diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d0defb6..9aed33c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 */data/*
-!*/data/placeholder
\ No newline at end of file
+!*/data/placeholder
+
+# ignore Mastodon credentials
+modpol_mastodon/creds/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 85e46b6..6bede89 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,25 +1,43 @@
-# Modpol for Minetest
+# Modpol
 
 ![](lib/empire-modpol.png)
 
 Modpol, short for "modular politics," enables diverse governance processes on multi-user platforms. It offers a library with which users can choose, modify, and create modules that add specific governance functionalities.
 
-This implementation is a mod for [Minetest](https://minetest.net), a free/open-source voxel game. It is designed to be adapted to other multi-user platforms that also employ Lua as an extension language.
-
 **Learn more at [modpol.net](https://modpol.net).**
 
-## Installation in Minetest
+## Modpol for Minetest
 
-To use this in Minetest, simply install it in your `mods/` or `worldmods/` folder. Minetest will load `init.lua`.
+This implementation is a mod for [Minetest](https://minetest.net), a free/open-source voxel game. To use in Minetest, simply install the full codebase in your `mods/` or `worldmods/` folder. Minetest will load `init.lua`.
 
 In the game, open the Modpol dashboard with the command `/mp`.
 
-For testing purposes, players with the `privs` privilege (generally admins) can use the `/mptest` command, which resets all the orgs and opens a dashboard.\
+For testing purposes, players with the `privs` privilege (generally admins) can use the `/mptest` command, which resets all the orgs and opens a dashboard.
 
+## Mastodon Govbot
 
-## Standalone Version on the Command Line
+Modpol can operate a governance-supporting bot for communities on [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org), an open social network.
 
-Modpol can also be used independently of Minetest as a command-line tool. Currently command-line use of modpol requires a Unix-style system, but it is intended to become more fully platform independent.
+This version utilizes and requires the installation of [lupa](https://github.com/scoder/lupa), which integrates Lua into Python, and [Mastodon.py](https://pypi.org/project/Mastodon.py/), a Python library for interacting with the Mastodon API.
+
+*To do: explain how to set up the bot on the server.*
+
+* Install Python on your system and the two required libraries:
+    - `pip install lupa`
+    - `pip install Mastodon.py`
+* Set up files `clientcred.secret` and `usercred.secret` in the `modpol_mastodon/creds/` directory, using the account settings in Mastodon
+
+Once it is configured, to initialize the bot, run from Modpol's base directory:
+
+```
+python govbot.py
+```
+
+This in turn calls login-mastodon.py, which initializes Modpol and the bot.
+
+## Command Line
+
+Modpol can also be used as a command-line tool. Currently command-line use of modpol requires a Unix-style system, but it is intended to become more fully platform independent.
 
 The command-line version is in the `modpol` subdirectory. To run the program on Unix systems in CLI mode, install lua or luajit and execute the following in this directory:
 
@@ -38,7 +56,11 @@ In the interpreter, for a list of global functions and tables, use `modpol.menu(
 
 ## Storage
 
-The persistent storage method may be chosen in `modpol.lua`. If available, Modpol uses Minetest's built-in StorageRef system for Minetest 5.*. If that is not available, or in CLI mode, data will be stored in a data directory at `modpol_core/data/`. This will contain a log file and serialized program data files.
+The persistent storage method may be chosen in `modpol.lua`. 
+
+By default, data will be stored in a data directory at `modpol_core/data/`. This will contain a log file and serialized program data files.
+
+For Minetest: If available, Modpol uses Minetest's built-in StorageRef system for Minetest 5.*.
 
 
 ## Documentation
diff --git a/govbot.py b/govbot.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7f7168
--- /dev/null
+++ b/govbot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# MODPOL GOVBOT
+# A Python bridge between Modpol and Mastodon
+
+## Initialize Modpol ##
+
+import lupa
+
+# Create a Lua runtime
+lua = lupa.LuaRuntime(unpack_returned_tuples=True)
+
+# Load your Lua script
+script_path = 'login_mastodon.lua'
+with open(script_path, 'r') as f:
+    lua.execute(f.read())
+
+print("Loaded Modpol into Govbot")
+    
+# To do: load all override files
+    
+# If your Lua script defines functions, you can call them from Python
+#result = lua.globals().your_function_name()  # Replace with your actual function name
+
+#print("Result from Lua:", result)
+
+
+## Initialize Mastodon ##
+
+from mastodon import Mastodon
+# ^ https://mastodonpy.readthedocs.io/en/stable/#
+import time
+import datetime
+# ^ https://github.com/HikaruSama233/mastodon_autoreply_bot_template/blob/main/bot_template.py
+
+# Variables
+## Character maximum for the server
+char_max = 500
+
+# Connect to Mastodon
+govbot = Mastodon(
+    client_id='modpol_mastodon/creds/clientcred.secret',
+    access_token = 'modpol_mastodon/creds/usercred.secret')
+
+print("Signed in to Mastodon")
+
+# Handle notification events
+def handle_event(event):
+    print("{} Handling notification ".format(datetime.datetime.now())
+          + str(event['id']))
+    if 'mention' in event['type']:
+        mention_username = event['account']['username']
+        print(str(event['id']) + ": mention from @"
+              + mention_username)
+        # Command handling
+        # perhaps move this to a separate Interfaces file
+        if "!dashboard" in event['status']['content']:
+            govbot.status_reply(event['status'],
+                                "[dashboard here]")
+            print("{} Replied to ".format(datetime.datetime.now())
+                  + str(event['id']))
+        # To do: if DM
+        else:
+            govbot.status_reply(event['status'],
+                                "Thanks for mentioning me!")
+            print("{} Replied to ".format(datetime.datetime.now())
+                  + str(event['id']))
+        ## ADD OTHER IF STATEMENTS HERE
+    else:
+        govbot.status_reply(event['status'],
+                            "I'm not sure how to parse that.")
+        print("{} Posted error message ".format(datetime.datetime.now())
+              + str(event['id']))
+
+# Check notifications
+events_queue = {}
+def check_events():
+    notifications = govbot.notifications(mentions_only=True)
+    current_time = datetime.datetime.now()
+    if len(notifications) > 0:
+        print("{} Total notifications {}".format(current_time, len(notifications)))
+        events_queue = notifications
+        while len(events_queue) > 0:
+            id = events_queue[0]['id']
+            handle_event(events_queue.pop(0)) # removes event from queue
+            govbot.notifications_dismiss(id)
+    elif str(current_time.minute) == '0':
+        print("{} No notifications".format(current_time))
+
+# Initialization
+
+# Delete past posts (while we are testing)
+## Get account information
+account_info = govbot.account_verify_credentials()
+## Extract and print account ID
+acc_id = account_info['id']
+## Fetch the bot's posts
+old_posts = govbot.account_statuses(id=acc_id)
+## Delete
+for post in old_posts:
+    govbot.status_delete(id=post.id)
+# Delete past notifications
+govbot.notifications_clear()
+
+print("{} Initialized".format(datetime.datetime.now()))
+
+first_post = "Commands:"
+first_post += "\n!dashboard: View dashboard"
+govbot.status_post(first_post[:char_max])
+        
+while 1:
+    # Check every 5 seconds
+    time.sleep(5)
+    if len(events_queue) == 0:
+        check_events()
diff --git a/login_mastodon.lua b/login_mastodon.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9fb4cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/login_mastodon.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+dofile("modpol_core/modpol.lua")
+