®

The Awakening
Game Concept & Design Sculpting Playtesting
Mat Hart Russ Charles, Daniel Bailey, Tomas Blankley,
Design & Development Ben Charles, Stephanie Chapman,
David Carl, Tom Lishman Peter Clarke, Ben Crowell,
Alex Hall, Graphic Design & Layout Jason Enos, Andrew Henton,
Steve Margetson, Tom Hutchings, Bryce Jensen, Andrew Jones,
Sherwin Matthews Abigail Thornton Stephanie Kampel, Taylor Kowbel,
Matt Nott, Thomas Redden,
Art Editing Shawn Simms
Doug Telford, Rhys Pugh Darla Kennerud

Steamforged Games Team

Co-Founders Development & QA Human Resources & Operations
Mat Hart (CCO), Richard August, Bryce Johnston, Gareth Reid
Rich Loxam (CEO) Samantha Laydon, Fulfilment & Logistics
Chairman Steve Margetson, Mike Appleton, David Fear,
Simon Spalding Fraser McFetridge, Jamie Perkins, John Hockey, Lee Hughes,
Dominic Westerland Richard Jennings, Steve Loxam,
Non-Executive Director
Ian Livingstone CBE Production Andy Lyon, Luke Pitter,
Edward Ball, Matthew Elliott, David Pownall
Product Owner Charlotte Holland, Louis Moore,
Alex Hall Support & Sales
Aitch Parker, Tom Rochford, Alex Black, Rachel Hall,
Design & Writing Paul Waters Firoz Rana, Kieran Shiach,
Sherwin Matthews Finance & IT Ben Taylor
John Ford, Adam King Special Thanks to
Marketing & Community Claire and George Andrea,
Derek Baker, Sean Dooley, Katherine, and Tom
Jamie Giblin, Ronan Kelly

Copyright © 2019 Steamforged Games Ltd. All rights reserved. Godtear and the Godtear logo are
registered trademarks of Steamforged Games Ltd. No part of this book shall be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by any information retrieval system without written permission of the publisher. Although every
precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the
use of this information contained herein.
Legends tell the Broken Plains once were a verdant sea of rich green,
broken only by immense towers of metal and stone soaring skywards.
But such visions belong to a previous time. All we have inherited is an
endless wasteland of sand and barren stone, inhospitable to all but the
most determined life. The only shadow from the unrelenting sun comes
from rusted iron skeletons, the pitiful remnants of a near forgotten age.

Yet, it is from these desolate surroundings the siren call of the godtears
sounds, heralded by great tremors and storms. To this place champions
now race, the awakening at their fingertips—but the mighty chosen are
not alone. In the shade of a ruined city stands a crude fortress, home to
a tyrant of bloody deed, warden to great pits where minions dig for the
sacred stone. Surely such an individual cannot hope to harness the power
of the gods… but who will claim their throne, and pronounce themselves
as the new ruler of this unforgiving land?

Welcome to the Awakening, a Godtear campaign for 4-8 players.

During this campaign, warbands clash with their rivals as they
scour the desolate landscape for godtears, and champions empower
themselves with these sacred stones to become more powerful than
ever before.

Although they’ll still be attempting to defeat their rivals during each

game, players should embrace campaigns as an opportunity to create
stories surrounding their games, and immerse themselves in each
location and event. Godtear campaigns are story light, so players have
the freedom to really develop their champions’ identities and destinies
as they envision them. As more campaigns are released, players will
create legends within the Godtear universe that will echo down the
ages as mighty and infamous deeds.

Good luck—the godtears await the chosen!

4
Contents
Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Playing Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Starting the Campaign and
Playing Games. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Upgrading Champions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Spending Godtears and
Champion Upgrade Paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Upgrade Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ending a Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Playing Longer Campaigns . . . . 10
Uneasy Alliances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Expanded Chapters and
Choosing Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Customization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Champions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Campaign Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
 Components 5

Blackjaw Rat tlebone LMaorsan

1ge Level ster of Lifn
Master of Chan
Fin varr Master of Chaos
1 Level 1 e
Master of Quest
1 Level+11 +1 1
+1
1 Level 1 2 Level 2 2 Leve +1
2 Level 2 l2
Roll the Bone Piercing
2 Level 2 Kick -
- - a follower.
6s 6
At the end of3 Rattle Hit Effect Shot
in abone’s activation,
You : The tar
Mirage
Must target For each
Place Blackjaw
die, if you rollma
two dice.ove get gains 1 wo 3 5 -
y rem
a boon or a blight roll a 1 or 2, youcha
of the target.
3 hexes to
hex adjacent
ly banner within maympremov
hexes of Rattlebonefrom a model within that many e hin 1 wound from und.
ion wit
Choose a friend on an objective hex that is range. a friend
Finvarr. Place it from its current hex.
hexes away 3 Level 3 hexes.
3 Level
within that many and place it on a different mode
l
ly
up to 2 3
Conflagration 3 Level
2 63 5 Blessed
Ar
3 Level 3 Clash phase -only.- Must target a follower.
3 Choose any number Omeof
Clash ph row
on the tarase only. For 3
Hit Effect: nedfollowers
Lorsann’3 get, you mayeach wound pla 6 5
Phase Shift Choose within
withinof the target.
a banne2r hexes MoveMove each
one up to s woun - ds.- remove ced
boon
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hex towards or blight from
the Hexlings up to 1
of
range. You mayof the banner up to 1 hex l within range.
©Copyright Steamfor ©Copyrig
within 2 hexes banner. ©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
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©Copyright Steamfor

1x Rulebook 15x Champion Upgrade Path

This is the book you’re reading now! Reference Cards
(one per champion)
These are double-sided cards which
display the two different upgrade paths
available to each champion.

Wi
4 Winds of Change
Wasteland – Introductory Chapter S ndsCha
of Change
nge
At the start of
S
replace one boonthe plot phase, the first player The Tyrant’s Folly The Tyrant’s
any boon or blight or blight on a friend
ly mode
may 8 Encampment – Chapter 2 3 Folly
Death
may replace oneof their choice. Then the seconl with
boon d player When a player
3
with any boon or blight on a friendly mode remo
the end phase any ves an objective hex durin
or blight of their l follow g
choice. the hex removed ers on or adjacent to
No steps are award suffer a
ed for any modewound.
ls knocked out.

The unrelenting sun has long defeated any hint of life here.
43
For as far as the eye can see in every direction is only sand and stone,
even the shade home only to withered husks, shimmering in the heat.
©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
©Copyright Steamfor
ged Games Ltd. 45 In the absence of the stolen godtears, the earth and walls shudder as a
2019
11
massive earthquake takes hold of the caverns and pits, great rents opening in
the ground and threatening to send the unwary plummeting to their death.
©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
©Copyright Steamfor
ged Games Ltd.
2019 15

18x Introductory Chapter Cards 62x Chapter Cards

These are divided into three decks, These are the cards which players will
for eight players, six players, and four draw after each game, telling them the
players respectively. Which deck a card next location their warband is headed to.
belongs to can be identified by the These cards are also numbered; for ease of
number in the top left corner of the card. reference, we recommend keeping them in
numerical order!
6
Playing Campaigns
Godtear campaigns are designed to be concise and user-friendly experiences.
They are ideal for players who are less experienced in running or playing campaigns,
have friends who cannot commit to a long campaign, or would simply like to play
a shorter campaign with fewer games. They are also ideal if players want to run a
single day event at their local gaming store or gaming club.

Starting the Campaign and Playing Games

At the start of the campaign, each player Next, shuffle the introductory chapter deck
creates a warband consisting of three that corresponds to the number of players
champions. Alternatively, if players have taking part in the campaign, rounding up if
additional models available to them, they there are an odd number of players (i.e., if
can create a larger warband with more there are seven players, shuffle the eight-
champions, and then choose which three player deck). Then deal each player one card.
champions they want to use in each game.
Players can select whichever champions Campaigns are split into a series of
they like, but their warband cannot chapters, in which each player has a
contain multiples of the same champion. double-sided act card.
5
6 The Obsidian Gates 27 6 The Obsidian Gates 27
1 Ancient Ruins – Chapter 2
2 Knowledge

A champion beginning an advance action on

7 an objective hex may place themselves on any
other empty objective hex, instead of moving.
If the champion has either or ,
do not remove them after placing the champion.

Aged stone now smashed asunder to allow entry into the depths, obsidian 8
4 gates await in the gloom. Stepping between the pillars is a passage through
the aether and a glimpse of forbidden secrets no mortal should ever know...
©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
33 ©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
36

1 This is the name of the warband’s current location.

2 This is the current chapter of the campaign.
3 This is an image of the location, to help the player visualize the setting.
4 Each card has a brief flavour description for the location, to give the player a feel
for their surroundings.
5 This is the name of the act.
6 This is the scenario from the Godtear rulebook the player will play during this chapter.
7 Any special rules that apply during setup or the game itself are listed here.
These can be effects that last for the entire game, changes to the deployment
hexes, or even asymmetrical effects that only affect one player.
8 The act progression is listed here, telling which cards the players should take if
they won or lost the game.
Each act card is part of a pair, which means that another player’s warband will also
have arrived at that location. If players have chosen to play with larger warbands,
they should select which three champions they’re using in secret, then both players 7
should reveal their chosen champions at the same time. Once they’re ready, the
players set up the scenario listed on their act cards and play a game!

Scenarios use the rules listed in their entry of the Godtear rulebook, unless the act
card states otherwise. If a special rule conflicts with a scenario rule in the rulebook,
the act card rule takes precedence.

If the campaign has an odd number of players, there will always be one player who
does not have an opponent. This player automatically wins their game, as their
warband has no rivals to contest them.

Upgrading Champions

Throughout the campaign, champions are searching for godtears, sacred crystals
imbued with the essence of the fallen gods. When champions find such stones, they are
able to absorb them into their bodies, amplifying their own power in a variety of ways.

At the end of a scenario, both players roll a number of dice to see how many godtears
their warband managed to find. Before the start of the next chapter, players may
spend these godtears to upgrade their champions.

If a player won their game, they roll three dice and add the results together. If a
player lost their game, they roll two dice and add the results together. The total
amount rolled is added to the player’s godtears total. A player can reroll a single dice
for each turn they won during the game.
 Spending Godtears and Champion Upgrade Paths

8 This expansion includes a double-sided upgrade path for each champion. Each path
represents one of their potential paths to godhood, called an aspect. The effects of
adopting an aspect will begin as relatively minor changes to a champion, perhaps
making them a little faster or stronger, but as a champion continues to absorb
godtears will also affect their abilities, and even grant them new powers.

1 This is the name of the champion the

card applies to. 2
2 This is the aspect of this upgrade path.
3 Each upgrade has a level. As the level
of an upgrade increases, so too does 1 Rangosh
Master of Chaos

its potency. 3 1 Level 1 +1 -1

4 The cost is how many godtears must 4 2 Level 2
be spent to gain the upgrade.
2 5 5
5 This is the upgrade’s effects. 5 Whiplash
Hit Effect: You may place Rangosh on a hex
adjacent to the target.

3 Level 3
Dervish 2 6 6
Clash phase only. Hit Effect: Move each
enemy champion and follower within range
up to 1 hex away from Rangosh.

©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019

The first time a player upgrades a Players are free to upgrade any of their
champion, they select one of the champions when spending godtears,
champion’s aspects, then spend the even if that champion did not take part
number of godtears listed next to their in the scenario. Players do not have to
level one upgrade. The champion then level up their champions equally if they
gains the effects of that upgrade. do not wish to do so, meaning they can
prioritize one champion over others if
When upgrading a champion that has they so wish, maxing out their upgrades
already been upgraded, the player cannot before moving on to the next champion.
select the same upgrade(s) again, and
must instead upgrade to the next level Any godtears not spent before the next
after their current upgrade (provided game should be tracked by the player,
they have sufficient godtears to do so). allowing them to save up for more powerful
Upgrades are cumulative, but once a abilities later on should they so wish.
champion has gained an upgrade for one
of their aspects, they cannot select any If a player cannot afford to upgrade any
upgrades from their other aspect—once of their champions using their godtears
a champion has begun ascension to after finishing a game, they may discard
godhood along one path, they cannot all of their godtears and then upgrade
embrace another! one of their champions.
Upgrade Effects

Typically, upgrades come in three different types. Effects only apply to champions 9
and not their followers unless specifically stated.

Stat increases change one or more core

stats on the champion’s card. These
changes affect the stat irrespective of
the phase.

Skill changes add additional range, Rangosh

Master of Death

damage, or rules to an existing skill, 1 Level 1 +1

replacing the standard version. The skill
can only be used in the phase shown on 2 Level 2
the champion’s card. Beastly Charge 1 - -
Move Rangosh up to 2 hexes. Then you may
place up to 2 wounds on a single enemy in each
hex within range.
New Skills add an entirely new skill to
a champion’s card. This skill does not 3 Level 3
replace any existing skill, and will list Brutal Tyrant 1 4 0*
Clash phase only. Before making the damage
which phase it can be used in. If the skill roll remove all Red Bandits within 3 hexes of
Rangosh from the battlefield. For each one
does not list a specific phase, it can be removed this skill gains +2 .
©Copyright Steamforged Games Ltd. 2019
used in both the plot and clash phase.

Ending a Chapter

At the end of each scenario, after each player has finished their game and upgraded
their champions, the chapter ends. Each player then refers to their current act card.
Depending on the result of their game, each player then takes the numbered act card
indicated by their current card, and discards the old one. Once every player has a
new act card, the next chapter begins, and players pair up for games once more.

After four chapters have passed, the campaign comes to an end. Each player will
have a final act card, including some flavor text, and can choose to either salute their
rivals’ triumphs, or secretly plot their downfall during the next campaign!
10
Playing Longer
Campaigns
Although a standard Godtear campaign is relatively short, Godtear campaigns can
also be played over longer periods of time. Longer campaigns are ideal for veteran
gamers and provide a more open format, allowing players longer to progress their
champions over more games. These campaigns also allow a greater degree of
customization to reflect a warband’s journey—especially as future campaign packs
are released, when locations can be mixed together to create epic adventures!

Longer campaigns use the core rules from the standard format, but also introduces
additional rules, allowing players to enjoy their games at a more relaxed pace and in
a less structured way. These changes are introduced below.

Uneasy Alliances

Champions are an unpredictable and single-minded breed, not always given to

cooperation. Although they frequently band together in uneasy alliances, these pacts
are often broken for any number of reasons.

During a long campaign, players are free to add to or remove champions from their
warband at any time. New champions always begin without any upgrades, even if
they replaced a champion that had received upgrades in earlier chapters. Once a
champion has been removed, they may not return to their warband once more—
champions are far too proud to return after announcing their departure!

Expanded Chapters and Choosing Locations

In longer campaigns, after all players have finished their scenarios and made any
upgrades, instead of ending the chapter and drawing new act cards based on the
results of their games, players follow the steps below.

1. Each player returns their act cards, 3. The player with the highest result
creating a deck. chooses a card from the deck first,
followed by the next highest, and so
2. The players that won their previous on, until all of the players who won in
game each roll two dice. If necessary, the previous round have chosen a card.
reroll ties, until these players have
established an order. 4. The remaining cards are then shuffled,
and each player that lost in a previous
round draws a card.
Chapters can last as long as players The length of a chapter is entirely up
wish in a longer campaign, although we to you—you could even have different
recommend that players play three acts length chapters if you wanted, so the 11
per chapter to keep a good pace and allow campaign speeds up towards the end,
players plenty of time to evenly upgrade once champions have a lot of upgrades
champions across larger warbands. and can really make the earth tremble
with their power!’
After a chapter ends, the players find the
next chapter’s set of act cards (as detailed
on the act cards they are currently using),
discard the old act cards, then repeat the
steps above.

Customization Locations

Longer Godtear campaigns are designed If players have access to additional act
to be flexible and allow for extensive cards with different locations, either
customization as more campaign because they are playing with three to
products are released. Each time a new six players using Awakening, or have
campaign pack is released, players will access to cards from another Godtear
have the ability to mix up and customize campaign, they can add these new
their previous campaigns, allowing for a locations into a longer campaign.
huge depth of replayability and exciting
adventures across continents. If you’re creating a custom campaign
with a mix of act cards, you’ll need to
establish at the start of the campaign
Champions which locations you’ll be using in each
chapter, and set aside specific pairs of
As Godtear continues to grow, new
act cards for each location. This will
champions will become available. Future
ensure that players will always have a
campaigns will include upgrade paths
pairing for each of their games!
for each of these champions, allowing
them to played as part of a campaign. To
include these champions in a campaign,
players can simply select the champion
at the start of the campaign, or add them
using the Uneasy Alliances rule above.
Upgrade paths for new champions will
be entirely backwards compatible.
12
Reference
Campaign Structure

At the start of the campaign, each player draws a card from the introductory
chapter deck corresponding to the number of players.

Chapter Start

Players pair off, based on their act cards.

Play scenario

Record how many turns each player wins during the game,
and which player wins.

Upgrade champions

The winning player rolls 3 dice, and the losing player rolls 2.
Each player adds the total of these dice to their total godtears.
A player may reroll one die per turn they won during the game.

Players may then spend their godtears on upgrading their champions.

If a player is unable to afford any upgrades to any of their champions

they may discard their godtears and select a free upgrade instead.

Chapter ends
Players take new act cards, based on the result of their previous game.

A new chapter begins.