diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a2da761..8a28ca6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ for one demo character, with no login required.
 ## Local setup
 
 Run from the repository root:
+```
+docker run --name ashen-postgres  -e POSTGRES_USER=ashen -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=ashen -e POSTGRES_DB=ashen_realms -p 5432:5432 -d postgres:16
+
+```
 
 ```powershell
 npm install
diff --git a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/item-content.ts b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/item-content.ts
index f5dc4da..4115761 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/item-content.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/item-content.ts
@@ -278,13 +278,13 @@ function entry(
  * rather than seeding an item that does nothing.
  */
 export const LOOT_TABLE_ENTRIES: SeedLootTableEntry[] = [
-  entry(ASH_RAT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'ash-pelt', 1, '1.0000'),
+  entry(ASH_RAT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'ash-pelt', 1, '0.6000'),
   entry(ASH_RAT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'worn-short-sword', 2, '0.0800'),
   entry(ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'bandit-blade', 1, '0.1800'),
   entry(ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'bandit-hood', 2, '0.1200'),
   entry(ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'raider-gloves', 3, '0.0800'),
-  entry(ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'bandit-insignia', 4, '1.0000'),
-  entry(WILD_ROAD_DOG_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'tough-hide', 1, '1.0000'),
+  entry(ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'bandit-insignia', 4, '0.6000'),
+  entry(WILD_ROAD_DOG_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'tough-hide', 1, '0.6000'),
   entry(WILD_ROAD_DOG_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'ash-boots', 2, '0.0800'),
   entry(CHARRED_LOOTER_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'charred-raider-insignia', 1, '1.0000'),
   entry(CHARRED_LOOTER_LOOT_TABLE_ID, 'reinforced-leather-jacket', 2, '0.1000'),
diff --git a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/local-location.content.ts b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/local-location.content.ts
index 3275c4e..d944291 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/local-location.content.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/local-location.content.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ export const SOUTH_GATE_LOCAL_CONTENT: LocalLocationContent = {
       resultTitle: 'Gate Watch',
       resultText:
         '"Beyond the gate, Graufurt\'s protection ends. Whoever heads south does so at their own risk — and rarely comes back the way they left."',
+      resultImg: '/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png',
     },
     // Borin stands at the gate rather than deeper in a town that does not
     // exist yet as a location. Carries `npcKey` instead of result text, so
diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/local-location-interaction.spec.ts b/apps/api/src/world/local-location-interaction.spec.ts
index ce4a097..0dca51c 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/local-location-interaction.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/local-location-interaction.spec.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ const SOUTH_GATE_POIS: LocationPointOfInterestContent[] = [
     enabled: true,
     resultTitle: 'Gate Watch',
     resultText: 'Only heard at the South Gate.',
+    resultImg: '/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png',
   },
 ];
 
@@ -114,6 +115,19 @@ describe('WorldService.runLocalInteraction', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('includes the authored image when the interaction carries one', async () => {
+    const service = createService(location(SOUTH_GATE_ID, SOUTH_GATE_POIS));
+
+    await expect(
+      service.runLocalInteraction(CHARACTER_ID, 'gate-watch'),
+    ).resolves.toEqual({
+      interactionKey: 'gate-watch',
+      title: 'Gate Watch',
+      text: 'Only heard at the South Gate.',
+      img: '/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png',
+    });
+  });
+
   it('settles travel before resolving which location the character stands at', async () => {
     const completeTravelIfDue = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ status: 'IDLE' });
     const service = createService(
diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/local-location.types.ts b/apps/api/src/world/local-location.types.ts
index 54dcf2e..f12e817 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/local-location.types.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/local-location.types.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ export interface LocationPointOfInterestContent {
   enabled: boolean;
   resultTitle?: string;
   resultText?: string;
+  /** Authored portrait shown alongside the result text, e.g. an NPC's face. */
+  resultImg?: string;
   /**
    * Names a real NPC (NPC spec §24), which turns this hotspot into a doorway
    * to that person's screen instead of an authored one-shot text reveal. A
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ export interface LocationInteractionResultDto {
   interactionKey: string;
   title: string;
   text: string;
+  img?: string;
 }
 
 /** Strips server-only result text before a POI is sent to the client. */
diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
index 904201e..17a2d14 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ export class WorldService {
       interactionKey: poi.key,
       title: poi.resultTitle ?? poi.title,
       text: poi.resultText,
+      ...(poi.resultImg === undefined ? {} : { img: poi.resultImg }),
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin.png b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin.png
index b343a91..443d80d 100644
Binary files a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin.png and b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin.png differ
diff --git a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin_comic.png b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin_comic.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b343a91
Binary files /dev/null and b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/borin_comic.png differ
diff --git a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png
index 8e6282f..39c04e7 100644
Binary files a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png and b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png differ
diff --git a/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch_comic.png b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch_comic.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e6282f
Binary files /dev/null and b/apps/web/public/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch_comic.png differ
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.html b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.html
index 2781546..9e56835 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.html
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.html
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@
     data-interaction-panel
   >
     @if (result) {
+      @if (result.img) {
+        <img
+          class="interaction-panel__portrait"
+          data-interaction-portrait
+          [src]="result.img"
+          [alt]="result.title"
+          (error)="($any($event.target).style.visibility = 'hidden')"
+        />
+      }
       <h2 class="interaction-panel__title">{{ result.title }}</h2>
       <p class="interaction-panel__text">{{ result.text }}</p>
     } @else {
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.scss b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.scss
index 7153d64..c11e3b7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.scss
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.scss
@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@
   pointer-events: auto;
 }
 
+.interaction-panel__portrait {
+  inline-size: 5rem;
+  block-size: 5rem;
+  object-fit: contain;
+  border: 1px solid var(--ar-border-highlight);
+  border-radius: var(--ar-radius-md);
+  background: var(--ar-panel-muted);
+}
+
 .interaction-panel__title {
   margin: 0;
   color: var(--ar-gold);
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.spec.ts b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.spec.ts
index 30fedeb..f874d31 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/location-interaction-panel/location-interaction-panel.component.spec.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { LocationInteractionPanelComponent } from './location-interaction-panel.component';
 
 async function setup(inputs: {
-  result?: { interactionKey: string; title: string; text: string } | null;
+  result?: { interactionKey: string; title: string; text: string; img?: string } | null;
   error?: string | null;
 }): Promise<{
   fixture: ComponentFixture<LocationInteractionPanelComponent>;
@@ -62,6 +62,31 @@ describe('LocationInteractionPanelComponent', () => {
     expect(element.querySelectorAll('button')).toHaveLength(1);
   });
 
+  it("shows the NPC's portrait when the result carries one", async () => {
+    const { element } = await setup({
+      result: {
+        interactionKey: 'gate-watch',
+        title: 'Gate Watch',
+        text: 'Beyond the gate, Graufurt\'s protection ends.',
+        img: '/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png',
+      },
+    });
+
+    const portrait = element.querySelector<HTMLImageElement>(
+      '[data-interaction-portrait]',
+    );
+    expect(portrait?.src).toContain('/images/npcs/graufurt-gate-watch.png');
+    expect(portrait?.alt).toBe('Gate Watch');
+  });
+
+  it('shows no portrait when the result carries none', async () => {
+    const { element } = await setup({
+      result: { interactionKey: 'inspect-tracks', title: 'Suspicious Tracks', text: 'X' },
+    });
+
+    expect(element.querySelector('[data-interaction-portrait]')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it('reports a rejected interaction in place instead of navigating away', async () => {
     const { element } = await setup({ error: "There's nothing to discover here." });
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/world-page.component.scss b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/world-page.component.scss
index 9415233..5a34516 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/features/world/world-page.component.scss
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/features/world/world-page.component.scss
@@ -91,11 +91,11 @@
 }
 
 .world-page__node--south-gate {
-  inset: 58% auto auto 12%;
+  inset: 35% auto auto 16%;
 }
 
 .world-page__node--burned-road {
-  inset: 39% auto auto 60%;
+  inset: 49% auto auto 27%;
 }
 
 .world-page__travel-panel {