It's 44 BCE, the pinnacle of the Roman Republic. At the end of Julius Caesar's civil war, he is left holding enormous power. He has the love of many, but for others, there is only fear. This fear leads Caesar's friends and allies to question his intentions. They're stoking a fire of conspiracy, a conspiracy that will end on the Ides of March, with 23 wounds, a republic in ruin, and the birth of an Empire.

In a game of 23 Knives, you take on the role of a Roman citizen with one of three allegiances: a loyalist to Caesar, a liberator of Rome, or an opportunist biding their time. Throughout the game, you travel through Rome, manipulating other citizens and swaying them to your cause.

At the end of the game, if 23 or more knives are in the Curia, Caesar is dead and the liberator most committed to killing Caesar wins. With fewer than 23 knives, the loyalist most dedicated to saving Caesar wins. Opportunists are those who linger, waiting to shift the fate of Caesar at the last moment, and if they do, they win as a team.