[Mivereous]

Perhaps when towns get targeted by Black Beasts, after another update or two, the town being targeted would have a kind of warning system for such (like guards, or outposts that see them coming, if that would work). These would tell players two or three minutes in advance to a Black Beast invasion, so that those that did not wish to participate (young/really old/incompetent characters) would have a chance to head indoors, or to another town.

Example

Update X.X2
-Karatyn gets rekt by Black Xs all day errday

Update X.X3
-After realizing these attacks are going to continue for a while, Karatyn has upped their security with alarm warning outposts inside and outside the city.

[Chaos]

but what if black beast was 4spooky2detect

....While I'd imagine NPC Guards would be a relevant addition, and a warning system would be infinitely useful, I'm not sure how Black Beasts approach settlements in the first place. PERHAPS WE COULD BE ENLIGHTENED ON THIS?

[Mivereous]

NPCs have talked about seeing wolf prints (or at least, the little old granny in the snow place does). I will post that question in Lore, in the case that Dev doesn't answer it here.