Corruption Quick Reference

UNANTICIPATED CIRCUMSTANCES

• IRIS is an engine of optimization, constantly striving to enhance its host. Since the release of the Feral Plague however, the residents of Horizon have become host to far higher concentrations than its designers had ever anticipated. In such a situation, IRIS can become overly aggressive in its measures to enhance the host body. In most cases, this ends with it attempting to optimize the brain and central nervous system, by subsuming their functions into its own network. Although this change benefits the physical body in several resepects, an unfortunate by-product of this change is the near-total erasure of the host's identity. Not being human, IRIS has no way to know the irreplaceable value of seemingly erratic brain impulses and behaviour patterns we commonly refer to as, “thought”.

THE STRUGGLE

• Fortunately, the self-preservation impulse of the human psyche has proven a formidable opposition to the process. Recognizing the delicate operation of the nervous system and the contrasting violence of a “fight-or-flight” response from the brain when it is threatened, IRIS will very rarely attempt a brute-force takeover of the host's core functions. The human brain is far less resistant to gradual conditioning, offering IRIS a much safer, if protracted, method to “enhance” its host. People with higher concentrations of IRIS become more susceptible to this effect, sometimes referred to as a “Presence”. This collection of powerful impulses and pleasure-resonse patterns is used to influence the host subliminally through their natural virtues, vices and in other sources of elevated emotional state. Failure to resist these urges over a long period leaves the mind increasingly habituated to the influence, until the host eventually can't, or often won't, resist further control. At this point, IRIS is able to entirely assimilate the host's brain functions into its own network, benefitting the physical body greatly, but almost entirely erasing the host's identity in the process. This is known as, “Feralization”.

CONSEQUENCE

• Representing your degree of vulnerability to this condition, you gain “Corruption” points as you integrate more IRIS or fail to resist its Presence. For each Trait rank you gain and every Aug you develop, your Corruption level increases. This has several effects. For example, various temptations may plague you when you witness events that anger or excite you. These urges become more frequent and severe as your Corruption increases. The Presence may also offer a surge of manic energy in times of weakness; when you are exhausted, or mortally wounded, but these redemptions come with an ever-increasing cost to your sanity. It is easy to reach too far, to think you will steel yourself and carry on, but one day, weakened and desperate, you may lack the strength to refuse. Worse yet, you may find you no longer wish to. After falling so far, few find the way back.

• THE PRICE OF POWER
  • Each Aug increases Corruption by +3
  • Each Trait rank from 1-3 increases Corruption by +1
  • Each Trait rank from 4-6 increases Corruption by +2
  • Each Trait rank from 7-9 increases Corruption by +3
    • 9 is the maximum rank for any Trait.

• TRIGGERS
  • These events can trigger your Corruption, forcing you to either resist or embrace IRIS possession.
    • Check the Corruption Triggers table below. If you find yourself involved with any of the Triggers for your Corruption level (or lower), your Corruption is Triggered. You must choose either to resist or embrace IRIS Possession for a short time.
    • If your Corruption level is ever greater than your MAXIMUM Stamina, your Corruption is triggered every night at midnight until you resolve the situation. Good luck.

• RESPONSES
• When your Corruption is triggered, you make a choice: Resist it or Embrace it.

• RESIST
  • If you want to Resist the Corruption, tell your Director, then make an Endurance Skill test.
    • The difficulty for this test is your IRIS level.
    • The test requires 1 full round (5s).
    • For every 5 Fail (missing Score), lose 1 Stamina.
  • If you pass, or can pay the Stamina cost, the Corruption recedes and you cannot be Triggered in the same way for the rest of the session.
  • If you can't score high enough, or if the Stamina cost reduces your Stamina below 0, you succumb to Possession. Choose from an Attraction, Aversion or Zeal result. After the choice, you suffer +2 IRIS level (fixed).
  • When Possession ends, you return to normal and cannot be Triggered in the same way for the rest of the session.
  • If the Stamina drain reduced your Stamina below 0, you will be left with exactly 0 SP when Possession ends.

• EMBRACE
  • If you want to Embrace the Corruption, tell your Director, choose an Attraction, Aversion or Zeal result at your Corruption Rating, then roll an Endurance test.
    • For every 5 Fail, gain +1 Stamina immediately. This can exceed your normal maximum until Possession ends.
    • For every 5 Fail, gain +1 Score on actions obedient to your Possession choice.
    • For every 5 Fail, Suffer +1 IRIS Level.

• PASSING OUT AND DEATH COMA
  • When your Stamina drops to 0 or less, normally you Pass Out. You only recover from Passing Out when your Stamina recovers to 1 or higher.
  • When your Health drops to 0 or less, normally you go into Death Coma. you only recover from Death Coma when your Health recovers to 1 or higher.
  • You can delay Passing Out and Death Coma for 1 round by passing an Endurance Skill test.
    • The difficulty is 5AP for the first round you delay, 10AP for the second round, 15AP for the third and so on.
  • If you fail your Endurance Skill test to resist Passing Out or Death Coma, your last chance is Embracing Corruption.
  • During Possession, a Character cannot enter Blackout or Death-Coma.

• LIMITATIONS
  • If your Stamina ever goes fully negative, you die. No action can prevent this. For example if you have Stamina 10, then dropping to -10 Stamina or less causes permanent death. Make a new Character.
  • If your Health ever goes fully negative, you Die. No action can prevent this. For example, if you have 20 Health, then dropping to -20 Health or less causes permanent death. Make a new Character.