Village Initiatives
Village initiatives are civic projects you can propose and build in Wanderfolk’s villages. Each initiative requires materials, an NPC sponsor, and enough political support from villagers to proceed. Completed initiatives provide permanent bonuses and push the village toward a specialization.
Initiative Types
Seven types of initiatives are available:
| Initiative | What It Does | Key Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Expands residential capacity | More NPCs can live in the village |
| Granary | Increases food storage security | Higher food stockpile cap |
| Mine Works | Improves ore production | Better ore yield from deposits |
| Irrigation | Boosts crop growth and food yield | Faster farming cycles |
| Barracks | Establishes military garrison/training | Stronger village defense vs bandits |
| Brewery | Produces celebratory goods | Morale boost for villagers |
| Festival Ground | Hosts cultural events | Cultural and morale bonuses |
How Proposals Work
Step 1: Propose
Select an initiative type to propose for your village. The proposal enters proposed status and needs to gather political support before it can proceed.
Step 2: Rally Support
Every NPC has a political stance on each initiative:
| Stance | Effect |
|---|---|
| Champion | Actively promotes the initiative |
| Supportive | Votes in favor |
| Neutral | Neither helps nor hinders |
| Skeptical | Mild opposition |
| Blocker | Actively opposes |
Stances are role-based. A blacksmith tends to champion mine works but may be skeptical of a festival ground. An innkeeper loves the brewery idea but might block the barracks. You need to talk to NPCs, build relationships, and persuade enough of them to hit the support threshold. If opposition exceeds a limit, the proposal fails.
Step 3: Deliver Materials
Active initiatives require specific item deliveries. A barracks needs iron. Irrigation needs wood and stone. Deliver the required materials to progress construction.
Step 4: Wait for Completion
Each initiative has a construction period measured in days. Workers are assigned during this time, affecting village labor availability.
Workforce & Staffing
Initiatives require workers from specific NPC roles. Assigning villagers to construction means they’re unavailable for their normal jobs during that period. Staffing strain is tracked at four levels:
| Strain | Effect |
|---|---|
| None | Village operates normally |
| Low | Minor slowdown in affected roles |
| Medium | Noticeable labor gaps |
| High | Critical shortages in some village functions |
Pushing too many initiatives at once can leave the village vulnerable to bandit raids or food shortages.
Village Specialization
Completed initiatives push the village toward one of five archetypes:
| Archetype | Favored Initiatives | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Agrarian | Granary, Irrigation | Farming-focused, food surplus |
| Industrial | Mine Works | Crafting and production hub |
| Martial | Barracks | Military defense stronghold |
| Festive | Brewery, Festival Ground | Culture and celebration center |
| Balanced | Mixed | No dominant specialization |
Specialization develops organically from your choices — there’s no menu to select it. A village that builds a granary and irrigation naturally becomes agrarian. One that invests in barracks and mine works becomes industrial.
Structural Benefits
Completed initiatives provide ongoing bonuses that apply village-wide or district-wide:
- Irrigation — percentage boost to crop growth rates
- Barracks — improved defense ratings against raids
- Granary — increased food storage capacity
- Mine Works — better ore yield from local deposits
- Brewery/Festival Ground — morale bonuses affecting NPC mood and productivity
Conversation Integration
NPCs can be asked about their stance on initiatives through normal conversation. You can attempt to persuade skeptics — success depends on your relationship depth and reputation with that NPC. A close friend is more likely to be convinced than an acquaintance.
Related Articles
- Village Economy — how village resources interact with initiatives
- Making Friends — relationship building that enables persuasion
- Bandit Encounters — why barracks matter for defense
- Caravans — trade routes that supply initiative materials