Gnomic Parliament Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Setup
  • Gnome Setup
  • Card Layout
• Law Cards
  • Prepared Deck (Introductory Game)
  • Random Deck (Standard Game)
  • Shuffling in End Cards
• Presidency
• Game Objective
• Play a Round
  • 1. Proposal and Discussion
  • 2. Determine Vote Result
  • 3. Prepare Next Round
• Game End
• Winner
• Advanced Game
  • Decrees
  • Setup (Advanced)
  • Play (Advanced)
  • Optional Rule – Vote of No Confidence
  • Agenda Cards and Parties
  • Setup (Agenda Cards)
  • Game End (Agenda Cards)
• Rule Clarifications
• Special Card Explanations
• Round Overview

Contents

2 end cards

46 law cards

• permanent laws
• one-time laws

4 round overview cards (player aids)

1 cardboard strip for card layout, consisting of 4 parts

8 gnome tiles: Jenitina (blue), Dabadrik (white), Ambriana (yellow), Warug (gray), Fizzk (orange), Pitulo (green), Gladioma (pink), Voren (black)

16 voting discs: YES and NO in the 8 player colors

54 honor point counters: 26 x 1, 20 x 3, 8 x 10

8 lamps, for marking gnomes

50 small cubes, single lobby votes

5 large cubes, 5 lobby votes each

1 president marker

Skip any text on a purple background if you don't want to play the advanced game version.

Advanced Game Version (purple background):

• 4 laws for Agenda rules (purple border)
• 12 Decrees
• 8 Agenda cards, for Agenda rules
• 12 party markers, 3 of each party

Setup

Gnome Setup

At setup, all gnomes get the following:

• 2 voting discs of their color: one YES-vote and one NO-vote
• 2 lobby votes (small, white cubes)
• the gnome tile of their color

Card Layout

Put the cardboard strips together into one piece and place it in the center of the table. The law cards will be placed next to it. Place the lobby votes (small and large white cubes) and honor point counters each in a separate supply near the center of the table, ideally next to the cardboard strip.

Card layout diagram labels: spot for active one-time law; 3 spots for active permanent laws; honor point markers; lobby votes; draw deck; proposal row with 3 spots; discard pile for rejected laws; Archive (only important for the advanced game).

Important: In the advanced game, you need to have two discard piles. In the Archive, you place all law cards that were passed (even if they had no effect). Laws that were rejected (did not pass) are placed on the other discard pile. Rejected law cards are placed face down. Law cards in the Archive are placed face up.

Law Cards

Law cards can change the rules of the game. If the text on a card contradicts the rules, then the text on the card applies. Law cards with a one-time effect take precedence over permanent law cards.

The icon in the bottom left corner is for the advanced game only.

If you're playing the game for the first time, it is recommended to use the Prepared Deck. After that, you can play with the Random Deck. Later, you can play the advanced game.

Card anatomy (diagram labels): title of the law; instructions; description of the law; numbering; icon for the advanced game.

Prepared Deck (Introductory Game)

For the Prepared Deck, it is important that the law cards are sorted. Card #1 should be on top of the face-down deck, followed by cards #2 through #16, and card #48 at the bottom.

With 4 gnomes: Place the top card (#1) face up on the first permanent law spot. The next card (#2) goes on the second spot.

With more than 4 gnomes: Remove the top card (#1) from the game and place the next card (#2) on the first permanent law spot.

Place the next three cards (#3, #4, #5) face up on the three proposal spots below the cardboard strip and place a 1 lobby vote marker on each of these three. Place the deck of cards face down on the position to the left of the three proposal spots.

All cards above the cardboard strip are active from the start of the game.

Done! Do not follow the instructions in the rest of the setup rules for law cards. Please continue reading at the section "Presidency" on page 5.

Symbol key: 1 lobby vote; honor points.

Random Deck (Standard Game)

Find the two end cards and set them aside. The law cards with the advanced game symbol (an ornamental envelope) belong to the advanced game. They may need to be removed beforehand. If you accidentally draw one of these cards during the game, remove it from the game and replace it with a card from the bottom of the deck.

If you are four gnomes, find the card Reinterpreting a Tied Vote Act (#1, green border) and place it face up in the first spot of the permanent effects row (see card layout).

Place a random permanent law card with a seal (rose symbol) face up on the first (or, if you have 4 gnomes, on the second) permanent law spot. All cards above the cardboard strip are active (in effect) from the start of the game. Place three more cards with seals face up on the three proposal spots (below the cardboard strip) and place a 1 lobby vote marker on each of these three.

Setup diagram captions: "Setup for 4 gnomes"; "Setup for more than 4 gnomes"; "Setup draw deck" (7 random cards; 2 end cards in 4 random cards; remaining cards).

Shuffling in End Cards

Then shuffle all other law cards together into a draw deck. Draw 7 cards face down from these and set them aside. Draw another 4 cards face down and shuffle the two end cards into these. First place these 6 cards and then the 7 cards previously set aside on top of the draw deck. Now place the draw deck to the left of the 3 cards in the proposal spots below the cardboard strip.

Presidency

The gnome who was last near a parliament building receives the president marker.

Setup diagram caption: "Gladioma becomes the President and gets the president marker."

Game Objective

The gnome with the most honor points wins. Gnomes primarily receive honor points by voting with the majority, but also through certain laws.

Diagram caption: honor point counters.

Play a Round

Round steps (chevron headings): 1. Discussion; 2. Determine Vote Result; 3. Prepare Next Round.

1. Proposal and Discussion

a) Select Law to Propose

The President of Parliament selects a law card from the proposal row. He moves it slightly out of the row – to make it clear which card he has selected. Once the President has officially selected a law, he may no longer change it!

Tip: The President should read aloud all the laws in the proposal row (including the titles) and seek advice from the other gnomes.

Law Cards with Red Text

Some law cards contain red text. Once the President proposes such a card, he immediately carries out the instructions in the red text.

Some of these instructions require certain gnomes to be marked. Use the lamp markers for this. These markers are only valid for one round. After that, they go back into the supply.

b) Discussion and Vote on the Proposed Law

In order to vote, all gnomes secretly place one of their two voting discs face down on their gnome tile (the other one is face down next to it). You may swap your voting discs as long as not everyone has voted yet.

Diagram captions: placement of the voting discs (face down); placed lobby votes.

The President may call out gnomes who are taking a long time to vote. Nobody may abstain from voting!

Open discussions are expressly permitted at all times. Votes must always be kept secret. It is forbidden to give honor points or lobby votes to other gnomes.

Lobby Votes

All gnomes have their personal supply of lobby votes, which they may not hide. Lobby votes reinforce the vote chosen with the disc. As long as the vote is not yet over (see below), gnomes may place any number on their gnome tile (even in multiple steps). For every 3 lobby votes openly placed, they receive an additional one from the supply and place it there. Once placed, lobby votes may not be taken back.

Tactical tip: React to what the others do and, if necessary, increase the number of lobby votes you placed or swap your vote.

End of Voting

Once everyone has placed their voting disc, the President declares the voting closed. Votes may no longer be changed.

c) Placing Secret Lobby Votes

After voting has ended, lobby votes can still be placed secretly. To do this, all gnomes take any number of lobby votes (or none at all) secretly from their personal supply into one hand (a fist), which they extend forward. Meanwhile, they hold or cover up their remaining lobby votes with their other hand. Then, all gnomes simultaneously open their outstretched hand and place any lobby votes in it on their gnome tile.

2. Determine Vote Result

a) Counting the Votes

All voting discs are now revealed, and the votes are counted. Each gnome has one vote. In addition, all lobby votes placed on the gnome tiles count as additional votes of the same type as the chosen voting disc on the same tile.

Only at the end of the round do all these lobby votes go into the supply.

Tip: Leave all voting discs and lobby votes on the tile until all law effects have been completely resolved. This will help you determine the various conditions of the laws.

b) Result

I. Law Passed

If there are more YES votes than NO votes, then the law has passed and is considered enacted. The card is then immediately moved to the corresponding spot above the cardboard strip as follows:

The law becomes active (goes into effect) from this moment onward and only as long as it is in this area – even a law that has just passed.

A one-time law is inserted into the spot for the currently active one-time law. It lasts until the end of the round (phase 3).

A permanent law is moved to the leftmost spot in the row for permanent effects. It also stays active in subsequent rounds. Any cards already in that row move to the right. If there is no more space in that row, the rightmost law card is placed on the discard pile. This law is no longer active, and its text no longer applies (even if the discarded law was decisive for the adoption of the new law).

Advanced game only: In the advanced game, the discarded law is placed openly into the Archive.

Note: A law always takes effect immediately, i.e., in the same round in which it passed!

Example (diagram caption): The law was passed by a vote of 5 to 3.

Distribution of Lobby Votes from Law Card

The President distributes the lobby votes on the enacted law card in any way among the gnomes who voted YES. Important: He may only give himself as many lobby votes as he has given to at least one other gnome! Only if he was the only one to vote YES does he receive all the lobby votes from an enacted law.

II. Law Rejected

If there are fewer YES votes than NO votes or the same amount, then the law is considered rejected. The card is placed face down on the rejected laws discard pile without any effect. Any lobby votes on the card are returned to the supply.

Example (diagram caption): In the event of a tie, the law is rejected and the NO voters receive honor points.

c) Honor Points for Majority Voters

If the law passed, everyone who voted YES receives 1 honor point.

If the law was rejected, everyone who voted NO receives 1 honor point.

After the first end card has been revealed, the majority voters receive 2 honor points instead.

d) Honor Points and Lobby Votes Awarded for Laws

Any recently enacted one-time law, as well as all active, permanent laws laid out above the cardboard strip, are applied now. The effects are applied in the order of the cards laid out, starting with the most recently enacted law (from left to right).

Icon key: Strict execution in this order is only necessary if at least one law with a fire diamond symbol is currently active.

Icon key: Cards with the pocket watch symbol are applied at the time specified in their text instead (i.e., they go into effect at some time other than now).

3. Prepare Next Round

a) Adding Lobby Votes

Place one lobby vote from the supply on each card now in the proposal row.

Note: Lobby votes and honor point markers are not limited. If necessary, use some other pieces as substitutes.

b) Draw New Law Card

If there is an empty spot in the proposal row, draw a card from the draw deck and place it face up on that spot.

If an end card is drawn for the first time, draw a law card from the bottom of the deck and place it there instead. Place the end card face up to the side as reminder. If this happens for the second time, the game ends immediately.

Note: If you are playing without the Agenda rules and still draw a card with a purple border (i.e., one that was accidentally not removed from the deck), place it in the box and replace it with a card from the bottom of the deck.

c) Next President

I. Remain President or Voluntarily Pass It On

If the proposed law passed, the President may decide whether or not to pass on the Presidency:

• If he passes it on, he receives 2 lobby votes from the supply. The next gnome to his left becomes the new President.
• If he does not pass it on, he remains President (but may trigger a Vote of No Confidence, see optional rule).

Diagram caption: Reward for voluntarily passing (2 lobby votes).

II. Mandatory Passing of Presidency

If the proposed law was rejected, then the President must pass the Presidency to the next gnome to his left who voted NO.

Reminder: If the President had to pass on the Presidency (i.e., he had no choice), then he does not receive any lobby votes for it.

Diagram caption: Gladioma must pass the Presidency to Fizzk.

d) Discard One-Time Law

If a one-time law from this round is still on its spot, then place it face up in the Archive. It is thus no longer active (loses its effect).

Note: In the base game, you don't need to distinguish between the Archive and the discard pile; you can place all cards face down on the discard pile.

Game End

The game ends as soon as the second end card is drawn.

Note: The numbers on the end cards are irrelevant. Only the order in which they are drawn counts.

Diagram caption: Game end cards.

Winner

The gnome with the most honor points wins. In case of a tie, the gnome with the most lobby votes among the tied wins. If there still is a tie, the following applies: If the current President of Parliament is among the tied gnomes, then that one wins. If not, the winner is the one of them closest to the President in the current direction of passing the Presidency.

Example (diagram caption): Fizzk and Gladioma both have 18 honor points. Fizzk wins because he has more lobby votes.

Advanced Game

Section heading as printed on a purple background (advanced game rules).

If you are experienced gnomes, you can play with Decrees (and Votes of No Confidence) or Agenda cards, or both.

Decrees

Decrees are law cards with the presidential symbol in the bottom right corner and a different back side. During the game, the current President can propose such a card instead of a regular law.

Diagram caption: Decree card.

Setup (Advanced)

If you want to play without Agenda cards, remove the Decrees with the Agenda symbol. Shuffle the Decrees and deal one card face down to each gnome. All gnomes may look at their own card, but may not show it to the other gnomes. The remaining cards are removed from the game.

Play (Advanced)

The President may choose his Decree (if he has one) to vote on instead of a card from the proposal row. In this case, he places the card face up in front of himself, i.e., he plays it as a proposed law. He then discards a law in the proposal row (lobby votes on it go into the supply). Some decrees give lobby votes to the President when proposed (see the red text). These can be used immediately and are not lost even if the Decree is rejected.

Optional Rule – Vote of No Confidence

If the current President has declared to remain President at the end of a round, another gnome may declare a Vote of No Confidence, who thereby becomes the opposition leader. This may only be done by gnomes who still hold their Decree and who have at least 3 honor points less than the leading gnome. If several gnomes wish to do this, the one sitting closest to the President in order (clockwise, unless specified otherwise) becomes the opposition leader. The challengers can also agree to allow a specific gnome among them to become the opposition leader.

The opposition leader wants to overthrow the President and is challenging him. In the following discussion phase (phase 1), no proposal card is chosen; instead, the Vote of No Confidence is discussed and voted on.

YES means you vote for the opposition leader. NO means you want the current President to remain in office.

The Vote of No Confidence otherwise proceeds as in a regular round. Honor points are awarded to the majority voters. All active laws are applied. However, the preparation for the next round (phase 3) is skipped.

If the opposition leader wins the vote (passed), he becomes the new President. He must then either propose his Decree for voting at the beginning of the next round or discard it without any effect.

If the Vote of No Confidence fails (rejected), he must discard his Decree without any effect.

Agenda Cards and Parties

Agenda cards give gnomes additional honor points or lobby votes at the end of the game if many laws of their particular party have been passed.

Diagram caption: Agenda card.

Setup (Agenda Cards)

Shuffle the Agenda cards and deal one face-down to each gnome. All gnomes may look at their Agenda card, but may not show it to the other gnomes. They remain (mostly) secret until the end of the game. Place the remaining Agenda cards in the box.

Most laws belong to one of four parties. The party affiliation of a law card is displayed in the bottom left corner of the card. It is relevant for the Agenda cards.

• Obstructionists have laws that prevent, reduce, or limit laws or other effects.
• Royalists have laws that support the President of Parliament or a small number of gnomes.
• Mechanocrats have laws that create more laws or with effects that affect everyone equally.
• Egalitarians have laws that create balances between the gnomes.

Law Cards with Wild Party Symbols

If the selected law card has a wild party symbol, the President must assign it to one of the four parties at the moment of proposal. To do so, he places a corresponding marker on the bottom left corner of the card. If the card is rejected as a result of the vote, the marker is returned to the supply.

Diagram caption: Example law card "Choice of Succession Act" with a wild party symbol. Card text: "The President marks another gnome before the vote. That gnome becomes the next President (the President must pass on the presidency at the end of the round and gets the usual lobby votes for that)."

Whenever the honor points or lobby votes of gnomes are compared during the game (using law cards), those from Agenda cards never count. Permanent laws pushed out of their row and expired one-time laws go into the Archive. Fan them out so that you can clearly see their party symbols at the bottom of the card.

Diagram caption: Archive.

Game End (Agenda Cards)

At the end of the game, all gnomes reveal their Agenda card and add their honor points and lobby votes based on their Agenda card. Each gnome receives only the highest reward on their Agenda card that they have fulfilled. All currently active law cards, as well as all cards in the Archive and all party markers located there, count towards fulfilling the Agenda cards.

Example: Since four Obstructionist laws passed, but only one Mechanocratic law, Fizzk receives +3 honor points for his Agenda card.

Example Agenda card (Obstructionist Party, Anti-Mechanocratic faction), as printed: "You receive honor points if more Obstructionist laws than Mechanocratic laws have passed." Same number of laws: 2 lobby votes. 1 law more: 1 honor point. 2 laws more: 2 honor points. 3+ laws more: 3 honor points.

Rule Clarifications

Neighbors are only those two players immediately to the left and right of a player.

Advanced game only: Once revealed, Agenda cards remain face up until something else is explicitly done with them.

Some effects require players to lose lobby votes. If they don't have enough at that moment, they only lose as many as they can. Otherwise, there is no further effect unless explicitly stated otherwise.

If a law to remove another law has passed, the removed law immediately loses its effect.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, multiple gnomes can be affected whenever it is about having the most or fewest honor points / lobby votes.

Unless explicitly stated as placed, the term lobby votes of a gnome refers only to those of a player that are not placed (i.e., in the player's personal supply).

Special Card Explanations

#46 Reviving Dead Act Act

Under certain circumstances, two one-time laws can be in effect in the round in which this law was passed (namely, if a one-time law was revived).

Advanced game only: If the selected law card has a wild party symbol, then any party marker originally chosen with that law card stays in the Archive (i.e., it still counts). No new party marker is added.

#49 Decree To Disable Elitist Agendas

Honor points from Agenda cards are not counted when comparing honor points.

The gnomes with the most honor points can still receive the lobby votes for having the same number of laws as per their Agenda cards (even if more laws from their favored party are have passed than of the opposed party).

However, if the Useless Agendas Utilization Act (#44) is active, they receive nothing.

#51 Humility Is More Honorable Decree

If this law is active at game end, the lobby votes from Agenda cards are added as usual, but the honor points are subtracted.

#54 Decree To Stimulate The Debate

This law does not apply to its own vote!

Gnomes who did not vote as announced lose three lobby votes (from their personal supply) if they have that many. If they have fewer, they do not lose any lobby votes and must swap their vote instead.

#57 Decree To Undermine Voting Secrecy

If necessary, the gnomes, starting with the President, decide in order whether they want to exchange their votes or not.

#59 Decree To Enhance The Agendas Of The Disadvantaged

When comparing honor points, honor points from Agenda cards are not counted. The effect of this law is only determined after all honor points from other laws have been rewarded.

If the Curbing Corruption Act (#40) is active, that takes precedence (i.e., gnomes cannot receive more than 1 honor point).

Round Overview

Player aid, reproduced as printed.

1. Discussion

• a) President proposes law card to be voted on, reads it out loud, and moves it a bit out of the row (for better visibility).
• b) Discussion about proposed card (place lobby votes & vote).
• c) After all votes are placed, secret placement of lobby votes (into your fist).

2. Determine Vote Result

• a) Reveal votes and count them.
• b) Result
  • I. If law passed:
    • insert permanent law into left end of row
    • discard a card pushed out of right end (or into Archive)
    • put one-time law on its spot
    • President distributes lobby votes among YES-voters (he should not get more than the highest other one getting lobby votes)
  • II. If law rejected: discard
• c) 1 honor point per gnome who voted with majority (2 later on).
• d) Give honor points and lobby votes for all active laws (apply from left to right).

3. Prepare Next Round

• a) Place 1 lobby vote on each card in proposal row.
• b) Draw new law card and fill empty spot.
• c) Next President
  • I. If law passed, the President declares to either:
    • resign (gets 2 lobby votes), next gnome becomes President OR
    • remain President
  • II. If law rejected: next NO-voter becomes President
• d) Any one-time law is discarded (or into Archive).