Hunger

The belly is the oldest drum in the camp. Answer it, or it only drums louder.

How hunger builds, how to answer it, and what an empty belly costs you.

Hunger is how long it has been since you last ate. It builds at one steady pace, day and night, awake or asleep. From fed to starving takes about three days.

Hard work does not make you hungrier. Only time does, and illness, which can double the pace. Some Burdens can quicken it too.

Eating

Hold food and press E. A bite takes a moment. Moving, jumping, striking or being struck spoils the bite, and you keep the food.

Every food fills you by its own amount. Eating when you are already full wastes it.

What hunger costs

• Tiredness. The hungrier you are, the faster you tire, up to twice as fast. See Fatigue and Sleep.
• Slower healing. Half hungry, you mend at half the pace. Starving, at a third. See Injury and Wounds.
• Poor rest. The emptier your belly, the less sitting and sleeping repay.
• Starving. Once your Hunger ring is full, it does harm every hour. Left that way, starving kills in about six days.

Food that fights back

Some things that look like food are poison. A poisonous meal still fills your belly, but it fills you with toxin too. With enough toxin in you, your stomach turns and you cannot eat until some of it has passed. See Poison and Sickness.