diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 7416c0c..54a7718 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -17,6 +17,46 @@
 <meta name="twitter:title" content="hermes.x — message anyone by their on-chain name">
 <meta name="twitter:description" content="Sealed-sender DMs over Nostr, addressed by on-chain registered name.">
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="assets/shared.css">
+<style>
+  /* mockup — a visual of the messenger UI, inlined on the home page so the
+     overview actually shows what the product is instead of only describing it */
+  .mockup{background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--line2);border-radius:16px;overflow:hidden;margin:2rem auto 1rem;max-width:860px;box-shadow:0 20px 60px rgba(0,0,0,.4)}
+  .mockup .window-bar{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;padding:10px 14px;background:var(--panel2);border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
+  .mockup .window-bar .dot{width:11px;height:11px;border-radius:50%;background:#444a56}
+  .mockup .window-bar .dot:nth-child(1){background:#ff5f57}
+  .mockup .window-bar .dot:nth-child(2){background:#febc2e}
+  .mockup .window-bar .dot:nth-child(3){background:#28c840}
+  .mockup .window-bar .title{color:var(--mut);font-size:12px;margin-left:10px}
+  .mockup .window-bar .status{margin-left:auto;font-size:11px;color:var(--ok);padding:2px 10px;border-radius:999px;background:rgba(79,209,165,.14)}
+  .mockup .window-bar .npub{color:var(--mut);font-size:11px;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;margin-left:12px}
+  .mockup .npub b{color:var(--sky)}
+  .mockup .app{display:grid;grid-template-columns:220px 1fr;min-height:420px}
+  @media (max-width:620px){.mockup .app{grid-template-columns:1fr}.mockup .side{display:none}}
+  .mockup .side{background:var(--panel2);border-right:1px solid var(--line);display:flex;flex-direction:column}
+  .mockup .side-head{padding:10px 12px;display:flex;gap:6px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
+  .mockup .side-head input{flex:1;background:var(--bg);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:6px;padding:6px 9px;color:var(--mut);font-size:12px}
+  .mockup .side-head button{background:var(--sky);color:#06111a;border:none;padding:0 12px;border-radius:6px;font-weight:700;cursor:pointer}
+  .mockup .contact{display:flex;gap:10px;align-items:center;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);cursor:pointer}
+  .mockup .contact.active{background:rgba(56,189,248,.08)}
+  .mockup .contact .avatar{width:34px;height:34px;border-radius:50%;background:#243040;display:grid;place-items:center;font-size:11px;color:var(--ink);font-weight:600}
+  .mockup .contact .meta{flex:1;min-width:0}
+  .mockup .contact .name{font-size:13px;color:var(--ink);font-weight:600}
+  .mockup .contact .last{font-size:11px;color:var(--mut);white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}
+  .mockup .contact .badge{background:var(--sky);color:#06111a;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;padding:1px 7px;border-radius:999px}
+  .mockup .thread{display:flex;flex-direction:column;background:var(--bg)}
+  .mockup .thread-head{padding:12px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);display:flex;align-items:center;gap:12px}
+  .mockup .thread-head .name{font-weight:600;font-size:13px}
+  .mockup .thread-head .pk{font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;color:var(--mut)}
+  .mockup .thread-body{flex:1;padding:14px 16px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:6px}
+  .mockup .bubble{max-width:70%;padding:7px 11px;border-radius:14px;font-size:13px;line-height:1.4}
+  .mockup .bubble.in{background:#1d2634;align-self:flex-start;border-bottom-left-radius:4px}
+  .mockup .bubble.out{background:#0d2a3a;align-self:flex-end;border-bottom-right-radius:4px;color:#d9ecfa}
+  .mockup .bubble .time{display:block;font-size:10px;color:var(--dim);margin-top:3px}
+  .mockup .compose{display:flex;gap:8px;padding:10px 14px;border-top:1px solid var(--line);background:var(--panel)}
+  .mockup .compose input{flex:1;background:var(--bg);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 11px;color:var(--mut);font-size:13px}
+  .mockup .compose button{background:var(--sky);color:#06111a;border:none;padding:0 18px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer}
+  .mockup-caption{text-align:center;color:var(--dim);font-size:12px;margin-top:-.5rem;margin-bottom:1.5rem}
+</style>
 </head>
 <body>
 
@@ -45,6 +85,53 @@
   </div>
 </header>
 
+<div class="mockup" aria-label="Messenger UI preview">
+  <div class="window-bar">
+    <div class="dot"></div><div class="dot"></div><div class="dot"></div>
+    <div class="title">Hermes · hermes.x/messenger</div>
+    <span class="npub">your npub: <b>npub1ab…z89</b></span>
+    <span class="status">1/1 relay</span>
+  </div>
+  <div class="app">
+    <aside class="side">
+      <div class="side-head"><input value="Search contacts…" readonly><button>+</button></div>
+      <div class="contact">
+        <div class="avatar">AL</div>
+        <div class="meta"><div class="name">alice</div><div class="last">you: see you tomorrow</div></div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="contact active">
+        <div class="avatar">BO</div>
+        <div class="meta"><div class="name">bob</div><div class="last">great, send me the link</div></div>
+        <div class="badge">2</div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="contact">
+        <div class="avatar">TE</div>
+        <div class="meta"><div class="name">test</div><div class="last">chipnet is working</div></div>
+      </div>
+    </aside>
+    <section class="thread">
+      <div class="thread-head">
+        <div>
+          <div class="name">bob</div>
+          <div class="pk">023bf8c1…9ad2</div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="thread-body">
+        <div class="bubble in">hey, did you register your name yet?<span class="time">11:38</span></div>
+        <div class="bubble out">just now — bob.x is live<span class="time">11:40</span></div>
+        <div class="bubble in">nice. send me the hermes.x link<span class="time">11:42</span></div>
+        <div class="bubble out">https://hermes.x/messenger<span class="time">11:43</span></div>
+        <div class="bubble in">great, send me the link<span class="time">11:44</span></div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="compose">
+        <input value="Message…" readonly>
+        <button>Send</button>
+      </div>
+    </section>
+  </div>
+</div>
+<div class="mockup-caption">Inside Theseus today · browser-side webapp in progress</div>
+
 <div class="wrap narrow">
 
 <section class="plain">