diff --git a/services/arbiter-3.0/scripts/discord-channel-test.js b/services/arbiter-3.0/scripts/discord-channel-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d4f0dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/arbiter-3.0/scripts/discord-channel-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/**
+ * Discord Channel Creation Test Script
+ * Phase 1: Create ONE test category with ONE forum channel
+ * 
+ * Purpose: Verify our channel creation approach works before running full script
+ * 
+ * Created: April 8, 2026
+ * Chronicler: #71
+ */
+
+require('dotenv').config({ path: '../.env' });
+const { Client, GatewayIntentBits, ChannelType, PermissionFlagsBits } = require('discord.js');
+
+// ============================================================================
+// CONFIGURATION
+// ============================================================================
+
+const DRY_RUN = false;  // Set to false to actually create channels
+
+const TEST_CATEGORY_NAME = '🧪 Test Category';
+const TEST_FORUM_NAME = 'test-forum';
+const TEST_FORUM_TOPIC = 'Testing forum creation - safe to delete';
+
+// Forum tags we'll use on all server forums
+const STANDARD_FORUM_TAGS = [
+  { name: 'Builds', emoji: '🏗️' },
+  { name: 'Help', emoji: '❓' },
+  { name: 'Suggestion', emoji: '💡' },
+  { name: 'Bug Report', emoji: '🐛' },
+  { name: 'Achievement', emoji: '🎉' },
+  { name: 'Guide', emoji: '📖' }
+];
+
+// ============================================================================
+// MAIN SCRIPT
+// ============================================================================
+
+async function main() {
+  console.log('🔧 Discord Channel Creation Test');
+  console.log('================================');
+  console.log(`Mode: ${DRY_RUN ? '🔍 DRY RUN (no changes)' : '⚡ LIVE (will create channels)'}`);
+  console.log('');
+
+  // Initialize client
+  const client = new Client({ 
+    intents: [GatewayIntentBits.Guilds] 
+  });
+
+  try {
+    // Login
+    console.log('📡 Connecting to Discord...');
+    await client.login(process.env.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN);
+    
+    // Wait for ready
+    await new Promise(resolve => {
+      if (client.isReady()) resolve();
+      else client.once('ready', resolve);
+    });
+    console.log(`✅ Logged in as ${client.user.tag}`);
+
+    // Get guild
+    const guildId = process.env.GUILD_ID;
+    const guild = client.guilds.cache.get(guildId);
+    
+    if (!guild) {
+      throw new Error(`Guild ${guildId} not found. Is the bot in the server?`);
+    }
+    console.log(`✅ Found guild: ${guild.name}`);
+
+    // Check bot permissions
+    const botMember = guild.members.cache.get(client.user.id);
+    if (!botMember) {
+      await guild.members.fetch(client.user.id);
+    }
+    
+    const permissions = guild.members.cache.get(client.user.id)?.permissions;
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('🔐 Bot Permissions Check:');
+    console.log(`   Manage Channels: ${permissions?.has(PermissionFlagsBits.ManageChannels) ? '✅' : '❌'}`);
+    console.log(`   Manage Roles: ${permissions?.has(PermissionFlagsBits.ManageRoles) ? '✅' : '❌'}`);
+    console.log(`   Send Messages: ${permissions?.has(PermissionFlagsBits.SendMessages) ? '✅' : '❌'}`);
+    console.log(`   Create Public Threads: ${permissions?.has(PermissionFlagsBits.CreatePublicThreads) ? '✅' : '❌'}`);
+    
+    if (!permissions?.has(PermissionFlagsBits.ManageChannels)) {
+      throw new Error('Bot lacks Manage Channels permission!');
+    }
+
+    // Fetch existing channels
+    await guild.channels.fetch();
+    console.log('');
+    console.log(`📊 Current channel count: ${guild.channels.cache.size}`);
+
+    // Check if test category already exists
+    const existingCategory = guild.channels.cache.find(
+      ch => ch.type === ChannelType.GuildCategory && ch.name === TEST_CATEGORY_NAME
+    );
+    
+    if (existingCategory) {
+      console.log(`⚠️  Test category "${TEST_CATEGORY_NAME}" already exists (ID: ${existingCategory.id})`);
+      console.log('   Delete it manually if you want to re-run this test.');
+      
+      // Check for forum in that category
+      const existingForum = guild.channels.cache.find(
+        ch => ch.type === ChannelType.GuildForum && ch.parentId === existingCategory.id
+      );
+      if (existingForum) {
+        console.log(`   Forum "${existingForum.name}" exists in category (ID: ${existingForum.id})`);
+      }
+      
+      client.destroy();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (DRY_RUN) {
+      console.log('');
+      console.log('📋 DRY RUN - Would create:');
+      console.log(`   1. Category: "${TEST_CATEGORY_NAME}"`);
+      console.log(`   2. Forum: "${TEST_FORUM_NAME}" with ${STANDARD_FORUM_TAGS.length} tags`);
+      console.log('');
+      console.log('Set DRY_RUN = false to create these channels.');
+      client.destroy();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // ========================================================================
+    // LIVE MODE - CREATE CHANNELS
+    // ========================================================================
+
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('🚀 Creating test channels...');
+
+    // Step 1: Create category
+    console.log(`   Creating category: ${TEST_CATEGORY_NAME}`);
+    const category = await guild.channels.create({
+      name: TEST_CATEGORY_NAME,
+      type: ChannelType.GuildCategory,
+      reason: 'Test by Chronicler #71 - Discord channel automation'
+    });
+    console.log(`   ✅ Category created: ${category.id}`);
+
+    // Step 2: Create forum channel
+    console.log(`   Creating forum: ${TEST_FORUM_NAME}`);
+    const forum = await guild.channels.create({
+      name: TEST_FORUM_NAME,
+      type: ChannelType.GuildForum,
+      parent: category.id,
+      topic: TEST_FORUM_TOPIC,
+      availableTags: STANDARD_FORUM_TAGS.map(tag => ({
+        name: tag.name,
+        emoji: tag.emoji ? { name: tag.emoji } : null
+      })),
+      reason: 'Test by Chronicler #71 - Discord channel automation'
+    });
+    console.log(`   ✅ Forum created: ${forum.id}`);
+
+    // Step 3: Create a test welcome post in the forum
+    console.log('   Creating welcome post in forum...');
+    const welcomeThread = await forum.threads.create({
+      name: '👋 Welcome to the Test Forum!',
+      message: {
+        content: `**This is a test welcome post.**\n\nIf you can see this, forum creation is working!\n\n🏗️ **Tags available:** ${STANDARD_FORUM_TAGS.map(t => t.name).join(', ')}\n\n*Created by Chronicler #71*`
+      },
+      reason: 'Test welcome post by Chronicler #71'
+    });
+    console.log(`   ✅ Welcome post created: ${welcomeThread.id}`);
+
+    // Summary
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('✅ TEST COMPLETE!');
+    console.log('================');
+    console.log(`Category: ${category.name} (${category.id})`);
+    console.log(`Forum: ${forum.name} (${forum.id})`);
+    console.log(`Welcome Post: ${welcomeThread.name} (${welcomeThread.id})`);
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('👀 Check Discord to verify:');
+    console.log('   1. Category appears with 🧪 emoji');
+    console.log('   2. Forum is inside the category');
+    console.log('   3. Forum has 6 tags (Builds, Help, Suggestion, Bug Report, Achievement, Guide)');
+    console.log('   4. Welcome post is visible in the forum');
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('🗑️  When done testing, delete the category from Discord.');
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('');
+    console.error('❌ ERROR:', error.message);
+    if (error.code) {
+      console.error('   Discord Error Code:', error.code);
+    }
+    if (error.rawError) {
+      console.error('   Raw Error:', JSON.stringify(error.rawError, null, 2));
+    }
+  } finally {
+    client.destroy();
+    console.log('');
+    console.log('👋 Disconnected from Discord.');
+  }
+}
+
+main();