Upon a Fable
Upon a Fable Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Object of the Game
- Game Components
- Preparing to Play
- Playing the Game
- End of the Game
- Scoring
- Story Spaces
- Alternate Gameplay
- Glossary of Select Game Terms
- Action Summary
Object of the Game
In Upon a Fable, each player assumes the role of a grand ruler in the fairy tale lands and starts the game with one Small Realm (the Home Realm) overseen by a loyal Fable subject. During the nine game rounds, each ruler seeks to expand his or her fortunes through a variety of methods, including: adding more Small Realms to gain the support of more Fables (which in turn, grants additional game actions each round); expanding the size and influence of the realms, from Small to Large to Epic; playing Ever After cards that influence the flow of the game; and gathering the valuable fairy tale wonders of Magic, Love, Honour, Followers, and Castles. None of these paths to greatness can be ignored, for only the most well-rounded ruler without weakness in any domain shall be granted victory over the others.
At the end of the game, the player with the highest total Point value — accumulated through the variety of different methods outlined above — is the winner and declared High Emperor or Empress.
Game Components
1 Left-Page Story Board (double sided with blank spaces)
One side of the board has nine blank Story spaces, where Story cards will be randomly distributed and revealed one Story card for each new round. This is the default left-page Story Board used in the game.
The reverse side is a fast-play alternate board that has only six blank Story spaces. Use this side instead if you want a shorter and more intense game (reduces play time by 20-30 minutes) that is only six rounds long. The Third Book of Tales is not played in this shorter version.
2 Right-Page Story Boards (double sided with fixed spaces)
These boards contain fixed Story spaces that are available to be explored by the Fables in all nine rounds of the game. Select the correct right-page Story board depending on the number of players: six spaces for 1-2 players, nine spaces for 3-4 players, or 12 spaces for 5-6 players. Note that there is a choice of two Story boards for 3-4 players; the one labelled "Alternate" presents a more challenging game for the players.
6 Realm Boards
One for each player, containing space for a starting Home Realm and five future Realms.
207 Cardboard Tokens (on punchboards)
- 150 Wonder tokens (50 Magic, 30 Love, 30 Honour, 20 Followers, 20 Castles)
- 36 Fable tokens (6 for each player)
- 15 Wonder multiplier tokens (ten of 5x/4x plus five of 10x/9x)
- 5 Deep Sleep tokens
- 1 Starting Player Token
110 Cards
- 86 Fate cards (18 Small Realms, 12 Large Realms, 6 Epic Realms, 23 Dream, 27 Ever After)
- 9 Story cards (3 each for the First, Second, and Third Books of Tales)
- 9 Blessing & Curse cards (3 Blessing and 6 Curse)
- 6 Player cards (Scoring Summary on one side; Action Summary on the other)
Other Components
- 1 25-page scoring pad and 1 pencil
Preparing to Play
Place the left-page Story Board with nine blank spaces (or the one with six blank spaces if you are using the fast-play alternative) in the centre of the table. Next to it place the appropriate right-page Story Board depending on the number of players, as labelled at the bottom of the board. Sort all the five Wonder tokens into their respective piles and place them beside the playing area; these reserve Wonder piles represent the bountiful gifts from the Earth that are granted to the Fables as the Story progresses.
Randomly determine a starting player and give the player the Starting Player token. Shuffle the deck of Fate cards and deal four cards to each Player. Set the rest of the deck to the side of the Story Board for use during the game, leaving space for a discard pile. Each player also receives one Realm Board and one Scoring/Action Summary card, and chooses a colour, receiving all the Fable tokens of that colour. Each player places one (for 4 or more players) or two (for 1-3 players) Fable tokens on the Home Realm space on his or her Realm Board and receives two Magic Wonder tokens from the Earth.
Randomly distribute (face down) the three Story cards for the First Book of Tales on the first three blank Story spaces on the left-page Story Board. Do the same for the three Story cards for the Second Book of Tales and three Story cards for the Third Book of Tales.
Shuffle the nine Blessing & Curse cards and place six random cards face down on the six Story spaces of the Second and Third Book of Tales. They are placed on top of the Story cards already placed there. None of these cards are placed on the Story spaces of the First Book of Tales. Set aside the unused Blessing & Curse cards.
Playing the Game
Upon a Fable consists of nine rounds or Stories, divided into the First, Second, and Third Book of Tales. During each Story round, the game will proceed through the following nine Actions. Blessing/Curse cards take effect before Story cards.
Action 1: Unveil A New Story
Turn over the next Story card on the Story Board. For the first round of the game, this will be the Story card on the first Story space in the First Book of Tales. This new Story remains in play permanently (just like the fixed six, nine, or 12 Story spaces on the right-page Story board) and is now available for all players to Explore (during Action 5: Explore the Stories) every round until the end of the game.
If a Blessing & Curse card is covering the next Story card on the Story Board (there is one on all 6 Stories of the Second and Third Books of Tales), the Blessing or Curse takes effect before the next Story card is revealed. Follow the instructions as printed on the Blessing or Curse card, which may apply to one player, several players, or all players. If the target player cannot perform part (or all) of the instructions on a Blessing or Curse card for whatever reason, those parts are ignored and have no effect.
Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders
Place new Wonder tokens from the Earth on any and all Story spaces on the board that requires them. For example, place two Magic Wonders on the Story space with two Magic star icons. The new Wonders are always added every Story round as indicated, even if some Wonder tokens are already on a Story space from a previous round (for example, the 1 Honour space).
Action 3: Perform Realm Abilities
Beginning with the Starting Player and progressing clockwise, all players perform any relevant extra abilities as indicated by the text on their Large or Epic Realms. If a player has multiple abilities to perform in a Story, he or she may choose the order in which to perform them. If a Realm has one or more Deep Sleep tokens on it, any ability text on that Realm is ignored until the tokens are removed and the residing Fable is awake once again (see Action 9: Return and Awaken Fables).
Some Realm and Ever After cards include text that affects the game at a time other than during Action 3, and are thus resolved at the appropriate time instead. Note that when a Fate card indicates "Whenever you take [Specific Wonders] from the Story Board, you gain [Benefit]," the ability only applies when the specified Wonder token is actually located in that Story space that is Explored by a Fable during Action 5: Explore the Stories, and then taken by the player; it does not apply when converting Wonders or when taking Wonders from another player or from the Earth. If a player forgets to perform the abilities of a Realm (or Ever After card) at the correct time (whether during Action 3 or at another time), the opportunity is lost; the player cannot retroactively perform an ability that he or she missed performing earlier.
All Large and Epic Realms have abilities that provide benefits to the player.
Action 4: Deal the Hand of Fate
Deal three Fate cards to every player, beginning with the Starting Player. Each player first selects one of the three cards to add to his or her hand, then passes one of the cards to the player on his or her left, and finally discards the remaining Fate card. If fewer than three cards were dealt to a player because the draw deck and discard pile were both empty, just perform as many of the above card actions as possible, in the order listed (keep, pass, discard).
If at any time all the Fate cards are drawn from the deck, shuffle the discard pile and reuse those discarded cards as the Fate draw deck. Should both the draw deck and discard pile be empty, no further Fate cards may be drawn until cards are returned to the discard pile (and then shuffled to make a new draw pile as normal). Not all players may have been dealt the same number of Fate cards if both the draw and discard piles are depleted during Action 4.
Action 5: Explore the Stories
Clockwise, beginning with the Starting Player, players take turns Exploring the Story Board with their Fable(s). Players take any one Fable from their own Realm boards and place it on any one unoccupied Story space on either of the two Story boards. Any Wonder tokens on the chosen Story space (if any) are immediately moved to the players' respective Wonder piles on their Realm boards. A player with several Fables on the Realm Board may only place one Fable at a time, and must wait until play comes back to him or her before placing another Fable. All players continue Exploring with their Fables until all Fables have been placed on the Story Board.
A Fable cannot select and occupy a Story space without the player performing at least one of the indicated actions or taking any Wonder tokens located on the space. If for any reason no Wonder tokens are located on a Story space that would usually have them, a Fable who Explores that Story space instead takes the appropriate Wonders from the Earth to make up for the missing tokens.
A player may decide to keep any one or more of his or her Fables on the Realm Board during Action 5, instead of exploring the Story Board. This usually occurs because the player is not interested in any of the remaining Story spaces, or cannot perform the indicated actions of the unoccupied Story spaces. For each Fable remaining on the Realm Board, the player takes one Magic from the Earth instead.
New Fables gained during Action 5 as a result of adding a new Realm (the Add Small Realm space) are brought into play immediately, allowing the player to Explore an extra Story space this round when play comes back around.
A Fable from a Realm with one or more Deep Sleep tokens assigned to it is considered asleep and cannot Explore during Action 5 until all the Deep Sleep tokens have been removed during Action 9: Return and Awaken Fables.
Example of a round of Exploring: Move 1: Player 1 places her Fable and receives 2 Magic Wonders. Move 2: Player 2 places his Fable and adds a new Small Realm to his Realm Board. The new Realm gives him an additional Fable which he can play this round. Move 3: Player 3 places her Fable and receives 1 Magic Wonder. Move 4: Player 4 places his Fable and receives the Starting Player token, ensuring that he plays first next round. Move 5: Player 2 places his additional Fable and plays a Fate Card.
Action 6: Play and Discard Fate Cards
Beginning with the Starting Player and continuing clockwise, each player can play one Ever After card and/or one Dream card from his or her hand, following the cards' instructions. Any associated Wonder requirements for playing a card (if any) must be immediately removed from the player's Realm Board and returned to the Earth. A card may not be played if a player cannot meet the Wonder requirement indicated. A player can pass this Action during any Story and is not required to play any Fate cards. Unless a Fate card specifically indicates otherwise, all cards are intended to affect the player using the card and not other players (for example, a Dream card that reads "Convert 1 Love to 2 Magic" means the player can convert one of his or her own Love to two Magic, not the Love belonging to another player).
Some cards have a Wonder cost to play, such as an Ever After card that costs 2 Magic and 1 Honour. A Wonder icon showing "any" indicates any Wonder of the player's choice (for example, a Dream card that costs any 1 Wonder).
Ever After cards are placed face up in front of the player and remain in play for the duration of the game (or until otherwise removed); the card effects take place as indicated, usually during Action 5: Explore the Stories in subsequent rounds, but sometimes during other Actions or at the end of the game. Dream cards are discarded immediately after the card instructions are followed. Realm cards cannot be played at this time, since they are only played during Action 5: Explore the Stories (if an appropriate Story space indicates that the player can add or upgrade a Realm).
Players can only hold a hand of up to four unplayed Fate cards. Each player must discard down to four cards if holding more than four at the end of Action 6.
Action 7: Empower Realms
Action 7 only takes place during the round that the last Story card for the First, Second, and Third Books of Tales is revealed (ie. during Story 3, Story 6, and Story 9).
Starting with a Small Home Realm and then expanding to added Realms next (Small, Large, and Epic Realms, in that order), a player must empower each of his or her Realms by returning Magic Wonders from the board to the Earth for each Realm in play: Small Realms require one Magic each, Large Realms two Magic each, and Epic Realms three Magic each. (Pictured example: a player paying 1 Magic per Small or Home Realm, 2 per Large Realm and 3 per Epic Realm pays a total of 8 Magic, 1+2+3+2.) If a player does not have enough Magic Wonders to empower all of his or her Realms, one of two consequences may arise:
Empowering Realms during the First or Second Book of Tales (Story 3 or 6)
Realms not fully empowered by Magic Wonders fall under the influence of powerful sleep magic. Place one Deep Sleep token on each of the affected Realms for every missing Magic Wonder, which forces their Fables into a slumber upon returning to the Realm Board (and thus causing the Fables to miss a turn during the next Story). One Deep Sleep token will be discarded each subsequent round during Action 9: Return and Awaken Fables until all the Deep Sleep tokens are removed, at which time the Fables reawakens and can be used again.
Empowering Realms during the Third Book of Tales (Story 9)
For each Realm not fully empowered by Magic Wonders, the player must replace each of the missing Magic Wonders by returning any two other Wonders of choice to the Earth. Alternatively, for each missing Magic Wonder the player may: downgrade the Realm from an Epic to Large Realm; downgrade from Large to Small Realm; or discard the Small Realm. For example, a player that has an Epic Realm (requires three Magic Wonders to empower) that is not empowered by any Magic Wonders must return any six replacement Wonders of choice to the Earth in any combination, or must downgrade three times (Epic to Large, then Large to Small, then discard Small Realm), or use a combination of these penalties (four Wonders and one downgrade; or two Wonders and two downgrades). A Small Home Realm cannot be discarded.
NOTE: When using the fast-play Story Board with only six spaces (the alternate left-page board), the consequences of not fully empowering the Realms with Magic Wonders at the end of the Second Book of Tales follow the rules as though it was during the end of the Third Book of Tales instead.
Action 8: Intensify Magic
One Magic Wonder is added to each and every Story space that is not currently occupied by a Fable token, whether or not any other Wonders tokens are located on that space. Action 8 does not apply at the end of Story 9 since the game is nearly over.
Action 9: Return and Awaken Fables
As the last action of each round, players return their Exploring Fable tokens currently on the Story Board to the Realms on each players' Realm Board. A maximum of one Fable may occupy any Small, Large, or Epic Realm (except as noted earlier for the Home Realm in a 1-3 player game). Additionally, remove one Deep Sleep token from any Realm that received the token during a previous Story (not during this Story). Removing the last (or only) Deep Sleep token from a Realm awakens the Fable, which can then be used to explore as normal during the next Story round.
End of the Game
After the final Story of the Third Book of Tales (Story 9) is complete, all players calculate their scores as outlined on the Scoring Summary cards. The player (or players) with the highest score is the winner and declared High Emperor or Empress of the fairy tale lands!
Scoring
After the final Story of the Third Book of Tales is complete (Story 9), all players will calculate their scores as follows, which range from 0-4 points awarded for each category:
Magic, Love, Honour, Follower, and Castle Wonders
Players gain points according to the Scoring Summary cards for Wonders that are located on their Realm Boards at the end of the game (from 0-4 points for each of the five Wonders).
Ever After Cards
Players gain points (from 0-4 points) according to the Scoring Summary cards for Ever After Fate cards that were played earlier and are currently lying face up in front of the players.
Small Realms
Players gain points (from 0-4 points) according to the Scoring Summary cards for Small Realms (that have not been upgraded to Large Realms) on the players' Realm Boards. A Small Home Realm counts here as well.
Large Realms
Large Realms (that have not been upgraded to Epic Realms) on the players' Realm Boards earn 2 points each.
Epic Realms
Epic Realms on the players' Realm Boards earn 5 points each.
Bonus Points
Some Fate cards may provide bonus points (perhaps when specific conditions are met) as indicated on the card text.
Scoring Summary
| 0 points | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic | 0 | 1-2 | 3 | 4 | 5+ |
| Love | 0 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7+ |
| Honour | 0 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7+ |
| Followers | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3-4 | 5+ |
| Castles |
Bonuses: +2 each Large Realm; +5 each Epic Realm.
Final Scoring Example
| Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic | x5, 4 points | x3, 2 points | x5, 4 points | x5, 4 points |
| Love | x6, 3 points | x5, 3 points | x5, 3 points | x1, 1 point |
| Honour | x5, 3 points | x6, 3 points | x1, 1 point | x3, 2 points |
| Followers | x3, 3 points | x3, 3 points | x2, 2 points | x2, 2 points |
| Castle | x1, 1 point | x5, 4 points | x3, 3 points |
Story Spaces
At the beginning of the game, nine Story cards are randomly distributed (face down) on the Story Board. The three Story cards for the First Book of Tales are placed on the first three Story spaces, followed by the three Story cards for the Second Book of Tales and three Story cards for the Third Book of Tales. Alternatively, the Story cards may be placed in the following specific order, rather than randomly, to maximise the effectiveness of game play (especially for beginning players):
- First Book of Tales: 1 Follower (Story 1); Add Realm or Upgrade Realm (Story 2); 1 Magic, 1 Love, 1 Honour (Story 3)
- Second Book of Tales: 1 Castle (Story 4); Upgrade Realm (Story 5); Convert 1 Wonder to 1 of the Following _______ (Story 6)
- Third Book of Tales: Ignore 1 Wonder (Story 7); 3 Magic (Story 8); Draw 2 Cards (Story 9)
When performing the action indicated on each Story Space selected during Action 5: Explore the Stories, the player takes all Wonder tokens located on the Story space, including any extra Magic Wonders placed on the selected space earlier in the game during Action 8: Intensify Magic. Descriptions of the Story space options are as follows:
Play Card
The player must immediately play one Fate card (Ever After or Dream card – not a Realm card) from his or her hand rather than playing it during Action 6: Play and Discard Fate Cards. Any associated Wonder requirements for playing the card must be immediately removed from the player's Realm Board and returned to the Earth as normal. The player may still play Fate cards as normal during Action 6: Play and Discard Fate Cards.
Draw Card
The player draws one Fate Card from the top of the draw pile and adds it to his or her hand.
1 Magic
Place one Magic Wonder on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all nine Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Magic Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
Starting Player
At the end of the current Story, the selecting player takes (or retains) the Starting Player token and acts as the first player each round (starting next Story) until another player selects the Starting Player space later in the game.
Convert a Wonder
The selecting player must exchange any one Wonder currently located on his or her Realm Board with any one Wonder of choice from the Earth.
Add Small Realm
The player must immediately play one Small Realm Fate card from his or her hand by placing it on an unoccupied Realm Board space (not the Home Realm, since it starts the game as a Small Realm). Any associated Wonder requirements for playing the Small Realm must be immediately removed from the player's Realm Board and returned to the Earth. Additionally, one of the player's unused Fable tokens is placed on the new Realm, giving the player an extra Fable that can be used this Story round and all subsequent rounds during Action 5: Explore the Stories. If all Realm spaces on the player's Realm Board are already occupied with Small, Large, or Epic Realm cards, this Story space cannot be selected. Also, if the player already has six Fables in play during a 1-3 player game, this Story space cannot be selected.
2 Magic
Place two Magic Wonders on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all nine Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Magic Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
1 Love
Place one Love Wonder on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all nine Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Love Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
1 Honour
Place one Honour Wonder on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all nine Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Honour Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
Take 1 Love From the Earth
The player takes one Love Wonder from the Earth and adds it to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm board.
Discard 2 Cards then Draw 2 Cards
The player discards any two Fate cards from his or her hand and then replaces them by drawing two new ones from the top of the draw pile.
Take 1 Honour From the Earth
The player takes one Honour Wonder from the Earth and adds it to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm board.
1 Follower (First Book of Tales)
Place one Follower Wonder on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all remaining Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Follower Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
Add Realm or Upgrade Realm (First Book of Tales)
The player must choose one option, either add a Small Realm (see earlier description) or upgrade a Realm. A player may select this space to upgrade a Small Realm (including the Home Realm, which starts the game as a Small Realm) to a Large Realm, or a Large Realm to an Epic Realm. The player must immediately play the upgraded Realm Fate card from his or her hand by placing it on top of the existing Realm (Large Realm on top of Small Realm; Epic Realm on top of Large Realm). Any associated Wonder requirements for playing the upgraded Realm must be immediately removed from the player's Realm Board and returned to the Earth. The Fable that resides in that specific Realm is unaffected and acts as normal. The player follows the additional rules on the upgraded Realm card each Story during Action 3: Perform Realm Abilities, unless otherwise indicated.
1 Magic, 1 Love, 1 Honour (First Book of Tales)
Place three Wonders (one Magic, one Love, and one Honour) on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all remaining Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder piles on his or her Realm Board.
1 Castle (Second Book of Tales)
Place one Castle Wonder on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all remaining Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Castle Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
Convert 1 Wonder to 1 of the Following __________ (Second Book of Tales)
The selecting player must exchange any one Wonder currently located on his or her Realm Board with any one of the following choices from the Earth: 1 Follower; 1 Castle; 2 Love; 2 Honour; or 3 Magic.
Upgrade Realm (Second Book of Tales)
See the earlier Story space description in the First Book of Tales for additional information on upgrading Realms.
3 Magic (Third Book of Tales)
Place three Magic Wonders on this space during each Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders of all remaining Story rounds. A player who places a Fable on this space takes all Magic Wonders here and adds them to the respective Wonder pile on his or her Realm Board.
Ignore 1 Wonder for Each Card You Play During This Story (Third Book of Tales)
During Action 6: Play and Discard Fate Cards, each player may play one or more Fate cards from his or her hand and follows the cards' instructions. As a bonus, the player selecting this Story space can ignore any one Wonder of choice that is required for playing each and every card during Action 6 in this round. If only one Wonder is required to play a particular Fate card in Action 6, the Wonder requirement is eliminated completely and the Fate card can be played without cost. This Story space similarly reduces Wonder requirements for playing any and all Realm cards during this Story as well (when a Fable selects any Upgrade Realm or Add Realm space), and when playing any Fate cards out of turn (for any reason) for the rest of this Story round.
Draw 2 Cards (also you may Play Card) (Third Book of Tales)
The player draws two Fate Cards from the top of the draw pile and adds them to his or her hand. If desired, the player may also immediately play one Fate card. See the earlier Play Card Story space description for additional information concerning this extra option.
Alternate Gameplay
Solo Play (1 player)
Upon a Fable is inherently a social multi-player game but it also serves as a great vehicle for solitary play. Rather than trying to beat the scores of all the other players, the objective in a single-player game is to achieve the highest score possible (see the table below for suggested point guidelines) and best one's personal high score. While most game rules remain the same, a few minor adjustments are needed for solo play:
- Ever After cards that award bonuses for having the most of a specific Wonder or for meeting other condition are not used in the game. These cards should be removed from the game before play or otherwise discarded if drawn from the Fate deck and then replaced with another card. The same guideline applies to any Fate card that affects gameplay by referencing other players (use best judgement).
- Abilities on Large and Epic Realm cards that refer to other players are ignored.
- For Action 4: Deal the Hand of Fate, the player instead draws three Fate cards, keeps two, and discards one.
- Action 8: Intensify Magic is always skipped in a solo game.
| Point Total Achieved | Player Grade |
|---|---|
| 0-15 | F – Poor |
| 16-20 | D – Below Average |
| 21-25 | C – Average |
| 26-30 | B – Very Good |
| 31-35 | A – Excellent |
| 36+ | A+ – Exceptional |
Glossary of Select Game Terms
- Blessing/Curse – A card type beneficial or detrimental to players that must be addressed before a new Story card is revealed during the Second and Third Books of Tales.
- Book of Tales – The nine rounds of the game are divided into groups of three rounds, known as "Books". Each Book will have Story cards specific to that book to be revealed during play. At the end of each Book of Tales, players must have enough Magic Wonders to empower their Realms (Action 7).
- Deep Sleep – A type of token that a Realm receives if the player does not have enough Magic Wonders to empower it (Action 7). The Fable residing in a Realm with a Deep Sleep token cannot Explore the Stories (Action 5) until the token is removed (Action 9).
- Dream – A type of Fate card that is usually played during Action 6. Unlike Ever After cards, Dream cards have an immediate affect on the game and are then discarded.
- Earth – The supply of Wonder tokens that hasn't yet been granted to players are kept to the side of the game area until needed. This area is called the Earth.
- Ever After – A type of Fate card that is usually played during Action 6. Unlike Dream cards, Ever After cards remain in play for the duration of the game, potentially affecting play each remaining Story round.
- Fable – The player token that occupies each Realm, representing the powerful ruler of that Realm. The Fable token is used to gain Wonder tokens and other benefits during Explore the Stories (Action 5).
- Fate Deck – A deck of 86 cards that are dealt to all players during Action 4. The Fate deck include five types of Fate cards: Small, Large, and Epic Realms; Ever After; and Dream.
- Home Realm – Every player starts the game with one Realm on their player boards, called the Home Realm, and one or two Fable tokens in that Realm. This Home Realm starts the game as a Small Realm and can therefore be upgraded to a Large Realms during play.
Action Summary
- Action 1: Unveil A New Story – Turn over the next Story card on the Story Board. Apply any Blessings or Curses as well.
- Action 2: Rejuvenate Wonders – Place new Wonder tokens on all Story spaces that require them.
- Action 3: Perform Realm Abilities – Beginning with the Starting Player and progressing clockwise, all players may perform any relevant extra abilities as indicated by the text on their Realm cards.
- Action 4: Deal the Hand of Fate – Deal three Fate cards to every player, beginning with the Starting Player. Each player selects one of the three cards to add to his or her hand, passes one of the cards to the player on the left, and discards the remaining Fate card (in that order).
- Action 5: Explore the Stories – Clockwise, beginning with the Starting Player, players take turns moving one Fable from their Realm Boards and placing it on any one unoccupied Story space. The player takes any Wonders on the space. Play continues until all Fables have been placed on the Story Board.
- Action 6: Play and Discard Fate Cards – Beginning with the Starting Player and continuing clockwise, each player can play one Ever After card and/or one Dream card from his or her hand. Any Wonder requirements are returned to Earth immediately. Ever After cards remain in front of the player, while Dream cards are discarded.
- Action 7: Empower Realms (Story 3, 6, 9) – Each player discards one Magic Wonder for each Small Realm he or she has in play, two Magic Wonders for each Large Realm, and three Magic Wonders for each Epic Realm. There are dire consequences for not having enough empowering Magic.
- Action 8: Intensify Magic – Add one Magic Wonder to all Story spaces not currently occupied by a Fable token.