Stonesaga Rulebook

Table of Contents

Component List
Setup
Basic Rules & Concepts
Additional Rules
Advanced Rules
Campaign Rules
Clarifications
Game Modifications
Endless Mode
Credits
Icon Glossary
Index

Component List

4 Mantle Boards + 4 Miniatures
3 Behemoth Boards + 3 Miniatures
6 Dice
1 Companion Board + Miniature
2 Society Trays + Lids
8 Terrain Trays
10 Verdant Vale Hexes
10 Skyreach Plateau Hexes
7 Maelstrom Hills Hexes
20 Mantle Powers
4 Starlit Sea Hexes
2 Special Hexes
24 Hex Overlays
20 Energy Tokens
20 Injury Tokens
20 Disease Tokens
16 Boost Tokens
15 Mystery Tokens
6 Fire Tokens
6 Shelter Tokens
8 Depletion Tokens
84 Food/Water Tokens (12 each)
8 Character Tokens (2 each)
20 Mining Tokens (5 each)
3 Demeanor Tokens
8 Aim/Trace Tokens
82 Material Tokens
1 Discovery Tray
20 Outpost Cards
98 Goal Cards
55 Journey Cards
45 Night Cards
186 Item Cards
32 Structure Cards
21 Behemoth Cards
10 Fishing Cards
6 Starlit Sea Fishing Cards
45 Delving Cards
18 Forest Foraging Cards
18 Prairie Foraging Cards
8 Jungle Foraging Cards
6 Colored Pencils
60 Character Cards
Journal
2 Card Boxes
1 Draw Bag
40 Challenge Cards
4 Reference Cards
21 Knowledge Cards
26 Card Dividers
10 Endless Event Cards
4 Society Tracks + 4 Wood Tokens
Basic Action Reference Sheet
Terrain Reference Sheet
Setup Sheet
Codex
2 Primal Cave Wall Sheets

Setup

To set up a game of Stonesaga, perform the steps presented in this section. If this is a group's first game or the start of a new campaign, they should read the First Game sidebars presented throughout this section.

Gameplay Options — Solo, Endless Mode & Increased Difficulty. The standard campaign rules are introduced in this section, but if players want to modify their experience, there are several options they can apply: if playing a SOLO game, see the "Solo Rules" section on page 100 for instructions about modifying the setup steps; if playing an ENDLESS MODE game, see the "Endless Mode" section on page 102 for instructions about modifying the game; if players seek a MORE CHALLENGING game, see the "Game Difficulty" section on page 101 for instructions about modifying the game.

Learn as You Play. If you would like to learn as you play, set up a game following the instructions in this section. Then, read the "Basic Rules and Concepts" section (see page 13). Finally, move directly to playing the first challenge, which functions as a tutorial.

1. Select Character

Each player selects a character to play for the current game. If it is the first game of a campaign or more characters are needed, a player creates a new character as described in Character Creation. As long as each player has at least 1 character, a player may have multiple characters. A player can't select a character who has perished or become a Legend.

Character Creation

Each player must create a character before starting a campaign. These are the characters they will use for the first game. It is recommended that a player continues to use the same character until that character perishes and becomes a legend. However, each time a new game is set up, players are free to create new characters or play as any previously created character that has not yet perished. Perishing, which is described later, is inevitable. As such, players can expect to create and use multiple characters throughout the same campaign.

To create a character, gather an unused Character card, five dice, and a writing implement such as a pencil or pen (not provided). Then, perform the following steps:

Roll Dice. Roll five dice until the sum of the results is 14 or greater. Then, remove the die with the lowest result. Each of the remaining results determines the value of one of the character's attributes. (If two or more dice share the same lowest result, choose one and remove it.)
Assign Results. Assign one of the remaining dice results to each of the four attributes (might, dexterity, conviction, and awareness) on the Character card. Each attribute reflects your character's capabilities within a certain sphere, described below:
- Might — A character's toughness and prowess at tasks of physical strength.
- Dexterity — A character's coordination and agility.
- Awareness — A character's ability to perceive threats and opportunities in their environment and other people.
- Conviction — A character's decisiveness, self-assuredness, and ability to persuade others to their cause.
Record Results. Then, write each result in the space below the attribute to which that result was assigned. The higher the value, the more capable a character will be when using that attribute.
Choose Name. Choose a name and write it in the dedicated space on the Character card. Each character in the game must have a unique name. A randomized name table can be found on page 189 of the Codex, if desired.
Check Age Box. Check the box next to "Young" on the Character card. Characters age during the game and become legends after they perish. Aging and perishing are described later in the rulebook, in "Intervals" on page 94 and "Perished Characters" on page 70. A character's results, name, age, and trait is permanently recorded on their Character card.
Choose Trait. Choose one of the following traits to describe your character:
- Cunning — You are wily, and instinctively know how to react to many dangers from your environment and fellow humans alike.
- Intrepid — You are bold, a natural leader and explorer, with a keen sense of direction in the world and in life.
- Indomitable — You are implacable and composed, striding forward without hesitation no matter the obstacle.
- Resourceful — You are efficient and inventive, which makes you especially apt at getting the most out of your surroundings.
- Wise — You are thoughtful and cautious, prone to deep forethought and careful consideration of your actions.
Then, write that trait in the space provided on the Character card. Traits often add bonuses described within individual tests, and may even unlock options that are otherwise unavailable in some cases. Having a variety of traits across the different characters can be helpful. However, players are encouraged to choose a trait that embodies the personality of their character.

2. Select Mantle

Each mantle represents an archetype taken up by a character within your people's saga. Choose one of the following mantles:

Mantle of the Protector — A mantle of guidance and preservation of friends and allies.
Mantle of the Seeker — A mantle of the hunt, finder of things hidden and obscured.
Mantle of the Storyteller — A mantle connected with people of the past, custodian of accumulated lore.
Mantle of the Wanderer — A mantle driven to explore, delver of places unknown.

Take the mantle board that corresponds to the chosen mantle and its matching miniature, which represents the character with that mantle during the game. (The mantle's name is written on the back of each mantle board.)

Note that mantles are interchangeable between games. For instance, a character might take on the Mantle of the Wanderer in their restless youth, but switch to the Mantle of the Storyteller when they are old and wish to impart their experiences upon the next generation. Such personal development can be an important part of a character's saga!

3. Choose Mantle Powers

Each character can choose up to one mantle power from among the mantle powers listed on the Culture page of the Journal, placing it in the mantle power slot on their mantle board. Players must obey any mantle-specific restrictions when selecting a mantle power (see "Mantle Powers" on page 65).

Mantle Powers for First Game. If this is the start of your first campaign, players will not have any mantle powers to equip. Players should skip this step.

4. Prepare Mantle Board

Each player inserts their Character card into the slot at the top of their mantle board. Then, they set their energy maximum by placing energy tokens on the energy track at the bottom of their board according to the number of characters used in the game, as follows:

1 to 2 characters: Place five energy tokens on the energy track.
3 or more characters: Place four energy tokens on the energy track.

Energy tokens are placed with their available icon side faceup.

5. Select Challenge

Select a challenge, obeying the following rules:

If this is the first game of the first epoch (i.e., the first epoch of a new campaign), select a "Campaign Start" challenge.
If this is the first game of a subsequent epoch (i.e., not the first epoch of a campaign), select an "Epoch Start" challenge.
If this is the second or third game of the current epoch, select any looming "Crisis" challenge. If there are none, select any other looming challenge that isn't a "Finale" challenge.
If this is the fourth or fifth game of the current epoch, make a selection between a looming "Finale" challenge or another looming challenge. If a looming challenge is chosen, a "Crisis" must be selected if able.
If this is the sixth game of an epoch, select any looming "Finale" challenge.

Place the selected Challenge card in the play area so it is visible to all players.

Challenge for First Game. If this is the players' first time playing the game, they select the Challenge card titled Seeds on the Wind (CI01). This is the Introduction challenge and serves as a tutorial to Stonesaga. If this is not the players' first time playing, or if all players prefer to play without the guidance of the Introduction challenge, select the alternate "Campaign Start" Challenge card titled Whispers on the North Wind (CA01). This challenge is not designed to support the Learn as You Play experience introduced on page 7, and will require more self-driven reference of the rulebook as new topics arise.

Seeds on the Wind (CI01) — Campaign Start, Introduction. Play this challenge to begin a new campaign. Under the icy watch of the moon, your people found a passage into a primordial vale long-sealed by ancient glaciers. To survive, you'll need to find sustenance and a refuge for your people before winter. Immediate goals: Survive the Night (GI01), Learn to Fish (GI02). Set aside the remaining introductory goals (GI03-GI10) for later use, then set up your valley (see rulebook p. 6). Once you have completed setup, flip this card.

6. Gather Goal Cards

Gather all Goal cards listed on the selected Challenge card and set them in the play area near the selected Challenge card. Resolve any other setup instructions on the Challenge card, then flip it to its back side.

Goal Cards for First Game. For the Seeds of the Wind challenge, gather the following Introduction Goal cards and put them into play: Survive the Night (GI01), Learn to Fish (GI02). Then gather the following and set aside: Learn to Forage (GI03), Learn to Mine (GI04), Gather Water (GI05), Create Shelter (GI06), Explore Your Surroundings (GI07), Gather Resources (GI08), Process Materials (GI09), Make Tools (GI10).

7. Create Map

Place the terrain trays and hexes according to their positions from the previous game session as they were recorded on the Valley Map page of the Journal.

Create Map for First Game. If this is the players' first time playing the game or players are setting up a fresh valley for a new campaign, they set up the valley by performing the following steps:

Choose a Region. Choose which region to explore and gather the terrain hexes for that region. The two available choices are the Verdant Vale or the Skyreach Plateau.
Place Starting Hex. Place a terrain tray in the center of the play area in reach of all players. Place the starting hex of the chosen region faceup in any one of the three slots in the tray.
Randomize Region. Put all other hexes from that region into the bag and shuffle them.
Place Other Hexes. Take two random terrain hexes from the bag and place them facedown in the two remaining slots in the terrain tray. Place these tiles in the same orientation as the starting hex.

8. Place Miniature

Each player places their character miniature in the starting hex. Alternatively, if there are one or more outpost overlays on the map, each player may choose to place their miniature on any hex with an outpost.

9. Set Society Tracks

Society tracks indicate key factors in your society's continued existence. Each of these tracks has a numerical value that can increase and decrease during play. Place the activity and lore tokens on space 0 of their respective tracks. The unrest and population tokens remain on their spaces from the end of the last game, as their value is persistent between games. (The four tracks are: Unrest Track, Activity Track, Population Track, Lore Track.)

Society Tracks for First Game. Place the activity, lore, and unrest tokens on space 0 of their respective tracks. Place the population token on space 8 of the population track.

10. Prepare Valley Decks

Shuffle the cards in the Journey deck and the Night deck and place them in the play area, in convenient reach of all players.

Prepare Valley Decks for First Game. Construct the Journey and Night decks of the following cards: Journey Deck: JA01-JA06; Night Deck: NA01-NA05.

11. Place Society Trays

Place the token trays in the play area, in convenient reach of all players.

12. Distribute Reference Cards

Give a double-sided Day Phase and Night Phase reference card to each player. Now players are ready to begin the adventure of Stonesaga!

Basic Rules & Concepts

This section contains the basic rules and concepts for Stonesaga and provides a foundation for players who are learning the game.

Characters and Mantles

During the game, each player controls one or more characters. Each character is represented by their mantle board, their miniature, and their Character card.

Mantles

Each character embodies a mythic archetype called a mantle. A mantle determines a character's powers and appearance. During the character creation process, each player selects one of the game's mantles that their character holds, taking its mantle board and matching miniature.

The mantle board is used to manage a character's inventory, track their health, energy, and boosts, and display their attributes and mantle power. The miniature is used to indicate the character's current location on the game map.

Characters are temporary. Mantles are passed on through generations.

Character Cards

Each Character card begins blank. During the character creation process, a player enters their character's information—name, traits, age, and attribute values—on a blank Character card (see "Character Creation" on page 6).

Name. Each character must have a unique name that identifies them. If desired, a randomized name table can be found on Codex page 189.

Trait. Traits have no inherent abilities; however, various tests throughout the game provide characters with bonuses for having specific traits. There are five traits available at the start of the campaign (see "Character Creation" on page 6). Additional traits may become available as the campaign progresses.

Age. An active character can be either young or old. Some game effects may reference a character's age. After a character perishes, they become a legend, which is described later.

Attributes. A character's attributes are used for performing tests. Each character has four attributes: might, dexterity, awareness, and conviction.

A character's card slots into their mantle board, joining the character to the mantle. If that character perishes or switches mantles between challenges, a different character may assume the mantle.

Tests

Many effects throughout the game instruct characters to perform tests. When a character performs a test, their player rolls a die, applies all modifiers tied to that test, and then uses the result to determine the test's outcome. Each test invokes a particular attribute. The rolled result is modified by adding the value of the attribute being tested. In some cases, other modifiers are listed in the test or other effects, modifying the value as described.

Boosts

Boosts provide characters with temporary increases to their attributes, boosting them to higher values. There are two types of boosts: minor boosts and major boosts. A minor boost increases the value of the attribute it is assigned to by one. A major boost increases the value of the attribute it is assigned to by two. In either case, the boosted value is the sum of the base value plus the value of the boost.

When a character gains a boost, they assign it to an attribute by placing it in a boost slot on their mantle board below that attribute.

If a character already has a minor boost assigned to an attribute and they would gain another minor boost to the same attribute, they upgrade it to a major boost instead.

After resolving a test that uses a boosted attribute, that attribute's boost is degraded. If a major boost is degraded, its token is flipped, and it becomes a minor boost. If a minor boost is degraded, the token is discarded. Boosts have arrow and "x" icons to remind players to respectively flip or discard the token when it is degraded.

Resolving Tests

To resolve a test, a player performs the following steps for their character, in order:

Roll Die. A character rolls a six-sided die. If the result is a six during this step, the character begins a heroic effort (see "Heroic Effort" below).
Reroll Results and Add Dice. A character can use any relevant abilities (in any order they choose) that allow them to reroll dice or add dice to the roll. When a die is added, it is rolled once. An added die can be rerolled.
Add Attribute Value. A character adds the value of the attribute they are testing to the sum of all dice results. If the attribute is boosted, they must add the boosted value.
Apply Other Modifiers. If a test has additional modifiers, positive or negative, they are applied to the overall test result.
Determine Outcome. Compare the final test result to the outcomes provided by the test. Read the result that corresponds to the test result and follow its instructions.
Degrade Boost. If a character tested an attribute that had a boost, they degrade that boost during this step.

Heroic Effort. During a test, when a character's initial roll during Step 1: Roll Die results in a six, they have put forth a heroic effort. When this happens, before moving on to Step 2, the character rolls another die and adds that result to their initial roll. If the added die roll results in a six, the character's heroic effort continues, allowing them to roll another die to add to the test result in the same manner. A heroic effort can continue in this way any number of times, until it rolls a result other than six.

Worked example (Journey card "Strange Spires," JU01, tested against the trait Intrepid character Trog):

A character is instructed to test dexterity.
The character rolls a die. The result is a 6, a heroic effort! The character rolls another die with a result of 3.
The character's dexterity value is 2 and it is boosted by 1, for a total of 3.
The test result is 12 (the dice provide 9, dexterity provides 2, and the boost provides 1).
The character reads the test outcome that corresponds to a result of 12+ ("You withdraw your hand quickly, and open it to find a fragment of the coral. Gain 1 dead coral.").
The character gains 1 dead coral shard from the reserve of material tokens.
The character degrades their boost once. Since the attribute was boosted through a minor boost, the minor boost is discarded.

Energy

Energy is spent by a character to perform actions and resolve other effects throughout the day, and is recovered at night. A character manages their energy using the energy track on their mantle board.

Each character has either four or five energy (see "Character Creation" on page 6) to use during the game. This energy is represented by tokens that are placed on that character's energy track. Energy tokens have an available side and an exhausted (blank) side.

If a game effect instructs a character to spend or lose one or more energy, they choose a matching number of available energy tokens on their mantle board and flip them to their exhausted side.

A character cannot spend energy if they do not have enough available energy tokens. If a game effect instructs a character to lose energy and no tokens are available, they must suffer one minor injury for each energy they could not lose (injuries are described under "Maladies," on page 55).

If a game effect instructs a character to recover or gain one or more energy, they choose a matching number of exhausted energy tokens on their mantle board and flip them to their available side. A character cannot gain energy beyond their maximum as determined by the number of characters (see page 9).

Maladies

Each character's mantle board has a health track that is used to monitor any maladies the character suffers. There are two types of maladies: injuries and diseases. The detailed rules for maladies are presented on page 55.

As a character gains injuries or diseases, malady tokens are placed on that character's health track, and they are flipped as their severity increases or decreases. The size of a character's health track varies by the number of characters, and a character becomes incapacitated if each space on their health track has a malady token (see "Incapacitated" on page 57).

A mantle board also has hand slots, body slots, and pouch slots for items, a resource bag, and a health track.

Inventory

Each mantle board has two types of inventory: a resource bag for storing resources (materials, food, and water) as well as nine item slots (two hand slots, three body slots, and four pouch slots), which can hold a variety of Item cards.

Resource Bag. The resource bag is an indented space in the mantle board. During the day phase, a character can place any number of resource tokens in their resource bag. During the night phase (see "Night Phase" on page 51), characters must reconcile their inventory, which limits the number of tokens the resource bag can hold. See "Reconcile Inventory" on page 53 for more details.

Item Slots. Item slots are indented slots on the left and right sides of the mantle boards. Each item slot can hold one item of its type. See "Items" on page 63 for more details.

Resources

The food, water, and materials that characters can gain throughout the game are called resources. Each resource is represented by a double-sided token.

Food and Water

Food and water are essential to a character's survival. Food and water are stored in a character's inventory, and can be set aside to be consumed by moving them to the reminder spaces on the mantle board. At night, a character recovers energy and gains other benefits from having consumed food and water.

There are two types of food tokens: perishable and tough. Perishable foods degrade, preventing characters from consuming them after too much time has passed. Tough foods do not degrade; however, they cannot be consumed until they have been processed.

The rules for consuming food are found on page 52 and the rules for degrading food are found on page 66.

Perishable Foods. There are four perishable foods: game, fish, mushrooms, and roots. These are categorized as meat (orange: game, fish) and vegetable (purple: mushrooms, roots).

Each perishable food token has a fresh side and a fermented side. The fresh side is either orange or purple and marked with an arrow. The fermented side is always green, shows the food in a more decomposed form, and is marked with an "x." These marks are reminders for what to do when this food is degraded (flip for the arrow, or discard for the "x").

Unless a game effect specifically states otherwise, when a character gains perishable food, it is placed in the character's inventory with its fresh side faceup.

Tough Foods. There are two tough foods: nuts and grains. Tough foods are vegetables. Each tough food token has an unprocessed side and a processed side. The unprocessed side is brown and is marked with a tool icon, and a tough food can't be eaten in this state. The processed side is yellow and has no icons—it remains in its processed state until a character consumes it.

Unless a game effect specifically states otherwise, when a character gains tough food, it is placed in a character's inventory with its unprocessed side faceup.

Water. Water is represented by a water token. Unlike food, water tokens do not have different sides. Water does not degrade and is always ready for a character to consume it. Water is stored in the inventory.

The rules for consuming water are described on page 52.

Materials

Materials are components that characters can use to craft items and build structures. There are numerous different types of materials, and they are represented by double-sided tokens with unique art and divided into four categories based on their composition. Each category of material has a unique color and texture on the border of its token and belongs to one of the four categories: animal (light brown), plant (green), mineral (dark brown), and rare (white).

Each material has an unprocessed side and a processed side. The unprocessed side has an arrow, indicating that it is flipped to its other side after it is processed. The processed side does not have an arrow. After a material is flipped to its processed side, it does not revert to its unprocessed side.

Examples: Hide (animal), Wood (plant), Clay (mineral), Coral / Dead Coral (rare).

Unless a game effect specifically states otherwise, when a character gains a material, it is placed in a character's inventory with its unprocessed side faceup.

Regions and Terrain Hexes

The world that the players are exploring is divided into regions that consist of a variety of biomes. The game's starting regions are the Verdant Vale and the Skyreach Plateau.

Each region is represented by a set of terrain hexes with a unified artistic theme. Terrain hexes are placed in terrain trays to create the game map. Each terrain tray has space for three terrain hexes. As the characters traverse the world, additional terrain trays will be added to the map.

Terrain hexes are either explored or unexplored. Hexes are generally added to the valley unexplored. The explored side of a hex has art depicting the hex's terrain features as well as a hex ID number. The unexplored side of a hex is shrouded, showing only a hint of what terrain is present there.

Adjacency. Two terrain hexes are adjacent if they share a hex edge with each other. (For example, a starting hex can be adjacent to both an explored hex and an unexplored hex because it shares a hex edge with each of them.)

Land and Features. Terrain hexes contain artistic representations of an area's land and features. The land is the dominant terrain within a region, and functions as the background for a hex. Land has no mechanical effect on a character's interactions with the hex unless specified by the rules for the individual region. Features are artistic representations of various landforms found within a hex. During a game, characters can perform feature actions, such as fishing, foraging, and mining, at specific features. These actions are described in detail beginning on page 36.

A complete visual list of each feature in the starting regions can be found on the Terrain Reference Sheet. If needed, a list of each feature depicted on each hex can also be found on page 223 of the Codex. (Example land types: heath. Example features: lake, forest, chasm, cave.)

Codex and Journal

The Codex is a book with secret information the players will be instructed to read during play. Do not read the Codex unless instructed to do so! The Codex has several different sections filled with entries, as well as other key information. The most common entry type is an outcome. When an effect instructs a player to read an outcome (often indicated with a numbered icon), the player turns to the section beginning on page 3 of the Codex, then finds the corresponding numbered outcome and reads it.

The Journal is a book where players record a variety of information in the sections described below:

Valley Map — A section that contains a hex-grid to record, by using hex IDs, the positional layout of all hexes and overlays.
Culture — A section to record any culture abilities that have been acquired. These include structure designs, mantle powers, Knowledge cards, and taboos. Cards and abilities added to the cultural knowledge persist for the duration of the campaign.
Recipes, Experimentation, Investigations — Sections for recording your society's discovered recipes, experimentations, and omen investigations.
Behemoths — A section used to record pertinent information about behemoths.
Notes — A section for notes on the campaign.

Game Structure

Each game session of Stonesaga is played over a series of day and night cycles during which the characters face an inflection point for their society that is represented by a Challenge card.

The day is represented by the day phase. During the day, characters spend energy to explore, gather resources, craft, build, and work toward their common goals. The night is represented by the night phase. During the night, characters rest to replenish their energy while also resolving a series of night events. The details for resolving each phase are described in "Day Phase" on page 24 and in "Night Phase" on page 51.

The cycle of day and night phases continues until the characters, as a group, complete the challenge (usually by pursuing immediate goals) or a challenge event ends the game.

Challenge and Goal Cards

Each individual game of Stonesaga is guided by a Challenge card that players select during setup. The front side of each Challenge card provides the players with a list of immediate goals and a list of ongoing goals, as well as other setup information. Immediate goals are the focus of each game, while ongoing goals are carried over between games within the same epoch. After setup, the Challenge card is flipped over to the back, which provides information for the game.

All goals are represented by double-sided cards. During challenge setup, players gather all the goals listed on their Challenge card and place them in the play area. Players also place any ongoing goals from prior challenges into the play area.

Goals provide characters with achievements to complete as a group. Each Goal card describes how the characters can complete it.

When a goal is completed, the players read the instructions on the back side of that Goal card. Those instructions might add more goals, direct the players to read an entry in the Codex, or have some other effect. After completing a goal, return all tokens or other components placed on that goal card to the supply unless instructed otherwise. For the first challenge and most others, completing a number of immediate goals allows the players to end the current game on preferable terms. However, there may be other, less obvious avenues to end a game, as well. If an effect instructs the players to automatically complete a goal, resolve it immediately, treating it as completed.

Activity Track and Challenge Events

The activity track is shared among all players and represents the characters' ongoing pressures from their environment and their larger society to continue making progress toward their goals.

The activity track displays the characters' activity level. Throughout the game, various effects instruct the characters to add to their activity level. When this happens, the activity token is moved on the activity track, so the appropriate activity level is displayed. When activity level is referenced on components and in game effects, the activity icon is used.

The back of each challenge card has a series of challenge events. These events can be positive or negative for the characters.

Each challenge event has a corresponding activity threshold. During the night phase, if the group's activity level (on the activity track) equals or exceeds a challenge event's activity threshold (on the Challenge card), the characters resolve that event's effect.

Characters can only resolve each challenge effect once per challenge. As such, when resolving events during the night phase, any previously resolved challenge events are ignored.

The final event on each Challenge card ends the challenge, instructing the players to read an outcome in the Codex. These endings are often unfavorable to the characters and their society. (For example, characters resolve a challenge event during the first night phase in which the activity level is 5 or greater, if that event's threshold is 5.)

Challenge End

When a challenge ends, parts of the game persist and continue into the next challenge. For this reason, some game information must be recorded in the Journal, and effects may cause certain game elements such as cards in decks to be removed or reset. When a challenge ends, players should read the "Challenge Ending" section on page 95.

Day Phase

During the day phase, players take turns performing actions. When a player takes their turn, they can either perform one action or pass. After a player passes, they cannot perform any more actions during the current day phase.

Players continue taking turns, one player at a time, until all players have passed. The players can take turns in any order, and a player can take multiple turns in a row.

After all players have passed, the game proceeds to the night phase.

Sharing Food and Water. Characters can help one another to remain fed and hydrated without using an action. Before and after each action (but not during), any characters who occupy the same hex can freely swap food and water tokens with each other.

Day Actions. Throughout the game, the actions a character can perform are dependent on the current phase (day or night) and on the features that are present in the hex that they occupy. Night actions are described in the "Night Phase" section that begins on page 51.

During the day, characters can perform basic actions and feature actions. These actions typically require a character to spend energy.

Some actions also disrupt the area, depleting the hex (see "Depletion" on page 59). The energy and depletion costs for most actions are shown on the Day and Night Phase reference card. Depletion tokens are represented by a mountain icon.

A character can perform basic actions regardless of their location on the map. However, to perform feature actions, a character must be in a hex with that specific feature.

Simultaneous Turns. Once all players have gotten the hang of the turn structure and actions available, the group might decide to have players take turns simultaneously rather than sequentially. This can speed up play significantly, though it can introduce certain complications as well. See "Simultaneous Play" on page 100 for details.

Learn as You Play. If you intend to learn as you play and you've read everything prior to this sidebar, you now know all of the rules needed to begin the game. The goals you complete during your first challenge will take you through the basic actions and indicate which sections and pages in the rulebook to read.

Basic Actions

Basic actions allow characters to move, interact with other characters, and use the materials they have gained to craft items and build structures. Basic actions can be performed in any hex, regardless of the features that are present. This section describes all of the following basic actions in detail: Move, Exchange, Pack & Unpack, Aid, Process, Craft, Build Outpost, and Build Structure.

Move

The move action allows a character to move to a different terrain hex on the game map. To resolve a move action, a player takes their character miniature from the terrain hex it currently occupies and places it on an adjacent terrain hex.

A character does not have to spend any energy to begin a move action; however, they may have to spend energy after moving (see "Arduous Journey" below).

If the player wants to move their character to an adjacent, unexplored hex, they simply reveal the hex before moving their miniature. A character must move to that hex after revealing it this way.

After a player moves their miniature, whether they moved it to an explored or unexplored hex, they must draw and resolve a Journey card. To do this, the player draws the top card from the Journey deck and resolves its text. If there are no cards in the Journey deck, its discard pile is shuffled to create a new Journey deck.

Journey Cards. Journey cards have a variety of effects and outcomes. They frequently instruct the player to read Codex entries or resolve tests. The drawn Journey card is public information and can be read aloud and revealed to all players.

To resolve a Journey card, a player reads the card from top to bottom. The top of each Journey card either says "Resolve" or has a requirement that must be satisfied before resolving the remaining portions of the card. If the card has a requirement, that requirement often requires specific features to appear on the hex that the character occupies. If the card says "Resolve," it has no requirements and is resolved automatically.

If the Journey card requirement cannot be satisfied, the character resolving the move action discards it and resolves an Arduous Journey instead. Discarded Journey cards are placed in a faceup pile next to the Journey deck.

After a character resolves either the Journey card or an Arduous Journey, their move action is complete.

Example Journey card ("Whispering Shrub," JV05): "Resolve if your hex has a Forest. Otherwise, resolve Arduous Journey. You hear susurrations from the nearby brush. Could they be human voices? Test awareness to approach quietly. Add +2 if you are cunning. You may spend energy to add +4. [13+] Read Codex entry 235. [8-12] You approach the shrub and see something digging into the earth amidst the roots. You sift through the soft dirt there, but find only strange gnaw-marks on the roots. Lose energy. Add a minor boost. [1-7] You approach and find nothing. Disturbed, you continue on your journey. Lose energy." This card requires the character to be in a hex that contains a forest feature.

Arduous Journey. An Arduous Journey represents a character's trek through terrain features when moving.

While performing a move action, if the conditions on a Journey card are not satisfied, that card is discarded for no effect, and an Arduous Journey is resolved instead.

To resolve an Arduous Journey, a character checks the shared edge between the terrain hex they moved from and the terrain hex they moved to. If one or more terrain features covers the entire shared edge of either hex, the path between the two hexes is obstructed. If a path is obstructed, the character must lose one energy. If the path is not obstructed, the character's move action ends without them spending any energy. (For example, a path between two hexes is obstructed if a chasm spans along the entire shared edge of either hex.)

Exchange

The exchange action allows two characters in the same terrain hex to exchange materials and items with each other.

To perform an exchange action, the character spends one energy. Then, they choose one other character in their hex with whom to exchange resources and items.

The two characters can exchange any number of resources (materials, food, and water) and Item cards with each other. Both characters must agree to each exchange.

During this action, the two characters may pack and unpack any items (see "Packing Items" on page 64), including items that are not exchanged. Any tokens on an item that is exchanged remain on that item (unless the item becomes packed).

Additionally, if both characters are in a hex with an outpost, this action can be performed without spending energy. It is still an action, and thus cannot be performed during other actions or when an action could not normally be performed.

Remember, before and after any action, characters who occupy the same hex can freely exchange food and water with each other without using an action.

Pack & Unpack

The pack & unpack action allows a character to freely pack and unpack items in their inventory to better prepare themselves for future endeavors.

To perform a pack & unpack action, a character spends one energy. Then, they may pack and unpack any number of items in their inventory (see "Packing Items" on page 64).

While performing this action, the character can freely swap and move items. Once they are finished, all item slot capacity and type rules must be adhered to.

Aid

The aid action allows a character to treat another incapacitated character, attempting to revive them from their incapacitated state.

To perform the aid action, the active character spends one energy. Then, they choose one incapacitated character to aid. The chosen character must be in the same hex as the active character.

The chosen character can degrade one malady token of their choice that is on their health track. If the chosen character degrades a major malady token, they remain incapacitated as the degraded token is flipped instead of being discarded (see "Health" on page 55).

Process

The process action allows a character to process up to three resources, such as tough foods or materials. Processing tough foods prepares them for consumption. Processing materials can make them more useful for crafting or for processing other materials.

Tools. To process a resource, a character must have one or more specific tools. Tools are represented by the following icons, and provide characters with basic capabilities such as cutting and making fire. These icons are found on certain material tokens, Item cards, Structure cards, site tokens, and other game effects: Cut, Drill, Grind, Heat, Strike.

Components that serve as tools present a tool icon on their token or card. As characters process more materials, craft more items, and build more structures, they will gain access to more tools. (For example, both a flaked riverstone and the Riverstone Spear can be used as a cutting tool.)

If a tool icon on a component is presented with an arrow, that icon is a processing requirement. Instead of providing a character with a tool, the icon shows what tool is required to process (and hence flip) that component. (For example, heat is required to process clay.)

A material may provide a character with a tool while also having a processing requirement. Some materials and items may have multiple processing requirements or provide multiple tools. If a material has multiple processing requirements, they must all be met to process it. A single material token can't be used on itself, even if it provides the icon it requires for processing, but a different copy of that material can be used to process another token of the same kind. (For example, the sunstone provides a grind icon and has grind as a processing requirement, but a single sunstone token can't be used on itself — a second sunstone, or other source of a grind icon, would be needed to process the sunstone. Hide requires both drill and cut to be processed.)

When an effect refers to a character having a tool icon (e.g., "if you have [icon]…"), a character counts as having that icon so long as any material or item in their inventory provides that icon or any other relevant game effect provides them with that icon.

How to Process. To perform the process action, a character spends one energy. Then, they can process up to three resources, one at a time, by choosing a resource token in their inventory to process. The character must satisfy all the processing requirements on the chosen token.

To satisfy a processing requirement, a character must have the tool that matches that requirement on a different component than the one they are processing. Tools that can be used are found on tokens and cards in that character's inventory. Additionally, a character may be granted tools from other game effects, such as site tokens (described on page 57) or abilities on structures (described on page 65). (For example, a character with the heat tool spends one energy to process clay into fired clay by flipping a clay token in their inventory to its processed side.)

If a character meets all the processing requirements of their chosen resource token, they must spend one energy. Then, they can flip that token to its processed side.

Processing Multiple Resources. During a single process action, the character can process up to three resource tokens from their inventory, one at a time. If a character chooses to process multiple tokens during the same action, a different tool icon must be used for each resource that is processed. The exception to this is heat, which can be used up to 3 times. For example, if a character wishes to process two grains during the same action, they must have two different grind icons among their tools. (Worked example: during a single action, a character uses a sunstone to grind and process a cloudstone, then uses the newly processed cloudstone to strike and process a riverstone. They can still process one more resource; however, they cannot use grind or strike from the same sunstone or cloudstone they already used.)

Craft

The craft action allows characters to combine materials to craft items. Items are represented by cards from the Item deck and provide characters with tools for processing resources as well as a variety of abilities to use throughout the game.

Crafting requires a character to use the crafting pips found on the border of material tokens. There are three basic types of crafting pips: blue circles, red diamonds, and yellow triangles. Additional crafting pips (other shapes and colors) may become available during the game.

To craft an item, the active character spends one energy. Then, they choose two materials in their inventory to combine. The chosen materials must have at least one type of crafting pip in common (the number of pips does not matter). Identical materials can be combined, as can materials of different sizes.

After choosing two materials, the character places them next to each other, side by side. Then, the character rotates the two tokens into a position where their inner edges (i.e., the sides of those tokens that are next to each other) have the same type of pip.

Some pairs of material tokens can be rotated into multiple positions. Each position represents a different method by which a character can combine the materials. This means that a character can use different combinations of the same two materials to potentially craft a variety of items.

The orientation of the token art is not arbitrary. It provides clues about what items can be crafted. Players should consider the items they think could be crafted and what orientations might result in those items.

Determining the Crafting Code. After a character has chosen the mutual position of their materials, they determine that combination's crafting code. The crafting code is a color followed by four digits. It is based on the positions of the two combined materials, and it determines which item the character crafts.

The combined materials create four columns of pips along their token's vertical edges. These columns are used to determine the crafting code for that material combination.

The crafting code begins with the color that matches the color of the pips in the combination's leftmost column. The remaining portion of the code is determined by counting the number of pips in each of the material combination's four columns from left to right. (Worked example: a material combination has a crafting code of Red 1422 because the first column is a red diamond with one pip, the second column has four pips, the third column has two pips, and the fourth column has two pips.)

After a character determines a material combination's code, they search for that code entry in the Codex, by turning to the "Recipes" portion of the Codex that begins on page 137. The crafting entries are sorted by color.

Then, read the Codex entry that matches the crafting code and follow its instructions. If a code has no entry in the Codex, no item is crafted with that code; return the materials to the character's inventory.

Typically, the entry provides the name of the item that was crafted and instructs the reader to find that item's corresponding Item card. Item cards are identified by their item number, which is presented on both sides of the card. When searching the supply for an Item card, players should use the item number on the back of the card to avoid revealing any cards the society has not crafted yet.

When a character gains an Item card, they add it to their inventory. The back of the card shows that item's crafting combination codes, which players can record in their Journal (see page 22).

Null Icons. The border of some materials has a null icon instead of pips. A null icon can't be matched to a set of pips or another null icon. When combining materials with a null icon in the row that forms the crafting code, the null icon must be oriented so it is in the last column of the material combination. When determining a crafting code, a null icon is zero ("0"). (For example, a wood and feather combination with a null icon has a crafting code of Blue 2210.)

Build Outpost

Outposts allow characters to create an area within a hex that can be modified by structures, providing characters with a variety of luxuries such as reliable shelter, additional storage, and tools.

Building an outpost can be a community endeavor. While the action to build an outpost is performed by a single character, other characters can volunteer to help spend the energy required to perform the action and to provide the technology required to build the outpost.

The number of active outposts the characters can have is determined by the current population. The population represents the size of the society and is indicated using the population track.

The number of active outposts that can exist on the map at the same time increases with the population. At the start of the campaign, the population is set at 8 and the maximum number of active outposts is 2. As the population increases, the maximum number of active outposts increases as follows:

Population	Maximum Active Outposts
0-8	2
9-12	3
13-15	4
16-18	5
19+	6

After the maximum number of active outposts is reached, the characters cannot build additional outposts until population increases enough to have the number of maximum outposts increase as well.

If population decreases, the maximum number of active outposts may decrease as well. This can cause the number of active outposts to exceed the number of maximum outposts. This has no immediate effect, but will have an effect at the start of the next epoch.

At the start of a new epoch, if there are more active outposts than the current allowed maximum, the players must convert outposts of their choice into ruins (see "Ruin" on page 87), until the number of active outposts is equal to the maximum number of active outposts according to the society's current population.

Outposts are represented by overlays that are placed on terrain hexes. Each outpost has a unique ID and depicts art which has no gameplay effects. The back of each outpost overlay shows a ruin.

To build an outpost, a character must perform the following steps in order:

Spend Energy. The character must be in a hex that does not already contain an outpost. Then, they must spend four energy.

Any other characters who are in the hex where the outpost action is performed can choose to contribute to that action's energy cost. Contributing in this way is voluntary. The energy cost required to perform the action can be divided in any way among the character who is performing the action and any contributing characters.
Place Outpost. Each hex is divided into three zones (A, B, C). The outpost must be placed in one of those three zones, and can't be placed on top of another overlay.

Technologies. If a zone contains one or more features, technologies are required in order to place the outpost over those features. A technology is a capability, such as chopping and digging, that characters can access from items they have crafted. The technologies are: Chop, Dig, Hammer, Ignite, Stonework.

Items that provide access to a technology have a technology icon at the bottom of the card. (For example, the Riverstone Adze — Foraging, Weapon: "When you test to fight you may reroll. If the result of that reroll is 6, discard this item. When you forage, you may choose up to 4 root plants to harvest." — provides a character with the dig technology.)

When an effect refers to a character having a technology icon (e.g., "if you have [icon]…"), a character counts as having that icon so long as any item in their inventory provides that icon or any other relevant game effect provides them with that icon.

The technologies required to place an outpost over each feature are as follows:
- Forests require the chop technology.
- Wetlands, rivers, and lakes require the dig technology.
- Chasms, mountains, and moraines require the stonework technology.
- Prairies and dried flats require no technology.
- Zones that contain only a region's land, without any features, require no technology.
The character who is performing the action, or a character contributing to the action, to build an outpost must have an item with the technology icon that is required to place the outpost.

If all of a zone's feature requirements are met by contributing characters, and the energy is spent, the outpost is placed. A character can rotate the outpost to fit in the zone of their choice.
Enter Outpost Information. After an outpost is created, the character takes an unused Outpost card and a writing implement and enters the outpost's information, as follows:
- Name — Enter any unique name that the group finds thematic and fitting.
- Category — Enter "Village."
- — Enter "Active." The number of active outposts characters can have is determined by their population (see above).

Build Structure

Once the characters have an active outpost, they can use this action to build structures in their outpost. There are a large variety of structures that characters can build to provide them with shelter, food and water sources, resource storage, tools, and a range of other abilities. In order to be built, a structure needs to be designed first.

Structure Design. Structures are represented by Structure cards which begin the game in a set-aside supply deck. During the game, characters can design a structure. This represents the character inventing and conceptualizing the idea of a structure they could later build. There are two ways in which a structure can be designed:

A character chooses a Structure card from the set-aside supply deck, then spends an amount of lore equal to that structure's lore cost (see "Lore" on page 67). A character can do this at any time during their turn.
A game effect instructs the characters to design a particular structure (without spending lore).

After a character designs a structure, they write the name of that structure in the "Structure Designs" section on the Culture page of the Journal. This practice creates a catalog of all designed structures that is useful as a reference throughout the campaign. (For example, the Underground Storage structure costs one lore to design.)

After recording the design in the Journal, players are free to look at both the front and back of that Structure card at any time. It is recommended that players maintain two different decks of Structure cards, one for cards in the supply and one for cards that have been designed. This allows players to easily reference any of the designed cards to help them determine what they may want to build.

Any structures that have been designed by the society are available for any character to build. Structure cards serve as reference for the functions of a structure, but since each outpost has a recording of what structures exist there, the number of copies of a given Structure card does not limit how many of that structure can exist. Multiple instances of the same structure can be built in the same or different outposts.

Building a Structure. To build a structure, a character must be in a hex with an outpost. Then, their player performs the following steps for their character:

Choose a Design. A character chooses which structure they are going to build from among the available designs.
Pay Costs. The back of each Structure card presents the name of the structure and all its building requirements. The amount of energy that must be spent is shown at the bottom of the card and the material costs and any additional requirements, such as technologies and features, are depicted above the energy cost. (For example, it costs two energy, three wood, and two fiber to build an underground storage structure; the dig technology is also required.)

To build a structure, a character must spend the requisite amount of energy and materials, and meet all other requirements indicated on that structure's card back.

Any other characters who are in the hex where the build structure action is performed can choose to contribute to a structure's energy and material costs. They can also provide the needed technologies. Contributing in this way is voluntary. The costs and requirements necessary to build a structure can be divided in any way among the character who is performing the action and any contributing characters. If a structure requires a particular feature, that feature must be present in the hex where the structure is being built. That feature cannot be covered by an overlay, such as an outpost.
Record Structure. After a structure is built, the players write its name on the Outpost card that matches the outpost (according to the outpost ID) where the structure was built.

Each outpost can have a total of five structures. The Outpost cards have five lines within the Structures portion of the card to remind players of this restriction. If an outpost already has five structures, a character cannot perform the build structure action at that outpost.

If a game effect destroys a structure, players cross it off or erase it from the outpost card where it was located. A destroyed structure does not count toward the five-structure limit for an outpost. After a structure is destroyed, another structure can be built to replace it.

After building a structure, its abilities are available for characters to use while they are in the hex where the structure is located. The front side of each Structure card shows the structure's traits, which have no inherent game effect, and the structure's abilities. If a structure can hold resources, the card shows a capacity to indicate how many resources it can hold. Before or after any action a character takes, they can add or remove resources from such a structure in the hex that they occupy.

Because the structure cards function as a reference, any resources stored using a structure can be placed near the outpost card where the structure is located.

Feature Actions

During the day, a character can perform feature actions if they occupy a hex that depicts the necessary features, including features depicted only along a hex's edges. Like most basic actions, feature actions require a character to spend energy and often deplete the hex (see "Depletion" on page 59).

This section describes all of the following feature actions in detail: Gather Water, Prepare Shelter, Fish, Forage, Mine.

Gather Water

The gather water action allows a character to gain water, which they can consume during the night phase to remain hydrated, regaining additional energy (see page 52).

A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a lake, a river, or wetland.

To gather water, a character spends one energy. Then, they gain two water tokens.

Gather water is a low energy way to gain water, and it does not deplete the hex.

Prepare Shelter

The prepare shelter action allows a character to make a shelter in the hex that they occupy. Characters can use shelters during the night phase to improve their comfort, regaining additional energy (see page 52).

A character can perform this action only while they are on a terrain hex that contains a cave.

Shelter tokens are double-sided. Each side has a number, which indicates how many characters (one or two) can use the shelter for comfort during the night phase. Each shelter token benefits a limited number of characters, but a shelter token can benefit any character in the hex, not just the character who built it. Shelter tokens are often represented by a tent icon in text.

To prepare a shelter, a character spends one energy. Then, if there is no shelter token in their hex, they place one there. The shelter token is placed so that the side with "1" is faceup, indicating that the shelter can only comfort up to one character during the night phase.

If a character performs the prepare shelter action in a hex that already has a shelter token, instead of placing a new token, they flip that token instead, so that the side with "2" is faceup. This upgrades a one-character shelter to a two-character shelter.

A 2-character shelter cannot be upgraded again, so if a hex already has a two-character shelter, a character cannot perform the prepare shelter action in that hex.

Fish

Fishing is a feature action that allows characters to catch fish (and other resources found in these aquatic environments). A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a lake, a river, or wetland. If a hex contains more than one of these features, the character must declare which feature they are using to perform the fish action.

The fish action requires a player to roll dice and assign them to strike zones along currents of water.

Fishing cards provide players with three types of information required to perform the fish action: the stock, the modifiers, and the strike zones & currents. All of this information is presented on each Fishing card; however, only one category of information is used on each card. When a player performs a fish action, they use three Fishing cards: one for the stock, one for the modifiers, and one for the strike zones & currents.

To perform a fish action, a character spends two energy and depletes the hex (places a depletion token there indicating a draw of resources, described in detail on page 59). They shuffle the Fishing deck, then they resolve the following steps in order:

Reveal Stock. The player draws the top card of the Fishing deck and places it vertically, so the word "Stock" is positioned at the top. The stock shows three groupings of resources available to gain during this fish action, as well as the base difficulty associated with gaining those resources. The base difficulty is represented by a number: the higher that number is, the greater the difficulty. (For example, a card's stock might offer three options: two fish in the top box, hide and bone in the middle box, and water and fiber in the bottom box.)
Reveal Strike Zones & Currents. The player draws the top card of the Fishing deck and places it horizontally, with the side showing the strike zones and currents faceup. The card is placed with its card ID at the bottom and its left side covering the "Modifiers" column of the card placed during step 1. The strike zones are spaces where dice are assigned. Each strike zone is located along one or more of three currents that cross through the card from left to right.
Roll Dice. The player rolls four dice. If their character has any abilities that allow them to modify, add, or reroll dice while fishing, they can use them during this step. Effects may allow a player to roll and assign more than four dice.
Assign Dice. The player assigns their dice to strike zones of their choice. Each small strike zone can have up to a single die assigned to it and each large strike zone can have up to two dice assigned to it. If one or more dice are assigned to a strike zone that has either a mishap or luck icon, the player's character suffers a penalty (mishap) or gains additional materials (luck) during step 6. To assign dice, a player places any number of their four dice on any of the strike zones, respecting the maximum limit of dice per zone and preserving the result of each die. A player may choose to assign only one die to a large strike zone. A player does not have to assign all of their dice, and can in fact assign none of their dice, if desired.
Reveal Modifiers. The modifiers alter each of the stock's base difficulty values, increasing them (+), decreasing them (-), or multiplying them (x). The player draws the top card of the Fishing deck and places it vertically, so that the word "Modifiers" is positioned at the top of the card. There are three modifiers, one to modify each of the three base difficulty values in the stock. The currents determine which base difficulty value is paired with which modifier by connecting stock and modifiers. These values are combined to create a final difficulty value for that current's stock. (For example, a card's modifiers might decrease one base difficulty value by 1, and increase the other two base difficulty values by 3 or 4 respectively.)
Resolve Strike Zones. During this step, the player resolves each strike zone that has one or more dice assigned to it. Each strike zone is resolved one at a time. After all strike zones are resolved, the fish action is complete.

After a player resolves all the strike zones that had dice assigned, the fish action is complete, and all Fishing cards used are shuffled back into their deck.

Further worked example, continuing the fishing example above: the second strike zone the player resolves has a combined dice value of 7 (5+2). Only one current crosses through that strike zone, and its final difficulty is 8 (5+3). Because the dice value is lower than the final difficulty, the strike zone resolves in a failure. The character gains no materials from that current's stock. After removing the dice, a luck icon is revealed; because the strike zone resolved in a failure, the player's character does not gain any additional bonuses from that icon. The final strike zone to resolve has a 3-value die. Two currents pass through that strike zone: one connecting the upper stock with the bottom modifier, for a final difficulty of 9 (5+4), and another connecting the bottom stock with the upper modifier, for a final difficulty of 2 (3-1). The player decides to resolve the bottom current, like they did for the 4-value die before, so that the strike zone is resolved successfully. Their character hence gains another water and another fiber. After removing the die, the fish action ends.

Forage

Foraging is a feature action that allows characters to search their environment to find objects—bounty to harvest or wildlife to hunt. A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a forest or prairie. As you explore new regions, you may find other features at which you can forage.

When foraging, a player uses the deck of Foraging cards matching the feature where their character is currently foraging (Forest Foraging Deck or Prairie Foraging Deck). Foraging cards contain art that depicts a variety of objects such as trees, bushes, streams, and wildlife that can provide a character with resources. (For example, a Foraging card might depict a tree, a tree with vines, feathers, small prey, animal tracks, fish, and water.)

Each Foraging card is divided into three sections: the foreground, the midground, and the background. Each object on a Foraging card exists in one of these sections. The foreground contains the objects that are closest to the character, and the background contains the objects that are farthest from the character.

To resolve a forage action, a character must spend two energy and deplete the hex (see page 59). Then, their player shuffles the deck and resolves the following two steps in order:

Searching. When searching, the player creates a tableau of faceup Foraging cards. The tableau begins with a single card, and can be expanded with additional cards to provide more options for harvesting or hunting. However, expanding the tableau can be dangerous. The larger a tableau becomes, the more likely it is that the character is spotted by a predator (see page 48). The cards in a character's tableau can be placed, moved, and organized in any manner. The ordering of the cards in the tableau does not impact gameplay.

To search, the character draws the top two cards from the Foraging deck that corresponds to the feature where they are foraging (prairie or forest). Then, they choose one card to place faceup in their play area and one card to shuffle back into the Foraging deck. The faceup card is the first card in the foraging tableau.

After a character draws two cards from the Foraging deck, if there is at least one predator already in that character's tableau, they must obey the following rules when choosing which card is added to their tableau:
- The character must add the card that has a predator depicted on it, if able.
- If the character must choose between two cards that both have a predator, they must choose, if able, the card in which the predator is as close or closer than any other predators already in their tableau.
The player performing the forage action can repeat the searching process any number of times (until the deck is exhausted), placing one new card into their tableau for every two they draw. However, if a predator is ever in the foreground of a card in the tableau, the player's character is spotted by that predator and must encounter it. This ends the searching step of this action, and prevents the character from harvesting or hunting. A Wildlife Encounter with a predator is resolved instead (on page 48).
Harvesting or Hunting. After a player decides to stop searching, they choose whether to have their character harvest or hunt.

Harvest. Harvesting allows a character to gain resources from bounty objects in their tableau. There are five types of bounty objects a character can harvest: trees, grain crops, root plants, streams, and nut bushes.

During a single forage action, a character can only harvest one type of bounty object, but they can harvest up to three objects of that type. For example, if a player chooses to have their character harvest root plants, the character can harvest multiple root plants during the same action but they cannot harvest any grain crops during that action.

To harvest a bounty object, it must be within the character's reach. All objects in the foreground are always within reach. Objects in the midground are within reach if the character has harvested an object of the same type in the foreground. Objects in the background are within reach if the character has harvested an object of the same type in the midground. The order of cards in a tableau does not matter for harvesting (or hunting). (For example, a player who harvests a tree in the foreground of one card can also harvest a tree in the midground of that card, and then a tree in the background. But if a player harvests a root plant in the foreground of a card, they cannot also harvest a root plant that is in the background of a second card, because no root plant was harvested from that second card's midground, putting the background root plant out of reach.)

Wildlife Encounters

Wildlife encounters occur when a character performing the forage action is either hunting for prey or a predator, or is spotted by a predator. Wildlife encounters can also occur at other times, as dictated by game effects.

Hunting Small Prey. To hunt small prey, the character performs a dexterity test. The tests and their results vary, depending on the number of small prey that the character is hunting, as follows:

One Small Prey: [6+] You seize the small, scurrying creature. Gain 1 game and 1 guts. [1-5] The creature slides into a hole beneath a bush and vanishes. No effect.
Two Small Prey: [7+] You quickly nab both small creatures before they can run off. Gain 2 game, 1 guts, and 1 bone. [1-6] The creatures dart in different directions. Your hunt fails. No effect.
Three Small Prey: [8+] Quietly and nimbly you manage to catch all three small creatures. Gain 3 game, 2 guts, and 1 bone. [1-7] Your effort fails as all three critters quickly scatter. No effect.

Hunting Large Prey. To hunt a large prey, the character performs a dexterity test with the following outcomes: [10+] You bring the graceful, antlered creature down. Gain 4 game, 2 guts, 1 bone, and 1 hide. [1-9] The creature slips past you, vanishing into the dappled light of the forest. No effect.

Encountering a Predator. While foraging, a character may be spotted by a predator or choose to intentionally hunt one. In either situation, the character must choose to either fight or retreat.

Fight a Predator. To fight a predator, a character chooses to perform either a dexterity or might test with the following results: [12+] You slay the predator! Gain 4 game, 2 teeth, 2 shell, and 2 guts. [1-11] You barely escape with your life. Suffer 1 major injury.
Retreat. To retreat from a predator, a character chooses to perform either a dexterity or an awareness test with the following results: [10+] You escape unharmed! No effect. [1-9] The creature's razor jaw grazes you as you flee. Suffer 1 major injury and flee (see "Fleeing" on page 55).

Mine

Mining is a feature action that allows characters to gain materials. However, there are dangers involved, and much is left to the fate of the omens.

A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a cave, a chasm, a dried flats, a moraine, or a mountain feature.

Before mining, a player adds a variety of mining tokens to create a mining bag. Tokens to be added vary, based on the feature where their character is mining. There are five tokens for each of the four types of stone (cloudstone, riverstone, clay, and sunstone), each having one of the five omens printed on it. Omens are described in detail in the "Omens" section on page 61.

When mining, a player draws tokens from the bag and resolves effects according to the omen on the drawn mining token.

To perform a mine action, a character spends two energy and depletes the hex (see page 59). Then, their player resolves the following steps in order:

Gather Mining Tokens. The player gathers all five mining tokens of each type available at the feature which is being mined, as follows:
- Cave: 5 each of Cloudstone, Riverstone, Sunstone (15 tokens total)
- Chasm: 5 each of Clay, Riverstone, Sunstone (15 tokens total)
- Dried Flats: 5 each of Clay, Sunstone (10 tokens total)
- Moraine: 5 each of Cloudstone, Riverstone, Sunstone (15 tokens total)
- Mountain: 5 each of Cloudstone, Sunstone (10 tokens total)
Shuffle Mining Tokens. The player flips all of their gathered tokens so that the omens are not visible, and mixes them by type.
Prepare Mining Bag. Without looking at the omens on the other side of shuffled mining tokens, the player takes a number of tokens and places them in the draw bag. The set of tokens is based on the feature that is being mined, as follows:
- Cave: Cloudstone (x1), Riverstone (x2), Sunstone (x2)
- Chasm: Clay (x2), Riverstone (x2), Sunstone (x1)
- Dried Flats: Clay (x3), Sunstone (x2)
- Moraine: Cloudstone (x2), Riverstone (x2), Sunstone (x1)
- Mountain: Cloudstone (x3), Sunstone (x2)
Then, the player shuffles the stones by either mixing them with their hands or by shaking the draw bag. (For example, while mining a mountain feature, the player takes three cloudstones and two sunstones and places them in the draw bag.)
Mine a Token. The player reaches into the draw bag and pulls out one mining token. Because each type of stone has a unique shape, the player is allowed to feel the tokens to try to select a stone type of their choice. Then, before revealing the omen on the other side of the token, the character gains a material token matching the mined token.
Reveal Omen and Resolve Effects. The player then reveals the omen on the mined token, and resolves the effect of that omen as follows:
- If the revealed omen matches a current omen (as described below), the player consults the Mining Chart on page 183 of the Codex and resolves the effects listed at the intersection of the matched omen and the mined feature. After resolving the effect in the Mining Chart, proceed to step 6.
- If the revealed omen does not match a current omen, it has no special effect. The character proceeds to step 6.
A current omen is an icon presented on the top card of the Night deck's discard pile. If there are no cards in the Night deck's discard pile, the current omen or omens are depicted on the current Challenge card. There can be multiple current omens if a Night or Challenge card displays multiple omens. The detailed rules for Omens are presented on page 61.

After a character completes their mine action, they remove all mining tokens from the bag, placing them back into the supply.

Night Phase

During the night phase, players resolve a series of upkeep steps to ready themselves for the next day phase. Characters can rest and enjoy the comforts of food, water, fire, and shelter. But the night is also unpredictable, and a series of night events keeps the characters from resting too soundly.

To resolve the night phase, each player performs the following steps for their character in order:

Check for Perished Characters. During this step, each player checks to see whether their character (or characters) have perished. A character perishes if all spaces on their health track are covered by malady tokens. Remember that the length of a character's health track varies based on the character count (see page 55).

If a character perishes, resolve the steps presented in the "Perished Characters" section on page 70 before proceeding to the next step of the night phase.
Recover. During the recover step, characters can consume food and water to gain energy back, degrade conditions, and avoid injury. To consume food or water, a character removes a food or water token from their mantle board and places it back in the supply. A character can consume either a fresh or fermented perishable food, or a processed tough food (see "Food and Water" on page 19). A character can consume a maximum of one food and one water each night.

After consuming food or water, that character regains energy (flipping those tokens from blank to available) according to the quality of their recovery, as follows:
- Rested: Each character gains energy according to the number of characters in the game. If there are three or four characters, each character gains one energy. If there are two or fewer characters, each character gains two energy.
- Fed: If a character consumed food during this step, they gain one energy.
- Hydrated: If a character consumed water during this step, they gain one energy.
- Comforted: Each character is comforted by the presence of shelter or fire. If a character is in a hex that provides shelter or fire (or both), they gain one energy.
During the day, it is recommended that players place food and water tokens that they intend to consume on this area of their mantle board. This works as a reminder to allocate food and water tokens for consumption, and it also helps players to prepare for reconciling their inventory as the consumed water and food tokens will not have to fit inside their resource bag.
Hunger & Thirst. During this step, each character either degrades a malady or gains a minor injury, as follows:
- Sated: Each character who consumed both food and water during the recover step may degrade one of their maladies of their choice (see "Health" on page 55).
- Starved: Each character who consumed neither food nor water during the recover step suffers one minor injury (see "Health" on page 55).
Perform Night Actions. During the night, characters can perform night actions. Night actions are typically found on Item cards. Night actions do not require energy to be spent, are always prefaced by a night action icon, and can only be resolved at night. Characters can perform night actions in any order they wish, but each night action can only be performed once per night phase.

Additional Rules

This section contains additional rules that players must understand to play the game.

Fleeing

Some game effects may cause or allow a character to flee. When a character flees, their miniature is placed in a randomly selected adjacent hex, which is determined by rolling a die (see "Randomizing" on page 99). When a character flees, they do not draw a Journey card or resolve an Arduous Journey.

Alone

Some game effects may impact a character that is alone. A character is alone if there are no other characters in their hex. A character that is with an animal companion or at an outpost is still treated as alone.

Health

A character's injuries and diseases are managed using the character's health track. The first three spaces are always used, regardless of the number of characters in the game. The two spaces on the health track that show character icons are used only during games with a specific character count. The fourth space from the left is used only during games with three or fewer characters, while the last space on the right is only used during games with one or two characters.

Injuries and diseases are called maladies and are represented by double-sided tokens (major injury, minor injury, major disease, minor disease). The different sides of each token represent the severity of the malady.

Gaining Maladies. When a character suffers a malady, they either add a new malady token to their health track or flip an already existing minor malady token to its major side.

If a character suffers a malady, they take a matching token (injury or disease) from the supply and place it on any empty space on their health track, with the appropriate severity side (minor or major) faceup.

If a character suffers a minor malady and there is already a minor malady of the same type on their health track, they flip that token, increasing its severity from minor to major, instead of gaining a new token.

If a character suffers a major malady, they always place an additional token on their health track, if able. If there are no open spaces on their health track, they resolve it as if they had received a minor malady instead.

Degrading Maladies. Some game effects allow a character to degrade a malady. How to degrade a malady depends on its severity, as described below.

To degrade a major malady, a character chooses a major malady token on their health track, and flips it to its minor side, decreasing the malady's severity. Major malady tokens are marked with an arrow to remind players that the token is flipped when degraded.

To degrade a minor malady, a character chooses a minor malady token on their health track and discards it, returning it to the supply. Minor malady tokens are marked with an "x" to remind players that the token is discarded when degraded.

Incapacitated

If each space on a character's health track is covered by a malady token, that character is incapacitated. (Remember, the number of spaces a character uses on their health track is dependent on the number of characters.)

When a character becomes incapacitated, they exhaust all of their energy tokens. An incapacitated character cannot perform any actions, cannot share food or water with other characters in between actions, and cannot participate in another character's exchange, build outpost, or build structure actions. However, an incapacitated character can be the target of an aid action. (For example, during a four-character game, the health track consists of only three spaces; if a character gains a major disease token and all three spaces are already covered, they become incapacitated, flipping all their energy tokens to the exhausted side.)

After an incapacitated character discards a malady token from their health track, they are no longer incapacitated. However, their energy remains exhausted until they can regain it.

At the start of the next night phase, any incapacitated characters perish (see "Perished Characters" on page 70).

Site Tokens

Site tokens are placed on terrain hexes and represent specific characteristics and ongoing effects of that hex. There are four main types of site tokens: fire, shelter, depletion, and mystery. Some game effects can also place other tokens in hexes to represent unique site tokens. The tokens used, and their effects as site tokens, are described by the effect that places them.

Site tokens that are placed on a game component other than a hex are not considered to be on or in a hex. Only site tokens that are on a hex provide their usual game effects, as described in each of the following sections. The effects of site tokens placed on non-hex game components are always specified by the effect that placed them or the component itself.

Fire Tokens

A fire token represents a heat source within an area. Fire can benefit characters in a variety of ways. While a character is in a hex with a fire token, they can use that fire as a heat tool while processing resources. Additionally, during the night phase, any character in a hex with a fire token is comforted, gaining additional energy while recovering.

If a game effect instructs a character to place a fire token, they place a fire token on the hex that they occupy, if able. Each hex can only have one fire token. If an effect would place a fire token in a hex that already has one, return the existing token to the supply and place the new fire token in the hex.

Fire tokens are double-sided. When a fire token is placed on a hex, the side with the arrow icon is placed faceup. When a game effect degrades a fire token (such as the night phase effect in Step 5: Degrade Tokens, on page 53), it is flipped so the side with the "x" icon is faceup; if the side with the "x" icon is already faceup, the token is discarded instead (see "Degrading Tokens" on page 66).

Shelter Tokens

Shelter tokens represent a hex's capacity to provide shelter to characters. Shelter tokens are double-sided. Each side has a number, which indicates how many characters (one or two) can use the shelter for comfort during the night phase.

If there are no shelter tokens in a hex and a game effect instructs a character to place a shelter, they place a shelter token in the hex that they occupy. The token is placed so the side with the "1" is faceup.

If there is a one-character shelter token in a hex and a game effect instructs a character to place a shelter, they upgrade that shelter token by flipping it so the side with the "2" is faceup.

There can be only one shelter token in a hex. If a game effect instructs a character to place a shelter token in a hex that already has a two-character shelter token, that portion of the game effect is ignored.

If a game effect instructs a player to remove a shelter token from a hex, they degrade that token, reducing the capacity of the shelter token in that hex. That means that a two-character shelter is flipped to the one-character side; and a one-character shelter is removed from the hex and returned to the supply. If an effect removes a shelter token and none are present, that effect is ignored.

Some game effects can increase the shelter value of a hex. For example, if an effect adds +1, a hex with no token is treated as having a shelter value of 1, a shelter token of 1 is treated as a value of 2 (do not flip the token to the two-character side), and a shelter token of 2 is treated as a value of 3. For the purposes of game effects that require a hex to "have shelter," any hex with a shelter value of 1 or higher qualifies.

Depletion Tokens

As characters draw upon the natural bounty of a hex by foraging, fishing, and mining there, they exhaust that bounty, making further supplies harder to acquire. This diminishment of a hex's resources is represented by a depletion token.

Depletion tokens are double-sided. Each side has a major or minor depletion icon to indicate the severity of the depletion and the amount of additional energy required to gain resources and materials from that hex.

If a game effect instructs the players to deplete a hex and there are no depletion tokens in that hex, the players place a depletion token in that hex so the minor side is faceup.

If a game effect instructs the players to deplete a hex and there is already a minor depletion token in that hex, the players flip that depletion token so the major side is faceup.

If a game effect instructs the players to deplete a hex and there is already a major depletion token in that hex, the players do not place further depletion tokens in the hex but resolve all other parts of the effect.

During the "Degrade" step of the night phase, each depletion token degrades once (see "Degrading Tokens" on page 66). When a major depletion token degrades, it is flipped to its minor side; when a minor depletion token degrades, it is discarded and returned to the supply.

Performing Actions in Depleted Hexes. When a character performs a forage, fish, or mine action in a hex with either a minor or a major depletion token, they must increase the energy cost of that action by the amount shown on that token.

For example, fishing in a hex with a minor depletion token costs 3 energy (2 for the action and 1 for the depletion token). Additionally, since fishing depletes a hex, after paying the energy cost, the depletion token is flipped to its major side.

Mystery Tokens

Mystery tokens represent strange phenomena that occur within the valley. There are 10 double-sided mystery tokens, each with an omen icon on one side. When not in use, these tokens are kept facedown in a pile.

If an effect instructs the players to place a mystery token in a hex, the players randomly select a mystery token and place it facedown in that hex, without looking at or revealing its omen side.

After a character enters a hex that has a mystery token, they must confront that mystery. Additionally, if a mystery token is placed in a hex that already contains one or more characters, the players must choose one character in that hex to immediately confront that mystery.

To confront a mystery token, a character flips it to reveal its omen. If the omen does not match the current omen, add one lore. If the omen matches a current omen, refer to the Mystery Chart in the Codex on page 185 and read the entry that corresponds to that omen for the region of the valley where the mystery is being confronted. After confronting a mystery, its token is returned to the supply of mystery tokens, facedown.

Mystery tokens remain in play until the end of the current challenge, or until confronted.

Ventures

A venture is a series of problems that multiple characters can solve together. Ventures are found in the Codex. Usually characters will be given hints as to what items, materials, or other assets will aid them on a venture, but the obstacles of the venture itself are unknown until characters embark on it.

When an effect instructs a character to embark on a venture, that character initiates the venture. Any number of characters who are in the same hex as the character who initiated the venture can also choose to participate in the venture. The initiating character and each other participating character may contribute energy, resources, items, tools, and technology to embark on that venture and during that venture. If a character leaves a venture due to one of its effects, they cease to be a participating character. If all characters leave a venture, the venture ends in failure.

Each venture comprises a series of expeditions, which are resolved sequentially. Each expedition often includes a number of tests or choices that the leader and the participants must resolve. Ventures are resolved via outcomes in the Codex, which provide these expeditions.

Keywords

Journey, Night, Item, and Structure cards all have keywords presented on their card. There are a variety of keywords in the game, and none of them have inherent mechanical effects. However, many other effects throughout the game may reference keywords. (Example keywords on a Night card: "Hazard, Champion.")

An item's keywords also include words in the Item card's title, such as riverstone and spear.

Omens

Omens are the boons, banes, fortunes, and misfortunes that are cast through the valley's celestial phenomena. There are five omens, identified as follows: Cloud, Comet, Moon, Star, Sun.

These icons do not have any inherent mechanical effects; however, other game effects may reference them. The bottom of each Night card contains one or more omen icons.

Any omen icons on the top card of the Night deck's discard pile are the current omens. If there are no cards in the Night deck discard pile, the omen or omens depicted on the Challenge card are the current omens. Any game effects referring to an omen refers to a current omen.

Investigating Omens

In addition to the current Challenge card and Night cards, omens can also be found hidden throughout many of the game's components. If a character finds one of these omens, they can investigate it to trigger various game effects.

Each character can investigate only one omen per day. Additionally, after an omen is investigated, that omen cannot be investigated again during the same day by any character. This means that two characters cannot investigate the same omen on the same component during the same day (but they can investigate the same omen on different components during the same day).

To investigate an omen, a character must meet all of the following criteria:

The omen must be visible on a game component that has an ID, such as a card or terrain hex. A character cannot investigate an omen on a Night card, on the back of a Challenge card (the side with the starting omen[s]), or token.
The omen investigation must be resolved during a day phase. A character cannot investigate an omen during the night phase.
The investigated omen must match one of the current omens.
The character investigating the omen must be interacting (see below) with the component that the omen is on.

The character's player turns to the omen table in the Codex for the omen they believe they have found that matches a current omen, then consults that table for an entry matching the component ID. Entries are presented in alphabetical order. If there is an entry that matches the omen and component ID, the investigation is successful, and the character reads and resolves that entry. If there is no matching entry, the investigation is unsuccessful, and there is no further effect. Note that not every single image that evokes an omen has a corresponding outcome. There can be joy in seeking, not just in finding. To avoid spoilers, do not read any entries on the table that do not correspond to the component ID being investigated. Omen entries can be found beginning on the following pages of the Codex:

Cloud omens: Page 113
Comet omens: Page 119
Moon omens: Page 123
Star omens: Page 129
Sun omens: Page 133

Interacting with Components. For the purposes of investigating omens, a character is interacting with components as follows:

A character is interacting with a hex when they occupy that hex.
A character is interacting with an overlay if they also occupy the same hex as the overlay.
A character is interacting with a Foraging card if, during a forage action, they have added that card to their foraging tableau (not in their hand). A character is also interacting with a Foraging card if, while not foraging, any game effect instructs them to look at that Foraging card.
A character is interacting with a Journey card while they are resolving it.
A character is interacting with a Fishing card if, during a fish action, that card contains the active currents and strike zones.
A character is interacting with any Items currently in their inventory.
A character is interacting with a Structure card if they occupy the same hex as an outpost that has that structure.
A character is interacting with a behemoth board (see page 72) while they are resolving an encounter with that behemoth.

During an action, a player may investigate an omen on a component they are interacting with. After beginning an investigation, the player fully resolves it before returning to resolving the action, if applicable.

Players may also find omens on components not listed here; in such cases it is up to the players themselves to determine what constitutes interacting with that component.

Items

Items are represented by cards and provide characters with a variety of unique abilities as well as tools to use when processing resources and building structures.

If an Item card has a capacity, it means it can hold resources. A character with that item in one of their inventory slots can place resources on that Item card instead of in their resource bag. The number and type of resources an item can hold are determined by its capacity. Resources cannot be placed on facedown Item cards. When an item is discarded or lost, it is returned to the supply.

A character can freely move resources between their resource bag and items that can hold resources.

For the purpose of inventory management, items are classified into three types: hand, pouch, and body. Each item has one of these icons in its upper corner to indicate its type. Hand items are those that a character must physically hold, pouch items include a variety of small tools and trinkets that can be easily stored in a side pouch or pocket, and body items are worn.

Each item type has a corresponding slot on a character's mantle board where those items can be stored. The number of hand, pouch, and body icons presented on each mantle board slot indicates how many items of that type a character can have. (For example, a character can have up to two hand items, four pouch items, and three body items.)

When a character gains an item, they place its card faceup, next to their mantle board in one of the dedicated slots. If a character does not have a vacant slot for an item they have gained, they can create a slot by either giving an item (including the item they just gained) to another character in their hex, discarding an item, or packing an item (see "Packing Items," below).

When an effect instructs a character to discard an item, they return it to the Item deck. A player can also choose to discard an Item card in their inventory at any time.

Packing Items

Each character's pouch slots can be used to pack items. To pack an item, a character places any of their items (hand, body, or pouch) facedown in an unused pouch slot.

While an item is packed, it occupies that pouch slot but cannot be used until it is unpacked. When a character unpacks an item, they flip it faceup and places it in the corresponding empty inventory slot. If there is not an available matching inventory slot, a character can discard or pack another item to create usable slots.

When an item is packed, move all resource tokens on that item to the character's inventory. Any non-resource tokens remain on the packed item. While an item is packed, tokens cannot be added to or removed from that item. Items which currently have certain tokens placed on them can't be packed.

During the night phase, characters can pack and unpack items in their inventory while resolving the reconcile inventory step.

During the day phase, characters can pack and unpack items, as follows:

When they gain an item, a character can pack that item or any other item in their inventory.
While performing the pack & unpack action, a character can pack and unpack any items in their inventory.
While performing the exchange action, both characters can pack and unpack any items (whether those items are exchanged or not).

Duplicate Items

Items are not intended to be supply-limited; if more than two copies of an item are needed, players can use a Duplicate Item card to place in their play area as a proxy.

Structures

Structures are represented by cards and add a variety of unique abilities to the outposts where they are built. Building a structure is an action and each structure has different costs (see "Build Structure" on page 34).

If a game effect destroys a structure, players cross it off or erase it from the Outpost card where it was located. Discard any tokens or Item cards that were stored or placed on that structure. A destroyed structure does not count toward the five-structure limit for an outpost. After a structure is destroyed, another structure can be built to replace it.

After building a structure, its abilities are available for characters to use while they are in the hex where the structure is located. The front side of each Structure card shows the structure's keywords, which have no inherent game effect, and the structure's abilities. If a structure can hold resources, the card shows a capacity to indicate how many resources it can hold. Before or after any action a character takes, and during the Reconcile Inventory step of the night phase, they can move resources between their inventory and any structures with a capacity that are in the hex that they occupy.

Structure cards are used as reference, and multiple structures of the same name can be built in the same or different outposts. Resources can be placed directly on Structure cards with a capacity, however if there is more than one structure of the same name with a capacity, place the stored resources near the Outpost card where the structure is built. (For example, the underground storage structure can store up to four resources, and it can prevent mushrooms and roots stored on it from degrading.)

Tokens cannot normally be placed by players on structures that do not have a capacity for that token type. However, game effects can place tokens on structures regardless of capacity. If an effect instructs a player to place a token on a structure without a capacity for that token type, that token is placed on the structure. While a token is on a structure without a capacity for that token type, that token cannot be moved by players except via special game effects (such as an effect on that Structure card).

Mantle Powers

During the game, the society can gain mantle powers that the characters can use. Mantle powers are double-sided tokens that provide characters with additional abilities. Some mantle powers can only be equipped by characters of a specific mantle, as indicated on the back of the mantle power token. (For example, the Prey-Stalker mantle power can only be used by the Mantle of the Seeker.)

Game effects can add a mantle power to the society's cultural knowledge. When this happens, the players record that mantle power in the "Culture" section of the Journal. Then, they set the mantle power aside. Any mantle powers in the cultural knowledge are available for the duration of the campaign.

During setup of a new challenge, each character can choose up to one mantle power from those available as cultural knowledge by placing it in the mantle power slot on their mantle board. A character must meet any requirements for a mantle power to select it. A character can use their mantle power as described by that power's text. (For example, the Seeker can equip the River-Chaser mantle power during setup: "When you fish, you may [flip] to reveal an additional Stock card. Choose one to use and shuffle the other back into the deck.")

Mantle power effects may contain a flip icon, which indicates that the mantle power is flipped to its other side after the mantle power is resolved. All mantle powers have once-per-day effects, and some also have persistent effects (listed on both sides of the power).

Only the faceup side of a mantle power can be used.

Degrading Tokens

Many of the game's tokens degrade throughout the game to indicate a change in the status of that token.

Tokens that degrade are double-sided. One side has an arrow icon, while the other side has an "x" icon.

These icons function as reminders of how to degrade the token. To degrade a token that has its arrow side faceup, flip it to its other side. To degrade a token that has its "x" side faceup, discard it.

Depletion and shelter tokens are an exception, and instead have one side with a "2" (or a major depletion icon for depletion tokens) and another side with a "1" (or a minor depletion icon). When degrading a depletion or shelter token, if it is on the side with a "2," flip it to the side with a "1." If it is already on the side with a "1," then discard it.

Sometimes game effects instruct characters to place tokens onto game components that those tokens cannot normally be placed on, such as a Goal card that allows characters to place food on that card to complete the goal. In these cases, those tokens do not degrade.

The following is a list of tokens that degrade and the components they are normally placed on, where they degrade as normal. Any of these tokens placed somewhere other than on the listed components do not degrade.

Boosts: Character boards, companion boards, and behemoth boards.
Maladies: Character boards.
Perishable food: Character boards, companion boards, Item cards, and Structure cards.
Depletion tokens: Hexes.
Fire tokens: Hexes.
Shelter tokens: Hexes.

(For example, when degrading food, fresh food becomes fermented and fermented food is discarded.)

Society Tracks (Population, Unrest, Lore, Activity)

There are four tracks that monitor societal information. These tracks are shared among all characters and are used to track activity, lore, unrest, and population.

When a game effect instructs a character to add to or subtract from the society's activity, lore, unrest, or population, the players move the appropriate token by the corresponding quantity up (add) or down (subtract) along the track, so it always indicates the current value. (For example, if 3 unrest is added, the unrest token advances three spaces on the unrest track, moving from 2 to 5.)

Activity. Activity represents the characters' ongoing pressures from their environment and their larger society to continue making progress toward their goals. Activity is reset to 0 at the beginning of each game, and cannot exceed 20.

Activity increases during each night phase, and various other effects throughout the game may result in further increasing the activity level. As the activity track is increased, it forces characters to resolve challenge events, which can ultimately end the game (see "Increase Activity and Resolve Challenge Events" on page 54).

Lore. Lore represents the character's obtained knowledge. Lore is reset to 0 at the beginning of each game. Therefore, any unspent lore that remains when a game ends is lost. Lore cannot exceed 20.

Throughout the game, various effects, such as moving to hexes that contain mystery tokens (see "Site Tokens" on page 57), may result in adding lore.

During a game, characters may have opportunities to spend lore, such as by designing structures (see "Structure Design" on page 34).

Unrest. Unrest represents the growing dissatisfaction of society. As unrest increases, it can impact the game in a variety of negative ways, triggering destabilizing effects on various cards. Unrest is not reset between games, and cannot exceed 20.

At the end of each night phase, if unrest is 20, the players read Codex outcome 418.

Population. Population represents the society's size. It determines the maximum number of outposts the characters can build (see "Build Outpost" on page 32) and can result in a variety of effects when a game ends. Population is not reset between games, and cannot exceed 20.

At the end of each night phase, if the population is 0, the players read Codex outcome 333.

Overlays

Overlays are punchboard shapes that are used to represent unique elements that have been added to a hex, such as outposts, ruins, behemoth lairs (see page 211 of the Codex), and other unusual terrain, such as glaciers (see page 210 of the Codex).

Each zone can have a maximum of one overlay, but a single hex can potentially have multiple overlays.

There are two shapes of overlays. Most overlays cover one third of a hex. A few overlays cover the entire hex.

An overlay that covers one third of a hex can be placed only such that it completely overlaps one of the hex's three zones. An overlay that covers the entire hex is placed in the same manner as a hex, on top of another hex.

Any features that are fully covered by an overlay are treated as if they no longer exist in that hex.

An overlay can be unobstructive, obstructive, or impassable:

Unobstructive: A character can move through an overlay that does not obstruct movement as if it were land. When resolving an Arduous Journey that crosses a hex edge covered by this overlay, a character does not lose energy.
Obstructive: A character can move through an obstructive overlay. However, when resolving an Arduous Journey that crosses a hex edge covered by this overlay, they must lose one energy.
Impassable: A character cannot cross a hex edge covered by an overlay that is impassible.

Page 209 in the Codex has an overlay reference that indicates whether an overlay is unobstructive, obstructive, or impassable. It is recommended that players consult that reference as needed rather than reading it exhaustively, as it may contain spoilers of future terrain's effects.

Knowledge Cards

Knowledge cards represent important societal discoveries that can help a society thrive in the valley.

Game effects can add a Knowledge card to the society's cultural knowledge. When this happens, the players record the card name and ID in the "Culture" section of the Journal. Then, they take the corresponding Knowledge card from the supply and place it faceup in their play area as a reference.

The rules presented on any Knowledge card persist for the remainder of the campaign. Place all Knowledge cards recorded in the Journal in the play area at the start of each play session.

The Primal Cave Wall

The primal cave wall is a space where players illustrate important events in their society's history. When a game effect instructs the players to create an illustration for the cave wall, those instructions will detail the marks that should be drawn. After marking the cave wall, the players distribute the marks between the backs of their Character cards as described on page 70.

Marks illustrated on the primal cave wall persist throughout the entire campaign, and even if they have no inherent mechanical effect, game effects will refer to them.

Illustrating a Saga. When an effect instructs the players to illustrate a saga on the primal cave wall, they must draw their interpretation of that saga's events as they occurred during the game, including one or more listed marks. If the game effects provide only the name of a mark, players can find a reference to that mark in the "Mark List" on page 226 of the Codex.

Only the listed marks must be included in a saga illustration for game purposes. All other portions of the illustration are purely for the group's storytelling enjoyment. When illustrating a saga with non-mandatory elements, players should avoid drawing images that look too similar to existing marks, so as to avoid future confusion between embellishments and those existing marks. (For example, an illustrated saga might show the mandatory marks of "Arrival" and "Verdant Vale," with birds added as thematic embellishments.)

Tracking Marks in the Codex. If players wish to maintain an unambiguous record of the marks on the primal cave wall, they may keep a list of the mark names in their Journal and refer to the Mark List on page 226 of the Codex.

Players can use any color of pencil that matches a pigment listed on the Culture page of the Journal. By default, the black pencil is available.

Enclosing Marks. Some game effects instruct the players to draw one mark enclosing another mark. To do this, draw the enclosed mark fully within the open area of the enclosing mark. (For example, the conclusion mark enclosing the moonblood mark.)

Adorning Marks. Some game effects instruct the players to draw one mark adorned with another mark. To do this, draw the adorning mark connected to the top of the adorned mark. (For example, a behemoth mark adorned with the wrath mark.)

Adding Marks to Character Cards. When the players illustrate a saga on the primal cave wall, for each mark illustrated as part of that saga, the players choose an active character and illustrate that mark on the Legend side of that character's card. The players should choose among themselves how to divide out these marks, based on the characters' contributions and the story that has unfolded. Enclosing and Adorning marks must be added to a single Character card this way, illustrated as they were on the primal cave wall.

Perished Characters

A character can perish during the game in a number of ways. They can perish of old age between games, or maladies can overtake them during a game.

When a character perishes, perform the following steps in order:

Grieve. Roll a die and resolve the corresponding result, adding +2 if the character perished due to old age between challenges (or events in Endless Mode):
- 1: Subtract one population.
- 2-4: Add one unrest.
- 5-6: Choose one of that character's attributes. Permanently increase it by 1, to a maximum of 6.
Check Legend Box. Check the "Legend" box on the perished character's card.
Create Legend. Flip that character's card to its back side and record that character's name, attributes, and traits. That character is now a legend, and their card is now a Legend card.

Place that Legend card in the supply with all other Legend cards. Game effects may call upon these legends (see "Legends" below).
Create New Character. The player whose character perished creates a new character by following the instructions presented in "Character Creation" on page 6. Alternatively, that player can select a character that has not yet perished and is not being used currently.
Manage Inventory. Some of the perished character's inventory may be bequeathed to another character or characters, or placed with an animal companion (see "Animal Companions" on page 89). This depends on the manner in which they perished, as explained below:
- If a character perishes while in a hex with at least one other character: Other characters in that hex can gain up to a total of five items and five resources from the perished character's inventory. These can be divided among the characters in that hex as they see fit.
- If a character perishes while in a hex with an animal companion: their player can place any number of resources and items into that companion's inventory, obeying the companion's inventory limits. The companion remains in that hex and is now unbonded from the perished character (see "Animal Companions" on page 89).
- If a character perishes while in a hex with at least one other character and an animal companion: Other characters in that hex can gain up to a total of five items and five resources from the perished character's inventory, then any remaining resources can be placed in the animal companion's inventory as described above.
- If a character perishes while in a hex alone and without an animal companion: All resources and items in that character's inventory are lost and returned to supply.
- If a character perishes between challenges (or events in Endless Mode): Any five items and any five resources from the perished character's inventory can be given to any new character that their player chooses to use.
Any remaining resources and items that cannot be bequeathed to other characters or stored using an animal companion are lost and returned to the supply.

Legends

After a character perishes, they become a legend (see "Perished Characters" above). Legend cards are kept aside, in the supply. During the game, players may be instructed to write or draw in the bottom area of a Legend card.

Gaining Legend Cards. Game effects may instruct a player to draw or choose a Legend card.

To draw a Legend card, the player shuffles the deck of Legend cards. Then, they draw the bottom card and place it with the Legend side up next to their character's mantle board.

To choose a Legend card, the player simply takes a Legend card of their choice from those that are in the Legend deck. Then, they place it Legend side up next to their character's mantle board.

A character can have a maximum of one Legend card in play at a time. If a character is instructed to draw or choose a Legend card and they already have one, or if there are none available from the Legend deck, that game effect is ignored.

Using Legend Cards. A character can use a Legend card next to their mantle board in the following ways:

Heroic Example: When performing a test, a character can choose to substitute this legend's attribute value for their own. This is declared before rolling the die for that test.
Past Wisdom: When any type of effect (including a test) checks whether a character has a trait or mark, the character can choose to use a trait or mark on this Legend card. If used for a test, this is done before rolling the die for that test.

After a character uses a Legend card, it is placed back on top of the Legend deck.

Forgotten Legends. Legend cards of societies from previous campaigns are not generally used, and some effects can cause legends to be forgotten.

For any Legend cards from previous campaigns and Legend cards that became forgotten via game effects, place those cards in the card box with the "Return to Game Box" divider. They cannot be accessed by a society unless an effect refers specifically to accessing a forgotten legend.

Behemoths

Behemoths are great creatures who arrive in the valley during the course of play. After they arrive, they reside in lairs that are placed as overlays on the map, treading the land during the game and potentially interacting with the characters.

Each behemoth is represented by a behemoth board and a miniature. The behemoth's board is used to track a behemoth's demeanor, and displays its attributes, abilities, encounter chart, and more. The behemoth's miniature is used to indicate the behemoth's current location on the map whenever it is alert.

Each behemoth features a variety of components, here listed:

One double-sided behemoth lair overlay
One or more behemoth wake overlays
One demeanor token
Aim/Trace tokens
Three Secret cards
Two Instinct cards

A behemoth's board, cards, and overlays all feature the same ID (BH1, BH2, etc.) for easy identification. The behemoth's miniature matches the art on that behemoth's board.

Attributes and Demeanor

Behemoths have the same attributes as characters: might, dexterity, conviction, and awareness. Their attribute values are printed on their boards and game effects can boost them (see "Boosts" on page 14).

Additionally, behemoths have demeanors, which can dictate their behaviors and influence the outcome of encounters with characters. A behemoth's demeanor is indicated by the position of a demeanor token on the demeanor track on the top of the behemoth board.

When a game effect aggravates or placates a behemoth's demeanor, the demeanor token is moved along the track accordingly. A behemoth's demeanor is increased by 1 when it is aggravated, and decreased by 1 when it is placated. One side of the demeanor's track indicates that the behemoth is curious, while the opposite side indicates that it is enraged. The demeanor has no inherent mechanical effect, but many game effects may refer to a behemoth's demeanor when determining their results.

Curio

Each behemoth board lists that behemoth's curio. Each curio is a material or other token linked to this behemoth in some way. A curio has no inherent mechanical effect, but it may be referenced by various game effects.

Study

Each behemoth board has a study effect. This effect allows a character in a hex containing a behemoth's trace token to spend three lore to interpret the signs of its passage, and thus learn one of its secrets (see "Secrets" on page 81).

Affinity

Each behemoth has an affinity that indicates the behemoth's preferences and helps to determine where a behemoth treads during each activation (see page 77).

Feature and Disturbance Effects

Each behemoth board has a feature and disturbance effect.

The feature effect modifies either the hex that the behemoth occupies, or a hex that the behemoth has treaded through, as indicated by the presence of trace tokens, left behind after its passage.

The disturbance effect is resolved when triggered by another effect. For example, this occurs as a result of certain Night cards.

Behemoth Arrival

Various game effects can cause a behemoth to arrive in the valley. A behemoth with an active lair has arrived in the valley, and is either alert or dormant (see "Behemoth States" below). After a behemoth arrives, the characters' society gains the Behemoths (KN21) Knowledge card if it does not have it.

Players prepare for a behemoth's arrival by gathering all that behemoth's components and recording the following information in the "Behemoths" page of the Journal:

Name Behemoth. As a group, decide upon a thematically fitting name that your society bestows upon the behemoth and record it on the "Behemoths" page of the Journal. This indicates that the behemoth has arrived in the valley.
Record Demeanor. Enter "4" as the starting demeanor in this behemoth's section of the Journal.
Prepare the Behemoth's Lair. A behemoth's lair indicates its presence in the valley. Each lair is double sided, with an active and an inactive side. An active lair indicates that the behemoth is alive and present in the valley (and may be alert or dormant at any given time), while an inactive lair indicates that the behemoth is gone from the valley, vanished into the mists of time.

A lair is an overlay, and thus follows all rules for overlays: it must be placed so that it completely overlaps one of the hex's three zones (see "Overlays" on page 68), and it cannot be placed in a zone with another overlay. When a behemoth arrives:
- If its lair is not in the valley when that behemoth arrives, place that behemoth's lair with its active side faceup, according to the game effect that caused that behemoth to arrive.
- If its lair is already on the board, flip it from its inactive side to its active side. Each behemoth lair is unique. The rules for each of them can be found in the "Overlay Reference" on page 209 of the Codex.

Behemoth States

A behemoth with an active lair in the valley exists in one of two states: alert or dormant. While at least one behemoth is alert, a behemoth phase is added to each day and night cycle (see "Behemoth Activation" on page 77).

Alert. If there are one or more behemoths with active lairs in the valley, then at the start of each challenge, randomly select a behemoth with an active lair in the valley to become alert; each other behemoth is dormant (unless the challenge specifies otherwise).

A behemoth that is alert activates during the behemoth phase. During this activation the behemoth treads around the map and behaves according to an assigned Instinct card.

When a behemoth becomes alert, players ready the behemoth by performing the following steps, in order:

Place Behemoth Board. Place the behemoth board faceup in the play area.
Set Starting Demeanor. Place the demeanor token on the behemoth's demeanor track according to the current behemoth's demeanor as recorded in the Journal. If this is the first time this behemoth has become alert, the starting demeanor is "4."
Reveal Instinct Card. If the behemoth does not have a faceup Instinct card, players randomly select one of that behemoth's Instinct cards and place it faceup below the behemoth board under the word "Instinct."

Some Instinct cards can be assigned to any behemoth by specific game effects. If an Instinct card is assigned to a behemoth and there are no terrain features in the valley that match the ones listed in its Aim section, treat the Instinct's Aim section as reading "Place in the farthest hex" until such a feature exists in the valley. Note that these cards are not assigned unless a game effect specifies it.
Place Secret Cards. Each behemoth is a complex being with strange powers and mysterious desires or vulnerabilities. When a behemoth becomes alert, randomly select one of its unknown Secret cards (one that hasn't previously been revealed) and place it facedown below the behemoth board, under the word "Secret." Then, place any known Secret cards (recorded on the "Behemoths" page of the Journal) faceup next to its board.
Place Miniature. Place the behemoth miniature on the hex that contains its corresponding lair overlay.
Update Decks. Add JB01-05 to the Journey deck and NB01-08 to the Night deck.

Dormant. If a behemoth has an active lair in the valley but has not been selected to become alert, that behemoth is dormant, slumbering in its lair until something rouses it. Alert behemoths can also become dormant based on game effects, such as the resolution of their Instinct cards.

While a behemoth is dormant, its miniature is off the map, though its lair remains in the active state.

When a behemoth becomes dormant, players perform the following steps, in order:

Remove Miniature and Trace Tokens. The behemoth miniature is removed from the map. If any matching aim or trace tokens are on the map, they are also removed and returned to the supply.
Record Demeanor. Record the behemoth's current demeanor on the Behemoths page of the Journal.
Clear Behemoth Components. Return all other behemoth components to the supply, including boost tokens on that behemoth's board. The board and other components are not needed until that behemoth becomes alert again.

Behemoth Activation

The behemoth phase is resolved after each night phase, before the next day phase begins. During the behemoth phase, each alert behemoth activates, typically treading around the map and interacting with the hexes and characters.

To activate a behemoth, a player performs the following steps in order:

Determine Aim. When a behemoth moves around the map, it is called treading. The hex that a behemoth is treading toward is marked by an aim token.

Where a behemoth's aim token is placed is determined by the "Aim" section of that behemoth's Instinct card.

During this step, if the activating behemoth's aim token is not on the map, the players resolve the "Aim" section on that behemoth's Instinct card and place an aim token in a specified hex accordingly. If the aim token can be placed in more than one hex, the players choose together in which of the hexes to place it.

If there is already one of that behemoth's aim tokens on the map, players proceed to step 2.
Resolve Tread. During this step, the players resolve the "Tread" section on the activating behemoth's Instinct card. That section instructs the players to perform a test using one of the behemoth's attributes. Then, according to that test's results, the behemoth treads toward the aim token (see "Treading" on page 78), or another destination as instructed in the "Tread" section.

If the behemoth does not reach the hex with its aim token this way, that token remains on the map. Otherwise, players proceed to resolve the last part of the "Tread" section on that behemoth's Instinct card, then flip the aim token to its trace side.
Encounter. During this step, if the behemoth is in a hex with one or more characters, an encounter with one of those characters begins at the start of the next day phase, before any actions are taken (see "Behemoth Encounters" on page 79).

If there are two or more characters in that hex, the behemoth encounters the character that meets the priority indicated on its Instinct card. If two or more characters meet this criterion, the players decide which character the behemoth encounters.

Treading

If an effect instructs a behemoth to tread, the behemoth moves one space toward its aim token, obeying the following rules:

It always treads into the adjacent hex that is closest to its aim token hex. This is the hex that is connected to its aim token hex by the lowest number of adjacent, contiguous hexes.
If there are multiple hexes that qualify as being the closest to its aim token, the players roll a different die for each of the closest hexes. The result of each die is then increased by +1 for each feature type in that hex matching one of the behemoth's affinities, as listed on its board.

The hex with the highest total is where the behemoth treads. If two or more totals are tied for the highest value, these (and only these) are rerolled. (Worked example: a behemoth prefers to tread through forests and wetlands. Both the yellow and the red hex are equally close to its aim token. A different die is rolled for each of those hexes. The result of each die is 3. Because the yellow hex has at least one forest, a +1 is added to the yellow result, increasing it to a 4. Since there's no preferred feature on the red hex, that result is not modified. The behemoth then moves to the yellow hex.)

In rare cases, a behemoth may have a particular destination specified by its Instinct card instead of an aim. In these cases, when resolving treading, treat that destination as if it contained the behemoth's aim token.

After moving the behemoth's miniature, the players resolve any effects that trigger when the behemoth enters that hex. Such effects are described on the behemoth's Instinct card.

Fleeing

Sometimes, an effect may call for a behemoth to flee. When a behemoth flees, it moves into the adjacent hex with the most feature types for which the behemoth has an affinity (players decide if two or more hexes are tied for the most feature types). If such a hex does not exist, the players choose which hex the behemoth flees to.

Behemoth Encounters

Characters can encounter behemoths, using their attributes, items, and energy in a series of dangerous contests that can offer a variety of worthwhile rewards.

After a behemoth treads, a character in the hex where it ends its movement encounters it, and its Instinct card dictates which character it encounters. A character does not automatically encounter a behemoth by being in a hex with it.

When resolving an encounter, a character uses the encounter chart presented on the right side of the behemoth board.

When an encounter begins, a character is imagined to be beneath the behemoth, likely trying to avoid its notice. The encounter chart represents the paths a character can take to scale a behemoth, starting at the behemoth's feet and ascending upward. There are three starting spaces at the bottom, to indicate different starting points for the encounter, each of which represents a different response to the character that the behemoth has based on its demeanor. Each starting point contains one or more branches, which represent choices and reactions the character can make during the encounter. These branches lead to different nodes, which represent critical moments during the encounter that require characters to resolve effects or contests to proceed. (For example, if the behemoth's current demeanor is 4, the character places their miniature on the corresponding starting space. If there is only one branch leading out of the starting space, the character must choose that branch.)

To resolve an encounter, a character performs the following steps, in order:

Place Miniature. The character removes their miniature from the map and places their character token in its place. Then, their miniature is moved on the starting space of the encounter chart that matches the behemoth's current demeanor.
Choose Branch. The character chooses one of the branches that connects its starting space to the nearest node. Each branch has a direction, indicated by the arrow at its end pointing to the next node.
Resolve Node. The character resolves the node that is connected to their chosen branch.

Nodes are resolved in different ways. Many nodes require a character to meet certain requirements or pay costs, like spending energy.

Apex nodes are a special type of node, represented by thick blue borders, where the character can influence or overcome the behemoth. When a character resolves an apex node, they often have the ability to reposition the behemoth by luring it away or driving it off with force.

To proceed past an apex node, the character must either have a cut tool or lose 1 energy (remember, if you can't lose 1 energy, you suffer 1 minor injury instead).

If a node shows one attribute "vs" another attribute, it requires the character and the behemoth to resolve a contest (see "Contests," below).

After resolving a node, the encounter can end in one of the following two ways:
- The node instructs the character to read a Codex outcome and that entry ends the encounter.
- The character resolves an effect that contains an exit icon.
If the encounter ends, the character proceeds to step 5 ("End Encounter"). Otherwise, they proceed to step 4 ("Continue Encounter").
Continue Encounter. The character repeats steps 2 and 3. When choosing a branch, they cannot choose the branch they came from. Instead, they must choose a new branch that stems from the last node they resolved during this encounter. This allows them to reach a new node to resolve. Characters continue their encounter in this way until one of the conditions ending the encounter is met.
End Encounter. When an encounter ends, the player places their character's miniature back on the map in the hex where the behemoth miniature is located, and removes their character token from the map. (For example, after resolving the first node by spending an energy, the character can continue their encounter by pursuing one of two different branches.)

Contests

Contests are a type of test that game effects occasionally require characters to make. During an encounter with a behemoth, a character may have to resolve a contest. A contest is a test, however unlike other tests, the character is comparing their result to one of the behemoth's attributes. Contests always depict two attributes juxtaposed.

The character's attribute to be used during the contest is presented first, before the "vs" (versus). The behemoth's attribute is presented second; this is the attribute that the character is comparing their result to. (For example, a contest node might read "Might vs Awareness," meaning the character tests might and compares their result to the behemoth's awareness attribute.)

To resolve a contest, a character rolls a die and adds the result to their attribute value. Like when resolving a test, if their attribute has a boost, that boost is added to the result. No dice are rolled for the behemoth, but if the behemoth's attribute has a boost, it is added to its attribute value. The outcome of the contest is determined as follows:

If the character's result is equal to or higher than the behemoth's attribute value, the character wins the contest. Some contests provide characters with win effects, such as reading a Codex outcome. If there is no win effect or if the win effect does not end the encounter, the character continues their encounter by choosing a new branch on which to move.
If the character's result is lower than the behemoth's attribute value, the character loses the contest. After a character loses a contest, they resolve the contest's lose effect, which typically causes them to suffer maladies.

Note: After the contest is resolved, all boosts that were used are degraded.

Contests Among Behemoths. If a game effect calls for a contest between two or more behemoths, roll a die for each of the contestants, adding to the result each behemoth's relevant attribute, plus any boosts and other modifiers. The behemoth with the highest total result wins the contest, and all other behemoths lose the contest. If there is a tie, the players randomly determine the winner between all behemoths with tied values.

Other Contests. In rare circumstances, a character might be called upon to make a contest against something other than a behemoth. In these cases, it is resolved in the same manner as a contest against a behemoth.

Secrets

Each behemoth has a number of secrets that characters can reveal and use to their advantage during play. A secret might be a weapon that can harm it or a clue about how to pacify it or alter its demeanor. A behemoth's secrets are represented by Secret cards.

Learning the Secret. A character can study a behemoth to learn more about it, including its secrets. To study a behemoth, a character must spend three lore while in a hex with one of the behemoth's trace tokens. Then, they read the Codex entry indicated by the "Study" section of the behemoth board.

When a character learns a behemoth's secret, if that behemoth has a facedown Secret card assigned to it, they learn that secret by flipping it faceup and reading it. Then, they record it in the behemoth section of the Journal. That Secret card is placed faceup next to that behemoth's board.

When setting up an alert behemoth, any known secrets are placed faceup near the behemoth's board. If the behemoth has no more Secret cards remaining, all of its secrets are known, and it is not assigned further facedown secrets.

Advanced Rules

This section contains rules tied to elements of the game that are not immediately available to players. Players can ignore this section when learning the game. These rules can be referenced as needed.

Make Fire

Make fire is a basic action that allows characters to create fire in their hex. This action is not available until a game effect provides it to the society.

To perform a make fire action, a character spends one energy. Then, they spend one wood and test either dexterity or conviction. Before resolving the test, they may spend one fiber to add +2 to their result.

Then, they resolve the corresponding result listed below:

[10+] You successfully start a fire. Place one fire token on your hex.
[1-9] The fire will not start. Gain one wood.

Delve

Delving is a feature action that allows characters to explore the valley's subterranean systems to claim resources and uncover the many surprises that await within the map's various caves and chasms. Resources are claimed during the delve, but not gained until the character finds a way out, meaning that characters must balance their desire for riches against their search for an exit. This action is not available until a game effect provides it to the society.

A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a cave or chasm.

To perform a delve action, a character spends one energy, chooses a cave or chasm in their hex in which to delve, and then uses Delving cards to determine a path through the feature. Each card represents a distinct underground chamber that a character can explore.

Unlike other feature actions, a character resolves a delve over multiple turns. Typically, a delve turn consists of a character exploring one chamber and then choosing a path to move to another chamber to explore during their next turn. This cycle repeats until the character either exits the underground in a new place, or withdraws the way they came. If a character withdraws, they count as passing for the current day phase, and can take no further actions that day.

Paths

Each chamber, which is represented by a single Delving card, has two paths that lead to additional chambers, deeper underground. These paths are marked by sense icons located at the bottom of a chamber's card.

Sense icons represent environmental shifts that the character can detect within each path. There are six sense icons, as follows: Warmth, Cold, Moisture, Airflow, Tremor, Musk.

The delve action is divided into two types of turns. If a character is not currently delving, they must begin a delve. If a character is already delving, they must continue a delve.

Begin a Delve

To begin a delve, a character spends one energy, shuffles the Delving deck, and performs the following steps in order:

Find a Starting Chamber. Caves and chasms are each linked to specific sense icons, as follows:
- Cave: Cold and Moisture
- Chasm: Tremor and Warmth
The player now looks at the back of the top card of the Delving deck, without revealing it. If the sense icon displayed on the back of that card is among those linked to the feature where they are delving, they set that card aside and proceed to the next step.

If the sense icon displayed on the back is not among those linked to the feature where they are delving, they place it facedown in a Delving discard pile and look at the next card on top. The character repeats this process until the top card of the deck is a card with a sense icon that is linked to the feature where they are delving. (For example, a character delving at a chasm draws a card with a cold icon first; since chasms are not linked to cold, it goes to the Delving discard pile. The second card drawn has a warmth icon; since chasms are linked to warmth, that card becomes the starting chamber for the delve.)
Reveal Starting Chamber. The player reads the text on the back of the set-aside chamber card. This provides the initial narrative for the delve and may provide clues about what lies within the chamber. Then, they reveal the card and place it in their play area.
Enter Chamber. The player now places their character's miniature on the card to indicate they have entered the chamber.

When entering the starting chamber, before removing the miniature from the valley, place the character's token on the feature of the map where the delve began. This token is a reminder of where on the map the character is located.
Read Text and Resolve Entry. After a character enters a chamber, their player reads the text at the top of the card, and they resolve that card's entry section.

Each card has either an "Entry Rewards" or an "Entry Effect" section. If the card has a reward, the character claims that reward by taking it from the supply and placing it in a pile near the Delving card. If the card has an effect, the character resolves it by following its instructions.

Any claimed rewards are set aside. A character cannot gain those rewards until the delve is complete. (For example, a character enters the starting chamber which presents an entry reward. That reward is claimed, and a pitch token is moved to start a pile of rewards near the Delving cards.)
Prepare Chambers. The player now prepares the chambers that each path will reach. Starting with the left path, the character looks at the card on the top of the Delving deck and places them facedown in a Delving discard pile until the card's back has a sense icon that matches the sense icon for that path. The character places that card facedown below the previous chamber's path sense icon, then repeats this process for the right path. (For example, the path that feels cold leads to a chamber with a cold icon; the path that emanates heat leads to a chamber with a heat icon.)

Continue a Delve

To continue a delve, a character performs the following step (including for the starting chamber):

Resolve Chamber Action. The central portion of each chamber card (below the entry section) contains a chamber action. Some chamber actions require the character to spend energy or other resources; some to perform tests, or make specified choices.

At the start of a character's turn, that character resolves the card's chamber effect by following its instructions.

These effects vary; however, some effects may allow the character to descend or exit from the delve.

Descend: If an effect instructs a character to descend, they explore deeper into the underground (see "Descending" on page 86).
Exit: Some effects may force or allow a player to exit. These effects use the exit icon (see "Exiting" on page 86).

After a character resolves a card's chamber action—including descending—their turn ends. (A character can read the text on the back of each unrevealed chamber in play, before choosing a path to descend. These may contain clues as to the contents of the chamber.)

Descending. To descend, the player chooses one of the two paths leading out of their chamber for their character to follow. They can read the text on the back of each path's chamber card before making their choice. After they make their choice, they flip the chosen card faceup. Then, they follow steps 3 through 5 of a begin a delve turn.

Exiting. After a character ends their delve by resolving an exit effect, they return to the surface, gain all the rewards that were claimed during this delve (see "Rewards" below), and end the delve. Depending on the exploration depth (see "Depth" below) when exiting, the character has an option to move their character to a different hex on the map, instead of returning to the hex where their character token was placed:

Depth 1: If a character exits while at depth 1, their miniature must be placed in the same hex as their character token.
Depths 2 or 3: If a character exits while at depths 2 or 3, their miniature can be placed on any explored hex that has a cave or chasm and is in the same region as their character token.
Depths 4 or greater: If a character exits while at depth 4 or greater, their miniature can be placed on any explored hex on the map that has a cave or chasm.

After a character exits a delve, their token is returned to the supply.

Depth. Some effects refer to depth. A chamber's depth is equal to the number of chambers above it plus 1. For example, the starting chamber is depth 1 (0 + 1). If you descend to the chamber beneath that, that chamber's depth is 2 (1 + 1).

Oppressive Depth. Delving for too long can wear upon even the most steadfast of explorers. At the start of any turn while delving, if the character has no remaining energy, they must either suffer 1 minor injury or withdraw.

If a character withdraws, they return to the hex where they began their delve and are allowed to keep only one of the claimed rewards of their choice.

Rewards. Rewards are what the character has collected while delving. During the delve, any claimed rewards are set aside, not gained. Some effects may cause the character to lose rewards before the delve has ended.

When a character uses an exit to end a delve, they gain all the set-aside rewards. If a delve ends by any other means, the character gains one claimed reward of their choice unless stated otherwise, while the remaining rewards are lost and returned to the supply.

Taboos

As characters progress through the campaign, cultural taboos may develop over time based on their choices. When a taboo becomes part of the society, it is recorded on the "Culture" page of the Journal, in the "Taboos" section.

After a character performs an action or makes a choice that breaks one or more of the society's taboos, add one unrest.

However, a shared set of taboos can also contribute to feelings of societal cohesion. If a society has one or more taboos, at the end of each challenge (or event, in Endless Mode), if no character broke a taboo during that challenge (or event), subtract one unrest.

If a game effect instructs the players to remove a taboo, erase or cross out that taboo from the Journal. It no longer applies to the society.

Ruin

A ruin is an overlay that represents a former outpost. A variety of game effects can cause an outpost to become a ruin, including when population has fallen below certain thresholds at an epoch transition (see "Build Outpost" on page 32).

When an outpost becomes a ruin, the outpost overlay is flipped to its ruin side. A ruin is unobstructive (it does not count as obstructing paths through its edge for the purposes of resolving an Arduous Journey).

After flipping the outpost overlay, the players replace the "Active" status on that Outpost card with the "Ruin" status. When an outpost has a "Ruin" status, characters cannot use any of the structures written on that Outpost card.

After a society has gained the relevant Knowledge card, a character can perform the associated action while in a hex that has a ruin overlay (see "Scavenge" below).

Scavenge

Scavenging is a feature action that allows characters to search for material scraps, potentially even gaining processed resources. This action is not available until a game effect provides it to the society.

A character can perform this action while they are on a terrain hex that contains a ruin overlay.

To perform the scavenge action, a character spends two energy and depletes the hex. Then, resolve the following steps, in order:

Prepare Scavenging Bag. The player places one token for each of the following six material tokens into the draw bag: Cloudstone, Riverstone, Bone, Wood, Fiber, Hide. Then, the player shuffles the resources by either mixing them with their hands or shaking the draw bag.
Remove Two Resources. The player reaches into the draw bag and removes two material tokens from the draw bag, and places them back into the supply.
Empty Bag. The player now empties the draw bag by pouring out the remaining four tokens, leaving the tokens on the side on which they land (unprocessed or processed).
Choose Resources. From among those four resources, the player can do one of the following:
- Choose any two resources and have their character gain them in the state they are currently in (processed or unprocessed).
- Choose any two of the resources that have crafting pips and immediately use them to perform a craft action. Their character does not have to spend energy to perform this craft action, and the two materials used for this craft action must remain in the state they are currently in (processed or unprocessed).

Relocate Outpost

Sometimes, it can be advantageous to shift the position of an outpost. Players might do this to move away from a threat or shift to a more favorable region. Relocating outposts is an action that allows a character to move an outpost to an adjacent hex. This action is not available until a game effect provides it to the society.

A character can perform this action while they are in a hex that contains a village outpost. To relocate an outpost, a character spends three energy and chooses a village outpost in their hex. Any number of other characters in the same hex can contribute to this action.

When relocating an outpost, the following rules apply:

The outpost must be relocated to an adjacent hex without an outpost.
The outpost must be placed in a zone without another overlay.
Choose up to 1 immobile structure in the outpost; each other immobile structure in the outpost is destroyed (mobile structures are unaffected).

Outposts can also be relocated between challenges without spending energy. At the start of each challenge with an interval of Season, you may move one village outpost to an adjacent hex, following the same rules as the action above. At the start of each challenge with an interval of Generation or Epoch Start, each village outpost may be moved to an adjacent hex, following the same rules as the action above.

Animal Companions

Most creatures of the valley are wild, but humans have a habit of finding friends in the strangest places, even across species. Animal companions are befriended creatures who aid characters with inventory management and tests, and keep them company during their explorations throughout the valley.

The base Stonesaga game includes a single animal companion, which must be discovered before it enters play. Alternatively, if playing a game using the hardcore solo game mode, the lone character begins their campaign with an animal companion (see "Solo Rules" on page 100).

Each animal companion is represented by a companion board and a miniature. The companion board indicates the companion's attributes, abilities, diet, and inventory slots, while the miniature is used to indicate where on the map the companion is located. (For example, a companion board might read: "Cannot move independently. Once per day, when you move, you may choose not to resolve Arduous Journey. This companion can carry up to 5 item cards. Carried cards are packed, and follow the rules for packing/unpacking item cards. Up to 5 carried item cards can be kept between games (they are discarded if this companion is lost).")

When setting up a game using one or more animal companions—i.e. when setting up either a hardcore solo game, or a multiplayer game after the animal companion has been discovered—assign each animal companion to one character. A character can be assigned a maximum of 1 animal companion. Then, that player places the companion's board in their play area and places the companion's miniature, which matches its board art, in their hex. If a character gains an animal companion during a game, that companion is immediately assigned to that character.

When a companion is assigned to a character, that companion and that character become bonded. Place that animal companion's board near the bonded character's mantle board to indicate the bond. A companion can share inventory, attributes, and move around the map with a bonded character. The first time a character becomes bonded to an animal companion, gain the Animal Companions (KN08) Knowledge card.

Companion Movement

When a character moves, flees, or exits while delving, if they occupy the same hex as their bonded animal companion, their companion moves, flees, or exits with them.

Some animal companions have abilities that allow them to move independently from their bonded character. Such abilities are resolved during the day phase, and can be resolved before or after their bonded character performs an action. Companion movement abilities cannot be resolved during a character's action or during the night phase.

A character and their bonded animal companion remain bonded even when they are not occupying the same hex.

Companion Inventory

An animal companion has its own inventory for storing resources, consisting of inventory slots. Each slot can hold one food, one water, or one material token.

While a character and their bonded animal companion occupy the same hex, the companion's inventory is treated as an extension of the character's inventory. This means that the character may freely swap tokens between their inventory and their companion's board at any time.

If an effect requires a character to gain or spend a token from their inventory, and their bonded animal companion is in their same hex, they may gain or spend that token from their companion's inventory.

While a character is in a hex with an animal companion that is not bonded to them, they may exchange any number of resources (food, water, and materials) with that companion before or after any of their actions.

When exchanging tokens with an animal companion bonded to a different character, that character must grant permission for the exchange to happen. (For example, the orrox companion presents four standard inventory slots.)

Companion Attributes

An animal companion has attribute values presented on their companion board. These attributes are selected from the same set of 4 attributes as characters, but an animal companion may have fewer than 4. Like a character, these attributes can be boosted, as described later.

If a character is performing an attribute test while in a hex with their bonded animal companion, they may choose to use their animal companion's attribute value instead of their own attribute value. The character must make this choice before they roll dice for the test.

When using an animal companion's attribute value for a test, the bonded character includes all the companion's boosts to that attribute. Boosts on that character's mantle board are not used during this test. Animal companion boosts degrade following the normal boost rules. (For example, the orrox has only two attributes, might and conviction.)

Companion Diets

An animal companion has one or more favorite foods, which are presented on the companion board as a diet. (For example, the orrox eats grains, roots, and nuts.)

During the day phase, before or after performing an action, a character can feed an animal companion in their hex (theirs or another character's bonded companion). To feed an animal companion, a character spends a food token matching one of the chosen companion's favorite foods to have that companion gain a minor boost. The rules for gaining a boost are identical to the character boost rules. Each animal companion can be fed a maximum of once per day.

Food tokens cannot be spent in this way during an action or during the night phase, and animal companions cannot gain boosts through any other game effect.

Switching Bonds

At the start of each day phase, each animal companion may bond with a different character in the same hex, if the original bonded character's player agrees to switch who is bonded. This rule allows multiple characters and multiple animal companions that are in the same hex to swap who they are bonded to if all players agree.

When an animal companion bonds to a different character, place that companion's board next to that character's mantle board. That companion is no longer bonded to the previous character. A companion can only be bonded to a single character at a time, and vice versa.

Assigning Companions at Game Start

When setting up a new challenge, if the interval is a season (see page 94), each animal companion that was previously gained (and has not been lost) can be assigned to the same, or a new character. If the interval is a generation or an epoch, all animal companions are lost, and they must be gained again through in-game effects. Animal companions are assigned after players select mantles.

When assigning animal companions at the start of a game, not every available companion has to be assigned, and not every character has to be assigned a companion. An unassigned companion is not used during the game, but can be assigned at the start of the next game (so long as it has not been lost due to the interval). A companion can be assigned to a different character than during the last game.

Campaign Rules

This section contains additional rules that pertain to playing a Stonesaga campaign.

Epochs and Challenges

Each campaign is divided into three epochs. A single epoch is comprised of four to six games. After players complete their current epoch, they proceed to the next epoch. Each epoch builds on the events of the previous epochs, allowing the world and its inhabitants to change over the intervening eras.

The transition between each epoch is unique and has its own set of rules (see "Ending an Epoch" below).

Each epoch consists of a series of challenges, played out with Challenge cards. Each Challenge card provides the framework for a single game with goals to achieve (see "Challenge and Goal Cards" on page 22). The front side of each Challenge card has a title and an ID code.

During setup, at the start of each game, the players select a challenge to play. There are multiple challenge types. The type of each Challenge card is displayed on the upper left corner of the card. (For example, the challenge type for Seeds on the Wind is "Campaign Start, Introduction.")

If it is the start of a campaign, the players must select a "Campaign Start" challenge. If it is the start of a subsequent epoch, they must select an "Epoch Start" challenge of the appropriate epoch.

If the players have already completed either the "Campaign Start" or the "Epoch Start" challenge for the current epoch, for their next game they must select a different challenge from among their looming challenges.

Looming Challenges

Looming challenges represent forthcoming problems and opportunities for the society. During play, players are instructed to add challenges to their looming challenges. To add a challenge to the looming challenges, record it in the Journal, under "Looming Challenges."

After the players complete a challenge, they should take the Challenge cards for all looming challenges from the supply and add them to the play area as they consider which one to select.

The rules for selecting a challenge are determined by the challenge types available to the players, as follows:

Campaign Start: There are two campaign start challenges. These represent the early struggles of a society. One of them must be selected at the start of every campaign. Of these, Seeds on the Wind is the introductory challenge for new players, and functions as a tutorial for the game's rules. Whispers on the North Wind is the campaign start challenge recommended for players who already know how to play the game.
Epoch Start: These challenges represent the initial trials of each subsequent epoch. Players must select one of these challenges as the first challenge of every epoch after the first one.
Crisis: These challenges represent threats to the society. When selecting a looming challenge during setup, players must choose a crisis challenge if there is at least one available. If there are multiple looming crisis challenges, the players select one. Then, players read and resolve the effects of each crisis Challenge card that was not selected.
Development: These challenges represent opportunities to obtain knowledge by learning from the work of the ancestors. These challenges are optional.
Peril: These challenges represent risks that could have adverse effects if ignored. These challenges are optional; however, if any peril challenges are still looming after the players select an epoch or campaign finale challenge but before they play it, the players read and resolve their effects.
Epoch Finale: This challenge ends the current epoch. This challenge may be selected during setup of games four and five and must be selected during setup of game six. For game six, an epoch finale must be selected even if there are looming crisis challenges; then, players read and resolve the effects of any looming crisis and peril challenges.
Campaign Finale: This challenge is the finale of the campaign! The rules for selecting this challenge are the same as those for the Epoch Finale.

Ending an Epoch

An epoch ends after an epoch finale challenge is completed. If the outcome instructs the players to end the campaign, the campaign ends. Otherwise, the players resolve the transition to the next epoch.

The rules for ending each epoch to begin the next can be found in the Codex, as follows:

Epoch 1 to Epoch 2 (page 195 of the Codex)
Epoch 2 to Epoch 3 (page 203 of the Codex)

Intervals

Each Challenge card has an interval that indicates how much time has passed between that challenge and the previous one. According to the type of interval, its effects can cause the characters to age.

There are four types of interval, as follows:

Season: A season has no effect on existing characters.
Generation: A generation requires each existing character (even characters not in use) to age. If a young character ages, they become old. If an old character ages, they perish and become a legend. When aging a character, simply select the checkbox on that Character card that matches their current age.
Epoch: An epoch requires each existing character to perish and consequently become a legend.
Introduction: The interval used for the introductory challenge, which has no effect on existing characters.

(For example, the interval type for Seeds on the Wind is "Introduction.")

The Valley

To the people who live there, the valley is the whole of the world within their reach. Though their ancient songs may recount other lands, the valley stretches from horizon to horizon between vast, snowy climes. As the epochs progress, however, the glaciers retreat and more of the valley becomes available to explore.

Size. The valley's size is expressed in the maximum number of trays that can be placed at a given time. This is recorded on the "Valley Map" page of the Journal, and increases by epoch, as follows:

Epoch 1: 4 trays
Epoch 2: 6 trays
Epoch 3: 8, or more trays if you have expansions

Regions. From lush forests to arid mesas to climes far stranger still, the valley is made up of numerous regions. Each region is visually and thematically distinct and has a set number of hexes. The campaign begins in either the Verdant Vale or Skyreach Plateau regions, and additional regions may become available throughout the campaign.

Expanding the Valley. Some effects instruct the players to expand the valley. Expanding the valley adds a new tray to the map, which is then populated with hexes. The way in which the tray is positioned and which hexes are used to populate it are described by the individual effect that expands the valley.

If an effect would expand the valley and the valley already contains the maximum number of trays tied to its size, the valley cannot be expanded further and that portion of the effect is ignored.

To expand the valley, perform the following steps:

Place a New Tray. The effect that expands the valley indicates a hex on the map from which the valley is expanding. Place the new terrain tray so it touches as many of that hex's edges as possible. If multiple such positions exist, the players choose one.
Populate Hexes. Unless specifically stated otherwise, randomly select three hexes from the region specified in the effect that expands the valley and place them in the new tray facedown, so that they are unexplored.
Place Overlays. Place any overlays as specified by the effect that expands the valley.

Challenge Ending

Many elements of the game persist between challenges. This section instructs players what to do when a challenge ends.

Retaining Supplies. At the end of each challenge, some supplies can be retained for the next challenge. For each character, the players may choose up to five Item cards and up to five material tokens from that character's inventory or from any structures in the hex that character occupies. All other items and materials are returned to the supply.

At the start of the following challenge, any retained items begin with the character who retained them. If that player is creating a new character, the retained items are bequeathed to the new character (see page 71).

Character and Legend Cards. Character cards persist between challenges. Generally, a player continues the campaign using the same character from the previous challenge, until that character perishes due to aging, and becomes a legend. At that point, the player creates a new character to use.

Culture. Set aside all components (mantle powers, structure designs, Knowledge cards, etc.) that are part of the culture knowledge.

Character States. Characters discard any maladies, boosts, and energy on their mantle board. A character's energy will be reset to its starting value during setup of the next challenge.

Map State. Overlays remain on the map between challenges, as do any structures contained within outposts. All site tokens on the map (fire, shelter, mystery, depletion) are removed, as well as any special site tokens that were placed on hexes or overlays, and any aim and trace tokens.

Challenge Played. Record the name of the challenge, any outcomes read, any goals completed, and your notes on the relevant Challenge Record page of the Journal.

Society Tracks. Each society track is resolved differently at the end of a challenge, as follows:

Activity Track: The activity track is reset to 0 after each challenge.
Population Track: The population track is not reset after each challenge.
Lore Track: The lore track is reset to 0 after each challenge.
Unrest Track: The unrest track is not reset after each challenge.

Saving a Campaign

Players can save their campaign at the end of a challenge to continue later. To save a campaign, perform the following steps:

Store Characters. Each player places their mantle board and miniature into the box, and then takes their Character card, energy tokens, retained items, and retained materials and places them into the card box with their character's card divider.
Record Map. Together, the players record the region name and the positions of each hex in the Journal and note the location and status (active or inactive) of each overlay.
Store Map. Take all of the terrain trays with any hexes and overlays in them and place them into the box.
Store Current Decks. Some of the decks used in Stonesaga can be changed in a persistent manner by effects and outcomes in the game. Make sure each deck as it exists currently is placed with its divider in the appropriate card box.
Store Cultural Knowledge & Ongoing Goals. Gather any unlocked mantle powers, designed Structure Cards, Outpost/Ruin cards, Legend cards, and any Ongoing Goals, record them in the Journal (if they have not been recorded already), then place them within the associated "Your Society's…" card divider in the appropriate card box.
Store Looming Challenges & Knowledge Cards. Record any looming challenges and gained Knowledge cards in the Journal (if they have not been recorded already), then place them in the Discovery Tray.

Ending a Campaign

Campaigns can end in several ways. The most common is playing a "Campaign Finale" challenge that results in the end of your campaign. In some circumstances, another effect might instruct you to end your campaign.

When you end your campaign, check the Legend box on each of your society's Character cards.

At the end of a campaign, your society can persist or vanish. See "Beginning Subsequent Campaigns" below for details.

Playing Endless Mode After a Campaign. If you want to continue playing after your campaign has ended, one option is to switch to playing Endless Mode (see page 102). Continue using your current valley and society as you begin playing Endless Mode.

Beginning Subsequent Campaigns

When you begin a campaign after your first, follow the steps below:

Choose Your Society. Choose one of the following:
- Continue a persisting society: If a previous campaign ended with your society persisting, you may continue that society, playing those characters' distant descendants who left in ages past but now return to the valley. Return all components to the game box, except for: terrain trays, hexes, overlays, Legend cards, mantle powers, Knowledge cards, and Outpost cards. Begin a fresh Journal and a fresh primal cave wall.
- Create a new society: Otherwise, you must play as a new society reaching the valley. All previous Legend cards are forgotten – place them in the game box, but do not discard them (they might someday be rediscovered!). Return all components to the game box, except for: terrain trays, hexes, overlays, and Outpost cards. Begin a fresh Journal and a fresh primal cave wall.
Choose Your Valley. Choose one of the following:
- Explore new lands: Return all game components to the game box, including terrain trays, hexes, and overlays.
- Rediscover an ancient valley: Keep all hexes in their terrain trays (or rebuild a valley based on a map from an old Journal), then flip all hexes to their undiscovered sides. Flip all outposts to ruins, then return all other overlays to the game box.
Begin New Campaign. Add Whispers of the North Wind (CA01) to your looming challenges.

Clarifications

This section contains clarifications to various rules, organized by topic.

Conflict Resolution: Dawn Rule

It is possible that during play, circumstances in which players are unsure how to resolve the interaction or timing of multiple effects or considerations may arise. In these cases, the Dawn Rule is in effect: players should use the resolution that benefits the group and the story they are telling together the most. If players desire a more adversarial relationship with the game, the Dusk Rule can be implemented instead (see "Game Difficulty" on page 101).

Timing

If there is ever more than one effect with the same timing, the players choose the order of those effects.

Resolve each effect that occurs "At the start of each day" before any character performs any actions during the day phase.
Resolve each effect that occurs "At the start of each night" before the Check for Perished Characters step of the night phase.
Resolve each effect that occurs "At the end of each night" after the Check Population and Unrest step of the night phase.

Energy

If an effect allows a character to gain energy and all of their energy tokens are already available, that effect is ignored. A character cannot gain energy beyond the maximum number of tokens allowed on their mantle board, which is tied to the number of characters in the game.
A character cannot spend energy if they have no available energy tokens. If a game effect instructs a player to lose energy and they have no available energy tokens, they must suffer one minor injury for each energy they could not lose. See "Health" on page 55.
A character cannot voluntarily suffer a minor injury to avoid losing an energy token.

Dice

If two or more effects would cause a die to be rerolled, the player rolling the die may reroll it once for each of such effects (i.e., the same die can be rerolled multiple times, once per effect allowing a reroll).
When an effect, such as heroic effort or item effects, causes additional dice to be rolled, all results are added together. Dice added this way are rolled one at a time.
When an effect instructs a player to turn a die, they set the result to a new face, as the effect instructs. A die cannot be turned to a result higher than 6 or lower than 1. Effects that turn dice are resolved after effects that allow dice to be rerolled.
A result that is changed or rerolled to a result of 6 does not trigger a heroic effort.

Randomizing

If a game effect instructs a player to select a character at random, place all character tokens eligible for that effect in the draw bag, shuffle them, then draw one at random.
If a game effect instructs a player to select between one or more eligible hexes in the valley at random (e.g., "randomly select an adjacent hex"), assign each eligible hex a number, then roll a die and select that hex, based on the number of eligible hexes:
- Two hexes: 1-3: Hex 1, 4-6: Hex 2
- Three hexes: 1-2: Hex 1, 3-4: Hex 2, 5-6: Hex 3
- Four hexes: 1: Hex 1, 2: Hex 2, 3: Hex 3, 4: Hex 4, 5-6: Reroll the die
- Five hexes: 1: Hex 1, 2: Hex 2, 3: Hex 3, 4: Hex 4, 5: Hex 5, 6: Reroll the die
- Six hexes: 1: Hex 1, 2: Hex 2, 3: Hex 3, 4: Hex 4, 5: Hex 5, 6: Hex 6
- Seven or more hexes: Use the above method to randomly select one tray that contains one or more eligible hexes, then randomize between all eligible hexes in that tray as above.
If a game effect instructs a player to select an outpost at random, shuffle together all outpost cards, then draw one at random.

Component Limitations

Components are not supply-limited unless noted otherwise. If players run out of a particular component, they can use any suitable substitute as a proxy, until that component becomes available again.
There are placeholder cards that players can use if they need additional copies of items (see "Duplicate Items" on page 64).

Game Modifications

This section describes how players can play solo, adjust the difficulty, or enjoy the world of Stonesaga in Endless Mode, a freeform gameplay mode.

Simultaneous Play

While resolving the day phase, groups can choose to have players take their turns simultaneously rather than sequentially. For instance, one person might begin resolving a feature activity while another moves their character and a third undertakes an action related to the challenge. This method of play can substantially speed up Stonesaga, though it does come with some complications.

First, portions of the game may require discussion and cooperation to resolve, while others are resolved individually. While using simultaneous play, make sure that all players have a voice during discussions and that all characters have completed the day phase before proceeding to the night phase.

Secondly, if two or more players are taking simultaneous turns, questions may arise about the order in which effects are resolved. When such conflicts arise, the players must determine the order according to the conflict resolution system they have chosen for the game (see "Conflict Resolution: Dawn Rule" on page 98).

Solo Rules

Stonesaga offers two options for solo play: multi-character solo and hardcore solo.

Multi-Character Solo. In the Multi-Character Solo mode, the player controls two or more characters, playing them as if they were held by multiple players for all rules purposes. This version of solo mode requires no rules changes.

Hardcore Solo. If a player wishes to take on an extra challenge, they can attempt hardcore solo, in which they control only a single character and an animal companion (see "Animal Companions" on page 89) throughout the whole campaign.

After a character perishes during a hardcore solo game, perform the following steps:

Step 1: End the current day phase.
Step 2: Take the top card of the Night deck and place it in the discard pile. Then, increase activity by 2. Do not resolve any of that Night card's effects.
Step 3: Create a new character and place them either on the starting hex or on a hex with an outpost.
Step 4: Begin a new day phase with the new character.

Game Difficulty

To increase the game difficulty, players can add one or more of the following rules to their campaign. The whole group should be included in any discussion of altering difficulty this way.

Conflict Resolution: Dusk Rule. When the players have to collectively resolve a tiebreaker decision during the game (see "Conflict Resolution: Dawn Rule" on page 98), they must make the decision that benefits the players the least instead of the decision that benefits them the most.

Night Phase Modifications. Players can make one or more of the following modifications to the night phase:

During the Increase Activity and Resolve Challenge Events step, instead of increasing activity by one, the players roll a die and increase activity according to the result, as follows: 1-2: Activity +3; 3-4: Activity +2; 5-6: Activity +1.
During the Recover step, when players are checking whether they are rested, apply the following: if there are three or more characters in the game, each character gains zero energy, instead of one; if there are two or fewer characters in the game, each character gains one energy, instead of two.
During the Hunger and Thirst step, apply the following: to degrade a malady, a character must be fed, hydrated, and comforted; if a character is hydrated but not fed, they gain a minor injury; if a character is fed but not hydrated, they gain a minor injury; if a character is neither hydrated nor fed, they gain a major injury.

Endless Mode

This section describes Endless Mode, a freeform mode for Stonesaga.

Endless Mode follows most of the normal rules of the game; however, instead of playing through a branching campaign guided by challenges, the players are the primary storyteller. Event cards are used to create varied circumstances for the game, and the characters alone decide what to harvest, craft, build, and pass down to future generations. (For example, Event card EM01 "Passing of Days": "Curiosity flourishes across your society as the peaceful days flow gently past. Read Codex outcome 302. Generation (check the next age box for each character, then retire any characters who became Legends).")

Endless Mode Setup

There are two ways to set up a game using Endless Mode. Players can either begin a game in a new valley or begin a game in an existing valley from a campaign that has ended.

Event Cards. Event cards are used to mark the passage of time and add variety of occurrences in the valley instead of challenge cards. They are kept in a faceup event deck in the play area.

New Valley

If players wish to start playing Endless Mode in a new valley, they perform the following steps:

Prepare Characters. Follow steps 1-4 of Setup starting on page 6. This will instruct players to choose a character, a mantle, prepare their mantle board, and select a mantle power. Players can choose any of the mantle powers that begin in the cultural knowledge as detailed in step 7 of these setup instructions.
Place Terrain Trays. Place two terrain trays so that each of them has three edges shared.
Place Starting Hexes. Choose a starting region. Then, select six facedown hexes belonging to that region and place them randomly in the terrain tray, leaving them unexplored (facedown). Then, randomly select a hex and place the glacier cap overlay on top of it.
Place Miniatures. Choose randomly one unexplored terrain hex to flip to become the starting hex. Then, each player places their miniature there.
Create Night and Journey Decks. Prepare the Night and Journey decks with the cards listed below. The decks will vary based on the region selected during step 3.
- Verdant Vale: Night Deck: NA01-05, NU01-16, NV01-03, NY01-03, NZ01-03. Journey Deck: JA01-06, JU01-14, JV01-06, JB01-05.
- Skyreach Plateau: Night Deck: NA01-05, NU01-16, NP01-03, NY01-03, NZ01-03. Journey Deck: JA01-06, JU01-14, JS01-06, JB01-05.
- The Tangle: Night Deck: NA01-05, NU01-16, NT01-03, NY01-03, NZ01-03. Journey Deck: JA01-06, JU01-14, JT01-06, JB01-05.
Prepare Event Deck. Gather the deck of Event cards, which are used instead of Challenge cards. Set aside card EM10. Then, shuffle the other cards together. Place the set-aside card EM10 on the bottom of the deck. The top card of the Event deck is the one that begins the game in effect.
Prepare the Starting Cultural Knowledge. Add the following components to the society's cultural knowledge (on the "Culture" page of the Journal): Knowledge Cards: Add cards KN01-KN04. Mantle Powers: Add mantle powers MA01-MA04.
Prepare Starting Goals. Goals are still used in Endless Mode. Whether their card lists them as "Immediate" or "Ongoing," all goals are persistent across events by default and remain in play until players are instructed to complete them or otherwise remove them. Place the following goals faceup in the play area as the starting goals: Stoke the Flame (GA08), The Secret Ways (GA09).
Complete Setup. Follow steps 9-12 of Setup continuing on page 11 to prepare the remaining decks and the supply.

Existing Valley

To play in an existing valley from a finished campaign, use the New Valley setup with the following modifications:

Instead of creating a new valley, players use the valley that was created during the previously finished campaign (skipping steps 2-4, then placing their characters in a hex with an outpost or the starting hex).
Instead of creating new Night and Journey decks, use the ones from the end of the campaign (Step 5).
If the society still existed at the end of the campaign, players can continue developing that society, using the Journal, Character cards, Legend cards, Knowledge cards, Outpost cards and all other assets that that society has created (skipping steps 1, 7, and 8, but characters still choose their mantles, mantle powers, and prepare their mantle boards as during a normal setup). If there are one or more behemoths with active lairs in the valley, they remain as well.
Players can alternately begin a new society in the previous valley by performing steps 1, 7, and 8 as normal. Behemoth lairs remain in the valley, and any behemoths with active lairs are treated as having arrived.

Playing Endless Mode

Endless Mode's primary gameplay structure is similar to that of a campaign. The day and night cycle remains as characters explore new hexes, craft, and build as they desire. However, the following modifications apply:

Activity and Events. Activity no longer tracks the time remaining for challenges. Instead, it tracks the time between two events using Event cards. At the end of any day phase, if the current activity equals or exceeds the activity threshold for the current event (shown in the bottom right corner of the current Event card), the players resolve that event and reveal a new event by performing the steps below:

Complete Event. Take the top card of the Event deck, flip it, and resolve the text on the back of the card. Then reset activity to 0.
Discard Card. Discard the event card, placing it in the Event deck discard pile.
Begin New Event. Read and resolve any effects on the front side of the Event card that is now on top of the Event deck.
Age Characters. Each character ages, according to the interval between events:
- Season: Characters do not age.
- Generation: Characters age normally.
- Epoch: Characters age twice (generally, this means they become legends and must be replaced).
If a character perishes, their player either creates a new character, or selects a different character following normal rules.
Reset Decks. Return all discarded Night and Journey cards back into their respective decks. Then, shuffle those decks.

Lore, Population, and Unrest. Lore is not reset at the end of an event. Population and unrest accrue in the same manner as in a campaign and are triggered by various game effects (including effects found on event cards).

Goals. When resolving a Goal card in Endless Mode, resolve it as normal. If a goal, outcome, or any other source instructs the players to add a challenge to their looming challenges, resolve all other portions of the effect, but do not add that challenge to the looming challenges.

Pausing Endless Mode

Before putting away Endless Mode, make sure to perform all relevant steps of the "Saving a Campaign" section on page 96. Then use the "Notes" section of the Journal to record:

Character energy and maladies.
Progress toward goals.
Site token locations.
Behemoth aim and trace token locations.
The current location of miniatures.
Any other pertinent information.

Credits

Game Design: Max Brooke, Luke Eddy Art Direction: Taryn Emerick Graphic Design: Samantha Scott, Lauren Marshall Art: Andrea Koroveshi, Amanda Kadatz 3D Modelling: Bryce Cook, Nicholas Hein Tray Design: Black Magic Inserts Rulebook: Adam Baker Technical Editing: Andrea dell'Angese Playtest Coordinator: Andrew Janeba Prehistory Consultation: Dr. Anna Goldfield Culinary Consultants: Debbie Schneiderman, Sandra Eddy Logistics: Kevin Ngo Community Management: Natalie Oakwell-Morgan Finance: Aimee Ward Creative Direction: Brendan McCaskell Creative Catalyst: Lance Priebe

Playtesters: Peter Davis, Joshua Webster, Alex-Belgium, Kenneth, Guinness, Lukas Falta, Jacob Knol, Icycube, Scott Dunnington, August Stapput, KaraZ, Kinglash, James Phillips, Dakota, Pascal Clarkson, Chelsea (Skeletastic), Jimmy, R6moto, LJ Saxton, Alexander Just, Peder Swendsrud, Jeremy Stomberg, Kyle Dekker, Joseck Albertson, Stirdix, schattenn, zekdee, bobson3884, L'autre Coutu, JanelleMinions, mitth_raw.nuruodo, TheJarrod, vaguedensity, bcsj, amaranth_33, Damian Czapla, Daniel R, Major Johnson, Heather Williams, Andy Wilson and everyone else who playtested Stonesaga!

Special thanks to all of our Kickstarter backers, Debbie Schneiderman, Dr. Gilbert Tostevin, Dr. Samantha Thi Porter, Andrew Fischer and João Raimundo!

Icon Glossary

Attributes: Might, Dexterity, Conviction, Awareness.

Resources & Trackers: Lore, Comet, Moon, Sun, Star, Cloud, Fire/Heat.

Inventory Slots: Hand, Pouch, Body, Energy, Boost.

Maladies: Disease (major), Disease (minor), Injury (major), Injury (minor).

Actions & Effects: Night Action, Shelter, Activity, Exit, Unrest, Population, Depletion, Luck, Mishap, Read Outcome, Flip, Discard, Die.

Technology: Chop, Dig, Hammer, Ignite, Music, Stonework.

Tools: Cut, Drill, Grind, Strike.

Index

Activity — pg. 68
Activity Level — pg. 23
Activity Threshold — pg. 23
Activity Track and Challenge Events — pg. 23
Adding Marks to Character Cards — pg. 71
Adjacency — pg. 21
Adorning Marks — pg. 71
Affinity — pg. 74
Aid — pg. 27
Aim — pg. 78
Alert — pg. 76
Alone — pg. 55
Arduous Journey — pg. 26
Begin a Delve — pg. 84
Behemoth Activation — pg. 78
Behemoth Arrival — pg. 75
Behemoth Attributes and Demeanor — pg. 74
Behemoth Encounters — pg. 80
Behemoth Fleeing — pg. 79
Body — pg. 63
Boosts — pg. 14
Building a Structure — pg. 35
Build Outpost — pg. 32
Build Structure — pg. 34
Challenge End — pg. 24
Challenge Ending — pg. 96
Chamber — pg. 84
Check for Perished Characters — pg. 51
Check Population and Unrest — pg. 54
Choose Mantle Powers — pg. 8
Cloud — pg. 61
Comet — pg. 61
Component Limitations — pg. 100
Conflict Resolution — pg. 99
Confront — pg. 60
Confront a Mystery — pg. 60
Contests — pg. 81
Contests Among Behemoths — pg. 82
Continue a Delve — pg. 86
Craft — pg. 30
Create Legend — pg. 71
Create Map — pg. 10
Create New Character — pg. 71
Curio — pg. 74
Current Omen — pg. 61
Dawn Rule — pg. 99
Day Actions — pg. 24
Degrade Tokens — pg. 53
Degrading Maladies — pg. 56
Delve — pg. 83
Deplete — pg. 59
Depletion — pg. 59
Depletion Tokens — pg. 59
Depth — pg. 87
Descending — pg. 87
Distribute Reference Cards — pg. 12
Dormant — pg. 77
Duplicate Items — pg. 64
Duplicate Item Cards — pg. 64
Dusk Rule — pg. 102
Enclosing Marks — pg. 71
Encountering a Predator — pg. 48
Ending a Campaign — pg. 98
Ending an Epoch — pg. 94
Endless Mode Setup — pg. 103
Enter Chamber — pg. 85
Epochs and Challenges — pg. 93
Exchange — pg. 27