How to Play Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Forgotten Souls

Objective of the Game

In Forgotten Souls, your band of heroes must venture into a dangerous dungeon commanded by the massive dragon, Tharn. You are tasked with navigating through various rooms, overcoming traps, and facing Tharn’s followers and spirits. Your ultimate goal is to reach the Throne of the Fallen, smash the wooden barricade blocking the tunnel, and escape the dungeon before the ceiling collapses and the dragon catches you. You must stand together to survive, as failure means becoming one of Tharn’s minions.

Preparation (Setup)

To prepare the game, follow these steps based on the specific room requirements:

• Treasure Vault (8B): Shuffle 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue objective token. Place them facedown on the map as indicated. Ensure no players know which objective tokens are which color.
• Throne of the Fallen (18B-1B-17B): Shuffle 1 red and 1 green objective token together and place them facedown on the map as indicated. Again, keep the colors hidden from all players.
• Tharn: At the Throne of the Fallen, Tharn is immediately Immobilized.
• General Setup: Ensure all map tiles, villager tokens, and doom and fate counters are placed according to the specific scenario instructions provided in the room descriptions.

Game Flow

Consult the manual for details about this section.

Actions and How to Play

As you explore the dungeon, you will encounter various hazards and mechanics:

• Movement: In the Fog-Filled Passage (20B), if you trip, you must move the exploring hero one space towards the master barghest.
• Interactions: Some doors, such as the one in Tunnel’s End (28B), are locked and require the force of two heroes to open.
• Objective Tokens: These are placed facedown and their identities remain hidden until revealed by game effects.
• Combat and Hazards: You will face various enemies, such as barghests and Tharn’s followers. Be wary of traps, such as the trap lever in the Fog-Filled Passage, and environmental effects like the concentrated energy in the Lengthy Sewers.

End of Game and Scoring

The game concludes based on the following conditions:

• Win Condition: You win if you smash the wooden barricade at the Throne of the Fallen. You must then navigate the small corridor to reach the light of day before the tunnel collapses and the dragon's fire overtakes you.
• Lose Condition: You lose if the doom counter and fate counter occupy the same space, or if all 8 villager tokens are placed on the Throne of the Fallen. If this happens, Tharn captures the heroes, and your fate is sealed.

Tips for Winning

• Stand Together: The dungeon is perilous, and the manual explicitly states that you must stand together to survive the encroaching shadows and monsters.
• Manage the Villagers: Be mindful of the villager tokens; if all 8 are placed on the Throne of the Fallen, you will lose the game.
• Watch the Counters: Keep a close eye on the doom and fate counters. If they occupy the same space, your journey ends in defeat.