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Centopoly Alignment

Your stance in the cold war between corporate order and resistance freedom.

What Is Alignment?​

In the Legends of Cypher universe, Centopoly is the ruling corporate power that controls much of the Cosmos through the Metric—a universal surveillance and economic system. Your alignment represents where you stand on this fundamental divide:

  • Pro-Centopoly: You support corporate order, stability, and the benefits of the Metric
  • Anti-Centopoly: You resist corporate control and support the Cypher resistance movement
  • Neutral: You navigate between both worlds, taking opportunities as they come

Your alignment is tracked on a scale from 0 to 100:

RangeAlignmentDescription
0-19Strongly Anti-CentopolyCommitted resistance sympathizer
20-33Slightly Anti-CentopolyLeaning toward resistance
34-49NeutralBalanced, slight resistance tendency
50-66NeutralBalanced, slight corporate tendency
67-79Pro-CentopolySupporting corporate order
80-100Strongly Pro-CentopolyCommitted corporate loyalist

Starting Alignment​

Your faction determines your initial alignment stance:

FactionStarting AlignmentReason
Mercantile AlliancePro-Centopoly (67+)Profits from Centopoly trade networks
Scions of OgoAnti-Centopoly (0-33)Opposes corporate control of history
TechnomagesNeutral (34-66)Values knowledge over politics
ProspectorsNeutral (34-66)Pragmatic frontier independence

Your alignment can shift significantly over time based on your choices. A Mercantile Alliance operative can become a resistance sympathizer; a Scion can become a corporate collaborator.

How Alignment Changes​

Alignment shifts gradually through your decisions during missions and agent interactions. The system is designed for slow, meaningful progression rather than dramatic swings.

Scaling Philosophy​

  • Routine choices have minimal or zero effect
  • Notable decisions cause small shifts
  • Important decisions cause moderate shifts
  • Major plot decisions cause significant shifts

Most individual choices contribute only 0-2 points. Reaching extreme alignment (strongly pro or anti) requires 15-20 missions of consistent choices in that direction.

What Affects Alignment​

  • Agent-led mission outcomes: Your approach to missions shifts alignment
  • Dialogue choices: How you respond to agents matters
  • Mission acceptance: Which missions you take signals your stance
  • Faction interactions: Working with certain groups affects perception

Impact on Gameplay​

Agent Interactions​

Your alignment directly affects how agents treat you:

Centopoly Security Officers:

  • Alignment below 40: Suspicious and stern tone
  • Alignment 40+: Professional but authoritative

Cypherian Agents:

  • Lower alignment: More trusting and forthcoming
  • Higher alignment: Cautious about sharing sensitive information

Faction Members:

  • React based on your faction's traditional alignment stance
  • May question loyalty if your alignment diverges significantly

Echo Terminal Interface​

Your alignment unlocks different visual modes for the Echo Terminal interface:

Terminal ModeRequirementDescription
StandardDefaultBlue/cyan theme, basic functionality
AdvancedLevel 3+Enhanced visual elements, additional commands
ReticleLevel 25+Special Reticle-connected capabilities
Cypher ProtocolAnti-Centopoly alignmentRed theme, unique combat bonuses
Bridge TechPro-Centopoly alignmentCentopoly industrial theme, unique combat bonuses

The Cypher and Bridge Tech modes provide distinct gameplay advantages aligned with your political stance.

Mission Opportunities​

Your alignment shapes the missions offered to you:

  • Pro-Centopoly operatives receive corporate contracts, security operations, and Metric enforcement tasks
  • Anti-Centopoly operatives receive resistance missions, information liberation, and Cypher network operations
  • Neutral operatives can access missions from both sides but may lack the trust for the most sensitive work

Some high-stakes missions are only available at extreme alignment levels.

Faction Relations​

While your faction membership is permanent, your alignment affects:

  • How your faction views your activities
  • Access to faction-specific opportunities
  • Trust levels with faction leadership
  • Potential conflicts if your alignment contradicts faction values

A Mercantile Alliance member with anti-Centopoly alignment may face scrutiny from corporate contacts but gain trust with resistance elements.

Strategic Considerations​

Benefits of Pro-Centopoly Alignment​

  • Access to corporate resources and contracts
  • Smoother interactions with Centopoly Security
  • Bridge Tech terminal mode with combat advantages
  • Legal channels for operations
  • Metric-based intelligence access

Benefits of Anti-Centopoly Alignment​

  • Trust from the Cypher resistance network
  • Access to resistance missions and contacts
  • Cypher Protocol terminal mode with combat advantages
  • Off-grid operational freedom
  • Underground information networks

Benefits of Neutral Alignment​

  • Flexibility to work with either side
  • No doors permanently closed
  • Ability to play factions against each other
  • Maximum mission variety
  • Diplomatic options in tense situations

Alignment and the Broader Narrative​

The Reticle Cold War is the central conflict of the current era. Your alignment places you within this struggle:

  • The Metric monitors all activity in the Cosmos—your alignment determines whether you embrace or resist this surveillance
  • Cypher technology offers freedom from the Metric but operating it openly marks you as resistance
  • Corporate forces maintain order through the Metric—aligning with them grants access but limits independence

Your choices accumulate over time, creating a meaningful arc for your operative's story. The operatives who shape the future of the Cosmos are those who commit to their convictions—or strategically navigate between them.