Black Rose Wars Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components Overview
Game Setup
Moon Phases and the Black Rose
- Power Points and Moon Phases
- Forgotten Spells and the Black Rose
Game Turn
End of the Game
- Counting Points
- Endgame Example
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Glossary

Components Overview

Power Board (1)

This board tracks several key pieces of information including:

(A) The current levels of Power Points: Each Mage and the Black Rose itself will have a token on this track. Any time they gain or lose any Power Points, move the appropriate Power Point Token up or down on this track.
(B) Quest Card Deck
(C) Quest Card Discard Pile
(D) Evocation Cards

The advancement of the Power Points throughout the game will determine the Moon Phase: First Moon (E), Second Moon (F), or Third Moon (G).

The Black Rose Room Token (H) will be placed into the Lodge when the Second Moon (F) is reached.

The end of the game is triggered as soon as a Power Point Token reaches the Black Rose symbol (I) at 30 points. (See page 34.)

Event Board (1)

The Event Board is composed of:

(A) The Event Card Deck of the current Moon Phase (see page 11)
(B) The up to 3 Event Cards currently in play that will affect the game
(C) The Event Card Discard Pile (see page 11)
(D) The Resource Area to keep the Black Rose's Damage/Instability Tokens
(E) Mages' Trophies and Activation Tokens of Destroyed Rooms acquired by the Black Rose during the game

Crown Token (1)

This token indicates the current First Player. When all players are to perform a task, such as a phase of a turn, the First Player performs it first, then play proceeds clockwise from them.

Optional Rule: For the Crown!

This optional rule will increase unpredictability in the game. With the rule, "For the Crown!", every time the Crown switches to another player, its effect applies immediately. The Crown Bearer will be the First Player starting from the next phase of the current Game Turn, instead of from the next Game Turn as usual.

Mages' Cells (4)

These are the special Rooms assigned to each Mage at the beginning of the game based on their chosen color. Each Cell has several characteristics:

It is the starting point for the Mage of the matching color at the beginning of the game.
It is the respawn/restart point after any defeat of the Mage of the matching color (see page 30).
It is a safe place. Inside their Cell, a Mage cannot be the Target of ANY player-invoked effect. However, effects of the Black Rose can target Mages in their Cells.
Is is not possible to stay voluntarily in a Cell. A Mage is obliged to exit, using Physical Actions or sacrificing a Spell to move. These are the only allowed Actions in the Cell (see page 23).
It is not possible to enter any Cell with regular Movement. There are some effects in the game that will specify when a Mage is sent back to their Cell.

Rooms and Activation Tokens (18)

Each Room of the Black Rose Lodge consists of a hexagonal tile and its corresponding Activation Token. These have the following characteristics:

(A) The name of the Room and corresponding color. There are 3 Rooms of each color in the game.
(B) Each Room has an Activation Token which represents the Effect of Activating that Room. When a Room is Activated, its Activation Token must be flipped to its back side to show that the Room cannot be Activated again until the token is reset.

NOTE: When a Room is Activated remotely, its Effects still occur in that Room, not in the Room where the Activating Mage is located.

(C) On the corner of the Room's Activation Token is the number of Power Points that are awarded to the Mage that Destroys the Room with Instability.
(D) Slots on the tile indicate the Room's Resistance to Instability. The Room will be Destroyed in the Clean-up Phase when these slots are all full (see page 32).
(E) The Destroyed Room tiles must be flipped over to their back side once Destroyed (see Clean-up Phase, page 34).

"No Black Rose, you don't have any role in my performance. Do not bother me with your stupid tasks." - Jaf'ar

Black Rose Room and Activation Token (1)

The Black Rose Room is the central Room of the Lodge. The Room's Activation Token will be available starting from the Second Moon Phase, and will grant access to the powerful Forgotten Spells.

Power Point Tokens (5)

These tokens are used to track the Mages' and the Black Rose's progression on the Power Board.

Whenever a Mage or the Black Rose would exceed 30 Power Points, flip their token showing the side with "+30", and place it back to position 0, then continue scoring from there.

Mage Sheets (4)

Each Mage has their own Sheet with the following details:

(A) The maximum number of Spell Cards the Mage may hold in hand
(B) The number of Rooms the Mage can move
(C) The amount of Damage inflicted when the Mage performs a physical attack
(D) The Life Bar, indicating the Mage's Health Points

The following locations are places for the Mage's cards and tokens:

(E) Quick Spell Card
(F) Standard Ready Spell Cards
(G) Physical Action Tokens
(H) Trophy Tokens
(I) Activation Tokens of Rooms the Mage has Destroyed

Additional cards will be placed next to the Mage's Sheet:

(L) the Grimoire (Spell Card draw pile)
(M) the Memories (Spell Card discard pile)
(N) the Evocations (summoned creatures currently in play)
(O) the Active Quests (face down pile)
(P) the Completed Quests (face up pile)

Damage/Instability Tokens (130)

These cubes are used during the game to track Damage or Instability, depending on where they are placed.

There is a set of cubes in each Mage's color, and in black for the Black Rose.

It's not possible to cause additional Damage or Instability if a Mage does not have cubes in their reserve. A Mage can decide how their last cubes are placed for a single effect.

Physical Action Tokens (8)

There is a set of 2 Physical Action Tokens for each color. These tokens show the Effects of the Physical Actions and must be flipped to their back side when used. See Action Phase (page 23) for more information on how to use them.

Element Tokens (28)

There is a set of 7 Element Tokens (4 copies each). These tokens are used by the Mages to indicate which Element is selected on the Spell with the "Any Element" symbol.

Trap/Protection Tokens (24)

There is a set of 6 double-sided tokens for each color. These tokens are used to indicate when a Trap or a Protection Spell is Activated and can now be triggered. See Trap and Protection Spells (page 27).

Trophy Tokens (40)

There is a set of 10 tokens assigned to each Mage. These tokens will be given as a trophy to any Mage (or the Black Rose) that inflicts the last Damage on another Mage, thus sending them back to their Cell.

If a Mage runs out of Trophy Tokens, no further Trophies are awarded for defeating them.

Infamy of Crete Token (1)

This token is used when the Infamy of Crete is summoned by the corresponding Forgotten spell. This token is considered a "Model", just like the Evocations Models, regarding the resolution of effects that target Models.

Inhibition Tokens (4)

These tokens are used by the Mages to identify an Inhibition Effect that forbids the Movement Action or the ability to Activate Rooms.

This token is always discarded when a Mage enters their Cell.

Spell Cards (228)

There are 6 sets of 36 cards forming the Library of the Black Rose Lodge. Each set belongs to a specific School of Magic, divided into 12 different Spells, with 3 copies of each Spell.

There are also 4 Custom Spells (3 copies each), one belonging each Mage. Refer to Setup (see page 16) to see how they interact with the Library.

Spell Card

Spell Cards represent the Spells used by the Mages on their way to become the new Master of the Lodge.

Each Spell Card includes:

(A) The title of the Spell (to be pronounced loudly when you cast it!)
(B) An arrow indicating the Straight side of the card
(C) Two different Effects, the Straight Effect and the Reverse Effect: during the Preparation Phase, a Mage can choose which Effect they will use (see page 21).

Each Effect has 3 symbols:

(D) Spell Type
- Combat: Spells to inflict Damage
- Contingency: Spells to bring Evocations into play, gain Power Points, move swiftly, draw Quests, etc.
- Protection: Spells that, once Activated, can be triggered to help the Mage when they are the Target of an effect
- Traps: Spells that, once Activated, can be triggered when the conditions on the Spell are met: for example, when a Target enters a Room of a specific color, or performs a specific action, the Spell can be triggered to make them suffer an effect.
(E) Elements: The Element of a Spell is used in specific situations during the game, for example in some Quests and Events: Any, Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Magic, Sacred, Profane.

When a Spell with the "Any" Element is revealed, the casting Mage must choose a specific Element for the Spell and place the corresponding Element Token on it.

(F) The Target of the Spell that must be selected when the Spell is cast and the range that the Spell can reach (a number from 0 to *):
- Oneself: the casting Mage
- Single: a single Model within the indicated range: it can be either an Evocation Token or a Mage other than the one casting the Spell
- Area: a single Room within the indicated range: Damage Spells often target all Models in the designated Room; this is always indicated on the effect
- Special: an element of the game not previously mentioned (e.g. Power Board, Event Board, Library, etc..)
(G) Instability: If present, this means that the Mage will place one Instability Token of their corresponding color in the Room tile where the Mage casting the Spell is standing. (There are some Spells that don't generate Instability, noted by an absence of this symbol.) The Instability can be placed before or after the Spell is cast.

Custom Spells

Each Mage has their own signature Spell. Those Spells are assigned at the beginning of the game during the Setup (see page 16).

No Mage other than the owner of the Custom Spell can have a Custom Spell in their hand.

If a Custom Spell is drawn from the hand or the Grimoire of another Mage: Discard that card in the Memories of that Mage. No other card is drawn.
If a Custom Spell in play is used by another Mage thanks to a special effect: This can be done, but the card cannot be taken by the Mage "stealing" the effect.

Reference Cards of the Schools of Magic (7)

There is a set of 7 Tarot cards, one for each School of Magic and one for The Forgotten Spells. On each School's Reference Card you can find information on the Elements of the Spells within the School and, on its back, two possible starting Grimoire Spell lists.

Forgotten Spell Cards (10)

The Forgotten Spells Deck is a set of 10 unique cards representing the immense power of the Black Rose.

The only ways to draw from this deck are to Activate the Black Rose Room or to use an effect that specifies to draw cards from the Forgotten Spells.

After a Forgotten Spell is played, it is eliminated from the game in the Clean-up Phase (see page 34).

Evocation Cards (34)

There is a set of 30 cards to be used as a reference for the characteristics of Evocations during the game. The front of the card shows an illustration of the Evocation.

The back of the card shows the Evocation's name, archetype, and characteristics: Movement, Attack, Health Points.

When an Evocation is summoned, its corresponding card is placed in an available Evocation slot on the summoning Mage's Sheet (see page 33).

Quest Cards (95)

This set of 95 unique cards, divided into 3 decks by Moon Phase, contains the challenges that the Mages must overcome to gain rewards from the Black Rose.

The Quests become more and more challenging as the Moon Phase progresses, but offer greater rewards as well.

Quest Card

The Quest Cards are the Black Rose's challenges that the Mages need to overcome in order to prove that they are the worthy successors of the Grand Master. Uncompleted Quests must be kept hidden.

A Mage may never hold more than 2 uncompleted Quests. If a Mage ever has more than 2 uncompleted Quest Cards, they must immediately discard down to 2.

Each time a Quest is discarded, the Black Rose gains Power Points equal to the Moon Phase of the discarded Quest: First Moon = 1 Power Point, Second Moon = 2 Power Points, Third Moon = 3 Power Points.

A Quest Card consists of:

(A) The title of the Quest
(B) The objective to be fulfilled

There are 2 types of Quests in the game: Quests that require the Activation of a particular Room (indicated by the illustration of the door handle) and Quests that require different types of conditions to be fulfilled (e.g., playing particular Spell Cards, using Spells of specific Elements, undergoing some indicated effects, etc.).

Upon the completion of a Quest, the Mage gets the following rewards:

(C) Reward Effect: for instance, it can replace or add to the Room Activation Effect.
(D) Reward in Power Points

Completed Quests must be kept visible and in the designated area of the Mage Sheet. At the end of the game they will be essential to gaining additional Power Points!

Note: The symbol in the lower left, if present, shows that the Quest can be played only if there are 4, 5 or 6 players. These Quests must be removed from the game when playing a 2 or 3 player game.

Event Cards (78)

The Event Cards are divided into 3 decks by Moon Phase, similar to Quests.

One Event Card is drawn during the Black Rose Phase on each Game Turn. (See Black Rose Phase, page 19.)

Event Card

The Event Cards represent the influence of the Black Rose on the fight between the Mages. Events can be either benevolent or malevolent - the desire of the Black Rose is unpredictable!

When an Event enters or leaves play, the Black Rose gains as many Power Points as indicated on the corresponding section of the Event Card (see D and G below).

An Event Card consists of:

(A) The title of the Event, to be read aloud when you draw it
(B) Some Event Cards have the Crown symbol. The Mage who draws such an Event gains the Crown Token.
(C) The description of the Event Effect for the current Game Turn: Note that some effects take place during different phases of the Game Turn (See E below)

The lower part of the card contains 3 important items:

(E) Phase of the Game Turn when the card is resolved: the possible options are:
- Black Rose Phase
- Action Phase
- Instant Effect
(F) The area on the Event Board where the card must be initially placed, face up
(G) Number of points gained by the Black Rose when the Event is discarded (see Black Rose Phase, page 19)
(D) The number of points gained by the Black Rose when the Event first comes into play

Mages (4)

Each Mage uses their matching miniature to indicate their position within the lodge: Tessa, Jafar, Rebecca, Nero.

Rose Pins (24)

Each Mage has 6 rose-shaped pins in their color.

These pins are inserted into the base of an Evocation miniature to link it to the corresponding card on the Mage's Sheet: one pin for the first Evocation, two pins for the second, and three for third.

Evocations (30)

8 Landsknecht
3 Bone Knights
5 Divine Altars
3 Cerbero
5 Mutant Altars
3 Andromeda
3 Malacoda

Game Setup

The first step is to prepare the Lodge. Place the Black Rose Room and the Throne Room in the middle of the table adjacent to each other (orientation does not matter).
Then shuffle the remaining Rooms and place them randomly around the Black Rose Room, as shown in the example below.
Place the corresponding Activation Token in each Room, except for the Black Rose Room. The Activation Token for the Black Rose Room is initially placed on the Power Board (see step 6) and then in its Room when the Second Moon Phase is reached.

The layout shown is just one of the possible configurations of the Lodge. Other new patterns will be introduced in future expansions. Feel free to experiment and find your own favorite layout.

The only rule to be mantained is to keep the Throne Room adjacent to the Black Rose Room, which must be placed at the center of the Lodge.

Select a number of Mage's Cell Tiles corresponding to the number of players in the game. Take the selected Mage's Cell and shuffle them. Randomly place them face down into the positions shown in the figure below corresponding to the number of players. Do not flip them over yet. Now the Black Rose Lodge is complete on your table. (Layouts are given for 2 Players, 3 Players and 4 Players.)
Place the Power Board (A) and the Event Board (B) on the sides of the Lodge.
On the Power Board, shuffle and place the Quest Card Deck (A) of the First Moon Phase as shown in the picture, then place the Activation Token of the Black Rose (B) and the Evocation Cards (C).
On the Event Board, place the Damage/Instability Tokens (A) of the Black Rose, and shuffle and place the Event Cards (B) of the First Moon Phase as shown in the picture.

Shuffle and put aside the remaining Quest Card and Event Card Decks until you need them for the next Moon Phases.

The player who most recently has given or received a rose in real life takes the Crown Token (First Player).

Starting with the First Player (and proceeding clockwise from there) each player chooses a Mage, and takes the matching Model, the Mage Sheet, and the Custom Spells of the chosen Mage.

Each player also chooses a color among those Mage Cell colors chosen in step 4, and takes all Damage/Instability Tokens, Physical Action Tokens, Protection and Trap Tokens, and Rose Pins of the chosen color.

Starting with the First Player, each Mage chooses their starting School of Magic (a School already chosen by another Mage may not be selected). Each Mage has their own favorite School of Magic, which is indicated in the Codex Arcanum, but a Mage is not required to select their favorite School.

Then each player chooses their own Starting Grimoire. This choice is made between the two available on the back of the Reference Cards of the chosen School. They begin assembling their Grimoires by selecting the Spells indicated by the chosen Starting Grimoire from the corresponding School of Magic Deck. They then add 1 of their Custom Spells to the Grimoire, and set the other 2 aside, to be added 1 at a time to their hand when the Moon Phase changes (see page 18.)

Each Mage now has a Grimoire of 7 cards, which should be shuffled.

Now turn all the Mage's Cell Rooms face up, and place each Mage in the Cell matching their color.
Shuffle the six decks of the Schools of Magic and place them near the board, reachable by all players. Put the Reference Cards under the decks to indicate the Schools of Magic (see below).

The Deck of Forgotten Spells should be shuffled and set nearby - it will be needed when the game enters the Second Moon Phase.

These seven decks make up the Library.

Moon Phases and the Black Rose

Power Points and Moon Phases

The game is marked by the passage of three Moon Phases. The active phase is determined by the token (Mage or Black Rose) with the most points on the Power Board. In accordance with the current Moon Phase, the Event and Quest Decks change, passing from First Moon to Second Moon and subsequently to Third Moon.

The First Moon Phase influences the game until 6 Power Points are reached.
The Second Moon Phase starts when any token reaches 6 Power Points. As soon as the Second Moon Phase is Activated, place the Black Rose Room's Activation Token on the Room.
The Third Moon Phase starts when any token reaches 18 Power Points and remains in effect until the end of the game.

When a token on the Power Board reaches a new Moon Phase, the Moon Phase changes immediately following the Action that moved the token. Upon a Moon Phase change, the remaining Quest and Event Card Decks are replaced with those of the new Moon Phase, and each player must add 1 of the Custom Spell Cards they set aside during setup (see page 16) to their hand, if any remain. If, by losing Power Points, a token goes back on the Power Track, the new Moon Phase is not reverted to the previous Moon Phase.

Example: Tessa casts the Spell "Dismiss". "Dismiss" lets her gain 1 Power Point in addition to the ability to remove one Evocation of her choice. This brings her previous 5 Power Points to 6, enough to advance the game to the Second Moon Phase. Immediately after this, Tessa uses one of her Physical Actions to move into the Pleasures Room and Activate it. She resolves the effect, drawing a Quest of the new Moon Phase, namely the Second Phase.

Forgotten Spells and the Black Rose

When the Second Moon Phase begins, the Activation Token of the Black Rose is placed in its Room, allowing that Room to be Activated by Mages.

To Activate the Black Rose Room, you Activate it following the standard Room Activation rules, then you discard 4 Spells from your hand and draw 3 cards from the Forgotten Spells Deck. Choose 1 drawn card to add to your hand, and place the other 2 at the bottom of the deck (in any order).

Forgotten Spells are unique and extremely powerful - they are eliminated from the game once played.

Game Turn

The game takes place over multiple Turns. Each Turn is divided into 6 phases:

Black Rose Phase
Study Phase
Preparation Phase
Action Phase
Evocation Phase
Clean-up Phase

All Mages must complete each phase before any of them can move on to the next one.

1. Black Rose Phase

The Mage holding the Crown Token (Crown) at the start of this phase is designated the First Player for this Game Turn. During this phase, the Event Board advances.

Any change in possession of the Crown occurring after this specific moment will not modify the order of play until the beginning of the next Game Turn.

The following 3 steps take place in order:

Events already on the Event Board are shifted forward (to the right) by one position on the board. An Event that would move off the board (by shifting from position 3) is discarded.

When an Event is discarded, it is out of the game, and the Black Rose gains the number of Power Points indicated in the lower right corner of the Event Card.

The player to the right of the First Player draws an Event from the Deck of the current Moon Phase, reads it aloud, and places it on the appropriate space of the Event Board as indicated on the card (A).

When an Event enters in the game, the Black Rose gains the number of Power Points indicated in the lower left corner of the card. If there is an Event already in the position where the new card would be placed, the previous Event is shifted forward according to the rules above (B), which may cause another Event to be discarded.

Some Events are Instant - their effects are immediately applied and the Event Card is then discarded.

The Black Rose will always gain the Power Points indicated by an Event Card both when it is drawn and and when it is discarded, even when it's discarded immediately.

Some Event Cards have the symbol of the Crown (Crown Token) above the Moon Phase Roman numeral. The Mage that draws this Event gains this token but will actually become the First Player at the start of the next Game Turn.

Starting from the First Player, each Mage who doesn't have any Quests draws a Quest Card from the Deck of the current Moon Phase.

If you dislike one or more of your Quests, you can discard one or both of them at the beginning of the Black Rose Phase. The Black Rose gains Power Points equal to the Quest Moon Phase (e.g., Moon Phase II = 2 Power Points) for each discarded Quest.
No Mage can have more than 2 active Quests at the same time. If at any time a Mage exceeds this maximum, any excess cards must immediately be discarded, with the Black Rose gaining Power Points as described above.

2. Study Phase

During this phase, Mages draw Spells into their hands from both their respective Grimoires and the Library.

Starting from the First Player, each Mage draws 2 cards from their Grimoire into their hand.
Starting from the First Player, each Mage draws 4 cards from any School of Magic Decks of their choice (excluding the Forgotten Spells Deck). Each Mage then looks at the cards drawn, chooses 2 cards to add to their hand, and discards the remaining 2 in front of their matching School Deck, face-up (A).

At the end of this phase, each player should have added 4 Spell Cards to their hand, 2 from their Grimoire and 2 from the Library.

If at any time the number of cards a Mage has in hand exceeds the limit indicated on their Mage Sheet (see page 6), they must immediately discard the excess cards to their Memories (discard pile).

When a Mage would draw a card from their Grimoire but there are no cards remaining, a new Grimoire is formed by shuffling their Memories (discard pile).

It is not necessary to draw all 4 cards from the same School. For example, you can draw 2 cards from the Destruction School, 1 from the Necromancy School, and the last one from the Transmutation School.

At any point during the Study Phase, a player may remove 1 Spell from their hand by discarding the undesired card to the discard pile of the School to which the Spell belongs (Custom Spells are instead set aside, to be added back to the player's hand when the Moon Phase changes, see page 18.)

Be aware that removing cards from your hand, and ultimately your Grimoire, in this fashion is a very important technique as it allows you to "lighten" it from the less useful Spells related to your strategy, making the following draws more efficient.

Study Phase Example: It's the Study Phase of the player controlling Nero, whose maximum hand limit is 7 cards.

At the moment, he has 4 cards in his hand that he has kept from previous turns.

First of all, he draws 2 cards from his Grimoire and he adds them to his hand, raising his hand to 6 cards. Immediately after, he draws 4 cards from the Library, 3 cards from the Destruction School of Magic and 1 from the Transmutation School, hoping to find a Combat Spell. He studies the 4 cards, and he decides which are the 2 to keep.

At this point, the player has 8 cards in hand, which is 1 more than Nero's maximum limit.

The player is required to discard the excess card, choosing it from any of the cards in his hand. The discarded card must be placed in his Memories (discard pile).

He also decides to remove one of the cards from his hand, because it is no longer related to his strategy. He places that card on the discard pile of its respective School of Magic.

3. Preparation Phase

In this phase, each player chooses their strategy to carry out in their following Action Phase.

Each player must place from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 4 Spell Cards in front of themselves, face down onto their Mage Sheet. If you recall, each Spell has two different Effects (Straight and Reverse). Place the cards face down in the order and orientation that you wish to play them. These are known as Ready Spells.

(A) The image here shows the Active side of the card.

Each Mage must place one of these Spell Cards on the Quick Spell position. The rest must be placed on the Standard Spell positions (from 1 to 3). The Preparation Phase ends when all Mages have placed their Spell Cards on their Mage Sheets.

Pay attention to the placement on the Mage Sheet and which side or effect will be revealed. The chosen effect when the Spell is still covered is clearly indicated on the Mage Sheet by the text "Active side" and, when it is revealed, by the text "Revealed Active side". Therefore, when played, cards must be flipped end-for-end.

It is not possible to change the order or orientation of Spells after this phase.

This phase is of great strategic importance. During this phase, by placing the cards, you decide the resolution order of the Standard Spells (from left to right, in the figure below from 1 to 3) and the effect that they will have in the next phase. You need to be clever and try to predict the moves of your adversaries in order to anticipate them, for example to have adversaries in range of your lethal "Fireball" or to create various combination effects.

The Quick Spell (A) is particularly important because it is the only Spell that allows you to disregard the placement order of the Spells during the Action Phase. It can be played at any time during your own Activation in the Action Phase, respecting the rules described in the following section.

Preparation Phase Example: Tessa has secretly prepared a Protection as her first Standard Spell (1), two Combat Spells as second (2) and third (3), and an "Acid Explosion" as her Quick Spell (A).

This way, she can cast the "Acid Explosion" as soon as she has a Target in range, on any of her activations during the next Action Phase.

4. Action Phase

During this phase, the strategy that was planned in the previous phase is executed.

At the start of this phase, check the Event Board for any Events that Activate during this phase.

In addition to the Spells placed on the Mage Sheets, each Mage has 2 Physical Action Tokens available.

These tokens have the features shown at right:

This option allows a Mage to move up to the number of Rooms specified on their Mage Sheet (including 0). Additionally, the Mage may optionally Activate the Room they occupy, either before or after moving (but not both).
This option allows a Mage to inflict Damage (as shown as Point C on each Mage Sheet) on a Target present in the Room. Additionally, the Mage may optionally Activate the Room they occupy, either before or after attacking (but not both).
Each time a Physical Action Token is used, that token must be flipped to its used side.

Starting with the First Player and proceeding clockwise, each Mage must perform at least one of these combinations:

A. Physical Action
B. Physical Action + Physical Action
C. Physical Action + Standard Spell
D. Physical Action + Quick Spell
E. Standard Spell + Quick Spell
F. Standard Spell or Quick Spell

In each combination, the Actions can be carried out in any order.

The only combination not permitted is casting two Standard Spells. Note: There are certain game effects that allow players to cast Spells directly from their hands (see page 38) - these Spells do not count as Standard Spells.

After each Mage has performed their Actions, play continues in this same order until all Mages have exhausted their available Spells and Physical Action Tokens.

Each combination of Actions can be performed in any order. However, an Action must be fully completed and resolved before the next one can begin. For example, it is not permitted to divide an Action in half, such as to move 1 Room, cast a Spell, and then move another Room. A Mage would have to first move fully, resolve an Activation (if any), and only then be free to cast a Spell (or vice versa).

G, H. As an Action, a Mage may opt to discard any one of their unused Spell Cards to move one Room (Note: they do NOT get to attack or Activate this Room, only move). This Action is mandatory if the Mage is in their Cell and they have run out of Physical Actions. This Action doesn't count as either a Physical Action or a Spell.

Traps and Protections Activated but not triggered (see page 27) can be discarded in this way.

Action Phase Example 1: It's Nero's turn, and he decides to use one of his two Physical Actions (A) so he flips the first token. Using it, he can move 2 Rooms to get closer to his enemy. He moves to the Pleasures Room and decides not to Activate its Effect.

Nero finishes his combination by playing the Spell "Fireball" (B), which inflicts 3 Damage on each Model in Rebecca's Room.

It's now the turn of the next Mage in clockwise order from Nero, in this case Rebecca. She does not have any Physical Actions left to play, so she decides to cast 2 of her Ready Spells: the Quick Spell and her next Standard Spell. First, she reveals the Quick Spell "Summon Obscurity" (C) and resolves it to summon a Landsknecht.

Right after that, she reveals the Standard Spell "Obscurity's Grasp" (D) and resolves its Effects to allow the Landsknecht to act.

The Landsknecht moves into Nero's Room and attacks him for 2 Damage, as indicated by its Evocation Card.

Action Phase Example 2: Tessa decides this is not the right moment to reveal her Spells. She decides to play only a single Physical Action (A) to move into a new Room and Activate it.

She moves 2 Rooms into the Bibliotheca Room and then activates its Effect (B), which tells her to draw 1 card from the Library. She decides to draw the card from her preferred School: Transmutation (C).

Jaf'ar was about to run away from Nero, and so he shouts, "Oh no... this time you're not going anywhere!" as he casts "Ice Burst".

A Mage may not pass their turn if they have Spells or Physical Action Tokens remaining - they must be played if possible.

"I love to bet on everyone else's stupidity." - Jaf'ar

A Mage may not cast 2 Standard Spells during a single combination. A Standard Spell may only be combined with the Quick Spell, in any order.

Room Activation Example: Activating the Throne Room grants the Mage the Crown Token (A).

The Activation Token of the Room must then be flipped to its back (darker) side (B).

It's important to note that even the though the Crown Token has changed hands, the turn order does not change until the beginning of the next Black Rose Phase.

"Tessa, you keep moving around trying to beat us with your staff, so inelegant... doing it with your claws, it's even worse!" - Jaf'ar

It is not possible to both move and attack using a single Physical Action. A Physical Action allows you to either move or to attack, and after doing so you may optionally Activate your current Room.

Everyone stood horrified as a rain of burning meteors hit the Room. When the smoke cleared, Nero towered over the fallen. "I love the smell of charred flesh," he sneered.

It is not possible to inflict Damage on yourself or on your Evocations. When one of your Spells/Effects would do so, ignore it.

During the Action Phase, Mages cast Spells in order to gain Power Points, inflict Damage on their opponents, and create Instability to Destroy Rooms. In the following paragraphs, these mechanics are explained in detail.

Spell Types

The first symbol on the Spell Card identifies its type:

Combat: Spells to inflict Damage on other Mages and their Evocations
Contingency: Spells to summon Evocations, gain Power Points, move swiftly, draw Quests, etc.
Protection: Spells that, once cast, remain active and can be triggered to protect the Mage from effects
Traps: Spells that, once cast, remain active and can be triggered when their specific conditions are met (for example, the Target entering a Room of a specific color, or performing a specific action, may trigger an effect on them)

Trap and Protection Spells

Trap and Protection Spells can be triggered only under certain circumstances, and can only be triggered if already Activated.

Protection: When a Protection Spell is cast, it is not revealed. Instead the Mage places a Protection Token on the Spell to indicate that it is Active and can be be triggered.

Each Protection Spell specifies the condition that must be met to trigger its Effect, for example when the Mage takes Damage or is moved by a Spell. When the condition of an Active Protection Spell is met - and only then - it may be triggered, and if it is its Effect is resolved. The Spell remains active until triggered, and once triggered is Used and cannot be triggered again. Damage cannot be reduced below zero.

Some Protection Spells allow the caster to "avoid" or "ignore" the Effect of a Spell cast on them. If the Spell in question affects multiple Targets, the other Targets are still affected. Other Protection Spells "cancel" the Effect of cast Spell, in which case the Spell has no affect on any Target. In either case, the affected Spell is considered Used.

Some Protection Spells cause Damage to be inflicted on the attacker instead of the Target. In such cases, Damage Tokens of the attacker's color are used.

Traps: When a Trap Spell is cast, it is not revealed. Instead the Mage places a Trap Token on the Spell to indicate that it is Active and can be be triggered. Each Trap Spell specifies the condition that must be met to trigger its Effect, for example when a Mage enters a specific Room or performs a particular action.

When the condition of an Active Trap is met - and only then - it may be triggered, and if it is its Effect is resolved. The Trap remains active until triggered, and once triggered is Used and cannot be triggered again. A Mage can never trigger their own Trap, or be affected by it when it is triggered (the same applies to the Mage's Evocations.)

There are two types of Traps:

Effect Traps
Room Traps

Effect Traps use the standard Spell rules of placement and orientation during the Preparation Phase. When the Trap's condition is met, its Effect is triggered.

Room Traps, unlike all other Spells, have only one orientation: they do not have a "Reverse" side.

A Room Trap has two different Effects, each with its own color.

Whenever a Mage or an Evocation enters a Room matching the color of either of a Trap's Effects, the Trap may be triggered.

When this occurs, reveal the card and resolve the corresponding color Effect. Note that the color of the Effect must match the color of the Room that triggered the Trap.

A Trap cannot be triggered by Models already in, or moving out of, its Target Room.

The Effects of Traps and Protections interrupt the Actions of other Models when triggered, and must be resolved entirely before the other Model's play continues.

However, if a Mage is defeated by a Trap, their combination of Actions ends immediately (see Damage and Defeat, page 30), and the game proceeds with the next player.

During the Clean-up Phase, untriggered Protection Spells are discarded into Memories. Untriggered Traps may be taken back in hand to be played again later.

Trap and Protection Example 1: It's Rebecca's turn. She casts her first Standard Spell (1) and her Quick Spell (2) - a Trap and a Protection, respectively. She declares them both Activated and places their respective tokens on the back of the cards without revealing them.

The Trap is "Blade Barrage", which can affect red or green Rooms. The Protection is "Obscure Armor", which prevents her next Damage and inflicts 1 Damage on her attacker. This ends her turn.

Now it's Nero's turn. He is in his Cell and decides to use a Physical Action to move 2 Rooms to Rebecca's side, ending his Movement in the Summoner Room.

Unfortunately for him, that Room is red and Rebecca's Trap is triggered! She reveals the Trap Card (A) and inflicts 3 Area Damage in the Room, thus inflicting 3 Damage on Nero. Rebecca cannot Damage herself with her own Spells, so she remains unharmed.

After being subjected to Rebecca's Trap, Nero can continue. He Activates the Room and summons a Cerbero. He then decides to reveal his Quick Spell, "Destructive Bolt". He places an Instability Token into his Room, and targets Rebecca's Room to inflict 3 Damage on her.

At this point, Rebecca's Protection Spell (B) is triggered, which prevents the Damage and inflicts 1 Damage on her attacker.

It seems that Nero has been played by Rebecca pretty well this time - too bad for him!

Trap and Protection Example 2: Tessa uses a Physical Action to move to the Forge, passing through the Alchemical Laboratory to reach it. Rebecca has an active Trap Card for the red Rooms, which triggers as soon as Tessa enters. Tessa must interrupt her current Action to suffer the Effect of Rebecca's Trap, which inflicts 3 Damage on her (C). Because Tessa had already taken 8 Damage prior to this, she is defeated and sent back to her Cell (D) (see Damage and Defeat, page 30). Due to her defeat, Tessa cannot complete the rest of the Physical Action, and unfortunately the rest of her turn is lost. She has to wait until she can get out of her Cell before continuing her plans.

Rebecca appeared behind the Mage out of nowhere, plunging cold steel into his uncovered side. "Hasn't anybody taught you that certain areas are dangerous?"

Once triggered for one of its Effects, a Trap is used up and cannot be triggered again, even for the other Effect.

Targets and Spell Range

The Effect of every revealed Spell requires a specific Target to be selected within a specific range. There are 4 selectable types of Targets:

Oneself: The Mage who cast the Spell
Single: A single Target on the board, either a Mage or an Evocation (selecting oneself as the target is not permitted)
Area: A Room on the board (Note that some Spells of this type target all Models in the Room, whereas others target the Room itself)
Special: A Target other than any of the above, as specified on the Spell Card (for example, the Event Board or the Library)

The Target icon for Single and Area Spells is always accompanied by a number indicating its range (from 0 to *).

The range is given as the number of Rooms in a straight line away from the Room from which the Spell is cast (or triggered). Models between the casting Mage and their Target do not block Spells.

When the range is *, any eligible Target on the board may be selected, without regard to straight lines or distance.

It is important to remember that the Cell of a Mage can never be the Target of a Spell.

Spell Casting Example: Nero plays the Straight side of "Meteor Swarm".

The Malacoda is the only valid Target, since Tessa is not on the firing line and Rebecca is out of range. The Malacoda thus takes 4 Damage and is out of the game.

Damage and Defeat

When a Mage (or the Black Rose) inflicts Damage, the Damage is indicated by Damage Tokens of the inflicting Mage's color. Place the appropriate number of Damage Tokens on the adversary's Life Bar, or on the Target Evocation's Card.

Optional Rule: Overkill

This rule also considers Damage exceeding the number of Health Points of a defeated Mage. When inflicting the final Damage, include any excess Damage Tokens when calculating the awarded Power Points.

This rule enhances the game experience by giving the players the chance to overcome already defined parameters.

Example: A Mage who is only 1 Damage short of defeat is the Target of an effect that inflicts 4 Damage on them. Normally only the 1 point of final Damage would be considered when awarding Power Points for defeating the Mage, but with this rule in effect the 3 points that exceed the Life Bar are also included.

When the number of Damage Tokens on a Mage's Life Bar reaches the number of the Mage's Health Points, the Mage is considered defeated.

When a Mage is defeated, return their figure to their Cell. The other Mages (and the Black Rose) are then awarded Power Points according to the Damage they've inflicted on the defeated Mage.

Count the number of tokens in each color:

Power Points for Damage:

1st place (most Damage inflicted): 4 Power Points
2nd place: 2 Power Points
Participation (any others that inflicted any Damage): 1 Power Point

The Mage who inflicted the most Damage gains 4 Power Points, the runner-up gains 2 Power Points, and any others who inflicted any Damage gain 1 Power Point each. In the case of a tie for first or second place, each tied Mage gains 1 Power Point fewer. As an exception, if only one Mage inflicted any Damage (only one color), they alone gain 5 Power Points.

The Mage (or the Black Rose) who inflicted the killing blow takes a Trophy Token from the defeated Mage (Trophy Tokens will award Power Points at the end of the game!).

A Mage can participate in its own defeat, taking a place in the ranking without receiving any reward (i.e., points or trophies). This can happen when some Damage is transferred back or a color is converted.

After all players have gained their Power Points, all Damage Tokens are removed and returned to the respective Mages. The defeated Mage, having been placed in their Cell, can resume play from there, on their next turn.

They are then immediately required to leave the Cell either by using a Physical Action (if available) or by discarding 1 Ready Spell in exchange for moving 1 Room (see page 23).

The only way for a Mage to end the Action Phase in their Cell is to have used up all of their Physical Actions and Ready Spells.

Players must be careful not to use up all of their Damage Tokens, or they may end up not being able to carry out future effects.

If an effect requires more tokens than a player has, the player can freely choose how to assign their tokens to partially fulfill the effect.

"There is no rest, no shelter, no escape. Come out and die again." - Rebecca

Each Mage is forced to leave their own Cell with a Physical Action or by sacrificing a Ready Spell, which will allow them to move one Room. If they cannot do either, they remain in their Cell until their next turn.

Defeat Example: Tessa inflicts 1 Damage on Nero. Nero is defeated by this Damage, and Power Points (PP) are awarded accordingly:

1st: Tessa is first, with 6 Damage Tokens, and gains 4 PP.
2nd: Jaf'ar and Rebecca are tied for second place, with 3 Damage Tokens each. Normally second place is awarded 2 PP. However, in the case of a tie 1 fewer PP is awarded, hence Jaf'ar and Rebecca each gain 1 PP.

Having inflicted the last Damage with her killing blow, Tessa takes a Trophy Token from Nero.

The Damage Tokens are returned to their respective Mages. Nero goes back to his Cell, and can act again on his next turn.

Placing Instability

Some Spells are so powerful that they generate Instability in the Rooms from where they are cast. Such Spells are denoted by the Instability vortex symbol in the middle of the card, between the two Effects.

A Mage who reveals a Spell causing Instability should immediately place an Instability Token of their color in the appropriate space on their Room tile. If there are no spaces available, the Instability cannot be placed.

To place Instability, players take one of the Damage/Instability Tokens of their own color and place it in the Room, in the appropriate space.

Some Spells have the ability to place additional Instability following the normal rules for target and range.

Some Spells can convert Instability Tokens to another color. To convert Instability, choose the specified number of Instability Tokens (of any color) on the Target Room and replace them with Instability Tokens of your color.

Destruction of a Room

During the Clean-up Phase, if a Room has reached its highest value of Instability, the Mage who placed the largest number of Instability Tokens takes the Activation Token of the Room as a reward. The Activation Token will award Power Points at the end of the game.

In the case of a tie, the Activation Token is instead awarded to the Black Rose.

Optional Rule: Overload

This rule allows placing Instability exceeding a Room's maximum.

Mages may continue to assign additional Instability to a Room, even if there is no space left, until it is flipped over to its Destroyed side.

Since Rooms are only Destroyed during the Clean-up Phase it is possible for Mages to continue to place Instability in an attempt to secure the Activation Token of the Room.

This rule enhances the game experience by giving the players the chance to overcome already defined situations.

Example of Instability: Rebecca casts the Reverse (second) Effect of "Maelstrom" into the Oracle Room, where Tessa is located.

Rebecca places 1 Instability Token (A) into the Room where she cast the Spell from, the Garden. Then, according to the Spell's Effect, she inflicts 3 Damage on Tessa and places 2 Instability Tokens (B) into the Room where Tessa is.

Evocations

Contingency Spells and other effects, such as Room activations, allow Mages to summon Evocations, mainly during the Action Phase.

When a Mage summons an Evocation, their player takes the corresponding Card and Token from the reserve.

The card must be placed in one of the three designated spots on the Mage's Sheet, showing the side with the Evocation's characteristics.

In the case that there is no corresponding Evocation Token available in the reserve, the Spell's Effect is ignored.

Each Evocation space on the Mage Sheet shows a number of roses. When an Evocation Card is placed on the space, insert the corresponding number of Rose Pins into the Token. This helps to identify identical Evocation Tokens under the control of the same Mage.

If a Mage summons a new Evocation when they already have three in the game, an existing Evocation may be replaced by returning it to the reserve, or the new one may be forfeited.

The Summoner Room and the Cemetery permit a Mage to summon an Evocation to fight for them. See the Codex Arcanum for more information.

5. Evocation Phase

During the Evocation Phase, each Mage may Activate any or all of their Evocations. The Mages take turns, starting with the First Player, and may Activate their Evocations in any order.

An Evocation can move up to the number of Rooms indicated on its card (A). After moving, it may attack, inflicting Damage equal to its attack value (B). However, it may also remain in place and attack.

When an Evocation inflicts Damage, its controlling Mage's Damage Tokens are placed on the Target's sheet or card.

When an Evocation has Damage equal to its Health Points (C), it is removed from play. Place the Evocation's Token back in reserve and return its card to the Power Board.

Some effects can target Evocations of a given Archetype (D), causing them to move, attack, etc. This usually happens in other phases, such as the Action Phase.

Example of Evocation: Tessa plays the Reverse Effect (A) of the Spell "Demon's Howl" to summon a Malacoda in an adjacent Room.

Tessa takes the Evocation Card (C) and places it under the first Evocation space on her Sheet. She then places one Rose Pin (B) into the Malacoda's Token and places the token in the Room.

6. Clean-up Phase

This is the final phase of the Game Turn. During this phase, Rooms are reset for Activation and checked for Instability, played Spells are disposed of, tokens are restored, and the board is prepared for the next Game Turn. If a Mage, or the Black Rose, has obtained enough Power Points to win the game at the end of this phase, the game will end.

The following steps must be executed in order:

Mages discard the Spells they have played - placing them face up in their Memories (discard pile), with the exception of untriggered Traps, which are returned to the Mage's hand. Flip over the used Physical Action Tokens. Eliminate Used Forgotten Spells from the game. Remove all the effects that last "until the end of the Game Turn".
All Rooms Activation Tokens must be flipped back to their front side.
Check for Unstable Rooms:

When the number of Instability Tokens in a Room reaches its Resistance value, the Room is considered Unstable.

The Mage (or the Black Rose) that contributed the most Instability (greatest number of Instability Tokens) to the Room gains the Room Activation Token as a reward that will award Power Points at the end of the game.

The Mage places this token on their Sheet, removes all Instability Tokens from the Room, and flips the Room to its Destroyed side.

In the case of a tie, the Room Activation Token is awarded to the Black Rose.

The destruction of a Room has no effect on Mages and Evocations in it - simply place the miniatures back on the Destroyed side. There are only two changes to the way a Room works in the game after it is Destroyed:

The Room can no longer be Activated or its effect used.
New Instability Tokens can no longer be assigned to the Room.

Check the Power Board to see if a Mage or the Black Rose has reached or exceeded 30 Power Points. If so, the game ends.

Go to the End of the Game section (see page 35) to determine the new Grand Master.

If no one has reached 30 Power Points yet, the game proceeds to the next Game Turn.

Each Mage keeps all of the cards that they still hold in their hand.

End of the Game

Counting Points

When the game is over, count all of the Power Points to find out who will be the new Grand Master of the Order of the Black Rose! (It's possible for the Black Rose to win, in which case all players lose!)

The following bonus points are added to the Power Points gained by the Mages (but not the Black Rose) thus far:

Completed Quests: Each Mage counts the number of Quests that they have completed during the game. Award Power Points for the number of completed Quests according to the following table:

Most Quests completed:

6 Power Points - 1st place (the Mage with the most completed Quest)
3 Power Points - 2nd place
1 Power Point - Participation (all other Mages with at least one completed Quest)

Trophy Tokens: Each Mage counts the number of Trophy Tokens they have collected from other Mages. Only the total number of tokens matter, not which Mage(s) they came from. Then award Power Points according to the following table:

Most Trophy Tokens:

4 Power Points - 1st place (Mage with the most Trophy Tokens)
2 Power Points - 2nd place
1 Power Point - Participation (all other Mages with at least one Trophy Token)

Rooms Destroyed: Each Activation Token acquired by Destroying a Room is worth the number of Power Points indicated on the token.
Crown Bearer: Having the Crown Token (Crown) at the end of the game is worth 1 Power Point.

For completed Quests and Trophy Tokens, in the case of a tie for first or second place, each tied Mage gains 1 fewer Power Point.

In the case of a tie after all Power Points have been tallied, the player who has accumulated the most elements from the following list (in priority order) will win the game and become the new Grand Master:

Completed Quests
Trophies

(Example: Nero and Tessa are tied at the end of the game. They each have 5 completed Quests, but Tessa has 2 more Trophies than Nero does so. Tessa wins!)

In the unfortunate event that there still is a tie, the player who possesses the Crown Token will decide who is the new Grand Master among those tied for the win.

Optional Rule: Extra Game Turns

At the end of the counting, if two or more Mages have the same number of Power Points, play continues with a playoff turn. All Mages play an extra Game Turn following the normal rules of the game.

If at the end of this turn there is no winner yet, play continues with yet another Game Turn, and so on, until a winner is determined.

At the end of each extra turn, count only points awarded by:

the defeat of adversary Mages
the completion of Quests
the destruction of Rooms

Endgame Example

The game is over and the Mages count their bonus Power Points (PP):

Resolved Quests
- Rebecca: 3 Quests = 1st place = 6 PP
- Nero: 2 Quests = 2nd, tied with Tessa = 2 PP
- Tessa: 2 Quests = 2nd, tied with Nero = 2 PP
Trophy Tokens
- Nero: 4 tokens = 1st place = 4 PP
- Tessa: 3 tokens = 2nd place = 2 PP
- Rebecca: 1 token = participation = 1 PP
Rooms Destroyed
- Tessa: 2+3+3+2 = 10 PP
- Rebecca: 3+2 = 5 PP
- Nero: 0 PP
Crown Bearer
- Nero: Crown Token = 1 PP

The final bonus point totals are:

Tessa = 14 PP
Rebecca = 12 PP
Nero = 7 PP

Power Points accumulated during the game are combined with the end of game bonus points to determine the winner. In this example:

	In-game PP	Endgame PP	Total
Nero	34 PP	7 PP	41 PP
Tessa	24 PP	14 PP	38 PP
Rebecca	25 PP	12 PP	37 PP

Nero is the new Grand Master!

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

I played 2 identical Traps that influence the same Room, can both of them be triggered?

Yes, both of them can be triggered, and they can be resolved in any order you choose.

I move into a Room and I trigger multiple Traps from different Mages. In which order do they trigger?

All Traps are resolved clockwise, starting from the Mage that will take an Action after you. If a player has multiple Traps that can be triggered at the same time, they can resolve them in the order they prefer.

Can I keep casting Spells on Mages who have already lost all of their Health Points?

No. As soon as a Mage's Damage equals their maximum Health Points (or exceeds it in the case of the optional rule Overkill), the Mage is immediately defeated. At that point, you proceed to awarding the Power Points.

If I summon an Evocation into a Room with a Trap, can the Trap be triggered?

Yes, if the Trap can hit the Evocation, it may immediately be triggered.

I have multiple Protection Spells triggered by the same condition. What happens?

You can decide in which order to trigger them. The only condition to take into consideration is that the condition that triggers them must be present at each triggering. (e.g. if there are 2 Protections saying "avoid the next 3 Damage and gain one Power Point" and after the first triggering there is no more Damage left to be assigned, you cannot trigger the second one to gain another Power Point).

I have no more Standard Spells Cards to reveal, but I still have a Quick Spell. Can I play it as a last card?

Yes, the Quick Spell can be played like any other Spell.

An Area Spell that was going to affect multiple Mages is canceled by a Protection Spell, do the other Mages suffer the effects?

No. If the Spell is canceled, none of the Mages in the Room suffer its effects.

An Area Spell that is going to affect multiple Mages triggers my Protection which says, "Avoid the effect". Are the other Mages affected anyway?

Yes, to avoid the effect means that you are the only one not affected by it. Note the difference between "cancel" and "avoid".

I have been defeated, and I am back in my Cell. I have no Physical Actions and only one Spell Card left to reveal, can I stay in my Cell?

No, you must leave your Cell any way that you are able. The Spell Card must be discarded in exchange for moving 1 Room (note that you cannot Activate the Room at the end of this movement, since it is not a Physical Action.) You are not allowed to use the Spell Card in any other fashion in this instance.

If a Protection Spell or a Trap has the Instability Symbol, when is the Instability Token placed?

It is placed when the Spell or Trap is triggered. If it is never triggered, you may not place the Instability Token.

I have just drawn a Quest that I don't like, can I discard it and draw another one?

No, you have to wait for the next Black Rose Phase.

I have 3 Evocations in play when I cast another Evocation Spell, what happens?

You may immediately remove one of your Evocations already in play to make Room for the new one. You cannot add a 4th Evocation. You can choose not to summon the one you just played.

A Trap that affects Rooms of 2 colors has been triggered by one of those colors. What happens?

If the Trap has already been triggered on a Room of one color, it can no longer affect Rooms of the other color.

I am the First Player and I want to Activate the Throne Room, may I?

Yes, you may. This is a tactical move that helps you keep the Crown!

A Mage who is inside their Cell completes a Quest - can my Trap on Quests completions be triggered?

No, a Mage is immune to all effects except those of the Black Rose while in their Cell.

I don't have enough Damage/Instability Tokens to resolve all of the Effects of my Spell. Is there a specific order in which I must use them?

No, any possible order that will allow you to optimize your token placement is allowed. You can resolve a defeat before placing Instability, or vice versa, within a single Spell Effect.

Glossary

Act: Evocations can act during their phase, or during the Action Phase thanks to specific Spells, moving and then attacking.

Activate a Room: Resolve the Effect of the Room's Activation Token, if not already Activated (flipped to its darker side).

Active Spells: Spells that have been cast, but have ongoing Effects. Examples include Traps and Protections that have not yet been triggered and Spells that have Effects that last until the end of the Game Turn.

Attack: Attempt to inflict physical Damage on a Target. Mages, for example, inflict 2 base Damage using their Physical Action Tokens.

Avoid: An effect does not affect the Mage who avoided or ignored it.

Cancel: A canceled effect vanishes completely, so no Model is affected.

Cast a Spell: Resolve the chosen Effect of the revealed Spell Card if Contingency or Combat. Otherwise, if the Spell is a Trap or a Protection, put the relavant Trap/Protection Token on the back of the Spell, and during the remainder of the current Game Turn it can be triggered.

Cast a Spell From Your Hand: Choose 1 Spell on your Mage Sheet (Ready, Activated, or Used), and discard it to your Memories. Then, replace it with 1 Spell of your choice from your hand, and immediately cast it.

Convert: A player can exchange the indicated number of Damage/Instability Tokens of their choice with ones of their own color.

Damage: Damage taken by a Model is represented by Damage Tokens in the color of the Mage who inflicted the Damage, or in black when inflicted by the Black Rose. When inflicted on a Mage, the tokens are placed on the Life Bar of the Mage's Sheet. When inflicted on an Evocation, they are placed on its Evocation card.

Discard: Put one or more cards in the corresponding discard pile, for example, Memories in case of Used Spells, and the discarded Events in case of a played Event.

Draw: Draw the indicated number of cards from the top of the specified deck and add them to your hand.

Eliminate: Remove an object permanently from the game, placing it back in the box.

Heal: Remove the indicated number of Damage Tokens of the player choice from the Mage's Sheet or from an Evocation.

Ignore: see Avoid.

Instability: Instability assigned to a Room is represented by Instability Tokens in the color of the Mage who inflicted it, or in black when inflicted by the Black Rose.

Movement: Indicates the number of Rooms that a Mage or an evocation can move inside the Lodge.

Power Points: These are the indicators of victory in the game. They are tracked on the Power Board by moving the relevant Mage's token (or the Black Rose's) as they are gained or lost.

Quick Spells: Ready Spells that may be cast at any time during the Mage's turn in the Action Phase.

Ready Spells: Spells that are placed faced down by the player on their Mage Sheets during the Preparation Phase for use during the Action Phase. These Spells remain Ready until they are cast, at which point they become either Active or Used, depending on the Spell., and ready to be cast, even before any Standard Spells.

Remove: Remove an object from play, placing it back in the corresponding reserve or discard pile.

Reveal a Spell: A Spell is revealed when the players flips a Ready Spell, Contingency and Combat when cast, Trap and Protection when triggered.

Standard Spells: Ready Spells that may be cast in the specified order during the Mage's turn in the Action Phase.

Steal: Take the specified item (usually Power Points, but sometimes cards) from another Mage. If they don't have the specified item, it cannot be stolen from them.

Shift: Move directly from one Room to another, without being considered to have entered any other Rooms on the way (it's like teleportation, but Effects in the destination Room may still be triggered).

Suffer: When an ill effect, such as Damage or the Effects of Room or Spell, is inflicted on a Model.

Summon: Take the indicated Evocation from the reserve and place it in the Target Room (see page 33).

Transfer: Take the specified tokens and move them to another Target, as indicated.

Trigger: This refers to Traps and Protections, after they have been Activated. When the indicated conditions are met, the casting player may flip the card and resolve the triggered Effect.

Used Spells: Spells on players' Mage Sheets whose Effects have been completely resolved.