The Aim of the Game

To successfully summon BAPHOMET who, when he appears, expects there to no cards in your hand, the main deck and the discard pile; if there are any cards remaining in these ‘zones’, you lose. However, ‘not losing’ in this way doesn’t mean that you have won: any cards still in play also count against you – too many and you shall lose also. The sooner you ‘win’, the better your chance of surviving any due punishment.

Components

• A Deck of 30 cards, comprising: 12 Interference cards; 28 spell cards.
• 6 x double-sided power/damage tokens.
• A copy of the GRIMOIRE VERUM marking the Hours and procedures.

Glossary of Key Terms

Aleph null makes use of a number of words and phrases for simplification – and thematic – purposes; aside from the usual card game terms such as ‘draw’, ‘shuffle’ and so on, the following are particularly important for you to understand:

Activate / Ativating Power

Using a card or effect that gives you Magical Power is making that power active ie. it must be spent in the current turn or it will result in damage.

Advancing the Hour

The game is played over six rounds – or ‘Hours’ – and the rounds progress each time the main deck is depleted and needs to be reshuffled from the discard pile. Moving from one Hour to the next (and turning the pages in your GRIMOIRE VERUM) by means of a main deck rebuild in this way, is referred to as ‘Advancing The Hour’.

Should an Interference card need to be added, it is first put in with the discard pile and then shuffled together with those cards to make the new main deck.

Artifact

A type of card; this type is referenced on a number of card abilities eg. Bell

Fetch

Search the main deck for the given card or type of card – as instructed by the effect you have triggered - and put it in your hand. Shuffle the main deck afterwards; if there are no cards in the main deck at this point, you must trigger Advance the Hour (see above).

Interference Cards

These cards start the game outside of the main deck. As the hours progress, these cards are introduced (shuffled into the deck) and provide irritating and, possibly, debilitating Interference in your plans. Your grimoire verum denotes various forms of testing at increasing levels of difficulty.

Key(s)

In order to successfully summon BAPHOMET, the player must sacrifice the three Key items in play: the Book of Pacts, the Wand of Power and the Grand Circle.

Magical Power

Any card with the title or subtitle ‘Magical Power’ is regarded as a Magical Power card; the Key term is referenced on particular cards such as Bell and Ill Omen.

Sacrifice

A card may be sacrificed in a number of ways:

• Voluntarily, by yourself, as a cost to obtain a given effect eg. the ‘Salamander’, which can be sacrificed (instead of discarded) to provide three Magical Power.
• As a consequence of another card’s effect being triggered eg. Exorcised Water and the Wand of Power both sacrifice other cards.
• Involuntarily, by yourself, because of the progress of the game eg. a Wax Candle cannot be scrapped for power late in the game as it states it must be sacrificed instead – it doesn’t have a voluntary sacrifice ability, therefore.
• Due to the effect of the Grand Circle – which sacrifices any card that would have been discarded – or BAPHOMET (upon summoning).

When a card is sacrificed, from wherever (hand, deck, discard pile, in play) unless another card in play indicates otherwise (eg. Hymns of Devotion), you must trigger its sacrifice effect (if it has one); the sacrifice of multiple cards at the same time are simultaneous and you may choose the order in which their sacrifice effects occur.

Some cards have the ability to be sacrificed directly but also have a ‘when sacrificed’ (✞) ability; if self-sacrificed, both effects will trigger otherwise sacrifice due to another effect will only trigger the (✞) ability.

You cannot ‘just sacrifice’ a card that has no self-sacrificing ability - eg Wax Candle, Boline - these cards can only be sacrificed through the effect of other cards or ‘the hour’.

Sacrificed cards are removed from the game entirely.

Scrap / Scrapping

A card may be scrapped in a number of ways:

• Voluntarily, by yourself, as a cost to obtain a given effect eg. the ‘Wax Candle’, which can be scrapped to provide one Magical Power for the current turn.
• As a consequence of another card’s effect being triggered.

You cannot ‘just scrap a card that has no self-scrap ability - eg Chasuble, Vitriol - these cards can only be scrapped through the effect of other cards.

When a card is scrapped, it is placed in the discard pile.

Summon / Summoning

This is the process of putting a card in to play either for its Magical Power cost or through its alternative summoning process eg. BAPHOMET.

Tanist

An assistant in the summoning process who lends both Magical Power and, in extremis, a special ability of their own (should they be unfortunately sacrificed via a Circle of Protection, the Wand of Power and others).

The Preparation of the Operator

1. Set aside the Grimoire VERUM; open it to SUNSET (the first hour).
2. Next to the GRIMOIRE, place the power/damage tokens.
3. According to your form of testing (level of play), set up the Interference cards with the grimoire verum.
4. Shuffle the main deck and place it to one side; ensure that you leave enough space for a discard pile adjacent to it.
5. You have completed the preparation of the operator and are ready to begin the game.

Playing the Game

The game is played over a number of rounds (hours) and you will take multiple turns within a given hour; As you are attempting to thin your deck to almost nothing, the number of turns within each round will decrease as the game goes on.

A round begins with the shuffling of the main deck; in certain rounds, additional cards – Interference cards – are added to the deck. You play your turns until the main deck is depleted and you must advance the hour (see Advancing the hour)

The Player’s Turn

A single turn, played within a round, follows these steps, in order:

1. Draw five cards from the main deck

   These cards make up your hand for the current turn; at the end of the turn, any unused cards must be discarded.

   If there are not enough cards in the main deck, draw as many as you can, advance the HOUR and then shuffle the discard pile to make a new main deck. If there are still not enough cards to make a full hand, draw as many as you can.

   If, during the drawing of cards – either at this point or during the summoning and use of cards, the hour advances BEYOND VI – THE COCK, HE DOTH CROW (OR HOUR VII, IF BROUGHT IN TO PLAY BY Interference) – and BAPHOMET is not yet in play - then you lose immediately.

   Interference cards Come into the main deck – and, thereafter, play - during the advancing of the hours. Immediately, when you draw an Interference card, you are commanded to (ie. must) put it in to play.

2. The summoning and use of cards

   You may play out as many cards as you wish during the turn and in any order you choose. Most of the cards have a Magical Power cost in the top-left corner – some exceptions eg. BAPHOMET, the Wand of Power and the Grand Circle must be summoned via alternative means.

   You may utilize (scrap, sacrifice) any number of cards in play (including any just summoned) – either before or after summoning cards from your hand – as you see fit. Please note that cards that are scrapped/discarded are put into the discard pile, immediately, before any other effects can be used/triggered.

   Some cards have a zero cost and, thus, can be played for free.

   Some cards, already in play, may be scrapped - or sacrificed - to provide Magical Power; this can be used to summon further cards.

   Three of the HOURS (III and IIII and V) provide a once-only bonus of one Magical Power; place the power marker on the grimoire at the start of such the hour and, when used, return it to supply to show that the power has now been taken; if this power is not used by the advancing of the hour, you must take one damage.

   One of the Interference cards - the Guardian of the Door – modifies the cost of all Tanist and Artifact cards while in play ie. a Tanist would cost one Magical Power to summon as opposed to being (normally) free to play.

3. The end of a turn

   At the end of the turn – when you cannot, or choose not to, play any further cards - you must discard all cards remaining in your hand. If the Grand Circle is in play at this point, the discarded cards must be sacrificed instead.

   Any excess Magical Power – generated, but not used, from effects during your turn will deal you damage eg. sacrificing a Salamander for three power and then using only two will, at this point (the end of the turn), deal one damage to you.

   If you take three or more damage then you immediately lose the game.

4. Check for the end of the game

   The game may end in a number of different ways:

   • At the end of a turn, one or more Keys has/have been sacrificed.
   • It is clear from the cards still remaining that BAPHOMET cannot be successfully summoned.
   • BAPHOMET has been summoned – the game ends immediately (there is no ‘end of turn’).
   • The hour has been extended beyond VI (unless hour VII is in play).

   If anything would now trigger the end of the game then proceed to final scoring otherwise return to step 1 of the turn sequence.

Final Scoring

Simply summoning BAPHOMET is not a guarantee that you have, ultimately, won the game.

• Check to see if there are any cards remaining in the deck, your hand and/or the discard pile; if there are, then you have lost and do not even have the dignity of recording a final score.

If you have not yet lost, you may proceed to calculating your score - as follows:

• Score one point for the current hour then 2 points for each other hour of the day remaining eg. summoning BAPHOMET during V. MATINS would score three points.
• Following the instructions on BAPHOMET, you will have to have subtracted one point for each card still remaining in play excluding BAPHOMET.
• Gain one point for each point of health that you still have.

If your final score is not negative, then you have won; otherwise you have lost.

Card Reference

The Main Deck

BAPHOMET

Type: Key / Cost: Special

BAPHOMET can only be summoned by sacrificing the Book of Pacts, the Grand Circle and the Wand of Power from play.
If any cards still remain in your hand, the discard pile and/or the main deck when BAPHOMET is successfully summoned then you lose immediately otherwise proceed to final scoring.

Wand of Power

Type: Key / Cost: Special

The Wand of Power may only be summoned by sacrificing three Tanists in play (triggering no sacrifice effects)
While in play, You may scrap any card in play to sacrifice any other card in play with a Magical Power cost equal to or less than, the scrapped card; You must then take one damage.
If the Wand of Power is sacrificed other than in the summoning of BAPHOMET then you lose immediately.

Grand Circle

Type: Key / Cost: Special

The Grand Circle can only be summoned by sacrificing the Lodestone and, at the same time, paying six Magical Power. You must have the Grand Circle in your hand to summon it in this way.
At the end of each turn while the Grand Circle is in play, instead of discarding cards in hand you must sacrifice them instead without triggering any effects. If a Key or BAPHOMET are sacrificed in this way, then you lose immediately.
If the Grand Circle is sacrificed other than in the summoning of BAPHOMET then you lose immediately.

Book of Pacts

Type: Key / Cost: 3

While in play, You may scrap the Book of Pacts to gain one Magical Power and draw a card (check for the advancing of the hours).
If the Book of Pacts is sacrificed other than in the summoning of BAPHOMET then you lose immediately.

Wealthy Tanist

Type: Tanist / Cost: 0

Activates one Magical Power if scrapped. If the wealthy Tanist is sacrificed, you must draw three cards into your hand (check for the advancing of the hours)

Learned Tanist

Type: Tanist / Cost: 0

Activates one Magical Power if scrapped. If the learned Tanist is sacrificed, you must fetch any one card from the main deck and sacrifice it also. If the other sacrificed card has a sacrifice effect then that is also triggered.

Mother Shipton

Type: Tanist / Cost: 0

Activates one Magical Power if scrapped. If mother shipton is sacrificed, look at the top three cards of the main deck then: discard one, sacrifice one and take one in your hand (in any order)
+ The revelation of cards does not count as ‘drawing’ so will not trigger Interference cards’ ‘command’ rule.

AKHTOI

Type: Interference + Tanist / Cost: 1

AKHTOI starts the game as part of the main deck.
When drawn: you must summon AKHTOI if you have at least one Magical Power available to do so – either already activated OR available on a Magical Power card in play. if you cannot, end the turn immediately and discard all cards in hand.

Golem

Type: Artifact + Tanist / Cost: Special

The Golem costs two Magical Power to summon. When Golem is summoned, you must sacrifice a Tanist from play otherwise scrap the Golem.
While The Golem is being summoned or is in play, You only take damage from using the Wand of Power (all other damage is reduced to zero)
+ The Golem is subject to Interference restrictions for both Artifacts and Tanists, should they also be in play

Lodestone

Type: Artifact / Cost: 4

You may choose to scrap the Lodestone to draw a card (check for the advancing of the hours). instead, you may sacrifice the Lodestone and pay six Magical Power to summon the Grand Circle.
If the Lodestone is sacrificed without the Grand Circle either In hand or (now) in play, you lose the game immediately.

Deck of Cards

Type: Artifact / Cost: 1

You may sacrifice the Deck of Cards to draw a card and then immediately discard two cards from your hand. After resolving this effect, check for the advancing of the hours.

Bell

Type: Artifact / Cost: 1

You may sacrifice the Bell and pay one Magical Power and name any (non-Key) card; reveal cards from the top of the deck and discard them until you reveal the named card and put it in to play for no cost.
+ If you reach the end of the main deck without finding the named card, you must advance the hour then continue the revelation of cards until the named card is revealed.

Besom

Type: Artifact / Cost: 1

You may sacrifice the Besom and pay one Magical Power to take one card from the discard pile and either put it on the top of the deck or take it into hand.
+ The payment of one Magical Power is part of the (self-)sacrifice cost so if the Besom is sacrificed by other means, you do not need to pay the Magical Power.

Vitriol

Type: Artifact / Cost: 1

Scrap a Wax Candle and return this card to your hand: Draw two cards. At the end of the turn, before discarding, sacrifice all cards in your hand triggering their effect(s).
+ You may choose the order of discarding and, therefore, the order of resolution.
+ Vitriol itself, the Mirror and Chasuble have no effect if sacrificed in this way
+ Besom does not need Magical Power to trigger as this is part of the cost to self-sacrifice

Exorcised Water

Type: Artifact / Cost: 2

You may sacrifice Exorcised Water to sacrifice any card currently in the discard pile; you cannot choose a Key. If the sacrificed card has a sacrifice effect then that is also triggered.

Mirror

Type: Artifact / Cost: 2

The next time a card is sacrificed – while the Mirror is in play – the sacrifice effect of that card is copied and the Mirror is also sacrificed. The original sacrifice effect must be processed completely before the Mirror’s copy is processed.
If a Key Artifact is sacrificed while the Mirror is in play, the Mirror is NOT sacrificed (it does not trigger)

The Weeping Tree

Type: Artifact / Cost: 2

You may sacrifice the Weeping Tree and choose two different effects from the four offered:
+ Discard a card from hand/scrap a card from play,
+ Sacrifice a card from hand (triggering its sacrifice effect, if possible),
+ Gain one Magical Power and/or
+ Draw a card check for the advancing of the hour)

Chasuble

Type: Artifact / Cost: 5

The next time you draw an Interference card, you may choose to interrupt its summoning by sacrificing the Chasuble and sacrifice it instead without triggering of any of its effects.
+ This effect does not trigger the Mirror
+ Sacrificing the Chasuble is optional (you could wait for the next Interference card, for example)

Boline

Type: Artifact + Magical Power / Cost: 0

You may scrap the Boline to gain one Magical Power.
When the Boline is sacrificed, activate two Magical Power.

Wax Candle x 4

Type: Magical Power / Cost: 0

Activates one Magical Power if self-scrapped; if you would scrap it for Magical Power in hours four onwards, then the Wax Candle is sacrificed for one Magical Power instead

Circle of Protection

Type: Magical Power / Cost: 2

You may sacrifice the Circle of Protection to sacrifice either an Artifact, Interference OR Tanist card in play. If the target sacrificed card has a sacrifice effect(s), you must trigger it/them.

Salamander x 2

Type: Magical Power / Cost: 2

Activates two Magical Power if scrapped; instead, you may sacrifice a Salamander to activate three Magical Power

Sacrificial Lamb

Type: Magical Power / Cost: 3

Activates three Magical Power if scrapped; instead, you may sacrifice the Sacrificial Lamb to activate two Magical Power.

The Devil in the Hearth

Type: Magical Power / Cost: 4

Activates three Magical Power if scrapped; instead, you may sacrifice the Devil in the Hearth to activate five Magical Power.

The Interference Cards

Assassin

Type: Interference + Tanist / Cost: 0

The next time you take damage, sacrifice Assassin. When Assassin is sacrificed, take 1 damage.
+ If the Assassin is sacrificed by other means (eg. Circle of Protection, the Wand of Power), you will take one damage only (it doesn’t count it’s own damage as a trigger)

Cursed Hourglass

Type: Interference + Artifact / Cost: 0

Immediately discard the remainder of your Hand and draw a new hand of cards (check for the Advancing of the Hour). Sacrifice this card.

Ill Omen

Type: Interference + Magical Power / Cost: 0

You must sacrifice Ill Omen and, if possible, one other Magical Power card in play. If there are no other Magical Power cards in play, Ill Omen Is sacrificed anyway.
Important note: A Magical Power card sacrificed in this way does not have any sacrifice effect triggered.

Ossuary

Type: Interference + Artifact / Cost: 0

Gain one Magical Power for each Tanist that has been already been sacrificed this game.

Angel's Feather

Type: Interference + Artifact / Cost: 0

If this card is sacrificed while in play, shuffle the discard pile into the main deck and advance the hour.
+ If the Angel's Feather is sacrified from anywhere else then the effect does not trigger.

Opposition of the Brotherhood

Type: Interference + Tanist / Cost: 0

When summoned, scrap all Magical Power cards in play (preventing all triggers).
Sacrifice ➔ Advance the Hour.
✞: When Opposition of the Brotherhood is sacrificed, gain one Magical Power.

Reliquary

Type: Interference + Artifact / Cost: 0

Immediately, when drawn, you must put this card in to play, tucking all other (non-Key) Artifact cards in your hand underneath the Reliquary.
If the Reliquary is sacrificed, the tucked Artifacts are immediately returned to your hand.

Succubus

Type: Interference + Tanist / Cost: 0

At the end of the turn, instead of discarding cards in hand you must sacrifice them without triggering any effects. If a Key Artifact or BAPHOMET are sacrificed in this way, then you lose immediately

The Guardian of the Door

Type: Interference + Magical Power + Tanist / Cost: 0

This card increases the cost of summoning all Artifacts and other Tanists by one Magical Power. Once in play, this card counts as a Tanist itself.

The Holy See

Type: Interference + Tanist / Cost: 0

You cannot summon other Tanist cards. When the Hour advances, do not add an Interference card to your deck.
When you discard a Tanist card, also discard the top card of your deck.
Sacrifice ➔ Draw an Interference card.
✞: When The Holy See is sacrificed, shuffle an Interference card into your deck.

Hymns of Devotion

Type: Interference + Magical Power / Cost: 0

While Hymns of Devotion is in play, cards that are sacrificed do not trigger their sacrifice effect(s).

The Number of the Beast

Type: Interference + Magical Power / Cost: 0

Draw 6 cards each turn instead of five. At the End of each turn, scrap all cards in play except 6 of your choice. If this card is still in play when the hour advances to the start of hour 6, you lose the game.

Expansion

Alternative Art

Name Promos

• The Weeping Tree
• Ossuary
• Sacrificial Lamb

Grimoire Verum