Court of the Dead: Mourners Call

About this board game

Court of the Dead: Mourners Call is a strategic game for 2–5 players, with a playing time of about 90 minutes. In the Underworld, everyone is already dead—and the factions of Bone, Flesh, and Spirit must gather enough strength to challenge the celestials of Heaven and Hell.

Each player takes the role of a Mourner, an allegiant of Death. Together, the Mourners must pursue a collective purpose: unite the Underworld, help end the ceaseless celestial war, and restore balance to the universe. Yet every Mourner also has a hidden individual objective and a personal vision of what a united Underworld should become.

The factions agree on their ultimate aim, but they differ in how to achieve it. You will need to manipulate your influence across the factions, their strongholds and guilds, and the Court of the Dead. Diplomacy and careful decisions are essential, since maintaining balance can help the Underworld survive long enough for everyone to pursue their own ambitions.

• Three factions: Bone, Flesh, and Spirit each offer a distinct path against Heaven and Hell.
• Shared and hidden goals: Work toward collective objectives while seeking to complete your own secret vision.
• A dangerous resource: Etherea, the power within mortal souls, can bring peril when used carelessly.

Mismanagement of Etherea risks invoking the Dreadsgrip, a destructive force that consumes everything it touches—including its former master. Failing to satisfy the celestials’ need for war or triggering the Dreadsgrip brings dire consequences for every Mourner.

In Court of the Dead: Mourners Call, the Underworld’s survival depends on cooperation, but Death’s favor belongs to the player who contributes most effectively while achieving their own ambitions.