diff --git a/cogs/help.py b/cogs/help.py
index 58abe14..d7b51d3 100644
--- a/cogs/help.py
+++ b/cogs/help.py
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ CATEGORIES: dict[str, tuple[str, str, str, str]] = {
         "playing Strinova, updated every 10 minutes.\n\n"
         "**Member count** — a channel name that shows how many members the server has, "
         "updated every 10 minutes.\n\n"
+        "**Welcome & goodbye cards** — I post a card when someone joins the server, "
+        "and a black & white one when someone leaves.\n\n"
         "**Custom roles** — in the roles channel, press *Get my role* and I'll DM you "
         "to make your own colored role.\n\n"
         "**Website** — the PC's live stats are shown on https://esefos.netlify.app"
diff --git a/cogs/welcome.py b/cogs/welcome.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe9a889
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cogs/welcome.py
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+"""
+cogs/welcome.py
+─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Welcome / goodbye cards.
+
+• When someone joins, posts an "Aurora" card in WELCOME_CHANNEL_ID: their
+  avatar blurred into the background, the avatar itself in a ring on the left,
+  and their name + join date beside it. The new member is pinged.
+• When someone leaves, posts the same card in black & white with how long
+  they were here. No ping.
+• Bots are skipped, and only joins/leaves of the channel's own server count.
+• Fonts: Inter (SIL OFL), bundled in welcome_asset/fonts.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import io
+import logging
+import os
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import discord
+from discord.ext import commands
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageEnhance, ImageFilter, ImageFont, ImageOps
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+FONT_DIR = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "welcome_asset" / "fonts"
+W, H = 1200, 400
+SS = 2  # draw at 2x and downscale for smooth edges
+
+
+def _font(weight: str, size: int) -> ImageFont.FreeTypeFont:
+    return ImageFont.truetype(str(FONT_DIR / f"Inter-{weight}.ttf"), size * SS)
+
+
+def _renderable(text: str) -> bool:
+    """True if Inter has a glyph for every character (no tofu boxes)."""
+    f = _font("Bold", 20)
+
+    def glyph(c: str) -> bytes:
+        img = Image.new("L", (100, 100))
+        ImageDraw.Draw(img).text((10, 10), c, font=f, fill=255)
+        return img.tobytes()
+
+    tofu = glyph("￿")
+    return all(c.isspace() or glyph(c) != tofu for c in text)
+
+
+def _fit_font(draw: ImageDraw.ImageDraw, text: str, weight: str, size: int, max_w: int):
+    while size > 20:
+        f = _font(weight, size)
+        if draw.textlength(text, font=f) <= max_w * SS:
+            return f
+        size -= 2
+    return _font(weight, size)
+
+
+def _tracked(draw: ImageDraw.ImageDraw, xy, text: str, f, fill, tracking: int) -> None:
+    """Draw text with letter-spacing (tracking in px at 1x)."""
+    x, y = xy
+    for ch in text:
+        draw.text((x, y), ch, font=f, fill=fill)
+        x += draw.textlength(ch, font=f) + tracking * SS
+
+
+def _circle(img: Image.Image, d: int) -> Image.Image:
+    img = ImageOps.fit(img, (d, d), Image.LANCZOS)
+    mask = Image.new("L", (d, d), 0)
+    ImageDraw.Draw(mask).ellipse((0, 0, d - 1, d - 1), fill=255)
+    out = Image.new("RGBA", (d, d))
+    out.paste(img, (0, 0), mask)
+    return out
+
+
+def render_card(avatar: bytes, name: str, label: str, line1: str, line2: str, leaving: bool) -> io.BytesIO:
+    """Render the Aurora card; goodbye cards are greyscale."""
+    av = Image.open(io.BytesIO(avatar)).convert("RGBA")
+    cw, ch = W * SS, H * SS
+
+    bg = ImageOps.fit(av.convert("RGB"), (cw, ch), Image.LANCZOS, centering=(0.5, 0.35))
+    bg = bg.filter(ImageFilter.GaussianBlur(60 * SS))
+    bg = ImageEnhance.Color(bg).enhance(1.8)
+    bg = ImageEnhance.Brightness(bg).enhance(0.5)
+    canvas = bg.convert("RGBA")
+    # soft left-to-right darkening so the text stays readable
+    shade = Image.linear_gradient("L").rotate(90).resize((cw, ch))
+    canvas = Image.composite(Image.new("RGBA", (cw, ch), (0, 0, 0, 255)), canvas, shade.point(lambda v: v * 0.35))
+    d = ImageDraw.Draw(canvas)
+
+    ad = 220 * SS
+    ax, ay = 90 * SS, (ch - ad) // 2
+    ring = 6 * SS
+    d.ellipse((ax - ring, ay - ring, ax + ad + ring, ay + ad + ring), fill=(255, 255, 255, 230))
+    canvas.alpha_composite(_circle(av, ad), (ax, ay))
+
+    tx = ax + ad + 70 * SS
+    max_w = W - tx // SS - 70
+    _tracked(d, (tx, 92 * SS), label, _font("SemiBold", 22), (255, 255, 255, 170), 8)
+    d.text((tx, 130 * SS), name, font=_fit_font(d, name, "Bold", 76, max_w), fill=(255, 255, 255))
+    d.text((tx, 238 * SS), line1, font=_fit_font(d, line1, "Regular", 28, max_w), fill=(255, 255, 255, 215))
+    d.text((tx, 282 * SS), line2, font=_font("Light", 24), fill=(255, 255, 255, 150))
+
+    if leaving:
+        canvas = ImageOps.grayscale(canvas.convert("RGB")).convert("RGBA")
+
+    card = canvas.resize((W, H), Image.LANCZOS)
+    mask = Image.new("L", (W, H), 0)
+    ImageDraw.Draw(mask).rounded_rectangle((0, 0, W, H), 28, fill=255)
+    card.putalpha(mask)
+
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    card.save(buf, "PNG")
+    buf.seek(0)
+    return buf
+
+
+def _stayed(joined: datetime | None) -> str:
+    """'Was here for 4 months' style duration."""
+    if joined is None:
+        return ""
+    secs = (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - joined).total_seconds()
+    for unit, size in (("year", 365 * 86400), ("month", 30 * 86400), ("day", 86400),
+                       ("hour", 3600), ("minute", 60)):
+        n = int(secs // size)
+        if n >= 1:
+            return f"Was here for {n} {unit}{'s' if n != 1 else ''}"
+    return "Was here for less than a minute"
+
+
+class Welcome(commands.Cog):
+    def __init__(self, bot):
+        self.bot = bot
+        val = os.getenv("WELCOME_CHANNEL_ID", "")
+        self.channel_id = int(val) if val.isdigit() else None
+
+    def _channel(self, guild: discord.Guild) -> discord.TextChannel | None:
+        if self.channel_id is None:
+            return None
+        channel = self.bot.get_channel(self.channel_id)
+        return channel if channel and channel.guild.id == guild.id else None
+
+    def _display(self, member: discord.Member) -> str:
+        name = member.display_name
+        return name if _renderable(name) else member.name
+
+    async def _post(self, member, channel, label, line1, line2, leaving, content):
+        try:
+            avatar = await member.display_avatar.replace(size=512, format="png").read()
+            img = await asyncio.to_thread(
+                render_card, avatar, self._display(member), label, line1, line2, leaving)
+            await channel.send(
+                content,
+                file=discord.File(img, filename="goodbye.png" if leaving else "welcome.png"),
+                allowed_mentions=discord.AllowedMentions(users=True),
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            log.exception("welcome card failed for %s", member)
+
+    @commands.Cog.listener()
+    async def on_member_join(self, member: discord.Member):
+        channel = self._channel(member.guild)
+        if member.bot or channel is None:
+            return
+        joined = member.joined_at or datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        await self._post(member, channel, "WELCOME", f"Welcome to {member.guild.name}",
+                         f"Joined {joined:%b} {joined.day}, {joined.year}", False, member.mention)
+
+    @commands.Cog.listener()
+    async def on_member_remove(self, member: discord.Member):
+        channel = self._channel(member.guild)
+        if member.bot or channel is None:
+            return
+        await self._post(member, channel, "GOODBYE", f"Left {member.guild.name}",
+                         _stayed(member.joined_at), True, None)
+
+
+async def setup(bot):
+    await bot.add_cog(Welcome(bot))
diff --git a/credentials_test.env b/credentials_test.env
index 28667e1..e8d5130 100644
--- a/credentials_test.env
+++ b/credentials_test.env
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ STRINOVA_STAT_CHANNEL_ID="yo strinova stat channel here"
 STRINOVA_STAT_CHANNEL_ID_MAO="yo strinova stat channel here for mao server"
 #member count voice channel
 MEMBER_COUNT_CHANNEL_ID="yo member count channel here"
+#welcome / goodbye cards channel
+WELCOME_CHANNEL_ID="yo welcome channel here"
 
 #me (for purging and other owner only things)
 OWNER_ID="your discord servers owner id here"
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 8cd0358..6ee6aaa 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ async def main():
         await bot.load_extension('cogs.sysinfo')
         await bot.load_extension('music.music_wrapper')
         await bot.load_extension('cogs.statchannel')
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.welcome')
         await bot.load_extension('cogs.ffmpeg_things')
         await bot.load_extension('cogs.roles')
         await bot.load_extension('cogs.gitpull')
diff --git a/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Bold.ttf b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Bold.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fb9b75
Binary files /dev/null and b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Bold.ttf differ
diff --git a/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Light.ttf b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Light.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e07393
Binary files /dev/null and b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Light.ttf differ
diff --git a/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Regular.ttf b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Regular.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7aaca8
Binary files /dev/null and b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-Regular.ttf differ
diff --git a/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-SemiBold.ttf b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-SemiBold.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47f8ab1
Binary files /dev/null and b/welcome_asset/fonts/Inter-SemiBold.ttf differ
diff --git a/welcome_asset/fonts/LICENSE.txt b/welcome_asset/fonts/LICENSE.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b2ca37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/welcome_asset/fonts/LICENSE.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+Copyright (c) 2016 The Inter Project Authors (https://github.com/rsms/inter)
+
+This Font Software is licensed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1.
+This license is copied below, and is also available with a FAQ at:
+http://scripts.sil.org/OFL
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------
+SIL OPEN FONT LICENSE Version 1.1 - 26 February 2007
+-----------------------------------------------------------
+
+PREAMBLE
+The goals of the Open Font License (OFL) are to stimulate worldwide
+development of collaborative font projects, to support the font creation
+efforts of academic and linguistic communities, and to provide a free and
+open framework in which fonts may be shared and improved in partnership
+with others.
+
+The OFL allows the licensed fonts to be used, studied, modified and
+redistributed freely as long as they are not sold by themselves. The
+fonts, including any derivative works, can be bundled, embedded,
+redistributed and/or sold with any software provided that any reserved
+names are not used by derivative works. The fonts and derivatives,
+however, cannot be released under any other type of license. The
+requirement for fonts to remain under this license does not apply
+to any document created using the fonts or their derivatives.
+
+DEFINITIONS
+"Font Software" refers to the set of files released by the Copyright
+Holder(s) under this license and clearly marked as such. This may
+include source files, build scripts and documentation.
+
+"Reserved Font Name" refers to any names specified as such after the
+copyright statement(s).
+
+"Original Version" refers to the collection of Font Software components as
+distributed by the Copyright Holder(s).
+
+"Modified Version" refers to any derivative made by adding to, deleting,
+or substituting -- in part or in whole -- any of the components of the
+Original Version, by changing formats or by porting the Font Software to a
+new environment.
+
+"Author" refers to any designer, engineer, programmer, technical
+writer or other person who contributed to the Font Software.
+
+PERMISSION AND CONDITIONS
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
+a copy of the Font Software, to use, study, copy, merge, embed, modify,
+redistribute, and sell modified and unmodified copies of the Font
+Software, subject to the following conditions:
+
+1) Neither the Font Software nor any of its individual components,
+in Original or Modified Versions, may be sold by itself.
+
+2) Original or Modified Versions of the Font Software may be bundled,
+redistributed and/or sold with any software, provided that each copy
+contains the above copyright notice and this license. These can be
+included either as stand-alone text files, human-readable headers or
+in the appropriate machine-readable metadata fields within text or
+binary files as long as those fields can be easily viewed by the user.
+
+3) No Modified Version of the Font Software may use the Reserved Font
+Name(s) unless explicit written permission is granted by the corresponding
+Copyright Holder. This restriction only applies to the primary font name as
+presented to the users.
+
+4) The name(s) of the Copyright Holder(s) or the Author(s) of the Font
+Software shall not be used to promote, endorse or advertise any
+Modified Version, except to acknowledge the contribution(s) of the
+Copyright Holder(s) and the Author(s) or with their explicit written
+permission.
+
+5) The Font Software, modified or unmodified, in part or in whole,
+must be distributed entirely under this license, and must not be
+distributed under any other license. The requirement for fonts to
+remain under this license does not apply to any document created
+using the Font Software.
+
+TERMINATION
+This license becomes null and void if any of the above conditions are
+not met.
+
+DISCLAIMER
+THE FONT SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF
+MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT
+OF COPYRIGHT, PATENT, TRADEMARK, OR OTHER RIGHT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY,
+INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+DAMAGES, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+FROM, OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE FONT SOFTWARE OR FROM
+OTHER DEALINGS IN THE FONT SOFTWARE.