Scaffold The Family Codex: design, structure, style guide, outline

Set up the family religious book project — six-part modular codex
(Doctrine, Family Canon, Testimony, Practice, Battle Manual, Reference)
with a teaching Reading Path, mixed-voice style guide, master outline,
glossary, and working context for resuming sessions.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/2026-05-31-family-codex-design.md

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+# The Family Codex — Design Document
+
+*Created 2026-05-31. This is the master blueprint for the book. Read this first when resuming work.*
+
+---
+
+## 1. Purpose
+
+A family religious text. Two jobs:
+
+1. **Reference now** — for the author's wife and daughter, who already share the faith. Look things up: a ritual, an entity, a point of doctrine.
+2. **Teaching tool later** — to pass the faith to the daughter's children and future generations, taught in sequence from the ground up.
+
+Authoritative for the family. Not a Bible — a modern learning tool for the family religion, plus a tactical guide to spiritual battle. Possibly published (Amazon KDP) later, but family use is primary.
+
+## 2. The Faith (scope)
+
+Personal theology built from lived experience and research:
+
+- **Gnostic / Sethian** teachings at the core (cosmology, the divine).
+- **New Testament** tie-ins woven through.
+- **Lived demonic experience** as testimony and evidence.
+- A **tactical spiritual-battle** discipline — plans, protection, rituals, discernment.
+
+## 3. Audience
+
+Family. Wife and daughter already know the faith (reference altitude). Future generations do not (teaching altitude). The book must serve both — hence reference-first modules **plus** a defined teaching sequence (the Reading Path).
+
+## 4. Architecture — "Codex with a Path"
+
+Each Part is a **self-contained, cross-linked module**. Reference-first: jump straight to any entity, ritual, or doctrine. A **Reading Path** in the front matter defines the order to teach a newcomer.
+
+Modular by design so it can split into two volumes later (*Book of Belief* + *Book of War*) with no rework.
+
+### The Six Parts
+
+| Part | Title | Voice |
+|------|-------|-------|
+| I | **Doctrine** — cosmology, the divine, Sethian/Gnostic core, NT tie-ins | Elevated / scriptural |
+| II | **Family Canon** — origin of our faith, lineage, why this book exists | Warm + reverent |
+| III | **Testimony** — the author's demonic encounters, as record + lesson | Plain, first-person |
+| IV | **Practice & Devotion** — daily/weekly rites, prayers, calendar | Warm teaching |
+| V | **The Spiritual Battle Manual** — discernment, protection, battle plans, rituals, step-by-step | Field manual |
+| VI | **Reference** — glossary, entities/names, quick-lookup tables | Terse reference |
+
+**Default ordering logic:** foundation (Doctrine) → who we are (Canon) → why it's real (Testimony) → how we live it (Practice) → how we fight (Battle) → lookup (Reference).
+
+**Reading Path (teaching a child)** may reorder, e.g. Canon → Doctrine → Practice → Battle → Testimony → Reference. Finalized in `OUTLINE.md`.
+
+### Front Matter
+
+- Dedication / letter to the reader (author → daughter → descendants).
+- The Reading Path (numbered teaching order).
+- How to use this book (reference vs. cover-to-cover).
+
+### Cross-Linking
+
+Every entity / term / ritual has a **canonical home** in one Part. Other Parts link to it via markdown links. The Battle Manual cites Doctrine; the Glossary points back to full treatments. `GLOSSARY-MASTER.md` tracks every term and its canonical location.
+
+## 5. Voice
+
+Mixed by section (see table above and `STYLE-GUIDE.md`). Four registers: scriptural, warm-teaching, plain-testimony, field-manual.
+
+## 6. Production System
+
+### Folder layout
+
+```
+input/      raw dumps — notes, memory transcripts, research links (messy OK, one file per topic)
+docs/       this design doc, STYLE-GUIDE.md, OUTLINE.md, GLOSSARY-MASTER.md
+book/       finished chapters, numbered markdown
+  part1-doctrine/  part2-canon/  part3-testimony/
+  part4-practice/  part5-battle/  part6-reference/
+CLAUDE.md   working context for resuming sessions
+README.md   project overview
+```
+
+### Drafting loop (per chapter)
+
+1. Author drops raw material in `input/` (or speaks it; Claude captures).
+2. Claude drafts the chapter in its Part folder, in that section's voice.
+3. Author reviews — corrects theology, facts, tone. **The author is the authority.**
+4. Claude revises, locks the chapter, updates `GLOSSARY-MASTER.md` + cross-links.
+5. Repeat.
+
+### Hard rule — no invention
+
+Claude **never invents** doctrine, entities, rituals, or events. Missing material → ask, or mark `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT]`. The author's lived experience and beliefs are the only source of truth. Claude shapes, organizes, phrases, and structures; the author supplies all substance.
+
+### Version control
+
+Git tracks every change. Nothing is lost. Commit per locked chapter (or more often).
+
+## 7. Status / Next Steps
+
+- [x] Design approved
+- [x] Repo + folder structure created
+- [ ] `STYLE-GUIDE.md` drafted
+- [ ] `OUTLINE.md` drafted (full chapter list + Reading Path)
+- [ ] First Part begun
+
+Recommended first draft target: **Part II — Family Canon** (origin + dedication) or **Part I — Doctrine**. Decide at next session.

docs/GLOSSARY-MASTER.md

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+# Master Glossary
+
+*Running list of every term, name, and entity. Each has ONE canonical home chapter; everything else links to it. This feeds Part VI. Add rows as drafting proceeds.*
+
+| Term | Type | Canonical home | One-line definition |
+|------|------|----------------|---------------------|
+| *(example)* Sophia | Aeon | part1-doctrine/ch03 | The Aeon whose fall produces the material world. |
+
+`[Author + Claude fill this in as chapters are drafted. Keep spellings fixed here.]`

docs/OUTLINE.md

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+# Master Outline & Reading Path
+
+*The living chapter list. Chapters get added/refined as material comes in. `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT]` = author to supply.*
+
+## Reading Path (teaching order, for a newcomer)
+
+Proposed sequence for teaching a child/descendant from zero. Reorder freely.
+
+1. Front matter — letter to the reader.
+2. Part II — Family Canon (who we are, why this exists).
+3. Part I — Doctrine (what we believe).
+4. Part IV — Practice & Devotion (how we live it).
+5. Part V — Battle Manual (how we protect + fight).
+6. Part III — Testimony (why it's real — read once mature).
+7. Part VI — Reference (lifelong lookup).
+
+`[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: confirm or adjust this order]`
+
+---
+
+## Part I — Doctrine *(scriptural voice)*
+- ch01 — `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT]` (e.g. The Divine / the True God)
+- ch02 — Cosmology: the Pleroma, the Aeons
+- ch03 — Sophia and the fall
+- ch04 — The Demiurge and the material world
+- ch05 — The human condition (spirit, soul, the divine spark)
+- ch06 — New Testament tie-ins
+- (more TBD from material)
+
+## Part II — Family Canon *(warm + reverent)*
+- ch01 — Dedication / letter to the reader
+- ch02 — Origin of our faith in this family
+- ch03 — Lineage & why this book exists
+- (more TBD)
+
+## Part III — Testimony *(plain, first-person)*
+- ch01 — `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: first encounter]`
+- (one chapter per account)
+
+## Part IV — Practice & Devotion *(warm teaching)*
+- ch01 — Daily practice
+- ch02 — Weekly / seasonal observances
+- ch03 — Prayers & rites
+- ch04 — The calendar `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: dates/feasts]`
+
+## Part V — The Spiritual Battle Manual *(field manual)*
+- ch01 — Discernment: recognizing the enemy
+- ch02 — Protection & wards (baseline defense)
+- ch03 — Battle plans (step-by-step engagement)
+- ch04 — Rituals of cleansing / banishing
+- ch05 — Aftercare & recovery
+- (more TBD)
+
+## Part VI — Reference *(terse)*
+- Glossary (from GLOSSARY-MASTER.md)
+- Entities & names index
+- Quick-lookup tables (wards, signs, correspondences)

docs/STYLE-GUIDE.md

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+# Style Guide
+
+*Conventions for the whole book. Update as decisions are made. `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT]` marks things only the author can settle.*
+
+## The Four Voices
+
+| Voice | Used in | Feel |
+|-------|---------|------|
+| **Scriptural** | Part I Doctrine | Elevated, reverent, timeless. Meant to be quoted. Short, weighty sentences. |
+| **Warm-teaching** | Part II Canon, Part IV Practice | Direct address, patient, explains as it goes. Author guiding family. |
+| **Plain-testimony** | Part III Testimony | First-person, honest, unadorned. Record of real events. |
+| **Field-manual** | Part V Battle | Precise, numbered, imperative. Materials, steps, warnings. No ornament. |
+
+## Capitalization
+
+- Divine names / the highest powers: **Capitalized**. `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: list canonical Divine names + spellings]`
+- Sethian/Gnostic figures (e.g. Sophia, the Aeons, the Demiurge): Capitalized, spelling fixed in `GLOSSARY-MASTER.md`.
+- Hostile entities / demons: `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: capitalize? name conventions?]`
+- "the faith," "the family" — lowercase unless titling.
+
+## Ritual Format (Part V)
+
+Every ritual uses this template:
+
+```
+### [Ritual Name]
+**Purpose:** one line.
+**When to use:** trigger conditions.
+**Materials:** bulleted list.
+**Warnings:** dangers, prohibitions, who must not perform it.
+**Steps:**
+1. ...
+2. ...
+**Closing / aftercare:** how to end safely.
+**See also:** [links to related doctrine/entities]
+```
+
+## Testimony Format (Part III)
+
+- First person, past tense.
+- Optional header block: *When / Where / Who was present.*
+- End each account with a **Lesson** — what it teaches for the faith or for battle.
+
+## Scripture / Source Citation
+
+- New Testament: `Book Chapter:Verse` (e.g. John 1:1). Translation: `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: which translation?]`
+- Gnostic/Sethian sources (e.g. Apocryphon of John, Gospel of Thomas): *Title*, section. `[NEEDS YOUR INPUT: preferred editions/translations]`
+- Family canon (oral, experiential): cite as *Family Canon* or the relevant Testimony chapter.
+
+## Cross-References
+
+- Link to a term's canonical home: `[Sophia](../part1-doctrine/ch-cosmology.md#sophia)`.
+- First mention of any glossary term in a chapter links to its canonical home.
+
+## Formatting
+
+- Markdown. One chapter per file. Filename: `chNN-short-title.md`.
+- Chapter top: `# Part N · Chapter NN — Title`.
+- Avoid heavy nesting; prefer clear headers.