Overview

Astoria is a strategy board game for 3-5 players in which players use alchemy and political intrigue to influence events in the realm. Players try to use alchemy to pacify threats to the realm while maneuvering to either cure or hasten the king’s demise, depending on their secret loyalties. The game combines hand management, area influence, and hidden role mechanics.

Components

• Game board
• Character/role cards (secret loyalties)
• Alchemy cards
• Influence tokens
• King’s health track
• Threat tokens
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center.
2. Distribute secret role cards to each player.
3. Shuffle and deal starting hands of alchemy cards.
4. Place the king’s health marker on the starting position.
5. Set up initial threats on the board.

Turn Structure

On each turn, a player:

1. Plays alchemy cards to influence events.
2. Resolves effects on threats, the king’s health, or other players.
3. Draws new cards.

Actions

• Play alchemy cards: Use cards to affect the game state (heal the king, harm threats, influence other players).
• Address threats: Attempt to neutralize threats to the realm.
• Influence the king: Depending on your secret role, work to save or undermine the king.
• Draw cards: Replenish your hand.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Victory depends on secret roles. Players loyal to the king win if the king survives and threats are neutralized. Players plotting against the king win if the king’s health is reduced to zero. The game ends when either condition is met.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Hidden roles: Players do not know each other’s loyalties, creating a social deduction element.
• Alchemy cards have dual uses: Cards can often be used for either healing or harmful purposes, depending on how they’re played.

Player Reference

Secret roles: Loyalist (save the king) or Traitor (undermine the king)

Core mechanics: Hidden roles, hand management, area influence

Win condition: Depends on your secret loyalty