diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e03c8e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Catacombs Configuration
+# All values shown are defaults. Uncomment and modify as needed.
+
+server:
+  # SSH port for game client connections
+  ssh_port: 2222
+  # HTTP port for web interface
+  http_port: 8080
+
+game:
+  # Seconds allowed per player turn
+  turn_timeout_sec: 5
+  # Maximum players per game session
+  max_players: 4
+  # Maximum dungeon floors
+  max_floors: 20
+  # Cooperative play bonus multiplier
+  coop_bonus: 0.10
+  # Maximum items a player can carry
+  inventory_limit: 10
+  # Number of skill uses per floor
+  skill_uses: 3
+
+combat:
+  # Probability of successfully fleeing combat
+  flee_chance: 0.50
+  # Monster stat scaling per floor
+  monster_scaling: 1.15
+  # HP reduction when playing solo
+  solo_hp_reduction: 0.50
+
+dungeon:
+  # Map dimensions in tiles
+  map_width: 60
+  map_height: 20
+  # Room count range per floor
+  min_rooms: 5
+  max_rooms: 8
+
+backup:
+  # Minutes between automatic backups
+  interval_min: 60
+  # Directory for backup files
+  dir: "./data/backup"
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9b3e54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	Server  ServerConfig  `yaml:"server"`
+	Game    GameConfig    `yaml:"game"`
+	Combat  CombatConfig  `yaml:"combat"`
+	Dungeon DungeonConfig `yaml:"dungeon"`
+	Backup  BackupConfig  `yaml:"backup"`
+}
+
+type ServerConfig struct {
+	SSHPort  int `yaml:"ssh_port"`
+	HTTPPort int `yaml:"http_port"`
+}
+
+type GameConfig struct {
+	TurnTimeoutSec int     `yaml:"turn_timeout_sec"`
+	MaxPlayers     int     `yaml:"max_players"`
+	MaxFloors      int     `yaml:"max_floors"`
+	CoopBonus      float64 `yaml:"coop_bonus"`
+	InventoryLimit int     `yaml:"inventory_limit"`
+	SkillUses      int     `yaml:"skill_uses"`
+}
+
+type CombatConfig struct {
+	FleeChance      float64 `yaml:"flee_chance"`
+	MonsterScaling  float64 `yaml:"monster_scaling"`
+	SoloHPReduction float64 `yaml:"solo_hp_reduction"`
+}
+
+type DungeonConfig struct {
+	MapWidth  int `yaml:"map_width"`
+	MapHeight int `yaml:"map_height"`
+	MinRooms  int `yaml:"min_rooms"`
+	MaxRooms  int `yaml:"max_rooms"`
+}
+
+type BackupConfig struct {
+	IntervalMin int    `yaml:"interval_min"`
+	Dir         string `yaml:"dir"`
+}
+
+func defaults() Config {
+	return Config{
+		Server: ServerConfig{SSHPort: 2222, HTTPPort: 8080},
+		Game: GameConfig{
+			TurnTimeoutSec: 5, MaxPlayers: 4, MaxFloors: 20,
+			CoopBonus: 0.10, InventoryLimit: 10, SkillUses: 3,
+		},
+		Combat: CombatConfig{FleeChance: 0.50, MonsterScaling: 1.15, SoloHPReduction: 0.50},
+		Dungeon: DungeonConfig{MapWidth: 60, MapHeight: 20, MinRooms: 5, MaxRooms: 8},
+		Backup: BackupConfig{IntervalMin: 60, Dir: "./data/backup"},
+	}
+}
+
+func Load(path string) (*Config, error) {
+	cfg := defaults()
+	if path == "" {
+		return &cfg, nil
+	}
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, &cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &cfg, nil
+}
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4468167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestLoadDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg, err := Load("")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if cfg.Server.SSHPort != 2222 {
+		t.Errorf("expected SSH port 2222, got %d", cfg.Server.SSHPort)
+	}
+	if cfg.Server.HTTPPort != 8080 {
+		t.Errorf("expected HTTP port 8080, got %d", cfg.Server.HTTPPort)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.TurnTimeoutSec != 5 {
+		t.Errorf("expected turn timeout 5, got %d", cfg.Game.TurnTimeoutSec)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.MaxPlayers != 4 {
+		t.Errorf("expected max players 4, got %d", cfg.Game.MaxPlayers)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.MaxFloors != 20 {
+		t.Errorf("expected max floors 20, got %d", cfg.Game.MaxFloors)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.CoopBonus != 0.10 {
+		t.Errorf("expected coop bonus 0.10, got %f", cfg.Game.CoopBonus)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.InventoryLimit != 10 {
+		t.Errorf("expected inventory limit 10, got %d", cfg.Game.InventoryLimit)
+	}
+	if cfg.Combat.FleeChance != 0.50 {
+		t.Errorf("expected flee chance 0.50, got %f", cfg.Combat.FleeChance)
+	}
+	if cfg.Combat.MonsterScaling != 1.15 {
+		t.Errorf("expected monster scaling 1.15, got %f", cfg.Combat.MonsterScaling)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadFromFile(t *testing.T) {
+	content := []byte(`
+server:
+  ssh_port: 3333
+  http_port: 9090
+game:
+  turn_timeout_sec: 10
+  max_players: 2
+`)
+	f, err := os.CreateTemp("", "config-*.yaml")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(f.Name())
+	f.Write(content)
+	f.Close()
+
+	cfg, err := Load(f.Name())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if cfg.Server.SSHPort != 3333 {
+		t.Errorf("expected SSH port 3333, got %d", cfg.Server.SSHPort)
+	}
+	if cfg.Server.HTTPPort != 9090 {
+		t.Errorf("expected HTTP port 9090, got %d", cfg.Server.HTTPPort)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.TurnTimeoutSec != 10 {
+		t.Errorf("expected turn timeout 10, got %d", cfg.Game.TurnTimeoutSec)
+	}
+	if cfg.Game.MaxPlayers != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("expected max players 2, got %d", cfg.Game.MaxPlayers)
+	}
+	// Unset fields should have defaults
+	if cfg.Game.MaxFloors != 20 {
+		t.Errorf("expected default max floors 20, got %d", cfg.Game.MaxFloors)
+	}
+	if cfg.Combat.FleeChance != 0.50 {
+		t.Errorf("expected default flee chance 0.50, got %f", cfg.Combat.FleeChance)
+	}
+	if cfg.Dungeon.MapWidth != 60 {
+		t.Errorf("expected default map width 60, got %d", cfg.Dungeon.MapWidth)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8a21088..4c8d1d7 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -41,4 +41,5 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20240719175910-8a7402abbf56 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.36.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.23.0 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 5d09ced..6bbf631 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -79,5 +79,6 @@ golang.org/x/term v0.30.0 h1:PQ39fJZ+mfadBm0y5WlL4vlM7Sx1Hgf13sMIY2+QS9Y=
 golang.org/x/term v0.30.0/go.mod h1:NYYFdzHoI5wRh/h5tDMdMqCqPJZEuNqVR5xJLd/n67g=
 golang.org/x/text v0.23.0 h1:D71I7dUrlY+VX0gQShAThNGHFxZ13dGLBHQLVl1mJlY=
 golang.org/x/text v0.23.0/go.mod h1:/BLNzu4aZCJ1+kcD0DNRotWKage4q2rGVAg4o22unh4=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=