diff --git a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
index 136cbc0e..08108dc0 100644
--- a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ public:
      */
     /** Pre-update mutable state (frame ID, material UBOs) on main thread before parallel render. */
     void prepareRender();
-    void render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const Camera& camera);
+    void render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const Camera& camera,
+                const glm::vec3* viewerPos = nullptr);
 
     /**
      * Initialize shadow pipeline (Phase 7)
diff --git a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
index 6da94182..71cb2a7c 100644
--- a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
@@ -2096,8 +2096,8 @@ void Renderer::updateCharacterAnimation() {
             // Rider uses character facing yaw, not mount bone rotation
             // (rider faces character direction, seat bone only provides position)
             float yawRad = glm::radians(characterYaw);
-            float riderPitch = taxiFlight_ ? mountPitch_ * 0.35f : 0.0f;
-            float riderRoll = taxiFlight_ ? mountRoll_ * 0.35f : 0.0f;
+            float riderPitch = mountPitch_ * 0.35f;
+            float riderRoll = mountRoll_ * 0.35f;
             characterRenderer->setInstanceRotation(characterInstanceId, glm::vec3(riderPitch, riderRoll, yawRad));
         } else {
             // Fallback to old manual positioning if attachment not found
@@ -4737,7 +4737,7 @@ void Renderer::renderWorld(game::World* world, game::GameHandler* gameHandler) {
                 auto t0 = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
                 VkCommandBuffer cmd = beginSecondary(SEC_WMO);
                 setSecondaryViewportScissor(cmd);
-                wmoRenderer->render(cmd, perFrameSet, *camera);
+                wmoRenderer->render(cmd, perFrameSet, *camera, &characterPosition);
                 vkEndCommandBuffer(cmd);
                 return std::chrono::duration<double, std::milli>(
                     std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - t0).count();
@@ -4905,7 +4905,7 @@ void Renderer::renderWorld(game::World* world, game::GameHandler* gameHandler) {
         if (wmoRenderer && camera && !skipWMO) {
             wmoRenderer->prepareRender();
             auto wmoStart = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
-            wmoRenderer->render(currentCmd, perFrameSet, *camera);
+            wmoRenderer->render(currentCmd, perFrameSet, *camera, &characterPosition);
             lastWMORenderMs = std::chrono::duration<double, std::milli>(
                 std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - wmoStart).count();
         }
diff --git a/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
index 3df2b3fd..85f56431 100644
--- a/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
@@ -1356,7 +1356,8 @@ void WMORenderer::prepareRender() {
     }
 }
 
-void WMORenderer::render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const Camera& camera) {
+void WMORenderer::render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const Camera& camera,
+                         const glm::vec3* viewerPos) {
     if (!opaquePipeline_ || instances.empty()) {
         lastDrawCalls = 0;
         return;
@@ -1380,6 +1381,11 @@ void WMORenderer::render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const
     }
 
     glm::vec3 camPos = camera.getPosition();
+    // For portal culling, use the character/player position when available.
+    // The 3rd-person camera can orbit outside a WMO while the character is inside,
+    // causing the portal traversal to start from outside and cull interior groups.
+    // Passing the actual character position as the viewer fixes this.
+    glm::vec3 portalViewerPos = viewerPos ? *viewerPos : camPos;
     bool doPortalCull = portalCulling;
     bool doDistanceCull = distanceCulling;
 
@@ -1400,7 +1406,7 @@ void WMORenderer::render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const
         bool usePortalCulling = doPortalCull && !model.portals.empty() && !model.portalRefs.empty();
         if (usePortalCulling) {
             std::unordered_set<uint32_t> pvgSet;
-            glm::vec4 localCamPos = instance.invModelMatrix * glm::vec4(camPos, 1.0f);
+            glm::vec4 localCamPos = instance.invModelMatrix * glm::vec4(portalViewerPos, 1.0f);
             getVisibleGroupsViaPortals(model, glm::vec3(localCamPos), frustum,
                                        instance.modelMatrix, pvgSet);
             portalVisibleGroups.assign(pvgSet.begin(), pvgSet.end());
diff --git a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
index c9c897fc..c1b1274f 100644
--- a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
@@ -1203,16 +1203,19 @@ void GameScreen::renderChatWindow(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
         } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::TEXT_EMOTE) {
             renderTextWithLinks(tsPrefix + processedMessage, color);
         } else if (!msg.senderName.empty()) {
-            if (msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_SAY || msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_PARTY) {
+            if (msg.type == game::ChatType::SAY ||
+                msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_SAY || msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_PARTY) {
                 std::string fullMsg = tsPrefix + msg.senderName + " says: " + processedMessage;
                 renderTextWithLinks(fullMsg, color);
-            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_YELL) {
+            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::YELL || msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_YELL) {
                 std::string fullMsg = tsPrefix + msg.senderName + " yells: " + processedMessage;
                 renderTextWithLinks(fullMsg, color);
-            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_WHISPER || msg.type == game::ChatType::RAID_BOSS_WHISPER) {
+            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::WHISPER ||
+                       msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_WHISPER || msg.type == game::ChatType::RAID_BOSS_WHISPER) {
                 std::string fullMsg = tsPrefix + msg.senderName + " whispers: " + processedMessage;
                 renderTextWithLinks(fullMsg, color);
-            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_EMOTE || msg.type == game::ChatType::RAID_BOSS_EMOTE) {
+            } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::EMOTE ||
+                       msg.type == game::ChatType::MONSTER_EMOTE || msg.type == game::ChatType::RAID_BOSS_EMOTE) {
                 std::string fullMsg = tsPrefix + msg.senderName + " " + processedMessage;
                 renderTextWithLinks(fullMsg, color);
             } else if (msg.type == game::ChatType::CHANNEL && !msg.channelName.empty()) {