The player who played the lowest number loses the sword fight - unless the lowest number was blocked.
After dealing the lifelines, the topmost lifelines are turned face up - except for the King of Limbo (♤K), who starts the game under protection (by the Temple).Įach player plays one hand card face up in clockwise order.
The temple gets always 3 basic lifelines, while the Kings only 2 (dealing is usually started and ended at the Temple).
BASIC LIFELINES (11 cards): The jacks, queens and aces (J, Q, A) are dealt face down above each card.
LAST LIFELINES (5 cards): The 2's and the joker are shuffled and dealt face down above each role card (starting at the Temple.).
The Kings are shuffled and each player dealt one King face up.
ROLES (5 cards): The Temple (♤A) is put face up on the table.
Life cards are dealt into 5 life piles positioned into a ring:
LIFE CARDS: Face cards & aces (J, Q, K, A), 2's and the joker (21 cards).Įach player is dealt 6 sword cards and the rest of the deck (8 cards) is left aside - to be used as random swords.
The deck is divided into 2 main parts (usually handled by 2 different dealers): The player(s) who first gets 3 fulfilled obsessions wins the game. The round ends either when the Temple is destroyed or 2 Kings have died - each player then gets, or doesn't get, a fulfilled obsession. After each fight, either the loser loses one lifeline or, if he's under protection, the Temple loses a lifeline instead. The game proceeds by playing sword fights between the Kings. As a protection, each role has lifelines (face down above the role card). The game is played by 4 Kings (players) in the presence of the Temple of Limbo (♤A).Įach King has its own mission (or obsession) and basically wants to kill certan roles and protect others. (See the end for 2- and 3-player-games.)Ī normal deck of 52 playing cards with 1 joker. Root: Royal Lines / Limbo / Circle of PowerĢ - 4 players.