8

they who were

Gods and Goddesses are mercurial beings, given to jealousy and treachery, but they also can
possess the august qualities of diplomacy and valor. Who among the pantheon can win enough
glory to have their story of mythic victory passed down through the generations?
A micro card game for four players, in teams of two, lasting about 10 minutes
Needed to play:
the 8 God Cards - Anatoc, Aristiphane, Cassana, Cymele, Endymina, Nanos, Piton and Rymon
the 10 Action Cards
15 tokens in one color representing Glory
15 tokens in a different color representing Infamy
The player sitting opposite you is your partner in this game. You must gather Glory Tokens
while giving Infamy Tokens to the opposing team. At the end of the game, all tokens, as well as
the Powers of your Gods will be worth either positive or negative victory points.
Setup:
To begin, shuffle the God Cards and deal two cards to each player. Players place these cards in
front of them as the Gods they control in the game.
Next, shuffle the Action Cards and deal two to each player. These cards are a players hand.
Players may choose to reveal the contents of their hand to their opponents or their partner
if they wish during the game. The remaining two Action Cards are placed face down in the
center of the table, forming the Draw Deck.
Lastly, place both piles of Tokens - Glory and Infamy - in the center of the table.
The eldest, and therefore mythically most venerable, player begins the game as the Start Player.
Play:
Taking turns clockwise starting with the Start Player each player will play one Action Card
from their hand (showing the card to all players and then placing it face down on top of the
Draw Deck). Each Action Card will either add, remove or move Glory or Infamy Tokens on
other players God Cards. Action Cards may not be used for the players own God Cards. After
playing a card - add, remove or move tokens from the center piles, placing them on the chosen
God Card. The actions are:
add one Glory Token to any
one other players God Card

add one Infamy Token to any

one other players God Card

X
X

remove one Glory Token from

any one other players God Card
and return to the token pile
remove one Infamy Token from
any one other players God Card
and return to the token pile

add two Glory Tokens to any

one other players God Card

move one Glory Token from any

one other players God Card to a
different players God Card

add two Infamy Tokens to any

one other players God Card

move one Infamy Token from any one

other players God Card to a
different players God Card

add one Glory and one

Infamy Token to any one
other players God Card

Action Card

swap one Glory and one Infamy

Token between two different players
God Cards

Once all four players have each played one Action Card the current round ends and all players
will then pass their remaining card to the player to their left. The Draw Deck is then shuffled by
the next Start Player (the player to the left of the previous Start Player) and one Action Card is
dealt to each player. The remaining two cards will again form the Draw Deck and a new round
will begin. If a player is unable to play either card in their hand, they may discard one card and
draw a replacement from the Draw Deck.
At any time a player may use the Power of one of their Gods. These powers are listed at the
bottom of the God Cards and each Power may only be used once in the game. A player should
rotate a God Card 90 degrees after using the Power to signify this. Powers may supercede any
of the game rules listed above. When using the Nanos card, the Nanos player will be skipped
during the end of round passing of cards.
Game End:
After all the tokens of any one kind, either Glory or Infamy, have been placed on players God
Cards, the game ends. For each Glory token you and your partner have you score +2 victory
points. For each Infamy token you and your partner have you score -1 victory point. For each
Power of the Gods you and your partner have used you score -2 victory points. The team with
the most victory points is the winner. In the case of a tie, the team with the greatest number of
Glory Tokens is the winner.
They Who Were 8 is copyright 2013 Todd Sanders/Air and Nothingness Press. You may print and play this game freely but not
redistribute it or the curse of the gods shall be forever upon your descendents

the valour of

stepping upon the plain...

Action

Narrative text

God Card

rymon the uncaring

redirect a card played upon you

to another player of your choice

Power of the God

S
anatoc the unseeing

cassana who was loved

evertwisted aristiphane

shuffle all action cards and

redeal hands to players before
a player you choose plays a card

when any player has more than

four glory tokens on one god,
add one glory token to
any one god of your choice

swap the glory and infamy tokens

of any two gods

he who is nanos

rymon the uncaring

you may keep the current card

in your hand instead of passing it
at the end of a round

redirect a card played upon you

to another player of your choice

look at the top four cards of the

draw deck and choose one for
yourself before the next draw

bold endymina

the conflict of

before you play your next turn,

you may draw two new cards from
the draw deck, then discard two

brash were the words which led ...

you may use the power of any other

god on the table who does not yet
have their card rotated

S
S

piton the wandering

cymele she creates

o
o
oo

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

the seduction of

the jealousy of

SS

SS

SS

the journey of

it began with a single step...

under the flowering trees...

it will all end in tears...

SS

the diplomacy of

the valour of

the disguise of

the voice of reason spoke...

stepping upon the plain...

the trickster changed shape...

the treachery of

the knowledge of

the birth of

X
desiring above all else...

insight was gained when...

once long ago...

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were

they who were