diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 33aa5b689..194fcd984 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ NOCONV_DIST= \
 
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(top_srcdir)/.version
 #AM_CFLAGS= @PREFER_NON_PIC@
-AM_CPPFLAGS= -I$(top_srcdir)/include $(PTHREAD_CFLAGS) $(FNM_FLAGS) $(NCURSES_CFLAGS)
+AM_CPPFLAGS= -I$(top_srcdir)/include $(PTHREAD_CFLAGS) $(FNM_FLAGS) $(NCURSES_CFLAGS) $(FREETYPE_CFLAGS)
 
 common_ldflags= -export-dynamic @PTHREAD_LDFLAGS@
 
diff --git a/config.d/freetype.m4 b/config.d/freetype.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f13bf1ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.d/freetype.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(freetype,
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-freetype], [disable freetype support]))
+if test "x$enable_freetype" != "xno"; then
+  if test "x$PKG_CONFIG" != "x"; then
+    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([FREETYPE], [freetype2], HAVE_FREETYPE=yes, HAVE_FREETYPE=no)
+  fi
+else
+	HAVE_FREETYPE=no
+	FREETYPE_LIBS=
+fi
+AC_SUBST(FREETYPE_LIBS)
+
+if test "x$HAVE_FREETYPE" == "xyes"; then
+	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FREETYPE, 1, [Define if you have the freetype library])
+fi
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 17c225b2e..79f74edac 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ m4_include(config.d/x11.m4)
 m4_include(config.d/sdl.m4)
 
 m4_include(config.d/curses.m4)
+m4_include(config.d/freetype.m4)
 
 dnl ==================================================================
 dnl Checks for system type
diff --git a/include/r_font.h b/include/r_font.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a27281b5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/r_font.h
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+	r_font.h
+
+	Renderer font management
+
+	Copyright (C) 2022 Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
+
+	Author: Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
+	Date: 2022/8/26
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+	modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+	as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+	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 General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to:
+
+		Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+		59 Temple Place - Suite 330
+		Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA
+
+*/
+
+#ifndef __r_font_h
+#define __r_font_h
+
+#include <ft2build.h>
+#include FT_FREETYPE_H
+
+#include "QF/hash.h"
+#include "QF/progs.h"	//FIXME for PR_RESMAP
+
+#include "QF/ui/vrect.h"
+#include "QF/simd/types.h"
+
+#include "r_scrap.h"
+
+typedef struct rglyph_s {
+	struct rfont_s *font;
+	vrect_t    *rect;
+	vec2i_t     bearing;
+	int         advance;
+	int         charcode;
+} rglyph_t;
+
+typedef struct rfont_s {
+	void       *font_resource;
+	FT_Face     face;
+	rscrap_t    scrap;
+	byte       *scrap_bitmap;
+	hashtab_t  *glyphmap;
+	PR_RESMAP(rglyph_t) glyphs;
+} rfont_t;
+
+void R_FontInit (void);
+void R_FontFree (rfont_t *font);
+rfont_t *R_FontLoad (QFile *font_file, int size, const int *preload);
+
+#endif//__r_font_h
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am b/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
index 6a52b1af4..49e229b1a 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@ video_renderer_common_sources = \
 	libs/video/renderer/r_billboard.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/r_dyn_textures.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/r_ent.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/r_font.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/r_iqm.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/r_sprite.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/vid_common.c
 
 renderer_libs= \
 	@vid_render_static_plugin_libs@ \
-	libs/util/libQFutil.la
+	libs/util/libQFutil.la \
+	$(FREETYPE_LIBS)
 
 libs_video_renderer_libQFrenderer_la_LDFLAGS=		@STATIC@
 libs_video_renderer_libQFrenderer_la_LIBADD=		$(renderer_libs)
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/r_font.c b/libs/video/renderer/r_font.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fb053dcda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/r_font.c
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+/*
+	r_font.c
+
+	Renderer font management management
+
+	Copyright (C) 2022 Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
+
+	Author: Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
+	Date: 2022/8/26
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+	modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+	as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+	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 General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to:
+
+		Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+		59 Temple Place - Suite 330
+		Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA
+
+*/
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif
+#include <math.h>
+
+#include "QF/quakefs.h"
+#include "QF/sys.h"
+#include "QF/math/bitop.h"
+
+#include "r_font.h"
+
+#include "compat.h"
+
+static FT_Library ft;
+
+static uintptr_t
+glyph_get_hash (const void *_glyph, void *unused)
+{
+	__auto_type glyph = (const rglyph_t *) _glyph;
+	return glyph->charcode;
+}
+
+static int
+glyph_compare (const void *_a, const void *_b, void *unused)
+{
+	__auto_type a = (const rglyph_t *) _a;
+	__auto_type b = (const rglyph_t *) _b;
+	return a->charcode == b->charcode;
+}
+
+static rglyph_t *
+alloc_glyph (rfont_t *font)
+{
+	return PR_RESNEW(font->glyphs);
+}
+
+static void
+free_glyph (rfont_t *font, rglyph_t *glyph)
+{
+	PR_RESFREE (font->glyphs, glyph);
+}
+
+static void
+copy_glypn (rglyph_t *glyph, FT_GlyphSlot src_glyph)
+{
+	int         dst_pitch = glyph->font->scrap.width;
+	byte       *dst = glyph->font->scrap_bitmap + glyph->rect->x + glyph->rect->y * dst_pitch;
+	int         src_pitch = src_glyph->bitmap.pitch;
+	byte       *src = src_glyph->bitmap.buffer;
+
+	for (unsigned i = 0; i < src_glyph->bitmap.rows; i++) {
+		memcpy (dst, src, src_glyph->bitmap.width);
+		dst += dst_pitch;
+		src += src_pitch;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+glyphmap_free_glyph (void *_g, void *_f)
+{
+	rglyph_t   *glyph = _g;
+	rfont_t    *font = _f;
+	free_glyph (font, glyph);
+}
+
+VISIBLE void
+R_FontInit (void)
+{
+	if (FT_Init_FreeType (&ft)) {
+		Sys_Error ("Could not init FreeType library");
+	}
+}
+
+VISIBLE void
+R_FontFree (rfont_t *font)
+{
+	if (font->face) {
+		FT_Done_Face (font->face);
+	}
+	if (font->glyphmap) {
+		Hash_DelTable (font->glyphmap);
+	}
+	if (font->scrap.rects || font->scrap.free_rects) {
+		R_ScrapDelete (&font->scrap);
+	}
+	free (font->scrap_bitmap);
+	free (font->font_resource);
+	free (font);
+}
+
+VISIBLE rfont_t *
+R_FontLoad (QFile *font_file, int size, const int *preload)
+{
+	byte       *font_data = QFS_LoadFile (font_file, 0);
+	if (!font_data) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	size_t      font_size = Qfilesize (font_file);;
+	rfont_t    *font = calloc (1, sizeof (rfont_t));
+	font->font_resource = font_data;
+	if (FT_New_Memory_Face (ft, font_data, font_size, 0, &font->face)) {
+		R_FontFree (font);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	font->glyphmap = Hash_NewTable (0x10000, 0, glyphmap_free_glyph, font, 0);
+	Hash_SetHashCompare (font->glyphmap, glyph_get_hash, glyph_compare);
+
+	FT_Set_Pixel_Sizes(font->face, 0, size);
+	int         pixels = 0;
+	for (const int *c = preload; *c; c++) {
+		rglyph_t    search = { .charcode = *c };
+		rglyph_t   *glyph = Hash_FindElement (font->glyphmap, &search);
+		if (glyph) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (FT_Load_Char(font->face, *c, FT_LOAD_DEFAULT)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		__auto_type g = font->face->glyph;
+		pixels += g->bitmap.width * g->bitmap.rows;
+
+		glyph = alloc_glyph (font);
+		glyph->charcode = *c;
+		Hash_AddElement (font->glyphmap, glyph);
+	}
+	Hash_FlushTable (font->glyphmap);
+	pixels = sqrt (2 * pixels);
+	pixels = BITOP_RUP (pixels);
+	R_ScrapInit (&font->scrap, pixels, pixels);
+	font->scrap_bitmap = calloc (1, pixels * pixels);
+
+	for (const int *c = preload; *c; c++) {
+		rglyph_t    search = { .charcode = *c };
+		rglyph_t   *glyph = Hash_FindElement (font->glyphmap, &search);
+		if (glyph) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (FT_Load_Char(font->face, *c, FT_LOAD_RENDER)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		__auto_type g = font->face->glyph;
+		int     width = g->bitmap.width;
+		int     height = g->bitmap.rows;
+		glyph = alloc_glyph (font);
+		glyph->font = font;
+		glyph->rect = R_ScrapAlloc (&font->scrap, width, height);
+		glyph->bearing = (vec2i_t) { g->bitmap_left, g->bitmap_top };
+		glyph->advance = g->advance.x;
+		glyph->charcode = *c;
+		Hash_AddElement (font->glyphmap, glyph);
+
+		copy_glypn (glyph, g);
+	}
+
+	return font;
+}
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/r_progs.c b/libs/video/renderer/r_progs.c
index db9760e37..f7d884c4f 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/r_progs.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/r_progs.c
@@ -39,12 +39,14 @@
 #include "QF/draw.h"
 #include "QF/hash.h"
 #include "QF/progs.h"
+#include "QF/quakefs.h"
 #include "QF/render.h"
 #include "QF/sys.h"
 
 #include "QF/ui/view.h"
 
 #include "r_internal.h"
+#include "r_font.h"
 
 typedef struct {
 	pr_int_t    width;
@@ -332,6 +334,18 @@ bi_Draw_Height (progs_t *pr, void *_res)
 	R_INT (pr) = r_data->vid->conview->ylen;
 }
 
+static void
+bi_Font_Load (progs_t *pr, void *_res)
+{
+	const char *font_path = P_GSTRING (pr, 0);
+	int         font_size = P_INT (pr, 1);
+	int        *preload = (int *) P_GPOINTER (pr, 2);
+
+	QFile      *font_file = QFS_FOpenFile (font_path);
+	rfont_t    *font = R_FontLoad (font_file, font_size, preload);
+	(void)font;
+}
+
 static const char *
 bi_draw_get_key (const void *p, void *unused)
 {
@@ -381,6 +395,8 @@ static builtin_t builtins[] = {
 	bi(Draw_Fill,       5, p(int), p(int), p(int), p(int), p(int)),
 	bi(Draw_Line,       5, p(int), p(int), p(int), p(int), p(int)),
 	bi(Draw_Crosshair,  5, p(int), p(int), p(int), p(int)),
+
+	bi(Font_Load,       3, p(string), p(int), p(ptr)),
 	{0}
 };
 
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
index 709f05b4f..47f51a9cc 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ static __attribute__ ((used)) const char rcsid[] = "$Id$";
 #include "QF/plugin/console.h"
 
 #include "rua_internal.h"
+#include "r_font.h"
 
 #include "ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h"
 
@@ -330,6 +331,8 @@ BI_Graphics_Init (progs_t *pr)
 	IN_Init ();
 	Mod_Init ();
 	R_Init ();
+	R_FontInit ();
+
 	R_Progs_Init (pr);
 	RUA_Game_Init (pr, thread->rua_security);
 	S_Progs_Init (pr);