Men, women and children remained together both in the barracks and on the streets and in the bunkers. Reprise and Devils Curse are the only two settlements I've been to so I can't vouch for any other settlements but it's really just a big wall of brick, mud, wood, whatever is able to be quickly thrown up at the time and gets reinforced over time from weaker fortifications (like wood) to better materials (brick). All it takes is one harbinger to mess up that kool aide though.
I think he's real. There could have been a possibility of him being someone that's just read this thread before and gone "Haha, cool", but if that were the case he wouldn't be able to describe a rafe because so far I've not mentioned them until mentioning the time traveler.
Small little pink fluffy thing, just hops around but when it feels threatened goes boom. Doesn't sound dangerous but exploding bone is quite painful when used as shrapnel. Best way to describe their appearance is a cartoon cat that managed to somehow get in a drier cycle in the wash and comes floating out like a ball of poof. See a pink ball of poof hopping around in the wild, it's cute as hell but just stop and remain motionless or back away from it. Those little dudes are kamikazes.
At my origins I recall reading about wars breaking out, including civil wars within the United States for just resources wanting enough to eat and drink. Don't know how bad a drought has to get before people start going at each other's throats but if that's going to happen here I'd rather be back at home. War among humans is pathetic.
I suppose I should change my answer somewhat from a much earlier question. What would I bring back here from home if I could. I'd bring some derot bulbs and preferably with the help of some military might from here capture a Wet Sight or 6. I'm sure the food scientists/flavor scientists here can make a derot root pleasant to smell and taste and the Wet Sights? Just try not to think about what you're drinking. I'm not entirely positive you can extract water from them for drinking but I'm sure it's fine if purified.
Closest thing I can use to describe a wet sight is a water elemental. They don't have a definite shape, they're just round and large like a giant eyeball and always perpetually dripping wet.. I mean they look like water, but they're always dripping water too. Overall Wet Sights are harmless, they just have the tendency to seep into the ground when they feel threatened.