diff --git a/golpe b/golpe
index 7705174..511e70d 160000
--- a/golpe
+++ b/golpe
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 770517466971574ed0ac9e821ef0db3b43b9f6fb
+Subproject commit 511e70d7b9a295d0861884ee0b368605bfe460c3
diff --git a/golpe.yaml b/golpe.yaml
index d551cb0..0babc3d 100644
--- a/golpe.yaml
+++ b/golpe.yaml
@@ -13,20 +13,14 @@ includes: |
 tables:
   ## DB meta-data. Single entry, with id = 1
   Meta:
-    tableId: 2
-
     fields:
       - name: dbVersion
       - name: endianness
 
-  ## Stored nostr events
+  ## Meta-info of nostr events, suitable for indexing
+  ## Primary key is auto-incremented, called "levId" for Local EVent ID
   Event:
-    tableId: 1
-
-    primaryKey: quadId
-
     fields:
-      - name: quadId
       - name: receivedAt # microseconds
       - name: flat
         type: ubytes
@@ -72,6 +66,20 @@ tables:
             if (flat->kind() == 5 && tagName == 'e') deletion.push_back(std::string(tagVal) + std::string(sv(flat->pubkey())));
         }
 
+  CompressionDictionary:
+    fields:
+      - name: dict
+        type: ubytes
+
+tablesRaw:
+  ## Raw nostr event JSON, possibly compressed
+  ## keys are levIds
+  ## vals are prefixed with a type byte:
+  ##   0: no compression, payload follows
+  ##   1: zstd compression. Followed by Dictionary ID (native endian uint32) then compressed payload
+  EventPayload:
+    flags: 'MDB_INTEGERKEY'
+
 config:
   - name: db
     desc: "Directory that contains strfry database"
diff --git a/src/DBScan.h b/src/DBScan.h
index 00fb479..a6ebd86 100644
--- a/src/DBScan.h
+++ b/src/DBScan.h
@@ -232,18 +232,18 @@ struct DBScan {
                 }
 
                 bool sent = false;
-                uint64_t quadId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
+                uint64_t levId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
 
                 if (f.indexOnlyScans) {
                     if (f.doesMatchTimes(created)) {
-                        handleEvent(quadId);
+                        handleEvent(levId);
                         sent = true;
                     }
                 } else {
-                    auto view = env.lookup_Event(txn, quadId);
+                    auto view = env.lookup_Event(txn, levId);
                     if (!view) throw herr("missing event from index, corrupt DB?");
                     if (f.doesMatch(view->flat_nested())) {
-                        handleEvent(quadId);
+                        handleEvent(levId);
                         sent = true;
                     }
                 }
@@ -298,16 +298,16 @@ struct DBScanQuery : NonCopyable {
         while (filterGroupIndex < sub.filterGroup.size()) {
             if (!scanner) scanner = std::make_unique<DBScan>(sub.filterGroup.filters[filterGroupIndex]);
 
-            bool complete = scanner->scan(txn, [&](uint64_t quadId){
+            bool complete = scanner->scan(txn, [&](uint64_t levId){
                 // If this event came in after our query began, don't send it. It will be sent after the EOSE.
-                if (quadId > sub.latestEventId) return;
+                if (levId > sub.latestEventId) return;
 
                 // We already sent this event
-                if (alreadySentEvents.find(quadId) != alreadySentEvents.end()) return;
-                alreadySentEvents.insert(quadId);
+                if (alreadySentEvents.find(levId) != alreadySentEvents.end()) return;
+                alreadySentEvents.insert(levId);
 
                 currScanRecordsFound++;
-                cb(sub, quadId);
+                cb(sub, levId);
             }, [&]{
                 currScanRecordsTraversed++;
                 return hoytech::curr_time_us() - startTime > timeBudgetMicroseconds;
diff --git a/src/RelayCron.cpp b/src/RelayCron.cpp
index c0da185..1f11cd0 100644
--- a/src/RelayCron.cpp
+++ b/src/RelayCron.cpp
@@ -2,17 +2,12 @@
 
 
 void RelayServer::cleanupOldEvents() {
-    struct EventDel {
-        uint64_t nodeId;
-        uint64_t deletedNodeId;
-    };
-
-    std::vector<EventDel> expiredEvents;
+    std::vector<uint64_t> expiredLevIds;
 
     {
         auto txn = env.txn_ro();
 
-        auto mostRecent = getMostRecentEventId(txn);
+        auto mostRecent = getMostRecentLevId(txn);
         uint64_t cutoff = hoytech::curr_time_s() - cfg().events__ephemeralEventsLifetimeSeconds;
         uint64_t currKind = 20'000;
 
@@ -31,10 +26,10 @@ void RelayServer::cleanupOldEvents() {
                     return false;
                 }
 
-                uint64_t nodeId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
+                uint64_t levId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
 
-                if (nodeId != mostRecent) { // prevent nodeId re-use
-                    expiredEvents.emplace_back(nodeId, 0);
+                if (levId != mostRecent) { // prevent levId re-use
+                    expiredLevIds.emplace_back(levId);
                 }
 
                 return true;
@@ -44,29 +39,30 @@ void RelayServer::cleanupOldEvents() {
         }
     }
 
-    if (expiredEvents.size() > 0) {
-        LI << "Deleting " << expiredEvents.size() << " ephemeral events";
-
+    if (expiredLevIds.size() > 0) {
         auto txn = env.txn_rw();
 
         quadrable::Quadrable qdb;
         qdb.init(txn);
         qdb.checkout("events");
 
+        uint64_t numDeleted = 0;
         auto changes = qdb.change();
 
-        for (auto &e : expiredEvents) {
-            auto view = env.lookup_Event(txn, e.nodeId);
-            if (!view) throw herr("missing event from index, corrupt DB?");
-            changes.del(flatEventToQuadrableKey(view->flat_nested()), &e.deletedNodeId);
+        for (auto levId : expiredLevIds) {
+            auto view = env.lookup_Event(txn, levId);
+            if (!view) continue; // Deleted in between transactions
+
+            numDeleted++;
+            changes.del(flatEventToQuadrableKey(view->flat_nested()));
+            env.delete_Event(txn, levId);
+            env.dbi_EventPayload.del(txn, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(levId));
         }
 
         changes.apply(txn);
 
-        for (auto &e : expiredEvents) {
-            if (e.deletedNodeId) env.delete_Event(txn, e.nodeId);
-        }
-
         txn.commit();
+
+        if (numDeleted) LI << "Deleted " << numDeleted << " ephemeral events";
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/RelayReqMonitor.cpp b/src/RelayReqMonitor.cpp
index 717cb9c..7c513ab 100644
--- a/src/RelayReqMonitor.cpp
+++ b/src/RelayReqMonitor.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ void RelayServer::runReqMonitor(ThreadPool<MsgReqMonitor>::Thread &thr) {
 
         auto txn = env.txn_ro();
 
-        uint64_t latestEventId = getMostRecentEventId(txn);
+        uint64_t latestEventId = getMostRecentLevId(txn);
         if (currEventId > latestEventId) currEventId = latestEventId;
 
         for (auto &newMsg : newMsgs) {
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ void RelayServer::runReqMonitor(ThreadPool<MsgReqMonitor>::Thread &thr) {
                 monitors.closeConn(msg->connId);
             } else if (std::get_if<MsgReqMonitor::DBChange>(&newMsg.msg)) {
                 env.foreach_Event(txn, [&](auto &ev){
-                    monitors.process(txn, ev, [&](RecipientList &&recipients, uint64_t quadId){
-                        sendEventToBatch(std::move(recipients), std::string(getEventJson(txn, quadId)));
+                    monitors.process(txn, ev, [&](RecipientList &&recipients, uint64_t levId){
+                        sendEventToBatch(std::move(recipients), std::string(getEventJson(txn, levId)));
                     });
                     return true;
                 }, false, currEventId + 1);
diff --git a/src/RelayReqWorker.cpp b/src/RelayReqWorker.cpp
index 16391ea..32e1a3b 100644
--- a/src/RelayReqWorker.cpp
+++ b/src/RelayReqWorker.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ struct ActiveQueries : NonCopyable {
     std::deque<DBScanQuery*> running;
 
     void addSub(lmdb::txn &txn, Subscription &&sub) {
-        sub.latestEventId = getMostRecentEventId(txn);
+        sub.latestEventId = getMostRecentLevId(txn);
 
         {
             auto *existing = findQuery(sub.connId, sub.subId);
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ struct ActiveQueries : NonCopyable {
             return;
         }
 
-        bool complete = q->process(txn, cfg().relay__queryTimesliceBudgetMicroseconds, cfg().relay__logging__dbScanPerf, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t quadId){
-            server->sendEvent(sub.connId, sub.subId, getEventJson(txn, quadId));
+        bool complete = q->process(txn, cfg().relay__queryTimesliceBudgetMicroseconds, cfg().relay__logging__dbScanPerf, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t levId){
+            server->sendEvent(sub.connId, sub.subId, getEventJson(txn, levId));
         });
 
         if (complete) {
diff --git a/src/RelayWriter.cpp b/src/RelayWriter.cpp
index d241552..10c60f5 100644
--- a/src/RelayWriter.cpp
+++ b/src/RelayWriter.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ void RelayServer::runWriter(ThreadPool<MsgWriter>::Thread &thr) {
             bool written = false;
 
             if (newEvent.status == EventWriteStatus::Written) {
-                LI << "Inserted event. id=" << eventIdHex << " qdbNodeId=" << newEvent.nodeId;
+                LI << "Inserted event. id=" << eventIdHex << " levId=" << newEvent.levId;
                 written = true;
             } else if (newEvent.status == EventWriteStatus::Duplicate) {
                 message = "duplicate: have this event";
diff --git a/src/RelayYesstr.cpp b/src/RelayYesstr.cpp
index 9eabc4c..a81cf7c 100644
--- a/src/RelayYesstr.cpp
+++ b/src/RelayYesstr.cpp
@@ -53,20 +53,20 @@ void RelayServer::runYesstr(ThreadPool<MsgYesstr>::Thread &thr) {
                 // FIXME: The following blocks the whole thread for the query duration. Should interleave it
                 // with other requests like RelayReqWorker does.
 
-                std::vector<uint64_t> quadEventIds;
+                std::vector<uint64_t> levIds;
                 auto filterGroup = NostrFilterGroup::unwrapped(tao::json::from_string(filterStr));
                 Subscription sub(1, "junkSub", filterGroup);
                 DBScanQuery query(sub);
 
                 while (1) {
-                    bool complete = query.process(txn, MAX_U64, cfg().relay__logging__dbScanPerf, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t quadId){
-                        quadEventIds.push_back(quadId);
+                    bool complete = query.process(txn, MAX_U64, cfg().relay__logging__dbScanPerf, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t levId){
+                        levIds.push_back(levId);
                     });
 
                     if (complete) break;
                 }
 
-                LI << "Filter matched " << quadEventIds.size() << " local events";
+                LI << "Filter matched " << levIds.size() << " local events";
 
                 qdb->withMemStore(s.m, [&]{
                     qdb->writeToMemStore = true;
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ void RelayServer::runYesstr(ThreadPool<MsgYesstr>::Thread &thr) {
 
                     auto changes = qdb->change();
 
-                    for (auto id : quadEventIds) {
-                        changes.putReuse(txn, id);
+                    for (auto levId : levIds) {
+                        changes.putReuse(txn, levId);
                     }
 
                     changes.apply(txn);
diff --git a/src/cmd_monitor.cpp b/src/cmd_monitor.cpp
index 03d3c00..91ad0c8 100644
--- a/src/cmd_monitor.cpp
+++ b/src/cmd_monitor.cpp
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ void cmd_monitor(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
     }
 
     env.foreach_Event(txn, [&](auto &ev){
-        monitors.process(txn, ev, [&](RecipientList &&recipients, uint64_t quadId){
+        monitors.process(txn, ev, [&](RecipientList &&recipients, uint64_t levId){
             for (auto &r : recipients) {
                 if (r.connId == interestConnId && r.subId.str() == interestSubId) {
-                    std::cout << getEventJson(txn, quadId) << "\n";
+                    std::cout << getEventJson(txn, levId) << "\n";
                 }
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/cmd_scan.cpp b/src/cmd_scan.cpp
index 96b0700..10efce0 100644
--- a/src/cmd_scan.cpp
+++ b/src/cmd_scan.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ void cmd_scan(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
     auto txn = env.txn_ro();
 
     while (1) {
-        bool complete = query.process(txn, pause ? pause : MAX_U64, metrics, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t quadId){
-            std::cout << getEventJson(txn, quadId) << "\n";
+        bool complete = query.process(txn, pause ? pause : MAX_U64, metrics, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t levId){
+            std::cout << getEventJson(txn, levId) << "\n";
         });
 
         if (complete) break;
diff --git a/src/cmd_stream.cpp b/src/cmd_stream.cpp
index 49f6ff1..ef54212 100644
--- a/src/cmd_stream.cpp
+++ b/src/cmd_stream.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void cmd_stream(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
 
     {
         auto txn = env.txn_ro();
-        currEventId = getMostRecentEventId(txn);
+        currEventId = getMostRecentLevId(txn);
     }
 
     ws.onTrigger = [&]{
diff --git a/src/cmd_sync.cpp b/src/cmd_sync.cpp
index d6723f1..0bc3e85 100644
--- a/src/cmd_sync.cpp
+++ b/src/cmd_sync.cpp
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ void cmd_sync(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
 
 
     if (filterStr.size()) {
-        std::vector<uint64_t> quadEventIds;
+        std::vector<uint64_t> levIds;
 
         tao::json::value filterJson;
 
@@ -167,14 +167,14 @@ void cmd_sync(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
         auto txn = env.txn_ro();
 
         while (1) {
-            bool complete = query.process(txn, MAX_U64, false, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t quadId){
-                quadEventIds.push_back(quadId);
+            bool complete = query.process(txn, MAX_U64, false, [&](const auto &sub, uint64_t levId){
+                levIds.push_back(levId);
             });
 
             if (complete) break;
         }
 
-        LI << "Filter matched " << quadEventIds.size() << " local events";
+        LI << "Filter matched " << levIds.size() << " local events";
 
         controller = std::make_unique<SyncController>(&qdb, &ws);
 
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@ void cmd_sync(const std::vector<std::string> &subArgs) {
 
             auto changes = qdb.change();
 
-            for (auto id : quadEventIds) {
-                changes.putReuse(txn, id);
+            for (auto levId : levIds) {
+                changes.putReuse(txn, levId);
             }
 
             changes.apply(txn);
diff --git a/src/events.cpp b/src/events.cpp
index 4e68df6..52dc3e5 100644
--- a/src/events.cpp
+++ b/src/events.cpp
@@ -158,22 +158,22 @@ std::optional<defaultDb::environment::View_Event> lookupEventById(lmdb::txn &txn
     return output;
 }
 
-uint64_t getMostRecentEventId(lmdb::txn &txn) {
-    uint64_t output = 0;
+uint64_t getMostRecentLevId(lmdb::txn &txn) {
+    uint64_t levId = 0;
 
     env.foreach_Event(txn, [&](auto &ev){
-        output = ev.primaryKeyId;
+        levId = ev.primaryKeyId;
         return false;
     }, true);
 
-    return output;
+    return levId;
 }
 
-std::string_view getEventJson(lmdb::txn &txn, uint64_t quadId) {
+std::string_view getEventJson(lmdb::txn &txn, uint64_t levId) {
     std::string_view raw;
-    bool found = env.dbiQuadrable_nodesLeaf.get(txn, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(quadId), raw);
+    bool found = env.dbi_EventPayload.get(txn, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(levId), raw);
     if (!found) throw herr("couldn't find leaf node in quadrable, corrupted DB?");
-    return raw.substr(8 + 32 + 32);
+    return raw.substr(1);
 }
 
 
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ void writeEvents(lmdb::txn &txn, quadrable::Quadrable &qdb, std::vector<EventToW
 
     auto changes = qdb.change();
 
-    std::vector<uint64_t> eventIdsToDelete;
+    std::vector<uint64_t> levIdsToDelete;
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < evs.size(); i++) {
         auto &ev = evs[i];
@@ -202,13 +202,13 @@ void writeEvents(lmdb::txn &txn, quadrable::Quadrable &qdb, std::vector<EventToW
 
         if (isReplaceableEvent(flat->kind())) {
             auto searchKey = makeKey_StringUint64Uint64(sv(flat->pubkey()), flat->kind(), MAX_U64);
-            uint64_t otherEventId = 0;
+            uint64_t otherLevId = 0;
 
             env.generic_foreachFull(txn, env.dbi_Event__pubkeyKind, searchKey, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(MAX_U64), [&](auto k, auto v) {
                 ParsedKey_StringUint64Uint64 parsedKey(k);
                 if (parsedKey.s == sv(flat->pubkey()) && parsedKey.n1 == flat->kind()) {
                     if (parsedKey.n2 < flat->created_at()) {
-                        otherEventId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
+                        otherLevId = lmdb::from_sv<uint64_t>(v);
                     } else {
                         ev.status = EventWriteStatus::Replaced;
                     }
@@ -216,11 +216,11 @@ void writeEvents(lmdb::txn &txn, quadrable::Quadrable &qdb, std::vector<EventToW
                 return false;
             }, true);
 
-            if (otherEventId) {
-                auto otherEv = env.lookup_Event(txn, otherEventId);
+            if (otherLevId) {
+                auto otherEv = env.lookup_Event(txn, otherLevId);
                 if (!otherEv) throw herr("missing event from index, corrupt DB?");
                 changes.del(flatEventToQuadrableKey(otherEv->flat_nested()));
-                eventIdsToDelete.push_back(otherEventId);
+                levIdsToDelete.push_back(otherLevId);
             }
         }
 
@@ -232,26 +232,33 @@ void writeEvents(lmdb::txn &txn, quadrable::Quadrable &qdb, std::vector<EventToW
                     if (otherEv && sv(otherEv->flat_nested()->pubkey()) == sv(flat->pubkey())) {
                         LI << "Deleting event. id=" << to_hex(sv(tagPair->val()));
                         changes.del(flatEventToQuadrableKey(otherEv->flat_nested()));
-                        eventIdsToDelete.push_back(otherEv->primaryKeyId);
+                        levIdsToDelete.push_back(otherEv->primaryKeyId);
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        if (ev.status == EventWriteStatus::Pending) {
-            changes.put(ev.quadKey, ev.jsonStr, &ev.nodeId);
-        }
+        if (ev.status == EventWriteStatus::Pending) changes.put(ev.quadKey, "");
     }
 
     changes.apply(txn);
 
-    for (auto eventId : eventIdsToDelete) {
-        env.delete_Event(txn, eventId);
+    for (auto levId : levIdsToDelete) {
+        env.delete_Event(txn, levId);
+        env.dbi_EventPayload.del(txn, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(levId));
     }
 
+    std::string tmpBuf;
+
     for (auto &ev : evs) {
         if (ev.status == EventWriteStatus::Pending) {
-            env.insert_Event(txn, ev.nodeId, ev.receivedAt, ev.flatStr);
+            ev.levId = env.insert_Event(txn, ev.receivedAt, ev.flatStr);
+
+            tmpBuf.clear();
+            tmpBuf += '\x00';
+            tmpBuf += ev.jsonStr;
+            env.dbi_EventPayload.put(txn, lmdb::to_sv<uint64_t>(ev.levId), tmpBuf);
+
             ev.status = EventWriteStatus::Written;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/events.h b/src/events.h
index 8d73531..d6529b8 100644
--- a/src/events.h
+++ b/src/events.h
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ inline const NostrIndex::Event *flatStrToFlatEvent(std::string_view flatStr) {
 
 
 std::optional<defaultDb::environment::View_Event> lookupEventById(lmdb::txn &txn, std::string_view id);
-uint64_t getMostRecentEventId(lmdb::txn &txn);
-std::string_view getEventJson(lmdb::txn &txn, uint64_t quadId);
+uint64_t getMostRecentLevId(lmdb::txn &txn);
+std::string_view getEventJson(lmdb::txn &txn, uint64_t levId);
 
 inline quadrable::Key flatEventToQuadrableKey(const NostrIndex::Event *flat) {
     return quadrable::Key::fromIntegerAndHash(flat->created_at(), sv(flat->id()).substr(0, 23));
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ struct EventToWrite {
     uint64_t receivedAt;
     void *userData = nullptr;
     quadrable::Key quadKey;
-    uint64_t nodeId = 0;
     EventWriteStatus status = EventWriteStatus::Pending;
+    uint64_t levId = 0;
 
     EventToWrite() {}