Abyss

Overview

Players compete to become King of Abyss by accumulating the most Influence Points (IP). Points are gained by affiliating Allies, recruiting Lords, controlling Locations, and slaying Monsters. On each turn, players explore the ocean depths to find Allies, request support from the Council, or recruit powerful Lords to their cause. When a player collects three Keys, they must take control of a Location. The game ends when any player recruits their 7th Lord or when the Court cannot be fully refilled.

Components

• 71 Exploration cards: 65 Allies (5 Races x 13 cards each) + 6 Monsters
  • Each Race has: 1x value 5, 2x value 4, 3x value 3, 3x value 2, 4x value 1
  • Five Races: Squids (blue), Shellfish (green), Crabs (red), Seahorses (yellow), Jellyfish (purple)
• 35 Lord cards: Across 6 Guilds (Military/red, Merchants/green, Politicians/blue, Mages/violet, Farmers/yellow, Ambassadors/multicolored)
• 20 Location tiles (double-sided)
• 20 Monster tokens: 2x value 4, 9x value 3, 9x value 2
• 10 Key tokens
• 1 Threat token
• Pearls (game currency) and plastic cups
• 1 Game board with Exploration Track, Threat Track, Council area, and Court area

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table.
2. Shuffle the Lord cards and form a face-down deck on the Lords space. Turn over the top 6 cards and place them in the Court.
3. Shuffle the Exploration cards and form a face-down deck on the Exploration Track.
4. Place the 10 Key tokens in a pile near the board.
5. Shuffle the Monster tokens and place them face down by the board.
6. Place the Threat token on the first space of the Threat Track.
7. Each player takes 1 Pearl from the supply. Remaining Pearls go into cups beside the board (the Treasury).
8. Shuffle the Location tiles and form a face-down stack. Turn over the top tile.
9. Randomly determine the starting player. Play proceeds clockwise.

Turn Structure

Each turn consists of the following steps in order:

1. Plot at Court (Optional)

Pay 1 Pearl to the Treasury to add 1 Lord from the top of the Lord deck to the furthest empty space in the Court. May repeat as long as you can pay and there are empty spaces.

2. Take One Action (Mandatory)

Choose exactly one of three actions:

• Explore the Depths
• Request Support From the Council
• Recruit a Lord

3. Control Locations (Mandatory, if triggered)

When you gain a 3rd Key, you must immediately take control of a Location.

Actions

Explore the Depths

Reveal cards one by one from the Exploration deck, placing them on the Exploration Track from left to right:

If the card is an Ally:

• You must offer it to each opponent clockwise. Each opponent may pass or purchase it.
• Cost escalates during your turn: 1st Ally purchased costs 1 Pearl, 2nd costs 2 Pearls, 3rd costs 3 Pearls (regardless of which opponent buys them).
• Each opponent may only purchase one Ally during your turn.
• Purchasing opponents pay you directly.
• If no one buys: either take it into your hand (ending your turn) or leave it and continue exploring.
• If the Exploration Track fills (all spaces occupied) and no one buys the last Ally, you must take it and receive 1 bonus Pearl from the Treasury.

If the card is a Monster:

• Choose to Fight or Keep Exploring.
• Fight: Victory is automatic. Discard the Monster. Receive the reward shown at the Threat token’s current position on the Threat Track. Return the Threat token to space 1. Turn ends.
• Keep Exploring: Move the Threat token up one space. Continue revealing cards.
• If a Monster appears on the last space of the Exploration Track, you must fight it. You also receive 1 bonus Pearl.

Threat Track Rewards (by space):

Space	Reward Options
1st	1 Pearl OR 1 Monster token
2nd	2 Pearls OR 1 Monster token + 1 Pearl OR 2 Monster tokens
3rd	1 Key token
4th	1 Key token + 1 Pearl OR 1 Key token + 1 Monster token
5th	1 Key token + 2 Pearls OR 1 Key token + 1 Pearl + 1 Monster token OR 1 Key token + 2 Monster tokens
6th	2 Key tokens

End of Exploration: All remaining Allies on the Exploration Track go face-down to the Council (sorted by Race). Monsters go to the discard pile.

Request Support From the Council

Take all cards from one Race’s stack in the Council and add them to your hand (without looking beforehand).

Recruit a Lord

Choose one Lord from the Court. Pay the recruitment cost:

• The total number of bubbles on the Lord card indicates the exact number of different Races required.
• The large bubble indicates the mandatory Race.
• The number below indicates the minimum total Ally value needed.
• You may spend Pearls as substitutes: each Pearl replaces 1 missing Ally point, but you must still play at least 1 Ally from each required Race.
• You may overpay but receive no change.

Affiliation: All Ally cards used are discarded except the one with the lowest value, which is placed face up in front of you (affiliated). If tied, you choose.

Lord Powers:

• Arrow symbol = one-time effect upon recruitment.
• No arrow = semi-permanent effect lasting until the Lord is used to control a Location.

Refill the Court: Slide remaining Lords right. If 3+ Lords remain, no refill. If only 2 Lords remain, gain 2 Pearls and refill all empty spaces from the deck.

Lord Guilds:

• Ambassadors: Help gain control of Locations (some have 3 Keys).
• Farmers: No Powers but high IP.
• Soldiers: Lower IP but disruptive Powers.
• Mages: Obtain favors from Allied Races.
• Merchants: Provide Pearls.
• Politicians: Sway control of Lords.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

End-Game Triggers

The game ends when either:

1. Any player recruits their 7th Lord, OR
2. A Lord is recruited and the Court cannot be fully refilled.

The active player completes their turn, then each other player takes one final turn. All players then affiliate the lowest-value Ally of each Race remaining in their hand; other hand cards are discarded.

Scoring

Add up IP from:

Source	Points
Locations	Variable (based on Location tile conditions)
Lords	IP printed on each Lord card
Affiliated Allies	Only the highest-value affiliated Ally of each Race scores its face value
Monster tokens	Face value (2, 3, or 4 IP each)

Tiebreaker: Most Pearls. If still tied, highest-value single Lord wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Commander (Lord): On recruitment, all opponents with more than 6 Allies in hand must discard down to 6. While the Commander is free, opponents must discard down to 6 at the end of their turns.
• Assassin (Lord): Targeted Lords are rotated 90 degrees. Only their IP counts at game end; their Powers and Keys are nullified. They remain “free” and can still be targeted by Traitor/Schemer.
• Trainer (Lord): Fighting a Monster on space 1 of the Threat Track still yields that space’s reward.
• Master of Magic: The affiliated Ally from his recruitment does not benefit from his Power. The Power only applies to future recruitments.
• Traitor / Schemer: Can target any of your own free Lords (including those disabled by Assassin). The replacement Lord’s Power activates immediately.
• If the Exploration deck runs out, reshuffle the discard pile to form a new deck.
• Ambassador with 3 Keys can control a Location alone (slide it under the Location).
• When controlling a Location, if you have more than 3 Keys, you choose which to use.
• Lords under Locations lose their Powers but still score their IP at game end.

Player Reference

Turn Checklist

1. (Optional) Plot at Court: 1 Pearl per Lord added
2. (Mandatory) Choose one action: Explore / Council / Recruit
3. (If triggered) Control a Location when you reach 3 Keys

Key Numbers

• Exploration Track: 5 Ally spaces + ability to encounter Monsters
• Court: 6 Lord slots
• Keys needed for Location: 3
• Game end: 7th Lord recruited OR Court cannot refill
• Ally purchase costs: 1st = 1 Pearl, 2nd = 2 Pearls, 3rd = 3 Pearls
• Court refill trigger: 2 or fewer Lords remaining (gain 2 Pearls)