diff --git a/internal/quickfort/build.lua b/internal/quickfort/build.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5be299949c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/quickfort/build.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+-- build-related logic for the quickfort script
+
+local _ENV = mkmodule('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.build')
+
+local quickfort_common = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+local log = quickfort_common.log
+
+function do_run(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort run" not yet implemented for mode: build')
+    return stats
+end
+
+function do_orders(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort orders" not yet implemented for mode: build')
+    return stats
+end
+
+function do_undo(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort undo" not yet implemented for mode: build')
+    return stats
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/internal/quickfort/common.lua b/internal/quickfort/common.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d7837e6ec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/quickfort/common.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+-- common logic for the quickfort modules
+
+local _ENV = mkmodule('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+
+settings = {
+    blueprints_dir = 'blueprints',
+    force_marker_mode = false,
+    force_interactive_build = false,
+}
+
+verbose = false
+
+function log(...)
+    if verbose then print(string.format(...)) end
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/internal/quickfort/dig.lua b/internal/quickfort/dig.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..293c0669b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/quickfort/dig.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+-- dig-related logic for the quickfort script
+
+local _ENV = mkmodule('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.dig')
+
+local quickfort_common = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+local log = quickfort_common.log
+
+function do_run(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort run" not yet implemented for mode: dig')
+    return stats
+end
+
+function do_orders(zlevel, grid)
+    log('nothing to do for blueprints in mode: dig')
+    return nil
+end
+
+function do_undo(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort undo" not yet implemented for mode: dig')
+    return stats
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/internal/quickfort/place.lua b/internal/quickfort/place.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a337f04e1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/quickfort/place.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+-- place-related logic for the quickfort script
+
+local _ENV = mkmodule('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.place')
+
+local quickfort_common = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+local log = quickfort_common.log
+
+function do_run(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort run" not yet implemented for mode: place')
+    return stats
+end
+
+function do_orders(zlevel, grid)
+    log('nothing to do for blueprints in mode: place')
+    return nil
+end
+
+function do_undo(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort undo" not yet implemented for mode: place')
+    return stats
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/internal/quickfort/query.lua b/internal/quickfort/query.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6395988a06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/quickfort/query.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+-- query-related logic for the quickfort script
+
+local _ENV = mkmodule('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.query')
+
+local quickfort_common = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+local log = quickfort_common.log
+
+function do_run(zlevel, grid)
+    local stats = nil
+    print('"quickfort run" not yet implemented for mode: query')
+    return stats
+end
+
+function do_orders(zlevel, grid)
+    log('nothing to do for blueprints in mode: query')
+    return nil
+end
+
+function do_undo(zlevel, grid)
+    print('cannot undo blueprints for mode: query')
+    return nil
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/quickfort.lua b/quickfort.lua
index d3eb3d1b72..ab21939fb0 100644
--- a/quickfort.lua
+++ b/quickfort.lua
@@ -99,9 +99,20 @@ files are described in the files themselves.
 
 -- only initialize our globals once
 if not initialized then
-initialized = true
+
+local utils = require('utils')
+local quickfort_common = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+local quickfort_dig = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.dig')
+local quickfort_build = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.build')
+local quickfort_place = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.place')
+local quickfort_query = require('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.query')
 
 local function do_reset()
+    reload('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.common')
+    reload('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.dig')
+    reload('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.build')
+    reload('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.place')
+    reload('hack.scripts.internal.quickfort.query')
     initialized = false
 end
 
@@ -145,26 +156,19 @@ For more info, see: https://docs.dfhack.org/en/stable/docs/_auto/base.html#quick
 ]]
 end
 
-local settings = {
-    blueprints_dir = 'blueprints',
-    force_marker_mode = false,
-    force_interactive_build = false,
-}
-
 local function do_set(args)
     if #args == 0 then
         print('active settings:')
-        printall(settings)
+        printall(quickfort_common.settings)
         return
     end
     if #args ~= 2 then
         error('error: expected "quickfort set [<key> <value>]"')
     end
-    -- TODO: validate and set settings
+    print('NOT YET IMPLEMENTED')
+    print(string.format('would set %s to "%s"', args[1], tostring(args[2])))
 end
 
-local utils = require('utils')
-
 local valid_list_args = utils.invert({
     'l',
     '-library',
@@ -178,11 +182,11 @@ local function do_list(in_args)
         'would call "list" with show_library="%s"', tostring(show_library)))
 end
 
-local valid_commands = utils.invert({
-    'run',
-    'orders',
-    'undo',
-})
+local command_switch = {
+    run='do_run',
+    orders='do_orders',
+    undo='do_undo',
+}
 
 local valid_command_args = utils.invert({
     'q',
@@ -195,7 +199,7 @@ local valid_command_args = utils.invert({
 
 local function do_command(in_args)
     local command = in_args.action
-    if not valid_commands[command] then
+    if not command or not command_switch[command] then
         error(string.format('invalid command: "%s"', command))
     end
 
@@ -204,19 +208,31 @@ local function do_command(in_args)
         error("expected <list_num> or <filename> parameter")
     end
     local list_num = tonumber(filename)
-    -- TODO: convert list number into filename
+    if list_num then
+        print('NOT YET IMPLEMENTED')
+        print(string.format('would convert "%d" into blueprint filename',
+                            list_num))
+    end
 
     local args = utils.processArgs(in_args, valid_command_args)
     local quiet = args['q'] ~= nil or args['-quiet'] ~= nil
     local verbose = args['v'] ~= nil or args['-verbose'] ~= nil
     local sheet = tonumber(args['s']) or tonumber(args['-sheet'])
 
+    if command ~= 'orders' and df.global.cursor.x == -30000 then
+        error('please position the game cursor at the blueprint start location')
+    end
+
+    quickfort_common.verbose = verbose
+
     print('NOT YET IMPLEMENTED')
     print(string.format(
         'would call "%s" with filename="%s", quiet=%s, verbose=%s, sheet=%s',
         command, filename, tostring(quiet), tostring(verbose), sheet))
 end
 
+
+-- initialize script
 action_switch = {
     reset=do_reset,
     set=do_set,
@@ -226,6 +242,8 @@ action_switch = {
     undo=do_command,
     }
 setmetatable(action_switch, {__index=function () return print_short_help end})
+
+initialized = true
 end -- if not initialized