diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
index 8aea5b1a1..a62e7561b 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatMessageHandler.java,v 1.5 2001/12/14 00:11:17 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatMessageHandler.java,v 1.6 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -40,6 +40,6 @@ public class ChatMessageHandler implements PlaceManager.MessageHandler
 
         // and generate a chat notification
         ChatProvider.sendChatMessage(
-            event.getTargetOid(), source.username, message);
+            event.getTargetOid(), source.username, null, message);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
index de97c9322..d3d293d01 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatDirector.java,v 1.19 2002/02/26 20:52:45 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatDirector.java,v 1.20 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -215,7 +215,24 @@ public class ChatDirector
         // pass this on to our chat displays
         for (int i = 0; i < _displays.size(); i++) {
             ChatDisplay display = (ChatDisplay)_displays.get(i);
-            display.displayTellMessage(source, message);
+            display.displayTellMessage(source, null, message);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by the invocation director when an entity on the server has
+     * requested that we deliver a tell notification to this
+     * client. Because the server generated the notification, displays
+     * will want to translate the message itself using the supplied bundle
+     * identifier.
+     */
+    public void handleTellNotification (
+        String source, String bundle, String message)
+    {
+        // pass this on to our chat displays
+        for (int i = 0; i < _displays.size(); i++) {
+            ChatDisplay display = (ChatDisplay)_displays.get(i);
+            display.displayTellMessage(source, bundle, message);
         }
     }
 
@@ -260,12 +277,22 @@ public class ChatDirector
     protected void handleSpeakMessage (String type, Object[] args)
     {
         String speaker = (String)args[0];
-        String message = (String)args[1];
+        String bundle = null;
+        String message = null;
+
+        // determine whether this speak message originated from another
+        // client or from a server entity
+        if (args.length == 2) {
+            message = (String)args[1];
+        } else {
+            bundle = (String)args[1];
+            message = (String)args[2];
+        }
 
         // pass this on to our chat displays
         for (int i = 0; i < _displays.size(); i++) {
             ChatDisplay display = (ChatDisplay)_displays.get(i);
-            display.displaySpeakMessage(type, speaker, message);
+            display.displaySpeakMessage(type, speaker, bundle, message);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
index be92c99f5..cdb0f635d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatDisplay.java,v 1.8 2002/02/26 05:47:40 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatDisplay.java,v 1.9 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ public interface ChatDisplay
      * auxiliary chat object, the type code provided when that auxiliary
      * object was registered.
      * @param speaker the username of the speaker.
+     * @param bundle for speak messages that originated with a server
+     * entity rather than another client, this will be non-null and will
+     * contain a bundle identifier that should be used to translate the
+     * message text.
      * @param message the text of the message.
      */
     public void displaySpeakMessage (
-        String type, String speaker, String message);
+        String type, String speaker, String bundle, String message);
 
     /**
      * Called to display a tell message. A tell message is one that is
@@ -33,9 +37,14 @@ public interface ChatDisplay
      * location in the system.
      *
      * @param speaker the username of the speaker.
+     * @param bundle for tell messages that originated with a server
+     * entity rather than another client, this will be non-null and will
+     * contain a bundle identifier that should be used to translate the
+     * message text.
      * @param message the text of the message.
      */
-    public void displayTellMessage (String speaker, String message);
+    public void displayTellMessage (
+        String speaker, String bundle, String message);
 
     /**
      * Called to display a system message. A system message is one that is
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
index 4856a36f3..62cd8e976 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.9 2002/02/26 05:47:40 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.10 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -33,27 +33,63 @@ public class ChatProvider
 
         } else {
             // deliver a tell notification to the target player
-            Object[] args = new Object[] { source.username, message };
-            CrowdServer.invmgr.sendNotification(
-                tobj.getOid(), MODULE_NAME, TELL_NOTIFICATION, args);
+            sendTellMessage(tobj.getOid(), source.username, null, message);
             // let the teller know it went ok
             sendResponse(source, invid, TELL_SUCCEEDED_RESPONSE);
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Delivers a tell notification to the specified target player,
+     * originating with the specified speaker.
+     *
+     * @param targetOid the body object id of the user that will receive
+     * the tell message.
+     * @param speaker the username of the user that generated the message
+     * (or some special speaker name for server messages).
+     * @param bundle the bundle identifier that will be used by the client
+     * to translate the message text (this would be null in all cases
+     * except where the message originated from some server entity that
+     * was "faking" a tell to a real player).
+     * @param message the text of the chat message.
+     */
+    public static void sendTellMessage (
+        int targetOid, String speaker, String bundle, String message)
+    {
+        Object[] args = null;
+        if (bundle == null) {
+            args = new Object[] { speaker, message };
+        } else {
+            args = new Object[] { speaker, bundle, message };
+        }
+        CrowdServer.invmgr.sendNotification(
+            targetOid, MODULE_NAME, TELL_NOTIFICATION, args);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sends a chat notification to the specified place object originating
-     * with the specified speaker and with the supplied message content.
+     * with the specified speaker (the speaker optionally being a server
+     * entity that wishes to fake a "speak" message) and with the supplied
+     * message content.
      *
      * @param placeOid the place to which to deliver the chat message.
      * @param speaker the username of the user that generated the message
      * (or some special speaker name for server messages).
+     * @param bundle null when the message originates from a real human,
+     * the bundle identifier that will be used by the client to translate
+     * the message text when the message originates from a server entity
+     * "faking" a chat message.
      * @param message the text of the chat message.
      */
     public static void sendChatMessage (
-        int placeOid, String speaker, String message)
+        int placeOid, String speaker, String bundle, String message)
     {
-        Object[] outargs = new Object[] { speaker, message };
+        Object[] outargs = null;
+        if (bundle == null) {
+            outargs = new Object[] { speaker, message };
+        } else {
+            outargs = new Object[] { speaker, bundle, message };
+        }
         MessageEvent nevt = new MessageEvent(
             placeOid, ChatService.SPEAK_NOTIFICATION, outargs);
         CrowdServer.omgr.postEvent(nevt);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/client/ChatPanel.java b/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/client/ChatPanel.java
index 9255f1f03..0f5e0612f 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/client/ChatPanel.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/client/ChatPanel.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatPanel.java,v 1.13 2002/04/15 14:38:45 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: ChatPanel.java,v 1.14 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.micasa.client;
 
@@ -226,10 +226,14 @@ public class ChatPanel
 
     // documentation inherited
     public void displaySpeakMessage (
-        String type, String speaker, String message)
+        String type, String speaker, String bundle, String message)
     {
         // wrap the speaker in brackets
         speaker = "<" + speaker + "> ";
+
+        // translate the message if necessary
+        message = xlate(bundle, message);
+
         // stick a newline on the message
         message = message + "\n";
 
@@ -247,14 +251,7 @@ public class ChatPanel
         String type, String bundle, String message)
     {
         // translate the message
-        MessageBundle msgb = _ctx.getMessageManager().getBundle(bundle);
-        if (msgb == null) {
-            Log.warning("No message bundle available to translate message " +
-                        "[type=" + type + ", bundle=" + bundle +
-                        ", message=" + message + "].");
-        } else {
-            message = msgb.xlate(message);
-        }
+        message = xlate(bundle, message);
 
         // stick a newline on the message
         message = message + "\n";
@@ -267,6 +264,25 @@ public class ChatPanel
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Translates the supplied message using the supplied bundle
+     * identifier iff the bundle identifier is not null. Otherwise it
+     * returns the original message.
+     */
+    protected String xlate (String bundle, String message)
+    {
+        if (bundle != null) {
+            MessageBundle msgb = _ctx.getMessageManager().getBundle(bundle);
+            if (msgb == null) {
+                Log.warning("No message bundle available to translate " +
+                            "[bundle=" + bundle + ", msg=" + message + "].");
+            } else {
+                message = msgb.xlate(message);
+            }
+        }
+        return message;
+    }
+
     protected void displayError (String message)
     {
         // stick a newline on the message
@@ -281,10 +297,15 @@ public class ChatPanel
     }
 
     // documentation inherited
-    public void displayTellMessage (String speaker, String message)
+    public void displayTellMessage (
+        String speaker, String bundle, String message)
     {
         // wrap the speaker in brackets
         speaker = "[" + speaker + " whispers] ";
+
+        // translate the message if necessary
+        message = xlate(bundle, message);
+
         // stick a newline on the message
         message = message + "\n";
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
index c3f6cbbb4..422814ea3 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SpotProvider.java,v 1.6 2002/04/15 16:28:03 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: SpotProvider.java,v 1.7 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.spot.server;
 
@@ -215,21 +215,49 @@ public class SpotProvider extends InvocationProvider
      */
     public void handleClusterSpeakRequest (
         BodyObject source, int invid, int sceneId, int locId, String message)
+    {
+        sendClusterChatMessage(sceneId, locId, source.getOid(),
+                               source.username, null, message);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sends a cluster chat notification to the specified location in the
+     * specified place object originating with the specified speaker (the
+     * speaker can be a server entity that wishes to fake a "speak"
+     * message, in which case the bundle argument should be non-null and
+     * should contain the id of the bundle to be used to translate the
+     * message text) and with the supplied message content.
+     *
+     * @param sceneId the scene id in which to deliver the chat message.
+     * @param locId the location whose cluster will be spoken to.
+     * @param speakerOid the body object id of the speaker (used to verify
+     * that they are in the cluster in question).
+     * @param speaker the username of the user that generated the message
+     * (or some special speaker name for server messages).
+     * @param bundle the bundle identifier that will be used by the client
+     * to translate the message text (or null if the message originated
+     * from a real live human who wrote it in their native tongue).
+     * @param message the text of the chat message.
+     */
+    public static void sendClusterChatMessage (
+        int sceneId, int locId, int speakerOid, String speaker,
+        String bundle, String message)
     {
         // look up the scene manager for the specified scene
         SpotSceneManager smgr = (SpotSceneManager)
             _screg.getSceneManager(sceneId);
         if (smgr == null) {
             Log.warning("User requested cluster chat in " +
-                        "non-existent scene [user=" + source.username +
+                        "non-existent scene [user=" + speaker +
                         ", sceneId=" + sceneId + ", locId=" + locId +
                         ", message=" + message + "].");
 
         } else {
             // pass this request on to the spot scene manager as it will
-            // need to check that the location exists and that the
-            // requester occupies it and so on
-            smgr.handleClusterSpeakRequest(source, locId, message);
+            // need to check that the location exists and that the speaker
+            // occupies it and so on
+            smgr.handleClusterSpeakRequest(
+                speakerOid, speaker, locId, bundle, message);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
index bfe096362..e647232c7 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SpotSceneManager.java,v 1.5 2002/04/15 16:28:03 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: SpotSceneManager.java,v 1.6 2002/04/30 17:27:30 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.spot.server;
 
@@ -169,11 +169,12 @@ public class SpotSceneManager extends SceneManager
      * request.
      */
     protected void handleClusterSpeakRequest (
-        BodyObject source, int locationId, String message)
+        int sourceOid, String source, int locationId,
+        String bundle, String message)
     {
         // make sure this user occupies the specified location
         int locidx = _sscene.getLocationIndex(locationId);
-        if (locidx == -1 || _locationOccs[locidx] != source.getOid()) {
+        if (locidx == -1 || _locationOccs[locidx] != sourceOid) {
             Log.warning("User not in specified location for CCREQ " +
                         "[body=" + source + ", locId=" + locationId +
                         ", message=" + message + "].");
@@ -192,12 +193,11 @@ public class SpotSceneManager extends SceneManager
         // all is well, generate a chat notification
         int clusterOid = _clusterOids[clusterIndex];
         if (clusterOid > 0) {
-            ChatProvider.sendChatMessage(clusterOid, source.username, message);
+            ChatProvider.sendChatMessage(clusterOid, source, bundle, message);
 
         } else {
             Log.warning("Have no cluster object for CCREQ " +
-                        "[cidx=" + clusterIndex +
-                        ", chatter=" + source.username +
+                        "[cidx=" + clusterIndex + ", chatter=" + source +
                         ", message=" + message + "].");
         }
     }