Shadow of the Obelisk (2020)

Overview

Tick-and-Write to build the great obelisk. Inspired by Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun.

Build one of the great obelisks of ancient Egypt. Aim higher and higher while remembering that what the shadow touches must never be disturbed!

Shadow of the Obelisk is a Tick-and-Write game in which you must employ the most helpful workers to build your obelisk and decorate it with a variety of beautifully carved symbols. Scribe scrolls to receive additional points and powerful bonus actions. Be careful, however! As your obelisk rises in height, the shadow it casts will begin to obscure the symbols on your wall, making them unavailable for you to use!

Each player is given a game sheet which contains a construction area for their obelisk, a wall filled with symbols, and three scrolls. In the middle of the table is a pool of three workers, represented by square tiles.

A player turn consists of two steps: Tick and Write.

Tick The active player selects a single worker and rotates it one step clockwise.

Write All players must write a symbol onto their game sheet. The active player copies the shape depicted at the top of the ticked worker onto their sheet. All other players copy the shape depicted at the bottom of the ticked worker onto their sheet.

This step is carried out simultaneously by all players.

You may freely rotate or mirror the shape before marking it on your game sheet.

There are three possible locations where you can use the shape, but you may only draw the shape once, choosing between: • Building the Obelisk • Carving Symbols • Scribing a Scroll (if the shape is a square)

Building the Obelisk Draw the shape onto the obelisk construction area of your game sheet. The shape must fit fully and may not overlap any portion of a previously marked shape or overhang the sides of the obelisk. The shape must also rest on top of a previously marked shape or the base of the obelisk itself.

Carving Symbols Draw the shape onto the wall covered with symbols. Copy the enclosed symbols (without rearranging them) onto a previously built portion of the obelisk.

Be careful, however! As your obelisk rises in height, the shadow it casts will begin to obscure the symbols on your wall, making them unavailable for you to use!

Scribing a Scroll If the shape is a square, after drawing it onto the wall, instead of copying the symbols onto your obelisk, copy them onto one of three scrolls. On a future turn you can activate the scroll to perform a bonus action (allowing you an additional Tick-and-Write sequence, without the other players being able to benefit).

End of the Game Once any player has reached the top level of the obelisk, the current round will be the final round of the game.

Scoring For each column in your obelisk, score victory points based on having multiple identical symbols.

For each row in your obelisk, score victory points based on having multiple different symbols.

Score additional victory points for completing various obelisk levels or filling scrolls.

Expansions

Shadow of the Obelisk: Favour of the Gods