Crypt

A sealed, encrypted container that holds a payload — like a document, contract, or digital key — and can only be opened once.

Think of a Crypt like a sealed envelope with a tamper-proof lock. You can see the label on the outside (the Manifest), but the contents inside are encrypted and inaccessible. Only the person who holds the Title to the Crypt can open it — and opening it destroys the container permanently.

Crypts are used with the Title genotype, where ownership means authority over an external payload. The Title and the Crypt are separate objects: one is the deed, the other is the thing the deed controls.

How it works

A Crypt goes through a strict lifecycle:

1. Draft — The Crypt is created and payload can be added
2. Seal — The Crypt is locked. After this, contents cannot be changed
3. Bind — The Crypt is bound to a specific Title Genome
4. Open — The Title holder authorizes opening, revealing the payload
5. Extinct — The Crypt is destroyed after opening. It can never be reopened

This one-time-open design ensures the payload is protected until the rightful owner decides to access it. A Custodian can store the Crypt and read its Manifest, but cannot open it.

Related terms

• Title — the genotype that controls a Crypt
• Manifest — the public metadata on a sealed Crypt
• Custodian — an entity that stores Crypts but can't open them
• Vescel — the broader cryptographic container architecture