Set up the game as you would for two players. Place both score counters on the Scoring Track and set the six Banners and the Ornamentations of the other color to the side. This will be the color used by Ivan Yakovlevich for his building team. You will not need his Workshop board.

Take the Workshop tiles that are only used in games with 3-4 players that have the die action icons. You will have five, one of each color.

Shuffle the five Solitaire cards and lay them out in a line. This is the order that Ivan will carry out his actions. Then, mix up the Workshop tiles that you pulled out and randomly place them face up in the spaces indicated on the Solitaire cards. Place five of Ivan’s Banners on top of the “Claim a Cathedral Section” Solitaire card. Place Ivan’s Ornamentations at the end of the row.

Then, with the remaining Banner, immediately perform a Claim a Cathedral Section action for Ivan, claiming the Cathedral base card that grants the most Recognition Points. If there is more than one card worth the same number of points, Ivan will choose the tower that is farthest to the left. Remove the Workshop tile that was on the base card claimed by Ivan from the game. If this Workshop tile shows a Recognition Point, Ivan does not gain the Recognition Point.

Now the game starts with you playing your first turn.