The Sanity System
How your mind fractures in the forest — triggers, consequences, and when to extract.
No meter, by design
The Mound deliberately hides your sanity level. There is no HUD indicator, no percentage, no bar draining in the corner of your screen. The developers made this choice so you can never be certain whether what you perceive is real — the ambiguity is the mechanic.
What chips away at your mind
- Separating from your teammates for extended periods
- Proximity to demon birds — they deal sanity damage passively
- Standing near madness shrines without neutralising them
- Prolonged time in darkness away from any light source
How to steady yourself
- Stay close to the ox-wagon — its presence slows sanity decay
- Eat glowing mushrooms found in the forest; they partially restore your mind
- Keep your group together; isolation is the fastest path to full madness
What happens when you're far gone
Sanity loss manifests as hallucinations. Teammates can appear to transform into enemies. Creatures may look like your allies. When your sanity is severely depleted, trust verbal communication over what you see — call out positions rather than relying on visual identification alone.
When to head back
There is no number to read. Trust your judgment: are you seeing things that seem wrong? Is your character reacting to threats nobody else can see? When in doubt, make for the cart. A partial haul beats a full wipe caused by friendly fire on a hallucination.