After reading everything and watching this unfold, I can definitely see the premium membership problems. I agree that right now it's not worth the price, but there have been some suggestions here (monthly spin, extra hatchery slot) which I think are very great ideas to bring it up! I also am very glad you guys have made this post with clear benefits to premium, as I didn't buy one because I was very confused about what I would actually be getting. I understand not refunding RLC; the TOS are clear about the currency, so I think refunding the turnips was a very appropriate action, as much as it's a shame they can't be used for anything else. But! No reason to not save them and hope for something cool in the future to spend them on!

I don't really take a problem with a premium currency gacha as long as the odds are posted somewhere public and accessible, like they are on many mobile games. I personally enjoy supporting the games for a chance to get some extra stuff, though I can full say that in the past they saddened me as I had no disposable income. I think it's fair to keep these in, and for the userbase to decide if they will use this feature or not based on their age, country, economic status, etc, with the decisions to use it or not to both be completely understandable.

However I can admit that I personally was never going to buy turnips due to the following in the TOS:
"As a condition of using Dappervolk and accumulating... Turnips, you agree that Dappervolk has the absolute right to reduce, manage, regulate, control, modify and/or eliminate...Turnips, including the... Turnips in your account, as it sees fit in its sole discretion, and that Dappervolk will have no liability to you based on its exercise of such rights."
The "no refund for RLC" I think is fine, but combined with the seeming "we can also take away your turnips whenever we want at our discretion, even though you bought them with RLC" is a huge red flag for me which leaves supporting the site only viable through things like bundles, as I feel much more comfortable with that and really don't mind with waiting a few days for the codes to come my way. This may have been intended to mean something more like "we can refund you via turnips, like we did in this instance", but also as written it appears to cover taking them away as well.

Just my two cents! I do think this is recoverable, just that it needs some thought put into it and I hope you guys don't take this as too much of a hit to morale, because I know managing groups is hard. Phew sorry, this turned out longer than I meant :'D