This guide applies to the game with the Sunken Sins update (v 2.4).

Greetings, cult leaders. Throughout various timelines, I have been carefully documenting my endeavors, and will now share my information in this guide. Specifically, I will be listing out the virtue quotes and some events, which I have not seen in any other Steam guide as of this posting. I will also briefly go over my general style of running a cult, but it is not intended to be a comprehensive walkthrough, and also assumes prior knowledge of the basics. Maybe this can be expanded in the future. The intent is that this guide will be more of a useful cheatsheet for your next trial. Because regardless of what Chernobog says, knowledge is power where I-

Greetings, cult leaders. Unlike some other games, The Shrouded Isle not a race against time. In fact, you usually want the 5 year timer to expire, unless you are part of the Extinction sect (called Completionism in Steam achievements). So my style is to document everything, slowly build up my database, and carefully deliberate my next steps. Thus, be forewarned that this guide may be a bit heavy on calculations and such.

The game may feebly try to obscure information, but it is little match for some diligence and a trusty Notepad(++). Take the seasonal council as an example. There is only a random chance that the game reveals an advisor's traits while using them, and even then only partially exposed. But simply take note of the before and after values of all the community aspects (ignorance, fervor, etc.), and for practical purposes you already know the villager's traits. More below.

Here are the approval changes depending on how many advisors you use for the month:


In summary, when using three advisors, there is maximum gain of the "pool" of all house approvals summed together. I like to be greedy and use three advisors whenever possible, and after that, it is a balancing act.

When using multiple advisors, the traits' effects on the community aspects are divided by the number of advisors, then rounded towards zero. Here is an example in the case of three advisors:

• Major virtue: +15 -> +5
  
• Minor virtue: +10 -> +3
  
• Very minor virtue: +5 -> +1
  
• Very minor vice: -10 -> -3
  
• Minor vice: -20 -> -6
  
• Major vice: -30 -> -10

Sacrificing a major sinner generally results in -30 approval for that house. Sacrificing a minor sinner or one with a(n at least partially exposed) contagion results in -50 approval. It's 1.66x, but it's not that bad, right? Actually, it is important not to neglect the fact that the other houses gain +5 approval each (this is adjusted if houses are exterminated), plus there is the gain from the seasonal council. In the case of consistently using three advisors, the overall net effect is +5 vs. -15 for the season. Unfortunately, sacrificing minor sinners is all but inevitable, but this is why approval tends to be disproportionately harder to manage later on, and something to keep in mind. The second sacrifice in a row results in -65 overall, and should be avoided unless you are planning on exterminating that house anyway. (Exterminated houses cannot rebel.)

Should healthy villagers be purified in attempt to create major sinners? Well, converting a minor sinner to major is effectively +20 approval. But accidentally drowning them is -25. I do not know the probabilities, but assuming equal, the odds are unfavorable. It is a different story if you are trying to kill them (e.g., to exterminate the house). Also, keep in mind that villagers with major virtues have 100% chance of becoming Awoken, at least per my experience.

The Extinction and Shoal sects follow a different approach. I will not be covering those here.

Lastly, I have not observed any repercussion of not giving Chernobog his desired sinner. (He only insulted me when I converted them, near the end.) Sacrificing the designated sinner simply randomizes the community aspect to encourage. (It could remain the same.) So if you are strong in the currently encouraged aspect, you may want to purposely avoid sacrificing the target. Chernobog can take his whims-

Greetings, cult leaders. Here comes the useful stuff. When appointing a villager as an advisor, the villager will respond with a quote. This quote uniquely determines their exact virtue. In other words, you can spend 10 minutes at the beginning of the game chatting with all the villagers, and you would be able to document the virtues of the entire village, all before the start of single season. Unfortunately, partially exposing virtues is still required if you want to avoid the risk of using an advisor with a contagion.



I have not found a reliable method for determining vices, but here are some observations. Villages always start with exactly one of each major virtue and major vice, for a total of 10 respectively. Note that there is most likely some overlap (i.e., villagers with both a major virtue and vice). The minor traits seem random. Some may be absent entirely. (Duplication is inevitable as there are fewer virtues/vices than villagers.) Also, virtues and vices will never contradict each other, unless changed by an event. For instance, an ignorance virtue implies a vice of some other aspect. Conversely for an ignorance vice.

The villagers' biographies (the pop-ups when hovering over their portraits) and some quotes when confining them seem to partially reveal either their virtue or vice. Of course, this is useless for virtues, as those are already fully known. The confinement quotes are in addition unreliable, plus some villagers will refuse to be released, making this an unfeasible method of investigation. In the end, the inability to reveal the exact magnitudes of vices simply renders these methods less useful. Therefore, I am not doing extensive research here.

Beyond that, you might be able to utilize Chernobog's hint via process of elimination, and several events provide implicit reveals (more later), but these are generally out of your control.

Without further ado, here is the comprehensive list of virtue quotes:


So, let me get this straight. S&M is a major virtue, but perversion is a major vice? I bet Chernobog is just jealous that his squids-

Greetings, cult leaders. Here, I present a non-comprehensive list of random events and their outcomes. Even after finishing all of the achievements, plus several extra play-throughs for this guide, I am sure that there are events I have never encountered, much less tried all the options for. All of this is based on personal experience, as opposed to analyzing game code or similar. Prerequisites and linked events in particular may be inaccurate or incomplete.

First, a few general tips: Factor the effect of follow-up events into your choice for the first one. You may want to consider a worse initial option to unlock a subsequent event with better return on investment. Follow-up events seem to have a high probability of occurring.

Regarding trait reveals, again, explicitly revealing a trait in-game is of limited usefulness. Certain reveals can improve aspect gain/loss during a sacrifice, and revealing a virtue provides knowledge about possible contagions. But the fact that such an event occurred in the first place already reveals the trait to you, which is what matters more.

This list is alphabetical (ignoring particles), except for follow-up events. It is divided into two sections due to the character limit. Ctrl+F is your friend Crony.

• Advanced Absolution
  
  1. ?
     
  2. Obedience +5, Blackborn approval +10
     
  3. ?
     
  
  
• Alien Colors (requires living Imaginative)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. Ignorance +10
     
  3. Fervor +10
     
  
  
• Alms for the Pure (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Fervor +5, Penitence +5, Kegnni approval -10
     
  2. Discipline +5, Obedience +5, Efferson approval -10
     
  
  
• At Both Ends (requires living Pyromaniac)
  
  1. Obedience +10
     
  2. House approval +10
     
  3. Discipline +10
     
  
  
• Beyond the Veil (requires living Haunted)
  
  1. House approval +10
     
  2. Reveal Haunted (Ignorance +15)
     
• Beyond Another Veil (after Beyond the Veil option #1)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. House approval -7
     
• Beyond the Many Veils (after Beyond the Veil option #2?)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. ?
     
  3. ?
     
  
  
• Bloody Spoils #1 (requires living Morbid)
  
  1. Obedience +10
     
  2. Fervor +10, House approval -7
     
  3. Ignorance +5, House approval +5
     
• Bloody Spoils #2 (requires living Morbid, after Bloody Spoils #1 any option?)
  
  1. ?
     
  2. Obedience +10, Blackborn approval +5
     
  3. Penitence +5, reveal Morbid (Fervor -30)
     
  
  
• Burnt Offerings (requires zealous Efferson)
  
  1. Fervor +10, Efferson approval -5
     
  2. No effect
     
  3. Iosefka approval +5
     
  
  
• Chernobog's Day (requires living Generous)
  
  1. Fervor +10, reveal Generous (Discipline -20)
     
  2. Ignorance +2, Fervor +2, Discipline +2, Penitence +2, Obedience +2
     
  3. Get a mushroom statuette (no effect?)
     
• Recognitions (after Chernobog's Day option #3)
  
  1. ?
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  3. ?
     
  
  
• Dark Materials (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Penitence +10, Cadwell approval -10, Efferson approval +10
     
  2. Penitence +10, Kegnni approval -10, Efferson approval +10
     
  3. Penitence -15, Efferson approval -15
     
  
  
• Deviant Trends
  
  1. Obedience +10, house approval -7
     
  2. House approval +5
     
  
  
• Dietary Fiber (requires Awoken, living Gluttonous?)
  
  1. Fervor +10
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
• New Growth (after Dietary Fiber option #1)
  
  1. Fervor +10
     
  2. ?
     
• Overgrowth (after Dietary Fiber option #2, requires living Gluttonous)
  
  1. Fervor +10, vice change from Gluttonous (Discipline -10) to Complacent (Fervor -10)
     
  2. Ignorance +10, Discipline -7
     
  3. Fervor -7, Discipline +5, Obedience +10
     
  
  
• A Divided Heart (requires living Flirt)
  
  1. Discipline +10
     
  2. Vice change from Flirt (Discipline -20) to Impulsive (Obedience -20)
     
  3. House approval +10
     
  
  
• Driftwood (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Ignorance +15
     
  2. Ignorance -15, Blackborn approval +10
     
  3. Ignorance -15, Kegnni approval +10
     
• Island of Bone (after Driftwood options #2 or #3)
  
  1. Ignorance +10
     
  2. Discipline +10, Blackborn approval +10
     
  3. Ignorance -7, Fervor +15
     
  
  
• Eternal Questions (requires dead knows-too-much?)
  
  1. Discipline +10
     
  2. Obedience +10
     
  3. House approval +10
     
  
  
• Exchanged Favors (requires zealous Kegnni)
  
  1. Kegnni approval +5, virtue change to Unquestioning (Obedience +15)
     
  2. Kegnni approval +15
     
  
  
• Eye for an Eye (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Penitence +5, Blackborn approval -10
     
  2. Penitence +5, Cadwell approval -10
     
  3. Obedience -7
     
  
  
• Family Jewels (requires living Kleptomaniac) (The same house can accuse itself…)
  
  1. accused? house approval -15
     
  2. Reveal Kleptomaniac (Obedience -30)
     
  3. accusing? house approval -15
     
  
  
• Family Recipes
  
  1. Ignorance +2, Fervor +2, Discipline +2, Penitence +2, Obedience +2
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
• Familial Recipes (after Family Recipes option #2?)
  
  1. Ignorance +2, Fervor +2, Discipline +2, Penitence +2, Obedience +2, vice change to Gluttonous (Discipline -10)
     
  2. ?
     
  
  
• First Frost (only occurs during winter?)
  
  1. Kegnni approval +10
     
  2. ?
     
  3. Obedience +10
     
  
  
• Forgotten Promises (requires living Scholar)
  
  1. Obedience -15
     
  2. Penitence -15, vice change from Scholar (Ignorance -30) to Lazy (Fervor -20)
     
  3. Fervor -15, vice change from Scholar (Ignorance -30) to Cynical (Obedience -20)
     
  
  
• A Foul Flourishing (requires living Slovenly, living Chaste)
  
  1. Penitence +5, reveal random Chaste (Discipline +10)
     
  2. Discipline +10, reveal Slovenly (Discipline -20)
     
  3. Efferson approval +10
     

• Heresy (requires living Accusatory)
  
  1. Discipline +10, accusing house approval +10, accused house approval -15
     
  2. Fervor -15
     
  3. Penitence +10, accusing house approval -15, accused house approval +10
     
  
  
• Homeschool (requires dead Scholar)
  
  1. Ignorance +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  3. Obedience +10
     
  
  
• The Hunger (requires living Ascetic)
  
  1. Fervor +10, Discipline +10
     
  2. Discipline +10, house approval +10
     
• The Hunger Sect (after The Hunger option #2)
  
  1. Discipline +10, house approval +5, Efferson approval -5
     
  2. Fervor +10, house approval -7, Efferson approval +5
     
  3. Discipline +5, house approval +5
     
  
  
• Hypothermia (requires confined villager during autumn)
  
  1. House approval +10
     
  2. Obedience +10
     
  
  
• The Ill Omen (requires living Superstitious)
  
  1. Penitence +10, house approval +20, vice change to Gentle (Fervor -20)
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  3. Penitence +10
     
  
  
• In Progress (requires confined villager) (No, that's the event name. This guide is clearly complete.)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. House approval +10
     
  3. Ignorance +15
     
  
  
• The Informant (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Ignorance +15, house approval -7
     
  2. House approval +10
     
  
  
• Inheritance (requires living female)
  
  1. Efferson approval +10
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
  3. Penitence +10
     
• Strange Inheritance (after Inheritance options #2? or #3)
  
  1. House approval +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
• Sea Mother (after Strange Inheritance option #2)
  
  1. ?
     
  2. House approval +15
     
  3. ?
     
  
  
• An Inspiration (requires living Charismatic?)
  
  1. Kegnni approval +10
     
  2. Obedience +10
     
  3. Obedience +15, vice change to Rebellious (Obedience -30)
     
  
  
• Isolation Chambers
  
  1. House approval +10
     
  2. Penitence +10
     
  3. Discipline +10
     
  
  
• Land Dispute (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Kegnni approval -10
     
  2. Fervor -15
     
  3. Obedience -15
     
  
  
• Migration Patterns (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. Blackborn approval +10
     
  3. Fervor +10
     
  
  
• Mutiny (requires dead Rebellious)
  
  1. Vice change to Rebellious (Obedience -30)
     
  2. Ignorance +10, vice change to Rebellious (Obedience -30)
     
  
  
• My Only Light (requires living Gentle, any dead villager)
  
  1. Discipline +5, vice change from Gentle (Fervor -20) to Flirt (Discipline -20)
     
  2. Penitence +5, vice change from Gentle (Fervor -20) to Cynical (Obedience -20)
     
  3. Fervor +5, deceased vice change to disobedient (seems like bug)
     
  
  
• New Disease (requires living Lazy?)
  
  1. Fervor -15, house approval +10
     
  2. Penitence +10, house approval -15, reveal Lazy? (Fervor -20)
     
  
  
• The Painting (requires living Artist)
  
  1. Ignorance +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  
  
• A Saint Among Us (requires zealous Iosefka)
  
  1. Fervor +10, Iosefka approval +15
     
  2. Discipline +15
     
  
  
• Secret Delights (requires zealous Cadwell)
  
  1. Discipline -15, Cadwell approval +15
     
  2. Discipline +15, Obedience +10, Cadwell approval -10
     
  
  
• The Seedling (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Ignorance +15
     
  2. Ignorance -7, Obedience +5
     
• The Flower (after The Seedling option #1?)
  
  1. ?
     
  2. Penitence -15
     
  3. ?
     
• The Fruit (after The Seedling option #2)
  
  1. Discipline +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  
  
• Strange Strandings (no prerequisites)
  
  1. Ignorance +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
• Strange Cravings (after Strange Strandings option #2)
  
  1. ?
     
  2. Cadwell approval +10
     
  3. Random virtue change to Singer (Fervor +10), random vice change to Imaginative (Ignorance -20)
     
  
  
• Supplements
  
  1. Blackborn approval +5
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
  3. ?
     
  
  
• Technological Advancements (requires living Sadist)
  
  1. Ignorance -7, Penitence +10
     
  2. No effect
     
  3. Ignorance -7, Fervor +10
     
  
  
• To Look Up To (requires dead Athletic)
  
  1. House approval +10
     
  2. Fervor +15, house approval -7
     
  
  
• Under Your Name (requires zealous Blackborn)
  
  1. Blackborn approval +15
     
  2. Obedience +15
     
  
  
• Visiting Hours (requires confined villager)
  
  1. Obedience +10
     
  2. Confined virtue change to Stoic (Discipline +5) (seems like bug)
     
  3. Penitence +10
     
  
  
• Voice in the Darkness (requires dead Singer, living Gentle)
  
  1. Ignorance +10
     
  2. Obedience +10
     
  
  
• Your Right Hand (requires sacrificed Crony, living Dull+Gentle?) (Unique sound effect!)
  
  1. Fervor +10, vice change from Gentle? to Flirt (Discipline -20) (seems like bug, at least for the narrative)
     
  2. Virtue change from Dull (Ignorance +10) to Crony (Obedience +15)
     

Contrary to what the trailer says, Chernobog is a really random god. More like CheRNG-o'-bog you down-

Greetings, cult leaders. That's all I have for now. Hopefully this guide has been and will continue to be useful. Feedback is welcome. No promises on how much I will add, though. I've been thinking about retir-

Greetings, cult leaders. Do be careful with what you do with this information. If any envious entities get suspicious, here's a response you can use:

• Beyond the Many Veils (after Beyond the Veil option #2?)
  
  1. Penitence +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
  3. Ignorance +10?
     
  
  
• Bloody Spoils #2 (requires living Morbid, after Bloody Spoils #1 any option?)
  
  1. Ignorance +10, Obedience +5
     
  2. Obedience +10, Blackborn approval +5
     
  3. Penitence +5, reveal Morbid (Fervor -30)
     
  
  
• Dietary Fiber (requires Awoken, living Gluttonous)
  
  1. Fervor +10
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
  
  
• Familial Recipes (after Family Recipes option #2?)
  
  1. Ignorance +2, Fervor +2, Discipline +2, Penitence +2, Obedience +2, vice change to Gluttonous (Discipline -10)
     
  2. Discipline -7
     
  
  
• First Frost (only occurs during winter?)
  
  1. Kegnni approval +10
     
  2. Discipline +10
     
  3. Obedience +10
     
  
  
• Inherited Demands (after Inheritance option #1)
  
  1. Discipline +10
     
  2. Fervor +10
     
• Sea Mother (after Strange Inheritance option #2 or Inherited Demands)
  
  1. Obedience +10?
     
  2. House approval +15
     
  3. Virtue change to Charismatic (Fervor +5)
     
  
  
• Midsummer (requires living Awoken)
  
  1. Obedience +?
     
  2. Accusing house approval +10
     
  
  
• The Flower (after The Seedling option #1?)
  
  1. Ignorance -15, Discipline -7
     
  2. Penitence -15
     
  3. Fervor -?
     
  
  
• Strange Cravings (after Strange Strandings option #2)
  
  1. Discipline +15, Cadwell approval -5
     
  2. Cadwell approval +10
     
  3. Random virtue change to Singer (Fervor +10), random vice change to Imaginative (Ignorance -20)