The Forgotten City Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Components
• Setup
• Terrain Guide
  • Terrain Tiles
  • Stone Terrain
  • Portals
  • Central Space
• Player Board Guide
• Gameplay
  • I. Meditation Phase
  • II. Action Phase
    • Possible Actions
  • III. Recollection Phase
  • IV. Nightmare Phase
  • V. Cleanup Phase
• Game End
• Terrain and Monument Icons
  • Basic Terrain
  • Portal
  • The Central Space
  • Gain Icons
  • Production Tracks
• Miracle Tile Abilities
  • White Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Power)
  • Grey Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Enlightenment)

Introduction

Forgotten City is a 2-4 player strategic game where each player takes actions to try to piece together the forgotten past. Players score victory points (VPs) by erecting mysterious monuments that reveal fragments of the past, decoding the messages on other monuments, manifesting miracles of enlightenment, and defending against hallucinating nightmares that warp the mind. In the end, the player with the most VPs has been most successful in piecing together and imprinting their memories and wins the game.

Components

1. Game Board x1
2. Terrain Tiles x6
3. Player Boards x4
4. Monuments x28
5. Nightmare Cards x7
6. Player aids x4
7. Resources x80
8. Player Markers x80 (20 x 4 colors)
9. Miracle Tokens x27
10. Coins
11. Helper Meeples x20
12. Helper Leader Sticker Sheet (add a sticker to a meeple of each color to represent leaders)

Setup

1. After setting up the game board, randomly place the terrain tiles onto the map so that the stone terrain and portals (both showing stone terrain on the backside of the tile) are aligned to the board.

2. Shuffle the monuments and place the following number of them onto the monument track:

   • 2 players: Use 8 spaces on the track and place 4 monuments.
   • 3 players: Use 8 spaces on the track and place 5 monuments.
   • 4 players: Use 10 spaces on the track and place 6 monuments.

   Randomly decide the initial turn order and then place the player markers onto the monument track to reflect the turn order.

3. Each player selects a color and takes their player board, player markers, and helper meeples, including the helper leader ("leader").

   • Put 1 player marker on the 10 VP space.
   • Put your leader on the central space of the game board.

4. Each player takes 2 of each of the 4 types of resources and 6 coins.

5. Shuffle each set of face-down miracle tiles separately. Then reveal 6 white miracle tiles to place in the empty circles within the yellow area of the game board. Also reveal 5 grey miracle tiles and place them in the empty circles within the brown area of the game board.

   Put the rest of the grey miracle tiles back in the box. They will not be used in this game.

6. Shuffle the nightmare cards and place 6 cards on the specified locations on the game board. Then reveal the first nightmare card and proceed to the first round. Put the rest of the nightmare cards back in the box. They will not be used in this game.

Terrain Guide

Terrain Tiles

Terrain Tiles are placed on the game board to create the resource map. Tiles may include 4 different types of terrain. Players can obtain the resource associated with each type of terrain through excavation. They may also build the monuments that correspond with each type of terrain.

Stone Terrain

Stone Terrain spaces on the terrain tiles must align with the ones on the game board. Players on stone terrain cannot excavate resources, but they can build a monument of any type on this space.

Portals

Portal spaces on the terrain tiles must align with the stone terrain on the game board. Helpers adjacent to portal spaces allow players to place a helper adjacent to any other portal space for a cost of 2 coins.

Players cannot build or excavate on the portal space.

Central Space

The central space in the middle of the board is the starting hex for all leaders at the beginning of the game. When on this terrain, instead of excavating, players can exchange one resource of any type for another resource of any type.

Players cannot build or excavate on the central space.

Player Board Guide

Miracle Tree Area: These spaces are reserved for white and grey miracle tiles obtained throughout the game. The number on top indicates the amount of inspiration required, and the number on the bottom indicates how many VPs players will immediately score after obtaining a miracle tile.

Monument Marker Area: Players fill the monument marker area with player markers at the beginning of the game. As players build monuments, they will remove markers from left to right in this area to place on the monument, indicating the owner. When this happens, players will immediately score the VPs revealed by the marker.

Inspiration and Defensive Strength Tracks: These tracks represent how much inspiration and defensive strength you currently have. Every turn during the Recollection Phase, update the tracks based on your production. Both tracks are capped at a maximum of 15 points regardless of production.

Production Tracks: Monuments with an upward arrow next to a resource will allow you to upgrade your production levels for the given resource (inspiration, defensive strength, gold). Every round during the Recollection Phase, adjust your inspiration and defensive strength tracks to reflect the additional production gained. Gold gained through income production can be taken directly from the supply.

Monument Construction Zone: Place monuments taken during the Planning Phase in this area. There is a maximum capacity of two monuments. If you exceed the maximum capacity, select a monument to discard.

Gameplay

I. Meditation Phase

The player whose player marker sits closest to the start icon (the green tree symbol) on the monument track is the starting player. Play proceeds to the player next closest, and so on. Following this order, each player will select a monument and then move their player turn order marker to the circle next to the space vacated by the selected monument.

In a two player game, each player selects 2 monuments (players alternate picking one at a time). The player closest to the start icon will choose one of the two selected monument tiles to keep, and then the other player will do the same.

After all players have selected their monuments, place them in the monument construction zone on their player boards and then place a coin on each of the unclaimed monuments still on the track.

※ Each player can only keep 2 monuments on their player board. If they exceed the capacity limit, they must choose a monument to discard.

II. Action Phase

The player whose player marker sits farthest away from the start icon will be the starting player for this phase. In this phase, players take turns placing a helper meeple into a space adjacent to an existing helper or helper leader and take 1 of 4 possible actions on that space.

※ Players cannot place a helper into a space with another player's helper leader unless their own helper leader is already there.

※ If there are one or more helpers already on that space, the player must pay 1 coin to the supply for each helper already there regardless of owner (even if it is the player's own helper).

※ Each player has 4 helpers (not including the leader) and thus will execute 4 actions every round.

Possible Actions

A. Build a monument in a matching space: Pay the cost shown on the monument and place it on the space where you placed your helper. Note the color of the space must match the color of the monument. After placing the monument, take a player marker from the monument marker area on your player board and place it on the tile to indicate you are the owner of the monument.

Instantly score the VPs revealed by the vacated player marker space in your monument marker area.

(Example: pay 1 purple and 1 red resource to build this monument on the red terrain; gain 1 defensive strength and 1 VP as well as another 1 VP from the monument marker area.)

B. Excavate: Receive a resource matching the color of the space you are in.

※ Unless you have a miracle token that gives you bonus abilities, you can only excavate on a space without a monument.

C. Rest: Take two coins from the supply and place one of the helpers in your personal supply on its side to show it has been exhausted.

D. Decode a monument: Pay the costs shown on the monument and get the reward shown on the monument. If it is another player's monument, they receive 1 VP.

After all players have taken an action with each of their helpers, proceed to the Recollection Phase.

III. Recollection Phase

The player whose player marker sits farthest away from the start icon will be the starting player for this phase.

1. Based on your current production this turn, update your inspiration and defensive strength tracks and take income (coins).

   Inspiration can be used to obtain miracle tiles, and defensive strength is used against nightmares to gain points.

2. Following player order, players can spend inspiration to obtain miracles that provide permanent abilities or VPs. To do so, spend the cost represented in the lowest open miracle tree space on your player board and pick up the desired available miracle tile. Place the tile on the next available space in your miracle tree and instantly score the number of VPs shown. After a player has completed this phase, refill the white miracle tiles track (grey miracle tiles are limited and will not refill).

   There is no limit to how many miracle tiles you can buy on a single turn given you have enough inspiration.

(Example: Jack decides to use his inspiration to conjure his first miracle. He uses 2 points of inspiration, selects a miracle tile to place on his player board, and gains 1 VP.)

After production, gameplay will proceed to the Nightmare Phase.

IV. Nightmare Phase

The player whose player marker sits farthest away from the start icon will be the starting player for this phase.

1. Based on turn order, all players will check to see if they have helpers (including the leader) in a space of the same type and color as the revealed nightmare cards. If so, they must battle the nightmares.

2. Players may pay defensive strength to deal damage to nightmares (1 defensive strength deals 1 point of damage to 1 nightmare). They will then place player markers on the nightmare card(s) (starting from the top left and moving left to right, then top to bottom) for each point of damage dealt. Players will instantly score VPs shown on each space that they cover with their player marker. Player markers will accumulate on the card until the nightmare runs out of hit points (varies based on player count).

3. If a player is unable to pay at least one defensive strength to attack, they lose two points for every nightmare they are unable to attack. If they have no points, then they can choose to pay with one of their resources. If they are out of resources, then they must pay with a coin.

   If players use up all their player markers, they can attack to not lose points, but they will not get points and accumulate damage on the nightmare.

4. When a nightmare runs out of hit points, it will be defeated. When that happens, give the nightmare card to the player who made the killing blow (who put the last player marker on the card). Also give a resource of the matching color to the player with the most player markers on the nightmare card. If there is a tie, the player who placed their player marker first wins the tiebreaker.

After this, the gameplay will move to the Cleanup Phase.

Nightmare card example: The icons at the top of the card show which terrain it attacks — e.g. only players who have a helper located on the blue (rain) or red (sun) terrain will have to battle this nightmare. Light gray boxes are the hit points for a 2+ player game (6 total). Dark gray boxes are the additional hit points in a 3+ player game (11 total). Black boxes are the additional hit points in a 4 player game (13 total).

V. Cleanup Phase

The player whose player marker sits farthest away from the start icon will be the starting player for this phase.

1. The starting player reveals the next nightmare card.

2. Refill the monument track with new monuments. Starting from the very left space on the monument track, place a monument in every empty space on the track (where there is no player marker or existing monument).

3. Place your leader in any location where you have a helper from the previous turn. Note leaders must move and cannot remain in the same location as the previous turn (unless you have chosen not to place any helpers on the board in the previous round. If that is the case, you can place your leader in any location). Then move all your helpers back to your personal supply. Refresh any exhausted helpers by standing them back up.

   Leaders make a space exclusive! You cannot place a helper in a space with another player's leader unless you have a leader there as well. Multiple leaders can be in the same space.

4. The current round ends and gameplay moves to the Meditation Phase of the next round.

Game End

The game ends after six rounds (the round where the last nightmare card has been revealed). After the game ends, add points to each player's score as follows:

• Score the grey miracle tokens (note they require a certain number of white miracle tokens to score).
• Every 3 resources = 1 victory point (VP)
• Every 5 coins = 1 VP

After tallying up all the scores, the player with the highest total wins. If there is a tie, the player who has built more monuments wins. If there is still a tie, the player who has more miracle tiles wins. If there is still a tie, the player who has the most remaining total resources and coins wins. If there is still a tie, all tied players share the victory.

Terrain and Monument Icons

Basic Terrain

Storm (purple), Sun (red), Rain (blue), Lightning (yellow), Stone Terrain.

Terrain Tiles are placed on the game board to create the resource map. Tiles may include 4 different types of terrain. Players can obtain the resource associated with each type of terrain through excavation. They may also build the monuments that correspond with each type of terrain.

Portal

Portal spaces on the terrain tiles must align with the ones on the game board. Helpers adjacent to portal spaces allow players to place a helper adjacent to any other portal space for a cost of 2 coins.

Players cannot build or excavate on the portal space.

The Central Space

The central space in the middle of the board is the starting hex for all helper leaders at the beginning of the game. When on this terrain, players can exchange one resource of any type for another resource of any type.

Players cannot build or excavate on the central space.

Gain Icons

Defensive strength, inspiration, coin and VP icons with a number (e.g. 5, 5, 2, 2): Gain the number of inspiration, defensive strength, coins, or VPs shown. Inspiration and defensive strength will be updated on their respective tracks on your player board.

Production Tracks

Defensive strength, inspiration and coin icons with an upward arrow: Level up the corresponding production track by 1 space. Production occurs during the Recollection Phase.

Multicolored resource icons with 2 or 3: Gain any 2 / 3 resources of your choice.

Miracle Tile Abilities

White Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Power)

White Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Power) provide players with special abilities and bolster a player's actions.

• During the action phase, when players take an excavate action that matches the color(s) shown, they may take an extra resource of that color as well as 1 extra coin.
• During the recollection phase, gain 1 additional defensive strength (per round).
• During the action phase, resting will provide you with 1 additional coin and 1 VP.
• During the action phase, you may excavate a location that already has a monument.
• During the cleanup phase, you may choose to place your leader anywhere on the map.
• Every time you excavate, you gain 1 VP.
• At any time during the player's turn, the player may discard an unbuilt monument and gain 3 VPs.

Grey Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Enlightenment)

Grey Miracle Tiles (Miracles of Enlightenment) provide additional VPs.

• (4 tiles, one per color) At game end, if you have at least 3 white miracle tiles, score 2 VPs for every red / blue / purple / yellow monument tile that has been constructed.
• At game end, if you have at least 2 white miracle tiles, gain VPs equal to twice the number of spaces you have uncovered on your defensive strength production track.
• At game end, if you have at least 2 white miracle tiles, gain 3 VPs for every nightmare card you have.
• At game end, if you have at least 2 white miracle tiles, gain VPs equal to twice the number of spaces you have uncovered on your income production track.
• At game end, if you have at least 2 white miracle tiles, gain VPs equal to the number of map tiles without monuments.