diff --git a/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd b/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c262ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+class_name ContentDB
+extends RefCounted
+## Loads authored world content (/content) and cross-checks origin references.
+## Mirrors api/app/content.py so client and api resolve ids identically. This is
+## content integrity, distinct from JSON-schema validation.
+
+var locations: Dictionary = {}
+var npcs: Dictionary = {}
+var quests: Dictionary = {}
+var items: Dictionary = {}
+
+
+static func default_content_root() -> String:
+	return ProjectSettings.globalize_path("res://").path_join("../content").simplify_path()
+
+
+static func origin_path(id: String) -> String:
+	return default_content_root().path_join("origins").path_join("%s.json" % id)
+
+
+static func load_json(abs_path: String) -> Variant:
+	var text := FileAccess.get_file_as_string(abs_path)
+	return JSON.parse_string(text)
+
+
+func load_from(content_root: String) -> void:
+	var world := content_root.path_join("world")
+	locations = _load_dir(world.path_join("locations"))
+	npcs = _load_dir(world.path_join("npcs"))
+	quests = _load_dir(world.path_join("quests"))
+	items = _load_dir(world.path_join("items"))
+
+
+func _load_dir(dir_path: String) -> Dictionary:
+	var out: Dictionary = {}
+	var dir := DirAccess.open(dir_path)
+	if dir == null:
+		push_error("content dir not found: %s" % dir_path)
+		return out
+	for file in dir.get_files():
+		if not file.ends_with(".json"):
+			continue
+		var data: Variant = load_json(dir_path.path_join(file))
+		if typeof(data) != TYPE_DICTIONARY or not data.has("id"):
+			push_error("bad content file: %s" % file)
+			continue
+		out[data["id"]] = data
+	return out
+
+
+func location(id: String) -> Dictionary: return locations.get(id, {})
+func npc(id: String) -> Dictionary: return npcs.get(id, {})
+func quest(id: String) -> Dictionary: return quests.get(id, {})
+func item(id: String) -> Dictionary: return items.get(id, {})
+func has_location(id: String) -> bool: return locations.has(id)
+func has_npc(id: String) -> bool: return npcs.has(id)
+func has_quest(id: String) -> bool: return quests.has(id)
+func has_item(id: String) -> bool: return items.has(id)
+
+
+func companions() -> Array:
+	var out: Array = []
+	for id in npcs:
+		if npcs[id].get("role", "") == "companion":
+			out.append(npcs[id])
+	return out
+
+
+func unresolved_refs(origin: Dictionary) -> Array:
+	var missing: Array = []
+	var loc: String = origin.get("start_location_id", "")
+	if not has_location(loc):
+		missing.append("location:%s" % loc)
+	var q: Variant = origin.get("start_quest_id", null)
+	if q != null and not has_quest(q):
+		missing.append("quest:%s" % q)
+	for grant in origin.get("inventory_grants", []):
+		if not has_item(grant.get("item_id", "")):
+			missing.append("item:%s" % grant.get("item_id", ""))
+	for npc_id in origin.get("disposition_overrides", {}):
+		if not has_npc(npc_id):
+			missing.append("npc:%s" % npc_id)
+	return missing
diff --git a/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd.uid b/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52d4228
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/scripts/content/content_db.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://dnd1rmbg2c1el
diff --git a/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd b/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f237fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+extends "res://addons/gut/test.gd"
+
+const ContentDB = preload("res://scripts/content/content_db.gd")
+
+var db
+
+
+func before_each():
+	db = ContentDB.new()
+	db.load_from(ContentDB.default_content_root())
+
+
+func _deserter() -> Dictionary:
+	return ContentDB.load_json(ContentDB.origin_path("deserter"))
+
+
+func test_loads_world_ids():
+	assert_true(db.has_location("greywater_docks"))
+	assert_true(db.has_quest("find_the_ledger"))
+	assert_true(db.has_item("worn_shortsword"))
+	assert_true(db.has_item("coin"))
+
+
+func test_companions_are_brannoc_and_cadwyn():
+	var ids := []
+	for n in db.companions():
+		ids.append(n["id"])
+	ids.sort()
+	assert_eq(ids, ["brannoc_thane","cadwyn_vell"])
+
+
+func test_good_origin_has_no_unresolved_refs():
+	assert_eq(db.unresolved_refs(_deserter()), [])
+
+
+func test_broken_location_ref_detected():
+	var o := _deserter()
+	o["start_location_id"] = "nowhere"
+	assert_true("location:nowhere" in db.unresolved_refs(o))
+
+
+func test_broken_item_ref_detected():
+	var o := _deserter()
+	o["inventory_grants"] = o["inventory_grants"].duplicate(true)
+	o["inventory_grants"].append({"item_id": "ghost_blade", "qty": 1})
+	assert_true("item:ghost_blade" in db.unresolved_refs(o))
+
+
+func test_null_quest_ref_resolves():
+	var o := _deserter()
+	o["start_quest_id"] = null
+	assert_eq(db.unresolved_refs(o), [])
diff --git a/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd.uid b/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cf786a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/tests/unit/test_content_db.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://bi2ysgccscqym