The Trial

Lore & Background

The Trial begins when The Entity, drawn by the scent of fear and despair, snatches souls from their dying moments or plucks them from their lives to serve as fuel for its hunger. These victims are cast into The Fog, a shifting landscape that mimics real-world locations but is warped by the entity's influence. Here, time holds no meaning, and the environment itself seems alive with malice, twisting paths and hiding dangers at every turn. The ritual demands blood and sacrifice. The Killer, often a manifestation of pure hatred or a soul consumed by rage, hunts the Survivors who are tasked with repairing five generators to power two exit gates. If a Survivor is caught, they are dragged to a sacrificial hook; if left there long enough, their soul is claimed entirely by The Entity as fuel for its growth. The cycle only concludes when all Survivors are sacrificed or successfully escape through the exit gates or the Hatch, ensuring the hunger of The Entity is never truly sated.

In Their Own Story

The air tastes of copper and old rain as Elias stumbles through the fog, his breath hitching in a throat that feels too tight. The generator hums before him, a rhythmic thrumming that sounds like a heartbeat he doesn't recognize. Behind him, the heavy drag of boots on wet earth echoes, growing louder with every second. He glances back; nothing but swirling gray mist and the faint silhouette of something tall and wrong standing just beyond sight. The Entity watches, silent and patient, savoring the spike of adrenaline that floods his veins. Elias reaches for the wrench, his hands trembling not from cold, but from the primal understanding that this is not a game to be won, but a nightmare to survive.

Reader's Guide

The Trial serves as the central mechanic and narrative framework of the Dead by Daylight universe. It is an eternal cycle where The Entity selects victims based on their intense emotions—fear for Survivors and rage or obsession for Killers. Survivors are thrown into a map that resembles a location from their past, twisted by supernatural forces. Their goal is to repair generators to open the exit gates. This requires teamwork, stealth, and quick thinking, as any noise can attract the Killer's attention. The Killer acts as The Entity's enforcer, tasked with hunting down and sacrificing Survivors on hooks. They possess unique powers that allow them to track, trap, or terrify their prey. If a Survivor is sacrificed, they are lost forever, feeding The Entity's power. If the Survivors succeed in escaping, The Trial does not end; it merely resets with new participants. This endless loop ensures that fear remains an abundant resource for the ancient entity.

Did You Know?

• The Fog is described as a realm between life and death where the laws of physics are subservient to The Entity's will.
• Survivors who escape the Trial are not necessarily free; they often remain trapped in a limbo state until called back for another round.
• The Killer's powers are manifestations of their specific trauma or obsession, amplified by The Entity to make them more effective hunters.
• There is no time limit that forces a reset; the Trial ends only when all Survivors are sacrificed or escape.