MerelyMagic, the problems you're having appear to be normal from what you describe. Exactly how much water have your villagers poured on the diamond? For the rain dance, you're not using the correct villagers (the Official LDW VV3 Guide has the correct solution. I am now playing a tribe that had been down to one 6-year-old boy with no food, and a series of events finally brought the tribe to a point where I can, once again, grow the tribe and help it thrive.