diff --git a/.cursorindexingignore b/.cursorindexingignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..953908e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cursorindexingignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+
+# Don't index SpecStory auto-save files, but allow explicit context inclusion via @ references
+.specstory/**
diff --git a/.specstory/.gitignore b/.specstory/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5b4129e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.specstory/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# SpecStory project identity file
+/.project.json
+# SpecStory explanation file
+/.what-is-this.md
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-expandos.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-expandos.c
index 6fba4071..93069d10 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-expandos.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-expandos.c
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@
 #include "module.h"
 #include <irssip/src/core/expandos.h>
 #include <irssip/src/fe-common/core/fe-windows.h>
+#include <irssip/src/core/settings.h>
+
+/* Nick column context variables */
+static char *current_nick = NULL;
+static char *current_mode = NULL;
+static gboolean nick_context_valid = FALSE;
 
 /* Window ref# */
 static char *expando_winref(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
@@ -41,6 +47,80 @@ static char *expando_winname(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
 	return active_win->name;
 }
 
+/* Nick column aligned - returns padded string with mode and nick */
+static char *expando_nickaligned(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
+{
+	int width, mode_len, nick_len, available_for_nick;
+	const char *mode;
+	char *result;
+
+	if (!settings_get_bool("nick_column_enabled") || !nick_context_valid || !current_nick) {
+		return "";
+	}
+
+	width = settings_get_int("nick_column_width");
+	mode = current_mode ? current_mode : "";
+	mode_len = strlen(mode);
+	nick_len = strlen(current_nick);
+
+	/* Always reserve 1 space for mode (even if empty) */
+	available_for_nick = width - 1;
+
+	if (mode_len == 0) {
+		/* No mode - use space + nick */
+		if (nick_len <= available_for_nick) {
+			/* Nick fits - pad from left */
+			int padding = width - 1 - nick_len; /* -1 for space */
+			result = g_strdup_printf("%*s %s", padding, "", current_nick);
+		} else {
+			/* Nick too long - truncate with >> */
+			result = g_strdup_printf(" %.*s>>", available_for_nick - 2, current_nick);
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* Has mode */
+		int total_len = mode_len + nick_len;
+		if (total_len <= width) {
+			/* Mode + nick fits - pad from left */
+			int padding = width - total_len;
+			result = g_strdup_printf("%*s%s%s", padding, "", mode, current_nick);
+		} else {
+			/* Too long - truncate nick with >> */
+			int available_for_nick_with_mode = width - mode_len - 2; /* -2 for >> */
+			if (available_for_nick_with_mode > 0) {
+				result = g_strdup_printf("%s%.*s>>", mode, available_for_nick_with_mode, current_nick);
+			} else {
+				/* Mode itself too long */
+				result = g_strdup_printf("%.*s>>", width - 2, mode);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Debug output */
+	if (settings_get_bool("debug_nick_column")) {
+		printf("DEBUG nickaligned: nick='%s', mode='%s', width=%d, result='%s'\n",
+		       current_nick, mode, width, result);
+	}
+
+	*free_ret = TRUE;
+	return result;
+}
+
+/* Update nick context for expandos */
+void update_nick_context(const char *nick, const char *mode)
+{
+	g_free(current_nick);
+	g_free(current_mode);
+	current_nick = g_strdup(nick);
+	current_mode = g_strdup(mode ? mode : "");
+	nick_context_valid = TRUE;
+}
+
+/* Clear nick context */
+void clear_nick_context(void)
+{
+	nick_context_valid = FALSE;
+}
+
 void fe_expandos_init(void)
 {
 	expando_create("winref", expando_winref,
@@ -49,10 +129,14 @@ void fe_expandos_init(void)
 	expando_create("winname", expando_winname,
 		       "window changed", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE,
 		       "window name changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW, NULL);
+	expando_create("nickaligned", expando_nickaligned,
+		       "message public", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE,
+		       "message own_public", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE, NULL);
 }
 
 void fe_expandos_deinit(void)
 {
 	expando_destroy("winref", expando_winref);
 	expando_destroy("winname", expando_winname);
+	expando_destroy("nickaligned", expando_nickaligned);
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
index 980da809..95de3bcd 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 #include <irssip/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h>
 #include <irssip/src/fe-common/core/printtext.h>
 
+/* Forward declarations for nick column functions */
+void update_nick_context(const char *nick, const char *mode);
+void clear_nick_context(void);
+
 #define ishighalnum(c) ((unsigned char) (c) >= 128 || i_isalnum(c))
 #define isnickchar(a) \
 	(i_isalnum(a) || (a) == '`' || (a) == '-' || (a) == '_' || \
@@ -218,6 +222,11 @@ static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 	if (printnick == NULL)
 		printnick = nick;
 
+	/* Update nick context for expandos */
+	if (settings_get_bool("nick_column_enabled")) {
+		update_nick_context(printnick, nickmode);
+	}
+
 	format_create_dest(&dest, server, target, level, NULL);
 	dest.address = address;
 	dest.nick = nick;
@@ -292,6 +301,11 @@ static void sig_message_own_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 
 	nickmode = channel_get_nickmode(channel, server->nick);
 
+	/* Update nick context for expandos */
+	if (settings_get_bool("nick_column_enabled")) {
+		update_nick_context(server->nick, nickmode);
+	}
+
 	window = channel == NULL ? NULL :
 		window_item_window((WI_ITEM_REC *) channel);
 
@@ -802,6 +816,11 @@ void fe_messages_init(void)
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "show_extended_join", FALSE);
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "show_account_notify", FALSE);
 
+	/* Nick column feature settings */
+	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "nick_column_enabled", FALSE);
+	settings_add_int("lookandfeel", "nick_column_width", 12);
+	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "debug_nick_column", FALSE);
+
 	signal_add_last("message public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_public);
 	signal_add_last("message private", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_private);
 	signal_add_last("message own_public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_own_public);
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.h b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.h
index 03f7da7b..4480a8d8 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.h
@@ -9,4 +9,8 @@ char *channel_get_nickmode(CHANNEL_REC *channel, const char *nick);
 
 extern GHashTable *printnicks;
 
+/* Nick column context functions */
+void update_nick_context(const char *nick, const char *mode);
+void clear_nick_context(void);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/themes/default.theme b/themes/default.theme
index a44cfc81..6c079b63 100644
--- a/themes/default.theme
+++ b/themes/default.theme
@@ -115,8 +115,11 @@ abstracts = {
   ## messages
   ##
 
-  # the basic styling of how to print message, $0 = nick mode, $1 = nick
-  msgnick = "%K<%n$0$1-%K>%n %|";
+  # the basic styling of how to print message
+  # NICK COLUMN FEATURE: when enabled, uses $nickaligned expando
+  # Enable with: /SET nick_column_enabled ON
+  # Configure width: /SET nick_column_width 12
+  msgnick = "%K<%n$nickaligned%K>%n %|";
 
   # message from you is printed. "msgownnick" specifies the styling of the
   # nick ($0 part in msgnick) and "ownmsgnick" specifies the styling of the