diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3168bd3..5bb93fc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -91,6 +91,38 @@ export default {
 `meta.system` selects the dice rule-pack. `hardTrigger` marks immovable beats; `cutHint` is what to
 compress if you reach a beat behind schedule.
 
+### Generating a scenario from markdown
+
+Instead of hand-writing the module, author a scenario in a structured markdown file and generate it:
+
+```bash
+npm run gen:scenario -- input.md src/scenarios/my-scenario.js   # or omit the output path to print
+```
+
+The tool (`tools/scenario-md.js`, wrapped by `tools/md-to-scenario.mjs`) is a deterministic parser —
+frontmatter → `meta`, and `## Timeline` / `## Clues` / `## Cast` lists → the arrays. See
+[`tools/example-scenario.md`](tools/example-scenario.md) for the full format; in short:
+
+```markdown
+---
+id: my-scenario
+system: year-zero
+players: 4
+playMinutes: 210
+---
+## Timeline
+- [0] The opening beat {hard} #a1-open        ← [minutes] label, {hard}, optional #id
+- [35] Interview | cut: skip the tea ritual   ← | cut: … → cutHint
+## Clues
+- The door-cam face {essential} {act: Act One} | fallback: the monologue cards
+## Cast
+- MARY FLETCHER — Innkeeper; saw the watchers | secret: she saw Crowe sew
+```
+
+IDs are auto-slugged from the label/name when not pinned with `#id`. The output is validated against
+`validateScenario` before it is written. It emits app data only, not prose — freeform con docs are
+not parsed; you write the structured markdown. The `tools/` directory is dev-only (never bundled).
+
 ## Roadmap
 
 1. **Slice 1** — shell + Director Rail + data model + dice engine (Year-Zero). ✅
@@ -98,7 +130,7 @@ compress if you reach a beat behind schedule.
 3. **Slice 3** — dice rule-packs (CoC d100, VANITY d6-pool, Panic & Glory, Dee Sanction) + tray pack selector. ✅
 4. **Slice 4** — the clue **safety-net** (essential-clue gap tracker + fallbacks). ✅
 5. **Slice 5** — the convention **hub** (all slots, live "live now / up next / done", deep-links into each scenario). ✅ All **six** Continuum 2026 slots ported and scheduled with real times.
-6. **Later** — online art "Generate"; markdown → scenario-data generator; native iPad wrapper. (All design §5 tray tools — dice, NPC, art, clue-net, cast, break timer, parking-lot, wake-lock — are built.)
+6. **Later** — online art "Generate"; native iPad wrapper. (All design §5 tray tools — dice, NPC, art, clue-net, cast, break timer, parking-lot, wake-lock — plus the markdown → scenario-data generator are built.)
 
 ## Docs
 
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-20-director-slice5.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-20-director-slice5.md
index bf6ed99..db53879 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-20-director-slice5.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-20-director-slice5.md
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ jsdom. No new dependencies. Fully offline.
   chip that lights when active. Tests: `parking-lot.test.js`, `wake-lock.test.js`, `gm-shell-parking.test.js`,
   `gm-shell-wake.test.js`. This completes every design §5 tray tool.
 
+- **Markdown → scenario-data generator built.** `tools/scenario-md.js` (pure parse + emit) +
+  `tools/md-to-scenario.mjs` (CLI, `npm run gen:scenario`) turn a structured scenario markdown file
+  into a validated scenario module. Deterministic parser over a defined format (frontmatter + Timeline
+  / Clues / Cast lists) — not freeform-prose scraping. `tests/tools/scenario-md.test.js` (round-trip
+  + validation); `tools/` is dev-only, never bundled.
+
 ## Still deferred (backlog)
 
-- Online art "Generate"; markdown → scenario-data generator; native iPad wrapper.
+- Online art "Generate" (needs wifi + a gen backend); native iPad wrapper.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8634e97..b249549 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
     "build": "vite build",
     "preview": "vite preview",
     "test": "vitest run",
-    "test:watch": "vitest"
+    "test:watch": "vitest",
+    "gen:scenario": "node tools/md-to-scenario.mjs"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "jsdom": "^24.0.0",
diff --git a/tests/tools/scenario-md.test.js b/tests/tools/scenario-md.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4f49db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tools/scenario-md.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { parseScenarioMarkdown, emitScenarioModule } from '../../tools/scenario-md.js';
+import { validateScenario } from '../../src/core/scenario.js';
+
+const MD = `---
+id: demo
+title: DEMO
+system: coc-d100
+players: 4
+playMinutes: 210
+slot: Sat · Slot 4
+---
+
+## Timeline
+- [0] The opening {hard} #open
+- [35] Interview | cut: summarise the ledger
+- [120] The reveal {hard}
+
+## Clues
+- The door-cam face {essential} {act: Act One} | fallback: the monologue cards
+- A colour detail
+
+## Cast
+- MARY FLETCHER — Innkeeper; saw the watchers | secret: she saw Crowe sew
+- DANNY TATE — Stable boy, 14
+- THE NARRATOR {pc}
+`;
+
+// Load the emitted module string as a real ES module value.
+async function importModule(js) {
+  const url = 'data:text/javascript;base64,' + Buffer.from(js).toString('base64');
+  return (await import(url)).default;
+}
+
+describe('markdown → scenario-data', () => {
+  it('parses frontmatter into meta with numeric coercion', () => {
+    const s = parseScenarioMarkdown(MD);
+    expect(s.meta).toEqual({ id: 'demo', title: 'DEMO', system: 'coc-d100', players: 4, playMinutes: 210, slot: 'Sat · Slot 4' });
+  });
+
+  it('parses timeline beats with minutes, hard triggers, cut hints and ids', () => {
+    const { timeline } = parseScenarioMarkdown(MD);
+    expect(timeline[0]).toEqual({ id: 'open', label: 'The opening', targetMin: 0, hardTrigger: true });
+    expect(timeline[1]).toEqual({ id: 'interview', label: 'Interview', targetMin: 35, cutHint: 'summarise the ledger' });
+    expect(timeline[2]).toEqual({ id: 'the-reveal', label: 'The reveal', targetMin: 120, hardTrigger: true });
+  });
+
+  it('parses clues with essential / act / fallback and auto-ids', () => {
+    const { clues } = parseScenarioMarkdown(MD);
+    expect(clues[0]).toEqual({ id: 'the-door-cam-face', label: 'The door-cam face', essential: true, act: 'Act One', fallback: 'the monologue cards' });
+    expect(clues[1]).toEqual({ id: 'a-colour-detail', label: 'A colour detail', essential: false });
+  });
+
+  it('parses cast with name/note/secret and pc/npc kind', () => {
+    const { cast } = parseScenarioMarkdown(MD);
+    expect(cast[0]).toEqual({ id: 'mary-fletcher', name: 'MARY FLETCHER', kind: 'npc', note: 'Innkeeper; saw the watchers', secret: 'she saw Crowe sew' });
+    expect(cast[1]).toEqual({ id: 'danny-tate', name: 'DANNY TATE', kind: 'npc', note: 'Stable boy, 14' });
+    expect(cast[2]).toEqual({ id: 'the-narrator', name: 'THE NARRATOR', kind: 'pc' });
+  });
+
+  it('produces a module that validates and round-trips back to the same data', async () => {
+    const parsed = parseScenarioMarkdown(MD);
+    const js = emitScenarioModule(parsed);
+    const mod = await importModule(js);
+    expect(validateScenario(mod)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(mod).toEqual(parsed);
+  });
+
+  it('dedupes ids derived from identical labels', () => {
+    const s = parseScenarioMarkdown(`---
+id: dup
+system: year-zero
+---
+## Timeline
+- [0] Beat
+- [10] Beat
+`);
+    expect(s.timeline.map((b) => b.id)).toEqual(['beat', 'beat-2']);
+  });
+
+  it('throws on missing frontmatter and on an empty timeline', () => {
+    expect(() => parseScenarioMarkdown('## Timeline\n- [0] x')).toThrow(/frontmatter/);
+    expect(() => parseScenarioMarkdown('---\nid: x\nsystem: year-zero\n---\n')).toThrow(/invalid scenario/);
+  });
+
+  it('regenerates the shipped example markdown into a valid module', async () => {
+    const md = readFileSync('tools/example-scenario.md', 'utf8'); // vitest runs from repo root
+    const mod = await importModule(emitScenarioModule(parseScenarioMarkdown(md)));
+    expect(validateScenario(mod)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(mod.meta.id).toBe('example-md');
+    expect(mod.timeline).toHaveLength(4);
+    expect(mod.clues.filter((c) => c.essential)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(mod.cast).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tools/example-scenario.md b/tools/example-scenario.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51c5734
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/example-scenario.md
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+---
+id: example-md
+title: EXAMPLE — Generated From Markdown
+system: year-zero
+players: 4
+playMinutes: 210
+slot: Fri · Slot 2
+---
+
+# Notes are ignored — only frontmatter and the sections below are parsed.
+
+## Timeline
+
+Beats are `[minutes-from-start] label`. Add `{hard}` for a hard trigger,
+`| cut: …` for a cut hint, and `#id` to pin a stable id (else it is slugged).
+
+- [0] The opening beat {hard} #a1-open
+- [35] Parlor interview | cut: summarise the ledger; skip the tea ritual
+- [120] The reveal {hard}
+- [200] Ambiguous epilogue
+
+## Clues
+
+`{essential}` marks a clue the ending needs; `{act: …}` tags the act;
+`| fallback: …` is how to deliver it if missed.
+
+- The door-cam face that cannot exist {essential} {act: Act One} | fallback: the monologue cards
+- The identical childhood, recited twice {essential}
+- A colour detail {act: Act One}
+
+## Cast
+
+`NAME — one-line note`, optionally `| secret: …`, and `{pc}` for a player character.
+
+- MARY FLETCHER — Innkeeper; saw the watchers | secret: she saw Crowe sew the pendant
+- DANNY TATE — Stable boy, 14
diff --git a/tools/md-to-scenario.mjs b/tools/md-to-scenario.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d006fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/md-to-scenario.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// CLI: node tools/md-to-scenario.mjs <input.md> [output.js]
+// Reads a structured scenario markdown file and writes a scenario-data JS module
+// (to <output.js>, or stdout if omitted). See tools/scenario-md.js for the format.
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { parseScenarioMarkdown, emitScenarioModule } from './scenario-md.js';
+
+const [, , inPath, outPath] = process.argv;
+if (!inPath) {
+  console.error('Usage: node tools/md-to-scenario.mjs <input.md> [output.js]');
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+let js;
+try {
+  js = emitScenarioModule(parseScenarioMarkdown(readFileSync(inPath, 'utf8')));
+} catch (e) {
+  console.error(`Error: ${e.message}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+if (outPath) {
+  writeFileSync(outPath, js);
+  console.error(`Wrote ${outPath}`);
+} else {
+  process.stdout.write(js);
+}
diff --git a/tools/scenario-md.js b/tools/scenario-md.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c2b7b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/scenario-md.js
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+// Markdown → scenario-data generator (pure). Parses a structured scenario
+// markdown file into the scenario model and emits a matching JS module.
+//
+// Format (see tools/example-scenario.md):
+//   ---                              ← frontmatter → meta
+//   id: example
+//   title: EXAMPLE
+//   system: year-zero
+//   players: 4
+//   playMinutes: 210
+//   slot: Fri · Slot 2
+//   ---
+//   ## Timeline
+//   - [0] The opening beat {hard} #a1-open
+//   - [35] Parlor interview | cut: summarise the ledger
+//   ## Clues
+//   - The door-cam face {essential} {act: Act One} | fallback: the monologue cards
+//   ## Cast
+//   - MARY FLETCHER — Innkeeper; saw the watchers | secret: she saw Crowe sew
+//
+// Trailing tokens on any list item: `{flag}`, `{key: value}`, `| key: value`,
+// and `#explicit-id`. IDs are auto-slugged from the label/name when not given.
+import { validateScenario } from '../src/core/scenario.js';
+
+// ---- parsing helpers ------------------------------------------------------
+function slugify(s) {
+  return String(s).normalize('NFKD').replace(/[̀-ͯ]/g, '')
+    .toLowerCase().replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, '-').replace(/^-+|-+$/g, '');
+}
+function takeTrailingId(s) {
+  const m = s.match(/\s+#([\w-]+)\s*$/);
+  return m ? { id: m[1], rest: s.slice(0, m.index).trim() } : { id: null, rest: s };
+}
+function takeFlag(s, flag) {
+  const re = new RegExp(`\\s*\\{${flag}\\}\\s*`);
+  return re.test(s) ? { present: true, rest: s.replace(re, ' ').trim() } : { present: false, rest: s };
+}
+function takeBraceField(s, key) {
+  const m = s.match(new RegExp(`\\{${key}:\\s*([^}]*)\\}`));
+  return m ? { value: m[1].trim(), rest: s.replace(m[0], ' ').replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim() } : { value: null, rest: s };
+}
+function takePipeField(s, key) {
+  const idx = s.indexOf(`| ${key}:`);
+  if (idx === -1) return { value: null, rest: s };
+  return { value: s.slice(idx + `| ${key}:`.length).trim(), rest: s.slice(0, idx).trim() };
+}
+
+function parseFrontmatter(md) {
+  const m = md.match(/^?---\r?\n([\s\S]*?)\r?\n---\r?\n?/);
+  if (!m) throw new Error('missing "---" frontmatter block at the top of the file');
+  const meta = {};
+  for (const line of m[1].split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    const mm = line.match(/^([\w-]+):\s*(.*)$/);
+    if (mm) meta[mm[1]] = mm[2].trim();
+  }
+  for (const k of ['players', 'playMinutes']) {
+    if (meta[k] != null && meta[k] !== '') {
+      const n = Number(meta[k]);
+      meta[k] = Number.isFinite(n) ? n : meta[k];   // keep e.g. "5–6" as a string
+    }
+  }
+  return { meta, body: md.slice(m[0].length) };
+}
+
+function sections(body) {
+  const out = {};
+  let cur = null;
+  for (const line of body.split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    const h = line.match(/^##\s+(.+?)\s*$/);
+    if (h) { cur = h[1].trim().toLowerCase(); out[cur] = out[cur] || []; continue; }
+    if (cur && /^\s*-\s+/.test(line)) out[cur].push(line.replace(/^\s*-\s+/, '').trim());
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+function parseTimeline(items) {
+  return items.map((raw) => {
+    const t = takeTrailingId(raw);
+    const cut = takePipeField(t.rest, 'cut');
+    const mm = cut.rest.match(/^\[(\d+)\]\s*(.*)$/);
+    if (!mm) throw new Error(`timeline beat needs a [minutes] prefix: "${raw}"`);
+    const hard = takeFlag(mm[2], 'hard');
+    const beat = { label: hard.rest.trim(), targetMin: Number(mm[1]) };
+    if (t.id) beat.id = t.id;
+    if (hard.present) beat.hardTrigger = true;
+    if (cut.value) beat.cutHint = cut.value;
+    return beat;
+  });
+}
+
+function parseClues(items) {
+  return items.map((raw) => {
+    const t = takeTrailingId(raw);
+    const fb = takePipeField(t.rest, 'fallback');
+    const ess = takeFlag(fb.rest, 'essential');
+    const act = takeBraceField(ess.rest, 'act');
+    const clue = { label: act.rest.trim(), essential: ess.present };
+    if (t.id) clue.id = t.id;
+    if (act.value) clue.act = act.value;
+    if (fb.value) clue.fallback = fb.value;
+    return clue;
+  });
+}
+
+function parseCast(items) {
+  return items.map((raw) => {
+    const t = takeTrailingId(raw);
+    const sec = takePipeField(t.rest, 'secret');
+    const pc = takeFlag(sec.rest, 'pc');
+    const npc = takeFlag(pc.rest, 'npc');
+    let name = npc.rest, note = null;
+    const sep = npc.rest.match(/\s+[—–-]\s+/);
+    if (sep) { name = npc.rest.slice(0, sep.index).trim(); note = npc.rest.slice(sep.index + sep[0].length).trim(); }
+    const member = { name: name.trim(), kind: pc.present ? 'pc' : 'npc' };
+    if (t.id) member.id = t.id;
+    if (note) member.note = note;
+    if (sec.value) member.secret = sec.value;
+    return member;
+  });
+}
+
+function assignIds(arr, keyField) {
+  const used = new Set();
+  for (const item of arr) {
+    let id = item.id || slugify(item[keyField] || '') || 'x';
+    const base = id;
+    let n = 2;
+    while (used.has(id)) id = `${base}-${n++}`;
+    used.add(id);
+    item.id = id;
+  }
+}
+
+export function parseScenarioMarkdown(md) {
+  const { meta, body } = parseFrontmatter(md);
+  const secs = sections(body);
+  const timeline = parseTimeline(secs.timeline || []);
+  const clues = parseClues(secs.clues || []);
+  const cast = parseCast(secs.cast || []);
+  assignIds(timeline, 'label');
+  assignIds(clues, 'label');
+  assignIds(cast, 'name');
+  const scenario = { meta, timeline, clues, cast, props: [] };
+  const errors = validateScenario(scenario);
+  if (errors.length) throw new Error('invalid scenario: ' + errors.join('; '));
+  return scenario;
+}
+
+// ---- emitting -------------------------------------------------------------
+const q = (v) => "'" + String(v).replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/'/g, "\\'") + "'";
+
+export function emitScenarioModule(s) {
+  const meta = [`id: ${q(s.meta.id)}`, `title: ${q(s.meta.title ?? s.meta.id)}`, `system: ${q(s.meta.system)}`];
+  if (s.meta.players != null) meta.push(`players: ${typeof s.meta.players === 'number' ? s.meta.players : q(s.meta.players)}`);
+  if (s.meta.playMinutes != null) meta.push(`playMinutes: ${typeof s.meta.playMinutes === 'number' ? s.meta.playMinutes : q(s.meta.playMinutes)}`);
+  if (s.meta.slot != null) meta.push(`slot: ${q(s.meta.slot)}`);
+
+  const rows = (arr, fn) => arr.map((x) => '    { ' + fn(x).join(', ') + ' },').join('\n');
+  const timeline = rows(s.timeline, (b) => {
+    const p = [`id: ${q(b.id)}`, `label: ${q(b.label)}`, `targetMin: ${b.targetMin}`];
+    if (b.hardTrigger) p.push('hardTrigger: true');
+    if (b.cutHint) p.push(`cutHint: ${q(b.cutHint)}`);
+    return p;
+  });
+  const clues = rows(s.clues, (c) => {
+    const p = [`id: ${q(c.id)}`, `label: ${q(c.label)}`, `essential: ${!!c.essential}`];
+    if (c.act) p.push(`act: ${q(c.act)}`);
+    if (c.fallback) p.push(`fallback: ${q(c.fallback)}`);
+    return p;
+  });
+  const cast = rows(s.cast, (c) => {
+    const p = [`id: ${q(c.id)}`, `name: ${q(c.name)}`, `kind: ${q(c.kind || 'npc')}`];
+    if (c.note) p.push(`note: ${q(c.note)}`);
+    if (c.secret) p.push(`secret: ${q(c.secret)}`);
+    return p;
+  });
+  const block = (label, body) => `  ${label}: [${body ? '\n' + body + '\n  ' : ''}],`;
+
+  return `export default {
+  meta: { ${meta.join(', ')} },
+  timeline: [
+${timeline}
+  ],
+${block('clues', clues)}
+${block('cast', cast)}
+  props: [],
+};
+`;
+}