Overview
Lead your group of adventurers and archeologists to the ruins of an ancient civilisation, collect the precious artefacts they left behind and deliver them to your eager patron.
At the end of the 5th round, whoever has the most points is the winner.
Gameplay
The game lasts for 5 rounds.
At the beginning of each round, you'll roll your meeples, to determine who will be part of your team this round. Then, in turn order, players will place a group of meeple on an available spot on the board. Once every meeple as been placed, the board spots are resolved.
Rolling the meeples
At the beginning of each rounds, your meeples are rolled as if they were dice. The job that they will represent is determined by the face they land on:
- black side means this meeple is now considered an adventurer
- white side means this meeple is now an archeologist
- on the side or standing means this meeple is considered wild and could be used as either adventurer or archeologist
In addition to basic meeples, you also have a Character meeple. This meeple is rolled with the others, but is always considered wild.
For any meeple that ends up standing, you receive 1 coin.
Placing the meeples
In turn order, players will choose one location on the board and send one or several meeples to that spot. This goes on until everyone has placed all their meeples.
Locations all have a banner showing what meeples can be sent there, what the benefit is and what's the activation turn order:
- locations usually accept only one type of meeple, either adventurers or archeologists: a white meeple means only archeologists can be sent there, a black one means only adventurers, a bicolor meeple means adventurers OR archeologists, and a grey meeple means adventurers AND/OR archeologists
- some locations accept only one meeple, with an associated coin cost you must pay to sent a meeple there.
- some locations use a bidding system. To send meeples there, you need to send more meeples than the previous player, the former meeples are returned to their player.
- some locations accept any number of meeples, from different players
If you send meeples to the Camp, it activates immediatly. You can send any meeple there, at no cost, allowing you to receive 1 coin and reroll on of your available meeples. If the meeple is standing, you receive an additional coin.
Activating the locations
Once every meeple has been placed, the locations are activated in the following order:
1 Stela of Knowledge
Only 1 archeologist can be sent there, and you can use that spot if you are in possession of the first player marker
Reward: 1 Discovery + First player marker
Note: Discoveries allow you to advance on the discovery track, rewarding you with bonus at specific steps.
2 Temple
The Temple has 5 spots, where only 1 archeologist can be sent at each spot, for a coin cost. The lowest spot can be occupied by either an archeologist or an adventurer.
Reward: From top to bottom, each activating player receive artifacts. The first two allow you to choose 2 artefacts among the visible ones, the next two allow you to choose 1 and get another at random, and the last one allows you to choose 1.
3 Quarry, Small Temple and Ruins
Groups of Archeologists or Adventurers (bidding). Mixing is forbidden.
Reward: the 2 visible artefacts and a bonus (point for the Quarry, discovery for the Small Temple and coin for the Ruins)
4 Black Market
Groups of Adventurers (bidding)
Reward: Sell one of your artefacts for 7 coins
5 Village
The Temple has 3 spots, where only one adventurer can be sent at each spot, for a coin cost. The lowest spot can be occupied by either an archeologist or an adventurer.
Reward: From top to bottom, each activating player receive 1 upgrade from the available ones.
Note: Some upgrades have instant bonuses while others are permanent effects. You can have up to 2 permanent effects at a time.
6 Harbor Master's Office
Any meeple, at a cost of 2 coins per meeple
Reward: For each meeple, allow you to deliver up to 3 artefacts
Note: Delivering artefacts gives you victory points, as indicated on the bottom of the cards, with values for sets of 1/2/3 same artefacts. You also get the additional bonuses indicated on the top right of the delivered cards.
7 Ships
Groups of Archeologists or Adventurers (bidding). Mixing is forbidden.
Reward: Deliver up to 6 artefacts
End of the game
At the end of the 5th round, you add the points from your upgrades (active and discarded). Whoever has the first player marker receives 2 points. Fianlly, you receive 1 point for every 3 coins you have left.
The player with the most points is the winner. Tiebreaker goes to the player who advanced the most on the discovery track.
