====== Corruption ======
Through the use of IRIS, humanity has become something greater than human. Today we are stronger, faster and healthier than any time in our history. It might seem logical then, that whoever uses the most IRIS would be the most powerful, but remember stranger, that not everyone is created equal. Plenty of people have reached for more power than they could wield and returned from the experience changed... or never returned at all. Some believe that as a person integrates more IRIS, it begins to manifest its own consciousness somewhere in the back of a person's mind. That it waits for vulnerable moments and then pushes a person towards exaggerated responses. They say that each time a person gives in, they become slightly less themselves and slightly more of whatever the IRIS is making them, until eventually, they may not want to resist it at all. If these ideas are right, then if a person ever embraces that alter ego entirely, the IRIS takes over and whoever they were before is gone forever. Whatever the real reasons are, it's common knowledge that the change is extremely violent. It's as if the person's brain finally realizes what's about to happen and instinctively makes a last fight-or-flight effort to resist, but by this point it's almost always too late. We call these lost souls, "Ferals" or "Wendigos"; creatures with human bodies, but living like animals in the wilderness or the ruins of old places. Sometimes, they're quiet and watchful. Other times they're violent and territorial; each is different and unpredictable, just like the people they once were. Perhaps because of this, there are rumors that they may still hold echoes of their past personalities, or that the person they once were is still in there somewhere, fighting to get out. Some claim they've seen Ferals show a preference for places or things they liked before the change, but most of that is hearsay at best. Few people have spent any time interacting with Ferals and they tend to keep to themselves, though every now and then a small, remote settlement population all shows up dead, as though killed barehanded. You can shape your own belief about what lies on the other side of the change, Stranger; and who or what the Ferals really are, but what matters for you now is that it's impossible to know exactly how far a person can go before they start to change. Some resist better, others worse, but the more IRIS you take into yourself, the more you risk. Everyone has a limit - even you - and to pass that point means losing who you are forever. We call the gradual descent into that madness, "Corruption".
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==== Basics of Corruption ====
Every Character will have some amount of Corruption, so don't be concerned that your brand new Character will go Feral any time soon, unless you're going really crazy with your Character's IRIS. Specifically, this includes any bonuses to your Character's Traits, Augs or Skills you enhance your Character with. As you play, any further Trait ranks, Skill ranks and Augs you buy will also increase Corruption, so be cautious with your choices. Weapons, Armor, Equipment and Extensions have no impact on Corruption.
* Characters begin with 0 Corruption
* Each CP (Character Point) spent on Skills, Traits or Augs increases Corruption by the same amount. This includes the increased cost of buying rank 6+ for Skills and Traits.
* For example, spending 4 CP on a rank 4 Skill, 7 CP on rank 6 Trait and 5 CP on an Aug would lead to an increase of 16 Corruption. (4 + 7 + 5 = 11)
* In circumstances of extreme stress, your Corruption can "Trigger" as the IRIS attempts to influence you in your vulnerable state. When this happens, the Director will always offer you a choice, though this may not be obvious at the time. Whatever course of action you chose to take becomes exaggerated and extreme, but you have a powerful urge to cast aside normal restraint and continue anyway.
* This begins a continuous Endurance test, making a roll each round and adding up the cumulative score. When your Endurance score exceeds your Corruption Level, the Corruption Breaks, returning your Character to normal. Until the Corruption Breaks, you make a choice each round with your actions.
* Obeying Corruption gives you a bonus to your actions for 1 round or 1 minute, but your Corruption increases by 1 each time you do so.
* Embracing Corruption doubles the normal bonus, but increases Corruption by 2 each round
* Resisting Corruption by taking alternative action inflicts a penalty on all your actions for a round, but grants a bonus to your Endurance test and prevents your Corruption from increasing that round.
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==== Triggering Corruption ====
In certain circumstances, such as emotionally charged events or extreme danger, your Corruption may be "triggered" as the IRIS attempts to influence you in your vulnerable state.
* When, where and how often Corruption triggers is entirely at the Director's discretion, provided there is reasonable cause, as described in the [[gameplay:corruption#corruption_table|Corruption Table]] below. Whenever Corruption triggers, the Director may make secret tests for each affected Character to see if or when Corruption Breaks. As a general rule, Characters who have already succumbed to corruption once or twice in a given session should probably be allowed to avoid further instances without testing.
* The Director is not obligated to make Players aware that Corruption has triggered. They may simply face Players with a given situation and ask how their Characters respond. Your decisions determine what form your Corruption takes. Don't be careless.
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==== Manifestations ====
Corruption exaggerates the Character's natural responses. Most actions you can take will fall into one of three categories, which in turn decides how Corruption will manifest. This continues until the Corruption Breaks:
* **Caution**: Trying to avoid the situation, taking cautious actions or putting off any concrete action.
* //Corrupted into **Paranoia**:// The Character experiences extreme fear and can only think of distancing themselves from the situation.
* **Opportunism**: Using the situation to benefit yourself. This can include resolving the situation, but in a selfish way.
* //Corrupted into **Avarice**:// The Character maximizes their own benefit, even if this means directly harming others in the process.
* **Resolution**: Approaching the issue directly, looking for an expedient solution or focusing on the greater objective.
* //Corrupted into **Fixation**:// The Character takes undue risks and makes excessive sacrifices in pursuing the most direct solution possible.
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==== Handling Corruption ====
Each round your Character is affected by Corruption, you or the Director begins by making an Endurance roll. These scores are added cumulatively until the total equals or beats the Character's corruption level, at which point the Corruption ends. Until then, you have to deal with the effects of Corruption on your Character. Generally, your actions decide what happens without you needing to explicitly "select" one option:
* **Obey Corruption**: You take action which continues on the path of your current Corruption. This gives bonuses to your actions for 1 round or 1 minute, but raises your Corruption by 1 each time you do so.
* **Embrace Corruption**: You actively abandon yourself to the Corruption, consumed by fear, drunk with greed, blinded by obsession. This gives double bonuses to your actions for 1 round or 1 minute, but raises your Corruption by 2 each round until Corruption Breaks on its own. This choice cannot be revoked once committed to.
* **Resist Corruption**: You take action which defies the will of your IRIS. This can include inaction. This gives bonuses to your Endurance test for the round, but inflicts penalties on any other actions you take. Your Corruption will not increase during rounds you Resist.
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==== Corruption Table ====
^ Corruption Level ^ Common Triggers ^ Obey ^ Embrace ^ Resist ^
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| 50 | Death Coma / Blackout | +2 to Obedient actions | +4 for Obedient actions | +2 for Breaking Corruption |
| ::: | ::: | -2 for all other actions | -4 for all other actions | -2 for all other actions |
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| 60 | Death Coma / Blackout | +4 to Obedient actions | +8 for Obedient actions | +4 for Breaking Corruption |
| ::: | ::: | -4 for all other actions | -8 for all other actions | -4 for all other actions |
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| 70 | + Extreme Trauma | +6 to Obedient actions | +12 for Obedient actions | +6 for Breaking Corruption |
| ::: | ::: | -6 for all other actions | -12 for all other actions | -6 for all other actions |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
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| 80 | + Extreme Trauma | +8 to Obedient actions | +16 for Obedient actions | +8 for Breaking Corruption |
| ::: | ::: | -8 for all other actions | -16 for all other actions | -8 for all other actions |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
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| 90 | + Below 1/2 Health or Stamina | +10 to Obedient actions | +20 for Obedient actions | +10 for Breaking Corruption |
| ::: | ::: | -10 for all other actions | -20 for all other actions | -10 for all other actions |
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| 100 | + Injury or Stress | Become Feral |||
| ::: | ::: | ::: | ::: | ::: |