The game has three major sections that must be addressed:
The castle and keep, the resources, and the cards themselves.
Castles: The castles are your major wall of defense.
If you are attacked with a card that damages, (i.e. 6 enemy
damage) your castle will absorb it. If it is destroyed,
the damage will affect your keep.
Keeps: This is your primary concern of protection.
If it is destroyed, you lose the game. You can also win if
you build it up high enough to reach the victory conditions
for your level of difficulty.
Resources provide your kingdom with materials with which
you can play your cards.
Gold: By taxing your . . . somewhat subjects of your
kingdom, you gain money which you can use to compensate your
local seer to cast spells which can both harm your opponent
or help your kingdom in various ways. You can also offer
gold to creatures of higher power in order for them to aid
you.
Garrisons: These are your central troops in waiting.
They can either be used to attack your enemy, to perform
military services, or to be offered as snacks to the more
powerful creatures who help you.
Rocks: Mined by your peasants, the rocks may be used
to build your castle and keep, or to build military weapons
which can attack the enemy. How many you obtain per turn is
based upon how many mines you have within your kingdom.
Water: You start with a full well of water, which is
depleted one day's worth per turn. While it is easier to
defend than the keep, it is just as important because if
you run out of water, you and your people dehydrate and the
game ends. You can, however, be lucky to find a card that
grants you a few days worth of free water.
Sp: Spell points, obviously, are the key ingredient
for any magic spells you can have your seer cast for you.
Like your other resources, they gradually build up each day.
Finally, your cards all deplete a resource, and are split
into four categories: Cards of Fire, Cards of Earth, Cards
of Water, and Cards of Air. The Cards of Fire cost you
garrisons, the Cards of Earth costs you rocks, the Cards of
Water cost you a portion of your water supply, and the Cards
of Air cost you gold. The costs are in a circle on the
upper right and the lower left corners of the cards.