TRADE
Every town you visit offers you a moment of safety, but more importantly an opportunity to make money! Make sure to buy where certain goods are cheap, and sell where they are high to turn the most profit. Exchange physical goods with the markets to barter, and exchange currency as well (where it is accepted). Every trade can be a bit of a gamble though, as based on how favorable the trade is for the town, they'll either accept or deny it. Be sure to avoid rolling the dice on unfavorable trades for the town too many times however, as you can only have a set number of trade declines before the town refuses to trade with you. Not all is lost however, as the town's market will open back up to you after a few days.
Survive
The remains of the Columbia are no safe place, and the ever consuming darkness is enough to drive most mad. As you travel around the map, your morale will slowly be eaten away. Morale can be gained by resting in the safety of a town or by eating a good meal. Certain areas of the map are less welcoming than others, and shadowy figures may appear from the darkness and chase you down. Having low morale can cause these shadows to become increasingly dangerous, so be sure to keep your caravan happy unless you're looking for a real challenge.
Interact
Speak to the survivors within the Columbia. Make allies, friends, or enemies if business calls for it. Take on special orders to impact the story in whichever way you choose, as many of these orders will branch the story out into different directions. Fulfilling these orders can get you many useful rewards such as: caravan upgrades, better relationships with towns, and potential guards for your caravan.
While they may be doomed, humanity continues to turn the wheel of history. Since its fall, the survivors of the Columbia have already divided themselves into rival factions by the time you've gotten your caravan up and running. You begin within the Amerikaners, the new republic in this forsaken world. Over the past few months the Amerikaners have begun to make their way out of their hidden home within the collapsed walls of the Columbia and settle new towns. Under a self proclaimed pope, the Catolicos have renewed the church of old. While peaceful at first the growing influence of a more violent order within the church has convinced many to take dominion over the remnants of Columbia by force. Though the recent Amerikaner settlements have been spared for now, they have not gone unnoticed.