4.0 Starting the Game

4.1 At the start of a game, each ruler shuffles their deck (referred to as a den in 

game) so that the cards are in a random order. Each ruler may then shuffle or cut 

their opponents’ decks. The ruler’s’ decks become their dens.

 

4.1a If a ruler is using a sideboard (see rule 1.3), those cards are set aside 

before shuffling.

 

4.2 After the dens have been shuffled, the rulers determine which one of them will 

choose who takes the first turn. In the first game of a match (including a single-game match), the rulers may use any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.) to do so. In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game chooses who takes the first turn. If the previous game

was a draw, the ruler who made the choice in that game makes the choice in this game. The ruler chosen to take the first turn is the starting ruler. The game’s default turn order begins with the starting ruler and proceeds clockwise.

 

4.3 Each ruler begins the game with a clade card in the center of their city and a 

starting vitae that is printed on the clade.

 

4.4 Each ruler begins the game with zero cards in hand.

 

4.5 The starting player takes their first turn and may only draw 1 card during their 

dawn phase rather than 2.