diff --git a/components.cpp b/components.cpp
index d561214..d246ced 100644
--- a/components.cpp
+++ b/components.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ namespace components {
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(Combat, hp, max_hp, damage, dead);
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(LightSource, strength, radius);
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(Device, config, events);
-  ENROLL_COMPONENT(Sprite, name);
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(Animation, scale, simple, frames, speed);
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(Sound, attack, death);
 
diff --git a/components.hpp b/components.hpp
index cdbc2b9..9f364cf 100644
--- a/components.hpp
+++ b/components.hpp
@@ -108,4 +108,5 @@ namespace components {
 
   // these need to be here if you're using components::convert outside of components.cpp
   ENROLL_COMPONENT(Tile, display, foreground, background);
+  ENROLL_COMPONENT(Sprite, name);
 }
diff --git a/dinky_components.hpp b/dinky_components.hpp
index 0cca176..f894edb 100644
--- a/dinky_components.hpp
+++ b/dinky_components.hpp
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #include <nlohmann/json_fwd.hpp>
 #include "dinkyecs.hpp"
 
-
 #define ENROLL_COMPONENT(COMPONENT, ...)                                     \
     NLOHMANN_DEFINE_TYPE_NON_INTRUSIVE(COMPONENT, __VA_ARGS__);   \
     template <> struct NameOf<COMPONENT> {                                       \
@@ -25,6 +24,18 @@ namespace components {
     return result;
   }
 
+  template<typename COMPONENT> COMPONENT get(nlohmann::json &data) {
+    for (auto &i : data["components"]) {
+      if(i["_type"] == NameOf<COMPONENT>::name) {
+        COMPONENT result;
+        from_json(i, result);
+        return result;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return {};
+  }
+
   template <typename COMPONENT> void enroll(ComponentMap &m) {
     m[NameOf<COMPONENT>::name] = [](DinkyECS::World& world, DinkyECS::Entity ent, nlohmann::json &j) {
       COMPONENT c;
diff --git a/guecs.hpp b/guecs.hpp
index 9332527..d386323 100644
--- a/guecs.hpp
+++ b/guecs.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include "events.hpp"
 #include "constants.hpp"
+#include "components.hpp"
 
 namespace guecs {
   using std::shared_ptr, std::make_shared;
@@ -154,6 +155,13 @@ namespace guecs {
         $world.set<Comp>(ent, val);
       }
 
+      template <typename Comp>
+      void set_init(DinkyECS::Entity ent, Comp val) {
+        auto& cell = get<lel::Cell>(ent);
+        val.init(cell);
+        $world.set<Comp>(ent, val);
+      }
+
       lel::Cell& cell_for(DinkyECS::Entity entity) {
         return $world.get<lel::Cell>(entity);
       }
@@ -168,6 +176,11 @@ namespace guecs {
           return $world.get_if<Comp>(entity);
         }
 
+      template <typename Comp>
+        bool has(DinkyECS::Entity entity) {
+          return $world.has<Comp>(entity);
+        }
+
       template <typename Comp>
         void remove(DinkyECS::Entity ent) {
           $world.remove<Comp>(ent);
diff --git a/gui_fsm.cpp b/gui_fsm.cpp
index bfd6673..33f8940 100644
--- a/gui_fsm.cpp
+++ b/gui_fsm.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ namespace gui {
     $combat_ui.render();
     $status_ui.render();
     $status_ui.log("Welcome to the game!");
+    $status_ui.update();
 
     $renderer.init_terminal();
     $map_ui.create_render();
@@ -342,21 +343,25 @@ namespace gui {
             // $status_ui.log(fmt::format("You picked up a {}.",
             //      std::string(item.data["name"])));
             $status_ui.log("You picked up an item.");
+            $status_ui.update();
           }
           break;
         case eGUI::ATTACK:
           event(Event::ATTACK);
           break;
         case eGUI::DEATH: {
+            $status_ui.update();
             if(entity != player.entity) {
               $main_ui.dead_entity(entity);
             }
           } break;
         case eGUI::NOOP:
           $status_ui.log(fmt::format("NOOP EVENT! {},{}", evt, entity));
+          $status_ui.update();
           break;
         default:
           $status_ui.log(fmt::format("INVALID EVENT! {},{}", evt, entity));
+          $status_ui.update();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/levelmanager.cpp b/levelmanager.cpp
index e9cf237..76893fa 100644
--- a/levelmanager.cpp
+++ b/levelmanager.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ size_t LevelManager::create_level(shared_ptr<DinkyECS::World> prev_world) {
   // not sure if this is still needed
   System::init_positions(*world, *collider);
 
-  $levels.emplace_back(index, map, world,
+  auto player = world->get_the<Player>();
+
+  $levels.emplace_back(index, player.entity, map, world,
       make_shared<LightRender>(map->width(), map->height()),
       collider);
 
diff --git a/levelmanager.hpp b/levelmanager.hpp
index 630ea1b..29a58c1 100644
--- a/levelmanager.hpp
+++ b/levelmanager.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using std::shared_ptr;
 
 struct GameLevel {
   size_t index;
+  DinkyECS::Entity player;
   shared_ptr<Map> map;
   shared_ptr<DinkyECS::World> world;
   shared_ptr<lighting::LightRender> lights;
diff --git a/status_ui.cpp b/status_ui.cpp
index 4ba56b9..8535d88 100644
--- a/status_ui.cpp
+++ b/status_ui.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "status_ui.hpp"
 #include "components.hpp"
+#include "inventory.hpp"
 #include "color.hpp"
 #include "guecs.hpp"
 #include "rand.hpp"
@@ -12,35 +13,25 @@ namespace gui {
   {
     $gui.position(STATUS_UI_X, STATUS_UI_Y, STATUS_UI_WIDTH, STATUS_UI_HEIGHT);
     $gui.layout(
-        "[button1 | button2 | button3]"
-        "[button4 | button5 | button6]"
-        "[button7 | button8 | button9]"
+        "[slot1 | slot2 | slot3]"
+        "[slot4 | slot5 | slot6]"
+        "[slot7 | slot8 | slot9]"
         "[*%(100,300)log_view]"
         "[_]"
         "[_]");
   }
 
   void StatusUI::render() {
-    auto& world = $gui.world();
-
-    std::vector<std::string> fake_items{
-      "cinqueda", "healing_potion_small",
-      "torch_crappy", "barrel_small"};
-
     for(auto& [name, cell] : $gui.cells()) {
       if(name == "log_view") {
         $log_to = $gui.entity("log_view");
-        world.set<Rectangle>($log_to, {});
-        world.set<Textual>($log_to, {"Welcome to the Game!", 20});
+        $gui.set<Rectangle>($log_to, {});
+        $gui.set<Textual>($log_to, {"Welcome to the Game!", 20});
       } else {
-        size_t selected_item = Random::uniform<size_t>(0, fake_items.size() - 1);
-        fmt::println("fake items {} but size {}", selected_item, fake_items.size());
-        auto& fake_item = fake_items[selected_item];
-
         auto button = $gui.entity(name);
-        world.set<Rectangle>(button, {});
-        world.set<Sprite>(button, {fake_item});
-        world.set<Clickable>(button,
+        $gui.set<Rectangle>(button, {});
+        $gui.set<Textual>(button, {""});
+        $gui.set<Clickable>(button,
             guecs::make_action(*$level.world, Events::GUI::NOOP));
       }
     }
@@ -48,14 +39,40 @@ namespace gui {
     $gui.init();
   }
 
-  void StatusUI::draw(sf::RenderWindow &window) {
-    auto &world = $gui.world();
-    auto &text = world.get<Textual>($log_to);
-    std::string log;
-    for(auto msg : $messages) {
-      log += msg + "\n";
+  /* WARNING: This is really not the greatest way to do this. */
+  void StatusUI::update() {
+    if($gui.has<Textual>($log_to)) {
+      auto& text = $gui.get<Textual>($log_to);
+      std::string log;
+      for(auto msg : $messages) {
+        log += msg + "\n";
+      }
+      text.update(log);
     }
-    text.update(log);
+
+    auto world = $level.world;
+    if(world->has<components::Inventory>($level.player)) {
+      auto& inventory = world->get<components::Inventory>($level.player);
+
+      if(inventory.count() > 0) {
+        size_t limit = std::min(inventory.count(), $slots.size());
+
+        for(size_t i = 0; i < limit; i++) {
+          auto slot = $gui.entity($slots[i]);
+          auto& item = inventory.get(i);
+          auto comp_sprite = components::get<components::Sprite>(item.data);
+          $gui.set_init<guecs::Sprite>(slot, {comp_sprite.name});
+
+          std::string count_label = item.count > 1 ? fmt::format("{}", item.count): "";
+
+          auto& label = $gui.get<Textual>(slot);
+          label.text->setString(count_label);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  void StatusUI::draw(sf::RenderWindow &window) {
     $gui.render(window);
   }
 
diff --git a/status_ui.hpp b/status_ui.hpp
index f350e1d..d092103 100644
--- a/status_ui.hpp
+++ b/status_ui.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ namespace gui {
     public:
       guecs::UI $gui;
       DinkyECS::Entity $log_to;
+      std::array<std::string, 9> $slots = {
+        "slot1", "slot2", "slot3"
+        "slot4", "slot5", "slot6"
+        "slot7", "slot8", "slot9"
+      };
+
       std::deque<std::string> $messages;
       GameLevel $level;
       StatusUI(GameLevel level);
@@ -17,5 +23,6 @@ namespace gui {
       void log(std::string msg);
       void render();
       void draw(sf::RenderWindow &window);
+      void update();
   };
 }