diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
index 07b18cc23..77724c997 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ int CSMWorld::Data::count (RecordBase::State state, const CollectionBase& collec
 
 CSMWorld::Data::Data (ToUTF8::FromType encoding, const ResourcesManager& resourcesManager)
 : mEncoder (encoding), mPathgrids (mCells), mRefs (mCells),
-  mResourcesManager (resourcesManager), mReader (0), mDialogue (0), mReaderIndex(0)
+  mResourcesManager (resourcesManager), mReader (0), mDialogue (0), mReaderIndex(0), mResourceSystem(resourcesManager.getVFS())
 {
     mGlobals.addColumn (new StringIdColumn<ESM::Global>);
     mGlobals.addColumn (new RecordStateColumn<ESM::Global>);
@@ -354,6 +354,11 @@ CSMWorld::Data::~Data()
     delete mReader;
 }
 
+Resource::ResourceSystem* CSMWorld::Data::getResourceSystem()
+{
+    return &mResourceSystem;
+}
+
 const CSMWorld::IdCollection<ESM::Global>& CSMWorld::Data::getGlobals() const
 {
     return mGlobals;
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
index bb4c9a4a8..ce8776104 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include <components/esm/debugprofile.hpp>
 #include <components/esm/filter.hpp>
 
+#include <components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp>
+
 #include <components/to_utf8/to_utf8.hpp>
 
 #include "../doc/stage.hpp"
@@ -105,6 +107,8 @@ namespace CSMWorld
             std::map<std::string, std::map<ESM::RefNum, std::string> > mRefLoadCache;
             int mReaderIndex;
 
+            Resource::ResourceSystem mResourceSystem;
+
             std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<ESM::ESMReader> > mReaders;
 
             // not implemented
@@ -128,6 +132,8 @@ namespace CSMWorld
 
             const VFS::Manager* getVFS() const;
 
+            Resource::ResourceSystem* getResourceSystem();
+
             const IdCollection<ESM::Global>& getGlobals() const;
 
             IdCollection<ESM::Global>& getGlobals();
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
index f8e91e463..afed837f8 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@
 #include "../../model/world/ref.hpp"
 #include "../../model/world/refidcollection.hpp"
 
-#include <components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp>
+#include <components/resource/scenemanager.hpp>
+#include <components/sceneutil/clone.hpp>
 
 #include "elements.hpp"
 
+
 void CSVRender::Object::clear()
 {
 }
@@ -56,15 +58,12 @@ void CSVRender::Object::update()
     {
         try
         {
-            NifOsg::Loader loader;
-            loader.resourceManager = mVFS;
-
             std::string path = "meshes\\" + model;
 
-            Nif::NIFFilePtr file(new Nif::NIFFile(mVFS->get(path), path));
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> loaded = mResourceSystem->getSceneManager()->getInstance(path);
 
             mBaseNode->removeChildren(0, mBaseNode->getNumChildren());
-            mBaseNode->addChild(loader.load(file));
+            mBaseNode->addChild(loaded);
         }
         catch (std::exception& e)
         {
@@ -101,9 +100,9 @@ const CSMWorld::CellRef& CSVRender::Object::getReference() const
     return mData.getReferences().getRecord (mReferenceId).get();
 }
 
-CSVRender::Object::Object (const CSMWorld::Data& data, osg::Group* parentNode,
+CSVRender::Object::Object (CSMWorld::Data& data, osg::Group* parentNode,
     const std::string& id, bool referenceable, bool forceBaseToZero)
-: mVFS(data.getVFS()), mData (data), mBaseNode(0), mParentNode(parentNode), mForceBaseToZero (forceBaseToZero)
+: mResourceSystem(data.getResourceSystem()), mData (data), mBaseNode(0), mParentNode(parentNode), mForceBaseToZero (forceBaseToZero)
 {
     mBaseNode = new osg::PositionAttitudeTransform;
     parentNode->addChild(mBaseNode);
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.hpp b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.hpp
index 9efbcf5dc..23a652792 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.hpp
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ namespace osg
     class Group;
 }
 
-namespace VFS
+namespace Resource
 {
-    class Manager;
+    class ResourceSystem;
 }
 
 namespace CSMWorld
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace CSVRender
             std::string mReferenceableId;
             osg::ref_ptr<osg::PositionAttitudeTransform> mBaseNode;
             osg::Group* mParentNode;
-            const VFS::Manager* mVFS;
+            Resource::ResourceSystem* mResourceSystem;
             bool mForceBaseToZero;
 
             /// Not implemented
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace CSVRender
 
         public:
 
-            Object (const CSMWorld::Data& data, osg::Group *cellNode,
+            Object (CSMWorld::Data& data, osg::Group *cellNode,
                 const std::string& id, bool referenceable,
                 bool forceBaseToZero = false);
             /// \param forceBaseToZero If this is a reference ignore the coordinates and place
diff --git a/components/CMakeLists.txt b/components/CMakeLists.txt
index 48de580bc..70c9daa8b 100644
--- a/components/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ add_component_dir (vfs
     manager archive bsaarchive filesystemarchive registerarchives
     )
 
+add_component_dir (resource
+    scenemanager resourcesystem
+    )
+
+add_component_dir (sceneutil
+    clone
+    )
+
 add_component_dir (nif
     controlled effect niftypes record controller extra node record_ptr data niffile property nifkey data node base nifstream
     )
diff --git a/components/resource/resourcesystem.cpp b/components/resource/resourcesystem.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e87ef6f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/resource/resourcesystem.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include "resourcesystem.hpp"
+
+#include "scenemanager.hpp"
+
+namespace Resource
+{
+
+    ResourceSystem::ResourceSystem(const VFS::Manager *vfs)
+        : mVFS(vfs)
+    {
+        mSceneManager.reset(new SceneManager(vfs));
+    }
+
+    SceneManager* ResourceSystem::getSceneManager()
+    {
+        return mSceneManager.get();
+    }
+
+    const VFS::Manager* ResourceSystem::getVFS() const
+    {
+        return mVFS;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp b/components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b696a2376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_RESOURCESYSTEM_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_RESOURCESYSTEM_H
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace VFS
+{
+    class Manager;
+}
+
+namespace Resource
+{
+
+    class SceneManager;
+
+    /// @brief Wrapper class that constructs and provides access to the various resource subsystems.
+    class ResourceSystem
+    {
+    public:
+        ResourceSystem(const VFS::Manager* vfs);
+
+        SceneManager* getSceneManager();
+
+        const VFS::Manager* getVFS() const;
+
+    private:
+        std::auto_ptr<SceneManager> mSceneManager;
+
+        const VFS::Manager* mVFS;
+    };
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp b/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6a09f3a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include "scenemanager.hpp"
+
+#include <osg/Node>
+
+#include <components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp>
+#include <components/nif/niffile.hpp>
+
+#include <components/sceneutil/clone.hpp>
+
+namespace Resource
+{
+
+    SceneManager::SceneManager(const VFS::Manager *vfs)
+        : mVFS(vfs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    osg::ref_ptr<const osg::Node> SceneManager::getTemplate(const std::string &name)
+    {
+        std::string normalized = name;
+        mVFS->normalizeFilename(normalized);
+
+        Index::iterator it = mIndex.find(normalized);
+        if (it == mIndex.end())
+        {
+            Files::IStreamPtr file = mVFS->get(normalized);
+
+            // TODO: add support for non-NIF formats
+
+            NifOsg::Loader loader;
+            loader.resourceManager = mVFS;
+            osg::ref_ptr<const osg::Node> loaded = loader.load(Nif::NIFFilePtr(new Nif::NIFFile(file, normalized)));
+
+            // TODO: provide way for the user to get textKeys (attach to the node?)
+
+            mIndex[normalized] = loaded;
+            return loaded;
+        }
+        else
+            return it->second;
+    }
+
+    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> SceneManager::getInstance(const std::string &name)
+    {
+        osg::ref_ptr<const osg::Node> scene = getTemplate(name);
+        return osg::clone(scene.get(), SceneUtil::CopyOp());
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp b/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7922f3a49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_SCENEMANAGER_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_SCENEMANAGER_H
+
+#include <string>
+#include <map>
+
+#include <osg/ref_ptr>
+#include <osg/Node>
+
+namespace VFS
+{
+    class Manager;
+}
+
+namespace Resource
+{
+
+    /// @brief Handles loading and caching of scenes, e.g. NIF files
+    class SceneManager
+    {
+    public:
+        SceneManager(const VFS::Manager* vfs);
+
+        /// Get a read-only copy of this scene "template"
+        osg::ref_ptr<const osg::Node> getTemplate(const std::string& name);
+
+        /// Create an instance of the given scene template
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> getInstance(const std::string& name);
+
+    private:
+        const VFS::Manager* mVFS;
+
+        // observer_ptr?
+        typedef std::map<std::string, osg::ref_ptr<const osg::Node> > Index;
+        Index mIndex;
+    };
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/clone.cpp b/components/sceneutil/clone.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f124d7de7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/sceneutil/clone.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#include "clone.hpp"
+
+#include <osg/StateSet>
+
+#include <osgParticle/ParticleProcessor>
+#include <osgParticle/ParticleSystemUpdater>
+#include <osgParticle/Emitter>
+#include <osgParticle/Program>
+#include <osgAnimation/RigGeometry>
+#include <osgAnimation/MorphGeometry>
+
+namespace SceneUtil
+{
+
+    CopyOp::CopyOp()
+    {
+        setCopyFlags(osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_NODES
+                     // Controller might need different inputs per scene instance
+                     | osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_CALLBACKS);
+    }
+
+    osg::StateSet* CopyOp::operator ()(const osg::StateSet* stateset) const
+    {
+        if (!stateset)
+            return NULL;
+        if (stateset->getDataVariance() == osg::StateSet::DYNAMIC)
+            return osg::clone(stateset, osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_STATESETS);
+        return const_cast<osg::StateSet*>(stateset);
+    }
+
+    osg::Node* CopyOp::operator ()(const osg::Node* node) const
+    {
+        if (const osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* processor = dynamic_cast<const osgParticle::ParticleProcessor*>(node))
+            return operator()(processor);
+        if (const osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater* updater = dynamic_cast<const osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater*>(node))
+        {
+            osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater* cloned = osg::clone(updater, osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_NODES);
+            mMap2[cloned] = updater->getParticleSystem(0);
+            return cloned;
+        }
+        return osg::CopyOp::operator()(node);
+    }
+
+    osg::Drawable* CopyOp::operator ()(const osg::Drawable* drawable) const
+    {
+        if (const osgParticle::ParticleSystem* partsys = dynamic_cast<const osgParticle::ParticleSystem*>(drawable))
+            return operator()(partsys);
+        if (dynamic_cast<const osgAnimation::RigGeometry*>(drawable)
+                || dynamic_cast<const osgAnimation::MorphGeometry*>(drawable))
+            return osg::clone(drawable, osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_DRAWABLES);
+
+        return osg::CopyOp::operator()(drawable);
+    }
+
+    osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* CopyOp::operator() (const osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* processor) const
+    {
+        osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* cloned = osg::clone(processor, osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_NODES);
+        mMap[cloned] = processor->getParticleSystem();
+        return cloned;
+    }
+
+    osgParticle::ParticleSystem* CopyOp::operator ()(const osgParticle::ParticleSystem* partsys) const
+    {
+        osgParticle::ParticleSystem* cloned = osg::clone(partsys, osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_DRAWABLES);
+
+        for (std::map<osgParticle::ParticleProcessor*, const osgParticle::ParticleSystem*>::const_iterator it = mMap.begin(); it != mMap.end(); ++it)
+        {
+            if (it->second == partsys)
+            {
+                it->first->setParticleSystem(cloned);
+            }
+        }
+        for (std::map<osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater*, const osgParticle::ParticleSystem*>::const_iterator it = mMap2.begin(); it != mMap2.end(); ++it)
+        {
+            if (it->second == partsys)
+            {
+                osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater* updater = it->first;
+                updater->removeParticleSystem(updater->getParticleSystem(0));
+                updater->addParticleSystem(cloned);
+            }
+        }
+        return cloned;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/clone.hpp b/components/sceneutil/clone.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..662dad543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/sceneutil/clone.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_SCENEUTIL_CLONE_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_SCENEUTIL_CLONE_H
+
+#include <map>
+
+#include <osg/CopyOp>
+
+namespace osgParticle
+{
+    class ParticleProcessor;
+    class ParticleSystem;
+    class ParticleSystemUpdater;
+}
+
+namespace SceneUtil
+{
+
+    /// @par Defines the cloning behaviour we need:
+    /// * Assigns updated ParticleSystem pointers on cloned emitters and programs.
+    /// * Creates deep copy of StateSets if they have a DYNAMIC data variance.
+    /// * Deep copies RigGeometry and MorphGeometry so they can animate without affecting clones.
+    /// @warning Do not use an object of this class for more than one copy operation.
+    class CopyOp : public osg::CopyOp
+    {
+    public:
+        CopyOp();
+
+        virtual osgParticle::ParticleSystem* operator() (const osgParticle::ParticleSystem* partsys) const;
+        virtual osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* operator() (const osgParticle::ParticleProcessor* processor) const;
+
+        virtual osg::Node* operator() (const osg::Node* node) const;
+        virtual osg::Drawable* operator() (const osg::Drawable* drawable) const;
+
+        virtual osg::StateSet* operator() (const osg::StateSet* stateset) const;
+
+    private:
+        // maps new ParticleProcessor to their old ParticleSystem pointer
+        // a little messy, but I think this should be the most efficient way
+        mutable std::map<osgParticle::ParticleProcessor*, const osgParticle::ParticleSystem*> mMap;
+        mutable std::map<osgParticle::ParticleSystemUpdater*, const osgParticle::ParticleSystem*> mMap2;
+    };
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.cpp b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
index d0e0cf586..829e08978 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.cpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,14 @@ namespace VFS
         std::string normalized = name;
         normalize_path(normalized, mStrict);
 
-        std::map<std::string, File*>::const_iterator found = mIndex.find(normalized);
+        return getNormalized(normalized);
+    }
+
+    Files::IStreamPtr Manager::getNormalized(const std::string &normalizedName) const
+    {
+        std::map<std::string, File*>::const_iterator found = mIndex.find(normalizedName);
         if (found == mIndex.end())
-            throw std::runtime_error("Resource '" + name + "' not found");
+            throw std::runtime_error("Resource '" + normalizedName + "' not found");
         return found->second->open();
     }
 
@@ -78,4 +83,9 @@ namespace VFS
         return mIndex;
     }
 
+    void Manager::normalizeFilename(std::string &name) const
+    {
+        normalize_path(name, mStrict);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.hpp b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
index ebbec7d15..f74914977 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
@@ -38,10 +38,17 @@ namespace VFS
         /// Get a complete list of files from all archives
         const std::map<std::string, File*>& getIndex() const;
 
+        /// Normalize the given filename, making slashes/backslashes consistent, and lower-casing if mStrict is false.
+        void normalizeFilename(std::string& name) const;
+
         /// Retrieve a file by name.
         /// @note Throws an exception if the file can not be found.
         Files::IStreamPtr get(const std::string& name) const;
 
+        /// Retrieve a file by name (name is already normalized).
+        /// @note Throws an exception if the file can not be found.
+        Files::IStreamPtr getNormalized(const std::string& normalizedName) const;
+
     private:
         bool mStrict;