The game combines strategic elements of Area Majority, Worker Placement, and Resource Gathering in an effort to achieve maximum corruption.

• Ritual Book (Player Board): During each turn, players delve into their Ritual Book, which functions as a personal board. There they oversee their Followers (Cultists), accumulate Resources, and upgrade their Rituals.

• Central Board: The main board provides access to five key locations where the four cults will compete for control, ultimately corrupting them.

• Upkeep Phase: Locations undergo random fluctuations in the number of available spaces, the resources they produce, and other factors.

Rounds consist of critical action phases that determine initiative and dominance.

• Placement Phase: All cults place their workers (Cultist miniatures) on locations, determining the actions their cult can perform. The majority in each location dictates not only special actions, but also the initiative with which these actions will unfold.

• Resolve Phase: Each cult assigns its followers to various actions, from gathering resources for Ritual upgrades to hanging villagers on the Tree of the Damned to boost their Dark Favor.

• Defilement Phase: In the final phase, players corrupt the land and wager their accumulated Blood to dominate the most corrupted location. The number of Sigils each player places significantly affects the final outcome.