diff --git a/models/event.ts b/models/event.ts
index 19880ae..3d82fbd 100644
--- a/models/event.ts
+++ b/models/event.ts
@@ -37,13 +37,34 @@ type TOPIC_EVENT_CACHE_ENTRY = {
 	eviction_timeout: number;
 };
 
+const TOPIC_EVENT_ID_MATCHER = /^(?<event_type>.*):(?<event_id>.*)$/;
+
 const TOPIC_EVENTS: Record<string, TOPIC_EVENT_CACHE_ENTRY> = {};
 export function get_events_collection_for_topic(topic_id: string): FSDB_COLLECTION<EVENT> {
 	TOPIC_EVENTS[topic_id] = TOPIC_EVENTS[topic_id] ?? {
 		collection: new FSDB_COLLECTION<EVENT>({
 			name: `topics/${topic_id.slice(0, 14)}/${topic_id.slice(0, 34)}/${topic_id}/events`,
 			id_field: 'id',
-			organize: by_lurid,
+			organize: (id) => {
+				TOPIC_EVENT_ID_MATCHER.lastIndex = 0;
+
+				const {
+					groups: {
+						event_type,
+						event_id
+					}
+				} = TOPIC_EVENT_ID_MATCHER.exec(id ?? '') ?? {
+					groups: {}
+				};
+
+				return [
+					event_type,
+					event_id.slice(0, 14),
+					event_id.slice(0, 34),
+					event_id,
+					`${event_id}.json`
+				];
+			},
 			indexers: {
 				creator_id: new FSDB_INDEXER_SYMLINKS<EVENT>({
 					name: 'creator_id',
diff --git a/public/api/topics/:topic_id/events/index.ts b/public/api/topics/:topic_id/events/index.ts
index 20e5dc8..e8fd120 100644
--- a/public/api/topics/:topic_id/events/index.ts
+++ b/public/api/topics/:topic_id/events/index.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,12 @@ export async function GET(request: Request, meta: Record<string, any>): Promise<
 		limit: Math.min(parseInt(meta.query?.limit ?? '10'), 1_000),
 		sort,
 		filter: (entry: WALK_ENTRY<EVENT>) => {
-			const [event_id, event_type] = path.basename(entry.path).replace(/\.json$/i, '').split(':');
+			const {
+				groups: {
+					event_type,
+					event_id
+				}
+			} = /^.*\/events\/(?<event_type>.*?)\/.*\/(?<event_id>[A-Za-z-]+)\.json$/.exec(entry.path) ?? { groups: {} };
 
 			if (meta.query.after_id && event_id <= meta.query.after_id) {
 				return false;
@@ -165,7 +170,7 @@ export async function POST(req: Request, meta: Record<string, any>): Promise<Res
 			}
 		};
 
-		event.id = `${lurid()}:${event.type}`;
+		event.id = `${event.type}:${lurid()}`;
 
 		await events.create(event);
 
diff --git a/public/api/users/index.ts b/public/api/users/index.ts
index bdf7b71..1036eba 100644
--- a/public/api/users/index.ts
+++ b/public/api/users/index.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ const DEFAULT_USER_PERMISSIONS: string[] = [
 	'self.read',
 	'self.write',
 	'topics.read',
+	'topics.chat.write',
+	'topics.chat.read',
+	'topics.threads.write',
+	'topics.threads.read',
 	'users.read'
 ];
 
diff --git a/public/base.css b/public/base.css
index b96af08..5f82e97 100644
--- a/public/base.css
+++ b/public/base.css
@@ -96,6 +96,18 @@ select {
 	font-size: inherit;
 }
 
+input,
+textarea {
+	width: 100%;
+	color: inherit;
+	border-radius: var(--border-radius);
+	border: 1px solid rgba(128, 128, 128, 0.2);
+	resize: none;
+	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.01);
+	padding: 0.5rem;
+	font-size: large;
+}
+
 /* Make sure textareas without a rows attribute are not tiny */
 textarea:not([rows]) {
 	min-height: 10em;
@@ -124,7 +136,6 @@ body {
 }
 
 input[type="text"]:focus,
-input[type="textarea"]:focus,
 textarea:focus {
 	border-color: rgb(from var(--border-highlight) r g b / 60%);
 	outline: 0;
@@ -166,6 +177,10 @@ textarea:focus {
 	);
 }
 
+.collapsed {
+	height: 0;
+}
+
 form div {
 	position: relative;
 	display: flex;
@@ -193,15 +208,6 @@ form input:valid ~ label {
 	font-size: 20px;
 }
 
-form input {
-	width: 100%;
-	padding: 20px;
-	border: 1px solid rgb(from var(--text) r g b / 60%);
-	font-size: 20px;
-	background-color: var(--bg);
-	color: var(--text);
-}
-
 form input:focus {
 	outline: none;
 }
@@ -239,8 +245,20 @@ button.primary {
 	height: 0;
 }
 
+body[data-perms*="self.read"] [data-requires-permission="self.read"],
+body[data-perms*="self.write"] [data-requires-permission="self.write"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.create"] [data-requires-permission="topics.create"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.read"] [data-requires-permission="topics.read"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.write"] [data-requires-permission="topics.write"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.chat.create"] [data-requires-permission="topics.chat.create"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.chat.read"] [data-requires-permission="topics.chat.read"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.chat.write"] [data-requires-permission="topics.chat.write"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.threads.create"] [data-requires-permission="topics.threads.create"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.threads.read"] [data-requires-permission="topics.threads.read"],
+body[data-perms*="topics.threads.write"] [data-requires-permission="topics.threads.write"],
+body[data-perms*="users.read"] [data-requires-permission="users.read"],
 body[data-perms*="users.write"] [data-requires-permission="users.write"],
-body[data-perms*="topics.create"] [data-requires-permission="topics.create"] {
+body[data-perms*="files.write.own"] [data-requires-permission="files.write.own"] {
 	visibility: visible;
 	opacity: 1;
 	height: unset;
diff --git a/public/js/external/fuzzysearch.js b/public/js/external/fuzzysearch.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24e7ba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/js/external/fuzzysearch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"use strict";
+
+function fuzzysearch(needle, haystack) {
+	var hlen = haystack.length;
+	var nlen = needle.length;
+	if (nlen > hlen) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (nlen === hlen) {
+		return needle === haystack;
+	}
+	outer: for (var i = 0, j = 0; i < nlen; i++) {
+		var nch = needle.charCodeAt(i);
+		while (j < hlen) {
+			if (haystack.charCodeAt(j++) === nch) {
+				continue outer;
+			}
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+module.exports = fuzzysearch;
diff --git a/public/js/notifications.js b/public/js/notifications.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55d39ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/js/notifications.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const NOTIFICATIONS = {
+	send: function (message, options = {}) {
+		if (!Notification || Notification.permission !== "granted") {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const notification = new Notification(message, options);
+		return notification;
+	},
+
+	request_permissions: function () {
+		if (Notification && Notification.permission === "granted") {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		Notification.requestPermission();
+	},
+};
diff --git a/public/tabs/chat/chat.css b/public/tabs/chat/chat.css
index 555c53e..e557302 100644
--- a/public/tabs/chat/chat.css
+++ b/public/tabs/chat/chat.css
@@ -60,15 +60,8 @@
 }
 
 #chat #topic-chat-entry-container form textarea {
-	width: 100%;
 	flex-grow: 1;
-	background: inherit;
-	color: inherit;
-	border-radius: var(--border-radius);
-	border: 1px solid rgba(128, 128, 128, 0.2);
 	resize: none;
-	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
-	padding: 0.4rem;
 }
 
 #chat .message-container {
@@ -84,8 +77,9 @@
 #chat .message-container.user-tick.time-tock + .message-container.user-tick.time-tock,
 #chat .message-container.user-tock.time-tick + .message-container.user-tock.time-tick,
 #chat .message-container.user-tock.time-tock + .message-container.user-tock.time-tock {
+	padding-top: 0;
+	padding-bottom: 0;
 	margin-top: 0;
-	padding: 0 2px;
 }
 
 #chat
diff --git a/public/tabs/essays/README.md b/public/tabs/essays/README.md
index d97ef9b..f3b0fe4 100644
--- a/public/tabs/essays/README.md
+++ b/public/tabs/essays/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 # Essays
 
-Essays are long-form, authored posts intended to be effectively, a broadcast.
+Essays are long-form, authored posts intended to be less a conversation
+and more a broadcast.
diff --git a/public/tabs/forum/forum.html b/public/tabs/forum/forum.html
index f3f4f70..27d3d72 100644
--- a/public/tabs/forum/forum.html
+++ b/public/tabs/forum/forum.html
@@ -16,8 +16,165 @@
 		<div class="label">Forum</div></label
 	>
 	<div class="tab-content forum-container">
-		<button>
-			<i class="icon plus" style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 1rem"></i>New Thread
-		</button>
+		<div id="forum-thread-list"></div>
+
+		<div id="thread-creation-container" data-requires-permission="topics.threads.write">
+			<button
+				onclick="(() => { document.querySelector( '#thread-creation' ).classList.toggle( 'collapsed' ); })()"
+				class="mockup"
+			>
+				<i class="icon plus" style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 1rem"></i>New
+				Thread
+			</button>
+			<form
+				id="thread-creation"
+				data-smart="true"
+				action="/api/topics"
+				method="POST"
+				class="collapsed mockup"
+				style="
+					margin-top: 1rem;
+					width: 100%;
+					overflow: hidden;
+					overflow: hidden;
+					transition: all 0.5s;
+				"
+			>
+				<input
+					id="new-thread-subject"
+					type="text"
+					name="data.subject"
+					value=""
+					placeholder="Thread subject..."
+					style="margin-bottom: 1rem"
+					class="mockup"
+				/>
+
+				<input
+					id="file-upload-and-share-input-for-thread"
+					aria-label="Upload and share file"
+					type="file"
+					multiple
+				/>
+				<label for="file-upload-and-share-input-for-thread" class="mockup">
+					<div class="icon attachment"></div>
+				</label>
+
+				<textarea
+					id="new-thread-content"
+					type="text"
+					name="data.content"
+					value=""
+					placeholder=" ... "
+					class="mockup"
+				></textarea>
+
+				<input type="submit" hidden />
+				<script>
+					{
+						const form = document.currentScript.closest("form");
+						const file_input = document.querySelector('input[type="file"]');
+						const subject_input = document.getElementById('input[name="subject"]');
+						const content_input = document.getElementById('input[name="content"]');
+
+						const parent_id_input = document.getElementById("parent-id");
+
+						const forum_thread_list = document.getElementById("forum-thread-list");
+
+						let threads_in_flight = {};
+
+						form.on_submit = async (event) => {
+							const user = JSON.parse(document.body.dataset.user);
+							const topic_id = document.body.dataset.topic;
+							if (!topic_id) {
+								alert("Failed to get topic_id!");
+								return false;
+							}
+
+							form.uploaded_urls = [];
+							form.errors = [];
+							for await (const file of file_input.files) {
+								const body = new FormData();
+								body.append("file", file, encodeURIComponent(file.name));
+
+								const file_path = `/files/users/${user.id}/${encodeURIComponent(file.name)}`;
+
+								const file_upload_response = await api.fetch(file_path, {
+									method: "PUT",
+									body,
+								});
+
+								if (!file_upload_response.ok) {
+									const error = await file_upload_response.json();
+									form.errors.push(error?.error?.message ?? "Unknown error.");
+									continue;
+								}
+
+								const file_url = `${window.location.protocol}//${window.location.host}${file_path}`;
+								form.uploaded_urls.push(file_url);
+							}
+
+							if (form.errors.length) {
+								const errors = form.errors.join("\n\n");
+								alert(errors);
+								return false;
+							}
+
+							const message = chat_input.value.trim();
+							if (form.uploaded_urls.length === 0 && message.length === 0) {
+								return false;
+							}
+
+							form.action = `/api/topics/${topic_id}/events`;
+						};
+
+						form.on_parsed = (json) => {
+							const now = new Date().toISOString();
+
+							const temp_id = `TEMP-${now}`;
+							json.id = temp_id;
+							json.type = "chat";
+							json.meta = {
+								temp_id,
+							};
+							json.timestamps = {
+								created: now,
+								updated: now,
+							};
+
+							if (form.uploaded_urls.length) {
+								json.data = json.data ?? {};
+								json.data.content =
+									(typeof json.data.content === "string" &&
+									json.data.content.trim().length
+										? json.data.content.trim() + "\n"
+										: "") + form.uploaded_urls.join("\n");
+							}
+
+							const user = JSON.parse(document.body.dataset.user);
+							render_text_event(topic_chat_content, json, user);
+							document.getElementById(`chat-${temp_id}`)?.classList.add("sending");
+						};
+
+						form.on_error = (error) => {
+							// TODO: mark the temporary message element with the failed class?
+							alert(error);
+							chat_input.focus();
+						};
+
+						form.on_reply = (sent_message) => {
+							document
+								.getElementById(`chat-${sent_message.meta?.temp_id ?? ""}`)
+								?.classList.remove("sending");
+
+							append_topic_events([sent_message]);
+							parent_id_input.value = "";
+							chat_input.value = "";
+							chat_input.focus();
+						};
+					}
+				</script>
+			</form>
+		</div>
 	</div>
 </div>
diff --git a/public/tabs/resources/README.md b/public/tabs/resources/README.md
index 2771877..dcd6aa4 100644
--- a/public/tabs/resources/README.md
+++ b/public/tabs/resources/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # Resources
 
-Resources should be a wiki for organizing community knowledge.
+Resources should be a wiki for organizing community knowledge on a topic.