.

yay. I am not sure what we can do about that. I found out that someone had uploaded the pdf on some website. Got it taken down but wouldn’t be surprised if that‘s where they got it from. 

Does it recreate the text verbatim?

"

Yes, I can explain the rules for Ex Novo! It's a collaborative world-building game where players create a fictional city from scratch, exploring its history, geography, culture, and key events. Here's a breakdown of the basic rules:

Overview

• Players: 1–4 players.
• Time: 2–4 hours, depending on the desired level of detail.
• Goal: Create a city by answering prompts and making decisions together, ultimately developing a history for the city through its rise, challenges, and transformation.

Key Steps

1. Set the Stage:
   • Decide on the tone and setting of your city (fantasy, sci-fi, historical, etc.).
   • Agree on the city's origin: Why was it founded? What need did it fulfill?
2. Define the Founding Principles:
   • Each player introduces a founding principle (e.g., “Built for trade,” “A haven for exiles,” “A religious site”).
   • Principles shape the city’s identity and influence decisions throughout the game.
3. Draw the Map:
   • Start with basic geography and important landmarks. Players can add features as the game progresses.
4. History Phases:
   • The game is played in "phases" of history. Each phase represents an important period in the city’s development, conflict, or decline.
   • In each phase, players take turns drawing cards (or using a random event generator) to determine key events (e.g., a rebellion, natural disaster, cultural renaissance).
   • Players collaboratively describe how the city reacts, adding details to the map or rewriting its story.
5. Introduce Factions:
   • Create factions or groups that influence the city’s direction (e.g., merchants, clergy, rebel groups). Factions can rise, fall, or evolve as history progresses.
6. Conflict & Resolution:
   • The city faces conflicts based on events, and players decide how those conflicts are resolved. This shapes the city’s culture and future.
7. The Endgame:
   • After a set number of phases (or when the group decides the story feels complete), the game ends.
   • Players reflect on the city’s history and the changes it has undergone.

Tools Needed

• A blank sheet of paper (for the map).
• Index cards, sticky notes, or a way to track factions and events.
• Dice or cards (if you're using the game's random event system).

The game is heavily narrative-driven, with each player contributing ideas and descriptions. It’s perfect for collaborative storytelling and world-building! Would you like help with specific parts of the game?"

not verbatim but has clearly been trained on it. the prompt for this was "Do you know the rules for "Ex Novo"?