Welcome to Codex Cryptica. Whether you're a seasoned GM or just starting your first world-building project, this guide will walk you through the core features and advanced techniques to help you manage your lore with ease.

1. The Local-First Foundation

Codex Cryptica is built on Local-First principles. This means your data is stored directly in your browser's internal storage (OPFS).

Zero Latency: Reading and writing is near-instant.
Offline Ready: You don't need an internet connection to use the app.
Total Privacy: We never see your notes.

2. Multi-Device Synchronization

While your data is local, you can easily access it across different machines by using Local Folder Integration.

Setting up a Cloud Mirror:

Install a Cloud Client: Install a service like Google Drive for Desktop, Dropbox, or iCloud on your computer.
Link to a Local Folder: In Codex, click the SAVE TO FOLDER button in the bottom-left sidebar (or the Save icon in the Vault Selector).
Choose your Cloud Directory: Select a folder inside your Google Drive or Dropbox directory.
Automatic Updates: Codex will now keep your internal archives mirrored to that folder, and your OS will handle the cloud mirroring automatically.

To open your world on a second device, simply use the Open Folder button in the Vault Selector and choose that same synced directory.

3. Working with the Lore Oracle

The Lore Oracle is your AI-powered world-building assistant. It can help you generate ideas, summarize long chronicles, and maintain consistency across your lore.

Context Awareness: The Oracle "reads" your active selection and neighboring entities to provide relevant advice.
Chat Commands: Use commands like /connect to build relationships or /draw to generate concept art for your NPCs and locations.

4. Visualizing your World

The Knowledge Graph and Spatial Maps provide a bird's-eye view of your campaign.

Graph View: Watch connections grow as you link entities. Use the Timeline to see how your world has evolved over different eras.
Spatial Maps: Upload your own maps and place pins to link them to specific chronicles. You can even nest maps within maps to create a world-to-city hierarchy.

5. Best Practices for GMing

Keep it Modular: Use many small entities instead of a few massive ones. This helps both you and the AI find information faster.
Use Labels: Categorize your lore with custom labels to filter the graph and keep your notes organized.
Regular Saves: Click the SAVE TO FOLDER button at the end of each session to ensure your local backup is up to date.

Happy world-building!