diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b98a90..3ee6ba0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ basic structure:
 
 todo before it's basically finished:
 * basic rate limiting
-* plugin manager & hook integration
+* ~~plugin manager & hook integration~~
 * make sure broken sockets are properly addressed with a resume or reconnect
 * default plugins so the bot does _something_ out of the box
-    * plugin reloading, user (command) authentication, etc. will also probably be written in plugin form
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+    * plugin reloading, user (command) authentication, etc. will also probably be written in plugin form
+* initial presence in config
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diff --git a/client.py b/client.py
index ede78e3..81f0ae9 100644
--- a/client.py
+++ b/client.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-import websockets, asyncio, json
+import websockets, asyncio, json, sys, requests
 from random import randint
 import disc_api
 from grim_logger import glog, glog_level
+from plugin_manager import plugin_manager
+
 class client():
     def __init__(self, config_path = "config.json"):
         self.logger = glog(level = glog_level.TRACE)
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ class client():
         self.user = None
         with open(config_path, "r") as conf_fd:
             self.config = json.loads(conf_fd.read())
+        self.plugman = plugin_manager(self.logger, plugin_path = self.config["plugin_path"])
     async def shit(self):
         # https://discord.com/developers/docs/topics/gateway#connecting-to-the-gateway
         # you're supposed to ask an HTTP endpoint what the ws gateway is but the docs didnt tell me the domain after 1sec so HAHA NOPE
@@ -45,5 +48,12 @@ class client():
         if res["t"] == "READY":
             self.session_id = res["d"]["session_id"]
             self.user = res["d"]["user"]
+        self.plugman.handle(res["t"], res["d"], self)
     def run(self):
-        asyncio.run(self.shit())
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+        asyncio.run(self.shit())
+    def send_msg(self, id, message):
+        endpoint = f"https://discordapp.com/api/channels/{id}/messages"
+        # fstring wasn't working for the auth
+        headers = {"Authorization": "Bot {0}".format(self.config["token"]), "User-Agent": "mbdf (cynic.moe, v1)", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
+        res = requests.post(endpoint, headers = headers, data = json.dumps({"content": message}))
+        self.logger.write(headers)
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diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index 97a8a12..07569d2 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "token": "YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
+    "token": "YOUR_TOKEN_HERE",
+    "plugin_path": "./plugins"
 }
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diff --git a/plugin_manager.py b/plugin_manager.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..710590a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin_manager.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
+class plugin_manager():
+    def __init__(self, logger, plugin_path = "./plugins"):
+        sys.path.append(plugin_path) # needed to __import__ scripts without a hassle, shouldn't cause an issue
+        plugins = [name.split(".py")[0] for name in os.listdir(plugin_path) if name.endswith(".py")]
+        self.plugins_loaded = []
+        for plugin in plugins:
+            module = __import__(plugin)
+            if not(hasattr(module, "run")) or not(hasattr(module, "hooks")):
+                self.logger.write("plugin {plugin} is invalid: crucial attribute missing!")
+            else:
+                self.plugins_loaded.append(module)
+    def handle(self, event, ctx, bot):
+        for plugin in self.plugins_loaded:
+            if event in plugin.hooks:
+                getattr(plugin, "run")(event, ctx, bot)
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diff --git a/plugins/dango.py b/plugins/dango.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c398761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/dango.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""
+the "hello world" (if you will) of the plugin system.
+there are only two required parts:
+* 'hooks': a list of dispatch events to run() on
+* run(event, ctx, bot): the function to run on-event, where event is the trigger,
+    ctx is the 'd'(data) key of the response, and 'bot' is the current bot
+    instance.
+the rest is up to you.
+this particular example listens for a message that contains the string 'dango' and 
+    returns a response, similar to the traditional 'hello' -> 'hello, world!'
+    test interaction
+"""
+
+hooks = ["MESSAGE_CREATE"] # run() will be called when client.dispatch() gets a MESSAGE_CREATE
+def run(event, ctx, bot):
+    if not(ctx["author"]["id"] == bot.user["id"]): # if the message author is not our bot...
+        if ctx["content"] == "dango": # and if the message body matches...
+            bot.logger.write("d/a/ngo")
+            bot.send_msg(ctx["channel_id"], "to all the motherfuckers that shed a tear")
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