diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/README.md b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/README.md
index 7e39565..c63a706 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/README.md
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/README.md
@@ -105,15 +105,44 @@ correctness/safety judgment call, not a repeatable infra check. See
 `docs/validation-log.md` in this role directory for the procedure reference
 and a place to log results once Ryan runs it.
 
-## Known gap: Semaphore is broken (as of 2026-08-05)
+## Known gap: Semaphore execution path bypassed for this role (2026-08-05)
 
-The normal execution/audit path (Semaphore) is currently non-functional.
-This role was authored to be run via direct `ansible-playbook` as an accepted
-interim stopgap, executed personally by Ryan. **This is a known gap, not the
-intended long-term operational path** — once Semaphore is repaired, retarget
-execution of this role (and future changes to it) through Semaphore so runs
-are audited/logged there again. Flag this in any future work that touches
-this role.
+The normal execution/audit path (Semaphore) was believed non-functional at authoring time, so this role was run via direct `ansible-playbook` instead, executed personally by Ryan.
+
+**Confirmed 2026-08-05 (JARVIS, via Semaphore API — token `vault_semaphore_api_token` in the homelab Ansible vault):** this was a misdiagnosis, not an outage. Semaphore's service, Postgres backend, and API (`/api/ping` returns `pong`) are all healthy on figment (10.1.71.37 — note the documented host `city-hall`/10.1.71.38 is stale; DNS for `imagineering.local.mk-labs.cloud` actually resolves through Traefik on lightning-lane to figment:3000). Queried `/api/project/1/templates` directly: only 6 templates exist project-wide (day0 baseline/root-LV checks, day1 Semaphore self-deploy, Traefik route updates) — **none for this role, nor for the original single-model `llm-inference` role**. Root cause confirmed: no Semaphore project template was ever created for LLM inference deployment, which presents identically to "Semaphore is broken" if you don't check the template list.
+
+**This is still a known gap** — direct `ansible-playbook` execution bypasses the audit trail Semaphore normally provides. Create a project template for this role's playbook and retarget execution through Semaphore so runs are audited/logged there. Flag this in any future work that touches this role.
+
+## Rollback
+
+## Qwen2.5-14B shadow deployment (port 8002) — 2026-08-06
+
+Added a third instance definition (`llama-server-qwen`) per
+`/home/hermes/reports/local-llm-64k-context-recommendation.md`, intended to
+eventually replace the `llama-server-toolcall` (8001) slot once validated —
+runs alongside 8000/8001 during the shadow-test window, does not stop or
+replace either.
+
+**VRAM GATE — service NOT started as of this commit.** Live `nvidia-smi` check
+on 2026-08-06 showed Phi-4 (8000, ~10.4GB) + Mistral (8001, ~6.2GB) already
+consuming ~16.6GB / 24GB, leaving only ~7.5GB free. Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct
+Q5_K_M weights alone are ~10-12GB — **does not fit concurrently** with both
+existing instances at full GPU offload. The unit is deployed to disk
+(`llm_qwen_service_enabled: false` default in `defaults/main.yml`) but will
+not start until this is resolved. Options for the shadow-test window,
+none applied yet — pick one and flip `llm_qwen_service_enabled: true`:
+
+1. Temporarily stop `llama-server-toolcall` (8001) for the duration of the
+   shadow test — it's the model being superseded anyway, so this is low-risk
+   and reversible (`systemctl start llama-server-toolcall` restores it).
+2. Reduce Qwen's `--n-gpu-layers` (partial CPU offload) to fit the ~7.5GB
+   remaining headroom — will materially hurt throughput, not recommended as
+   first choice.
+3. Reduce `--ctx-size` below 65536 — undermines the entire point of this
+   exercise (Hermes's 64K floor), not recommended.
+
+Recommended: option 1, coordinated with Ryan/JARVIS since it does touch a
+live service, even though 8001 was already flagged for retirement.
 
 ## Rollback
 
diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/defaults/main.yml
index fa80014..377659c 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/defaults/main.yml
@@ -62,6 +62,29 @@ llm_toolcall_chat_template_file: "{{ llm_models_dir }}/templates/mistral-small-t
 llm_toolcall_service_name: llama-server-toolcall
 llm_toolcall_model_id: mistral-small-24b-instruct-2501
 
+# --- Shadow instance (port 8002, Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct) -----------------------
+# Shadow-deployment candidate to eventually replace the toolcall (8001) slot
+# per /home/hermes/reports/local-llm-64k-context-recommendation.md. Runs
+# alongside 8000/8001 during validation — does NOT replace either.
+# GATE: VRAM co-residency NOT confirmed as of 2026-08-06 — see role README /
+# deployment report. Do not enable/start this service until that is resolved
+# (either free VRAM by stopping llama-server-toolcall for the shadow window,
+# or reduce ctx-size). llm_qwen_service_enabled defaults to false so a normal
+# playbook run will template the unit but NOT start it.
+llm_qwen_service_enabled: false
+llm_qwen_port: 8002
+llm_qwen_model_path: "{{ llm_models_dir }}/Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct-Q5_K_M.gguf"
+llm_qwen_model_url: "https://huggingface.co/bartowski/Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct-GGUF/resolve/main/Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct-Q5_K_M.gguf"
+llm_qwen_model_min_bytes: 9500000000   # guard threshold; complete file ~10.5GB
+llm_qwen_ctx_size: 65536
+llm_qwen_parallel: 1
+llm_qwen_gpu_layers: 99
+llm_qwen_batch_size: 2048
+llm_qwen_ubatch_size: 512
+llm_qwen_service_name: llama-server-qwen
+llm_qwen_model_id: qwen2.5-14b-instruct
+llm_qwen_expected_vram_gb: 16.5
+
 # --- Existing Gemma baseline (rollback target — never modified by this role) -
 # Populated by Phase 0 discovery (tasks/discover.yml) if not already known.
 # Set here only as a fallback name to search for; discovery is authoritative.
diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/models.yml b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/models.yml
index c9fca48..5fe018a 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/models.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/models.yml
@@ -97,3 +97,28 @@
     group: "{{ llm_service_user }}"
     mode: "0644"
   become: true
+
+# --- Shadow model (Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct Q5_K_M, port 8002) --------------------
+# Downloaded unconditionally (so the ~10.5GB file is staged ahead of any VRAM
+# decision) — only the *service start* is gated by llm_qwen_service_enabled
+# (see verify.yml / VRAM gate note in defaults/main.yml).
+
+- name: Check if Qwen shadow model GGUF already exists
+  ansible.builtin.stat:
+    path: "{{ llm_qwen_model_path }}"
+  register: llm_qwen_model_stat
+
+- name: Download Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct-Q5_K_M GGUF (bartowski quant)
+  ansible.builtin.get_url:
+    url: "{{ llm_qwen_model_url }}"
+    dest: "{{ llm_qwen_model_path }}"
+    headers:
+      Authorization: "Bearer {{ llm_hf_token }}"
+    owner: "{{ llm_service_user }}"
+    group: "{{ llm_service_user }}"
+    mode: "0644"
+    timeout: 7200
+    force: false
+  become: true
+  no_log: true
+  when: not llm_qwen_model_stat.stat.exists or (llm_qwen_model_stat.stat.size | int) < (llm_qwen_model_min_bytes | int)
diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/systemd.yml b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/systemd.yml
index ba95cdf..fe4c585 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/systemd.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/systemd.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,18 @@
   notify:
     - reload systemd
 
+- name: Deploy llama-server-qwen systemd unit (shadow, port 8002)
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: llama-server-qwen.service.j2
+    dest: "/etc/systemd/system/{{ llm_qwen_service_name }}.service"
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0644"
+  become: true
+  register: llm_qwen_unit_deployed
+  notify:
+    - reload systemd
+
 - name: Flush handlers so daemon-reload lands before any later phase acts on unit state
   ansible.builtin.meta: flush_handlers
 
diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/verify.yml b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/verify.yml
index f77cb3b..da73d11 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/verify.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/tasks/verify.yml
@@ -166,6 +166,51 @@
       - "Design estimate (plan §1):  aux ~{{ llm_aux_expected_vram_gb }}GB + toolcall ~{{ llm_toolcall_expected_vram_gb }}GB = ~{{ llm_combined_expected_vram_gb }}GB / {{ llm_gpu_total_vram_gb }}GB total"
       - "If measured usage exceeds ~23.5GB or is within ~0.5GB of the 24GB card limit, treat as the OOM-risk trigger condition from plan §6 — do not leave both services running unattended without confirming headroom."
 
+- name: Enable llama-server-qwen and start/restart (GATED — only if llm_qwen_service_enabled)
+  ansible.builtin.systemd:
+    name: "{{ llm_qwen_service_name }}"
+    state: "{{ 'restarted' if (llm_qwen_unit_deployed.changed | default(false)) else 'started' }}"
+    enabled: true
+    daemon_reload: true
+  become: true
+  when: llm_qwen_service_enabled | default(false)
+
+- name: NOTE if Qwen shadow unit was skipped due to VRAM gate
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg: >-
+      llama-server-qwen unit deployed to disk but NOT started
+      (llm_qwen_service_enabled=false). See VRAM gate note in
+      defaults/main.yml / deployment report — Phi-4(8000)+Mistral(8001)
+      already use ~16.6GB/24GB, leaving ~7.5GB free, insufficient for
+      Qwen2.5-14B's ~10-12GB weight footprint concurrently. Resolve before
+      setting llm_qwen_service_enabled: true.
+  when: not (llm_qwen_service_enabled | default(false))
+
+- name: Wait for Qwen shadow instance API to become available (only if enabled)
+  ansible.builtin.uri:
+    url: "http://{{ llm_bind_address }}:{{ llm_qwen_port }}/health"
+    status_code: 200
+  register: llm_qwen_health
+  retries: 24
+  delay: 10
+  until: llm_qwen_health.status == 200
+  when: llm_qwen_service_enabled | default(false)
+
+- name: Smoke-test — Qwen shadow instance model listing + n_ctx verification (only if enabled)
+  ansible.builtin.uri:
+    url: "http://{{ llm_bind_address }}:{{ llm_qwen_port }}/v1/models"
+    status_code: 200
+    return_content: true
+  register: llm_qwen_models
+  when: llm_qwen_service_enabled | default(false)
+
+- name: Report Qwen shadow instance served model + verified n_ctx (only if enabled)
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg:
+      - "Qwen shadow (:{{ llm_qwen_port }}) serving: {{ llm_qwen_models.json.data | map(attribute='id') | list }}"
+      - "Verified n_ctx (must be >= 64000, not just requested): {{ llm_qwen_models.json.data | map(attribute='meta') | map(attribute='n_ctx') | list }}"
+  when: llm_qwen_service_enabled | default(false)
+
 - name: Check for OOM-kill events related to llama-server in dmesg (best-effort, read-only)
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: "dmesg | grep -i 'llama-server' | grep -i -E 'oom|killed' || true"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/templates/llama-server-qwen.service.j2 b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/templates/llama-server-qwen.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f23346
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/llm-inference-multimodel/templates/llama-server-qwen.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=llama-server (shadow) — Qwen2.5-14B-Instruct Q5_K_M (OpenAI-compatible inference, 64K ctx)
+After=network.target nvidia-persistenced.service
+Wants=nvidia-persistenced.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User={{ llm_service_user }}
+Group={{ llm_service_user }}
+Environment="HOME=/home/{{ llm_service_user }}"
+ExecStart={{ llm_binary_path }} \
+    --model {{ llm_qwen_model_path }} \
+    --host 0.0.0.0 \
+    --port {{ llm_qwen_port }} \
+    --n-gpu-layers {{ llm_qwen_gpu_layers }} \
+    --ctx-size {{ llm_qwen_ctx_size }} \
+    --flash-attn \
+    --cache-type-k q8_0 --cache-type-v q8_0 \
+    --batch-size {{ llm_qwen_batch_size }} --ubatch-size {{ llm_qwen_ubatch_size }} \
+    --jinja \
+    --parallel {{ llm_qwen_parallel }} \
+    --metrics
+# Shadow-deployment candidate per local-llm-64k-context-recommendation.md.
+# NOT yet cleared for production Hermes profile routing — must pass
+# scripts/tool-calling-validation.sh AND have verified n_ctx >= 64000 from
+# /v1/models before any repoint decision.
+# VRAM GATE: as of 2026-08-06, Phi-4(8000)+Mistral(8001) already consume
+# ~16.6GB/24GB (7.5GB free). This model's weights alone are ~10-12GB — does
+# NOT fit concurrently without freeing VRAM. Do not enable this unit until
+# that is resolved (see role README "Qwen shadow deployment — VRAM gate").
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=10
+TimeoutStartSec=600
+StandardOutput=journal
+StandardError=journal
+SyslogIdentifier=llama-server-qwen
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target