INTRODUCTION Players take the role of Celtic Warrior Heroes in ancient Ireland. Players compete to make their Hero the most famous of all. The winner will be sung about by bards for generations and his exploits will be written of in the Book of Kells. Card game for 2-4 players. HEROES OF OLD Some representative Heroes of the age include: Cu Chulainn, Ferghus mac Roich, and Conall Cernach. RESOURCES Leabhar Gabhala... Book of Invasions Dinnshenchas... History of Places Tain Bo Cuailnge... Cattle Raid of Cooley Leabhar na h Uidre... Book of the Dun Cow These are the main Insular (Irish) sources, mostly compiled in the 12th century. VICTORY Players accumulate points in 4 value categories: 1. Blessings- Wives, true love, children, heirs, friendship, peace, home and hearth. 2. Fortune- Gold, Wealth, Riches, Kingship, Nobility. 3. Victory- Enemies defeated in battle. 4. Prophecy- Wisdom, Lore, History, Fate, Doom. The player with the most points in the most categories at the end of seven cycles wins. THE DECK Players share a common deck. The deck contains one of each of the cards described in the card list. Note that there are 2 decks. Use one or the other. There are basically 2 versions of the game: The Ulster Deck and the Fionn Deck. TYPES OF CARDS There are 5 types of cards: 1. Allies 2. Weapons 3. Action 4. Boons 5. Foes DICE Six sided dice are required. TOKENS Use tokens to keep track of wounds and other effects. SETUP Shuffle the deck. TURN SEQUENCE The game is played in seven turns or cycles. At the beginning of each Cycle all players roll high on 1D6 to determine initiative order. 3 cards are drawn from the deck for each player. All of these cards are played face up in the center of the table. In order of initiative each player takes one card. A player may choose to remove a wound token instead of drawing a card. The cycle is over when there are no cards left. If the player takes an Action card, he puts it into his hand. If the player takes an Ally, Weapon, or Boon card, he places it face up in front of him. A player automatically controls all cards he takes except for Foe cards. If a player selects a Foe card, he must battle the Foe. Roll 3D6 and add all of the Heroes Fight modifiers to the total. This is the Fight Total. The fight modifiers are found on the cards. All the cards a player controls contribute. The Hero subtracts one from his total for every wound token he has. Next roll 4D6. This is the Foe total. If the Foe total is greater than the Fight total, the Foe card is discarded and the Hero gets one wound token. If the Fight total is equal or greater, the Hero wins the battle and takes the defeated Foe card. The defeated Foe card is placed with the rest of the heroes cards. Action cards may be played immediately or whenever it is appropriate. Discarded cards go into a discard pile. When fighting player may only gain the benefit of one version of a weapon. For example he can use a spear and a chariot, but not 2 spears. Boons that adversely affect an opponent are added to that players cards. ULSTER CYCLE CARD LIST Card Name: Type: Value: Cattle Raid Foe Fortune +1 Bull of Cooley Foe Fortune +1 Great Strength Boon Fight +1 King Conchobar Ally Fortune +1 Men of Ulster Ally Fight +1 Kings Chariot Weapon Fight +1 Hospitality Boon Blessing +1 Amergin the Sage Ally Prophecy +1 Fergus the Warrior Ally Fight +1 100 Warriors Foe Victory +1 Prowess Boon Fight +1 The Six Womanly Gifts Boon Blessing +1 Fierce Blow Action Discard for Fight +2 Morann the Judge Ally Prophecy +1 Torc of Judgement Boon Prophecy +1 Gae Bolga the Magic Spear Weapon Fight +1 Tutored by Scathach Boon Fight +1 Feats of Valor Foe Victory +1 Emer the Fair Ally Blessing +1 Provisions Action Fortune +1 Animal Sacrifice Boon Prophecy +1 Funerary Rites Boon Prophecy +1 Culann the Smith Ally Fortune +1 Fast for one year Boon Prophecy +1 Marriage Boon Blessing +1 Childbirth Boon Blessing +1 Sencha the Poet Ally Prophecy +1 Hound of Ulster Foe Victory +1 Cathbad the Druid Ally Prophecy +1 Omens Boon Prophecy +1 Jubair the Charioteer Ally Fight +1 Armory Action Discard for Fight +2 Hostile Fort Foe Victory +1 Boasts & Challenges Action Discard for Fight +2 Disguise Action Discard for Fight +2 Gaulish Chieftan Foe Victory +1 Carts of Gold & Silver Boon Fortune +1 Dowry Boon Fortune +1 Sickle Chariot Weapon Fight +1 Cladcholg the Magic Sword Weapon Fight +1 Ogma the God of Eloquence Ally Blessing +1 Divination Boon Prophecy +1 Thrown Rock Action Discard for Fight +2 Medb, Queen of Connacht Foe Fortune +1 Ferdia, the Warrior Traitor Foe Victory +1 Transformation Action Discard to discard target Ally Shapeshifter Foe Victory +1 Curse of Weakness Boon Opponent is Fight -1 Destroy Crops Boon Opponent is Fortune -1 Macha the War Goddess Ally Fight +1 War Trophies Foe Fortune +1 Heads of your Enemies Foe Victory +1 Venemous the Magic Spear Weapon Fight +1 CannotbeFelledbySwordorSpear Boon Fight +1 Brigid, Goddess of Healing Action Discard to remove all wounds Festival of Imbolic Boon Blessing +1 Three sons of Nechta Scene Foe Victory +1 Expedition Foe Fortune +1 Oath Boon Prophecy +1 Tricks Action Discard for Fight +2 Speak in Riddles Boon Prophecy +1 Standing Stone Inscription Boon Prophecy +1 Fair Maidens Ally Blessing +1 Turned into Swans Action Discard to discard target Ally Heir Ally Blessing +1 Ritual Feasting Boon Blessing +1 Tara Brooch Boon Fortune +1 Courage Boon Fight +1 Games of Hurley and Fidchell Boon Blessing +1 Fianna Warrior Band Ally Fight +1 Pictish Tribes Foe Victory +1 Gaesatae, Naked Warriors Ally Fight +1 Taunts & Insults Action Discard for Fight +2 Berserker Frenzy Action Discard for Fight +2 Geas Boon Opponent is Victory -1 Kinship & Fealty Boon Fortune +1 Forbidden Words Boon Opponent is Prophecy -1 Sacred Trinity Boon Prophecy +1 Magicians Foe Victory +1 Incantation of Truth Boon Prophecy +1 Vision of the New High King Boon Prophecy +1 Epona the Horse Goddess Action Discard for Fight +2 Bull Cult Boon Prophecy +1 King Ailill Ally Fortune +1 The White Horned Bull Boon Fortune +1 Bricriu the Mischief Maker Boon Prophecy +1 Supernatural Origin Boon Fight +1 Metamorphosis Action Discard to discard target Ally Flidais the Nature Goddess Ally Fortune +1 Tall as a Giant Boon Fight +1 Elopement of Deirdre & Naoise Boon Prophecy +1 Fair Fionnchaomh Ally Blessing +1 Feast of Bricriu Boon Prophecy +1 Great Serpent Foe Victory +1 Incest Boon Prophecy +1 Two Foals are Born Boon Prophecy +1 Take up Arms at an early Age Boon Initiative +1 Visor of Manannan the Sea God Weapon Fight +1 Spell of Invisibility Action Discard for Fight +2 Power over Animals Boon Fortune +1 Champions Portion Boon Fortune +1 Portents Boon Prophecy +1 Washer at the Ford Boon Prophecy +1 Spear of Vulcan Weapon Fight +1 Badbh the Divine Destroyer Ally Victory +1 Red Branch Knights Ally Fight +1 Shrieking Shield Boon Prophecy +1 Brainball Action Discard for Fight +2 Run with Superhuman Speed Boon Fight +1 Fair Finnebair Ally Blessing +1 Revenge Killing Foe Victory +1 Battle Furies Ally Fight +1 Morrigan the Phantom Queen Foe Victory +1 Death Crow Boon Prophecy +1 Harbinger of Death Boon Prophecy +1 Visit the Otherworld Boon Prophecy +1 Warriors of Connacht Foe Victory +1 Treachery Foe Victory +1 BOOK OF INVASIONS & FIONN CYCLE CARD LIST CARD NAME: TYPE VALUE Lugh the Shinning One Ally Fight +1 Spear of Lugh Weapon Fight +1 Sword of Nuadu Weapon Fight +1 Cauldron of Daghda Boon Fortune +1 Stone of Fal Boon Prophecy +1 Tuatha De the Divine Race Ally Fight +1 Gaels Ally Fight +1 Partholon Ally Fight +1 Eriu the Goddess of Sovereignty Ally Fortune +1 Daghda, the Father God Ally Fight +1 Club of Daghda Weapon Fight +1 Goibhniu the Smith Ally Fortune +1 Luchta the Wright Ally Fortune +1 Creidhne the Metalworker Ally Fortune +1 Ale of Immortality Boon Blessing +1 Dian Cecht God of Healing Action Discard to remove all wounds Silver Arm Weapon Fortune +1 Cloak of Manannan Boon Fight +1 Fragarach the Magic sword Weapon Fight +1 Magic Boat Boon Fortune +1 Magic Horse Boon Fight +1 Magic Pigs Boon Fortune +1 Weather Magic Action Discard for Fight +2 Sorcerer Foe Victory +1 Balor of the Baleful Eye Foe Victory +1 Fairy Mound Boon Prophecy +1 Salmon of Knowledge Boon Prophecy +1 Fir Bholg Foe Victory +1 Gaze of Death Foe Victory +1 Fomorian Farmers Ally Fortune +1 Fort of Dun Aonghusa Foe Victory +1 Blight Boon Opponent is Fortune -1 Fomorians Foe Victory +1 Golden goblet Boon Prophecy +1 Marriage to the Land Boon Fortune +1 Union with Medb Ally Blessing +1 Tests of Kingship Foe Victory +1 Betrayal Foe Victory +1 Sacred Rules of Conduct Boon Prophecy +1 Tarbhfhess, the Bull Sleep Boon Prophecy +1 The Black Druid Foe Victory +1 Sava the Fair Ally Blessing +1 Finnegas the Bard Ally Prophecy +1 Aillen the Malicious Goblin Foe Victory +1 Festival of Samhain Boon Blessing +1 Hunt Enchanted Animals Foe Victory +1 Leaping the Boyne Foe Victory +1 Gift of Prophecy Boon Prophecy +1 Love Triangle Boon Prophecy +1 Niav of the Golden Hair Ally Blessing +1 Bewitched Boon Opponent is Blessing -1 Tale of Jealousy Boon Prophecy +1 Amhairghin the Seer Ally Prophecy +1 Midhir, Lord of the Sidh Ally Fortune +1 Etain the Fair Ally Blessing +1 Warning Action Discard for Fight +2 Magical Wind Boon Prophecy +1 Oenghus, the God of Love Ally Blessing +1 Reborn Boon Prophecy +1 Gods Intervene Action Discard for Fight +2 Royal Court of Tara Ally Fortune +1 Boar of Boann Ghulban Foe Victory +1 Manly Honor Boon Victory +1 Sleep Spell Action Discard for Fight +2 Shape-changing Powers Boon Fight +1 Divine Youth Boon Blessing +1 Wanderings Foe Victory +1 Sharvan the Giant Foe Victory +1 Cause the Sun to stand still Boon Initiative +1 Tree of Immortality Boon Blessing +1
GAME DESIGNERS NOTES
Another deck based on Welsh myths should be forthcoming.
Also expect additional cards for all decks.