Print-and Play Instructions

To play, you will need: four sets of 18 Army tokens and 3 City tokens
(each set a different color for each player). You may use anything
small that you have available. The published game will use small
wooden cubes for armies and small wooden discs for cities.
Cut out the 4 Map Boards, 36 Cards, and Explore Tokens.
You will also need: 44 tokens to represent coins, and one token to
represent the starting region.

Setup

1. Choose one player to set-up the board. Place the four map boards
together on a flat surface so that
they make a large rectangle. If
playing with 2 or 3 players, only
place three of the map boards
(they can make an L shape or
you may place them side by side
to make one long rectangle).
Place the starting region token on
a region that meets the following
criteria: A. It has one water connection to another continent.
B. It is adjacent to a region that
has one water connection to
another continent OR has an
additional water connection to
another continent.

2. Set aside the card labelled Card Cost. If playing with 3 players,
go through the cards and remove the cards with the little number
4 in the top right corner, just below the scroll on which the good
is displayed. If playing with 2 players, also remove the cards with
a little number 3. Shuffle the remaining cards and place them in
a deck face down next to the board. Draw six cards and place them
face up in a row along the top of the board. Place the Card Cost
card just above the row of cards.

3. Each player takes a set of one color of 18 armies (cubes) and 3

cities (discs). Each player places 4 armies on the starting region on
the board. If playing with 2 players, each player takes turns placing
one army at a time of a third, non-player color in any region on the
board until ten armies have been placed.
4. Place the coin tokens in a pile next to the board. This is the supply. Each player takes 9 coins if playing with four players, 11 coins
with three, and 14 coins with two.
You are now ready to play.

Playing the Game

1. Players bid to see who will be the first player. Each player picks
up his coins and secretly chooses a number to bid by placing them in
a closed fist and holding the fist out over the game board. When all
players are ready, all players reveal the amount they have chosen to
bid at the same time. The player who bids the most coins puts them
in the supply. Other players do not pay coins if they lost the bid. If
the bids are tied for most, the youngest player wins the bid and pays
his coins. If all bids are zero, the youngest player goes first. There is
only one bid per game.
2. Starting with the first player
and going in clockwise order, players take turns taking one of the
face up cards. When a player takes
a card, he places it face up in front
of him. He must pay the appropriate coin cost for the card depending on where it is in the row (this
cost is listed on the Card Cost card). From left to right, these
are the coin costs of the cards: 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, and 3. For example, if a
player selected the third card from the left, he would pay one coin.

The card gives a good and an action. The player takes the action
immediately. Actions allow players to build their empires and take
control of the board. The following are possible actions:
-Place new armies on the
board. The number of armies

shown indicates how many the

player may place. You may place
them only on the starting region
or on a region where you have a
city. Armies need not be placed all in the same region.

-Move armies. The number

of armies shown indicates the
amount of movement the card
gives you. For example, this action shows 3 armies, so you could
move one army up to 3 times, or
3 armies one time each, or 1 army
two times and another army one time. If you want to cross the dotted lines
over oceans, it costs 3 movement per army.
-Build a city. Place a city
anywhere on the board where
you have an army. Regions can
contain more than one city from
any number of players.
-Destroy army. You may

remove an army from the board

belonging to any player as long as
you have one or more armies in
the same region.

-And/Or actions. If there are

two different actions on the card
with an or between them, you
may choose which action to perform. If there are two different
actions on the card with an and
between them, you may perform both actions, but must perform them in
the order on the card. For example, if you chose the action depicted here, if
you wanted to destroy an army, you would need to do it BEFORE building a
city. If you are unable or do not want to perform one of the actions, simply
ignore it.

or

Note: If a player so chooses, he may take the card and ignore the action.
After a player takes his card and action, slide the remaining cards to
the left to fill in the empty card space. Draw a new card and place it
in the right-most space. Play then passes to the left.

Abilities

At the top of each card is an ability and a name. Abilities are special
bonuses that help you throughout the game or score extra points
at the end of the game. Once you own a card with an ability, the
effects apply for the duration of the game. As soon as you have the
card, the ability takes effect, even if it applies to its own action.
Abilites are cummulative.
+1 Move. Each time you per-

form the move armies action,

you have one extra move.

+1 Army. Each time you peform

the place new armies on the
board action, you gain one more.

Flying. Each flying ability you

own reduces the cost to move

over water by 1, to a minimum of
1. For example, if you have one
flying ability, the cost to move
over water is 2 per army.

Elixer. At the end of the game,

the player with the most elixers
gains 2 extra victory points.

Gain Coins. Gain two coins immediately as a one-time bonus.

+1 VP per (name). At the end

of the game, gain 1 extra victory
point per card you own with the
specified name.

VP for Card Set. Gain the

specified amount of victory points

at the end of the game if you own
the specified set.

+1 VP per 2 Coins. At the end

of the game gain 1 extra victory
point per two coins you own.

Game End

+1 VP per cursed card.

All three noble cards= 5 VP.

+1 VP per 2 coins.

The game ends when each player owns a certain number of cards
depending on the number of players.

2 Players
13 Cards

3 Players
4 Players

10 Cards
8 Cards

Players now count up victory points in their heads.

Regions: A player gains one victory point for each region on the map he
controls. A player controls a region if he has more armies there than any
other player (cities count as armies when determining control). If players
have the same number of armies in a region, no one controls it.

Continents: A player gains one victory point for each continent he controls.
A player controls a continent if he controls more regions in the continent
than anyone else. If players are tied for controlled regions, no one controls
the continent.
Three continents.
Abilities: A player gains victory points
for any cards with abilities that give
extra victory points. The amount of
victory points depends on the conditions of the ability. For example, if the
ability said +1 VP per cursed card,
and the player had four cards with the
name Cursed, then the player would
collect 4 extra victory points.

Elixers: The player with the

most elixers gains 2 extra victory
points. If two or more players
are tied for most, the tied players
recieve 1 extra victory point.

The player who has the most

victory points from regions, continents, and abilities has the most powerful
empire and is the winner! If players are tied, the player with the most coins
wins. If still tied, the player with the most armies on the board wins. If still
tied, the player with the most controlled regions wins.

Variants

Full Game: For a longer experience, play three games. The player with the
highest sum of victory points from all three games is the winner.

(Stretch Goal) Explore Tokens: During game setup, the player chosen to
set up the board places the six explore tokens face up on any region on the
board that does not already have a token. The first player to build a city in
the same region as an explore token gains the token immediately. Explore
tokens grant the following abilities:
Magic Spring: Gain 2 elixers.

Cottage: Each time you peform the place new armies on the
board action, you gain one more.
Hidden Treasure: Gain one coin immediately.

Magic Book: At the end of the game, gain one extra victory
point. Also, if tied for points at game end, you win regardless of
tie-breakers.
Stable: Each time you perform the move armies action, you
have one extra move.

(Stretch Goal) Citadel Tokens: During game setup, the player

chosen to set up the board places the three citadel tokens face up
on any region on the board that does not already have a token.
At the end of the game, control of these regions is worth 1 extra
victory point.

Alternate Bidding Tie Breaker: Instead of the youngest player winning the
first-player bid when tied, roll a die to see who wins.
Game Design: Ryan Laukat
Illustration: Ryan Laukat
Thanks to: Alex Davis, Malorie Laukat
Copyright 2013 Red Raven Games