Game Objective

The objective of the game is to maintain balance between the forces of Bliss and Gloom in the Inside World. The Balance team does not directly compete for common aspirations, but seeks to achieve its own Hidden Aspirations. Victory is achieved by accumulating the most points at the end of the game, by summing Identity Fragments and points on the Wheel of Intentions. Balance wins if it has the highest score, or, in case of a tie, if it possesses the Capping Identity Fragment.

Preparation (Setup)

To set up the game, follow these steps:

• Board: Use the main board with the mentioned exceptions: each Sphere of Origin starts with 8 Willpower instead of 7.
• Cards: Balance has a deck of 8 Hidden Aspirations, 8 Milder Emotions (2 of each Vibe), and 6 Strong Emotions.
• Tokens: Balance starts with 4 Wild Vibe tokens, 2 Balance Vibe tokens, and 4 Essences (1 Bliss and 1 Gloom).
• Player Order: Balance always plays in third and sixth position. If controlled by a Shaper, place the order markers in both positions.
• Spirits: Balance has 2 Spirits: Reason (strategic) and Intuition (creative).

Game Flow

The game progresses through rounds with specific phases:

1. Revelation:
   • Each team reveals its Hidden Aspiration and checks if its conditions have been met.
   • Balance achieves an Identity Fragment if Bliss and Gloom are tied (first condition) or if a specific limit is reached (second condition).
2. Spirit Actions:
   • Move Spirit: Balance Spirits can move freely, without restrictions from other Spirits.
   • Invoke Emotion: Balance can invoke Emotions using Essence from Bliss or Gloom.
   • Absorb Ability: Balance Spirits gain additional Willpower for each adjacent Triad with Balance Emotions.
3. End of Round: After Revelation, new Common and Hidden Aspirations are set.

Actions and How to Play

Balance has unique actions that interact with Emotions and Essence:

• Move Spirit: Move a Spirit up to 3 spaces (with Haste upgrade).
• Invoke Emotion: Invoke an Emotion with Essence from Bliss or Gloom, setting its Alignment (Bliss or Gloom).
• Fortify: Build Fortresses by paying Essence (Bliss or Gloom) and using a Minor Identity Fragment.
• Empower: Empower a Milder Emotion to become a Strong Emotion, choosing its Vibe at the moment of activation.
• Absorb: Spirits gain additional Willpower for adjacent Triads with Balance Emotions.

Balance Emotions can be aligned with Bliss or Gloom, but cannot be intensified by them. Strong Emotions have unique powers defined in the manual.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when:

• Any team reaches 20 points on the Wheel of Intentions.
• A team no longer has Identity Fragments to add to the Center.
• The sixth Common Aspiration is revealed (only 6 in Balance mode).

The final score sums:

• Identity Fragments (Minor, Major, or Capping).
• Points on the Wheel of Intentions (1-21 points per section).

Balance wins with the highest score. In a tie, the team with the Capping Fragment wins.

Tips for Winning

1. Balance Essence: Use Intuition's ability to convert Willpower into Bliss or Gloom Essence, helping to meet the conditions of Hidden Aspirations.
2. Use Fortify Strategically: Build Fortresses to gain Intensity tokens, which can be used to control Reals or meet Fortitude conditions.
3. Focus on Hidden Aspirations: Balance conditions (such as Liveliness or Unity) require balance between Bliss and Gloom. Plan actions to maintain this harmony.

Consult the manual for details on specific sections, such as detailed action rules or aspiration conditions.