You know what, I hate to see hearthlings coming to my town empty handed. He/she should at least carry a briefcase or suitcase or a bag may be. Just like this while joining my town:
I am suggesting nothing much, may be an animation of new hearthlings coming with a bag/suitcase. Once they reach to the town’s center blue flag the bag/suitcase will be vanished.
Let me pose a question.
What real use would such an animation cause, if there would be nothing in the bag? would that not make the bag redundant apart from the aesthetic object?
Even though de bag wouldn’t do anything special for the game. It still is there for us players to look at, to get a feeling like the new hearthling didn’t just poof there. That bag just gave the new hearthling a life. A place he or she has been living before finding your town.
Let’s let our minds roll out a little bit on this. Maybe a hearthling could have a fancy bag, that could mean he is from a rich place, possibly even having some gold with him. Or his bag would have holes in it, have mud stains all over it. He has been traveling for quite some time now. Has been living of of berries and is in dire need of a bed. See how just that one bag idea gave your entire settlement a backstory. Your settlement just became more part of the world, and not just a village out in the wild.
Would love to hear how others think about this. Am I going crazy on the idea?? 
Wow! you just painted the whole picture. I like your idea. Very interesting!
I sign into that totally.
There is no need for animation. Just have the new settlers equiped with some stuff. Walking to the town center give a cheer and then that stuff vanishes.
Maybe flesh out the "Has joined your town message to:
“Arrived at your town after a long journey” or
"With the last strenght he /she stumbles into your town"
And that paired with the right ambient equip would be nice.
A hobo type bag on a stick (bindle), a backpack, a chest, wooden crates, all paint very different pictures. A vagabond looking to settle down, an adventurer, a noble on the run, a merchant looking for a place to set up shop. Would definitely give the player a great start for each hearthling’s background story.
I personaly would love to have such thing in the game. And if its the animation only, still great!
I mean what is the firepit for? Its the same, it has no use actually, but it does greatly improve the hearthlings atmosphere.
