*The Eternals*

…are metaphysical entities. Each one has a special Task:
- Death has to make sure the dead have what they deserve…
- Dream has to make sure the living have fantasies, nightmares, myths…
- Desire has to make sure the living have love, hate, indifference…
- Doubt has to make sure the living have ideologies, philosophies…
- Destiny has to make sure the living have liberty, fatality, hope…

Each one has violated its task and everyone else’s, except Death.

A war started, and everyone intends Death to be on its side to win it. In order to achieve this, the eternals look to demonstrate the validity of their motives by manipulating mortal lives.

Death has to decide: which is the best way to end this conflict?


*Gameplay*

- This is a game for 3 to 5 players.
- Each one of you choose one of the Eternals to play: Death, Dream, Desire, Doubt, and Destiny. If you are 4, leave Destiny out; if you are 3, leave Doubt out.
- The game is structured in rounds. Each of the eternals’ players –except Death’s one– has a turn in each round.
- In your turn, you will have to frame a scene in which your eternal manipulates the lives of mortal people.
- This scene is intended to do two things: tell a short story about this mortal people being manipulated by you, and convince Death’s player to give you an Advantage –a token that you can spend to influence others’ turns with your powers, to make them loose or yourself win.
- Death’s player has a secret criterion to decide when you gain an Advantage.
- Each eternal has a different victory condition (Death has many); if one or more fulfill (one of) its own, they have won; the game is over.
- You may always surrender, refuse to continue the war, ally with another eternal, or choose to cease to exist, with Death’s approval.
- Agree: how many rounds will the game last? 1 Round ˜ 20 minutes.
- Everyone –except Death– begins the game with one Advantage.

Each player has written in his or her Eternal Sheet how to win and how to use its Advantages to influence another’s turn.


*Scenes*

Here’re some questions to answer when you’re framing a scene:
- Who are the people whose lives you are manipulating?
- What took them to be who they are now?
- Where does this happen? What are they doing? When does this happen? Is there someone else, and who? What’s happening around them?
- What conflict is about to emerge?
- How does the conflict develop?
- How does the conflict end?
- At all times, is there any interesting detail?

All non-highlighted questions can be answered at the discretion of the player. As long as nobody else influences the scene with their Advantages, you can answer those too. Whenever all of them has been answered (in some way or another), the scene ends.


*Death*

You win the game if you fulfill any of the following conditions:
- All the eternals abandon the war, forever.
- All of the other eternals receive your help but only one wins.
- All the Eternals cease to exist (the game ends and nobody wins).

You have the power to Award an Advantage. Choose a criterion to do it during the others’ turns, and keep it secret. Examples:
- A meaningless life gets a new meaning before it ends.
- A life lose all meaning.
- A destroyed life reforms itself.
- A full life ends by wishing death above anything else.
- Two irreconcilable lives join in death.
- Two linked lives tear apart from each other.
- Two lives join to create new life and make it despite everything.

You can Award an Advantage despite whose turn is it; if your criterion is met, you have to give an award to every Eternal responsible for that.

You and Destiny are the only eternals that can decide when a life ends. You can do it freely. You can’t kill eternals; they may cease to exist only as a choice, with your approval.

If a situation arise where the logical outcome for a mortal is to die, you can rule it that way or explain why they didn’t.


*Dream*

You win the game whenever you beat everyone else’s Advantages by three.

Your Advantages are Drives. If you use a Drive in another’s turn, you can decide what conflict is about to emerge, based in the fantasies, fears, myths, or whatever dream or illusion that the manipulated people have. A used Drive cannot be used again, but still counts to your victory condition.


*Desire*

You win the game if Death give you two or more Advantages in two consecutive turns, at least one Advantage per turn.

Your Advantages are Passions. If you use a Passion, you can answer how the conflict develops, based in the feelings, indifferences and other wishes or lack of them that the manipulated people have. A used Passion cannot be used again.


*Doubt*

You win the game if you find out what the secret criterion of Death is.

Your Advantages are Questions. You may use your Questions to ask any player about the manipulated people; that player has to answer as truthfully as he or she can. A Question used cannot be used again. If you ask Death and the answer is directly or indirectly its secret criterion to Award an Advantage, it may choose not to respond, or even to lie… or it may tell you the truth. You will never know for sure.

Yours is always the last turn in the round.


*Destiny*

You win the game if you achieve 15 points; you can’t have negative points.

Your Advantages are Dice. You may use a Die to:
- Decide if a life ends or not, despite Death’s wishes. Also, roll the die and add points: -1 if it comes up [1, 2 o 3], +3 if it comes up [4, 5 o 6].
- Answer what took them to be who they are now. Also, roll the die and add points: +1 if it comes up [1, 2 o 3], +2 if it comes up [4 o 5], or +3 if it comes up [6].
- Answer how the conflict ends. Also, roll the die and add points: -3 if it comes up [1], -1 if it comes up [2 o 3], +1 if it comes up [4 o 5], or +6 if it comes up [6].

A Die used cannot be used again.