.story-path {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  width: min(100%, 760px);
  margin-right: auto;
  margin-left: auto;
  padding: 1.5rem 1.8rem 1.65rem;
  border: 1px solid rgba(148, 96, 43, 0.66);
  outline: 1px solid rgba(255, 246, 211, 0.68);
  outline-offset: -7px;
  color: #4b3327;
  background:
    radial-gradient(circle at 50% 0, rgba(255, 248, 217, 0.58), transparent 55%),
    linear-gradient(145deg, rgba(235, 214, 162, 0.88), rgba(218, 188, 127, 0.78));
  box-shadow: 0 14px 30px rgba(74, 43, 23, 0.2);
  text-align: center;
}

.story-path::before,
.story-path::after {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0.72rem;
  color: rgba(132, 82, 34, 0.58);
  content: "◆";
  font-size: 0.56rem;
}

.story-path::before {
  left: 0.85rem;
}

.story-path::after {
  right: 0.85rem;
}

.story-path-before {
  margin-top: -0.6rem;
  margin-bottom: 2.8rem;
}

.story-path-next {
  width: min(100%, 720px);
  margin-top: 2.3rem;
  padding-top: 1.7rem;
  padding-bottom: 1.8rem;
}

.story-path-eyebrow {
  margin: 0 0 0.65rem;
  color: #7a4b25;
  font-family: var(--sans);
  font-size: 0.66rem;
  font-weight: 800;
  letter-spacing: 0.18em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.story-path-copy {
  max-width: 610px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  color: #4d3528;
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: 1.08rem;
  line-height: 1.55;
}

.story-path-copy cite {
  color: #3b281f;
  font-style: normal;
  font-weight: 700;
}

.story-path-next h2 {
  margin: 0 0 0.6rem;
  color: #39271f;
  font-size: clamp(1.8rem, 3.7vw, 2.75rem);
  line-height: 1.05;
  text-wrap: balance;
}

.story-path-next .story-path-copy {
  max-width: 580px;
  font-size: 1.05rem;
  line-height: 1.5;
}

.story-path-actions {
  margin-top: 1.1rem;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  gap: 1rem 1.25rem;
}

.story-path-action {
  min-height: 42px;
  padding: 0.75rem 1.35rem;
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  border-radius: 7px;
  color: #fff0b5;
  background: url("notice-action-plaque.webp") center / 100% 100% no-repeat;
  filter: drop-shadow(0 5px 6px rgba(56, 34, 21, 0.34));
  font-family: var(--sans);
  font-size: 0.68rem;
  font-weight: 800;
  letter-spacing: 0.045em;
  text-decoration: none;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.story-path-action:hover,
.story-path-action:focus-visible {
  filter: brightness(1.13) drop-shadow(0 7px 8px rgba(56, 34, 21, 0.42));
}

.story-path-next .story-path-action {
  margin-top: 1.05rem;
  padding-right: 1.55rem;
  padding-left: 1.55rem;
}

.story-path-skip {
  padding: 0.55rem 0.1rem 0.42rem;
  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(122, 75, 37, 0.5);
  color: #6b4324;
  font-family: var(--sans);
  font-size: 0.7rem;
  font-weight: 800;
  letter-spacing: 0.055em;
  text-decoration: none;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.story-path-skip:hover,
.story-path-skip:focus-visible {
  color: #3f291b;
  border-bottom-color: currentColor;
}

.reader-nav a {
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  gap: 0.22rem;
}

.reader-nav a:last-child {
  align-items: flex-end;
}

.reader-nav-kicker {
  color: rgba(248, 237, 201, 0.58);
  font-size: 0.56rem;
  font-weight: 800;
  letter-spacing: 0.12em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.reader-nav-title {
  color: var(--gold-light);
}

@media (max-width: 640px) {
  .story-path-before {
    margin-top: -0.25rem;
    margin-bottom: 2rem;
    padding: 1.3rem 1.15rem 1.45rem;
  }

  .story-path-copy {
    font-size: 1rem;
    line-height: 1.48;
  }

  .story-path-actions {
    flex-direction: column;
    gap: 0.7rem;
  }

  .story-path-action {
    width: min(100%, 290px);
  }

  .story-path-next {
    margin-top: 1.7rem;
    padding: 1.4rem 1.1rem 1.55rem;
  }

  .story-path-next h2 {
    font-size: 1.75rem;
  }

  .story-path-next .story-path-copy {
    font-size: 1rem;
    line-height: 1.48;
  }

  .story-path-next .story-path-action {
    width: min(100%, 250px);
  }

  .reader-nav a:last-child {
    align-items: center;
  }
}