So for my 200th post, I thought I'd share a random idea that came together while thinking about Dras cities and lawmaking, which relies on a number of assumptions, many of which are only true of the Dras.

Scroll down for the idea itself, if tl;dr

First, known facts about the Dras:

• They can eat spoiled food and still get all the nutritional value from it.
• They can drink dirty water without ill effect
• They have a strong sense of community

In-game assumptions:

• Just because a Dras can eat spoiled meat and get all the nutritional benefits doesn't mean they will want to.
• It will be possible for NPCs living in a town or city to become homeless and sleep on the streets due to unexpected circumstances (financial collapse, robbery, fire, divorce, etc.).
• No matter how communal you feel, you're not going to want to see homeless people on the streets.

Assumptions for the idea:

• The city has a population of roughly 200 (for the sake of easy math and the ability to make laws)
• Out in the boonies of the city, there is a plot of completely unused land (too far away from everything for commerce or a typical home and no resources to mine, say)
• The city has a surplus of food coming in from farming and trade, resulting in some spoilage.
• The city has a roughly constant homeless population of between eight and ten people (roughly 4-5% of the population) though with a roughly constant level of turnover.

The Idea, itself

Okay, it's in two parts:

Part 1: Housing:

That piece of land? Why not build something like ten shacks tightly packed together, each with just enough space for a bed and a small nightstand, where the homeless, who can prove need somehow (some sort of proof of homelessness would be available I would hope) can live for free for up to one in-game year, while they find jobs to sustain themselves properly. At the very least it would get them off the streets and out of the elements.

Part 2: Food

Desperate, hungry people will do what they need to just to eat (barring hunger strikes), up to and including theft and cannibalism. Also, the Dras can eat spoiled meat without issue, and we're assuming that there will be food losses to spoilage but not enough to cause an issue for most citizens as it's a result of surplus.

The idea here is people can give their spoiled food to the government for a small, token amount (and the feeling they're helping the community), and that spoiled food will go to a food kitchen like arrangement, where the aforementioned homeless population, and others who might otherwise go hungry can eat for free. It's not the most desirable of meals, being spoiled, but Dras can still get the full nutrition from it so they won't starve, plus it reduces the total waste of the city and makes people less likely to steal to survive, helping keep crime down.

Water, meanwhile, can be had from drinking straight from the swamp, which, again, while not pleasant or delicious, will let you get by, due, again to the Dras' unique traits.

In Conclusion

In essence a two part gov't run safety net designed around the Dras' unique traits (on the food half at least), meant to help the worst off in society and solve potential crime and waste problems (hence why it's in the tribes subforum).

So, is there any flaws in my assumptions or logic, or are there things you think would work against the idea? Admittedly, the whole proving homelessness thing would be a challenge, but I hope no one would want to live in a small shack, unless the alternative was sleeping on the streets. Also, the possibility of other tribes living in a Dras village and becoming homeless themselves is another issue, but in that case I imagine arrangements can be made for food and water (also, how many would want to live in the depths of a swamp trying to kill them?). But other than that?