In general, the rules of the Basic Game also apply to both the Intermediate and Advanced Games.

Sample Units
The multi-colored cardboard counters are the playing pieces (or chits) for Divine Right. In the Basic Game there are hero units and two types of combat units: armies and fleets. There are also a number of other unit types, including ambassadors, magical items and more. HERO (MONARCH)
Coat of Arms Movement Allowance Crown Symbol

REGULAR ARMY UNIT

Coat of Arms Movement Allowance Starting castle

REGULAR FLEET UNIT

Coat of Arms Ship Symbol Movement Allowance Starting Castle-Port

Introduction
Divine Right is a fantasy game dealing with the struggles for power and territory between the various kings, queens, sorcerers, and other inhabitants of the continent of Minaria. Players begin as monarchs of different kingdoms. As the game proceeds, each player attempts to build fragile alliances of kingdoms long enough to crush all opposition and win the game. Assassination and backstabbing are popular pastimes in Minaria, and loyal allies may suddenly abandon the field in the middle of a campaign through the use of black magic, treachery, or skillful diplomacy. More than just a game, Divine Right is a work of fantasy literature, in which the players control the destinies of nations. You organize the alliances, seek out magical treasures, and lead your armies and fleets into battle and sieges to plunder, and ultimately (if you have been wise) victory. The game is divided into 3 levels of play: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Make sure to master the Basic Game before moving on to the Intermediate and Advanced rules included which are on the accompanying CDROM. MERCENARY ARMY UNIT
ID letter Movement Allowance Mercenary symbol

MERCENARY FLEET UNIT

ID letter Movement Allowance Mercenary symbol

ARMY MARKER
Coat of Arms Marker Number

Game Inventory
Board Map 14 Identity Cards 22 Personality Cards 52 Diplomacy Cards 12 Envoy Personality Cards 6 Army Display Sheets 600 Counters 2 Dice CD-ROM

QUEEN MARKER

AMBASSADOR
Coat of Arms Ambassador Symbol

If any parts are missing, please check the CD-ROM for replacements or write: Right Stuf International Attn: Divine Right P.O. Box 71309 Des Moines, IA 50325

PLUNDERED MARKER

Basic Game
The Basic Game is the most streamlined version of Divine Right. The Magicians, Special Mercenaries, and Magic Devices provided in the counters, as well as the special qualities of the Scenic spaces, are not used in Basic play. All rules given in the Basic Game apply to the Intermediate Game. Once players have mastered the basics of siege, movement, combat, and diplomacy, they will be ready to move onto the evolving complexity of the Intermediate and Advanced games found on the CDROM. These rules introduce new material and modes of variant play. RANDOMIZER CHIT

The Coat of Arms and color identify each separate nation of Minaria. It appears on each type of unit belonging to that kingdom.

Although the Mercenary symbol identifies a piece as a mercenary combat unit, the controlling player should record the ID Letter, so that players can remember who controls a particular mercenary unit. The Movement Allowance indicates the maximum number of movement points that a unit may expend in a single turn. Much of Divine Right refers to monarchs as male in nature, but all players have the choice of having either a male or female (as given on the Identity Card) as the monarch of their Kingdom. Should the player elect to use their Queen, all bonuses listed on the kingdom's monarch marker (inherently male) are automatically applied to the Queen Marker. If a player decides to utilize a female monarch for their kingdom, the Queen marker is placed on the Kingdom's identity card to designate that the monarch marker in play refers to the Kingdom's female ruler. Terrain Bonuses are possessed by several units in the game and by all kingdom units if inside their own kingdom. (See Special Terrain Bonus.)

Personality cards are paired with all non-player monarchs. Each card gives a brief profile of the monarch and lists what effects the monarch's personality will have on diplomacy, movement, combat, etc. DIPLOMACY CARDS

Army Markers
Due to the difficulty of handling large stacks, the players may wish to use Army markers to represent unwieldy stacks on the map. Five marker-counters are provided for each of 6 possible players. An Army marker deployed on the board corresponds to a force of units stacked in the corresponding box on the player's Army Display Sheet. Any units that enter or exit the space containing the Army marker may subsequently be added to or subtracted from the stack on the sheet. Any units in the Display Sheet box may be placed into the space of the Army counter. There is no movement point cost for moving units to, or taking them from, the Display Sheet. Because some units move at different rates, it may be prudent to keep any slower-moving units on the map and the other, faster, units on the Display Sheet, otherwise the slow units could be inadvertently moved at the same rate as the faster units. A good rule to remember is that an Army Marker may move only as fast of the slowest unit in the off-map stack.

A player's ambassador uses Diplomacy cards during the Diplomacy phase. These cards list special maneuvers, functions, and tricks of the diplomatic art. There are 2 basic types: Diplomatic Ploy and Special Mercenary. The Diplomatic Ploy Cards look like those cards shown in the picture above. They contain a type of ploy (Bribe, White Magic, Black Magic, etc..) and a modifier. All Special Mercenary Diplomatic Cards contain the name of a Special Mercenary unit (SM) and the location of their deployment. The later set is not used in the Basic Game. ENVOY CARDS

These cards are not used in the basic game. See intermediate and advanced rules.

Game Setup
Spread the map on a table. Carefully separate the Diplomacy cards. Set aside the 17 special mercenary Diplomacy cards, which are not used in the Basic Game. Next separate the 14 Identity cards and the 22 Personality cards. Go through the stack of Identity cards and remove the Eaters of Wisdom, the Black Hand, and the Storm Riders; these characters are not used in the Basic Game. Shuffle the remaining Diplomacy cards and place them, face down, near the map. Shuffle the remaining Identity cards. Each player draws one card. The card drawn designates the home kingdom of that player. Players should note the color for the kingdom they have selected and gather the matching units (monarch, ambassador, armies, and fleets). If a player monarch is eliminated (killed or captured), it is possible for a player to re-enter the game - See ReEntry of Eliminated Players. The remaining Identity cards represent "non-player monarchs." For the remainder of the game, players will attempt to use Diplomacy to ally themselves with these monarchs and their forces in the struggle for control of Minaria. Shuffle the Personality cards and, without looking, place one card beneath each of the remaining Identity cards. Any unused Personality cards are placed facedown on the table near the Diplomacy cards. The selected cards give each nonplayer monarch a distinct personality that is revealed later in the game when an ambassador visits the monarch. The turn counter should be placed on the Turn Indicator at the bottom of the map for turn 1. After each complete game turn (phases 1-5 for all players) have been completed the counter should be moved forward. This will help players remember how many turns remain to the end of the game and keep track of diplomatic banishments. One randomizer chit for each player (1-6) should be placed in a small container. Remove all units that do not belong to a player monarch. Players now place their armies and fleets on the map according to the starting locations printed on the unit counters. The ambassador may be kept off the map. Monarchs always start in their Royal Castle. Each kingdom's Royal Castle is by a castle space with a white outline and an asterisk.

The Game Map

The game map depicts the continent of Minaria. A hexagonal grid is superimposed upon this map to regulate movement and combat. Each kingdom is outlined and colored to clearly define national boundaries. There are some areas that are unclaimed and do not belong to any particular kingdom. Black Hand Muetar Dwarves Pon Eaters of Wisdom Rombune Neuth (Elfland) Shucassam Hothior Trolls Immer Zorn Mivior Unclaimed Regions Terrain features, such as mountains and hills, are also represented with graphics and are explained in detail in the Terrain Effects Chart.

The Cards
There are four types of cards used in Divine Right: IDENTITY CARDS

Identity cards feature the countrys king, queen, the name of the kingdom, the national coat of arms, the name of the Royal Castle, and the number of regular armies and fleets (if any) belonging to the kingdom. The Eaters of Wisdom, the Black Hand, and the Storm Riders are not used in the Basic Game. PERSONALITY CARDS

Read the player monarch's Identity card carefully. It lists the number and type of units that belong to the kingdom's military (or force pool). Some kingdoms have special rules that can be beneficial to their troops that can be located in the Special Rules for Select Kingdoms. It may also help to read the historical notes pertaining to the kingdom in Geography and History of Minaria. Initial player order is determined by each player drawing a randomizer chit from an opaque container. The player with the lowest number goes first. The game is ready to begin.

B) Pass or select one of the following actions: 1. Attempt to activate any non-allied kingdom 2. Attempt to deactivate any enemy-allied non-player monarch 3. Attempt to assassinate any enemy-allied non-player monarch 4. Duel an enemy ambassador PHASE 3: Sieges If the player has any ongoing sieges, they may attempt to resolve them in any order they choose according to the rules for siege combat. Declaring sieges during this phase is not necessary. The instant that the siege conditions become valid, a player may declare a castle "under siege" even if it is not during their game turn. PHASE 4: Movement Player may move as many units as they wish including their own units, units of allied kingdoms, and/or friendly mercenaries. Units are moved over the spaces expending one or more movement points per space. Units may be moved in any direction or combination of directions, up to their full printed movement allowance. Combat units belonging to one player may not enter the same space as the combat units of another player (except during sieges). PHASE 5: Combat Player declares which of their units will be initiating combat and what they will be attacking. All declared attacks can be carried out in any order that the player chooses unless the units have become deactivated. After the first player has completed all phases, the next player begins their turn with Phase 1. This continues until all players have completed all five phases. A single game turn has been completed when all players have completed all five phases. At that time, the Turn Indicator is moved forward on the board and the new game turn begins by the players drawing a new Player-Order Determination.

Victory
Victory is determined one of two ways: A) Eliminate all opponents. B) Accumulated the largest amount of Victory Points. The player who amasses the most points after 20 turns is the winner. Victory Points are awarded as follows: Deed Plundering Enemy (or enemy allied) castle Plundering Enemy (or enemy allied) Royal Castle Capturing / Killing Enemy Player monarch Killing Enemy Allied Monarch (except by assassination) Capturing Enemy Allied Monarch Executing Prisoners Assassinating Non-Player Monarch Points 5 X Defense Strength of Castle 10 X Defense Strength of Castle 70 40 30 0 0

Player-Order Determination
For each game turn, the players randomly determine who is to have the first player turn, the second, the third, and so on. This draw holds only for the present game turn; the order will be changing from game turn to game turn. It is possible, therefore, for one player to be last player in one game turn and the first player in the next, in effect having two turns in a row. To perform Player-Order Determination: Take the 10 counters numbered 1-10; these are the "randomizer chits." Count out one chit per player. At the beginning of each game turn, all players draw one randomizer chit. The player with the lowest number goes first, the one with the second lowest goes second, and so on. Players should keep their chits face up in front of them on the table.

If a non-player monarch is captured and then is freed by their allies, or is released by the captor, the victory points are still awarded to the captor.

Re-Entry Eliminated Players

If a player is eliminated, they can, with the unanimous consent of the other players, return to play as a new player monarch. They will start over at 0 victory points and they must randomly draw a new player monarch from the currently available neutral monarchs. If the kingdom drawn has been depleted due to previous conflict, they receive their full force pool for deployment. However, Plundered Castles remain plundered. If there are no neutral monarchs available, the player randomly draws a nonplayer identity card from the player with the largest number of allies. The new player monarch's units are restored to their original starting strength. Any hostile units are displaced from the kingdoms deployment spaces to allow for normal deployment of the returning player's units. If the player does not choose to re-enter the game, they keep their victory points. If they have the greatest number of victory points at the end of turn 20, the eliminated player monarch is the winner (despite their death).

Random Events Phase

Random events can bring additional troops to the field, raise storms to damage fleets, surprise allies, or even cause the untimely demise of an important ally. Two dice are rolled by the player and their total is matched with the indicated event on the Random Events Table. The various possibilities are explained on the following table. All results of a player's roll on the Events Table will occur at once. If it is impossible to comply with the instructions as given (e.g. one does not have the unit one is required to lose), treat the result as "no event."

Random Events Table

Roll 2 3 4 Event Untimely Death Storms Mutiny Result One of your allied non-player monarchs die. Determine randomly who dies. Lose 1 of your fleets that is not in a port (player's choice). Lose 1 friendly regular or mercenary unit. The phasing player must pick which unit is to be eliminated. The regulars of 1 friendly kingdom, chosen at random, will not fight or siege this game turn. They will move and defend normally.

Game Turn
Each game turn of Divine Right consists of five phases: PHASE 1: Random Events Player rolls 2 dice, consults the Random Events Table and performs the actions indicated by the dice roll. PHASE 2: Diplomacy A) Draw a Diplomacy card - card may be used or saved for later

Bad Omens

Roll 6

Event Replacements

Result Bring 2 eliminated regular units back into play in their deployment spaces (these must be units of the player monarch or his allied kingdoms).

The new mercenary units may be placed on the board in any friendly castle except those that are besieged. Not all units need to be deployed in the same space, but if the player has no available space for immediate deployment, the mercenary unit is lost. The deactivation of a kingdom can result in the elimination of mercenary units. (See Diplomatic Penalty).

7 8 9

No Event Reinforcements Epidemic Bring 2 mercenary units into play in any friendly Castle or (if a fleet) port space. Eliminate half of the combat units in each friendly stack containing 10 or more. The player chooses which combat units to eliminate. If no stack contains 10 or more combat units, the player loses one regular or common mercenary from his largest stack. Bring 1 mercenary unit or previously eliminated regular friendly combat unit into play (player's choice). Place a regular unit in its space of deployment; place a mercenary in any friendly Castle (or Castle-Port if it is a fleet). Lose 1 mercenary unit. The phasing player must decide which unit is to be eliminated. One non-allied non-player monarch becomes the phasing player's ally immediately. Determine the identity of the new ally randomly. Its forces cannot be moved until the next turn.

Diplomacy Phase
More than any other aspect of play good diplomacy will prove the key to victory. Diplomacy is defined as actions taking place between a players ambassador and non-player monarchs (ambassadors of non-player monarchs are not use). Alliances are defined as existing between a player and any number of non-player monarchs. All player monarchs are considered to be mutual enemies, even if two or more are cooperating for some common end. Temporary agreements between players are not alliances and have no enforcement rules. Each player has one ambassador, which is kept off the board until the Diplomacy Phase. An ambassador represents not merely an individual, but the entire diplomatic apparatus of the player monarch. Ambassadors do not move across the map like other units; they are simply picked up and put down in the space where diplomacy is to occur. The unit is removed from play at the end of the Diplomacy Phase. The movement of ambassadors is in no way hindered by sieges or other activities engaged in by other units. Ambassadors are not heroes and never need to make a Hero Fate roll. On any given player's Diplomacy Phase, the player monarch's ambassador may perform any one of the 4 different diplomatic tasks of the Basic Game: 1. Attempt to Activate any one non-allied non-player monarch. 2. Attempt to Deactivate any one Enemy-allied non-player monarch. 3. Attempt to Assassinate any one Enemy-allied non-player monarch. 4. Duel any one Enemy Ambassador

10

Replacements / Reinforcements

11 12

Desertion Help from Afar

If a player's largest stack must be reduced by Epidemic and the player does not have one stack larger than any other, the player randomly decides which stack will be reduced. All heroes aboard fleets lost to Storms are Shipwrecked (See Heroes, Shipwrecked Heroes). All gains and losses of units as a result of Random Events apply only to the player rolling the dice. Replacements and reinforcements may not be given to, nor losses taken from, another player.

Replacements/Reinforcements
Reinforcements are defined as new common mercenaries (as opposed to Special Mercenary Units); replacements are restored regular units belonging to already activated friendly kingdoms. Replacements are regular Kingdom combat units that have been destroyed through attack or other Random Events. Such units can only be brought back into play via the Replacements Event on the Random Events Table. These units must enter at the deployment site named on the counters. If that space is occupied by enemy units, or is under siege, those particular units may not enter the game. Mercenary units can only enter in a friendly castle or, if a fleet, in a friendly port. All replacements and reinforcements may move and fight in the same player turn that they appear. The regular forces of a kingdom cannot exceed the total number given for them on the monarch's identity card. However, Mercenary units may supplement this total. A player with no friendly ports (some Kingdoms do not have ports) may not bring in a fleet replacement or reinforcement. MERCENARY UNITS When Mercenary units are brought into play by the Random Events, the player adds the appropriate number of mercenary counters to their forces on the board. As long as unused fleets and land armies exist, the player has the choice as to type. If all mercenaries are already in use, the player may steal the new units from an enemys stack. If only mercenary fleets remain and the player has no friendly port, the player may steal mercenary land units from an enemy. However, players cannot steal a fleet transporting troops or heroes. In effect, having land units in transport protects the mercenary fleet unit from seizure. Fleets may be taken from an enemy's stack only if there are sufficient fleets in the stack to accommodate the transported units.

Diplomacy Cards
The Diplomacy cards list the maneuvers and tricks of the diplomatic art in Minaria. These are called diplomatic ploys and they grant bonuses to the diplomatic roll. The Special Mercenary cards are not used in the Basic Game. Before conducting Diplomacy, a player draws 1 Diplomacy card, even if that player's ambassador is dead. In the Basic Game, no more than 1 Diplomacy card may be played per Diplomacy Phase. Diplomacy cards may be accumulated, but not be traded or transferred between players. A single player may retain no more than 4 Diplomacy cards at the end of a Diplomacy Phase. The player must discard any excess cards at the end of their Diplomacy Phase. When all Diplomacy cards have been drawn, the discard pile is reshuffled and the deck is turned face down for reuse.

Activating (Allying) a Non-Player Kingdom

To activate a non-allied, non-player kingdom, the ambassador is placed in the Royal Castle of that non-allied non-player monarch. The Personality card of that monarch is read out loud. In addition to the modification given by the Diplomacy cards, these cards give bonuses or penalties to various diplomatic ploys. To use a card (which is not required), the player selects the card and rolls 1 die. This is called the Diplomacy Roll. If the result is a 6 or more after all bonuses have been added and penalties subtracted, the non-player monarch becomes an ally of the rolling player (this is called activation). Once used, the Diplomacy card is discarded. The new ally's forces and monarch unit, are set up on the playing map immediately, according to the deployment locations specified on the unit counters, and may move and attack in the next friendly Game Turn. There is no restriction on the number of times a kingdom may be activated and deactivated.

ACTIVATING A VIOLATED KINGDOM If the Royal Castle of a non-allied kingdom is occupied by enemy combat units, diplomacy may be conducted by simply placing the ambassador anywhere in that kingdom. All non-eliminated units of a kingdom enter play upon activation, regardless of the presence of enemy units. If a deployment space is enemyoccupied, the regulars may be placed in any space of the kingdom. However, units that enter via Random Events as replacements must be deployed in their own deployment space. Combat units cannot enter non-plundered enemy castle spaces except to siege. If violating combat units declare a siege on a castle of an inactive kingdom, the violated kingdom immediately joins the alliance of (activates for) some player monarch other than the invader. Determine the particular player monarch randomly. After the combat units of the violated kingdom are set up, the odds of the siege, or sieges, must be re-figured to determine if a state of siege still exists (see Sieges). If the siege no longer exists, the would-be besiegers are immediately displaced from the castle.

Death of an Ambassador
Even though ambassadors represent many individuals serving in distant capitals, the "death of an ambassador" signifies a diplomatic catastrophe that throws the whole service into temporary disarray. Two game turns must pass before diplomatic activity may resume normally. Place the dead ambassador on the Turn Indicator 3 game turns ahead to represent their two turns of inactivity. (Eg. an ambassador killed in turn 5 cannot work diplomacy again until turn 8). Any Diplomatic penalties incurred by one ambassador are passed on to all successors.

Banishing Ambassadors
The play of certain Diplomacy cards, such as Black Magic, Threats, Blackmail, and Crass Bribes, cause the banishment of the ambassador if the Diplomacy Roll fails. While banished, the ambassador may not attempt any of the diplomatic functions upon the offended monarch or kingdom. The length of banishment is the number of turns equal to the modifying number on the Diplomacy card, plus 1. Thus, if a player is unsuccessful with a +1 Threat, the ambassador would be banished from that kingdom for 2 full game turns. A side record of banishments should be kept with paper and pencil. Certain Personality cards may require the banishment of an ambassador. If a player manages to incur both types of banishment at once, the terms of banishment are added together.

Deactivating (Neutralizing) a Non-Player Kingdom

Enemy-allied non-player monarchs may be persuaded to neutralize their current alliance (deactivate) in a manner similar to activation. To deactivate a non-player kingdom, the player announces their intention and indicates which monarch is the target of their deactivation diplomacy (by putting the ambassador piece on the target monarch unit, their Royal Castle, or simply just pointing). The player with the ambassador may play 1 Diplomacy card. Finally, 1 die is rolled. If the modified result is a 7 or more, the monarch is deactivated and drops out of the enemy alliance. If a Diplomacy card was played, it is now discarded. Deactivated forces are removed from the map. The Identity card and the Personality card of the deactivated monarch remain together, and are returned to the pool of non-allied non-player monarchs. Any regular units eliminated while their monarch was active remain eliminated. Regulars may be replaced (via Random Events) only while a kingdom is active. Should the kingdom be re-activated later, only those regular units who were alive at the time of deactivation will be available. If a common mercenary unit occupies the deactivating kingdom and it is not stacked with a non-deactivating hero or combat unit, it is eliminated and returned to the mercenary force pool. A non-player monarch whose kingdom has a castle under siege may not be deactivated.

Diplomatic Penalty
When units of any type (except ambassadors) cross a border and enter the territory of a non-allied kingdom, the violating player is subject to the Diplomatic Penalty. Any subsequent Diplomacy Rolls attempted with the violated kingdom suffer a Diplomatic Penalty of -1. In the Basic Game, the following areas are excluded from the Diplomatic Penalty: Invisible School of Thaumaturgy, the Tower of Zards, and the Keep. Also, large portions of Minaria, such as the Wetlands, Banished Lands, Wastes of Vah-Ka-Ka, Withering Desert, Blasted Heath, Shards of Lor, and Wilderness are outside established kingdoms. No penalty is incurred for entering these unclaimed areas. The Diplomatic Penalty is never imposed for entering friendly allied kingdoms. Once a non-allied kingdom has been violated, any subsequent violations of its territory by the same player do not result in further penalty. Units (including common mercenaries that are not eliminated due to deactivation) within a kingdom that has suddenly been deactivated have their next Movement Phase to leave the now neutral kingdom or else incur the Diplomatic Penalty. Units that are unable to leave in time may be voluntarily eliminated to avoid the penalty.

Assassination of a Non-Player Monarch

Only once during the entire game can each player monarch attempt to assassinate an enemy-allied non-player monarch. The ambassador is placed on the intended victim. Diplomacy cards cannot be played. One die is rolled for the ambassador and one for the victim. If the monarch rolls higher, the ambassador is killed. If the ambassador rolls higher, the monarch is assassinated. If the result is a tie, neither is killed. A successful assassination deactivates the monarch and their forces (See Death of a Non-Player Monarch). However, no victory points are scored. After any unsuccessful assassination attempt, the ambassador (or their successors, if killed) is banished from the kingdom until the offended monarch dies. Any Diplomatic penalties incurred by one ambassador are passed on to all successors.

Forced Peace
If a non-player Royal Castle is plundered and occupied, the occupying player may attempt to force a dispossessed non-player monarch to make peace (by political coercion). Player monarchs are not subject to Forced Peace attempts. During a Forced Peace, diplomatic actions are suspended and ambassadors cannot perform any diplomatic actions upon that kingdom. Further, all of the kingdom's units are removed from the map at the end of the current game turn. The monarch's Identity and Personality cards are returned to the pool of nonallied non-player monarchs, and the unit counter for the monarch is placed on the Turn Indicator Track to indicate the turn in which they will become available for diplomacy once again. If occupying player so chooses, they may roll a Forced Peace Roll during their Diplomacy Phase. However, the occupying player can instead choose to use normal diplomacy to deactivate the dispossessed monarch. If this is done, a Forced Peace roll may not be made and the resultant deactivation is not considered Forced Peace. Diplomacy cards and the Diplomatic Penalty may not be used to modify a Forced Peace Roll. If the result is 1-4 nothing happens. If the result is a 5 or 6, the attempt was successful and the kingdom goes into a Forced Peace. Roll 1 die. The resulting roll is the number of game turns the Forced Peace will last.

Dueling an Enemy Ambassador

Once per game a player can have their ambassador duel with each of the other players' ambassadors. Regardless of who makes the challenge, ambassadors may duel each other only once. The ambassador counter is placed with the intended opponent. No Diplomacy cards may be played. Both players roll a die. The player with the lower roll loses and their ambassador is killed. If the result is a tie, both ambassadors are killed. An ambassador cannot refuse a challenge.

Although Forced Peace is carried out during the Diplomacy Phase, ambassadors do not get involved in Forced Peace attempts. While a Forced Peace effort is in progress the ambassador may still perform their functions elsewhere. Once a kingdom has entered Forced Peace, any enemy units that violate the kingdom's territory will incur a Diplomatic Penalty. Any enemy units that are in a kingdom undergoing Forced Peace have one Movement Phase in which to exit the kingdom (or be voluntarily eliminated) without Diplomatic Penalty. NEGATING A FORCED PEACE A Forced Peace may be successfully negated in three ways: 1) Ongoing Castle Siege: One of the kingdom's castles is currently besieged by another player who refuses to displace their attacking units. The decision to displace one's besieging units or keep them in place must be made immediately upon the successful attainment of a Forced Peace condition by any player. 2) Captive Monarch: The kingdom's monarch is currently a captive of another player who refuses to release them. 3) Player initiates a new siege in a kingdom currently under Forced Peace. In the first two cases, treat the Forced Peace as if it had never occurred; the kingdom remains in its original alliance and no Diplomatic Penalties are incurred. In the third case, the violator receives a Diplomatic Penalty, all regular units of the kingdom are immediately re-deployed in their spaces and the monarch becomes available to ambassadors. Only regular units alive at the time of deactivation can be re-deployed and plundered castles remain plundered.

"inside" the castle or driven out of the castle space before the friendly units may begin a siege. Enemy units defending the castle from "outside" are treated as ordinary land units (e.g. the presence of the castle has no effect). If the defending units are declared to be "inside" a castles walls, they do not prevent enemy entry into the space from Advance After Combat. Such defending units should be inverted to show theyre "inside the castles walls." There is no additional movement cost for moving into or out of a siege situation, but such a status change can only be made during the owning player's Movement Phase through a Retreat, Advance During Combat, or Displacement.

Intrinsic Defense Strength

All castles have a number printed on the space (Eg. X1, X3, X5) called the Intrinsic Defense. The intrinsic defense strength of a castle is only useful in defense against sieges. It may not be used to make an attack nor added to the strength of friendly units defending the space "outside" the castle.

Effects of a Siege
Replacements and reinforcements may not enter or re-enter the game in a castle deployment space under siege. Combat units under siege may not move from the space unless they have made a breakout attack. The siege continues until the besieging force becomes too weak to maintain a valid siege (were upon any enemy units in the castle space are displaced at the end of the game turn), it voluntarily moves away from the space, it retreats from combat from the space, it is eliminated, or the besieger plunders the castle. If violating combat units declare a siege on a castle of an inactive kingdom, the violated kingdom immediately joins the alliance of (activates for) some player monarch other than the invader. Determine the particular player monarch randomly.

Siege Phase
Enemy combat units until cannot conquer a castle / castle-port after it has been besieged and plundered. Regular ports cannot be placed under siege.

Zone of Siege
Only units adjacent to a castle exhibit a Zone Of Siege. It extends one space around the castle, in either direction, around the combat unit(s).
Zone of Siege

Declaring a Siege
To declare a siege of a castle: A) The castle must be surrounded by besieging units, or their Zones of Siege. B) No defending units may be "outside" the castle. C) The attacker's units must be equal to, or exceed, the total defending combat units inside the castle, plus the intrinsic defense strength of the castle. Each combat unit, whether besieging or besieged, is worth 1 point. The instant that the conditions above are met, a player may declare that a castle is "under siege." A besieging player can occupy a castle space during a siege by attacking units outside the castle by attacking in their Combat Phase. If the attacking forces manage to force the "outside" defending units to Retreat Before Combat into the castle or elimiates them, besiegers can enter into castle space through Advance After Combat (See Combat Phase). Since only units adjacent to the castle have a Zone of Siege. If a besieging player moves their entire stack into the castle space, it may cause the siege to become invalid and thus displace the besieging units at the end of the current game turn. Advance is possible only if the stacks adjacent to the castle can still maintain the Zone of Siege Enemy combat units cannot enter an unplundered castle space via Advance After Combat (whether it contains enemy combat units or not) unless they are able to declare a valid siege. Heroes may always enter an enemy castle, even if they are currently occupied by enemy units (but see Hero Fate Roll).
Zone of Siege

In the example to the left, the units Zone of Siege extends around the castle as shown, but a siege may not be declared, as the castle is not completely surrounded by Zones of Siege.

Zone of Siege

In the example to the right, the units and their Zones of Siege cover all spaces around the castle except one. A siege may not be declared.

Zone of Siege

Zone of Siege

Zone of Siege

Zone of Siege

Zone of Siege

In this final example, the castle is completely surrounded by the units and their Zones of Siege. A siege may be declared if all other conditions are met.

Zone of Siege

"Inside" and "Outside" Castles

Only one player can besiege a single castle at a time. It is possible that enemy combat units may be already in the castle space; these units must be driven

The Zone of Siege of a fleet may extend only into all-sea or coastal spaces, but for land combat it extends only to all land and coastal spaces. The Zone of Siege is not negated by the presence of a unit friendly to the besieged castle.

Resolving a Siege (Siege Attack)

To make a siege attack, 1 die is rolled. Roll Result 1 The attack has failed. 1 besieging combat unit is eliminated. Further, besieging heroes must take a Hero Fate Roll. Captured heroes are placed inside the castle's walls with the defenders. However, if the same siege attack causes the castle to be plundered, any the effects of a besieging hero being captured are ignored. 2-5 6 Nothing happens. The siege may continue as long as the besieging forces are able to maintain the conditions of a siege. Castle is taken and plundered automatically. All combat units within the plundered castle are eliminated. All heroes in the castle must take a Hero Fate Roll. A Plundered marker is placed on the castle and the plunderer scores victory points. Units that have made a siege attack (successful or not) cannot move or attack during the same game turn. (This represents taking a castle by its craven surrender, by a clever stratagem, or through treachery from within the enemy garrison.)

purposes of siege or combat. It does, however, retain its function as a deployment space for regular units and mercenaries.

Breakouts
Combat units attempting to leave a besieged castle must first make a breakout attempt by attacking the stack of the besieging enemy combat units maintaining a Zone of Siege in an adjacent space. Both the attacker and defender total their army and fleet strength together for this attack/defense. Breakout combat is resolved in the same manner as normal combat, except that it takes place during the siege-resolution portion of the player's turn. Win or lose, any surviving besieged units can then move out of the castle in the subsequent Movement Phase into the Zone of Siege area controlled, but not occupied, by the attacked enemy stack (See Zone of Siege). It is not required for the player to move all of their units from the besieged castle. Example1: Stack A is "inside" a castle under siege. The Zones of Siege include the unoccupied spaces of W, X, Y, and Z. If Stack A attempts a Breakout by attacking the bottom most besieging stack, then Stack A may move out of the castle and into either space X or space Z.

W Y Z A X

Prior to resolving any siege attacks, the besieging player points out all the Castles which shall be attacked before any attack is made. If the player has any units (or heroes) stacked with besiegers that the player does not want to be part of the attack, they must be immediately displaced from the space before the Siege Roll is made. (CAUTION: the player must not remove so many units that a 1 to 1 ratio of strength ceases to be maintained.) Displaced units are then regarded as unused units and are able to be moved in the Movement Phase of the same turn. However, any combat units that have taken part in a siege attack may not be moved in the Movement Phase. Once a siege has been declared, and as long as it is in effect, a Siege Roll must be made in each of the besieging player's subsequent siege phases.

Besieged units that attack their besiegers in their Siege Phase cannot attack during the next Combat Phase of the game turn in which they exited the castle.

Besieger Displacement
Should losses, or the entry of a relieving force into a castle, reduce the ratio of besiegers to besieged combat units to less than 1 to 1, the besieger must displace any forces in the castle space at the end of the current game turn. Despite the reduction of forces, the siege condition continues to persist until the end of the game turn, except that a Siege Roll may not be taken. Sometimes enemy units in one or more adjacent non-castle spaces will bar the displacement described above. In such cases, the displacing stack displaces the enemy units that are blocking its route. Each player determines the route of their own units' displacement, but the stack of displaced besiegers must lose a number of friendly combat units equal to the number of enemy combat units that it is displacing. (This represents losses taken by fleeing besiegers fighting their way out of encirclement.). If the enemy units barring the stack's displacement are equal or greater in number than the stack of displaced besiegers, or if the displaced besiegers have no unobstructed route of displacement, they are not displaced but are instead eliminated. Any hero located in a totally eliminated stack must take a Hero Fate Roll. A land unit may displace into a sea or lake space only if an empty friendly fleet is available to carry it. Displacing fleets may ignore combat units in the space it displaces into. It is allowed for enemy land units and friendly fleet units to occupy the same coastal space after displacement. This should be corrected the next time that the player controlling the fleet moves.

Modifying the Siege Roll

The greater the attacking force, the better the attacker's chance of success. Divide the total number of attacking combat units by the total strength of all defending units plus the intrinsic defense strength of the castle. Drop any fractions and subtract one. The number remaining is added to the attacker's Siege Roll. Remember, a natural roll of 1 is a failed attack. EXAMPLE 1: 15 combat units besiege a castle with intrinsic defense strength of 4. The castle has 3 combat units inside, giving it a total strength of 7. (15/7 = 2.14). Dropping the fraction to 2 and subtracting 1, leaves 1. Therefore, 1 is added to the attacker's Siege Roll. Hence, a roll of 5 or 6 would plunder the castle. EXAMPLE 2: This time, the castle with an intrinsic defense of 4 has 4 combat units inside, giving it a total strength of 8, while the besieger again attacks with 15. (15/8 = 1.88). Dropping the fraction to 1 and subtracting 1 leaves zero. So there is no addition to the roll. EXAMPLE 3: If only 1 combat unit was inside the castle (with an intrinsic defense strength of 4) defending against 15, 2 would be added to the attacker's Siege Roll (15/5 = 3; 3 - 1 = 2).

Mixed-Unit Siege Combat

In the Basic Game, fleets and land units may fight combat together only if they are a part of a siege. That is, all combat units stacked in the Zone of Siege space during the Siege Phase are treated as undistinguished strength points. Combat between land units and fleets is not allowed in the Combat Phase, at which time different unit types are required to ignore one another.

Siege Victory
Siege continues until the besieging force: A) Becomes too weak to maintain a valid siege situation B) Voluntarily moves C) Retreats from combat D) Is eliminated E) Plunders the castle Once a castle is plundered, it remains plundered for the rest of the game, and its intrinsic defense strength is lost. Occupying a plundered castle with a combat unit makes the castle friendly for purposes of entering mercenaries. If a Royal Castle was plundered, it may continue as the location for conducting diplomacy provided it is not enemy-occupied. A non-garrisoned plundered castle is treated as though it were nonexistent for

Fleets at Sieges
Fleets may contribute their strength to both the defense and attack in siege combat involving a castle-port. Land units aboard fleets that are reinforcing a siege must debark into the besieged castle space to be considered as part of the besieging force. Fleets can freely enter and exit besieged castle-ports and transport units into and out of besieged castle-ports unless the besieger has at least 1 fleet combat unit in their stack.

The freedom of fleets in sieges is only a factor of movement. A fleet cannot be deployed as a replacement or reinforcement in besieged castle-port even if it is besieged by only land units.

Game: A: The bonus is printed on the counter. B: It is a hero or combat unit led by a hero with such a symbol. C: It is a unit inside the kingdom of its origin (e.g. a Ponese unit in Pon). D: It is a unit led by a hero who is traveling through the terrain spaces of their home kingdom. In the Basic Game, some units display a forest, swamp, hill, or a mountain symbol, (some contain multiple symbols), which are printed beneath their movement allowance. Units with the forest symbol treat forests (both types) as clear terrain. In the example to the left, this unit would treat forests and mountains as clear terrain.

Mixed-Unit Combat During Relief

It is possible to relieve forces under siege through the acts of friendly forces outside the castle. For more see Combat Phase, Relieving Forces at Siege.

Besieging Neutral Castles

If a player declares a siege against a neutral non-player castle, the kingdom in which the castle is located immediately becomes the ally of a randomly-determined enemy player. Deploy the kingdom's units immediately. This will usually mean that some units will be deployed in the very castle that is under siege, which is allowable. If the besieger has maintained a ratio of at least 1:1 in respect of the strength of the castle after any increased in its garrison strength, the siege continues. If, however, the resultant ratio falls below 1:1, the siege condition becomes invalid.

Movement Restrictions
Combat units cannot enter spaces occupied by enemy combat units of the same type or stop in spaces already occupied by enemy combat units even if their types make combat impossible (Eg. one player has fleets and the other player has land units) except to lay siege. Land units may not cross all-water space sides. Fleets may not cross all-land space sides. All ports are considered to be coastal spaces and may be entered by both fleets and land units. No unit (except for ambassadors) may move or retreat off the map.

Non-Siege Attacks by Besiegers

A unit occupying a stack of friendly besiegers may attack adjacent enemy units outside the castle space while still being considered part of the besieging stack. However, if the besieging stack has already participated in a siege attack during that turn, it may not attack again in the Combat Phase.

Movement Phase
During the Movement Phase, the player may move any (or none) of their units, in any direction or combination of directions. Only the current player may move units. Units, or stacks of units, are moved together over contiguous spaces on the map. As each unit (or stack) enters a space, it expends points from its movement allowance determined by the type of terrain in the space. The movement allowance of a given unit is printed on the upper right corner of each unit. The movement allowance is the number of movement points it may expend in a single game turn. Movement points cannot be saved from one turn to the next, nor may they be transferred from one unit to another. Movement allowances can be increased through Hero Movement Bonuses.

Fleet Movement
Fleets are combat units that may traverse all seas, lakes, bays, navigable rivers, and navigable deep rivers. Fleets may not enter a space containing enemy fleet units except under the rules governing siege. A fleet in a port space should be inverted to show that it is "inside" the port. Though fleets may enter coastal spaces occupied by enemy land units, they may not stop there. Land units may stop in coastal spaces occupied by enemy fleets, but the fleet unit is subsequently displaced at the end of the current Movement Phase. FLEETS AND NAVIGABLE RIVERS (FERRYING) Fleets move along navigable rivers like coastal spaces (space to space) and control all water space sides that they touch upon ceasing movement. A fleet may act as a ferry across a navigable river. It may treat navigable-river space sides as if they were ordinary coastal spaces and move between them. A fleet may stand in place in order to negate the existence of the river for friendly land units; doing so allows these units to cross the river space as if the ferry space was a land space without needing to stop before crossing. Any number of heroes may cross freely, by fleet-ferry, but a stationary fleet located on a navigable river may only ferry a number of combat units equal to its movement allowance. EXAMPLE: A fleet with a movement allowance of 8 can negate the existence of the river for up to 8 combat units crossing the river over the top of the fleet, but not more. If a fleet has moved to a ferry-position, it may only ferry a number of combat units equal to the unspent movement allowance remaining to it. A fleet on a navigable river controls all space sides that its space touches. Therefore an enemy fleet on the same navigable river must stop upon entering the first river space side adjacent to the friendly fleet. TRANSPORTING TROOPS Fleets may transport land combat units and heroes by sea. Each fleet may carry 1 combat unit and any number of heroes. To transport a unit, the fleet moves into the space of the unit to be transported and the unit embarks. The fleet may then continue movement. A unit being transported by a fleet may not embark or debark in a coastal space that contains mountains. Units may embark/debark to (or from) a friendly castle port, but not from enemy castle-ports unless the castle is under siege by one's own units. Embarking and debarking are accomplished at no movement-point cost to the fleet. A fleet may continue moving, embarking, and debarking land units until its

Stacking
All friendly combat units and heroes may stack together in the Basic Game. Friendly allied units from non-player kingdoms may stack with those of their allies and enter to defend a friendly castle. At any time, any player can examine the stacks of opposing players to determine their contents.

Movement and Terrain

Each type of space represents a particular terrain type. Each unit entering into a space must expend a certain number of movement points from its allowance. No unit may enter into a space unless it has sufficient movement points to pay all of the movement expenses for that space. All point costs listed below are per space. Terrain effects are cumulative. For example, to enter a forested mountain space, the cost would be six movement points (2 Forest + 4 Mountain) and the unit would have to cease further movement. Hero units may pass their movement bonuses on to land units they are leading, but combat units cannot transfer their bonuses to other combat units in their stack. A hero may "ride" a combat unit for the whole length of its unassisted movement. All regular units possess forest, swamp, hill, and mountain terrain bonuses within their home kingdoms.

Special Terrain Bonuses

A unit's terrain bonus may negate all or part of the penalties for combined terrain. For example, a hill-forest space would cost a Zorn unit, or a mercenary led by the monarch of Zorn (which has both forest and mountain terrain bonuses), only 1 movement point. There are 4 ways that a unit may gain a special terrain bonus in the Basic

own movement allowance is spent. Units transported by sea cannot move further during that turn.

Terrain Effects Chart

Clear 1 point

Zones of Control
Unlike many other games, units in Divine Right do not have zones of control, except in the sense that enemy fleets control all adjacent navigable river hex sides and land units control adjacent spaces during Sieges (See Zone of Siege). This reality is due to the small size of the armies of the era. A strength point represents the equivalent of 1000 human soldiers and each space is about 50 miles across. Therefore, units may pass through spaces adjacent to enemy units without penalty or delay.

Hills

2 points

This type of terrain is more easily entered by units with special terrain bonuses. This type of terrain is more easily entered by units with special terrain bonuses. Note: There are 2 different map symbols for forests. When a unit first enters a mountainous region it must cease movement on the first space. This type of terrain is more easily entered by units with special terrain bonuses. Units defending in a mountain space may add 1 to the combat die roll. Units defending in a mountain pass space are doubled in combat value. Fleet units may not enter. This type of terrain is more easily entered or traversed by units with special terrain bonuses. Fleets only.

Forest

2 points

Ports
All ports have at least one full all-water space side. Castle Ports are designated by having at least one all-water space side and the easily identifiable non-black portion of the bottom half of their hex space. Regular ports have at least one all-water space side, but do not have the non-black portion on the bottom of their hex space. The only exceptions to this rule are Freeport and Bartertown which have nonblack portions on the bottom half of their hex space. These spaces are not castle-ports but specially designated spaces for the Intermediate and Advanced Games. A friendly port is any castle or port inside the boundaries of a kingdom belonging to the player monarch or to that monarch's allies. Any plundered castle/port not meeting the above requirements is considered friendly if occupied by at least 1 friendly combat unit. Players without friendly ports cannot add fleet replacements or reinforcements. CASTLE-PORTS The term castle-port is used to denote a port that is also a castle in all respects, but it is used only when special attention needs to be drawn to the spaces capacity for functioning as a port. All rules, which pertain to Castles, also pertain to castle-ports. NON-CASTLE (REGULAR) PORTS Non-castle ports are small affairs. Each may shelter a single fleet from a Storm random event. Fleets and land units enter at the cost of 1 movement point. Additional fleets in the port space are not protected. Land combat units may freely enter the port unless the space is occupied enemy land units. If occupied by friendly combat units, a non-castle port functions as a friendly port. For control purposes, land combat units are superior to fleet units. Friendly land units may enter the port if it is occupied solely by an enemy fleet unit and thereby seize control of the port space. The enemy fleet is displaced from the space at the end of the Movement Phase. Regular ports cannot be placed under siege. Mountain Pass 2 points

Mountain

4 points

Swamp

2 points

Open Sea or Water Isle of Fright

1 point

1 point

Fleets may only enter if attempting a rescue; Land units may not enter.

Sea Coast or Lake Shore

See Right 1 point for fleets; Land units pay the cost of the land terrain in the space and may not enter into open water.

Rivers
Rivers that do not cross at least 2 sides of a space are merely decorative and have no effect upon land movement. These decorative spaces are unnavigable and cannot be traversed by fleets. There are two types of Navigable rivers: Regular Navigable River and Deep Navigable Rivers. NAVIGABLE RIVERS A navigable river is one that crosses at least 2 sides of a space. Land units may not fight land combat across a navigable river nor can a land unit cross a navigable river unless a fleet is present for ferrying or the units begin their Movement Phase adjacent to the space side to be crossed (having taken time to prepare a ferrying operation). Fleets move along navigable rivers like coastal spaces and control all water space sides that they touch upon ceasing movement. Fleets moving along navigable rivers control all water-containing spaces adjacent to the space it currently occupies. Control means that any water-traveling combat unit that enters the controlled space must stop. The only way to pass another fleet controlling an area of the river is to attack and destroy it. Moving fleets up river (against the current) requires more effort and thus costs 2 movement points, while moving down river (and with the current) requires less effort and only 1 movement point. Deploying the counter from one side of the

Navigable River See Right Land units: Add 1 point to the movement cost of the surrounding terrain if a land unit is entering or exiting the river valley. If simply following the river, pay only the cost of the surrounding terrain. Navigable River See Right For Fleets: If moving up river 2 points; if moving down river, 1 point Castles and Castle Ports 1 point Units defending the Castle "outside" treat the space as clear terrain. Forbidden to enemy units except during sieges. Castles with asterisks are royal Castles.

Scenic Space

1 point

Treat as clear terrain for the basic game; see for rules for advanced and intermediate games.

river to the other, while remaining on the same space, does not cost movement points. Land units can be moved through enemy fleets in a navigable river space, but cannot be stopped during their progress along the space. A fleet in the river does not force a land-traveling hero to take a Hero Fate Roll. The Falls of Xag on the Wanderer River cannot be navigated. The castle of Parros is not surrounded by a navigable river, but rather an island surrounded by coastal spaces. See specific rules for Parros in Special Rules for Select Kingdoms. DEEP NAVIGABLE RIVERS As defined on the terrain effects chart, most rivers on the board are navigable as long as they cross at least 2 sides of a space. These rivers can be crossed by traveling land units without using a fleet by stopping to take the time to prepare a ferrying operation (and thus start their next turn in the space). Some rivers are especially wide and deep in some places, typically at their mouths. These so called Deep Navigable Rivers are readily apparent on the map when a river posses an all-water row of space sides through the middle of the stream (see example to left). Such rivers include the Deep River and the mouth of the Flood Water River near Port Lork. Crossing these areas by normal ferrying techniques (land units building ferries to cross the river) would be extremely dangerous and result in the immediate deaths of most units. Deep Rivers can only be crossed by utilizing Fleet Transport. The restrictions for transporting troops across deep rivers are exactly the same as normal sea troop transport. (See Fleet Movement, Transporting Troops) RIVER BOUNDARIES It is not always clear to players where seas end and rivers begin; to clarify we've instated the following boundaries: Both spaces south of Addat are sea spaces. The river begins east of Addat. The Boom is a navigable Deep Navigable River (See Deep Navigable River) at the mouth of the Floodwater River. The regular Floodwater River begins east of it. Both spaces south of Farnot are the out of the Deep River and as such are Deep Navigable River spaces. The regular river begins east of them. The Wanderer River begins 2 spaces NE of Adesse

When taking combat losses, the loser always decides which units shall be eliminated. Land units aboard eliminated fleets are also eliminated, but do not count against losses to be removed. All attacks must be stated before any can be resolved, but declared attacks may be resolved in any order that the attacker chooses. The result of each attack is applied immediately after the attack is executed. If all the defending units in a given space are eliminated, the attacker may advance some, all, or even none of the attacking units into the space vacated by the defender. Should an attacker be totally eliminated, the surviving defending units cannot advance into the vacated space.

Modifying the Combat Roll (Odds)

The strength of all combat units in the Basic Game is 1. Combat Rolls may be modified by: The combat strength of both the attacking and defending units in the space are totaled. The larger total is divided by the smaller total. If the attacking force is larger, round the result down, in favor of the defender, to get a simple ratio, such as 4 to 1. Now simply add each player's ratio number (e.g., 4 or 1) to their respective roll result. In the above example, one would add 4 to the roll of the larger force, and 1 to the roll of the smaller force. If the attacker's force is smaller then the defender's by any amount, 1 is subtracted from their roll. Note: It is also all right (and amounts to exactly the same thing) to subtract the odds of one force per the above calculation from the odds of the other to arrive at the modification of the larger army's die. EXAMPLE 1: 5 units attack 3. Dividing, 5/3 = 1.66. Rounding in favor the defender yields 1. The ratio is 1 to 1. Add 1 to each of the players die results. (Note: In the 1 to 1 situation, it proper to ignore the modification and accept the straight roll.) EXAMPLE 2: 7 units attack 3. Dividing, 7/3 = 2.33. Rounding in favor of the defender yields 2 to 1. Add 2 to the attacker's roll result, and add 1 to the defender's. (For those who can do quick arithmetical calculations, this is exactly the same as calculating the ratio as given, then subtracting 1 from each players' result before applying it). EXAMPLE 3: 9 units attack 8. Dividing the larger by the smaller number, we have 9/8=1.25. The attacker is only slightly smaller in this case, but they still get the -1 penalty. EXAMPLE 4: 2 units attack 3. Dividing the attacker by the defender, 2/3 = 0.66, which rounds down to 1:2. The smaller attacker gets -1 modifier for being smaller but they add +1 for their odds-number. The attacker's total modifier is, therefore, 0); meanwhile the defender adds +2 for their superior odds. If the attacker rolls 5 it remains a 5; if the defender rolls 4 it becomes a 6. TIES If the modified rolls of both players results in a tie, then both the attacker and defender must lose the number of combat units equal to the unmodified number rolled by the weaker player. However, the player with more units is not required to lose more than twice the number of the units of the smaller force. EXAMPLE 1: A stack of 8 combat units attacks a stack of 4. It is a 2 to 1 attack. Each player rolls a combat die; the attacker rolls a 2 (which is modified, for odds, by +2 = 4) and the defender rolls a 3 (which is modified, for odds, by +1 = 4). The result is a tie. Because the player with the fewer forces has rolled (an unmodified) 3, each player would have to lose 3 units. EXAMPLE 2: A stack of 6 combat units attacks a single enemy unit. It is a 6 to 1 attack. The attacker rolls a 1, and the defender rolls a 6. These results when modified (by +6 and +1 respectively) to yield a tie of 7. The defender has only 1 unit to lose. However, because of the small size of the defender's casualties, the attacker need not lose 7 units but can instead loose a sum equal to the other player's actual losses x2. In this case 1 x 2 means that the attacker loses 2 units.

Movement and Diplomacy

Moving heroes and combat units into neutral kingdoms has diplomatic repercussions. See The Diplomatic Penalty. Ambassadors do not move across the map like other units; they are simply picked up and put down in the space where the diplomacy is to occur.

Combat Phase
Combat occurs between adjacent opposing units at the discretion of the current player. This player is considered the attacker, regardless of the over-all strategic situation and their opponent the defender.

Making Attacks
A possible combat situation exists when the combat units of two different players are adjacent to once another and the terrain type does not specifically forbid combat (E.g. a navigable river). To resolve an attack, the attacker and the defender each roll 1 die. This is called the Combat Roll. The Combat Roll of both the attacker and defender can be modified by having superior numbers, or monarchs with special Personality cards that assist (or hinder) combat. The player with the highest Combat roll is the winner of the attack. The loser must remove the number of combat units equal to the difference between the two Combat Rolls.

Which Units May Attack?

Only those units belonging to the current player may attack. Units that have declared a siege, or have made a siege attack in the game turn may not attack during the friendly Combat Phases.

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Just like land units, enemy fleets may (but are not required to) attack each other when they are in adjacent spaces. In the Basic game, mixed combat is not allowed in normal Combat (non-siege, non-amphibious).Transported troops may not be may not be combined in fleet attacks. If a fleet transporting troops is lost in combat, all transported troops are also lost but do not count against losses to be removed. Heroes being transported on an eliminated (shipwrecked) fleet are not lost but must make a Hero Fate Roll. Land combat units that are aboard fleets may not participate in combat, unless a port is being attacked (see Amphibious Attacks). Replacements and reinforcements that entered during the Random Events Phase may attack in the same game turn that they enter. Units may attack any (or all) enemy units adjacent to them, except those that are "inside" Castles, those forbidden by impassable terrain, or navigable river. Basically, only those units directly adjacent to a given enemy stack may participate in an attack upon that stack. If a stack attacks an enemy, all units in an attacking stack must attack. However, just because enemy stacks are adjacent to one another does not mean that they must attack. Once a unit has participated in an attack upon an enemy combat unit, it may not make any other attack for the duration of that Combat Phase. No combat unit may be attacked twice in the same player's Combat Phase. EXAMPLE 1: To the left, A, B and C are friendly stacks. X, Y, and Z are enemy stacks. A and B may both attack X, or A may attack X alone. B may attack X alone, Y alone, or both X and Y together. C may only attack Z.

When a stack of units is attempting to retreat, test the type of unit with the least chance of success first; if it succeeds, all other units in the stack are assumed to have successfully made their required retreat roll. Hero units do not retreat unless all friendly combat units do. Heroes simply ride a combat unit away during its retreat. EXAMPLE 1: Mercenaries (always treated as humans) stacked with Elves from Neuth (non-humans) receive a roll of 5. Both groups may retreat before combat. If the player had rolled a 2, they would be would be forced to stand and fight. The Elves could still roll to retreat without the mercenaries, if their owner so desires. EXAMPLE 2: A mixed stack of Elves and Dwarves attempt retreat from an enemy attack. A retreat roll of 2 is rolled. Neither the Elves nor the Dwarves may retreat from the combat situation. Any units successfully retreating before combat must move to an adjacent space (unless such a move is impossible). All units of the same basic type (e.g. land or fleet unit) that retreat on a single roll must retreat to the same space. A stack with two different types may choose to retreat to two different spaces, but must roll separate retreat rolls. Units may not retreat into the space that contains an enemy combat unit, a nonplundered enemy, neutral castle (unless it is already besieged by friendly combat units), or into any space occupied by friendly units that are currently engaged in an unresolved attack that same player round. If no space is available for a stack to retreat into, no retreat can take place regardless of the roll. The player may abort an intended retreat even after a successful retreat roll. For example, if Elves and Dwarves are stacked with human units and are able to retreat, while the humans' roll is an unsuccessful one, the player may opt to keep the Dwarves, Elves, and the humans together to face the attack at better odds. Conversely, either the Dwarves or Elves may retreat, while letting the humans stay to help defend the space. If, after a Retreat Before Combat, a unit or stack is still adjacent to the enemy units that were attacking it, or are adjacent to a different enemy stack capable of attacking it (Eg. they have not already made an attack and are involved in an pre-existing declared battle), then the retreated unit(s) may still be attacked. No second Retreat Before Combat is allowed. It is not possible for a stack to Retreat into an enemy castle space.

EXAMPLE 2: The units in stack A are enemy to stacks X, Y, and Z. Stack A could attack in one of 4 ways: 1) Not at all, 2) Attack only X, only Y, or only Z, 3) Attack any combination of 2 enemy-occupied spaces, or 4) Attack all three adjacent enemy-occupied spaces as a combined defending total.

Advance After Combat Mixed-Type Combat

In the Basic Game, fleets and land units may fight together only in a siege situation during the Siege Phase, or during Amphibious Attack, but may not attack one another in the Combat Phase. In short, the presence of one type of unit is ignored by the other even if they should occupy adjacent spaces. Even so, they cannot normally occupy the same space even if they are unable to fight. Attacking units may advance into a space that has been vacated by defenders that have evaded their attack through Retreat Before Combat, but in doing so the advancing units cannot make further attacks during that turn.

Amphibious Attacks
The player may attack a body of enemy combat units in a port space (either castle-or non-castle) if they are "outside" the port. Besiegers of a castle-port may attack by means of an amphibious landing. But such landings are dangerous and should not be engaged in lightly. Enemy land units located "outside" a port may be attacked from adjacent sea spaces by fleet units, either alone or in combination with any land units being transported. (This is an exception to the restriction on combat by transported land units.) However, any enemy fleets in the space (either inside or outside the castle-port) may be added to the defender's strength, but until the defender's next Movement Phase, fleets, which defend against an amphibious landing, are considered to be "outside" the castle-port (hence are vulnerable Storms or subsequent attack from which it may attempt to retreat). Simply stated, all combat units defending against an Amphibious Attack ("inside" and "outside") can be combined in a total defense. All attacking combat units, both fleets and their transported units, can be combined for the attack. Should the amphibious force lose the battle (e.g. take greater or equal losses), half the surviving amphibious attackers, land units and fleets are eliminated. (This represents the difficulty of withdrawing safely from a failed amphibious situation). The losing player may take their losses from either land units or fleets, or a combination thereof. The survivors either remain at sea in place, or voluntarily withdraw into the castle-port if the attacker is willing and able to advance into the castle.

Effects of Terrain on Combat

Units defending in a mountain may add +1 to their combat roll. Units defending in a mountain pass have their combat strengths doubled. These combat bonuses are in addition to any other combat bonuses that may accrue to the defending player (e.g. those that come from heroes, etc.) Land units may not attack across an all-sea or navigable river, nor may fleets attack across an all-land space side. Ordinary (decorative) rivers have no effect upon combat.

Retreat Before Combat

After an attack has been declared and before the combat dice are rolled, the defender may attempt to retreat to avoid taking losses. The ability to retreat is determined by a roll of a single die and success is dictated by the type of combat unit trying to retreat: Type of Unit: Human (most kingdoms, mercenaries) Non-Human (Neuth, Ghem, Nithmere, Trolls) Retreats on: 4, 5, or 6

3, 4, 5, or 6

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It is possible for a relieving force to attack a besieging stack amphibiously, after which the surviving units may advance into the friendly-besieged castle. Likewise, a third-party force may make an amphibious attack on a besieging stack, but it cannot advance into the castle afterwards. EXAMPLE: 4 besieging Mivioran land units are in the space of the Rombuni port of Thores but are "outside" it. The Rombuni fleet stops adjacent to the castle with four fleets and 4 land units. The Rombunis may attack the Mivioran units at 2 to 1 (8 vs 4) by means of amphibious landing.

a printed movement allowance of 5 points, but they may actually expend 7 movement points by the Hero Movement Bonus (e.g. their monarch's movement allowance is 7). HERO TERRAIN BONUS Some hero units have terrain bonuses on their counters (see Movement). All monarchs have mountain, forest, hill, and swamp terrain bonuses when moving within their own kingdoms. These bonuses are passed on to all units, including other heroes, which are in the same stack. EXAMPLE: If the monarch of Ghem with one unit and the monarch of Muetar with 2 units are moving through hills, the one Ghem (Dwarven) combat unit and the king of Muetar may accompany the Ghem monarch, through up to 8 spaces of clear terrain and hills. Because the Muetaran monarch chooses not to move with their own units, the Muetaran combat units can move only 5 movement points, which would take them through just 2 hill spaces. Units with their own terrain bonuses that use hero-assisted movement lose their personal bonuses. Thus a unit which is able to move through forest as clear terrain does not transfer this ability to the hero in of its stack and may not use its own forest-terrain bonus if it is benefiting from the hero's movement bonus. If two heroes with different terrain bonuses are capable of leading a single unit, the unit may be led by, and benefit from the terrain bonuses of, only one of them. Multiple heroes may not combine movement enhancements in any way. The hero, which led the stack in movement, must also be chosen to lead the stack in battle that phase. HERO COMBAT BONUS Various factors give a hero a Combat Bonus. In the Basic Game only those heroes with Personality card 16 have a Combat Bonus. If more than 1 hero with such a bonus is involved in a given battle, only the one that lead during the Movement Phase (if either) may use their bonus. Combat Bonuses do not apply to Siege Resolution Rolls. HERO FATE ROLL When a hero is in danger of being captured or killed, they must make a Hero Fate Roll. Whenever one of the following situations occurs, a die must be rolled for each threatened hero. 1) One or more units in the hero's stack are lost in combat. 2) Hero passes through a stack of enemy combat units alone. 3) Stack of enemy combat units land on or pass through a lone hero. (referred to as a "search.") 4) Hero begins their turn in an enemy stack and attempts to leave it 5) Castle containing the hero falls to a siege. 6) Hero attempts to enter or leave a besieged castle alone. (To enter/exit the space and the castle walls is a single roll, not one for the castle and one the enemy besiegers). 7) Hero attempts to enter or leave any enemy or neutral castle. 8) Hero is inside an enemy castle during the occupying players turn 9) Fleet transporting the hero is shipwrecked. 10) Hero attempts to cross a navigable river space controlled by enemy fleets. A "lone hero" means that there are no friendly combat units stacked with the hero. Several heroes stacked together without friendly combat units as escorts are equally vulnerable. A lone hero in a non-friendly castle space is always considered to be inside the castle walls. If a stack begins its turn stacked with an enemy hero and the player wishes to both leave the space and to make a search, the searching units must expend movement points equal to the terrain cost of the space they occupy. (Time is lost in the process of making a search). Thus, if the space contains mountain terrain, at least one combat unit loses 4 movement points in conducting the search. (If the unit or its hero has a mountain terrain bonus, only 3 movement points are lost. However, if the hero's bonus is used, the hero loses the movement points also). THE HERO FATE TABLE Roll 1 2-5 6 Result Hero Killed No Effect Hero Captured

Relieving Forces at Sieges

A relieving force is a stack of friendly combat units outside of the Zone of Siege. These units may attempt to help the besieged castle by 1) Attacking and eliminating the adjacent besieging forces or 2) Attempt to advance into the castle past the besieging forces. The second option may be accomplished by attacking adjacent besieging units. Once the relieving force has attacked, win or lose the remaining forces earn the right to advance into the castle space. If the castle is completely surrounded by enemy units, the relieving force must first clear a space of besieging units before advancing into the castle. This may be accomplished by forcing the opposing units to Retreat, or by eliminating them in normal combat. Once cleared, the relieving force may then advance 2 spaces (first into the vacated space and then into the castle space). This is the only exception to the one space limit on Advance After Combat restriction. A relieving force that fights its way into the castle may choose to remain "outside" the castle or advance 'into' the castle walls. If any forces remain "outside," the siege immediately becomes invalid. Because Relief Combat is only fought during the Combat Phase of a player's turn, army and fleet units may not attack one another in the course of relief combat. Relieving land forces may attack only besieging land units, while relieving fleets may attack only besieging fleet units, unless the attack is amphibious. EXAMPLE: A castle-port is besieged by 2 enemy fleets and 6 land combat units. A relieving force consisting of 4 fleets and 2 transported land units attack. The attacker chooses to fight with only 4 fleets vs the 2 enemy fleets (in this case both the land units on the fleets and the enemy land unit are discounted). The combat is fought at odds of 2 to 1. After the attack, the 2 besieging fleets survive, as do 3 of the relieving fleets, and these 3 fleets now enter the besieged castle-port (along with the 2 transported land units). Although the 2 arriving land units have not yet fought, they may not initiate any further attacks during this game turn because the time for announcing new attacks has passed. Instead of launching an ordinary combat as given above, it is possible that the player may opt for the riskier Amphibious Attack.

Heroes
In the Basic Game, all units representing individuals (as opposed to combat units which represent hundreds) are referred to as "heroes." All monarchs in Minaria, player and non-player, are hero-leaders. Units stacked with a hero accrue the hero's movement allowance and terrain bonuses. Additionally, they are able to attack or defend with the aid of any combat bonuses granted by the monarchs Personality card. Heroes, by themselves, have no combat strength, but can sometimes grant combat bonuses to the combat resolution via Personality cards. Heroes traveling alone can pass through a stack of enemy combat units, or even an enemy castle, but must take a Hero Fate Roll when so doing. HERO MOVEMENT BONUS A monarch-hero may give their movement bonus to a stack containing other heroes, their own regular units and/or mercenaries. Units that begin their turn stacked with a hero may move at the heros rate. Units that the player does not wish to have benefit from the hero's bonus should be moved first. However, if a unit begins its move in concert with a hero and then splits off from the stack before that hero's move is finished, it must cease movement. If two or more heroes are in the same stack, only one of them may lead the unit for movement or combat. EXAMPLE: A stack of human regular units, which is led by their monarch, have

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Usually, a Hero Fate Roll can be forced on a hero only once per a player's turn. For example, if a hero's stack is eliminated in combat and the enemy advances on top of the hero, only one Hero Fate Roll is made. However, on that hero's next Movement Phase, another Hero Fate Roll must be made when the hero attempts to leave the space occupied by enemy combat units. Only one Hero Fate Roll may be required of a given hero during each enemy player's movement. (For instance, an enemy player may not force 7 rolls by separately moving 7 combat units over a lone hero). If a hero begins an enemy turn in an enemy castle, a Hero Fate Roll must be made for the hero at the start of the enemy player's Random Events Phase. A lone hero exiting a besieged castle and passing though a non-besieging enemy unit adjacent to it must undergo 2 Hero Fate rolls. In fact, there is no limit to the number of rolls that a hero must undergo for situations of their own making. A lone hero may never be attacked. Aside from assassination (see Diplomacy), the only way heroes may be killed or captured is through the Hero Fate Roll. SHIPWRECKED HEROES A hero is either killed, captured, or shipwrecked if they are left without a friendly fleet in an all-sea space due to an enemy attack or loss through Storms from the Random Event's Table. A Hero Fate roll is made. The hero dies on a 1, and is captured on a 6. On a 25 (and on a 6, if no attacking or searching enemy fleets are responsible for their plight), the hero is immediately placed on the Isle of Fright. The castaway must remain there until picked up by a friendly fleet that moves into the space. Enemy fleets may not capture a hero on the Isle of Fright, as there are too may caves in which to hide. In similar manner, fleets may not unload combat units there because of the many dangerous reefs surrounding the island. Fleet movement into the Isle of Fright space is restricted to rescue attempts. Ambassadors may still work diplomacy upon a castaway monarch's kingdom, since a temporary regency is assumed. Until freed or rescued, a shipwreck causes the monarch's combat units to suffer a -1 modifier on all (offensive) Combat and Siege Rolls in which they make up more than 50% of the participating friendly force. A non-player monarch is automatically removed from their place of exile should their kingdom be deactivated or go into forced peace. A hero castaway on an inland body of water is placed on the closest non-port river space, lake shore, or coastal space of the same body. If two spaces are equally close, decide randomly. A castaway will violate a neutral kingdom if they is cast upon its shore, unless they is eliminated voluntarily.

The rules that govern Forced Peace hold for Confusion in regards to sieges and violations. If an enemy will not abandon a siege of the kingdom, or if a player begins a new siege, a new monarch is immediately crowned (a new Personality card is drawn), and the kingdom becomes the ally of a random player who is enemy of the besieger.

Capture of a Non-Player Monarch

When a non-player monarch is captured, they are immediately placed in the nearest non-plundered, non-besieged castle controlled by the captor. If the captor has no such castle, there are two other options: 1) Execute the monarch immediately, or 2) Set the monarch free. In either case, the captor still gets the victory points for the capture (see Victory). A captured hero may not be transferred from one prison castle to another, and is incapable of any offensive or defensive action. The captor does not need to keep a combat unit at the castle - the intrinsic defense factor of the castle constitutes a garrison. If a monarch is a captive, the monarch's combat units suffer a -1 modification on the Combat Roll, should they make up more than half of the friendly units engaged in a combat situation. There are only 3 ways to free an imprisoned monarch: 1) Successfully siege and plunder of the prison castle by the prisoner's own troops or allied troops. 2) If the kingdom in which the prisoner is being held deactivates in any manner, the prisoner is released and placed in the nearest friendly castle. 3) If the castle is plundered by units enemy to the captive, the captive is freed, but remains in place until they are able to move on their own. Usually this will require one or more Hero Fate rolls to evade the new enemy.

Prisoners
FREEING A PRISONER A captive who is voluntarily freed is placed in the nearest friendly castle. If no castle is friendly to the freed captive, they are placed with the nearest friendly combat unit. If there is no friendly combat unit, the owning player places the freed captive in any space that they desire. EXECUTING A PRISONER Immediately upon capture, or in any of the captor's subsequent diplomacy phases, a prisoner may be executed. No additional victory points are awarded for such an execution, though the capturing player still gets the victory points for the capture. Additionally, the player executing a monarch incurs a Diplomatic Penalty of -1 in the kingdom of the slain monarch. FORCING PEACE ON A PRISONER Forcing peace on a prisoner is similar to forcing peace upon a kingdom due to the capture and occupation of its Royal Castle (see Forced Peace). Each and every game turn that a monarch is imprisoned, the jailor, during their Diplomacy Phase, may make a special roll to attempt to force the captured monarch into peace. This is also called the "Forced Peace roll." A jailor may choose not to attempt to force peace on their prisoner, but instead may work normal diplomacy on the captive with the ambassador. In this case Diplomacy cards and penalties do apply, but that is the only function that the ambassador may do that turn. Only the jailor's ambassador may work diplomacy on a captured monarch and deactivating a captive by using an ambassador is considered normal diplomacy and not considered Forced Peace.

Death of a Non-Player Monarch (Confusion)

If a non-player monarch is killed, their kingdom goes into a form of Forced Peace called Confusion. Confusion lasts for the results of a single dice roll, while a new monarch is being selected. The unit counter for the monarch is placed on the Turn Indicator Track according to the roll of the die. This represents the turn that the new monarch becomes available for diplomacy. EXAMPLE: A monarch is killed during game turn 7 and 4 is rolled on the die. In this case, place the monarch on the Turn Indicator Track with four blank spaces ahead. The kingdom will be in Confusion for the rest of turn 7, and for turns 8, 9, 10, and 11. The dead monarch's old Personality card is discarded and is shuffled into the deck of unused ones. No ambassadors may work diplomacy with a kingdom during the period of Confusion. At the end of this time, a new monarch is crowned. This is shown by drawing a new Personality card and placing it face down under the monarch's Identity card. At the onset of Confusion all of the dead monarch's regular units defend normally, but may not move, siege, or initiate combat for the remainder of the game turn. At the end of that game turn, the kingdom deactivates. As in deactivation, any regulars of a kingdom that were eliminated at the time of a monarch's death remain eliminated, even if the kingdom is later reactivated under a new monarch. Regulars are only replaced via Random Events.

Special Rules for Select Kingdoms

Trolls
Trolls have 4 separate locations on the map. They are a common but somewhat disorganized race. Trolls are regenerative; in addition to any replacements they may receive via Random Events, they may replace 1 eliminated regular unit (if any) at the beginning of each turn. The Troll is replaced at its original deploy-

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ment space. If the deployment space is enemy-occupied, the regenerated units may not be brought into play that turn. Any Troll regulars lost through Random Events may not be regenerated in the same game turn. The Trolls have the only kingdom without a Royal Castle. Use the scenic space of the Face as a Royal Castle for diplomacy purposes and mercenary placement. The Trollish monarch may enter play in any of the 4 scenic spaces of the Troll kingdom.

gradual sinking of the hinterland around Parros with man-made canals. Now Parros is effectively surrounded by a large moat. A land invasion is still possible, but more costly. Crossing the canal space sides of Parros costs an player 2 extra movement points, unless Parros is a friendly castle. Increase the combat roll of the stack defending outside the castle by +2, unless the invader attacks with the support of fleets.

Shucassam
In the Basic Game the scenic space of the Obelisk is considered a wasteland space and not part of the kingdom of Shucassam.

Goblins
Most of the Goblins inhabit the kingdom of Zorn in the Nithmere Mountains. They are a tribal people dwelling in scattered goat pastures. Their units must be deployed on the mountain and pass spaces of Zorn; only one may be placed per space, and no two may be deployed in adjacent spaces. This rule must be followed both when setting up and when bringing in replacements.

Basic Options
All players should agree before using any of the following player-option.

Dwarves
Dwarves, who own the kingdom of Ghem, have 3 widely separated locations determined by the availability of rich mines: Aws Noir, Aws Alzak, and Aws Rosengg. Though separated, they are all related and will fight fiercely for a common cause.

Minimal Movement for Heroes (Riding Units)

Sometimes it is possible for a hero to accompany a combat unit that they cannot lead but which has useful terrain bonuses in its own right. Under the standard rules, when traveling through difficult terrain, it is possible in such circumstances that the hero will fall behind the combat units. Players may instead opt to allow a hero to "ride" upon a combat unit providing none of their own movement points have been used so far that turn. Hence, regardless of a hero's own movement allowance and movement bonuses, they can accompany a combat unit stacked with them for the unit's entire movement (or drop away from it along its route).

Hothior
Due to the vulnerability of their capital city of Port Lork, the Hothiorans have engaged the best engineers to construct a heavy chain on a boom to prevent the entry of unwanted ships. "The Boom," sometimes called "Boarhort's Boom" after the king who authorized it, is located in the scenic space next to Port Lork. This space is considered part of Hothior and it is a diplomatic violation for an enemy unit to enter it. In enemy turns, the Boom is closed, forcing enemy fleets to stop in the Boom space for 1 turn before entering the space of Port Lork. The Boom is open to all fleets if Port Lork is under siege, or enemy-occupied.

History and Geography of Minaria

The following is a brief summary of the most important events of Minarian history and the background of its current heroes. More information is available on the accompanying CDROM.

Rombune
Like Hothior, Rombune has gone to extraordinary lengths in late years to protect its vulnerable quarters by engineering. The Rombunis have exaggerated the

Early History
Little is known of pre-Cataclysmic Minaria outside of the information provided in a few surviving histories compiled in Lloroi times. The Lloroi were a highly civilized race, more akin to the present day woodland Elves than to Men or Dwarves. Out of the earlier kingdoms and barbarian lands, the Lloroi forged a great empire. Yet their drive to conquer was inspired more out of pride in their culture than in any ambition for resources or military glory. The two thousand year period following the conquest of Minaria is remembered as the classical period of Minarian culture. It was a time of great artistic and scientific development; a time of peace and tranquility marred only by the long rebellion of the Scarlet Witch King and occasional strife. Then came the Cataclysm. Its causes remain unknown, although some blame it on the results of the extensive magical research conducted by the Lloroi in defense against the Scarlet Witch King. At any rate, the world literally turned upside down. Tempests, earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, and giant meteorite storms shattered the land and wiped out the Lloroi Empire. When it was over, barbarism overwhelmed the survivors and tribal warfare raged among the ruins - the New Dark Age. The highly civilized Lloroi were unable to adapt to the new world. What remained of the Lloroi ruling class swiftly dwindled into insignificance as shortlived barbarian kingdoms rose and fell in a seemingly endless succession. Fortunately, not all Lloroi culture was lost during the centuries of the Dark Age. The people of Minaria grimly fought to preserve what they could of the glory and wisdom of the past. In the last few hundred years, new and powerful kingdoms have advanced upon the foundations laid by the work and sacrifice of their forebears, bringing about a new order to the continent. Eventually, eleven kingdoms and two sorcerous principalities grew up to form the political entities of the West. Most of these are feudal monarchies, generally lacking the political and economic base for territorial expansion. However, border strife and raids for plunder are common.

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Recent History
More than fifteen years have passed since the last documented history of Minaria. In that time much has changed, but much has also remained the same. Despite many wars, the monarchs we came to know a decade and a half ago all still reign; their virtues and foibles are still the familiar ones. The long-lived Schardenzar barely shows his added years, and the immortal Black Knight has not changed at all. Bilge Rat and Juulute are now more mature and seasoned heroes, but still vigorous and perhaps even more cunning. The new continental map reflects some surprising changes, but most are not changes, but actually corrections of old errors. The most widely circulated map of previous days drew heavily from the cartography of Roebon of Boliske, who, though invaluable for their researches into the restricted Mivioran archives, used the questionable materials of Kroysta of Beolon for charting much of the interior of the continent. Cartography is still an imperfect science in Minaria, but the editors of the current chart have used the latest scholarship and are confident that it is more accurate than ever. Similarly, many names have changed slightly and some entirely. Some labels were outright errors based on garbled travel tales. Others represented foreign names for certain localities, which the present map editors have chosen to use translations of the areas' own inhabitants instead. The new map conveys more detail, and some locations which have gone unnamed in past editions have been duly labeled based on the latest information. For example, though Mivioran traders have long called the great lake of Neuth "Lake Melting Star," the Elves themselves have always referred to it as "Star Lake." A decade ago, a great earthquake in Eastern Muetar diverted the mighty River Wanderer south, leaving a truncated stream that locals now call the Waning. Groat, once an island, is now surrounded by swamps. Though the Wanderer's course change has impoverished large areas of Eastern Muetar, the loss has been partially made up by Muetaran industry dredging the Deep River to allow larger vessels passage for increased shipping. The temporary upset of the Muetaran kingdom following the earthquake allowed Immerites to move on Irredentist claims against the north shore of Lake Carth. They have not yet succeeded in seizing the territory, but have extended the Disputed Lands. On the other hand, while engaged against a weakened Muetar, Immer suffered the loss of Choked Chasm Pass to the Goblins. This reverse redoubled the importance of Gap Castle as a fortress, which was accordingly strengthened. Great changes have occurred in the vicinity of Shucassam and Pon. The saline Sea of Zett, never so small as Roebon drew it, has expanded now that it is fed by the rerouted Wanderer River, extending it to Grugongi in the east and Jipols in the West. Luppi, reacting swiftly to opportunity, has improved the defenses of Grugongi and built a fleet to safeguard the increased trade across the Zett. Meanwhile, the earthquake weakened the kingdom of Shucassam enough to allow the irreconcilable ethnics of Jipols to successfully revolt with the help of Rombune, effectively ending Shucassamite control of the lands immediately to its north. Currently, Jipols is a protectorate of Rombune, who has remade it into a port to allow construction of a fleet to ply the sea of Zett. Increasing pressure from a reviving Shucassam has made Jipols more dependent on Rombuni help and most observers regard its independence is a sham and consider it a part of the Rombuni kingdom. As a check against their great rival, Luppi of Pon has supported Rombuni influence in Jipols until Ponese ships began to suffer attacks by corsairs based in Jipols. Nonetheless, the Archduke's ambition causes him to support the independence of the free port of Bartertown, from whence Pon is able to draw richly upon the trade of the south. To deal with enemy activity and to capture this commerce for its own, Shucassam has launched its own Zett fleet. The maritime feud between the three states grows ever more bitter. Increasingly Mivior must answer to new challenges against its maritime hegemony. Independent shippers and smugglers divert trade from its mercantile houses by way of Freeport in the Waterless Downs. Pirates, growing ever bolder, raid far and wide. The most vulnerable ports of Mivior's rivals, such as Parros and Port Lork, have been strengthened by military engineering and her neighbors are no longer intimidated so easily. Once the most promising of Minaria's kingdoms, factors beyond the ingenuity of its leadership have allowed Mivior to stagnate to a surprising degree.

The Trolls, tired of defending fixed boundaries and strongholds with restive troops, no longer claim exclusivity in Trollwood and have dismantled the rude walls of the Face. Its royal treasures, such as they are, have been hidden in secret wasteland vaults. The Eaters of Wisdom and Black Hand, too, have wearied of acting in the uncongenial role of landed sovereignties. They have cut loose the surrounding wastelands that they once jealously claimed for themselves. Likewise, in times of national weakness, Shucassam is sometimes unable to exert its national claim to the entire length of the Old Caravan Road and failed to oppose brigands and even entire armies moving between the Banished Lands and the Wastes of Vah-Ka-Ka. Distinct groups, such as the Ercii, Ghouls, Selkies, Shadowolves, and TailPeople, have grown in prominence. Magic is also better understood. Magic devices are catalogued and studied like never before. Alas, curses have grown to be so common in Minaria as to become a social problem. Not even the will of the gods have remained immutable; perhaps to counter the flood of evil magic, the divinities of the Temple of Kings are much more willing to loan their precious gifts to rulers of noble heart. Arguably, the greatest change inside Minaria is the breaking down of the old group mind-set that had for so long discouraged personal achievement. In this regard, the human race has shown the most vitality. Increasing trade, wider disseminations of ideas, and the inspiring example set by Minaria's earlier heroes have contributed to this changing outlook. Now many men and women of ability are emerging from towns and villages, castles and forests, to write their names across the face of a continent. But the changes are reflected even in the demeanor of the peasants. New philosophies circulate amongst the humble. In part the rising prosperity is responsible. Where once charitable orders, such as the cult of Huisinga, showed their benevolence by supplying basic sustenance and medical care to the wretched, the lightened burden on the peasantry now allows priests and missionaries the luxury of addressing higher abstractions, emphasizing the idea of the gods' love for the individual. The change is evident in the frequency that peasants flee the land to become mercenaries, vagabonds, or sailors. And it is also evident in the waxing tension in rural villages. Where heroes appear to exploit the discontent, local risings will follow, as will their violent suppression. There are changes without Minaria, too. In the West, the Ogres become even more intrusive, but somewhat more tractable. Minarian contacts with the southern subcontinent of Girion grow ever closer. Pon, Rombune, and Shucassam outstrip all others in capitalizing on the new trade and the cultural exchange, but stronger ties also tend to embroil the insular Minarians in the strange and violent doings of the southerners. There are ominous rumblings in the East. Wyrms are now permanent residents along the southeastern borderlands, where earlier their existence was only hearsay. Even more dangerous to the border kingdoms are the Eastern Horsemen, spilling over the frontier to lay waste far and wide. There are also rumors of something worse behind the barbarians - a merciless empire-building in the Far East with a monarch possessing world-conquering ambitions and who, it is said, has already sent his insolent emissaries to Minaria's courts, demanding tokens of submission and tribute. Whatever else may be said, the end of Minarian history is not yet come.

Kingdoms of Minaria
THE BLACK HAND Some say the Black Hand arrived from exile out of the east. Others conjecture that it arose from the mausoleums under the Tower of Zards itself. Armed with a foul magic unknown to Westerners, and with demonic aid, it repaired the ancient Tower and now throws a sinister shroud over the Shards of Lor. The Black Hand has been known to go to war for one coalition or another, but prefers to remain alone in its tower, practicing death magic in a restrained and culturally acceptable manner. THE EATERS OF WISDOM So-called for their voracious appetite for knowledge, the Eaters of Wisdom are a society of sorcerers and philosophers. They claim a pre-Cataclysmic origin, but this contention is often debated. Still, it cannot be denied that the Eaters possess most of what remains of the knowledge and history of Lloroi culture. The Invisible School of Thaumaturgy provides the finest classical education to which a young Minarian noble can aspire.

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The Eaters of Wisdom pursue a policy of secular intervention. A select few of their students are trained in high sorcery, for the Eaters believe that magic can have a positive influence on the march of civilization. It is this philosophy that induces them to intervene in the frequent wars that disturb the peace of Minaria. GHEM The Dwarves of Ghem are a race that dwells in scattered mining colonies around Minaria. They prefer to tend to their own business, but will rally to their monarch if called. Dwarves are scorned in Minaria for their lack of culture, but are popular for their spending habits. A typical dwarf laboriously gathers a sack of gold or jewels and then hurries to the nearest town that offers rich food, strong drink, and tawdry goods. A day or two later, broke and overloaded with costly junk, the dwarf scuttles back to the mine to pull more riches from the earth, all the while dreaming of their next visit to town. But times are changing in Ghem, too, and an increasing share of its economy consists of fine crafts, especially weapons, produced for sale. HOTHIOR Eking out a living in the sandy land of Hothior has left most of the native yeomen little time for high cultural achievement. Worse, their thinly-populated nation is beset on every side by powerful rivals who often come raiding and further impoverish the inhabitants. For this reason, Hothiorans are often deemed crude and backwards by Minarian standards. But adversity has made them a canny and energetic people. The capital, Port Lork, is the center of a vast horsehide tanning industry. Castle Lapspell is an even more prosperous trading city. There the Yando Rivermen land their wares and pay their duties, while its markets throng with merchants from Shucassam, Rombune, and Mivior. Dikes have expanded the marshes east of the city, protecting that vulnerable flank and allowing new wet-land crops to be planted profitably in what was before but poor pasture land. IMMER The kingdom of Immer rose from a hearty stock of hunters and trappers who infiltrated from the south. Soon farmers followed the hunters and Immer expanded north, east, and west from the fort established early on at Muscaster. At length, the Immerites, in alliance with the Eaters of Wisdom, drove the local barbarians from the pre-cataclysmic fortress Castle Altarr and made it their capital. Today, fur trading has diminished, except among the Gorpin. Woodsmen, cattle grazing and placer mining in the River Rapid have replaced the old ways. Immerites are known to be formidable fighters, as their armies get little respite from the invading Barbarians from the north, raiding Goblins from Zorn, and battles with the Muetarans, who hotly contest with Immer for the western quarter of the Disputed Lands. MIVIOR The tangled forests and high mountains of the interior have forced the people of Mivior into the business of the sea. From her thick forests the ships that dominate the commerce of the Great Sea are built. A near monopoly of trade with the distant continent of Reiken to the west has fabulously enriched the kingdom. Mivior maintains the largest war fleet in Minaria and controls the sea - unless two or more enemies combine their fleets to challenge her. Its large army, with many marines trained in amphibious raiding, make Mivior a desirable ally and an opponent to fear. MUETAR The kingdom of Muetar has been forced to maintain the largest army in Minaria. Often attacked on every side, the hearty yeomen of Muetar have developed a strong militaristic tradition, all to often at the price of liberty. The products of its rolling hills and fertile valleys are carried to port by the famous barge sailors, the rivermen of Yando or, more lately, picked up by seagoing ships that ply the arduously-dredged channels of the River Deep. A recent earthquake temporarily weakened the kingdom and caused a loss of control in some minor borderland districts. NEUTH Often called "Elfland" by its human neighbors, Neuth is the home of the forest Elves. The Elves believe themselves to be better endowed with intellect, noble spirit, and pure aspirations than humankind. A couple generations ago, this conceit impelled the Elves to abandon their isolation and follow a fanatic monarch into a ruthless war against their neighbors. After overrunning most of the northwest, the Goblins rose against them and collapsed their short-lived conquests. When the tide of battle turned, Ider Bolis, the Elven capital, was sacked and the priceless ancient library was claimed as booty by the victors. Yet this very act of theft may be responsible for the new enlightenment that is sweeping over the continent.

PON The kingdom of Pon is a fusion of earlier mountain tribes and robber baronies. The powerful dukes of Marzarbol gradually drew the disorderly inhabitants of the forests and mountains together and established a kingdom. The Ponese still favor their ancestral trade of robbing and raiding their neighbors, but the growing strength of Shucassam and Muetar have forced a change in their ways. The most recent addition to the coffers of Pon has come through southern caravan trade, bypassing the high imposts of Shucassam. This trade has been further enhanced by the expansion of the Sea of Zett. Heap, once a despised backwater, has grown and gained wide prominence as a port of trade under its older, more honored, name - Grugongi. ROMBUNE The pirate hideaways on Skull Isle thrived for many years on the hapless merchantmen plying the Great Sea. However, as Mivior grew to become the ruler of the seas, the independent pirate captains were forced to unite and form an elected monarchy based on the articles of piracy. Tradition and bribery have kept the throne in one family for the past two hundred years. The thick forest of Skull Island supports a flourishing shipbuilding industry. A protectorate by marriage, the mainland city of Parros has secured control of the important iron industry there for Rombune. More recently, Rombune has turned its attention toward the interior of the continent and has opportunistically seized control in Jipols. There Rombune has built a fleet to ply the Sea of Zett. SHUCASSAM Minarians call the materialistic Shucassamites the "people without gods." This is not precisely true, although their type of shamanism, the legacy of their nomadic origins, lacks the ceremonial sophistication of northern religions. Only the Holy Brotherhood of Pinboh, a military order of lepers, manages to work up any real religious fervor. The realm of Shucassam is a toll gate across the caravan routes from the north to the south. High taxes on this commerce allows Shucassam to support a large army and a luxurious way of life for its upper classes. Recently, the growth of the Sea of Zett has aided Shucassam's rival, Pon, by diverting trade away from Shucassam's borders. In an attempt to strangle the new route, a fleet, whose wood was brought from far away at great expense, has been built in Adeese. TROLLS Although Trolls sometimes appear in mercenary units and perform heavy labor for certain human masters, they generally prefer to wander the wastelands of Minaria in nomadic bands. They can thrive where life would be next to impossible for other intelligent creatures. Minarians tend to respect the Trollish hunting grounds and their sacred gathering areas: the Vale, the Crag, and the Gathering. Their most sacrosanct gathering ground is, of course, the Face. All these locations serve as places where Trolls meet to argue Trollish matters or organize for war. The present Troll dynasty was founded by an exceptionally craggy-faced Troll who claimed the throne by the right of most closely resembling the holy Face. ZORN The Goblin kingdom of Zorn supports a large population of fierce fighters. Had the Goblins united earlier, they undoubtedly would have controlled vast territories. Unfortunately, these aggressive nonhumans were long divided amongst themselves. Only the growth of strong human kingdoms to the south and the appearance of the Black Hand in the Shards of Lor brought the Goblins together in a common cause. Their capital is now a volcanic labyrinth known as the Pits. Aside from extensive goat herding, the chief Zornite economic activities are plundering, raiding, and enslaving their neighbors.

The Ancient Battlefields

The sites of four pre-Cataclysmic battlefields are known to exist in Minaria. Said to be saturated with magic and the spirits of the dead, these eerie places are respected and avoided by most of Minaria's inhabitants. FIELD OF THE LAUGHING DEAD History recounts how the unconquerable army of the Lloroi met its doom here at the hands of the ghost troops and the wizards of Khos. It is said that the maddened souls of the slain Lloroi were sent into the spirit world from whence their maniacal laughter still drifts on the wind. PLAIN OF BONES This wretched place is the only known monument to the Woida, an ancient people destroyed here and almost completely obliterated from the memory of men. A crumbling scroll kept in the Invisible School of Thaumaturgy recounts the

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exploits of the Lloroi hero named Gappa, who was largely responsible for the downfall of the Woida. With great stealth, Gappa stole their magical safeguard, thus allowing their destruction by means of a hideous putrefaction spell. THE WASTED DEAD Armed with powerful magic, the Scarlet Witch King met the might of the Lloroi Empire here in a test of strength. Six battles were fought across the same ground before the Witch King finally collapsed in exhaustion and was seized and punished. THE UNKNOWN ARMY Some believe this battlefield to be a product of the years of chaos that followed the Cataclysm. Others, however, insist that the battle occurred even before the Lloroi arrived from the East. There is no known history or ballad that records who fell here or why they fought.

CREDITS
GAME DESIGN: Glenn & Kenneth Rahman ORIGINAL CONCEPT ART & DESIGN: Kenneth Rahman 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION MAP: Kris Kleckner, James Spangler BOX TOP DESIGNER: Kris Kleckner with original art from Kenneth Rahman BOX BOTTOM DESIGNER: James Spangler LAYOUT DESIGNER: Kris Kleckner EDITING & GAMEPLAY: Shawne & Kris Kleckner, James Spangler, Marc Ray Copyright 2002, by Glenn Rahman, Released under license by The Right Stuf International, Inc. Divine Right is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork comprising the game is prohibited without the express written permission of Glenn Rahman.

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