diff --git a/libdc/include/dc/account.h b/libdc/include/dc/account.h
index d48b56a..1428a9e 100644
--- a/libdc/include/dc/account.h
+++ b/libdc/include/dc/account.h
@@ -69,11 +69,16 @@ void dc_account_set_token(dc_account_t a, char const *token);
 char const *dc_account_token(dc_account_t a);
 bool dc_account_has_token(dc_account_t a);
 
+/* compare
+ */
+bool dc_account_equal(dc_account_t a, dc_account_t b);
+
 /* relationships
  */
 void dc_account_set_friends(dc_account_t a, dc_account_t *ptr, size_t len);
 dc_account_t dc_account_nthfriend(dc_account_t a, size_t i);
 size_t dc_account_friends_size(dc_account_t a);
+dc_account_t dc_account_findfriend(dc_account_t a, char const *fullname);
 
 int dc_account_friend_state(dc_account_t a);
 void dc_account_set_friend_state(dc_account_t a, int state);
diff --git a/libdc/include/dc/channel.h b/libdc/include/dc/channel.h
index 3dbd890..d89495a 100644
--- a/libdc/include/dc/channel.h
+++ b/libdc/include/dc/channel.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <jansson.h>
 
+#include <dc/account.h>
+
 /**
  * A discord channel. Exactly what it says on the tin. A place where one
  * or more guardsmen can exchange Slaaneshi heresy without their commissars
@@ -50,4 +52,7 @@ dc_channel_t dc_channel_from_json(json_t *j);
 dc_channel_type_t dc_channel_type(dc_channel_t c);
 void dc_channel_set_type(dc_channel_t c, dc_channel_type_t t);
 
+size_t dc_channel_recipients(dc_channel_t c);
+dc_account_t dc_channel_nthrecipient(dc_channel_t c, size_t i);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/libdc/src/account.c b/libdc/src/account.c
index 3293c36..4fac0aa 100644
--- a/libdc/src/account.c
+++ b/libdc/src/account.c
@@ -282,6 +282,13 @@ char const *dc_account_fullname(dc_account_t a)
     return a->full;
 }
 
+bool dc_account_equal(dc_account_t a, dc_account_t b)
+{
+    return_if_true(a == NULL && b == NULL, true);
+    return_if_true(a == NULL || b == NULL, false);
+    return (strcmp(a->full, b->full) == 0);
+}
+
 void dc_account_set_friends(dc_account_t a, dc_account_t *friends, size_t len)
 {
     size_t i = 0;
@@ -293,6 +300,21 @@ void dc_account_set_friends(dc_account_t a, dc_account_t *friends, size_t len)
     }
 }
 
+dc_account_t dc_account_findfriend(dc_account_t a, char const *fullname)
+{
+    size_t i = 0;
+    return_if_true(a == NULL || fullname == NULL, NULL);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < a->friends->len; i++) {
+        dc_account_t f = g_ptr_array_index(a->friends, i);
+        if (strcmp(f->full, fullname) == 0) {
+            return f;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 dc_account_t dc_account_nthfriend(dc_account_t a, size_t i)
 {
     return_if_true(a == NULL || a->friends == NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/libdc/src/api-channel.c b/libdc/src/api-channel.c
index 103cd3e..d0d46ab 100644
--- a/libdc/src/api-channel.c
+++ b/libdc/src/api-channel.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ bool dc_api_create_channel(dc_api_t api, dc_account_t login,
     goto_if_true(url == NULL, cleanup);
 
     /* build a JSON object that contains one array called "recipients":
-     * {"recipients": ["snowflake#1", "snowflake#N"]}
+     * {"recipients": ["snowflake#1", ..., "snowflake#N"]}
      */
     data = json_object();
     array = json_array();
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ bool dc_api_create_channel(dc_api_t api, dc_account_t login,
     goto_if_true(c == NULL, cleanup);
 
     *channel = c;
+    ret = true;
 
 cleanup:
 
diff --git a/libdc/src/channel.c b/libdc/src/channel.c
index 946dbf1..060396b 100644
--- a/libdc/src/channel.c
+++ b/libdc/src/channel.c
@@ -225,3 +225,16 @@ void dc_channel_set_type(dc_channel_t c, dc_channel_type_t t)
     return_if_true(c == NULL,);
     c->type = t;
 }
+
+size_t dc_channel_recipients(dc_channel_t c)
+{
+    return_if_true(c == NULL || c->recipients == NULL, 0);
+    return c->recipients->len;
+}
+
+dc_account_t dc_channel_nthrecipient(dc_channel_t c, size_t i)
+{
+    return_if_true(c == NULL || c->recipients == NULL, NULL);
+    return_if_true(i >= c->recipients->len, NULL);
+    return g_ptr_array_index(c->recipients, i);
+}
diff --git a/ncdc/CMakeLists.txt b/ncdc/CMakeLists.txt
index 83ee8df..de4393e 100644
--- a/ncdc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ncdc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ SET(SOURCES
   "src/input.c"
   "src/login.c"
   "src/mainwindow.c"
+  "src/msg.c"
   "src/ncdc.c"
   "src/textview.c"
   "src/util.c"
diff --git a/ncdc/include/ncdc/cmds.h b/ncdc/include/ncdc/cmds.h
index d1a5ef1..1b9967c 100644
--- a/ncdc/include/ncdc/cmds.h
+++ b/ncdc/include/ncdc/cmds.h
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@ ncdc_commands_t *ncdc_find_cmd(ncdc_commands_t *cmds, wchar_t const *name);
 bool ncdc_cmd_friends(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av);
 bool ncdc_cmd_login(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av);
 bool ncdc_cmd_quit(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av);
+bool ncdc_cmd_msg(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/ncdc/include/ncdc/mainwindow.h b/ncdc/include/ncdc/mainwindow.h
index e165394..48689d9 100644
--- a/ncdc/include/ncdc/mainwindow.h
+++ b/ncdc/include/ncdc/mainwindow.h
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ ncdc_mainwindow_t ncdc_mainwindow_new(void);
 #define LOG(n, ...) ncdc_mainwindow_log(n, __VA_ARGS__)
 void ncdc_mainwindow_log(ncdc_mainwindow_t w, wchar_t const *fmt, ...);
 
+GPtrArray *ncdc_mainwindow_views(ncdc_mainwindow_t n);
+void ncdc_mainwindow_switchview(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, int idx);
+
 void ncdc_mainwindow_refresh(ncdc_mainwindow_t n);
 void ncdc_mainwindow_input_ready(ncdc_mainwindow_t n);
 
diff --git a/ncdc/include/ncdc/ncdc.h b/ncdc/include/ncdc/ncdc.h
index a51d0ac..4921563 100644
--- a/ncdc/include/ncdc/ncdc.h
+++ b/ncdc/include/ncdc/ncdc.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ char *w_convert(wchar_t const *w);
 wchar_t* wcsndup(const wchar_t* string, size_t maxlen);
 size_t w_strlenv(wchar_t **s);
 void w_strfreev(wchar_t **s);
+wchar_t *w_joinv(wchar_t const **v, size_t len);
 wchar_t **w_tokenise(wchar_t const *w);
 wchar_t *w_next_tok(wchar_t const *w);
 wchar_t const *w_next_word(wchar_t const *w, ssize_t len);
diff --git a/ncdc/include/ncdc/textview.h b/ncdc/include/ncdc/textview.h
index 30376d0..933cfb4 100644
--- a/ncdc/include/ncdc/textview.h
+++ b/ncdc/include/ncdc/textview.h
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ typedef struct ncdc_textview_ *ncdc_textview_t;
 
 ncdc_textview_t ncdc_textview_new(void);
 
+dc_account_t ncdc_textview_account(ncdc_textview_t v);
+void ncdc_textview_set_account(ncdc_textview_t v, dc_account_t a);
+
+dc_channel_t ncdc_textview_channel(ncdc_textview_t v);
+void ncdc_textview_set_channel(ncdc_textview_t v, dc_channel_t a);
+
 void ncdc_textview_append(ncdc_textview_t v, wchar_t const *w);
 wchar_t const *ncdc_textview_nthline(ncdc_textview_t v, size_t i);
 void ncdc_textview_render(ncdc_textview_t v, WINDOW *win, int lines, int cols);
diff --git a/ncdc/src/cmds.c b/ncdc/src/cmds.c
index 2396db3..0ab83d3 100644
--- a/ncdc/src/cmds.c
+++ b/ncdc/src/cmds.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ ncdc_commands_t cmds[] = {
     { L"/friend",  ncdc_cmd_friends },
     { L"/friends", ncdc_cmd_friends },
     { L"/login",   ncdc_cmd_login },
+    { L"/msg",     ncdc_cmd_msg },
     { L"/quit",    ncdc_cmd_quit },
     { NULL, NULL }
 };
diff --git a/ncdc/src/login.c b/ncdc/src/login.c
index e84dee8..debcdc4 100644
--- a/ncdc/src/login.c
+++ b/ncdc/src/login.c
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ bool ncdc_cmd_login(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (!dc_api_get_userinfo(api, acc, acc)) {
+        LOG(n, L"login: %ls: failed to get basic user information", av[1]);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     current_account = acc;
     LOG(n, L"login: %ls: authentication successful", av[1]);
     ret = true;
diff --git a/ncdc/src/mainwindow.c b/ncdc/src/mainwindow.c
index 4f01f42..f44ff24 100644
--- a/ncdc/src/mainwindow.c
+++ b/ncdc/src/mainwindow.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ struct ncdc_mainwindow_
     WINDOW *sep2;
 
     ncdc_input_t in;
+
+    GPtrArray *views;
+    int curview;
     ncdc_textview_t log;
 
     int focus;
@@ -59,7 +62,11 @@ static void ncdc_mainwindow_free(ncdc_mainwindow_t n)
     delwin(n->sep2);
 
     dc_unref(n->in);
-    dc_unref(n->log);
+
+    if (n->views != NULL) {
+        g_ptr_array_unref(n->views);
+        n->views = NULL;
+    }
 
     free(n);
 }
@@ -74,7 +81,11 @@ ncdc_mainwindow_t ncdc_mainwindow_new(void)
     ptr->in = ncdc_input_new();
     ncdc_input_set_callback(ptr->in, ncdc_mainwindow_callback, ptr);
 
+    ptr->views = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func(
+        (GDestroyNotify)dc_unref
+        );
     ptr->log = ncdc_textview_new();
+    g_ptr_array_add(ptr->views, ptr->log);
 
     ptr->guilds = newwin(5, 5, 1, 1);
     ptr->chat = newwin(5, 5, 4, 4);
@@ -192,11 +203,28 @@ void ncdc_mainwindow_input_ready(ncdc_mainwindow_t n)
     }
 }
 
+GPtrArray *ncdc_mainwindow_views(ncdc_mainwindow_t n)
+{
+    return n->views;
+}
+
+void ncdc_mainwindow_switchview(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, int idx)
+{
+    return_if_true(n == NULL || n->views == NULL,);
+    return_if_true(idx >= n->views->len,);
+    n->curview = idx;
+}
+
 void ncdc_mainwindow_refresh(ncdc_mainwindow_t n)
 {
+    ncdc_textview_t v = 0;
+
     wnoutrefresh(n->guilds);
 
-    ncdc_textview_render(n->log, n->chat, n->chat_h, n->chat_w);
+    /* render active text view
+     */
+    v = g_ptr_array_index(n->views, n->curview);
+    ncdc_textview_render(v, n->chat, n->chat_h, n->chat_w);
     wnoutrefresh(n->chat);
 
     ncdc_input_draw(n->in, n->input);
diff --git a/ncdc/src/msg.c b/ncdc/src/msg.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1e0b90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ncdc/src/msg.c
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#include <ncdc/cmds.h>
+#include <ncdc/ncdc.h>
+#include <ncdc/textview.h>
+
+bool ncdc_cmd_msg(ncdc_mainwindow_t n, size_t ac, wchar_t **av)
+{
+    return_if_true(ac <= 1, false);
+
+    char * target = NULL;
+    wchar_t *full_message = NULL;
+    char * message = NULL;
+    bool ret = false;
+    dc_channel_t c = NULL;
+    ncdc_textview_t v = NULL;
+    size_t i = 0;
+
+    if (current_account == NULL || !dc_account_has_token(current_account)) {
+        LOG(n, L"msg: not logged in");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    target = w_convert(av[1]);
+    goto_if_true(target == NULL, cleanup);
+
+    /* find out if the target is a friend we can contact
+     */
+    dc_account_t f = dc_account_findfriend(current_account, target);
+    if (f == NULL) {
+        LOG(n, L"msg: no such friend found: \"%s\"", target);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    /* see if we have a channel already, that services that user
+     */
+    for (i = 0; i < ncdc_mainwindow_views(n)->len; i++) {
+        v = g_ptr_array_index(ncdc_mainwindow_views(n), i);
+        dc_channel_t chan = ncdc_textview_channel(v);
+
+        if (chan != NULL &&
+            dc_channel_type(chan) == CHANNEL_TYPE_DM_TEXT &&
+            dc_account_equal(dc_channel_nthrecipient(chan, 1), f)) {
+            c = dc_ref(chan);
+            ncdc_mainwindow_switchview(n, i);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (c == NULL) {
+        /* no? create a new window and switch to it
+         */
+
+        if (!dc_api_create_channel(api, current_account, &f, 1, &c)) {
+            LOG(n, L"msg: failed to create channel");
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+
+        v = ncdc_textview_new();
+        goto_if_true(v == NULL, cleanup);
+
+        ncdc_textview_set_account(v, dc_ref(current_account));
+        ncdc_textview_set_channel(v, dc_ref(c));
+
+        g_ptr_array_add(ncdc_mainwindow_views(n), dc_ref(v));
+        ncdc_mainwindow_switchview(n, ncdc_mainwindow_views(n)->len-1);
+    }
+
+    ret = true;
+
+cleanup:
+
+    dc_unref(c);
+    dc_unref(v);
+
+    free(target);
+    free(full_message);
+    free(message);
+
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/ncdc/src/textview.c b/ncdc/src/textview.c
index 9a7163e..4b5202b 100644
--- a/ncdc/src/textview.c
+++ b/ncdc/src/textview.c
@@ -4,14 +4,24 @@
 struct ncdc_textview_
 {
     dc_refable_t ref;
+
     GPtrArray *par;
+
+    dc_account_t account;
+    dc_channel_t channel;
 };
 
 static void ncdc_textview_free(ncdc_textview_t v)
 {
     return_if_true(v == NULL,);
 
-    g_ptr_array_unref(v->par);
+    dc_unref(v->account);
+    dc_unref(v->channel);
+
+    if (v->par != NULL) {
+        g_ptr_array_unref(v->par);
+    }
+
     free(v);
 }
 
@@ -31,6 +41,32 @@ ncdc_textview_t ncdc_textview_new(void)
     return p;
 }
 
+dc_account_t ncdc_textview_account(ncdc_textview_t v)
+{
+    return_if_true(v == NULL, NULL);
+    return v->account;
+}
+
+void ncdc_textview_set_account(ncdc_textview_t v, dc_account_t a)
+{
+    return_if_true(v == NULL || a == NULL,);
+    dc_unref(v->account);
+    v->account = dc_ref(a);
+}
+
+dc_channel_t ncdc_textview_channel(ncdc_textview_t v)
+{
+    return_if_true(v == NULL, NULL);
+    return v->channel;
+}
+
+void ncdc_textview_set_channel(ncdc_textview_t v, dc_channel_t a)
+{
+    return_if_true(v == NULL || a == NULL,);
+    dc_unref(v->channel);
+    v->channel = dc_ref(a);
+}
+
 void ncdc_textview_append(ncdc_textview_t v, wchar_t const *w)
 {
     return_if_true(v == NULL || w == NULL,);
diff --git a/ncdc/src/util.c b/ncdc/src/util.c
index 773de63..d1d6ef6 100644
--- a/ncdc/src/util.c
+++ b/ncdc/src/util.c
@@ -118,6 +118,26 @@ wchar_t **w_tokenise(wchar_t const *str)
     return (wchar_t**)g_ptr_array_free(array, FALSE);
 }
 
+wchar_t *w_joinv(wchar_t const **v, size_t len)
+{
+    wchar_t *buf = NULL;
+    size_t buflen = 0;
+    FILE *f = open_wmemstream(&buf, &buflen);
+    size_t i = 0;
+
+    return_if_true(f == NULL, NULL);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+        fwprintf(f, L"%ls", v[i]);
+        if (i < (len-1)) {
+            fputwc(' ', f);
+        }
+    }
+
+    fclose(f);
+    return buf;
+}
+
 char *w_convert(wchar_t const *w)
 {
     size_t sz = 0;