Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
The King is dead! Cardis has fallen...
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
The King is dead! Cardis has fallen... After a long siege, the empire of Asmidan has conquered Cardis and the Conclave of Law has been sent by the Emperor to establish the new rule. The city is in disarray and several factions struggle for power behind the scenes. The former Queen is using her influence to gather allies in an effort to help her son claim the throne. The Order of the Coin — a group of wealthy individuals — wants to rise to power ensuring the gold keeps flowing. The Asmidan's Church desires to seize control of the newly conquered city by using the feared Inquisition to sway whoever opposes it. In Shadows over the Empire, players take the role of leaders of four factions in a struggle for control of Cardis. They must influence various personalities and have them do their bidding. Loyalties are constantly changing and great allies become mortal enemies in a city filled with desire for dominion. Who will prevail?