diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/Makefile b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/Makefile
index 5344fb7..62b5f07 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ MUSTACHE_PATH = $(REPO)/libmustache
 
 MUSTACHE_SRC := $(wildcard $(MUSTACHE_PATH)/*.cpp)
 MUSTACHE_SRC += $(wildcard $(MUSTACHE_PATH)/*/*.cpp)
-
 MUSTACHE_HDR := $(wildcard $(MUSTACHE_PATH)/*.hpp)
 MUSTACHE_OBJ := $(MUSTACHE_SRC:.cpp=.o)
 
@@ -21,7 +20,10 @@ TOOL_PATH := $(REPO)/tools
 TOOL_SRC := $(wildcard $(TOOL_PATH)/*.cpp)
 TOOLS := $(TOOL_SRC:.cpp=)
 
-OBJ := $(NNTPCHAN_OBJ) $(MUSTACHE_OBJ)
+OBJ := $(NNTPCHAN_OBJ)
+OBJ += $(MUSTACHE_OBJ)
+
+TEST = $(REPO)/test
 
 DAEMON_SRC = $(REPO)/daemon
 
@@ -29,7 +31,9 @@ PKGS := libuv libsodium
 
 LD_FLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --libs $(PKGS)) -lstdc++fs
 INC_FLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags $(PKGS)) -I$(HEADERS_PATH)
-CXXFLAGS := -std=c++17 -Wall -Wextra -pedantic $(INC_FLAGS)
+CXXFLAGS := -std=c++17 -Wall -Wextra -Werror -pedantic $(INC_FLAGS)
+
+DEBUG = 1
 
 ifeq ($(DEBUG),1)
 	CXXFLAGS += -g
@@ -54,18 +58,16 @@ $(NNTPCHAN_LIB): $(NNTPCHAN_OBJ)
 	$(AR) -r $(NNTPCHAN_LIB) $(NNTPCHAN_OBJ)
 
 $(EXE): $(LIBS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(DAEMON_SRC)/main.cpp $(NNTPCHAN_LIB) $(LD_FLAGS) -o $(EXE)
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(DAEMON_SRC)/main.cpp $(LIBS) $(LD_FLAGS) -o $(EXE)
 
-$(TOOL_SRC): $(NNTPCHAN_LIB)
+$(TOOLS): $(TOOL_SRC) $(LIBS)
+	$(CXX)  $(CXXFLAGS) $< $(LIBS) $(LD_FLAGS) -o $@
 
-$(TOOLS): $(TOOL_SRC)
-	$(CXX)  $(CXXFLAGS) $< $(NNTPCHAN_LIB) $(LD_FLAGS) -o $@
-
-build-test: $(LIB)
-	$(CXX) -o $(REPO)/test $(CXXFLAGS) test.cpp $(NNTPCHAN_LIB) $(LD_FLAGS)
+build-test: $(LIBS)
+	$(CXX) -o $(TEST) $(CXXFLAGS) test.cpp $(LIBS) $(LD_FLAGS)
 
 test: build-test
-	$(REPO)/test
+	$(TEST)
 
 clean:
-	rm -f $(OBJ) $(NNTPCHAN_LIB) $(EXE) $(TOOLS)
+	$(RM) $(OBJ) $(LIBS) $(EXE) $(TOOLS) $(TEST)
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/README.md b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/README.md
index e3844f6..4d7f12c 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/README.md
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ requirements:
 
 * libuv 1.x
 
+* boost variant (for now)
+
 * GNU Make
 
 building:
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/message.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/message.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45a37a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/message.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef NNTPCHAN_MESSAGE_HPP
+#define NNTPCHAN_MESSAGE_HPP
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <nntpchan/model.hpp>
+
+namespace nntpchan
+{
+  struct MessageDB
+  {
+    using BoardPage = nntpchan::model::BoardPage;
+    using Thread = nntpchan::model::Thread;
+    virtual bool LoadBoardPage(BoardPage & board, const std::string & newsgroup, uint32_t perpage, uint32_t page) const = 0;
+    virtual bool FindThreadByHash(const std::string & hashhex, std::string & msgid) const = 0;
+    virtual bool LoadThread(Thread & thread, const std::string & rootmsgid) const = 0;
+  };
+
+  typedef std::unique_ptr<MessageDB> MessageDB_ptr;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/model.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/model.hpp
index ffaf22c..62ed52d 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/model.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/model.hpp
@@ -1,17 +1,20 @@
 #ifndef NNTPCHAN_MODEL_HPP
 #define NNTPCHAN_MODEL_HPP
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <map>
 #include <set>
 #include <string>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <vector>
+#include <variant>
+#include <nntpchan/sanitize.hpp>
 
 namespace nntpchan
 {
   namespace model
   {
     // MIME Header
-    typedef std::map<std::string, std::set<std::string> > PostHeader;
+    typedef std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> > PostHeader;
     // text post contents
     typedef std::string PostBody;
     // single file attachment, (orig_filename, hexdigest, thumb_filename)
@@ -22,37 +25,50 @@ namespace nntpchan
     typedef std::tuple<PostHeader, PostBody, Attachments> Post;
     // a thread (many posts in post order)
     typedef std::vector<Post> Thread;
-
-
-    static inline std::string & GetFilename(PostAttachment & att)
+    // a board page is many threads in bump order
+    typedef std::vector<Thread> BoardPage;
+    
+    static inline const std::string & GetFilename(const PostAttachment & att)
     {
       return std::get<0>(att);
     }
     
-    static inline std::string & GetHexDigest(PostAttachment & att)
+    static inline const std::string & GetHexDigest(const PostAttachment & att)
     {
       return std::get<1>(att);
     }
     
-    static inline std::string & GetThumbnail(PostAttachment & att)
+    static inline const std::string & GetThumbnail(const PostAttachment & att)
     {
       return std::get<2>(att);
     }
     
-    static inline PostHeader & GetHeader(Post & post)
+    static inline const PostHeader & GetHeader(const Post & post)
     {
       return std::get<0>(post);
     }
     
-    static inline PostBody & GetBody(Post & post)
+    static inline const PostBody & GetBody(const Post & post)
     {
       return std::get<1>(post);
     }
     
-    static inline Attachments & GetAttachments(Post & post)
+    static inline const Attachments & GetAttachments(const Post & post)
     {
       return std::get<2>(post);
     }
+
+    static inline const std::string & HeaderIFind(const PostHeader & header, const std::string & val, const std::string & fallback)
+    {
+      std::string ival = ToLower(val);
+      auto itr = std::find_if(header.begin(), header.end(), [ival](const auto & item) -> bool { return ToLower(item.first) == ival; });
+      if (itr == std::end(header))
+        return fallback;
+      else
+        return itr->second[0];
+    }
+
+    using Model = std::variant<Thread, BoardPage>;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/nntp_handler.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/nntp_handler.hpp
index fa12c80..b9fbf53 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/nntp_handler.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/nntp_handler.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace nntpchan
   class NNTPServerHandler : public LineReader, public IConnHandler
   {
   public:
-    NNTPServerHandler(const std::string & storage);
+    NNTPServerHandler(const fs::path & storage);
     ~NNTPServerHandler();
 
     virtual bool ShouldClose();
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace nntpchan
     std::string m_articleName;
     FileHandle_ptr m_article;
     CredDB_ptr m_auth;
-    ArticleStorage m_store;
+    ArticleStorage_ptr m_store;
     std::string m_mode;
     bool m_authed;
     State m_state;
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/sanitize.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/sanitize.hpp
index 5295280..a63310c 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/sanitize.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/sanitize.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ namespace nntpchan
 {
   std::string NNTPSanitizeLine(const std::string & str);
   std::string ToLower(const std::string & str);
+  std::string StripWhitespaces(const std::string & str);
   bool IsValidMessageID(const std::string & msgid);
   bool IsValidNewsgroup(const std::string & group);
 }
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/staticfile_frontend.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/staticfile_frontend.hpp
index 68c8bb7..bb5d990 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/staticfile_frontend.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/staticfile_frontend.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef NNTPCHAN_STATICFILE_FRONTEND_HPP
 #define NNTPCHAN_STATICFILE_FRONTEND_HPP
 #include "frontend.hpp"
+#include "message.hpp"
 #include "template_engine.hpp"
 #include "model.hpp"
 #include <experimental/filesystem>
@@ -23,17 +24,7 @@ namespace nntpchan
     bool AcceptsMessage(const std::string & msgid);
 
   private:
-
-    typedef nntpchan::model::Thread Thread_t;
-
-    typedef std::vector<Thread_t> Threads_t;
-
-    typedef std::vector<Threads_t> BoardPage_t;
-    
-    BoardPage_t GetThreadsPaginated(const std::string & group, uint32_t perpage, uint32_t pages);
-    
-  private:
-    
+    MessageDB_ptr m_MessageDB;
     TemplateEngine_ptr m_TemplateEngine;
     fs::path m_TemplateDir;
     fs::path m_OutDir;
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/storage.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/storage.hpp
index 74f659a..9762b59 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/storage.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/storage.hpp
@@ -4,36 +4,49 @@
 #include <experimental/filesystem>
 #include <string>
 #include "file_handle.hpp"
+#include "message.hpp"
 
 namespace nntpchan
 {
 
   namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
   
-  class ArticleStorage
+  class ArticleStorage : public MessageDB
   {
   public:
     ArticleStorage();
     ArticleStorage(const fs::path & fpath);
     ~ArticleStorage();
 
-    void SetPath(const fs::path & fpath);
-
-    FileHandle_ptr OpenWrite(const std::string & msgid);
-    FileHandle_ptr OpenRead(const std::string & msgid);
+    FileHandle_ptr OpenWrite(const std::string & msgid) const;
+    FileHandle_ptr OpenRead(const std::string & msgid) const;
 
     /**
        return true if we should accept a new message give its message id
      */
-    bool Accept(const std::string & msgid);
+    bool Accept(const std::string & msgid) const;
+
+    bool LoadBoardPage(BoardPage & board, const std::string & newsgroup, uint32_t perpage, uint32_t page) const;
+    bool FindThreadByHash(const std::string & hashhex, std::string & msgid) const;
+    bool LoadThread(Thread & thread, const std::string & rootmsgid) const;
+
+    /** ensure symlinks are formed for this article by message id */
+    void EnsureSymlinks(const std::string & msgid) const;
     
   private:
+    void SetPath(const fs::path & fpath);
 
-    fs::path MessagePath(const std::string & msgid);
+    fs::path MessagePath(const std::string & msgid) const;
 
+    bool init_skiplist(const std::string & subdir) const;
+
+    fs::path skiplist_root(const std::string & name) const;
+    
     fs::path basedir;
 
   };
+
+  typedef std::unique_ptr<ArticleStorage> ArticleStorage_ptr;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/template_engine.hpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/template_engine.hpp
index 548e8a7..3d8f559 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/template_engine.hpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/include/nntpchan/template_engine.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef NNTPCHAN_TEMPLATE_ENGINE_HPP
 #define NNTPCHAN_TEMPLATE_ENGINE_HPP
 #include "file_handle.hpp"
+#include "model.hpp"
 #include <any>
 #include <map>
 #include <memory>
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ namespace nntpchan
 
   struct TemplateEngine
   {
-    using Args_t = std::map<std::string, std::any>;
+    typedef std::map<std::string, std::variant<nntpchan::model::Model, std::string>> Args_t;
     virtual bool WriteTemplate(const fs::path & template_fpath, const Args_t & args, const FileHandle_ptr & out) = 0;
   };
 
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/nntp_handler.cpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/nntp_handler.cpp
index 265420f..23f315a 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/nntp_handler.cpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/nntp_handler.cpp
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
 
 namespace nntpchan
 {
-  NNTPServerHandler::NNTPServerHandler(const std::string & storage) :
+  NNTPServerHandler::NNTPServerHandler(const fs::path & storage) :
     LineReader(1024),
     m_article(nullptr),
     m_auth(nullptr),
-    m_store(storage),
+    m_store(std::make_unique<ArticleStorage>(storage)),
     m_authed(false),
     m_state(eStateReadCommand)
   {
@@ -115,22 +115,22 @@ namespace nntpchan
     } else if (cmd == "CHECK") {
       if(cmdlen >= 2) {
         const std::string & msgid = command[1];
-        if(IsValidMessageID(msgid) && m_store.Accept(msgid))
+        if(IsValidMessageID(msgid) && m_store->Accept(msgid))
         {
           QueueLine("238 "+msgid);
-          return;
         }
-        QueueLine("438 "+msgid);
+        else
+          QueueLine("438 "+msgid);
       }
       else
         QueueLine("501 syntax error");
     } else if (cmd == "TAKETHIS") {
-      if (cmdlen == 2)
+      if (cmdlen >= 2)
       {
         const std::string & msgid = command[1];
-        if(m_store.Accept(msgid))
+        if(m_store->Accept(msgid))
         {
-          m_article = m_store.OpenWrite(msgid);
+          m_article = m_store->OpenWrite(msgid);
         }
         m_articleName = msgid;
         EnterState(eStateStoreArticle);
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/sanitize.cpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/sanitize.cpp
index aa79b61..f89b36a 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/sanitize.cpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/sanitize.cpp
@@ -36,4 +36,14 @@ namespace nntpchan
   {
     return std::regex_search(msgid, re_ValidNewsgroup) == 1;
   }
+
+  std::string StripWhitespaces(const std::string & str)
+  {
+    std::string stripped;
+    for(const auto & ch : str)
+      if(!(std::isspace(ch)||std::iscntrl(ch)))
+        stripped += ch;
+    
+    return stripped;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/staticfile_frontend.cpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/staticfile_frontend.cpp
index fb0b4ed..1ae30ab 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/staticfile_frontend.cpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/staticfile_frontend.cpp
@@ -36,28 +36,79 @@ namespace nntpchan
 
       // read body
 
-      std::map<std::string, std::any> thread_args;
       
       auto findMsgidFunc = [](const std::pair<std::string, std::string> & item) -> bool {
         auto lower = ToLower(item.first);
         return (lower == "message-id") || (lower == "messageid");
       };
       
-      auto msgid = std::find_if(header.begin(), header.end(), findMsgidFunc);
-      
-      if(!IsValidMessageID(msgid->second))
+      auto msgid_itr = std::find_if(header.begin(), header.end(), findMsgidFunc);
+      if(msgid_itr == std::end(header))
       {
-        std::clog << "invalid message-id: " << msgid->second << std::endl;
+        std::clog << "no message id for file " << fpath << std::endl;
         return;
       }
+
+      std::string msgid = StripWhitespaces(msgid_itr->second);
+      
+      if(!IsValidMessageID(msgid))
+      {
+        std::clog << "invalid message-id: " << msgid << std::endl;
+        return;
+      }
+
+      std::string rootmsgid;
+
+      auto findReferences = [](const std::pair<std::string, std::string> & item) -> bool {
+        auto lower = ToLower(item.first);
+        return lower == "references";
+      };
+
+      auto references_itr = std::find_if(header.begin(), header.end(), findReferences);
+      if(references_itr == std::end(header) || StripWhitespaces(references_itr->second).size() == 0)
+      {
+        rootmsgid = msgid;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        const auto & s = references_itr->second;
+        auto checkfunc = [] (unsigned char ch) -> bool { return std::isspace(ch) || std::iscntrl(ch); };
+        if(std::count_if(s.begin(), s.end(), checkfunc))
+        {
+          /** split off first element */
+          auto idx = std::find_if(s.begin(), s.end(), checkfunc);
+          rootmsgid = s.substr(0, s.find(*idx));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          rootmsgid = references_itr->second;
+        }
+      }
+
+  
+      
+      std::string rootmsgid_hash = sha1_hex(rootmsgid);
         
-      std::string msgid_hash = sha1_hex(msgid->second);
-        
-      fs::path threadFilePath = m_OutDir / fs::path("thread-" + msgid_hash + ".html");
+      fs::path threadFilePath = m_OutDir / fs::path("thread-" + rootmsgid_hash + ".html");
+      nntpchan::model::Thread thread;
+
+      if(!m_MessageDB)
+      {
+        std::clog << "no message database" << std::endl;
+        return;
+      }
+      
+      if(!m_MessageDB->LoadThread(thread, rootmsgid))
+      {
+        std::clog << "cannot find thread with root " << rootmsgid << std::endl;
+        return;
+      }
+      TemplateEngine::Args_t thread_args;
+      thread_args["posts"] = thread;
       if(m_TemplateEngine)
       {
         FileHandle_ptr out = OpenFile(threadFilePath, eWrite);
-        if(!m_TemplateEngine->WriteTemplate("thread.mustache", thread_args, out))
+        if(!out || !m_TemplateEngine->WriteTemplate("thread.mustache", thread_args, out))
         {
           std::clog << "failed to write " << threadFilePath << std::endl;
           return;
@@ -84,23 +135,35 @@ namespace nntpchan
         if(IsValidNewsgroup(newsgroup))
           newsgroups_list.insert(newsgroup);
       }
-      
+      nntpchan::model::BoardPage page;
       for(const auto & name : newsgroups_list)
       {
-        auto board = GetThreadsPaginated(name, 10, m_Pages);
         uint32_t pageno = 0;
-        for(Threads_t threads : board)
+        while(pageno < m_Pages)
         {
-          std::map<std::string, std::any> board_args;
-          board_args["group"] = std::make_any<std::string>(name);
-          board_args["pageno"] = std::make_any<uint32_t>(pageno);
-          board_args["threads"] = std::make_any<Threads_t>(threads);
-          
-          fs::path boardPageFilename(newsgroup + "-" + std::to_string(pageno) + ".html");
+          page.clear();
+          if(!m_MessageDB->LoadBoardPage(page, name, 10, m_Pages))
+          {
+            std::clog << "cannot load board page "<< pageno << " for " << name << std::endl;
+            break;
+          }
+          TemplateEngine::Args_t page_args;
+          page_args["group"] = name;
+          page_args["threads"] = page;
+          page_args["pageno"] = std::to_string(pageno);
+          if(pageno)
+            page_args["prev_pageno"] = std::to_string(pageno-1);
+          if(pageno+1 < m_Pages)
+            page_args["next_pageno"] = std::to_string(pageno+1);
+          fs::path boardPageFilename(name + "-" + std::to_string(pageno) + ".html");
           if(m_TemplateEngine)
           {
-            FileHandle_ptr out = OpenFile(m_OutDir / boardPageFilename, eWrite);
-            m_TemplateEngine->WriteTemplate("board.mustache", board_args, out);
+            fs::path outfile = m_OutDir / boardPageFilename;
+            FileHandle_ptr out = OpenFile(outfile, eWrite);
+            if(out)
+              m_TemplateEngine->WriteTemplate("board.mustache", page_args, out);
+            else
+              std::clog << "failed to open board page " << outfile << std::endl;
           }
           
           ++pageno;
@@ -119,9 +182,5 @@ namespace nntpchan
   {
     return IsValidMessageID(msgid);
   }
-  
-  StaticFileFrontend::BoardPage_t StaticFileFrontend::GetThreadsPaginated(const std::string & group, uint32_t perpage, uint32_t pages)
-  {
-    return {};
-  }
+ 
 }
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/storage.cpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/storage.cpp
index 117fcfa..ace8ba2 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/storage.cpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/storage.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <nntpchan/storage.hpp>
 #include <nntpchan/sanitize.hpp>
+#include <cassert>
 #include <sstream>
 
 namespace nntpchan
@@ -20,26 +21,37 @@ namespace nntpchan
   {
     basedir = fpath;
     fs::create_directories(basedir);
+    assert(init_skiplist("posts_skiplist"));
   }
 
-  bool ArticleStorage::Accept(const std::string& msgid)
+  bool ArticleStorage::init_skiplist(const std::string & subdir) const
+  {
+    fs::path skiplist = basedir / fs::path(subdir);
+    fs::create_directories(skiplist);
+    const auto subdirs = {"0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9",  "a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f"};
+    for (const auto & s : subdirs)
+      fs::create_directories(skiplist / s);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  bool ArticleStorage::Accept(const std::string& msgid) const
   {
     if (!IsValidMessageID(msgid)) return false;
     auto p = MessagePath(msgid);
     return !fs::exists(p);
   }
 
-  fs::path ArticleStorage::MessagePath(const std::string & msgid)
+  fs::path ArticleStorage::MessagePath(const std::string & msgid) const
   {
     return basedir / msgid;
   }
 
-  FileHandle_ptr ArticleStorage::OpenRead(const std::string & msgid)
+  FileHandle_ptr ArticleStorage::OpenRead(const std::string & msgid) const
   {
     return OpenFile(MessagePath(msgid), eRead);
   }
 
-  FileHandle_ptr ArticleStorage::OpenWrite(const std::string & msgid)
+  FileHandle_ptr ArticleStorage::OpenWrite(const std::string & msgid) const
   {
     return OpenFile(MessagePath(msgid), eWrite);
   }
diff --git a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/template_engine.cpp b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/template_engine.cpp
index 7c31cc1..86667f4 100644
--- a/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/template_engine.cpp
+++ b/contrib/backends/nntpchan-daemon/libnntpchan/template_engine.cpp
@@ -1,25 +1,112 @@
 #include <nntpchan/template_engine.hpp>
 #include <nntpchan/sanitize.hpp>
+#include <mstch/mstch.hpp>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
 
 namespace nntpchan
 {
+
+  template<class... Ts> struct overloaded : Ts... { using Ts::operator()...; };
+  template<class... Ts> overloaded(Ts...) -> overloaded<Ts...>;
+  
+  namespace mustache = mstch;
+
+  static mustache::map post_to_map(const nntpchan::model::Post & post)
+  {
+    mustache::map m;
+    mustache::array attachments;
+    mustache::map h;
+
+    for (const auto & att : nntpchan::model::GetAttachments(post))
+    {
+      mustache::map a;
+      a["filename"] = nntpchan::model::GetFilename(att);
+      a["hexdigest"] = nntpchan::model::GetHexDigest(att);
+      a["thumbnail"] = nntpchan::model::GetThumbnail(att);
+      attachments.push_back(a);
+    }
+
+    for (const auto & item : nntpchan::model::GetHeader(post))
+    {
+      mustache::array vals;
+      for(const auto & v : item.second)
+        vals.push_back(v);
+      h[item.first] = vals;
+    }
+    
+    m["attachments"] = attachments;
+    m["message"] = nntpchan::model::GetBody(post);
+    m["header"] = h;
+    return m;
+  }
+
+  static mustache::map thread_to_map(const nntpchan::model::Thread & t)
+  {
+    mustache::map thread;
+    mustache::array posts;
+    for(const auto & post : t)
+    {
+      posts.push_back(post_to_map(post));
+    }
+    auto & opHeader = nntpchan::model::GetHeader(t[0]);
+    thread["title"] = nntpchan::model::HeaderIFind(opHeader, "subject", "None")[0];
+    thread["posts"] = posts;
+    return thread;
+  }
   
   struct MustacheTemplateEngine : public TemplateEngine
   {
     struct Impl
     {
 
+      Impl(const std::map<std::string, std::string> & partials) : m_partials(partials) {}
+      
       bool ParseTemplate(const FileHandle_ptr & in)
       {
-        return true;
+        std::stringstream str;
+        std::string line;
+        while(std::getline(*in, line))
+          str << line << "\n";
+        m_tmplString = str.str();
+        return in->eof();
       }
       
       bool RenderFile(const Args_t & args, const FileHandle_ptr & out)
       {
-        return true;
+        mustache::map obj;
+        for (const auto & item : args)
+        {
+          std::visit(overloaded {
+            [&obj, item](const nntpchan::model::Model & m) {
+              std::visit(overloaded {
+                [&obj, item](const nntpchan::model::BoardPage & p) {
+                  mustache::array threads;
+                  for (const auto & thread : p)
+                  {
+                    threads.push_back(thread_to_map(thread));
+                  }
+                  obj[item.first] = threads;
+                },
+                [&obj, item](const nntpchan::model::Thread & t) {
+                  obj[item.first] = thread_to_map(t);
+                }
+              }, m);
+            }
+            ,[&obj, item](const std::string & str) {
+              obj[item.first] = str;
+            }
+          }, item.second);
+        }
+        
+        std::string str = mustache::render(m_tmplString, obj);
+        out->write(str.c_str(), str.size());
+        out->flush();
+        return !out->fail();
       }
 
+      std::string m_tmplString;
+      const std::map<std::string, std::string> & m_partials;
     };
 
     virtual bool WriteTemplate(const fs::path & fpath, const Args_t & args, const FileHandle_ptr & out)
@@ -30,13 +117,42 @@ namespace nntpchan
         std::clog << "no such template at " << fpath << std::endl;
         return false;
       }
-      auto impl = std::make_unique<Impl>();
-      if(impl->ParseTemplate(templFile))
-        return impl->RenderFile(args, out);
+
+      std::map<std::string, std::string> partials;
+      if(!LoadPartials(fpath.parent_path(), partials))
+      {
+        std::clog << "failed to load partials" << std::endl;
+        return false;
+      }
+      
+      Impl impl(partials);
+      if(impl.ParseTemplate(templFile))
+      {
+        return impl.RenderFile(args, out);
+      }
 
       std::clog << "failed to parse template " << fpath << std::endl;
       return false;
     }
+
+    bool LoadPartials(fs::path dir, std::map<std::string, std::string> & partials)
+    {
+      const auto partial_files = { "header", "footer" };
+      for(const auto & fname : partial_files)
+      {
+        auto file = OpenFile(dir / fs::path(fname + std::string(".html")), eRead);
+        if(!file) {
+          std::clog << "no such partial: " <<  fname << std::endl;
+          return false;
+        }
+        std::string line;
+        std::stringstream input;
+        while(std::getline(*file, line))
+          input << line << "\n";
+        partials[fname] = input.str();
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
   };
 
   TemplateEngine * CreateTemplateEngine(const std::string & dialect)