Homestead Claim

The Homestead Claim emerged from the first winter of the Stumptown Settlement, when the original pioneers realized that merely marking boundaries was not enough - they needed proof of who had actually survived and improved their land through the brutal PNW winter. The original document was carved from a fallen Douglas fir that had withstood three harsh winters, and its annual rings symbolized the endurance required to truly claim a piece of the settlement as one's own.

A rough-hewn wooden deed document, approximately 8x10 inches, with burnt edges from countless campfire readings. The surface bears carved annual rings - each ring represents one full season the claim has been held. A weathered pioneer rope binds the document, and the front displays a carved axe mark representing the original claim driver. The wood is stained with mud and weather, showing the true character of PNW wilderness survival.

Homestead Claim serves as the foundational tag that other players must defeat to establish their own permanent presence in the settlement. It creates connections between all leagues in the series by representing the ultimate goal: not just winning a single round, but establishing a lasting territorial claim that other challengers must respect and attempt to overcome.