NPCs

Over the course of your adventure, you will run into many types of Non-Player Characters, or NPCs.

Hostile
The most famous hostile NPC would be the Njerpez, raiders from the east. They have their own villages, and are represented by purple squares on the cultural map. They wield iron weapons, and can make a formidable enemy. Angered villagers (those with double dashes on their icon) are also hostile to the player. They may become hostile for a number of reasons, such as the player cutting down trees in a village, or attacking them.

Non-hostile
The majority of NPCs fall into this category. The most commonly found NPCs in villages are: Women rarely or never have any goods to trade, but they can trade animals. They can provide information about nearby Njerpez, Njerpez camps, wandering bear or Foreign traders. Children do not trade anything and generally have no information about surrounding world. Peasants rarely or never have any goods to trade, but they, like women, can trade animals. They do not seem to provide any useful information about surrounding world. Hunters and Adventurers always have goods to trade. They will also trade back goods you've bartered to them earlier. Sages are important, as they are the only ones who can teach rituals. In addition, they can heal players.
 * Woman/Maiden
 * Child
 * Peasant
 * Old Man
 * Hunter/Adventurer
 * Shaman/Sage

Shopkeepers stay in their shops at all times. Foreign traders are traveling bands of traders, who often have iron armour for sale. They prefer to trade for high-quality pelts, usually fox and lynx.

NPC Behaviour
NPCs that agree to help you need at least two different kinds of tool, and two days worth of food. Once in their inventory, food does not spoil, so one tactic to prolong food is to give it to an NPC, then take or trade it back. Things that are held by companions can be taken by [;] taking in another direction, similar to pack animals.

Keep in mind that NPCs use different statistics than the player. While you will be faster than most of them, even if you are completely unencumbered with the maximum possible speed and endurance attribute, there will be those that can still outrun you. Additionally, they are not affected by encumbrance in the same way as the player, tiring noticeably more slowly than the player even when burdened by metal armor and half a dozen large animal furs.

NPCs can sometimes be seen feeding from corpses.