Despite the thematic connection between Elasund and Settlers, the two games have completely different mechanics.

Elasund deals with the formation of the first city on the island of Catan, as established in Settlers.

It is a coastal city, named for a fictional Scandinavian location from which the novel's characters set out for Catan, founded with foreign trade in mind.

Walls, when built, may also allow the builder to earn gold, influence cards, or victory points.

If a player's starting building is built over, they may place it in any vacant spot on the board, or removed from play if no such space exists.

A German language expansion to Elasund is available from the author's website, which adds several buildings to the game.