Aurimentic Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Objective of the game
• Game components
• Preparation
• Off we go! Turn sequence
• The Weather Panel
  • Type of landscape
• Details of a player's turn
  • 1. Collect the gains from your yield areas
  • 2. Roll the resource dice
  • Moving the weather token
  • 3. Place resources on the playing area, in order to establish yield areas
    • Example 1
    • Example 2
• Resource Features
  • Transform resources on their spaces
• EXTRA Resource!
  • "Force of Nature" space (space with resource symbol)
  • "Magical place" space (space with pentagram symbol)
• 4. Transforming resources
  • Weeds
• 5. Trading with the common stockpile
• 6. Hire workers to construct buildings
• 7. Construct buildings
• 8. Special Action: making a grain sacrifice
• Severe Weather
  • Very severe weather overview (weather panel, side 1)
• End of the Game
• Summary of game rules: It's your turn! What would you like to do?

Objective of the game

In Aurimentic®, you have the power to make the trees, beets, grains, stones, weeds and crystals on the islands thrive and prosper. By rolling the dice, each turn gives you new resources which you can use for setting up yield areas for harvesting crops or for constructing new buildings. You have several possibilities for getting extra resources and increasing the value of these treasures by transforming them. If an island is dominated by your buildings, you alone are entitled to the valuable crystals and gains from the yield areas. To win the game, one needs to be either quicker, smarter or cleverer than the others. The winner is the player who has collected the most Auri coins and crystals and dominated the most islands.

Game components

• 1 set of game rules in German
• 1 set of game rules in English
• 7 Game segments: Islands – each having a variation on the front and reverse sides
• 1 weather panel with a variation on the front and reverse sides
• 20 worker discs
• 100 Auri coins
• 145 wooden resource tokens
• 16 wooden farmhouse tokens
• 8 wooden tower tokens
• 1 wooden weather token
• 2 wooden dice
• 1 sheet of stickers
• 5 storage bags

Preparation

Aurimentic® is designed for two, three or four players. Each player chooses a set of tokens (4 farmhouses and 2 towers of one colour) and lays them in front of him/her. In addition, each player receives coins in value of 3 Auri, which is the currency for Aurimentic®.

The playing area consists of five separate islands. You can choose from a total of 14 different islands; each of the 7 game segments has an island printed on the front and a variation on the reverse side. Choose any five islands. For the very first game, the islands numbered 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A are especially suitable, as they are easier to play. The remaining islands, which are not needed, can be put back into the box.

Lay the individual resources (grains, beets, trees, stones, crystals and weeds) and the worker discs, as well as the coins, next to the playing area, so that they are ready to be used as a common stockpile. The weather panel is placed alongside (for the first game, side 1 should be turned face up). Lay the weather token on the square with the compass symbol. Before the first game, paste the stickers on both dice, the left row of stickers for die 1, and the right row for die 2.

Now put the following resources (distributed as randomly as possible) on any of the spaces on the islands chosen for the game: 4 trees, 4 beets, 4 grains, 4 weeds and 2 crystals.

Finally, each player may place their first farmhouse (of own colour) on any free space on an island of their choice. Either the player who lost the last game begins placement, or the youngest player. The player who is in a counterclockwise position is the next to place.

After setting up the game, we suggest that you read the instructions completely before starting to play. To make your start easier, a summary of the most important rules are included at the end of these instructions.

In the following, we will show you how buildings are constructed in order to dominate an island. We will show you how placing of resources on the islands builds up fields that provide you with gains on every turn. Additionally, you will learn how the valuable crystals on your island increase and how you can influence the erratic weather.

Off we go! Turn sequence

The game begins with the player who was the last to place a starting farmhouse. After this player's turn, the player who is in a clockwise position has the next turn.

Each player progresses as follows:

1. get Auri coins for yield areas (if they exist)
2. roll the resource dice

Further actions can be carried out, if desired:

3. one can place resources on island spaces
4. and/or transform resources
5. and/or trade resources
6. and/or hire workers
7. and/or construct buildings
8. Possibly at end of turn: make a grain sacrifice

The actions numbered 3 to 7 can be carried out in any order. Before we go into the details of individual possibilities, we would like to show you the weather panel and its features.

The Weather Panel

The weather panel, on which the weather token is placed, acts as an information table. All possible actions during the game are determined by the weather token's position on the weather panel. During the game, the weather token is moved back and forth in the weather token row. Its position on the weather panel indicates: on which type of island landscape the resources may be placed, which severe weather is threatening and which resources can currently be traded at the market (more about this later). There are four types of landscapes: mountains, grassland, swamp and sand. The type of landscape is only determined by the colour of a space's frame (grey for mountains, light green for grassland, dark green for swamp and light brown for sand). The background illustration of landscape has no effect on the game. The front and reverse sides of the weather panel differ only by their severe weather rows and market rows. Either side may be chosen at the beginning of play. However, for the very first game, side 1 should be used.

Panel rows, as printed on the weather panel: type of landscape row (top); weather token row; severe weather row; market row (bottom). An "overview of the transformation of resources" strip runs down the left edge of the panel, showing for each resource the number of units needed for transformation.

Type of landscape

• swamp – dark green frame
• sand – light brown frame
• mountains – grey frame
• grassland – light green frame

Details of a player's turn

And now to the details for the sequence of a player's turn:

1. Collect the gains from your yield areas

For each round, players receive (at the beginning of their turn) as many Auri coins (currency in Aurimentic®) that they are entitled to, based on their yield areas (2 Auri coins for each grain field, 2 Auri coins for each beet field, 3 Auri coins for each forest). Since you do not yet own any yield areas, you can skip this step.

At the beginning of your turn, you receive Auri coins for each yield area on an island which you dominate; 2 Auri coins for each grain yield area, 2 coins for each beet yield area, 3 coins for each forest yield area.

2. Roll the resource dice

For each turn you roll both resource dice at once. The rolled resources are taken from the common stockpile. There is an exception; if one of the dice shows the severe weather symbol, you cannot take any resources.

SECOND ROLL: If you do not have any resources in your personal supply at the beginning of your turn, you may roll both dice – but not singular dice – again, if you do not like the result of the first roll. In this case, you do not take the resources from the first roll. The second result then counts.

If you do not have any resources in your personal stock at the beginning of your turn, you have the choice of tossing the dice again.

The faces of the resource dice show the following symbols: grain, beets, trees, stones, crystals, weeds, +1 (move the weather token one space to the right), -1 (move the weather token one space to the left), and severe weather.

Moving the weather token

The weather token is moved as soon as you have rolled a +1 or a -1 with the resources dice, and before you have taken the rolled resources (unless you have decided to roll a second time). At -1, the weather token is moved one space to the left on the weather panel. If the weather token is already on the extreme left, it will not be moved further. At +1, the weather token is moved one space to the right. If the weather token is already on the extreme right, it will remain.

If one rolls a -1, the weather token moves one space to the left; if a +1 is rolled, one space to the right.

In each round, one has several possible choices of action following the roll of the dice, which can be carried out in any order. One can: place resources, transform, trade, hire workers or construct buildings. You have the choice of taking any, all, or none of these actions.

Important: At the end of your move, you are only allowed to have a maximum of 3 resources in your supply. Therefore, one must continue reducing the number in one's own supply (to three or less) by placing, transforming, dealing or building.

At the end of your turn you are only allowed to have a maximum of 3 resources in your own supply.

3. Place resources on the playing area, in order to establish yield areas

You have the power to make the resources thrive and prosper on the islands. You can take resources from your own supply and place them, according to certain rules, on island spaces, in order to establish a yield area, for example.

The yield areas on an island provide the player who dominates that island (by way of buildings) gains in the form of Auri coins. A yield area consists of four spaces, arranged in a square. They all have a placement of identical resources from the following selection:

• grain yield area (grain field) – four spaces of grain, arranged in a square
• beet yield area (beet field) – four spaces of beets, arranged in a square
• tree yield area (forest) – four spaces of trees, arranged in a square

Yield areas may not be formed from other resources. Should several yield areas overlap (e.g. they share a space on a corner), this counts only as one yield area. It does not matter on which spaces (mountains, grassland, swamp or sand) the resources are placed. The yield areas may stretch over several types of landscapes.

Yield areas can be established by placing resources on island spaces.

At the beginning of your turn, before rolling the dice, you may collect as many Auri that you are entitled to, according to what your yield areas (including from the islands that you dominate) bring you.

• For each grain yield area one gets 2 Auri.
• For each beet yield area one gets 2 Auri.
• For each forest one gets 3 Auri.

But how does one place resources on the island spaces? (NOW come the most important rules of the game!)

When placing resources on the spaces, the following two conditions must be met at the same time:

1. Placement Rule: There are four different types of landscapes in the game: mountains (grey space frames), grassland (light green), swamp (dark green) and sand (brown). At all times, one may place resources on spaces that the weather token indicates on the weather panel (current landscape type).

Example: If the weather token lies directly underneath the sand landscape on the weather panel, then "sand" is the current landscape type and one can only place resources on unoccupied sand spaces.

1. Placement Rule: One may only place resources on unoccupied island spaces that are determined by the weather token (current landscape type).

If there are no island spaces remaining of the current landscape type, the game is then over (see section "End of Game").

2. Placement Rule: You can only place resources directly next to a space already having the same resource. The resources therefore always grow when bordering each other.

EXCEPTION: If it is not possible to place your resources on any of the islands in a bordering manner, you may then choose any space on any island for placement on a current type of landscape.

2. Placement Rule: One must, if possible, always place the same resource type next to one another (e.g. beet to beet).

Picture captions (as printed): Beet yield area (beet field): 2 Auri. Grain yield area (grain field): 2 Auri. Tree yield area (forest): 3 Auri. Although two different yield areas are pictured (one upper left, one lower right), the large grain field only counts as one yield area. In this example, the weather token lies beneath the sand space; therefore sand is the current type of landscape.

Example 1

You wish to place beets. The weather token currently indicates the "sand" landscape. You may only place the beet on a free sand space (recognisable by the space's light brown frame). At the same time, this sand space must border another space that already has a beet placed on it. However, it does not matter what type of landscape this bordering space has. This rule defines "bordering" as those spaces having one of their four sides lying directly against the side of the other space. Spaces which border at corners (diagonally) are not considered as "bordering".

Picture caption: In this example, there are exactly three possible sand spaces on which beets may be placed, because only these spaces are next to beets that have already been placed (border growth).

Example 2

You wish to place beets, again. The current weather token is "sand". There are no sand spaces to be found on any of the islands that lay next to beets. This is when the exception ruling applies; one may place beets on any unoccupied sand space.

Picture caption: Here you can see that there are no free sand spaces next to a beet on these islands (as well as on any of the other islands). You may then choose any free sand space on any island for placement. Perhaps you have created this situation earlier, by placing a stone from your personal supply next to the beet.

TIP: You may possibly create the exceptional circumstances described by occupying all of the other sand spaces which border beet spaces with other resources from your supply. Then you are free to place the remaining beet resource on a sand space of your choice.

Resource Features

Transform resources on their spaces

A resource can be placed on a space in such a way that – together with a resource of the same type – they "jam" a resource of a different type that lies between the two. When placing, the player has the choice of replacing the "jammed" resource with the same type as the outer resources. (Transformation means that the jammed resource is removed from the island and returned to the common stockpile. In exchange, a new resource is taken from the common stockpile and placed on the space that is now unoccupied). This sounds complicated, but is actually simple. Look at the pictures as well, which explain the rule better than the written rules. All types of resources can be transformed, also (into) weeds.

Picture caption: Currently, the weather token lies in the grassland column. You could now place a crystal on an unoccupied grassland space of your choice, since, in this example, there are no free grassland spaces next to a crystal (also not on other islands). If you place the crystal on the space marked with an arrow, you are able to "jam" the beet between two crystals. At this moment, you now have the chance to transform the jammed beet into a crystal.

The same rule applies when the third of three identical resources is placed in such a way that a square is formed, together with one differing resource. The person placing has the option of replacing the "boxed in" resource, so that the resource square of the same type is complete. In this process, only a resource can be replaced that already lies on a space. In this case, the resource to be replaced is exchanged with the common stockpile.

Picture caption: The first picture of this series shows three different starting situations. In all three cases, you may complete square areas, which then transforms the "boxed in" resource.

"Jamming" allows one to transform resources on their spaces.

EXTRA Resource!

The type of grain that grows on the islands has adapted especially well to the sandy soil. The beets thrive best in swamp areas and trees grow highest on the islands' grasslands. The weather panel indicates an illustrated "extra resource" from where the weather token currently lies, so that you receive (if you choose) one extra resource from the common stockpile, if you have already placed this same resource during this turn. If the landscape type changes during your turn, due to movement of the weather token (see section "magical place" space), you may take one extra resource of the new landscape type, provided that you have also placed the same resource during this turn. The newly acquired extra resource may be placed immediately or saved for the next turn. Of course, the rule about having a "maximum of three resources" in your personal supply must be followed.

Example: You place grain on a sand space. This deals with the currently preferred resource for sand spaces, according to the weather panel. You may now take an extra grain from the general stockpile. If you also immediately place this grain on the space, you will not receive any further special grain in this round.

If one places a currently preferred resource, one receives one extra resource per move from the common stockpile.

"Force of Nature" space (space with resource symbol)

According to the normal rules, if any resource is placed on a "force of nature" space, the player can take a resource (from the type shown on "force of nature" space) from the common stockpile. It can, but needn't be immediately placed.

By placing any resource on a space marked "force of nature" (space with resource symbol), one immediately receives a pictured resource from the common stockpile.

"Magical place" space (space with pentagram symbol)

By placing resources on spaces having a pentagram symbol ("magical place" space), the weather token may be moved 1-2 spaces to the left or right on the weather panel during your turn. The rule does not apply by placing buildings on magical places or by transforming resources there.

When a resource is placed on a magical place, one may immediately move the weather token by one or two spaces.

4. Transforming resources

With Aurimentic®, a powerful form of magical alchemy, you can transform resources in your personal supply by following certain rules. In order to transform them, you exchange resource from your personal supply with the common stockpile. The transformation can only take place according to the following formula:

• two grains -> can be transformed to one beet
• two beets -> can be transformed to one tree
• two trees -> can be transformed to one stone
• two stones -> can be transformed to one crystal

Resources in one's own supply can be transformed into certain other resources by exchanging with the common stockpile.

An exchange of weeds or crystals is not possible.

Transformation increases the value of the resource, therefore the exchange only works in one direction (direction of arrow), but not the other. The transformation possibilities are also graphically displayed on the weather panel. During a move, you can transform your resources several times in a row.

Picture captions (as printed): The transformation (the exchange) takes place only in the direction of the arrow, and not otherwise. In this example, you can see two beets and one tree in your personal supply. The two beets will be transformed into one tree. Then you will have two trees in your personal supply. These can then be transformed into a stone.

Example: There are two beets and one tree in your supply. Next, you exchange the two beets for a tree from the common stockpile. Then, you transform the newly created tree, together with the other tree, into a stone. Now you only have one stone in your personal supply. Therefore, you have an important construction material available for building a farmhouse or tower.

Weeds

Now a couple of words about this often-rejected resource. Weeds in your own supply cannot be transformed. However, by jamming, weeds placed on islands can changed into other valuable resources, even into crystals. You can also do damage to your opponent by letting weeds grow on islands dominated by him/her. This reduces space for allowing yield areas of other resources to grow, or for perhaps jamming resources placed there, which are then also transformed into weeds. Or you can cleverly place the weeds on the "force of nature" space, in order to gain more resources.

5. Trading with the common stockpile

Use those Auri coins at the market! There you can sell resources to the common stockpile and also buy from it. However, trading with other players is not possible. During your turn, you are only allowed to deal with one resource, meaning only one sale or purchase can be made. In the process, you can only deal with the resource that is being indicated just below the weather token, in the "market row". The price is indicated by the illustrated Auri coins which are shown under the picture of the resource. This price applies to the purchase and sale of this resource, from – as well as, to – the common stockpile. Even if the market space changes during a turn (due to the weather token being moved by the "magical place"), a total of only one dealing with a resource is allowed per move.

You may buy or sell the resource (that is currently being traded on the market) only once per turn.

Picture caption (as printed): The weather token is situated on the market space with the stone resource. Both Auri coins beneath the stone symbol indicate the price. Therefore, a stone resource can be bought or sold for the price of two Auri.

6. Hire workers to construct buildings

One needs workers to construct buildings. The workers are simple day labourers who are willing to work for a good meal. A worker can be hired from the common stockpile (worker discs) for two food resources, using either grains or beets. A re-exchange is not possible.

Workers are not counted as resources, in terms of the "maximum of three resources" rule. You can have any number of workers in your own supply.

One receives one worker for two food resources, either grains or beets.

Picture caption (as printed): You have three different possibilities for hiring workers. Give two food resources (beets or grains) from your personal supply to the common stockpile, in exchange for one worker disc.

7. Construct buildings

Construct buildings on the islands in order to collect points of power. The player who has the most points of power on an island is the one who "dominates" that island. Only islands that one dominates will provide gains.

Using wood and stones, workers will build magnificent farmhouses and high towers for you. To construct a farmhouse, you must put the following in the common stockpile, from your personal supply: one tree resource, one stone resource and one worker. In return, you receive a farmhouse in your colour, which you must immediately place on an island. A tower costs you one worker and two stone resources. This must also be immediately placed.

Picture captions (as printed): To construct a farmhouse, you need one worker, one tree and one stone (1 MP). For a tower, you need one worker and two stones (3 MP).

IMPORTANT: One may place buildings on any free space on any island. In this case, the previously explained rules for placing resources on the islands do not apply. The current type of landscape is irrelevant.

Each player is limited to four farmhouses and two towers. Should a building be destroyed by severe weather (more about this later), this token is eliminated from the game and is put back in the box. This building may not be reconstructed during this game.

For each farmhouse on an island, the player receives 1 point of power, for a tower, the player receives 3 points of power. Otherwise, the buildings have no difference in function.

For each farmhouse on an island, one receives 1 point of power there; each tower is valued at 3 points of power. The player who has the most points of power on an island, dominates that island and receives the gain from the yield areas.

An island with one or more buildings is dominated by the player with the most points of power on this island. If players have the same amount of points on this island, then no player dominates. This island is considered to be free from domination, just as would an island without any buildings.

Picture caption (as printed): In this example, the colour white has a tower – and therefore three points of power – on the island. Grey has three farmhouses, which are also worth three points of power on the island. Brown, with only one farmhouse, has only one point of power. Since grey and white have the most points of power and they are the same (three points each), the island is considered not to be dominated. With only one point of power, brown has no influence over the island's domination. As a result, no player receives any gains for the existing beet field.

8. Special Action: making a grain sacrifice

Had the Alkeas not sacrificed half of their grain harvest on the altar of Spherei, the weather god, his rage and destruction would have been boundless!

Should you have a grain left over in your own supply at the end of your turn (one of the three remaining resources), you could "sacrifice" a grain resource, which is then put into the common stockpile. You may then move the weather token on the weather panel one or two spaces to the left or right, as desired (since you have appeased Spherei). The consequences of this sacrifice affect the next player, as your turn is now over.

By making a grain sacrifice, one may move the weather token one or two spaces at the end of one's turn.

Severe Weather

By looking at the weather panel, you can see that there is a weather token row and a severe weather row (dark cloud on frame) that is just beneath it. This lower row shows what takes place when a severe weather symbol is rolled.

If the severe weather space under the weather token shows an X symbol, this means harmless weather. You have escaped having any damage, but you will not receive any resources. You may then continue your turn after rolling the dice.

When harmless weather is indicated (X), one does not receive any resources; otherwise one can continue one's turn.

However, if the weather token lies on one of the other columns of the severe weather row, this means very severe weather. In this case, you not only miss out on receiving resources from the common stock. All of the resources and buildings on all islands which were placed on the current landscape type – with the exception of the protected tokens – are taken and returned to the common stockpile. This severe weather affects all players. The tokens which are protected are those in the respective severe weather space in which the protective hands are pictured. These tokens may remain in place.

Following very severe weather, all tokens placed on spaces of the current landscape type are taken, except for the protected ones. In addition, the player receives no resources for this turn.

Example: In the mountain column, on side 1 of the weather panel, crystals and all buildings will be protected. This means that if the weather token is currently in the mountain column and you roll the severe weather symbol, then all tokens from mountain spaces are taken and put in the common stockpile, except for crystals and buildings, which remain on their spaces. On side 2 of the weather panel, only the crystals are protected from severe weather. Here there are no safe spaces for buildings! In the grassland column, only the grain resource is protected. In the swamp column trees are protected, beets are protected in the sand column.

Picture captions (as printed): If the dice roll shows the severe weather symbol, the space underneath the weather token determines what happens next. Harmless weather: X. Very severe weather: the tokens which are shown to be protected (protective hand symbol) may remain on the islands.

Very severe weather overview (weather panel, side 1)

• Drought: All tokens are taken from all of the mountain spaces, except for crystals and buildings, which overcome the drought. All other spaces (grassland, swamp and sand) are not affected.
• Sinking land: All tokens are taken from all of the swamp spaces, except for trees. Everything sinks in the swamp! Only the trees, having roots that are spread out, can stay above the mire. Buildings that are affected are taken from the game. These buildings may not be constructed again in this game.
• Hurricanes: All tokens, except for grain, are taken from all of the grassland spaces. The bending stalks of the grains withstand the storm! Affected buildings are removed from the game. These buildings may not be constructed again in this game.
• Flooding: An enormous flood pulls everything which was built upon sand, into the sea! Except for beets, all resources and buildings located on sand spaces are removed from the game. The resources are returned to the common stockpile. The buildings are removed and put back in the box. These buildings may not be constructed again in this game.

End of the Game

The game ends immediately, when one of these situations take place:

• One player has constructed all of his/her buildings and can build no more in this game
• When the last free space of a landscape type has been occupied
• When a player has more than 50 Auri in his/her personal money supply and declares that the game is over

The final tally then takes place.

• Every player counts the number of Auri in their personal supply. In addition, one is awarded:
• 5 Auri for each crystal on an island that one dominates
• 5 Auri for each island that one dominates

The player now with the largest amount of Auri values is the winner! In case of a tie, the points of power (resulting from buildings placed) determine the winner.

Summary of game rules: It's your turn! What would you like to do?

1. Have you got one or several yield areas on islands that you dominate? If so, then first collect your gains:

   • beet field – 2 Auri
   • grain field – 2 Auri
   • forest – 3 Auri

2. Roll the resource dice and take your resources. Did you roll a +1 or a -1? Then you can now move the weather token. Did you roll the severe weather cloud? Then you will not receive any resources and the severe weather beneath the weather token will take place.

3. You want to place resources on spaces on an island, e.g. in order to create yield areas? Then you can only place on spaces that are of the current landscape type (determined by the space on which the weather token presently lies):

   Bear in mind that you may only place on a space that is next to the same type of resource that you wish to place (if possible). Given the above example, if you wish to place a beet and the weather token lies presently beneath the "sand" landscape type, you may then only place on a "sand" space that lies next to beets. If there are no sand spaces that lie next to a beet on any of the islands, then you may place on any unoccupied sand space.

   Has your placed resource completed a "jam" or has it "boxed in"? Then replace the jammed resource with one of the same type you have placed (if you wish):

   Example of a jam (picture 1) or of boxing in (picture 2). You place one of the crystals and perform the jamming or boxing in, so that you now can transform the trapped beet likewise into a crystal (replacement).

   Have you placed a resource on a space which the weather token has presently indicated to be an "extra" resource? Then you are allowed to take this extra resource from the common stockpile.