The run. Pick a merchant, then walk a route of doors across the districts to the Dragon Gate. Your Resolve is your life: it drains when you lose a fight, and the night ends if it reaches zero. Clear the Gate to win.
Your stall. Items are Small, Medium, or Large (1 to 3 slots). Tier up to unlock a slot and better wares. Gold and your board carry through the whole run, so a coin saved now can forge a triple later.
Fusion. Own three copies of the same ware and they forge into one of the next rarity, roughly double the power at the same size. Two Gold copies forge Diamond. Copies waiting in the vault count. Rarity runs Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond.
Fighting. Weapons strike the enemy's leftmost intact item first (a Bulwark forces itself in front). Break the board, then hit the merchant. Excess damage is wasted, so wide boards blunt big weapons. Burn and poison skip the board and tick the merchant directly: poison ignores shields, shields halve burn.
The storm. Late in every fight a poison wind rises and drains both merchants harder each second. Shields and healing hold it back for a while.
The doors. Along the route you may fight a monster with its board and bounty shown in full, or slip past at a cost in Resolve. Losing a fight chips your Resolve but does not end the run.
The shrine. The first time you fall, the Quqnus revives you at 15 health with a boon. The second fall is final.
Scout. Before each duel you see the enemy stall and may rearrange yours.