diff --git a/api/app/content.py b/api/app/content.py
index f95efd0..69f135d 100644
--- a/api/app/content.py
+++ b/api/app/content.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ scenes into play.
 """
 
 import json
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 
@@ -48,3 +49,30 @@ def unresolved_refs(origin: dict, world: dict[str, set[str]]) -> list[str]:
         if npc_id not in world["npcs"]:
             missing.append(f"npc:{npc_id}")
     return missing
+
+
+def _content_root() -> Path:
+    """Locate the authored content root. Honours CONTENT_ROOT, else walks up
+    from this file for a dir containing world/ — repo-root/content in a local
+    checkout, /app/content when bundled into the Docker image. Mirrors
+    canon_log._schema_dir().
+    """
+    env = os.environ.get("CONTENT_ROOT")
+    if env:
+        return Path(env)
+    here = Path(__file__).resolve()
+    for parent in here.parents:
+        candidate = parent / "content"
+        if (candidate / "world").is_dir():
+            return candidate
+    raise RuntimeError("content root not found")
+
+
+def load_npc(npc_id: str) -> dict | None:
+    """Load one NPC's authored file (persona + knowledge + capabilities), or
+    None if no file resolves. Server-only fields never travel to the client."""
+    path = _content_root() / "world" / "npcs" / f"{npc_id}.json"
+    if not path.is_file():
+        return None
+    with open(path) as f:
+        return json.load(f)
diff --git a/api/tests/test_content_npc.py b/api/tests/test_content_npc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9366e33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/tests/test_content_npc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import json
+
+import app.content as content
+
+
+def test_load_npc_returns_parsed_file(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    root = tmp_path / "content"
+    (root / "world" / "npcs").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (root / "world" / "npcs" / "fenn.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps({"id": "fenn", "name": "Fenn", "persona": "clerk",
+                    "knowledge": ["a"], "capabilities": {}})
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CONTENT_ROOT", str(root))
+    npc = content.load_npc("fenn")
+    assert npc["name"] == "Fenn"
+    assert npc["knowledge"] == ["a"]
+
+
+def test_load_npc_unknown_returns_none(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    (tmp_path / "content" / "world").mkdir(parents=True)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CONTENT_ROOT", str(tmp_path / "content"))
+    assert content.load_npc("nobody") is None
+
+
+def test_content_root_env_override(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CONTENT_ROOT", str(tmp_path))
+    assert content._content_root() == tmp_path