diff --git a/inquisitor/configs.py b/inquisitor/configs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38fc850
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inquisitor/configs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import os
+import logging
+
+DUNGEON_PATH = os.path.abspath(os.environ.get("INQUISITOR_DUNGEON") or "./dungeon")
+SOURCES_PATH = os.path.abspath(os.environ.get("INQUISITOR_SOURCES") or "./sources")
+
+logger = logging.getLogger("inquisitor")
+logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+handler.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+formatter = logging.Formatter('[{levelname}] {message}', style="{")
+handler.setFormatter(formatter)
+logger.addHandler(handler)
diff --git a/inquisitor/error.py b/inquisitor/error.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8f661c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inquisitor/error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import os
+import logging
+import json
+import random
+
+from configs import DUNGEON_PATH, logger
+
+logger = logging.getLogger("inquisitor")
+
+def as_item(title, body=None):
+	iid = '{:x}'.format(random.getrandbits(16 * 4))
+	item = {
+		'id': iid,
+		'source': 'inquisitor',
+		'title': title,
+	}
+	if body is not None:
+		item['body'] = '<pre>{}</pre>'.format(body)
+	path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, 'inquisitor', iid + ".item")
+	logger.error(json.dumps(item))
+	with open(path, 'w') as f:
+		f.write(json.dumps(item, indent=2))
diff --git a/inquisitor/importer.py b/inquisitor/importer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62f025e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inquisitor/importer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+import os
+import traceback
+import importlib.util
+import json
+
+import error
+from configs import SOURCES_PATH, DUNGEON_PATH, logger
+import loader
+import timestamp
+
+def update_sources(*source_names):
+	for source_name in source_names:
+		try:
+			source_module = load_source(source_name)
+		except Exception as e:
+			error.as_item("Error importing source '{}'".format(source_name), traceback.format_exc())
+			continue
+
+		try:
+			logger.info("Updating source '{}'".format(source_name))
+			new_count, del_count = update_source(source_name, source_module.fetch_new)
+			logger.info("{} new item{}, {} deleted item{}".format(
+				new_count, "s" if new_count != 1 else "",
+				del_count, "s" if del_count != 1 else ""))
+		except Exception as e:
+			error.as_item("Error updating source '{}'".format(source_name), traceback.format_exc())
+
+def load_source(source_name):
+	"""
+	Attempts to load the source module with the given name. Raises an exception on failure.
+	"""
+	# Push the sources directory
+	cwd = os.getcwd()
+	os.chdir(SOURCES_PATH)
+	# Check if the named source is present.
+	source_file_name = source_name + ".py"
+	if not os.path.isfile(source_file_name):
+		os.chdir(cwd)
+		raise FileNotFoundError("Missing '{}' in '{}'".format(source_name, SOURCES_PATH))
+	# Try to import the source module.
+	logger.debug("Loading module {}".format(source_file_name))
+	spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("itemsource", source_file_name)
+	itemsource = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+	spec.loader.exec_module(itemsource)
+	if not hasattr(itemsource, 'fetch_new'):
+		raise ImportError("Missing fetch_new in '{}'".format(source_file_name))
+	# Since the source is valid, get or create the source cell.
+	os.chdir(cwd)
+	cell_path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, source_name)
+	return itemsource
+
+def update_source(source_name, fetch_new):
+	"""
+	Attempts to update the given source. Raises an exception if the source does.
+	"""
+	cell_path  = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, source_name)
+
+	# Get the existing items.
+	prior_items, errors = loader.load_items(source_name)
+	logger.debug("Found {} prior items".format(len(prior_items)))
+
+	# Get the new items.
+	state = loader.load_state(source_name)
+	new_items = fetch_new(state)
+	logger.debug("Fetched {} items".format(len(new_items)))
+	state.flush()
+
+	new_count = 0
+	del_count = 0
+	for item in new_items:
+		populate_new(item)
+
+		if item['id'] not in prior_items:
+			# If the item is new, write it.
+			new_count += 1
+			s = json.dumps(item)
+			path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, item['source'], item['id'])
+			with open(path, 'w', encoding="utf8") as f:
+				f.write(s)
+
+		else:
+			# If the item is extant and still active, overwrite its values.
+			prior_item = prior_items[item['id']]
+			if prior_item['active']:
+				populate_old(prior_item, item)
+				# Remove the id from the list to track its continued presence
+				# in the source's queue of new items.
+				del prior_items[item['id']]
+
+	# Any remaining extant items are considered old. Old items are removed
+	# when they are both inactive and past their ttl date.
+	now = timestamp.now()
+	for prior_id, prior_item in prior_items.items():
+		ttl_date = prior_item['created'] + prior_item['ttl']
+		if not prior_item['active'] and ttl_date < now:
+			del_count += 1
+			file_path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, prior_item['source'], prior_item['id'] + ".item")
+			os.remove(file_path)
+
+	# Return counts
+	return new_count, del_count
+
+def populate_new(item):
+	# id and source are required fields
+	item['active'] = True
+	if 'created' not in item: item['created'] = timestamp.now()
+	if 'title' not in item: item['title'] = item['id']
+	if 'link' not in item: item['link'] = None
+	if 'time' not in item: item['time'] = None
+	if 'author' not in item: item['author'] = None
+	if 'body' not in item: item['body'] = None
+	if 'tags' not in item: item['tags'] = [item['source']]
+	if 'ttl' not in item: item['ttl'] = 0
+
+def populate_old(prior, new):
+	prior.set({
+		'title': new['title'],
+		'link': new['link'],
+		'time': new['time'],
+		'author': new['author'],
+		'body': new['body'],
+		'tags': new['tags'],
+		'ttl': new['ttl'],
+	})
diff --git a/inquisitor/loader.py b/inquisitor/loader.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ca3e3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inquisitor/loader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import os
+import json
+
+from configs import DUNGEON_PATH
+import error
+
+class WritethroughDict():
+	"""A wrapper for a dictionary saved to the disk."""
+	def __init__(self, path):
+		if not os.path.isfile(path):
+			raise FileNotFoundError(path)
+		self.path = path
+		with open(path) as f:
+			self.item = json.loads(f.read())
+
+	def __getitem__(self, key):
+		return self.item[key]
+
+	def __setitem__(self, key, value):
+		self.item[key] = value
+		self.flush()
+
+	def set(self, dict):
+		for key, value in dict.items():
+			self.item[key] = value
+		self.flush()
+
+	def __contains__(self, key):
+		return key in self.item
+
+	def __repr__(self):
+		return repr(self.item)
+
+	def __str__(self):
+		return str(self.item)
+
+	def flush(self):
+		s = json.dumps(self.item, indent=2)
+		with open(self.path, 'w', encoding="utf8") as f:
+			f.write(s)
+
+def load_state(source_name):
+	"""Loads the state dictionary for a source."""
+	state_path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, source_name, "state")
+	return WritethroughDict(state_path)
+
+def load_items(source_name):
+	"""
+	Returns a map of ids to items and a list of unreadable files.
+	"""
+	cell_path = os.path.join(DUNGEON_PATH, source_name)
+	items = {}
+	errors = []
+	for filename in os.listdir(cell_path):
+		try:
+			path = os.path.join(cell_path, filename)
+			item = WritethroughDict(path)
+			items[item['id']] = item
+		except Exception as e:
+			errors.append(filename)
+	return items, errors
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/inquisitor/timestamp.py b/inquisitor/timestamp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73a633b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inquisitor/timestamp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import time
+import datetime
+
+def now():
+	return int(time.time())
+
+def stamp_to_readable(ts, formatstr="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"):
+	dt = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(ts)
+	return dt.strftime(formatstr)
\ No newline at end of file