> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://thesanctum.gitbook.io/thesanctum-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://thesanctum.gitbook.io/thesanctum-docs/ritual.md).

# The Ritual — How it works

The Ritual page is the plainspoken explanation of the shrine's mechanics. If the Gate is the myth, the Ritual is the reading of the receipts.

![The Ritual](/files/nMIfDtSAtnrA2htaU9tj)

## The loop, in five steps

1. **Observe.** Five configured public Solana wallets are polled from an RPC. Balances and recent signatures are pulled directly from the chain.
2. **Record.** Every observed movement is written to the shrine's chronicle with a stable link back to Solscan for verification.
3. **Weave.** The chronicle is passed to a fable engine that renders the raw ledger into a short mythic narration — a way of *feeling* the numbers.
4. **Measure.** A **peace index** is computed from the mix of inflow, outflow, stillness, and diversity of counterparties across the vessels.
5. **Share.** At the close of every epoch (weekly), on-chain fees generated by the vessels are distributed **equally** among all imprinted wallets. See the [Ledger](/thesanctum-docs/surfaces/ledger.md) and [Fee Sharing](/thesanctum-docs/mechanics/fee-sharing.md) pages.

## Signing model

Distributions are signed by a **Ledger hardware wallet** and executed manually by the shrine's operator at epoch close. There is no automated custody, and no key that lives on the server.

## What is on-chain vs. off-chain

| Layer                     | Source of truth                                 |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Vessel balances           | Solana RPC (live)                               |
| Signatures / transactions | Solana RPC (live)                               |
| Imprints                  | Off-chain database (public wallet address only) |
| Chronicle entries         | Off-chain, curated from on-chain data           |
| Fable narration           | Generated from chronicle entries                |
| Peace index               | Computed from chronicle entries                 |

The off-chain layer never controls funds. It is a lens on the chain.

***

See also:

* [The Five Vessels](/thesanctum-docs/mechanics/vessels.md)
* [Fee Sharing & Epochs](/thesanctum-docs/mechanics/fee-sharing.md)
* [Data Sources & Trust Model](/thesanctum-docs/mechanics/data-sources.md)


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