Relic Quest · The Grand Hunt

The Grand Hunt

Rival Patrons. One hunt. One ascends.

Across the magical places of the world, the relics of power have been scattered: staffs that hold storms, potions brewed from moonlight, blades that cut the dark itself. Twelve Patrons have set out on a scavenger hunt to find them.

Gather relics of one kind into a Hoard and its power is yours. Every relic on your table feeds your Essence. The first to gather enough Essence ascends, a god among mortals.

But the others are hunting too. A whispered Pilfer lifts a relic from your table, a Plunder carries off a whole Hoard, and every round the hunt moves to a new place that bends the rules.

Pilfer

New player's guide

Your first hunt, in nine pictures

Everything you need to play your first game. Glim, the little spark in the corner of the game, will walk you through it again at the table.

1
The goal: Essence

Every relic on your table is worth 1 Essence. Fill a Hoard (a Full Hoard) and it pays its size again as bonus Essence. Reach the table's target to ascend and win.
- 262 players
- 303 players
- 264 players
- 245 players
- 226 players
Moonmilk Tonic
Dragonsbreath Draught
Glimmer Elixir
Nightshade Ink

+1+1+1+1+4 Full Hoard

8 / 26Essence
2
Your turn

Draw 2 cards (5 if your hand is empty). Then make up to 3 moves, in any order. Tap End Turn when you're done.

Draw 2

Relic to a Hoard

Coin to purse

Cast a spell

Up to 3 moves

End turn
3
Build Hoards

Relics of one kind go into the same Hoard. There are seven kinds, from two Staffs to four Potions. Fill one and draw 2 cards at once, and its Full Hoard power is yours, like Quickening (an extra move every turn) or Monster Raid (Ward can't stop your Plunder).

A Full Hoard is safe from Pilfer, but not from Plunder.

Moonmilk Tonic
Dragonsbreath Draught
Glimmer Elixir
Nightshade Ink

Restorative unlocked: whenever you play a Ward, draw a card.
4
Wild relics

Six wild relics each belong to two Hoards, and four Mimics fit any Hoard. Use them to finish a Hoard early. When the true relic turns up, you choose where the wild moves.

Venom Hound
5
Hexes and Wards

Spells that hit a rival are hexes: Tribute, Toll of Bells, Pilfer, Plunder, Glamour and Stonebind. Keep a Ward in your hand. When someone hexes you, block it with the Ward, even on their turn.

5
Pilfer

5
Ward
Blocked
6
Coins and paying

Coins go into your purse. When a rival makes you pay, it comes from your purse first, then from relics you choose off your table. No change is given. A spell put in the purse becomes coins worth its printed value, for good.

1
Copper Spark
2
Silver Moon
5
Gold Sun
8
Starstone
10
Void Crown
20
Dragon Sovereign

Purse
7
The hunt moves on

Every round the hunt reaches a new place that bends the rules for everyone: the Gilded Market makes Tribute richer, the Sanctum seals every hex, the Hollow Moor's fog snuffs out every Warding Circle. Plan around it.

Round 3
8
Choose a Patron

Each player is a Patron with one special ability: the Scholar takes 4 moves a turn, the Cutpurse can Pilfer from a Full Hoard, the Oracle peeks at the top of the deck. Let Fate deal you one, or pick your favourite.
9
The end of the hunt

The first time the draw pile runs out, the discard pile is shuffled into a new one. The second time, that round is the last: when it ends, the Patron with the most Essence ascends. Usually someone gets there first.

Draw pile

ReshuffleReshuffleLast round

Tips from old hunters

Keep one Ward in hand. A Plunder can take a whole Full Hoard and the game with it.
Watch the leader. Pilfer and Plunder move Essence: steal from whoever is closest to ascending.
Coins pay your bills; spells win games. Only bank a spell you can't use.
A Key opens every protection for a turn. Save it for the Hoard you really want.
Check the place before you move. In the Sanctum, hexes are sealed; in the Thieves' Warren, nothing is safe.

The relics

Seven Hoards, seven powers

Every relic is one of a kind. Tap any card to see it up close.

Staffs

A Hoard of 2 · Full: +2 bonus Essence

Steady Hand Stonebind can't be cast on you.

12Full5Tribute each rival pays

Plants

A Hoard of 3 · Full: +3 bonus Essence

Green Thumb Grow a Ward, Beastcall and breaking Stonebind cost you 5 instead of 10.

1224Full7Tribute each rival pays

Gems

A Hoard of 3 · Full: +3 bonus Essence

Quickening You get 1 extra move every turn.

1122Full3Tribute each rival pays

Rings

A Hoard of 2 · Full: +2 bonus Essence

Tailwind Moving magical items between your Hoards is free (no move).

13Full8Tribute each rival pays

Potions

A Hoard of 4 · Full: +4 bonus Essence

Restorative Whenever you play a Ward, draw a card.

112234Full8Tribute each rival pays

Monsters

A Hoard of 4 · Full: +4 bonus Essence

Monster Raid Ward can't block your Plunder.

122335Full8Tribute each rival pays

Blades

A Hoard of 3 · Full: +3 bonus Essence

Sharpened Your Pilfer can take a relic even from a Full Hoard.

1123Full5Tribute each rival pays

Wild relics

Plants or Gems

Gems or Rings

Rings or Potions

Potions or Monsters

Monsters or Blades

Blades or Staffs

Any Hoard at all

The magic

Spells written in the stars

Tribute

Tribute ×5

Choose one of your Hoards. Every rival pays you its tribute: the more relics you hold in it, the more they pay.

Hex · a Ward can block it

Toll of Bells

Toll of Bells ×5

Every rival pays you 2.

Hex · a Ward can block it

Pilfer

Pilfer ×9

Take one relic from a rival, unless it sits in a Full Hoard (the Cutpurse may take from a Full Hoard).

Hex · a Ward can block it

Plunder

Plunder ×5

Take one of a rival's Full Hoards, wilds included. Ward can block it; a Hoard under the Warden's circle cannot be taken.

Hex · a Ward can block it

Glamour

Glamour ×5

Bewitch a rival into a trade: swap one of your unprotected relics for one of theirs.

Hex · a Ward can block it

Windfall

Windfall ×5

Draw 2 cards.

Aims at nobody

Rummage

Rummage ×4

Take any one card from the discard pile into your hand.

Aims at nobody

Ward

Ward ×10

Cancel a hex aimed at you. Play it any time, even on a rival's turn.

Reaction · play it on anyone's turn

Stonebind

Stonebind ×4

Bind a rival's Patron in stone: their ability is off until they pay 10 on their turn (paying is not a move).

Hex · a Ward can block it

Charms

Painted relics you cast like spells. They aim at nobody, so no Ward can stop them.

Keys ×3

Unlock: until your turn ends, your Pilfer, Plunder, Glamour and Beastcall reach into Full Hoards, Warding Circles and Bulwarks.

Tomes ×3

Echo: cast one of the last three spells in the discard pile again, as your own. It stays where it lies.

Wands ×3

Move On: the hunt leaves this place at once and reaches the next, for everyone.

Lanterns ×3

Lantern-light: look at the top 5 cards of the draw pile and take one into your hand. The rest go back as they were.

Aegiss ×3

Bulwark: until your next turn begins, no relic can be taken from your table. Only a Key unlocks it.

The rivals

Twelve Patrons, twelve voices

Each speaks their spells in a voice of their own.

Sera Vale

the Warden · Circle of the Oak

Warding Circle. before ending your turn, choose one Hoard. Its relics can't be taken by rivals.

Pip Tumble

the Lucky Fool · Circle of the Oak

Fool's Luck. when a rival casts a hex at you, draw 1 card.

Ada Quill

the Scholar · Circle of the Raven

Studied Hand. take 4 moves a turn instead of 3.

Vex Marrow

the Cutpurse · Circle of the Thorn

Light Fingers. your Pilfer can take a relic from a Full Hoard.

Bram Hollis

the Herbalist · Circle of the Lantern

Grow a Ward. once per turn, pay 10 to grow a Ward card into your hand. Free — costs no move.

Isolde Fen

the Dreamer · Circle of the Raven

Dreamwalk. at the start of your turn, draw 3 cards instead of 2.

Mags Crowe

the Hexer · Circle of the Thorn

Evil Eye. once per turn, a rival holding 4+ cards must discard a card of their choice. Ward can block it. Free — costs no move.

Rook Ashby

the Scavenger · Circle of the Lantern

Rummager. at the start of your turn, take your 2 cards any way you like: both from the draw pile, one from each, or both from the discard pile.

Old Thessaly

the Alchemist · Alchemists' Guild

Transmute. once per turn, burn a card from your hand (it goes to the discard pile), then draw a card from the draw pile. Free — costs no move.

Hob Greaves

the Beastmaster · Wildwardens

Beastcall. once per turn, pay 10 to take a Monster or Plant relic from any rival, even from a Full Hoard. Ward can block it. Free — costs no move.

Madame Orla

the Oracle · The Veil

Second Sight. once per turn, look at the top card of the draw pile. Keep it, or discard it to the discard pile.

The Hollow King

· Hollow Court

Unmaking. pay 50 (purse and relics) to strip a rival Patron's ability for the rest of the game. Uses your whole turn and can't be blocked.

The hunt

Eight places that bend the rules

The Hollow Moor

A dead moor under a dark moon. The fog drinks lantern light and every circle drawn in chalk forgets its shape.

Every Warding Circle on the table fades at once.
No Warding Circle can be raised again until the hunt moves on.
Full Hoards still protect their relics from Pilfer.

The Gilded Market

A market of a thousand gilded stalls where debts are collected with interest and the scales tip toward the greedy.

Tribute collects 1 more from each rival.
Toll of Bells collects 1 more from each rival.
Rivals may still answer with a Ward.

The Thieves' Warren

Tunnels under the city where the cutpurses' guild keeps its halls. Down here no lock holds and nothing stays in its case.

Pilfer can take a relic even from a Full Hoard.
Not even a Warding Circle stops a Pilfer here.
Plunder works as usual.

The Sanctum

A temple older than the kingdoms, where no spell may be raised against another. The wardens throw hexers into the night.

No hex may be cast at a rival here: Tribute, Toll of Bells, Pilfer, Plunder, Glamour and Stonebind are sealed.
Windfall, Rummage, the charms and Patron abilities still work.
Sealed spells can still go in your purse.

The Lost Vault

A vault lost for an age, its doors fallen open. Relics and coin lie heaped in the dust for whoever reaches in first.

Every player draws 2 cards as the round begins.
If the draw pile runs dry, this becomes the last round.

The Toll Bridge

A bridge over a black river, kept by a hooded collector with an iron box. Every purse pays to cross.

Every player loses the smallest coin in their purse to the discard pile.
Banked spells are not taken, only coins.

The Windswept Pass

A high pass where the wind runs faster than thought. Hands move before eyes, and deals close before they are spoken.

Everyone has 4 moves on their turn this round.
It stacks: the Scholar and a Full Hoard of Gems each add one more.

The Shifting Maze

A maze whose walls walk. Turn a corner and what you carried is in your neighbour's hands.

Each player passes one loose relic to the player on their left.
Relics in a Full Hoard or the Warden's circle stay put.
A relic moves only one seat, all at the same time.

Free · Android, Windows and Mac

Begin the hunt

Download for Android

Download RelicQuest.apk on your Android phone.
Open it. If Android asks, allow your browser to install apps.
Play. Solo against the AI, Pass & Play, or host a table: friends on the same Wi-Fi join from any phone's browser, no install needed for them.

Updates arrive inside the app. Android 8 or newer.

No ads, no account, no internet needed to play.

Android phone? Scan to download the app.

Rival Patrons. One hunt. One ascends.

Your first hunt, in nine pictures

The goal: Essence

Your turn

Build Hoards

Wild relics

Hexes and Wards

Coins and paying

The hunt moves on

Choose a Patron

The end of the hunt

Tips from old hunters

Seven Hoards, seven powers

Wild relics

Spells written in the stars

Tribute ×5

Toll of Bells ×5

Pilfer ×9

Plunder ×5

Glamour ×5

Windfall ×5

Rummage ×4

Ward ×10

Stonebind ×4

Charms

Keys ×3

Tomes ×3

Wands ×3

Lanterns ×3

Aegiss ×3

Twelve Patrons, twelve voices

Sera Vale

Pip Tumble

Ada Quill

Vex Marrow

Bram Hollis

Isolde Fen

Mags Crowe

Rook Ashby

Old Thessaly

Hob Greaves

Madame Orla

The Hollow King

Eight places that bend the rules

The Hollow Moor

The Gilded Market

The Thieves' Warren

The Sanctum

The Lost Vault

The Toll Bridge

The Windswept Pass

The Shifting Maze

Begin the hunt