The White Castle · Board game rules
How does the Lantern card affect my actions?
Quick answer
Lantern cards give you bonus rewards (resources, coins, seals) whenever you activate a Lantern icon during your turn; you receive all visible bonuses in any order you choose. [p.12 — Lantern Rewards]
Details
Your Lantern Area is a personal collection of cards that accumulates during the game. Whenever you activate a Lantern icon (which appears on certain spaces and actions), you immediately receive all the rewards shown on every card currently visible in your Lantern Area, in whatever order you prefer. [p.12 — Lantern Rewards]
You gain new cards for your Lantern Area primarily through Social Climbing: when your Courtier moves up levels 1 or 2 of the Castle, you take the Action card from your Domain board, flip it face down, and place it in your Lantern Area (slightly offset so all icons remain visible). [p.10-11 — Social Climbing] You also gain a Lantern Reward when your Courtier reaches the Daimyo's room on level 3. [p.11 — Social Climbing]
Additionally, if you choose a die from the left end of a Bridge, you automatically gain the Lantern Reward from your Domain board as part of that turn. [p.4 — Using the Dice]
Watch out: The Lantern Area only shows rewards from cards that are visible — cards placed slightly offset so their icons can be seen. If a card is completely covered by another card placed on top of it, its rewards do not activate.