Under the rule of Frederick II, also known as the "Wonder of the World" (Latin: Stupor Mundi), an empire of glory, culture, and power flourished. He was considered Europe's first modern ruler, not least because of his kingdom's efficient administrative structure.

In the strategic expert game Stupor Mundi, players take on the roles of Frederick II's retainers, building their own castle, training specialists, and issuing edicts that directly impact Frederick’s palace. A game is played over several rounds, each consisting of an action phase and an end phase. During the action phase, players travel with their ship to new locations and play action cards, which they can use to either carry out the card action or one of the two adjacent main actions on their player board. This is followed by the end phase, in which players draw new cards and receive income from their castle and allies. The player who collects the most victory points before the first castle is completed, all edicts have been issued, or the action cards run out wins the game.