Innsmouth Travel Guide Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Setup
• City Map
  • District Types
• Gameplay
  • Game Round
  • Phase 1. Players choose the round dice.
  • Symbols on the Faces of the Dice
  • Phase 2. Each player chooses a district on their player board according to the coordinates shown on the round dice.
  • Phase 3. Each player places tourists in the chosen district on their player board.
  • Phase 4. Each player draws route segments on their player board.
  • Phase 5. When all players have finished drawing route segments, the round ends.
• Threat
• End of the Game
  • Step 1. Each player determines their final route.
  • Crossings
  • Step 2. Each player counts the threat level of their final route.
  • Step 3. Each player checks the threat of their final route.
  • Step 4. Each player counts their victory points.
  • Goal Cards
• Initial Rounds
  • Three-Player Game
  • Four-Player Game
• Other Rules
  • Manuxet River
  • Dead Ends
  • Rounded Roads
  • Shelters
  • Caches
  • Artifact Effects
  • Character Bonuses
  • Character Abilities
• Solo Game
  • Victory Conditions
  • Setup
  • Game Round
  • End of the Game
• Bonus Die

Game Components

• 4 player boards with a city map
• Rules booklet and reference sheet
• 5 tourist dice
• 1 bonus die
• Round board
• 28 artifact cards (7 cards in each of 4 colours)
• Dice selection card
• 4 erasable markers of different colours
• 4 cache cards
• 5 character cards
• 5 goal cards
• Challenge card

Setup

1. Each player receives 1 player board.
2. Each player receives 1 erasable marker of any colour.
3. Place the dice selection card and all 6 dice in the centre of the table.
4. Place the round board, either side up, next to the dice selection card. The sides of the round board differ by the type of threat (see p. 7 / "Threat" below).
5. Choose 1 character card in any way and place it face up next to the dice selection card. This is the shared character card for all players. To play the advanced mode, instead of choosing 1 shared character card, each player receives 1 random character card. These are the players' personal character cards.
6. Each player circles on their player board the bonuses from the shared or personal character card.
7. Each player takes all 7 artifact cards of one colour, shuffles them, and places the resulting deck face down next to their player board.
8. Choose 2 goal cards in any way and place them face up next to the dice selection card.
9. Next to the dice selection card place a random cache card face up (9a). Each player marks on their player board with the cache symbol the intersections shown on this card (9b). These are the caches with artifacts.
10. Choose the first player in any way.

Players may agree to use all the markers jointly and draw tourists in red, green, blue and purple. Draw route segments and other marks with the purple marker.

City Map

The main part of the player board is the city map, which represents Innsmouth. It consists of 36 districts arranged in a 6 x 6 grid. Between and around the districts run roads, shown by dashed lines.

Each district has a pair of coordinates: horizontal (X) and vertical (Y). The coordinates are shown on two sides of the city map as numbers from 1 to 6.

During the game players place tourists (of 4 types) in districts and draw route segments along the roads on their player boards.

District Types

• Districts with red attractions appeal to tourists who like lively places, such as shops or restaurants. These tourists are marked with the red symbol.
• Districts with green attractions appeal to tourists who prefer parks and squares. These tourists are marked with the green symbol.
• Districts with blue attractions appeal to tourists who like places with rich history, such as churches and old buildings. These tourists are marked with the blue symbol.
• Districts with purple attractions appeal to tourists interested in paranormal phenomena, because these places hold valuable information about the supernatural. These tourists are marked with the purple symbol.
• Districts with yellow attractions are interesting to everyone. Each of these districts on the final route gives as many VP as is shown on its star.
• White districts give no VP. However, tourists placed in them bring VP if they are located along the final route.

In addition, the city map has the Manuxet river, bridges, rounded roads in the corners of the map, dead ends, caches with artifacts, and shelters. See "Other Rules" below for details.

Gameplay

The game lasts 10 rounds. Each round consists of 5 phases, after which the next player clockwise becomes the first player and a new round begins. In each round, players choose districts, place tourists in them, and draw route segments along the roads between districts. After the last round each player determines the final route on their player board and its threat level. Then the threat check is made, after which players proceed to scoring and determining the winner.

Game Round

If there are three or four players, first play the initial rounds (see "Initial Rounds").

A game round consists of 5 phases:

• PHASE 1. Choosing the round dice.
• PHASE 2. Choosing districts.
• PHASE 3. Placing tourists.
• PHASE 4. Drawing route segments.
• PHASE 5. Ending the round.

Phase 1. Players choose the round dice.

1.1. The first player rolls all 6 dice. Then they place the bonus die in the top slot of the dice selection card and put all the other dice in the available dice zone (to the left of the dice selection card).

1.2. The first player chooses 1 available die and places it in the first lower slot on the dice selection card.

1.3. The player to the left of the first player chooses 1 of the 4 remaining available dice (to the left of the card) and moves it to the unavailable dice zone (to the right of the card). Then the player to the right of the first player does the same. In a two-player game the second player moves both dice.

1.4. The first player chooses 1 of the 2 remaining available dice and places it in the second lower slot on the dice selection card, and puts the last remaining available die on the round board.

The dice in the lower slots on the dice selection card are the round dice. The die on the round board is the fate die.

Symbols on the Faces of the Dice

• A number from 1 to 6, denoting an X or Y coordinate on the player board.
• One or two tourist symbols. There are 4 types of tourists in the game (red, green, blue and purple).
• On the faces of the bonus die, instead of tourists and coordinates, there are bonuses that players may use in later phases of the current round. See "Bonus Die" for details.

Example. Maxim, being the first player in a three-player game, rolls 6 dice and immediately places the bonus die in the top slot of the dice selection card (1). Then Maxim chooses the die showing "4" (2) and places it in the first lower slot of the dice selection card. The player to Maxim's left is Elena. She removes the die showing "5" (3), moving it to the zone to the right of the card. The player to Maxim's right is Ivan. He removes the die showing "1" (4). Of the remaining available dice, showing "3" and "6", Maxim chooses the die showing "6" (5) and places it in the second lower slot of the dice selection card, and puts the last remaining die (6) on the round board. The round dice become the dice showing "4" and "6", and the fate die is the die showing "3".

Phase 2. Each player chooses a district on their player board according to the coordinates shown on the round dice.

Only an empty district (one with no tourists yet) can be chosen. When choosing a district, follow these rules:

a) If both dice show the same result, for example "2" and "2", only one district with those coordinates is available for choosing.

b) If the results on the two round dice differ, each player must decide which result to use for the X coordinate and which for the Y coordinate. For example, if the dice show "2" and "1", you can choose the district with coordinates (2; 1) or (1; 2). If one of the two available districts is occupied (it already contains tourists), the player must choose the remaining available district.

c) If all districts with the possible coordinates are occupied (they already contain tourists), the player must choose any empty district and in phase 3 place in it only 1 tourist of any type.

Phase 3. Each player places tourists in the chosen district on their player board.

a) In the chosen district the player draws the tourists from both round dice.

b) If all districts with the possible coordinates are occupied, the player must draw only 1 tourist of any type in any empty district (see phase 2, item "c").

Phase 4. Each player draws route segments on their player board.

Draw route segments along the roads. Each player must draw route segments in one of three ways:

a) Two route segments:

• The first route segment must be drawn along any side (left, right, top or bottom) of the district in which the player has just placed tourists.
• The second route segment must continue the first. It may go straight or turn left or right. The second route segment does not have to run next to the same district as the first.

b) If the player prefers not to draw route segments next to the district in which they have just placed tourists, they may draw only 1 route segment, but next to any district.

c) If the player placed only 1 tourist, following item "b" of phase 3, they must draw only 1 route segment, but next to any district.

Phase 5. When all players have finished drawing route segments, the round ends.

5.1. The first player writes the number from the fate die in the leftmost empty slot on the round board. If this was a slot with a threat symbol, each player draws a threat symbol on their player board (see "Threat" below).

5.2. The next player clockwise becomes the first player.

5.3. Start a new round with phase 1. Play until 10 rounds have been played.

Threat

During the game you will face one of two types of threat: Cultists or Deep Ones. The type of threat depends on the side of the round board chosen during setup. You will draw threat symbols in districts according to the rules described below. (A threat symbol does not make a district occupied and does not prevent placing tourists in it.)

Cultists appear in various districts of the city and lie in wait for your tourists along the way. In games with Cultists, the district in which a threat symbol must be drawn is determined every two rounds (at the end of rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10). The odd slot of the round track determines the X coordinate (column), and the even slot the Y coordinate (row). There can be more than one threat symbol in one district.

Deep Ones appear on the coast (the right edge of the city map) and gradually move to the opposite end of Innsmouth. Some slots on the round board have a city-map symbol and indicate the column for the threat symbol in the current round. The Y coordinate (row) is determined by the fate die of the current round.

Once per game with Deep Ones, each player must skip drawing the threat symbol in one of the columns on their player board. After doing so, the player circles the name of the city in the upper left corner of their player board (as a reminder).

End of the Game

After round 10 the game ends. Each player goes through the following steps:

• STEP 1. Determine the final route.
• STEP 2. Count the threat level of the final route.
• STEP 3. Check the threat of the final route.
• STEP 4. Count victory points.

Before determining the final route, each player may use the character bonuses "Extra route segment" and "Diagonal route segment" (see "Character Bonuses"), which they circled on their player board during setup.

Step 1. Each player determines their final route.

The final route is a line of segments drawn during the game and connected to each other directly or by means of crossings (see below). The final route must meet the following criteria:

• Each segment of the final route can be counted only once.
• The final route may cross itself.
• The final route may start and end at the same point.

To determine the final route, the player must erase on their player board:

a) Route segments that are not connected to the final route. b) Branches and/or alternative routes that are connected to the final route but give fewer VP. c) Tourists who are not in districts along the final route.

Crossings

Innsmouth is a coastal city; one part of it can be reached from another by sea or river using crossings.

At the end of the game you may make up your final route from several separate sections if each of them has at least one end at an intersection near water (at the sea along the right edge of the city map, or at the river). Sections joined by a crossing must be on different sides of the river: one in the northern part of the city and the other in the southern part. Intersections near bridges and dead ends can be used for crossings.

Connecting two sections counts as one crossing. You may use no more than four crossings. The same intersection may be used for different crossings.

Each crossing raises the threat level of your final route by 1. Mark the number of crossings used in the corresponding area on your player board.

Step 2. Each player counts the threat level of their final route.

After the player has determined their final route, they count its threat level. To raise the threat level by 1, the player marks the leftmost empty slot in the corresponding area on their player board.

• Each connection of sections of the final route by a crossing raises the threat level by 1.
• Each threat symbol in districts along the final route raises the threat level by 1, even if the route passes along the district with this threat symbol more than once.

Step 3. Each player checks the threat of their final route.

All players check threats in turn, starting with the player with the highest threat level of the final route and continuing in descending order of that level. If several players have the same threat level, they perform checks clockwise, starting with the first player in the last round.

When it is your turn to check the threat, do the following:

1. Take as many artifact cards from the top of your deck as there are caches on your final route (that is, the route passes through the cache symbol or touches it). Do not look at the faces of the cards taken!
2. Reveal the cards you took one at a time until you decide to stop. Leave all the cards you took but did not reveal lying face down next to your player board (they will bring you VP in step 4 of the end of the game). Each artifact card shows an effect that helps to pass the threat check. See "Artifact Effects" for details.
3. Roll a number of tourist dice equal to your threat level and apply the artifact effects.
4. Count the failures. The result on each die can be a success or a failure. A success is a result of "5" or "6". Nothing happens. The tourists stay on your route! A failure is a result of "1" to "4". Punishment is unavoidable. The tourists leave your route in horror!
5. Consequences of the check. Receive a punishment for each failure by going through the following steps: a) Choose the district with the most tourists, following the conditions below:
   • the chosen district must touch, along one of its sides, a district with a threat symbol;
   • the district with the threat symbol does not have to be along the final route;
   • the chosen district and the district with the threat symbol may be separated from each other by the river;
   • the district with the most tourists may be a district with a threat symbol (in this case choose it);
   • if all else is equal, choose the district with the lowest sum of coordinates (if a tie remains, choose any of them). b) Erase all tourists in the chosen district and also erase the corresponding threat symbol.

Example. Maxim's final route passes along districts with two threat symbols, and Maxim used one crossing. Thus the threat level of his final route is 3. There are 4 caches on Maxim's final route. Maxim takes 4 artifact cards from the top of the deck and decides to reveal the first card taken, which is the "Tiara". Maxim decides to reveal the second card taken, which is the "Dagger". There he decides to stop, in order to get VP for the unrevealed cards. Then Maxim rolls 3 dice and gets "1", "2" and "4". Maxim changes the result "1" to "6" with the "Tiara" card. The results "2" and "4" become "3" and "5" with the "Dagger" card. In total Maxim has 2 successes and 1 failure. Now Maxim finds on his player board the district with the most tourists next to a district with a threat symbol. Maxim erases all the tourists there and also erases the threat symbol in the neighbouring district. After that Maxim proceeds to count VP.

Step 4. Each player counts their victory points.

Victory points are awarded for districts located along the final route (adjacent to the line by at least one of their sides), as well as for the character ability and for completing goals. If the final route touches only the corner of a district at a turn at an intersection, that district is not considered to be along the final route. Each player writes down their victory points in the scoring areas on their player board.

1. Count the number of tourists (including tourists in shelters) of the red type along your final route and write this number in the left slot of the corresponding scoring area. Then count the number of districts with red attractions along your final route and write this number in the right slot of the corresponding scoring area. Multiply these two numbers and write the result in the bottom slot of the corresponding area.
2. In the same way, fill in the three scoring areas for green, blue and purple tourists.
3. Count the VP for unused artifacts. Each artifact card that was taken but not revealed gives 7 VP. Write the result in the corresponding scoring slot.
4. Count the VP for goal cards (see below) and write the result in the corresponding scoring slot.
5. Count the VP for the character ability and write the result in the corresponding scoring slot.
6. Count the VP for districts with yellow attractions along your final route and write the result in the corresponding scoring slot.
7. Add up all the numbers obtained and write the total VP in the corresponding scoring slot.

The player with the most victory points wins! In case of a tie, the contender with more points from goal cards wins. If the tie remains, all contenders win.

Goal Cards

During setup 2 goal cards are revealed. The number of VP received depends on how well you met the goal's condition. For example, with the goal card "Winding Route" you get 8 VP if your final route has at least 10 turns, 16 VP if at least 12 turns, or 24 VP if at least 14 turns.

Initial Rounds

In the initial rounds all players act simultaneously: they choose dice, place tourists and draw route segments.

Three-Player Game

In a three-player game the first round goes as follows:

PHASE 1. First, each player, starting with the first player chosen during setup and continuing clockwise, takes 1 tourist die of their choice. Then all players roll the dice they took and set them aside. After that the first player chosen during setup rolls the bonus die and any remaining tourist die. The tourist die becomes the fate die, and the bonus die determines the bonus for the first round. Finally, each player independently chooses any 2 of the 3 dice set aside earlier as their round dice.

PHASES 2-4. Each player takes their turn according to the dice they chose.

PHASE 5. The first player chosen during setup writes the number from the fate die in the leftmost empty slot on the round board. If this was a slot with a threat symbol, each player draws a threat symbol on their player board. Then the first player chosen during setup begins the second round under the normal rules.

Four-Player Game

In a four-player game the first two rounds go as follows:

FIRST ROUND

PHASE 1. First, each player, starting with the first player chosen during setup and continuing clockwise, takes 1 tourist die of their choice. Then all players roll the dice they took and set them aside. After that the first player chosen during setup rolls the bonus die and the remaining tourist die. The tourist die becomes the fate die, and the bonus die determines the bonus for the first round. Finally, each player independently chooses any 2 of the 4 dice set aside earlier as their dice for the first round, and the remaining 2 set-aside dice are for the second round.

PHASES 2-4. Each player takes their turn according to the dice chosen for the first round.

PHASE 5. The first player chosen during setup writes the number from the fate die in the leftmost empty slot on the round board. If this was a slot with a threat symbol, each player draws a threat symbol on their player board.

SECOND ROUND

PHASE 1. The first player chosen during setup rerolls the bonus die and the fate die to determine their values for the second round.

PHASES 2-4. Each player takes their turn according to the dice chosen for the second round.

PHASE 5. The first player chosen during setup writes the number from the fate die in the leftmost empty slot on the round board. If this was a slot with a threat symbol, each player draws a threat symbol on their player board. Then the first player chosen during setup begins the third round under the normal rules.

Other Rules

Manuxet River

Manuxet is a river that flows between the districts of Innsmouth and divides it into two parts. Districts separated by the river do not adjoin each other: a road along the embankment is not considered adjacent to districts on the other bank of the river. This means the following:

• Districts separated from the route by the river are not considered to be along the route; they will not be counted when scoring.
• Tourists in a district separated from the route by the river are not considered to be along the route; they will leave you at the end of the game.
• If you placed tourists in a district next to the river and want to draw one of the route segments on the opposite bank, the first segment must be drawn across a bridge.

Dead Ends

Some roads on the city map do not lead to intersections; they are shorter than other roads and end at the river. There are often caches at their ends. Route segments along such dead-end roads are drawn under the normal rules. However, the route cannot be continued across the river along such a road. Dead ends can be used for crossings.

Rounded Roads

Note that the roads in the corners of the city map are rounded. Drawing a route along a rounded road takes 1 route segment.

Shelters

In some places in the city frightened, lost tourists are hiding, whom you can save. If your final route passes through a shelter or touches it, the tourists in that shelter are considered to be along the route (you do not need to draw these tourists anywhere).

Caches

During the threat check, take an artifact card for each cache on your final route.

During setup each player marks on their player board the intersections from the cache card. In these caches are hidden Dagon's artifacts, found at sea by the inhabitants of Innsmouth. These valuable treasures can be sold at a profit outside the city, and in Innsmouth itself they have magical power.

Before checking the threat of their final route, a player takes from their artifact deck as many cards as there are intersections with caches on their route. After that the player reveals the cards taken one at a time until they decide to stop and proceed to the threat check. For each unrevealed card taken, the player gets 7 VP when scoring. A revealed card brings 0 VP but helps to pass the threat check.

Artifact Effects

• Manuscript. Reroll any dice. Apply this effect first. All other effects are applied to the result after the reroll.
• Dagger. Add +2 to the results of any two dice. With a single such effect you cannot increase the result of the same die twice.
• Amulet. Add +1 to the results of all dice.
• Tiara. Change the value of any one die to "6".

Character Bonuses

During setup, circle the bonuses shown on the shared or personal character card in the corresponding area of your player board. After using a bonus, cross out the circled bonus.

• Coordinate change. Use this bonus in phase 2, before choosing a district, to change the result of one round die by +/-1 (a result of "6" can be changed to "1" and vice versa). This change applies only to you. If you have more than one such bonus (for example, it also came up on the bonus die), you may combine them and apply them to one or to different round dice.
• Extra route segment. Use this bonus at the end of the game, before determining the final route, to draw 1 extra route segment along any district on your player board. This segment can be drawn vertically or horizontally.
• Diagonal route segment. Use this bonus at the end of the game, before determining the final route, to draw 1 extra route segment on your player board, not along a district but diagonally through it. A diagonal segment cannot be drawn across the river, but it can be drawn from or to a dead end. A diagonal route connection does not make the district occupied and does not prevent placing tourists and threat symbols in it. Such a district, and the tourists and threat symbols in it, are considered to be along the route.

Character Abilities

In each game you play one of five characters. In the normal mode all players play one shared character. In the advanced mode each player receives a personal character card. Characters give VP in step 4 of the end of the game.

DETECTIVE. A private detective. Searches for missing tourists by checking various places in the city. When the route segments you have drawn pass through (or touch) the first uncircled cache or shelter symbol in a round, you check that place and find a missing tourist there. In the district in which you placed tourists in the current round, additionally place 1 tourist of the type shown on the fate die (if the die shows two tourist types, choose either of them). You additionally place only 1 tourist, even if the route segments in the current round passed through (or touched) several cache and shelter symbols; you are considered to have checked several places but found a tourist in only one of them. Circle all the cache and shelter symbols that the route segments passed through (or touched) in the current round, to mark that you have already checked those places.

Card text: Once per round, if your route segment touches a cache or shelter, additionally place 1 tourist from the fate die (if there are two tourists, choose either) in the district where you placed tourists in the current round.

WARLOCK. An unholy priest. Has other plans for the tourists than simply showing them the city. The threat level of your final route is not raised, so at the end of the game you do not check the threat and do not take artifact cards. Instead of the threat check, perform a dark ritual for each threat symbol on your city map. To perform a ritual, choose a district following the rules for receiving punishment (see "5. Consequences of the check", item "a" on p. 9 / in Step 3), then erase all tourists in the chosen district and also erase the corresponding threat symbol. For each tourist erased this way, get as many VP as there are caches on your final route. In a game with Deep Ones you must skip drawing one threat symbol of your choice, as usual.

Card text: Your threat level is not raised. Do not check the threat. For each threat symbol, choose a district by the rules for receiving punishment and erase all tourists in it, and also the corresponding threat symbol. For each tourist erased this way, get as many VP as there are caches on your final route.

COLLECTOR. A collector of artifacts. Gets more use out of them than anyone else. Get an additional 8 VP for each artifact card you took (even if you revealed that card during the threat check).

BOATMAN. A connoisseur of local waters and former fishing boat captain. Handles a boat deftly. Crossings do not raise the threat level of your final route. You may also connect with crossings sections that are on the same side of the river. Get 10 VP for each crossing used under the normal rules only (the connected sections are on different sides of the river).

HUNTRESS. A fearless monster slayer. People are grateful to her for delivering them from horrors. During the threat check a result of "4" also counts as a success. For each result of "5" or "6", erase 1 threat symbol in any district along your final route, after which you receive a punishment for each failure as usual. Get 10 VP for each result of "5" or "6".

Solo Game

Victory Conditions

To win a solo game you must score at least as many VP as correspond to the chosen cell. You must meet both conditions: the total VP (the number on the left) and the VP for completing goals (the number at the top).

The challenge card lists goal-VP thresholds of 16+, 32+ and 48 across the top, and the following total-VP thresholds by difficulty level:

Difficulty level	Total VP to win
Beginner guide	150+
Experienced guide	190+
Outstanding guide	220+
Legendary guide	240+

Setup

1. Take a random player board and all the erasable markers.
2. Place the challenge card on the table. Choose any cell on it.
3. Place the dice selection card and all 6 dice next to the challenge card. Roll 3 random tourist dice and place them in the available dice zone. Roll the remaining 2 tourist dice and place them in the unavailable dice zone. Place the bonus die in the top slot of the dice selection card. 4-9. Follow these steps as in normal game setup.

Game Round

PHASE 1. Roll the bonus die and place it in the top slot of the dice selection card. Then choose any 2 available dice and place them in the lower slots of the dice selection card; these are the round dice. The last available die becomes the fate die; place it on the round board.

PHASES 2-4. Choose a district, place tourists and draw route segments as usual.

PHASE 5. Do the following:

1. Move both unavailable dice to the available dice zone. Do not reroll them!
2. Roll the dice lying in the lower slots of the dice selection card and place them in the unavailable dice zone.
3. Write the number from the fate die in the leftmost empty slot on the round board. If this was a slot with a threat symbol, draw a threat symbol on your player board as usual.
4. Reroll the fate die and move it to the available dice zone. Start a new round with phase 1. Play until 10 rounds have been played.

End of the Game

Go through all the end-of-game steps under the normal rules. Then compare your result with the conditions of the chosen cell on the challenge card. If you met both conditions, you win the game and next time you can choose harder conditions.

Bonus Die

The faces of the bonus die show bonuses that players may use during the game.

• Blank face. No bonus.
• Route adjustment. At the start of phase 3, before placing tourists and drawing route segments, you may erase 1 route segment of your choice and then draw 1 new segment connected to any other already drawn segment. Draw this new route segment along a district (not diagonally through a district), as usual. The "Route adjustment" effect does not allow attaching the new segment across a crossing, since crossings can be used only at the end of the game.
• Secret alley. In phase 4 you may draw 1 of the route segments not along a district but diagonally through it (observe all other rules for drawing segments). Such a diagonal route segment is drawn with the same restrictions as the diagonal segment from the character bonus. The district through which the diagonal segment passes, and the tourists and threat symbols in it, are considered to be along the route.
• New turn. In phase 4, if you decided to draw only 1 route segment next to any district, you may instead draw an L-shaped section of two connected segments (this section can be rotated).
• Coordinate change. This bonus is identical to the same character bonus (see "Character Bonuses").
• Zigzag. In phase 4, instead of two route segments next to the chosen district, you may draw a section of three consecutive connected segments of the shape shown (this section can be rotated and mirrored).