Back Stories: The Emerald Wedding

1. Open the box and identify the Character Sheets, Scenes, and Clue Cards.
2. Each player chooses or receives a unique characterwith their motivation sheet and secrets.
3. Place the Scene cards face downin the center, ready to be revealed as the investigation unfolds.
4. Together, define a turn order: each player will have their moment to interact with the story.

A game of Emerald Nuptialsunfolds over several narrative turns structured around Scenes to be revealed:

1. Unveiling an Investigation Element
   A player reveals a Scene or Clue card, which describes a situation, a place, a conversation, or an event related to the investigation.
   These elements often contain leads, contradictions, or suspicious details.
2. Discussion and Investigation Theory
   All players collectively analyzethe newly revealed information.
   Each character brings their personal perspective(often influenced by their goals or secrets).
3. Collective Decisions and Actions
   Based on the acquired clues, players can ask questions, connect leads, eliminate hypotheses, or steer the investigationtowards new revelations.
   Certain cards or Scenes unlock flashbacks, shocking revelations, or narrative twists.
4. Narrative Progression
   The game continues to reveal new Scenes or Clues until the investigation is resolved.
   Players' choices at each stage influence future revealed elementsand the dynamic of interactions between characters.

This narrative approach fosters strong collective responsibility: each player contributes to advancing the investigation, while being guided by the story.

There is no individual winnerin the classic sense: victory is achieved collectively.

The game ends when you have:

• Solved the main enigma: identified the true motivations, relationships, and sequence of events behind the Emerald Nuptials.
• Reconciled the contradictionsof the revealed Scenes and provided a coherent and complete explanationfor the mystery.

If the chosen explanation compiles all the evidence without inconsistency, the investigation is a collective success. Otherwise, the investigation is considered unresolved, but you can always restart a game to test another narrative strategy.