A candlelit playing card game of survival and betrayal
The Story
You are in the dark, part of a ritual you did not choose. Someone drew the circle and gave you each a candle. There is no leaving until only one flame is left flickering. Around you, others hold their own candles - strangers still, and whether anyone here is friend or foe, you cannot yet say.
This candle is your heartbeat. As long as it flickers, you are safe. But every card you burn brings you one step closer to being Consumed by the Darkness. When the wick goes out, death follows.
However, the dark isn't the only danger. If you let too many ghosts of the same kind gather, too many of one shade, you won't just die; you will lose your mind to the Possession.
Do not count on your neighbours. Only one flame can win the circle, and when theirs runs low, they will shove ghosts into your Shadow to keep their own burning.
"You don't have to be the brightest light in the room. You just have to be the last one burning."A card game for 2–8 players per ritual circle - we recommend splitting larger gatherings into separate circles (see the manual). Each turn: Burn one card per ghost, Draw one, then take one Ritual action (or Abstain). Be the last flame standing to win. Play with a standard deck of cards and the manual, or try the digital version below.
New players: Start with Goal & first game, then The Passage of Time (including Rank & suit and the logic tables) and The Grimoire.
How to play
- At the table: Standard playing card deck(s) + Jokers. Rules and class selection live on this site - no boxed game required. Use the Soundboard on a phone to play event SFX as you go.
- Digital: Play game is pass-and-play on one phone, tablet, or laptop (up to 8 per circle) - not online multiplayer. Pass the device when your turn or private choice comes up.