How to Play Chronicles of the Cartographer

Choose a tile

Each turn presents a small choice of terrain and places. Pick the tile that best fits the map you are building and the goals of the current run.

Build a coherent map

Geography matters. Mountains work well together, rivers need sensible routes, settlements favor fertile and connected land, and ports require direct water access (sea or river), often near coasts and estuaries.

• Connect mountain ranges instead of scattering peaks.
• Let rivers flow toward lakes, estuaries, or the sea.
• Use villages, cities and ports where terrain supports them.
• Plan around missions and temporary events.

Score through geography

Points come from relationships between tiles rather than arbitrary actions. Strong landscapes create stronger scores.

Keep your best maps

When a run ends, your world becomes part of your personal atlas. Review the map, its statistics and the story it suggests.