diff --git a/doc/TODO b/doc/TODO
index 435cad6..95f3337 100644
--- a/doc/TODO
+++ b/doc/TODO
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ matrix:
 	sync:
 		3:filters
 	room:
-		10:query previous messages
 		3:message query filters
 		2:kick users
 		2:ban/unban users
diff --git a/include/matrix/iterable.hpp b/include/matrix/iterable.hpp
index dce05b7..f9bc76c 100644
--- a/include/matrix/iterable.hpp
+++ b/include/matrix/iterable.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ namespace matrix::sync{
 		protected:
 			raii::rjp_array_iterator m_event;
 		public:
+			constexpr event_iterator(void):
+				m_event(nullptr){}
 			constexpr event_iterator(RJP_value* v):
 				m_event(v){}
 			constexpr event_iterator(const event_iterator& i):
@@ -60,10 +62,12 @@ namespace matrix::sync{
 		template<class T>
 		class room_event_iterator
 		{
-		private:
+		protected:
 			raii::rjp_array_iterator m_event;
 			raii::static_string m_roomid;
 		public:
+			constexpr room_event_iterator(void):
+				m_event(nullptr), m_roomid(){}
 			constexpr room_event_iterator(RJP_value* v, const raii::string_base& roomid):
 				m_event(v), m_roomid(roomid){}
 			constexpr room_event_iterator(const room_event_iterator& i):
@@ -99,6 +103,7 @@ namespace matrix::sync{
 	protected:
 		iterator m_event;
 	public:
+		constexpr iterable_event_base(void) = default;
 		constexpr iterable_event_base(RJP_value* ev):
 			m_event(ev){}
 		constexpr iterable_event_base(const iterable_event_base& i):
@@ -122,6 +127,7 @@ namespace matrix::sync{
 	protected:
 		iterator m_event;
 	public:
+		constexpr iterable_room_event_base(void) = default;
 		constexpr iterable_room_event_base(RJP_value* ev, const raii::string_base& roomid):
 			m_event(ev, roomid){}
 		constexpr iterable_room_event_base(const iterable_room_event_base& i):
@@ -159,8 +165,25 @@ namespace matrix::sync{
 	public:
 		using iterable_room_event_base<detail::room_event_iterator<room_ephemeral_event>>::iterable_room_event_base;
 	};
-
-
+	template<class T>
+	class roomcxn_event_list_base : public iterable_room_event_base<detail::room_event_iterator<T>>
+	{
+	protected:
+		raii::rjp_ptr m_root;
+	public:
+		constexpr roomcxn_event_list_base(void) = default;
+		roomcxn_event_list_base(raii::rjp_ptr& root, RJP_value* event, const raii::string_base& roomid);
+		raii::static_string start_token(void)const&;
+		raii::rjp_string start_token(void)&&;
+		raii::static_string end_token(void)const&;
+		raii::rjp_string end_token(void)&&;
+	};
+	extern template class roomcxn_event_list_base<room_state_event>;
+	class roomcxn_message_event_list : public roomcxn_event_list_base<room_state_event>
+	{
+	public:
+		using roomcxn_event_list_base<room_state_event>::roomcxn_event_list_base;
+	};
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/matrix/roomcxn.hpp b/include/matrix/roomcxn.hpp
index 06f210c..7b1eab3 100644
--- a/include/matrix/roomcxn.hpp
+++ b/include/matrix/roomcxn.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "raii/string.hpp"
 #include "raii/rjp_string.hpp"
 #include "matrix/room_url_list.hpp"
+#include "matrix/iterable.hpp"
 
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -69,14 +70,17 @@ namespace matrix{
 		raii::rjp_string redact_event(const raii::string_base& eventid)const;
 
 		//recieve events
-		raii::string get_events_forward(int amount);
-		raii::string get_events_backward(int amount);
+		sync::roomcxn_message_event_list get_events_forward(int amount);
+		sync::roomcxn_message_event_list get_events_backward(int amount);
+		sync::roomcxn_message_event_list get_events_forward(int amount, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to);
+		sync::roomcxn_message_event_list get_events_backward(int amount, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to);
 
 		//meta stuff
 		void regenerate_urls(void);
 		raii::rjp_string upgrade(int version)const;
 
 	private:
+		sync::roomcxn_message_event_list _get_events(int amount, raii::static_string direction, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to);
 		raii::rjp_string _send_message(const raii::string_base& msg)const;
 	};
 
diff --git a/src/matrix/iterable.cpp b/src/matrix/iterable.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a62d642
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/matrix/iterable.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/**
+	This file is a part of r0nk, atlas_moon, and rexy's matrix client
+	Copyright (C) 2019 rexy712
+
+	This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+	it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+	the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+	(at your option) any later version.
+
+	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+	GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+	along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#include "matrix/iterable.hpp"
+
+namespace matrix::sync{
+	template<class T>
+	roomcxn_event_list_base<T>::roomcxn_event_list_base(raii::rjp_ptr& root, RJP_value* event, const raii::string_base& roomid):
+		iterable_room_event_base<detail::room_event_iterator<T>>(event, roomid),
+		m_root(root.release()){}
+	template<class T>
+	raii::static_string roomcxn_event_list_base<T>::start_token(void)const&{
+		RJP_value* st = rjp_search_member(m_root.get(), "start", 0).value;
+		return raii::static_string(rjp_value_string(st), rjp_value_string_length(st));
+	}
+	template<class T>
+	raii::rjp_string roomcxn_event_list_base<T>::start_token(void)&&{
+		return raii::rjp_string(rjp_search_member(m_root.get(), "start", 0).value);
+	}
+	template<class T>
+	raii::static_string roomcxn_event_list_base<T>::end_token(void)const&{
+		RJP_value* st = rjp_search_member(m_root.get(), "end", 0).value;
+		return raii::static_string(rjp_value_string(st), rjp_value_string_length(st));
+	}
+	template<class T>
+	raii::rjp_string roomcxn_event_list_base<T>::end_token(void)&&{
+		return raii::rjp_string(rjp_search_member(m_root.get(), "end", 0).value);
+	}
+
+	template class roomcxn_event_list_base<room_state_event>;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/matrix/roomcxn.cpp b/src/matrix/roomcxn.cpp
index b4d9a15..aa7dcfc 100644
--- a/src/matrix/roomcxn.cpp
+++ b/src/matrix/roomcxn.cpp
@@ -109,11 +109,26 @@ namespace matrix{
 	raii::rjp_string roomcxn::redact_event(const raii::string_base& eventid)const{
 		return redact_event(eventid, "No reason given"_ss);
 	}
-	raii::string roomcxn::get_events_forward(int amount){
-		return _get_curl(m_urls.messages(m_ses->homeserver, m_ses->access_token, m_curl.encode(m_roomid), ""_ss, raii::static_string(), "f"_ss, amount));
+	sync::roomcxn_message_event_list roomcxn::_get_events(int amount, raii::static_string direction, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to){
+		raii::string reply = _get_curl(m_urls.messages(m_ses->homeserver, m_ses->access_token, m_curl.encode(m_roomid), from, to, direction, amount));
+		if(!reply) return {};
+		raii::rjp_ptr root(rjp_parse(reply.get()));
+		if(!root.get()) return {};
+		RJP_value* chunk = rjp_search_member(root.get(), "chunk", 0).value;
+		if(!chunk) return {};
+		return sync::roomcxn_message_event_list(root, rjp_get_element(chunk), m_roomid);
 	}
-	raii::string roomcxn::get_events_backward(int amount){
-		return _get_curl(m_urls.messages(m_ses->homeserver, m_ses->access_token, m_curl.encode(m_roomid), ""_ss, raii::static_string(), "b"_ss, amount));
+	sync::roomcxn_message_event_list roomcxn::get_events_forward(int amount){
+		return _get_events(amount, "f"_ss, ""_ss, ""_ss);
+	}
+	sync::roomcxn_message_event_list roomcxn::get_events_backward(int amount){
+		return _get_events(amount, "b"_ss, ""_ss, ""_ss);
+	}
+	sync::roomcxn_message_event_list roomcxn::get_events_forward(int amount, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to){
+		return _get_events(amount, "f"_ss, from, to);
+	}
+	sync::roomcxn_message_event_list roomcxn::get_events_backward(int amount, const raii::string_base& from, const raii::string_base& to){
+		return _get_events(amount, "b"_ss, from, to);
 	}
 
 	void roomcxn::regenerate_urls(void){
diff --git a/src/test.cpp b/src/test.cpp
index 9f6b4a5..bc91720 100644
--- a/src/test.cpp
+++ b/src/test.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,15 @@ int main(){
 	std::atomic_bool should_quit = false;
 
 	auto syn = ses.spawn_syncer();
+	auto client = ses.spawn_client();
+	auto room = client.spawn_room("!roomid:matrix.org"_ss);
+	auto reply = room.get_events_backward(5);
+	printf("%s\n", reply.start_token().get());
+	printf("%s\n", reply.end_token().get());
+	for(auto event : reply){
+		printf("%s\n", event.eventid().get());
+	}
+
 	syn.sync(0);
 
 	//auto room = ses.spawn_client().spawn_room("!OwuhlJnHlsmyPwiLIH:rexy712.chickenkiller.com"_ss);