Armies may capture territories, but it is the heroes who make that possible. You will command small parties of warriors on missions of infiltration, reconnaissance, exploration and sabotage. Whether delving into ancient structures in search of artifacts or assassinating an enemy general in the middle of a grand battle, your champions will need to face overwhelming odds, quickly accomplish their objectives and evacuate lest they be overrun. Those that survive will grow stronger. Yet the slightest mistakes will result in many of them becoming maimed, captured or killed.

Enemies will invade your land on all fronts, and you will need to take the battle to them. You will have to assess the importance of every event and intervene with your armies and champions according to your priorities. It is your duty to expand your demesne, respond to the needs of your people and take important diplomatic decisions. You will also have to research new powers and technology from arcane tomes recovered by your champions and manage powerful artifact sites with unique strategic functionalities.

Your heroes engage in open warfare only when it is unavoidable, as they are best suited for covert operations. Each mission gives you two teams to deploy and command as you see fit, with each approach carrying distinct gameplay differences and challenges based on your champions' abilities. While one team embarks on recon or provides a distraction, the other may use that to gain new options or advantages in combat. Auxiliary agents like spies can be used as well to grant yourself a better overview of the situation.

Those under your command are not born heroes. To reach their true potential, they will need to obtain magical artifacts and become attuned to the cosmic forces of the zodiac. The thirteen signs offer unique powers and specializations, transforming a simple warrior into a steadfast champion, further empowered by the dynamics of the sun and the moon. But most of this ancient lore and equipment is hidden in long-forgotten compounds buried deep beneath the earth, guarded by enchanted sentries and fearsome monstrosities. Taking control of these sites will be your heroes' main task, and any of them may die before achieving greatness.

Just as celestial bodies control the ebb and flow of waters in the oceans, so do they hold sway over the tides of magic. The great conjunction has imbued the land with astral energies once more, calling forth the Knights of the Zodiac Order to reassume their duties as guardians of the realm. But it has also awakened a vengeful evil from the dawn of time, which was thought obliterated by the self-sacrifice of the holy Empire of old. As the Order's new Lord Ascendant, you will have to succeed where your ancient brothers failed. Yet only by uniting the quarrelling local lords and securing the forgotten sites of astral lore will you be able to gain the might and allies needed to save the land from being enslaved by a force unbending to the power of death itself.