Hmm, I was thinking of maybe borrowing a bit from the history books. Making peace with the locals, who know a great deal more about the local fauna/flora could be beneficial to the farmers by providing new crops or better ways to grow existing crops. Thereby speeding up the harvesting process or increasing the harvest yeild, and therefore profit. Trade could also be important. Maybe these things (Goblins for instance) live in a few caves that have gold or silver veins. Taking it from them is possible, but maybe they know of where more can be found if you made peace with them, and could mine it for you more cheaply than hireing your own workers, thereby turning a greater profit for you and the town. I like the easter egg sort of thing. The whole point was that it shouldnt be imediately obvious that there is the potential for friendship and mutual benefit between your settlement and the locals. Also, in regards to your post a few before mine, I like the idea of slower change where you can leave and come back rather than a very fast pace change. But then again, if you provided enough side quests in the area, leaving may not be necessary. I have't chipped in before now as i didn't think there was much i could add - but this idea of the creatures already being there got me thinking. It might be possible with vanilla SI creatures - the Elytra spring to mind - especially the whole felldew concept. could something not be done with similar scripting - ie they don't attack whilst under effects, but in this case you can't understand them until an object held/potion drunk/item eaten/ring worn/quest completed condition is met - and only then does the 'felldew effect' becomes more permanent and you can then communicate with the creatures - who offer advice/help/trade etc? the AI would already be in place for these creatures and (i imagine - new to modding) be easyish to adapt as all conditions are already held within the game...
