diff --git a/client/project.godot b/client/project.godot
index 1180aa656..633e15686 100644
--- a/client/project.godot
+++ b/client/project.godot
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ GameState="*res://scripts/autoloads/game_state.gd"
 InputMapper="*res://scripts/autoloads/input_mapper.gd"
 UIStrings="*res://scripts/autoloads/ui_strings.gd"
 FogState="*res://scripts/autoloads/fog_state.gd"
+AudioManager="*res://scripts/autoloads/audio_manager.gd"
 
 [display]
 
diff --git a/client/scripts/autoloads/audio_manager.gd b/client/scripts/autoloads/audio_manager.gd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b871db76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/scripts/autoloads/audio_manager.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,302 @@
+extends Node
+
+## AudioManager autoload singleton (D-068, D-069, D-073).
+## 5-bus architecture with directory-scan registry pattern.
+## No-op fallback when audio assets absent (D-038).
+## Spatial audio positioning for close-range sounds (D-018).
+
+# --- Bus names (D-068) ---
+const BUS_MUSIC := "Music"
+const BUS_AMBIENT := "Ambient"
+const BUS_WORLD_SFX := "WorldSFX"
+const BUS_PLAYER_ACTIONS := "PlayerActions"
+const BUS_UI_SOUNDS := "UISounds"
+const BUSES := [BUS_MUSIC, BUS_AMBIENT, BUS_WORLD_SFX, BUS_PLAYER_ACTIONS, BUS_UI_SOUNDS]
+
+# D-069: Audio dip profiles — dB offsets relative to player slider setting.
+# Mid-range of spec values used (e.g. -6 to -8 → -7).
+const DIP_SPECS := {
+	"dialogue": {
+		"ease_in": 0.3, "ease_out": 0.5,
+		"buses": { "Ambient": -7.0 },
+	},
+	"confrontation": {
+		"ease_in": 0.5, "ease_out": 1.0,
+		"buses": { "Ambient": -11.0, "WorldSFX": -5.0 },
+		"filter_hz": 800.0,
+	},
+	"listening_focus": {
+		"ease_in": 0.5, "ease_out": 0.5,
+		"buses": { "WorldSFX": 2.5 },
+	},
+}
+
+# Low-pass filter default cutoff — effectively bypassed at this value.
+const FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT := 20500.0
+
+# Asset registry: filename stem (e.g. "amb_station_base") → AudioStream
+var _registry: Dictionary = {}
+
+# Player volume settings per bus (dB). Base for proportional dip calculation.
+var _bus_volumes: Dictionary = {}
+
+# Active dip state (D-069)
+var _active_dip: String = ""
+var _dip_tweens: Array = []
+
+# Low-pass filter on Ambient bus (D-069 confrontation sweep)
+var _ambient_filter: AudioEffectLowPassFilter = null
+
+# Ambient loop players keyed by asset_key (D-073 zone crossfade)
+var _ambient_players: Dictionary = {}
+
+signal dip_changed(profile: String)
+
+
+func _ready() -> void:
+	_setup_buses()
+	_scan_registry()
+
+
+# --- Bus setup ---
+
+func _setup_buses() -> void:
+	for bus_name in BUSES:
+		if AudioServer.get_bus_index(bus_name) < 0:
+			AudioServer.add_bus()
+			var idx := AudioServer.bus_count - 1
+			AudioServer.set_bus_name(idx, bus_name)
+			AudioServer.set_bus_send(idx, "Master")
+		_bus_volumes[bus_name] = 0.0
+	# Low-pass filter on Ambient bus — cutoff starts high (bypassed).
+	# Confrontation dip sweeps it down to 800 Hz (D-069).
+	var amb_idx := AudioServer.get_bus_index(BUS_AMBIENT)
+	if amb_idx >= 0:
+		_ambient_filter = AudioEffectLowPassFilter.new()
+		_ambient_filter.cutoff_hz = FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT
+		AudioServer.add_bus_effect(amb_idx, _ambient_filter)
+
+
+# --- Asset registry (D-068 directory-scan pattern) ---
+
+func _scan_registry() -> void:
+	var dir := DirAccess.open("res://audio/")
+	if dir == null:
+		print("AudioManager: res://audio/ not found — all play methods no-op")
+		return
+	dir.list_dir_begin()
+	var file_name := dir.get_next()
+	while file_name != "":
+		if not dir.current_is_dir() and not file_name.ends_with(".import"):
+			if file_name.get_extension().to_lower() in ["ogg", "wav", "mp3"]:
+				var stream := load("res://audio/" + file_name) as AudioStream
+				if stream:
+					_registry[file_name.get_basename()] = stream
+		file_name = dir.get_next()
+	print("AudioManager: %d assets registered" % _registry.size())
+
+
+func has_asset(asset_key: String) -> bool:
+	return _registry.has(asset_key)
+
+
+func get_registry_size() -> int:
+	return _registry.size()
+
+
+# --- Playback: non-spatial ---
+
+## Play a one-shot sound on the given bus. No-ops if asset not in registry.
+func play(asset_key: String, bus: String = BUS_UI_SOUNDS) -> void:
+	var stream := _get_stream(asset_key)
+	if stream == null:
+		return
+	var player := AudioStreamPlayer.new()
+	player.stream = stream
+	player.bus = bus
+	add_child(player)
+	player.finished.connect(player.queue_free)
+	player.play()
+
+
+## Start or replace a looping non-spatial sound. Returns the player or null.
+func play_loop(asset_key: String, bus: String = BUS_AMBIENT) -> AudioStreamPlayer:
+	var stream := _get_stream(asset_key)
+	if stream == null:
+		return null
+	stop_loop(asset_key)
+	var loop_stream := stream.duplicate() as AudioStream
+	_enable_loop(loop_stream)
+	var player := AudioStreamPlayer.new()
+	player.stream = loop_stream
+	player.bus = bus
+	add_child(player)
+	player.play()
+	_ambient_players[asset_key] = player
+	return player
+
+
+## Stop a looping sound by asset key.
+func stop_loop(asset_key: String) -> void:
+	if _ambient_players.has(asset_key):
+		var player: AudioStreamPlayer = _ambient_players[asset_key]
+		if is_instance_valid(player):
+			player.stop()
+			player.queue_free()
+		_ambient_players.erase(asset_key)
+
+
+## Stop all looping sounds.
+func stop_all_loops() -> void:
+	for key in _ambient_players.keys():
+		stop_loop(key)
+
+
+# --- Playback: spatial (D-018 close-range) ---
+
+## Play a one-shot spatial sound at a world position (pixels).
+## Added to current_scene for correct AudioListener2D positioning.
+func play_at(asset_key: String, world_position: Vector2, bus: String = BUS_WORLD_SFX) -> void:
+	var stream := _get_stream(asset_key)
+	if stream == null:
+		return
+	var player := AudioStreamPlayer2D.new()
+	player.stream = stream
+	player.bus = bus
+	player.global_position = world_position
+	var scene := get_tree().current_scene
+	if scene:
+		scene.add_child(player)
+	else:
+		add_child(player)
+	player.finished.connect(player.queue_free)
+	player.play()
+
+
+# --- Audio dip profiles (D-069) ---
+
+## Apply a dip profile. Interrupts any active dip, restoring unaffected buses.
+## Profiles: "dialogue", "confrontation", "listening_focus"
+func apply_dip(profile: String) -> void:
+	if not DIP_SPECS.has(profile):
+		push_warning("AudioManager: unknown dip profile '%s'" % profile)
+		return
+	_kill_tweens()
+	_active_dip = profile
+	var spec: Dictionary = DIP_SPECS[profile]
+	var buses: Dictionary = spec.get("buses", {})
+	var ease_in: float = spec.get("ease_in", 0.3)
+	# Tween ALL buses — affected ones get offset, unaffected ones restore to base.
+	for bus_name in BUSES:
+		var offset_db: float = buses.get(bus_name, 0.0)
+		var target_db: float = _bus_volumes.get(bus_name, 0.0) + offset_db
+		var idx := AudioServer.get_bus_index(bus_name)
+		if idx < 0:
+			continue
+		var current_db := AudioServer.get_bus_volume_db(idx)
+		if absf(current_db - target_db) < 0.1:
+			continue
+		var tween := create_tween()
+		tween.tween_method(_make_bus_setter(bus_name), current_db, target_db, ease_in)
+		_dip_tweens.append(tween)
+	# Confrontation: sweep low-pass filter on Ambient (D-069)
+	if spec.has("filter_hz") and _ambient_filter:
+		var tween := create_tween()
+		tween.tween_property(_ambient_filter, "cutoff_hz", spec["filter_hz"], ease_in)
+		_dip_tweens.append(tween)
+	elif _ambient_filter and _ambient_filter.cutoff_hz < FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT - 100.0:
+		# Leaving confrontation for another dip — restore filter
+		var tween := create_tween()
+		tween.tween_property(_ambient_filter, "cutoff_hz", FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT, ease_in)
+		_dip_tweens.append(tween)
+	dip_changed.emit(profile)
+
+
+## Clear the active dip, restoring all bus volumes to player slider settings.
+func clear_dip() -> void:
+	if _active_dip.is_empty():
+		return
+	var spec: Dictionary = DIP_SPECS.get(_active_dip, {})
+	var ease_out: float = spec.get("ease_out", 0.5)
+	_kill_tweens()
+	_active_dip = ""
+	for bus_name in BUSES:
+		var target_db: float = _bus_volumes.get(bus_name, 0.0)
+		var idx := AudioServer.get_bus_index(bus_name)
+		if idx < 0:
+			continue
+		var current_db := AudioServer.get_bus_volume_db(idx)
+		if absf(current_db - target_db) < 0.1:
+			continue
+		var tween := create_tween()
+		tween.tween_method(_make_bus_setter(bus_name), current_db, target_db, ease_out)
+		_dip_tweens.append(tween)
+	# Restore low-pass filter
+	if _ambient_filter and _ambient_filter.cutoff_hz < FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT - 100.0:
+		var tween := create_tween()
+		tween.tween_property(_ambient_filter, "cutoff_hz", FILTER_CUTOFF_DEFAULT, ease_out)
+		_dip_tweens.append(tween)
+	dip_changed.emit("")
+
+
+func get_active_dip() -> String:
+	return _active_dip
+
+
+# --- Volume control (player sliders, D-069 proportional base) ---
+
+## Set the player's volume preference for a bus. During active dip, immediately
+## recalculates effective volume (proportional to new base).
+func set_volume(bus: String, volume_db: float) -> void:
+	_bus_volumes[bus] = volume_db
+	var idx := AudioServer.get_bus_index(bus)
+	if idx < 0:
+		return
+	if _active_dip.is_empty():
+		AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(idx, volume_db)
+	else:
+		var spec: Dictionary = DIP_SPECS.get(_active_dip, {})
+		var buses: Dictionary = spec.get("buses", {})
+		var offset_db: float = buses.get(bus, 0.0)
+		AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(idx, volume_db + offset_db)
+
+
+func get_volume(bus: String) -> float:
+	return _bus_volumes.get(bus, 0.0)
+
+
+# --- Zone crossfade (D-073 stub) ---
+
+## Handle zone transition. Server sends zone_id per tile in ObserverSnapshot.
+## Full crossfade implementation deferred — stub for integration point.
+func set_zone(_zone_id: String) -> void:
+	pass
+
+
+# --- Internal helpers ---
+
+func _get_stream(asset_key: String) -> AudioStream:
+	return _registry.get(asset_key) as AudioStream
+
+
+func _make_bus_setter(bus_name: String) -> Callable:
+	return func(db: float) -> void:
+		var idx := AudioServer.get_bus_index(bus_name)
+		if idx >= 0:
+			AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(idx, db)
+
+
+func _kill_tweens() -> void:
+	for tween in _dip_tweens:
+		if tween != null and tween.is_valid():
+			tween.kill()
+	_dip_tweens.clear()
+
+
+static func _enable_loop(stream: AudioStream) -> void:
+	if stream is AudioStreamOggVorbis:
+		stream.loop = true
+	elif stream is AudioStreamWAV:
+		stream.loop_mode = AudioStreamWAV.LOOP_FORWARD
+	elif stream is AudioStreamMP3:
+		stream.loop = true