Neuron

Neurons are the nerve cells that carry electrical and chemical signals. In Arborwake they are rooted gold residents. Their pulses are the signals the player learns to read, starting with the Evening Pair.

In the brain#

• Neurons send signals along axons and pass them on at synapses.
• They depend on glial cells for support, insulation and immune care.
• In stress research, some neural outcomes continued even after microglia were removed. One example the review cites is neuronal IL-1R1 signalling in mouse hippocampus. Microglia cannot explain or fix every neural change.
• A weaker or delayed signal is not the same as a dead neuron.

In the game#

• Rooted. Neurons do not walk or give out quests. At most one home neuron has a speaking identity early, and that is Nell.
• Three at home. Hearth's approved layout runs neurons N (Nell's), W and E into a rosette. Their neuron lines were approved on 1 November.
• Loss is failure. Losing a neuron or a tract segment fails the room at once, after a clear warning. It is never a grading cost. Dimming is reversible and allowed.
• No player-controlled firing. The player never fires a neuron directly.
• Persistent residents. A failed room never deletes a named resident from the world.

Development#

• Neuron designs belong to the approved cast direction of 27 October. Nell's named design B was approved on 2 November.
• In the alpha Neurons and Hearth's neuron lines are in the Placeholder alpha.

See also#

• Nell
• Evening Pair
• Science guardrails

Sources#

1. .GAME_PLAN/ARBORWAKE_THE_LONG_WAKE_COMPLETE_GAME_PLAN_v0.5.md (working copy, not in Git)
2. .GAME_PLAN/ARBORWAKE_COMPANIONS_NARRATIVE_AND_SYSTEMS_DOSSIER_v0.5.md (working copy, not in Git)
3. .GAME_PLAN/ARBORWAKE_STRESS_NEUROIMMUNE_RESEARCH_REVIEW_2026-10-29.md (working copy, not in Git)
4. b89f778c2:src/main-game/overworld/public/assets/cells/neuron.pngcopy