diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf54999
--- /dev/null
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+--[[ INITIALIZING: basics ]]--
+
+-- global API table
+modpol = {
+}
+
+-- table for all active governance data
+modpol.orgs = {
+}
+
+-- record of governance interactions
+-- every state change should appear here
+modpol.ledger = {
+}
+
+-- update from mod_storage
+-- https://dev.minetest.net/StorageRef
+local mod_storage = minetest.get_mod_storage()
+-- load orgs
+local stored_orgs = minetest.deserialize(mod_storage:get_string("orgs"))
+if (stored_orgs ~= nil) then
+   modpol.orgs = stored_orgs
+end
+-- load orgs
+local stored_ledger = minetest.deserialize(mod_storage:get_string("ledger"))
+if (stored_ledger ~= nil) then
+   modpol.ledger = stored_ledger
+end
+
+
+--[[ FUNCTIONS:basics ]]--
+
+-- record(message, org)
+-- writes all governance events to storage and ledger
+function modpol.record(message, org)
+   -- record to ledger
+   table.insert(modpol.ledger, message)
+   -- record to org_ledger
+   if (modpol.orgs[org] ~= nil) then
+      local org_ledg = modpol.orgs[org]["ledger"]
+      if (org_ledg == nil) then
+         modpol.orgs[org]["ledger"] = {message}
+      else
+         modpol.orgs[org]["ledger"] = table.insert(org_ledg,message)
+      end
+   end
+   -- record to storage
+   mod_storage:set_string("orgs", minetest.serialize(modpol.orgs))
+   mod_storage:set_string("ledger", minetest.serialize(modpol.ledger))
+end
+
+--[[ FUNCTIONS:orgs ]]--
+
+-- new_org()
+-- create an org and add it to the list
+function modpol.new_org(orgName, orgMembers)
+   if (orgName == "") then -- blank orgName input
+      return "-!- Org needs a name"
+   end
+   if (modpol.orgs[orgName] == nil) then -- copy check
+      modpol.orgs[orgName] = {members = orgMembers}
+   else return "-!- Org already exists"
+   end
+   local message = "New org: " .. orgName ..
+      " (" .. table.concat(orgMembers, ", ") .. ")"
+   modpol.record(message, orgName)
+   return message
+end
+
+-- /neworg [name]
+-- creates a new org with the current user as sole member
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "neworg", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user, param)
+         local result =
+            modpol.new_org(param,{user})
+         return true, result
+      end, 
+})
+
+-- rename_org()
+function modpol.rename_org(oldName, newName)
+   -- TKTK
+   local message = "Org renamed: " .. oldName .. " > " .. newName
+   modpol.record(message, newName)
+end
+
+
+-- /listorgs
+-- lists the orgs currently in the game
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "listorgs", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user, param)
+         local orglist = ""
+         for key, value in pairs(modpol.orgs) do
+            -- first, set up member list
+            local membs = modpol.orgs[key]["members"]
+            if (membs == nil) then membs = ""
+            else membs = " (" .. table.concat(membs, ", ") .. ")"
+            end
+            -- now, assemble the list
+            if (orglist == "") -- first element only
+            then orglist = key .. membs
+            else orglist = orglist .. ", " .. key .. membs
+            end
+         end
+         return true, "Orgs: " .. orglist
+      end,
+})
+
+-- rm_orgs()
+-- removes all orgs
+function modpol.rm_orgs()
+   modpol.orgs["instance"] = {members = modpol.list_members()}
+   local message = "Orgs purged"
+   modpol.record(message, nil)
+   return message
+end
+
+-- /rmorgs
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "rmorgs", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user, param)
+         modpol.orgs = {}
+         return true, modpol.rm_orgs()
+      end,
+})
+
+--[[ FUNCTIONS:users ]]--
+
+-- list_members(domain)
+-- produces a table with names of players currently in the game
+-- if empty, lists all players; if an org name, lists its members
+function modpol.list_members(domain)
+   local members = {}
+   if (domain == nil) then -- no specified domain; all players
+      for _,player in ipairs(minetest.get_connected_players()) do
+         local name = player:get_player_name()
+         table.insert(members,name)
+      end
+   else -- if an org is specified
+      if (modpol.orgs[domain] ~= nil) then -- org exists
+         members = modpol.orgs[domain]["members"]
+      end
+   end
+   return members
+end
+
+-- /listplayers
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "listplayers", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user)
+         local result = table.concat(modpol.list_members(),", ")
+         return true, "All players: " .. result
+      end,
+})
+
+function modpol.add_member(org, member)
+   if (modpol.orgs.org == nil) then
+      return "-!- No such org"
+   else
+      table.insert(modpol.orgs.org["members"], member)
+      local message = member .. " added to org " .. org
+      modpol.record(message, org)
+      return message
+   end
+
+end
+
+-- /joinorg
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "joinorg", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user, param)
+         local result = modpol.add_member(param, user)
+         return true, result
+      end,
+})
+
+
+function modpol.remove_member(org, member)
+-- remove from all child orgs also
+   local message = member .. " removed from org " .. org
+   modpol.record(message, org)
+   return message
+end
+
+-- /listmembers [org]
+-- lists the members of an org
+minetest.register_chatcommand(
+   "listmembers", {
+      privs = {},
+      func = function(user, param)
+         local orglist = modpol.list_members(param)
+         return true, param .. ": " .. table.concat(orglist,", ")
+      end,
+})
+
+
+-- PERMISSIONS FUNCTIONS
+
+
+-- PRIVILEGE FUNCTIONS
+-- Minetest-specific
+-- manages user privileges according to org membership
+
+function modpol.assign_privilege(org, privilege)
+-- add privilege to all members of an org
+end
+
+
+function modpol.remove_privilege(org, privilege)
+-- remove privilege from all members of an org, unless they have it from other orgs
+end
+
+-- POLLING FUNCTIONS
+
+function modpol.poll_org(org, question)
+   -- create formspec for all org members
+   -- return their answers
+end
+
+
+-- MESSAGE FUNCTIONS
+
+function modpol.org_message(org, speaker, message)
+   -- If org doesn't exit, broadcast to all
+   -- If org doesn't exist, don't broadcast
+   -- use: minetest.chat_send_player("player1", "This is a chat message for player1")
+end
+-- register at chat command for this
+
+
+-- Add HUD interface that shows status: orgs, privileges https://rubenwardy.com/minetest_modding_book/en/players/hud.html
+
+-- toggle it on and off
+
+
+
+--[[ INITIALIZING: post-functions ]]--
+
+-- create instance if not present
+if (modpol.orgs["instance"] == nil) then
+   modpol.new_org("instance", modpol.list_members())
+end
+-- TKTK does this need to be on_joinplayer? still isn't adding the singleplayer