Ice and Idols Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Temple Components
  • Game Components
  • First Time Exploring the Temple?
• Setup
  • 1. Build the Ruins
  • 2. Prepare for the Expedition
• How to Play
• On Your Turn
  • Basic Actions
  • Increasing Your Action Points
  • Move One Tile — 1 AP
  • Orthogonal Adjacency
  • Pathways
  • Idols and Altars
  • Pick Up an Idol — 1 AP
  • Place an Idol — 1 AP
  • A. Research an Idol
    • Completing Key Cards
    • Research Track
  • B. Gain Idol Power
  • Drop an Idol — 0 AP
• Resolving Events
  • Collapse
  • Rotate Ruins
  • Shift
  • Chill
• Game End
• Final Scoring
  • Scoring Example
• Character Abilities
• Pathway Tile Overview
• Got Trapped?
• Quick Play Rules

Components

Temple Components

• 1 Pivot Base
• 4 Double-Sided Temple Map Sections
• 4 Double-Sided Border Grids
• 1 Temple Grid
• 4 Corner Pins
• 26 Pathway Walls
• 26 Pathway Tiles

Game Components

• 4 Player Boards
• 4 Character Cards
• 4 Action Point Tracker Discs
• 4 Hand Cover Tokens
• 4 Action Point Cover Tokens
• 40 Research Markers (10 per player colour)
• 4 Character Figures
• 4 Adrenaline Tokens
• 10 Key Cards
• 40 Idol Tokens (8 per Idol type)
• 30 Event Cards
• 1 Research Track
• 5 Victory Point Tokens
• 1 First Player Token

First Time Exploring the Temple?

Before your first game, assemble the Pathways by removing the protective film from the top of the tiles. Connect the walls to the non-printed side of each tile as shown in the diagrams.

The printed markings underneath will be visible from above while playing. To store the game, keep the Pathways assembled and place them on the grid inside the box.

To assemble Player Boards and the Research Track: Remove the backing paper from the pre-applied stickers, then fold each board over to complete the assembly.

Setup

1. Build the Ruins

Use a smooth, level surface to ensure the Temple can rotate easily during play.

Step 1

Place the Pivot Base in the center of the play area. Next, assemble the 4 Temple Map Sections, aligning them so the Pivot Base fits securely into the designated opening.

While the Temple Map Sections may be combined in several ways, we recommend using the following setups:

• For your first game — Connect the map pieces with gold coloured gears together.
• Alternative Setup — Connect the map pieces without any gold coloured gears together in the same fashion.
• Random Setup — Connect the map pieces in any way you like.

Step 2

Attach the 4 Border Grids to the Temple Grid by sliding them into the tracks beneath the grid. When adding grid borders, verify their accuracy by ensuring the grid iconography matches the corresponding border icon below.

You must place the borders with sun and moon opposite each other, therefore star and comet will also be opposite each other.

• Standard Game — Each border has one side with a sun/moon/star/comet marking in the center. It must be faceup for the standard game.
• Quick Play Game (see Quick Play Rules for changes to gameplay) — Attach all 4 borders with the other side faceup.

Step 3

Secure the borders by inserting the 4 Corner Pins into the corners of the Temple Grid and through the holes in the borders.

Step 4

Place the Temple Grid over the Temple Map, centering the grid atop the Pivot Base. Ensure that the "legs" at each corner of the underside of the grid rest on the table, and not on the map.

Throughout the game, players will rotate the Temple either through Events or turn actions. When doing so, grip two diagonally opposite corner pins, sliding the legs of the Temple Grid along the table.

Step 5

Locate two "Roundabout" Pathway Tiles. Place one on the starting space (in the center if using the gold gear side of the map, or on the alternate starting space in alternate setups) and set the other aside near the play area. Place the remaining 24 Pathway Tiles on the Temple Grid at random.

Prefer to watch a video instead of reading the rules? Scan the QR code with your phone!

2. Prepare for the Expedition

1. Distribute a Player Board to each player. Each player selects (or is randomly assigned) a Character Card, placing it faceup in the bottom center of their Player Board.

   Each player collects the corresponding items as follows:

   • 1 Adrenaline Token, placing the token +side faceup on the "+/-" space of the Player Board.
   • 1 Action Point Tracker Disc, placing it on the first space of the Action Point Track (without any Adrenaline penalty).
   • 1 Hand Cover Token, placing it on the leftmost hand of the Player Board.
   • 1 Action Point Cover Token, placing it on the last space of the Action Point Track (on top of the 6th Action Point space).
   • 10 Research Markers of the corresponding Character colour, placing them in a pile on top of the Character Card.
   • 1 Character Figure of the corresponding colour, placing it anywhere on the starting Pathway. (This is the center Pathway if you're using the gold gear side of the map, or the alternate starting space in alternate setups.)

   From this point on, we will refer to Action Points as AP.

   If the Keysmith is in play, that player collects the "Roundabout" Pathway Tile that was set aside previously, and places it in their play area.

2. Locate and shuffle all Key Cards, dealing 2 to each player. Each player selects 1 of the Key Cards to keep as their private scoring objective for the game, placing it facedown near their player board. All unchosen Key Cards are returned to the box.

3. Locate the Idol Tokens, and sort them by colour. Place the Idols within reach of all players to form the supply.

4. Locate the Event Cards, and use the icons in the lower left-hand corner to form the Event Deck as follows:

   • 4 players: Use all Event Cards.
   • 3 players: Remove Event Cards with the 4-player icon, and use the rest.
   • 2 players: Remove Event Cards with the 4-player icon and 3-player icon, and use the rest.

   Return unused cards to the box. Shuffle the Event Cards, and place the deck facedown within reach of all players, leaving room for a discard pile.

5. Locate the Research Track, and place it near the Temple Ruins within reach of all players. Locate and shuffle all Victory Point Tokens, placing one at random at the bottom of each column.

   2- and 3-Player Games — With 2 players, place a Research Marker from an unused Character in the lowest two spaces of each Research Track (marked with the 2-player icon and 3-player icon). In games with 3 players, place one in the lowest space of each track (marked with the 3-player icon).

6. The player who most recently explored a mysterious temple receives the First Player Token, or you may choose the first player however you like.

How to Play

The game is played over a series of rounds, starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, with each player taking their turn using Action Points.

Once all players have taken a turn, the round ends. Determine whether the end of the game has been triggered either by 4 or more Research Tracks being filled, or a player assigning their 10th and final Research Marker (see "Game End").

If neither of these conditions have been met, a new round begins and play continues. Turn order remains the same, always starting with the player holding the First Player Token.

On Your Turn

Basic Actions

At the beginning of each turn, each player has up to 5 Action Points (AP) that they may use to take Basic Actions. As the game progresses, players will collect Idols and may use these Idols' unique powers to their advantage (see "Gain Idol Power").

Players should track their APs by sliding the disc along the AP Track of their player board.

• Players may take as many actions as they can afford, including the same action more than once.
• Any unspent AP are lost at the end of a player's turn.
• At the end of a player's turn a player's AP Disc resets to the top of their AP Track.
• At the end of the turn, if the Adrenaline Token was on the "-" side, it is flipped back to the "+" side at the end of the turn, and returned to its storage space.

Action	Cost
Move	1 AP per Pathway Tile
Pick up/Place Idol	1 AP per Idol
Drop Idol	No cost
Use Idol Power	X AP (see Gain Idol Power)
Use Character Ability	X AP (see Character Abilities)

Increasing Your Action Points

Temporarily: By using the Adrenaline Token, a player temporarily gains an additional 1 AP for their turn. Once used, the Adrenaline Token is immediately flipped to the "-" side to indicate that the player will lose 2 AP on their next turn.

A player may use their Adrenaline Token as many times as they wish throughout the game, but only once per turn. It can only be used again after being flipped back to the "+" side.

Example: A player uses their Adrenaline Token, so they will have 3 AP instead of 5 AP on their next turn. They place the token on the 4 AP space so their AP Tracker Disc cannot advance beyond their limit.

Permanently: Players can permanently increase the Action Points available to them by unlocking the power of the Sapphire Idol (see "Gain Idol Power").

Move One Tile — 1 AP

Use 1 AP to move your Character from one Pathway Tile to an orthogonally adjacent Pathway Tile, provided the paths connect. Trapped? See "Pathway Tile Overview" for an escape route!

Orthogonal Adjacency

Pathway Tiles are considered to be orthogonally adjacent to one another if their sides meet horizontally or vertically (not diagonally).

For all purposes, if a Pathway Tile is on the outside edge of the Temple, the map wraps around to the opposite edge and the Pathway Tiles are considered to be orthogonally adjacent.

This Temple is… strange. A maze of Pathways that seem to wrap around on themselves. Could you take advantage of these strange Pathways to reach the Idols more efficiently?

Pathways

Each Pathway Tile has one or more paths leading from one side to another. Players move along the paths to orthogonally adjacent tiles provided their movement is not blocked by a wall.

There is no limit to the number of Characters that may share a path or Pathway Tile. Characters do not block the movement of other Characters.

See "Pathway Tile Overview" for an overview of the Pathway Tiles and how to navigate them.

Idols and Altars

The Temple Map depicts various locations, some holding Idols or matching Altars. You are considered to be in the same location as an Idol or Altar if your current Pathway Tile is directly above the location on the Temple Grid.

Pick Up an Idol — 1 AP

Use 1 AP to pick up 1 Idol at your current location. Take the matching Idol from the supply, and place it on an available hand space on your player board.

• The path you are on does not have to directly overlap with the Idol you are picking up, only the tile.
• If your location shows 2 Idols, you may choose which Idol to pick up.
• At the beginning of the game, all players are limited to carrying 1 Idol at a time.

Players can carry up to 2 different Idols by unlocking the power of the Tiger's Eye Idol (see "Gain Idol Power").

Place an Idol — 1 AP

Use 1 AP to place an Idol on a matching Altar at your current location. The Idol you are placing must match the shape of the outline shown on the Altar.

Once placed, you may choose to either (A) research the Idol or (B) gain its power.

Aha! A great discovery indeed - when an Idol is placed on a matching Altar, the Temple seems to reward you with knowledge or power.

A. Research an Idol

1. Return the Idol to the supply, then place one of your Research Markers on the lowest empty space of the Research Track matching the Idol you returned.
2. Each space grants rewards, or triggers an event once a Research Marker is placed (see "Resolving Events").

Completing Key Cards

Each player's hidden Key Card guides their research. Players earn Victory Points at the end of the game if they match the 3-cube pattern on their Key Card by strategically placing Research Markers on the Research Track.

Key Cards remain hidden until the end of the game when Victory Points are awarded (see "Final Scoring").

Research Parameters:

• Players only need their Research Markers on the Track to match the pattern on their Key Card.
• White spaces can be empty, contain anyone's Markers, or extend beyond the edge of a row or column.
• You may rotate the pattern depicted on a Key Card, but not mirror it.
• Patterns cannot wrap around the Research Track.

Research Track

Bonus Points — During Final Scoring (see "Final Scoring"), a Research Marker in a bonus space earns the additional points shown.

Events — When a Research Marker is placed in a space marked with the Event symbol, immediately draw the top card of the Event Deck and resolve its effect (see "Resolving Events").

Shift — When a Research Marker is placed in a space marked with the Shift symbol, you may immediately shift all Victory Point Tokens on the Research Track 1 column to the left or right. This changes the scoring value of all Research Markers in the corresponding column. When a Victory Point Token moves off the edge, it wraps around and is placed on the now empty token space on the opposite side.

Locked In — As soon as all spaces in a Research Track column have been filled by Research Markers, the corresponding Victory Point Token is moved to the top of the column, locking in the value of those markers. If a Shift was triggered by the placement of the Marker, the Shift can be done before the VP Token is locked.

Tokens "locked" above Research Tracks are not affected by Shifts. If a Victory Point Token should shift to a space that is empty because the corresponding token is locked, the space is skipped and the token is placed in the next available space. All other tokens shift as normal.

B. Gain Idol Power

Place the Idol on the matching Altar on your player board, covering the corresponding power icon. By doing so, you immediately draw and resolve an Event (see "Resolving Events") and permanently gain access to the Idol's power (see below). This power may be used immediately if you have the necessary Action Points.

Ruby, Jade and Gold Idol Powers can be used multiple times on the same turn, provided you have enough AP.

Sapphire — No Cost Permanently gain +1 AP, increasing your base AP from 5 to 6, effective immediately. Effects from the Adrenaline Token are applied as normal.

Once you've gained the power of the Sapphire Idol, discard the AP Cover Token from your player board.

Tiger's Eye — No Cost Permanently increase your carrying capacity to 2 different Idols.

Once you've gained the power of the Tiger's Eye Idol, discard the Hand Cover Token from your player board.

Jade — 2 AP Spend 2 AP to rotate the Temple Ruins once 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.

Ruby — 1 AP Spend 1 AP to rotate any unoccupied Pathway Tile 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. Pathway Tiles occupied by other players may not be rotated. You may rotate your own tile, provided there are no other players on it.

Gold — 2 AP Spend 2 AP to slide any unoccupied Pathway Tile one space orthogonally into an empty space. Pathway Tiles occupied by other players may not move. You may slide your own tile, provided there are no other players on it.

During Final Scoring (see "Final Scoring"), if a player has unlocked all 5 Idol Powers, they earn 8 VP.

Drop an Idol — 0 AP

At any time during your turn you may drop an Idol for 0 AP, returning it to the supply. This is a free action and does not cost any AP.

Resolving Events

Every time a player places an Idol on their player board, or a Research Marker on a space marked with the Event symbol, the top card of the Event Deck is drawn and resolved. Once resolved, the active player's turn resumes.

There are 4 types of Events (Collapse, Rotate, Shift, and Chill) that are resolved as follows.

Collapse

Refer to the spaces orthogonally adjacent to the active player's Character, and discard the Pathway Tile marked with an X from the Temple Ruins.

• Resolve the Collapse from the active player's perspective (when resolving a Collapse on the edge of the board, remember the Pathway Tiles wrap around!).
• If the space that should Collapse is empty or contains another player's Character, the next Pathway Tile orthogonally adjacent to the active player's Character (in clockwise order) is discarded from play instead.
• If all orthogonally adjacent spaces are empty or contain Character(s), no Pathway Tile is discarded.

Example: The space marked by an X is empty, so the next space in clockwise order Collapses instead. If that space had also been empty, the active player would check the next space in clockwise order, then the next. If all spaces were empty, no Collapse would occur.

Rotate Ruins

Rotate the Temple Ruins once 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise, as indicated by the direction of the arrows on the card.

Shift

In the row/column of the active player's Character, shift all Pathway Tiles as indicated by the Event. Example: from sun to moon or from comet to star and vice-versa.

• All players, including the active player, remain on Pathway Tiles as they shift.
• If a space was empty when the shift occurred, the empty space shifts in the same direction as the Pathway Tiles.
• If a Pathway Tile or empty space is on the edge of the Temple Ruins, it shifts to the opposite side by wrapping around.

Chill

There's no effect. Lucky you!

Game End

All players will have an equal number of turns. The end of the game is triggered at the end of a round when either all spaces in 4 or more Research Tracks have been filled, or any player has assigned their 10th Research Marker.

Final Scoring

All players add up Victory Points earned from the following:

1. For each Research Marker placed on the Research Track, earn points as shown by the Victory Point Token in the corresponding column regardless of whether the token is above or below the track.
2. For each Research Marker placed in a space with a VP bonus, earn the VP indicated.
3. Players who have gained the powers of all 5 Idols earn 8 VP.
4. Players reveal their Key Cards and earn the indicated VP (one time only) if they matched the pattern on their own card.

The player with the most VP wins! If there is a tie, the tied players use the following tiebreakers (in order) until the tie is broken.

1. The player who gained the most Idol Powers.
2. The player who completed the Key Card worth the most VP.
3. The player with most Research Markers placed.
4. The player who played latest in turn order.

Scoring Example

1. From left to right on the Research Track, the green player (Architect) earns the following points from their Research Markers: Sapphire Track: 5 VP, Ruby Track: 7 VP, Tiger's Eye Track: 8 VP, Gold Track: 12 VP, Jade Track: 6 VP. TOTAL: 38 VP
2. Then, from the three spaces that award a VP bonus, green earns 5 VP (as shown by the highlighted VP bonus).
3. Green has not gained the powers from all 5 Idols, so they gain no VP.
4. After revealing their Key Card, green earns 10 VP for successfully matching the pattern (as shown by the highlighted research cubes).

In total, the green player scores 53 victory points!

Character Abilities

Each Character has a special ability that can be used by spending the amount of AP indicated by their Character Card. All Character abilities may be used regardless of whether or not there are other player(s) on the Pathway Tiles affected.

Play to your strengths, adventurer!

Curator — 4 AP Jump over a single empty space or Pathway Tile. The edge of the path you're jumping from and to must be in line with each other.

Keysmith — 3 AP Select a discarded Pathway Tile and, in the orientation of your choice, either (A) swap it with a tile that is orthogonally adjacent to you or (B) place it into an empty space that is orthogonally adjacent to you.

Sculptor — 3 AP Shift all Pathway tiles and empty spaces in either the row or column containing your Character 1 space in the direction of your choice, following the standard rules (see "Shift").

Architect — 3 AP Swap the Pathway Tile you're on with an orthogonally adjacent Pathway Tile or empty space. The swapped tile(s) may be oriented in the direction of your choice.

Pathway Tile Overview

For the Double Corner and Archway tiles, players must follow the path you are on. You may not move your Character to a separate path, even on the same Pathway Tile.

Double Corner When traveling on a Pathway Tile with a double corner, note that the two paths are separated by a wall. You cannot jump over the wall to the opposite path.

Archway When traveling on an archway, you must maintain direction in a straight line by either traveling over the archway, or beneath it. You may not turn.

Roundabout At a roundabout, you may travel in any direction as the path is connected.

Y-Crossing The Y-Crossing gives you 3 directions of travel.

Single Corner The Single Corner only gives you 2 directions of travel.

Got Trapped?

At the start of their turn, a player may reposition their Character by "passing." They must announce it out loud before moving their Character to any position on another empty Pathway Tile. This ends the player's turn immediately.

As the player has passed, they may not use their Adrenaline Token to gain AP on this turn. If the Adrenaline Token was already on the "-" side when they passed, it remains that way for their next turn.

Development note: We really wanted it to feel like the Temple was collapsing around you, and players would need to act fast and think cleverly to survive. Unfortunately this means, that just like a real collapse, you could get stuck. To avoid this, try to unlock a few Powers as a safety - and don't forget about your unique ability.

Quick Play Rules

Set up the game as usual, but leave the Hand Cover and AP Cover Tokens in the box—they won't be used. Use the Border Grid sides showing all 5 Idol Powers. Gameplay remains the same with the following exceptions:

1. All players have access to all Idol powers at the start of the game. If they wish, players may place each of the 5 Idols on the Altars of their player board as a reminder the powers are available for use.
2. When placing an Idol, it must be researched.
3. During Final Scoring, all players earn 8 VP by default as everyone has access to all 5 Idol powers.