diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6b74d7b..9999d56 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ tracy_build:
 	meson compile -j 10 -C builddir
 
 test: build
-	./builddir/runtests
+	./builddir/runtests "[loot]"
 
 run: build test
 ifeq '$(OS)' 'Windows_NT'
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ clean:
 	meson compile --clean -C builddir
 
 debug_test: build
-	gdb --nx -x .gdbinit --ex run --args builddir/runtests -e
+	gdb --nx -x .gdbinit --ex run --args builddir/runtests -e "[loot]"
 
 win_installer:
 	powershell 'start "C:\Program Files (x86)\solicus\InstallForge\bin\ifbuilderenvx86.exe" scripts\win_installer.ifp'
diff --git a/gui/fsm.cpp b/gui/fsm.cpp
index 7adffff..513c100 100644
--- a/gui/fsm.cpp
+++ b/gui/fsm.cpp
@@ -177,10 +177,19 @@ namespace gui {
       case TICK:
         // do nothing
         break;
-      case LOOT_OPEN:
+      case LOOT_OPEN: {
+        dbc::log("IDLE LOOT OPEN!");
+        Config items("assets/items.json");
+        auto& data = items["TORCH_BAD"];
+        auto torch = $level.world->entity();
+        components::configure_entity(*$level.world, torch, data["components"]);
+        $loot_ui.contents.push_back(torch);
+        $loot_ui.update();
         $loot_ui.active = true;
+
         state(State::LOOTING);
-        break;
+
+        } break;
       default:
         dbc::sentinel("unhandled event in IDLE");
     }
@@ -384,7 +393,7 @@ namespace gui {
     System::collision($level);
     System::motion($level);
     System::lighting($level);
-    System::death($level, $levels.$components);
+    System::death($level);
   }
 
   bool FSM::active() {
diff --git a/gui/loot_ui.cpp b/gui/loot_ui.cpp
index 7c29b01..2e7594f 100644
--- a/gui/loot_ui.cpp
+++ b/gui/loot_ui.cpp
@@ -27,20 +27,6 @@ namespace gui {
     bg_color.a = 140;
     $gui.set<Background>($gui.MAIN, {$gui.$parser, bg_color});
 
-    // fill in 4 slots for prototype
-    for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-      auto id = $gui.entity("item_", i);
-
-      $gui.set<guecs::Rectangle>(id, {THEME.PADDING,
-          THEME.TRANSPARENT, THEME.LIGHT_MID });
-
-      $gui.set<guecs::Effect>(id, {0.4f, "ui_shader"});
-      $gui.set<guecs::Clickable>(id, {
-          [=](auto, auto) { fmt::println("clicked button_{}", i); }
-      });
-      $gui.set<guecs::Sprite>(id, {"broken_yoyo"});
-    }
-
     auto close = $gui.entity("close");
     $gui.set<guecs::Rectangle>(close, {});
     $gui.set<guecs::Label>(close, {L"CLOSE"});
@@ -48,6 +34,34 @@ namespace gui {
         guecs::make_action(*$level.world, Events::GUI::LOOT_CLOSE));
 
     $gui.init();
+    update();
+  }
+
+  void LootUI::update() {
+    dbc::check(contents.size() < 16, "too many items in loot contents, must be < 16");
+    for(int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
+      auto id = $gui.entity("item_", i);
+      if($gui.has<guecs::Rectangle>(id)) {
+        $gui.remove<guecs::Rectangle>(id);
+        $gui.remove<guecs::Effect>(id);
+        $gui.remove<guecs::Clickable>(id);
+        $gui.remove<guecs::Sprite>(id);
+      }
+    }
+
+    for(size_t item_i = 0; item_i < contents.size(); item_i++) {
+      auto id = $gui.entity("item_", int(item_i));
+      $gui.set_init<guecs::Rectangle>(id, {THEME.PADDING,
+          THEME.TRANSPARENT, THEME.LIGHT_MID });
+      $gui.set_init<guecs::Effect>(id, {0.4f, "ui_shader"});
+      $gui.set<guecs::Clickable>(id, {
+          [=](auto, auto) { fmt::println("clicked button"); }
+      });
+
+      auto item = contents.at(item_i);
+      auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>(item);
+      $gui.set_init<guecs::Sprite>(id, {sprite.name});
+    }
   }
 
   void LootUI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
diff --git a/gui/loot_ui.hpp b/gui/loot_ui.hpp
index a770082..4046afb 100644
--- a/gui/loot_ui.hpp
+++ b/gui/loot_ui.hpp
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ namespace gui {
       bool active = false;
       guecs::UI $gui;
       GameLevel $level;
+      std::vector<DinkyECS::Entity> contents;
 
       LootUI(GameLevel level);
 
       void init();
+      void update();
       void render(sf::RenderWindow& window);
       void update_level(GameLevel &level);
       bool mouse(float x, float y, bool hover);
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 510528b..027fbb4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -138,8 +138,10 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/fsm.cpp',
   'tests/levelmanager.cpp',
   'tests/lighting.cpp',
+  'tests/loot.cpp',
   'tests/map.cpp',
   'tests/matrix.cpp',
+  'tests/mazes.cpp',
   'tests/pathing.cpp',
   'tests/rituals.cpp',
   'tests/shaders.cpp',
@@ -147,7 +149,6 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/spatialmap.cpp',
   'tests/stats.cpp',
   'tests/textures.cpp',
-  'tests/mazes.cpp',
   ],
   cpp_args: cpp_args,
   link_args: link_args,
diff --git a/tests/loot.cpp b/tests/loot.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7d52ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/loot.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
+#include <fmt/core.h>
+#include <string>
+#include "components.hpp"
+#include "dinkyecs.hpp"
+
+using namespace fmt;
+using namespace components;
+
+TEST_CASE("test the loot ui", "[loot]") {
+  Config items("assets/items.json");
+  DinkyECS::World world;
+  auto torch = world.entity();
+  auto& data = items["TORCH_BAD"];
+
+  components::init();
+  components::configure_entity(world, torch, data["components"]);
+
+  auto& torch_sprite = world.get<Sprite>(torch);
+  REQUIRE(torch_sprite.name == "torch_horizontal_floor");
+}