diff --git a/source/birchwood/formatting.d b/source/birchwood/formatting.d
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..975da7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/birchwood/formatting.d
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+module birchwood.formatting
+
+import std.string;
+
+// Toggle characters
+enum bold = '\x02';
+enum italic = '\x1D';
+enum underline = '\x1F';
+enum strikethrough = '\x1E';
+enum monospace = '\x11';
+
+// Color characters
+enum ascii_color_code = '\x03';
+enum hex_color_code = '\x04';
+
+// Simple color codes
+enum simple_colors: string {
+    WHITE = "00",
+    BLACK = "01",
+    BLUE = "02",
+    GREEN = "03",
+    RED = "04",
+    BROWN = "05",
+    MAGENTA = "06",
+    ORANGE = "07",
+    YELLOW = "08",
+    LIGHT_GREEN = "09",
+    CYAN = "10",
+    LIGHT_CYAN = "11",
+    LIGHT_BLUE = "12",
+    PINK = "13",
+    GREY = "14",
+    LIGHT_GREY = "15",
+    DEFAULT = "99" // NOT UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTED
+}
+
+// Generates a string that changes the foreground color
+string set_foreground(string color) {
+    char[1] control_char;
+    if (color.length == 6) {
+        control_char[0] = hex_color_code;
+    } else if (color.length == 2) {
+        control_char[0] = ascii_color_code;
+    } else {
+        throw new StringException("Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
+    }
+    return control_char.idup ~ color;
+}
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