diff --git a/crates/layout/src/para.rs b/crates/layout/src/para.rs
index 06070d836..24f26d215 100644
--- a/crates/layout/src/para.rs
+++ b/crates/layout/src/para.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ pub struct ParaLayout {
     pub notes: Vec<(usize, u32)>,
     /// Proofing issues: (byte start, byte end, grammar?).
     pub issues: Vec<(usize, usize, bool)>,
+    /// Drop cap: (clusters at the start that form it, lines it drops, width with its gap).
+    pub drop_cap: Option<(usize, u8, f32)>,
 }
 
 /// Inputs that change a paragraph's layout beyond its own content.
@@ -353,6 +355,13 @@ pub fn layout_para(p: &Paragraph, env: &ParaEnv) -> ParaLayout {
     let mut has_page_fields = false;
     let mut notes = Vec::new();
     let mut obj_index = 0usize;
+    // Drop cap: the first character, sized so its capital spans `lines` lines.
+    let drop_first = (rp.drop_cap > 0)
+        .then(|| p.text.chars().next())
+        .flatten()
+        .filter(|c| !matches!(*c, '\t' | LINE_BREAK | PAGE_BREAK | COLUMN_BREAK | OBJ | '\r' | ' '))
+        .filter(|c| p.text.len() > c.len_utf8());
+    let mut drop_cap = None;
     for (range, props) in p.run_ranges() {
         let rc = resolve(props);
         let Some(text) = p.text.get(range.clone()) else { continue };
@@ -379,7 +388,29 @@ pub fn layout_para(p: &Paragraph, env: &ParaEnv) -> ParaLayout {
             continue;
         }
         let mut seg = 0;
+        if range.start == 0
+            && let Some(c) = drop_first
+            && let Some(first) = text.get(..c.len_utf8())
+        {
+            let line_h = (rc.size * 1.2).max(1.0);
+            let lines = rp.drop_cap as f32;
+            // Capital height is ~0.7 em: the letter's cap spans from line 1's caps to line N's baseline.
+            let mut big = (*rc).clone();
+            big.size = (((lines - 1.0) * line_h + rc.size * 0.7) / 0.7).clamp(rc.size, 1000.0);
+            let before = b.clusters.len();
+            b.shape(first, 0, &Arc::new(big), None);
+            let w: f32 = b.clusters.get(before..).map(|c| c.iter().map(|c| c.adv).sum()).unwrap_or(0.0);
+            drop_cap = Some((b.clusters.len() - before, rp.drop_cap, w + rc.size * 0.3));
+            // The letter hangs beside the text; lines flow at the indent `break_lines` adds.
+            for c in b.clusters.iter_mut().skip(before) {
+                c.adv = 0.0;
+            }
+            seg = c.len_utf8();
+        }
         for (i, c) in text.char_indices() {
+            if i < seg {
+                continue;
+            }
             let special = matches!(c, '\t' | LINE_BREAK | PAGE_BREAK | COLUMN_BREAK | OBJ | '\r');
             if !special {
                 continue;
@@ -494,6 +525,7 @@ pub fn layout_para(p: &Paragraph, env: &ParaEnv) -> ParaLayout {
         has_page_fields,
         notes,
         issues: if env.proofing { proof_issues(p) } else { Vec::new() },
+        drop_cap,
     };
     break_lines(&mut pl, env, mark_style, env.label.as_ref().map(|(_, l)| l.suffix));
     pl
@@ -541,6 +573,11 @@ fn break_lines(pl: &mut ParaLayout, env: &ParaEnv, mark_style: u16, suffix: Opti
         let mut guard = 0;
         loop {
             let (mut lo, mut hi) = (if first { first_left } else { rp.indent_left }, base_right);
+            if let Some((_, dl, dw)) = pl.drop_cap
+                && lines.len() < dl as usize
+            {
+                lo = first_left.max(rp.indent_left) + dw;
+            }
             let mut push: Option<f32> = None;
             for e in env.exclusions {
                 if e.bottom <= top || e.top >= top + est_h {
@@ -747,8 +784,9 @@ fn break_lines(pl: &mut ParaLayout, env: &ParaEnv, mark_style: u16, suffix: Opti
         // Vertical metrics.
         let (mut asc, mut desc) = (0.0f32, 0.0f32);
         let mut any = false;
-        for c in pl.clusters.get(c0..c1).into_iter().flatten() {
-            if c.kind == ClKind::Marker {
+        let dropped = pl.drop_cap.map_or(0, |d| d.0);
+        for (k, c) in pl.clusters.get(c0..c1).into_iter().flatten().enumerate() {
+            if c.kind == ClKind::Marker || c0 + k < dropped {
                 continue;
             }
             if let Some(st) = pl.styles.get(c.style as usize) {
@@ -880,6 +918,23 @@ fn break_lines(pl: &mut ParaLayout, env: &ParaEnv, mark_style: u16, suffix: Opti
             break;
         }
     }
+    // Hang the drop cap from the first line's caps down to line N's baseline, left of the text.
+    if let Some((nc, dl, dw)) = pl.drop_cap
+        && let (Some(l0), Some(ln)) = (lines.first(), lines.get((dl as usize).min(lines.len()).saturating_sub(1)))
+    {
+        let short = lines.len() < dl as usize;
+        let dy = if short { (dl as f32 - 1.0) * l0.height } else { ln.baseline - l0.baseline };
+        let dx = dw.min(l0.xs.first().copied().unwrap_or(0.0) - first_left.max(rp.indent_left));
+        if short {
+            top = top.max(l0.top + l0.height * dl as f32);
+        }
+        for c in pl.clusters.get(..nc).unwrap_or(&[]).to_vec() {
+            for g in pl.glyphs.get_mut(c.g0 as usize..c.g1 as usize).into_iter().flatten() {
+                g.dy -= dy;
+                g.dx -= dx;
+            }
+        }
+    }
     pl.height = top;
     pl.lines = lines;
 }
diff --git a/crates/layout/src/tests.rs b/crates/layout/src/tests.rs
index 2c035e46d..bf977101f 100644
--- a/crates/layout/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/layout/src/tests.rs
@@ -375,3 +375,31 @@ fn tall_rows_split_across_pages() {
     let l2 = lay(&d2);
     assert!(l2.pages.len() >= 2);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn drop_cap_indents_its_lines() {
+    let mut p =
+        wordcraft_doc::Paragraph::with_text(&"Every line of this paragraph wraps around a large first letter. ".repeat(6), Default::default());
+    p.props.drop_cap = Some(3);
+    let mut d = Document::from_text("x");
+    d.body = vec![wordcraft_doc::para_block(p)];
+    let l = lay(&d);
+    let Some(pl) = l.pages[0].items.iter().find_map(|i| if let Placed::Lines { para, .. } = i { Some(para.clone()) } else { None }) else {
+        panic!("no lines")
+    };
+    let (nc, lines, w) = pl.drop_cap.unwrap_or((0, 0, 0.0));
+    assert_eq!((nc, lines), (1, 3));
+    assert!(w > 20.0, "drop cap width {w}");
+    assert!(pl.lines.len() > 4);
+    for (k, line) in pl.lines.iter().enumerate() {
+        let x = line.xs.first().copied().unwrap_or(0.0);
+        if k < 3 {
+            assert!(x >= w - 0.5, "line {k} at {x}");
+        } else {
+            assert!(x < 1.0, "line {k} at {x}");
+        }
+    }
+    // The letter's glyphs are lowered toward the third line's baseline.
+    let g = pl.glyphs.first().map(|g| g.dy).unwrap_or(0.0);
+    assert!(g < -20.0, "dy {g}");
+}