[HOW TO PLAY] STARTING YOUR GAME
Place the board in the middle of the table, then separate the Scene Cards into their five different types.
Welcome to Untold: Adventure
Awaits - the storytelling game
where anything can happen!
In a game of Untold you will
create episodic adventures that
take place over the course of
five separate scenes filled with
excitement and danger. Using
a combination of StoryCubes,
Reaction Cards and players
imaginations, the game will cast
you as the heroes in your own
story.
Untold: Adventure Awaits is like
a TV series made up of different
episodes, with each one taking
less than an hour to play. Each
episode is made up of five
Scene Cards, and opens with
the heroes facing some kind of
Danger. Once this has been
established, and the heroes
have been created, an Intrigue
is revealed that will make
things trickier and move your
adventure along. This results in
a Confrontation that the heroes
must face. Then, just when you
think everything is under control,
a huge Revelation catapults
them towards the episodes final
Showdown!
Become the stars of your own
show and take control of the
action!
You should have a six of each card: Danger, Intrigue, Confrontation, Revelation and Showdown.
Shuffle the five stacks then place one Scene Card face down in the spaces of the same colour on the
game board. Set aside unused cards - you wont need these for the rest of the game.
Next, shuffle the deck of Reaction Cards. Reaction Cards will be used throughout the game when players
take their actions. Place them in a face down stack near the board where all players can reach them. Take
your nine StoryCubes and put them within easy reach of all players. Give each player a Hero Sheet. Give
one player the Adventure Journal. You will need this at the beginning and end of the episode.
CHOOSING YOUR SETTING
Now its time to choose the setting for your episode. All players should discuss where they would like
their adventure to take place and agree how the rules of the world works. Will there be magic? Is there
any kind of technology here? What time period will your adventure take place in? You can roll Rorys
Story Cubes for inspiration if you need some! Look at the Adventure Journal and fill out the section
marked Before Episode. This will help create your heroes world, so add just enough information when
answering the questions to bring it to life. Give the world a thematic name!
Example: Amy and Jun decide to have an adventure in a world called The Enchanted Kingdom. They choose a setting of a version of
medieval times where magic exists.
ESTABLISHING YOUR DANGER
The adventure is now about to begin! Flip over the first Scene Card marked Danger. Each Danger card
represents the opening to an episode and they all begin your story in a slightly different way. Next, roll all
nine StoryCubes. Using the face-up icons that youve rolled, add StoryCubes into the marked spaces
on the Scene Card to establish what kind of danger the heroes encounter. Icons on the card will help give
you more details on what is happening, but you should be able to make a simple sentence that places
you and your fellow heroes in the dramatic situation.
INTRIGUE CONFRONTATION REVELATION SHOWDOWN
4 ? 4
Example: Amy flips the Danger card to begin their adventure. She then rolls the StoryCubes. Together, the heroes will need to define
what the initial Danger will be and where this takes place in the Enchanted Kingdom. Jun chooses the HAND icon, saying that there will
be an angry guard shouting at someone or something. Amy chooses the ARROW icon, saying that they will begin their adventure on
the castle wall, because the guard is also an archer. Jun then summarises the scene in a single sentence, saying that the heroes are high
on the castle wall and can see an angry guard shouting at someone.
INTRODUCING YOUR HERO
Now its time to learn more about your hero. When creating your heroes, you can either roll the
remaining seven StoryCubes that are not on the Danger Scene Card for inspiration, or use your
imagination to build your character from scratch.
Think about the Danger of the episode, and fill out the different spaces on the Hero Sheet. Give your
hero, a Job/Role and an Aim that you want them to achieve. Youll also need to write in where the
adventurer lives.
Next, you get to choose two different Starting Attributes for your hero. You can either have an amazing
ability or power, a helpful item, or an area of expertise. You can only choose two of these three, and
you must choose two different things; for example, a power and an item.
Finally, give your hero a name. Once youve filled in your Hero Sheet, youre ready to begin your
adventure!
 [HERO SHEET]
ABOUT HERO thy
MY NAME IS
Scarlet VonSteal
be a great spy
MY JOB ROLE IS TO
the truth
Example: Amy rolls the seven remaining StoryCubes to help her choose
always find out
MY AIM IS TO
D The Ench
anted Kingdom her starting attributes. She chooses the FOOTPRINT icon and says that her
THIS PLACE IS CALLE

3 4 5 6 7 hero is quiet and sneaky. She also chooses the BEETLE icon and decides
EPISODE PLAYED:
DURING GAME*
her hero has a big magical beetle. Amy says that she is a spy who
1)
STARTING ATTRIBUTES (CHOOSE BEFORE EPISODE
ATTRIBUTES: AN AMAZIN
G ABILITY OR POWER
/ A HELPFUL ITEM /
AN AREA OF EXPERTIS
E (PLEASE CIRCLE)
always wants to find out the truth then decides to name her hero Scarlet
CREATE 2 DIFFERENT IMPAIRED / DAMAG
ED

1 Super Sneakiness
LOST / STOLEN

IMPAIRED / DAMAG
ED
VonStealthy. Jun decides he will not use the StoryCubes and instead
2 Giant Magical Beet
le LOST / STOLEN
creates a hero for himself. He calls him Iron Warrior and decides he has
DURING GAME*
magical powers and a mystical expanding net.
(PLEASE CIRCLE)
NEW ATTRIBUTES (CHOOSE BEFORE EPISODE 3)
ATTRIBUTES: AN AMAZIN
G ABILITY OR POWER
/ A HELPFUL ITEM /
AN AREA OF EXPERTIS
E
ED
CREATE 2 DIFFERENT IMPAIRED / DAMAG
LOST / STOLEN
1 ED
IMPAIRED / DAMAG
LOST / STOLEN
2

DURING GAME*
(PLEASE CIRCLE)
NEW ATTRIBUTES (CHOOSE BEFORE EPISODE 5)
ATTRIBUTES: AN AMAZIN
G ABILITY OR POWER
/ A HELPFUL ITEM /
AN AREA OF EXPERTIS
E

ED
CREATE 2 DIFFERENT IMPAIRED / DAMAG
LOST / STOLEN

LEARNING MORE 1

2
IMPAIRED / DAMAG
LOST / STOLEN
ED

Some Scene Cards show the . This tells the players how many questions they can ask about what is
happening
LEGENDARYin
RESPthe Scene. Questions should be open-ended; begin with Why, Where, When, Who, What
ONSIBILITY (CREATE AFTER EPISODE 7)

and How? Ask a question and roll any StoryCubes that are not on Scene Cards, then use the face up
icons to inspire your answer. Include names and detailed descriptions in your answers wherever you can. *Your attributes may become
impaired during the course
of your adventure. Record
this information here.

This will help bring the story to life for all players.
Example: Having established the Danger and created their characters, Amy and Jun can now ask up to four questions about what is
happening.
Amy asks the first question, Who is the guard shouting at? She rolls the seven remaining StoryCubes and chooses the WALKING
STICK icon. She decides that he is shouting at an old woman called Granny Grunt. Jun asks why he is shouting at the woman, rolls the
StoryCubes and chooses the MOON and FIRE icons to inspire his answer. The guard, who is called Captain Hogthorne, says his son,
Lucius, was attacked during the last full moon by an old Fire Witch!
Jun then asks, What part might Granny Grunt have played in the attack on Captain Hogthornes son? He rolls the same seven
StoryCubes and chooses the THEATRE MASKS and MAGIC WAND icons. He says, She waved her stick to enchant the guard making
him forget her face.
Amy asks Why did the Fire Witch attack Captain Hogthornes son?. She rolls the Story Cubes and chooses the MAGNET, APPLE and
FISH icons. The Fire Witch is using a spell to take away all the boys life energy to summon an ancient creature from beyond the sea.

TAKING ACTION
Having learned more about what is happening in the Scene, the heroes must now act in order to deal
with the threat. Some Scene Cards show the . This tells the heroes how many actions they can
perform. Players should come up with a plan for dealing with the threat before taking actions. Heroes
can perform actions in any player order. A hero must make a statement, declaring what they would like
to achieve. Statements should use an I try to ____ by ____ or I want to ____ by ____ structure.
The hero then takes the top card of the Reaction Deck to discover what really happens. The Reaction
Card represents how someone or something in the scene reacts to their attempted action. The reaction
doesnt need to be the hero; it can be anyone involved.
Players can take a number of actions up to the amount of actions shown on the scene card. These will be
used to try and resolve the encounter.
Example: Our heroes realise that they need to come up with a plan. Jun says, Iron Warrior tries to protect Captain Hogthorne from
the witch Granny Grunt by creating a force field between the two of them. Jun then flips over a card from the top of the Reaction Deck
showing a nervous face. The Captain gets nervous because he thinks that Granny Grunt is trying to trap him in the force field.
Amy says Scarlet VonStealthy notices an important looking scroll tucked into Granny Grunts robe and attempts to steal it from her by
using her stealth ability. She flips the Reaction Card. It shows what she thinks is an ANGRY face. Granny Grunt notices her trying to
pickpocket the scroll. Scarlet gets angry at herself because she is always getting caught. Scarlets attempt to sneakily grab the scroll
failed, and because of this, Amy circles Impaired next to her stealth ability on her Hero Sheet. For more information, see Tips for
Creating an Epic Adventure
Its Juns turn to act. Iron Warrior tries to trap Granny Grunt by throwing his expanding net! Jun then flips over the top card on the
Reaction Deck showing the crying expression. Granny Grunt is tangled in the net and begins to wail.
For their final action, Amy says, Scarlet VonStealthy tries to steal the scroll from Granny Grunt by sending her magical beetle to grab it.
Amy then flips over the top card of the reaction deck, revealing a HAPPY face. It worked! The giant beetle plucks the scroll from her
robes and brings it back to Scarlet!
Amy and Jun have successfully resolved the Danger Scene but the story doesnt end there.
Whether or not you have dealt with the threat established in a Scene Card within the allotted amount of
actions, play will always continue to the next Scene Card.

UNVEILING THE INTRIGUE

Flip over the second Scene Card marked Intrigue. Each Intrigue card adds a different kind of twist
to your story. Next, roll the seven remaining StoryCubes. Using the face-up icons that youve rolled,
add one StoryCube into the marked space on the card to unveil the basis of the Intrigue. Refer to the
reference card to learn the kind of Intrigue your heroes uncover. Again, you should be able to make a
simple sentence that describes this new discovery.
 CONFRONTATION REVELATION SHOWDOWN

4 ? 4 3 ? 0

Example: The heroes have saved Captain Hogthorne by stealing the scroll from the evil Granny Grunt. Jun flips the Intrigue card to
discover that Captain Hogthorne actually has a darker purpose. Jun rolls the seven StoryCubes. The BOOK and LIGHTNING BOLT
icons immediately grab his attention. He suggests that Captain Hogthorne really wants to steal a mystical book owned by Veldorus, the
castles chief wizard, so he can defeat the Fire Witch himself. He chooses to place the BOOK icon on the Intrigue cards empty space.
Now its time to ask questions again. Similar to dealing with the Danger card, players can ask up to three
questions to discover more about the Intrigue and its impact on the episode.
Example: Jun asks How does the Captain plan to steal the mystical book?. He rolls the six StoryCubes and (using the TOWER and
FOUNTAIN icons) offers that Captain Hogthorne plans to use a secret tunnel leading from the fountain into Veldorus tower. Amy
wants to know more about the book itself. What is the most powerful spell in the book? She chooses the TORCH and THEATRE
MASKS icons from her roll, suggesting that there is a spell that reveals a persons true nature with a purifying light.
With each answer adding more detail to the story, their final question will be very important. What will happen if Captain Hogthorne
takes the mystical book?, asks Amy. With a final roll, she chooses the FIRE and TOWER icons. Amy proposes that The Enchanted
Kingdoms defences will be completely destroyed, leaving it entirely open to be conquered by the Fire Witch.
Youll notice that theres no time for actions here. Your heroes are heading straight for a confrontation

CONFRONTATION!
In the Confrontation Scene, the heroes travel to a new location to deal with the Intrigue that was unveiled
in the last scene. Here, they either meet a new threat or are challenged by an old foe who directly
opposes their mission. This is a great opportunity to introduce characters from previous episodes! The
tension increases as the action focuses on the heroes themselves.
As you have now seen, you work through each Scene Card in a similar fashion.
Reveal the new Scene Card
Roll remaining StoryCubes to generate the event for that scene
Learn more about the event by asking questions
Perform actions
Whenever you are asked to create a threat for a scene, remember that you always have two options. You
can either roll any remaining StoryCubes to inspire a new threat, or you can reintroduce one encountered
in a previous Scene. To represent this threat reappearing, move the StoryCube from the original Scene
Card onto the current Scene Card.

REVELATION SHOWDOWN

4 ? 4 3 ? 0 2 ? 4

Example: Amy and Jun decide to try and find Veldorus in his tower at the castle by using Iron Warriors magical flying ability. They arrive
only to be confronted by Captain Hogthorne who attempts to steal Granny Grunts scroll, currently held by our heroes.
Once you have answered your questions and performed your actions, the scene ends and heroes will
move on to the Revelation, whether things are going their way or not.

REVELATION
Now the heroes make a shocking discovery about what was motivating their foe during the
Confrontation Scene. This should be one of the most dramatic moments in the episode. Like the Intrigue
Scene, you only get to ask questions during this Revelation, so be sure to make them count!
 SHOWDOWN

4 ? 4 3 ? 0 2 ? 4 1 ? 0

Example: Captain Hogthorne reveals that he wants to upset the balance of power in The Enchanted Kingdom, establishing himself as
ruler. It turns out that Granny Grunt actually was the Fire Witch, but she is on the side of good. Now, with the spell book and magic scroll
in the Captains hands, there is no way to stop him or is there?

SHOWDOWN
In the Showdown, heroes travel together one last time to put an end to the evil plot that they have
uncovered throughout the episode. As it is the end of the episode, our heroes face not one, but two
separate threats. We encourage you to involve at least one previous threat in this scene for a truly grand
finale. Theres no time for questions as this should be the toughest challenge your heroes have faced this
episode. Raise the dramatic stakes for the heroes to make the ending as memorable as possible in this
all-action scene!

4 ? 4 3 ? 0 2 ? 4 1 ? 0 0 ? 6

Example: Our heroes travel with the Fire Witch Granny Grunt to her Fire Lair to search for something that can help them stop the evil
Captain Hogthorne. He appears and immediately summons an army of two-headed giants to attack the heroes. An action-packed
battle takes place! In an epic turn of events, the Fire Witch restores Scarlet VonStealthys ability, allowing Scarlet to successfully steal
the mystical book. Meanwhile, Iron Warrior sacrifices his magic powers to the Fire Witch, making her strong enough to imprison the evil
Captain. The Enchanted Kingdom is safe - for now.

ENDING THE EPISODE

Whether your heroes succeed or not, they have forever had an impact on this world. When you have
finished the Showdown, fill out the sections of the Adventure Journal marked After Episode. Write
down information about the significant people and places the heroes encountered in this episode, and
explain how the world has changed as a result of their efforts. You should also note any story threads left
unresolved as these might provide inspiration for future episodes.
Example: Amy and Jun make a note that the Fire Witch was supposedly using a spell to use Lucius life energy to summon an ancient
creature from beyond the sea.
We hope you enjoy playing Untold: Adventure Awaits and cant wait to hear about your incredible
encounters. Everything you need to create amazing tales and epic adventures full of twists and turns is in
your hands - and it all begins with a roll of your StoryCubes!
[USING THE TOOLKIT CARDS]
Youll see that there are five different types of square cards included in your copy of Untold: Adventure
Awaits. Each player receives a set of these five Toolkit Cards which they can choose to play during the
episode. Heres how and when you can use them.

YES...AND! (CAN BE PLAYED ONCE PER SCENE)

This is for players who have an amazing idea they want to add to another players
answer. Play the card and summarise the original idea to show your understanding.
Then add your own idea building on what the original player said. Another player can
use their Yes And! card in response to this new contribution. All players should agree
whether to use this new shared idea or not.

CHANGE DIRECTION (CAN BE PLAYED AT ANY TIME)

Untold is most fun when everyone is having a good time. If you find yourself losing
interest in the episode or you feel uncomfortable, play the Change Direction card. The
game should be paused to discuss what isnt working and a new direction should be
agreed for the story. Likewise, if you notice a player is not engaged, play this card to
pause the game and ask whats not working for them. This is an opportunity to steer
the story in a way that everyone can enjoy.

WILDCARD (CAN BE PLAYED ONCE PER EPISODE)

If you roll your StoryCubes and they fail to inspire, or conflict with an idea youve
already had, you can play your Wildcard. Find an icon on one of the remaining
StoryCubes that best represents your idea and use it instead of one from your
original roll.

FLASHBACK (CAN BE PLAYED ONCE PER EPISODE)

If you have an idea that you think will add more excitement and depth to the story
but isnt connected to the current Scene Card, play the Flashback. Finish resolving the
current players question or action, then describe your flashback scene. A Yes And!
card can also be played in reaction to a Flashback.

UPVOTE (CAN BE PLAYED AT ANY TIME)

At any point during an episode where you want to acknowledge another players
contribution, play your Upvote. At the end of the episode, you can explain why you
chose to use your Upvote at that time.

[TIPS FOR AN AWESOME EPISODE]

At its heart, Untold: Adventure Awaits is a collaborative storytelling game. Use these tips to make sure
each episode is fun and engaging for all players.

BRING THE WORLD TO LIFE FOR ALL PLAYERS

Give characters names. Use descriptive language. Try your best to describe what you see in your
imagination. When you add details, your world becomes more real.

ITS OK TO ASK FOR HELP

If you get stuck, its fine to ask the other players to contribute any ideas they might have. Remember, this
is a game where you work together.

SOMETIMES FAILURE IS FUN

While failure might seem like a negative thing, we encourage you to have your hero fail at least once per
episode. If a hero fails an action while using a power, item or ability, you can choose to mark this attribute
as impaired, damaged, lost, or stolen by circling it on their Hero Sheet. They cannot use this attribute
again during the episode unless they find a way to restore it. The bigger the challenge your hero has to
overcome, the more rewarding your ultimate success will feel.

AN ICON CAN MEAN MORE THAN ONE THING

When you roll your StoryCubes, the icons dont always provide an obvious answer - thats OK! The
meanings of the icons are not fixed. An apple icon could represent an orchard, a healthy meal, or a plan
coming to fruition. By practicing finding inventive links, youll get the most from your rolls and your story.