It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we shared our first Dev Diary with you!

Over the past twelve months, Nestled Lands has started looking like the game we always envisioned — one that blends survival, exploration, and community-building into a truly immersive experience. What began as a simple survival game has evolved into a unique settlement survival journey shaped by dynamic village management, the ever-looming threat of the plague, and memorable NPCs like your first assistant and companion Balder.

With many core mechanics already in place, we’re making steady progress toward the alpha test, shaping a realistic world where every decision counts.

In this special anniversary update, we’re revisiting the heart of Nestled Lands, a rich world of survival, exploration, and community-building.

The Death Plague

In Nested Lands, the Death Plague cannot be defeated or destroyed. It is an ever-present shadow across the islands, always renewing and reappearing. This relentless disease targets everyone — you, villagers, and enemies alike.

The plague progresses through three stages — spreading, advanced, and dying — each causing worsening symptoms. If untreated, the infected die, leaving behind contagious corpses. To prevent an outbreak, you must build crematoriums to destroy the remains of your former friends.

While you cannot eradicate the Plague, you can subdue and pacify it. Build Infirmaries and Plague Hospitals to slow the infection, and Bath Houses and Plague Masks to help prevent it. Make sure to build the Apothecary’s Hut to make medicine to ease plague victims’ symptoms, extending their lives enabling them to continue contributing to the settlement, and offering fragile hope to others.

Even your enemies aren't safe. Infected foes pose a physical threat as well as a contamination risk, with those too far gone known as Infected Savages.

This constant threat makes vigilance essential during exploration — you need to approach contaminated areas and infected enemies cautiously and keep an eye on your settlement’s hygiene and health to stave off outbreaks. And yet, even in the face of loss, death is not the end in Nested Lands…

Village Management

Developing and managing your village is more than just your key to survival — it's an important step toward your dream of reviving your native land after the devastating Plague. Within the walls of your village, you prepare for exploration, manage resources, and protect the people who look to you for safety.

Through mechanics such as Protection, Decoration, and Warmth, you create a home where your fellow villagers can feel secure, flourish, and build a thriving society together.

Your villagers are your responsibility. Assign them the profession that’s right for them, and they’ll do the rest. If an NPC with a certain crafting profession needs resources, another NPC with the appropriate gathering profession will bring them what they need. You could always do it yourself, but why would you if there’s someone to help?

This option adds automation elements of the automation genre, known to players from Factorio to traditional survival mechanics. If you take advantage of it, your village will thrive, but as it grows, it will attract envious enemies ready to strike.

Raids, scenarios where enemies attack your village, are a constant threat. Strong defenses are crucial to surviving these unpredictable events. If you’re away from the village, an alarm will call you back to defend your home.

Enemies

You’ll encounter a variety of enemies in Norovellir, including Rogue Soldiers, Corrupted Priests, Mad Occultists, Infected Savages, Bandits, and Wild Peasants. Some, like you, are just trying to survive, while others have more sinister goals.

In the alpha, you'll primarily encounter Bandits and Wild Peasants.

Bandits are opportunistic thieves who often attack in groups. While weak on their own, they will call for reinforcements if they spot you.

Wild Peasants defend their land fiercely, attacking any trespassers on sight.

Both factions occupy the North Plains, but they'll appear in other regions too. As you progress, expect more complex challenges from these and other enemies in the full release.

Villagers

Villagers are the heart of your settlement. They gather resources, craft items, care for the sick, and defend the village. To recruit and keep them, you have to meet their basic needs — food, warmth, hygiene, and happiness — or risk losing their loyalty.

Each villager brings unique skills and traits that make them ideal for specific roles. For example, a skilled cook will be a perfect fit for your Cookhouse, and a talented forester will make an excellent gatherer. Since our earlier diaries, we’ve streamlined and enhanced how these mechanics work, making them more intuitive and impactful. Matching tasks to villagers’ strengths is essential for your settlement’s success and growth.

What sets Nested Lands apart is dynamic interactions among villagers. They collaborate, communicate, and even solve challenges independently. For example, if a Builder needs planks, they’ll request them from a Carpenter, who in turn may rely on a Wood Chopper for logs. This teamwork ensures that your village will run smoothly even while you’re away.

However, if one link in this chain falters, it can disrupt the entire village. A well-oiled system thrives only when all your villagers are well fed, clothed, and content. You’ll guide them more actively at first, but as your settlement grows, maintaining their wellbeing and teamwork will be crucial to your success.

With over 60 unique traits influencing behavior and events, your village feels alive. It’s a thriving, interconnected community where every character plays a role.

Our team is working hard to make village management in Nested Lands the most lifelike and immersive survival experience possible. To stay up to date, join our Discord server, wishlist the game on Steam, and don't forget to sign up for the upcoming alpha, which is coming soon!