diff --git a/_reve.sh b/_reve.sh
index d7df8e2..06afd8d 100644
--- a/_reve.sh
+++ b/_reve.sh
@@ -7,16 +7,13 @@
 reve_installation="$HOME/.local/bin/reve"
 reve_config="$HOME/.config/reve"
 
-util_readf() {
-  local filename=$1
-
-  if [[ -f "$filename" ]]; then
-    cat "$filename"
-  else
-    error E "util_readf" "File not found: $filename"
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
+_current_dir=$(realpath "$(dirname "$0")")
+# shellcheck source=_reve_states.sh
+source "$_current_dir/_reve_states" >&/dev/null
+(($? == 1)) && source "$_current_dir/_reve_states.sh"
+# shellcheck source=_reve_utils.sh
+source "$_current_dir/_reve_utils" >&/dev/null
+(($? == 1)) && source "$_current_dir/_reve_utils.sh"
 
 util_where_config() {
   local config_key=$1
@@ -83,11 +80,3 @@ util_toggle_dm() {
     util_write_config base.desktop_mode dark
   fi
 }
-
-error() {
-  local level=$1 location=$2 cause=$3
-  message="[reve] [$level] [$location] $cause"
-  echo "$message"
-  now=$(date -Iminutes)
-  echo "${now::-6} $message" >>"$reve_installation/reve.log"
-}
diff --git a/_reve_states.sh b/_reve_states.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..309825a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_reve_states.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# reve                              desktop environment framework
+# Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
+
+# reve internal: _reve_states
+# defines state management API
+
+_current_dir=$(realpath "$(dirname "$0")")
+# shellcheck source=_reve_utils.sh
+source "$_current_dir/_reve_utils" >&/dev/null
+(($? == 1)) && source "$_current_dir/_reve_utils.sh"
+
+REVE_STATE_REPO="$HOME/.local/bin/reve/states"
+
+__util_pathto_state() {
+  # args: $1 -- state key
+  # args: $2 -- state type
+  local key=$1 type=$2
+
+  pre_removed_key=${key/#base./}
+  state_path="$(echo "$pre_removed_key" | sed 's/\./\//g')$type"
+  echo "$state_path"
+}
+
+__util_find_state() {
+  # args: $1 -- state key
+  # returns: 1 if state key not in map
+  #          2 if map is corrupted
+  local key=$1
+
+  type=$(awk -F'=' -v key="$key" '$1 == key {print $2}' "$REVE_STATE_REPO/map")
+  case "$type" in
+  prs | persistent) type="" ;;
+  tmp | temporary) type=".tmp" ;;
+  "")
+    error E states "state referenced by key '$key' doesn't exist"
+    return 1
+    ;;
+  *)
+    error E states "state map '$REVE_STATE_REPO/map' is corrupted"
+    return 2
+    ;;
+  esac
+
+  __util_pathto_state "$1" "$type"
+}
+
+util_create_state() {
+  local type=$1 key=$2 value=$3
+
+  if [ "$type" != "tmp" ] && [ "$type" != "prs" ]; then
+    error E util_create_state "can't create state with type '$type'"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  if ! __util_find_state "$key"; then
+    echo "$value" >"$(__util_pathto_state "$key" "$type")"
+    echo "$key=$value" >"$REVE_STATE_REPO/map"
+  fi
+}
+
+util_write_state() {
+  local key=$1 value=$2
+
+  _path=$(__util_find_state "$key")
+  if $? -eq 0; then
+    echo "$value" >"$_path"
+  fi
+}
+
+util_read_state() {
+  local key=$1
+
+  _path=$(__util_find_state "$key")
+  if $? -eq 0; then
+    cat "$_path"
+  fi
+}
+
+util_delete_state() {
+  local key=$1
+
+  _path=$(__util_find_state "$key")
+  if $? -eq 0; then
+    rm "$_path"
+    awk -F '=' -v key="$key" '$1 != key' "$REVE_STATE_REPO/map" >"$REVE_STATE_REPO/map.tmp"
+    mv "$REVE_STATE_REPO/map.tmp" "$REVE_STATE_REPO/map"
+
+    _dir=$(dirname "$_path")
+    [ -z "$(ls -A "$_dir")" ] && rm -r "$_dir"
+  fi
+}
+
+util_deleteall_temp() {
+  awk -F'=' '$2 == "tmp" { print $1 }' data.txt | while read -r key; do
+    util_delete_state "$key"
+  done
+}
diff --git a/_reve_utils.sh b/_reve_utils.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d02af1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_reve_utils.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# reve                              desktop environment framework
+# Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
+
+# reve internal: _reve_utils
+# defines utility functions
+
+# VERY CRITICAL: change this if install.sh is updated
+reve_installation="$HOME/.local/bin/reve"
+
+util_readf() {
+  local filename=$1
+
+  if [[ -f "$filename" ]]; then
+    cat "$filename"
+  else
+    error E "util_readf" "File not found: $filename"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+error() {
+  local level=$1 location=$2 cause=$3
+  message="[reve] [$level] [$location] $cause"
+  echo "$message"
+  now=$(date -Iminutes)
+  echo "${now::-6} $message" >>"$reve_installation/reve.log"
+}
diff --git a/chores/misc/asus_kbd_light.sh b/chores/misc/asus_kbd_light.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..70e9cc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chores/misc/asus_kbd_light.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# reve                              desktop environment framework
+# Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
+
+# chore script
+# type      misc
+# name      asus_kbd_light.sh
+# desc      ...
+# vars      ...
+# reload    ...
+
+reve_folder="$HOME/.config/reve"
+reve_desktop_mode="$reve_folder/desktop_mode"
+
+source "$( reve -w )/_reve"
+
+current_mode=$( util_readf "$reve_desktop_mode" )
+
+if [ "$current_mode" == "light" ]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+hex_dominant_color=$( magick "$reve_folder/chore/bg_dark" -resize 1x1\! -format "%[hex:p{0,0}]" info: )
+
+asusctl led-mode static -c "$hex_dominant_color"
+asusctl --kbd-bright med
diff --git a/chores/mode/display_brightness.sh b/chores/mode/display_brightness.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..12e5f01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chores/mode/display_brightness.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# reve                              desktop environment framework
+# Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
+
+# chore script
+# type      mode
+# name      display_brightness.sh
+# desc      sets display brightness depending on the desktop_mode
+# vars      day_level, night_level
+# reload    none
+
+# shellcheck source=../../_reve.sh
+source "$(reve where)/_reve"
+
+if [ "$RV_CURRENT_MODE" == "dark" ]; then
+  brightnessctl set "$(util_read_config display.night_level)"
+else
+  brightnessctl set "$(util_read_config display.day_level)"
+fi
diff --git a/chores/mode/swww_slideshow.sh b/chores/mode/swww_slideshow.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..04ea6cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chores/mode/swww_slideshow.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# reve                              desktop environment framework
+# Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
+
+# chore script
+# type      mode
+# name      swww-based wallpaper slideshow
+# desc      reruns utility/swww_slideshow when mode changes
+# vars      swwwss.dark, swwwss.light, swwwss.folder
+# reload    no
+
+# shellcheck source=../../_reve.sh
+source "$(reve where)/_reve"
+
+desktop_mode=$(util_read_config base.desktop_mode)
+
+if [ "$desktop_mode" == "dark" ]; then
+  util_write_config swwwss.folder "$(util_read_config swwwss.dark)"
+else
+  util_write_config swwwss.folder "$(util_read_config swwwss.light)"
+fi
diff --git a/chores/power/laptop_disp_rr.sh b/chores/power/laptop_disp_rr.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/docs/about_states.md b/docs/about_states.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d438fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/about_states.md
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# reve docs
+
+"about states", revision 1
+yigid balaban \<fyb@fybx.dev\>
+
+## about states
+
+different from configuration files, some information is temporary, and "local" to current runtime. some utilities, for example, may need a way to store and access variables. for that reason reve exposes 4 functions to work with states that can be temporary or permanent.
+
+for this reason, states can be created/updated, deleted or read using reve.
+
+### reve's API for states
+
+Functions for working with states are defined in `_reve.sh`:
+
+1. `util_create_state {type} {key} [value]`: Creates the state file. `{type}` can be `tmp` for temporary or `prs` for persistent.
+1. `util_read_state {key}`: Returns the value read from file addressed by key. Will return `1` if an error occurs.
+2. `util_write_state {key} {value}`: Writes the value to file addressed by key. Will **overwrite** without warning.
+3. `util_delete_state {key}`: Deletes the file addressed by key. Will delete the containing folder, if the folder is empty.
+
+### underlying implementation
+
+- the `key`s are dot-delimited folders, subfolders and files. The last element of the key is assumed to be the file name.
+- trying to read, write or delete a file that is not created will return an error.
+- as a result of the rule above, writing a new state is not possible, you have to create it with an explicit type first.
+- temporary states will be cleaned when the appropriate call is made (`reve state clean`)
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 2ad076b..5547b08 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -4,48 +4,52 @@
 # Yigid BALABAN <fyb@fybx.dev>                               2024
 
 rt_script_dir=$(realpath "$(dirname "$0")")
-cd "$rt_script_dir" || exit 
+cd "$rt_script_dir" || exit
 
 reve_installation_target="$HOME/.local/bin/reve"
 
 echo "[1/5] Creating reve installation folder"
 mkdir -p "$reve_installation_target"
 
-echo "[2/5] Copying: reve.sh and _reve.sh"
+echo "[2/5] Copying: reve.sh and other internal tools"
 cp reve.sh "$reve_installation_target/reve"
 cp _reve.sh "$reve_installation_target/_reve"
+cp _reve_utils.sh "$reve_installation_target/_reve_utils"
+cp _reve_states.sh "$reve_installation_target/_reve_states"
 chmod +x "$reve_installation_target/reve"
 chmod -x "$reve_installation_target/_reve"
+chmod -x "$reve_installation_target/_reve_utils"
+chmod -x "$reve_installation_target/_reve_states"
 
 echo "[3/5] Adding reve to path"
 if grep -q "/bin/bash" /etc/shells; then
-    echo "==> bash detected."
-    if ! grep -q "$reve_installation_target" ~/.bashrc; then
-        echo "export PATH=\"\$PATH:$reve_installation_target\"" >> ~/.bashrc
-        echo "Added $reve_installation_target to bash PATH."
-    else
-        echo "$reve_installation_target is already in bash PATH."
-    fi
+  echo "==> bash detected."
+  if ! grep -q "$reve_installation_target" ~/.bashrc; then
+    echo "export PATH=\"\$PATH:$reve_installation_target\"" >>~/.bashrc
+    echo "Added $reve_installation_target to bash PATH."
+  else
+    echo "$reve_installation_target is already in bash PATH."
+  fi
 fi
 
 if grep -q "/bin/zsh" /etc/shells; then
-    echo "==> zsh detected."
-    if ! grep -q "$reve_installation_target" ~/.zshrc; then
-        echo "export PATH=\"\$PATH:$reve_installation_target\"" >> ~/.zshrc
-        echo "Added $reve_installation_target to zsh PATH."
-    else
-        echo "$reve_installation_target is already in zsh PATH."
-    fi
+  echo "==> zsh detected."
+  if ! grep -q "$reve_installation_target" ~/.zshrc; then
+    echo "export PATH=\"\$PATH:$reve_installation_target\"" >>~/.zshrc
+    echo "Added $reve_installation_target to zsh PATH."
+  else
+    echo "$reve_installation_target is already in zsh PATH."
+  fi
 fi
 
 if grep -q "/bin/fish" /etc/shells; then
-    echo "==> fish detected."
-    if ! fish -c "echo $PATH | grep -q $reve_installation_target"; then
-        fish -c "fish_add_path $reve_installation_target"
-        echo "Added $reve_installation_target to fish PATH."
-    else
-        echo "$reve_installation_target is already in fish PATH."
-    fi
+  echo "==> fish detected."
+  if ! fish -c "echo $PATH | grep -q $reve_installation_target"; then
+    fish -c "fish_add_path $reve_installation_target"
+    echo "Added $reve_installation_target to fish PATH."
+  else
+    echo "$reve_installation_target is already in fish PATH."
+  fi
 fi
 
 echo "[4/5] Creating chores/mode folder"
diff --git a/reve.sh b/reve.sh
index 9f8c76a..862149e 100755
--- a/reve.sh
+++ b/reve.sh
@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ shell-completion)
   f_shell_completion
   exit 0
   ;;
+state)
+  if [ "$2" == "clean" ]; then
+    util_deleteall_temp
+  fi
+  ;;
 mode)
   in_desktop_mode="$2"
   ;;