INTRODUCTION Board game for 2+ players. Each player controls a Samurai adventuring in the countryside. VICTORY Be the first player to accumulate 20 Honor points. If a Samurai ever has wound markers equal to or greater than his Strength Attribute level, he is killed, and the player must start over with a new Samurai. THE BOARD The Board is a circular track divided into 36 spaces. Every sixth space is a Fortress. FIGURES Use a miniature or pawn to represent your Samurai. DICE Six sided dice (D6) are needed. DECKS There are 2 common decks: The Encounter Deck, and the Spell Deck. ATTRIBUTES Each Character has 8 Attributes: Attribute: Notes Skill Personal Physical fighting ability Strategy Leadership Ability on the Battlefield Wit Ability to outwit opponents Will Fighting ability vs spirits & resistance to magic Court Courtly etiquette Honor Deeds befitting a Samurai Strength Ability to resist wounds, poison, disease Command Number of retainers allowed SETUP For your Samurai roll 1D6 for each attribute to determine its starting level. Keep track of Attribute levels on a piece of paper. Each Samurai starts at a different Fortress. ENCOUNTER DECK The Encounter deck has 4 types of cards: F = Foes L = Locations C = Companions I = Items TURN SEQUENCE Players take turns. On a players turn he rolls 1D6 and moves that many spaces in either direction. If he lands on an empty space, he draws 1 card from the Encounter Deck. If he lands on a space with a card, he follows the rules on the card. If he lands on a Fortress space, nothing happens. If he lands on a space occupied by another Samurai, they will Duel. SPELLS Normal Spell Hand size is zero. Some companions & Items can increase this. At the beginning of your turn fill up your spell hand from the spell deck. Spells are cast when appropriate. Spells are discarded as soon as they are used. ENCOUNTERS If a Samurai lands on an empty space, he draws 1 card from the Encounter Deck. This card is placed face up on the space. It will remain there until it is destroyed. If it is a Foe there will be a battle. If it is a Location, follow the rules on the card. If it is a Companion, the Companion will join the Samurai if The Samurai does not already have companions equal to his Command level. If it is an Item, attach it to your Samurai or a companion. If a companion or Item is not taken, leave it in the space. LOCATIONS Every time a location is visited roll 1D6. On a roll of 6 the Location card is discarded. COMPANIONS & ITEMS Companions & Items improve one or more of your Samurai’s Attributes or provide some Other special benefit or ability. FIGHTING FOES The Foe will fight using one Attribute indicated on the card. Roll 3D6 & add the Foes level to get the Foe Attack Level Roll 3D6 & add the Samurai’s level to get the Samurai Attack Level If the Samurai’s Attack level is equal or greater, the Samurai Wins. Discard the Foe and gain 1 Honor Point or 2 Honor Points if The foes initial Attribute level was greater. If the Foes attack level was higher, the Foe wins. If the Foe wins, the Samurai must gain 1 Wound marker or lose 1 Companion. The Winning Foe card is not discarded. DUELING SAMURAI If a Samurai lands on a space occupied by another Samurai, they will Duel. The Samurai whose turn it is may choose which Attribute is used in the Duel. Any Attribute may be used except Honor. Each Samurai rolls 3D6 & adds their level in the chosen Attribute to get an Attack Total. If it is a tie, no one wins. The Samurai with the higher Attack total wins. The Loser loses 1 Honor. The Winner gains 2 Honor. ITEMS A Samurai can only get the benefit from one Katana (Sword) & one Armor at a time. ENCOUNTER DECK CARD LIST Card Name Type Level Notes Dojo L - Gain Skill +1 Training Camp L - Gain Battle +1 Tea Ceremony L - Gain Court +1 Temple L - Remove 1 Wound Counter Shrine L - Gain 1 Honor Oracle L - Look at next 5 cards in deck Hermit L - Gain Will +1 Go Master C - Wit +1 & Strategy +1 Retired General C - Strategy +2 General Tiger C - Skill +5 (Discard after one use) General Ox C - Strategy +5 (Discard after one use) General Monkey C - Wit +5 (Discard after one use) Eater of Dreams C - Will +5 (Discard after one use) War Horse C - Skill +1 & Strategy +1 Protective Spirit C - Will +2 Karate Master C - Skill +2 Guards C - Wit +1 Infantry C - Strategy +1 Archers C - Strategy +1 Cavalry C - Strategy +1 Alchemist C - Spell Hand +1 Scribe C - Spell Hand +1 Sage C - Spell Hand +1 Wu Jen (Wizard) C - Spell Hand +1 Shukenja (Sorcerer) C - Spell Hand +1 Sohei (Warrior Priest) C - Spell Hand +1 Diplomat C - Court +2 Herald C - Court +2 Emperors Seal I - Court +2 Daikyu (Great Bow) I - Skill +1 Fine Wakizashi I - Skill +1 Fine Katana I - Skill +1 Crystal Katana I - Spell Hand +1 Jade Katana I - Skill +2 Imperial Katana I - Skill +2 Serpent Shurikens I - Skill +3 (One Use) Magic War Fan I - Skill +1 Magic Kabuto (Helmet) I - Strength +1 Fine Armor I - Strength +1 Imperial Armor I - Command +1 Dragon Scale Armor I - Strength +2 Jade Armor I - Strength +2 War Banner I - Command +1 Magic Gong I - Will +2 Magic Bell I - Will +2 Bandits F 3 Strategy (Men) Barbarians F 5 Strategy (Men) White Ape Men F 6 Strategy (Men) Bakemono (Goblins) F 4 Strategy (Men) Wako (Pirates) F 2 Strategy (Men) Tengu (Bird Men) F 1 Strategy (Men) Kensai (Sword Saint) F 8 Skill (Man) Buso (Savage Ghoul) F 4 Skill (Spirit) Typhoon Dragon F 12 Skill (Dragon 3 Honor if Defeated) River Dragon F 9 Skill (Dragon) Ronin (Rogue Samurai) F 3 Skill (Man) Tattooed Man F 6 Skill (Spell Caster) Foo Dogs F 5 Skill (Monsters) Geisha (Assassin) F 4 Wit (Woman) Yakuza (Thieves) F 1 Wit (Men) Kolat Assassin F 2 Wit (Man) Kappa (Turtle Men) F 6 Wit (Monster) Con Tinh (Maiden Spirit) F 5 Wit (Spirit) Ninja (Assassin) F 7 Wit (Men) Fox Woman F 3 Wit (Spirit) Bajang (Evil Spirit) F 4 Will (Spirit) Necromancer F 7 Will (Spell Caster) Ogre Magi F 5 Will (Spell Caster) Gaki (Wicked Spirits) F 3 Will (Spirit) Oni (Demon) F 6 Will (Monster) Kue (Demon Ghost) F 2 Will (Spirit) Earthquake Beetle F 4 Strength (Monster) Turtle Dragon F 6 Strength (Dragon) SPELL DECK Spell: Notes: Healing Remove 1 Wound Counter Flying Move an extra 1D6 spaces Fireblast Strategy +5 Storm Destroy any Encounter card on the Board Invisibility Ignore Foe Encounter or Duel Fate Reroll target Die roll Illusion Adjacent Opponent misses his next turn Flaming Sword Skill +5 Banish Evil Level +5 vs Spirits Protection Level +5 vs Monsters Fear Level +5 vs Men Spell Bind Level +5 vs Spell casters Dragon Control Level +5 vs Dragons Wards Wit +5 Curse Opponent gets –1 to all rolls for 2 turns Divination Look at next 5 cards in encounter deck Note: the spell deck contains 2 copies of each card listed.