-  Each player selects a faction 
-  Remove unused faction's from the Traitor deck 
-  Deal 4 Traitor cards to each player. Take note of any of your leaders, these are loyal. Select 1 card and discard the rest to the Traitor deck. Shuffle the Traitor deck. 
-  Take Spice as noted on your Faction sheet. 
-  Place forces on the map as noted on your Faction Sheet. 
-  Storm token goes on storm start place. 
-  Players on either side of the storm each take a combat wheel and select a number secretly. Reveal the numbers and add them together and move the storm that number of spaces counter-clockwise. This counts as the first storm phase of turn 1.