Thesauros Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Modes
• Setup
• Sequence of Play
  • 1 Income Phase
  • 2 Budget-Management Phase
  • 3 Action Phases (Chained 3 Times)
  • 3.2 Action Resolution Phase
• Zone Actions
  • 3.2.1 Zone 1: Recruitment
  • How to Read a Technology Card
  • 3.2.2 Zone 2: Research and Development
  • 3.2.3 Zone 3: Flea Market
  • 3.2.4 Zone 4: Booking and Using Seaplanes
  • 3.2.5 Zone 5: High Seas
  • 3.2.6 Zone 6: Mussel Fishing
  • 3.2.7 Zone 7: The Port and the Lagoon
  • 3.2.8 Zone 8: The Museum
  • 3.2.9 Zone 9: Advertising
  • 3.2.10 Zone 10: The Local Authorities
  • 3.3 Salary-Payment Phase
  • 3.4 Maintenance Phase
• Reputation Scoring and End of Game
• Technology Details
  • 1 — To Dive
  • 2 — To Move Faster by Zodiac
  • 3 — Certain Treasures (Precise Detection)
  • 4 — To Free Treasures from Rock
  • 5 — To Kill and/or Avoid Sharks
  • 6 — To Fish for Fish or Lobsters
  • Items Recoverable on the Island with the Metal Detector
• Variant: "No Faith or Law!"
  • 1 Recruiting a Mercenary
  • 2 Placing a Mercenary
  • 3 Resolution Phase
  • 4 Salary-Payment Phase
  • 5 Maintenance Phase
• Reminder: Cases Where Players Can Lose 1 Reputation Point
• Solo Mode
  • 1 Objective
  • 2 Setup
  • 3 Course of the Game
  • 4 Final Scoring
  • 5 Trophies
• Summary of Differences Between the 3 Game Modes
• Initiation Mode
  • 1 During Setup
  • 2 During Play
• Game Aid: Technological Items and Their Upgrades
• Storage
• Credits

Components

Common components:

• 1 double-sided game board (1-2 players / 3-4 players)
• 2 double-sided "calendar" boards (2-4 players / Initiation 2-4 players — Variant 2-4 players / Solo mode)
• 2 double-sided "technology setup aid" cards, x2 (1-4 players / Initiation 1-4 players — 1-4 players / Variant 2-4 players)
• 10 "3$ treasure" tiles
• 18 "5$ treasure" tiles
• 23 "7$ treasure" tiles
• 22 "9$ treasure" tiles
• 69 "cover" tiles
• 21 "dig site" tiles (12 large + 9 small)
• 12 "found object" tiles
• 27 "shark" tiles
• 21 "treasure card" cards (7 values x 3)
• 12 "Boss" hats
• 15 "technology" cards
• 58 "$5 bill" tiles
• 96 "$1 bill" tiles
• 4 "double action" tiles
• 62 "technological item" tiles: 3 blue no.2, 3 red-orange no.3, 3 red-orange no.8, 3 green no.5/7
• 1 die (6 sides) for shark fishing
• 7 "treasure card" cards by satellite (7 values x 1)
• 2 grey seaplanes
• 4 "zodiac" tiles (4 colors different from the players' colors)
• 1 golden cube (10mm), "turn marker on the calendar"
• 4 zodiacs (4 colors different from the players' colors)
• 2 golden cubes (6mm), "zone 6 & 9 markers"
• 1 storage box for tiles and objects (20 compartments)
• 1 rulebook (this booklet)

Components belonging to each of the 4 players (x4: Green, White, Red and Blue):

• 1 double-sided individual board
• 1 wooden articulated "black cash box"
• 1 hatted "Boss" meeple
• 5 "basic worker" meeples
• 1 rectangular token with rounded corners, "score marker" (8w x 18L x 5h mm)
• 1 cube (10mm), "turn order marker"
• 1 zodiac tile
• 23 wooden cubes (6mm), "miscellaneous marker"
• 1 zodiac
• 1 round token (12x5mm), printed "under-the-table envelope"
• 1 double-sided character player-aid card (final scoring / technology tree)
• 1 double-sided character player-aid card (diving yes / diving no)

Components shared by the players for the "No Faith or Law!" variant:

• 4 black "mercenary" meeples
• 1 black seaplane
• 1 "underwater mine" tile
• 7 "treasure card" cards of the mercenary (7 values x 1)
• 1 "calendar" board (on the back of the Solo mode board — already listed among the common components)

Conventions:

• All prices used in the game are meant to be virtually multiplied by 1000 to match economic reality. They have deliberately been stripped of their "000" for the sake of overall simplicity and legibility across all the game's components.
• The generic term "Meeple" (denoting, in the world of board games, a token representing a living being) here refers equally to a plain "Worker," a "Specialized Worker" wearing a graduate's cap, and each company's "Boss."
• An icon symbolizes immediate Reputation Points.
• Another icon symbolizes end-of-game Reputation Points.

Game Modes

This worker-placement and budget-management game calls for good anticipation and offers very strong indirect interaction.

Getting a good handle on this game therefore takes a certain amount of experience, even something of a learning curve.

To make it easier to pick up, an "Initiation" mode is offered (see the specifics on page 26); its elements are identified by "diver" symbols.

In addition, for seasoned players who would afterwards like an even stronger and more direct interaction experience, a variant named "No Faith or Law!" is offered, with an auction for thoroughly disreputable mercenaries, identified by the mercenary symbol. So, in normal or Initiation games, disregard any spaces on the components bearing this symbol.

N.B.: For your first game, we strongly recommend playing a game in "Initiation" mode, even if you are a seasoned, experienced player.

Setup

1 Place the board in the center of the table, on the 1-2 player side or the 3-4 player side. Set the pre-formed box containing the objects and tiles next to it, along with the $1 and $5 bills.

2 Place 3 "worker" meeples per player on the spaces provided for that purpose, and a "double action" token under each middle meeple.

To build the face-down "technology" card deck, refer to the setup-aid card provided for that purpose that matches your type of game, details of which follow below:

3 For a 2-4 player game, place the level 0 "Diving Mask" technology card on the first space of zone 2. Take the 3 other level "0" technology cards in hand. Shuffle them and place 2 of them randomly face up on the remaining blue-grey spaces.

4 Then take the remaining level "0" technology card in hand. Add the 6 level "1" cards to it. Shuffle everything together. Draw the first 3 cards and set them next to the game board. Add the 5 level "2" cards to your hand. Shuffle them with the 3 cards you kept in hand. Finally, place these 9 cards from your hand under the 3 cards already set next to the board. Now place the deck of 12 cards thus formed, face down, on the space provided at building 2.

For an Initiation game, set the "Diving Mask" technology on the first space, then the other 2 level 0 technologies (with the diver symbol) face up on the following two spaces. Then take the 4 technology cards bearing the diver icon, shuffle them, and set them aside outside the board. Shuffle the remaining cards and place them under the stack of the 4 cards with the blue diver. Finally, place the whole deck on the space provided at building 2.

5 Shuffle, then stack face down outside the board, the reserve of "treasure card" tiles next to the flea market (zone 3). This zone has a track on which the tiles will be arranged, which will determine their price. Place them on the board one at a time, face up, as follows, laying the 1st tile facing the arrow marked on building #3:

• 5 "treasure card" tiles at 1 or 2 players

• 9 "treasure card" tiles at 3 or 4 players

• If a card with the same number does not already exist on the track: place the "treasure card" on the cheapest available space, counting from the arrowed space on the board, with a minimum value of $4.

• If a card with the same number already exists on the track (supply-and-demand rule): stack the card on the previous one(s), and move this stack of identical cards, in the direction of decreasing prices, to the first free space (if the stack is on the 2nd "$3" space, move it to the 1st "$3" space). If there is no such free space, do not move the stack.

At 1 or 2 players, "treasure cards" #6 and #7 are not used and stay in the box.

Example: When a second tile #2 is drawn, the two are stacked, then this stack is moved to the first free space of lower cost — here, the $3 space.

6 Place the grey seaplane(s) on the space at the foot of building #4.

7 Place each player's rectangular score marker on space "10" of the Reputation track (= starting space).

8 Shuffle, then stack face down next to the board, the "dig site" tiles into 2 piles according to their size.

9 Place a marker (small golden cube) on the space below the "$1" indicator.

10 Place each player's wooden zodiac at the dock, on the space of their color. The 4 additional zodiacs available for purchase are placed next to the board, along with the 4 large tiles that represent them.

11 Shuffle the 12 "found object" tiles face down and place 9 of them randomly, face down, on the spaces provided on the island. Put the other 3 back in the box.

12 Place a marker (small golden cube) on the space below the "4 Reputation Points" indicator.

13 Determine the initial turn order among yourselves, then place each player's large cube on the corresponding spaces. Players who are not first receive the "compensation" income shown beneath their cube.

Example: With 4 players, the 1st player receives $0, the 2nd player receives $2, the 3rd $4, and the 4th receives $6 (and this only during the game's initial setup).

14 Place the "graduate" hats matching the color and the value of the corresponding zone in the 4 zones concerned (2, 3, 7, and 8). The 5/7 hats are placed in zone 7.

Per zone: 3 hats at 4 players; 2 at 3 players; 1 at 2 players (at 1 player, see the "solo mode" rule).

For an Initiation game, start by placing one copy of each of the "treasure cards" of zones 1 to 4 on spaces $4 through $7, then complete the series according to the number of players, following the placement rule.

15 Place the calendar board matching your game next to the central board and place the "big golden cube" turn marker on the first space (Year 1 income phase).

16 Each player takes the large zodiac tile in their color, their individual board, their boss, 2 workers, their "under-the-table" envelope, their 23 small cubes, their black cash box (to be placed on the matching space of their individual board), a "metal detector" object tile which they place on their object stock, and their 2 double-sided help cards.

Sequence of Play

In an "Initiation" mode or a "No Faith or Law!" mode game, you start with $55 instead of $50 (+ turn-order compensation).

The progress of the game is read on the calendar, on which the turn marker (large golden cube) advances; it indicates both the turn and the sequence of phases to follow.

A game breaks down into 3 years, themselves divided into 3 four-month periods (i.e. 9 game turns). Each of these 3 years consists of:

• an income phase;
• a budget-management phase;
• 3 action phases, which chain together:
  • a worker-placement phase,
  • an action-resolution phase,
  • a salary-payment phase,
  • a maintenance phase;
• a Reputation Points scoring phase.

1 Income Phase

At the start of each year (i.e. 3 times in the game) a fundraising round takes place among investors. During the 2nd and 3rd years, these investors' confidence in the players' potential will mainly depend on the number of "treasure cards" each one owns.

At the start of the first year, each player receives $50 in addition to the compensation received during setup based on their position in turn order (the 2nd player already received +$2, the 3rd +$4, and the 4th +$6).

At the start of the 2nd year, each player receives $30, plus $5 per "treasure card" they own. This is regardless of the card's number, and regardless of whether a player owns several copies of the same number.

At the start of the 3rd year, each player receives $10, plus $5 per "treasure card" they own. (Same rule as before.)

• Note: There is no financial turn-order compensation during the 2nd and 3rd years.

2 Budget-Management Phase

Players distribute their money as they wish among 5 bank accounts. Be careful: this allocation is set for the entire year (i.e. for 3 consecutive four-month periods). Good programming (planning) is important, because using money from the wrong account will incur a cost for the bank transfer from one account to another.

Each player's individual board shows, in the bottom row, the 5 budget categories. Each budget category can fund the actions of certain zones on the main board or certain game phases.

• The "Human Resources" (HR) account [purple piece] is used to fund the hiring of workers on the central board (zone 1) and to pay a $2 salary to each worker at the end of each four-month period;
• The "Research & Development" (R&D) account [blue piece] is used to pay technology patent fees (zone 2) and to equip yourself with the corresponding items ("technological item" cards);
• The "General Purchases" (GP) account [red piece] funds the purchase of treasure cards (Zone 3), the rental of museum rooms (zone 8), and advertising for your company (Zone 9);
• The "Mission Expenses" (ME) account [blue-green piece] funds everything related to sea expeditions: booking a seaplane (zone 4), moving about and using technologies at sea (zone 5), and buying extra zodiacs at the port (zone 7);
• The "Black Cash Box" (BC) [black piece] allows you to bribe local authorities (zone 10) so as to be favored during the following turn (turn-order determination), and also to hire mercenaries in the "No Faith or Law!" game variant.

Distributing the budget among the accounts

At the start of each year, players simultaneously distribute all of their money among the 5 possible accounts (4 + the black cash box, whose money stays hidden inside the box).

Exception: However, the black cash box can never receive money outside of the budget-management phase that starts each of the 3 years. You must therefore plan ahead, for the 3 upcoming four-month periods, the exact sum you want to put inside it for the whole coming year (i.e. the 3 consecutive four-month periods).

During the game, when actions earn you income, it may be allocated to a single account or split between several, as the player chooses.

For an "Initiation" game, the amounts printed on the individual boards, above each piece next to the green diver, help you set up the respective accounts for year 1. For example: put $12 or more in the HR account (purple piece), etc.

Allocating income during the game

During the income phase of the 2nd and 3rd years, at the player's discretion, all money remaining at the end of the previous year (including money in the black cash box) can be reallocated among the bank accounts with no bank-transfer fees to pay.

Transferring money between accounts

When it is time to pay for an expense, if the required amount is not available in the bank account to be used, funds may be immediately transferred into it from one or several other accounts, except to or from the black cash box.

Each bank transfer has a fixed cost per year, deducted from the originating category. This cost is $1 during year 1, $2 during year 2, and $3 during year 3. This cost is paid to the bank immediately.

Example: If, during year 2, a player needs $12 in the HR category (to pay salaries) and has only $4 left, they may draw $6+$2 from the R&D account and $2+$2 from the ME account. This way they recover the $8 they were missing to finish paying salaries, and they also pay the bank $2+$2 in transfer fees.

When making a transfer, it is allowed to transfer more than the amount needed to cover the expense.

During an "Initiation" game, it remains exceptionally possible to transfer money from the black cash box to another account, but the transfer fee for the current year must still be paid.

3 Action Phases (Chained 3 Times)

The various actions are explained in detail in chapter 3.2, "Action Resolution Phase."

3.1 Action Programming (Placement) Phase

Each four-month period (i.e. 9 times in the game), players manage a sequence of assigning the "boss and his workers" (the meeple-placement phase).

In turn order (as defined by Zone 10), each player takes a meeple from the staff break room at the top left of their individual board and places it, on the central board, on the first free or cheapest space of a queue in the zones numbered 1 to 9 (except 5), starting from the top of the column. Then it is the next player's turn, in turn order, to do the same, placing wherever they wish (following the same placement rule), and so on until everyone has placed all of their meeples, which is mandatory. A player may place several meeples in the same queue (but only one at a time). Once all spaces of a queue are occupied, no more meeples can be added there.

Some spaces are only available depending on the number of players.

Example: On the blue track, the symbol indicates that 5 spaces are available at 4 players but only 4 at 3 players.

Example: On the red track, the symbol indicates that 4 spaces are available at 4 players but only 3 at 3 players.

In a standard (or Initiation) game, disregard the spaces marked with the "mercenaries" symbol on the central board. These are only used for the "No Faith or Law!" variant. Outside of the "No Faith or Law!" variant, the placement phase therefore ends after a variable number of turns (between 3 and 6) depending on the number of meeples each player must place. If a player has no more meeples to place, they pass their turn, and so on, until every player has placed all of their meeples.

Double Action

If you have a "double action" token (recovered in zone 1 at the same time as the meeple it was under), when you place a meeple in a queue, you may attach this token to it by placing it underneath. It represents a dose of caffeine that will boost the meeple and let it perform a 2nd action afterward in the same zone during the resolution phase; this 2nd action may differ from the 1st.

N.B.: This single-use token can be used on any space of any queue, but cannot be used the moment it comes aboard a zodiac. Once used, it is returned to the game box.

Advantages of the "Boss"

Thanks to his negotiating talents, and because the boss is reputed to be an expert in everything, he has an advantage in most zones compared to a basic worker. This advantage, specific to each zone, is shown on the central board. It is most often a +/-$2 advantage when performing the action.

Special case: at sea (zone 5), he benefits from a +1 to the die roll against sharks, and can bring back two treasures located in the same column instead of one per turn.

Training a Basic Worker to Become a Specialized Worker (SW)

In zones 2, 3, 7, and 8, when a player has placed their boss and one or more of their workers in the same queue, if the player wishes, the 1st basic worker in the queue who benefits from the boss's presence alongside them learns from him — and this regardless of the order in which the boss and the basic worker appear in that queue. So, before resolving the action of whichever of the boss or the worker is ahead of the other in the queue, the player then places a "graduate" hat matching the color and number of the zone on the head of the worker in question (within the limit of available hats), who then becomes a Specialized Worker (SW) in that specified zone.

In the example opposite (located in zone 2): when playing his boss, the red player immediately caps his red worker with an "SW no.2" hat. Once the red player has retrieved his boss, the green player also caps his worker with an "SW no.2" hat (if one is still available), and so, this worker having become an SW, he immediately benefits from the boss's advantage (namely paying $2 less to the bank for a technology).

If, during the same four-month period, there are not enough hats for all players, the first (boss or worker) in the order of the assigned zone determines who benefits. This SW now benefits, from this turn on, from the boss's advantages in that zone, whatever action they perform there, even if it differs from the boss's action.

In the game, the presence of a hat symbolizes know-how and specialization; from then on, each SW, if in their zone of specialization, will obtain the same advantages there as the boss.

A worker can have only one specialization; they can therefore wear only a single hat and can never give it back or exchange it for the rest of the game.

Special Case (Zone 10)

No meeple is placed in zone 10; instead, an "envelope" token is placed there, and only if the player wishes to. This token is available each four-month period on your personal board, in the same room as your meeples.

This "envelope" symbolizes a bribe that you are ready to pay to local authorities to buy your place in turn order for the following four-month period, to the highest bidder. If the player wishes to take part in this bribe, they must, on their turn, place their envelope in zone 10 before placing a meeple in one of zones 1 to 9 (except 5). This meeple is considered to have gone to drop off the mail at building 10's mailbox before taking its place in another zone's queue.

A worker who has just been hired in zone 1 may carry an envelope to the local authorities (Zone 10) before being placed in a queue.

N.B.: A player who has not placed their "envelope" token (whether on purpose or by oversight) during the action-programming phase before passing their turn (no more meeples to place) can no longer place it for that four-month period.

3.2 Action Resolution Phase

Actions are resolved zone by zone, in ascending order of the zones. Within a zone, each meeple performs an action in ascending order of the queue (i.e., from top to bottom).

• If the meeple stayed in the queue, as soon as its action is performed, retrieve it and place it back on your individual board in the staff break room; it is then the turn of the player whose meeple is now at the head of the queue to play and resolve their action.
• If the meeple needs to be moved on the central board (booking a technology, buying a zodiac at the port, or heading out to sea with a zodiac), it stays where it is —
• If the meeple is out at sea on a zodiac, it will remain there (for several turns if necessary) until the player decides to bring it back to port.

Each meeple placed in a queue has the opportunity to perform an action. If it does not wish to, or cannot, perform an action (for example for lack of money), the player immediately loses one Reputation Point on the score track.

Recovering a Gain

Throughout the game, whenever a player must recover a gain (treasure, a killed shark, an object found on the island, money from a catch, etc.), the company is considered to systematically send a virtual helicopter to recover it and immediately place the gain in your premises (your personal board).

Zone Actions

3.2.1 Zone 1: Recruitment

This is the zone that lets you recruit additional basic workers; 3 are available for each player. Before recruiting, remember that you must be able to pay all your workers at the end of the four-month period and also be able to fund all their actions.

Only 1 action can be performed in this zone: recruit a new basic worker.

N.B.: Only the boss benefits from a $2 discount when hiring a worker.

N.B.: A worker who has just been recruited may carry an envelope to the local authorities (Zone 10) before being placed in a queue.

Depending on which worker you have just hired, also collect:

• no bonus if it is the 1st;
• the "Double Action" tile that was underneath it, if it is the 2nd, which you may place as you choose: immediately under this meeple that you have just recruited and placed on the central board in a queue, or in the staff break room of your individual board, to play it later with another meeple whenever you wish;
• 1 Reputation Point (marked immediately on the score track) if it is the 3rd.

Pay to the bank, from your "Human Resources" account (purple space), the recruitment cost of the worker, shown next to the meeple in the recruitment zone's queue (the one furthest to the left), and place it immediately on an available space in the queue of your choice (except zones 1, 5, and 10). It will therefore be active this very turn. You will need to pay the salary of the recruited worker starting from the very next salary-payment phase.

Finally, retrieve the meeple placed in zone 1 that was used to resolve the action, and place it back immediately on your individual board in the staff break room.

How to Read a Technology Card

• A — Level of the card, used to script its order of appearance in the game (0, 1, or 2), with some also showing a green or blue diver for a special setup in an Initiation game.
• B — Depiction of the item.
• C — Reminder of its function and/or zone of use.
• D — Patent development cost, paid to the bank.
• E — Space for the color cube of the player who has just bought the patent. On space E' at 4 players, or E'' at 2 players, for example.
• F — As soon as a player buys a new copy of the item, the cube moves down one space. When the cube reaches the last space of the column, it means there are no more of that item left to sell.
• G — Purchase cost of the item (the part of the price paid to the bank).
• H — Royalty cost (the part of the price paid to the patent's owner by another player) or the extra cost of the item's 1st prototype, paid to the bank by the player who is acquiring the patent during that same action.
• I — The item's capability and the cost of using that capability (only found on some items).
• J — Number of Reputation Points scored at the end of the game by the patent's owner (identified by the color of the cube placed on the card).

3.2.2 Zone 2: Research and Development

Through this zone, you can make your sea searches effective by developing suitable technologies and acquiring the associated items.

Each meeple positioned in this zone performs, as chosen, one of 4 actions: develop a technology, buy an item of a technology already developed, do both together in one single action, or reserve the right to choose the next item that will be revealed.

Costs are paid with the "R&D" account (navy-blue space).

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.2" workers benefit from a $2 discount, only on the base part of the cost to be paid to the bank.

A — Develop the Patent of an Available Technology

• Choose, among the visible cards, one whose technology has not already been developed (recognizable by the absence of a cube on it); leave the card on the board.
• Place a cube of your color on the left side of the card, on the space marked "4 players" if you are playing at 4 players, "3 players" if playing at 3, etc.
• Pay the bank the patent filing cost "D."

B — Buy a Technological Item

• Choose the item: its patent must already have been developed by one of the players (including yourself), and at least 1 item must still be available (a cube present on the technology card but not yet reached the crossed-out last space of the column).
• If you are not the patent's owner, pay the item's manufacturing cost "G" to the bank and the royalties "H" to the patent's owner.
• If you are the patent's owner, pay only the manufacturing cost "G" to the bank.
• Take a tile of the item matching the technology and place it in your individual board's stock, or directly on the tile representing one of your zodiacs still docked on the central board.
• Move the cube on the technology card down one space to show that one of the available items has been bought.

C — Develop a Patent and Buy the First Copy of the Item (e.g., here, an engine that lets you advance one extra space, for $1)

• Pay the development cost plus that of the first item (the item's full cost including royalties, i.e. "D+G+H"), all paid to the bank. The steep cost of this 1st prototype is the equivalent of two separate actions carried out at once by a single meeple.
• Then move your cube on the technology card down one space to show that one of the limited number of available items has just been bought.
• Take a tile of the matching item and place it in your individual board's stock, or directly on a zodiac tile next to your individual board representing one of your zodiacs still docked on the central board.

N.B.: By placing bought items on these large "zodiac" tiles representing your boats on the central board, you can see which equipment is aboard each zodiac, and therefore each one's movement (engines) and diving capabilities.

Example: the zodiac is equipped with a swimsuit by default, plus here a metal detector, a mask, a lobster crate, and an extra engine.

At any time during the game, you may exchange items between your stock and your zodiacs present at the port, or directly between your docked zodiacs and the reserve on your personal board. It is uncommon, but you may end up with more than 6 item tiles inside a zodiac despite there being only 6 drawn spaces. However, you may only add 2 extra engines to the one already present on your zodiac at the start of the game.

D — Reserve the Right to Choose the Next Technology Card

• Take the meeple from the queue and place it on top of the face-down deck. This amounts to almost passing a turn, with a meeple locked into zone 2 for two consecutive four-month periods.

N.B.: This action can be performed by only one player per four-month period, using only one of their meeples.

• They will only carry out their action during the next Maintenance Phase. They will then be able to choose, from the deck of cards, the item they want to see appear, which will also let them, if they wish, be the first buyer of it during the following four-month period. The full resolution of this action is described in section 3.4, Maintenance Phase.

3.2.3 Zone 3: Flea Market

In this zone you buy "treasure cards" (subject to the law of supply and demand), which alone allow you to travel to the dig sites.

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.3" workers benefit from a $2 discount.

The only possible action is buying a "treasure card."

• Take the "treasure card" of your choice and pay the bank the cost matching its space, using your "General Purchases" account (red space).
• If the chosen "treasure card" was on top of a stack of at least 2 tiles (law of supply and demand), move the rest of the stack in the direction of increasing prices to the first free space (if possible).

Example: There were 2 "treasure card" #2 tiles stacked on each other at $5. A player has just bought the top one, and the other, becoming rarer (fewer are now offered for sale), immediately rises in price — here to $7 (the first free, more expensive space).

• It is possible to buy a card you already own (there are 3 copies of each "treasure card" at the flea market).

• If you are the first to obtain a given zone's dig-site tile (whether by buying at the flea market, via the satellite, or via a mercenary — see the explanation of technological item cards or the game variant):

  • Draw the top 3 tiles of the "dig site" pile matching that zone's size, and look at them;
  • Secretly choose one and put the other two back, face down, under their pile;
  • Place the chosen tile face down on the central board's "dig site" matching the number of the "treasure card."

  Caution: it will only be permanently turned face up once one of the owners of a "treasure card" with that dig site's number reaches it with their zodiac. Then all players will know of it, but only those who own a matching "treasure card" have the right to go there.

• If you are not the first to obtain a given zone's tile, and it is therefore already placed on the central board, place a cube of your color next to the tile, on the space provided for that purpose. You may then secretly look at the tile again at any time as long as it is not already flipped face up; the cube shows who has access to it.

  • If it is face down, you may immediately look at it in secret, and may do so again later at any time.
  • If it is already face up, you already know about it, like all players.

Example: The red player owns at least one "treasure card" #3 and one #5 (as shown opposite). The blue player also owns at least one of value 5, since both have placed their cube next to it to show that only they may go into that zone. Since red has not yet traveled with their zodiac to dig site #3, they have chosen that tile but leave it face down until they get there. They have just arrived first at dig site #5 with their red zodiac and immediately flip the tile face up, now known to everyone — but only the blue and red players may access zone #5, since only they own the matching "treasure card."

3.2.4 Zone 4: Booking and Using Seaplanes

Seaplanes let you both transport and exchange technological items at sea, in order to change the equipment aboard your zodiacs, and swap two meeples between each other (the seaplane's pilot and a meeple aboard a zodiac).

Caution: During the game's 1st four-month period, there is not yet any zodiac at sea during the action-resolution phase, so there is no reason to book a seaplane; zone 4's resolution is therefore necessarily skipped.

Before moving their zodiacs or diving, a player may still decide to charter a grey seaplane (as described above for zone 4) if at least one remains available in zone 4, by paying the corresponding cost ($3 if 2 remain, or $4 if only 1 remains, at 3-4 players; or $3 at 1-2 players) from the "Mission Expenses" [ME] account.

Pay the bank the amount shown next to your meeple's space in the queue, using your "Mission Expenses" (ME) account.

N.B.: Only the boss benefits from a $2 discount.

• Move a grey seaplane present in zone 4 to place it next to one of your zodiacs at sea (zone 5). You may then freely transfer items between your stock on your board (considered to have been placed in the seaplane in the meantime) and your zodiacs. You may do this as many times as needed between your stock and one or more zodiacs, or between zodiacs themselves (all counted as a single flight). At the end of your turn, the seaplane stays next to one of your zodiacs to show it is no longer available to another player this turn.
• You may also swap your boss and/or worker that you had placed in zone 4's assignment track with a meeple present on one of your zodiacs at sea. This is a swap of role (and therefore of location) between your meeple piloting the seaplane (the one that was in the queue) and a sailor meeple on a zodiac.

Wanting to "save" a meeple to perform this booking action in zone 4 is therefore possible, but at the risk of finding yourself, when resolving zone 5's actions, unable to charter a seaplane because all those on offer had already been booked in advance, making the pilot swap and/or item transfer impossible.

Zodiac Movement

• Zodiacs move space by space, connected to each other by a dotted white line, or directly adjacent to one another.
• From the port to any lagoon space, there is only a single space of movement.
• Below is a diagram of the minimum number of movement points needed (white numbers) between the port and the spaces concerned. But once at sea, there is no need to return to port between turns in order to move between spaces.

Caution: It is therefore not permitted to start a move, dive, then resume the move to finish it.

Zodiacs at sea are played in the turn order set by zone 10. The 1st player plays all of their zodiacs in whichever order they wish, then the 2nd player does the same, and so on. Playing a zodiac consists of:

• either diving, then moving it; or
• moving it, then diving.

Caution: During the game's 1st four-month period, there is not yet any zodiac at sea during the action-resolution phase, so zone 5's resolution is necessarily skipped.

At sea, you will use your technologies to dive in search of the treasures everyone covets!

For example, having placed the boss or an SW no.5/7 in zone 4's queue in order to swap them with a basic worker present on a zodiac at sea, so as to now benefit from the boss's advantages.

Reminder: At any time during the game, you may exchange items between your stock and your zodiacs when these are at, or pass back through, the port, without needing a seaplane to do so.

N.B.: This can, for example, be very useful to bring home an SW no.2 currently at sea and swap them for an SW no.5/7 that you had placed in zone 4's queue, so as to better benefit from their respective advantages from then on.

Placing a meeple in zone 4's queue thus lets you ensure you will have a seaplane available this turn to deliver and/or exchange technological items. It also lets you swap two meeples with each other.

3.2.5 Zone 5: High Seas

This is the zone where, if you wish and need to, you may book a seaplane to be sure of having one available during this game turn.

• You may decide to dive from the 4 or 5 diving spaces located on each "dig site."

The large rectangular spaces (fishing zone) in the center of zone 5 "high seas" can hold an unlimited number of zodiacs. If you end your movement there, you automatically fish with a line (present on every zodiac) and earn $2 (the value of the fish caught).

Example: From the space it occupies on dig site 2, here is the minimum 8-space route the red zodiac must travel to reach the central fishing space of zone 6, because the red player does not own treasure card #4. They therefore cannot pass over space #4.

Caution: It is strictly forbidden to travel to, or pass over, a space numbered 1 to 7 on the central board with your zodiac if you do not own the "treasure card" with the matching number.

• It is possible to reach the port (the port counts as one space), and even to set off again (into the lagoon or to sea) within the same move. If a zodiac passes through the port, you may exchange items with the stock present on your individual board.

For each space located beneath your zodiac, from the surface toward the depths, check whether you can access it. To do this, check that you indeed have, in your zodiac, a diving item sufficient to allow it. If not, the dive stops at the maximum level that item lets you reach. Naturally, anything that can do more can also do less.

Example: If a mask is shown on the board in horizontal line with the space and you have aboard a mask, a diving tank, or a diving suit, you may access it. Conversely, if a diving suit is required and you only have a mask, you will not be able to dive as deep.

• If you have several zodiacs at sea and they cross paths during a move (without needing to stop) or are stationed on the same large fishing space, you may transfer and/or exchange items between these zodiacs, as well as swap the meeples aboard them with each other.
• The small rectangular spaces can only hold a single zodiac; another zodiac may nevertheless pass through them if occupied, counting one movement point.

N.B.: In some games, you may find on the island an engine tile (recoverable with the metal detector) with a movement capacity of 3 extra spaces, usable just like a purchased item tile.

Item Required at Minimum per Diving Depth

• An additional 1 to 2 space(s) per engine installed aboard. These are "engine" items that you can acquire once the corresponding technology has been developed, by paying the engine's cost of use from the "mission expenses" account; a maximum of 2 engines in addition to the base engine may be installed on a zodiac.
• An additional space by paying $1 from the mission expenses account (B);
• 2 free additional spaces.

Diving from a Space "on a Dig Site"

A zodiac moves. If the space to be crossed features a shark (see the diving help card, "front: diving impossible / back: diving possible"):

• and you have no item allowing you to handle the situation (small harpoon, harpoon gun, or shark cage), you cannot dive in that column.
• otherwise, resolve the encounter with the shark based on the items you have; 3 basic situations are possible:

1 — Equipped only with a basic harpoon, roll the die.

• On a 6, you kill the shark;
• On 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, the shark gets scared and flees temporarily.

2 — Equipped only with a harpoon gun, roll the die.

• On 4, 5, or 6, you kill the shark;
• On 1, 2, or 3, the shark gets scared and flees temporarily.

3 — Equipped only with a protective cage, you are not disturbed at all in your dive by the presence of a shark.

• If you have not killed the shark, it is considered to have temporarily fled until your diver has returned aboard their zodiac.
• If you have killed the shark: take a shark tile from the reserve and place it on your individual board in the cold room where the stock of caught sharks is stored, and continue your dive toward the lower levels. Cover the shark on the "dig site" tile with a depletion tile showing that there is no longer a shark on that space.

There is no limit to the number of meeples that may be present on this space.

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.5/7" workers benefit from the following two stackable advantages:

• +1 on die rolls for shark hunting;
• The ability to bring up 2 treasures in a single dive, only possible for treasures located in the same column.

Note: So, if you dive with a boss or an SW no.5/7, a harpoon gun, and a protective cage, you no longer fear sharks at all, since you will systematically kill them and will not even need to roll the die. Indeed, the cage giving you +2, and the boss or SW no.5/7 giving you +1, even rolling a 1 on the die will give you a total of 4, which is enough to kill any shark in that configuration. So no more luck involved…

• If the space you arrive on has a treasure (see: chapter "Technology Details" for more detail on items and their use):
  • Take a treasure tile of the matching color from the reserve and place it on your individual board in the treasure room;
  • Cover the treasure on the "dig site" tile with a depletion tile showing that there is no more treasure to discover on that space.

Only one dive per zodiac may be performed at each resolution of zone 5.

If, to recover a treasure, you use an item with a cost of use (for example, a sonar), pay the cost to the bank from your "mission expenses" account. E.g., here, pay $1 to use the sonar.

Some of these situations can be combined. So you can dive with both a harpoon or harpoon gun and a protective cage at the same time. Since the cage lets the diver be less stressed and aim better, it gives you +2 to the die roll result. Moreover, the boss or an SW no.5/7 being more experienced, gives you +1 to the die roll on their side.

3.2.6 Zone 6: Mussel Fishing

Mussel fishing — sometimes a little is always better than nothing…

You had a worker left to place but did not know which queue to put it in, either because you would not have had the means to fund its action, or because all the spaces that interested you were already occupied… then all that's left is to send it mussel fishing!

There is no limit to the number of meeples present on this space. You earn what is shown above the golden cube ($1, $2, or 1 immediate Reputation Point).

At the end of zone 6's resolution, the last player to have removed their meeple moves the golden cube one space to the right (unless it is already on the rightmost space), making the reward a little more attractive as the game progresses. If no meeple was present, the golden cube is not moved.

Caution: Never forget that a small gain from mussel fishing is always better than a worker who, when it comes time to resolve their action, cannot do so, since this immediately causes the loss of 1 Reputation Point on the score track. It is therefore important in this game to know how to recruit at the right pace.

3.2.7 Zone 7: The Port and the Lagoon

The 5 rectangular lagoon spaces are all located 1 space away from the port, and each can only hold a single zodiac.

From the port's dock, several possible actions are available to you. You may choose to: buy an extra zodiac at the zodiac shop, take a short trip out into the lagoon (just for this turn), or set off on an expedition to reach the high seas in zone 5 (and then stay there for as many turns as you wish).

N.B.: Unlike other zones, do not retrieve your meeples the moment you resolve the action: you move them toward the chosen destination (shop, lagoon, or high seas). You will retrieve them during the next maintenance phase (except for those that went to sea). Each meeple present on the dock will perform, in order, one action among the 3 possible ones detailed below.

A — Go to the Zodiac Shop

Choose, next to the board, a zodiac not yet claimed, which you place in the port on one of the watermarked spaces. Also take the tile representing it and place it next to the tile representing your base zodiac (the one in your color). Move the meeple onto one of the two available spaces of the zodiac shop. Immediately pay the bank the cost shown under the space (from the "Mission Expenses" account) and immediately gain 1 Reputation Point.

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.5/7" workers benefit from a $2 discount on buying zodiacs.

Whatever the number of players, there are always 4 zodiacs available for purchase. And since there is no limit on the number of zodiacs per player, it is unlikely, but mathematically possible, for one player to finish the game with just 1 zodiac (their starting one) while another finishes with 5 (their starting one plus all 4 that were available for purchase).

B — Set Off by Zodiac into the Lagoon

Provided you have a zodiac (that you own) available at the port, you may board your meeple present in the queue and move immediately with it to one of the lagoon's 4 destinations.

• A — You must have a lobster crate in your zodiac to be able to fish there. This earns you $8.
• B — To go fishing for coastal fish, you need a basic harpoon or a harpoon gun. Your catch earns you $5 with the basic harpoon and $6 with the harpoon gun (a more precise item).
• C — Only the "tourist promenade" space (with the camera) does not require any specific item and earns $4.
• D — A metal detector is needed to access the island. All players received one during setup, but it must actually be aboard the zodiac departing for the island.

In cases A, B, and C, immediately receive your money from the bank.

N.B.: The boss's or an "OS no.5/7"'s advantage is +$2 to the gain.

In case D, flip over one of the island's tiles at random:

• If it is a treasure, place it on your individual board;
• If it is a valuable object, immediately receive from the bank the amount shown on the tile and return the tile to the box;
• If it is a technological item, immediately add it to your stock on your individual board.

The boss's or an "OS no.5/7"'s advantage is being able to secretly choose one tile among 2 looked at, then put the one not chosen back on one of the empty spaces.

C — Set Off by Zodiac to the High Seas

Provided you have a zodiac (that you own) available at the port, you may board your boss or a worker into it, then move immediately toward the high seas, and, as applicable, use items and/or perform a dive immediately, following the same movement, shark-hunting, and treasure-recovery rules as those applying to zone 5 (the High Seas zone).

Caution: a boss or worker who has gone to sea will stay there, unless during a future resolution of zone 5 (high seas) you decide to move them toward the lagoon, or bring them back to port respecting their movement capacities, or swap them with the pilot of a seaplane.

3.2.8 Zone 8: The Museum

The museum is the perfect opportunity to build up your reputation: you will fund the opening of new exhibition rooms, but also sell your treasures there and try to display them in the best possible spots in the rooms, and make sure the public comes to admire them.

The museum consists of different exhibition rooms, which can hold from 1 to 3 treasures.

In the museum's queue, each meeple performs one of the following 2 actions.

A — Fund an Exhibition (Sponsorship)

As a sponsoring company, funding an exhibition amounts to paying to reserve a museum room in order to display treasures there. To do so, place a cube of your color on the space of the room of your choice (the "closed door" symbol at the top of the column), provided an opposing cube is not already present there, nor on the open-door space, and pay the bank the cost shown in red using your "General Purchases" account (red space).

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.8" workers benefit from a $2 discount on sponsoring an exhibition room.

B — Sell a Treasure to the Museum

Take one treasure (and only one!) from your individual board. Choose an empty space in the museum to place your treasure:

• Either (ideally) in an exhibition room that has been funded by yourself or by another player (identifiable by the presence of a colored cube on the room's closed door). You must use the free space closest to the closed door in the chosen room.

Example: The room in the left-hand column can hold 2 treasures, while the one on the right can hold 3. Note that the right-hand one can only be used in a 4-player game (symbol shown at the top, next to the closed door).

Caution: Regardless of whose turn it is, as soon as a room is complete (a treasure present on every space provided), the cube of the player who funded it is immediately moved to that room's public-opening space (the "open door" symbol at the bottom of the column), and their marker on the Reputation track is also advanced by the number of points shown next to the "open door."

Example: It is the red player's turn — see, marked in green, the 3 checkmarks showing the only rooms where they can display their treasure. It is not yet possible in the 3rd column, since that room has not yet been funded. They can choose the last room (4th column), since doing so will not only earn this treasure 3 Reputation Points at the end of the game (instead of 2 in the 1st column), but, the room now being complete, they can also move their cube from the "closed door" to the "open door" and thus immediately score 2 Reputation Points for opening the room to the public. They could also choose to place it in the 2nd room (second column), hoping instead to score 3 Reputation Points at the end of the game (for sponsoring the room) plus points for the treasure's value. But they then run the risk that the room will not be filled by the end of the game, in which case they would score only 2 Reputation Points in total for it (see * below).

• Or (at worst) in the museum's storage; but hidden this way from the general public, it will only earn you 1 Reputation Point at the end of the game (mandatory if no exhibition room space remains free). The number of treasures present in the museum's storage is not limited.

N.B.: The boss and "SW no.8" workers benefit from an extra $2 gain when selling each treasure to the museum.

* If, at the end of the game, the treasure is in a complete room (a room therefore open to the public), you will score the Reputation Points shown next to your treasure. Otherwise, you will score only 2 Reputation Points for that treasure (as if it had not been sold to the museum and had stayed in your stock).

3.2.9 Zone 9: Advertising

Here, you will pay to boost your reputation. But be careful: too much advertising kills advertising! The more you do, the more the public tires of it and its reach diminishes…

Only one action is possible: buy advertising. Pay the bank the amount shown next to your meeple, from the "General Purchases" account.

Immediately advance your rectangular marker of your color on the Reputation track by the number shown above the golden cube.

At the end of zone 9's resolution, the last player to have removed their meeple moves the golden cube one space to the right (unless it is already on the rightmost space, below the number "2"). If no meeple is present, the golden cube is not moved.

So advertising done early in the game earns more reputation than advertising done later…

3.2.10 Zone 10: The Local Authorities

This is where, so to speak, you slip envelopes under the table to local authorities, in order to enjoy the privilege of being given priority over your opponents. The black cash box will be put to contribution.

Only one action is possible here: post a bribe to the local authorities in the hope of becoming the first player for the following turn (or in any case as well placed as possible in the following turn order, if several players decide to do so during the same four-month period).

Resolving this action consists of a simultaneous closed-fist auction among the players who deposited an envelope during the current four-month period, after secretly withdrawing a certain sum of money from their black cash box.

The minimum amount is $2; there is no maximum amount. If only one player deposited an envelope this turn, they need only commit $2 to secure the position of 1st player for the following turn.

If a player who had deposited an envelope no longer wants to, or ultimately cannot, take part in the auction (because they have strictly less than $2 left in their black cash box), they do not take part in the auction and lose 1 Reputation Point.

Once all hands are opened together on a given signal, the sums offered by all players are all lost and paid to the bank. In this country of bribes, the local authorities are very greedy…

Determine the new turn order according to the amounts offered, from highest to lowest. The envelope's position on the track breaks ties between equal bids, in favor of whoever deposited their envelope first. Players not taking part in this auction end up as the last players, without changing their relative positions among themselves.

Example: Here, the current turn order is as follows: Green, Red, Blue, White. They came to deposit an envelope in this order: White, Blue, Green (Red therefore does not take part in the auction). When hands are opened, it turns out that Green and White have both bid $6, and Blue has bid $3. Green and White are tied, but this is broken by envelope placement order: White having deposited theirs before Green, White becomes 1st and Green 2nd. Blue, who also bid, becomes 3rd, and Red, who did not take part, ends up 4th.

3.3 Salary-Payment Phase

Each player must pay a $2 salary for each of their workers (basic or SW), deducted from the RH account. The boss is not paid a salary (he lives off the dividends of the company of which he is the sole shareholder).

In the case where the RH account is not sufficient to pay all the salaries, the player must make all the account transfers possible to do so, respecting the fixed cost per year deducted from each account of origin.

Reminder: This cost is $1 during year 1, $2 during year 2, and $3 during year 3. This cost is paid to the bank immediately.

In the case where, despite account transfers, some meeples do not fully receive their salary, the player immediately loses 1 Reputation Point (on the score track) per worker not fully paid.

Reputation can never become negative (so you can never go below zero on this track, even if you were required to).

(See the illustration at the bottom of the game-turn calendar.)

3.4 Maintenance Phase

Generally, add 1 or 2 cards from the top of the "technology" card deck to the corresponding spaces, depending on whether the four-month period's number is centered or straddling two spaces.

That is: 1 card at the end of the 1st four-month period, 1 card at the end of the 2nd, 2 cards at the end of the 3rd, 1 card at the end of the 4th, and finally 2 cards at the end of the 5th. No more "technology" cards are added starting from the 6th four-month period.

Caution: In the case where a meeple is on the card deck, the card to be revealed, or the first of the two, is chosen by the player who placed their meeple there.

So, when a meeple has been positioned by a player on the technology-card deck, its owner chooses from the deck, by looking through it, the next "technology" card that they draw from the pile and immediately places it on the board. They then put the deck back face down without changing its order. If two cards must be placed this four-month period, the second one revealed is then the one on top of the deck.

Knowing the order of upcoming cards in advance can prove to be a small extra advantage that offsets the fact of not having performed a real action with that meeple this turn.

If there is no free space left among zone 2's spaces (all 10 are already covered), the card is placed face up on the deck (which will make up an 11th and final card choice).

Finally, the player immediately places their meeple back on the 1st space of zone 2's queue, and not on their individual board with the other retrieved meeples. So, next turn, they will, if they wish, be the first to benefit from this new card during that zone's resolution phase.

Zone 3: Adding "Treasure Cards" to the Market

As long as there are "treasure cards" in the reserve, take 2 of them at random each turn, and add them to the flea market, in the same way as during setup, following the law of supply and demand.

• If there is no card with the same number on the track: place the treasure card on the cheapest available space, with a minimum value of $4.
• If there is already a card with the same number on the track: stack the card on the previous one, and lower the cost of these 2 identical cards by moving them to the first available space (the highest available price below the initial price). If there is no cheaper space available, do not move the stack.

Zone 4: Return of the Seaplanes

Grey seaplanes at sea are moved back to zone 4, onto their watermarked space.

Zone 7: Return of Meeples to the Port

Players retrieve their meeples found at the zodiac shop or on a zodiac in the lagoon, and place them back in the staff break room of their individual board. Their zodiac is moved back to the port.

Reputation Scoring and End of Game

Each of the first two years ends with a Reputation Points scoring phase.

At the End of the First 2 Years

Each player advances their Reputation track marker by the value shown above their cube in zone 10, "Local Authorities."

End of the Game

The game ends:

• either right after the salary-payment phase of the four-month period during which all the museum's rooms become open to the public (no more room to place a treasure, except in storage);
• or right after the payment phase of the 3rd year's last four-month period (= the 9th game turn), whether or not all the museum's rooms are open to the public.

A final, complete scoring is then carried out, consisting of the following steps (see the help card):

A — Treasures

• X points (2 to 5) per treasure in a room open to the public (according to the number shown by the treasure's space);
• 2 points per treasure in a room not open to the public;
• 1 point per treasure present in the museum's storage;
• 2 points per treasure not sold to the museum (present on the personal board).

B — Technology Patents

• X points (1 to 3) per patent owned by the player (according to the value shown on the "technological item" cards).

C — Sharks

• 2 points per shark killed (present on the personal board).

D — Treasure Cards

• 1 point per "treasure card" owned by the player, including those of the same number (simple card, satellite card, or mercenary card).
• 2 extra points for each collection of at least 3 cards from the same zone, regardless of type.

E — Money

• 1 point per $10 not spent (including money still hidden in the black cash box).

F — Influence with the Local Authorities

• X points (0 to 4) depending on influence. These correspond to the value printed just above the players' cubes marking each one's turn order at that moment, namely:
  • 4, 2, 1, and 0 Reputation Points at 4 players;
  • 4, 2, 0 Reputation Points at 3 players;
  • 2 and 0 Reputation Points at 2 players.

Each player then advances their Reputation marker on the score track by that many points.

Victory

The winner is the player finishing with the greatest number of Reputation Points.

In case of a tie, the player who, at the very end of the game, has the greatest influence with the local authorities (best placed in zone 10's turn order) wins the game (letter "G" in the illustration on the previous page).

Technology Details

There are 6 families of technological items, each with a specific use: Mask, Diving Tank, and Diving Suit (for diving); Booster Engine, Medium Engine, and Super Engine (for zodiac movement).

1 — To Dive

This symbol indicates both that these items are needed in order to dive, and to what depth. Example: here, you can dive up to 3 spaces deep from the sea surface, i.e. all the spaces outlined in yellow on the tile below. Example: here, you can therefore dive up to two levels below the surface from the blue zodiac, and up to 4 levels from the green zodiac.

You will be able to develop up to 3 diving technologies, of increasing power, since each lets you dive deeper and deeper. Of course, whoever can do more can also do less: for example, a zone accessible with a diving tank is also accessible with a diving suit.

2 — To Move Faster by Zodiac

This symbol indicates that the item (engine) must be placed at the back of a zodiac.

By default, with their original engine, all zodiacs have a movement capacity of 2 free spaces plus 1 more space for $1 (paid to the bank from the "Mission Expenses" account); i.e. a maximum of 3 spaces.

Each of the 2 spaces, to the left and right of the original engine, lets you add 1 extra engine. These two added engines can be identical or different.

The booster engine lets you advance 1 space for $1; the medium engine up to 2 spaces for $1 total; and the super engine up to 2 spaces for $0.

The advantages of the new engines can be used in combination with those of the base engine, but can also be used without using the base engine's paid movement. For example, you could choose here to advance 1 to 4 spaces for free, 5 or 6 spaces for $1, or 7 spaces for $2.

In general: it is up to you to work out the best possible combination of engines on the same zodiac, letting you advance as quickly as possible for as little money as possible.

3 — Certain Treasures (Precise Detection)

Detection technologies let you access treasures whose precise location is not fully given by the "treasure card":

• Basic Sonar
• Advanced Sonar
• Satellite Detection

This symbol indicates that these items are needed to precisely detect the location of certain treasures, and also their usable range in depth. The color of the symbol (similar to that of the chests) specifies the value of the treasure to be recovered.

The basic sonar lets you search the 2 spaces beneath your boat, for a $1 cost of use. The advanced sonar works the same way, but lets you access treasures up to 4 spaces beneath the boat, for a $2 cost.

Satellite detection also lets you access hidden treasures across the whole of any dig site. When you buy this item, also take 2 "treasure cards" of the number of your choice from the reserve outside the board (specific tiles with a satellite icon). For the rest of the game, these play the same role as an ordinary "treasure card" and are counted like the others for the income phases and the final scoring.

4 — To Free Treasures from Rock

• Drill
• Excavator

This symbol indicates that these items are needed to free certain treasures from rock. "Incarcerated" treasures are shown at an angle, bordered in black, on a rocky background.

The drill lets you free from rock treasures located up to 3 levels below the surface. Its cost of use is $1 per treasure thus freed.

The excavator lets you free from rock treasures located all the way to the bottom (4 levels below the surface). Its cost of use is $2 per treasure thus freed.

5 — To Kill and/or Avoid Sharks

• Basic Harpoon
• Harpoon Gun
• Protective Cage

This symbol indicates that these items are needed to confront sharks.

Without a harpoon, harpoon gun, or protective cage, you cannot dive in a column that features a shark (as the front of your help card reminds you). You can therefore develop 2 types of harpoon: the basic harpoon and the harpoon gun.

Facing a shark, with a basic harpoon, roll the die:

• 6: you kill the shark.
• 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5: the harpoon only scares the shark, which temporarily disappears until the end of your game turn.

Facing a shark, with a harpoon gun, roll the die:

• 4, 5, or 6: you kill the shark.
• 1, 2, or 3: the harpoon only scares the monster, which temporarily disappears until the end of your game turn.

With the basic harpoon or the harpoon gun, after firing at the shark — whether you killed it or not — you continue your dive downward (if you wish and are able) to meet either another shark or a treasure.

The protective cage lets you disregard sharks entirely! You pass the space without any stress… and continue your descent toward the treasure(s) placed beneath them. The cage, combined with a basic harpoon or a harpoon gun, gives you a much better chance of killing a shark, since it gives a +2 bonus to the die.

• With the cage and a basic harpoon, a total result of 4, 5, or 6 kills the shark.
• With the cage and a harpoon gun, a total result of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 kills the shark.

Note: if, in addition to the cage, your diver is your boss or an SW no.5/7 (who gives you +1 to the die), you then kill every shark for certain, without even needing to roll the die, since you now kill on any value from 1 to 6.

All of this is summarized on the back of your help card.

Caution: at sea, it is not necessary to have either type of harpoon to fish on the two central spaces where several zodiacs may be present at the same time. This earns $2, since there is a fishing rod aboard every zodiac.

Remark: It is very important to remember this point for players who cannot stand any randomness with dice and want to be certain they can kill every shark they encounter.

6 — To Fish for Fish or Lobsters

• Basic Harpoon
• Harpoon Gun
• Lobster Crate

This symbol indicates that the item is needed to fish for lobsters.

The basic harpoon and the harpoon gun are not only used to kill sharks. They are also used in the lagoon to fish for smaller fish. There is a single space for this, which earns you $5 if you use a basic harpoon, or $6 with a harpoon gun.

N.B.: The boss or a Specialized Worker no.5/7, having a +$2 bonus, therefore earn $7 or $8 per catch.

The lobster crate lets you go fish for lobsters in the lagoon, thereby securing yourself a comfortable income of $8.

N.B.: The boss or a Specialized Worker no.5/7 therefore earn $10 per lobster catch.

Items Recoverable on the Island with the Metal Detector

Each player has a metal detector at the start of the game, on their individual board, in the technical-items room. Once loaded aboard a zodiac, you may set off with it from the port [Zone 7] to travel to the lagoon's island in order to recover an item buried in the sand. There are 9 such items on the island in each game, drawn at random from among 12 possible ones. There are 3 families of items recoverable on the island:

1 — Technical Items (technological item tiles, added directly to your stock).

2 — Valuable Objects (their monetary value is paid immediately by the bank):

• A collector's coin worth $6;
• A necklace worth $7;
• An antique watch worth $8;
• A bracelet worth $9.

3 — Treasures (placed on your individual board like any other treasure):

• Three treasures (obsidian color) worth $3;
• Two treasures (bronze color) worth $5.

Remark: Players who cannot stand randomness may simply never go to the island, since it is all bonus. It is entirely possible to win the game even without killing sharks or going to the island, while other players do, since there are several different, simultaneous ways of playing that can lead to victory.

Variant: "No Faith or Law!"

We offer this variant to satisfy the appetite of expert players who enjoy, in addition to indirect interaction, very strong direct interaction. To do this, you will be able to recruit, through auctions, mercenaries who will seriously disrupt your opponents' companies.

In this mode, you use all the components of a normal game, to which you add:

• the 4 (black) mercenary meeples;
• the black seaplane;
• the 7 "mercenary treasure cards" at 3-4 players, or only numbers 1 to 5 at 2 players;
• an improved harpoon gun (which gives +1 to the die against sharks);
• an improved medium engine that lets you advance 3 spaces for $1;
• an improved basic sonar allowing you to probe up to 3 levels below the surface;
• the "underwater mine" tile.

Finally, place the calendar on its Mercenary side.

Zone 2: Take the technology-deck setup help card on its "Mercenaries" side and follow the instructions. Caution: 3 level-0 technology cards are placed at random (so not necessarily "the mask").

1 Recruiting a Mercenary

The mercenary's action depends on the zone in which they were placed. Four times during the game — at the very end of four-month periods 3, 5, 7, and 8 (after their maintenance phase) — each player has the opportunity to try to acquire a mercenary, to the highest bidder, by making a bid drawn from their black cash box. All players may take part, but are in no way obliged to.

The auction is conducted orally, in turn order, and each player may offer whatever sum they wish, as long as it is strictly higher than the last bid offered. A player who does not want, or is no longer able, to raise (because they know they do not have enough in their black cash box) passes, and bidding continues this way (as many rounds as needed) until the last bidder standing.

At any time, you may discreetly check the amount present in your black cash box.

Whoever wins the auction pays the announced sum to the bank and recruits a single-use mercenary meeple, which they place in their HR room with their other meeples; the other players pay nothing.

Caution: A player who mistakenly announced a price they cannot pay during this auction phase, and who ends up being the last bidder, immediately loses 1 Reputation Point, and it is therefore the second-to-last bidder who becomes the buyer.

2 Placing a Mercenary

During the worker-placement phase, you may place one or more mercenaries during the same four-month period. You may place a mercenary as your first placement, during an intermediate meeple-placement turn, or as your very last placement just before passing, as long as you still only ever place a single meeple at a time.

The only difference from a meeple of your color is that you place it on the special space reserved for it, also placing a cube of your color next to it to show that it is working for you.

Depending on the queue, this single-use mercenary space is located either at the head or at the tail of the queue. This has no effect on its placement.

Caution: You cannot place a "double action" token under a mercenary. It cannot become an SW, but it can carry an envelope to zone 10.

3 Resolution Phase

If the mercenary's space is at the head of the queue, it is resolved before the meeple on the 1st space. Conversely, if the mercenary's space is at the tail of the queue, it is resolved after the last meeple placed in that zone.

Zone 1 — "Worker Recruitment": Here, the mercenary steals all not-yet-used "double action" tokens — that is, both those found in zone 1 under not-yet-recruited meeples, and those still sitting on players' individual boards.

Zone 2 — "Research and Development": Here, the mercenary steals the patent of a card (face up) as well as one copy of the associated item.

• If the patent belongs to no one, the mercenary's recruiter places one of their cubes in the card's left-hand column, lowering it by one level relative to the number of players, since they take the opportunity to also recover one copy of the item (taken from the reserve).
• If the patent already belongs to another player, the mercenary's recruiter returns the cube already present to its owner and replaces it with a cube of their own color, lowering it by one space if at least one copy of the item is still available (again taken from the reserve).

In both cases, the royalties for this patent will from now on be paid to the mercenary's recruiter, who will also benefit, at the end of the game, from the related Reputation Points.

Zone 3 — "Flea Market": Here, the mercenary steals 2 "treasure cards" of choice, from among the specific "treasure cards" reserved for it. Much more precise than other "treasure cards," these let the mercenary's recruiter now access the 2 dig sites concerned, and moreover, be the only one at these 2 sites who does not need a sonar to recover treasures that would normally require one to locate exactly.

If either or both "dig site" tiles matching the "treasure cards" chosen by the mercenary:

• are already present on the central board, its recruiter adds a cube of their color next to them and looks at them if they are still face down.
• are not yet present on the central board, its recruiter chooses them from the reserve following the usual rule (drawing the top 3 of the pile and choosing one or two of them, which they place face down on the central board, adding a cube of their color next to them).

Zone 4 — "Seaplane": Here, the mercenary sabotages all the grey seaplanes, which become unusable during this four-month period. They will only be repaired during the next maintenance phase. In addition, the mercenary steals the black seaplane, which becomes the exclusive property of the player playing the mercenary. That player may then use this black seaplane as they please, at no cost of use, at the start of their turn during zone 5's resolution, and this until the end of the game.

Zone 7 — "Port" (for a future action in zone 5): Here, the mercenary recovers an underwater mine, which they will be able to use whenever they wish, on one of their game turns, on one of the dig sites of zone 5. The mercenary places it on top of the "dig site" tile, thereby covering a surface of 9 spaces (a 3x3 square) located immediately beneath the surface of the zone of their choice.

They do not need to transport this mine in a zodiac to place it. Nor do they need to own a "treasure card" of the chosen zone.

The explosion has the following 2 effects:

• All sharks covered by the "underwater mine" tile are killed, and the player who used the mercenary immediately takes as many "shark" tiles as needed and places them in the cold room of their individual board. Each shark will therefore earn them 2 Reputation Points at the end of the game.
• All treasures covered by the "underwater mine" tile are destroyed.

The "underwater mine" tile is then put back in the box, and a "cover" tile is placed on each killed shark and destroyed treasure.

Zone 9 — "Advertising": Here, the mercenary runs a massive smear campaign against all their opponents on social media — quite the counter-advertising. This immediately causes a drop in reputation for the rival companies. So all players, except the mercenary's recruiter, must move their reputation marker back 4 spaces on the score track. Even so, a company's reputation can never become fully negative and therefore fall below zero.

Zone 8 — "Museum": Here, the mercenary may perform one of the following 2 actions, as chosen:

• either they swap the spaces of two treasures (exchanging the cubes in the players' colors);
• or they move a treasure to a free space in a funded exhibition room (moving the treasure tile and the cube sitting on it).

If this second choice results in a room that was already open to visitors no longer being full (not all treasures present anymore), this immediately causes it to close to the public, and the player whose cube was on the open door places their cube back on the closed door. They must also move their reputation marker back by the number of points corresponding to that room's earlier opening.

4 Salary-Payment Phase

During this phase, just as for each of your workers, you must pay a $2 salary for each mercenary still present in the break room of your individual board, i.e. not yet used.

N.B.: Conversely, a mercenary who has just been recruited (necessarily after the salary-payment phase, then maintenance) and used during the following four-month period will not have cost you any salary at all (just its auction purchase price), since you will no longer have it by the end of the four-month period when the new salary-payment phase arrives, given that it is discarded right after being used.

5 Maintenance Phase

Note that once a mercenary has struck against the competition, everyone is considered to have virtually guarded themselves against this kind of dirty trick, so no other mercenary can inflict that same harm on anyone again afterward.

So, the presence, until the end of the game, of a cube in the color of the player who used it on that space (unlike the mercenary itself, which is put back in the box after carrying out its dirty trick) serves as a reminder that this dirty trick can no longer be performed, and that it will therefore no longer be possible to use a new mercenary in that same zone.

In short, if you had forgotten to remove the mercenary after resolving its action, you put it back in the box, but the cube in the player's color remains until the end of the game, preventing anyone from performing that same bad action again.

Reminder: Cases Where Players Can Lose 1 Reputation Point

• A worker placed in a queue who, when it is time to resolve the action, can no longer or no longer wants to perform it.
• An envelope placed in zone 10, and when it comes time to pay, the player realizes they do not have at least $2 in their black cash box.
• During the salary-payment phase, each worker (basic or specialized) who cannot be fully paid their $2.
• In the "No Faith or Law!" variant, the last bidder for a mercenary who realizes they do not have enough to pay their bid.

Solo Mode

You can play Thesauros in solo mode by applying the following special rules compared to the standard mode:

1 Objective

You only win if all 3 museum rooms are open to the public and your reputation exceeds 80 Reputation Points. You may add the following to your final score:

• +30 points if the objective is achieved before the end of the 6th four-month period;
• +20 points if the objective is achieved before the end of the 7th four-month period;
• +10 points if the objective is achieved before the end of the 8th four-month period;
• +0 points if the objective is achieved before the end of the 9th four-month period.

2 Setup

Choose an individual board and take all the components in that player's color, except the "under-the-table" token and the "black cash box" (since there is no turn order to determine, nor mercenaries). Use the calendar on its 1-player side.

In every game, the virtual opponent is considered to have already bought the patent of the technology card covering the space where a cube already sits, and to have bought one copy of that item; place this virtual player's cube on the card, on the space just below the "2 players" symbol, to show that one copy has already been sold. Example: here with the "Mask" card, still placed on zone 2's first space.

Use the central board on its 1-2 player side and carry out the usual setup of all components (on and off the board), with a few exceptions:

• Choose only 2 specialization hats with different numbers (among the 4 types); these will be the only ones available for the game, and place them on the board at their matching spaces.
• Do not take "treasure cards" #6 and #7 out of the box.
• Individual boards: Each player starts the game with $55 (instead of $50), plus turn-order compensation (between $0 and $6).
• Zone 2: When initially placing the 3 first "technological item" cards in this zone, reposition the first 2 cubes on the cards, taking the following rule into account: place 1 cube of an unused player color on each of the 5 spaces provided for it, to simulate the presence of a virtual player.

3 Course of the Game

• Zone 10 is not used.
• Zone 2: Whenever you add a new technology card onto a space where a cube of the virtual player's color is already present, proceed as during setup: reposition the virtual player's cube on the card, on the space just below the "2 players" space; the patent thus belongs to them, and they have bought one copy of it.

4 Final Scoring

The final scoring is identical to that of a normal game, except:

• If you buy an item whose patent belongs to the virtual player, the royalties are paid to the bank.
• Zone 2: The number of available items is the same as at 2 players.

5 Trophies

Here are the first 3 proposed trophies to achieve.

Boss of the Year — Win with an incredible reputation: final score of ___.

Indiana Jones — Fill the museum by four-month period ___.

King of the Fishermen — Win by generating the maximum income from fishing (at sea, in the lagoon, mussel fishing). (Use a second cube on the score track to track your fishing income.)

You should soon find new trophy proposals on the Thesauros web page on the "Super Meeple" website, letting you take on new challenges to try to earn new trophies.

Summary of Differences Between the 3 Game Modes

	Initiation Mode	Standard Game	"No Faith or Law!" Variant
Budget allocation	Guided ($55 to start)	Free ($50 to start)	Free ($55 to start)
Black Cash Box	Transfers from the black cash box allowed during the year	No transfer	No transfer
R&D Building [Zone 2]	Mask as 1st technology + basic harpoon + booster engine	Mask as 1st technology + 2 level-0 cards	3 level-0 cards
Flea Market [Zone 3]	"Treasure cards" 1 to 4 in order + 5 randomly drawn "treasure cards"	"Treasure cards" drawn at random	"Treasure cards" drawn at random
Mercenaries	No	No	Yes

Initiation Mode

Here you will find all the changes to make during setup and during play in an Initiation game.

1 During Setup

Place the calendar on its Initiation side.

Zone 2: Take the technology-deck setup help card on its "Initiation" side and follow the instructions.

• A) Place the "diving mask" technology on the 1st space, then the other two level-0 technologies on the next two spaces.
• B) Then take the 4 technology cards bearing the diver icon, shuffle them, and set them aside outside the board. This forms deck A.
• C) Shuffle the 3 remaining level-1 cards with the 5 level-2 cards. This forms deck B.
• D) Place deck A on top of deck B; this makes up the "technology" card draw pile, which you place face down (in zone 2) on the space provided at building #2.

Zone 3: Start by placing one copy of each of the "treasure cards" of zones 1 to 4 on spaces $4 to $7, then complete the series.

At 3 or 4 players, you will still need to place 5 more "treasure cards," since there must be 9 in total at the start of the game.

The additional "treasure cards," drawn one at a time, are placed following the supply-and-demand placement rule, which lowers a card number's purchase price if several copies are for sale (see the model on the general setup page).

Individual boards: Each player starts the game with $55 (instead of $50), plus turn-order compensation (between $0 and $6).

So that distributing this sum among your 5 budget accounts is not entirely a guessing game, you are encouraged to follow the advice shown at the top right of each space. For example, you are advised to put at least $12 in the purple HR space, and so on…

2 During Play

During an Initiation game, the only difference from the base rule is that it remains possible to transfer money from the "black cash box" to another account, but the transfer fee for the current year must still be paid.

Game Aid: Technological Items and Their Upgrades

A reference chart is provided showing every technological item alongside its successive upgrade costs, for quick consultation during play.

Storage

A diagram shows how to organize the tiles and objects among the compartments of the storage box.

Credits

• Author: Cédric Millet
• Illustrations: Yann Valéani & Oscar Manuel
• Project Manager and Developer: Bernard Philippon
• Rules Writing: Bernard Philippon
• Art Direction / Layout: Igor Polouchine

Author's thanks: "Thanks to the Super Meeple team for their trust, and to all the testers in France and India who contributed to fine-tuning the game, in particular: Arié, Arjun, Arthur, Chitra, Diane, Fabien, Greg, Hervé, Hugo, Laurent, Marc, Mathieu, Nathanaël, Patrick, Philippe, Pierric, Sandrine, Thierry, Thomas, Vincent, Yaël, and the testers of the CREAGAMES 2013 contest and of KALBARJ. Special thanks to Laurent for rolling '1' on the die 11 times in the same test game of one of the prototype's early versions, and to Bernard for his skills as a developer."

Please note that the "Super Meeple" company, mindful of respecting the preservation of animal habitats and endangered species in particular, in no way encourages shark fishing, and reminds you that "Thesauros" is a pure work of fiction in which the game's characters are not necessarily people of especially recommendable conduct, since they also bribe local authorities and resort to mercenaries to torpedo their competitors' companies. Thank you for your understanding.

• Packaging: Origames
• Game manufactured in China by Whatz Games.
• "THESAUROS" is a game published by SUPER MEEPLE. 193, rue du faubourg Saint-Denis - 75010 Paris.
• © 2025 SUPER MEEPLE. SUPER MEEPLE and its logo are registered trademarks of Super Meeple.