diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bead77e1d..50ae0b2e1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ Economy.Server/bin/
 Economy.Server/obj/
 Economy.Shared/bin/
 Economy.Shared/obj/
+Aetheria.State/bin/
+Aetheria.State/obj/
+Aetheria.State.Smoke/bin/
+Aetheria.State.Smoke/obj/
 
 # JetBrains Rider .idea folder
 .idea/
diff --git a/.voidbot/state/aetheria.cc b/.voidbot/state/aetheria.cc
index 168f00ca4..1c0d74e9a 100644
Binary files a/.voidbot/state/aetheria.cc and b/.voidbot/state/aetheria.cc differ
diff --git a/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Aetheria.State.Smoke.csproj b/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Aetheria.State.Smoke.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca788873d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Aetheria.State.Smoke.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
+    <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\Aetheria.State\Aetheria.State.csproj" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+</Project>
diff --git a/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Program.cs b/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Program.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d184ca608
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State.Smoke/Program.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+using Aetheria.State;
+using Aetheria.State.Documents;
+using Aetheria.State.Migration;
+using GameCult.Caching;
+
+var root = args.Length > 0 ? args[0] : Directory.GetCurrentDirectory();
+var statePath = AetheriaStatePaths.ResolveDefaultStatePath(root);
+var now = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToString("O");
+var itemKey = new CultRecordKey("item:smoke-aether-drive");
+
+await using (var node = await AetheriaStateNode.OpenAsync(statePath, "aetheria-state-smoke"))
+{
+    await node.PutWorldAsync(new AetheriaWorldState
+    {
+        Name = "Aetheria",
+        WorldId = "aetheria",
+        SchemaEpoch = 1,
+        CreatedAtUtc = now,
+        UpdatedAtUtc = now
+    });
+
+    await node.PutItemDefinitionAsync(
+        itemKey,
+        new AetheriaItemDefinition
+        {
+            Name = "Smoke Aether Drive",
+            Category = "ship-module",
+            LegacyId = "smoke:aether-drive",
+            Description = "Typed CultCache smoke document for the rebuild spine.",
+            Mass = 12.5,
+            Volume = 4.0,
+            Tags = ["smoke", "state-spine"]
+        });
+
+    await node.PutMigrationLedgerAsync(new AetheriaMigrationLedger
+    {
+        Source = LegacyMigrationBoundary.LegacyGameDataFile,
+        SourceFingerprint = "smoke",
+        LastMigrationAtUtc = now,
+        Counts =
+        [
+            new AetheriaMigrationCount
+            {
+                DocumentType = "aetheria.item_definition.v1",
+                Count = 1
+            }
+        ],
+        Notes = ["Smoke proves the new state owner can write, flush, reopen, and read without old JSON/Rethink authority."]
+    });
+
+    await node.FlushAsync();
+}
+
+await using (var reopened = await AetheriaStateNode.OpenAsync(statePath, "aetheria-state-smoke-reopen"))
+{
+    var world = await reopened.GetWorldAsync();
+    var item = await reopened.GetItemDefinitionAsync(itemKey);
+
+    if (world?.WorldId != "aetheria")
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException("World state did not survive flush/reopen.");
+    }
+
+    if (item?.Name != "Smoke Aether Drive")
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException("Item definition did not survive flush/reopen.");
+    }
+}
+
+Console.WriteLine($"Aetheria typed state smoke passed: {statePath}");
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Aetheria.State.csproj b/Aetheria.State/Aetheria.State.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..103d58879
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Aetheria.State.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>netstandard2.1</TargetFramework>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+    <Description>Typed CultCache and CultMesh state spine for Aetheria.</Description>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\..\CultLib\src\GameCult.Caching\GameCult.Caching.csproj" />
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\..\CultLib\src\GameCult.Caching.MessagePack\GameCult.Caching.MessagePack.csproj" />
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\..\CultLib\src\GameCult.Mesh\GameCult.Mesh.csproj" />
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\..\CultLib\src\GameCult.Networking\GameCult.Networking.csproj" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+</Project>
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/AetheriaDocumentRegistry.cs b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaDocumentRegistry.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6e9359e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaDocumentRegistry.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+using Aetheria.State.Documents;
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using GameCult.Networking;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State;
+
+public static class AetheriaDocumentRegistry
+{
+    public static CultDocumentRegistry CreateCultCacheRegistry()
+    {
+        var registry = new CultDocumentRegistry();
+        foreach (var documentType in DocumentTypes)
+        {
+            registry.GetRequired(documentType);
+        }
+
+        return registry;
+    }
+
+    public static CultNetDocumentRegistry CreateCultNetRegistry(CultDocumentRegistry? cacheRegistry = null)
+    {
+        var registry = cacheRegistry ?? CreateCultCacheRegistry();
+        return new CultNetDocumentRegistry(
+            registry,
+            new[]
+            {
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaWorldState>(registry),
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaItemDefinition>(registry),
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaCorporation>(registry),
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaPlayerProfile>(registry),
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaRuntimeSession>(registry),
+                CultNetDocumentBinding.ForDocument<AetheriaMigrationLedger>(registry)
+            });
+    }
+
+    public static IReadOnlyList<Type> DocumentTypes { get; } =
+    [
+        typeof(AetheriaWorldState),
+        typeof(AetheriaItemDefinition),
+        typeof(AetheriaCorporation),
+        typeof(AetheriaPlayerProfile),
+        typeof(AetheriaRuntimeSession),
+        typeof(AetheriaMigrationLedger)
+    ];
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStateNode.cs b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStateNode.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e40ec927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStateNode.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Aetheria.State.Documents;
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using GameCult.Caching.MessagePack;
+using GameCult.Mesh;
+using GameCult.Networking;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State;
+
+public sealed class AetheriaStateNode : IAsyncDisposable, IDisposable
+{
+    private readonly CultMeshNode _node;
+
+    private AetheriaStateNode(string statePath, CultMeshNode node)
+    {
+        StatePath = statePath;
+        _node = node;
+    }
+
+    public string StatePath { get; }
+
+    public CultCache Cache => _node.Cache;
+
+    public CultNetDatabase Database => _node.Database;
+
+    public static async Task<AetheriaStateNode> OpenAsync(
+        string statePath,
+        string runtimeId = "aetheria-local",
+        bool startServer = false)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(statePath))
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentException("State path must be non-empty.", nameof(statePath));
+        }
+
+        Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(Path.GetFullPath(statePath)) ?? ".");
+
+        var cacheRegistry = AetheriaDocumentRegistry.CreateCultCacheRegistry();
+        var node = await CultMesh.CreateNodeAsync(
+            statePath,
+            new CultMeshNodeOptions
+            {
+                StartServer = startServer,
+                EnableDurableShardLogs = true,
+                CacheOptions = new CultCacheOpenOptions
+                {
+                    Registry = cacheRegistry,
+                    PullOnOpen = true,
+                    StoreFlushOnDispose = true,
+                    UseDirectoryStore = true
+                },
+                DatabaseOptions = new CultNetDatabaseOptions
+                {
+                    RuntimeId = runtimeId,
+                    DocumentRegistry = AetheriaDocumentRegistry.CreateCultNetRegistry(cacheRegistry)
+                }
+            }).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+        return new AetheriaStateNode(statePath, node);
+    }
+
+    public Task<CultRecordHandle<AetheriaWorldState>> PutWorldAsync(AetheriaWorldState world)
+    {
+        return Database.PutAsync(new CultRecordKey("global:aetheria.world_state.v1"), world);
+    }
+
+    public Task<AetheriaWorldState?> GetWorldAsync()
+    {
+        return Database.GetAsync<AetheriaWorldState>(new CultRecordKey("global:aetheria.world_state.v1"));
+    }
+
+    public Task<CultRecordHandle<AetheriaMigrationLedger>> PutMigrationLedgerAsync(AetheriaMigrationLedger ledger)
+    {
+        return Database.PutAsync(new CultRecordKey("global:aetheria.migration_ledger.v1"), ledger);
+    }
+
+    public Task<CultRecordHandle<AetheriaItemDefinition>> PutItemDefinitionAsync(
+        CultRecordKey key,
+        AetheriaItemDefinition item)
+    {
+        return Database.PutAsync(key, item);
+    }
+
+    public Task<AetheriaItemDefinition?> GetItemDefinitionAsync(CultRecordKey key)
+    {
+        return Database.GetAsync<AetheriaItemDefinition>(key);
+    }
+
+    public Task FlushAsync(bool soft = false)
+    {
+        return _node.FlushAsync(soft);
+    }
+
+    public void Dispose()
+    {
+        _node.Dispose();
+    }
+
+    public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
+    {
+        await FlushAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        Dispose();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStatePaths.cs b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStatePaths.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f5f96dea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/AetheriaStatePaths.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+using System.IO;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State;
+
+public static class AetheriaStatePaths
+{
+    public const string DefaultStateFileName = "aetheria-world.cc";
+
+    public static string ResolveDefaultStatePath(string? projectRoot = null)
+    {
+        var root = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(projectRoot)
+            ? Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()
+            : projectRoot!;
+        return Path.Combine(root, "GameData", DefaultStateFileName);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaCorporation.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaCorporation.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58b5b9d4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaCorporation.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.corporation", "aetheria.corporation.v1")]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaCorporation
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string Name { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    [CultIndex("legacyId")]
+    public string LegacyId { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    public string Description { get; set; } = "";
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaItemDefinition.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaItemDefinition.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14d1dd8cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaItemDefinition.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.item_definition", "aetheria.item_definition.v1")]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaItemDefinition
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string Name { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    [CultIndex("category")]
+    public string Category { get; set; } = "uncategorized";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    [CultIndex("legacyId")]
+    public string LegacyId { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(3)]
+    public string Description { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(4)]
+    public double Mass { get; set; }
+
+    [Key(5)]
+    public double Volume { get; set; }
+
+    [Key(6)]
+    public string[] Tags { get; set; } = [];
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaMigrationLedger.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaMigrationLedger.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9fa1a5973
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaMigrationLedger.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.migration_ledger", "aetheria.migration_ledger.v1")]
+[CultGlobal]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaMigrationLedger
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string Name { get; set; } = "Aetheria legacy migration ledger";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    public string Source { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    public string SourceFingerprint { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(3)]
+    public string LastMigrationAtUtc { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(4)]
+    public AetheriaMigrationCount[] Counts { get; set; } = [];
+
+    [Key(5)]
+    public string[] Notes { get; set; } = [];
+}
+
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaMigrationCount
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    public string DocumentType { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    public int Count { get; set; }
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaPlayerProfile.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaPlayerProfile.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dbf87908
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaPlayerProfile.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.player_profile", "aetheria.player_profile.v1")]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaPlayerProfile
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string Username { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    [CultIndex("legacyId")]
+    public string LegacyId { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    [CultIndex("email")]
+    public string Email { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(3)]
+    [CultReference(typeof(AetheriaCorporation))]
+    public string CorporationKey { get; set; } = "";
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaRuntimeSession.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaRuntimeSession.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ad1a83f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaRuntimeSession.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.runtime_session", "aetheria.runtime_session.v1")]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaRuntimeSession
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string RuntimeId { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    [CultIndex("role")]
+    public string Role { get; set; } = "local";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    public string StartedAtUtc { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(3)]
+    public string LastSeenAtUtc { get; set; } = "";
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaWorldState.cs b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaWorldState.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed56ec046
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Documents/AetheriaWorldState.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+using GameCult.Caching;
+using MessagePack;
+
+namespace Aetheria.State.Documents;
+
+[CultDocument("aetheria.world_state", "aetheria.world_state.v1")]
+[CultGlobal]
+[MessagePackObject]
+public sealed class AetheriaWorldState
+{
+    [Key(0)]
+    [CultName]
+    public string Name { get; set; } = "Aetheria";
+
+    [Key(1)]
+    [CultIndex("worldId")]
+    public string WorldId { get; set; } = "aetheria";
+
+    [Key(2)]
+    public int SchemaEpoch { get; set; } = 1;
+
+    [Key(3)]
+    public string CreatedAtUtc { get; set; } = "";
+
+    [Key(4)]
+    public string UpdatedAtUtc { get; set; } = "";
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/Migration/LegacyMigrationBoundary.cs b/Aetheria.State/Migration/LegacyMigrationBoundary.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2337bab00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/Migration/LegacyMigrationBoundary.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+namespace Aetheria.State.Migration;
+
+public static class LegacyMigrationBoundary
+{
+    public const string LegacyCacheNamespace = "Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/CultCache";
+    public const string LegacyRethinkNamespace = "Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/NIH/RethinkDb";
+    public const string LegacyGameDataFile = "GameData/AetherDB.msgpack";
+
+    public static string[] ForbiddenLiveAuthorities { get; } =
+    [
+        "DatabaseEntry",
+        "DatabaseCache",
+        "JsonKnownTypes",
+        "Newtonsoft.Json",
+        "RethinkDb.Driver",
+        "RethinkTableAttribute"
+    ];
+}
diff --git a/Aetheria.State/README.md b/Aetheria.State/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccf6d1ae0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Aetheria.State/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Aetheria.State
+
+`Aetheria.State` is the replacement owner for durable Aetheria game state.
+
+It uses modern `GameCult.Caching`, `GameCult.Caching.MessagePack`, and
+`GameCult.Mesh`. It does not reference the old `Assets/Scripts/ServerShared`
+tree, RethinkDB, JsonKnownTypes, or Newtonsoft.Json.
+
+The first live state file is `GameData/aetheria-world.cc`. Legacy files such as
+`GameData/AetherDB.msgpack` are migration inputs only.
+
+Current rebuild notes:
+
+- `MessagePack` 3.1.4 is pulled transitively through CultLib and is currently
+  flagged by NuGet advisory `GHSA-hv8m-jj95-wg3x`; update CultLib's
+  `GameCult.Caching.MessagePack` package ownership rather than adding a local
+  Aetheria override.
+- `CultRecordRef<T>` should become the persisted reference shape once the
+  MessagePack source-generator path handles the GameCult formatter cleanly.
+  Until then, v1 profile documents store explicit record-key strings at the
+  persistence boundary.