diff --git a/src/game/worldbuilder.cpp b/src/game/worldbuilder.cpp
index b596ff2..777029e 100644
--- a/src/game/worldbuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/game/worldbuilder.cpp
@@ -190,11 +190,17 @@ void WorldBuilder::place_doors(DinkyECS::World& world, GameConfig& config) {
 }
 
 void WorldBuilder::place_stairs(DinkyECS::World& world, GameConfig& config) {
+  auto player = world.get_the<Player>();
+  auto player_pos = world.get<Position>(player.entity);
+
   auto& device_config = config.devices.json();
   auto entity_data = device_config["STAIRS_DOWN"];
 
-  auto at_end = $map.$dead_ends.back();
-  configure_entity_in_map(world, entity_data, at_end);
+  // auto at_end = $map.$dead_ends.back();
+  configure_entity_in_map(world, entity_data, {
+      player_pos.location.x+1,
+      player_pos.location.y
+  });
 }
 
 void WorldBuilder::configure_starting_items(DinkyECS::World &world) {
@@ -203,11 +209,11 @@ void WorldBuilder::configure_starting_items(DinkyECS::World &world) {
 
   auto healing = System::spawn_item(world, "REPAIR_KIT");
   inventory.add("inv0", healing);
+  world.make_constant(healing);
 
   auto sword = System::spawn_item(world, "SWORD_1");
   inventory.add("hand_main", sword);
-
-  world.make_constant(healing);
+  world.make_constant(sword);
 }
 
 void WorldBuilder::place_entities(DinkyECS::World &world) {
diff --git a/src/gui/fsm.cpp b/src/gui/fsm.cpp
index 15872a3..298b091 100644
--- a/src/gui/fsm.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/fsm.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,8 @@ namespace gui {
           event(Event::ATTACK, data);
           break;
         case eGUI::STAIRS_DOWN:
-          dbc::sentinel("make me!");
+          next_level();
+          state(State::IDLE);
           break;
         case eGUI::DEATH: {
             $status_ui.update();
diff --git a/src/gui/status_ui.cpp b/src/gui/status_ui.cpp
index 87b6b39..b542d3b 100644
--- a/src/gui/status_ui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/status_ui.cpp
@@ -66,16 +66,22 @@ namespace gui {
     $body_ui.update();
 
     for(const auto& [slot, cell] : $gui.cells()) {
-
       if(inventory.has(slot)) {
         auto gui_id = $gui.entity(slot);
         auto world_entity = inventory.get(slot);
 
+        dbc::check(world->has<components::Sprite>(world_entity),
+            fmt::format("inventory {} has missing sprite", slot));
+
         auto& sprite = world->get<components::Sprite>(world_entity);
+
         $gui.set_init<guecs::Icon>(gui_id, {sprite.name});
+
         guecs::GrabSource grabber{ world_entity,
           [&, gui_id]() { return remove_slot(gui_id); }};
+
         grabber.setSprite($gui, gui_id);
+
         $gui.set<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id, grabber);
       } else {
         auto gui_id = $gui.entity(slot);