Grey Paladin Studios
Legends of the Silk Road
Legends of the Silk Road · In development

The Board Game

Claim provinces, build trade centers, and outmaneuver rival merchant houses. The first to command the most Prestige wins the road.

How it plays See the digital edition
A section of the Legends of the Silk Road game board showing hex provinces, rivers, forests and mountains
The board

A map worth fighting over

The board is a hex map of provinces in four tiers, from humble outposts to the great cities along the central road. Every province you sign adds Coins and Prestige to your house each turn.

A Prestige track runs around the edge of the board. Reach 100 with the highest total and the game is yours.

2–6Players
268Cards in five decks
d20Every roll
100Prestige to win
How it plays

Five phases, every round

Each phase is played by every player in turn order before the next begins, so the table is always in the game together.

  1. EventsA Global Event changes the rules of the road for everyone this round.
  2. MoveTravel the map and roll to sign trade contracts with new provinces.
  3. BuildRaise trade centers and caravans to grow your income.
  4. SchemeBuy cards, hire workers, and recruit stewards and heroes.
  5. UpkeepPay for what you hold. Fall short and your people stand down.
The cards

Five decks, one long game of nerve

Prosperity cards build you up. Fell Deeds tear a rival down. Treasure arms your heroes, and Global Events keep everyone guessing.

Province deck card back
Province136 cards
Global Events deck card back
Global Events30 cards
Prosperity deck card back
Prosperity30 cards
Fell Deeds deck card back
Fell Deeds52 cards
Treasure deck card back
Treasure20 cards
A Tier 4 Province cardShaolin Rising, a Global Event cardA Gift from the Emperor, a Prosperity cardChallenge the Hero, a Fell Deeds cardHeaven's Bow, a Treasure card
Your house

Heroes, stewards, and the people who do the work

Hero artwork: a nobleman in dark robes
HeroesDefend your provinces and carry treasure
Steward artwork: an elder in golden robes
StewardsExtend your reach across the map
Artisan artwork: a craftsman at his table
ArtisansSkilled hands for your trade centers
Trade center artwork: a walled merchant compound
Trade CentersFrom a hut to a merchant hall
The Jade Tiger

Bid to set the turn order

Turn order matters on the Silk Road. At the end of a round, players can bid for the Jade Tiger. The winner dictates the turn order for the round ahead.

The artwork shown on this page is from the current prototype. Components are still in development and may change.

The Jade Tiger: a tiger statue in jade robes
Status

In development, and looking for a publisher

Legends of the Silk Road was first designed in 2019 and has been refined through years of play. The rules, the board and all 268 cards are complete and playable today, and the same rules run the digital edition.

We are looking for a publishing partner to bring the game to print. If you are a publisher and would like to see the rulebook or a full prototype, we would be glad to hear from you.

Publishing enquiries
DoneRules and rulebook draft
DoneBoard artwork
DoneAll five card decks
To comeUnit pieces and coins
Contact

Get in touch

Questions about our games, playtesting, or press? We would like to hear from you.

hello@greypaladinstudios.com