Let the PCs starve or throw them a bone?

So I’ve run a few short Torchbearer campaigns, and a few times my party just had some god awful luck, and wound up with so little treasure they couldn’t even afford to replenish their supplies. I always found some way for them to earn extra coin, but maybe I’m just a big softie. What have other GMs done in that situation?

They can always hunt (using Hunter) or forage (using Scavenger).

I suppose you could make a circles test to find someone you know and ask them to feed you as well. Test “manipulator” or “persuader” to trick someone out of, or beg for, food.

Town is a trap.

They need to learn to live off the land. It’s free and it’s an adventure!

That’s super interesting. There’s a bit of a blank spot in the procedures where this can happen - the GM controls the start and end of adventures, but town only happens when the players go there.

Not so much a blank spot, but a place to learn and explore. Essentially, players volunteer for an extended or an alternate adventure phase.

And smart players learn that living off the land is cheap, but dangerous. I hope to address living but not in town in future material.

Basically, unless you’re

A) gonna level

or

B) are set up to game tests in town for many advances

It’s not worth going to town. Even with the above, you’ll want a handful of loot to shield you from tax.