fix: free checkout requires Stripe SetupIntent for age verification; update copy

el_h1/h2/h3/h4 and el_button were calling el_escape() on their
content, converting any HTML children (e.g. <span class="gold">)
into literal entity text on screen.

These functions accept composed HTML children, not raw text — they
should pass the argument through like el_div/el_p/el_span do.
el_text, el_attr, el_title, el_textarea, and el_img keep escaping
(they handle actual text/attribute values, not HTML children).

.gitea/workflows/stage.yaml

@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ jobs:
           echo "Changed files:"
           echo "$CHANGED"
           NON_ASSET=$(echo "$CHANGED" | grep -v '^src/assets/' | grep -v '^src/shares/' | grep -v '^src/index\.html' | grep -v '^src/about\.html' | grep -v '^src/terms\.html' | grep -v '^src/enterprise-terms\.html' | grep -v '^src/llms\.txt' | grep -v '^migrations/' | grep -v '^scripts/' | grep -v '^tests/' | grep -v '^\.gitea/' | grep -v '^$' || true)
-          if [ -z "$NON_ASSET" ] && [ "$CHANGED" != "unknown" ]; then
+          if [ -z "$CHANGED" ] || [ "$CHANGED" = "unknown" ]; then
+            # No diff (workflow_dispatch with no new commits, or git error).
+            # Registry may not have a stage-latest base image, so force full build.
+            echo "asset_only=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "=> No changed files detected (workflow_dispatch?), forcing full build"
+          elif [ -z "$NON_ASSET" ]; then
             echo "asset_only=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
             echo "=> Asset-only change detected, will use fast path"
           else

Dockerfile.stage

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #
 # CI pre-build steps (in stage.yaml):
 #   - neuron-web: built by `elb build` → dist/neuron-landing
+# Last rebuilt: 2026-05-11
 
 FROM ubuntu:24.04
 

dist/elhtml_impl.c

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// elhtml_impl.c — El HTML element stubs.
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "el_runtime.h"
@@ -19,11 +20,11 @@ el_val_t el_li(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
 el_val_t el_p(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
 el_val_t el_span(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
 el_val_t el_form(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
-el_val_t el_h1(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text);
-el_val_t el_h2(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text);
-el_val_t el_h3(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text);
-el_val_t el_h4(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text);
-el_val_t el_button(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t label);
+el_val_t el_h1(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
+el_val_t el_h2(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
+el_val_t el_h3(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
+el_val_t el_h4(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
+el_val_t el_button(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
 el_val_t el_a(el_val_t href, el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children);
 el_val_t el_input(el_val_t type_attr, el_val_t attrs);
 el_val_t el_textarea(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t value);
@@ -176,43 +177,43 @@ el_val_t el_form(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   return 0;
 }
 
-el_val_t el_h1(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text) {
+el_val_t el_h1(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   if (str_eq(attrs, EL_STR(""))) {
-    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h1>"), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h1>"));
+    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h1>"), children), EL_STR("</h1>"));
   }
-  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h1 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h1>"));
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h1 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), children), EL_STR("</h1>"));
   return 0;
 }
 
-el_val_t el_h2(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text) {
+el_val_t el_h2(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   if (str_eq(attrs, EL_STR(""))) {
-    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h2>"), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h2>"));
+    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h2>"), children), EL_STR("</h2>"));
   }
-  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h2 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h2>"));
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h2 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), children), EL_STR("</h2>"));
   return 0;
 }
 
-el_val_t el_h3(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text) {
+el_val_t el_h3(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   if (str_eq(attrs, EL_STR(""))) {
-    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h3>"), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h3>"));
+    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h3>"), children), EL_STR("</h3>"));
   }
-  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h3 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h3>"));
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h3 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), children), EL_STR("</h3>"));
   return 0;
 }
 
-el_val_t el_h4(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t text) {
+el_val_t el_h4(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   if (str_eq(attrs, EL_STR(""))) {
-    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h4>"), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h4>"));
+    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h4>"), children), EL_STR("</h4>"));
   }
-  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h4 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), el_escape(text)), EL_STR("</h4>"));
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<h4 "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), children), EL_STR("</h4>"));
   return 0;
 }
 
-el_val_t el_button(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t label) {
+el_val_t el_button(el_val_t attrs, el_val_t children) {
   if (str_eq(attrs, EL_STR(""))) {
-    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<button type=\"button\">"), el_escape(label)), EL_STR("</button>"));
+    return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<button type=\"button\">"), children), EL_STR("</button>"));
   }
-  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<button type=\"button\" "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), el_escape(label)), EL_STR("</button>"));
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("<button type=\"button\" "), attrs), EL_STR(">")), children), EL_STR("</button>"));
   return 0;
 }
 

src/js/checkout-stripe.el

@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     if (spinner) spinner.style.display = loading ? ''     : 'none';
   }
 
-  // Free plan has no payment form — bail out entirely.
-  if (str_eq(PLAN, 'free')) return;
+  // Free plan: Stripe SetupIntent for age verification (card saved, never charged).
+  // Falls through to the same Stripe init path — server returns setup_mode=true for free.
 
   window._neuronMode = 'payment';
   var paymentEl = null;

src/main.el

@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, headers: Map, body: String
             "Secure your Founding Member spot. Pay once, $199 lifetime — Neuron inference included at launch, priced below the major APIs. First 1,000 only."
         } else {
             if str_eq(plan, "free") {
-                "Create your free Neuron account. No credit card required. Your AI that remembers you — runs on your machine, never resets."
+                "Create your free Neuron account. A card verifies you're 18+ — you won't be charged. Your AI that remembers you, runs on your machine, never resets."
             } else {
                 "Subscribe to Neuron Professional for $19/month. The AI that remembers you — persistent memory, runs locally, bring your own API keys."
             }

src/pricing.el

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ fn pricing(sold: Int, total: Int) -> String {
             el_span("class=\"pricing-price\"", "$0") +
             el_span("class=\"pricing-cadence\"", "forever")
         ) +
-        el_p("class=\"pricing-tagline\"", "Start building your memory. No card required.") +
+        el_p("class=\"pricing-tagline\"", "Start building your memory. Card required for age verification — you won't be charged.") +
         el_ul("class=\"pricing-features\"", pricing_free_features()) +
         el_div("style=\"flex:1\"", "") +
         el_div(

src/styles.el

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ fn page_head() -> String {
     return page_head_base()
         + page_seo_block(
             "Neuron — The AI That Remembers You",
-            "Every AI resets when you close the tab. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine. Remembers everything. Start free — no credit card required.",
+            "Every AI resets when you close the tab. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine. Remembers everything. Start free.",
             "/",
             "Every other AI forgets you. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine, builds a persistent memory over time, and gets sharper the longer you use it. Free tier available."
         )