Skybridge (2025 Edition) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Object of the Game
• Playing the Game
  • Faction Card Breakdown
  • Runes and Rune Stacks
  • Immediate Effects
  • Main Effects
• Playing a Round
  • I) Preparation Phase
  • II) Character Phase
    • Resources
    • 2) Play a Faction Card
    • 3) Activate the Main Effects in Your Display
    • Godh Cards
    • 4) Help Build the Bridge
    • Resource Trades
    • 5) Check Your Godh Cards
  • III) Faction Phase
    • 1) Check Bridge Construction
    • The Rebel Leader
• End of the Game
• Scoring
• Appendix: Character Abilities
  • Guinn Urcela, the Immortal
  • Jardh Rogoll
  • Hamises
  • Adlem
  • Irseth Serath Aadrin Darintha
  • The Great Drakhe Cards
• Overview: Quick Reference
  • Playing a Round
  • Quick Reference: Immediate Effects (page 10)
  • Quick Reference: Effects

Components

• 1 game board
  • Space for the Godh stack
  • Resource area
  • Desert map, divided into 9 territories
  • Space for the faction card discard pile
  • Spaces for the central faction stacks
  • Thraen space
  • Beeledhan's Eye space
  • The Skybridge, consisting of 7 bridge segments (numbered; the front side shows the construction cost and the back side shows the completed segment)
  • Rune slots
  • Storage spaces
• 5 double-sided player boards (each side has a unique ability)
• 1 starting Drakhe
• 119 faction cards:
  • 20 each of The Realm, People of the Light, People of the Darkness, The Utreng, and Cities of Shenna (front and back)
  • 12 Bridge work cards (front and back)
  • 7 Beeledhan's Eye cards (front and back)
  • 11 Starting faction cards
  • 3 Great Drakhe cards
• 30 Godh cards
• 20 Godh tokens (faith side and power side)
• 1 crown
• 68 resources: 12 each of money, wood, sumpter, stone, metal, and 8 salt
• 60 population

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table. Below it, place the Skybridge by laying out the bridge face up (with the construction cost showing) from left to right in the order shown on the setup diagram (segments 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 6, 5). Then place the Thraen space next to segment 1 and the Beeledhan's Eye space next to segment 5.

2. Sort the 119 faction cards by their backs and shuffle the 7 stacks separately (you can skip shuffling the bridge work stack as it contains only identical cards). Then place these stacks face down as follows: Put the stacks of The Realm, People of the Light, People of the Darkness, The Utreng, and Cities of Shenna on their designated spaces on the game board, where they form the 5 central faction stacks. Place the bridge work stack onto the Thraen space and the Beeledhan's Eye stack onto the Beeledhan's Eye space.

3. Shuffle the 3 Great Drakhe cards and place one face down onto the Beeledhan's Eye stack. Return the other two to the box without looking at them.

4. Shuffle the Godh cards and place them face down onto the space in the top-left corner of the game board, forming the Godh stack. Below it, you can see the space for the faction card discard pile, which will form during the game.

5. Sort the resources (money, wood, sumpters, stone, metal, and salt) and place them as a supply in the resource area on the game board.

6. Place the Skybridge die next to bridge segment 2.

7. The desert map is located on the right side of the game board and is divided into 9 territories. Place the rebel leader onto the rebel leader symbol in the central territory "Salthras Deen". Place the 12 free rebels above the desert map as a reserve.

8. Determine a starting player at random. This player takes the starting Drakhe and places it in front of them. Then, beginning with the player to the right of the starting player and proceeding counterclockwise, each player chooses a player board and places it in front of them with either side facing up. Each side has a unique ability (see pages 18 and 19). For your first game, we recommend using the side marked with the beginner icon (a pictorial symbol, not named in the text) in the lower right corner. Leave enough room at the rune slots above your player board for a display of cards.

Object of the Game

The game is played over several rounds until the Skybridge is fully constructed. Once the final bridge segment is completed, the game ends and power points are awarded. Whoever scores the most power points seizes control of the Skybridge for their faction and wins the game.

There are four areas in which you can gain power points:

1. Constructing the Skybridge Though the factions of Thraen stand in opposition, they are forced into temporary alliances. The construction of the Skybridge toward Beeledhan's Eye seems like the only way to escape Thraen's gradual decline and preserve hope for a better future.

   Each round, you may contribute to the construction of the current bridge segment by paying the required resources and placing 1 population onto the segment. At the end of the game, you receive the power points printed on each segment where your population is present. If your population is the only one on a segment, you receive 1 additional point.

2. Gaining the favor of the Godhs In Thraen, the Godhs continuously weave the web of fate. People believe in supernatural forces guiding all aspects of life and nature. The favor of the Godhs determines their destiny, for better or worse.

   Throughout the game, you can play a Godh card of the matching rune onto each of the stacks that form at your rune slots. When you do, you flip the Godh token at that rune slot to its blue power side. At the end of the game, for each stack whose Godh token shows its power side, you gain the power points printed on all faction cards in that stack.

3. Keeping the rebels in check Hunger, poverty, and tyranny have driven Thraen's weakest inhabitants into rebellion. They flee in great numbers and gather near Salthras Deen. When denied access to the Skybridge, they refuse to abandon their dream, and become rebels.

   The desert map is arranged as a path of 9 territories, connected by arrows. Throughout the game, populations will enter these territories as rebels. With military might, you can counter them by advancing your legion through the desert territories along the path. At the end of the game, you earn 1 power point for each foreign rebel in the same territory as your legion or in any territory behind it.

4. Employing garrisons From all corners of Thraen, people are joining the rebels in the Sea of Winds, the largest desert region. The rebel forces are becoming a serious military threat to the ruling factions. To retain control, the rulers must deploy garrisons across the desert.

Playing the Game

Skybridge is played over several rounds and ends at the conclusion of the round in which bridge segment 7 is completed. The structure of each round is explained further below. However, before beginning the first round, do the following:

Starting with the starting player and proceeding clockwise, each player plays exactly one faction card from their hand face up into their display above their player board, into the rune slot matching the rune symbol shown on the card (see the yellow box for details). If the card shows one or more immediate effects, those are resolved immediately (see the green box for details).

Faction Card Breakdown

The diagram labels the parts of a faction card as follows:

• Immediate effect (top-left corner)
• Rune (top edge, next to the power points; the same rune also appears on the bottom edge)
• Power points (top-right corner)
• Card title
• Keywords relating to the background story (these have no in-game relevance)
• Main effect (lower-left corner)
• Color of the card (shows the card's affiliation with a faction stack and is important for the feuds on Godh cards, see page 12)

Runes and Rune Stacks

Each faction card shows one of five runes at its top and bottom edge. These runes also appear at the five rune slots of your player board. You may normally play a card only to the rune slot that matches its rune. If one or more cards are already at that rune slot, place the new card on top of the existing cards. All cards in the same rune slot form a rune stack. A rune stack can contain any number of cards. However, only the effects of the top card on each stack are considered visible and can be used.

Some faction cards carry a wild rune instead. These cards may be played to any rune slot.

Immediate Effects

Some faction cards show one or more immediate effects in their top-left corner, which are marked with an icon (the printed rulebook shows a pictorial symbol here). Whenever you play such a card into your display, resolve its immediate effects once, if you can and wish to. (For a list of the immediate effects, see page 10.)

Main Effects

All faction cards feature one or more main effects. These may be either active or passive. Active main effects can be used during step 3 of the Character phase (see page 11). Passive main effects apply in specific situations and are explained where relevant in the rules.

After each player has played a faction card to their display, start the first round.

Playing a Round

Each round consists of the following 3 phases:

1. Preparation phase
2. Character phase
3. Faction phase

I) Preparation Phase

The Preparation phase comprises the following 2 steps:

1. Reveal new cards Flip the top card of each of the five central faction stacks on the game board. Also flip the top card of the bridge work stack. If the Great Drakhe card is still on top of the Beeledhan's Eye stack, do not reveal any cards from that stack. Only once the Great Drakhe card has been removed (see "A Great Drakhe awakens" on page 15), do you also reveal the top card of the Beeledhan's Eye stack in this step. The Godh stack always remains face down. If any stack runs out of cards, it remains empty.

2. Place the crown If a player has the player board of Guinn Urcela, they may now place the crown onto any of the central faction stacks (see page 18 for details).

II) Character Phase

During this phase, each player takes their turn in clockwise order, beginning with the player who holds the starting Drakhe. The Character phase ends once each player has taken one turn.

On your turn, carry out the following 5 steps:

1. Take a faction card and choose a bonus effect

   a) Take a faction card Choose one of the face-up faction cards from any stack on the game board or the Skybridge and add it to your hand. You may not take cards from stacks whose top card is face down (unless you have Hamises' ability "Visions of Beeledhan", see page 18). If any Knowledge effects are visible in your display, you may now use them (see the brown box below). If the crown is on the stack you're taking a card from, Guinn Urcela may use her ability (see page 18).

   After taking the card, do not reveal the next card of its stack. The next player will therefore have one fewer card to choose from.

   Knowledge (passive effect) When taking a card from one of the central faction stacks, you may draw 1 additional face-down card from that same stack for each Knowledge symbol visible in your display. Then, look at the cards you've drawn, including the one you've taken face-up, and choose one to add to your hand. Place the other cards face down in any order on top of their faction stack.

   b) Choose a bonus effect Choose one of the bonus effects shown on either side of the stack you've just taken a card from. Each bonus effect immediately grants you a specific resource or a Godh card (see the brown box on the next page).

   The bonus effect pairs printed on the game board (page 8) are: money or wood; wood or Godh; sumpter or stone; sumpter or metal; sumpter or salt; and wood, stone, metal, sumpter, money, salt, or Godh.

   The following effects appear as bonus effects:

   • Wood: Gain 1 wood from the supply. Wood, stone, and metal are construction materials for the Skybridge. Metal can also be traded for military might (see page 14).
   • Stone: Gain 1 stone from the supply.
   • Metal: Gain 1 metal from the supply.

Resources

Wood, stone, metal, sumpter, salt, and money are all considered resources. When you gain a resource, take it from the supply on the game board and place it onto a legal storage space on your player board. (Exception: Money is not stored on storage spaces but placed above them.)

Storage spaces: Each space can hold exactly one resource. If you don't have a free space, you can make room by either trading resources (see page 14) or returning resources to the supply unused.

You have 5 storage spaces on your player board, which may hold any combination of these resources. You have 3 storage spaces for sumpters. You have 2 storage spaces for salt. Money does not require a storage space; place it above your storage spaces.

Note: The resource supply is considered unlimited. If a resource is unavailable, use something else to represent it.

Example "1) Take a faction card and choose a bonus effect": On his turn, Adlem selects the green faction stack and takes the top card. Since Adlem has 2 Knowledge symbols visible in his display, he also draws the top two face-down cards from that stack. From these 3 cards (1 face up and 2 face down), Adlem selects one to add to his hand and returns the other two face down to the top of the green stack in any order. Then, as a bonus effect, Adlem may either gain 1 wood or 1 Godh card. He chooses to draw the top card of the Godh stack and adds it to his hand.

2) Play a Faction Card

Choose any faction card in your hand and play it face up into your display, into the rune slot that matches its rune symbol. If cards are already in that rune slot, place the new card on top of them.

Special Retreat action: Instead of playing the card to its matching rune slot, you may reduce your area of military might by 1 territory (see the yellow box below) to play the card to any rune slot. Note: If your legion is in the starting territory "Shirbed Plateau" on the desert map, retreat is not possible.

Then, check whether it has one or more immediate effects in its upper-left corner. If so, resolve these effects now, if you can and wish to.

The following effects appear as immediate effects:

• Military might: Increase your area of military might by 1 territory by moving your legion along the printed arrow into the next territory on the desert map (see on the right).
• Inspiration: You may immediately rearrange the cards within any one rune stack in your display. This may also be the rune stack onto which you just played the card. This way, you can bring a previously covered card back to the top. However, any immediate effects on the card you bring to the top do not trigger again. Any feuds on Godh cards (see page 12) can be ignored when rearranging.
• Return: Take 1 population of your color that is a rebel from any territory on the desert map and return it to your player board. If you have no population on the desert map, nothing happens.

Your area of military might is defined by the position of your legion on the desert map. The map is divided into 9 territories, connected by arrows and arranged as a continuous path. All legions start the game in the starting territory "Shirbed Plateau." The final territory is "Salthras Deen" in the map's center.

• Each time you increase your area of military might (either through an effect or a resource trade), move your legion forward along the arrow into the next territory. (If your legion is already in "Salthras Deen," you cannot move forward.)
• Each time you decrease your area of military might (either via the special Retreat action or a Great Drakhe card, see page 15), move your legion backward, against the arrow, into the previous territory. (If your legion is already in the starting territory "Shirbed Plateau," you cannot use this as an option.)

Example "2) Play a faction card": Adlem wants to play the card "Kolpennion". Since he doesn't want to cover the card "Avrumeth" at his rune slot, he uses the special Retreat action and moves his legion one territory backward on the desert map. This allows him to play "Kolpennion" to any rune slot he chooses. He selects the rune slot and, after playing the card to the rune stack there, he carries out "Kolpennion's" immediate effect "Military might", moving his legion forward one territory again on the desert map.

3) Activate the Main Effects in Your Display

You may now resolve, once and in any order, each active main effect that is visible in your display (in the central left of each topmost faction card). If a card shows multiple active main effects, you may resolve each one once, unless they are separated by a slash. In that case, you must choose one of them.

The following effects appear as active main effects:

• Trade: Trade effects show a specific resource above their double-arrow symbol. Return that resource from your player board to the supply to resolve the effect shown below the double-arrow symbol. Often, there are multiple options, separated by a slash. In that case, choose one. If you cannot pay, you cannot use the effect.

• Armament: Armament effects allow you to resolve the effect "Military might" (see page 10) by paying what is shown above the double-arrow symbol. If it shows a resource, return it from your player board to the supply. If it shows population, remove 1 population from your player board and place it as a rebel in the rebel leader's current territory. If you cannot pay, you cannot use the effect.

• Wood, stone, metal, sumpter, salt: Gain 1 resource of the indicated type from the supply and place it in a legal free storage space on your player board (see page 9).

• Money: Gain 1 money from the supply and place it above the storage spaces on your player board (see page 9).

• Garrison: If your legion is in a territory with a fortification, you may place 1 garrison from your player board into that fortification. Each player may have at most one garrison in each fortification. At the end of the game, you gain the power points printed on each fortification where you have a garrison.

• Population: Take 1 population of your color from the reserve and place it onto your player board. If you have no population left in the reserve, nothing happens.

• Godh: Draw the top card from the Godh stack and add it to your hand.

Godh Cards

The people of Thraen strive to win the lasting favor of the Godhs. In critical moments, they call upon them for direct aid. But many of the ancient Godhs are still bound by old feuds that prevent them from engaging with certain foreign factions.

Throughout the game, you can gain Godh cards through various effects. Each Godh card in your hand may be used in one of two ways:

1. Play it onto a rune stack via a Religion effect, as explained above.

2. Discard it to receive its gift, which grants you an additional effect. You may discard the card at any time during your turn by placing it face up next to your player board. Then, depending on the symbol in the card's upper-left corner, the following happens:

   • If the card shows a passive effect, that effect applies for the rest of your turn like any other passive effect visible in your display.
   • If it shows an active effect, resolve that effect immediately once.

   You may discard any number of Godh cards this way during your turn.

Important: You only receive the gift when discarding the card, not when playing it to a rune stack. Gifts on Godh cards placed atop rune stacks never count as being visible in your display.

At the end of your turn (see step 5 of the Character phase), you may keep a maximum of 3 Godh cards in your hand.

Godh card breakdown (diagram labels): Gift; Rune; Feud; Card title; Keywords relating to the background story (these have no in-game relevance).

Example "3) Activate the main effects in your display": Adlem resolves the main effects in his display. The card "Vas Payak" shows only passive effects, which cannot be used during this step. So, he chooses to begin with the Population effect on the card "Stehn Utreng", placing 1 from the reserve onto his player board. Next, he uses the Money effect on the card "Avrumeth", taking 1 money from the supply and placing it above his storage spaces. Then he resolves the Trade effect on the card "Kolpennion" by spending his 1 money to gain 1 metal from the supply, then placing that metal onto a free storage space. Finally, he uses the Religion effect on the card "Tar-Dha" to play the Godh card "Perdisah" from his hand to the corresponding rune slot, covering the card "Kolpennion". This lets him flip the Godh token beneath that rune slot to its power side. Had "Kolpennion" been a black card, he would not have been allowed to cover it with "Perdisah" because of "Perdisah's" feud (unless Adlem is playing with the "Master of Drakhes" side of his player board, see page 19).

4) Help Build the Bridge

If you wish, and have the necessary resources, passive effects, and population, you may now help build the bridge by contributing to the construction of its current segment. The bridge segments are numbered and are constructed in ascending order from 1 to 7. The current bridge segment is always the one with the lowest number that is still face up (i.e., showing its construction cost).

To contribute to the current bridge segment, you must fulfill all of the following requirements:

• Pay all resources shown on the front side of the segment by returning them from your player board to the supply.
• For segments 2 through 7, you must also pay the resource shown on the top face of the die on that segment's variable cost space. (The Skybridge die is rolled anew for each segment, see page 15.)
• If a passive effect is shown among the requirements (which can be either Labor or Drakhe, see next page), this effect must be currently visible in your display (the card providing it remains in your display).
• Finally, you must place 1 population from your player board onto the bridge segment.

Notes: It does not matter how many players have already contributed to the construction of the current bridge segment this round. The costs are the same for everyone. A bridge segment will only be completed during the Faction phase of a round in which at least one player has contributed. However, if no one contributes to the construction of a segment for three consecutive rounds, the segment is completed regardless (see page 15).

• Labor (passive effect): If you want to contribute to the construction of bridge segments 3 or 6, there must be at least 1 Labor symbol visible in your display.
• Drakhe (passive effect): If you want to contribute to the construction of bridge segments 4 or 7, there must be at least 1 Drakhe symbol visible in your display.

Resource Trades

To give you greater flexibility, your player board shows several resource trade options that you may perform during your turn by returning the specified resources from your player board to the supply:

• If you meet all requirements for contributing to the construction of segments 3 or 6, except for having a Labor symbol visible in your display, you may replace that Labor by paying 2 money to the supply instead.

The following trade options can be used at any time during your turn:

• Return 2 salt to the supply to gain 1 wood, 1 stone, or 1 metal from the supply.
• Return 2 metal to the supply to perform the Military might effect (see page 10).
• Return 2 sumpters to the supply to draw 1 card from the Godh stack.

Example "4) Help build the bridge": The current bridge segment is segment 3, and Adlem wants to contribute to its construction. The cost is 1 wood, 1 stone, 1 sumpter, and 1 metal. In addition, he must have Labor in his display. Since he doesn't have any stone on his player board, he decides to trade 2 salt for 1 stone. The card "Vas Payak" in his display shows a Labor symbol, and he has population on his player board, so he can fulfill all requirements. He pays the costs by returning the required resources from his player board to the supply, then places 1 population from his player board onto the bridge segment. There is already population from Guinn Urcela on the segment, as she contributed earlier in the round.

5) Check Your Godh Cards

Finally, carry out the following two steps:

a) Check how many Godh cards you have in your hand. If you have more than 3, you must now reduce them to 3 of your choice by discarding the excess. If possible, gain their gifts as you discard them (see page 12).

b) Remove all Godh cards you discarded this turn from the area beside your player board and place them face down on the bottom of the Godh stack.

Then, the player to your left takes their turn. Once every player has taken one turn this round, continue with the Faction phase.

III) Faction Phase

In the Faction phase, carry out the following 4 steps:

1) Check Bridge Construction

Check whether at least 1 population is present on the current bridge segment:

• 1a) If at least one population is present, the current bridge segment is completed and you must proceed as follows: Set the segment's population and die aside, flip the segment over to its back side, then place its population back onto it. Next, roll the Skybridge die and place it onto the variable cost space of the next bridge segment (the one with the lowest number of those still face up). Skip this step if segment 7 has just been completed, as it is the final segment. Finally, move the rebel leader to the next desert territory in the direction opposite to the red arrow (see below).
• 1b) If no population is present on the current segment, proceed as follows: Take 1 free (gray) rebel from the reserve and place it into the rebel leader's current territory. Important: If this would place the third free rebel at the rebel leader's location (because no one has contributed to building the bridge for 3 consecutive rounds), then do not place that third rebel. Instead, the segment is completed without your help. Proceed as in 1a (but with no population present on the segment).

The Rebel Leader

The rebel leader begins the game in the central desert territory "Salthras Deen." Each time a bridge segment is completed, the rebel leader moves to the next territory, against the direction of the red arrow, i.e., opposite to the movement of the legions. Whenever rebels are placed on the desert map (free rebels or any player's population), they must be placed into the rebel leader's current territory.

A Great Drakhe Awakens

As the Skybridge reaches and crosses the gravity-free void between the worlds, the growing weight of the bridge begins to pull it toward Beeledhan's Eye. The inevitable happens: part of the bridge collapses and crashes down onto the Eye. With the help of the Drakhes, the workers must fly to Beeledhan's Eye to build a second foundation there, from which the second half of the bridge can be completed. But the appearance of the builders on Beeledhan's Eye not only rouses its native inhabitants, it also awakens the ancient Great Drakhes, who view these "invaders" with hostility.

IMPORTANT: After bridge segment 4 is completed, construction continues from Beeledhan's Eye. Therefore, you place the die onto the variable cost space of segment 5, which is directly adjacent to the Beeledhan's Eye space. Then, as the rebel leader moves forward (see above), he reaches the territory with this space. The Drakhe head symbol there is a reminder that a Great Drakhe awakens now: Reveal the Great Drakhe card placed on top of the Beeledhan's Eye stack and follow its instructions, which let each player choose whether to reduce their area of military might or suffer an alternative form of damage (see page 19 for an overview of possible damage). Then, place the Great Drakhe card into the box. From now on, the Beeledhan's Eye stack with additional faction cards is in play, and henceforth in step 1 of the Preparation phase, its top card is revealed.

2) Check for Food

Each player now checks whether the passive effect "Food" is visible in their display.

Food (passive effect): If at least one Food symbol is visible in your display, your population is fed and nothing happens. If there is no Food symbol in your display, you must remove 1 population from your player board and place it as a rebel in the rebel leader's current territory. If you have no population on your player board at this time, you are spared this penalty.

3) Pass the Starting Drakhe

The player with the starting Drakhe passes it to the player to their left.

4) Remove Face-Up Faction Cards From the Game Board and the Skybridge

Remove all face-up faction cards that remain on the stacks of the game board and on the stacks of the Skybridge. Place them face down onto the faction card discard pile.

If bridge segment 7 has been completed, proceed to the end of the game. Otherwise, begin a new round with the Preparation phase.

End of the Game

The game ends at the end of the round in which bridge segment 7 is completed. Once all 4 steps of the final round's Faction phase have been finished, carry out the following two steps:

1. Starting compensation: Distribute any cards remaining in the bridge work stack as follows: Starting with the player who just received the starting Drakhe, deal one card at a time to each player in a clockwise direction until all cards are distributed. Each player places their received bridge work cards face up onto any of their own rune stacks (preferably one where the Godh token shows its power side).

2. Rebellious population: Each player who still has population of their color in the reserve above the desert map places all of them in the territory where their own legion is.

Scoring

Each player now receives their power points. Go through the four scoring categories and record each player's points on paper or in our Deep Print Games app.

The 4 scoring categories:

1. Construction of the Skybridge Receive the power points printed on each segment with your population. If your population is the only one present on a segment, gain 1 additional point for that segment.

2. Gaining the favor of the Godhs Go through all your rune stacks whose Godh token shows the power side: Gain the power points printed on each faction card and starting faction card in those stacks.

3. Keeping the rebels in check Gain 1 power point for each foreign rebel in your area of military might, that is, any foreign rebel in the same territory as your legion or in any territory behind it. (It's best to start counting in the starting territory "Shirbed Plateau" and follow the arrows territory by territory until you reach the one with your legion.) Foreign rebels include all rebels that are not your own, including free rebels and the rebel leader. Legions and garrisons do not count.

4. Employing garrisons Gain the power points shown on each fortification containing one of your garrisons.

Tie-break: The player with the most power points wins. If tied, the tied player with the most population on the Skybridge wins. If there is still a tie, all tied players share the victory.

Closing text: As the Skybridge is finally completed, the fragile unity of the peoples of Thraen begins to fracture once more, and old rifts reopen. Whoever used the time of construction most effectively to consolidate their power now seizes sole control over the Skybridge, and with it, access to Beeledhan's Eye. But will the Eye truly bring the long-awaited prosperity? And will those in power use the Skybridge for the benefit of the people? The future will tell.

Appendix: Character Abilities

Each character has a unique ability on the front and back of their player board, which alters specific rules for that character.

Guinn Urcela, the Immortal

The Crown of Empery During setup (step 9), you receive the crown and place it next to your player board. In step 2 of each round's Preparation phase, after cards have been revealed, choose one of the five central faction stacks and place the crown onto it. During the Character phase, if another player takes the top card from the stack with the crown, you may immediately choose one of the two bonus effects of that stack and resolve it. This ability does not apply during your own turn. As soon as the face-up card is taken from the stack with the crown, return the crown to your player board.

The Crown of Agony During setup (step 9), you receive the crown and place it next to your player board. In step 2 of each round's Preparation phase, after cards have been revealed, choose one of the five central faction stacks and place the crown onto it. During the Character phase, if another player wants to take the top card from the stack with the crown, they must give you 1 population from their player board. (If they cannot or do not want to, they may not take a card from that stack.) Place the population onto your player board. You may use this foreign population as if it were your own whenever you must remove population from your player board. However, for contributing to the construction of the bridge (see page 13), you must still use your own population. As soon as the face-up card is taken from the stack with the crown, return the crown to your player board.

Jardh Rogoll

Urdfinnar's High Priest Whenever you gain a Godh card, draw an additional card from the Godh stack. Then, choose one of the following:

• Add one of the two cards to your hand and place the other face down on the bottom of the Godh stack.
• OR: Discard both cards to receive their gifts (see page 12).

The Secret of the Geneorn You have only 4 rune slots available for the entire game, but your faction cards are not bound to any specific rune. This means you may play any faction card to any rune slot. (Feuds on Godh cards still apply as usual.) When playing a Godh card to a rune stack, however, the rune on the top faction card in that stack must match the rune on the Godh card (unless it's wild).

Hamises

Daughter of Beeledhan On your turn, whenever you would take a faction card (step 1a of the Character phase), you may first peek at the top card of any one face-down central faction stack. You may not use the passive effect "Knowledge" to peek at more cards. Then, you may either take the card you peeked at or place it face down back on its stack and instead take the top card of a face-up stack as usual (using any of your Knowledge effects if applicable). The bonus effect that you choose in step 1b must come from the stack whose card you actually took.

Visions of Beeledhan Whenever you play a faction card into your display, you may use the Inspiration effect once (see page 10). This is in addition to any immediate effects of the card itself.

Adlem

Master of Drakhes Whenever you play a faction card that shows the passive effect "Drakhe" into your display, draw the top card of the Godh stack. Additionally, you may ignore the feuds on all Godh cards (see "Religion," page 12).

Bridge Builder During setup (step 9), you receive the red Utreng die and place it next to your player board. The Utreng die works like the Skybridge die but shows a different set of resources. Each time the Skybridge die is rolled (see page 15), roll the Utreng die as well. Then, choose which of the two dice is placed on the variable cost space of the new current bridge segment. Place the other die onto your player board, above your storage spaces. If you contribute to the construction of the bridge segment, you may use the die on your player board to pay for a cost requiring the resource shown on its top face (you may only use it for bridge construction, not for anything else). After using it, place the die next to your player board, keeping the rolled face up. Whenever you roll this face, turn the Utreng die to another face of your choice.

Irseth Serath Aadrin Darintha

Lhaedineeri Gardens During setup (step 9), you receive the additional starting faction card "Ghiarhabbat", which you place into your display at a rune slot of your choice. Whenever you play a card to the rune slot where "Ghiarhabbat" is currently on top, you may first decide to move "Ghiarhabbat" to another rune slot of your choice, placing it as the top card there. Feuds on Godh cards apply as usual.

The Profiteers of Shenna Whenever you play a faction card into your display, you may place 1 population from your player board as a rebel in the rebel leader's current territory. If you do, you may immediately resolve the effect shown next to the rune of the slot to which you played the faction card.

Callout on the page: "This effect means: Gain from the supply the resource shown on the top face of the Skybridge die."

The Great Drakhe Cards

Until bridge segment 4 is completed, the Beeledhan's Eye stack is blocked by a face-down Great Drakhe card. Once segment 4 is completed, this Great Drakhe awakens and you reveal the card and resolve it (see page 15). The card requires each player to choose one of the two damage options shown on it. If a player cannot fully execute one option, they must take the other.

• SATHAP: Either: Choose 2 faction cards from your hand and place them face down on the faction card discard pile. Or: Reduce your area of military might by 1 territory (see page 12).
• TEROGH: Either: Choose one of your rune slots with at least one card in its stack and close it for the rest of the game by turning the entire stack face down. From now on, you may no longer play faction or Godh cards to that stack, nor rearrange it. If the Godh token below it still shows the faith side, it cannot be flipped anymore. If it already shows the power side, the stack will score normally at the end of the game. Or: Reduce your area of military might by 1 territory (see page 12).
• ELBEA: Either: Remove 2 population from your player board and return them to the box. Or: Reduce your area of military might by 1 territory (see page 12). (If you have no military might and only 1 population on your player board, you must remove that one. If you have neither military might nor population on your player board, you are spared the penalty.)

Overview: Quick Reference

Playing a Round

I) Preparation phase

1. Reveal new cards (page 8)
2. Place the crown, if applicable

II) Character phase (in clockwise order, each player takes one turn, which comprises the following steps)

1. a) Take a faction card (page 8); b) Choose a bonus effect
2. Play a faction card, and resolve any immediate effects (page 10)
3. Activate the main effects in your display (page 11)
4. Help build the bridge, optional (page 13)
5. Check your Godh cards (page 14): a) Discard down to 3 Godh cards; b) Place discarded Godh cards on the bottom of the Godh stack

III) Faction phase

1. Check bridge construction
2. Check for food (page 16)
3. Pass the starting Drakhe (page 16)
4. Remove remaining face-up faction cards from the game board and Skybridge

Quick Reference: Immediate Effects (page 10)

• Military might: Increase your area of military might by 1 territory by moving your legion forward into the next desert territory.
• Inspiration: Rearrange the cards in any one of your rune stacks.
• Return: Take 1 population of your color from any territory of the desert map and return it to your player board.

Quick Reference: Effects

• Wood / Stone / Metal / Sumpter / Salt / Money (page 11): Take 1 resource of the indicated type from the supply and place it onto your player board (observe storage space limits).
• Population (page 11): Take 1 population of your color from the reserve and place it onto your player board.
• Garrison (page 11): If your legion is in a territory with a fortification, place 1 garrison into that fortification (only 1 garrison per player per fortification).
• Godh (page 12): Draw the top card from the Godh stack and add it to your hand.
• Religion (page 12): Play a Godh card from your hand onto the stack at the matching rune slot. Then flip the Godh token below that rune slot to its power side.
• Knowledge (passive) (page 8): When you draw a card from one of the 5 central faction stacks, you may draw 1 additional card from the same stack for each Knowledge symbol visible in your display. Keep one card and return the rest face down to the top of the stack.
• Labor / Drakhe (passive) (page 14): Required for building certain bridge segments.
• Food (passive) (page 16): During the Faction phase, if there are no Food symbols visible in your display, you must remove 1 population from your player board and place it as a rebel in the rebel leader's current territory.