diff --git a/client/src/lib.rs b/client/src/lib.rs
index 632f7205c4..2e4101f924 100644
--- a/client/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/src/lib.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ use common::{
     grid::Grid,
     outcome::Outcome,
     recipe::RecipeBook,
+    resources::PlayerEntity,
     terrain::{block::Block, neighbors, BiomeKind, SitesKind, TerrainChunk, TerrainChunkSize},
     trade::{PendingTrade, TradeAction, TradeId, TradeResult},
     uid::{Uid, UidAllocator},
@@ -281,6 +282,7 @@ impl Client {
 
                 let entity = state.ecs_mut().apply_entity_package(entity_package);
                 *state.ecs_mut().write_resource() = time_of_day;
+                *state.ecs_mut().write_resource() = PlayerEntity(Some(entity));
                 state.ecs_mut().insert(material_stats);
                 state.ecs_mut().insert(ability_map);
 
diff --git a/common/net/src/msg/ecs_packet.rs b/common/net/src/msg/ecs_packet.rs
index 804d1ed1f1..86049f7103 100644
--- a/common/net/src/msg/ecs_packet.rs
+++ b/common/net/src/msg/ecs_packet.rs
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ impl sync::CompPacket for EcsCompPacket {
             EcsCompPacket::Sticky(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::CharacterState(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::Pos(comp) => sync::handle_interp_insert(comp, entity, world),
-            EcsCompPacket::Vel(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
-            EcsCompPacket::Ori(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
+            EcsCompPacket::Vel(comp) => sync::handle_interp_insert(comp, entity, world),
+            EcsCompPacket::Ori(comp) => sync::handle_interp_insert(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::Shockwave(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::BeamSegment(comp) => sync::handle_insert(comp, entity, world),
         }
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ impl sync::CompPacket for EcsCompPacket {
             EcsCompPacket::Sticky(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::CharacterState(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::Pos(comp) => sync::handle_interp_modify(comp, entity, world),
-            EcsCompPacket::Vel(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
-            EcsCompPacket::Ori(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
+            EcsCompPacket::Vel(comp) => sync::handle_interp_modify(comp, entity, world),
+            EcsCompPacket::Ori(comp) => sync::handle_interp_modify(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::Shockwave(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
             EcsCompPacket::BeamSegment(comp) => sync::handle_modify(comp, entity, world),
         }
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ impl sync::CompPacket for EcsCompPacket {
                 sync::handle_remove::<comp::CharacterState>(entity, world)
             },
             EcsCompPhantom::Pos(_) => sync::handle_interp_remove::<comp::Pos>(entity, world),
-            EcsCompPhantom::Vel(_) => sync::handle_remove::<comp::Vel>(entity, world),
-            EcsCompPhantom::Ori(_) => sync::handle_remove::<comp::Ori>(entity, world),
+            EcsCompPhantom::Vel(_) => sync::handle_interp_remove::<comp::Vel>(entity, world),
+            EcsCompPhantom::Ori(_) => sync::handle_interp_remove::<comp::Ori>(entity, world),
             EcsCompPhantom::Shockwave(_) => sync::handle_remove::<comp::Shockwave>(entity, world),
             EcsCompPhantom::BeamSegment(_) => sync::handle_remove::<comp::Ori>(entity, world),
         }
diff --git a/common/net/src/sync/interpolation.rs b/common/net/src/sync/interpolation.rs
index 6c321eb0a7..17b9d4ef1c 100644
--- a/common/net/src/sync/interpolation.rs
+++ b/common/net/src/sync/interpolation.rs
@@ -1,26 +1,125 @@
-// impls of `InterpolatableComponent` on things defined in `common`, since `common_net` is
-// downstream of `common`
-use common::comp::{Pos, Vel};
+// impls of `InterpolatableComponent` on things defined in `common`, since
+// `common_net` is downstream of `common`, and an `InterpolationSystem` that
+// applies them
 use super::InterpolatableComponent;
-use specs::{Component, Entity, World};
+use common::comp::{Ori, Pos, Vel};
+use specs::Component;
 use specs_idvs::IdvStorage;
-use vek::Vec3;
+use tracing::warn;
+use vek::ops::{Lerp, Slerp};
 
-#[derive(Default)]
-pub struct PosBuffer(pub [Vec3<f32>; 4]);
+#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+pub struct InterpBuffer<T> {
+    pub buf: [(f64, T); 4],
+    pub i: usize,
+}
 
-impl Component for PosBuffer {
+impl<T: 'static + Send + Sync> Component for InterpBuffer<T> {
     type Storage = IdvStorage<Self>;
 }
 
 impl InterpolatableComponent for Pos {
-    type InterpData = PosBuffer;
+    type InterpData = InterpBuffer<Pos>;
+    type ReadData = Vel;
 
-    fn interpolate(self, data: &mut Self::InterpData, entity: Entity, world: &World) -> Self {
-        for i in 0..data.0.len()-1 {
-            data.0[i] = data.0[i+1];
+    fn update_component(&self, interp_data: &mut Self::InterpData, time: f64) {
+        let InterpBuffer {
+            ref mut buf,
+            ref mut i,
+        } = interp_data;
+        *i += 1;
+        *i %= buf.len();
+        buf[*i] = (time, *self);
+    }
+
+    fn interpolate(self, interp_data: &Self::InterpData, t2: f64, _vel: &Vel) -> Self {
+        // lerp to test interface, do hermite spline later
+        let InterpBuffer { ref buf, ref i } = interp_data;
+        let (t0, p0) = buf[(i + buf.len() - 1) % buf.len()];
+        let (t1, p1) = buf[i % buf.len()];
+        if (t1 - t0).abs() < f64::EPSILON {
+            return self;
         }
-        data.0[data.0.len()-1] = self.0;
-        self
+        let lerp_factor = 1.0 + ((t2 - t1) / (t1 - t0)) as f32;
+        let mut out = Lerp::lerp_unclamped(p0.0, p1.0, lerp_factor);
+        if out.map(|x| x.is_nan()).reduce_or() {
+            warn!(
+                "interpolation output is nan: {}, {}, {:?}",
+                t2, lerp_factor, buf
+            );
+            out = p1.0;
+        }
+
+        Pos(out)
+    }
+}
+
+impl InterpolatableComponent for Vel {
+    type InterpData = InterpBuffer<Vel>;
+    type ReadData = ();
+
+    fn update_component(&self, interp_data: &mut Self::InterpData, time: f64) {
+        let InterpBuffer {
+            ref mut buf,
+            ref mut i,
+        } = interp_data;
+        *i += 1;
+        *i %= buf.len();
+        buf[*i] = (time, *self);
+    }
+
+    fn interpolate(self, interp_data: &Self::InterpData, t2: f64, _: &()) -> Self {
+        let InterpBuffer { ref buf, ref i } = interp_data;
+        let (t0, p0) = buf[(i + buf.len() - 1) % buf.len()];
+        let (t1, p1) = buf[i % buf.len()];
+        if (t1 - t0).abs() < f64::EPSILON {
+            return self;
+        }
+        let lerp_factor = 1.0 + ((t2 - t1) / (t1 - t0)) as f32;
+        let mut out = Lerp::lerp_unclamped(p0.0, p1.0, lerp_factor);
+        if out.map(|x| x.is_nan()).reduce_or() {
+            warn!(
+                "interpolation output is nan: {}, {}, {:?}",
+                t2, lerp_factor, buf
+            );
+            out = p1.0;
+        }
+
+        Vel(out)
+    }
+}
+
+impl InterpolatableComponent for Ori {
+    type InterpData = InterpBuffer<Ori>;
+    type ReadData = ();
+
+    fn update_component(&self, interp_data: &mut Self::InterpData, time: f64) {
+        let InterpBuffer {
+            ref mut buf,
+            ref mut i,
+        } = interp_data;
+        *i += 1;
+        *i %= buf.len();
+        buf[*i] = (time, *self);
+    }
+
+    fn interpolate(self, interp_data: &Self::InterpData, t2: f64, _: &()) -> Self {
+        let InterpBuffer { ref buf, ref i } = interp_data;
+        let (t0, p0) = buf[(i + buf.len() - 1) % buf.len()];
+        let (t1, p1) = buf[i % buf.len()];
+        if (t1 - t0).abs() < f64::EPSILON {
+            return self;
+        }
+        let lerp_factor = 1.0 + ((t2 - t1) / (t1 - t0)) as f32;
+        let mut out = Slerp::slerp_unclamped(p0.0, p1.0, lerp_factor);
+        if out.into_vec4().map(|x| x.is_nan()).reduce_or() {
+            warn!(
+                "interpolation output is nan: {}, {}, {:?}",
+                t2, lerp_factor, buf
+            );
+            out = p1.0;
+        }
+
+        Ori(out.normalized())
     }
 }
diff --git a/common/net/src/sync/packet.rs b/common/net/src/sync/packet.rs
index d9d3e67d0d..152b7946d6 100644
--- a/common/net/src/sync/packet.rs
+++ b/common/net/src/sync/packet.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use super::track::UpdateTracker;
-use common::uid::Uid;
+use common::{resources::Time, uid::Uid};
 use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Deserialize, Serialize};
 use specs::{Component, Entity, Join, ReadStorage, World, WorldExt};
 use std::{
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ use std::{
 };
 use tracing::error;
 
+// TODO: apply_{insert,modify,remove} all take the entity and call
+// `write_storage` once per entity per component, instead of once per update
+// batch(e.g. in a system-like memory access pattern); if sync ends up being a
+// bottleneck, try optimizing this
 /// Implemented by type that carries component data for insertion and
 /// modification The assocatied `Phantom` type only carries information about
 /// which component type is of interest and is used to transmit deletion events
@@ -44,13 +48,16 @@ pub fn handle_remove<C: Component>(entity: Entity, world: &World) {
 
 pub trait InterpolatableComponent: Component {
     type InterpData: Component + Default;
+    type ReadData;
 
-    fn interpolate(self, data: &mut Self::InterpData, entity: Entity, world: &World) -> Self;
+    fn update_component(&self, data: &mut Self::InterpData, time: f64);
+    fn interpolate(self, data: &Self::InterpData, time: f64, read_data: &Self::ReadData) -> Self;
 }
 
 pub fn handle_interp_insert<C: InterpolatableComponent>(comp: C, entity: Entity, world: &World) {
     let mut interp_data = C::InterpData::default();
-    let comp = comp.interpolate(&mut interp_data, entity, world);
+    let time = world.read_resource::<Time>().0;
+    comp.update_component(&mut interp_data, time);
     handle_insert(comp, entity, world);
     handle_insert(interp_data, entity, world);
 }
@@ -61,7 +68,8 @@ pub fn handle_interp_modify<C: InterpolatableComponent + Debug>(
     world: &World,
 ) {
     if let Some(mut interp_data) = world.write_storage::<C::InterpData>().get_mut(entity) {
-        let comp = comp.interpolate(&mut interp_data, entity, world);
+        let time = world.read_resource::<Time>().0;
+        comp.update_component(&mut interp_data, time);
         handle_modify(comp, entity, world);
     } else {
         error!(
diff --git a/common/src/resources.rs b/common/src/resources.rs
index 73810234c8..dccede903a 100644
--- a/common/src/resources.rs
+++ b/common/src/resources.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use specs::Entity;
 
 /// A resource that stores the time of day.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
@@ -26,3 +27,8 @@ pub enum GameMode {
     // To be used later when we no longer start up an entirely new server for singleplayer
     Singleplayer,
 }
+
+/// A resource that stores the player's entity (on the client), and None on the
+/// server
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, Debug)]
+pub struct PlayerEntity(pub Option<Entity>);
diff --git a/common/sys/src/interpolation.rs b/common/sys/src/interpolation.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..506b949056
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/sys/src/interpolation.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+use common::{
+    comp::{Ori, Pos, Vel},
+    resources::{PlayerEntity, Time},
+};
+use common_ecs::{Job, Origin, Phase, System};
+use common_net::sync::InterpolatableComponent;
+use specs::{
+    prelude::ParallelIterator, shred::ResourceId, Entities, ParJoin, Read, ReadStorage, SystemData,
+    World, WriteStorage,
+};
+
+#[derive(SystemData)]
+pub struct InterpolationSystemData<'a> {
+    time: Read<'a, Time>,
+    player: Read<'a, PlayerEntity>,
+    entities: Entities<'a>,
+    pos: WriteStorage<'a, Pos>,
+    pos_interpdata: ReadStorage<'a, <Pos as InterpolatableComponent>::InterpData>,
+    vel: WriteStorage<'a, Vel>,
+    vel_interpdata: ReadStorage<'a, <Vel as InterpolatableComponent>::InterpData>,
+    ori: WriteStorage<'a, Ori>,
+    ori_interpdata: ReadStorage<'a, <Ori as InterpolatableComponent>::InterpData>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct InterpolationSystem;
+
+impl<'a> System<'a> for InterpolationSystem {
+    type SystemData = InterpolationSystemData<'a>;
+
+    const NAME: &'static str = "interpolation";
+    const ORIGIN: Origin = Origin::Common;
+    const PHASE: Phase = Phase::Apply;
+
+    fn run(_job: &mut Job<Self>, mut data: InterpolationSystemData<'a>) {
+        let time = data.time.0;
+        let player = data.player.0;
+
+        (
+            &data.entities,
+            &mut data.pos,
+            &data.pos_interpdata,
+            &data.vel,
+        )
+            .par_join()
+            .filter(|(e, _, _, _)| Some(e) != player.as_ref())
+            .for_each(|(_, pos, interp, vel)| {
+                *pos = pos.interpolate(interp, time, vel);
+            });
+        (&data.entities, &mut data.vel, &data.vel_interpdata)
+            .par_join()
+            .filter(|(e, _, _)| Some(e) != player.as_ref())
+            .for_each(|(_, vel, interp)| {
+                *vel = vel.interpolate(interp, time, &());
+            });
+        (&data.entities, &mut data.ori, &data.ori_interpdata)
+            .par_join()
+            .filter(|(e, _, _)| Some(e) != player.as_ref())
+            .for_each(|(_, ori, interp)| {
+                *ori = ori.interpolate(interp, time, &());
+            });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/common/sys/src/lib.rs b/common/sys/src/lib.rs
index 4077fd861b..6292b30311 100644
--- a/common/sys/src/lib.rs
+++ b/common/sys/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ mod beam;
 mod buff;
 pub mod character_behavior;
 pub mod controller;
+mod interpolation;
 pub mod melee;
 mod mount;
 pub mod phys;
diff --git a/common/sys/src/state.rs b/common/sys/src/state.rs
index b4575f0065..f45ec3d18a 100644
--- a/common/sys/src/state.rs
+++ b/common/sys/src/state.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use common::{
     comp,
     event::{EventBus, LocalEvent, ServerEvent},
     region::RegionMap,
-    resources::{DeltaTime, GameMode, Time, TimeOfDay},
+    resources::{DeltaTime, GameMode, PlayerEntity, Time, TimeOfDay},
     terrain::{Block, TerrainChunk, TerrainGrid},
     time::DayPeriod,
     trade::Trades,
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ use common::{
     vol::{ReadVol, WriteVol},
 };
 use common_base::span;
-use common_ecs::{PhysicsMetrics, SysMetrics};
-use common_net::sync::{interpolation, WorldSyncExt};
+use common_ecs::{run_now, PhysicsMetrics, SysMetrics};
+use common_net::sync::{interpolation as sync_interp, WorldSyncExt};
 use hashbrown::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use rayon::{ThreadPool, ThreadPoolBuilder};
 use specs::{
@@ -164,7 +164,9 @@ impl State {
         // Register client-local components
         // TODO: only register on the client
         ecs.register::<comp::LightAnimation>();
-        ecs.register::<interpolation::PosBuffer>();
+        ecs.register::<sync_interp::InterpBuffer<comp::Pos>>();
+        ecs.register::<sync_interp::InterpBuffer<comp::Vel>>();
+        ecs.register::<sync_interp::InterpBuffer<comp::Ori>>();
 
         // Register server-local components
         // TODO: only register on the server
@@ -194,6 +196,7 @@ impl State {
         // Register unsynced resources used by the ECS.
         ecs.insert(Time(0.0));
         ecs.insert(DeltaTime(0.0));
+        ecs.insert(PlayerEntity(None));
         ecs.insert(TerrainGrid::new().unwrap());
         ecs.insert(BlockChange::default());
         ecs.insert(TerrainChanges::default());
@@ -438,6 +441,7 @@ impl State {
         let mut dispatcher = dispatch_builder.build();
         drop(guard);
         span!(guard, "run systems");
+        run_now::<crate::interpolation::InterpolationSystem>(&self.ecs);
         dispatcher.dispatch(&self.ecs);
         drop(guard);