diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..275cee1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Normalize line endings to LF in the repository (prevents CRLF churn on Windows).
+* text=auto eol=lf
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8237c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+name: CI
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+
+# Least privilege: this workflow only needs to read the repository.
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ci-${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  # Job name is the required status-check context in branch protection — keep it stable.
+  check:
+    name: Check & Test
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4
+
+      - name: Set up pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@b906affcce14559ad1aafd4ab0e942779e9f58b1 # v4
+        with:
+          version: 11.9.0
+
+      - name: Set up Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@49933ea5288caeca8642d1e84afbd3f7d6820020 # v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 22
+          cache: pnpm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+
+      - name: Format, lint & typecheck
+        run: pnpm exec vp run rules#check
+
+      - name: Tests
+        run: pnpm exec vp run rules#test
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: pnpm exec vp run rules#build
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d233c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026 StreamDemon
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+
+---
+
+NOTE: The MIT license above applies to the RiftForge SOFTWARE only — the source
+code, schemas, and engine. It does NOT cover the Rifts® game rules content
+transcribed from Rifts® Ultimate Edition (e.g. under packages/rules/src/content/
+and docs/), which is copyright © Palladium Books Inc. Rifts® is a registered
+trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. That content is
+included here for personal reference only and is not licensed for redistribution.
+See the "License & intellectual property" section of README.md.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db93365..d275644 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,3 +46,15 @@ vp run ready          # check + test + build across the workspace
 The `Rifts Ultimate Edition` rulebook PDF is **not** committed (it's copyrighted by
 Palladium Books); it lives locally under `docs/rules/` and is git-ignored.
 `docs/rules/PAGE_MAP.md` indexes where each rule is transcribed from.
+
+## License & intellectual property
+
+The RiftForge **software** — the code, schemas, and engine — is licensed under the
+[MIT License](LICENSE).
+
+The **Rifts® game rules content** transcribed from *Rifts® Ultimate Edition* (the data
+under `packages/rules/src/content/` and `docs/`) is **© Palladium Books Inc.** and is
+**not** covered by the MIT license. Rifts® is a registered trademark of Kevin Siembieda
+and Palladium Books Inc. That content is included here for personal reference only and
+is not licensed for redistribution. RiftForge is an unofficial, fan-made project and is
+not affiliated with or endorsed by Palladium Books.