diff --git a/lang/de.lang b/lang/de.lang
index d79694b..c225594 100644
--- a/lang/de.lang
+++ b/lang/de.lang
@@ -571,3 +571,8 @@ account.users_changed = Benutzer aktualisiert.
 standalone.running = Die Standalone-Version wird vorbereitet ...
 standalone.done = DungeonCraft.html heruntergeladen: In jedem Browser öffnen, kein Server nötig. Deine heruntergeladenen Spielstände lassen sich dort auch laden.
 standalone.failed = Die Standalone-Version konnte nicht heruntergeladen werden.
+job.register = Meldet sich am Portal
+job.make_bed = Richtet sein Bett ein
+job.fetch_wage = Holt sich seinen Lohn
+msg.payday_walk = Zahltag! {0} Kreaturen holen sich ihren Lohn aus der Schatzkammer ({1} Gold inkl. Training).
+msg.wage_unpaid = Dein {0} hat kein Gold für seinen Lohn gefunden und ist wütend!
diff --git a/lang/en.lang b/lang/en.lang
index 4183fc1..4d14710 100644
--- a/lang/en.lang
+++ b/lang/en.lang
@@ -572,3 +572,8 @@ account.users_changed = Users updated.
 standalone.running = Preparing the standalone version ...
 standalone.done = DungeonCraft.html downloaded: open it in any browser, no server needed. Your downloaded savegames load there too.
 standalone.failed = The standalone version could not be downloaded.
+job.register = Reporting at the portal
+job.make_bed = Setting up its bed
+job.fetch_wage = Fetching its wage
+msg.payday_walk = Payday! {0} creatures fetch their wages from the treasury ({1} gold incl. training).
+msg.wage_unpaid = Your {0} found no gold for its wage and is furious!
diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 437713b..ff839a1 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -171,6 +171,9 @@ pub enum Job {
     TearBridge(usize), // knight tears down a bridge of the player
     Rest(usize),       // flying creature recovers in the aerie (flees when badly hurt)
     Torment(u32),      // the jailer works on a prisoner in the torture chamber
+    Register,          // new creature: reports at the portal
+    MakeBed(usize),    // new creature: sets up its bed
+    FetchWage(usize),  // payday: walks to the treasury (or the core) for the wage
     Help(usize),       // imp with nothing else to do helps another imp at this tile
 }
 
@@ -228,6 +231,16 @@ pub struct Ent {
     pub patrol: Vec<(i32, i32)>, // fortress patrol: route of tiles, walked in a loop
     #[serde(default)]
     pub patrol_k: usize, // next point of the route
+    #[serde(default = "yes")]
+    pub settled: bool, // creatures: reported at the portal and set up their bed
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub pay_due: f32, // wage of the last payday not fetched yet
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub pay_t: f32, // seconds until the creature goes for its wage
+}
+
+fn yes() -> bool {
+    true
 }
 
 impl Ent {
@@ -273,6 +286,9 @@ impl Ent {
             home: None,
             patrol: Vec::new(),
             patrol_k: 0,
+            settled: true,
+            pay_due: 0.0,
+            pay_t: 0.0,
         }
     }
     pub fn tile(&self) -> usize {
@@ -1147,44 +1163,140 @@ impl Game {
         let owned: Vec<usize> = (0..self.map.portals.len()).filter(|&k| self.map.portal_owned(k)).collect();
         let pk = owned[(self.rng.next() as usize) % owned.len()];
         let (px, py) = self.map.portals[pk];
-        self.spawn(kind, false, px as f32 + 1.5, py as f32 + 1.5, 1);
+        let id = self.spawn(kind, false, px as f32 + 1.5, py as f32 + 1.5, 1);
+        // new creatures report at the portal and set up their bed first
+        if let Some(e) = self.ents.iter_mut().find(|e| e.id == id) {
+            e.settled = false;
+            e.job = Job::Register;
+            e.timer = 2.0;
+        }
         self.fx(3, px as f32 + 1.5, py as f32 + 1.5, 0.0, 0.0, 0.8, 0xffcc44ff);
         self.sfx(Sfx::PortalArrive, px as f32 + 1.5, py as f32 + 1.5);
         self.msg("msg.creature_arrived", vec![format!("@{}", st(kind).name)]);
     }
 
+    // Payday: the training bill is paid at once; every creature fetches its wage from a
+    // treasury itself, at a random moment within about a minute
     fn do_payday(&mut self) {
-        let mut paid = 0;
-        let mut unpaid = 0;
-        let mut total = 0.0;
+        let bill = self.training_bill.min(self.gold).max(0.0);
+        self.gold -= bill;
+        self.training_bill = 0.0;
+        let mut n = 0;
+        let mut total = bill;
         for i in 0..self.ents.len() {
             if !self.ents[i].alive || !self.ents[i].creature() {
                 continue;
             }
-            let e = &self.ents[i];
+            let r = self.rng.f();
+            let e = &mut self.ents[i];
             let w = st(e.kind).wage as f32 * (1.0 + 0.1 * (e.level - 1) as f32);
-            if self.gold >= w {
-                self.gold -= w;
-                total += w;
-                paid += 1;
-                let e = &mut self.ents[i];
-                e.happy = (e.happy + 0.2).min(1.0);
-            } else {
-                unpaid += 1;
-                self.ents[i].happy -= 0.45;
+            e.pay_due += w;
+            e.pay_t = r * 55.0;
+            n += 1;
+            total += w;
+        }
+        if n > 0 || bill > 0.0 {
+            self.sfx_ui(Sfx::Payday);
+            self.msg("msg.payday_walk", vec![n.to_string(), (total as i32).to_string()]);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // a creature goes for its wage: the nearest treasury tile holding treasure, else the core
+    fn start_fetch_wage(&mut self, e: &mut Ent) {
+        let cur = e.tile();
+        let goal = |i: usize| {
+            let t = &self.map.t[i];
+            (t.kind == Kind::Treasury && t.owner == Owner::Player && t.gold > 0) || (self.counts[0] == 0 && self.map.adj_core(i))
+        };
+        let found = if flies(e.kind) { self.map.search(cur, self.map.fly_cost(), goal, true) } else { self.map.search(cur, self.map.walk_cost(), goal, true) };
+        match found {
+            Some(p) => {
+                let t = p.last().copied().unwrap_or(cur);
+                e.path = p;
+                e.job = Job::FetchWage(t);
+            }
+            // no way to a treasury: the wage is paid out anyway
+            None => self.take_wage(e, None),
+        }
+    }
+
+    // takes the wage out of the treasury tile (the rest from elsewhere); unpaid = angry
+    fn take_wage(&mut self, e: &mut Ent, at: Option<usize>) {
+        let mut need = e.pay_due;
+        if let Some(t) = at {
+            let tile = &mut self.map.t[t];
+            if tile.kind == Kind::Treasury {
+                let take = (tile.gold as f32).min(need).floor();
+                tile.gold -= take as i32;
+                self.gold -= take;
+                need -= take;
             }
         }
-        // training costs collected since the last payday
-        let bill = self.training_bill.min(self.gold).max(0.0);
-        self.gold -= bill;
-        total += bill;
-        self.training_bill = 0.0;
-        if paid + unpaid > 0 {
-            self.sfx_ui(Sfx::Payday);
-            if unpaid > 0 {
-                self.msg("msg.payday_partial", vec![paid.to_string(), (total as i32).to_string(), unpaid.to_string()]);
-            } else {
-                self.msg("msg.payday", vec![paid.to_string(), (total as i32).to_string()]);
+        let rest = need.min(self.gold.max(0.0));
+        self.gold -= rest;
+        need -= rest;
+        e.pay_due = 0.0;
+        if need > 0.5 {
+            e.happy -= 0.45;
+            self.msg("msg.wage_unpaid", vec![format!("@{}", st(e.kind).name)]);
+            self.sfx(Sfx::Error, e.x, e.y);
+        } else {
+            e.happy = (e.happy + 0.2).min(1.0);
+            self.fx(5, e.x, e.y, 0.0, 0.0, 0.8, 0xff30d0ff);
+            self.sfx(Sfx::Deposit, e.x, e.y);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // a new creature: report at the portal, go to the lair (aerie), set up the bed
+    fn settle(&mut self, e: &mut Ent, dt: f32) {
+        let me = e.id + 1;
+        match e.job {
+            Job::Register => {
+                e.working = true;
+                e.timer -= dt;
+                if e.timer <= 0.0 {
+                    let cur = e.tile();
+                    let bed_kind = if flies(e.kind) { Kind::Aerie } else { Kind::Lair };
+                    let free = |i: usize| self.map.t[i].kind == bed_kind && self.map.t[i].bed == 0;
+                    let found = if flies(e.kind) { self.map.search(cur, self.map.fly_cost(), free, true) } else { self.map.search(cur, self.map.walk_cost(), free, true) };
+                    match found {
+                        Some(p) => {
+                            let b = p.last().copied().unwrap_or(cur);
+                            self.map.t[b].bed = me;
+                            e.bed = Some(b);
+                            e.path = p;
+                            e.job = Job::MakeBed(b);
+                            e.timer = 4.0;
+                        }
+                        None => {
+                            e.settled = true;
+                            e.job = Job::None;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            Job::MakeBed(b) => {
+                if self.step_path(e, dt) {
+                    return;
+                }
+                if self.map.t[b].bed != me {
+                    e.settled = true;
+                    e.job = Job::None;
+                    return;
+                }
+                e.working = true;
+                e.timer -= dt;
+                if e.timer <= 0.0 {
+                    e.settled = true;
+                    e.job = Job::None;
+                    let (bx, by) = xy(b);
+                    self.fx(8, bx as f32 + 0.5, by as f32 + 0.5, 0.0, 0.0, 0.6, 0xff40d0ff);
+                    self.sfx(Sfx::Build, bx as f32 + 0.5, by as f32 + 0.5);
+                }
+            }
+            _ => {
+                e.job = Job::Register;
+                e.timer = 2.0;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2519,6 +2631,28 @@ impl Game {
             }
             return;
         }
+        // arrival: report at the portal and set up the bed before anything else
+        if !e.settled {
+            self.settle(e, dt);
+            return;
+        }
+        // payday: the wage is fetched from a treasury
+        if e.pay_due > 0.0 {
+            e.pay_t -= dt;
+            if e.pay_t <= 0.0 && !matches!(e.job, Job::FetchWage(_) | Job::Leave | Job::Rest(_)) {
+                self.unreserve(me);
+                self.start_fetch_wage(e);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        if let Job::FetchWage(t) = e.job {
+            if self.step_path(e, dt) {
+                return;
+            }
+            self.take_wage(e, Some(t));
+            e.job = Job::None;
+            return;
+        }
         if let Job::Rest(b) = e.job {
             if self.step_path(e, dt) {
                 return;
@@ -4159,6 +4293,9 @@ pub fn job_name(e: &Ent) -> &'static str {
         Job::TearBridge(_) => "job.tear_bridge",
         Job::Rest(_) => "job.rest",
         Job::Torment(_) => "job.torment",
+        Job::Register => "job.register",
+        Job::MakeBed(_) => "job.make_bed",
+        Job::FetchWage(_) => "job.fetch_wage",
         Job::Help(_) => "job.help",
         Job::AttackCore => {
             if e.working {
@@ -4382,7 +4519,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn training_is_billed_on_payday() {
         let mut g = Game::new(3, 64, 64);
-        g.spawn(EK::Kobold, false, 10.0, 10.0, 1);
+        let (cx, cy) = g.map.core;
+        g.spawn(EK::Kobold, false, (cx + 4) as f32 + 0.5, (cy + 4) as f32 + 0.5, 1);
         g.training_bill = 50.0;
         let cost = g.next_payday_cost();
         assert_eq!(cost, 50.0 + st(EK::Kobold).wage as f32);
@@ -4392,8 +4530,45 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(g.payday_warned);
         g.payday = 0.01;
         g.update(0.1);
+        // the training bill is paid at once, the wage when the kobold fetches it
         assert_eq!(g.training_bill, 0.0);
-        assert!((gold - g.gold - cost).abs() < 1.0);
+        assert!((gold - g.gold - 50.0).abs() < 1.0);
+        let mut fetched = false;
+        for _ in 0..(70 * 20) {
+            g.update(0.05);
+            fetched |= g.ents.iter().any(|e| matches!(e.job, Job::FetchWage(_)));
+        }
+        assert!(fetched, "the kobold walks to the treasury");
+        assert!((gold - g.gold - cost).abs() < 1.0, "paid {}", gold - g.gold);
+        assert!(g.ents.iter().all(|e| e.pay_due == 0.0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_creatures_report_and_set_up_their_bed() {
+        let mut g = Game::new(3, 64, 64);
+        let (cx, cy) = g.map.core;
+        g.gold = 3000.0;
+        g.build_rect(1, cx - 3, cy - 3, cx - 2, cy + 1);
+        g.build_rect(2, cx + 4, cy - 3, cx + 5, cy + 1);
+        // arrives like from a portal (the test map's portal is not connected yet)
+        let id = g.spawn(EK::Kobold, false, (cx + 4) as f32 + 0.5, (cy + 4) as f32 + 0.5, 1);
+        if let Some(e) = g.ents.iter_mut().find(|e| e.id == id) {
+            e.settled = false;
+            e.job = Job::Register;
+            e.timer = 2.0;
+        }
+        let mut made_bed = false;
+        for _ in 0..(90 * 20) {
+            g.update(0.05);
+            let e = g.ents.iter().find(|e| e.id == id).unwrap();
+            made_bed |= matches!(e.job, Job::MakeBed(_)) && e.path.is_empty();
+            if e.settled {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        let e = g.ents.iter().find(|e| e.id == id).unwrap();
+        assert!(made_bed && e.settled);
+        assert_eq!(g.map.t[e.bed.unwrap()].kind, Kind::Lair);
     }
 
     // a fortress east of the start area, joined to it by a claimed corridor