diff --git a/src/core/eventTemplates.ts b/src/core/eventTemplates.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6cd8075
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/eventTemplates.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+import { NodeData } from "../components/MainScene/Site";
+import * as audio from "../static/sfx";
+import {
+  nodeExplodeAnimation,
+  nodeKnockAndFallAnimation,
+  nodeKnockAnimation,
+  nodeRipAnimation,
+  nodeThrowAnimation,
+} from "../utils/node-animations";
+
+export const siteMoveHorizontal = (calculatedState: {
+  lainMoveAnimation: string;
+  siteRot: number[];
+  activeNode: NodeData;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        lainMoveState: calculatedState.lainMoveAnimation,
+        siteRot: calculatedState.siteRot,
+        inputCooldown: true,
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        activeNode: calculatedState.activeNode,
+        lainMoveState: "standing",
+        inputCooldown: false,
+      },
+      delay: 3900,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [{ sfx: [audio.sound6, audio.sound34], delay: 1100 }],
+});
+
+export const siteMoveVertical = (calculatedState: {
+  lainMoveAnimation: string;
+  activeLevel: string;
+  activeNode: NodeData;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        lainMoveState: calculatedState.lainMoveAnimation,
+        activeLevel: calculatedState.activeLevel,
+        inputCooldown: true,
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        activeNode: calculatedState.activeNode,
+        lainMoveState: "standing",
+        inputCooldown: false,
+      },
+      delay: 3900,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound13], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound10, audio.sound9], delay: 1300 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound8], delay: 2700 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const changeNode = (calculatedState: { activeNode: NodeData }) => ({
+  state: [{ mutation: { activeNode: calculatedState.activeNode }, delay: 0 }],
+  audio: [{ sfx: [audio.sound1], delay: 0 }],
+});
+
+export const throwNode = (calculatedState: { currentScene: string }) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "throw_node", inputCooldown: true },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        currentScene: calculatedState.currentScene,
+        intro: false,
+        lainMoveState: "standing",
+      },
+      delay: 3450,
+    },
+  ],
+  effects: [nodeThrowAnimation],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound0], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound12], delay: 1600 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound13, audio.sound14], delay: 2800 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const ripNode = (calculatedState: { currentScene: string }) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "rip_node", inputCooldown: true },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        currentScene: calculatedState.currentScene,
+        intro: false,
+        lainMoveState: "standing",
+      },
+      delay: 6000,
+    },
+  ],
+  effects: [nodeRipAnimation],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound0], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound12], delay: 1600 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound13, audio.sound15], delay: 4000 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const explodeNode = {
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        lainMoveState: "touch_node_and_get_scared",
+        inputCooldown: true,
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "standing", inputCooldown: false },
+      delay: 3800,
+    },
+  ],
+  effects: [nodeExplodeAnimation],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound0], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound17], delay: 2400 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound33], delay: 3150 },
+  ],
+};
+
+export const knockNode = {
+  state: [
+    { mutation: { lainMoveState: "knock", inputCooldown: true }, delay: 0 },
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "standing", inputCooldown: false },
+      delay: 2900,
+    },
+  ],
+  effects: [nodeKnockAnimation],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound0], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound18], delay: 1200 },
+  ],
+};
+
+export const knockNodeAndFall = {
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "knock_and_fall", inputCooldown: true },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: { lainMoveState: "standing", inputCooldown: false },
+      delay: 7500,
+    },
+  ],
+  effects: [nodeKnockAndFallAnimation],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound0], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound18], delay: 1200 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound19], delay: 2300 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound33], delay: 3150 },
+  ],
+};
+
+export const enterLevelSelection = (calculatedState: {
+  selectedLevel: number;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        selectedLevel: calculatedState.selectedLevel,
+        mainSubscene: "level_selection",
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [{ sfx: [audio.sound1], delay: 0 }],
+});
+
+export const exitLevelSelection = {
+  state: [{ mutation: { mainSubscene: "site" }, delay: 0 }],
+  audio: [{ sfx: [audio.sound1], delay: 0 }],
+};
+
+export const changeSelectedLevel = (calculatedState: {
+  selectedLevel: number;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    { mutation: { selectedLevel: calculatedState.selectedLevel }, delay: 0 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const selectLevel = (calculatedState: {
+  lainMoveState: string;
+  activeLevel: string;
+  activeNode: NodeData;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        lainMoveState: calculatedState.lainMoveState,
+        activeLevel: calculatedState.activeLevel,
+        mainSubscene: "site",
+        inputCooldown: true,
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        activeNode: calculatedState.activeNode,
+        lainMoveState: "standing",
+        inputCooldown: false,
+      },
+      delay: 3900,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound10, audio.sound9], delay: 1300 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound8], delay: 2700 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const pauseGame = (calculatedState: { siteRot: number[] }) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: {
+        lainMoveState: "rip_middle_ring",
+        pauseExitAnimation: false,
+        mainSubscene: "pause",
+        inputCooldown: true,
+      },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+    {
+      mutation: { siteRot: calculatedState.siteRot },
+      delay: 3600,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [
+    { sfx: [audio.sound7], delay: 0 },
+    { sfx: [audio.sound23], delay: 3600 },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const changePauseComponent = (calculatedState: {
+  activePauseComponent: string;
+}) => ({
+  state: [
+    {
+      mutation: { activePauseComponent: calculatedState.activePauseComponent },
+      delay: 0,
+    },
+  ],
+  audio: [{ sfx: [audio.sound1], delay: 0 }],
+});
diff --git a/src/core/scene-event-handlers/handleEvent.ts b/src/core/scene-event-handlers/handleEvent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80594c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/scene-event-handlers/handleEvent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { playAudio, useStore } from "../../store";
+import sleep from "../../utils/sleep";
+
+type Mutation = {
+  mutation: any;
+  delay: number;
+};
+
+type EventAudio = {
+  sfx: HTMLAudioElement[];
+  delay: number;
+};
+
+type Event = {
+  state: Mutation[];
+  audio?: EventAudio[];
+  effects?: (() => void)[];
+};
+
+// the async/await here might be misleading for some, it functions as a setTimeout that fires
+// multiple async calls without stopping the execution, which is what we want.
+
+const handleEvent = (event: Event) => {
+  const now = performance.now();
+  const setState = useStore.setState;
+
+  const { state, audio, effects } = event;
+
+  state.forEach(async (mutationData) => {
+    const { delay, mutation } = mutationData;
+    if (delay) await sleep(delay);
+    setState(mutation);
+  });
+
+  if (effects) effects.forEach((effect) => effect());
+
+  if (audio) {
+    audio.forEach(async (audio) => {
+      const { delay, sfx } = audio;
+      if (delay) await sleep(delay);
+      sfx.forEach((soundEffect) => playAudio(soundEffect));
+    });
+  }
+
+  console.log(performance.now() - now);
+};
+
+export default handleEvent;