diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 7975f3e..f17ce7c 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -22,17 +22,12 @@ server.
 
 ## Workflow
 
-- Use `todo.txt` as the source of truth for staged work.
-- Preserve the todo status markers:
-  - `-` means open.
-  - `+` means implemented, needs testing.
-  - `X` means tested and done.
-- Work in small batches and update `todo.txt` only for items actually completed
-  or tested.
-- Before beginning a new phase or section, review all earlier `+` and `X`
-  sections in `todo.txt`; confirm their status still matches the code, tests,
-  docs, and user-facing surfaces, and downgrade stale `X` markers when evidence
-  no longer supports them.
+- Skald is production software; prefer small, scoped maintenance changes with
+  focused verification.
+- Use a temporary local plan file only for large or risky batches that need a
+  resumable checklist.
+- Building the Arch package updates `distro-packages/Arch-Linux/skald-git/PKGBUILD`
+  with the generated `pkgver`, so this file is often dirty after package builds.
 - Keep changes scoped to the current batch.  Do not mix in unrelated cleanup.
 - Before behavior changes, inspect the current code path and tests rather than
   assuming Galene behavior still applies.
diff --git a/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/skald-git/PKGBUILD b/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/skald-git/PKGBUILD
index b5db99c..7307cd6 100644
--- a/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/skald-git/PKGBUILD
+++ b/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/skald-git/PKGBUILD
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2034,SC2154
 
 pkgname=skald-git
-pkgver=2026.07.08
+pkgver=2026.07.08.r0.g9a9742e
 pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc='Audio-only hall-based conferencing server'
 arch=('x86_64' 'aarch64')
diff --git a/hall/description.go b/hall/description.go
index aa1144c..b25b2ca 100644
--- a/hall/description.go
+++ b/hall/description.go
@@ -34,11 +34,10 @@ type Permissions struct {
 }
 
 var permissionsMap = map[string][]string{
-	"op":      {"op", "present", "message", "caption", "token"},
+	"op":      {"op", "present", "message", "token"},
 	"present": {"present", "message"},
 	"message": {"message"},
 	"observe": {},
-	"caption": {"caption"},
 	"admin":   {"admin"},
 }
 
diff --git a/hall/hall_test.go b/hall/hall_test.go
index 596ab42..02a14a8 100644
--- a/hall/hall_test.go
+++ b/hall/hall_test.go
@@ -396,8 +396,6 @@ var james = "james"
 var paul = "paul"
 var peter = "peter"
 var admin = "admin"
-var stt = "speech-to-text"
-
 var badClients = []ClientCredentials{
 	{Username: &jch, Password: "foo"},
 	{Username: &john, Password: "foo"},
@@ -418,9 +416,7 @@ var desc2JSON = `
         "john": {"password": "secret", "permissions": "present"},
         "james": {"password": "secret2", "permissions": "message"},
         "peter": {"password": "secret4"},
-        "admin": {"password": "admin", "permissions": "admin"},
-        "speech-to-text": {"password": {"type": "wildcard"},
-                           "permissions": "caption"}
+        "admin": {"password": "admin", "permissions": "admin"}
     },
     "wildcard-user":
         {"permissions": "message", "password": {"type":"wildcard"}}
@@ -429,7 +425,7 @@ var desc2JSON = `
 var goodClients = []credPerm{
 	{
 		ClientCredentials{Username: &jch, Password: "topsecret"},
-		[]string{"op", "present", "message", "caption", "token"},
+		[]string{"op", "present", "message", "token"},
 	},
 	{
 		ClientCredentials{Username: &john, Password: "secret"},
@@ -451,10 +447,6 @@ var goodClients = []credPerm{
 		ClientCredentials{Username: &admin, Password: "admin"},
 		[]string{"admin"},
 	},
-	{
-		ClientCredentials{Username: &stt},
-		[]string{"caption"},
-	},
 }
 
 func TestPermissions(t *testing.T) {
@@ -513,7 +505,7 @@ func TestExtraPermissions(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	doit("jch", []string{"op", "token", "present", "message", "caption"})
+	doit("jch", []string{"op", "token", "present", "message"})
 	doit("john", []string{"present", "message"})
 	doit("james", []string{})
 
@@ -521,7 +513,7 @@ func TestExtraPermissions(t *testing.T) {
 	d.UnrestrictedTokens = false
 
 	doit("jch", []string{
-		"op", "record", "token", "present", "message", "caption",
+		"op", "record", "token", "present", "message",
 	})
 	doit("john", []string{"present", "message"})
 	doit("james", []string{})
@@ -529,7 +521,7 @@ func TestExtraPermissions(t *testing.T) {
 	d.AllowRecording = false
 	d.UnrestrictedTokens = true
 
-	doit("jch", []string{"op", "token", "present", "message", "caption"})
+	doit("jch", []string{"op", "token", "present", "message"})
 	doit("john", []string{"token", "present", "message"})
 	doit("james", []string{})
 
@@ -537,7 +529,7 @@ func TestExtraPermissions(t *testing.T) {
 	d.UnrestrictedTokens = true
 
 	doit("jch", []string{
-		"op", "record", "token", "present", "message", "caption",
+		"op", "record", "token", "present", "message",
 	})
 	doit("john", []string{"token", "present", "message"})
 	doit("james", []string{})
diff --git a/rtpconn/webclient.go b/rtpconn/webclient.go
index b2275eb..e386a6c 100644
--- a/rtpconn/webclient.go
+++ b/rtpconn/webclient.go
@@ -1606,11 +1606,7 @@ func handleClientMessage(c *webClient, m clientMessage) error {
 			return c.error(hall.UserError("join a hall first"))
 		}
 
-		required := "message"
-		if m.Type == "chat" && m.Kind == "caption" {
-			required = "caption"
-		}
-		if !member(required, c.permissions) {
+		if !member("message", c.permissions) {
 			return c.error(hall.UserError("not authorised"))
 		}
 
diff --git a/skald-protocol.md b/skald-protocol.md
index eb26da9..08b4b07 100644
--- a/skald-protocol.md
+++ b/skald-protocol.md
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ A chat message may be sent using a `chat` message.
 ```javascript
 {
     type: 'chat',
-    kind: null or 'me' or 'caption',
+    kind: null or 'me',
     source: source-id,
     username: username,
     dest: dest-id,
@@ -320,9 +320,7 @@ A chat message may be sent using a `chat` message.
 The field `kind` can have one of the following values:
 
   - `null` or the empty string, a normal chat message;
-  - `'me'`, an IRC-style first-person message;
-  - `'caption'`, a caption or subtitle (this requires the sender to have
-    the `caption` permission).
+  - `'me'`, an IRC-style first-person message.
 
 If `dest` is empty, the message is a broadcast message, destined to all of
 the clients in the hall.  If `source` is empty, then the message was
diff --git a/skald.md b/skald.md
index 17aaf7d..4895788 100644
--- a/skald.md
+++ b/skald.md
@@ -434,7 +434,6 @@ following strings:
  - `message`: a user with the right to send chat messages;
  - `observe`: a user that receives media streams and chat messages, but
    is not allowed to send them;
- - `caption`: a user with the right to display captions (only);
  - `admin`: a user with the right to administer the hall (only).
 
 Usernames must be non-empty and unique among connected non-system clients in a
diff --git a/skaldctl/skaldctl_test.go b/skaldctl/skaldctl_test.go
index 0d2fb2d..3b45f25 100644
--- a/skaldctl/skaldctl_test.go
+++ b/skaldctl/skaldctl_test.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func TestInteractiveHall(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFormatPermissions(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct{ j, v, p string }{
-		{`"op"`, "op", "[cmopt]"},
+		{`"op"`, "op", "[mopt]"},
 		{`"present"`, "present", "[mp]"},
 		{`"observe"`, "observe", "[]"},
 		{`"admin"`, "admin", "[a]"},
diff --git a/static/skald.css b/static/skald.css
index 767295f..e51f16e 100644
--- a/static/skald.css
+++ b/static/skald.css
@@ -1220,26 +1220,6 @@ header .collapse:hover {
 
 }
 
-#captions-container {
-    position: absolute;
-    bottom: 40px;
-    width: 100%;
-    pointer-events: none;
-    z-index: 1390;
-    alpha: 0;
-}
-
-#captions {
-    margin: auto;
-    padding: 0 0.4rem 0 0.4rem;
-    width: max-content;
-    font-size: 1.2rem;
-    text-align: center;
-    pointer-events: none;
-    background-color: rgba(255,255,255,.7);
-    color: #000;
-}
-
 :root {
     --skald-menu-bg: #eee;
     --skald-menu-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #444;
diff --git a/static/skald.html b/static/skald.html
index 082ce37..9f5b1ad 100644
--- a/static/skald.html
+++ b/static/skald.html
@@ -84,9 +84,6 @@
               <button class="chat-btn show-chat invisible" id="show-chat" aria-label="Show chat">
                 <i class="far fa-comment-alt icon-chat" aria-hidden="true"></i>
               </button>
-              <div id="captions-container" class="invisible">
-                <div id="captions"></div>
-              </div>
               <div class="login-container invisible" id="login-container">
                 <div class="login-box">
                   <form id="loginform" class="loginform">
diff --git a/static/skald.js b/static/skald.js
index 0156264..9ffce07 100644
--- a/static/skald.js
+++ b/static/skald.js
@@ -2881,11 +2881,6 @@ function announceUrgent(text) {
  * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
  */
 function addToChatbox(id, peerId, dest, nick, time, privileged, history, kind, message) {
-    if(kind === 'caption') {
-        displayCaption(message);
-        return;
-    }
-
     let row = document.createElement('div');
     row.classList.add('message-row');
     let container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -3046,38 +3041,6 @@ function chatMessageMenu(elt, trigger) {
     openActionMenu(items, trigger, `Actions for message from ${u}`);
 }
 
-/**
- * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
- */
-function setCaption(message) {
-    let container = document.getElementById('captions-container');
-    let captions = document.getElementById('captions');
-    if(!message) {
-        captions.replaceChildren();
-        container.classList.add('invisible');
-    } else {
-        if(message instanceof HTMLElement)
-            captions.replaceChildren(message);
-        else
-            captions.textContent = message;
-        container.classList.remove('invisible');
-    }
-}
-
-let captionsTimer = null;
-
-/**
- * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
- */
-function displayCaption(message) {
-    if(captionsTimer != null) {
-        clearTimeout(captionsTimer);
-        captionsTimer = null;
-    }
-    setCaption(message);
-    captionsTimer = setTimeout(() => setCaption(null), 3000);
-}
-
 /**
  * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
  */
diff --git a/webserver/static_accessibility_test.go b/webserver/static_accessibility_test.go
index 1071d13..8b34c3c 100644
--- a/webserver/static_accessibility_test.go
+++ b/webserver/static_accessibility_test.go
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ func TestStaticLiveRegionAnnouncementsStayWired(t *testing.T) {
 	requireFunctionContains(t, js, "setUserStatus", "announceUrgent(`${username}: hand lowered`)")
 }
 
+func TestCaptionOverlayHasBeenRemoved(t *testing.T) {
+	html := readStaticFile(t, "skald.html")
+	js := readStaticFile(t, "skald.js")
+	css := readStaticFile(t, "skald.css")
+
+	requireNotContains(t, html, "captions", "hall page")
+	requireNotContains(t, js, "caption", "hall script")
+	requireNotContains(t, css, "caption", "hall styles")
+}
+
 func TestHallHeadingIncludesCurrentStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	html := readStaticFile(t, "skald.html")
 	js := readStaticFile(t, "skald.js")