The Queen's Dilemma Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Overview
  • The Kingdom of Ankist
  • The Game in a Nutshell
  • The Ideology System
• Before Your First Game
  • 1. Choose Your Character
    • Setup for 3 or 4 Players
    • Diary
  • 2. Pick Your Starting Agenda Card
  • 3. Assign the Leader and Moderator Tokens
  • 4. Choose Your Regions
    • Games with Less than 6 Players
  • 5. Attach Region Keyword Stickers
  • 6. Read Aloud the Prologue "War in Konfurtah"
  • 7. Prepare the Starting Dilemma Deck
    • Optional: Integrate Additional Content from the Age of Disorder
• Game Setup
  • 1. Set Up Ankist Map, Resources, and Power Pool
  • 2. Mark Timeline
  • 3. Set Ideology Board
  • 4. Ready Legacy Components
  • 5. Set Up Player Area
  • 6. Draw Ideology Card
  • 7. Income Phase
  • 8. Draw Chronicle Cards
  • 9. Draft Investment Cards
  • 10. Display Story Cards
  • 11. Set Up Event Cards
  • 12. Prepare Dilemma Deck
    • Absences, Defections, and Additions
• Playing the Game
  • 1. Read the Dilemma
  • 2. Voting Phase
  • 3. Vote Resolution
  • 4. Dilemma Resolution
  • 5. Triggering the End of the Game
• End of the Game
  • 1. Event Phase
  • 2. Scoring Phase
  • 3. Cleanup
  • 4. Save Your Game
• Triggering the End of the Campaign
• Points, Power, and Resources
  • Hegemony, Independence, and Infamy
  • Gaining and Losing Power
  • Gaining and Losing Resources
• Keywords and Effects
  • Types of Keywords
  • Types of Effects
• Legacy Elements
  • Skill Stickers
  • Building Stickers
  • Keyword Stickers
  • Chronicle Cards
  • Agenda Cards
  • Ending Stickers
• Appendix - Symbols
  • Main Symbols
  • Chronicle Card Symbology
• Setup Cheatsheet
• End of Game Cheatsheet

Components

• 75 Envelopes (including 3 Age of Disorder Envelopes)
• 6 Voting tiles
• 6 Diaries
• 1 Ankist Map
• 1 World Map (double sided)
• 1 Cover tile
• 146 Agenda cards
• 12 Ongoing Agenda cards
• 187 Chronicle cards
• 7 Investment cards
• 30 Ideology cards (5 for each Character)
• 6 Treasury boxes
• 1 Ideology board
• 3 Slider markers
• 1 Skill booklet (69 Skill stickers)
• 8 Mystery boxes
• 1 Leader token
• 1 Moderator token
• 1 Keyword booklet (25 Keyword stickers)
• 8 Outcome markers
• 1 Building sheet (44 Building stickers)
• 1 Legacy tray
• 1 Lore Compendium
• 1 Save tray
• 1 Trash box
• 1 Ending dossier (21 Ending stickers)
• 1 Age of Disorder Companion Book
• 1 Utility sheet
• 447 tokens:
  • 36 Heraldry tokens (6 for each Character)
  • 126 Power tokens
  • 20 Hegemony tokens
  • 18 large Heraldry stickers
  • 6 Resource Cover stickers
  • 60 Army tokens (45 × 1-value, 15 × 3-value)
  • 60 Food tokens (45 × 1-value, 15 × 3-value)
  • 6 Vassal Heraldry stickers
  • 60 Materials tokens (45 × 1-value, 15 × 3-value)
  • 85 Gold tokens (70 × 1-value, 15 × 3-value)
  • 6 Ideology stickers
  • 234 small Heraldry stickers

ATTENTION! When you first open the box, the Ideology cards and Investment cards are shrink-wrapped together and placed inside the Legacy tray. These cards are public information and may be freely handled and examined. All other contents of the Legacy tray, however, must be treated as secret. Be careful not to read or reveal any of it until the game explicitly instructs you to do so!

SPOILER ALERT — This compendium includes spoilers for the events that unravel during The King's Dilemma. However, it is not necessary to play The King's Dilemma before playing this standalone sequel. Some of these events may also be spoiled during the campaign of The Queen's Dilemma.

Game Overview

The Kingdom of Ankist

In The Queen's Dilemma, players become the members of the Queen's Council. The Kingdom of Ankist, ruled by Queen Serena and overseen by the Council, is one of the most influential kingdoms in the known world.

The structure of Ankist is primarily feudal. The twelve regions that comprise the kingdom are managed by the six Councilors. The Councilors are loyal to Queen Serena, but they also have counts and barons loyal to them. Councilors are responsible for rallying the army, gathering taxes, and generally administering their territory in the name of the Queen. The thirteenth province is Aontas, where the kingdom's capital, Lybra, stands—managed directly by the Crown.

When the war against the Undying Scorpion called for her presence in Konfurtah, Serena left the Council with the power and responsibility to act and legislate on her behalf. The Queen has placed absolute trust in her Council members, so the real power lies in their hands: they are the true leaders of the government of Ankist right now.

The Game in a Nutshell

Each round, players will draw a card from the bottom of the Dilemma deck and experience the game story unfold. Each card is unique, and it will pose a problem (or Dilemma) that the Council has to solve on the Queen's behalf. You will discuss, bargain, and make decisions that will shape the story of the game and determine the fate of the Kingdom of Ankist. Each time a Dilemma card is resolved, it is permanently removed from the Dilemma deck. Sometimes, your decisions will result in the addition of completely new cards to the deck, unlocking new events that will happen as a consequence of your decisions.

You will try to shape the prevailing ideology in the Kingdom of Ankist according to your personal beliefs, but the other Councilors will do the same. This power struggle could lead to war, famine, and riots, or it could generate wealth and prosperity: it will depend on your choices. Each decision carries consequences: what benefits the kingdom may not be good for you. Will you act for the greater good, or will you think only of yourself?

The campaign of The Queen's Dilemma will be played over several sessions, or "games." No winner will be determined at the end of a single game, but you will score Hegemony points, representing the impact of your actions and your influence over the Kingdom, and Independence points, representing the power of your territories and your personal influence, independent from the monarchy's authority and institutions. You may also score Infamy points, representing the bad reputation you'll earn for some of your actions—which will negatively affect your score at the end of the campaign. Your performance in each game will contribute to determining the winner of the campaign as a whole.

To enjoy the game experience of The Queen's Dilemma to the fullest, we strongly suggest playing with 5 or 6 players, keeping the same group of people for the entire campaign; in fact, it is not possible to add or remove players from the campaign of The Queen's Dilemma.

The Ideology System

In this game, the political life of Ankist is abstracted into a web of ideologies that model society, shaping beliefs, driving ambitions, and fueling conflicts. These guiding principles are distilled into 6 core Ideologies, arranged along 3 opposing axes on the game's Ideology board: Tradition vs. Progress, Force vs. Diplomacy, and Order vs. Liberty. Each Character holds a unique balance among these ideals, reflecting their deepest convictions and the causes they champion in the ever-shifting ideological landscape of the kingdom.

During the game, the Ideology board tracks the Kingdom's prevailing values, shifting with decisions, upheavals, and the Council's will, offering a clear view of where Ankist stands in its struggle between worldviews.

Tradition longs for the stability of the past—the beauty of former days and the privileges of the ruling class. It holds that the future can never surpass past glory, drawing guidance and inspiration from history. A kingdom rooted in Tradition thrives on its heritage, foundation of its greatness, yet remains cautious, even fearful, of novelty, change, and renewal. Keywords: Nobility, Lineage, History, Status Quo, Heritage, Borders, Religion, Caste System, Privilege, Orthodoxy

Progress is a drive toward change and innovation. It holds that the future will be brighter than the past, remaining open to experimentation in pursuit of improvement. A kingdom founded on Progress welcomes new laws, new technologies, and new peoples, constantly reshaping its own foundations. Keywords: Technology, Science, Medicine, Experimentation, Exploration, Civil Rights, Reforms, Change, Innovation, Renewal

Force upholds strength as the surest path to reach any goal. War is seen as a way to improve power, and punishments are a necessary tool of governance. A kingdom built on Force values might and bravery, and deters enemies through sheer military power, expands its reach with conquest, and strikes down those who threaten its peace. Keywords: War, Strength, Military Valor, Violence, Punishment, Colonialism, Revenge, Vigilantes, Murder, Torture

Diplomacy relies on treaties, negotiation, and subtle subterfuge, securing results through patience, strategy, and cooperation. It thrives on the art of persuasion, the gathering of secrets, and the careful weaving of schemes. A kingdom built on Diplomacy safeguards its people, broadens its influence, and outmaneuvers rivals by turning words and wit into instruments of power. Keywords: Negotiation, Treaties, Peace, Tolerance, Amnesty, Subterfuge, Espionage, Alliance, Mediation, Compromise

Order upholds a centralized rule founded on laws shared impartially by all. It values the stability that comes from structure and the protection ensured by authority. A kingdom rooted in Order maintains clarity of rule, consistency of judgment, and the security of a well-disciplined realm. Keywords: Law, Discipline, Uniformity, Control, Authority, Hierarchy, Regulation, Censorship, Prosecution, Centralization

Liberty holds self-determination and freedom of thought as the highest principles. It affirms the right to express free will, to seek personal fulfillment, and to shape one's own path. A kingdom based on Liberty minimizes central authority, creating room for smaller powers and communities to establish their own rules. Keywords: Autonomy, Independence, Freedom, Free-speech, Self-Expression, Federalism, Choice, Individualism, Sexual Expression, Rebellion

Before Your First Game

Everything you need to do before getting started

To fully enjoy The Queen's Dilemma, players should know the key history and lore of the Kingdom of Ankist. We strongly recommend reading the Lore Compendium before starting the campaign. The section on the twelve Regions is optional—it outlines each region's traditions, folklore, and character—but all other sections are essential to fully understand the dilemmas and moral tensions at the heart of The Queen's Dilemma. Send the QR Code found in the physical rulebook to the other players so they can read the Lore Compendium before the first game.

1. Choose Your Character

There are six playable Characters in The Queen's Dilemma, each one a member of the Queen's Council. Your Character will stay with you for the entire campaign. Each Character is defined by a set of preferred Ideologies—the values they will champion throughout the story—and is set on a personal narrative path that will determine their Fate.

Aesyas, The Silver Quill (Progress, Diplomacy) — Mentor to Serena and one of the kingdom's most progressive and insightful scholars, Aesyas has long inspired the realm toward reform. Choose to play as Aesyas if you wish to explore themes surrounding the delicate balance between morality and progress and the purpose of science.

Elinor, The Herald of the Past (Tradition, Order) — Her lineage is as old as Ankist itself. Elinor commands enduring influence among the nobility and the Cult through name alone. Choose to play as Elinor if you want to explore the fracture between personal conscience and political duty and the conflict between religious and civil law.

Jilian, The Silk Weaver (Diplomacy, Tradition) — A rising diplomat and negotiator, adept in persuasion, intrigue, and statecraft, weaving words and schemes with equal skill. Choose to play as Jilian if you want to navigate the intrigues of court and master the subtle art of power games.

Lyrie, The Visionary Patron (Liberty, Progress) — A visionary cultural icon and founder of Freedomism—a radical artistic movement championing uninhibited self-expression. Choose to play as Lyrie if you want to explore themes of free thought, the separation between art and the artist, and the influence of charismatic figures.

Syd, The Feral (Force, Liberty) — A ruthless noble, deeply entwined with the criminal underworld, who trusts no one and moves through shadows with cold calculation. Choose to play as Syd if you want to dive into the crime syndicates and tackle themes of gang fights, felonry, and drug monopolies.

Xanthe, The Crimson Shield (Order, Force) — A fierce warrior and newly elevated noble of Enkhali descent, as well as Queen Serena's closest confidant—her most trusted friend and right hand. Choose to play as Xanthe if you're interested in exploring themes of military virtue, cultural heritage, and integration.

Setup for 3 or 4 Players

If playing with 3 or 4 players, we strongly recommend using one of these Character setups to ensure an optimal ideological balance at the table. Choosing other configurations may result in an unbalanced experience that prevents you from fully enjoying The Queen's Dilemma.

3 players:

• Aesyas, Jilian, and Syd
• Aesyas, Elinor, and Syd
• Aesyas, Syd, and Xanthe
• Jilian, Lyrie, and Xanthe

4 players:

• Aesyas, Jilian, Syd, and Xanthe
• Elinor, Jilian, Lyrie, and Syd
• Aesyas, Elinor, Lyrie, and Xanthe

Once you have all made your choices, each player must take all the game components belonging to their Character (marked with the corresponding heraldry and colors):

• a Diary: open it to page 1 and write a House name of your choice in the space provided;
• a Treasury box (to store personal belongings);
• a set of 6 Heraldry tokens;
• a deck of 5 Ideology cards;
• a Voting tile.

Diary

Each Diary contains all the essential information for one Character. Here, you will find:

1. A portrait of your Character, along with their preferred Ideologies.
2. A description of the Character's personality, background, and relationship with Queen Serena (read this carefully before the first game to understand your Character's nature, heritage, and personal connection to the Queen).
3. A Fate section, which you may only mark when explicitly instructed at the end of your personal story. This will determine the final outcome of your Character's journey.
4. Sticker spaces for all Legacy stickers you will earn during the campaign (Keywords, Skills, and other things to be revealed).
5. Scoring tracks to record your progress in Hegemony, Independence, and Infamy—these points will be crucial in determining the winner of the campaign.

2. Pick Your Starting Agenda Card

Take the Agenda cards from the Legacy tray. Each card is marked with a 4-digit code starting with the letter "A." Without revealing the back side of any card, deal each player their starting Agenda card, depending on their chosen Character:

Character	Starting Agenda
Aesyas	A106
Elinor	A127
Jilian	A044
Lyrie	A064
Syd	A086
Xanthe	A017

Your starting Agenda card is the first in a series of interconnected cards that form a branching personal storyline. For more details on Agenda cards, see the Agenda Cards section.

3. Assign the Leader and Moderator Tokens

After players have taken their seats, randomly choose a player and give them the Leader token; then, proceeding clockwise, assign the following bonuses to the remaining players:

Player	Bonuses
2	1 Power
3	1 Independence
4	1 Power and 1 Independence
5	1 Power, 1 Gold, and 1 Independence
6	1 Power, 1 Gold, and 1 Independence

Each player must add this Power and Resources to their Treasury. The last player also receives the Moderator token. For more details on Points, Power, and Resources, see the Points, Power, and Resources section.

Note: If you plan to play your first game at a later time, record the seating order used during this one-time setup procedure and replicate it exactly when you begin playing.

4. Choose Your Regions

Place the Ankist Map in the middle of the table, within reach of all players. The Kingdom of Ankist is divided into 12 playable Regions, plus Aontas, where the kingdom's capital stands, which is not playable.

The 12 playable Regions are: Allwed, Natar, Blodyn, Olwyn, Coden, Solad, Crann, Tiryll, Dualak, Tork, Gamam, and Wylio.

Starting with the Leader and proceeding clockwise, each player chooses 1 Region on the Map and attaches 1 of their own large Heraldry stickers from the Utility sticker sheet to the Heraldry space next to the chosen Region's name. After all players have selected 1 Region, starting with the Moderator and proceeding counter-clockwise, each player selects another Region and applies 1 of their own large Heraldry stickers to its Heraldry space. These will be your Main Regions.

Each Region has a base Building that will produce Resources during the Income Phase. All Buildings display a red or blue banner that determines in which games they are productive and the Resources they produce, as shown on their label.

If you choose Regions with a base Building of the same color, you will have games with a large income alternating with games with low income, especially at the beginning of the campaign. Keep the production timing in mind when choosing your Regions.

Games with Less than 6 Players

In campaigns with less than 6 players, some Regions will be left unassigned; the remaining Regions are assigned as Vassal Regions (or, in a 3-player game, as a 3rd Main Region, see below). Having a Vassal Region is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage, but it is necessary for every Region in the Kingdom to have a representative (someone responsible for it) on the Queen's Council.

Use Vassal Heraldry stickers from the Utility sticker sheet to mark these Regions instead of large Heraldry stickers. The number of Vassal Regions depends on the number of players, and they are assigned after the Main Regions have been chosen as follows:

• 5 players (2 Vassal Regions): The Moderator selects 1 Region as their Vassal Region. The remaining Region is assigned as a Vassal Region to the player seated to the Moderator's right.
• 4 players (4 Vassal Regions): Starting with the Moderator and proceeding counter-clockwise, each player selects 1 Vassal Region.
• 3 players (3 Vassal Regions): Starting with the Leader and proceeding clockwise, each player selects a 3rd Main Region, using their last available large Heraldry sticker. Then, starting with the Moderator and proceeding counter-clockwise, each player selects 1 Vassal Region.

The players must cover the Building Type and Resources provided by the base Building in their Vassal Regions using the appropriate stickers found on the Utility sticker sheet. At first, Vassal Regions don't provide any Resources; however, if any Buildings are constructed there during the campaign, they may still be activated and provide Resources.

5. Attach Region Keyword Stickers

When a player chooses a Region, they become responsible for it for the entire campaign—for better or worse. To reflect this, each player takes the Region Keyword stickers corresponding to their chosen Regions (including any Vassal Regions) from the Keyword sticker booklet and places them in the designated spaces of the Keyword section of their Diary.

6. Read Aloud the Prologue "War in Konfurtah"

Before starting the game, it is important for all players to know the current political situation at the start of the campaign. Read aloud the following narrative prologue:

War in Konfurtah

"Needs no water, he who quenches his thirst on blood."

After only a year of Queen Serena's reign, ominous news arrives from the South. The once-divided southern continent of Konfurtah is now uniting under a single banner, forming the new and fearsome Kingdom of the Undying Scorpion—a force that threatens the stability of the entire realm.

Once a fragmented and mostly infertile area composed of thousands of nomadic desert tribes, the kingdom has recently united under the will of their commander, a mysterious figure named Widram. Widram is an alchemist, a master of propaganda, a charismatic and fearsome leader who has proclaimed himself Ommad II, boasting a lineage that traces back to Ommad I, the legendary first King of Ankist. By doing so, he now claims rights over Ankist itself. Widram is reviving national pride in the Konfurtahn people, asserting that their ancient Sun Empire was the true cradle of Ankistan civilization and that we have merely taken from them a power that was rightfully theirs. Political savvy and charisma are not Widram's only strengths. His most devoted followers—and his more frightened enemies—claim that his thirst for Ankistan blood is not just a figure of speech, and that Widram keeps himself eternally young and powerful by drinking the blood of his enemies. Whether this is true or merely propaganda designed to scare his enemies is unclear.

With Widram's clever leadership and booming popular support from the faithful masses, the Scorpion consolidated the desert tribes and the various oases around the City of Tents, up to the Nebula Mountains, forming a huge army. For Queen Serena, this new rival is an unacceptable menace. She summoned the entire Council and all the high-ranking generals to the war room, where she planned a military expedition against this uncanny Kingdom of the Undying Scorpion. She left for the front with the troops at the start of the year 439, leaving the Councilors in charge of ruling in her place.

But after one year, in the year 440, our glorious war to defeat the first great menace for Queen Serena isn't working out as expected—our first steps in the scorching sands have almost been washed away by winds reeking of death. Widram is an acute tactician, and his son Meto commands a well-organized army and has mastered the ways of the land. Every day we lose good Ankistan soldiers, butchered or mutilated by a determined enemy. The very land itself is a formidable foe. The white sands have become synonymous with death: we find corpses desiccated by the dire lack of water and thoroughly defleshed by powerful sandstorms. Widram himself is hard to find; he is said to rule from Nidar Ilak, an impenetrable bastion deep in the desert that surrounds the City of Tents, the kingdom's capital. The fortress stands in the middle of the scorching desert, miles away from the nearest oasis. As the legends say, Widram does not need any water to stay alive, only the blood of his enemies—the blood of our brothers and sisters.

7. Prepare the Starting Dilemma Deck

Open Envelope 00 and take out its contents. Read the first card included in the Envelope (the Story card), then place it on the upper edge of the Ankist Map, in the slot that matches the story symbol. Afterwards, shuffle the remaining Dilemma cards and cover them with the Cover tile. This will be your starting Dilemma deck. Always make sure to keep all the Dilemma cards face up, and never read the text on the back side of the cards until you are explicitly allowed to do so.

Optional: Integrate Additional Content from the Age of Disorder

The Age of Disorder refers to a moment in the life of Ankist that preceded Queen Serena's rise to the throne. During the Kickstarter campaign for The Queen's Dilemma, backers determined the outcomes of this tumultuous era: a full account of its events is included in the Age of Disorder Companion Book found inside this box. In addition to shaping the course of the story, the backers' votes also generated extra gameplay content that represents the direct consequences of those decisions.

This extra content is contained in the 3 purple Envelopes. Adding this content to your campaign is optional—but if you'd like to experience the aftermath of the Age of Disorder more vividly, now is the time to do so. These elements cannot be added once the campaign has already begun.

To include the Age of Disorder additional content in your campaign, open the purple Envelopes one by one and follow these instructions:

• DAOD: Contains 4 Dilemma cards. Shuffle them into the Dilemma deck you've just prepared.
• CAOD: Contains 4 Chronicle cards. Place these cards in the 3rd slot of the Save tray; this will be your starting unlocked Chronicle deck.
• AAOD: Contains 6 Agenda cards, 1 for each Character. Assign them immediately to the corresponding players (AAOD1: Aesyas, AAOD2: Elinor, AAOD3: Jilian, AAOD4: Lyrie, AAOD5: Syd, AAOD6: Xanthe). If you're playing with less than 6 players and some Characters are not in play, Trash the corresponding cards in the dedicated Trash box.

Through these cards, you'll also have the chance to unlock even more additional content during the campaign—such as more Chronicle cards, as well as Building and Skill stickers.

Game Setup

Once you have completed all of the steps in the "Before Your First Game" chapter, you are ready to move on to the game setup. This setup must be performed before every game of The Queen's Dilemma, simply by following these steps:

1. Set Up Ankist Map, Resources, and Power Pool

a. Open and place the Ankist Map in the center of the table, within reach of all players. b. Take all the Resource tokens (Gold, Food, Army, Materials) and place them next to the Ankist Map, thus creating the general supply. c. Place the Power tokens in the general supply. d. Take 3 Power tokens from the general supply and place them in Aontas, the Region at the center of the Ankist Map. This will be the Power Pool.

Resource or Not? In The Queen's Dilemma, the term "Resources" refers exclusively to Army, Food, Materials, and Gold tokens. All other tokens and markers in the game, including Power, are not considered Resources.

2. Mark Timeline

Mark the leftmost empty space on the Timeline on the bottom left of the Ankist Map.

The Timeline shows the current game number in your campaign of The Queen's Dilemma. Each Timeline space is divided into three parts: the color of the space—either red or blue—determines which Buildings are productive that game and provide income; the number inside the Bag icon indicates the number of Resources players must pay during the Investment Phase—as well as to succeed with some specific Agenda cards; the Resource icon (Army, Food, or Materials) indicates which Resource is taxed at the end of the game.

3. Set Ideology Board

a. Place the Ideology board next to the Ankist Map. b. Place 1 Slider in the middle space of each Ideology Track. c. Place all Outcome markers and Hegemony tokens next to the Ideology board.

4. Ready Legacy Components

Take the Legacy tray and put it on the table. It contains the main Legacy elements that you can unlock during the campaign: Skill stickers, Keyword stickers, Agenda cards, Chronicle cards, and all the Envelopes. Also, keep the Utility and Building sticker sheets at hand: you will need them during the game.

5. Set Up Player Area

a. Choose your seat at the table. Player seating affects game dynamics; we suggest changing seats from game to game. b. Place your Treasury in front of you. c. Take your Diary, current Agenda cards, Ideology cards (x5), Voting tile, and Heraldry tokens (x6) out of your Treasury. d. Place your Voting tile in front of you, visible to all, with the Aye/Nay side facing up. If you have them, place the Leader and/or Moderator tokens next to your Voting tile. e. Check your Skill stickers in the Skills section of your Diary. f. Review the back of your current Agenda cards to verify your Goals. g. Remember to always have some pens on hand!

6. Draw Ideology Card

Shuffle your 5 Ideology cards, draw 2, then return the others to your Treasury. Keep the card with the highest number and return the one with the lowest number to your Treasury as well. If you draw both Ideology cards marked with a 1, just keep one of them and return the other one to your Treasury. The Ideology card you keep is secret and defines the Ideologies for which you will score points at the end of the current game.

7. Income Phase

a. Take 7 Power tokens from the general supply and add them to your Treasury: this will be your Starting Power. b. Take 1 Gold, 1 Food, 1 Army, and 1 Materials from the general supply and add them to your Treasury. c. Take from the general supply the Resources produced by your productive Buildings (those matching the color of the current game in the Timeline) and add them to your Treasury. Note that the base Building of a Region is considered a Building for all purposes.

8. Draw Chronicle Cards

a. Take the unlocked Chronicle deck from the Save tray, if present. b. Shuffle it and draw up to 10 cards without revealing them, then put all of the unlocked Chronicle cards that were not drawn back into the Save tray. c. Reveal the drawn cards, 1 at a time, and follow this procedure for each card:

1. If it is labeled Instant, place it next to the light blue Chronicle slot at the top right edge of the Ankist Map. There is no limit to the number of cards that can be stacked in this space.
2. If it has any other label, place it next to the topmost available light brown Chronicle slot along the right edge of the Ankist Map. Only up to 5 cards can be placed there; if there are no more slots available, return the card to the unlocked Chronicle deck in the Save tray without reading it. d. Read aloud the cards you just placed and apply their Herald effects. If a card is labeled Instant, also immediately apply its main effect. e. After reading all the Chronicle cards, mark 1 space on the Duration Track at the bottom of each Chronicle card placed in a slot—all Chronicle cards that have been placed next to the Ankist Map are now considered in play; if a card's track is filled, this will be the last time it comes into play: you will Trash it to the Trash box at the end of the game.

9. Draft Investment Cards

a. Shuffle the Investment cards. b. Depending on the number of players, you may need to discard some cards before proceeding to the next step:

Player count	Action
6-player game	Use all cards.
5-player game	Discard 1 random card without revealing it.
4- or 3-player game	Discard 2 random cards without revealing them.

Put any discarded cards back into the Save tray, unrevealed.

c. Check the amount of Hegemony each player has marked on page 10 of their Diary. In order from least to most Hegemony, each player secretly takes the available Investment cards, keeps 1, and passes the rest to the next player. In case of a tie, the player nearest to the Leader token in clockwise order chooses first. Unchosen cards are then returned to the Save tray, unrevealed. In your first game, players will start with no Hegemony, so Investment cards will be drafted starting from the Leader and proceeding in clockwise order.

10. Display Story Cards

a. Take the Story cards stored in the Save tray. b. Sort them by Storyline symbol and arrange them in ascending order (by the number on their front). Then, place each stack on the matching slot along the top edge of the Ankist Map. c. You may reread the Story cards at any time to recall the current stage of the events unfolding in the Kingdom.

11. Set Up Event Cards

a. Take the Event cards stored in the Save tray, if any. b. Place the Event cards in the dedicated slots at the bottom right corner of the Ankist Map. c. Set up the ongoing Events according to their specific rules, as indicated on the corresponding Event cards.

12. Prepare Dilemma Deck

a. Take the Dilemma deck from the Save tray. b. Shuffle all the cards and cover the top of the deck with the Cover tile.

Always make sure to keep the Dilemma deck with the cards facing up, and never read the text on the back side of the cards until you are explicitly allowed to do so.

Absences, Defections, and Additions

A campaign of The Queen's Dilemma is long, and 6 players are recommended: defections and absences may occur. Here are some suggestions for handling these unforeseen situations without abandoning the entire campaign.

Absences

If a player is absent for one or more games, follow the setup rules for the current player count and apply the following rules for the absent player:

• They do not gain or lose Resources, Hegemony, Independence, or Infamy.
• They cannot be targeted by any special effect.
• If they held the Leader or Moderator token, assign it to another random player.
• When a Keyword belonging to them is called, resolve only Legacy effects: attach their Heraldry sticker to Chronicle cards they unlocked, attach Skill stickers to their Diary, place Agenda cards in their Treasury box, and attach any unlocked Building sticker to one of their Regions of the Leader's choice.

Upon their return, they'll gain 3 Independence for each game missed. Before starting the next game, they must check all overdue Agenda cards and if needed resolve the Failure effects immediately.

Defections

If a player can no longer take part in the campaign, the best solution is to find a replacement. If this is not possible, follow these rules:

• Apply the setup and Mystery box rules for the new player count.
• When a Keyword belonging to the defecting player is called, it instead targets the Moderator.

Additions

Once the game starts, there is no way to add new players to the game and therefore increase the player count.

Playing the Game

A game of The Queen's Dilemma consists of a variable number of rounds (usually from 7 to 9), with each round revolving around the resolution of a Dilemma card; Dilemma cards describe a problem the kingdom faces, and a proposed solution, to which the Council must respond AYE or NAY. Councilors will use their Power to vote for their preferred outcome or PASS, leaving the decision to the other players. Once the votes have been cast, the consequences of the choice will be revealed.

Each round is divided into 5 phases:

1. Read the Dilemma
2. Voting Phase
3. Vote Resolution
4. Dilemma Resolution
5. Triggering the End of the Game

1. Read the Dilemma

Draw 1 Dilemma card from the bottom of the Dilemma deck—always be careful to look at it front side up and avoid revealing the back to the other players! If the Dilemma deck is empty, see the Troubleshooting Tool section.

Read the Dilemma on the front of the card aloud so everyone can hear it clearly. While reading, you may see certain words highlighted. These are Keywords, signaling that players who have those Keywords in their Diaries will face personal consequences as an outcome of the card, such as gaining or losing points or Resources or assigning Legacy effects. The narrative of the card contains hints of these personal consequences, so be sure to clearly announce any Keywords.

Your Campaign, Your Narrating Style — It doesn't really matter who reads the card: you can assign the task to the player with the Leader token, take turns in clockwise order, or designate a "narrator" with particularly dramatic reading skills. Choose whatever method works best for your group!

Declare the possible outcomes on the front of the Dilemma card to all players. These indicate which Ideologies will move if that outcome is selected. The possible outcomes also indicate Positive, Negative, or Uncertain Legacy effects that might arise from this choice.

2. Voting Phase

Place Outcome markers on the Ideology board as a quick reminder of all the possible outcomes of the Dilemma card so they can be referenced by all players during voting. Mark all the possible outcomes of the AYE side with the blue Outcome markers and mark all the possible outcomes of the NAY side with red Outcome markers. Place these markers on the designated spaces next to the related Ideology on the Ideology board. The possible Legacy outcomes can be marked by placing the red or blue markers on the Positive, Negative, or Uncertain spaces of the Ideology board.

Unexpected Consequences — Not all consequences are clearly indicated in the AYE and NAY spaces on the front of a Dilemma card. Some effects may be hidden or implied—ranging from gaining or losing Resources or other effects that could impact a single player, a group, or even everyone. Pay close attention to the full text of each Dilemma card, as it may hint at results beyond what is explicitly shown.

When you are done reading the Dilemma, it's time to move to the Voting Phase. Starting with the Leader (i.e., the player with the Leader token) and going clockwise, players take turns choosing to either vote or pass. The Voting Phase may last more than one round, and it is possible that some (or all) players will have multiple turns to try and bring the Vote in their favor. During the Voting Phase, players are allowed to freely discuss and bargain.

Vote

During your turn, you can choose to support the Aye outcome or the Nay outcome of the Dilemma by placing Power tokens onto your Voting tile. Once you have chosen to vote, you will not be able to pass anymore, even if the Vote lasts more than one round.

These are the possible Voting Actions:

• Vote Aye or Nay — Place 1 or more Power tokens from your Treasury on the blue side of your Voting tile to vote for Aye, or place 1 or more Power tokens from your Treasury on the red side of your Voting tile to vote for Nay.
• Raise — If you already voted in a previous turn, you may add 1 or more Power tokens from your Treasury to the side (Aye or Nay) you already voted for.
• Stay — If you already voted in a previous turn, you may decide to wait and not add any Power; you will still be able to raise if the voting round comes back to you another time.

At the end of your voting turn, if you are now the player with the most Power on your Voting tile (no matter which side you chose), you immediately take the Leader token. Do not take the Leader token if you only equal the highest voter's amount of Power. The position of the Leader token is crucial for determining the End of the Voting Phase.

The Leader's Burden — Once the Vote is closed, the player bearing the Leader token will be responsible for the outcome and will often reap the benefits or pay the costs of the decision they made. Carefully read the text of the card and examine the Outcome markers to understand the value of being the Leader of the outcome you are supporting.

Pass

During your turn, instead of voting, you may Pass and perform 1 Pass Action and 1 Pass Bonus (if available). Flip your Voting tile to the Pass side, then declare which Pass Action you want to perform. Once you have chosen to pass, you will not be able to re-enter the current Vote, even if the voting lasts more than one round.

These are the possible Pass Actions:

• Gather Power — You will participate in the Power distribution of the Power currently in the Power Pool (i.e., in the Aontas Region of the Ankist Map). At the end of the Voting Phase, this Power will be equally distributed between all players who opted to Gather Power. Place 1 of your Heraldry tokens on Aontas to signal that you are passing to Gather Power.
• Become Moderator — You immediately become the new Moderator (the player who breaks ties during all Votes). Take the Moderator token from the player who currently has it (it can be yourself) and place it on top of your Voting tile. If the Moderator token is on top of a Voting tile, no player can pass to Become Moderator for the rest of this Voting Phase.
• Perform a Special Pass Action — Chronicle cards, Skill stickers, and Event cards may unlock additional Pass Actions that you can choose to perform.

Perform a Pass Bonus — In addition to your Pass Action, you may also perform 1 Pass Bonus if available. Pass Bonuses will be unlocked by Chronicle cards, Event cards, and Skills during the game.

How to Perform Actions on Chronicle and Event Cards

To perform a Pass Action or Pass Bonus on a Chronicle or Event card, place your Heraldry token on the Slot next to that card, along the right edge of the Ankist Map. Then, resolve the effects of that action.

Each action can be performed by only one player per Voting Phase. At the end of the Voting Phase, that Heraldry token will be moved to an empty Pass Action space on that card, making the action available again in future rounds.

You cannot perform an action if:

• The Slot next to that card is occupied.
• There are no empty Pass Action spaces on the card (if the card has no Pass Action spaces at all, this limit does not apply).
• There is a cost to perform the action but you cannot pay it.
• There are special rules on the card that limit its use.

Bargaining

During the Voting Phase, players can freely bargain and make Deals, but they can never exchange Resources for other Resources. Players can only give or accept Gold, Food, Army, and/or Materials tokens in return for a service. For example, they could ask another player to vote on their side, or even ask them to pass instead of joining the Vote, in exchange for any combination of Resources. They could also "buy the right" to Brand a Chronicle card from the Leader, or strike a deal with the Moderator to break a tie in their favor.

Once the players have agreed to the terms of a Deal and Resources have been accepted, the Deal is binding. If you decide to negotiate long-term agreements that may come to fruition in future games, both players should take note of the terms of their Deal on the Notes page of their Diary. Beware though: more informal declarations of intention, without an actual exchange of Resources concluded, don't count as a Deal; they could be bluffs and are not binding.

It is NOT ALLOWED to:

• Exchange Resources for other Resources
• Exchange Power
• Trade the ownership of the Leader token or the Moderator token

End of the Voting Phase

The Voting Phase ends at the end of the turn of the player to the right of the Leader, but since the Leader token may move during the voting round, there is no set number of player turns. Remember: You instantly become the Leader when you become the player who played the most Power.

When the turn comes back to you, you can only raise or stay, since you can't change the side you voted on; players who have chosen to pass are no longer able to participate in this Voting Phase.

Example: Xanthe has the Leader token, so she takes the first turn of the Voting Phase. She's not invested in any of the outcomes of the current Dilemma card, so she decides to pass and perform the Become Moderator action, taking the Moderator token from Lyrie and placing it on her Voting tile after flipping it to the Pass side. No other player will be able to take the Moderator role from Xanthe this round. Lyrie plays next, and opts to vote Aye by placing 1 Power on the blue side of her Voting tile. Since she is now the player with the most Power invested in the Vote, she takes the Leader token from Xanthe. It's now Jilian's turn. He decides to vote Nay, but he chooses to only place 1 Power on his Voting tile, so Lyrie keeps the Leader token.

The next player to vote is Syd. He decides to vote Aye and places 1 Power on his Voting tile. Lyrie still keeps the Leader token, but the Aye front is now in the lead, 2 Power to 1. The only player who still has to perform their first voting turn is Elinor, who opts to vote Nay by placing 4 Power on her Voting tile. Since she is now the player with the most Power invested in the Vote, she becomes the Leader and immediately takes the Leader token from Lyrie. Nay now leads 5 Power to 2, but the Voting Phase isn't over yet.

Xanthe passed during the first voting round, so she is out of the Vote. Lyrie raises and increases the strength of her vote with 3 additional Power, for a total of 4, enough to get the two sides tied 5 to 5 but not enough to take the Leader role from Elinor. Jilian plays next. He is low on Power, but still decides to raise and add 1 Power to his vote, bringing Nay to the lead again 6 to 5. Syd only has 1 Power left in his Treasury box, too, so he can only bring the two factions back to a tie, 6 to 6. Since Elinor is the Leader, the Voting Phase ends at the end of Syd's turn. The tie will have to be broken by the Moderator during the Vote Resolution Phase.

3. Vote Resolution

Without removing Power from the Voting tiles, determine the winning side of the Vote by adding up the total Power played on the AYE and NAY sides respectively. The side that has the most Power wins, which determines the outcome of the Dilemma card.

In case of a tie, the outcome must be determined by the Moderator, who gets to decide the winning side of the Vote. If all players opted to pass during the Vote, the Moderator decides the winning side of the Vote; in this case, they also assume responsibility for this decision and take the Leader token.

If the Leader token is held by a player on the losing side, the Leader token is immediately given to the player on the winning side who invested the most Power on their Voting tile. If players on the winning side are tied, the ownership of the Leader token between these players is determined by the Moderator.

Example: Since the Voting Phase is ending with a tie, Syd asks Xanthe, who is the Moderator, if she is willing to break the tie in his favor in exchange for 1 Gold. Xanthe is only willing to accept the offer if she receives 2 Food. Syd only has 1 Food to offer, but Lyrie is willing to add 1 more Food from her Treasury to bring the total to 2. Elinor and Jilian can't beat the offer, so it's a Deal! Xanthe is now obliged to break the tie in favor of Lyrie and Syd.

At the end of the Voting Phase, the Leader token was still assigned to Elinor, who voted Nay. The vote was won by the Aye faction, though. Syd invested 2 Power tokens, while Lyrie invested 4. The Leader token is automatically assigned to Lyrie.

Pass Action Cleanup

Power Distribution — Power tokens in the Power Pool must be equally distributed between all players who opted to Pass and Gather Power. After this distribution, any leftover Power must be left in the Power Pool.

Example: Elinor and Xanthe both opted to Pass and Gather Power during this Voting Phase. There is 5 Power in the Power Pool; Elinor and Xanthe each take 2 of these Power. The remaining Power can't be shared, so it remains in the Power Pool.

Reset Moderator Token — If one of the players opted to Pass and Become Moderator during the Voting Phase, make sure that player removes the Moderator token from their Voting tile and places it on the table in front of them so that it is easily visible to all players. The Become Moderator action will be available again for the next Voting Phase.

Reset Special Actions — If a player performed a Pass Action and/or Pass Bonus offered by a Chronicle card, they must move their Heraldry token from the Chronicle slot to the highest available Pass Action space on that Chronicle card. That card's action will be available again during the next Voting Phase. However, once all Pass Action spaces on a Chronicle card are occupied, the corresponding Pass Action or Pass Bonus can no longer be performed for the rest of the game. Some Chronicle cards can hold any number of Heraldry tokens; in this case, a specific icon is used to indicate that Heraldry tokens should be stacked on the Pass Action space of that card.

For Event cards, follow the special rules indicated by the Event. Some Chronicle and Event cards may have no Pass Action spaces at all. In that case, just take back your Heraldry token.

Power Cleanup

Players who voted for the losing side take the Power on their Voting tile and put it back into their Treasury; players who voted for the winning side must place their Power in the Power Pool instead, adding it to any leftover Power from Power Distribution.

4. Dilemma Resolution

Once the outcome of the Vote has been determined, follow these steps to resolve the current Dilemma card:

a. Read the outcome b. Apply Keyword effects c. Update the Ideology board d. Open a new Envelope e. Open a Mystery box f. Prepare a new round

a. Read the Outcome

Turn the Dilemma card over, horizontally if AYE won and vertically if NAY won; then, read the outcome aloud.

b. Apply Keyword Effects

After reading the outcome, the Dilemma card may show one or more Keyword boxes like "Keyword: effect"; these are special effects assigned to the player with that Keyword in their Diary. Keyword effects must be resolved one at a time, from left to right.

Keyword effects may target all players (Players), the players who won the Vote (Winners), or the Leader (Leader) as well as other Keywords present in the players' Diaries.

Keyword effects may include gaining or losing Resources, Power, or points, as well as unlocking Legacy components (such as Chronicle cards, Agenda cards, Skill stickers, or Building stickers). For a detailed overview on how to resolve these effects, see the Types of Effects section.

c. Update the Ideology Board

The most common outcome of a Dilemma card is moving 1 or more Sliders towards either end of the corresponding Ideology Track the number of spaces indicated in the card's outcome. For example, if a Dilemma card shows a symbol for 2 spaces, you must move the Slider 2 spaces towards the "Progress" end of the "Tradition vs. Progress" Track. If a Slider is pushed all the way to the end of its track, it cannot advance any further in that direction and any remaining movement is wasted.

Whenever an Ideology wins a Vote, you must also place 1 Hegemony token next to the corresponding Ideology icon, regardless of how many spaces the Slider moved—or even if it did not move at all. Each Hegemony token is worth 1 Hegemony point at the end of the game for those who score for that Ideology.

d. Open an Envelope

If the outcome of a card shows an Envelope icon followed by a 2-digit number, you must search the Legacy tray for the Envelope with the corresponding number and open it. A standard Envelope will contain 1 Story card and 3 Dilemma cards.

BEWARE! Always double-check whether any conditions for opening Envelopes have been met to keep the campaign flowing smoothly: If you forget to open an Envelope when required, the game may become stuck and unable to progress! If this happens, use the Troubleshooting Tool to fix the issue and get your campaign back on track.

When you open an Envelope, you must follow these steps:

1. Read the Story card aloud. Story cards are always the first card inside their Envelopes. Show the artwork to the group and read the title of the card, then turn it and read the text aloud to progress its Storyline.
2. Apply the effects of the Story card, if needed. These may be Keyword effects or other special effects, like opening a Mystery box.
3. Put the empty Envelope back into the Legacy tray.
4. Place the Story card on the slot along the top edge of the Ankist Map, matching its Storyline symbol. The last unlocked Story card should always be on top of all previously unlocked Story cards from the same Storyline.
5. Shuffle the remaining 3 Dilemma cards from the Envelope you just opened into the Dilemma deck.

Ending a Storyline — When a Storyline reaches one of its possible endings, you will encounter a Story card with a golden Storyline symbol on a black background. These Story cards always ask the Leader to attach an Ending sticker to the Ankist Map. Read the Ending Stickers section of the Rulebook for more details.

e. Open a Mystery Box

If the outcome of a card shows an icon followed by a 3-digit code starting with the letter "M," you must search the main game box for the Mystery box with the corresponding number and open it.

Each Mystery box contains a rule sheet explaining how to integrate its contents into your campaign. When opening a Mystery box, immediately read and apply the steps shown in the WARNING! box at the top of its rulebook.

BEWARE! If you forget to open a Mystery box when you should have, the game will get stuck! Remember to immediately add all the Dilemma cards you find in the Mystery box to your Dilemma deck.

f. Prepare a New Round

Put the Dilemma card halfway under the lowest available slot of the Round Counter along the left edge of the Ankist Map, with the back side facing up so the winning outcome is still visible.

Remove all Aye/Nay Outcome markers from the Ideology board and put them back in the pool.

Start a new round by drawing a new Dilemma card, unless you have triggered the end of the game (see below).

5. Triggering the End of the Game

There are two ways that the game can end. If either of these conditions are met, the End of the Game is triggered:

• A Dilemma card with a special icon in the center of its back side is placed on any of the final 3 slots of the Round Counter (also marked with that icon). The 9th Dilemma card is placed on the final slot of the Round Counter.
• Note: If you have already attached all 7 Ending stickers along the top edge of the Ankist Map, the game may also end if the Dilemma deck runs out. If that happens, that was your campaign's final session.

BEWARE! Before moving to the end game procedure, any effect of the Dilemma card that triggered the end of the game must still be applied:

• Any unlocked Envelope must be opened and properly set up (reading its Story card, applying its effects, and shuffling the other Dilemma cards into the Dilemma deck).
• Any unlocked Mystery box must be opened and its WARNING! box's instructions followed.

End of the Game

The end game procedure is divided into 4 main phases:

1. Event Phase
2. Scoring Phase a. Check all active Chronicle cards b. Ideology Scoring c. Power Scoring d. Investments e. Agenda Resolution f. Taxes
3. Cleanup a. Trash resolved Dilemma cards b. Trash depleted Chronicle cards c. Discard any leftover Power
4. Save the game

1. Event Phase

Events are introduced into the game through some of the Mystery boxes. If there are no active Events, skip this step.

Otherwise, follow the specific rules of the Event to resolve it. Active Events must be resolved one at a time, in ascending order, based on the number shown on the Event card.

2. Scoring Phase

a. Check All Active Chronicle Cards

Check all active Chronicle cards and be sure to apply their effects in the next steps, if needed; Chronicle cards marked with End of Game must have their effects applied immediately, instead.

b. Ideology Scoring

Each player reveals their Ideology card and scores points based on the position of Sliders and the number of Hegemony tokens on the Ideology board.

Ideology cards represent your Character's political agenda for the current game. They may show Favored Ideologies (a single Ideology you want to win at the end of the game) and Balanced Ideologies (a pair of Ideologies you want to keep in balance), as well as the points you gain for achieving each of these goals.

Favored Ideologies grant you 3 Hegemony or 1 Hegemony (as shown on the card) if that Ideology is winning. In addition, you gain 1 Hegemony for each Hegemony token next to that Ideology. If your Favored Ideology has no Hegemony tokens, you gain 1 Independence instead (as shown on the Ideology board).

Balanced Ideologies grant you 2 Hegemony if the Slider on that track is within the 3 silver spaces in the middle. In addition, you gain points for the smallest pile of Hegemony tokens between the two Ideologies you were attempting to keep in balance. If the smallest pile has no Hegemony tokens, you gain 1 Independence instead.

Winning Ideology — An Ideology is considered winning if the Slider on that Ideological axis is on the side of that Ideology. If the Slider is in the exact center of the track, neither of the two Ideologies is winning.

Example: Xanthe's current Ideology card shows 2 Favored Ideologies to promote, Order and Force. Based on the final state of the Ideology board, she gains 2 Hegemony from the Hegemony tokens on the Order end of the track. Since Order did not win, she does not earn any additional points. Force has 2 Hegemony tokens, so Xanthe scores 2 Hegemony. Since Force is winning, she gains an additional 1 Hegemony as indicated by the card. Xanthe scores a total of 5 Hegemony in this game.

Example: Lyrie's current Ideology card shows a Favored Ideology to promote, Liberty, and a Balanced Ideology, Force / Diplomacy. Based on the final state of the Ideology board, Lyrie gains 3 Hegemony from the Hegemony tokens on the Liberty end of the track. Since Liberty is winning, she earns an additional 3 Hegemony as indicated by the card. She now scores her Balanced Ideology, Force / Diplomacy. Force has 1 Hegemony token and Diplomacy has 0 Hegemony tokens; Balanced Ideologies score for the smallest pile between the two, and since there are no Hegemony tokens on Diplomacy, Lyrie scores 1 Independence instead. That Slider is also in the silver spaces of the Force / Diplomacy Track, so Lyrie gains an additional 2 Hegemony as indicated by the card. Lyrie scores a total of 8 Hegemony and 1 Independence in this game.

c. Power Scoring

Players score for their leftover Power. Compare the number of Power tokens each player has left in their Treasury. The player with the most leftover Power gains 2 Independence, while the player with the second-most leftover Power gains 1 Independence. In case of a tie, all the tied players gain the corresponding Independence bonus.

d. Investments

Investment cards determine the type of Resource players must spend to obtain the rewards in the Success box; if they can't, or decide not to, they obtain the rewards for Failure instead.

There are four kinds of Investments: Army Investment (which needs to be paid with Army), Materials Investment (paid with Materials), Food Investment (paid with Food), and Gold Investment (paid with Gold).

Reveal the Investment cards and spend Resources to perform the investments.

Check the value inside the Bag icon in the top part of the current game's space on the Timeline: it determines the cost players have to pay (in Resources of the kind depicted on their card) to perform the Investment.

e. Agenda Resolution

Review the Agenda cards currently in your possession. You can now spend the indicated Resources on those cards to gain the rewards in the Success box and Trash the card.

Once you're done resolving successful Agendas, check the time limit on any remaining Agenda cards. If the number shown in the square at the bottom of a card matches the current game space indicated on the Timeline, you failed that Agenda; you must immediately apply the effects of its Failure box then Trash the card by placing it in the Trash box.

Agenda cards drawn during this phase can be completed immediately (if possible); Crossroad Agenda cards on the other hand must be resolved immediately.

For a detailed overview on how to pay Resources and resolve effects, see the Gaining and Losing Resources and Types of Effects sections.

BEWARE! Many Agenda cards have you draw a new Agenda card as a consequence of both Success and Failure; if you forget to take the new Agenda card, the game will get stuck.

Example: In the first game of the campaign, the Investment cost is 3. This means that the value of the icon on your Investment cards is also 3, to be paid in the kind of Resource depicted on the card you chose. If you spend the necessary Resources, gain the rewards in the Success box; if instead you cannot, or choose not to, gain the rewards in the Failure box instead. For a detailed overview on how to spend Resources and resolve effects, see the Gaining and Losing Resources and Types of Effects sections.

f. Taxes

To pay your Taxes, look at the Timeline. The Resource depicted at the bottom of the space for the current game is the taxed Resource. You must discard from your Treasury half of the Resource tokens you have of the type shown, rounded up. If you don't have any Resource of that kind in your Treasury, you don't pay any Taxes for this game. Note that you cannot gain Infamy instead of discarding the required number of Resources.

3. Cleanup

Follow these steps to clean up the game and properly save its state.

Trash Resolved Dilemma Cards

Take all the Dilemma cards you resolved during the game from the Round Counter and Trash them by inserting them into the Trash box.

The Trash Box — Use the Trash box to store all cards and other components that the game instructs you to Trash during play. This helps keep your game box organized and ensures that only the components still in use—or yet to be used—remain at hand!

Trash Depleted Chronicle Cards

Check the Chronicle cards that were in play during this game, those placed along the left edge of the Ankist Map; any Chronicle card with a full Duration Track is depleted and must be Trashed.

Chronicle cards without a Duration Track or that still have empty spaces left in their track will carry over into the next game. These cards are shuffled back in the unlocked Chronicle deck.

Discard Any Leftover Power

All players discard any leftover Power tokens to the general supply. Power does not carry over into the next game.

4. Save Your Game

All Resources that are still in your Treasury at the end of the game are retained for the next game. Additionally, you must put into your Treasury all the rest of your belongings: your Diary, your current Agenda cards, your deck of Ideology cards, your Voting tile, your Heraldry tokens, and the Leader and/or Moderator tokens (if you have them).

Store all the components that represent the current progress of your campaign in the Save tray as follows:

• Place the Dilemma deck in the 1st slot of the Save tray and cover it with its Cover tile.
• Place all Story cards in the 2nd slot of the Save tray.
• Place the unlocked Chronicle deck, Event cards, and Investment cards in the 3rd slot of the Save tray.
• Put all Resources and Power in the large plastic bag and place it in the 4th slot of the Save tray.
• Put all Sliders, Outcome markers, and Hegemony tokens in the small plastic bag and place it in the 4th slot of the Save tray.

How to Store Everything in the Box

When storing the game between sessions, first insert the Trash box, the Mystery boxes, and the Treasury boxes into the main game box, then place the Legacy tray and the Save tray on top of them.

Triggering the End of the Campaign

At the end of each game, check if all 7 Ending stickers have been attached along the top edge of the Ankist Map and 3 or fewer cards remain in the Dilemma deck. In that case, the final event of the campaign is triggered. Immediately Trash the remaining Dilemma cards.

In the following game, you will play the campaign's Grand Finale: open Mystery boxes M07 and M08 and extract all of their components. Inside, you will find the events of the Grand Finale of The Queen's Dilemma.

At the end of this event, you will determine the winner of your campaign! Your Hegemony and Independence points and the penalty tier you achieved on your Infamy Track will directly contribute to your final score.

Points, Power, and Resources

Hegemony, Independence, and Infamy

Hegemony, Independence, and Infamy are three parameters that track your success during the campaign. Hegemony represents your standing with the Kingdom and the Queen, while Independence represents your personal influence, unrelated from the institutions and the monarchy's authority. Infamy tracks the decline of your reputation and will negatively affect your score at the end of the campaign.

Hegemony and Independence are both points that determine your success during the Grand Finale of The Queen's Dilemma campaign: Hegemony will be more valuable if the Kingdom is stable, while Independence will be more valuable if the Kingdom is unstable. You can track the Kingdom's stability by checking the number of Scale icons on the Ending stickers: the more Scale icons, the more stable the Kingdom.

When gaining points, any player targeted by the effect must mark the indicated number of spaces on the corresponding track in their Diary: Hegemony Track, Independence Track, or Infamy Track. The Infamy Track features penalty tiers: for every 5 Infamy you gain, you will unlock a new penalty tier. Only the last fully unlocked penalty tier will count as a negative score at the end of the campaign.

Example: Aesyas won a Vote and became the Leader. The outcome of the Dilemma has an effect requiring the Leader to gain 2 Independence. So, he marks 2 spaces on the Independence Track in his Diary.

Gaining and Losing Power

When you gain Power, take it from the general supply and put it in your Treasury box; when you lose it, place it in the Power Pool on the Ankist map. This means that, as a general rule, Power never leaves the game unless explicitly stated by a special game effect.

Losing Resources or Gaining Infamy? — Some effects during the game might force you to lose Resources. If you don't have enough of the required Resources—or choose not to pay the required costs—you can always gain Infamy instead. In any case, you gain +1 Infamy for each unpaid Resource.

This rule only applies when you are forced to pay something. If the Resources you must pay are part of a deliberate action you are choosing to perform, you cannot refuse to pay: if you cannot afford the cost, then you cannot perform that action. This is the case for all Investment cards, Agenda cards, Pass Actions, Pass Bonuses, and the activation of some of your Skills.

Gaining and Losing Resources

The Resources of The Queen's Dilemma are Gold, Army, Food and Materials. When you gain a Resource, take it from the general supply and place it in your Treasury box; when you lose or spend it, return it to the general supply.

Converting Gold into Other Resources — At any point during the game, whenever you need to spend Resources, you may spend 2 Gold in place of any 1 other Resource.

Example: Elinor won a Vote and became the Leader. The outcome of the Dilemma has an effect requiring the Leader to pay 3 Army, but she only has 1 Army in her Treasury. She could refuse to pay entirely and gain 3 Infamy, but she decides to pay her last Army nevertheless. Since she can't pay the rest, though, she still has to gain 2 Infamy and mark them on her Infamy Track.

Example: Aesyas needs to pay 3 Army but only has 2. However, he has plenty of Gold, so he decides to spend 2 Gold to cover the missing Army—for a total payment of 2 Army and 2 Gold.

Keywords and Effects

Many elements of the game will apply effects to the players, such as gaining or losing Resources, Power, and points, or unlocking new Skills, Buildings, Chronicle cards, etc. Some of these effects apply to everyone, but more often they will target a single player—or a specific group—through the use of a Keyword.

Types of Keywords

• Winners: The effect applies to all players who won the last Vote (in case of all players passing and the Moderator deciding the outcome, the Moderator is considered the Winner).
• Leader: The effect applies to the player currently holding the Leader token.
• Moderator: The effect applies to the player currently holding the Moderator token.
• Players: The effect applies to all players (even those who lost the Vote or decided to Pass and Perform an Action).
• "Character Name": The effect applies to the owner of the specific Character, such as Elinor, Xanthe, Aesyas.
• "Region": The effect applies to the owner of the corresponding Region, such as Allwed, Blodyn, Gamam.
• "Narrative": These Keywords are obtained following certain events that happen in the game; the effect applies to the player who has the corresponding Keyword sticker in their Diary.

When effects do not target a specific Keyword or have no other indicated target, they apply directly to the player performing the action. This is the case for Agenda cards, whose effects apply directly to the owner of the card (unless stated otherwise).

Types of Effects

There is a wide range of effects that players may encounter during the game. If multiple effects have to be resolved, resolve them one at a time in order—from left to right, and then from top to bottom—following their placement on the card.

Here is a list of the main effects:

• Gain or lose Resources: marked with + or - followed by Gold, Materials, Food, Army
• Gain or lose Power: marked with + or - followed by Power
• Gain Hegemony, Independence, Infamy: marked with + followed by Hegemony, Independence, Infamy
• Open Envelopes: marked with a code like "XX"
• Open Mystery boxes: marked with a code like "MXX"
• Unlock Agenda cards: marked with a code like "AXXX"
• Unlock Building stickers: marked with a code like "BXX"
• Unlock Chronicle cards: marked with a code like "CXXX"
• Unlock Keyword stickers: marked with a code like "KXX"
• Unlock Skill stickers: marked with a code like "SXX"
• Unlock Ending stickers: marked with a code like "ENDXX"

Legacy Elements

Throughout the campaign, you will unlock various elements that represent the lasting consequences of your choices and are essential to the evolving story of Ankist and your Character.

This chapter describes each type of Legacy element in detail. Whenever you need to know how a Keyword sticker, Skill sticker, Building sticker, Chronicle card, Agenda card, or Ending sticker works, this is the section to consult.

Skill Stickers

Unlocking Skill Stickers

When an effect shows an icon followed by a 3-digit code starting with the letter "S" (like SXX), the player targeted by the effect must take the corresponding Skill sticker from the Skill sticker booklet reading aloud its text to the other players. The Skill sticker must be attached to the first available space in the "Skills" section of their Diary, starting from page 6.

If you need to attach a Skill sticker to your Diary but there are no available spaces, you must cover one of the previously unlocked Skill stickers. We suggest starting with Skill stickers that are already inactive.

Skills are special abilities that can be used during the game. They can have different numbers of uses and specific conditions for activation. To activate a Skill, read its description and effect aloud to all players, then resolve its effect.

Some Skill stickers include an Activation Track on their right side, with a limited number of uses. Every time you activate the Skill, mark off 1 space on the track. Once the track is full, the Skill becomes inactive and its effect can no longer be activated (you can cross out the entire power to remind you that it is no longer usable). Other stickers have no track at all—these can be activated an unlimited number of times over the course of the campaign (unless otherwise restricted by the Skill itself).

Note: If a Skill sticker contradicts the rulebook, the rules of the Skill take precedence.

Example: Wylio: S99 — The owner of the Wylio Region must attach Skill sticker S99 to their Diary.

Building Stickers

Unlocking Building Stickers

When an effect shows an icon followed by a 3-digit code starting with the letter "B" (like BXX), the player targeted by the effect must take the corresponding Building sticker from the Building sheet and attach it to the Ankist Map within one of their assigned Regions, whether Main or Vassal.

Buildings provide you additional Resources. There are 5 types of Buildings, defined by their icons: Commercial, Military, Welfare, Entertainment, and Corruption.

If the target of the effect providing the Building is a Regional Keyword (such as Wylio, Gamam, etc.), then the Building sticker must be attached in that Region. Moreover, some Building stickers must be attached in a specific location on the Ankist Map: this is indicated inside a black box below the Building sticker itself.

Each Building sticker is marked with a red or a blue banner. These colors match the spaces of the Timeline. At the beginning of each game, only Buildings of the productive color (red or blue, as shown on the current Timeline space) produce Resources.

Some Buildings offer 2 resources to choose from (indicated by a "/" symbol); each time these Buildings produce, the player must select only one of these options.

There is no limit to how many Building stickers a player can place in their Regions. Buildings can be attached anywhere within the Region's borders, including along the coastline or near the Region's name. Just be careful not to cover important landscape features such as villages, rivers, roads, or their names—and avoid placing stickers over the folding lines of the Ankist Map.

Example: Tiryll: B99 — The player bearing the Tiryll Keyword must place this Building sticker in the Singer's Forest in Tiryll.

Remember: The base Building of a Region is considered a Building for all purposes, e.g., when an effect refers to a certain Building type.

Keyword Stickers

Keyword stickers assign you a new Keyword, reminding you that you are responsible for the consequences of a choice or for the administration of a Region. These Keywords may also make you the target of effects on Dilemma cards and Chronicle cards.

Unlocking Keyword Stickers

When an effect shows an icon followed by a 3-digit code starting with the letter "K" (like KXX), the player targeted by the effect must take the corresponding Keyword sticker from the Keyword sticker booklet and read it aloud. The Keyword sticker must then be attached to the first available space in the "Keywords" section of their Diary, starting from page 4. The Keywords assigned to a player are always available for other players to consult upon request.

Example: Leader: K99 — The player with the Leader token must attach Keyword sticker K99 to their Diary.

Chronicle Cards

Chronicle cards represent long-term consequences triggered by your decisions. When they come into play, they introduce a temporary rule change, a new available action, or other special effects.

Each Chronicle card shows a title, a code, a band, a Herald space, a narrative description, a Herald effect, a main effect, Pass Action spaces, and a Duration Track.

Narrative Description — A brief reminder of the decisions that led to the unlocking of the card and its impact on the Kingdom.

Herald Space and Herald Effect — Most Chronicle cards have a Herald space and a related Herald effect. Each time a Chronicle card comes into play during Setup, its Herald effect will apply to the player who Branded it (see next page).

Main Effects — On the bottom half of the card, you will find the main effect of the Chronicle card, topped by a band that highlights the phase in which the effects take place. While some effects may be written in plain text, others are expressed using symbols; you can find a comprehensive list to interpret these symbols in the Appendix.

The color of the band helps you identify when the Chronicle card's effect will take place:

• Effects with a light blue color must be applied during Setup.
• Effects with a yellow color may be applied during the game.
• Effects with a dark blue color are applied at the end of the game.

That band also indicates the specific phase in which the Chronicle takes effect:

• Instant: Must be applied immediately when the card is drawn during Setup.
• Pass Action: May be activated during the Voting Phase as a Pass Action.
• Pass Bonus: May be activated during the Voting Phase as a Pass Bonus.
• Voting Phase: Its effects are active during the entire Voting Phase.
• End of the Game: Its effects are active at the End of the Game (see Check All Active Chronicle Cards).
• Ideology Scoring: Its effects are active during Ideology Scoring.
• Power Scoring: Its effects are active during Power Scoring.
• Investment Phase: Its effects are active during the Investment Phase; some might refer to a more specific type of Investment such as Materials Investment or Army Investment.
• Tax Phase: Its effects are active during the Tax Phase.

Some Chronicle cards may have effects that apply in multiple phases, as indicated in their colored band.

Unlocking Chronicle Cards

When an effect shows an icon followed by a 4-digit code starting with the letter "C" (like CXXX), the player targeted by the effect must take the corresponding Chronicle card from the Legacy tray and Brand it: apply 1 of their small Heraldry stickers from the Utility sticker sheet to the Herald space in the top right corner of the card. That player becomes the Herald of that Chronicle card.

Note: Some Chronicle cards may come with a pre-printed Heraldry in the Herald space. These cards are automatically tied to a specific Character and don't need to be Branded. Other Chronicle cards come without a Herald space: these cards are not tied to any specific player and have no Herald effect.

Chronicle cards that can be activated as a Pass Action or a Pass Bonus have Pass Action spaces to track the number of times that action is used, by placing Heraldry tokens on top of them. A Pass Action space marked with a special icon means that players can stack any number of Heraldry tokens on the Pass Action space of that card.

The newly unlocked Chronicle card has no effect in the current game and must be shuffled into the unlocked Chronicle deck immediately. It may come into play in a future game session during step 8 of the Setup procedure, Draw Chronicle Cards.

Note: If a Chronicle card contradicts the rulebook, the rules of the Chronicle card take precedence.

In the unlikely event that you run out of small Heraldry stickers for a Character, and that Character needs to Brand a new card, use an alternative method, like writing their initial inside the Heraldry space.

Duration Track

Most Chronicle cards also come with a Duration Track, containing a number of spaces that is equal to the maximum number of games they can come into play before being Trashed. If a Chronicle card has no Duration Track, it has no duration limit and will never expire.

Note: Chronicle cards that result from the end of a Storyline have a black box displaying the code of the corresponding Ending sticker instead of a Duration Track. These Chronicle cards have no duration limit.

Agenda Cards

Agenda cards represent secret personal objectives. They include a narrative section, a goal, Success and Failure boxes, and a time limit by which the goal must be completed in order to gain the card's rewards.

Agenda cards can be part of your Character Storyline (marked with your Character's colors and heraldries) or they can be gained as the outcome of a Dilemma during the game (marked with the red and blue, as in the Ankistan banners).

The goal can be completed by spending the required number of Resources; sometimes this amount is indicated by a Bag icon: when this happens, the number of Resources you need to spend is equal to the number shown inside the Bag on the Timeline for that specific game. When a goal is completed, apply its Success effects.

The time limit indicates the last game by which the goal must be completed. If the goal isn't fulfilled by the end of that game, the targeted player must apply its Failure effects.

All effects of an Agenda card target the player resolving it unless stated otherwise. Agenda cards are resolved during the End of the Game (see Agenda Resolution).

Note: The last objective in a Character Storyline has its rewards on a golden background to highlight the importance of that final objective for that Character's Fate.

During your Character Storyline, you will encounter some special Agenda cards:

Crossroad Agenda Cards — Crossroad Agenda cards present a narrative section followed by a question, prompting you to choose between two different options. Each option is placed inside a box that shows the effects of that choice, both in terms of new Agenda cards to unlock and rewards such as points, Skills, or new Chronicle cards. Crossroad Agenda cards must be resolved immediately when drawn.

Epilogue Agenda Cards — Epilogue Agenda cards mark the conclusion of your Character Storyline. Below the narrative section you will find your final reward, which is gained immediately. The bottom section instructs you to mark one of your Character's Fate spaces on page 3 of your Diary. This will have a major impact on your Character's destiny during the Grand Finale of the campaign. The last line of your Epilogue Agenda card will prompt you to draw an Ongoing Agenda card.

Ongoing Agenda Cards — Ongoing Agenda cards are marked by an icon followed by an infinity symbol. These cards do not feature a time limit, nor Failure effects. Additionally, they are not Trashed when they are completed; instead, you draw another random Ongoing Agenda card from the Agenda deck and put the one you just completed with the other Ongoing Agenda cards in the Legacy tray.

Unlocking Agenda Cards

When an effect shows an icon followed by a 4-digit code starting with the letter "A" (like AXXX), the player targeted by the effect must take the corresponding Agenda card from the Legacy tray and secretly read its back. Then, they must check the box at the center of the bottom edge of the card.

Most Agenda cards come with a pre-printed number for their time limit. If you encounter a card with an empty box, write the number by adding 3 to the current game number (as shown on the Timeline): you will have until the end of that game to complete the objective.

BEWARE! If, while progressing with your Character Storyline, you draw an Agenda card that does not match your Character's colors, you have definitely made a mistake; immediately return it to the Legacy tray and double-check the code of the unlocked card.

Ending Stickers

Ending stickers represent the conclusion of one of the game's shared Storylines.

Each Ending sticker shows a Storyline symbol, a title, Scale symbols, an END code, and a narrative description: a brief summary of the final events.

The number of golden Scale symbols indicates the impact that ending has on the stability of the Kingdom and provides players a clear sense of the long-term societal impact of their choices.

• 0 Scales: The ending had negative consequences for the stability of the Kingdom.
• 1 Scale: The ending had mixed results.
• 2 Scales: The ending had a broadly positive outcome for the stability of the Kingdom.

Unlocking Ending Stickers

Ending stickers are unlocked by the last Story card of a Storyline. When one of these cards shows a code starting with "END" followed by a 2-digit number (like ENDXX), the Leader must take the corresponding Ending sticker from the Ending sticker sheet: open the pull-away window and attach the sticker revealed on top of the slot with the corresponding Storyline symbol along the upper edge of the Ankist Map, where you previously placed the Story cards. From now on, keep the Story cards for that Storyline in the Save tray instead of placing them on the Ankist Map.

Appendix - Symbols

Main Symbols

Points, Power, and Resources: Hegemony points, Independence points, Infamy points, Power, Gold, Materials, Food, Army.

Legacy Elements: Envelope, Mystery bag, Keyword sticker, Chronicle card, Agenda card, Building sticker, Skill sticker, Ending sticker.

Ideologies: Tradition, Progress, Force, Diplomacy, Order, Liberty; Balanced Tradition/Progress, Balanced Force/Diplomacy, Balanced Order/Liberty.

Ideology Push: Move the Slider towards the indicated Ideology by the amount shown and add 1 Hegemony token on the corresponding end of the track.

Building Types: Commercial Building, Military Building, Welfare Building, Entertainment Building, Corruption Building.

Misc:

• Sand timer: The End of Game is triggered if this icon appears on the back of a card placed on any of the final 3 spaces of the Round Counter.
• Bag: Indicates the number of Resources to pay based on the value shown in the current game's space on the Timeline.
• Positive outcome: The outcome of this Dilemma card will bring positive Legacy effects.
• Negative outcome: The outcome of this Dilemma card will bring negative Legacy effects.
• Uncertain outcome: The outcome of this Dilemma card will bring uncertain Legacy effects.
• Storyline symbols: These symbols identify the different Storylines in the game. You can find them on the Story cards that belong to that specific Storyline, on the Ending stickers, and on the slots along the top edge of the Ankist Map where you place Story cards and Ending stickers during setup.

Chronicle Card Symbology

Chronicle cards feature a large variety of effects and rule changes; while sometimes textual and self-explanatory, other times they rely on a unique visual system to convey the effect of the card, its triggers and its targets.

Below is a list of the possible triggers, targets, and effects, and the symbols used to indicate them:

Triggers — They define the conditions for activation of the effect (shown on top of the effect it triggers).

• Win — Winning Ideology: The effect is triggered if the depicted Ideology is winning; i.e., the Slider is on the side of that Ideology.
• Max — Maxed Out Ideology: The effect is triggered if the Slider is at the very end of the depicted Ideology's side of the track.
• Lose — Losing Ideology: The effect is triggered if the depicted Ideology is losing; i.e., the Slider is on the side of the opposing Ideology.

Targets — They define the player or group of players that is targeted by the effect (shown to the left of the effect).

• Players: The effect targets all players at the table.
• Majority of [something]: The effect targets the player(s) who has the most of the depicted Resource, points, or Power. In case of a tie, all tied players are targeted.
• Minority of [something]: The effect targets the player(s) who has the least of the depicted Resource, points, or Power. In case of a tie, all tied players are targeted.
• Number of Buildings (Type): The effect targets any player who owns at least the indicated number of Buildings of the indicated type.
• Character name (e.g., Jilian): The effect follows standard Keyword rules for targeting characters.
• Scoring for an Ideology: The effect targets any player who is scoring for the depicted Ideology; i.e., that Ideology is one of their Favored Ideologies (not one of those they want to remain balanced) as shown on their Ideology card.

Troubleshooting Tool — Is your Dilemma Deck out of cards? If you don't know how to proceed, you may have missed some instructions described on the cards you have already played. But don't worry, we've got you covered! Scan the QR code found in the physical rulebook to access the Troubleshooting Tool and get back on track in no time!

Setup Cheatsheet

• Prepare the Ankist Map, general supply, and Power Pool (place 3 Power in Aontas).
• Mark the leftmost empty space on the Timeline.
• Place 1 Slider in the middle space of each Ideology Track and ready all Outcome markers and Hegemony tokens.
• Take the Legacy tray, Utility sheet, and Building sheet.
• Take your Treasury, take out your Diary, current Agenda cards, Ideology cards (x5), Voting tile, Heraldry tokens (x6), and the Leader and/or Moderator tokens if present.
• Shuffle your 5 Ideology cards and draw 2. Keep the card with the highest number.

Income Phase

• Gain Starting Power: Take 7 Power, add them to your Treasury.
• Collect 1 Gold, 1 Food, 1 Army, and 1 Materials.
• Collect the Resources from your productive Buildings.

Draw Active Chronicle Cards

• Shuffle the unlocked Chronicle deck and draw 10 cards.
• Reveal them 1 at a time and follow this procedure for each card:
  • Place the card on its matching Chronicle slot on the Ankist Map. Instant cards go in the light-blue slot at the top right edge of the Ankist Map and may be stacked without limit. Cards with any other label (Pass Action, Pass Bonus, Voting Phase, End of Game, etc.) must be placed in an empty brown slot. There are 5 brown slots in total; if all are occupied, return the card to the Save tray—it will not affect the current game.
  • Read aloud the cards you just placed and apply their Herald effects. If a card is an Instant, also immediately apply its main effect.
  • Mark 1 space on the Duration Track at the bottom of each active Chronicle card.

Draft Investment Cards

• Shuffle the Investment cards and draw a number based on the player count (all 7 cards in a 6-player game; 6 cards in a 5-player game; or 5 cards in a 4- or 3-player game). Then, in order from the player with the least to the most Hegemony, each player selects 1 Investment card. In case of a tie, the tied player closest to the Leader token in clockwise order chooses first.

Prepare Event and Story Cards

• Place the active Event cards from the Save tray onto their slots in the lower-right corner of the Ankist Map, then resolve their setup instructions.
• Sort the Story cards from the Save tray by Storyline symbol and number, then place each stack on its matching slot along the top edge of the Ankist Map. You may reread the Story cards at any time to recall the current stage of events unfolding in the Kingdom.

Ready the Dilemma Deck

• Shuffle the Dilemma deck and cover it with the Cover tile.

End of Game Cheatsheet

Event Phase

• If there are no active Events, skip this step. Otherwise, follow the specific rules of each Event to resolve it.

Scoring Phase

• Check all active Chronicle cards. Chronicle cards marked with End of Game must have their effects applied immediately.

Ideology Scoring

• Reveal your Ideology cards and check the final status of the Ideology board.
• For your Favored Ideologies you gain: 1 Hegemony for each Hegemony token on the corresponding side of that Ideology Track; an additional +3 Hegemony or +1 Hegemony (as shown on the card) if the Ideology is winning.
• For your Balanced Ideologies you gain: 1 Hegemony for each Hegemony token on the side with the fewest Hegemony tokens; an additional +2 Hegemony if the Slider is in any of the 3 silver spaces in the middle of the track.

Power Scoring

• 2 Independence to the player with the most leftover Power.
• 1 Independence to the player with the 2nd most leftover Power.

Investments

• Check the value for the current game on the Timeline. Pay that number of the Resource shown on your Investment card to apply its Success effects. Otherwise, apply its Failure effects instead.

Agenda Resolution

• Check your Agenda cards. Pay the indicated cost to apply its Success effects. If the deadline for an incomplete Agenda has expired, apply its Failure effects instead. If you get a new Crossroad Agenda, apply its effects immediately.

Taxes

• Discard half of the Resource shown on the Timeline from your Treasury, rounded up. It is possible to pay 0 taxes.

Cleanup

• Trash Resolved Dilemma cards.
• Trash Depleted Chronicle cards.
• Discard any leftover Power.

Save Your Game

• Place the Dilemma deck in the 1st slot of the Save tray and cover it with its Cover tile.
• Place all Story cards in the 2nd slot of the Save tray.
• Place the unlocked Chronicle deck, Event cards, and Investment cards in the 3rd slot of the Save tray.
• Put all Resources and Power in the large plastic bag and place it in the 4th slot of the Save tray.
• Put all Sliders, Outcome markers, and Hegemony tokens in the small plastic bag and place it in the 4th slot of the Save tray.