.how {
  position: relative;
  padding-block: clamp(4rem, 8vh, 7.2rem);
}

.how__header {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: var(--space-5);
  margin-bottom: clamp(3.5rem, 8vh, 6rem);
}

.how__eyebrow {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: var(--space-3);
  font-size: var(--fs-micro);
  letter-spacing: normal;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--color-text-muted);
}
.how__eyebrow-mark { color: var(--color-gold); }
.how__eyebrow-divider {
  display: inline-block;
  width: 32px;
  height: 1px;
  background: var(--color-gold);
}

.how__headline {
  font-family: var(--font-serif), serif;
  font-size: clamp(2rem, 4vw, 3.25rem);
  font-weight: var(--fw-regular);
  line-height: 1.12;
  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
  color: var(--color-text);
  
  max-width: 820px;
  text-wrap: balance;
}

.how__timeline {
  position: relative;
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
  gap: clamp(2rem, 4vw, 3.5rem);
}

.how__timeline::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  top: 28px;     
  height: 1px;
  background: linear-gradient(
    to right,
    transparent 0%,
    var(--hairline-gold) 10%,
    var(--hairline-gold) 90%,
    transparent 100%
  );
  z-index: 0;
}

.how__stage {
  position: relative;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: var(--space-4);
  padding-top: 60px;  
}

.how__stage::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  top: 22px;
  left: 0;
  width: 13px;
  height: 13px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--color-bg);
  border: 1px solid var(--color-gold);
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px var(--color-bg),
              0 0 24px var(--color-gold-glow);
  z-index: 1;
  transition: background var(--dur-med) var(--ease-out),
              box-shadow var(--dur-med) var(--ease-out);
}

.how__stage:hover::before {
  background: var(--color-gold);
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px var(--color-bg),
              0 0 36px var(--color-gold);
}

.how__stage-number {
  font-family: var(--font-serif), serif;
  font-size: clamp(2.5rem, 4.5vw, 3.75rem);
  font-weight: var(--fw-light);
  line-height: 1;
  letter-spacing: -0.02em;
  background: linear-gradient(
    180deg,
    #FBFAF7 0%,
    #E5C77A 60%,
    #C9A961 100%
  );
  -webkit-background-clip: text;
  background-clip: text;
  color: transparent;
}

.how__stage-date {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  align-self: flex-start;
  padding: 0.45rem 0.95rem;
  font-size: var(--fs-micro);
  font-weight: var(--fw-medium);
  letter-spacing: normal;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--color-gold);
  border: 1px solid var(--hairline-gold);
  border-radius: var(--radius-pill);
}

.how__stage-title {
  font-family: var(--font-serif), serif;
  font-size: clamp(1.5rem, 2.2vw, 1.875rem);
  font-weight: var(--fw-regular);
  line-height: 1.2;
  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
  color: var(--color-text);
}

.how__stage-desc {
  font-size: var(--fs-body);
  font-weight: var(--fw-light);
  line-height: 1.65;
  color: var(--color-text-muted);
}

.how__stage--active::before {
  display: none;
}

.how__stage-status {
  position: absolute;
  top: 14px;
  left: 0;
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: var(--space-2);
  padding: 0.4rem 0.9rem;
  font-family: var(--font-sans), sans-serif;
  font-size: var(--fs-micro);
  font-weight: var(--fw-semibold);
  letter-spacing: var(--tracking-xwide);
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--color-bg);
  background: var(--color-gold);
  border-radius: var(--radius-pill);
  box-shadow: 0 0 24px var(--color-gold-glow);
  white-space: nowrap;
  z-index: 2;
}
.how__stage-status::before {
  content: '';
  width: 6px;
  height: 6px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--color-bg);
  animation: statusDotPulse 1.6s ease-in-out infinite;
}
@keyframes statusDotPulse {
  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
  50%      { opacity: 0.3; }
}

.how__stage--active .how__stage-title { color: var(--color-text); }
.how__stage--active .how__stage-desc  { color: var(--color-text); }

.how__stage-cta {
  align-self: flex-start;
  margin-top: var(--space-3);
  padding: 0.95rem 1.85rem;
  font-size: var(--fs-small);
}

@media (max-width: 960px) {
  
  .how__timeline {
    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
    gap: clamp(2.5rem, 5vh, 4rem);
  }
  .how__timeline::before {
    left: 6px;
    right: auto;
    top: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    width: 1px;
    height: auto;
    background: linear-gradient(
      to bottom,
      transparent 0%,
      var(--hairline-gold) 8%,
      var(--hairline-gold) 92%,
      transparent 100%
    );
  }
  .how__stage {
    padding-top: 0;
    padding-left: 36px;
  }
  .how__stage::before {
    top: 8px;
    left: 0;
  }
  
  .how__stage-status {
    position: static;
    align-self: flex-start;
    margin-bottom: var(--space-3);
  }
}