diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md b/docs/plans/2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md
index 9a13191e..3e6c9cfb 100644
--- a/docs/plans/2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md
+++ b/docs/plans/2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md
@@ -505,9 +505,10 @@ The exact commands, commits, metrics, artifacts, and evidence limits are in the
    ACE session, proving exact resource convergence and no stale maps/owners.
    The implemented two-client gate proved the observer login and movement, but
    ACE rejected the concurrent primary login when both used the available
-   account. The gate now accepts separate primary and observer credentials and
-   keeps them out of its artifacts; a distinct-account connected run must close
-   the authoritative nonzero `RemotePlayers` row.
+   account. The gate now requires dedicated observer environment credentials,
+   keeps them out of its artifacts, and permits independent character indexes;
+   a distinct-account connected run must close the authoritative nonzero
+   `RemotePlayers` row.
 2. **EXTERNAL HARDWARE GATE.** Repeat the current clean-source RX 9070 XT
    pack-off/Low/Medium/High/Auto × 1080p/1440p/4K × capped/uncapped matrix on
    every other supported physical GPU class. The integrated-AMD Auto-to-retail
diff --git a/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-campaign-completion-audit.md b/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-campaign-completion-audit.md
index 8866284a..9f3daaea 100644
--- a/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-campaign-completion-audit.md
+++ b/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-campaign-completion-audit.md
@@ -49,9 +49,11 @@ known from this audit. Campaign AR remains deliberately **not shipped** until
 all three evidence classes below pass:
 
 1. **Distinct-account remote player.** Run
-   `tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1` with separate
-   primary and observer ACE credentials. Require a nonzero authoritative
-   `RemotePlayers` caster count plus a visible moving remote-player shadow.
+   `tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1` with the primary
+   `ACDREAM_TEST_USER`/`ACDREAM_TEST_PASS` and distinct observer
+   `ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_USER`/`ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_PASS` environment
+   variables. Require a nonzero authoritative `RemotePlayers` caster count plus
+   a visible moving remote-player shadow.
    The same-account attempt is recorded in
    [`artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/connected-remote-player-20260822-140355/report.json`](../../artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/connected-remote-player-20260822-140355/report.json): the observer entered and moved, then ACE rejected the concurrent primary session. The corrected gate does not serialize credentials.
 2. **Unavailable physical adapters.** On every other supported physical Vulkan
diff --git a/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md b/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md
index 9b585f4e..01d53430 100644
--- a/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md
+++ b/docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md
@@ -122,11 +122,14 @@ primary client then timed out waiting for `CharacterList`: ACE did not permit a
 second simultaneous character from the same account. Both clients were closed
 cleanly, and the failed row is not represented as renderer evidence.
 
-The gate now accepts a separate observer account and password, keeps credentials
-out of its report, fails fast on session failure, and records whether distinct
-accounts were configured. The authoritative nonzero `RemotePlayers` caster row
-and visible moving remote-player shadow therefore require only access to a
-second account; no missing renderer or test-harness implementation remains.
+The gate now reads separate observer credentials from
+`ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_USER`/`ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_PASS`, rejects same-account
+configuration before launch, keeps credentials out of its report, and fails
+fast on session failure. Character indexes are independently selectable because
+index zero on two accounts still names distinct characters; the entered-world
+identity assertion is authoritative. The nonzero `RemotePlayers` caster row and
+visible moving remote-player shadow therefore require only access to a second
+account; no missing renderer or test-harness implementation remains.
 
 ## Final automated gate
 
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/Diagnostics/ConnectedRenderPackGateContractTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/Diagnostics/ConnectedRenderPackGateContractTests.cs
index 3fb9e5ec..4ce98595 100644
--- a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/Diagnostics/ConnectedRenderPackGateContractTests.cs
+++ b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/Diagnostics/ConnectedRenderPackGateContractTests.cs
@@ -240,10 +240,10 @@ Remove-ConnectedGraphicalSessionConfig -State $state -Path $sessionConfigPath
     {
         string source = ReadTool(RemotePlayerScript);
         Assert.Contains("PrimaryCharacterIndex = 0", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
-        Assert.Contains("ObserverCharacterIndex = 1", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
-        Assert.Contains("[string]$ObserverAccount", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
-        Assert.Contains("[string]$ObserverPassword", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
-        Assert.Contains("Primary and observer character indexes must differ", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("ObserverCharacterIndex = 0", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("[string]$ObserverAccount = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_USER", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("[string]$ObserverPassword = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_PASS", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("Remote-player shadow evidence requires distinct ACE accounts", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
         Assert.Contains("Get-ConnectedGateBinaryIdentity", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
         Assert.Contains("-CharacterIndex $ObserverCharacterIndex", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
         Assert.Contains("-CharacterIndex $PrimaryCharacterIndex", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
@@ -254,6 +254,14 @@ Remove-ConnectedGraphicalSessionConfig -State $state -Path $sessionConfigPath
         Assert.Contains("Restore-ConnectedRenderPackGateEnvironment $primaryState", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
         Assert.Contains("Restore-ConnectedRenderPackGateEnvironment $observerState", source, StringComparison.Ordinal);
 
+        int reportStart = source.IndexOf("$report = [pscustomobject][ordered]@{", StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.True(reportStart >= 0);
+        string reportSource = source[reportStart..];
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("$Account", reportSource, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("$Password", reportSource, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("$ObserverAccount", reportSource, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("$ObserverPassword", reportSource, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+
         string observer = ReadTool("connected-render-pack-remote-observer.route.txt");
         AssertAppearsInOrder(
             observer,
diff --git a/tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1 b/tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1
index 803833e9..d621c72c 100644
--- a/tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1
+++ b/tools/run-connected-render-pack-remote-player-gate.ps1
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ param(
     [string]$Repository = (Resolve-Path (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot '..')).Path,
     [string]$Account = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_USER,
     [string]$Password = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_PASS,
-    [string]$ObserverAccount,
-    [string]$ObserverPassword,
+    [string]$ObserverAccount = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_USER,
+    [string]$ObserverPassword = $env:ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_PASS,
     [ValidateRange(0, [int]::MaxValue)][int]$PrimaryCharacterIndex = 0,
-    [ValidateRange(0, [int]::MaxValue)][int]$ObserverCharacterIndex = 1,
+    [ValidateRange(0, [int]::MaxValue)][int]$ObserverCharacterIndex = 0,
     [switch]$SkipBuild,
     [int]$LoginTimeoutSeconds = 90
 )
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Account)) { $Account = 'testaccount' }
 if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Password)) { $Password = 'testpassword' }
 if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($ObserverAccount)) { $ObserverAccount = $Account }
 if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($ObserverPassword)) { $ObserverPassword = $Password }
-if ($PrimaryCharacterIndex -eq $ObserverCharacterIndex) {
-    throw 'Primary and observer character indexes must differ.'
+if ([string]::Equals($Account, $ObserverAccount, [StringComparison]::OrdinalIgnoreCase)) {
+    throw ('Remote-player shadow evidence requires distinct ACE accounts. ' +
+        'Set ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_USER and ACDREAM_TEST_OBSERVER_PASS.')
 }
 
 $startedUtc = [DateTime]::UtcNow.ToString('O')
@@ -313,8 +314,7 @@ finally {
         TrackedSourceStatus = if ($null -eq $binaryIdentity) { @() } else { @($binaryIdentity.SourceTrackedStatus) }
         PrimaryCharacterIndex = $PrimaryCharacterIndex
         ObserverCharacterIndex = $ObserverCharacterIndex
-        DistinctAccountsConfigured = -not [string]::Equals(
-            $Account, $ObserverAccount, [StringComparison]::OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+        DistinctAccountsConfigured = $true
         Result = $result
         Failure = $failure
     }