Reigns: The Council

Overview

Reigns: The Council is an asymmetric party game for 3-6 players, based on the popular Reigns video game. One player is crowned as the Monarch seeking to maintain balance in the realm, while all other players are Advisors vying to influence the Monarch’s decisions for their own secret goals. The game uses a persuasion-based mechanic where Advisors pitch proposals from their cards, and the Monarch decides which to accept or decline. Every decision shifts the balance of four pillars of society. A reign ends when any pillar becomes too powerful or too weak, and a new heir takes the throne.

Components

• Realm board with 4 attribute tracks (scaled -5 to +5)
• Attribute markers (4)
• Advisor cards (proposals)
• Secret goal cards
• Monarch crown token
• Score tracking tokens
• First player marker

Setup

1. Place the realm board in the center with all 4 attribute markers at the neutral (zero) position.
2. Crown one player as the Monarch.
3. Deal secret goal cards to each Advisor player.
4. Deal a hand of Advisor (proposal) cards to each Advisor.
5. Set up the score tracking area.
6. Determine the order in which Advisors will pitch proposals.

Turn Structure

Each Reign proceeds as follows:

1. Advisor Pitches: Advisors take turns pitching proposals from their cards to the Monarch. Each proposal describes an action (e.g., “Build a grand cathedral,” “Launch a peasant uprising”) and shows how it would affect the 4 attributes.
2. Monarch Decides: The Monarch either accepts or declines each proposal:
   • Accept: The attribute markers shift according to the proposal’s effects.
   • Decline: A smaller or different shift may occur.
3. Check Stability: After each accepted proposal, check if any attribute has reached an extreme (-5 or +5).
4. Reign Ends: A Reign ends when an attribute reaches an extreme OR after 15 accepted proposals.
5. Scoring: Advisors whose secret goals were met during the Reign score points. The Monarch may also score based on reign length.
6. New Reign: A new player becomes Monarch, and a new Reign begins.

Actions

• Pitch a Proposal (Advisor): Play a card and make a persuasive argument for why the Monarch should accept it. Creative storytelling, lies, and negotiation are encouraged.
• Accept Proposal (Monarch): Agree to the proposal; shift attribute markers accordingly.
• Decline Proposal (Monarch): Reject the proposal; a smaller shift may still occur.
• Play Secret Goal (Advisor): Work toward your hidden objective by manipulating which proposals get accepted.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• After each Reign, Advisors check their secret goal cards against the current realm state.
• Advisors who achieved their secret goals score points.
• The Monarch may score points based on how long their reign lasted.
• After all players have served as Monarch (or a set number of Reigns), the player with the most total points wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Attribute Extremes: If any of the four pillars reaches -5 or +5, the Monarch’s reign ends immediately with a “gruesome death.”
• 15-Proposal Limit: If 15 proposals are accepted without any attribute reaching an extreme, the Reign ends peacefully.
• Creative Persuasion: Advisors are encouraged to use creative storytelling, outright lies, or deal-making to convince the Monarch. The Monarch decides based on whatever criteria they choose.
• Secret Goals: Goals are kept hidden and may require specific attributes to reach certain levels, creating conflicting Advisor interests.
• Multiple Reigns: Each game consists of multiple Reigns, with different players taking the Monarch role.

Player Reference

Role	Objective
Monarch	Keep the realm balanced; avoid extremes
Advisor	Achieve secret goals by influencing the Monarch

Attributes: 4 pillars of society, tracked from -5 to +5

Reign Ends: Attribute reaches extreme (-5 or +5) OR 15 accepted proposals

Win: Most points across all Reigns