diff --git a/client/scripts/theme/palette.gd b/client/scripts/theme/palette.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..401ef83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/scripts/theme/palette.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+class_name Palette
+extends RefCounted
+## The single source of truth for every colour token (mockups README, "Color
+## tokens"). §2: presentation — owns no state. No hex literal may live anywhere
+## else in the client; every script, shader, and the Theme builder reads here.
+
+# --- Dark backgrounds ---
+const STAGE_1 := Color("0a0806")
+const STAGE_2 := Color("0f0d0b")
+const BAY_STRIPE_A := Color("26221c")
+const BAY_STRIPE_B := Color("221e18")
+const DARK_PANEL_70 := Color("120f0b", 0.7)
+const DARK_PANEL_85 := Color("0e0b09", 0.85)
+const DARK_PANEL_90 := Color("0a0806", 0.9)
+# border ladder, light -> dark
+const BORDER_1 := Color("6b6152")
+const BORDER_2 := Color("5a5348")
+const BORDER_3 := Color("4a4238")
+const BORDER_4 := Color("3a352e")
+const BORDER_5 := Color("1a1512")
+
+# --- Parchment ---
+const SHEET_TOP := Color("ece2ca")
+const SHEET_BOTTOM := Color("e4d8bd")
+const LOG_TOP := Color("e7dcc4")
+const LOG_BOTTOM := Color("ddd0b2")
+const PARCHMENT_CARD := Color("f1e8d2")
+const PARCHMENT_INSET := Color("e6d9b8")
+const PARCHMENT_INSET_2 := Color("d9c9a2")
+const PARCHMENT_BORDER := Color("bfa878")
+const PARCHMENT_BORDER_2 := Color("cbb684")
+const PARCHMENT_BORDER_3 := Color("a99464")
+const TAB_INACTIVE_BG := Color("efe6cf")
+
+# --- Ink (text on parchment) ---
+const INK_HEADING := Color("3a2f1c")
+const INK_HEADING_2 := Color("4a3520")
+const INK_BODY := Color("4a3f2c")
+const INK_MUTED := Color("6a5a3a")
+const INK_LABEL := Color("5a4326")
+const INK_GOLD := Color("8f6a2a")
+
+# --- Text on dark ---
+const CREAM := Color("e8ddc8")
+const CREAM_BRIGHT := Color("f0e6d0")
+const CREAM_SECONDARY := Color("c9bda3")
+const MUTED_MONO := Color("9a8f78")
+const MUTED_MONO_DIM := Color("7a7060")
+
+# --- Accents (muted for grit) ---
+const BLOOD := Color("8f3a34")        # core CTA / danger / selection / enemies
+const BLOOD_BRIGHT := Color("b8524a") # hover
+const BLOOD_DARK := Color("7a2f29")   # CTA gradient bottom
+const GOLD := Color("a9843f")         # highlight / currency / current-turn
+const GOLD_BRIGHT := Color("c8963f")
+const STEEL := Color("5f8a9a")        # allies / mana
+const STEEL_BLUE := Color("4f7ab8")
+const STEEL_DEEP := Color("243f6f")
+const GREEN := Color("5f8a4f")        # stamina / success / cleared
+
+# --- Stat bars ---
+const HP_A := Color("b8524a")
+const HP_B := Color("8f3a34")
+const MP_A := Color("4f7ab8")
+const MP_B := Color("243f6f")
+const STAMINA := Color("8f9a4f")
+const BAR_TRACK := Color("2a251f")
+const BAR_BORDER := Color("4a4238")
+
+# --- Rarity (ordered common..legendary) ---
+const RARITY: Array[Color] = [
+	Color("8a8378"),  # 0 common
+	Color("5f8a4f"),  # 1 uncommon
+	Color("4f7ab8"),  # 2 rare
+	Color("8a5fb8"),  # 3 epic
+	Color("c8963f"),  # 4 legendary
+]
+
+
+static func rarity_color(rarity: int) -> Color:
+	return RARITY[clampi(rarity, 0, RARITY.size() - 1)]
+
+
+static func stat_bar(kind: StringName) -> Array:
+	match kind:
+		&"hp": return [HP_A, HP_B]
+		&"mp": return [MP_A, MP_B]
+		&"stamina": return [STAMINA, STAMINA]
+		_: return [MUTED_MONO, MUTED_MONO_DIM]
diff --git a/client/tests/unit/test_palette.gd b/client/tests/unit/test_palette.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8bddb80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/tests/unit/test_palette.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+extends "res://addons/gut/test.gd"
+
+const Palette = preload("res://scripts/theme/palette.gd")
+
+
+func test_core_tokens_are_colors():
+	assert_true(Palette.BLOOD is Color)
+	assert_true(Palette.GOLD is Color)
+	assert_true(Palette.PARCHMENT_CARD is Color)
+	assert_true(Palette.CREAM is Color)
+
+
+func test_blood_core_matches_readme_hex():
+	# #8f3a34 — the primary CTA / danger / selection red.
+	assert_eq(Palette.BLOOD, Color("8f3a34"))
+
+
+func test_dark_panel_is_translucent():
+	assert_almost_eq(Palette.DARK_PANEL_70.a, 0.7, 0.01)
+
+
+func test_rarity_ladder_has_five_ordered_colors():
+	assert_eq(Palette.RARITY.size(), 5)
+	assert_eq(Palette.rarity_color(0), Color("8a8378"))   # common
+	assert_eq(Palette.rarity_color(4), Color("c8963f"))   # legendary
+
+
+func test_rarity_color_clamps_out_of_range():
+	# Out-of-range must NOT index-error (would emit an engine error -> fail).
+	assert_eq(Palette.rarity_color(-3), Palette.RARITY[0])
+	assert_eq(Palette.rarity_color(99), Palette.RARITY[4])
+
+
+func test_stat_bar_returns_from_to_pair():
+	var hp = Palette.stat_bar(&"hp")
+	assert_eq(hp.size(), 2)
+	assert_eq(hp[0], Color("b8524a"))
+	assert_eq(hp[1], Color("8f3a34"))
+
+
+func test_stat_bar_unknown_kind_is_safe():
+	# Unknown kind returns a grey pair, never null / error.
+	var pair = Palette.stat_bar(&"nonsense")
+	assert_eq(pair.size(), 2)
+	assert_true(pair[0] is Color)