diff --git a/man/civilytics_load_fonts.Rd b/man/civilytics_load_fonts.Rd
index 6447688..fda32e0 100644
--- a/man/civilytics_load_fonts.Rd
+++ b/man/civilytics_load_fonts.Rd
@@ -4,17 +4,25 @@
 \alias{civilytics_load_fonts}
 \title{Load Civilytics brand fonts}
 \usage{
-civilytics_load_fonts()
+civilytics_load_fonts(force = FALSE)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{force}{Logical. If \code{TRUE}, reload fonts even if they were already
+loaded in this session. Default \code{FALSE}.}
 }
 \value{
-Invisibly returns `NULL`.
+Invisibly returns \code{TRUE} if fonts were loaded, \code{FALSE} if skipped
+(already loaded and \code{force = FALSE}).
 }
 \description{
-Downloads Inter and Libre Franklin from Google Fonts via
-[sysfonts::font_add_google()], then calls [showtext::showtext_auto()] so
-that all graphics devices render text with those fonts. This is called
-automatically when the package loads; use this function to retry if the
-initial load failed (e.g., the machine was offline at load time).
+Downloads Inter, Libre Franklin, Source Serif 4 and JetBrains Mono from
+Google Fonts via \code{sysfonts::font_add_google()}, then calls
+\code{showtext::showtext_auto()} so that all graphics devices render text with
+those fonts. This is called automatically when the package loads; use this
+function to retry if the initial load failed (e.g., the machine was offline
+at load time).
+
+Subsequent calls within the same session are no-ops unless \code{force = TRUE}.
 }
 \examples{
 \dontrun{
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics.Rd
index c7dfeb4..fc2c3e8 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics.Rd
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ theme_civilytics(
   accent = unname(civilytics_colors["ember_600"]),
   strip_color = unname(civilytics_colors["paper_2"]),
   grid = c("y", "x", "both", "none"),
-  paper_bg = TRUE
+  paper_bg = FALSE
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -56,10 +56,12 @@ to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 \item{grid}{Character. Which major gridlines to draw: `"y"` (default,
 horizontal only), `"x"` (vertical only), `"both"`, or `"none"`.}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas. Note: a transparent device
+background (e.g., `dev = "ragg_png"`, `dev.args = list(background =
+"transparent")`) is also needed for fully-transparent PNG exports.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ shrinkage.
 \dontrun{
 library(ggplot2)
 
-# Default editorial theme
+# Default — transparent background for embedding
 ggplot(mpg, aes(displ, hwy)) +
   geom_point() +
   theme_civilytics()
@@ -116,10 +118,10 @@ ggplot(mpg, aes(displ, hwy, colour = class)) +
   scale_color_civilytics() +
   theme_civilytics(grid = "both")
 
-# Transparent background for embedding
+# Branded cream background (opt-in)
 ggplot(mpg, aes(displ, hwy)) +
   geom_point() +
-  theme_civilytics(paper_bg = FALSE)
+  theme_civilytics(paper_bg = TRUE)
 
 # Larger text for poster or display
 ggplot(mpg, aes(displ, hwy)) +
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics_dark.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics_dark.Rd
index 97dd6b8..23ac2c8 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics_dark.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics_dark.Rd
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 \item{grid}{Character. Which major gridlines to draw: `"y"` (default,
 horizontal only), `"x"` (vertical only), `"both"`, or `"none"`.}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics_dark_map.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics_dark_map.Rd
index 4d5999b..377d17c 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics_dark_map.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics_dark_map.Rd
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ design system.}
 \item{strip_color}{Character. Hex code for facet strip background. Defaults
 to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics_map.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics_map.Rd
index 83d9c01..5ab7c2c 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics_map.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics_map.Rd
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ design system.}
 \item{strip_color}{Character. Hex code for facet strip background. Defaults
 to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics_slide.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics_slide.Rd
index 4cff8c9..f853ba2 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics_slide.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics_slide.Rd
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 \item{grid}{Character. Which major gridlines to draw: `"y"` (default,
 horizontal only), `"x"` (vertical only), `"both"`, or `"none"`.}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.
diff --git a/man/theme_civilytics_slide_map.Rd b/man/theme_civilytics_slide_map.Rd
index 9d8bc45..a68d8d1 100644
--- a/man/theme_civilytics_slide_map.Rd
+++ b/man/theme_civilytics_slide_map.Rd
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ design system.}
 \item{strip_color}{Character. Hex code for facet strip background. Defaults
 to [civilytics_colors]`["paper_2"]` (`#F2EDE4`).}
 
-\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE` (default), fill the plot and panel
-backgrounds with the warm `paper` color. Set to `FALSE` for a
-transparent background (useful for slides or overlay on colored
-surfaces).}
+\item{paper_bg}{Logical. If `TRUE`, fill the plot and panel backgrounds
+with the warm `paper` color (Civilytics cream). Default is `FALSE`
+(transparent) so that figures composite cleanly onto any background.
+Set to `TRUE` for the branded cream canvas.}
 }
 \value{
 A complete ggplot2 [ggplot2::theme()] object.