The Sky over Galata — an online hidden-role game scenario
A legend of a comet, a star atlas and the man who flew over the Bosphorus.
▶ Play this scenarioThe story
Istanbul, 1577. A star with a tail has lit up over the city — the Great Comet. The scholar Takiyüddin, founder of one of the finest observatories of his time, sends his apprentices out every night in search of a clear sky: fog covers the hills of Galata, and only from one of three rooftops can the stars be seen clearly. The apprentices carry astrolabes, scrolls and lanterns through the narrow streets. But among them hides a secret Doubter: he doesn't believe the sky can be measured, and stalls until dawn.
Chapters
This is a story scenario: a new chapter opens before every round, and after the game you see an ending that depends on who won.
Chapter I. The tailed star
November 1577. The Great Comet with a long fiery tail has flared up over the Bosphorus. Takiyüddin calls his apprentices: its path must be measured before it sinks below the horizon. Find the rooftop where the fog parts.
Chapter II. The star atlas
In our story, a wind from the Bosphorus flung open the observatory windows, and the pages of the star atlas scattered over the rooftops of Galata. Without them the star tables can't be finished. Tonight the apprentices search for a clear sky again to restore the lost pages from the constellations.
Chapter III. Wings over the Bosphorus
Years have passed. In our story, Ahmed, a dreamer who grew up on the apprentices' stories, has built wings and plans to fly from the Galata Tower across the Bosphorus. From the stars of the last night he wants to read the morning wind. Help him — at dawn he will climb the tower.
Roles
Lead the scholars through the streets of Galata to the rooftop with a clear sky.
Stall: dawn must come before the apprentices see the stars.
Items
Event cards let you break other players' items, help cards repair them. With a broken item you can't play path cards.
The twist
Star tables. The deck has 2 more “Stargazer's advice” cards.
A bit of history
In 1577 the Great Comet passed over Istanbul. It was observed by Takiyüddin, the astronomer who founded one of the finest observatories of his time that same year. The Galata Tower has stood since 1348, and it is linked to the legend of Hezarfen Ahmed Çelebi: according to the traveller Evliya Çelebi, in the 17th century he flew from the tower across the Bosphorus to Üsküdar on home-made wings.
🗝️ This place is also in the game Two Keys →
FAQ
How many players do I need for “The Sky over Galata”?
From 3 to 10. If you are short of friends, bots fill the empty seats: they build the route, scout the goals and even bluff in the chat.
What makes “The Sky over Galata” different from the other scenarios?
Star tables: The deck has 2 more “Stargazer's advice” cards. It is also a story scenario with chapters between the rounds.
Do I need to download anything or sign up?
No. The game is free and runs in the browser on a phone or a computer: all you need is a name and a room code.