Colostle Kyodaina (Hardback)

Kyodaina 

There are many different biomes in the Roomlands, some of which we saw in the core book, but Kyodaina is more than that, it’s a whole other world. Still within the castle of Colostle mind, but spanning who knows how many rooms and with 4 distinct zones within it. The aesthetic and culture leans strongly into Asian themes like classical Japanese housing and Samurai, but molded into the existing world. Immediately you are presented with a Rook like nothing you’ve seen before, it is tall, mobile and wielding a sword. This is going to be a different kind of fight all together.  

The zones you can visit are an interesting twist on the standard game. They are The Spirit Forest, The Fangs of Fire Mountain Range, The Hori Archipelago and The Skylands. Each of these is unique and offers a different feel while staying within the overall theme. There is also a new character class that you can play, The Spirited, which lends itself to a more martial arts/spiritual archetype.

Expanding your adventures 

The core loop of Colostle is straightforward. You draw cards in your exploration phase, you figure out what has happened, and you deal with any outcomes (such as fighting Rooks etc). So how does that change in Kyodaina? Well the basics stay the same while adding some interesting twists. Remember those zones I mentioned? Well you use a generic action table similar to the core book, but what happens depends on which zone your character is in. For example if you draw an NPC interaction, which NPC you encounter is determined by another table in that specific zones section. This adds a lot of variety to your adventures, although it does involve some flicking back and forth in the book (depending on how high your exploration score is), so make sure to bookmark the key pages in some way. This is especially noticeable in the Skylands, which kind of expands your exploration phase with mini exploration phases. 

Each zone also has a key location. These are important (hints in the name), and exploring these leads you to unique encounters, plus starts you down the intricate narrative path that this book also lays out. While the expanded core book had some good narrative in it, I think this book takes things to another level and weaves an interesting story. I cannot say any more though, you should experience it for yourself. 

And I didn't even mention the Imperial Soldiers and Fortresses! The soldiers make your average aggressive human NPC encounter a bit more dangerous, and the fortresses present a challenge like no other. Will you be able to sneak in and out unchallenged? Or will you have to fight your way through? You’ll find out. These also connect to the overall theme and the evolving story, making them more than just a random added challenge. 

There is so much added in this book that honestly it was a little overwhelming at first. This might have just been me, but it took me a few read throughs to fully grasp everything. However your mileage may vary, and honestly it's likely better to just explore the book as your character does in any case. 

Avatar the Last Rookling 

There is something else each zone has, and it connects to the new Spirited stat. Temples. This is where you can either stay the night for a rest, or stay a bit longer and study the mystic arts. Each temple can teach you a different power that you can use on your adventures. You can use your powers at any time by using up one block of your spirited score stat, but don't worry, using them all doesn't end your game like Exploration and Combat. You just won't be able to use your powers again until you recharge, which you can do at Gates. Think ancient archways, there is some great artwork of them, but they can really be whatever you imagine. 

It definitely gives me Avatar the Last Airbender vibes, which is always a good thing, and as always it's up to you how much you interact with this system and how it fits with your character. Some might explore Kyodaina without ever touching it, while others might seek to master all disciplines. Oh and don't worry if you’re carrying on an existing character, or starting a new game but not as the Spirited. Any class can use these abilities, they just need to visit a temple to get started. 

Artwork 

As usual the artwork is great, as you can see. Charming friendly characters and landscapes with vibrant colours. It really gives you a feel for the lands you are exploring, especially in this expansion where the aesthetic is so different and changes from zone to zone. My favourites are always the Rookling, which is perfect because of the new Rookling Heroes game coming out!