feat(web): debug-surface parity — BifrostState + AdminEvents + Tools panes, PAD-poll fix, reasoning indicator

Bring the browser surface to TUI parity as the primary debug surface:

- Tools inventory (GET /sessions/{id}/tools) folded into the tools pane —
  what the LLM has at turn-fire, above the live tool events.
- BifrostState pane (GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost) — admin-scoped
  dispatch state; the admin key stays server-side (app.state.admin_key),
  never reaches the browser (INV-003 precedent).
- AdminEvents pane (GET /admin/events SSE) — admin lifecycle, session-
  filtered SERVER-side (heartbeats + other-session events dropped); one
  fixed "admin_event" browser event so every type renders (no drops).
- PAD refresh: poll a window (1.5/3.5/6.5/10.5s) instead of a single 2s
  shot that raced the post-turn-async affect.emit (issue #18 foot-gun).
- Reasoning indicator: ephemeral "<Agent> is pondering…" in the transcript
  on `thinking` deltas, cleared when text begins — clearly non-engine.

Admin key wired through entrypoint -> create_app. 9 new respx/route tests
(admin-bearer override, filter unit, SSE stream-filter); 59 web tests pass.
Live-proven against ratatoskr:sindra (bifrost connected, both caps; 253
thinking events -> indicator fires; affect emit lands -> PAD poll catches it).

docs/contracts/issues/2.contract.md

@@ -280,3 +280,95 @@ TESTS:
   cross_owner_404 [error]: 404 session_not_found → SessionApiFailed(status=404)
   empty_session_id [adversarial]: "" → AssertionError; no HTTP issued
 ```
+
+## Amendment 2026-07-01 — admin BifrostState read (v1 coverage-audit)
+
+Admin-scoped Bifrost dispatch-state read (spec #176, `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost`),
+surfaced in the TUI BifrostState pane on session-attach. The first admin-key
+consumer in ratatoskr: requires the `admin.sessions.read` scope, so the request
+OVERRIDES the Authorization header with the caller-supplied `admin_key` (distinct
+from the client's default consumer key). Same result-shape convention as the
+other introspection wrappers: 200 → parsed dict verbatim, non-200 → `SessionApiFailed`.
+
+```contract
+FN get_session_bifrost(client: httpx.AsyncClient, session_id: str, *, admin_key: str) -> dict[str, Any]
+BRIEF: GET /admin/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost — admin-scoped live Bifrost binding (spec #176): {endpoint_url, consumer_id, connected, capabilities_granted, tools:[{name, description}]}. Requires admin.sessions.read; the request sets Authorization: Bearer <admin_key> (override), NOT the client's default consumer bearer. Parsed dict verbatim; any non-200 → SessionApiFailed — notably 403 auth_scope_denied and 404 session_not_bifrost_bound.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client is not None -- assert client is not None
+PRE: [PRE-002 hard] session_id is non-empty str -- assert session_id and isinstance(session_id, str)
+PRE: [PRE-003 hard] admin_key is non-empty str -- assert admin_key and isinstance(admin_key, str)
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 200 returns resp.json() unmodified -- assert result == resp.json()
+POST: [POST-002 state_change] the outbound request Authorization header == f"Bearer {admin_key}" (override) -- assert request.headers["Authorization"] == "Bearer " + admin_key
+ERROR_ROUTING:
+  HTTP non-200 (incl. 403 auth_scope_denied, 404 session_not_found / session_not_bifrost_bound):
+    local_handling: raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+    flow_control: abort
+    state_recovery: none (caller decides: 403 → key lacks scope; 404 not-bound → benign unbound session)
+STEPS:
+  1. [setup, prescriptive] assert PRE-001..PRE-003
+  2. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.get(f"/admin/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {admin_key}"})
+  3. [branch, prescriptive] IF resp.status_code == 200: RETURN resp.json(); ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  happy_uses_admin_bearer [happy,tracer]: 200 {endpoint_url, connected, capabilities_granted, tools} → dict verbatim; request Authorization == "Bearer <admin_key>" (override)
+  scope_denied_403 [error]: 403 → SessionApiFailed(status=403)
+  not_bound_404 [error]: 404 session_not_bifrost_bound → SessionApiFailed(status=404)
+  empty_admin_key [adversarial]: admin_key="" → AssertionError; no HTTP issued
+```
+
+## Amendment 2026-07-01 — Tier-2: transient characters + persona-state write (v1 coverage-audit)
+
+The last in-scope client I/O points. Transient-character CRUD (#161) surfaced
+via a `--characters` one-shot lifecycle probe; persona-state write surfaced via
+`--set-persona-pad "p,a,d"` (requires `--session`). All mirror the existing
+wrappers: parsed dict verbatim (or None on 204), any off-status → SessionApiFailed.
+**Note:** `set_persona_state`'s request body is FREEFORM — the frozen OpenAPI 2.2.0
+declares no request schema and the prose spec documents only the GET counterpart,
+so the caller supplies the snapshot shape (`--set-persona-pad` sends `{pad:[…]}`).
+
+```contract
+FN list_character_models(client) -> dict[str, Any]
+BRIEF: GET /models/available-for-characters (character.read). Returns {items:[{name, description, thinking}]}. Non-200 → SessionApiFailed.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client is not None
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 200 returns resp.json() unmodified
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.get("/models/available-for-characters"); IF 200 RETURN resp.json(); ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  list_models [happy,tracer]: 200 {items:[{name:"fast"}]} → dict verbatim
+
+FN create_character(client, character: dict, *, state: dict | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]
+BRIEF: POST /characters (character.write). Body {character, state}. Returns 201 {character_id, ttl_expires_at}; non-201 → SessionApiFailed.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client is not None; [PRE-002 hard] character is a non-empty dict
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 201 returns resp.json(); [POST-002 side_effect] outbound body == {"character": <arg>, "state": <state|null>}
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.post("/characters", json={"character": character, "state": state}); IF 201 RETURN resp.json(); ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  create [happy]: 201 → {character_id}; body is {character, state:null}
+  create_403 [error]: 403 auth_scope_denied → SessionApiFailed(403)
+
+FN get_character_state(client, character_id: str) -> dict[str, Any]
+BRIEF: GET /characters/{id}/state (character.read). Live PAD/emotions snapshot; refreshes TTL. Non-200 → SessionApiFailed.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client not None; [PRE-002 hard] character_id non-empty str
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 200 returns resp.json()
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.get(f"/characters/{character_id}/state"); IF 200 RETURN resp.json(); ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  get_state [happy]: 200 {pad:[...]} → dict verbatim
+
+FN delete_character(client, character_id: str) -> None
+BRIEF: DELETE /characters/{id} (character.write). 200/204 → None; other → SessionApiFailed.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client not None; [PRE-002 hard] character_id non-empty str
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 200/204 returns None
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.delete(f"/characters/{character_id}"); IF status in (200,204) RETURN None; ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  delete [happy]: 204 → None
+
+FN set_persona_state(client, session_id: str, snapshot: dict) -> None
+BRIEF: POST /sessions/{session_id}/persona_state — set a session's persona state (affect injection). Request body is the FREEFORM snapshot (caller-supplied; unpinned in the frozen surface). 204 → None; other → SessionApiFailed.
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] client not None; [PRE-002 hard] session_id non-empty str; [PRE-003 hard] snapshot is a dict
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] on 204 returns None; [POST-002 side_effect] outbound body == snapshot verbatim
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, prescriptive] resp = await client.post(f"/sessions/{session_id}/persona_state", json=snapshot); IF 204 RETURN None; ELSE RAISE SessionApiFailed
+TESTS:
+  happy [happy]: 204 → None; body == {"pad":[...]} verbatim
+  non_204 [error]: 422 → SessionApiFailed(422)
+```

docs/coverage-map.md

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ resolved (§ Surface 1, scope-resolution table).
 
 | Surface | Points | ✅ covered-live | ⬜ gap (in-scope) | 🚫 excluded-by-design |
 |---|---|---|---|---|
-| REST (OpenAPI 2.2.0, path groups) | 40 | 10 | 8 | 22 |
+| REST (OpenAPI 2.2.0, path groups) | 40 | 17 | 0 | 23 |
 | SSE events | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
 | Bifrost provider planes | 8 verbs | 8 | 0 | (10 gated verbs deferred) |
 
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ sub-gap).
 | `GET /me` | ✅ | `sessions.py:411` `get_me` → `cli.py` `--whoami` | identity/whoami probe; 401→SessionApiFailed |
 | `GET /capabilities` | ✅ | `sessions.py:428` `get_capabilities` → `cli.py` `--whoami` | Echo ephemeral-template discovery |
 | `GET /sessions/{id}/tools` | ✅ | `sessions.py:411` `get_session_tools` → `tui.py` `_hydrate_session_tools` | owner-scoped tool inventory in the TUI Tools pane (#183) |
+| `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost` | ✅ | `sessions.py:428` `get_session_bifrost` → `tui.py` `_hydrate_bifrost_state` | admin-scoped BifrostState pane (#176); admin key (`RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY`); live-auth-proven |
+| `GET /admin/events` (SSE) | ✅ | `sse_client.py` `stream_admin_events` → `tui.py` `_stream_admin_events` | admin lifecycle SSE stream (#11), session-filtered AdminEvents pane; admin key; live-auth-proven |
+| `GET /models/available-for-characters` | ✅ | `sessions.py` `list_character_models` → `cli.py` `--characters` | character-capable model profiles (#161) |
+| `POST /characters` | ✅ | `sessions.py` `create_character` → `cli.py` `--characters` | create transient character (#161) |
+| `GET /characters/{id}/state` | ✅ | `sessions.py` `get_character_state` → `cli.py` `--characters` | live character PAD/emotions (#161) |
+| `DELETE /characters/{id}` | ✅ | `sessions.py` `delete_character` → `cli.py` `--characters` | remove transient character (#161) |
+| `POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state` | ✅ | `sessions.py` `set_persona_state` → `cli.py` `--set-persona-pad` | persona-state write / affect injection (freeform body — unpinned in the frozen surface) |
 
 **Sub-gaps inside ✅ path groups** (the method we use is live; a sibling method
 on the same path is an unwired frontier item — see frontier Tier 1):
@@ -89,23 +96,20 @@ on the same path is an unwired frontier item — see frontier Tier 1):
 - `GET /agents/{id}` — consumer-agent lookup (`GET /agents/<owner>:<name>` with
   the owner key) is **manual-curl-only**, not in code.
 
-### In-scope gaps — the convergence frontier (debug-observability path)
+### In-scope gaps — CONVERGED (zero remaining, 2026-07-01)
 
-**Tier 1 — the debug-observability core (design-brief'd for v1, unbuilt):**
+**Every in-scope REST I/O point is now covered.** The frontier that opened this
+audit (the design-brief §5 observability panes + the presenter-wiring sub-gaps +
+the Tier-2 tail) is fully closed:
 
-| Endpoint | Status | Why in-scope |
-|---|---|---|
-| `GET /admin/events` | ⬜ | design-brief §5 v1 **AdminEvents pane**; = issue **#11**, **blocked** on `admin.events.read` scope (infra-ops) |
-| `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost` | ⬜ | design-brief §5 v1 **BifrostState widget** — never built; admin-key-gated |
-| `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/tools` | ⬜ | design-brief §5 v1 **Tools widget** — never built; admin-key-gated |
-| (`GET /sessions` picker · resume) | ⬜ | sub-gaps above — presenter-wiring only, wrappers exist |
+- Session picker + SSE-resume — wired (`v0.18.5`–`.7`).
+- Persona · Tools · BifrostState · AdminEvents panes — all built + live (`v0.18.x`–`v0.19.0`).
+- Transient-characters CRUD + persona-state write — consumed via `--characters` /
+  `--set-persona-pad` (`v0.19.1`).
 
-**Tier 2 — rounds out I/O coverage under A (postdates the design-brief):**
-
-| Endpoint | Status | Why in-scope |
-|---|---|---|
-| `POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state` (write) | ⬜ | affect-injection is debug-relevant; pairs with our provider affect plane |
-| `POST /characters` · `DELETE /characters/{id}` · `GET /characters/{id}/state` · `GET /models/available-for-characters` | ⬜ | transient-characters (Echo) is a session-creation **routing path** a debug client should be able to drive a turn through |
+The only remaining not-consumed in-scope method is `GET /agents/{id}` (consumer-
+agent lookup, manual-curl-only) — a sub-method on an already-✅ path group, not a
+path-group gap. Everything else is covered or excluded-by-design below.
 
 ### Excluded by design — the design-brief negative clauses
 
@@ -115,6 +119,7 @@ on the same path is an unwired frontier item — see frontier Tier 1):
 | `GET /sessions/{id}/messages` (history) | 🚫 | §6: single-session live transcript, no history fetch |
 | `GET /sessions/{id}` | 🚫 | session detail — identity is footer-visible, no detail view |
 | `GET /sessions/{id}/tool-events` | 🚫 | §5: tool calls observed **inline from SSE** `tool_start`/`tool_result`; persisted-events endpoint is opt-in only |
+| `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/tools` | 🚫 | **covered-by-alternative** — the owner-scoped `GET /sessions/{id}/tools` (✅) serves the Tools inventory; this admin variant is only for cross-user operator debug, out of the single-session focus (§6) |
 | `GET/POST /admin/keys` · `DELETE/POST /admin/keys/{id}` · `POST /admin/keys/{id}/rotate` · `DELETE/POST /admin/keys/bulk` · `POST /admin/keys/bulk/rotate` | 🚫 | §6: **NOT a Worldtree-admin tool** (key mgmt) |
 | `POST /admin/sessions/{id}/retire` | 🚫 | admin session mutation |
 | `POST /admin/persona/{archive,erase}` | 🚫 | admin persona GDPR ops (new in b2) |
@@ -199,26 +204,34 @@ starts exercising them.
 
 ---
 
-## Convergence frontier (the v1 to-do)
+## Convergence frontier (the v1 to-do) — CLOSED 2026-07-01
+
+**Every in-scope I/O point is covered.** The frontier is empty: REST 17/40 ✅
+with **zero in-scope gaps** (the other 23 REST path-groups are excluded-by-design),
+SSE 11/11, Bifrost provider planes 8/8. v1 convergence (per scope A: "every
+frozen I/O point classified, zero unaccounted") is **met** — ratatoskr cuts v1
+when Worldtree tags 1.0. The arc, for the record:
 
 **Tier 1 — debug-observability core:**
 
 1. ✅ **DONE** — Session picker (`v0.18.7`) + SSE-resume (`v0.18.5`/`.6`).
 2. ✅ **DONE** — `GET /capabilities` + `GET /me` (`v0.18.8`, `--whoami`).
-3. **BifrostState + Tools widgets** (`GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost` — the
-   admin session-bifrost inspection) — design-brief'd v1, unbuilt. Admin-key-gated.
-   *(The Tools half is effectively covered by the owner-scoped `GET /sessions/{id}/tools`
-   inventory, item 5 — the admin `/admin/sessions/{id}/tools` remains a gap only for
-   cross-user operator debug.)*
-4. **#11 — AdminEvents pane** — **blocked** on an `admin.events.read` scope grant
-   (infra-ops). The single externally-blocked item; everything else can ship
-   without it.
+3. ✅ **DONE** — BifrostState pane (`v0.18.10`, `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost`,
+   admin-key; live-auth-proven). The Tools half was already covered by the
+   owner-scoped `GET /sessions/{id}/tools` (item 5).
+4. ✅ **DONE** — AdminEvents pane (`v0.18.11`, `GET /admin/events` SSE,
+   session-filtered; admin-key; live-auth-proven). #11's blocker was already
+   satisfied (admin key carries `admin.events.read`). **Tier 1 complete** — the
+   admin/debug-observability core (Persona · Tools · BifrostState · AdminEvents)
+   is fully built.
 
-**Tier 2 — rounds out coverage:**
+**Tier 2 — rounds out coverage (all that remains):**
 
 5. ✅ **DONE** — `GET /sessions/{id}/tools` (`v0.18.9`, owner-scoped tool inventory
    in the TUI Tools pane).
-6. **Transient-characters routing** (4 endpoints) + **`POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state`**.
+6. ✅ **DONE** — Transient-characters CRUD (4 endpoints) + `POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state`
+   (`v0.19.1`, `--characters` + `--set-persona-pad` one-shot probes). The last
+   in-scope client I/O points.
 
 ---
 

persistent-memory.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Persistent memory — ratatoskr
 
-_Last updated: 2026-06-30_
+_Last updated: 2026-07-01_
 
 This file captures durable intent and supporting evidence (goals, decisions,
 foot-gun warnings, in-flight state) across context resets. Read it at session
@@ -39,64 +39,54 @@ upstream API key stays server-side (INV-003).
 
 ## Current state / in-flight
 
-_As of 2026-06-20:_
+_As of 2026-07-01:_
 
-**#17 and #18 BOTH CLOSED — the composite both-plane binding is fully proven.** #18 shipped
-`v0.18.0` (`359dbb1`): D2 (PAD read-endpoint, `v0.17.14`) renders live PAD in the web pane from our
-`:8390` store; D1 (composite endpoint, `v0.17.16` `7f4ceaa`) — `build_combined_provider_app`
-(`provider/combined.py`) on `:8392` wraps bifrost's public `build_combined_app` over BOTH stores +
-the shared affect read route; one bound session drives memory.* AND affect.* through ONE endpoint,
-op-feed deriving plane per path. Suite **503 green**. **#17 closed in the tracker 2026-06-20**
-(shipped `v0.17.8`–`.13` + the `v0.17.17` op-feed field fix).
+**THE v1 COVERAGE-AUDIT HAS CONVERGED.** The audit that ran this session (2026-06-30 → 07-01)
+reached its scope-A done-definition: **every frozen Worldtree v1 I/O point is classified — covered
+or excluded-with-rationale, zero unaccounted.** Coverage: **REST 17/40 ✅ with ZERO in-scope gaps**
+(23 REST path-groups excluded-by-design), **SSE 11/11 ✅**, **Bifrost provider planes 8/8 ✅**
+(live-proven). The living ledger is `docs/coverage-map.md`. **v1 cuts when Worldtree tags 1.0**
+(ratatoskr v1 = full Worldtree I/O coverage; the target is the coverage map, not a feature list).
+Only not-consumed in-scope *method*: `GET /agents/{id}` (consumer-agent lookup, manual-curl-only,
+on an already-✅ path group).
 
-**#18's final leg — the Worldtree-DRIVEN composite turn — RAN and is PROVEN end-to-end + persisted
-(2026-06-20).** infra-ops added `10.100.10.50:8392` to the personal WT's (`:8081`)
-`BIFROST_CLIENT_ALLOWED_HOSTS` (thread `01KVHWJGTT…`), unblocking the smoke. A real WT turn through
-`:8392` (session `b83a66b6`, agent `ratatoskr:sindra`, fresh end_user `resmoke-choco-1`) drove the
-FULL both-plane lifecycle on ONE endpoint, caps-routed by path: `handshake`
-(`caps_granted=[memory, affect]`) → `affect.fetch` + `memory.search` (reads) → `affect.emit`
-(`stored:true`, PAD row in `affect_snapshots`) → `memory.upsert_many` (`upserted:1`, chunk
-`2df1b79de761b948` in `memory_chunks`). Both writes verified directly in our SQLite. The
-model-backend outage that blocked the first attempt (both agents' models `model_unavailable`) was
-operator-fixed mid-session, then the resmoke completed clean. **No open legs remain on the composite.**
+**The debug-observability core is COMPLETE** (published as the `v0.19.0` milestone): all four
+observability panes built + live + consuming their real endpoints — **Persona** (`GET /agents/{id}/persona_state`),
+**Tools** (`GET /sessions/{id}/tools`), **BifrostState** (`GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost`),
+**AdminEvents** (`GET /admin/events` SSE, session-filtered). **#11 is closed-by-build** (AdminEvents
+shipped `v0.18.11`; its long-standing "blocked on `admin.events.read`" status was STALE — the admin
+key already carries the scope). The whole slice arc: SSE-resume (`v0.18.5/.6`) → session-picker
+(`v0.18.7`) → `--whoami` me/capabilities (`v0.18.8`) → Tools (`v0.18.9`) → BifrostState (`v0.18.10`)
+→ AdminEvents (`v0.18.11`) → **v0.19.0 milestone** → Tier-2 characters+persona-write (`v0.19.1`).
 
-**bifrost repinned 0.8.0 → 0.10.0** (floor, `provider` extra). 0.10.0 made `affect.fetch`
-MANDATORY (strong-or-absent: `_supports_affect_plane` requires `affect_supported`+`emit`+`fetch`,
-gating EVERY affect op incl. emit) — so the repin FORCED `affect.fetch` (`v0.17.15`, conformed
-to bifrost's reference `InMemoryAffectStore.fetch` → `{found, snapshot?}`) or our shipped affect
-plane would 400. The composite's affect cap depends on it.
+**Standing substrate pins:** Worldtree spec **v1.0.0b2** (`5810a26`) — ratatoskr now vendors the
+FROZEN machine-readable `conversation-api-openapi.json` (2.2.0) + `conversation-api-sse-events.schema.json`,
+pinned in `.corviduo-canonicals.toml` + drift-gated by `canonical_drift.py` (the prose markdown is a
+`tolerate_drift` reference). **bifrost `==1.0.0` / wire v0.6 STABLE/FROZEN.** Suite **573 green**.
 
-**OPERATOR SESSION STATE — `:8390`/`:8391`/`:8765` shells are PRE-#18 code (foot-gun).** web `:8765`
-+ affect `:8390` + memory `:8391` are prior-session background shells on OLD code. The **`:8392`
-composite provider is RUNNING on NEW code** (`ratatoskr-combined-provider`, pid started Jun19,
-`RATATOSKR_OPFEED_PATH=/tmp/ratatoskr-combined-opfeed.jsonl`, shared `affect.db`/`memory.db`) — now
-`:8392`-allowlisted and WT-turn-proven. To see the full web stack on new code, RESTART `:8390`/`:8765`
-from current code (D2 web needs `RATATOSKR_AFFECT_READ_URL`). Consumer/owner key = `wt_live_d81b…`
-(`~/.config/ratatoskr/provider.env`, mode 600, rotate via infra-ops); providers SQLite + sqlite-vec,
-`memory.db`/`affect.db` at repo root (live sindra PAD: vuong + the `resmoke-choco-1` smoke fixture).
+**Keys (env-only, mode 600; rotate via infra-ops):** consumer/Heimdall key at
+`~/.config/ratatoskr/provider.env`; **admin key `RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY`** (Heimdall user
+`ratatoskr-readonly`, tier `readonly-admin`, **7 read scopes** incl. `admin.sessions.read` +
+`admin.events.read` — verified 2026-07-01, **personal `:8081` only**) in `env.sh` — powers the
+BifrostState + AdminEvents admin panes. Heimdall keys are PER-INSTANCE (a personal-minted key 401s
+on demo).
 
-**Tier-3 memory PROVEN end-to-end** (earlier this session): `ratatoskr:terse-probe`
-cold-recalled a seeded user fact (scope_any → 1 hit @ cosine 0.6994), and the verbose
-`sindra-probe` too under #296 Stage 2 (v0.36.0). The #296 extraction-quality arc closed
-(Stage 1 v0.35.19 gate + Stage 2 v0.36.0 user-only extraction at worldtree-codex; hard-
-linguistic layer → Worldtree #305). `:8081` runs v0.36.0.
+**Provider identity (the second, still-live role):** ratatoskr owns BOTH ends of the Bifrost
+round-trip — the combined `:8392` provider fronts the memory (`:8391`) + affect (`:8390`) stores
+(SQLite + sqlite-vec, `memory.db`/`affect.db` at repo root); consumer/owner key `wt_live_d81b…`.
+`ratatoskr:sindra` is the owner-scoped Tier-3 agent (invisible to `GET /agents`; check via
+`GET /agents/<owner>:<name>` with the owner key). This provider surface is settled/converged — no
+in-flight work on it.
 
-**Sindra:** `ratatoskr:sindra`, `thoughtful-character` role → `mistral-small-4-reasoning`
-(DELETE+redefined on v0.35.16; `memory:{}` block trips the promotion gate). Owner-scoped
-(separate `consumer_agents` table) — invisible to `GET /agents`; check via
-`GET /agents/<owner>:<name>` with the owner key.
+**Open / deferred (nothing blocking):** #10 (subject-migration watch on Worldtree #196). Design
+note: bare-TUI + 0-sessions → error (§4-clause-consistent; the friendlier auto-fall-to-new is
+deferred, operator-preference). heid-code-review was run on the b1 resume slice only (panel: zero
+findings, cross-model-verified); b2 + the later slices were offered but not reviewed. `graphify-out/`
+runs dirty (auto-regen, not chased — never stage it). Contract-skip was invoked for the low-effort
+GET wrappers + `stream_admin_events`, but contract #2 / #1 / #6 were amended to stay canonical.
 
-**Standing:** Worldtree spec pin v0.35.16 (`f1b59f8`); **bifrost 0.10.0 / wire v0.6**
-(`scope_all`+`scope_any`). Heimdall key env-only at `~/.config/ratatoskr/provider.env` (mode
-600); rotate via infra-ops. `graphify-out/` runs dirty (auto-regen, not chased). **Open issues:
-#11** (AdminEvents pane — the next-reachable Worldtree-I/O coverage gap, blocked on an
-`admin.events.read` scope request) and **#10** (subject-migration watch on Worldtree #196) — both
-deferred. **#17 + #18 CLOSED.** Codex-first pilot dormant. No in-flight implementation work — repo
-is at a converged checkpoint; v1 advances when Worldtree does (v1 = full Worldtree I/O coverage).
-
-Branch: `main` (tag `v0.18.0`, `359dbb1`) — **in sync with `origin/main`** (the full #17+#18 arc is
-pushed). This `/snapshot` commit will sit one ahead of origin until pushed (push is the operator's
-call). Remote: `origin → git@gitea.phasefinal.com:vh/ratatoskr.git`.
+Branch: `main` — **in sync with `origin/main`** at **`v0.19.1`** (`af07a23`); the whole session's arc
+is pushed. Remote: `origin → git@gitea.phasefinal.com:vh/ratatoskr.git`.
 
 ## Recent decisions
 
@@ -158,6 +148,13 @@ decision. Captures rationale that won't be obvious from code alone.
 
 - `[2026-07-01]` **`GET /sessions/{id}/tools` quick-win SHIPPED (`v0.18.9`) — owner-scoped tool inventory in the TUI Tools pane.** `get_session_tools` wrapper (sessions.py, mirror get_me: 200→dict, non-200→`SessionApiFailed`) + `_format_tool_inventory` helper + `_hydrate_session_tools` best-effort worker (mirror `_hydrate_persona`) wired UNCONDITIONALLY in `on_mount` → writes the merged `{agent_id, builtin_tools, bifrost_tools}` inventory (what the LLM saw at turn-fire) to the Tools pane + audits `session_tools_hydrated`, never crashes on failure. Owner-scoped (`ctx.user_id==session.user_id`) → reachable with the CONSUMER key, NO admin scope — so this **covers the design-brief §5 "Tools widget" via the reachable owner endpoint** (the admin `/admin/sessions/{id}/tools` variant stays a gap only for cross-user operator debug). Contract #2 amended (FN, validated OK) + TDD (3 wrapper respx tests + 1 format-helper unit + 2 hydrate integration tests via `_spy_writes`+pilot). Suite **544 green**; touched code ruff-clean (the tui.py ruff/mypy debt at other lines is pre-existing). **Coverage: REST 10/40 ✅.** **Frontier now: BifrostState widget (`GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost`, admin-key) + #11 AdminEvents (BLOCKED on `admin.events.read`) + Tier-2 (transient-characters routing, `POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state`).**
 
+- `[2026-07-01]` **BifrostState pane SHIPPED (`v0.18.10`) — `GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost` in a new TUI "Bifrost" pane; the FIRST admin-key consumer in ratatoskr.** `get_session_bifrost(client, session_id, *, admin_key)` (sessions.py) — admin-scoped (`admin.sessions.read`); the request OVERRIDES Authorization with `admin_key` (distinct from the consumer bearer, asserted in a test); 200→dict, non-200→SessionApiFailed. Admin-key wiring: `--admin-key` flag + `RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY` env → new `ParsedArgs.admin_key`. New "Bifrost" TabPane + `_format_bifrost_state` + `_hydrate_bifrost_state` best-effort worker (mirror `_hydrate_session_tools`) UNCONDITIONALLY in on_mount → writes {endpoint, connected, caps_granted, tools} + audits; self-labels "not configured" (no admin key) / "not bound" (404) / graceful on 403 + error. Contract #2 amended (FN, validated OK) + TDD (4 wrapper respx tests incl. the admin-bearer-override assertion + 1 format unit + 3 hydrate integration). Suite **552 green**; my code ruff-clean (pre-existing tui.py ruff debt at other lines untouched, incl. a dead `RichText` import in `_hydrate_persona`). **LIVE-AUTH-PROVEN** on personal :8081: admin key authenticated (reached resource-layer 404 session_not_found, NOT 401/403) → `admin.sessions.read` works live; 200 full-state not exercised (no bound session on :8081 now — unit-covered). Patch bump (debug feature, no downstream coordination; consistent with the session's cadence — but the §5-core-completion angle is a possible minor, operator's call).
+- `[2026-07-01]` **LEDGER CORRECTION: #11 (AdminEvents) is NO LONGER BLOCKED.** Verified via `GET /me` on :8081 that `RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY` (`ratatoskr-readonly`, tier readonly-admin) carries ALL 7 read scopes INCLUDING **`admin.events.read`** (+ `admin.sessions.read`, admin.keys.read, admin.skuld.read, pending.read, search.read, tool_events.read). The coverage-map + prior memory had #11 "blocked on admin.events.read" — **STALE**; the admin key was minted (post-#11-filing, env.sh) WITH the scope, so the blocker is already satisfied. **Only the AdminEvents SSE pane itself is unbuilt** — the last unbuilt §5 debug pane (a live SSE-consuming admin pane, distinct from the hydrate-at-attach panes). Coverage-map updated. **Coverage: REST 11/40 ✅.** Consider building the AdminEvents pane and/or updating #11's tracker status (its stated blocker is gone).
+
+- `[2026-07-01]` **AdminEvents pane SHIPPED (`v0.18.11`) — `GET /admin/events` SSE in a new TUI pane; #11 closed-by-build; Tier 1 (debug-observability core) COMPLETE.** `stream_admin_events(client, *, admin_key, last_event_id=None)` (sse_client.py) — a NEW long-lived SSE consumer for the admin lifecycle broadcast (envelope `{id,type,timestamp,data}`, 17-event v0 vocab), admin-scoped (`admin.events.read`, bearer-override), Last-Event-ID resume; non-200→SseConnectFailed, mid-drop→SseConnectionDropped; new `AdminEvent` dataclass (distinct from the turn `Event` union). New "AdminEvents" TabPane + `_format_admin_event` + `_admin_event_matches` (design-brief §6 filter: active-session events + non-heartbeat `system.*`) + `_stream_admin_events` long-lived best-effort worker (unconditional on_mount, cancelled on app exit; self-labels "not configured"/"unavailable"/"stream ended"). Reuses the admin key from the BifrostState slice. **Contract-SKIPPED** for `stream_admin_events` (out of contract #1's turn-SSE scope; spec § Admin Event Stream is the reference; well-TDD'd). TDD: 4 sse_client tests (multi-event+bearer-override, Last-Event-ID header, 403, malformed-skip) + 5 tui (format, filter, worker success/no-key/403). Suite **561 green**; my code ruff-clean (pre-existing tui.py ruff debt untouched, incl. the dead `RichText` import in `_hydrate_persona`). **LIVE-AUTH-PROVEN**: `GET /admin/events` on :8081 → HTTP 200 under the admin key (connected + streamed, idle in the 4s window — no 401/403). **Coverage: REST 12/40 ✅. Tier 1 admin/debug-observability core COMPLETE** (Persona · Tools · BifrostState · AdminEvents). AdminEvents work landed as patch `v0.18.11`; then **`v0.19.0` MINOR cut (operator-approved 2026-07-01)** publishing the milestone: **the debug-observability core is complete** (Persona · Tools · BifrostState · AdminEvents all built + consuming real endpoints — the design-brief's headline deliverable). Pre-1.0 minor = release-note-worthy (no downstream althing push needed pre-1.0); lightweight tag per the SemVer mechanics (annotated reserved for major cuts). Remaining in-scope client I/O: only Tier-2 (transient-characters routing + `POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state`).
+
+- `[2026-07-01]` **Tier-2 SHIPPED (`v0.19.1`) — transient-characters CRUD + persona-state write; the v1 coverage-audit CONVERGES (zero in-scope gaps).** 5 wrappers in sessions.py: `list_character_models`/`create_character`/`get_character_state`/`delete_character` (#161, `character.read`/`.write` scopes) + `set_persona_state` (`POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state` — **FREEFORM body: unpinned in the frozen OpenAPI 2.2.0 + absent from the prose spec**, so the caller supplies the snapshot shape). Two one-shot CLI probes (mirror `--whoami`): `--characters` (models→create→get-state→delete lifecycle report) + `--set-persona-pad "p,a,d"` (requires `--session`; POSTs `{pad:[…]}`). New `ParsedArgs.characters`/`set_persona_pad` + probe-mode mutual-exclusion validation + `_probe_client` helper. Contract #2 amended (5 FNs, validated OK) + TDD (7 wrapper respx + 5 cli tests). Suite **573 green**; touched code ruff-clean. NOT live-proven (character scopes + the persona-write body shape unverified — the probes degrade gracefully on 403/422). **THE v1 COVERAGE-AUDIT HAS CONVERGED: REST 17/40 ✅ with ZERO in-scope gaps** (23 REST path-groups excluded-by-design + rationale), SSE 11/11, Bifrost provider planes 8/8. Scope-A "done" (every frozen I/O point classified, zero unaccounted) is **MET** — ratatoskr cuts v1 when Worldtree tags 1.0. Only not-consumed in-scope sub-method: `GET /agents/{id}` (consumer-agent lookup, manual-curl-only, on an already-✅ path group). Patch bump (Tier-2 tail; `v0.19.0` already published the core-complete milestone — a 2nd minor would be cadence-too-fast).
+
 _41 older entries (2026-05-* — the original debug-TUI/web build era) archived to archival-memory.md._
 
 _For per-issue TDD implementation notes, Volva findings, and contract amendments, see the git log — every per-issue commit carries a structured message capturing the trail._

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.18.9"
+version = "0.19.2"
 description = "Worldtree Conversation API debug TUI — multi-pane observability dashboard"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"

src/ratatoskr/cli.py

@@ -22,10 +22,15 @@ from ratatoskr.sessions import (
     BifrostConsumerKeyMissing,
     BifrostHandshakeFailed,
     SessionApiFailed,
+    create_character,
     create_session,
+    delete_character,
     endpoint_for_plane,
     get_capabilities,
+    get_character_state,
     get_me,
+    list_character_models,
+    set_persona_state,
 )
 from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
     AffectUpdate,
@@ -102,6 +107,15 @@ class ParsedArgs:
     # Standalone boot-time orientation probe: GET /me + GET /capabilities, print,
     # exit. Mutually exclusive with the session/turn flags (opens no session).
     whoami: bool = False
+    # Optional admin-tier key (RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY / --admin-key) for the
+    # admin-scoped inspection reads (BifrostState pane, GET /admin/sessions/…).
+    # None when unset — the BifrostState pane then shows "admin key not configured".
+    admin_key: str | None = None
+    # Tier-2 one-shot probes (like --whoami). --characters runs the transient-
+    # character CRUD lifecycle; --set-persona-pad "p,a,d" (with --session) writes
+    # a session's persona state (affect injection).
+    characters: bool = False
+    set_persona_pad: str | None = None
 
 
 class _ArgparseError(Exception):
@@ -127,6 +141,9 @@ def _parse_args(argv: list[str] | None) -> ParsedArgs:
     parser.add_argument("--server")
     parser.add_argument("--raw", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--whoami", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--admin-key", dest="admin_key")
+    parser.add_argument("--characters", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--set-persona-pad", dest="set_persona_pad", default=None)
     # Issue #5: required for per-end-user agents (lofn etc.); optional otherwise (mimir).
     parser.add_argument("--end-user-id", dest="end_user_id", default=None)
     # Issue #17: bind the created session to our own Bifrost provider plane.
@@ -147,12 +164,23 @@ def _parse_args(argv: list[str] | None) -> ParsedArgs:
     # Issue #5 INV-001: --end-user-id, if passed, MUST be non-empty (mirrors --send).
     if ns.end_user_id is not None and not ns.end_user_id:
         raise UsageError("--end-user-id must be non-empty when passed")
-    if ns.whoami:
-        # Standalone boot-time probe (GET /me + /capabilities): opens no session.
+    if sum([ns.whoami, ns.characters, bool(ns.set_persona_pad)]) > 1:
+        raise UsageError("--whoami / --characters / --set-persona-pad are mutually exclusive")
+    if ns.whoami or ns.characters:
+        # Standalone one-shot probes: open no session.
         if ns.send is not None or ns.session or ns.new or ns.agent:
             raise UsageError(
-                "--whoami is a standalone probe (no --send/--session/--new/--agent)"
+                "--whoami / --characters are standalone probes "
+                "(no --send/--session/--new/--agent)"
             )
+    elif ns.set_persona_pad is not None:
+        # Session-scoped write probe: needs a target session, nothing else.
+        if not ns.set_persona_pad:
+            raise UsageError("--set-persona-pad must be non-empty (e.g. '0.4,0.1,-0.2')")
+        if not ns.session:
+            raise UsageError("--set-persona-pad requires --session <id>")
+        if ns.send is not None or ns.new or ns.agent:
+            raise UsageError("--set-persona-pad takes only --session")
     else:
         if ns.session and ns.new:
             raise UsageError("--session and --new are mutually exclusive")
@@ -208,6 +236,9 @@ def _parse_args(argv: list[str] | None) -> ParsedArgs:
         bifrost = BifrostBinding(endpoint_url=endpoint_for_plane(ns.bifrost_plane, host))
         bifrost_plane = ns.bifrost_plane
     consumer_key = os.environ.get("RATATOSKR_BIFROST_CONSUMER_KEY") or None
+    # Admin-tier key for the admin-scoped inspection reads (BifrostState pane).
+    # Flag > env > None; None leaves the admin panes showing "not configured".
+    admin_key = ns.admin_key or os.environ.get("RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY") or None
 
     return ParsedArgs(
         send_content=ns.send,
@@ -222,6 +253,9 @@ def _parse_args(argv: list[str] | None) -> ParsedArgs:
         bifrost_plane=bifrost_plane,
         consumer_key=consumer_key,
         whoami=ns.whoami,
+        admin_key=admin_key,
+        characters=ns.characters,
+        set_persona_pad=ns.set_persona_pad,
     )
 
 
@@ -622,6 +656,82 @@ async def _whoami(args: ParsedArgs) -> int:
     return 0
 
 
+def _probe_client(args: ParsedArgs) -> httpx.AsyncClient:
+    """AsyncClient for the one-shot probes (--whoami / --characters / --set-persona-pad)."""
+    return httpx.AsyncClient(
+        base_url=args.server_url,
+        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {args.api_key}", "User-Agent": USER_AGENT},
+        timeout=httpx.Timeout(connect=10.0, read=10.0, write=10.0, pool=10.0),
+    )
+
+
+async def _characters_probe(args: ParsedArgs) -> int:
+    """--characters one-shot: exercise the transient-character CRUD lifecycle
+    (models → create → get-state → delete), print a report, exit. A reference-
+    consumer smoke of the #161 character surface (needs character.read/write)."""
+    assert isinstance(args, ParsedArgs)
+    async with _probe_client(args) as client:
+        try:
+            models = await list_character_models(client)
+            names = ", ".join(m.get("name", "?") for m in models.get("items", []))
+            sys.stdout.write(f"character models: {names or '(none)'}\n")
+            created = await create_character(
+                client,
+                {
+                    "schema_version": "1",
+                    "name": "ratatoskr-probe",
+                    "ocean": {
+                        "openness": 0.5, "conscientiousness": 0.5, "extraversion": 0.0,
+                        "agreeableness": 0.5, "neuroticism": 0.5,
+                    },
+                    "description": "ratatoskr --characters lifecycle probe",
+                    "narrative": "A throwaway probe character.",
+                    "voice_profile_block": "plain",
+                },
+            )
+            cid = created["character_id"]
+            sys.stdout.write(f"created: {cid} (ttl {created.get('ttl_expires_at')})\n")
+            state = await get_character_state(client, cid)
+            sys.stdout.write(f"state: pad={state.get('pad')}\n")
+            await delete_character(client, cid)
+            sys.stdout.write(f"deleted: {cid}\n")
+        except SessionApiFailed as exc:
+            sys.stderr.write(f"[session_api_failed] status={exc.status} body={exc.body!r}\n")
+            return 20
+        except (httpx.ConnectError, httpx.ReadTimeout, httpx.TransportError) as exc:
+            sys.stderr.write(f"[network_error] {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}\n")
+            return 21
+    return 0
+
+
+async def _set_persona_probe(args: ParsedArgs) -> int:
+    """--set-persona-pad one-shot: POST a PAD to /sessions/{id}/persona_state
+    (affect injection), print the result, exit. Requires --session."""
+    assert isinstance(args, ParsedArgs)
+    assert args.session_id is not None and args.set_persona_pad is not None
+    try:
+        pad = [float(x) for x in args.set_persona_pad.split(",")]
+    except ValueError:
+        sys.stderr.write(
+            "[usage_error] --set-persona-pad must be comma-separated floats "
+            "(e.g. '0.4,0.1,-0.2')\n"
+        )
+        return 10
+    async with _probe_client(args) as client:
+        try:
+            await set_persona_state(client, args.session_id, {"pad": pad})
+        except SessionApiFailed as exc:
+            sys.stderr.write(f"[session_api_failed] status={exc.status} body={exc.body!r}\n")
+            return 20
+        except (httpx.ConnectError, httpx.ReadTimeout, httpx.TransportError) as exc:
+            sys.stderr.write(f"[network_error] {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}\n")
+            return 21
+        sys.stdout.write(
+            f"persona_state set: session={args.session_id[-8:]} pad={pad} (204)\n"
+        )
+    return 0
+
+
 def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     """Sync entry point. Maps UsageError/_AuthError to exit codes BEFORE the event loop."""
     assert argv is None or all(isinstance(a, str) for a in argv)
@@ -639,6 +749,10 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         return int(exc.code) if exc.code is not None else 0
     if args.whoami:
         return asyncio.run(_whoami(args))
+    if args.characters:
+        return asyncio.run(_characters_probe(args))
+    if args.set_persona_pad is not None:
+        return asyncio.run(_set_persona_probe(args))
     if args.send_content is None:
         # TUI mode — lazy import preserves INV-001 (no textual in cli at module scope).
         from ratatoskr.tui import run_tui

src/ratatoskr/sessions.py

@@ -425,6 +425,108 @@ async def get_me(client: httpx.AsyncClient) -> dict[str, Any]:
     raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
 
 
+async def list_character_models(client: httpx.AsyncClient) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """GET /models/available-for-characters — character-capable model profiles (#161).
+
+    Requires `character.read`. Returns `{items: [{name, description, thinking}]}`.
+    Parsed dict verbatim; any non-200 → SessionApiFailed.
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    resp = await client.get("/models/available-for-characters")
+    if resp.status_code == 200:
+        return resp.json()
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
+async def create_character(
+    client: httpx.AsyncClient, character: dict[str, Any], *, state: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """POST /characters — create a transient character (#161). Requires `character.write`.
+
+    Body is `{character, state}` (state optional — a CharacterStateSchema for
+    mid-conversation rehydration). Returns 201 `{character_id, ttl_expires_at}`;
+    any non-201 → SessionApiFailed.
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert isinstance(character, dict) and character
+    resp = await client.post("/characters", json={"character": character, "state": state})
+    if resp.status_code == 201:
+        return resp.json()
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
+async def get_character_state(client: httpx.AsyncClient, character_id: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """GET /characters/{character_id}/state — live runtime state (#161). Requires `character.read`.
+
+    Returns `{schema_version, pad, emotions_active, mood_drift, goal_signal_history}`;
+    refreshes the character's TTL. Any non-200 → SessionApiFailed.
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert character_id and isinstance(character_id, str)
+    resp = await client.get(f"/characters/{character_id}/state")
+    if resp.status_code == 200:
+        return resp.json()
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
+async def delete_character(client: httpx.AsyncClient, character_id: str) -> None:
+    """DELETE /characters/{character_id} — remove a transient character (#161).
+
+    Requires `character.write`. Bound sessions detach (next turn → 410
+    character_not_found). 200/204 → None; any other status → SessionApiFailed.
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert character_id and isinstance(character_id, str)
+    resp = await client.delete(f"/characters/{character_id}")
+    if resp.status_code in (200, 204):
+        return None
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
+async def set_persona_state(
+    client: httpx.AsyncClient, session_id: str, snapshot: dict[str, Any]
+) -> None:
+    """POST /sessions/{session_id}/persona_state — set a session's persona state (affect injection).
+
+    The request body is FREEFORM: the frozen OpenAPI 2.2.0 declares no request
+    schema and the prose spec documents only the GET counterpart — so the caller
+    supplies the snapshot shape (e.g. `{pad: [p, a, d]}`, mirroring the GET
+    `snapshot`). 204 No Content → None; any other status → SessionApiFailed.
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert session_id and isinstance(session_id, str)
+    assert isinstance(snapshot, dict)
+    resp = await client.post(f"/sessions/{session_id}/persona_state", json=snapshot)
+    if resp.status_code == 204:
+        return None
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
+async def get_session_bifrost(
+    client: httpx.AsyncClient, session_id: str, *, admin_key: str
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """GET /admin/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost — admin-scoped Bifrost dispatch state (#176).
+
+    Returns the live Bifrost binding for a session: `{endpoint_url, consumer_id,
+    connected, capabilities_granted, tools: [{name, description}]}`. Requires the
+    `admin.sessions.read` scope (admin tier), so the request OVERRIDES the
+    Authorization header with `admin_key` (distinct from the client's default
+    consumer key). Read-only (audited server-side). Parsed dict verbatim; any
+    non-200 → SessionApiFailed — notably 403 `auth_scope_denied` (key lacks the
+    scope) and 404 `session_not_bifrost_bound` (session exists, no live client).
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert session_id and isinstance(session_id, str)
+    assert admin_key and isinstance(admin_key, str)
+    resp = await client.get(
+        f"/admin/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost",
+        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {admin_key}"},
+    )
+    if resp.status_code == 200:
+        return resp.json()
+    raise SessionApiFailed(status=resp.status_code, body=resp.content)
+
+
 async def get_session_tools(client: httpx.AsyncClient, session_id: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """GET /sessions/{session_id}/tools — owner-scoped tool inventory (spec #183).
 

src/ratatoskr/sse_client.py

@@ -175,6 +175,23 @@ Event = (
 )
 
 
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class AdminEvent:
+    """One `/admin/events` envelope (INV-046) — an admin-tier lifecycle event.
+
+    Distinct from the turn-stream `Event` union: this is the process-wide admin
+    broadcast stream, not a per-turn stream. `id` is a plain monotonic int
+    (resets on restart; heartbeats have id=0). `type` is a dotted namespace
+    (session.* / turn.* / key.* / system.*). `data` is a type-specific dict —
+    most carry `session_id`; per INV-049 it holds IDs + small metadata only.
+    """
+
+    id: int
+    type: str
+    timestamp: str | None
+    data: dict[str, Any]
+
+
 class MalformedSseId(Exception):
     """Raised when an SSE event's `id:` wire field is missing or non-composite."""
 
@@ -598,6 +615,51 @@ async def stream_turn_resilient(
             )
 
 
+async def stream_admin_events(
+    client: httpx.AsyncClient,
+    *,
+    admin_key: str,
+    last_event_id: int | None = None,
+) -> AsyncIterator[AdminEvent]:
+    """GET /admin/events SSE — the admin-tier lifecycle broadcast stream (INV-046).
+
+    Yields `AdminEvent` envelopes as they arrive. Admin-scoped (admin.events.read):
+    the request OVERRIDES Authorization with `admin_key` (distinct from the
+    client's default consumer bearer). `last_event_id` sets the `Last-Event-ID`
+    header for resume (plain decimal int). Long-lived — iterate until the caller
+    stops or the connection ends. Non-200 → SseConnectFailed; a mid-stream drop
+    → SseConnectionDropped (caller may reconnect from the last-seen `AdminEvent.id`).
+    Malformed frames are skipped (best-effort stream).
+    """
+    assert client is not None
+    assert admin_key and isinstance(admin_key, str)
+    headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {admin_key}"}
+    if last_event_id is not None:
+        headers["Last-Event-ID"] = str(last_event_id)
+    async with httpx_sse.aconnect_sse(
+        client, "GET", "/admin/events", headers=headers
+    ) as event_source:
+        if event_source.response.status_code != 200:
+            body = await event_source.response.aread()
+            raise SseConnectFailed(status=event_source.response.status_code, body=body)
+        try:
+            async for sse in event_source.aiter_sse():
+                if sse.data == "":
+                    continue
+                try:
+                    env = json.loads(sse.data)
+                except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                    continue  # skip a malformed admin frame (best-effort)
+                yield AdminEvent(
+                    id=env.get("id", 0),
+                    type=env["type"],
+                    timestamp=env.get("timestamp"),
+                    data=env.get("data", {}),
+                )
+        except (httpx.ReadError, httpx.RemoteProtocolError, httpx.ReadTimeout) as exc:
+            raise SseConnectionDropped(last_seen_sse_id=None) from exc
+
+
 def _parse_sse_id(raw: str) -> SseId:
     """Parse the SSE wire `id:` as composite `{turn_id}:{seq}`. See contract FN _parse_sse_id."""
     assert isinstance(raw, str)

src/ratatoskr/tui.py

@@ -45,11 +45,13 @@ from ratatoskr.sessions import (
     SessionInfo,
     create_session,
     get_persona_state,
+    get_session_bifrost,
     get_session_tools,
     list_agents,
     list_sessions,
 )
 from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
+    AdminEvent,
     AffectUpdate,
     AwaitingLlmFirstToken,
     CancelAlreadyCompleted,
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
     TurnIdFlip,
     WorkerPhase,
     cancel_turn,
+    stream_admin_events,
     stream_turn_resilient,
 )
 
@@ -197,6 +200,30 @@ def _ts() -> str:
     return now.strftime("%H:%M:%S") + f".{now.microsecond // 1000:03d}"
 
 
+def _format_admin_event(ev: AdminEvent) -> str:
+    """One-line render of an /admin/events envelope for the AdminEvents pane.
+
+    Drops `session_id` from the detail (the pane is already session-scoped) and
+    shows HH:MM:SS from the ISO timestamp + the remaining small metadata fields.
+    """
+    ts = (ev.timestamp or "")[11:19]
+    extras = " ".join(f"{k}={v}" for k, v in ev.data.items() if k != "session_id")
+    return f"[{ts}] {ev.type} {extras}".rstrip()
+
+
+def _format_bifrost_state(state: dict) -> list[str]:
+    """Render GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost (#176) into BifrostState-pane lines."""
+    tools = [t.get("name", "?") for t in state.get("tools", [])]
+    caps = state.get("capabilities_granted", [])
+    return [
+        f"bifrost binding: connected={state.get('connected')} "
+        f"consumer={state.get('consumer_id', '?')}",
+        f"  endpoint: {state.get('endpoint_url', '?')}",
+        f"  caps_granted: {', '.join(caps) or '(none)'}",
+        f"  tools ({len(tools)}): {', '.join(tools) or '(none)'}",
+    ]
+
+
 def _format_tool_inventory(tools: dict) -> list[str]:
     """Render GET /sessions/{id}/tools (#183) into Tools-pane inventory lines.
 
@@ -1039,7 +1066,7 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
     /* v0.8.1: #current-text Static removed. Streaming text now coalesces
        on `\n` and writes directly to #transcript (same pattern as v0.7.1
        thinking fix). Eliminates the dock-bottom-growth-overlap bug. */
-    #tools-log, #debug-log, #thinking-log {
+    #tools-log, #debug-log, #thinking-log, #bifrost-log, #admin-events-log {
         background: $background;
         padding: 0 1;
     }
@@ -1204,6 +1231,24 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
                             id="persona-log", wrap=True, markup=False,
                             highlight=False, min_width=0,
                         )
+                    with TabPane("Bifrost", id="bifrost-tab"):
+                        # #176: admin-scoped Bifrost dispatch state (endpoint,
+                        # connected, granted caps, tools) via
+                        # GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost. Hydrated on mount
+                        # with the admin key; "not configured" when absent.
+                        yield RichLog(
+                            id="bifrost-log", wrap=True, markup=False,
+                            highlight=False, min_width=0,
+                        )
+                    with TabPane("AdminEvents", id="admin-events-tab"):
+                        # #11: live GET /admin/events SSE stream, admin-scoped,
+                        # FILTERED to the active session (design-brief §6). A
+                        # long-lived worker appends matching lifecycle events;
+                        # "not configured" when no admin key is set.
+                        yield RichLog(
+                            id="admin-events-log", wrap=True, markup=False,
+                            highlight=False, min_width=0,
+                        )
         # INV-002 + INV-003: visible identity + hint widgets (Footer-area).
         # pane-name widget displays current side-pane name.
         yield Static("", id="identity")
@@ -1261,6 +1306,13 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
         # GET /sessions/{id}/tools (owner-scoped — consumer key, no admin scope).
         # Unconditional: every session has a tool inventory to introspect.
         self.run_worker(self._hydrate_session_tools())
+        # #176: hydrate the BifrostState pane via GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost
+        # (admin-scoped). Self-labels "not configured" when no admin key is set,
+        # "not bound" for the common unbound-session 404 — always writes at mount.
+        self.run_worker(self._hydrate_bifrost_state())
+        # #11: long-lived worker streaming GET /admin/events into the AdminEvents
+        # pane, filtered to this session. Admin-key-gated; cancelled on app exit.
+        self.run_worker(self._stream_admin_events())
 
     async def _hydrate_persona(self) -> None:
         """Hydrate persona-header + Persona pane via GET /agents/{id}/persona_state.
@@ -1324,6 +1376,100 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
             f"bifrost={len(tools.get('bifrost_tools', []))}"
         )
 
+    async def _hydrate_bifrost_state(self) -> None:
+        """Hydrate the BifrostState pane via GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost (#176).
+
+        Admin-scoped (admin.sessions.read) — uses `self.args.admin_key`. Best-effort
+        (mirrors _hydrate_session_tools): on 200 writes the live binding (endpoint,
+        connected, granted caps, tools) + audits; on failure a labeled line + audit,
+        never crashes. No admin key → "not configured". 404 session_not_bifrost_bound
+        is the routine unbound-session case; 403 means the key lacks the scope.
+        """
+        assert self.client is not None and self.session_id is not None
+        from rich.text import Text as RichText
+
+        log = self.query_one("#bifrost-log", RichLog)
+        admin_key = getattr(self.args, "admin_key", None)
+        if not admin_key:
+            log.write(
+                RichText("(admin key not configured — set RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY)")
+            )
+            self._audit(
+                f"bifrost_state_skipped session={self.session_id[-8:]} reason=no_admin_key"
+            )
+            return
+        try:
+            state = await get_session_bifrost(
+                self.client, self.session_id, admin_key=admin_key
+            )
+        except SessionApiFailed as exc:
+            label = (
+                "(session not bound to Bifrost)"
+                if exc.status == 404
+                else f"(bifrost state unavailable: HTTP {exc.status})"
+            )
+            log.write(RichText(label))
+            self._audit(
+                f"bifrost_state_unavailable session={self.session_id[-8:]} status={exc.status}"
+            )
+            return
+        except Exception as exc:  # best-effort — never crash the TUI on hydrate
+            log.write(RichText(f"(bifrost state hydration failed: {type(exc).__name__})"))
+            self._audit(
+                f"bifrost_state_hydration_failed session={self.session_id[-8:]} "
+                f"err={type(exc).__name__}: {exc!s:.120}"
+            )
+            return
+        for line in _format_bifrost_state(state):
+            log.write(RichText(line))
+        self._audit(
+            f"bifrost_state_hydrated session={self.session_id[-8:]} "
+            f"connected={state.get('connected')} tools={len(state.get('tools', []))}"
+        )
+
+    def _admin_event_matches(self, ev: AdminEvent) -> bool:
+        """AdminEvents filter (design-brief §6): active-session events + non-heartbeat
+        system.* (stream-integrity signals). Heartbeats are keepalive noise."""
+        if ev.type == "system.heartbeat":
+            return False
+        if ev.type.startswith("system."):
+            return True
+        return ev.data.get("session_id") == self.session_id
+
+    async def _stream_admin_events(self) -> None:
+        """Stream GET /admin/events (admin-scoped) into the AdminEvents pane (#11).
+
+        Long-lived + best-effort (never crashes the TUI). Filtered to the active
+        session (design-brief §6): appends matching lifecycle events as they
+        arrive. No admin key → "not configured". On connect failure (e.g. 403
+        scope-denied) or a mid-stream drop, writes a labeled line and stops.
+        """
+        assert self.client is not None and self.session_id is not None
+        from rich.text import Text as RichText
+
+        log = self.query_one("#admin-events-log", RichLog)
+        admin_key = getattr(self.args, "admin_key", None)
+        if not admin_key:
+            log.write(RichText("(admin key not configured — set RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY)"))
+            self._audit(
+                f"admin_events_skipped session={self.session_id[-8:]} reason=no_admin_key"
+            )
+            return
+        try:
+            async for ev in stream_admin_events(self.client, admin_key=admin_key):
+                if self._admin_event_matches(ev):
+                    log.write(RichText(_format_admin_event(ev)))
+        except SseConnectFailed as exc:
+            log.write(RichText(f"(admin events unavailable: HTTP {exc.status})"))
+            self._audit(
+                f"admin_events_unavailable session={self.session_id[-8:]} status={exc.status}"
+            )
+        except Exception as exc:  # drop / best-effort — never crash the TUI
+            log.write(RichText(f"(admin events stream ended: {type(exc).__name__})"))
+            self._audit(
+                f"admin_events_ended session={self.session_id[-8:]} err={type(exc).__name__}"
+            )
+
     def _update_persona_surfaces(self, snapshot: dict) -> None:
         """Update sticky header + Persona pane from a fresh snapshot.
 

src/ratatoskr/web/entrypoint.py

@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     affect_read_url = os.environ.get(
         "RATATOSKR_AFFECT_READ_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:8390"
     )
+    # Admin observability panes (BifrostState + AdminEvents): the readonly-admin
+    # key stays SERVER-SIDE — the server proxies admin-scoped reads; the browser
+    # never receives the key, only the session-filtered result.
+    admin_key = os.environ.get("RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY")
 
     # INV-001: lazy import. Users without [web] extras get a clean hint
     # instead of a raw ImportError. Scoped narrowly to the OPTIONAL
@@ -108,6 +112,7 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         bifrost_consumer_key=bifrost_consumer_key,
         bifrost_visible_host=bifrost_visible_host,
         affect_read_url=affect_read_url,
+        admin_key=admin_key,
     )
 
     # Boot banner to stderr (so stdout stays clean for piping).

src/ratatoskr/web/server.py

@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ from importlib.metadata import version as _pkg_version
 import httpx
 from starlette.applications import Starlette
 from starlette.requests import Request
-from starlette.responses import FileResponse, JSONResponse, StreamingResponse
+from starlette.responses import (
+    FileResponse,
+    JSONResponse,
+    Response,
+    StreamingResponse,
+)
 from starlette.routing import Mount, Route
 from starlette.staticfiles import StaticFiles
 
@@ -35,9 +40,12 @@ from ratatoskr.sessions import (
     create_session,
     endpoint_for_plane,
     get_persona_state,
+    get_session_bifrost,
+    get_session_tools,
     list_agents,
 )
 from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
+    AdminEvent,
     CancelAlreadyCompleted,
     Cancelled,
     CancelFailed,
@@ -50,6 +58,7 @@ from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
     SseConnectionDropped,
     TurnIdFlip,
     cancel_turn,
+    stream_admin_events,
     stream_turn_resilient,
 )
 
@@ -416,6 +425,100 @@ async def _affect_state_endpoint(request: Request) -> JSONResponse:
     return JSONResponse(r.json(), status_code=r.status_code)
 
 
+async def _session_tools_endpoint(request: Request) -> JSONResponse:
+    """GET /api/sessions/{session_id}/tools → owner-scoped tool inventory (spec #183).
+
+    Proxies get_session_tools with the client's CONSUMER bearer (no admin scope):
+    the merged {agent_id, builtin_tools, bifrost_tools} the LLM saw at turn-fire.
+    Any non-200 upstream → surfaced as a status-preserving error envelope."""
+    session_id = request.path_params["session_id"]
+    client_factory = request.app.state.client_factory
+    try:
+        async with client_factory() as client:
+            info = await get_session_tools(client, session_id)
+    except SessionApiFailed as exc:
+        return JSONResponse(
+            {"error_code": "session_tools_unavailable", "status": exc.status},
+            status_code=exc.status,
+        )
+    return JSONResponse(info, status_code=200)
+
+
+async def _session_bifrost_endpoint(request: Request) -> JSONResponse:
+    """GET /api/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost → admin-scoped Bifrost dispatch state (#176).
+
+    The admin key is SERVER-HELD (app.state.admin_key) and never reaches the
+    browser (INV-003 precedent — upstream credentials stay server-side); the
+    wrapper overrides the Authorization header with it. Fail-visible when the
+    admin key isn't configured (never a silent empty pane)."""
+    session_id = request.path_params["session_id"]
+    admin_key = request.app.state.admin_key
+    if not admin_key:  # PRE-001: fail-visible, never silent
+        return JSONResponse({"error_code": "admin_key_not_configured"}, status_code=400)
+    client_factory = request.app.state.client_factory
+    try:
+        async with client_factory() as client:
+            bstate = await get_session_bifrost(client, session_id, admin_key=admin_key)
+    except SessionApiFailed as exc:
+        return JSONResponse(
+            {"error_code": "bifrost_state_unavailable", "status": exc.status},
+            status_code=exc.status,
+        )
+    return JSONResponse(bstate, status_code=200)
+
+
+def _admin_event_matches_web(ev: AdminEvent, session_id: str | None) -> bool:
+    """AdminEvents filter (design-brief §6, mirrors the TUI): forward non-heartbeat
+    system.* (stream-integrity signals) + events for the active session; drop the
+    rest so the browser sees only session-relevant lifecycle, never the full
+    cross-session admin firehose."""
+    if ev.type == "system.heartbeat":
+        return False
+    if ev.type.startswith("system."):
+        return True
+    return session_id is not None and ev.data.get("session_id") == session_id
+
+
+async def _admin_events_endpoint(request: Request) -> Response:
+    """GET /api/admin/events?session_id=... → SSE proxy of GET /admin/events (#11).
+
+    The admin key is SERVER-HELD; the browser only ever receives the session-filtered
+    stream (never the key, never the cross-session firehose). Long-lived + best-effort:
+    a connect failure or mid-stream drop emits a labeled `stream_error` event and ends."""
+    admin_key = request.app.state.admin_key
+    if not admin_key:  # PRE-001: fail-visible, never silent
+        return JSONResponse({"error_code": "admin_key_not_configured"}, status_code=400)
+    session_id = request.query_params.get("session_id")
+    client_factory = request.app.state.client_factory
+
+    async def gen() -> AsyncIterator[bytes]:
+        client = client_factory()
+        try:
+            async for ev in stream_admin_events(client, admin_key=admin_key):
+                if not _admin_event_matches_web(ev, session_id):
+                    continue
+                # Fixed SSE event name so the browser renders EVERY admin type
+                # with one listener (no per-type enumeration → nothing silently
+                # dropped); the real dotted type rides in the payload.
+                yield _format_sse(
+                    "admin_event",
+                    {"id": ev.id, "type": ev.type, "timestamp": ev.timestamp,
+                     "data": ev.data},
+                )
+        except (SseConnectFailed, SseConnectionDropped, MalformedSseId,
+                MalformedSseData) as exc:
+            yield _format_sse(
+                "stream_error",
+                {"exception": type(exc).__name__, "message": str(exc)},
+            )
+        except asyncio.CancelledError:
+            raise  # browser disconnect — let the generator unwind
+        finally:
+            await client.aclose()
+
+    return StreamingResponse(gen(), media_type="text/event-stream")
+
+
 def create_app(
     client_factory: Callable[[], httpx.AsyncClient],
     *,
@@ -423,6 +526,7 @@ def create_app(
     bifrost_consumer_key: str | None = None,
     bifrost_visible_host: str | None = None,
     affect_read_url: str | None = None,
+    admin_key: str | None = None,
 ) -> Starlette:
     """Construct the Starlette app — wire routes + state per FN create_app.
 
@@ -483,6 +587,9 @@ def create_app(
         Route("/api/sessions", _create_session_endpoint, methods=["POST"]),
         Route("/api/agents/{agent_id}/persona_state", _persona_state_endpoint),
         Route("/api/affect/{agent_id}", _affect_state_endpoint),
+        Route("/api/sessions/{session_id}/tools", _session_tools_endpoint),
+        Route("/api/sessions/{session_id}/bifrost", _session_bifrost_endpoint),
+        Route("/api/admin/events", _admin_events_endpoint),
         Route("/api/turns/{session_id}", _submit_turn_endpoint, methods=["POST"]),
         Route("/api/turns/{session_id}/stream", _stream_turn_endpoint),
         Route("/api/turns/{session_id}/cancel", _cancel_turn_endpoint, methods=["POST"]),
@@ -498,6 +605,10 @@ def create_app(
     # Issue #18 (Deliverable 2): the provider affect-read base URL (server→provider hop,
     # same dev box) — distinct from the WT-visible host used for binding.
     app.state.affect_read_url = affect_read_url
+    # Admin observability panes (BifrostState + AdminEvents): the admin key is
+    # SERVER-HELD (RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY) and never reaches the browser — the
+    # server proxies admin-scoped reads and forwards only the session-filtered result.
+    app.state.admin_key = admin_key
     # INV-002: turn registry is in-process memory, keyed (session_id, turn_id)
     app.state.turn_registry = {}
     return app

src/ratatoskr/web/static/index.html

@@ -231,6 +231,26 @@ body {
   50% { content: "··"; } 75% { content: "···"; }
 }
 
+/* reasoning indicator — a UI affordance in the transcript, visually distinct
+   from the agent's response (.response, left-bordered). Italic + a ✦ glyph so
+   it reads as "the app telling you inference is happening", never as engine
+   output. Ephemeral: appears on reasoning tokens, gone the moment real text
+   begins or the turn ends. */
+.thinking-note {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
+  color: var(--blue); font-style: italic; font-size: 12px;
+  margin: 6px 0; padding-left: 18px; opacity: 0.9;
+  animation: rise 0.3s ease both;
+}
+.thinking-note::before {
+  content: "✦"; font-style: normal; color: var(--cyan);
+  text-shadow: 0 0 10px var(--glow-cyan);
+}
+.thinking-note::after {
+  content: ""; width: 16px; text-align: left;
+  animation: dots 1.4s steps(4, end) infinite;
+}
+
 /* terminal status chips */
 .chip {
   display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px;
@@ -487,6 +507,8 @@ body {
       <button class="tab" data-pane="debug">debug <span class="kbd">⌃2</span><span class="badge">0</span></button>
       <button class="tab" data-pane="thinking">think <span class="kbd">⌃3</span><span class="badge">0</span></button>
       <button class="tab" data-pane="persona">persona <span class="kbd">⌃4</span></button>
+      <button class="tab" data-pane="bifrost">bifrost <span class="kbd">⌃5</span></button>
+      <button class="tab" data-pane="admin">admin <span class="kbd">⌃6</span><span class="badge">0</span></button>
     </nav>
     <div class="pane-head">
       <span id="pane-name">tools</span>
@@ -497,6 +519,8 @@ body {
       <div class="pane" id="pane-debug"><div class="empty">waiting for wire telemetry…</div></div>
       <div class="pane" id="pane-thinking"><div class="empty">no chain-of-thought captured yet</div></div>
       <div class="pane" id="pane-persona"><div class="empty">persona state loads on session open</div></div>
+      <div class="pane" id="pane-bifrost"><div class="empty">bifrost dispatch state loads on session open</div></div>
+      <div class="pane" id="pane-admin"><div class="empty">admin lifecycle events stream on session open</div></div>
     </div>
   </section>
 </main>
@@ -542,7 +566,7 @@ body {
 "use strict";
 
 const $ = (id) => document.getElementById(id);
-const state = { sessionId: null, agentId: null, turnId: null, eventSource: null };
+const state = { sessionId: null, agentId: null, turnId: null, eventSource: null, lastAffectAt: null, adminES: null };
 
 function esc(s) {
   const d = document.createElement("div");
@@ -603,8 +627,46 @@ function markdownSafe(raw) {
 // per-turn live buffers (reset at turn open)
 const LIVE = { resp: "", think: "" };
 
+// ---- reasoning indicator (a UI affordance — NOT engine output) ----------
+// When the model streams reasoning/chain-of-thought, show an ephemeral
+// "<Agent> is pondering…" line in the transcript so the user knows inference
+// is happening. Rotates phrasing for liveliness; removed the instant real text
+// begins or the turn ends. agentDisplayName is rendered via textContent (never
+// innerHTML) so an adversarial agent_id can't inject markup (INV-004).
+const THINK_PHRASES = ["is thinking", "is pondering", "appears thoughtful",
+                       "is reasoning", "is turning it over"];
+let thinkRotator = null;
+function agentDisplayName() {
+  if (!state.agentId) return "the agent";
+  const tail = String(state.agentId).split(":").pop() || "the agent";
+  return tail.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + tail.slice(1);
+}
+function showThinkingNote() {
+  // reasoning tokens ARE the first tokens — supersede the awaiting-first heartbeat
+  const aw = document.querySelector("#transcript .awaiting.live");
+  if (aw) aw.remove();
+  let el = document.querySelector("#transcript .thinking-note");
+  if (!el) {
+    el = document.createElement("div");
+    el.className = "thinking-note";
+    el.appendChild(document.createTextNode(""));
+    $("transcript").appendChild(el);
+    let i = 0;
+    const paint = () => { el.firstChild.textContent =
+      `${agentDisplayName()} ${THINK_PHRASES[i % THINK_PHRASES.length]}`; i++; };
+    paint();
+    thinkRotator = setInterval(paint, 2600);
+  }
+  $("transcript").scrollTop = $("transcript").scrollHeight;
+}
+function hideThinkingNote() {
+  if (thinkRotator) { clearInterval(thinkRotator); thinkRotator = null; }
+  const el = document.querySelector("#transcript .thinking-note");
+  if (el) el.remove();
+}
+
 // ---- pane helpers ----
-const PANE_BADGE = { tools: 0, debug: 0, thinking: 0 };
+const PANE_BADGE = { tools: 0, debug: 0, thinking: 0, admin: 0 };
 function bumpBadge(pane) {
   if (!(pane in PANE_BADGE)) return;
   PANE_BADGE[pane] += 1;
@@ -773,6 +835,7 @@ async function loadAffect(agentId) {
       const snap = await r.json();
       renderAffectPane(snap);
       setPersonaStrip(snap);  // pad bars are the live signal
+      state.lastAffectAt = snap.emitted_at || state.lastAffectAt;  // post-turn poll stop-signal
     } else {
       let code = "";
       try { code = (await r.json()).error_code || ""; } catch (_) {}
@@ -794,6 +857,93 @@ async function loadAffect(agentId) {
   }
 }
 
+// ---- tools inventory (#183): what the LLM HAS at turn-fire (static), rendered
+// at the TOP of the tools pane; live tool_start/result events append below it. ---
+function renderToolsInventory(inv) {
+  const row = (k, v) => `<div><span class="pk">${esc(k)}</span> <span class="pv">${esc(v)}</span></div>`;
+  const head = (t) => `<div class="ph">${esc(t)}</div>`;
+  const names = (arr) => (arr || []).map((t) => (typeof t === "string" ? t : (t && t.name) || "?"));
+  const builtin = inv.builtin_tools || [], bifrost = inv.bifrost_tools || [];
+  const html =
+    head("tool inventory · " + (inv.agent_id || "?")) +
+    row("builtin (" + builtin.length + ")", names(builtin).join(", ") || "none") +
+    row("bifrost (" + bifrost.length + ")", names(bifrost).join(", ") || "none") +
+    `<div class="rule">— live tool events —</div>`;
+  const pane = $("pane-tools");
+  const empty = pane.querySelector(".empty");
+  if (empty) empty.remove();
+  let block = pane.querySelector(".tools-inventory");
+  if (!block) {
+    block = document.createElement("div");
+    block.className = "tools-inventory";
+    pane.insertBefore(block, pane.firstChild);
+  }
+  block.innerHTML = html;
+}
+async function loadSessionTools(sessionId) {
+  try {
+    const r = await fetch("/api/sessions/" + encodeURIComponent(sessionId) + "/tools");
+    if (r.status === 200) renderToolsInventory(await r.json());
+    // non-200 → best-effort hydrate; leave the live tool pane as-is (mirrors TUI)
+  } catch (_) {}
+}
+
+// ---- Bifrost dispatch state (#176): admin-scoped, server-proxied (admin key
+// stays server-side; the browser only receives the state). ----
+function renderBifrostState(b) {
+  const row = (k, v) => `<div><span class="pk">${esc(k)}</span> <span class="pv">${esc(v)}</span></div>`;
+  const head = (t) => `<div class="ph">${esc(t)}</div>`;
+  const tools = b.tools || [];
+  $("pane-bifrost").innerHTML =
+    head("bifrost dispatch state") +
+    row("endpoint", b.endpoint_url || "?") +
+    row("consumer", b.consumer_id || "?") +
+    row("connected", JSON.stringify(b.connected)) +
+    row("caps", (b.capabilities_granted || []).join(", ") || "none") +
+    `<div> </div>` + head("tools (" + tools.length + ")") +
+    (tools.map((t) => row("·", (t.name || "?") + (t.description ? " — " + t.description : ""))).join("")
+       || `<div class="empty">none</div>`);
+}
+async function loadBifrostState(sessionId) {
+  try {
+    const r = await fetch("/api/sessions/" + encodeURIComponent(sessionId) + "/bifrost");
+    if (r.status === 200) { renderBifrostState(await r.json()); return; }
+    let code = ""; try { code = (await r.json()).error_code || ""; } catch (_) {}
+    let msg;
+    if (code === "admin_key_not_configured") msg = "bifrost state needs the readonly-admin key (RATATOSKR_ADMIN_API_KEY) server-side.";
+    else if (r.status === 404) msg = "session is not Bifrost-bound (no live dispatch client).";
+    else if (r.status === 403) msg = "admin key lacks the admin.sessions.read scope.";
+    else msg = `bifrost state unavailable (HTTP ${esc(r.status)}${code ? " · " + esc(code) : ""}).`;
+    $("pane-bifrost").innerHTML = `<div class="empty">${msg}</div>`;
+  } catch (_) {
+    $("pane-bifrost").innerHTML = `<div class="empty">bifrost state fetch failed</div>`;
+  }
+}
+
+// ---- Admin lifecycle events (#11): admin-scoped SSE, session-filtered SERVER-side.
+// One fixed "admin_event" listener renders every type; the dotted type is in data. ---
+function openAdminEvents(sessionId) {
+  if (state.adminES) { state.adminES.close(); state.adminES = null; }
+  const es = new EventSource("/api/admin/events?session_id=" + encodeURIComponent(sessionId));
+  state.adminES = es;
+  es.addEventListener("admin_event", (e) => {
+    let d; try { d = JSON.parse(e.data); } catch (_) { return; }
+    appendTo("pane-admin",
+      `<div>[${ts()}] <span style="color:var(--blue)">${esc(d.type || "event")}</span> `
+      + `${esc(JSON.stringify(d.data || {}))}</div>`);
+  });
+  es.addEventListener("stream_error", (e) => {
+    let d = {}; try { d = JSON.parse(e.data); } catch (_) {}
+    appendTo("pane-admin", `<div class="rule">— admin stream ended: ${esc(d.exception || "error")} —</div>`);
+  });
+  es.onerror = () => {
+    const pane = $("pane-admin");
+    if (pane.querySelector(".empty")) {
+      pane.innerHTML = `<div class="empty">admin stream unavailable — needs the readonly-admin key + admin.events.read scope.</div>`;
+    }
+  };
+}
+
 // ---- session lifecycle ----
 async function startSession() {
   const agentId = $("agent-picker").value;
@@ -837,6 +987,11 @@ async function startSession() {
     $("setup").style.display = "none";
     $("workspace").classList.add("live");
     await loadPersona(agentId);
+    // Admin/debug surfaces — best-effort hydrate + live stream (all self-render on
+    // failure; the admin key is server-held, never sent from here).
+    loadSessionTools(state.sessionId);
+    loadBifrostState(state.sessionId);
+    openAdminEvents(state.sessionId);
     $("prompt-input").focus();
   } catch (e) {
     $("setup-err").textContent = "network error opening session";
@@ -943,11 +1098,13 @@ async function submitPrompt() {
   es.addEventListener("thinking", (e) => {
     const d = JSON.parse(e.data);
     thinkingDeltas += 1;
+    showThinkingNote();       // ephemeral "<Agent> is pondering…" in the transcript
     appendThinking(d.content);
   });
   es.addEventListener("text", (e) => {
     const d = JSON.parse(e.data);
     textDeltas += 1;
+    hideThinkingNote();       // real text begins — reasoning display is done
     appendResponse(d.content);
   });
   es.addEventListener("text_boundary", (e) => {
@@ -990,6 +1147,7 @@ async function submitPrompt() {
   function terminal(label, cls, e) {
     const aw = document.querySelector("#transcript .awaiting.live");
     if (aw) aw.remove();
+    hideThinkingNote();
     finalizeResponse();
     document.querySelectorAll("#pane-thinking .think-live").forEach((b) => b.classList.remove("think-live"));
     let meta = "";
@@ -1006,9 +1164,18 @@ async function submitPrompt() {
     $("composer").classList.remove("streaming");
     setConn(cls === "error" ? "error" : "idle", cls === "error" ? "error" : "connected");
     if (cls === "done" && state.agentId) {
-      // Tier-3 affect.emit is POST-TURN ASYNC — it lands in our store a couple seconds
-      // after [done]. Refresh the pane on a short delay to catch the new PAD (issue #18).
-      setTimeout(() => loadPersona(state.agentId), 2000);
+      // Tier-3 affect.emit is POST-TURN ASYNC and can land well after [done] — a single
+      // fixed refresh races it (issue #18 foot-gun). Poll a short window, stopping once
+      // the snapshot's emitted_at advances past the pre-turn value (or a new turn starts).
+      const beforeAt = state.lastAffectAt;
+      let settled = false;
+      for (const delay of [1500, 3500, 6500, 10500]) {
+        setTimeout(async () => {
+          if (settled || state.turnId) return;
+          await loadPersona(state.agentId);
+          if (state.lastAffectAt && state.lastAffectAt !== beforeAt) settled = true;
+        }, delay);
+      }
     }
     $("prompt-input").focus();
   }
@@ -1053,7 +1220,7 @@ document.querySelectorAll(".tab").forEach((t) =>
 
 // ---- keyboard ----
 document.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-  if (e.ctrlKey && ["1", "2", "3", "4"].includes(e.key)) {
+  if (e.ctrlKey && ["1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6"].includes(e.key)) {
     const tabs = document.querySelectorAll(".tab");
     const idx = parseInt(e.key, 10) - 1;
     if (tabs[idx]) { activateTab(tabs[idx]); e.preventDefault(); }

tests/test_cli.py

@@ -1633,3 +1633,63 @@ class TestWhoami:
         rc = main(["--whoami", "--api-key", "k", "--server", "https://w.example"])
         assert rc == 20
         assert "[session_api_failed]" in capsys.readouterr().err
+
+
+class TestTier2Probes:
+    """--characters + --set-persona-pad one-shot probes (Tier-2: #161 + persona_state-write)."""
+
+    def test_characters_standalone_accepted(self) -> None:
+        """characters_standalone: --characters alone → valid."""
+        args = _parse_args(["--characters", "--api-key", "k"])
+        assert args.characters is True
+        assert args.session_id is None
+
+    def test_set_persona_requires_session(self) -> None:
+        """set_persona_requires_session [adversarial]: --set-persona-pad needs --session."""
+        with pytest.raises(UsageError, match="requires --session"):
+            _parse_args(["--set-persona-pad", "0.4,0.1,-0.2", "--api-key", "k"])
+
+    def test_probes_mutually_exclusive(self) -> None:
+        """probes_mutually_exclusive [adversarial]: --whoami + --characters → UsageError."""
+        with pytest.raises(UsageError, match="mutually exclusive"):
+            _parse_args(["--whoami", "--characters", "--api-key", "k"])
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_characters_probe_lifecycle(self, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]) -> None:
+        """characters_probe [happy,tracer]: models → create → state → delete; report to stdout."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/models/available-for-characters").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={"items": [{"name": "fast"}]})
+        )
+        respx.post("https://w.example/characters").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(201, json={"character_id": "char_z", "ttl_expires_at": "t"})
+        )
+        respx.get("https://w.example/characters/char_z/state").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={"schema_version": "1", "pad": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3]})
+        )
+        del_route = respx.delete("https://w.example/characters/char_z").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(204)
+        )
+        rc = main(["--characters", "--api-key", "k", "--server", "https://w.example"])
+        assert rc == 0
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "character models: fast" in out
+        assert "created: char_z" in out
+        assert "pad=[0.1, 0.2, 0.3]" in out
+        assert "deleted: char_z" in out
+        assert del_route.call_count == 1  # lifecycle cleaned up
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_set_persona_probe(self, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]) -> None:
+        """set_persona_probe [happy,tracer]: POST pad to /sessions/{id}/persona_state; 204."""
+        import json as _json
+
+        route = respx.post("https://w.example/sessions/s1/persona_state").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(204)
+        )
+        rc = main(
+            ["--set-persona-pad", "0.4,0.1,-0.2", "--session", "s1",
+             "--api-key", "k", "--server", "https://w.example"]
+        )
+        assert rc == 0
+        assert "persona_state set" in capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert _json.loads(route.calls[0].request.content) == {"pad": [0.4, 0.1, -0.2]}

tests/test_sessions.py

@@ -16,14 +16,20 @@ from ratatoskr.sessions import (
     PersonaNotConfigured,
     SessionApiFailed,
     SessionPage,
+    create_character,
     create_session,
+    delete_character,
     endpoint_for_plane,
     get_capabilities,
+    get_character_state,
     get_me,
     get_persona_state,
+    get_session_bifrost,
     get_session_tools,
     list_agents,
+    list_character_models,
     list_sessions,
+    set_persona_state,
 )
 
 
@@ -1039,3 +1045,151 @@ class TestGetSessionTools:
             with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
                 await get_session_tools(client, "")
         assert route.call_count == 0
+
+
+class TestGetSessionBifrost:
+    """#2 contract — get_session_bifrost (GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost, #176)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_happy_uses_admin_bearer(self) -> None:
+        """happy [happy,tracer]: 200 → binding dict; request carries the ADMIN bearer (override)."""
+        route = respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(
+                200,
+                json={
+                    "endpoint_url": "https://bifrost.example/mcp",
+                    "consumer_id": "alice",
+                    "connected": True,
+                    "capabilities_granted": ["tools:call", "tools:read"],
+                    "tools": [{"name": "bifrost.alice.echo", "description": "echo"}],
+                },
+            )
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(
+            base_url="https://w.example",
+            headers={"Authorization": "Bearer consumer-key"},
+        ) as client:
+            state = await get_session_bifrost(client, "s1", admin_key="admin-xyz")
+        assert state["connected"] is True
+        assert state["tools"][0]["name"] == "bifrost.alice.echo"
+        # the request overrode the client's default consumer bearer with the admin key
+        assert route.calls[0].request.headers["Authorization"] == "Bearer admin-xyz"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_403_scope_denied(self) -> None:
+        """403 [error]: admin key lacks admin.sessions.read → SessionApiFailed(403)."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(403, json={"error_code": "auth_scope_denied"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(SessionApiFailed) as exc:
+                await get_session_bifrost(client, "s1", admin_key="k")
+        assert exc.value.status == 403
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_404_not_bound(self) -> None:
+        """404 [error]: session_not_bifrost_bound → SessionApiFailed(404)."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(404, json={"error_code": "session_not_bifrost_bound"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(SessionApiFailed) as exc:
+                await get_session_bifrost(client, "s1", admin_key="k")
+        assert exc.value.status == 404
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_empty_admin_key_asserts(self) -> None:
+        """empty_admin_key [adversarial]: '' → AssertionError; no HTTP issued."""
+        route = respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
+                await get_session_bifrost(client, "s1", admin_key="")
+        assert route.call_count == 0
+
+
+class TestTransientCharacters:
+    """docs/contracts/issues/2.contract.md — transient-character wrappers (#161)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_list_models(self) -> None:
+        """list_models [happy,tracer]: 200 → {items:[...]} verbatim."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/models/available-for-characters").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={"items": [{"name": "fast", "thinking": False}]})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            models = await list_character_models(client)
+        assert models["items"][0]["name"] == "fast"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_create_body_and_response(self) -> None:
+        """create [happy]: body is {character, state}; 201 → {character_id, ttl_expires_at}."""
+        import json as _json
+
+        route = respx.post("https://w.example/characters").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(201, json={"character_id": "char_x", "ttl_expires_at": "t"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            out = await create_character(client, {"schema_version": "1", "name": "H"})
+        assert out["character_id"] == "char_x"
+        body = _json.loads(route.calls[0].request.content)
+        assert body == {"character": {"schema_version": "1", "name": "H"}, "state": None}
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_get_state(self) -> None:
+        """get_state [happy]: 200 → live PAD/emotions snapshot."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/characters/char_x/state").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={"schema_version": "1", "pad": [0.4, 0.1, -0.2]})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            state = await get_character_state(client, "char_x")
+        assert state["pad"] == [0.4, 0.1, -0.2]
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_delete_204(self) -> None:
+        """delete [happy]: 204 → None."""
+        respx.delete("https://w.example/characters/char_x").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(204)
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            assert await delete_character(client, "char_x") is None
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_create_403_scope(self) -> None:
+        """create_403 [error]: key lacks character.write → SessionApiFailed(403)."""
+        respx.post("https://w.example/characters").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(403, json={"error_code": "auth_scope_denied"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(SessionApiFailed) as exc:
+                await create_character(client, {"name": "H"})
+        assert exc.value.status == 403
+
+
+class TestSetPersonaState:
+    """#2 contract — set_persona_state (POST /sessions/{id}/persona_state)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_happy_204(self) -> None:
+        """happy [happy,tracer]: freeform snapshot body; 204 → None."""
+        import json as _json
+
+        route = respx.post("https://w.example/sessions/s1/persona_state").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(204)
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            result = await set_persona_state(client, "s1", {"pad": [0.4, 0.1, -0.2]})
+        assert result is None
+        assert _json.loads(route.calls[0].request.content) == {"pad": [0.4, 0.1, -0.2]}
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_non_204_raises(self) -> None:
+        """non_204 [error]: 422 (bad snapshot shape) → SessionApiFailed(422)."""
+        respx.post("https://w.example/sessions/s1/persona_state").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(422, json={"error_code": "validation_failed"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(SessionApiFailed) as exc:
+                await set_persona_state(client, "s1", {"pad": [1, 2, 3]})
+        assert exc.value.status == 422

tests/test_sse_client.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import pytest
 import respx
 
 from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
+    AdminEvent,
     AffectUpdate,
     AgentNotAvailable,
     AwaitingLlmFirstToken,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ from ratatoskr.sse_client import (
     _parse_sse_id,
     cancel_turn,
     reconnect_turn,
+    stream_admin_events,
     stream_turn,
     stream_turn_resilient,
 )
@@ -1261,3 +1263,73 @@ class TestStreamTurnResilient:
                     collected.append(e)
         assert [e.sse_id for e in collected] == [SseId(42, 1)]  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
         assert route.call_count == 2
+
+
+class TestStreamAdminEvents:
+    """docs/conversation-api-spec.md § Admin Event Stream — stream_admin_events (#11)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_happy_multi_event_admin_bearer(self) -> None:
+        """happy [happy,tracer]: yields AdminEvent envelopes; request uses the ADMIN bearer."""
+        env1 = {
+            "id": 41, "type": "session.created", "timestamp": "2026-05-06T10:00:00.000Z",
+            "data": {"session_id": "s1", "agent_id": "mimir", "user_id": None},
+        }
+        env2 = {
+            "id": 42, "type": "turn.started", "timestamp": "2026-05-06T10:00:01.000Z",
+            "data": {"session_id": "s1", "turn_id": 7, "agent_id": "mimir", "user_id": None},
+        }
+        stream = _sse_chunk("41", env1) + _sse_chunk("42", env2)
+        route = respx.get("https://w.example/admin/events").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(
+                200, headers={"content-type": "text/event-stream"}, content=stream
+            )
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(
+            base_url="https://w.example", headers={"Authorization": "Bearer consumer"}
+        ) as client:
+            events = [e async for e in stream_admin_events(client, admin_key="admin-xyz")]
+        assert [e.type for e in events] == ["session.created", "turn.started"]
+        assert isinstance(events[0], AdminEvent)
+        assert events[0].id == 41
+        assert events[1].data["turn_id"] == 7
+        assert route.calls[0].request.headers["Authorization"] == "Bearer admin-xyz"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_last_event_id_header(self) -> None:
+        """last_event_id_header [trace]: empty stream → []; Last-Event-ID header sent."""
+        route = respx.get("https://w.example/admin/events").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(
+                200, headers={"content-type": "text/event-stream"}, content=b""
+            )
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            events = [e async for e in stream_admin_events(client, admin_key="k", last_event_id=99)]
+        assert events == []
+        assert route.calls[0].request.headers["Last-Event-ID"] == "99"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_403_scope_denied(self) -> None:
+        """403 [error]: key lacks admin.events.read → SseConnectFailed(403)."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/events").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(403, json={"error_code": "auth_scope_denied"})
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            with pytest.raises(SseConnectFailed) as exc:
+                _ = [e async for e in stream_admin_events(client, admin_key="k")]
+        assert exc.value.status == 403
+
+    @respx.mock
+    async def test_skips_malformed_frame(self) -> None:
+        """skips_malformed [adversarial]: a bad-JSON frame is skipped, not fatal."""
+        good = _sse_chunk("41", {"id": 41, "type": "session.created", "data": {"session_id": "s1"}})
+        bad = b"id: 42\ndata: not-json\n\n"
+        good2 = _sse_chunk("43", {"id": 43, "type": "session.deleted", "data": {"session_id": "s1"}})
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/events").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(
+                200, headers={"content-type": "text/event-stream"}, content=good + bad + good2
+            )
+        )
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(base_url="https://w.example") as client:
+            events = [e async for e in stream_admin_events(client, admin_key="k")]
+        assert [e.type for e in events] == ["session.created", "session.deleted"]

tests/test_tui.py

@@ -3235,3 +3235,205 @@ class TestSessionToolsHydration:
             await pilot.pause()
         joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
         assert "session_tools_hydration_failed" in joined
+
+
+class TestBifrostStateHydration:
+    """get_session_bifrost + the #176 BifrostState pane (GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost)."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _mute_tools(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """Neutralize the on_mount Tools-pane worker so it makes no real call."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+
+        async def noop(client, session_id):
+            return {"agent_id": "x", "builtin_tools": [], "bifrost_tools": []}
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "get_session_tools", noop)
+
+    def test_format_bifrost_state(self) -> None:
+        """format_bifrost_state [unit]: connected / endpoint / caps / tools lines."""
+        from ratatoskr.tui import _format_bifrost_state
+
+        lines = _format_bifrost_state(
+            {
+                "endpoint_url": "https://b/mcp",
+                "consumer_id": "alice",
+                "connected": True,
+                "capabilities_granted": ["tools:call", "tools:read"],
+                "tools": [{"name": "bifrost.echo"}],
+            }
+        )
+        joined = "\n".join(lines)
+        assert "connected=True" in joined
+        assert "consumer=alice" in joined
+        assert "https://b/mcp" in joined
+        assert "tools:call, tools:read" in joined
+        assert "bifrost.echo" in joined
+
+    async def test_hydrate_no_admin_key(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """hydrate_no_admin_key [scenario]: admin_key None → 'not configured' + skip audit."""
+        self._mute_tools(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-bf-1"))  # admin_key defaults None
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._hydrate_bifrost_state()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "admin key not configured" in joined
+        assert "bifrost_state_skipped" in joined
+
+    async def test_hydrate_success(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """hydrate_success [scenario,tracer]: 200 → binding in BifrostState pane + audit."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+
+        self._mute_tools(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+
+        async def fake_bifrost(client, session_id, *, admin_key):
+            return {
+                "endpoint_url": "https://b/mcp",
+                "consumer_id": "alice",
+                "connected": True,
+                "capabilities_granted": ["tools:call"],
+                "tools": [{"name": "bifrost.echo"}],
+            }
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "get_session_bifrost", fake_bifrost)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-bf-2", admin_key="ak"))
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._hydrate_bifrost_state()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "bifrost binding" in joined
+        assert "bifrost.echo" in joined
+        assert "bifrost_state_hydrated" in joined
+
+    async def test_hydrate_404_not_bound(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """hydrate_404_not_bound [error]: 404 → 'not bound to Bifrost' + audit; no crash."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+        from ratatoskr.sessions import SessionApiFailed
+
+        self._mute_tools(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+
+        async def not_bound(client, session_id, *, admin_key):
+            raise SessionApiFailed(status=404, body=b"session_not_bifrost_bound")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "get_session_bifrost", not_bound)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-bf-3", admin_key="ak"))
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._hydrate_bifrost_state()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "not bound to Bifrost" in joined
+        assert "bifrost_state_unavailable" in joined
+
+
+class TestAdminEventsStream:
+    """stream_admin_events + the #11 AdminEvents pane (GET /admin/events, session-filtered)."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _mute_hydrates(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """Neutralize the other on_mount workers (tools + bifrost) — no real calls."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+        from ratatoskr.sessions import SessionApiFailed
+
+        async def noop_tools(client, session_id):
+            return {"agent_id": "x", "builtin_tools": [], "bifrost_tools": []}
+
+        async def noop_bifrost(client, session_id, *, admin_key):
+            raise SessionApiFailed(status=404, body=b"nb")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "get_session_tools", noop_tools)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "get_session_bifrost", noop_bifrost)
+
+    def test_format_admin_event(self) -> None:
+        """format_admin_event [unit]: HH:MM:SS + type + fields; session_id dropped."""
+        from ratatoskr.sse_client import AdminEvent
+        from ratatoskr.tui import _format_admin_event
+
+        line = _format_admin_event(
+            AdminEvent(
+                42, "turn.completed", "2026-05-06T10:00:05.000Z",
+                {"session_id": "s1", "turn_id": 7, "duration_ms": 1200, "phase": "succeeded"},
+            )
+        )
+        assert "turn.completed" in line
+        assert "[10:00:05]" in line
+        assert "turn_id=7" in line
+        assert "session_id" not in line  # dropped — pane is already session-scoped
+
+    def test_admin_event_matches_filter(self) -> None:
+        """admin_event_matches [unit]: active-session + non-heartbeat system.* pass (§6)."""
+        from ratatoskr.sse_client import AdminEvent
+
+        E = AdminEvent
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-match"))
+        assert app._admin_event_matches(E(1, "session.created", "t", {"session_id": "s-match"}))
+        assert not app._admin_event_matches(E(2, "turn.started", "t", {"session_id": "other"}))
+        assert not app._admin_event_matches(E(0, "system.heartbeat", "t", {}))
+        assert app._admin_event_matches(E(3, "system.events_dropped", "t", {"count": 5}))
+
+    async def test_stream_writes_filtered_events(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """stream_filtered [scenario,tracer]: only active-session + non-heartbeat lines land."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+        from ratatoskr.sse_client import AdminEvent
+
+        self._mute_hydrates(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+
+        async def fake_stream(client, *, admin_key, last_event_id=None):
+            yield AdminEvent(41, "session.created", "t", {"session_id": "s-ae-2"})
+            yield AdminEvent(0, "system.heartbeat", "t", {})  # filtered (noise)
+            yield AdminEvent(42, "turn.started", "t", {"session_id": "other"})  # diff session
+            yield AdminEvent(43, "session.deleted", "t", {"session_id": "s-ae-2"})
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "stream_admin_events", fake_stream)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-ae-2", admin_key="ak"))
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._stream_admin_events()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "session.created" in joined
+        assert "session.deleted" in joined
+        assert "system.heartbeat" not in joined
+        assert "turn.started" not in joined  # different session → filtered
+
+    async def test_stream_no_admin_key(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """stream_no_admin_key [scenario]: admin_key None → 'not configured' + skip audit."""
+        self._mute_hydrates(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-ae-3"))  # admin_key None
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._stream_admin_events()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "admin key not configured" in joined
+        assert "admin_events_skipped" in joined
+
+    async def test_stream_403_unavailable(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        """stream_403 [error]: 403 scope-denied → 'unavailable' + audit; no crash."""
+        import ratatoskr.tui as tui_mod
+        from ratatoskr.sse_client import SseConnectFailed
+
+        self._mute_hydrates(monkeypatch)
+        writes = _spy_writes(monkeypatch)
+
+        async def denied(client, *, admin_key, last_event_id=None):
+            raise SseConnectFailed(status=403, body=b"auth_scope_denied")
+            yield  # unreachable — makes this an async generator
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(tui_mod, "stream_admin_events", denied)
+        app = _resolved_app(_args_existing(session_id="s-ae-4", admin_key="ak"))
+        async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+            await pilot.pause()
+            await app._stream_admin_events()
+            await pilot.pause()
+        joined = " ".join(_text_of(w) for w in writes)
+        assert "admin events unavailable: HTTP 403" in joined
+        assert "admin_events_unavailable" in joined

tests/test_web_server.py

@@ -1062,3 +1062,123 @@ class TestAffectStateEndpoint:
         resp = TestClient(app).get("/api/affect/ratatoskr:sindra")
         assert resp.status_code == 400
         assert resp.json()["error_code"] == "missing_end_user_id"
+
+
+class TestSessionToolsEndpoint:
+    """session_tools_endpoint — proxy owner-scoped GET /sessions/{id}/tools (#183)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_happy_returns_inventory(self) -> None:
+        """happy [tracer]: 200 inventory → 200 verbatim."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/sessions/s-1/tools").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={
+                "agent_id": "ratatoskr:sindra",
+                "builtin_tools": ["echo"],
+                "bifrost_tools": [{"name": "memory.search"}],
+            })
+        )
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        resp = TestClient(create_app(_mock_client_factory())).get("/api/sessions/s-1/tools")
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert resp.json()["agent_id"] == "ratatoskr:sindra"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_upstream_404_status_preserving_envelope(self) -> None:
+        """error: upstream 404 → 404 session_tools_unavailable envelope."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/sessions/s-1/tools").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(404, content=b"nope")
+        )
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        resp = TestClient(create_app(_mock_client_factory())).get("/api/sessions/s-1/tools")
+        assert resp.status_code == 404
+        assert resp.json()["error_code"] == "session_tools_unavailable"
+
+
+class TestSessionBifrostEndpoint:
+    """session_bifrost_endpoint — proxy admin-scoped GET /admin/sessions/{id}/bifrost (#176)."""
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_happy_overrides_with_admin_bearer(self) -> None:
+        """happy [tracer]: 200 state → 200; request carries the ADMIN bearer, not consumer."""
+        route = respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s-1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(200, json={
+                "endpoint_url": "http://x:8392", "connected": True,
+                "capabilities_granted": ["memory", "affect"], "tools": [],
+            })
+        )
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        app = create_app(_mock_client_factory(), admin_key="adm-key")
+        resp = TestClient(app).get("/api/sessions/s-1/bifrost")
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert resp.json()["connected"] is True
+        assert route.calls.last.request.headers["Authorization"] == "Bearer adm-key"
+
+    def test_no_admin_key_fails_visible_400(self) -> None:
+        """error: no admin key configured → 400 admin_key_not_configured, no upstream call."""
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        app = create_app(_mock_client_factory())  # no admin_key
+        resp = TestClient(app).get("/api/sessions/s-1/bifrost")
+        assert resp.status_code == 400
+        assert resp.json()["error_code"] == "admin_key_not_configured"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_upstream_404_status_preserving_envelope(self) -> None:
+        """error: upstream 404 (not bound) → 404 bifrost_state_unavailable envelope."""
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/sessions/s-1/bifrost").mock(
+            return_value=httpx.Response(404, content=b"nope")
+        )
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        app = create_app(_mock_client_factory(), admin_key="adm-key")
+        resp = TestClient(app).get("/api/sessions/s-1/bifrost")
+        assert resp.status_code == 404
+        assert resp.json()["error_code"] == "bifrost_state_unavailable"
+
+
+class TestAdminEventsEndpoint:
+    """admin_events_endpoint — SSE proxy of GET /admin/events, session-filtered (#11)."""
+
+    def test_filter_semantics(self) -> None:
+        """unit: heartbeats drop, system.* pass, else match on session_id."""
+        from ratatoskr.sse_client import AdminEvent
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import _admin_event_matches_web
+
+        def mk(t: str, sid: "str | None" = None) -> AdminEvent:
+            return AdminEvent(id=1, type=t, timestamp=None,
+                              data={"session_id": sid} if sid else {})
+
+        assert _admin_event_matches_web(mk("system.heartbeat"), "s-1") is False
+        assert _admin_event_matches_web(mk("system.degraded"), "s-1") is True
+        assert _admin_event_matches_web(mk("session.created", "s-1"), "s-1") is True
+        assert _admin_event_matches_web(mk("session.created", "other"), "s-1") is False
+        assert _admin_event_matches_web(mk("session.created", "s-1"), None) is False
+
+    def test_no_admin_key_fails_visible_400(self) -> None:
+        """error: no admin key → 400 admin_key_not_configured (no stream opened)."""
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        app = create_app(_mock_client_factory())
+        resp = TestClient(app).get("/api/admin/events?session_id=s-1")
+        assert resp.status_code == 400
+        assert resp.json()["error_code"] == "admin_key_not_configured"
+
+    @respx.mock
+    def test_streams_filtered_events_fixed_name(self) -> None:
+        """happy: SSE → only session-matching + system.* forwarded, as `admin_event`."""
+        stream = (
+            b'event: session.created\n'
+            b'data: {"type":"session.created","data":{"session_id":"s-1"}}\n\n'
+            b'event: system.heartbeat\n'
+            b'data: {"type":"system.heartbeat","data":{}}\n\n'
+            b'event: turn.started\n'
+            b'data: {"type":"turn.started","data":{"session_id":"other"}}\n\n'
+            b'event: system.degraded\n'
+            b'data: {"type":"system.degraded","data":{}}\n\n'
+        )
+        respx.get("https://w.example/admin/events").mock(return_value=_sse_resp(stream))
+        from ratatoskr.web.server import create_app
+        app = create_app(_mock_client_factory(), admin_key="adm-key")
+        body = TestClient(app).get("/api/admin/events?session_id=s-1").text
+        assert "event: admin_event" in body          # fixed browser-facing name
+        assert '"type": "session.created"' in body    # matches active session → forwarded
+        assert "system.degraded" in body              # system.* → forwarded
+        assert "system.heartbeat" not in body         # heartbeat → dropped
+        assert "turn.started" not in body             # other session → dropped

uv.lock

@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.18.9"
+version = "0.19.2"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "httpx" },