Shadowgate: The Living Castle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• First, Decide What Mode You Are Playing
• Components and Setup
• Quick Reference: Player Mat
• Quick Reference: Item Cards
• Gameplay Overview
• Gameplay in Detail
  • 1. Equip Phase
  • 2. Action Phase
• Quest Cards
  • 3. Quest Phase
  • 4. Resolve Phase
  • 5. End Phase
• Unlocking Quest Cards
• The Final Quest
• Winning the Game
• Characters
• Quick Setup
• Icon Reference

First, Decide What Mode You Are Playing

This will affect several things during the game, and during setup.

Beginner Mode: Recommended when playing with inexperienced players, marked with a gold star.

Standard Mode: This allows for drawing 2 cards at the beginning and playing any character of their choice.

Competition Mode: No starting items. If you acquire 5 Death Cards, you are eliminated.

Components and Setup

1 Game Board: place this in the center of the table, within easy reach of all players.

4 Player Mats: place one in front of each player, returning any that are left over to the box (they will not be used this game). If you are playing in Beginner Mode, flip the mat so the side with the gold star is face-up. When playing in Standard or Competition Mode, any Character is available to play.

9 Character Tokens: give the one which matches the Player mat to each player. This should be placed with the side face-down. Return any that are left over to the box.

A 15 Trait Bonus/Curse Tokens: place these in stacks on the corresponding spaces of the game board. These are limited to the number of tokens – ignore any instructions that tell you to gain one if there are none remaining on the Game board. Whenever one of these is discarded, return it to its stack on the Game board.

• 5 Mental
• 5 Strength
• 5 Resourceful

B 15 Magic Tokens: place these in stacks on the corresponding spaces of the Game board. These are limited to the number of tokens – ignore any instructions that tell you to gain one if there are none remaining on the Game board. Whenever one of these is discarded, return it to its stack on the Game board.

• 5 Ice
• 5 Fire
• 5 Wind

C 48 Quest Cards:

• 15 Quest I: Cavern
• 15 Quest II: Keep
• 15 Quest III: Tower and Mine
• 3 Final Quest

Set aside the "Cavern Stairwell" card, then shuffle the Quest I cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest I space on the board.

D Deal cards from this deck face-up onto the Active Quest spaces on the board, then shuffle the "Cavern Stairwell" back into the Quest I deck. Shuffle the Quest II cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest II space on the board. Shuffle the Quest III cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest III space on the board.

E If playing in Beginner Mode, take the Warlock Lord Final Quest Card (with the gold star) and place it face-down on the Final Quest space of the Game board, then return the other 2 Final Quest cards to the game box. If you are playing in Standard or Competition Mode, shuffle the 3 Final Quest cards into a face-down stack on the Final Quest space of the board.

F 2 Lock Tokens: place 1 of these on top of the Quest II deck and 1 on top of the Quest III deck.

G 1 Torch Marker: place this on the "10" spot of the Torch Track on the Game board.

H 6 Dice: set these to one side of the Game board.

I 7 Energy Cards: shuffle these into a face-down deck and place it on the corresponding space of the Game board.

J 20 Death Cards: place these in a stack on the corresponding space of the Game board. There is not intended to be a limit on these; if the deck runs out, use a suitable substitute.

K 3 Staff Item Cards: shuffle these into a face-down deck and place it on the corresponding space of the Game board.

L 10 Puzzle Item Cards: shuffle these into a face-down deck and place it on the corresponding space of the Game board.

M 55 Item Cards: shuffle these into a face-down deck and place it on the corresponding space of the Game board. If you are playing in Beginner Mode or Standard Mode, deal 2 cards face-up into the Inventory space on each Player mat.

N 10 Riddle Cards & Token: shuffle these into a face-down deck and place it on the corresponding space of the Game board. Place the Djinn Token next to it.

Quick Reference: Player Mat

The Player mat has the following areas:

• Character Name and Starter Star (the star marks the Character used in Beginner Mode).
• Character Base Traits: Strength, Resourceful and Mental, each with a numeric value.
• Character Ability: a special ability of that Character. For example, Katalia Mar (Elven Cleric) starts the game with 2 Elemental Tokens of your choice.
• Fully Equipped Ability: an ability that becomes active when all Equipped Item slots are filled. Its text is printed on the mat.
• Available Equipped Item Slots: four slots, for Relic, Weapon, Magic and one further Equipped slot.
• Spaces for Magic Tokens: three spaces for Magic tokens.
• Space for Trait Tokens: the Bonus/Curse token space.
• Character Token Spot: where the Character token is placed.
• Completed Quests and Bonus Items: where completed Quest cards are placed.
• Death Cards: where Death Cards acquired by the Player are placed.
• Item Inventory: where Item cards not equipped are kept.

Quick Reference: Item Cards

Every Item card has a Name, a Card Type, a Category, Flavor Text, an Experience Points (XP) value, an Item Ability, and, if it is equippable, an Equippable Card Icon:

• Equip Relic (blue icon)
• Equip Weapon (yellow icon)
• Equip Magic (green icon)

Item card types:

• General Item: these items stay in the Inventory and do not need to be equipped for a Player to use them.
• Weapons, Relics/Staff and Magic Items: these items need to be equipped. Each type has 3 Categories.
• Wild Item: these items can be multiple card types.
• Puzzle Item: these items are used to solve Puzzle Quest cards.

Gameplay Overview

You will compete to gain experience points (XP) by completing Quests, defeating monsters, answering Djinn riddles, and obtaining items that create the Staff of Ages. At the end of the game, everyone will take on the Boss, and the player with the most XP at the end of the game wins – and be crowned High Lord of Westland!

Gameplay in Detail

The player who most recently bested an insurmountable evil will take the first turn, then play proceeds clockwise around the table. (Each Player in turn will draw 2 Item Cards for their Inventory, unless you are playing Competition Mode.)

On your turn, you will progress through 5 phases:

1. Equip Phase
2. Action Phase
3. Quest Phase
4. Resolve Phase
5. End Phase

1. Equip Phase

Move any number of cards from the "Equipped Item" area of your Player mat to the "Inventory" of your Player mat. Then, move any number of cards that have the equip icon (Relic, Weapon or Magic) from the "Inventory" space of your Player mat to an empty "Equipped Item" space on your Player mat that has a symbol matching the Item type. This is entirely optional, and you may choose which cards (if any) are moved each turn. Item cards in your Inventory and Equipped Item spaces are always face-up so that all players may see them. When a card is on an Equipped Item space, it is no longer considered to be in your Inventory, and vice-versa.

At the end of this phase, if every Equipped Item space available to you is full and it is the first time that this has happened for you during the game, you may flip your Character token to the fully equipped side.

If you have more than one Staff Item card, these may all occupy the same Equipped Item space on your Player mat.

2. Action Phase

You may use Character abilities, Item cards that are in your Inventory or Equipped Item spaces, or answer a Djinn Riddle if you have the appropriate card. You may also make one trade with another player.

To use a Character ability, follow the instructions on your Player mat. Every Character also has a "fully equipped" ability that only becomes available when your Character token has the fully equipped side face-up (after you fill all your Equipped Item spaces for the first time during the game).

To use an Item card, follow the instructions printed on the card. If it instructs you to discard it after use, place it face-up on the discard space of the Game board after following the other instructions.

To answer a Djinn Riddle, there must be a Djinn Riddle face-up on the Game board, and you must have the card indicated by the riddle on your Inventory, Equipped Item, or Death card spaces of your Player mat. Discard the indicated card face-up onto the discard space of the Game board. Gain the reward indicated on the Djinn Riddle card, then place the Djinn Riddle card onto the Completed Quests space on your Player mat.

To trade with another player, you may offer them one Item card, Puzzle Item card, or Staff Item card from your Inventory for one Item card, Puzzle Item card, or Staff Item card in their inventory. If they agree, swap these cards between the players' Inventory spaces. While you may offer many different potential trades, you may only actually make a single swap for 1 card each turn.

Quest Cards

A Quest card has a Quest Name, an Experience Points (XP) value, Flavor Text, a Bonus Icon, a Quest Cost, a Fail Penalty, and a Quest Reward.

Quest card types:

• Standard Quest: these Quests provide XP, Bonus XP and Rewards.
• Monster Quest: these Quests require you to beat a monster to complete the Quest.
• Puzzle Quest: these Quests can only be completed by specific Puzzle Items.
• Event Card: these cards generate an effect for the time that they are in play.

3. Quest Phase

You may optionally do the following 2 things in this order:

• Cycle 1 Quest card by removing a face-up quest from the board and placing it face-down on the bottom of the stack from which it came. Then draw a new Quest card from any Quest stack that does not have a Lock token on it, putting the newly drawn Quest face-up into the empty Quest space on the board.
• Cycle an additional Quest card by following the same steps as above, OR Attempt to complete a Quest. After cycling an additional Quest card or attempting a Quest, move on to the next phase.

To attempt to complete a Quest, place your Character token on any face-up Quest card on the board, then attempt to meet its cost (shown in the Quest Cost area of the Quest card).

• Standard Quests have a quest cost displaying one or more trait symbols and a number (Strength, Resourceful and Mental, shown with their numbers). To meet the cost, add up the values in corresponding symbols printed on your Player mat, Trait Bonus/Penalty tokens on your Player mat, and cards in the Equipped Item spaces on your Player mat (as well as the value on any Penalty tokens next to the Torch track, if the Torch counter is currently on a red number).
• Then you may optionally roll 2 of the black dice to increase your Traits. Divide the total value shown on the rolled dice among 1 or more Traits, increasing their value by that much until the end of this quest attempt. Skulls rolled are treated as having zero value. If your total from these sources equals or exceeds the number(s) indicated in the Quest cost, you have successfully met that part of the cost.
• Some Quests will show an Item card type symbol, specify a Puzzle Item card, show a Magic icon or indicate some other option. You must discard the appropriate thing (or follow the written instructions) to meet that part of the cost. Item card type symbols are: General, Puzzle, Weapon, Relic and Magic. Puzzle Item cards can be revealed and then discarded from your Inventory area in order to meet these costs. Other Item cards can only be discarded from an Equipped Item space to meet these costs. Items and Puzzle Items discarded this way are placed face-up on the discard space of the Game board unless otherwise instructed by the quest. Magic tokens can be discarded as long as you have them on your Player mat. If you need to roll 1 or more dice in order to complete a Quest, roll the dice before deciding whether or not to discard anything.

Example: If Katalia Mar (who has a Base Strength Trait of 1) were attempting to complete a Quest requiring a Strength Trait of 2, the Player would roll 2 black dice and need to roll a total of 1 or more to complete the Quest. If the Player were Jair Cuthegar (who has a Base Strength Trait of 3), the Player would automatically complete it. No roll required.

If you succeed in meeting the cost, gain the rewards shown in the Quest Reward area of the card, then place the Quest card into the Completed Quests space on your Player mat. If a quest reward depicts a number and an Item symbol, Puzzle Item symbol, or Staff Item symbol, immediately draw that many cards of that type and add them to the Inventory space of your Player mat. Puzzle Item cards may be kept face-down in your Inventory, but all other cards on your Player mat should be face-up. If the Quest reward area depicts a Magic token symbol, gain one of that type of Magic token.

Quest Bonus: Some quests show an Item or Elemental symbol below the XP value on the Quest – this is an optional Quest Bonus. Immediately after putting a Quest card in the Completed Quests space of your player mat, you may optionally discard an Item card that has the corresponding symbol from your Equipped Item spaces OR your Inventory space to your Completed Quests space. Any items discarded to your Completed Quests space are no longer considered to be Equipped or in your Inventory, and you may no longer use them – however they contribute the XP value shown on the Item card to your final score. Only ITEM CARDS may be discarded to gain a Quest Bonus, tokens cannot be discarded this way even if they depict the appropriate symbol.

Failing a Quest: If you fail to meet the cost, follow the instructions in the Quest Failure area of the card, and leave the Quest on the Game board.

• If there is a torch in the Quest Failure area, you must move the Torch marker to the next lowest number on the Torch track of the Game board.
• If there is a skull in the Quest Failure area, you must take a Death card from the Game board and add it to your Player mat.

In either case, retrieve your Character token from the Game board.

4. Resolve Phase

You may use Item cards that are in your Inventory space or answer a Djinn Riddle if you have the appropriate card. You may also make one trade with another player if you did not already make one during the Action Phase.

5. End Phase

If there are any empty Active Quest spaces on the Game board, deal a new Quest card face-up onto the space from any Quest deck which does not have a lock token on it. If you deal an Event card, follow the instructions on the Event card. Whenever an Event card leaves the game board, draw a new Quest from the top of the deck of your choice immediately to replace it. If you are the last player in turn order, you must now also move the Torch counter to the next lowest number on the Torch track of the Game board.

If the Torch counter moved to a red number on the Torch track this turn (whether because a quest was failed or because it was the last turn in a round), roll the red dice and place a -1 Trait Curse token matching its result on the Torch track, discarding any previous Trait Curse token that had been placed there. For as long as that token remains there, all players suffer a -1 penalty to the Trait indicated by it. (No Trait can go below 0.) If the Torch counter would be moved from the "1" space to the skull on the Torch track, give EVERY player a Death card and move the Torch counter onto the "5" space of the Torch track, then remove the Trait Penalty token from the Torch track.

Unlocking Quest Cards

Like any adventure, you cannot just skip to the boss fight at the end (where is the fun in that?) – this game is no exception!

At the beginning of the game, only Quests from the Quest I deck may be revealed and made available to complete. When the Cavern Stairwell event is revealed from this deck, the Quest II deck becomes unlocked and Quests may be drawn from it. When the Banquet Hall event is revealed from the Quest II stack, the Quest III stack becomes unlocked.

When the Great Barrier card is revealed AND all 3 Staff Item cards are no longer in the stack on the Game board, the Final Quest becomes unlocked.

When the Final Quest becomes unlocked, every player gets one more full turn, during which no more Quests may be revealed and added to the Active Quest spaces. Then THE FINAL QUEST BEGINS!

The Final Quest

Finally, what everything has come down to – defeating the final boss! After constructing the Staff of Ages, you head into battle… you might face off against the Reaper, the Behemoth, or even Talimar the Warlock Lord himself!

Once the Final Quest begins, remove the Torch marker from the Torch track and place it on the "50" space of the Boss life track. The Torch track is no longer used, and if there was any Trait Penalty token in play due to the Torch track, that token is removed now. Reveal the top card of the Final Quest deck to see which Boss you are fighting against. Flip over the top Energy card from the Energy card deck and place it in the Active Energy card space on the Game board. The effects it generates apply until the card is removed from the Game board. Players will continue to take turns as normal, except instead of the Quest Phase there is an Attack Phase, during which players may make an attack against the boss depicted on the revealed Final Quest card.

To make an attack, select a Trait (Strength, Resourceful or Mental) and add up the values from all corresponding symbols on your character card, Items in Equipped Item spaces on your player mat, and Trait Bonus/Curse tokens you have. Then roll 2 black dice and combine the result with the total value from your selected Trait.

This is your Attack Score for the round. If you rolled 2 Skulls, your Attack fails – your Attack score is reduced to zero for the round, and you must take a Death card from the Game board. Otherwise subtract your Attack Score from the Boss's life total by moving the Torch counter that many spaces along the Boss life track (towards the "0" at the end of the track).

If you move the marker onto or past a red space on the Boss life track, take the current Energy card from the Game board and add it to the Completed Quest space of your Character mat. Next reveal a new Energy card and place it on the Active Energy space of the Game board. Then the Boss performs an action or attack on ALL players. This action or attack will be described on the Final Quest card.

Staff Item card: If you have a Staff Item card Equipped, you may also roll the blue die and add that value to your Attack or Defense. The Staff symbol and Skull symbols are considered to have zero value.

If your attack would cause the Torch marker to cross 2 red spaces, you gain the next Energy card from the deck as well, but the Boss only attacks or performs its action once.

This continues until the Torch marker reaches the "0" on the Boss life track, or if all players are defeated. If you are the player who moves the marker to the "0", you take the Final Quest card and add it to your Completed Quests space.

Death: Shadowgate is known by players for its kill count. Do NOT let your adventures end here! During the game, you may acquire several Death cards which result in -5 XP per Death card at the end of the game. If you run out of Death cards use a suitable substitute to continue tracking deaths. If you decided during setup that you are playing in Beginner Mode or Standard Mode, you may accrue any number of Death cards during the game. If you are playing in Competition Mode, when you acquire a 5th Death card you are defeated – you may no longer take turns and can no longer win the game.

Curses: If you are unfortunate enough to become cursed during the game, roll the red die. Take a -1 Trait Curse token corresponding to the result of the dice roll and place it on the Cursed space on your Player mat. This penalty affects that Trait for you as long as you remain cursed. There are several ways to become un-cursed, so do not lose hope. When you become un-cursed, remove 1 Trait Curse token from the Cursed space.

Winning the Game

Once the Torch marker is moved to the "0" space of the Boss life track, all players move all items from their Equipped Item spaces into their Completed Quests space.

• Then add up all the XP indicated on cards in your Completed Quests space.
• Subtract 5 XP for each Death card you have.

The player with the most total XP, wins and is crowned High Lord of the Westland!

In the case of a tie for the most XP, flip over the next Final Quest card and move the Torch marker to the 25 space on the Boss life track. The tied players then continue fighting the new boss until it is defeated – whoever reduces the new boss's life to "0" is the winner of the game.

Characters

Each Character has a Player mat and a Character token. The Character's name, starter star, base traits and ability are printed on the Player mat.

Jair Cuthegar ("Shadowgate" 1987): Orphaned at a young age, Jair Cuthegar spent his days hidden away in a small village in Kal Torlin. Little did he know, his true heritage lies in his ancestry, born into the Line of Kings. Lakmir, the wizard, watched the boy knowing full well that he would one day face his greatest test in challenging the dreaded Warlock Lord in a battle to save all of the Westland. Jair rallies those he finds willing along the way to aid him in his great quest.

Fezlyn Quickfoot ("Before Shadowgate" novel 1991): Fezlyn Quickfoot was the first to befriend Jair at the beginning of his adventure to Castle Shadowgate, enticed by rumors of great treasure looming inside its walls. For a master thief, Fezlyn couldn't resist! Finding trouble nearly everywhere they go, Fezlyn realizes that fame and fortune go hand in hand. And if Shadowgate is as infamous as they say it is, then walking away from its hidden treasures would be a grave mistake.

Akaaria T'ynn ("Before Shadowgate" novel 1991): Having honed mastery of weapons from an early age, Akaaria T'ynn (also known as 'Hawk'), is a true student of strategic and diplomatic arts. Akaaria aided Jair and Fezlyn after they fell victim to a Troll ambush; nearly becoming food for the monsters. Akaaria finds that adventuring with the group to be a great test of mind and body, and accepts the challenge readily.

Lakmir the Timeless ("Shadowgate" 1987): Grand wizard and ward of Castle Shadowgate, Lakmir the Timeless belonged to a group of protectors known as the "Circle of Twelve." Lakmir now finds himself as the sole survivor to Talimar's onslaught as the other members of the Circle have fallen. Taking refuge inside one of Shadowgate's towers, Lakmir watches Talimar rip apart the castle's foundations in search of a limitless power, while also gaining an insight into the one thing he fears the most…hope.

Katalia Mar ("Quests of Shadowgate" 2014): Priestess to the Order of Traal, Katalia Mar's services were called to attention when children of Kal Tarkus had been boiled alive as the river they played in had suddenly and mysteriously began to scald after being brisk and cool only moments before. While tending to the needs of the children, a prophetic vision was given to her, instructing her to locate the one bearing the mark of Traal (who is Jair Cuthegar), and join his cause, which is confronting the evil rising from within the walls of Castle Shadowgate.

Gorin Truestrike ("Quests of Shadowgate" 2014): A smithy from the town of Rivlyn, Gorin Truestrike heard the commotions of the terror from the Great Council – mountain dwarves working in the Mines of Mythrok had befallen a great tragedy when a mysterious cavern opened up. Fearing his brethren to be dead, Gorin lends his services to a group of adventurers led by Jair Cuthegar who are traveling to Gatekeeper Mountain, in hopes that he will find the answers he seeks.

Willowmere ("Quests of Shadowgate" 2014): Taking refuge in the swamp of Darkmire, a shaman of immense power named Willowmere senses a great shift in elemental energies, as though all of nature was being manipulated by dark magic. Fearing the greatness the Warlock Lord would unleash on the land itself, she agrees to give aid and magic prowess to the small group of adventurers going into Shadowgate – whatever is necessary to return balance to the plane.

Thuradun Rae ("Quests of Shadowgate" 2014): Sworn to the services of the King of Kal Tarkus and to the Order of Traal, Theradun Rae – along with Katalia Mar – travel to Gatekeeper Mountain after several attacks in a nearby village. Survivors reported seeing Lieutenant Kahu, Talimar's chief commander, and her armies slaughter hundreds of peaceful commoners on their way to Castle Shadowgate. Theradun befriends Jair and his party, agreeing to help them bring Talimar to a just end.

Quick Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table, within easy reach of all players.
2. Each player chooses a Character and takes the Player mat and matching Character token. The token is placed with the (Fully Equipped) side face-down on the Player mat.
3. Place Magic tokens and Trait tokens in stacks on the corresponding spaces of the Game board.
4. Set aside the Quest card "Cavern Stairwell", then shuffle the Quest I cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest I space on the board. Deal cards from this deck face-up onto the Active Quest spaces on the board, then shuffle the "Cavern Stairwell" back into the Quest I deck. Shuffle the Quest II cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest II space on the board. Shuffle the Quest III cards into a face-down deck and place it on the Quest III space on the board. Shuffle the 3 Final Quest cards into a face-down stack on the Final Quest space of the board.
5. Place 1 Lock token on top of each of the Quest II and Quest III decks.
6. Shuffle the Energy cards, Death cards, Staff Item cards, Puzzle cards, Item Cards and Riddle cards separately. Then place each in a face-down deck on the corresponding spaces of the Game board.
7. Place the Djinn Token next to the Riddle cards.
8. Set the 6 Dice to the side of the Game board.
9. Place the Torch marker on the "10" of the Torch Track on the Game board.

Icon Reference

Relic Item Type:

• Royal (blue gem)
• Artifact (blue chalice)
• Staff Item (blue staff)

Weapon Item Type:

• Melee (yellow crossed swords)
• Ranged (yellow bow)
• Armor (yellow armor)

Magic Item Type:

• Fire (green flame)
• Ice (green snowflake)
• Wind (green swirl)

Other:

• Equip Relic (blue icon)
• Equip Weapon (yellow icon)
• Equip Magic (green icon)
• Death Card (skull)
• Torch
• Item Card
• Wild Item
• Puzzle Item
• General Item
• Strength (shield)
• Resourceful
• Mental