diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index f5f5742..68b7a4f 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -4,8 +4,20 @@
     <meta charset="utf-8" />
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
     <meta name="theme-color" content="#0e0a14" />
+    <style>
+      /* Critical CSS: paint the branded loading screen instantly from static
+         HTML, before the JS bundle loads & React mounts. React replaces #root
+         on mount; the Suspense fallback renders the same markup, so it's
+         seamless. Mirrors .app-loading in styles.css. */
+      html, body { margin: 0; background: #07060c; }
+      .app-loading { position: fixed; inset: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 16px; background: radial-gradient(circle at 50% 38%, #160d22, #07060c 70%); }
+      .app-loading-gem { width: 28px; height: 28px; background: linear-gradient(135deg, #5fe6ff, #1f86c4); box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px #07273a, 0 0 22px rgba(39, 216, 255, 0.5); animation: app-pulse 1.3s ease-in-out infinite; }
+      .app-loading-word { font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; color: #f3d27a; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 2px; opacity: 0.85; }
+      @keyframes app-pulse { 0%, 100% { transform: rotate(45deg) scale(1); opacity: 0.7; } 50% { transform: rotate(45deg) scale(1.16); opacity: 1; } }
+      @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .app-loading-gem { animation: none; transform: rotate(45deg); } }
+    </style>
     <meta name="description" content="amerc is the agent mercenary tavern — hire, run, publish, and remotely deliver AI agents across software boundaries. No infrastructure, just skills." />
-    <meta name="version" content="0.84.0-quality" />
+    <meta name="version" content="0.85.0-fastpaint" />
     <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.svg" type="image/svg+xml" />
     <link rel="icon" href="/app-192.png" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" />
     <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png" />
@@ -56,7 +68,7 @@
     </script>
   </head>
   <body>
-    <div id="root"></div>
+    <div id="root"><div class="app-loading"><span class="app-loading-gem" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="app-loading-word">amerc</span></div></div>
     <script type="module" src="/src/main.jsx"></script>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 295de07..f789090 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "amerc-site",
-  "version": "0.84.0-quality",
+  "version": "0.85.0-fastpaint",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/Scene2D.jsx b/src/Scene2D.jsx
index b5eac90..eaed03d 100644
--- a/src/Scene2D.jsx
+++ b/src/Scene2D.jsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { api } from './api.js';
 const Menu = ({ size = 20 }) => (<svg width={size} height={size} viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" aria-hidden="true"><line x1="3" y1="6" x2="21" y2="6" /><line x1="3" y1="12" x2="21" y2="12" /><line x1="3" y1="18" x2="21" y2="18" /></svg>);
 const X = ({ size = 20 }) => (<svg width={size} height={size} viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" aria-hidden="true"><line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18" /><line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18" /></svg>);
 
-const RELEASE = '0.84.0-quality';
+const RELEASE = '0.85.0-fastpaint';
 
 const NAV = [
   { id: 'home', label: 'Tavern' },
