Hey, just following up on this again. I've mentioned this in another comment but the latest build of the game is out, and there are many many bug fixes and improvements thanks to your comments, so thank you again! I felt the passion fully and it has prompted me to add some tips in the title screen which provide more lore-oriented flavour for terroir and the conceptual basis of the game, which I totally agree is quite arcane and a bit mystifying for new players.
I have also updated the game manual, and the introduction has an extended "musing" (to borrow your term!) on terroir and issues of land, power, domination, magic, and the nature of morality. It is only a brief fraction of what I hope to offer eventually, but for now please perhaps consider it to be something of a simple reply to your observations and insights below. The manual has its own devlog: https://timothyjgraham.itch.io/roguefort/devlog/1466907/spoiler-alert-rogueforts.... I hope to follow up on a few things that you mentioned, and I was hoping you might be able to offer some resources / readings that I could look into? As you have an academic background I would love to engage with your work too on the philosophy of food, if you think there's something there I could engage with to enrich the game.
Again, beyond words grateful for the encouraging discourse and observations - this game is truly a community driven project now, in the true tradition of what a roguelike should be, and for that I am both amazed and very excited for the road ahead for this project.