+    } else if (want === false && current.protected) {
+      throw new PageError(403, 'unprotect_required', 'Disabling protection requires the unprotect endpoint.')
+    }
+    // want === false while already unprotected → no-op.
+  }
+
+  await pagesDb.update(id, fields)
+  return getById(id)
+}
+
+async function remove(id) {
+  const current = await pagesDb.findById(id)
+  if (!current) throw new PageError(404, 'not_found', 'Page not found.')
+  if (current.protected) {
+    throw new PageError(403, 'page_protected', 'This page is protected and cannot be deleted.')
+  }
+  await pagesDb.remove(id)
+  return { id }
+}
+
+// Flip protected → false. The controller performs the password step-up before
+// calling this; the model just applies it.
+async function unprotect(id) {
+  const current = await pagesDb.findById(id)
+  if (!current) throw new PageError(404, 'not_found', 'Page not found.')
+  await pagesDb.update(id, { protected: 0 })
+  return getById(id)
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  PageError,
+  LAYOUTS,
+  NAV_GROUPS,
+  STATUSES,
+  serialize,
+  list,
+  getById,
+  getBySlug,
+  getRawById,
+  create,
+  update,
+  remove,
+  unprotect,
+}
diff --git a/server/src/model/pages/reservedSlugs.js b/server/src/model/pages/reservedSlugs.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b515b2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/model/pages/reservedSlugs.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Slugs a CMS page may not claim, because a top-level page lives at `/:slug` and
+// must never shadow an existing named route (SPA route or API namespace). The
+// catch-all page route is matched only after these, but reserving the names up
+// front gives the admin a clear "that slug is reserved" error at create time
+// instead of a silently unreachable page.
+//
+// Kept as a Set of lowercase single-segment slugs. Page slugs are validated to a
+// single segment (^[a-z0-9-]+$) so we only need to guard first path segments.
+
+const RESERVED_SLUGS = new Set([
+  // API / infrastructure
+  'api', 'internal', 'uploads', 'assets', 'static', 'public',
+  // Auth / account
+  'login', 'logout', 'register', 'account', 'auth',
+  // Admin app
+  'admin',
+  // Existing top-level SPA sections
+  'site', 'wiki', 'news', 'newsletter', 'screenshots', 'five-on-friday', 'about', 'status',
+  // Page-builder's own surface
+  'pages', 'preview',
+])
+
+/** @returns {boolean} true if `slug` collides with a reserved route name. */
+function isReservedSlug(slug) {
+  return RESERVED_SLUGS.has(String(slug).toLowerCase())
+}
+
+module.exports = { RESERVED_SLUGS, isReservedSlug }
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
index 1d9dd53..95d9f6a 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const authProviders = require('./authProviders.controller')
 const discordBot = require('./discordBot.controller')
 const emailConfig = require('./emailConfig.controller')
 const moderation = require('./moderation.controller')
+const pagesCtrl = require('./pages.controller')
 const { isLoggedIn, requireRole } = require('../../../utils/auth')
 const noindex = require('../../../middleware/noindex')
 const validate = require('../../../middleware/validate')
@@ -475,6 +476,99 @@ adminRouter.delete(
   ctrl.deleteWiki,
 )
 
+// ── CMS Pages (block-based page builder) ──────────────────────────────
+adminRouter.get(
+  '/pages',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'List all CMS pages (summaries)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Page summaries', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "array", items: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } } */
+  pagesCtrl.listPages,
+)
+adminRouter.post(
+  '/pages',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Create a CMS page'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { required: true, content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", properties: { slug: { type: "string" }, title: { type: "string" }, status: { type: "string", enum: ["draft","published"] }, blocks: { type: "array", items: { type: "object" } }, metadata: { type: "object" }, settings: { type: "object" } } } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[201] = { description: 'Created page', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[400] = { description: 'Invalid slug / title / blocks / metadata / settings', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[409] = { description: 'Slug already exists', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  body('slug').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
+  body('title').isString().trim().notEmpty().isLength({ max: 200 }),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.createPage,
+)
+adminRouter.get(
+  '/pages/:id',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Get a CMS page by id (full, incl. blocks)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'The page', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  param('id').isInt(),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.getPage,
+)
+adminRouter.patch(
+  '/pages/:id',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Update a CMS page (title, status, blocks, metadata, settings)'
+  // #swagger.description = 'slug is immutable; disabling protection is rejected here (use /unprotect).'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Updated page', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[400] = { description: 'Validation error (slug immutable, invalid blocks, etc.)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[403] = { description: 'Disabling protection requires /unprotect', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  param('id').isInt(),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.updatePage,
+)
+adminRouter.delete(
+  '/pages/:id',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Delete a CMS page (blocked if protected)'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Deleted (echoes the id)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/DeletedId" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[403] = { description: 'Page is protected', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  param('id').isInt(),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.deletePage,
+)
+adminRouter.post(
+  '/pages/:id/unprotect',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Disable page protection (password step-up re-auth)'
+  // #swagger.description = 'Verifies the current admin password server-side, then flips protected → false.'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { required: true, content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", properties: { password: { type: "string" } }, required: ["password"] } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Updated page (protected=false)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[401] = { description: 'Password incorrect', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  param('id').isInt(),
+  body('password').isString().notEmpty(),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.unprotectPage,
+)
+adminRouter.post(
+  '/pages/:id/preview',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Pages']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Mint a 1h draft-preview link for a page'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Preview token + path', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", properties: { token: { type: "string" }, expiresInSeconds: { type: "integer" }, path: { type: "string" } } } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  param('id').isInt(),
+  validate,
+  pagesCtrl.createPreview,
+)
+
 // ── Settings ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 adminRouter.get(
   '/settings',
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/pages.controller.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/pages.controller.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a28b851
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/pages.controller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+// Admin CMS pages controller. Thin HTTP layer over pages.model — it translates
+// the model's PageError (status + code) into responses and records audit-log
+// entries for the lifecycle events the spec calls out (create / publish /
+// unpublish / delete, protect on, and the password-gated unprotect).
+
+const pages = require('../../../model/pages/pages.model')
+const users = require('../../../model/users/users.model')
+const activity = require('../../../model/activity/activity.model')
+const token = require('../../../auth/token')
+const logger = require('../../../utils/logger')('pages')
+
+// Map a thrown error to a response. Known PageErrors carry a status + code (and
+// sometimes a block-error list); anything else is an unexpected 500.
+function fail(res, err) {
+  if (err && err.name === 'PageError') {
+    const body = { message: err.message, code: err.code }
+    if (err.errors) body.details = err.errors
+    return res.status(err.status).json(body)
+  }
+  logger.error('unexpected pages error', { error: err.message })
+  return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal error' })
+}
+
+async function listPages(req, res) {
+  return res.json(await pages.list())
+}
+
+async function getPage(req, res) {
+  const page = await pages.getById(Number(req.params.id))
+  if (!page) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Page not found', code: 'not_found' })
+  return res.json(page)
+}
+
+async function createPage(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const page = await pages.create(req.body, req.user.id)
+    await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.create', detail: { id: page.id, slug: page.slug } })
+    if (page.status === 'published') {
+      await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.publish', detail: { id: page.id, slug: page.slug } })
+    }
+    return res.status(201).json(page)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return fail(res, err)
+  }
+}
+
+async function updatePage(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const id = Number(req.params.id)
+    const before = await pages.getRawById(id)
+    if (!before) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Page not found', code: 'not_found' })
+
+    const page = await pages.update(id, req.body)
+    await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.update', detail: { id, slug: page.slug } })
+
+    // Emit dedicated audit events for the transitions the spec singles out.
+    if (before.status !== page.status) {
+      const action = page.status === 'published' ? 'page.publish' : 'page.unpublish'
+      await activity.log({ req, action, detail: { id, slug: page.slug } })
+    }
+    if (!before.protected && page.settings.protected) {
+      await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.protect', detail: { id, slug: page.slug } })
+    }
+    return res.json(page)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return fail(res, err)
+  }
+}
+
+async function deletePage(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const id = Number(req.params.id)
+    const result = await pages.remove(id)
+    await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.delete', detail: { id } })
+    return res.json(result)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return fail(res, err)
+  }
+}
+
+// Step-up auth: verify the CURRENT admin's password against their own hash
+// (independent of JWT validity) before flipping protected → false. On failure:
+// no mutation, standard 401, and the entered password is never logged anywhere.
+async function unprotectPage(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const id = Number(req.params.id)
+    const password = req.body?.password
+    if (typeof password !== 'string' || password === '') {
+      return res.status(400).json({ message: 'Password is required', code: 'password_required' })
+    }
+    const user = await users.getRawById(req.user.id)
+    const ok = await users.validatePassword(user, password)
+    if (!ok) {
+      logger.warn('failed page unprotect (bad password)', { pageId: id, userId: req.user.id })
+      return res.status(401).json({ message: 'Password is incorrect', code: 'bad_password' })
+    }
+    const page = await pages.unprotect(id)
+    await activity.log({ req, action: 'page.unprotect', detail: { id, slug: page.slug } })
+    return res.json(page)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return fail(res, err)
+  }
+}
+
+// Mint a 1h preview token for the page's current (possibly unpublished) state.
+// Returns the token plus the ready-to-use public preview path.
+async function createPreview(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const id = Number(req.params.id)
+    const page = await pages.getById(id)
+    if (!page) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Page not found', code: 'not_found' })
+    const t = token.signPagePreview(id)
+    return res.json({
+      token: t,
+      expiresInSeconds: 3600,
+      path: `/api/v1/public/pages/${id}/preview/${t}`,
+    })
+  } catch (err) {
+    return fail(res, err)
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  listPages,
+  getPage,
+  createPage,
+  updatePage,
+  deletePage,
+  unprotectPage,
+  createPreview,
+}
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/public/public.controller.js b/server/src/router/v1/public/public.controller.js
index 2559171..041a423 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/public/public.controller.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/public/public.controller.js
@@ -1,10 +1,21 @@
 const posts = require('../../../model/posts/posts.model')
 const wiki = require('../../../model/wiki/wiki.model')
 const settings = require('../../../model/settings/settings.model')
+const pages = require('../../../model/pages/pages.model')
 const mailer = require('../../../utils/mailer')
+const { getUserFromRequest } = require('../../../utils/auth')
+const token = require('../../../auth/token')
 
 const log = require('../../../utils/logger')('public')
 
+// Staff (non-player) roles may see draft pages on the public route; everyone else
+// gets a 404 for a draft, indistinguishable from a missing page.
+const STAFF_ROLES = ['admin', 'editor', 'moderator']
+function isStaff(req) {
+  const user = getUserFromRequest(req)
+  return Boolean(user && STAFF_ROLES.includes(user.role))
+}
+
 async function getSettings(req, res) {
   try {
     return res.json(await settings.getPublic())
@@ -100,6 +111,34 @@ async function getWikiPage(req, res) {
   }
 }
 
+async function getPage(req, res) {
+  try {
+    // Staff see drafts (live preview); the public sees published pages only.
+    const page = await pages.getBySlug(req.params.slug, { includeUnpublished: isStaff(req) })
+    if (!page) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Not found' })
+    return res.json(page)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
+// Token-gated draft preview: renders the page's current block state regardless of
+// status, for anyone holding the (short-lived, unguessable) link.
+async function getPagePreview(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const id = Number(req.params.id)
+    const decoded = token.verifyPagePreview(req.params.token)
+    if (!decoded || decoded.pageId !== id) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Preview not found or expired' })
+    }
+    const page = await pages.getById(id)
+    if (!page) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Not found' })
+    return res.json(page)
+  } catch (err) {
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })
+  }
+}
+
 async function contact(req, res) {
   const { name, email, message } = req.body
   try {
@@ -120,5 +159,7 @@ module.exports = {
   getWikiTags,
   getWikiList,
   getWikiPage,
+  getPage,
+  getPagePreview,
   contact,
 }
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/public/public.routes.js b/server/src/router/v1/public/public.routes.js
index 80927dd..36103a0 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/public/public.routes.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/public/public.routes.js
@@ -102,4 +102,30 @@ publicRouter.get(
   ctrl.getWikiPage,
 )
 
+// ── CMS pages (block-based) ────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Preview is registered before /pages/:slug and is NOT site-mode gated, so a
+// draft-preview link keeps working during maintenance. The token itself is the
+// access control.
+publicRouter.get(
+  '/pages/:id/preview/:token',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Public']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Render a page from a draft-preview token'
+  // #swagger.parameters['id'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'integer' }, description: 'Page id.' }
+  // #swagger.parameters['token'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Preview token from POST /admin/pages/:id/preview.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'The page (any status)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Token invalid/expired or page missing', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  ctrl.getPagePreview,
+)
+publicRouter.get(
+  '/pages/:slug',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Public']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Get a published CMS page by slug'
+  // #swagger.description = 'Drafts 404 for the public; staff sessions see drafts. Gated by site mode.'
+  // #swagger.parameters['slug'] = { in: 'path', required: true, schema: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Page slug.' }
+  /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'The page', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[404] = { description: 'Not found', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  siteMode,
+  ctrl.getPage,
+)
+
 module.exports = publicRouter
diff --git a/server/src/utils/sanitizeHtml.js b/server/src/utils/sanitizeHtml.js
index 15d57ee..f5d4edc 100644
--- a/server/src/utils/sanitizeHtml.js
+++ b/server/src/utils/sanitizeHtml.js
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@ const OPTIONS = {
     span: ['data-wiki-slug'], // marks internal wiki links (used from Phase 3)
     th: ['colspan', 'rowspan'],
     td: ['colspan', 'rowspan'],
+    // Block alignment from the rich-text editor. `style` is only honored for the
+    // properties/values whitelisted in allowedStyles below — everything else in
+    // the style attribute is stripped.
+    p: ['style'],
+    h1: ['style'], h2: ['style'], h3: ['style'],
+    h4: ['style'], h5: ['style'], h6: ['style'],
+  },
+  // Restrict inline styles to text-align (left/right/center/justify) only. Any
+  // other CSS property, or an unlisted value, is discarded.
+  allowedStyles: {
+    '*': {
+      'text-align': [/^(left|right|center|justify)$/],
+    },
   },
   // http/https for links and images, mailto for links, plus relative URLs so
   // uploaded images (/uploads/...) and internal links (/wiki/...) pass through.
diff --git a/server/swagger/swagger-output.json b/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
index 1e36cec..9e1f6a0 100644
--- a/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
+++ b/server/swagger/swagger-output.json
@@ -1179,6 +1179,110 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/public/pages/{id}/preview/{token}": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Public"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Render a page from a draft-preview token",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "token",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "description": "Preview token from POST /admin/pages/:id/preview."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "The page (any status)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Token invalid/expired or page missing",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/public/pages/{slug}": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Public"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Get a published CMS page by slug",
+        "description": "Drafts 404 for the public; staff sessions see drafts. Gated by site mode.",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "slug",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "description": "Page slug."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "The page",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          },
+          "503": {
+            "description": "Service Unavailable"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/admin/account": {
       "get": {
         "tags": [
@@ -1206,6 +1310,9 @@
                 }
               }
             }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
           }
         },
         "security": [
@@ -3194,6 +3301,464 @@
         ]
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/admin/pages": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "List all CMS pages (summaries)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Page summaries",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "additionalProperties": true
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Create a CMS page",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "201": {
+            "description": "Created page",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Invalid slug / title / blocks / metadata / settings",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "409": {
+            "description": "Slug already exists",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "required": true,
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "slug": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "title": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "status": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "enum": [
+                      "draft",
+                      "published"
+                    ]
+                  },
+                  "blocks": {
+                    "type": "array",
+                    "items": {
+                      "type": "object"
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "metadata": {
+                    "type": "object"
+                  },
+                  "settings": {
+                    "type": "object"
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/pages/{id}": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Get a CMS page by id (full, incl. blocks)",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "The page",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      "patch": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Update a CMS page (title, status, blocks, metadata, settings)",
+        "description": "slug is immutable; disabling protection is rejected here (use /unprotect).",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Updated page",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Validation error (slug immutable, invalid blocks, etc.)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Disabling protection requires /unprotect",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "additionalProperties": true
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "delete": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Delete a CMS page (blocked if protected)",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Deleted (echoes the id)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/DeletedId"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Page is protected",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/pages/{id}/unprotect": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Disable page protection (password step-up re-auth)",
+        "description": "Verifies the current admin password server-side, then flips protected → false.",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Updated page (protected=false)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Password incorrect",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "required": true,
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "password": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  }
+                },
+                "required": [
+                  "password"
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/pages/{id}/preview": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Pages"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Mint a 1h draft-preview link for a page",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "id",
+            "in": "path",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "description": "Page id."
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Preview token + path",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "token": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    },
+                    "expiresInSeconds": {
+                      "type": "integer"
+                    },
+                    "path": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Not found",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/admin/settings": {
       "get": {
         "tags": [
@@ -3638,6 +4203,367 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/admin/email/config": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Get email delivery config + status (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Config (refresh token stripped) + status",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Not authenticated",
+            "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": []
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      "put": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Update email delivery config (admin only)",
+        "description": "Set the From display name and enabled toggle. Enabling requires a connected Gmail account.",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Updated config",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Cannot enable before connecting a mailbox",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Not authenticated",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Admin role required",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "senderName": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "enabled": {
+                    "type": "boolean"
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/email/connect/start": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Begin the Gmail OAuth2 connect flow (admin only)",
+        "description": "Returns { url } to redirect the browser to Google. Reuses the google SSO OAuth client.",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Authorization URL",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "url": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Google OAuth client not configured",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Not authenticated",
+            "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": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/email/connect/callback": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "OAuth2 callback — stores the refresh token, redirects to Settings",
+        "description": "",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "code",
+            "in": "query",
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "state",
+            "in": "query",
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "error",
+            "in": "query",
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "302": {
+            "description": "Redirect back to /admin/settings"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/email/test": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Send a test email (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Sent",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "sent": {
+                      "type": "boolean"
+                    },
+                    "to": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "502": {
+            "description": "Send failed / not configured",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                  "to": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "format": "email"
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/admin/email/disconnect": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Email"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Disconnect Gmail and disable email (admin only)",
+        "description": "",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Disconnected config",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Not authenticated",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$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": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/admin/auth/providers": {
       "get": {
         "tags": [