Cover.png Web build coming soon! The "Multiplayer" version contains essential updates for correspondence-style play. Use it if you want to play with someone who might not respond immediately!

What is Signs of Corruption?

Signs of Corruption is a Correspondence-style multiplayer, turn-based strategy game. You play a cult of powerful agents, seeking to claim the Signs of Corruption. Why? Ultimate power. Unending darkness. Need I go on?

What is "Correspondence-style"?

Unlike a server-based game or a peer-to-peer game, you share your moves through runic scripts that get filled into your computer's clipboard. For example, this is the "name runes" for my name: ᚱᚡᛖᛁᛞᚤᚲᛈᚢᚲᛗᛃᚪᚲᚫᚢ (if you want to play in the comments, use this to start your game and share your own name runes with me!)

You use can share name runes with one or more other players. When all players have each others name runes, they begin the game.

In addition to name runes, there are turn runes. At the end of each turn, you will Evoke Darkness and receive your turn runes. Send your turn runes to every other player. When all players have everyone's turn runes, the next turn begins! Like magic, your world will stay in sync, and you will see evidence of other players' actions.

What if I don't have any friends (who want to try out a rough prototype)?

You can add AI players, or play without any other players (although that's a little boring). I suggest at least 3 AI, to give the world a bit of excitement. The AI play exactly like other players, and will be in a race to win!

There is also an open offer to play with me in the comments with my name runes: ᚱᚡᛖᛁᛞᚤᚲᛈᚢᚲᛗᛃᚪᚲᚫᚢ I'll need yours as well, and to know how many AI we'll play with!

Read this: Gameplay primer

Starting a game (With other players)

• When you start a new game, you'll be prompted for a player name. You can type anything, but other players will see this, so be mindful!
• When you confirm your own name, you'll be given a chance to add new players.
• When you confirm your name, your name runes will be copied into your clipboard. It looks something like this: ᚱᚡᛖᛁᛞᚤᚲᛈᚢᚲᛗᛃᚪᚲᚫᚢ
• You deliver this to other players however you see fit: Discord, forums, Messenger, anything that you and they can copy and paste to!
• When you copy name runes to your clipboard, the player will be automatically added to your game.
• When you have all the players you want for a game, you can add AI, as well. All players must include the same number of AI. This is not enforced by any checks, and will result in inconsistencies in your worlds if not done.

Your turn (Solo, vs AI, vs players)

• You start with 4 agents. They can each take one action every night, and you can click the "Agents" field in the top-left corner to focus an unassigned agent. With an unassigned agent selected, you can take one of 5 actions:
• Move: You can right click on another location and tell your agent to travel there. If you leave behind a powerful following, a new agent may be promoted from your followers where you left.
• Proselytize: You spread the good word of your particular brand of cultishness! This converts locals into loyal followers. However, it can be stymied by powerful enemy agents or followers, or just a very strong-headed local. Stronger agents will be able to convert more followers, and agents will grow over time with most actions.
• Brutalize: Turn your cult into a mob! Locals may be converted by your actions, or they may just flee! However, the most promising Sign holders will never flee, so this is a good way to thin the herd before proselytizing further.
• Corrupt: Attempt to turn a follower into a corrupted being! This ritual is often fatal, but, when successful, gives you access to a wonderful power: corrupted beings can see a Sign on a person's soul at the moment of death! With a corrupted being in the area, you can enact Sacrifices!
• Corrupt Agent: With a corrupted follower, you can safely corrupt your own agent! Well, safely for your agent. The corrupted follower always dies. If the ritual is successful, your agent will become corrupted, and may enact sacrifices wherever they travel, in addition to growing in power considerably!
• Sacrifice: Sacrifices are the main way to gain signs! If you have any powerful followers, you can attempt to wrest the Sign from their soul, killing them in the process. If you are successful, your agent will take the Sign for themselves, growing stronger and putting you one more point closer to victory. However, the body may scare away unconverted sign holders. You will have to travel to nearby towns and grow a new following after a couple sacrifices, successful or not.

Evoking Darkness (vs players)

• If you are playing Solo or vs AI, Evoking Darkness is nothing special. Your turn ends, any AI will generate their turn, and a new season will begin.
• If you are playing against other players, you will receive turn runes in your clipboard, that look something like this: ᛏᚱᛇᛒᚾᛇᛞᚪᛞᚱᚹᚩᚪᛏᚹᚠᚠᚠᚢᚠᚠᚢᚺᚠᚠᚺᚠᚱᚠᚠᚠᚠᚦᚠᚠᚷᚠᚢᚺᚠ (notice, they're a bit longer than name runes, and may get a little longer as the game goes on!)
• You must deliver this to other players, using whatever means you have.
• When you copy their turn runes to your clipboard, their evokation is added to the darkness! When you have all their runes, the next turn begins immediately.
• Be sure to share your runes with others right away, but you can copy them to your clipboard later, while reviewing your previous turn!

Winning the game

The game progresses, for each player, in a similar way: 1. Grow a following. 2. Corrupt a follower 3. Sacrifice a follower 4. Repeat steps 1-3 as necessary to gain 5 Signs.!

Each town starts with a couple sign holders, but they will move around when prompted by sacrifices! If you're not having any luck in a town, start checking its neighbors, as they will flee to nearby areas.

What else do I need to know?

Signs are the name of the game! You need corrupted followers to sacrifice potential sign holders (assumed to be among the most powerful of your followers). Sacrifices, whether you find a sign or not, may scare away sign holders, so you'll want to explore nearby villages afterwards!

Please follow me on Mastodon: https://compound.social/@seurimas