diff --git a/public/img/fail.webp b/public/img/fail.webp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c2d9f7
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/img/fail.webp differ
diff --git a/public/img/intro.webp b/public/img/intro.webp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc45def
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/img/intro.webp differ
diff --git a/public/img/win.webp b/public/img/win.webp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ae3568
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/img/win.webp differ
diff --git a/src/engine.test.ts b/src/engine.test.ts
index 5881c89..147eeec 100644
--- a/src/engine.test.ts
+++ b/src/engine.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest';
-import { createState, tick, buyUpgrade, type State } from './engine.ts';
+import { createState as createIntroState, startGame, tick, buyUpgrade, type State } from './engine.ts';
+
+function createState(): State {
+  return startGame(createIntroState());
+}
 import { UPGRADES } from './upgrades.ts';
 
 // Deterministic PRNG so simulation tests aren't flaky, but still exercise
diff --git a/src/engine.ts b/src/engine.ts
index f671ac0..148c4f6 100644
--- a/src/engine.ts
+++ b/src/engine.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export interface State {
   areas: { rosengard: boolean; varnhem: boolean; torso: boolean };
   upgrades: Set<string>;
   log: LogEntry[];
-  phase: 'playing' | 'won' | 'lost';
+  phase: 'intro' | 'playing' | 'won' | 'lost' | 'abandoned';
   lostReason?: string;
   usedEventIds: Set<string>;
   flags: Set<string>;
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export function createState(): State {
     areas: { rosengard: false, varnhem: false, torso: false },
     upgrades: new Set(),
     log: [{ tick: 0, text: 'Mötet började i en fuktig källare i Rosengård. Nio stolar. En av dem är alltid lite för varm.', kind: 'system' }],
-    phase: 'playing',
+    phase: 'intro',
     usedEventIds: new Set(),
     flags: new Set(),
     nextEventTick: EVENT_INTERVAL_TICKS,
@@ -78,6 +78,19 @@ export function createState(): State {
   };
 }
 
+export function startGame(state: State): State {
+  if (state.phase !== 'intro') return state;
+  return { ...state, phase: 'playing' };
+}
+
+export function abandonGame(state: State): State {
+  return {
+    ...state,
+    phase: 'abandoned',
+    log: [{ tick: state.tick, text: 'Ni lämnar källaren. Cirkeln bryts. Den Sovande sover vidare, ovetande, ofärdig.', kind: 'system' }, ...state.log],
+  };
+}
+
 function pickEvent(pool: GameEvent[], state: State): GameEvent | null {
   const available = pool.filter(e => {
     if (state.usedEventIds.has(e.id)) return false;
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index da4d7a5..08c1622 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import './style.css';
-import { createState, tick, buyUpgrade, visitLocation, resolveEventChoice, saveState, loadState, clearSave } from './engine.ts';
+import { createState, tick, buyUpgrade, visitLocation, resolveEventChoice, startGame, abandonGame, saveState, loadState, clearSave } from './engine.ts';
 import { initUI, renderState } from './ui.ts';
 import { initMap, updateMap } from './map.ts';
 
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ function start(): void {
       document.getElementById('overlay')!.classList.remove('visible');
       renderState(state);
     },
-    (index) => { state = resolveEventChoice(state, index); renderState(state); saveState(state); }
+    (index) => { state = resolveEventChoice(state, index); renderState(state); saveState(state); },
+    () => { state = startGame(state); renderState(state); saveState(state); },
+    () => { state = abandonGame(state); renderState(state); saveState(state); }
   );
 
   initMap('map', (locationId) => {
diff --git a/src/style.css b/src/style.css
index e4a7cfb..a09e975 100644
--- a/src/style.css
+++ b/src/style.css
@@ -230,12 +230,65 @@ body {
 .log-entry.system { color: var(--dim); font-style: italic; }
 .log-entry.upgrade { color: var(--accent); }
 
+/* ── Intro screen ── */
+#intro-screen {
+  display: none;
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 1002; /* above help modal and overlay */
+  background-size: cover;
+  background-position: center;
+  background-color: var(--bg);
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+#intro-screen.visible { display: flex; }
+
+.intro-scrim {
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(6,6,14,0.55) 0%, rgba(6,6,14,0.88) 70%, rgba(6,6,14,0.96) 100%);
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  padding-bottom: 10vh;
+  text-align: center;
+  gap: 12px;
+}
+
+.intro-title {
+  font-size: 40px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 8px;
+  color: var(--dread);
+  text-shadow: 0 0 30px rgba(204, 68, 204, 0.5);
+}
+
+.intro-sub {
+  font-size: 12px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--dim);
+}
+
+.intro-flavor {
+  max-width: 480px;
+  color: var(--text);
+  font-size: 12px;
+  line-height: 1.9;
+  margin: 8px 20px 4px;
+}
+
 /* ── Overlays ── */
 #overlay {
   display: none;
   position: fixed;
   inset: 0;
   background: rgba(6, 6, 14, 0.92);
+  background-size: cover;
+  background-position: center;
   z-index: 1000;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
@@ -292,9 +345,14 @@ body {
 .phase-tag.mid    { color: var(--accent); border-color: var(--accent); }
 .phase-tag.late   { color: var(--dread); border-color: var(--dread); }
 
-/* ── Help button ── */
-.help-btn {
+/* ── Help / header buttons ── */
+.header-actions {
   margin-left: auto;
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 8px;
+}
+
+.help-btn {
   background: none;
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   color: var(--dim);
@@ -306,6 +364,7 @@ body {
   transition: border-color 0.15s, color 0.15s;
 }
 .help-btn:hover { border-color: var(--accent); color: var(--accent); }
+#abandon-btn:hover { border-color: var(--danger); color: var(--danger); }
 
 /* ── Help modal ── */
 .help-modal {
diff --git a/src/ui.ts b/src/ui.ts
index 21dc96f..8ba461a 100644
--- a/src/ui.ts
+++ b/src/ui.ts
@@ -2,12 +2,35 @@ import type { State } from './engine.ts';
 import { UPGRADES } from './upgrades.ts';
 import { VERSION, CHANGELOG } from './data/version.ts';
 
-export function initUI(app: HTMLElement, onUpgrade: (id: string) => void, onRestart: () => void, onEventChoice: (index: number) => void): void {
+export function initUI(
+  app: HTMLElement,
+  onUpgrade: (id: string) => void,
+  onRestart: () => void,
+  onEventChoice: (index: number) => void,
+  onStart: () => void,
+  onAbandon: () => void,
+): void {
   app.innerHTML = `
     <div id="header">
       <div class="brand">DJUPET</div>
       <div class="brand-sub">Malmö, Sverige · <span id="phase-tag" class="phase-tag early">Tidigt skede</span></div>
-      <button id="help-btn" class="help-btn" title="Hjälp &amp; Ändringslogg">? v${VERSION}</button>
+      <div class="header-actions">
+        <button id="abandon-btn" class="help-btn" title="Överge kulten">Avbryt</button>
+        <button id="help-btn" class="help-btn" title="Hjälp &amp; Ändringslogg">? v${VERSION}</button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+
+    <div id="intro-screen" style="background-image:url('/img/intro.webp')">
+      <div class="intro-scrim">
+        <div class="intro-title">DJUPET</div>
+        <div class="intro-sub">Malmö, Sverige</div>
+        <p class="intro-flavor">
+          Nio stolar i en fuktig källare i Rosengård. En av dem är alltid lite för varm.<br>
+          Ni har hört sången i väggarna. Den Sovande har inte hört er ännu.<br>
+          Det är dags att ändra på det.
+        </p>
+        <button class="overlay-btn" id="start-btn">Börja ritualen</button>
+      </div>
     </div>
 
     <div id="help-modal" class="help-modal">
@@ -134,6 +157,10 @@ export function initUI(app: HTMLElement, onUpgrade: (id: string) => void, onRest
   `;
 
   document.getElementById('overlay-btn')!.addEventListener('click', onRestart);
+  document.getElementById('start-btn')!.addEventListener('click', onStart);
+  document.getElementById('abandon-btn')!.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    if (window.confirm('Överge kulten? Cirkeln bryts och ni går skilda vägar.')) onAbandon();
+  });
 
   document.getElementById('event-modal-choices')!.addEventListener('click', e => {
     const btn = (e.target as Element).closest('[data-choice]') as HTMLElement | null;
@@ -217,8 +244,16 @@ export function renderState(state: State): void {
   // Log
   renderLog(state);
 
+  // Intro screen
+  document.getElementById('intro-screen')!.classList.toggle('visible', state.phase === 'intro');
+
   // Overlay
-  if (state.phase !== 'playing') showOverlay(state);
+  const overlay = document.getElementById('overlay')!;
+  if (state.phase === 'won' || state.phase === 'lost' || state.phase === 'abandoned') {
+    showOverlay(state);
+  } else {
+    overlay.classList.remove('visible');
+  }
 
   // Event choice modal
   renderEventModal(state);
@@ -309,10 +344,17 @@ function showOverlay(state: State): void {
   const title = document.getElementById('overlay-title')!;
   const body = document.getElementById('overlay-body')!;
   if (state.phase === 'won') {
+    ov.style.backgroundImage = "linear-gradient(rgba(6,6,14,0.72), rgba(6,6,14,0.85)), url('/img/win.webp')";
     title.textContent = 'FULLBORDAT';
     title.className = 'overlay-title won';
     body.textContent = 'Det är gjort. Turning Torso pekar rakt ned. Havet är stilla — alltför stilla. Malmö fortsätter som vanligt. Det är det värsta.';
+  } else if (state.phase === 'abandoned') {
+    ov.style.backgroundImage = "linear-gradient(rgba(6,6,14,0.72), rgba(6,6,14,0.85)), url('/img/fail.webp')";
+    title.textContent = 'ÖVERGIVET';
+    title.className = 'overlay-title lost';
+    body.textContent = 'Ni lämnar källaren. Cirkeln bryts. Den Sovande sover vidare, ovetande, ofärdig.';
   } else {
+    ov.style.backgroundImage = "linear-gradient(rgba(6,6,14,0.72), rgba(6,6,14,0.85)), url('/img/fail.webp')";
     title.textContent = 'AVSLÖJAD';
     title.className = 'overlay-title lost';
     body.textContent = state.lostReason ?? 'Utredarna kom.';