Full manual text

The Secret Stash
Welcome to the Secret Stash! This box
contains a treasure trove of goodies that
will enhance your experience while visiting
Merchants Cove. The content contained
here is modular, meaning that you can
mix and match different parts of it to suit
the unique tastes of your gaming group.
For those playing solo, there are also
challenges to increase the difficulty
of the basic solo mode, and scenarios
which offer thematically-charged content
supported by unique mechanics.

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COMPONENTS
• This Rulebook
• 12 Corruption cards
• 11 Rogue cards
• 48 Townsfolk cards
• 8 Grey Rogue Goods
• 3 3D cardboard Boats
▶ 1 “2-seater”
▶ 2 “5-seaters”
• 8 Boat setup cards
• 4 double-sided Halls of Plenty tiles
• 1 double-sided Lair of Villainy tile
• 1 Dragon Island Festival tile
• 5 Faction Leader meeples
• 12 solo Challenge cards
• Scenario booklet
NEW CORRUPTION CARDS
These 12 new Corruption cards can be
simply mixed into the existing Corrup-
tion card deck. Alternatively, you may
remove 12 Corruption cards featuring
exactly one Corruption icon from the
deck before shuffling these in.
In addition to having more than one Corrup-
tion icon, these cards can be discarded at any
time by paying the cost shown on them. The
cost shown on each card only pays for itself,
and cannot be paid to discard another card.
Any Good discarded from your Sale Shelf to
pay this cost is returned to your supply.
ROGUE CARDS
There are many types of ne’er-do-wells
in Merchants Cove. By opening the
Secret Stash, you have unleashed a horde
of different Rogues to play. Before selecting
a Rogue to use, take some time to consider
how it might affect the game: some Rogues
make the game longer, some shorter, some
make it friendlier, and others make it more
cutthroat. Choose the ones that are right for
your gaming group!
4. Pirates
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When you Dock a Boat containing one
or more Rogues, immediately gain 3 Gold for
each Rogue on the newly Docked Boat.
Recommended Townsfolk: Underworld + ?
Peddler: The Peddler gains 3 Gold for each
Rogue on any Boat they Dock.
5. Kraken
Game Setup: 1 in bag, 4 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Note: The “+ ?” under “Recommended
Townsfolk” means that you should pick 1 additional Townsfolk set of your choice.

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ROGUE CARDS
There are many types of ne’er-do-wells
in Merchants Cove. By opening the
Secret Stash, you have unleashed a horde
of different Rogues to play. Before selecting
a Rogue to use, take some time to consider
how it might affect the game: some Rogues
make the game longer, some shorter, some
make it friendlier, and others make it more
cutthroat. Choose the ones that are right for
your gaming group!
4. Pirates
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When you Dock a Boat containing one
or more Rogues, immediately gain 3 Gold for
each Rogue on the newly Docked Boat.
Recommended Townsfolk: Underworld + ?
Peddler: The Peddler gains 3 Gold for each
Rogue on any Boat they Dock.
5. Kraken
Game Setup: 1 in bag, 4 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Effect: When drawn, immediately return the
Rogue to the Adventurer bag, then remove
one Customer from a Sailing Boat and place it
into the bay, removing it from the game.
Recommended Townsfolk: Legends + ?
Peddler: The Kraken is not recommended for
solo play.
6. Ghost Sailors
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 1 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: All Customers left on an undocked
Boat containing one or more Rogues are
moved into the Lair instead of their matching
Faction Hall.
Recommended Townsfolk: Sailors + ?
Peddler: When determining where to place
a drawn Rogue, evaluate the Location icons
considering only Boats with Rogues in them.
If there are no Boats with Rogues, use Loca-
tion icons like normal.
7. Grey Walkers
Game Setup: 5 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When drawn, you must place them on
a Boat that already contains a Rogue, if able.
Recommended Townsfolk: Underworld + ?
Peddler: When determining where to place
a drawn Rogue, consider only Boats with
Rogues in them. If there are no boats with
Rogues, use the Location icons like normal.
8. Raiders
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 2 in Lair Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When you Dock a Boat containing one or more Rogues, you may optionally draw 1 Corruption card in order to activate the Townsfolk Ability of 1 Townsfolk card in the Town Square. Then, discard that Townsfolk to the bottom of the Townsfolk deck and refill the Town Square like normal. Recommended Townsfolk: Artisans + ? Peddler: The Peddler will not activate the placement effect.
9. Charlatans
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 3 in Lair Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: During the Market Phase, Rogues count as one of each color Customer not otherwise present at the Pier. Due to this, multiple Rogues on the same Pier each count as a copy of any Customers not present at the Pier. Recommended Townsfolk: Sailors + ? Peddler: The Peddler benefits from the effect the same as a human player would.

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10. Doppelgangers
Game Setup: 5 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Effect: When drawn, immediately place them
into a Faction Hall of choice (not the Lair).
Then take 1 Adventurer from the chosen
Faction Hall (if able) and return them to the
Adventurer bag.
Recommended Townsfolk: Legends + ?
Peddler: The Peddler follows the placement
effect, using the Location icons to determine
the Faction Hall.
11. Assassins
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 2 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Effect: When drawn, immediately discard 1
Townsfolk from the Town Square, then refill it
like normal.
Recommended Townsfolk: Locals + ?
Peddler: The Peddler follows the effect,
using the Location icons to determine the
Townsfolk card.
12. Warlocks
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 2 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When you Dock a Boat containing one
or more Rogues, immediately advance your
Timepiece 1 Hour.
Recommended Townsfolk: Officials + ?
Peddler: The Peddler advances their Time-
piece 1 Hour when Docking a Boat containing
one or more Rogues.
13. Mind Controllers
Game Setup: 3 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Effect: When drawn and placed on a Boat,
you may draw 1 Corruption card to return 1
Customer from that Boat to the Adventurer
bag.
Recommended Townsfolk: Artisans + ?
Peddler: The Peddler will not activate the
placement effect.
14. Backers
Game Setup: 3 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When drawn, Rogues must be placed
so they cause a Boat to Dock, if able.
Recommended Townsfolk: Underworld + ?

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12. Warlocks
Game Setup: 4 in bag, 2 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When you Dock a Boat containing one
or more Rogues, immediately advance your
Timepiece 1 Hour.
Recommended Townsfolk: Officials + ?
Peddler: The Peddler advances their Time-
piece 1 Hour when Docking a Boat containing
one or more Rogues.
13. Mind Controllers
Game Setup: 3 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May not be placed
on Boats, instead return to the
Adventurer bag.
Effect: When drawn and placed on a Boat,
you may draw 1 Corruption card to return 1
Customer from that Boat to the Adventurer
bag.
Recommended Townsfolk: Artisans + ?
Peddler: The Peddler will not activate the
placement effect.
14. Backers
Game Setup: 3 in bag, 3 in Lair
Round Setup: May be placed on
Boats.
Effect: When drawn, Rogues must be placed
so they cause a Boat to Dock, if able.
Recommended Townsfolk: Underworld + ?
Peddler: When determining where to place a
drawn Rogue, consider only Boats that would
be forced to Dock. If there are no such Boats,
use the Location icons like normal.
TOWNSFOLK SETS
Merchants Cove attracts a variety
of world-renowned artisans and
legends, but there is also a dark
underbelly of illicit goods and
worse—bureaucrats. Mix and
match these new Townsfolk cards with
the ones in the core game to tailor your
experience to suit your gaming group.
Officials
Activate any 1 Staff Ability
on your Staff board.
In any order, activate any
or all Staff Abilities on your
Staff board.
Note: These effects do not require
assigned Townsfolk in the activated
Staff Ability spaces.
Artisans
Move 1 matching large
Good from your supply
to your Sale Shelf.
Move 1 matching large
Good from your supply to
your Sale Shelf and choose and discard
1 Corruption card.
Move 1 matching small
Good from your supply to
your Sale Shelf and choose and discard
1 Corruption card.
Move 1 matching small
Good from your supply to
your Sale Shelf and choose and discard
2 Corruption cards.
Underworld
SETUP
Place the Grey Rogue Goods nearby; they will
be used in this game. They can be sold like a
normal Good to Rogues at any Pier.
Move 1 Grey Rogue Good from
the supply to your Sale Shelf.
Immediately take the Recruit/
Replace Townsfolk action before
refilling the Town Square.
Legends
Gain 3 Gold.
Draw 1 Corruption card.

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GREY ROGUE GOODS
The eight Grey Rogue Goods are
only used when playing with the
Underworld Townsfolk set.
The value of these Goods is 12 Gold. During
the Market Phase, they can be sold to Rogues
at any Pier. They benefit from multipliers the
same way as normal Goods do.
Example: Selling 1 Grey Good to 3 Rogues
will grant you 36 Gold (12 x 3).
When you gain a Rogue Good, immediately
place it onto your Sale Shelf. After selling one
of these Goods, return it to the supply near
the main board.
NEW BOATS
Three new Boats have been sighted in Ser-
pents Bay. There’s a dinghy—just big enough
for two, and two massive vessels capable of
holding five Adventurers each.

2-Seater Boat
• Place this Boat just below Dragon Island
when in play.
• Do not place Adventurers into this Boat
during the Arrival Phase.
• When this Boat is filled with Adventurers, you can Dock it at any Pier, regardless of whether or not the chosen Pier has a Docked Boat.
▶ The 2-seater Boat does not fill a
Pier space when Docked.
• The Adventurers on this Boat are added
to those already present at the Pier (if any).
SOLO MODE NOTE: When using this Boat in Solo Mode, the Peddler will always target the
Sailing 2-seater Boat when they have

showing and need to Load the Boats.
5-Seater Boats • When using these Boats, place one on
each side of the board, between the two
4-seater Boats.
• If the 2-seater Boat is in play: during the
Arrival Phase, fill each 5-seater boat with 3 Adventurers.
• If the 2-seater Boat is not in play: during
the Arrival Phase, fill each 5-seater boat with 2 Adventurers.
VARIANT In larger player count games, you may wish to fill the 5-seater Boats with 2 Adventurers each, regardless of the 2-seater Boat.

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• When this Boat is filled with Adventurers,
you can Dock it at any Pier, regardless
of whether or not the chosen Pier has a
Docked Boat.
▶ The 2-seater Boat does not fill a
Pier space when Docked.
• The Adventurers on this Boat are added
to those already present at the Pier (if any).
SOLO MODE NOTE: When using this Boat in Solo Mode, the Peddler will always target the
Sailing 2-seater Boat when they have

showing and need to Load the Boats.
5-Seater Boats • When using these Boats, place one on
each side of the board, between the two
4-seater Boats.
• If the 2-seater Boat is in play: during the
Arrival Phase, fill each 5-seater boat with 3 Adventurers.
• If the 2-seater Boat is not in play: during
the Arrival Phase, fill each 5-seater boat with 2 Adventurers.
VARIANTIn larger player count games, you may wish to fill the 5-seater Boats with 2 Adventurers each, regardless of the 2-seater Boat.
BOAT SETUP CARDS
These 8 cards allow you to have a unique
Boat configuration each round.
SETUP
Shuffle the 8 Boat Setup cards together and
randomly select 3 of them. Place the 3 select-
ed cards face-down near the board to form
the Boat deck. Return the other 5 cards to the
box.
ARRIVAL PHASE
Before placing Adventurers on Boats, reveal
the top card from the Boat deck. Setup the
Boats as shown on the card, then discard the
used card to the box.
SETUP
Place the Halls of Plenty tiles near the board,
with the sides showing 2 Faction icons face-up.
FINAL SCORING
The player with the most Faction icons from
each Faction Hall will gain the matching Halls
of Plenty tile, awarding them 2 additional
Faction icons. If two or more players are tied,
flip the tile over, and all tied players instead
gain 1 Faction icon.
LAIR OF VILLAINY
The Lair of Villainy functions
similarly to the Halls of Plenty
described above. Using this
module means that the most corrupt player
will—potentially—suffer a massive penalty.
SETUP
Place the Lair of Villainy near the board, with
the side showing five Corruption icons face-up.
FINAL SCORING
The player with the most Corruption icons
Note: Make sure to observe the proper
way to load 5-seater Boats, based on whether or not the 2-seater Boat is in play.
HALLS OF PLENTY
These four tiles give players an extra end-game incentive by rewarding the player(s) with the most influence in each of the Faction Halls.
Note: Faction icons refer to the circular
bordered ones found on Townsfolk and Corruption cards, not the Market Phase Sponsorships which are shield-shaped and located on players’ Shop boards.

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Adventurer as normal. You can lure the guests
from Dragon Island through trickery (Corrup-
tion): draw 1 Corruption card.
FACTION LEADERS
Faction Leaders are special Adventurers that
count as two of their matching Customer or
Rogue when buying Goods, awarding Spon-
sorship, and during Final Scoring. To use
them, replace one Adventurer of each color
from the Adventurer bag with their matching
Faction Leader.
Rogue card effects that are optional may not
be performed a second time or be doubled
with the Rogue Faction Leader. However,
effects which count the number of Rogues do
benefit—as with the Pirate [4] Rogue card.
SOLO CONTENT
Scenarios
The Scenarios found in the Scenario booklet
have special goals and rules for solo play.
There are twelve Scenarios to experience,
and many require the use of different Rogue
cards, Townsfolk sets, and other modular
content from the Secret Stash.
The rules for each Scenario are explained in
the Scenario booklet. When a rule contradicts
the core rules, follow the Scenario booklet.
Scenarios 10, 11, and 12 are meant to be
played sequentially, in a “campaign”, with the
same Merchant and progress that rolls over
between games.
Challenge Cards
Challenge cards present a
series of economic goals to
achieve. The longer it takes
you to complete a challenge, the less Gold
you will earn from it. Challenges you neglect
to complete will punish you with Corruption
icons.
SETUP
Separate and shuffle the Challenge cards into
two face-down piles; one pile with the 4 cards
showing this
icon, and the other pile
with the remaining 8 cards. Form the Chal-
lenge deck by taking 4 random cards from the
larger pile and placing them on top of 2
random cards from the smaller pile. Return
the other 6 cards to the box; they will not be
used in this game.
Flip the top card of the Challenge deck face-
up.
Place an unused Timepiece under your
Timepiece on the Clock. Place the Merchant
Banner matching the Timepiece next to the
Challenge deck as a reminder.
PRODUCTION PHASE —
CHALLENGE COMPLETION
On your turn, before moving your Merchant
figure and performing an action, you may
choose to complete the active Challenge card.
Some cards require you to lose a Good, if so:
move it from your Sale Shelf to your supply.
Other challenge cards require you to have
certain Goods on your Sale Shelf. If you have
the Goods shown, you may complete the chal-
lenge (without returning the Goods to your
supply).
After completing a Challenge card, count the
spaces on the Clock between your Timepiece
and the Challenge Timepiece (including the
space your Timepiece is on). Then gain the
reward indicated next to that amount, if any.
• If the margin is between 0 and 6 Hours,
gain the Gold shown (if any). Then, return the completed Challenge card to the box.
• If the margin is exactly 7 Hours, set aside
the Challenge card, face-up.
• If the difference is 8 or more Hours, flip the
Challenge card face-down and return it to the bottom of the Challenge deck.

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Next, flip the top card of the Challenge deck
face-up to become the new active Challenge
card. Then, move the Challenge Timepiece
below your Timepiece.
If the Mouse ever needs to move onto the
space with the Challenge Timepiece, advance
the Challenge Timepiece 1 Hour forward.
If your Timepiece ever reaches the space
where the Challenge Timepiece is, draw 1
Corruption card, then flip the Challenge card
face-down and return it to the bottom of the
Challenge deck.
FINAL SCORING
• For each Challenge card remaining in your
Challenge deck, gain 2 Corruption icons.
• For each Challenge card you set aside
face-up, gain 1 Corruption icon.
Example: If you neglected to complete
any Challenge cards, you would gain
12 Corruption icons, 2 for each of the 6
incomplete cards in your Challenge deck.

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Credits
Designed by: Carl Van Ostrand, Jonathan “Jonny Pac” Cantin, & Drake Villareal
Developed by: Jonny Pac & Drake Villareal
Solo Mode by: Drake Villareal & Jonny Pac
Artwork by: Mihajlo Dimitrievski—The Mico
Additional Artwork by: Bojan Drango
Graphic Design by: Bojan Drango
Figure Sculpting by: Silviu Avram
3D Cardboard Component Design by: John Shulters
Rules by: Tarrant Falcke & Stella Jahja—Meeple University
Rulebook Editing and Design by: Melissa Delp & Will Meadows—Tantrum House
Additional Rules and Rulebook Editing by: Drake Villareal & Jonny Pac
Produced by: Ivana & Vojkan Krstevski, Toni Toshevski, & Maja Denkov
Published by: Final Frontier Games

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Merchants Cove: The Secret Stash

2021 1–5 players ★ 7.9 ⚙ 3.0/5

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