Trial of Lotus

Trial of Lotus is a social deduction board game for 6-12 players, inspired by Chinese mythology. Players are secretly assigned roles as spirits of the Forest who support Jade Lotus, or shadows who follow the Black Fox. Players play through up to 6 trials, divided into random groups via sun/moon token draws that shuffle every two trials. Each round, players secretly vote with pure or tainted hearts. the revealed results decide whether a trial is purified or tainted. The good spirits must purify the trials while the shadows aim to taint them or conceal their identity. Players may spend a Ruyi token to propose swapping participants in a trial group. After 4 trials, the table must eliminate one player during the Cleanse Ritual before proceeding to the aftermath, 2 more trials if necessary, or the Fox's Last Strike, where the Black Fox attempts to assassinate Jade Lotus. Both factions race to win 4 trials while protecting their leaders from elimination. A flowchart is included in the rulebook. The game features Art Nouveau illustrated character cards with 12+ unique roles, each with distinct abilities rooted in Chinese folklore and mythology. Similar in structure to Avalon, but with randomized group mechanics and a unique 'Cleanse Ritual' that creates a climax in the game, like a day in Werewolf. Characters like Kirin, Dreamwing, and Snow Kiku give different endings to the later half of the game that creates new information dynamics.