Legend of the Burning Sands

About this board game

Legend of the Burning Sands is a collectible card game for 2–6 players, with games lasting about 60 minutes. Released in 1998, it is set in Rokugan’s Middle-Eastern-inspired world, where rival factions struggle for control of Medinaat al-Salaam, the Jewel of the Desert.

Medinaat al-Salaam and the river flowing through it are the only sources of water in the desert. Control the city and its water, and you control the desert. The city itself is ruled by the dread Caliph and her semi-undead followers, while the evolving story brings new developments to this contested setting.

The game features 12 factions, each offering a distinctive identity within the city’s struggle:

• Assassins and Moto, the raiding Mongols
• Senpet, inspired by ancient Egypt, and the star-gazing immortal Ashalan
• Qabal, rebellious summoners of jinn, alongside the crusading Ebonites
• Jackal cultists and the djinn-filled Celestial Alliance
• Dahab merchants, the Ivory Kingdoms, Ra’Shari, and Yodatai

Legend of the Burning Sands was released across four sets. Shadow of the Tyrant introduced the Assassins, Moto, and Senpet; Secrets and Lies added Ashalan and Qabal; and Black Hand, Black Heart brought the Ebonites and Jackal. The 464-card Awakening set added five more factions.

Small set symbols, or “bugs,” appear near the illustrator’s name, although they can be difficult to spot and some cards were printed in multiple sets. Together, the cards and expanding story create a richly themed conflict in a desert city shaped by water, power, and competing factions.