diff --git a/server/src/game/GameLoop.ts b/server/src/game/GameLoop.ts
index 86aa7e8..5c5576f 100644
--- a/server/src/game/GameLoop.ts
+++ b/server/src/game/GameLoop.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ import { pickupSystem } from '../systems/pickupSystem.js';
 import { RecipeRegistry } from '../industry/recipeRegistry.js';
 import { spawnNPC } from './spawner.js';
 import { createLlmService, type LlmService } from '../llm/llmService.js';
-import { generateBackstory } from '../llm/backstoryGenerator.js';
+import { generateBackstoryAndDesires } from '../llm/backstoryGenerator.js';
+import { desireFulfillmentSystem } from '../systems/desireFulfillmentSystem.js';
+import { createDesireGeneratorSystem } from '../systems/desireGeneratorSystem.js';
+import type { DesireGeneratorSystem } from '../systems/desireGeneratorSystem.js';
 import { createNarrationService, type NarrationService } from '../llm/narrationService.js';
 import { narrationEmitter } from '../systems/narrationEmitter.js';
 import type { EntityId, InventionSummary, Position } from '@dflike/shared';
@@ -44,6 +47,7 @@ export class GameLoop {
   readonly eventMemoryService: EventMemoryService;
   readonly thoughtSystem: ThoughtSystem;
   readonly inventionSystem: InventionSystem;
+  private desireGeneratorSystem: DesireGeneratorSystem;
   public followedEntityIds: Set<EntityId> = new Set();
   public onInventionCreated: ((summary: InventionSummary) => void) | null = null;
   public onStockpileEvent: ((entry: StockpileLogEntry) => void) | null = null;
@@ -66,6 +70,7 @@ export class GameLoop {
       this.eventMemoryService,
       (summary) => this.onInventionCreated?.(summary),
     );
+    this.desireGeneratorSystem = createDesireGeneratorSystem(this.llmService);
 
     this.saveManager = new SaveManager(options?.savePath ?? 'saves/default.db');
 
@@ -218,7 +223,7 @@ export class GameLoop {
   }
 
   generateNpcBackstory(entityId: number): void {
-    generateBackstory(this.world, entityId, this.llmService);
+    generateBackstoryAndDesires(this.world, entityId, this.llmService, this.tick);
   }
 
   private spawnInitialNPCs(count: number): void {
@@ -274,6 +279,8 @@ export class GameLoop {
     socialSystem(this.world, this.eventMemoryService);
     narrationEmitter(this.world, this.narrationService, this.followedEntityIds, this.eventMemoryService);
     relationshipSystem(this.world, this.eventMemoryService);
+    desireFulfillmentSystem(this.world, this.tick);
+    this.desireGeneratorSystem.update(this.world, this.tick);
     industrySystem(this.world, this.map);
     pickupSystem(this.world, this.tick, (entry) => this.onStockpileEvent?.(entry));
     gatheringSystem(this.world, this.map);
diff --git a/server/src/game/spawner.ts b/server/src/game/spawner.ts
index 85b8ddd..fa29567 100644
--- a/server/src/game/spawner.ts
+++ b/server/src/game/spawner.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { GameMap } from '../map/GameMap.js';
 import { generateRandomAppearance } from '../spawner/appearanceGenerator.js';
 import { generateName } from '../spawner/nameGenerator.js';
 import { generateStats } from '../spawner/statGenerator.js';
-import type { EntityId, Position, Needs, Movement, NPCBrain, Appearance, SocialState, Stats, StatModifiers, Relationships } from '@dflike/shared';
+import type { EntityId, Position, Needs, Movement, NPCBrain, Appearance, SocialState, Stats, StatModifiers, Relationships, Desire } from '@dflike/shared';
 import type { EventMemoryService } from '../llm/eventMemoryService.js';
 
 export function spawnNPC(world: World, map: GameMap, positionHint?: Position, eventMemoryService?: EventMemoryService): EntityId {
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export function spawnNPC(world: World, map: GameMap, positionHint?: Position, ev
   world.addComponent<Relationships>(entity, 'relationships', new Map());
   world.addComponent<string>(entity, 'backstory', '');
   world.addComponent<Map<string, number>>(entity, 'inventory', new Map());
+  world.addComponent<Desire[]>(entity, 'desires', []);
 
   eventMemoryService?.record(entity, {
     type: 'spawned',