diff --git a/apps/server/trpc/routers/agent.ts b/apps/server/trpc/routers/agent.ts
index 5be795d..74fdc50 100644
--- a/apps/server/trpc/routers/agent.ts
+++ b/apps/server/trpc/routers/agent.ts
@@ -167,10 +167,12 @@ export function agentProcedures(publicProcedure: ProcedureBuilder) {
       .query(async ({ ctx, input }): Promise<AgentInfo | null> => {
         const agentManager = requireAgentManager(ctx);
         const allAgents = await agentManager.list();
+        // Surface discuss and refine agents — both work on initiative content
+        const CONTENT_MODES = ['discuss', 'refine'];
         const candidates = allAgents
           .filter(
             (a) =>
-              a.mode === 'refine' &&
+              CONTENT_MODES.includes(a.mode) &&
               a.initiativeId === input.initiativeId &&
               ['running', 'waiting_for_input', 'idle', 'crashed'].includes(a.status) &&
               !a.userDismissedAt,
diff --git a/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative-activity.ts b/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative-activity.ts
index b9a11e9..7a55a74 100644
--- a/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative-activity.ts
+++ b/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative-activity.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export function deriveInitiativeActivity(
   }
 
   // Check for active architect agents BEFORE zero-phases check
-  // so auto-spawned discuss/plan/refine agents surface activity
+  // so architect agents (discuss/plan/detail/refine) surface activity
   const activeAgent = activeArchitectAgents?.find(
     a => a.initiativeId === initiative.id
       && (a.status === 'running' || a.status === 'waiting_for_input'),
diff --git a/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative.ts b/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative.ts
index 1718f5e..c0f2a47 100644
--- a/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative.ts
+++ b/apps/server/trpc/routers/initiative.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ import { z } from 'zod';
 import type { ProcedureBuilder } from '../trpc.js';
 import { requireAgentManager, requireInitiativeRepository, requireProjectRepository, requireTaskRepository } from './_helpers.js';
 import { deriveInitiativeActivity } from './initiative-activity.js';
-import { buildDiscussPrompt } from '../../agent/prompts/index.js';
+import { buildRefinePrompt } from '../../agent/prompts/index.js';
+import type { PageForSerialization } from '../../agent/content-serializer.js';
 
 export function initiativeProcedures(publicProcedure: ProcedureBuilder) {
   return {
@@ -47,38 +48,57 @@ export function initiativeProcedures(publicProcedure: ProcedureBuilder) {
           await projectRepo.setInitiativeProjects(initiative.id, input.projectIds);
         }
 
+        // Create root page — seed with description as tiptap content if provided
+        const descriptionText = input.description?.trim();
+        let rootPage: { id: string; parentPageId: string | null; title: string; content: string | null; sortOrder: number } | null = null;
         if (ctx.pageRepository) {
-          await ctx.pageRepository.create({
+          const tiptapContent = descriptionText
+            ? JSON.stringify({
+              type: 'doc',
+              content: descriptionText.split(/\n{2,}/).map(para => ({
+                type: 'paragraph',
+                content: [{ type: 'text', text: para.trim() }],
+              })).filter(p => p.content[0].text),
+            })
+            : null;
+
+          rootPage = await ctx.pageRepository.create({
             initiativeId: initiative.id,
             parentPageId: null,
             title: input.name,
-            content: null,
+            content: tiptapContent,
             sortOrder: 0,
           });
         }
 
-        // Auto-spawn discuss agent when description is provided
-        if (input.description?.trim() && ctx.agentManager && ctx.taskRepository) {
+        // Auto-spawn refine agent when description is provided
+        if (descriptionText && rootPage && ctx.agentManager && ctx.taskRepository) {
           try {
             const taskRepo = requireTaskRepository(ctx);
             const agentManager = requireAgentManager(ctx);
 
             const task = await taskRepo.create({
               initiativeId: initiative.id,
-              name: `Discuss: ${initiative.name}`,
-              description: input.description.trim(),
-              category: 'discuss',
+              name: `Refine: ${initiative.name}`,
+              description: descriptionText,
+              category: 'refine',
               status: 'in_progress',
             });
 
-            const prompt = buildDiscussPrompt();
+            const pages: PageForSerialization[] = [{
+              id: rootPage.id,
+              parentPageId: null,
+              title: rootPage.title,
+              content: rootPage.content,
+              sortOrder: 0,
+            }];
 
             agentManager.spawn({
               taskId: task.id,
-              prompt,
-              mode: 'discuss',
+              prompt: buildRefinePrompt(),
+              mode: 'refine',
               initiativeId: initiative.id,
-              inputContext: { initiative, task },
+              inputContext: { initiative, pages },
             });
           } catch {
             // Fire-and-forget — don't fail initiative creation if agent spawn fails
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/CreateInitiativeDialog.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/CreateInitiativeDialog.tsx
index c0ec131..a025921 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/CreateInitiativeDialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/CreateInitiativeDialog.tsx
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export function CreateInitiativeDialog({
             <Label htmlFor="initiative-description">
               Description{" "}
               <span className="text-muted-foreground font-normal">
-                (optional — spawns a discuss agent)
+                (optional — seeds root page and spawns refine agent)
               </span>
             </Label>
             <Textarea
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
index 606fac6..e88001d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
@@ -66,11 +66,12 @@ export function RefineAgentPanel({ initiativeId }: RefineAgentPanelProps) {
 
   // Running
   if (state === "running") {
+    const runningLabel = agent?.mode === 'discuss' ? 'Architect is discussing...' : 'Architect is refining...';
     return (
       <div className="mb-3 flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border bg-card px-3 py-2">
         <Loader2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5 animate-spin text-primary" />
         <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-          Architect is refining...
+          {runningLabel}
         </span>
       </div>
     );
diff --git a/docs/frontend.md b/docs/frontend.md
index dccd1d3..a975b08 100644
--- a/docs/frontend.md
+++ b/docs/frontend.md
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ Configured in `src/lib/trpc.ts`. Uses `@trpc/react-query` with TanStack Query fo
 
 ### Creating an Initiative
 1. Dashboard → "New Initiative" → enter name, optional description, select projects
-2. `createInitiative` mutation → auto-creates root page; if description provided, auto-spawns discuss agent
+2. `createInitiative` mutation → auto-creates root page (seeded with description as tiptap content); if description provided, auto-spawns refine agent
 3. Navigate to initiative detail page on success
 
 ### Managing Content (Pages)
diff --git a/docs/server-api.md b/docs/server-api.md
index faa5848..d033b59 100644
--- a/docs/server-api.md
+++ b/docs/server-api.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Each procedure uses `require*Repository(ctx)` helpers that throw `TRPCError(INTE
 ### Initiatives
 | Procedure | Type | Description |
 |-----------|------|-------------|
-| createInitiative | mutation | Create with optional branch/projectIds/description, auto-creates root page; if description provided, auto-spawns discuss agent |
+| createInitiative | mutation | Create with optional branch/projectIds/description, auto-creates root page (seeded with description); if description provided, auto-spawns refine agent |
 | listInitiatives | query | Filter by status; returns `activity` (state, activePhase, phase counts) computed from phases |
 | getInitiative | query | With projects array |
 | updateInitiative | mutation | Name, status |