diff --git a/library/include/modules/World.h b/library/include/modules/World.h
index 01ad231d0..50feb1495 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/World.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/World.h
@@ -80,6 +80,30 @@ namespace DFHack
         GameType g_type;
     };
     class DFContextShared;
+
+    class DFHACK_EXPORT PersistentDataItem {
+        friend class World;
+
+        int id;
+        std::string key_value;
+
+        std::string *str_value;
+        int *int_values;
+    public:
+        static const int NumInts = 7;
+
+        bool isValid() { return id != 0; }
+
+        const std::string &key() { return key_value; }
+
+        std::string &val() { return *str_value; }
+        int &ival(int i) { return int_values[i]; }
+
+        PersistentDataItem() : id(0), str_value(0), int_values(0) {}
+        PersistentDataItem(int id, const std::string &key, std::string *sv, int *iv)
+            : id(id), key_value(key), str_value(sv), int_values(iv) {}
+    };
+
     /**
      * The World module
      * \ingroup grp_modules
@@ -108,6 +132,14 @@ namespace DFHack
         bool ReadGameMode(t_gamemodes& rd);
         bool WriteGameMode(const t_gamemodes & wr); // this is very dangerous
         std::string ReadWorldFolder();
+
+        // Store data in fake historical figure names.
+        // This ensures that the values are stored in save games.
+        PersistentDataItem AddPersistentData(const std::string &key);
+        PersistentDataItem GetPersistentData(const std::string &key);
+        void GetPersistentData(std::vector<PersistentDataItem> *vec, const std::string &key);
+        void DeletePersistentData(const PersistentDataItem &item);
+
         private:
         struct Private;
         Private *d;
diff --git a/library/modules/World.cpp b/library/modules/World.cpp
index 5d1292a9e..4dea79c2b 100644
--- a/library/modules/World.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/World.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ using namespace std;
 #include "ModuleFactory.h"
 #include "Core.h"
 
+#include "MiscUtils.h"
+
+#include "DataDefs.h"
+#include "df/world.h"
+#include "df/historical_figure.h"
+
 using namespace DFHack;
 
 Module* DFHack::createWorld()
@@ -241,3 +247,71 @@ string World::ReadWorldFolder()
     }
     return string("");
 }
+
+static PersistentDataItem dataFromHFig(df::historical_figure *hfig)
+{
+    return PersistentDataItem(hfig->id, hfig->name.first_name, &hfig->name.nickname, hfig->name.words);
+}
+
+PersistentDataItem World::AddPersistentData(const std::string &key)
+{
+    std::vector<df::historical_figure*> &hfvec = df::historical_figure::get_vector();
+
+    int new_id = -100;
+    if (hfvec.size() > 0 && hfvec[0]->id <= new_id)
+        new_id = hfvec[0]->id-1;
+
+    df::historical_figure *hfig = new df::historical_figure();
+    hfig->id = new_id;
+    hfig->name.has_name = true;
+    hfig->name.first_name = key;
+    memset(hfig->name.words, 0, sizeof(hfig->name.words));
+
+    hfvec.insert(hfvec.begin(), hfig);
+    return dataFromHFig(hfig);
+}
+
+PersistentDataItem World::GetPersistentData(const std::string &key)
+{
+    std::vector<df::historical_figure*> &hfvec = df::historical_figure::get_vector();
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < hfvec.size(); i++)
+    {
+        df::historical_figure *hfig = hfvec[i];
+
+        if (hfig->id >= 0)
+            break;
+
+        if (hfig->name.has_name && hfig->name.first_name == key)
+            return dataFromHFig(hfig);
+    }
+
+    return PersistentDataItem();
+}
+
+void World::GetPersistentData(std::vector<PersistentDataItem> *vec, const std::string &key)
+{
+    std::vector<df::historical_figure*> &hfvec = df::historical_figure::get_vector();
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < hfvec.size(); i++)
+    {
+        df::historical_figure *hfig = hfvec[i];
+
+        if (hfig->id >= 0)
+            break;
+
+        if (hfig->name.has_name && hfig->name.first_name == key)
+            vec->push_back(dataFromHFig(hfig));
+    }
+}
+
+void World::DeletePersistentData(const PersistentDataItem &item)
+{
+    if (item.id > -100)
+        return;
+
+    std::vector<df::historical_figure*> &hfvec = df::historical_figure::get_vector();
+    int idx = binsearch_index(hfvec, item.id);
+    if (idx >= 0) {
+        delete hfvec[idx];
+        hfvec.erase(hfvec.begin()+idx);
+    }
+}