diff --git a/tests/test_tractor.py b/tests/test_local.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/test_tractor.py
rename to tests/test_local.py
diff --git a/tests/test_spawning.py b/tests/test_spawning.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07dd737
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_spawning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+"""
+Spawning basics
+"""
+import trio
+import tractor
+
+from conftest import tractor_test
+
+statespace = {'doggy': 10, 'kitty': 4}
+
+
+async def spawn(is_arbiter):
+    namespaces = [__name__]
+
+    await trio.sleep(0.1)
+    actor = tractor.current_actor()
+    assert actor.is_arbiter == is_arbiter
+    assert actor.statespace == statespace
+
+    if actor.is_arbiter:
+        async with tractor.open_nursery() as nursery:
+            # forks here
+            portal = await nursery.run_in_actor(
+                'sub-actor',
+                spawn,
+                is_arbiter=False,
+                statespace=statespace,
+                rpc_module_paths=namespaces,
+            )
+
+            assert len(nursery._children) == 1
+            assert portal.channel.uid in tractor.current_actor()._peers
+            # be sure we can still get the result
+            result = await portal.result()
+            assert result == 10
+            return result
+    else:
+        return 10
+
+
+def test_local_arbiter_subactor_global_state(arb_addr):
+    result = tractor.run(
+        spawn,
+        True,
+        name='arbiter',
+        statespace=statespace,
+        arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
+    )
+    assert result == 10
+
+
+def movie_theatre_question():
+    """A question asked in a dark theatre, in a tangent
+    (errr, I mean different) process.
+    """
+    return 'have you ever seen a portal?'
+
+
+@tractor_test
+async def test_movie_theatre_convo():
+    """The main ``tractor`` routine.
+    """
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+
+        portal = await n.start_actor(
+            'frank',
+            # enable the actor to run funcs from this current module
+            rpc_module_paths=[__name__],
+        )
+
+        print(await portal.run(__name__, 'movie_theatre_question'))
+        # call the subactor a 2nd time
+        print(await portal.run(__name__, 'movie_theatre_question'))
+
+        # the async with will block here indefinitely waiting
+        # for our actor "frank" to complete, we cancel 'frank'
+        # to avoid blocking indefinitely
+        await portal.cancel_actor()
+
+
+def cellar_door():
+    return "Dang that's beautiful"
+
+
+@tractor_test
+async def test_most_beautiful_word():
+    """The main ``tractor`` routine.
+    """
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+
+        portal = await n.run_in_actor('some_linguist', cellar_door)
+
+    # The ``async with`` will unblock here since the 'some_linguist'
+    # actor has completed its main task ``cellar_door``.
+
+    print(await portal.result())