diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/ansible/index.html b/fabledscryer/templates/ansible/index.html
index 0768636..e6b6afb 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/ansible/index.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/ansible/index.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 </div>
 {% if not runs %}
 <div class="card">
-    <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No runs yet. <a href="/ansible/browse">Browse playbooks</a> to trigger a run.</p>
+    <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No runs yet. <a href="/ansible/browse">Browse playbooks</a> to begin.</p>
 </div>
 {% else %}
 <div class="card-flush">
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/dashboard/_edit_panels.html b/fabledscryer/templates/dashboard/_edit_panels.html
index ddc48fd..a3c09e3 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/dashboard/_edit_panels.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/dashboard/_edit_panels.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     </div>
     {% else %}
     <div class="card" style="color:var(--text-muted);text-align:center;padding:2rem;font-size:0.9rem;">
-      No widgets yet — add some from the panel on the right.
+      No widgets yet. Draw one from the right to begin.
     </div>
     {% endif %}
   </div>
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/dns/rows.html b/fabledscryer/templates/dns/rows.html
index 03d81f5..1aa4a7c 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/dns/rows.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/dns/rows.html
@@ -25,5 +25,5 @@
 </div>
 {% endfor %}
 {% else %}
-<p class="empty" style="padding:0.5rem 0;">No DNS checks yet. Add one to watch.</p>
+<p class="empty" style="padding:0.5rem 0;">No DNS checks yet. <a href="/hosts/">Enable DNS on a host →</a></p>
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/list.html b/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/list.html
index d52b998..18fe108 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/list.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/list.html
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 </div>
 {% else %}
 <div class="card">
-    <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No hosts configured yet. <a href="/hosts/new">Add one.</a></p>
+    <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No hosts yet. <a href="/hosts/new">Summon one to the table.</a></p>
 </div>
 {% endif %}
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/uptime.html b/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/uptime.html
index 553a2c5..36e4635 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/uptime.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/hosts/uptime.html
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
 </div>
 {% else %}
 <div class="card" style="text-align:center;padding:3rem;">
-  <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No hosts configured. <a href="/hosts/new">Add one.</a></p>
+  <p style="color:var(--text-muted);">No hosts under watch. <a href="/hosts/new">Summon one to the table.</a></p>
 </div>
 {% endif %}
 
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_ansible_sources.html b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_ansible_sources.html
index 9d07c17..ba47f76 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_ansible_sources.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_ansible_sources.html
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@
   </div>
   {% else %}
   <div class="card" style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:0.9rem;text-align:center;padding:2rem;">
-    No sources configured. Add one below.
+    No sources mustered. Add one below.
   </div>
   {% endif %}
 
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_catalog_partial.html b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_catalog_partial.html
index 06887ed..886671d 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_catalog_partial.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_catalog_partial.html
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
     {% endfor %}
   </div>
   {% elif not error %}
-  <div style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:0.85rem;">No plugins found in catalog.</div>
+  <div style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:0.85rem;">No plugins listed in the catalog.</div>
   {% endif %}
 
 </div>
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_plugin_repos.html b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_plugin_repos.html
index 8b990a5..6ad83f7 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_plugin_repos.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/_plugin_repos.html
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
   </div>
   {% else %}
   <div class="card" style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:0.88rem;text-align:center;padding:1.5rem;margin-bottom:0.6rem;">
-    No repositories configured. Add one below.
+    No repositories charted. Add one below.
   </div>
   {% endif %}
 
diff --git a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/plugins.html b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/plugins.html
index b6ef5f4..990ba53 100644
--- a/fabledscryer/templates/settings/plugins.html
+++ b/fabledscryer/templates/settings/plugins.html
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 {% if not discovered_plugins %}
 <div class="card" style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:0.9rem;margin-bottom:1.5rem;">
-  No plugins found in the plugin directory.
+  No plugins installed. The table awaits new seats.
 </div>
 {% else %}
 <div style="display:grid;gap:0.6rem;max-width:720px;margin-bottom:1.5rem;">