diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index d5430e9..eaa4e05 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -23,3 +23,7 @@ MODRINTH_LOADERS=paper
 MODRINTH_VERSION_TYPE=
 MODRINTH_DEPENDENCIES=
 MODRINTH_FILE=
+# Sync project body/README to Modrinth during publish (true/false)
+MODRINTH_SYNC_BODY=true
+MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE=docs/modrinth-description.md
+
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
index baab1f7..b431150 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ name: Java CI with Gradle
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [ "develop" ]
+    branches: [ "main", "develop" ]
+    tags: [ "v*" ]
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ "develop" ]
+    branches: [ "main", "develop" ]
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -14,6 +15,8 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up JDK 25
         uses: actions/setup-java@v6
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v5
         with:
           gradle-version: '9.8.0'
-          cache-read-only: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/develop' }}
+          cache-read-only: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/develop' && github.ref != 'refs/heads/main' }}
 
       - name: Run Unit Tests
         run: ./gradlew test
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03509f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+name: Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'Git tag to release (e.g., v1.0.0)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  prepare-release:
+    name: Validate Tag & Prepare Release Branch
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      tag_commit: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.tag_commit }}
+      tag_name: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.tag_name }}
+      release_branch: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.release_branch }}
+      version_name: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.version_name }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Configure Git identity
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+
+      - name: Validate Tag, Develop, Main, and Create Release Branch
+        id: validate
+        run: |
+          TAG="${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}"
+          echo "Target tag: $TAG"
+
+          # Fetch remote branches and tags
+          git fetch origin develop:develop main:main --tags
+
+          # 1. Verify tag exists
+          if ! git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$TAG" > /dev/null; then
+            echo "::error::Tag '$TAG' does not exist in the repository."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          TAG_COMMIT=$(git rev-list -n 1 "$TAG")
+          echo "Tag '$TAG' points to commit: $TAG_COMMIT"
+
+          # 2. Verify tag commit is in develop branch
+          if ! git merge-base --is-ancestor "$TAG_COMMIT" origin/develop; then
+            echo "::error::Tag '$TAG' (commit $TAG_COMMIT) is not in the develop branch."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Confirmed: Tag '$TAG' is in develop branch."
+
+          # 3. Verify tag commit is in main, or fast-forward merge it to main
+          if git merge-base --is-ancestor "$TAG_COMMIT" origin/main; then
+            echo "Confirmed: Tag '$TAG' is already in main branch."
+          else
+            echo "Tag '$TAG' is not in main. Attempting fast-forward only merge..."
+            git checkout main
+            if ! git merge --ff-only "$TAG_COMMIT"; then
+              echo "::error::Tag '$TAG' cannot be fast-forward merged into main."
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            git push origin main
+            echo "Successfully fast-forward merged '$TAG' into main."
+          fi
+
+          # 4. Create and push the release/v* branch from the tag commit
+          RELEASE_BRANCH="release/${TAG}"
+          echo "Creating release branch '$RELEASE_BRANCH' from commit $TAG_COMMIT..."
+          git checkout -B "$RELEASE_BRANCH" "$TAG_COMMIT"
+          git push -u origin "$RELEASE_BRANCH" --force
+
+          VERSION_NAME="${TAG#v}"
+
+          echo "tag_commit=$TAG_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "tag_name=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "release_branch=$RELEASE_BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "version_name=$VERSION_NAME" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+  metropolis-release:
+    name: Build, Test & Publish Release
+    needs: prepare-release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout release commit
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_commit }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Ensure tag ref is checked out
+        run: |
+          git checkout -q "refs/tags/${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_name }}"
+
+      - name: Validate Modrinth Credentials
+        id: check_credentials
+        run: |
+          if [ -z "${{ secrets.MODRINTH_TOKEN }}" ]; then
+            echo "::warning::Modrinth release token was not provided. Release will not be published to Modrinth."
+            echo "::error::Missing MODRINTH_TOKEN secret. Please configure MODRINTH_TOKEN in repository secrets."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - name: Set up JDK 25
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          java-version: '25'
+
+      - name: Setup Gradle 9.8.0
+        uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
+        with:
+          gradle-version: '9.8.0'
+
+      - name: Make Gradle wrapper executable
+        run: chmod +x gradlew
+
+      - name: Run Unit Tests
+        run: ./gradlew test
+
+      - name: Upload Test Report
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: Metropolis-test-report-${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_name }}
+          path: |
+            build/reports/tests/test
+            build/test-results/test
+          if-no-files-found: ignore
+          retention-days: 14
+
+      - name: Build Metropolis Plugin Jar
+        run: ./tools/build-plugin.sh
+
+      - name: Upload Release Jar
+        if: success()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: Metropolis-${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.version_name }}
+          path: build/libs/*.jar
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 14
+
+      - name: Publish to Modrinth & Update Description
+        env:
+          MODRINTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.MODRINTH_TOKEN }}
+          MODRINTH_VERSION: ${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.version_name }}
+          TAG: ${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_name }}
+        run: |
+          chmod +x ./tools/publish-modrinth.sh
+          ./tools/publish-modrinth.sh
+
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          tag_name: ${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_name }}
+          name: Metropolis ${{ needs.prepare-release.outputs.tag_name }}
+          files: build/libs/*.jar
+          generate_release_notes: true
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index cf14589..df03ca8 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ rules.
 - `src/test/` contains isolated JUnit/Mockito tests. `src/integrationTest/`
 	contains the opt-in tests that require a running server and RCON.
 - `build.gradle` defines dependencies, Java/Gradle versions, formatting, and
-	test tasks. `.github/workflows/gradle.yml` runs tests and builds on pushes
-	and pull requests to `develop`.
+	test tasks. `.github/workflows/gradle.yml` runs tests and builds on changes
+	to `main` and `develop`, and any `v*` tags.
 
 ## Prerequisites and Checks
 
diff --git a/tools/publish-modrinth.sh b/tools/publish-modrinth.sh
index 9cb8cad..6c10cb0 100755
--- a/tools/publish-modrinth.sh
+++ b/tools/publish-modrinth.sh
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@ set -euo pipefail
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." && pwd)"
 
-if [[ ! -r "$PROJECT_ROOT/.env" ]]; then
-  echo "Error: $PROJECT_ROOT/.env is missing or unreadable. Copy .env.example to .env and set its values." >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
 load_project_env() {
   local env_line env_key env_value first_char last_char
   while IFS= read -r env_line || [[ -n "$env_line" ]]; do
@@ -36,7 +32,13 @@ load_project_env() {
     fi
   done < "$PROJECT_ROOT/.env"
 }
-load_project_env
+
+if [[ -r "$PROJECT_ROOT/.env" ]]; then
+  load_project_env
+elif [[ -z "${MODRINTH_TOKEN:-}" ]]; then
+  echo "Error: $PROJECT_ROOT/.env is missing or unreadable and MODRINTH_TOKEN is not set. Copy .env.example to .env and set its values." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 MODRINTH_TOKEN="${MODRINTH_TOKEN:-}"
 MODRINTH_PROJECT_ID="${MODRINTH_PROJECT_ID:-metropolis-builder}"
@@ -44,9 +46,10 @@ MODRINTH_VERSION="${MODRINTH_VERSION:-${VERSION:-}}"
 if [[ -z "$MODRINTH_VERSION" ]]; then
   MODRINTH_VERSION=$(cd "$PROJECT_ROOT" && ./gradlew -q properties --property version | sed -n 's/^version: //p' | head -n1)
 fi
+
 generate_changelog() {
   local current_tag previous_tag range commits
-  current_tag=$(git -C "$PROJECT_ROOT" describe --tags --exact-match HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)
+  current_tag="${TAG:-$(git -C "$PROJECT_ROOT" describe --tags --exact-match HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)}"
   if [[ -n "$current_tag" ]]; then
     previous_tag=$(git -C "$PROJECT_ROOT" describe --tags --abbrev=0 "${current_tag}^" 2>/dev/null || true)
     range="${previous_tag:+$previous_tag..}$current_tag"
@@ -60,12 +63,18 @@ generate_changelog() {
   fi
   printf '%s\n\n%s\n' "## What's Changed" "$commits"
 }
+
 MODRINTH_CHANGELOG="${MODRINTH_CHANGELOG:-$(generate_changelog)}"
 MODRINTH_GAME_VERSIONS="${MODRINTH_GAME_VERSIONS:-26.2,26.3}"
 MODRINTH_LOADERS="${MODRINTH_LOADERS:-paper}"
 MODRINTH_VERSION_TYPE="${MODRINTH_VERSION_TYPE:-}"
 MODRINTH_FILE="${MODRINTH_FILE:-}"
 MODRINTH_DEPENDENCIES="${MODRINTH_DEPENDENCIES:-}"
+MODRINTH_SYNC_BODY="${MODRINTH_SYNC_BODY:-true}"
+MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE="${MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE:-$PROJECT_ROOT/docs/modrinth-description.md}"
+if [[ ! -f "$MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE" ]]; then
+  MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE="$PROJECT_ROOT/README.md"
+fi
 
 if [[ -z "$MODRINTH_VERSION" ]]; then
   echo "Error: could not determine the project version from Gradle." >&2
@@ -89,7 +98,7 @@ if [[ -n "$MODRINTH_FILE" && "$MODRINTH_FILE" != /* ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ -z "$MODRINTH_TOKEN" ]]; then
-  echo "Error: MODRINTH_TOKEN is not set in $PROJECT_ROOT/.env" >&2
+  echo "Error: MODRINTH_TOKEN is not set (check $PROJECT_ROOT/.env or environment variable)." >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -159,3 +168,26 @@ if [[ "$HTTP_STATUS" != 2?? ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 printf '%s\n' "$HTTP_BODY" | jq .
+
+if [[ "$MODRINTH_SYNC_BODY" == "true" && -f "$MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE" ]]; then
+  echo "Syncing project description to Modrinth from $MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE..."
+  BODY_CONTENT=$(cat "$MODRINTH_DESCRIPTION_FILE")
+  PATCH_DATA=$(jq -cn --arg body "$BODY_CONTENT" '{body: $body}')
+
+  PATCH_RESPONSE=$(curl -sS -w $'\n%{http_code}' \
+    -X PATCH "https://api.modrinth.com/v2/project/$MODRINTH_PROJECT_ID" \
+    -H "Authorization: $MODRINTH_TOKEN" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "$PATCH_DATA")
+
+  PATCH_STATUS="${PATCH_RESPONSE##*$'\n'}"
+  PATCH_BODY="${PATCH_RESPONSE%$'\n'*}"
+  if [[ "$PATCH_STATUS" != 2?? ]]; then
+    echo "Warning: Modrinth project description update returned HTTP $PATCH_STATUS:" >&2
+    if ! printf '%s\n' "$PATCH_BODY" | jq -r '.description // .error // .' >&2; then
+      printf '%s\n' "$PATCH_BODY" >&2
+    fi
+  else
+    echo "Successfully updated Modrinth project description."
+  fi
+fi