1. Shuffle the Beast deck and place it face-down next to the board. (Note: The space on the game board is for the Hunting deck, which will be created during the game using cards from the Beast deck.)

2. Shuffle the Mystery deck and place it face-down next to the board.

3. Sort the Adventure cards by their backs into three decks, shuffle each thoroughly, and place them face down on their respective spaces on the board, together with the three dice corresponding to each deck.

4. Separate the Event cards into two piles: one with all cards showing a book symbol, another with all cards showing // Adventure symbols in any of the three colours. Shuffle the piles separately. Draw a number of cards from each pile equal to half the number of rounds in the selected scenario (round up if necessary), then shuffle them together without looking at their faces. This is the Event deck. Place it face-down in the corresponding space on the board. Return the unused Event cards to the box without looking.

If you want to make the game easier, include more cards with *** Adventure symbols and fewer with the * book symbol. If you want to make it harder, do the opposite.

5. Place the Food Crates Wreckage card in the right-hand Threat space on the board.

Optional variant: instead of always using Food Crates, draw a random Wreckage card.