diff --git a/lore/vocabulary.yaml b/lore/vocabulary.yaml
index 1f992e9..b638b18 100644
--- a/lore/vocabulary.yaml
+++ b/lore/vocabulary.yaml
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ locations:
     - Bridgefoot Square
 
   inn:
-    - The Broken Compass
+    - The Willowing Pig
     - The Crooked Lantern
     - The Mended Drum
     - The Dusty Heel
@@ -151,22 +151,21 @@ locations:
     - The Ember & Stone
 
   village:
-    - Cinder Ford
-    - Greymoss Crossing
-    - Tallow's End
-    - Ashwick
-    - Breckfen
-    - Moldvale
-    - Harrow's Gate
-    - Dunford
-    - Saltmere
-    - Edgemarsh
+    - Mardsville
+    - Barristown
+    - Veldra's Maw
+    - Mardonar City
+    - Wildwood Forest
 
   road:
-    - the Pilgrim's Switchback
-    - the Ridge Road
-    - the Goat Track
-    - the Sheercliff Path
-    - the High Drove
-    - the Ironway
-    - the Mossback Trail
+    - the King's Road
+    - the Vampires Trail
+    - 3 Heads Crossing
+    - Gloaming Pass
+
+  forest:
+    - Wildwood Forest
+    - The Whispering Woods
+    - The Gloaming Thicket
+    - The Shadowgrove
+    - The Eldertree Vale
diff --git a/specs/mawfang-pursuit.yaml b/specs/mawfang-pursuit.yaml
index 5074cff..fe07239 100644
--- a/specs/mawfang-pursuit.yaml
+++ b/specs/mawfang-pursuit.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 encounterId: "mawfang-pursuit-001"
 title: "Unwelcome Guests"
+
+# Group encounters (Feature D) — solo scene, explicit for documentation.
+# Default would be 1; explicit value documents the author's intent.
+minPlayers: 2
+
 tone: "tense"
 
 setting:
diff --git a/specs/old-friend-bad-timing.yaml b/specs/old-friend-bad-timing.yaml
index 298b859..a777399 100644
--- a/specs/old-friend-bad-timing.yaml
+++ b/specs/old-friend-bad-timing.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ encounterId: "old-friend-bad-timing"
 
 title: "Old Friend, Bad Timing"
 
+# Group encounters (Feature D) — solo scene, explicit for documentation.
+# Default would be 1; explicit value documents the author's intent.
+minPlayers: 3
+
 setting:
   location: "Lonespear Tavern — Barristown's harbor quarter"
   mood: >
diff --git a/specs/the-clock-maker.yaml b/specs/the-clock-maker.yaml
index b8ab24e..42febd7 100644
--- a/specs/the-clock-maker.yaml
+++ b/specs/the-clock-maker.yaml
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ title: "The Clock Maker"
 # tone — LLM READS (narration flavor) + BOT ENFORCES (drop-notice string).
 tone: "grim"
 
+# Group encounters (Feature D) — solo scene, explicit for documentation.
+# Default would be 1; explicit value documents the author's intent.
+minPlayers: 1
+
 # setting — LLM READS. Three strings grounding the scene.
 setting:
   # location — where the scene happens. One line.
@@ -147,6 +151,38 @@ skillChecks:
     it alone — the party must find the right action first; this is the
     resolution roll once they have.
 
+  # The returning customer's 15-minute deadline (see Hale / persona) is a
+  # narrative urgency cue by default. If the LLM wants it as a real
+  # engine-driven timer (Feature A), it may emit skill_check_emit with
+  # durationSeconds: 900 against calm_returning_customer — the timeout
+  # path then becomes bot-enforced auto-fail, not a narration-only beat.
+  # Spec-author opt-in; not required.
+
+# Passive skill reveals (Feature B) — bot-applied at encounter start,
+# group-visible, attributed to the qualifying player. threshold is a passive
+# DC (integer); revealText is outcome prose only — no dice results (the bot
+# owns dice). Thresholds gate roughly half the party, consistent with the PRD
+# Feature B tone for the clock-maker's "something is wrong" entry point.
+passiveReveals:
+  - skill: "Perception"
+    threshold: 13
+    revealText: >
+      Notices the clocks in the shop are not keeping the same time. Three of
+      them are five minutes apart, and a fourth has stopped — but its second
+      hand is still moving.
+
+  - skill: "Insight"
+    threshold: 14
+    revealText: >
+      Reads something rehearsed in the clock-maker's warmth. He is performing
+      friendliness the way a stage magician performs ease with the deck.
+
+  - skill: "Investigation"
+    threshold: 12
+    revealText: >
+      Spots a thin line of dust on the shelf where a clock once sat. The empty
+      place is the size of a pocket-watch. The shop keeps no receipts.
+
 # randomizable — BOT ENFORCES. Fields that vary per run. Name draws bind to
 # npc.nameKey (fresh names each run); cursed_ware seeds the specific ware.
 # source: vocabulary + category route name draws to the vocabulary namespace.
@@ -180,6 +216,9 @@ tools:
   - goal_register          # LLM emits to add an off-rails goal mid-encounter.
   - foundry_lookup         # LLM emits to surface a linked player's live Foundry stats.
   - foundry_reward         # LLM emits to award XP/items via the Foundry relay.
+  # NOTE: skill_check_group_emit (Feature C) is intentionally absent. The
+  # clock-maker is a solo scene (minPlayers: 1); there is no group to check
+  # against. The timed-check opt-in on break_curse_note uses the solo emit.
 
 # dmNotes — LLM READS. Author framing for the DM's intent (stakes, feel,
 # escalation). Not rules the LLM mechanically follows.
@@ -196,5 +235,21 @@ dmNotes: >
   return a lethal clock; use them to break the dithering and raise the stakes.
   Their fifteen-minute deadline is urgency to narrate, not a real-time timer.
 
+  NEW CAPABILITIES (group-encounters feature set, 2026-06-20):
+  The opening beat of the clock-maker scene is a "something is wrong"
+  pre-roll moment; lean on the three passiveReveals above (Perception,
+  Insight, Investigation) to surface clues in the opening lines without
+  waiting for the LLM-emitted checks. Bot applies them automatically at
+  encounter start, group-visible, attributed to the qualifying player —
+  the LLM should weave their revealText into the scene as it unfolds,
+  not announce them as a list.
+
+  For the returning customer's deadline: the original framing is "urgency
+  to narrate, not a real-time timer," and that remains the default. The
+  LLM may, at its discretion, opt into the new timed-skill-check path
+  (durationSeconds: 900 on calm_returning_customer) if the table wants
+  the deadline to be engine-enforced rather than narrative-pace. The
+  spec does not require it; it gives the LLM permission.
+
 # xpReward — BOT ENFORCES. Flat XP to all participants on resolution.
 xpReward: 50
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/bot/handlers/lobbyHandler.ts b/src/bot/handlers/lobbyHandler.ts
index 62a15d2..7568e58 100644
--- a/src/bot/handlers/lobbyHandler.ts
+++ b/src/bot/handlers/lobbyHandler.ts
@@ -91,8 +91,13 @@ async function handleStartBtn(interaction: ButtonInteraction, channel: RollChann
   }
 
   await clearLobby(threadId);
+  // Close the lobby UI: update the lobby embed in place to the begin
+  // announcement (drops the Join/Begin buttons so they don't stay stale) BEFORE
+  // the opening narrative, so the thread reads announcement → opening.
+  await interaction.update({ content: '🗡️  The gathering has set out — the encounter begins!', embeds: [], components: [] }).catch(() => null);
+  // Rename the thread to signal the lobby is closed + the encounter is underway.
+  if (channel.isThread()) await (channel as ThreadChannel).setName(`⚔️ ${resolvedSpec.title} — underway`).catch(() => null);
   await beginEncounter(channel as ThreadChannel, resolvedSpec, resolvedContext, npcMemories, lobby.guildId, lobby.specName, players);
-  await interaction.reply({ content: '🗡️  The gathering has set out — the encounter begins!' }).catch(() => null);
 }
 
 async function handleCancel(interaction: ButtonInteraction, channel: RollChannel, threadId: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -106,6 +111,7 @@ async function handleCancel(interaction: ButtonInteraction, channel: RollChannel
     return;
   }
   await clearLobby(threadId);
+  if (channel.isThread()) await (channel as ThreadChannel).setName(`⚔️ ${lobby.title} — cancelled`).catch(() => null);
   await interaction.update({ content: '❌  The gathering was cancelled.', embeds: [], components: [] }).catch(() => null);
   if (channel.isThread()) await channel.setArchived(true).catch(() => null);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/graphmcp/loreResolver.ts b/src/graphmcp/loreResolver.ts
index 849ffad..c5e5ba9 100644
--- a/src/graphmcp/loreResolver.ts
+++ b/src/graphmcp/loreResolver.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,19 @@ import type { RandomizableItem } from '../types/index.js';
  * Returns a flat Record<key, resolvedValue> ready to store in session state
  * and inject into the system prompt.
  */
+
+// Lore-index chunks (the "All NPCs" overview, category lists, etc.) are
+// encyclopedia navigation, not usable VALUES for a prose placeholder. They leak
+// "[[wiki-link]]" lists + "Overview/Entries" headers into interpolated text
+// (Bug 1: a disposition placeholder resolved to the NPC index). Skip them and
+// prefer a real content chunk, or fall back.
+function isIndexLike(content: string): boolean {
+  const head = content.trimStart().slice(0, 64).toLowerCase();
+  if (/^(overview|entries|index|contents|categories)\b/.test(head)) return true;
+  const linkCount = (content.match(/\[\[[^\]]+\]\]/g) ?? []).length;
+  return linkCount >= 2; // a value chunk rarely has 2+ wiki-links; an index does
+}
+
 export async function resolveRandomizables(
   items: RandomizableItem[],
 ): Promise<Record<string, string>> {
@@ -30,7 +43,8 @@ export async function resolveRandomizables(
       try {
         const result = await semanticSearch(item.query, config.GRAPHMCP_NPC_MEMORY_LIMIT);
         const candidates = (result.chunks ?? [])
-          .filter(c => c.score > config.GRAPHMCP_SCORE_THRESHOLD);
+          .filter(c => c.score > config.GRAPHMCP_SCORE_THRESHOLD)
+          .filter(c => !isIndexLike(c.content));
 
         if (candidates.length > 0) {
           // Pick randomly so repeated starts of the same spec feel different
diff --git a/tests/integration/graphmcp/group-encounter-live.test.ts b/tests/integration/graphmcp/group-encounter-live.test.ts
index 4749801..0e11784 100644
--- a/tests/integration/graphmcp/group-encounter-live.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/graphmcp/group-encounter-live.test.ts
@@ -169,9 +169,11 @@ describe.skipIf(!runE2E)('Multiplayer live E2E — MVP (2 player-bots, driving t
     expect(seatsField(lobbyMsg2), 'seats met').toContain('min 2 met');
     expect(beginDisabled(lobbyMsg2), 'Begin enabled at min').toBe(false);
 
-    // Begin the encounter from the lobby.
+    // Begin the encounter from the lobby. Pass the lobby messageId so
+    // interaction.update EDITS THE REAL lobby embed (Bug 3a: it must be closed
+    // in place — no stale Join/Begin buttons — and show the begin announcement).
     await handleLobbyInteraction(
-      fakeButton(thread!, 'lobby_start', player1Id, 'Player1').interaction,
+      fakeButton(thread!, 'lobby_start', player1Id, 'Player1', lobby0!.messageId).interaction,
       bots.botClient,
     );
     const session = await waitFor(
@@ -185,6 +187,19 @@ describe.skipIf(!runE2E)('Multiplayer live E2E — MVP (2 player-bots, driving t
     expect(Object.keys(session!.players), 'both player-bots are in the roster').toEqual(
       expect.arrayContaining([player1Id, player2Id]),
     );
+    // Bug 3a: the lobby embed is closed in place — buttons removed + announcement.
+    const closedLobby = await thread!.messages.fetch(lobby0!.messageId!);
+    expect((closedLobby.components ?? []).length, 'lobby buttons removed on Begin').toBe(0);
+    expect(closedLobby.content, 'lobby embed replaced by the begin announcement').toContain('gathering has set out');
+    // Bug 3b: the thread is renamed to indicate the lobby is closed.
+    const renamed = await waitFor(
+      async () => {
+        const t = await bots.channel.threads.fetch(threadId!).catch(() => null);
+        return t && t.name.includes('underway') ? t : null;
+      },
+      { timeoutMs: 15_000, intervalMs: 500 },
+    );
+    expect(renamed!.name, 'thread renamed on Begin').toContain('underway');
   }, 180_000);
 
   // AC-9 — 2 real chat turns routed through handleMessage (👀 reaction = routed) ──
diff --git a/tests/unit/loreResolver.test.ts b/tests/unit/loreResolver.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa9446d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/loreResolver.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { vi, describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+
+const { mockSemanticSearch } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ mockSemanticSearch: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock('../../src/graphmcp/client.js', () => ({
+  semanticSearch: mockSemanticSearch,
+  queryAsNPC: vi.fn(),
+  formatNPCMemory: vi.fn(),
+  logEncounter: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+}));
+
+const { mockVocab } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ mockVocab: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock('../../src/graphmcp/vocabularyResolver.js', () => ({
+  sampleFromVocabulary: mockVocab,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../src/config.js', () => ({
+  config: { GRAPHMCP_NPC_MEMORY_LIMIT: 5, GRAPHMCP_SCORE_THRESHOLD: 0.68 },
+}));
+
+import { resolveRandomizables } from '../../src/graphmcp/loreResolver.js';
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  mockSemanticSearch.mockReset();
+  mockVocab.mockReset();
+});
+
+describe('resolveRandomizables — skips lore-index chunks (Bug 1)', () => {
+  it('does NOT use a lore-index chunk (Overview + [[links]]) as a value; picks a normal chunk', async () => {
+    mockSemanticSearch.mockResolvedValue({
+      chunks: [
+        {
+          content:
+            'Overview All named characters in the Land of Mardonar. Entries Rulers & Nobility - [[King Mardonarious]] — ruler of the land - [[Prince of Mardonia]] — heir',
+          score: 0.95,
+        },
+        { content: 'drunk, and looking for the people who cheated him at dice three weeks back', score: 0.7 },
+      ],
+    });
+    const out = await resolveRandomizables([{ key: 'disp', query: 'a reason', fallback: 'drunk' }]);
+    expect(out.disp).toContain('drunk');
+    expect(out.disp, 'no wiki-link index text leaks into the value').not.toContain('[[');
+    expect(out.disp).not.toMatch(/^Overview/);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back when only index-like chunks are returned', async () => {
+    mockSemanticSearch.mockResolvedValue({
+      chunks: [{ content: 'Entries - [[A]] - [[B]] - [[C]]', score: 0.9 }],
+    });
+    const out = await resolveRandomizables([{ key: 'disp', query: 'x', fallback: 'sober' }]);
+    expect(out.disp).toBe('sober');
+  });
+
+  it('uses a normal lore chunk (a relic description) as a value', async () => {
+    mockSemanticSearch.mockResolvedValue({
+      chunks: [{ content: 'the Crimson Relic of Emberloc, a bloodstone carved with ancestral battle runes', score: 0.8 }],
+    });
+    const out = await resolveRandomizables([{ key: 'item', query: 'a relic', fallback: 'a stone' }]);
+    expect(out.item).toContain('Crimson Relic');
+  });
+
+  it('falls back when semanticSearch returns nothing above threshold', async () => {
+    mockSemanticSearch.mockResolvedValue({ chunks: [{ content: 'x', score: 0.2 }] });
+    const out = await resolveRandomizables([{ key: 'k', query: 'q', fallback: 'fb' }]);
+    expect(out.k).toBe('fb');
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file