.material-stories {
  /* Reader clay is the governed text accent: #8f5330 on light putty and
     #d69a6f on dark navy both clear WCAG AA for these small labels. */
  --material-story-accent-text: var(--reader-clay, var(--accent-text, #8f5330));
  width: min(100% - 2 * var(--section-x, 24px), 1180px);
  margin: clamp(2.5rem, 7vw, 5.5rem) auto;
  padding: clamp(1.4rem, 4vw, 3rem);
  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--ink, #23211e) 12%, transparent);
  border-radius: var(--r-outer, 24px);
  background:
    radial-gradient(circle at 100% 0, color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent, #9c8a5a) 13%, transparent), transparent 38%),
    var(--ground-alt, #f5f2ec);
  box-shadow: var(--shadow-card, 0 18px 48px rgba(35, 33, 30, .08));
}

.material-stories__header { max-width: 760px; }
.material-stories__eyebrow {
  margin: 0 0 .7rem;
  color: var(--material-story-accent-text);
  font-family: var(--font-mono, ui-monospace, monospace);
  font-size: .72rem;
  font-weight: 750;
  letter-spacing: .13em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}
.material-stories h2 {
  max-width: 19ch;
  margin: 0;
  color: var(--ink, #23211e);
  font-family: var(--font-display, Georgia, serif);
  font-size: clamp(2rem, 4.8vw, 4rem);
  font-weight: 500;
  line-height: .98;
  letter-spacing: -.035em;
}
.material-stories__lead {
  max-width: 68ch;
  margin: 1rem 0 0;
  color: var(--ink-secondary, #5d5952);
  line-height: 1.65;
}
.material-stories__grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
  gap: 1px;
  margin: clamp(1.6rem, 4vw, 2.8rem) 0 0;
  padding: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--ink, #23211e) 11%, transparent);
  border-radius: var(--r-inner, 16px);
  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--ink, #23211e) 11%, transparent);
  list-style: none;
}
.material-stories__item { min-width: 0; background: var(--ground, #fbfaf7); }
.material-stories__item:last-child:nth-child(odd) { grid-column: 1 / -1; }
.material-stories__card {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-rows: auto auto 1fr auto;
  min-height: 100%;
  padding: clamp(1.1rem, 3vw, 1.8rem);
  color: inherit;
  text-decoration: none;
  transition: background-color var(--dur-micro, 160ms) ease, color var(--dur-micro, 160ms) ease;
}
.material-stories__number {
  color: var(--material-story-accent-text);
  font-family: var(--font-mono, ui-monospace, monospace);
  font-size: .72rem;
  font-weight: 750;
  letter-spacing: .12em;
}
.material-stories__card h3 {
  margin: .75rem 0 .55rem;
  color: var(--ink, #23211e);
  font-size: clamp(1.15rem, 2vw, 1.45rem);
  line-height: 1.15;
}
.material-stories__card p {
  margin: 0;
  color: var(--ink-secondary, #5d5952);
  font-size: .94rem;
  line-height: 1.58;
}
.material-stories__cta {
  align-self: end;
  margin-top: 1.25rem;
  color: var(--material-story-accent-text);
  font-size: .82rem;
  font-weight: 750;
  line-height: 1.35;
}
.material-stories__card:hover { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent, #9c8a5a) 7%, var(--ground, #fbfaf7)); }
.material-stories__card:focus-visible {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  outline: 3px solid var(--material-story-accent-text);
  outline-offset: -4px;
}
.material-stories__question { margin: 1rem 0 0; }
.material-stories__question a {
  display: inline-flex;
  min-height: 44px;
  align-items: center;
  gap: .45rem;
  color: var(--material-story-accent-text);
  font-weight: 750;
  line-height: 1.35;
  text-underline-offset: .2em;
}
.material-stories__question a:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--material-story-accent-text);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

@media (max-width: 700px) {
  .material-stories { width: 100%; padding: 1.25rem; border-radius: var(--r-inner, 16px); }
  .material-stories__grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
  .material-stories__item:last-child:nth-child(odd) { grid-column: auto; }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .material-stories__card { transition: none; }
}