Cartographers

Here is how to play the game, based on the rules provided:

Game Setup

1. Give each player a blank map sheet (choosing either the wilderness side A or wastelands side B collectively) and a pencil (p. 4). Have each player write a name for their cartographer at the top (p. 4).
2. Arrange the four edict cards face-up in a row in alphabetical order in the center of the play area (p. 4).
3. Separate the scoring cards into four stacks by their card backs, shuffle them, draw one randomly from each stack, and place one below each edict card face-up (p. 4).
4. Place the four season cards in a face-up stack ordered by seasons, with spring on top (p. 4).
5. Shuffle the four ambush cards into a face-down ambush deck, and shuffle the explore cards into their own face-down deck (p. 4). Take the top card of the ambush deck and shuffle it into the explore deck without revealing it, then place the explore deck next to the season stack (p. 4, 7).

How a Turn Works

The game is played over four seasons (p. 5). Each season is divided into multiple turns, and every turn consists of three phases (p. 5):

• Explore Phase: Reveal the top card of the explore deck and place it face-up in the center of the play area (p. 5). If a ruins card or ambush card is revealed, special rules apply (such as drawing on a neighbor's map during an ambush or interacting with ruins) (p. 5, 12).
• Draw Phase: At the same time, each player independently chooses one of the terrain types and one available shape from the revealed explore card and draws it on their map sheet with a pencil (p. 6). The shape cannot overlap filled spaces or map edges, but can be rotated or flipped (p. 6). If a player cannot legally draw any available shapes, they must instead draw a 1x1 square anywhere on their map with the chosen terrain type (p. 6).
• Check Phase: Add together the time values of all explore cards currently revealed in the column (p. 10). Compare this total to the time threshold found on the current season card (for example, spring has a threshold of eight) (p. 10). If the total meets or exceeds the threshold, the season ends immediately; if it is less, the season continues and play returns to the Explore Phase (p. 10).

At the end of each season, players are evaluated for reputation stars based on the queen's edicts active for that season, filled-in coin tracks, and empty spaces adjacent to monsters (p. 8, 10). Afterward, players prepare for the next season by discarding the top season card, reshuffling the explore deck (including cards revealed that season), and shuffling a new ambush card into the explore deck (p. 9).

How the Game Ends

The game ends once winter has ended and players have been evaluated for the fourth time (p. 9).

• Each player totals the reputation stars they earned across all four seasons and writes their final score on their map sheet (p. 9).
• The player with the most reputation stars wins the game (p. 9).
• In the event of a tie, the tied player who lost the least reputation stars to monster terrain across all four seasons is the winner; if still tied, they share the victory (p. 9).