# V8 — Architecture (Page Index)

This directory holds the V8 (Ariadne — a self-authoring detective universe)
architecture reference, decomposed from the single
[`../V8_ARCHITECTURE.md`](../V8_ARCHITECTURE.md) hub into focused, in-depth,
code-grounded pages. The hub remains the canonical entry point and preserves
every section heading; each page below expands one part of the system with
richer, code-grounded detail and an honest implemented / spec-only status. V8 is
a small product with a focused real symbolic core and an ambitious spec, so the
pages are deliberately consolidated and explicit about what is shipped versus
designed. The companion feature map lives in
[`../V8_features.md`](../V8_features.md).

> **Cross-reference convention.** Page-to-page links are relative
> (`./<slug>.md`). Platform-foundation links point at the shared
> [`platform/`](../../platform/overview.html) space.

## Architecture landscape

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  Brief[Seeded case brief and world constraints] --> Clew[Clew case proposal]
  Clew --> Minos[Minos formal solvability and uniqueness proof]
  Minos --> Palimpsest[Palimpsest canon graph]
  Palimpsest --> Anansesem[Anansesem writers room]
  Palimpsest --> Loom[Loom media realization]
  Anansesem --> Ori[Ori living suspects]
  Loom --> Ori
  Ori --> Daedalus[Daedalus compiler and V5 runtime bridge]
  Daedalus --> Theseus[Theseus automated play and evaluation]
  Theseus --> Decision[Independent eight-gate ReleaseDecision]
  Decision --> Oracle[Oracle delivery and operations]
  Minos --> Artifacts[(Proof case and canon artifacts)]
  Daedalus --> Artifacts2[(Compiled provenance and replay artifacts)]
  Decision --> Artifacts2
```

Each edge carries a typed, versioned artifact rather than shared mutable prose.
Failures route according to ownership: symbolic ambiguity returns to Clew, canon
conflicts to Palimpsest, surface defects to realization, compatibility to
Daedalus, and missing independent evidence to release withholding.

Use this index to trace one immutable case version through contracts, proof,
canon, realization, living-suspect policy, compilation, automated evaluation,
independent release gates, staging, observation, and rollback. Pair the trace
with the [feature index](../features/README.md) so pipeline success is measured
against the complete fair player experience.

Every focused architecture page appears exactly once below. The
[V8 documentation guide](../docs/README.md) supplies the case-truth model and
role paths; the [diagram atlas](../docs/diagram-atlas.md) supplies the shared
visual vocabulary. Gap/research/decision/dependency sources, backlog, current
artifacts/tests, human-aligned evidence, and production operations govern
completion.

The case identifier, schema version, seed, solver result, canon revision, model
and prompt identifiers, asset provenance, compiler target, evaluation report,
and release decision together form the trace key. A reader should be able to
move forward from the brief to delivery or backward from a player-visible clue
without guessing which regenerated surface or proof artifact was used. If that
join is absent, the pipeline is not auditable even when every individual stage
reports success.

## Orientation

- [Architectural Thesis & the Generation Pipeline](./architectural-thesis-and-pipeline.md)
  — the solve-first deterministic thesis and the multi-stage case-minting
  pipeline.

## Data Contracts

- [Canonical Data Contracts](./canonical-data-contracts.md) — the typed case
  bundle, clue/suspect/alibi/solution shapes, and gate verdicts every stage
  shares.

## The Symbolic Core

- [The Symbolic Core: Clew, Minos & Palimpsest](./clew-minos-palimpsest-symbolic-core.md)
  — case generation (Clew), the real SAT/CSP solvability verifier (Minos), and
  the canon graph (Palimpsest) — where the real code concentrates.

## Surface Realization

- [Surface Realization: Anansesem, Loom & Ori Suspects](./anansesem-loom-and-ori-suspects.md)
  — turning a verified skeleton into playable prose (Anansesem), assets (Loom),
  and living, interrogatable suspects (Ori).

## Delivery, Evaluation & Operations

- [Daedalus Compiler & Theseus Evaluation](./daedalus-compiler-and-theseus-eval.md)
  — compiling the playable case bundle (Daedalus) and the fairness/quality
  eval-gate (Theseus).
- [Oracle Director, Cross-Cutting Concerns & Deployment](./oracle-director-cross-cutting-and-deployment.md)
  — player-facing direction (Oracle), the cross-cutting concerns, and the
  deployment shape.