Revision 1

Settlement building extends Windrose's base building system into something closer to town management. Beyond simple survival shelters, players can establish operational outposts with NPC workers, traders, and specialized facilities. The October 2025 Galaxies Showcase added old-world estate building sets in Spanish and British architectural styles.

Outpost network

As players explore the archipelago, they can establish outposts on different islands. Each outpost starts as a simple camp and can be expanded into a functional base with crafting stations, storage, and defense structures. Having outposts spread across multiple islands reduces travel time and provides safe havens in dangerous regions.

NPC workforce

Recruited NPCs can be assigned to handle various tasks:

• Gatherers collect raw materials while you are away exploring or fighting

• Crafters produce items at your workstations automatically

• Traders can be brought to your settlement, providing convenient access to goods you would otherwise need to travel to Tortuga for

NPCs charge for their services in gold, creating an economy that gives currency a purpose beyond buying gear. NPC automation is entirely optional, so players who prefer hands-on resource management can ignore the system entirely.

Quality of life

A standout feature praised by demo players: you can access stored base resources directly at crafting stations without needing items in your personal inventory. If your storage chest has iron and your forge needs iron, you can craft at the forge without manually transferring materials. This removes the tedious inventory shuffling common in other survival games. Demo players consistently named building as one of the game's strongest systems, praising smooth snapping, easy duplication, and intuitive construction.

Architectural styles

The Galaxies Showcase (October 2025) introduced old-world estate building sets featuring Spanish and British mansion components. These let players construct Caribbean haciendas, colonial mansions, and other period-appropriate structures. One community member recreated the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars during playtesting, demonstrating the creative range of the building system.

Defensive structures

Settlements can include walls, watchtowers, and cannon emplacements. Since Blackbeard's undead forces roam the archipelago, defending your outposts from attack may become relevant as the game's story progresses. The full extent of base defense mechanics will become clearer during Early Access.