# Lantern Hearth

[The building book](https://cozycity.net/help/buildings/lantern-hearth)

The first warm light, and the centre of your path network.

Your village begins around the Lantern Hearth. Its four temporary beds shelter the starting residents while you build permanent homes. The Hearth anchors the connected paths and the rooted ward network.

![Lantern Hearth illustration from the game’s build menu](https://cozycity.net/web/img/selector/C01M.webp)

## At a glance

- Available: Village level 1
- Materials: Included at the start
- Plot: 6 × 6 m
- Construction: Already in your starting village
- Housing: 4 temporary beds
- Hit points: 700
- Armour off every blow: 2

Base tier. Builder work excludes walking and waiting; production rates apply while working. The in-game preview shows your exact current quote.

## Make room for it.

The starting Hearth is already built. Grow outward from its paths, keeping doors and corridors reachable as you add homes and services.

## Improvements & appearance.

Use Improve in the building details to raise its tier, up to tier 3. Read the quoted materials and work time before confirming. The plot stays the same.

## If something seems stuck.

Temporary beds do not count as permanent housing for progression. For lantern magic, keep households fed and check the Hearth’s current resonance and ward information; a lit-looking object alone does not prove protection is active.

## Good neighbours.

- [Moss Hut](https://cozycity.net/help/buildings/moss-hut.md)
- [Path Lantern](https://cozycity.net/help/buildings/path-lantern.md)
- [Ward Lantern](https://cozycity.net/help/buildings/ward-lantern.md)

[Automatic pathways](https://cozycity.net/help#paths) · [Rivers & fishing](https://cozycity.net/help/rivers)