Somna Game Rules

HOW TO PLAY:

Establish your playgroup:

SOMNA: UNVEIL THE SHADOWS is most suitable for groups of 10 or more, but can be enjoyed by groups as small as 8 players and as large as 20 players.

Build your world:

Assemble a Role Card deck based on group size and assemble the Storyteller deck. If the group size is between 8-10 players, exclude the Zealot & Monger roles. If you are playing with a larger group and want a greater challenge discovering the evil witches within your village, try the Advanced Mode option.

Assemble the village:

Once the Role Card deck and Storyteller deck have been assembled, shuffle out the Role Cards and allow each player to enter their new life in the world of SOMNA discreetly. The Storyteller will instantly reveal their Role Card and receive the Storyteller deck, but all other Role Cards remain secret. Once everyone is settled in, let the dreaming begin…

PLAYING THE GAME:

SOMNA: UNVEIL THE SHADOWS takes place between two phases: Nightfall, when evil lurks, and Sunrise, when the VILLAGERS discover what twisted fate has struck their precious village. The game begins at Night, while the town sleeps. Each VILLAGER closes their eyes, slapping their arms or legs to muffle any sounds in the room. The turn order proceeds as follows:

Night 1:

1. The DREAM DEMON wakes and wanders into the village… They point at a VILLAGER to seduce, corrupting them into a WITCH, and the STORYTELLER confirms. After creating the WITCH, they return to their host body and sleep. If the DREAM DEMON attempts to seduce any role-specific VILLAGER (the PRIEST, the APOTHECARY, etc.), the STORYTELLER will shake their head to indicate the DEMON must pick a new VILLAGER to seduce.
2. After the DEMON has gone back to sleep, the STORYTELLER silently taps the new WITCH on the shoulder to indicate their role, but the WITCH does not wake.

Night 2 and onward:

1. The DEMON wakes up again to wander and observe the village. Will they haunt the dreams of innocent VILLAGERS, or leave them lingering lustfully through the night? Once per turn, the DEMON can select a VILLAGER to slay in their sleep. After selecting who to slay, they will go back to sleep. If the WITCH was executed the previous Night, ONCE PER GAME, the DEMON may forgo slaying for 1 Night in order to seduce a new WITCH.
2. The WITCH wakes. They must decide how they will do the DEMON’s bidding to further corrupt the village. They can cast a SPELL at Night using a lock of a VILLAGER’s hair to see if they are the DEMON, in hopes of protecting them with subterfuge through further Nights, or, 3 times per game, they can choose an unsuspecting VILLAGER to HEX. Upon Sunrise, HEXES will nullify all role-specific VILLAGERS’ actions (PRIEST’s blessings, APOTHECARY vials, etc.). When investigating to see who the DEMON is, the STORYTELLER will nod if this person is indeed the DEMON or shake their head if they are not. The WITCH sleeps.
3. The WITCH HUNTER wakes. They peek in a VILLAGER’s window to see if they are practicing witchcraft. They point at a player, and the STORYTELLER will confirm or deny if they are a WITCH. If the APOTHECARY is in play and the WITCH HUNTER points at them, the STORYTELLER will falsely confirm that they are a WITCH. The WITCH HUNTER sleeps.
4. The PRIEST wakes. They can decide to BLESS a house, including their own, offering it protection that Night from the DEMON. If they choose to protect someone that the DEMON wants to kill, that person will be saved. After blessing the house, they go back to sleep. If the PRIEST was HEXED, their blessing does not work that Night, allowing the DEMON to slay freely.
5. The APOTHECARY wakes up. They can choose to use their one allotted ELIXIR for the game, bringing someone dead back to life, or their one allotted POISON, killing someone. Once they have decided which VILLAGER’s fate to alter, they go back to sleep. If the APOTHECARY was HEXED on a Night when an item is in use, the vial for their ELIXIR or POISON is shattered, never to be used again.

INTERMEDIATE ROLES:

1. The ZEALOT wakes. Do they have suspicions? Will they be a vigilante and kill someone that Night? If yes, they point to a player, and the STORYTELLER will confirm that the VILLAGER has been murdered in their sleep. If they have no strong convictions, the ZEALOT may also choose to abstain from killing that Night. At the end of either action, they go back to sleep. If the ZEALOT was HEXED on the Night of a killing, their assault is nullified and their target sleeps peacefully
2. The MONGER wakes up. Something is amiss. Will they stand guard outside someone’s house to stop the ZEALOT from killing? If they choose to protect the ZEALOT’s target for the evening, that VILLAGER will be safe. The MONGER will also know who the ZEALOT is, and can choose to accuse them the next day. After choosing a house to protect, they go back to sleep. ONCE PER GAME, the MONGER can also choose to SABOTAGE a fiery execution by pouring water on the logs so they won’t burn. If the MONGER was HEXED, their protection fails and the ZEALOT is successful, even if they protected the correct house that Night. Additionally, they are unable to SABOTAGE the execution during that turn’s Sunrise phase.

SUNRISE:

1. At Sunrise, after placing any active HEX card from the WITCH’s turn that Night on an afflicted VILLAGER’s Role Card, the STORYTELLER tells the village who has been killed, and how. If someone has been saved, the STORYTELLER will say, “Someone has been saved.” (Or two people, if that is the case.) If someone is brought back from the dead, they will return as a VILLAGER, even if they were a WITCH.
2. After the bodies have been dragged from their houses, the VILLAGERS commence their witch hunt. VILLAGERS will discuss amongst themselves, keeping their roles (and secret intentions) to themselves, while piecing together clues to rid the village of the evil that plagues it. Any VILLAGER can nominate a suspected WITCH, but they can only be executed if more than half of the remaining VILLAGERS agree. The ACCUSED has up to a minute to plead their innocence, and then the matter proceeds to a vote. There must be an execution every Sunrise, unless the MONGER interferes.
3. After the execution, the STORYTELLER will tell the village if it was a success, purging them of the evils of the DEMON, or if the evil entity still haunts them. The STORYTELLER can recap actions of the previous Night, indirectly mentioning roles that are still in play, as they lead the VILLAGERS into the next Nightfall, until the village is either purged of evil, or has succumbed to darkness.

WINNING THE GAME:

SOMNA: UNVEIL THE SHADOWS ends in two ways: the VILLAGERS win by successfully working together to execute the DREAM DEMON, or the DEMON wins by outlasting the witch hunt, meaning the number of total VILLAGERS is less than or equal to one (for the DEMON) or two (if the WITCH is still alive).

ROLES, ABILITIES, AND MORE:

THE STORYTELLER - Responsible for capturing the lustful and haunting acts perpetrated within the story world. They regale the village with Night recaps every Sunrise, telling tales of peaceful rest or sinister downfall. 

DREAM DEMON - Your body is possessed by a dark force, a Demon. On the first Night, while the village sleeps, the Dream Demon awakens to select their Witch. Each Nightfall, the Demon awakens and selects a Villager to slay. If the Witch is executed, once per game, the Dream Demon can corrupt another Villager the next Nightfall to do their evil bidding. To do so, they sacrifice slaying that turn, point at the Villager they would like to seduce, and hold up 2 fingers. 

**SEE ADVANCED MODE FOR MORE PLAY OPTIONS**

VILLAGERS - Are ye a witch??? Work together or fend for yourself as one of the town’s innocent Villagers, trying to deduce who amongst you is the Demon. After each Night, come together to vote to execute suspicious characters until the Demon is slain. Be careful, though, as powerful allies may be lost in the frenzy. 

THE WITCH - The Demon has seduced you, giving you magic powers. Once per Night, the Witch can choose to perform one of two actions by pointing at a Villager. By holding up 1 finger, you can cast a Spell to try to discern the identity of the Demon, in hopes that you can protect them from the Villager accusations in future phases. By holding up 2 fingers, you act upon the Demon’s dark desires and Hex a Villager, nullifying their potential special ability. The Witch can cast a Hex up to 3 times per game. If the Witch is killed, once per game, the Demon can choose to seduce another to do their bidding. The Storyteller will tap the shoulder of the new Witch once corrupted. If the Witch is still hidden when the Demon is executed, the Witch dies along with them.

WITCH HUNTER - A Witch be upon us. You have a deep understanding of the magical world that gives you an innate sense of if someone is a Witch or not. Though you cannot see the Demon itself, once per Night phase, the Witch Hunter can investigate one Villager by pointing at them to see if they are a Witch. At Sunrise, will you relay this information to your fellow Villagers, or are you just leading them astray?  

THE APOTHECARY - Working hand in hand with fellow Villagers, the Apothecary wields powerful but also deadly medical knowledge. Equipped with two vials at the start of the game, the Apothecary can choose to bring someone back from the dead with a powerful Elixir by pointing and holding up 1 finger, or slay a suspected evil entity, be it Demon or Witch, with a deadly Poison while pointing and holding up 2 fingers. Due to the potency of each vial, they can only be used once per game, and only one can be played per Night phase. Be careful, though: due to the deceptive nature of the Apothecary, the Witch Hunter cannot differentiate between them and a Witch. 

THE PRIEST - A man of the cloth, they can bless a Villager’s house each night, offering them protection from the evil acts of the Demon. Once per Night phase, the Priest can point at one Villager to protect them from the Demon. Do not act so religiously you expose your holy intentions, though, or you might become the next victim of the Demon!

THE ZEALOT - A WITCH? IN MY TOWN?! Not on my watch. Witchcraft is an abomination, and you will be the ruin of them. You act as a vigilante and may choose to kill one person per Night phase by pointing at them, but have no insight into who it is you’re killing. You may also choose to abstain from your vigilante justice for the Night.

THE MONGER - Has everyone in this town lost their minds? You are the voice of reason. As a protector, you can protect one person from the Zealot’s attacks by pointing at them. Once per game, you can also choose to Sabotage an execution. 

HEX CARDS - A powerful Hex has been cast by the Witch onto an unsuspecting Villager. At Sunrise, this cancels out any ability that Villager may have used during the preceding Night phase. When used, the Storyteller places the Hex card on top of the afflicted Villager’s Role Card at the end of the turn order, prior to Sunrise. The Witch can use their Hex card up to 3 times per game, and only one time per Night phase. 

ADVANCED MODE:

Do you have a larger group that’s looking for a greater challenge? Try adding these roles and abilities to the existing ones.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES, ROLES & RULES:

THE DREAM DEMON - Once per game, the Demon now has the ability to corrupt a Villager to become the Beast if they have already corrupted their second Witch. The Beast will act in silence during the Demon’s turn, and is recruited to do their evil bidding when the Demon points at a Villager and holds up 3 fingers. The Storyteller will confirm and tap the sleeping Villager’s shoulder to notify them of the corruption, waking them up so that they may act. The Demon may not slay a Villager on any Night they choose to create a Beast, and once they have selected their target, the Demon’s turn is over. 

While attempting to seduce a Villager to become a Witch or corrupt them into a Beast, if the Priest, Witch Hunter, or Zealot are targeted, the Demon will be unsuccessful and their turn will be over.

THE BEAST - There is something rabid among us… Corrupted in deep secrecy by the Demon, the Beast attacks anyone in sight, be they a Villager or a Witch. If the Beast is in play, once per Night on the Demon's turn, the Beast can kill any Villager they point to, even the Witch. They may choose to silently conspire with the Demon or terrorize the village indiscriminately. The Beast is treated like any other Villager and is susceptible to execution, Poison, the Zealot’s wrath, and can be Hexed by the Witch. If Hexed, the Beast is unsuccessful at slaying their target.

THE CURIOUS ONE - As they say, curiosity killed the…Villager? Being one of the town youths, your curiosity allows you to explore Villagers' houses at Night for clues. This character can investigate anyone’s role to reveal it during the Sunrise phase, but given the Curious One’s childlike nature, can they be believed, or are they just the Witch trying to trick you?! 

ADVANCED MODE TURN ORDER:

If the BEAST is in play, it will be active during the DREAM DEMON’s turn, but their actions are unannounced. The BEAST can point at any VILLAGER, including the WITCH, and slay them.

The CURIOUS ONE’s turn takes place after the MONGER. Once per Night phase, they can point to any VILLAGER, and the STORYTELLER will reveal the selected player’s card to them.

ADVANCED MODE GAME OUTCOME:

The DEMON wins when the number of total VILLAGERS left alive is less than or equal to 1 (for the Demon), 2 (if either the WITCH or the BEAST is still alive), or 3 (if both the WITCH and the BEAST are still alive). 

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THE STORYTELLER’S CHEAT SHEET:

New to the role of Storyteller or looking to introduce a new group to SOMNA? Read the introductory speech below, or feel free to create your own!

Storyteller Introduction:

“Welcome to the dark and twisted world of SOMNA! In this role-delving adventure, you all play as villagers in 1600s England. While life may seem peaceful, a great evil is at work… WITCHCRAFT! And where there’s witchcraft, there must be a witch! You must all work together to try and slay the vile witch, but be careful, as others may have their own motives. Working together or in secrecy, your intentions are yours alone—just do your best, and hope you make it through the night!”

Storyteller Deck - The Storyteller deck should always contain the Witch and Hex cards. If playing Advanced Mode, include the Beast card.

Storyteller Turn Reference Guide:

Each Nightfall, the Storyteller will say “Wake up…”, followed by the role to action. After the role has been actioned and confirmed by the Storyteller, they will go back to sleep, and the next role will take action, until Sunrise. The role order is as follows: 

1. Dream Demon - points at any Villager to slay them. If corrupting a Witch for the second time, they must point and hold up 2 fingers. The Demon cannot seduce any role-specific villagers, and cannot slay on a Night they recruit new allies. If playing Advanced Mode, they must point and hold up 3 fingers to corrupt the Beast. Additionally in Advanced Mode, if they attempt to seduce the Priest, Witch Hunter, or Zealot, they are unsuccessful and their turn is over.
2. The Witch - points at any Villager to do the following, holding up fingers: 1 finger, check to see if someone is the Demon; 2 fingers, cast a Hex card on a Villager, nullifying any Role Card-specific actions.
3. The Witch Hunter - points at any Villager to see if they are a Witch, Storyteller nods if correct. If the Apothecary is alive and selected, also nod.
4. The Apothecary - points at any Villager to use a vial, holding up 1 finger to use an Elixir (bringing the Villager back to life), or holding up 2 to use Poison (killing the Villager).
5. The Priest - points at a Villager to protect them from a suspected Demon attack.
6. The Zealot - points at a Villager to blindly kill them.
7. The Monger - points at a Villager to protect them exclusively from the Zealot’s attack. Can sabotage one execution per game during the Sunrise phase.

ADVANCED ROLES / OPTIONS:

The Beast - this role is not announced and acts during the Dream Demon’s turn. They can be recruited following the seduction of a second Witch. Points at any Villager to kill them.

1. The Curious One - points at a Villager, and the Storyteller reveals that player’s Role Card to the Curious One.

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CARD CONTENTS:

Every copy of SOMNA: UNVEIL THE SHADOWS should contain the following cards:

• Storyteller  x 1
• Demon A x 1
• Demon B x 1
• The Witch A x 1
• The Witch B x 1
• The Witch Hunter x 1
• The Apothecary x 1
• The Priest x 1
• The Zealot x 1
• The Monger x 1
• The Beast x 1
• The Curious One x 1
• Hex Card x 3
• Villagers x 13

Every game provides the option of alternating between the beautiful art of Cloonan and Lotay for select cards throughout.