Cloudy Kingdom Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Player Turn
• Route Growing Rules
• Magic Cards
• Game End

Components

• 4x4 Castle cards (four Families, four Castle cards each)
• 74 Route cards
• 4x4 double-sided Magic cards (recognizable by the magic wand)

Setup

Dependent on the number of players, the Castle cards are laid out in shape A or shape B. Note that Castles of the same family can never be exactly across from each other, or be adjacent in the corners.

Every player selects one Family and checks where their Family's Castles are in the shape (check the color).

• Setup A is used for two players.
• Setup B is used for four players. For three players, flip over all cards of one color.

Every player then receives three Magic Cards. In your first game, give every player Chop 'em, Inspiration and Burning Intersection. In a normal game, give every player the same three random Magic Cards. For more experienced players, each player choses their own three Magic Cards. Note that you only use one side of the double-sided Magic cards.

Shuffle all Route cards to form a deck and place it within reach of all players. Keep some space next to it for a discard pile. Every player now takes one Route card.

Determine the starting player and start the game.

Player Turn

Players play one Route (or Magic) card per turn until the game finishes due to two Castles of one Family being connected. These Castles must be on opposing sides (north-south or east-west). On your turn, you play the Route card from your hand, or you discard it and play a Magic card instead. At the end of your turn, you draw a new Route card and play continues clockwise to the next player.

Route Growing Rules

If you decide to play your Route card from your hand, you must oblige by these 'growing' rules. There are two options for your Route card:

1. Play a Route card on an empty space that is connected to a Castle card or another Route card. It is not possible to play a Route card at a random place where there is no connection. If your Route card connects to another Route card, they must connect on the short sides (example A). If your Route card connects to a Castle card, it must connect its short side to the long side of the Castle card (example B). It is not allowed to connect a Route card on its short side to another Route card on its long side.
2. Play a Route card perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) on top of another Route card, see example C. This partially covers the Route card below and thereby adjusts/blocks/opens routes. There is no limit to the number of Route cards that can be on top of each other. However, if you place a Route card on top of another Route card it always must be perpendicular. So, play a Route card horizontally on a vertical Route card and vice versa.

You can rotate the Route card in your hand, they have no set orientation.

If the played Route card connects Castles of multiple Families, creating multiple continuous routes, the player that played the card wins the game. As long as this player has connected two of their own (opposing) Castles. If you accidentally connect Castles of two (or three) other players, those other players share the victory.

Note that you cannot win in the turn that you yourself use a Magic card. If you create a correct continuous route by playing a Magic card, you must wait until your next turn to claim victory (assuming it is still continuous at that point). If you create a continuous route for another player by using a Magic card, that player does win.

Magic Cards

Instead of playing a Route card, you can decide to discard your Route card and play one of your Magic cards instead. You then use their Magic effect right away. You can only use each Magic card once. So, if the played Magic card does not end up in the playing field, you should return it to the box after playing. Note that you cannot win the game in the turn where you yourself play a Magic card.

• Chop 'em: Remove one Route card from the game that has already been played. This Route card cannot be removed from under another Route card. Discard this Magic card.
• Inspiration: Draw two Route cards. Play one using the growing rules and discard the other. Discard this Magic card.
• Burning Intersection: Play this Magic card as if it is a Route card (using the growing rules) perpendicular on another Route card. This Magic card is permanent; there can be no other Route or Magic cards played on top of it and no Magic card can affect it.
• Interrupted Intersection: Play this Magic card as if it is a Route card (using the growing rules).
• Expedited Growth: Draw one Route card and play it on an empty space following the growing rules. Next, draw another Route card and play it perpendicular on top of the first one. You therefore play two Route cards in one turn. Discard this Magic card.
• Green Fingers: Draw two Route cards to your hand. All other players may now (in clockwise order) discard their own Route card and draw a new one. They are not obliged to. You then play both Route cards from your hand. Discard this Magic card.
• Replant: Take the top Route card from the discard pile and play it. Discard this Magic card.
• Twisting: Rotate an already played Route card a quarter turn clockwise. This can result in a Route card not being in a valid position according to the growing rules. If the Route card you want to turn is part of a pile of Route cards, you rotate the entire pile. Discard this Magic card.

Do you have your own great Magic card idea? Use the blank Magic cards to add your Magic to the game and play your personalized version.

Game End

The game immediately finishes if a player plays a Route card that creates a continuous route between two Castles of one Family on opposing sides of the playing field (north-south or east-west). Diagonally connected Castles do not count. A route is continuous when there are no interruptions, holes, or blockades in the route; representatives of the Family can walk the route. The player who's (correct) Castles are connected, wins the game.

If the played Route card connects Castles of multiple Families, creating multiple continuous routes, the player that played the card wins the game, as long as this player has connected two of their own (opposing) Castles. If you accidentally connect Castles of two (or three) other players, those other players share the victory.

Note that you cannot win in the turn that you yourself use a Magic card. If you create a correct continuous route by playing a Magic card, you must wait until your next turn to claim victory (assuming it is still continuous at that point). If you create a continuous route for another player by using a Magic card, that player does win.

The game also ends if the deck is empty. All players play their final Route card. If there is no winner after that, the game ends in a tie.