actor: add fundamental interfaces and concrete Actor impl

diff --git a/actor/actor.go b/actor/actor.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..373898b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actor/actor.go
@@ -0,0 +1,324 @@
+package actor
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/fn/v2"
+)
+
+// ActorConfig holds the configuration parameters for creating a new Actor.
+// It is generic over M (Message type) and R (Response type) to accommodate
+// the actor's specific behavior.
+type ActorConfig[M Message, R any] struct {
+	// ID is the unique identifier for the actor.
+	ID string
+
+	// Behavior defines how the actor responds to messages.
+	Behavior ActorBehavior[M, R]
+
+	// DLO is a reference to the dead letter office for this actor system.
+	// If nil, undeliverable messages during shutdown or due to a full
+	// mailbox (if such logic were added) might be dropped.
+	DLO ActorRef[Message, any]
+
+	// MailboxSize defines the buffer capacity of the actor's mailbox.
+	MailboxSize int
+}
+
+// envelope wraps a message with its associated promise. This allows the sender
+// of an "ask" message to await a response. If the promise is nil, it
+// signifies a "tell" operation (fire-and-forget).
+type envelope[M Message, R any] struct {
+	message M
+	promise Promise[R]
+}
+
+// Actor represents a concrete actor implementation. It encapsulates a behavior,
+// manages its internal state implicitly through that behavior, and processes
+// messages from its mailbox sequentially in its own goroutine.
+type Actor[M Message, R any] struct {
+	// id is the unique identifier for the actor.
+	id string
+
+	// behavior defines how the actor responds to messages.
+	behavior ActorBehavior[M, R]
+
+	// mailbox is the incoming message queue for the actor.
+	mailbox chan envelope[M, R]
+
+	// ctx is the context governing the actor's lifecycle.
+	ctx context.Context
+
+	// cancel is the function to cancel the actor's context.
+	cancel context.CancelFunc
+
+	// dlo is a reference to the dead letter office for this actor system.
+	dlo ActorRef[Message, any]
+
+	// startOnce ensures the actor's processing loop is started only once.
+	startOnce sync.Once
+
+	// stopOnce ensures the actor's processing loop is stopped only once.
+	stopOnce sync.Once
+
+	// ref is the cached ActorRef for this actor.
+	ref ActorRef[M, R]
+}
+
+// NewActor creates a new actor instance with the given ID and behavior.
+// It initializes the actor's internal structures but does not start its
+// message processing goroutine. The Start() method must be called to begin
+// processing messages.
+func NewActor[M Message, R any](cfg ActorConfig[M, R]) (*Actor[M, R],
+	error) {
+
+	if cfg.ID == "" {
+		return nil, ErrEmptyActorID
+	}
+
+	if cfg.Behavior == nil {
+		return nil, ErrNilBehavior
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	// Ensure MailboxSize has a sane default if not specified or zero. A
+	// capacity of 0 would make the channel unbuffered, which is generally
+	// not desired for actor mailboxes.
+	mailboxCapacity := cfg.MailboxSize
+	if mailboxCapacity <= 0 {
+		// Default to a small capacity if an invalid one is given. This
+		// could also come from a global constant.
+		mailboxCapacity = 1
+	}
+
+	actor := &Actor[M, R]{
+		id:       cfg.ID,
+		behavior: cfg.Behavior,
+		mailbox:  make(chan envelope[M, R], mailboxCapacity),
+		ctx:      ctx,
+		cancel:   cancel,
+		dlo:      cfg.DLO,
+	}
+
+	// Create and cache the actor's own reference.
+	actor.ref = &actorRefImpl[M, R]{
+		actor: actor,
+	}
+
+	return actor, nil
+}
+
+// Start initiates the actor's message processing loop in a new goroutine. This
+// method should be called once after the actor is created.
+func (a *Actor[M, R]) Start() {
+	a.startOnce.Do(func() {
+		log.Infof("Actor %s: starting", a.id)
+
+		go a.process()
+	})
+}
+
+// process is the main event loop for the actor. It continuously monitors its
+// mailbox for incoming messages and its context for cancellation signals.
+func (a *Actor[M, R]) process() {
+	for {
+		select {
+		case env := <-a.mailbox:
+			result := a.behavior.Receive(a.ctx, env.message)
+
+			// If a promise was provided (i.e., it was an "ask"
+			// operation), complete the promise with the result from
+			// the behavior.
+			if env.promise != nil {
+				env.promise.Complete(result)
+			}
+
+		// The actor's context has been cancelled, signaling a stop
+		// request. Exit the processing loop to terminate the actor's
+		// goroutine. Before exiting, drain any remaining messages from
+		// the mailbox.
+		//
+		// NOTE: We intentionally do NOT close the mailbox channel here.
+		// Closing it would create a TOCTOU race with Tell/Ask, which
+		// check ctx.Err() before sending to the mailbox. Between that
+		// check and the actual send, the channel could be closed,
+		// causing a panic. Instead, we drain using a non-blocking
+		// select loop. Messages sent after this point will remain in
+		// the buffered channel and be garbage collected.
+		case <-a.ctx.Done():
+			log.Debugf("Actor %s: context cancelled, draining "+
+				"mailbox", a.id)
+
+			// Drain any remaining messages from the mailbox
+			// without closing the channel.
+			drained := 0
+			for {
+				select {
+				case env := <-a.mailbox:
+					drained++
+
+					// If a DLO is configured, send the
+					// original message there for auditing
+					// or potential manual reprocessing.
+					if a.dlo != nil {
+						a.dlo.Tell(
+							context.Background(),
+							env.message,
+						)
+					}
+
+					// If it was an Ask, complete the
+					// promise with an error indicating the
+					// actor terminated.
+					if env.promise != nil {
+						env.promise.Complete(
+							fn.Err[R](
+								ErrActorTerminated,
+							),
+						)
+					}
+
+				default:
+					if drained > 0 {
+						log.Debugf("Actor %s: "+
+							"drained %d "+
+							"message(s) during "+
+							"shutdown",
+							a.id, drained)
+					}
+
+					// No more messages in the mailbox.
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Stop signals the actor to terminate its processing loop and shut down.
+// This is achieved by cancelling the actor's internal context. The actor's
+// goroutine will exit once it detects the context cancellation.
+func (a *Actor[M, R]) Stop() {
+	a.stopOnce.Do(func() {
+		log.Infof("Actor %s: stopping", a.id)
+
+		a.cancel()
+	})
+}
+
+// actorRefImpl provides a concrete implementation of the ActorRef interface. It
+// holds a reference to the target Actor instance, enabling message sending.
+type actorRefImpl[M Message, R any] struct {
+	actor *Actor[M, R]
+}
+
+// Tell sends a message without waiting for a response. If the context is
+// cancelled before the message can be sent to the actor's mailbox, the message
+// may be dropped.
+//
+//nolint:ll
+func (ref *actorRefImpl[M, R]) Tell(ctx context.Context, msg M) {
+	// If the actor's own context is already done, don't try to send.
+	// Route to DLO if available.
+	if ref.actor.ctx.Err() != nil {
+		ref.trySendToDLO(msg)
+		return
+	}
+
+	select {
+	// Message successfully enqueued in the actor's mailbox.
+	case ref.actor.mailbox <- envelope[M, R]{message: msg, promise: nil}:
+
+	// The context for the Tell operation was cancelled before the message
+	// could be enqueued. The message is dropped.
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		log.Warnf("Tell to actor %s: message %s dropped "+
+			"(caller context cancelled)", ref.actor.id,
+			msg.MessageType())
+
+	// The actor itself has been stopped/terminated.
+	case <-ref.actor.ctx.Done():
+		// If the actor is terminated and has a DLO, send the message
+		// there. Otherwise, it's dropped.
+		ref.trySendToDLO(msg)
+	}
+}
+
+// Ask sends a message and returns a Future for the response. The Future will be
+// completed with the actor's reply or an error if the operation fails (e.g.,
+// context cancellation before send).
+//
+//nolint:ll
+func (ref *actorRefImpl[M, R]) Ask(ctx context.Context, msg M) Future[R] {
+	// Create a new promise that will be fulfilled with the actor's response.
+	promise := NewPromise[R]()
+
+	// If the actor's own context is already done, complete the promise with
+	// ErrActorTerminated and return immediately. This is the primary guard
+	// against trying to send to a stopped actor.
+	if ref.actor.ctx.Err() != nil {
+		promise.Complete(fn.Err[R](ErrActorTerminated))
+		return promise.Future()
+	}
+
+	// Check if the context is already done before attempting to send. This
+	// ensures deterministic behavior and prevents a race where the message
+	// could be enqueued even though the context was already cancelled.
+	if ctx.Err() != nil {
+		promise.Complete(fn.Err[R](ctx.Err()))
+		return promise.Future()
+	}
+
+	select {
+	// Attempt to send the message along with its promise to the actor's
+	// mailbox.
+	case ref.actor.mailbox <- envelope[M, R]{message: msg, promise: promise}:
+
+	// The context for the Ask operation was cancelled before the message
+	// could be enqueued. Complete the promise with the context's error to
+	// unblock the caller.
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		promise.Complete(fn.Err[R](ctx.Err()))
+
+	// The actor's context was cancelled (e.g., actor stopped) while this
+	// Ask operation was attempting to send (e.g., mailbox was full).
+	case <-ref.actor.ctx.Done():
+		promise.Complete(fn.Err[R](ErrActorTerminated))
+	}
+
+	// Return the future associated with the promise, allowing the caller to
+	// await the response.
+	return promise.Future()
+}
+
+// trySendToDLO attempts to send the message to the actor's DLO if configured.
+func (ref *actorRefImpl[M, R]) trySendToDLO(msg M) {
+	if ref.actor.dlo != nil {
+		// Use context.Background() for sending to DLO as the
+		// original context might be done or the operation
+		// should not be bound by it.
+		// This Tell to DLO is fire-and-forget.
+		ref.actor.dlo.Tell(context.Background(), msg)
+	}
+}
+
+// ID returns the unique identifier for this actor.
+func (ref *actorRefImpl[M, R]) ID() string {
+	return ref.actor.id
+}
+
+// Ref returns an ActorRef for this actor. This allows clients to interact with
+// the actor (send messages) without having direct access to the Actor struct
+// itself, promoting encapsulation and location transparency.
+func (a *Actor[M, R]) Ref() ActorRef[M, R] {
+	return a.ref
+}
+
+// TellRef returns a TellOnlyRef for this actor. This allows clients to send
+// messages to the actor using only the "tell" pattern (fire-and-forget),
+// without having access to "ask" capabilities.
+func (a *Actor[M, R]) TellRef() TellOnlyRef[M] {
+	return a.ref
+}
diff --git a/actor/actor_test.go b/actor/actor_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d49aa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actor/actor_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,446 @@
+package actor
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/fn/v2"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// testMsg is a simple message type for testing. It embeds BaseMessage to
+// satisfy the actor.Message interface.
+type testMsg struct {
+	BaseMessage
+	data string
+
+	replyChan chan string
+}
+
+// MessageType returns the type name of the message.
+func (m *testMsg) MessageType() string {
+	return "testMsg"
+}
+
+// newTestMsg creates a new test message.
+func newTestMsg(data string) *testMsg {
+	return &testMsg{data: data}
+}
+
+// newTestMsgWithReply creates a new test message that includes a reply channel.
+// This can be used by test behaviors to send data back to the test
+// synchronously, especially for Tell operations.
+func newTestMsgWithReply(data string, replyChan chan string) *testMsg {
+	return &testMsg{data: data, replyChan: replyChan}
+}
+
+// echoBehavior is a simple actor behavior that processes *testMsg messages. It
+// stores the last message's data and, for Ask, echoes it back. For Tell, if
+// replyChan is set in testMsg, it sends data back on it.
+type echoBehavior struct {
+	lastMsgData     atomic.Value
+	processingDelay time.Duration
+	t               *testing.T
+}
+
+// newEchoBehavior creates a new echoBehavior.
+func newEchoBehavior(t *testing.T, delay time.Duration) *echoBehavior {
+	return &echoBehavior{t: t, processingDelay: delay}
+}
+
+// Receive handles incoming messages. It simulates work if processingDelay is
+// set, stores the message data, and responds for Ask operations or via
+// replyChan for Tell.
+func (b *echoBehavior) Receive(_ context.Context,
+	msg *testMsg) fn.Result[string] {
+
+	if b.processingDelay > 0 {
+		time.Sleep(b.processingDelay)
+	}
+
+	b.lastMsgData.Store(msg.data)
+
+	if msg.replyChan != nil {
+		// Attempt to send the data on the reply channel, but quit if
+		// it takes longer than 1 second (e.g., channel unbuffered
+		// and no receiver).
+		select {
+		case msg.replyChan <- msg.data:
+		case <-time.After(time.Second):
+			b.t.Logf("warning: replyChan send timed out")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return fn.Ok(fmt.Sprintf("echo: %s", msg.data))
+}
+
+// GetLastMsgData retrieves the data from the last message processed.
+func (b *echoBehavior) GetLastMsgData() (string, bool) {
+	val := b.lastMsgData.Load()
+	if val == nil {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	data, ok := val.(string)
+	return data, ok
+}
+
+// errorBehavior is an actor behavior that always returns a predefined error
+// upon receiving a message.
+type errorBehavior struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+// newErrorBehavior creates a new errorBehavior.
+func newErrorBehavior(err error) *errorBehavior {
+	return &errorBehavior{err: err}
+}
+
+// Receive always returns the configured error.
+func (b *errorBehavior) Receive(_ context.Context,
+	_ *testMsg) fn.Result[string] {
+
+	return fn.Err[string](b.err)
+}
+
+// blockingBehavior is an actor behavior that blocks until its actorCtx is done.
+type blockingBehavior struct{}
+
+// Receive blocks until the actor's context is cancelled, then returns the
+// context's error.
+func (b *blockingBehavior) Receive(actorCtx context.Context,
+	_ *testMsg) fn.Result[string] {
+
+	<-actorCtx.Done()
+	return fn.Err[string](actorCtx.Err())
+}
+
+// deadLetterTestMsg is a distinct message type used for testing DLO
+// interactions.
+type deadLetterTestMsg struct {
+	BaseMessage
+	id string
+}
+
+// MessageType returns the type name of the message.
+func (m *deadLetterTestMsg) MessageType() string {
+	return "deadLetterTestMsg"
+}
+
+// deadLetterObserverBehavior is a behavior for a test Dead Letter Office actor.
+// It records all messages sent to it, allowing tests to verify DLO
+// interactions.
+type deadLetterObserverBehavior struct {
+	mu           sync.Mutex
+	receivedMsgs []Message
+}
+
+// newDeadLetterObserverBehavior creates a new deadLetterObserverBehavior.
+func newDeadLetterObserverBehavior() *deadLetterObserverBehavior {
+	return &deadLetterObserverBehavior{
+		receivedMsgs: make([]Message, 0),
+	}
+}
+
+// Receive records the incoming message and returns a successful result.
+func (b *deadLetterObserverBehavior) Receive(_ context.Context,
+	msg Message) fn.Result[any] {
+
+	b.mu.Lock()
+	b.receivedMsgs = append(b.receivedMsgs, msg)
+	b.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return fn.Ok[any](nil)
+}
+
+// GetReceivedMsgs returns a copy of all messages received by this DLO.
+func (b *deadLetterObserverBehavior) GetReceivedMsgs() []Message {
+	b.mu.Lock()
+	defer b.mu.Unlock()
+
+	msgs := make([]Message, len(b.receivedMsgs))
+	copy(msgs, b.receivedMsgs)
+
+	return msgs
+}
+
+// actorTestHarness provides helper methods for setting up actors in tests. It
+// manages a dedicated DLO for actors created through it.
+type actorTestHarness struct {
+	t      *testing.T
+	dlo    *Actor[Message, any]
+	dloBeh *deadLetterObserverBehavior
+}
+
+// newActorTestHarness sets up a test harness with a dedicated DLO. The DLO is
+// automatically stopped when the test cleans up.
+func newActorTestHarness(t *testing.T) *actorTestHarness {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	dloBeh := newDeadLetterObserverBehavior()
+	dloCfg := ActorConfig[Message, any]{
+		ID:          "test-dlo-" + t.Name(),
+		Behavior:    dloBeh,
+		DLO:         nil,
+		MailboxSize: 10,
+	}
+	dloActor, err := NewActor[Message, any](dloCfg)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	dloActor.Start()
+
+	t.Cleanup(dloActor.Stop)
+
+	return &actorTestHarness{
+		t:      t,
+		dlo:    dloActor,
+		dloBeh: dloBeh,
+	}
+}
+
+// newActor creates, starts, and registers a new actor for cleanup. The actor
+// will use the harness's DLO.
+func (h *actorTestHarness) newActor(id string,
+	beh ActorBehavior[*testMsg, string],
+	mailboxSize int) *Actor[*testMsg, string] {
+
+	h.t.Helper()
+
+	cfg := ActorConfig[*testMsg, string]{
+		ID:          id,
+		Behavior:    beh,
+		DLO:         h.dlo.Ref(),
+		MailboxSize: mailboxSize,
+	}
+	actor, err := NewActor(cfg)
+	require.NoError(h.t, err)
+	actor.Start()
+
+	h.t.Cleanup(actor.Stop)
+
+	return actor
+}
+
+// assertDLOMessage checks that the DLO eventually receives a specific message.
+func (h *actorTestHarness) assertDLOMessage(expectedMsg Message) {
+	h.t.Helper()
+	require.Eventually(h.t, func() bool {
+		msgs := h.dloBeh.GetReceivedMsgs()
+		for _, m := range msgs {
+			if reflect.DeepEqual(m, expectedMsg) {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}, time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond,
+		"dLO did not receive expected message: %v", expectedMsg,
+	)
+}
+
+// assertNoDLOMessages checks that the DLO has not received any messages.
+func (h *actorTestHarness) assertNoDLOMessages() {
+	h.t.Helper()
+
+	// Allow a very brief moment for any async DLO sends to occur.
+	time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	msgs := h.dloBeh.GetReceivedMsgs()
+
+	require.Empty(h.t, msgs, "dLO received unexpected messages")
+}
+
+// TestActorNewActorIDAndRefs verifies that NewActor correctly initializes an
+// actor's ID and provides functional ActorRef and TellOnlyRef instances.
+func TestActorNewActorIDAndRefs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+	actorID := "test-actor-1"
+	beh := newEchoBehavior(t, 0)
+	actor := h.newActor(actorID, beh, 1)
+
+	require.Equal(t, actorID, actor.Ref().ID(), "actorRef ID mismatch")
+	require.Equal(
+		t, actorID, actor.TellRef().ID(), "tellOnlyRef ID mismatch",
+	)
+	require.NotNil(t, actor.Ref(), "actorRef should not be nil")
+	require.NotNil(t, actor.TellRef(), "tellOnlyRef should not be nil")
+}
+
+// TestActorStartStop verifies the basic lifecycle of an actor: starting,
+// processing messages, and stopping.
+func TestActorStartStop(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+	beh := newEchoBehavior(t, 0)
+	actor := h.newActor("test-actor-lifecycle", beh, 1)
+
+	// Actor should be running and process a message.
+	msgData := "hello"
+	replyChan := make(chan string, 1)
+	actor.Ref().Tell(
+		context.Background(), newTestMsgWithReply(msgData, replyChan),
+	)
+
+	received, err := fn.RecvOrTimeout(replyChan, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "timed out waiting for actor to process message")
+	require.Equal(
+		t, msgData, received, "actor did not process message before stop",
+	)
+
+	actor.Stop()
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Try sending another message; it should ideally not be processed or go
+	// to DLO.
+	msgDataAfterStop := "message-after-stop"
+	replyChanAfterStop := make(chan string, 1)
+	actor.Ref().Tell(
+		context.Background(),
+		newTestMsgWithReply(msgDataAfterStop, replyChanAfterStop),
+	)
+
+	// We expect a timeout here, meaning the message was not processed by
+	// the echoBehavior's replyChan.
+	_, err = fn.RecvOrTimeout(replyChanAfterStop, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	// err == nil would mean a message was received, meaning the actor
+	// processed it after Stop().
+	require.Error(t, err, "actor processed message after Stop()")
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "timeout hit")
+
+	h.assertDLOMessage(
+		&testMsg{data: msgDataAfterStop, replyChan: replyChanAfterStop},
+	)
+}
+
+// TestActorTellBasic verifies that a message sent via Tell is processed by the
+// actor's behavior.
+func TestActorTellBasic(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+	beh := newEchoBehavior(t, 0)
+	actor := h.newActor("test-actor-tell", beh, 1)
+
+	msgData := "tell-message"
+	replyChan := make(chan string, 1)
+	actor.Ref().Tell(
+		context.Background(), newTestMsgWithReply(msgData, replyChan),
+	)
+
+	receivedTell, errTell := fn.RecvOrTimeout(replyChan, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	require.NoError(t, errTell, "timed out waiting for Tell message processing")
+	require.Equal(
+		t, msgData, receivedTell, "behavior did not receive Tell message data",
+	)
+
+	lastData, ok := beh.GetLastMsgData()
+	require.True(t, ok, "last message data not set in behavior")
+	require.Equal(t, msgData, lastData, "last message data mismatch")
+	h.assertNoDLOMessages()
+}
+
+// TestActorAskSuccess verifies that a message sent via Ask is processed, and
+// the returned Future is completed with the behavior's successful result.
+func TestActorAskSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+	beh := newEchoBehavior(t, 0)
+	actor := h.newActor("test-actor-ask-success", beh, 1)
+
+	msgData := "ask-message"
+	future := actor.Ref().Ask(context.Background(), newTestMsg(msgData))
+
+	result := future.Await(context.Background())
+	require.False(t, result.IsErr(), "ask returned an error: %v", result.Err())
+
+	result.WhenOk(func(val string) {
+		expectedReply := fmt.Sprintf("echo: %s", msgData)
+		require.Equal(t, expectedReply, val, "ask response mismatch")
+	})
+
+	lastData, ok := beh.GetLastMsgData()
+	require.True(t, ok, "last message data not set in behavior")
+	require.Equal(t, msgData, lastData, "last message data mismatch")
+	h.assertNoDLOMessages()
+}
+
+// TestActorAskErrorBehavior verifies that if an actor's behavior returns an
+// error, the Future from an Ask call is completed with that error.
+func TestActorAskErrorBehavior(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+	expectedErr := errors.New("behavior error")
+	beh := newErrorBehavior(expectedErr)
+	actor := h.newActor("test-actor-ask-error", beh, 1)
+
+	future := actor.Ref().Ask(
+		context.Background(), newTestMsg("ask-error-test"),
+	)
+
+	result := future.Await(context.Background())
+	require.True(t, result.IsErr(), "ask should have returned an error")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, result.Err(), expectedErr, "ask error mismatch")
+
+	h.assertNoDLOMessages()
+}
+
+// TestFunctionBehaviorFromSimple verifies that FunctionBehaviorFromSimple
+// correctly adapts a simple (msg) -> (result, error) function into an
+// ActorBehavior, handling both success and error cases.
+func TestFunctionBehaviorFromSimple(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("success", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+
+		beh := FunctionBehaviorFromSimple(
+			func(msg *testMsg) (string, error) {
+				return "simple: " + msg.data, nil
+			},
+		)
+		actor := h.newActor("test-simple-success", beh, 1)
+
+		future := actor.Ref().Ask(
+			context.Background(), newTestMsg("hello"),
+		)
+		result := future.Await(context.Background())
+		require.False(
+			t, result.IsErr(),
+			"expected success, got: %v", result.Err(),
+		)
+		result.WhenOk(func(val string) {
+			require.Equal(t, "simple: hello", val)
+		})
+	})
+
+	t.Run("error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		h := newActorTestHarness(t)
+
+		expectedErr := errors.New("simple behavior error")
+		beh := FunctionBehaviorFromSimple(
+			func(msg *testMsg) (string, error) {
+				return "", expectedErr
+			},
+		)
+		actor := h.newActor("test-simple-error", beh, 1)
+
+		future := actor.Ref().Ask(
+			context.Background(), newTestMsg("hello"),
+		)
+		result := future.Await(context.Background())
+		require.True(t, result.IsErr())
+		require.ErrorIs(t, result.Err(), expectedErr)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/actor/func_actor.go b/actor/func_actor.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1580f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actor/func_actor.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package actor
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/fn/v2"
+)
+
+// ActorFunc is a function type that represents an actor which functions purely
+// based on a simple function processor.
+type ActorFunc[M Message, R any] func(context.Context, M) fn.Result[R]
+
+// FunctionBehavior adapts a function to the ActorBehavior interface.
+type FunctionBehavior[M Message, R any] struct {
+	fn ActorFunc[M, R]
+}
+
+// NewFunctionBehavior creates a behavior from a function.
+func NewFunctionBehavior[M Message, R any](
+	fn ActorFunc[M, R]) *FunctionBehavior[M, R] {
+
+	return &FunctionBehavior[M, R]{fn: fn}
+}
+
+// Receive implements ActorBehavior interface for the function.
+//
+// TODO(roasbeef): just base it off the function direct instead?
+func (b *FunctionBehavior[M, R]) Receive(ctx context.Context,
+	msg M) fn.Result[R] {
+
+	return b.fn(ctx, msg)
+}
+
+// FunctionBehaviorFromSimple adapts a simpler function to the ActorBehavior
+// interface.
+func FunctionBehaviorFromSimple[M Message, R any](
+	sFunc func(M) (R, error)) *FunctionBehavior[M, R] {
+
+	return NewFunctionBehavior(
+		func(ctx context.Context, msg M) fn.Result[R] {
+			val, err := sFunc(msg)
+			return fn.NewResult(val, err)
+		},
+	)
+}
diff --git a/actor/interface.go b/actor/interface.go
index 8a59509..6ddbe8f 100644
--- a/actor/interface.go
+++ b/actor/interface.go
@@ -7,6 +7,44 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/fn/v2"
 )
 
+// ErrActorTerminated indicates that an operation failed because the target
+// actor was terminated or in the process of shutting down.
+var ErrActorTerminated = fmt.Errorf("actor terminated")
+
+// ErrEmptyActorID is returned when an actor is created with an empty ID.
+var ErrEmptyActorID = fmt.Errorf("actor ID must not be empty")
+
+// ErrNilBehavior is returned when an actor is created with a nil behavior.
+var ErrNilBehavior = fmt.Errorf("actor behavior must not be nil")
+
+// ErrDuplicateActorID is returned when attempting to register an actor with an
+// ID that is already in use within the actor system.
+var ErrDuplicateActorID = fmt.Errorf("actor ID already registered")
+
+// BaseMessage is a helper struct that can be embedded in message types defined
+// outside the actor package to satisfy the Message interface's unexported
+// messageMarker method.
+type BaseMessage struct{}
+
+// messageMarker implements the unexported method for the Message interface,
+// allowing types that embed BaseMessage to satisfy the Message interface.
+func (BaseMessage) messageMarker() {}
+
+// Message is a sealed interface for actor messages. Actors will receive
+// messages conforming to this interface. The interface is "sealed" by the
+// unexported messageMarker method, meaning only types that can satisfy it
+// (e.g., by embedding BaseMessage or being in the same package) can be
+// Messages.
+type Message interface {
+	// messageMarker is a private method that makes this a sealed interface
+	// (see BaseMessage for embedding).
+	messageMarker()
+
+	// MessageType returns the type name of the message for
+	// routing/filtering.
+	MessageType() string
+}
+
 // Future represents the result of an asynchronous computation. It allows
 // consumers to wait for the result (Await), apply transformations upon
 // completion (ThenApply), or register a callback to be executed when the
@@ -44,3 +82,38 @@ type Promise[T any] interface {
 	// complete it), and false if the future had already been completed.
 	Complete(result fn.Result[T]) bool
 }
+
+// TellOnlyRef is a reference to an actor that only supports "tell" operations.
+// This is useful for scenarios where only fire-and-forget message passing is
+// needed, or to restrict capabilities.
+type TellOnlyRef[M Message] interface {
+	// Tell sends a message without waiting for a response. If the
+	// context is cancelled before the message can be sent to the actor's
+	// mailbox, the message may be dropped.
+	Tell(ctx context.Context, msg M)
+
+	// ID returns the unique identifier for this actor.
+	ID() string
+}
+
+// ActorRef is a reference to an actor that supports both "tell" and "ask"
+// operations. It embeds TellOnlyRef and adds the Ask method for
+// request-response interactions.
+type ActorRef[M Message, R any] interface {
+	TellOnlyRef[M]
+
+	// Ask sends a message and returns a Future for the response.
+	// The Future will be completed with the actor's reply or an error
+	// if the operation fails (e.g., context cancellation before send).
+	Ask(ctx context.Context, msg M) Future[R]
+}
+
+// ActorBehavior defines the logic for how an actor processes incoming messages.
+// It is a strategy interface that encapsulates the actor's reaction to
+// messages.
+type ActorBehavior[M Message, R any] interface {
+	// Receive processes a message and returns a Result. The provided
+	// context is the actor's internal context, which can be used to
+	// detect actor shutdown requests.
+	Receive(actorCtx context.Context, msg M) fn.Result[R]
+}