Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls – Disney Edition Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Set Up
  • 1. Choose Your Hero
  • 2. Build Your Board!
  • 3. Place Movers
  • 4. Place Shadow Tokens
  • 5. Set Out the Action Board
  • 6. Build the Darkness Deck
  • 7. Choose Quests
  • 8. Choose the Leader
  • 9. Reveal the First Darkness Card
  • For Beginners
  • For Advanced Players
• How to Play
  • You Win Together If You ...
  • You Lose Together If You ...
• Get Started
• Being the Leader
• Playing Action Tokens
• Moving Around the Board
• Completing Quests
• Battling Shadows
  • At the End of the Battle, Heroes ...
  • If the Heroes Do Not Roll Enough Hits to Defeat the Shadow, They Can:
  • Battle Example
• Starting a New Day
• Darkness Cards
• Destroying the Vortex
• Win Together
• Solo Play

Components

• 4 Movers (1 per Hero), in the heroic essences of Belle, Maid Marian, Moana and Violet
• 4 Hero Health tokens (1 per Hero)
• 8 Dice (2 per Hero)
• 20 Action tokens (5 per Hero)
• 2 Game tokens: the Leader Badge and the Vortex token
• 24 Shadow tokens (6 per Hero)
• 1 Shadow token bag
• 10 Darkness cards (2 per Hero + 2 Universal)
• 42 Quest tokens (Belle, Maid Marian, Moana and Violet sections)
• 10 Realm of Light tiles (2 per Hero + 2 Universal)
• 4 Hero cards (1 per Hero)
• 16 Quest cards (4 per Hero)
• 1 Action Board and 1 Team Health token
• 4 Player Boards (1 per Hero)

Set Up

1. Choose Your Hero

Each player chooses a Hero, gathers all pieces for their Hero (see list on back of Player Board), then sets up their Player Board.

• A. Set your Hero at full health by placing the Hero Health token on 3.
• B. Place your four unlocked Action tokens face up on your board. Place your fifth locked Action token lock-side-up on the board. It is only available after you complete your Quest.

Set dice and all other items next to the Player Board.

2. Build Your Board!

Collect the Realm of Light tiles for the Heroes you're playing and the Universal Crystal Castle tile. For a 2-player game, add the Universal Starlight Lake tile. Shuffle the tiles and draw one tile at a time, placing them on the table so that all sides match (land next to land, water next to water). Tiles can be rotated in any direction, and the board can be any shape.

• Land to land: allowed.
• Water to water: allowed.
• Land to water: not allowed.

3. Place Movers

Each player puts their Mover at Crystal Castle.

4. Place Shadow Tokens

Gather all Shadow tokens from Heroes you're playing and put them in the Shadow token bag. Draw and place one, shadow-side-up, at each space marked with a shadow symbol.

5. Set Out the Action Board

Place the Team Health token on the spot on the Team Health Track that corresponds to the number of players.

6. Build the Darkness Deck

Shuffle the Crystal Castle Darkness card together with all the Darkness cards from the Heroes you're playing in this game. For a 2-player game, add the Starlight Lake Darkness card. Draw the following number of cards to create the Darkness deck and put it face down near the board. Put the rest of the Darkness cards back in the box.

• 2 players: 5 cards
• 3 players: 6 cards
• 4 players: 7 cards

7. Choose Quests

Each player randomly chooses one of their Quest cards. Follow the Set Up on each Quest card. Don't worry about reading all of the steps of your Quests yet; everyone will share their Quests once you are ready to play! Only tokens that relate to the Quests chosen will be used. Return all unused Quest cards and tokens to the box.

8. Choose the Leader

The player who most recently watched a Disney movie will be the Leader in the first round and takes the Leader Badge.

9. Reveal the First Darkness Card

Reveal the top card of the Darkness deck and follow its instructions, placing the Vortex token and any additional Shadow tokens on the board.

For Beginners

If it's your first game, make these adjustments to make it a bit easier!

• Start with the Crystal Castle tile in the middle when you build your board. The more compact your board, the easier it will be.
• Use the easiest Quests: Here to Help, Dispel the Darkness, Lost Artifact, and Quest for the Key.
• Add an extra Darkness card to your Darkness deck.

For Advanced Players

You can increase the difficulty of the game by removing one of the Darkness cards from your deck at the beginning of the game.

How to Play

Chronicles of Light is a cooperative game: everyone wins together or loses together.

In this game there are no turns. Each day (round), one player will be the Leader. The Leader oversees the plan for the day and guides the group in deciding which Actions they will take.

When an Action token is played, it's added to the Action Board. Once the group has completed six actions, the day is over, and Darkness continues to spread across the Realm. The group then takes back their Action tokens in preparation for the next day and reveals a Darkness card to see what new chaos awaits.

During the game you'll work together to complete Quests, which each have their own requirements, and defeat shadows with your dice. You must defeat the shadows before you can move past them or pick up or drop off items at their location! If your Hero reaches 0 Health, you must move the Team Health token down one spot on the Team Health Track and then must heal or be healed before you can move, battle, or play other Action tokens.

You Win Together If You ...

• Complete all Quests
• AND
• Defeat ALL shadows on the board
• AND
• Destroy the Vortex together

You Lose Together If You ...

• Cannot reveal a Darkness card at the start of the day
• OR
• Reach the last spot on the Team Health Track

Get Started

If you're ready to play, start by sharing your Quests and Actions with each other. Then, begin the first day under the direction of the Leader by playing your first Action token!

If you need more information before you begin, keep reading.

Being the Leader

The player with the Leader Badge is the leader for the round. They will help the group decide which Action tokens to play.

The Leader can listen to ideas from the group but ultimately makes the final decision if there are disagreements about what to do next. If the group has many ideas and the best choice isn't clear, make a move and see where it takes you. There are no right or wrong choices, and there are many ways to win!

Playing Action Tokens

Each Hero has four base Action tokens and one locked Action token. When your Quest is complete, the locked Action token is unlocked and can be used. Play Action tokens to move around the board, heal, and perform other Hero-specific abilities. When an Action token is played, it's placed on the Action Board.

• A. Move or Heal Action tokens can only be used by the Hero who plays the token for either movement OR healing.
• B. Unless an Action token says otherwise, all Action tokens that affect the outcome of a battle can be played after the Heroes roll the dice.
• C. If a player uses a movement action (like Moana's Canoe), they can pick up and/or drop off items and Heroes along the way. Their trip ends if they must stop to battle a shadow.

Moving Around the Board

Moving from one space to another space (a single space) counts as one move. Heroes move by playing their Move or Heal Action token or other movement Action tokens. Quest locations are marked with a Quest symbol. Ports are marked with a Port symbol and are considered both Land and Water spaces.

Completing Quests

Players work together to complete Quests. The Heroes can work on Quests all at once or one at a time. The steps of each Quest must be completed in numerical order.

When players pick up items or Villagers, they place those tokens on their Player Board to indicate they are carrying or traveling with them. Heroes can share items or transfer Villagers if they are at the same location.

A Hero's dice are sometimes used in Quests to represent success or failure. Hit faces (any of the three hit symbols) = success (like delivering an inspiring speech) and the damage face = failure (like a Villager being washed out to sea).

When you complete a Quest, flip the card over to show that it's complete. Your locked Action token is now unlocked and can be used!

Battling Shadows

Heroes battle shadows with their dice. Shadows must be defeated before Heroes can drop off or pick up items in a space or move out of the space with a Shadow token. Heroes can battle shadows alone or with other Heroes at the same location. The number on the Shadow token represents its strength and the minimum number of hits needed to defeat it.

To battle, all Heroes at the Shadow token's location roll all of their dice. Each battling player can choose to re-roll any or all of their dice one time.

At the End of the Battle, Heroes ...

1. Add up all hits (any of the three hit symbols) from all dice rolled. If the Heroes rolled equal to or more hits than the shadow's strength, the shadow is defeated! Turn the token over to reveal Light!

   AND

2. Take damage. A Hero loses 1 health per damage from their own dice. Move the Hero's Health token down 1 spot per damage on their Player Board. If a Hero reaches 0 Health, they must move the Team Health token down 1 spot on the Team Health Track. The Hero must heal or be healed before they can move, battle, or play any other Action tokens.

If the Heroes Do Not Roll Enough Hits to Defeat the Shadow, They Can:

• A. Start another battle right away by re-rolling all of their dice, or
• B. Wait for another Hero to join them at their location and battle again.

Shadows revert to full strength at the beginning of each battle.

Battle Example

Violet and Belle are battling a shadow with a strength of 3. They both roll their dice. Belle decides not to re-roll since she rolled 4 hits. Violet initially rolled 2 damage (not good!), so she rolls again and rolls 1 damage and 1 hit. They add up their hits for a total of 5, which is higher than the shadow's strength. The shadow is defeated, and they flip the token over to reveal Light. Violet must then take her 1 damage, or she could choose to play her Invisibility or Force Field (if unlocked) to avoid taking the damage.

Starting a New Day

A day is over when the group has played 6 Action tokens or decides that they can't or don't want to play more Actions that day. Players can still battle shadows if they are able to before starting a new day.

To start a new day:

1. Take back all Action tokens from the Action Board.
2. Reveal a card from the Darkness deck (see Darkness Cards below).
3. Pass the Leader Badge clockwise.

Darkness Cards

The Darkness cards represent how many rounds you have to complete your Quests, defeat all shadows on the board, and destroy the Vortex. If at the start of a day you cannot draw a Darkness card, you all lose.

When the team reveals a new Darkness card at the start of the day, the Vortex moves around the board and spawns more shadows. Follow the instructions on the Darkness card according to whether the Vortex is at full strength (6) or weakened (4). Instructions for weakening the Vortex can be found below.

If you run out of Shadow tokens, collect any Light tokens on the board and refill the bag.

Destroying the Vortex

The Vortex moves around the board and spawns new Shadow tokens with each new revealed Darkness card. Once you complete your Quests, you have the option of weakening the Vortex, which prevents it from moving around and reduces the number of shadows it spawns. This makes it easier to close in on the Vortex, defeat all the shadows left on the board, and ultimately win the game.

• Full strength: the Vortex token shows 6.
• Weakened: the Vortex token shows 4.

To weaken the Vortex, any Hero(es) can roll 6 or more hits at its location. If successful, flip the Vortex to its weakened side. Now, when you reveal a Darkness card, follow the instructions for the weakened Vortex (4).

To defeat the Vortex, all Heroes must gather on the Vortex and roll hits equal to or greater than its current strength (6 or 4).

Heroes can move through the Vortex and pick up and drop off items on a space with the Vortex. Action tokens can be used against the Vortex just as they are used against shadows.

Win Together

The Heroes win if they:

• Complete all Quests
• AND
• Defeat ALL shadows on the board
• AND
• Destroy the Vortex together

The Heroes lose if they:

• Cannot reveal a Darkness card at the start of the day
• OR
• Reach the last spot on the Team Health Track

Solo Play

For solo players: take control of a dynamic duo! Set up for a 2-player game and play as both Heroes.