Rules

1. Introduction

Astris is a collectible trading card game set in the Astris universe. Each player represents one of the five major sovereignties that control the known galaxy (known as the Pallatrium) and competes through political, economic, and military action to shape the galaxy in their faction's favor, to complete the personal arcs of their iconic characters, or to dominate the galaxy through territorial control.

The game emphasizes character-driven storytelling, factional asymmetry, and structural pacing modeled on classical three-act narrative form. Most of the actions players take in the game are performed through Character cards rather than directly.

Storylines are the engine of the game. A Storyline is not a side objective scored alongside the real game — it is the only thing that ends an Act and the only thing that wins. Combat, Liberation, capture and movement are the verbs a player uses to satisfy a Storyline's clauses; none of them wins on its own. A player who completes two Storylines wins (§15).

Only a story changes a person. Violence removes a Character from the Map; it never transforms one. A Character reaches their Fallen face through a narrative event, which in practice means a Storyline — or through their own choices, by acting against their Morality until it breaks them (§7.4, §7.7). Damage kills you; your own choices change you.