Hidden Realms: The Mummy's Tomb Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Gameplay Overview
• Game Sheet Anatomy
• Gameplay
• Mapping The Dungeon
  • Choosing & Placing a Tile
  • Finding Treasure & Monsters
• Defeating Monsters
  • Oozes & Skeletons
  • Sarcophagi & Zombies
  • Golems & Gems
  • Mimics
  • The Mummy
• Keys, Coins & Magic Items
  • Keys
  • Coins
  • Magic Items
• Final Scoring
• Achievements
• Easy Mode
• Examples
  • First Round Example
  • Scoring Example

Gameplay Overview

The game is played over the course of 20 rounds. At the end of the 20th round, all players tally up their fame points, and whoever has the most wins. If you're playing solo, you're trying to set the most points possible or Beat Your Own Score. There are also achievements on page 10 of this rulebook that can be completed in both solo and multiplayer modes.

During the game, the players roll dice and use their values to create the map and defeat monsters.

The map is created by choosing and placing polyomino tiles in the Map Area according to the placement rules. As the map expands, monsters, keys, coins and magic items will be found and collected.

Keys, coins and magic items are useful in different ways. Keys are required for some of the monsters. Coins allow the manipulation of dice and give access to even more dice. Finally, magic items grant powerful abilities that can be used a limited number of times throughout the game.

The monsters are defeated by using dice and keys as needed. Defeated monsters provide coins but they also alert the Mummy to the intruder! The Mummy is the most powerful enemy and is quite hard to defeat. It takes 6 hits to finish it off. Hits do not provide coins but they give a lot of points for the endgame scoring.

Game Sheet Anatomy

A. Rounds Table: This is where you keep track of your dice for each round. A maximum of 4 dice per round can be used. The game ends at the end of the 20th round.

B. Map Area: This is where you map your dungeon. There are 4 entrances on the surrounding walls and scattered treasure and monsters. These can be found and collected by placing polyomino tiles, according to the placement rules.

C. Tile Table: This is an index of the available polyomino tiles. Each one corresponds to a specific die value that needs to be used in order to choose that tile.

D. Monster Log: This is where you track the monsters you find along the way and the ones you defeat. Defeated monsters provide coins and points but also alert the Mummy. The Mummy can provide a lot of points but no coins.

E. Backpack: This is where you track the keys, coins and magic items you have collected and the ones you have used. All of these provide benefits and allow you to do more as the game progresses.

F. Scoring Table: This is where you calculate your final score. It also works as a reference throughout the game for all the ways points are gained.

Gameplay

The game is played over the course of 20 rounds (R). During each round, the 2 dice are rolled, and their values are recorded in the corresponding row of each player's sheet. These dice values are shared by everyone. There are ways to roll more dice, but no player can ever use more than 4 in a single round.

Write down the dice values and mark them off as they get used. There are four slots in each row since that's the maximum number of dice that can be used within a round.

Players use the recorded values of the dice, in any order, to perform one of the following actions:

• Map the dungeon by placing tiles
• Defeat the monsters that you find along the way

Actions normally require one die but there is an exception to that. Each die can only be used once. Mark off used dice to keep track of them. All dice of a round must be used before starting a new round.

Mapping The Dungeon

As you take your first echoing steps within the dungeon, the darkness ahead is both terrifying and exhilarating. You light your torch, but you can only see a few steps ahead. You quickly take out your journal and start mapping the turns and intersections you find along the way. That's why you are here after all. Deep inside, though, you also know that only a fool would risk getting lost in a place like this...

Choosing & Placing a Tile

A die can be used to place tiles on the map. The shape of the tile depends on the value of the die, as indicated in the Tile Table on the game sheet. To place a tile, simply draw its walls on the grid.

A die of value 2 can be used to place either one of these shapes.

The following rules apply when placing tiles:

1. Tiles can be flipped and rotated freely.

All of these placements are valid for this tile.

2. The very first tile of each game must be placed in one of the four entrances. Players are free to choose where they start mapping, but they must continue from there. This choice can be made after rolling the dice for the first round. One of the tile's openings must align with the chosen entrance.

The tile is placed at the chosen entrance in a way that aligns one of the tile's openings with the entrance.

3. Every tile placed after the first must connect to an already existing tile. If multiple openings are available, the player may choose where to place next. Tiles cannot be placed on a different entrance to restart a new dungeon elsewhere.

All three openings are valid for the next tile placement. The other entrance, however, is not.

4. Tiles must have at least one of their openings completely aligned with an already existing opening when placed. Diagonal placement with only the corners touching is not allowed.

The highlighted red square would not be part of the dungeon because it was never covered with a tile. That would create a gap that is not allowed.

5. Tiles must fit within the map; no part of a tile can extend beyond the external walls or into the blocked areas on the grid.

6. Tiles cannot be placed in a way that would place a wall alongside an already existing wall of another tile. However, they can be placed so that a wall aligns with the edge of the map or the border of a block.

7. If a tile is placed in a way that one of its openings faces an existing wall, that opening becomes a dead end. If the existing wall is the edge of the map or one of the stone blocks, draw a line to mark it as a dead end rather than an opening. Doing that intentionally is a great way to avoid having too many openings at the game's end, which is important for final scoring.

The first time a tile of a certain shape is used, mark it off. You can still use that shape as many times as you wish for the rest of the game, but completing all shapes in a row or column of the Tile Table provides one-time benefits, so it's important to keep track of them.

Completing a row of the Tile Table gives the player an extra die of a specific value.

• This die is recorded in the active round row as soon as it's gained.
• If all four slots of the round row are already full, record the die value in the following round row. It can only be used in that round, not immediately.

Completing a column of the Tile Table gives the player a key as a reward. More details about keys can be found on page 8.

There is also a special type of tile, a 3x3 room, that follows the same placement rules as all other tiles, but requires two dice of any value to be used. They can be of the same value or different ones. These tiles can be used any number of times throughout the game.

A good map is a complete map. A professional mapmaker knows that. It won't be good for your reputation if you return with an unfinished survey of this dungeon...

At the end of the game, remaining openings, open entrances and open rooms score negative points. To avoid this, you can close those off with walls. Ideally, though, entrances and rooms should be connected. Connected entrances provide points at the game's end. Rooms have findings in them, and the only way to get them is by connecting the room. More on that in the next chapter.

Entrances and rooms are considered connected if an opening of a tile is placed in complete alignment with them. It should always be possible to trace a path back to the original entrance. An entrance or room that is blocked with a wall is not connected, but it is considered closed, which is important for final scoring.

In both images above, the room has not been connected because none of the placed tiles has an opening that is completely aligned with the opening of the room. The red square was never covered by a tile and is not part of the dungeon.

Finding Treasure & Monsters

As you turn a corner, you get a glimpse of something on the floor that reflects the light of your torch. You've found some gold coins! You rush and gather your newly found treasure, but your excitement doesn't last long. From the darkness ahead, the sound of something slithering on the stone walls of the dungeon makes your skin crawl. You could fight the monster now, or wait for a better opportunity later, but first, you make sure to mark everything down in your journal...

All kinds of interesting findings can be found in the Map Area, either scattered around the grid, or kept in rooms. Whenever you collect a finding, circle it in the corresponding table of the game sheet.

To collect a finding that is on the grid, you have to place a tile in a way that will cover the square in which the finding is located. Imagine the tile as a physical tile that's placed on top of the grid and only covers the squares that are included in its shape. It does not matter if the square with the finding is surrounded by walls or not. The only factor that determines whether a finding on the grid is collected is whether its square is covered by a tile.

The 3 coins have been collected because a tile was placed that covered their square. The key is not collected because its square has not yet been covered by a tile. The mimic is also not collected because, despite being surrounded by walls, its square was never covered by a tile.

Some findings are located in small rooms inside the blocks of stone rather than scattered around the grid. To collect those, you simply need to connect the entrance of that room to your dungeon. Do this by placing a tile so that one of its openings completely aligns with the room's opening (see details and examples above). No tile can enter those rooms. Their walls are solid and would overlap with the tile's walls, which is not allowed (their color is black as a reminder).

Defeating Monsters

Mapping the countryside instead of risking your life in dungeons and tombs is definitely easier, but no one ever got famous doing that. Not famous enough, at least. If you're not equipped to deal with the creatures that lurk these halls, though, you'd better stay home. There are monsters beyond the wildest imagination, waiting around every corner, ready to make sure you never make it out alive. Defeating them is the only way forward, but you have to be smart about it and choose your timing well. The good news is, they usually guard some treasure and if the guardian is gone, the treasure is yours!

Instead of placing a tile, a die can be used to defeat monsters that have been found on the map. This does not have to happen at the moment the monster is found. It can be at any time after that, including in future rounds. The value of the die determines the type of monster that can be fought.

Every time a monster is found, circle it in the Monster Log. Every time a monster is defeated, mark it off and gain the corresponding reward. The reward for defeating monsters is always a number of coins. At the same time, the Mummy gets alerted, which is represented by the ! symbol. More on that on page 7. There are five different monster tables: Oozes & Skeletons, Sarcophagi & Zombies, Golems & Gems, Mimics, and The Mummy. They all work in similar ways, though each has its own details.

Oozes & Skeletons

Oozes are slimy, mindless creatures of acidic nature. They usually swallow adventurers whole, slowly digesting them until only the skeletons remain...

Oozes can be found in the grid area of the map. Always circle found oozes from left to right.

A circled ooze can be defeated by using a die of value 1. Mark off the defeated ooze and circle the Skeleton below it. It was trapped in the Ooze!

A circled Skeleton can be defeated by using a die of value 2. Mark it off and gain the corresponding reward.

Sarcophagi & Zombies

Zombies are, well..., zombies... They usually writhe in their sarcophagus, waiting for someone foolish enough to open it. Or greedy enough to open it, because they usually sit on a pile of gold.

Sarcophagi are found in the small rooms inside the blocks of stone on the map. Once collected, circle them from left to right. To open a Sarcophagus, you need a key.

If you have a collected (circled) key, mark it off and also mark off the Sarcophagus to indicate that it has been opened. The corresponding Zombie is now free. Circle it.

A circled Zombie can be defeated by using a die of value 3. Mark it off and gain the corresponding reward.

Golems & Gems

Golems are constructed by powerful mages as guardians. Relentless guardians. Each golem has a gem that holds the magic that keeps it alive. If you don't destroy the gem together with the golem, the golem will simply come back to life...

Golems can be found in the grid area of the map, and gems are found in small rooms inside the blocks of stone. They form pairs of the same color*. As soon as you collect a golem or a gem of a certain color, circle it. These do not have to be collected or defeated in a particular order.

A circled golem can be defeated by using a die of value 4, only if the corresponding gem has also been collected. Mark both off and gain the corresponding reward.

*If you have printed the game sheet in black & white or have difficulty telling the colors apart, there are matching shapes behind the golems and the gems for ease of use.

Mimics

Sometimes, you excitedly reach to open a chest and uncover the hidden treasures that were locked away centuries ago, only to get ripped apart by a mimic instead. These sneaky creatures can disguise themselves as anything, but of course, they always choose something we mortals cannot resist touching...

Mimics can be found in the grid area of the map. Once collected, circle them from left to right.

A circled mimic can be defeated by using a die of value 5, only if a collected key is also used at the same time. Mark off both the key and the mimic and gain the corresponding reward.

The Mummy

You'd think that a creature would have to be nearby to notice your presence, but that's not always true for the Mummy. It is the current owner of this place and the one controlling all monsters guarding it. It knows when one of them perishes, and it comes looking for whoever did it. You can't easily defeat the Mummy, but you can drive it back for a while if you hit it hard enough...

As part of each reward for defeating a monster, fill in the next unfilled exclamation mark in the Mummy's table, starting from the top row and moving left to right within each row. Once 3 exclamation marks have been marked, the corresponding square gets unlocked.

You can now hit the Mummy using a die of value 6. Immediately record the Fame points you gained for this hit into the first empty unlocked square starting from the top row and moving left to right within each row. It is allowed to unlock more squares before using the previous ones to hit the Mummy.

Since the mummy's Fame points need to be recorded during the game, here is how:

As soon as the Mummy takes a hit, check the number of the current round and subtract it from 21. For example, if it's round 7, the number is 21 - 7 = 14.

For the first two hits, that number is the Fame points gained. For the next two hits, multiply it by 2, and for the final two hits, multiply it by 3. So for hits 1/2/3/4/5/6, the multipliers are 1/1/2/2/3/3.

Hitting the Mummy does not provide immediate rewards, but can yield a lot of Fame points by the end of the game.

On page 12 of this rulebook, you can find a scoring example for the whole game, including a numerical example of the Mummy's Fame point calculation.

Keys, Coins & Magic Items

Fame is nice, but so is treasure...

Keys

Doing this job without knowing how to pick a lock is not ideal, but not all skills are for everyone. If you can't pick a lock, you have to find the key...

Keys can be found in the grid area of the map and can also be gained by completing each column of tiles in the Tile Table.

Every time you gain a key, circle it in the key table of the Backpack.

Keys are used to open the Sarcophagi of the Zombies and to defeat the Mimics.

Coins

Have you ever held an actual gold coin? It feels good, I'm telling you. The thing is though, when your life is on the line, the sound of a coin clattering on the floor can distract a monster just enough for you to run away. Tossing a coin does not feel good, I'm telling you. But between that and being swallowed by an ooze, I'd always pick the former...

Coins can be found in the grid area of the map and can also be gained as rewards from defeating monsters. Circle coins in the coin table of the Backpack as you collect them.

Coins you have collected can be used in three different ways:

• Spend 1 coin to increase or decrease the value of a die by 1.
  • In multiplayer mode, this effect only applies to the die of the player who spent the coin.
  • Multiple coins can be spent to further increase or decrease a die's value.
  • A 6 with +1 becomes a 1, and a 1 with -1 becomes a 6.
• Spend 2 coins to roll an additional die. Mark the rolled value in the active round row.
  • In multiplayer mode, this die is available only to the player who spent the coins.
  • This cannot be done if there is no space left in the active round row.
• Spend 3 coins to gain a die of any chosen value. Mark the chosen value in the active round row.
  • In multiplayer mode, this die is available only to the player who spent the coins.
  • This cannot be done if there is no space left in the active round row.

A player may use any combination of the above options at anytime during a round, as long as they have enough coins and room in the active round row for dice. Dice gained from coins work exactly like any other die and can be used at any time during the round, in any order. Remember to mark off the coins you spend.

Magic Items

Oh, the power of magic in your hands! If you focus closely enough, you can feel the slight vibration of the energy humming within an otherwise simple object. And that feeling of awe when you witness impossible tasks done in just a moment... The brain simply cannot fathom it.

Magic Items can be found in the grid area of the map. Each one functions differently, and once collected, each can be used up to 3 times as indicated in the table. The uses can be spent at any time, during any round of the game. There are four different magic items:

1. The Wand of Shifting Walls: Spend one use to either erase a single wall or add a single wall to your dungeon map. A single wall is one square long, think of it as a door opening or closing. It can also be used at the end of the game to close off remaining openings, which is important for final scoring.

• You cannot erase a wall that is adjacent to an already existing opening nor add a wall to a square that isn't part of your map. Open rooms and open entrances are not part of your map.

On the left, you can see examples of using the Wand of Shifting Walls to erase a wall. All other walls not highlighted in the image can be erased legally.

On the right, you can see examples of using the Wand of Shifting Walls to add a wall to the map. Remember that the wall must be placed in a square that is already part of the map. Open rooms and open entrances are not part of the map.

2. The Skeleton Key: Spend one use instead of a regular key. It functions exactly the same.

3. The Hammer of Shattering: When using a die of value 1 to defeat an Ooze, spend one use of the Hammer of Shattering to also defeat the corresponding Skeleton without needing to spend the extra die of value 2. Gain the reward as usual.

The Hammer of Shattering is used on the next circled, undefeated Ooze from left to right, even if there are circled, undefeated Skeletons to the left of it.

4. The Shovel of Excavation: Spend one use to add a one-square room with 2 or 3 walls as an extension of your map. Open rooms and open entrances are not part of your map. The new room has to be on a square that does not already have any walls. Imagine it like a tiny tile of a single square. Normal tile placement rules apply. This can also be used at the end of the game to close off remaining openings, which is important for final scoring.

These are examples of ways you can or cannot use the Shovel of Excavation. Remember that all other tile placement restrictions apply as well.

The function of either the Shovel of Excavation or the Wand of Shifting Walls can also be accessed by using a die of any value at any time during a round. You don't need to have collected these items to do so, and this doesn't consume a use of the item. You can do this any amount of times throughout the game as long as you have dice to spend. Keep that in mind during the final rounds if you'd like to close off remaining openings, which is important for final scoring. Using dice in this way also ensures that you are never left with no openings or legal tile placements.

Final Scoring

And just like that, you are out of the tomb, with your map in your hands. You can't help but wonder if it's good enough for people to appreciate it. What would you do differently the next time, knowing the dangers of such an endeavor?

At the end of the 20th round, it's time for final scoring. Gain Fame points for the following:

• Multiply the number of defeated Oozes by the number of defeated Skeletons and gain that many Fame points.
• For 1/2/3/4 defeated Zombies, gain 5/10/20/30 Fame points.
• For 1/2/3/4 defeated Golems, gain 5/10/20/30 Fame points.
• Gain 4 Fame points for each defeated Mimic.
• Sum the total Fame points gained from the Mummy.
• Collected magic items give 5 Fame points each, regardless of how many uses remain, if any.
• Circled, but not defeated monsters, circled but unopened sarcophagi, circled but not marked off gems, and remaining circled keys give 1 Fame point each.
• For 1/2/3/4 connected entrances, gain 0/5/15/30 Fame points.
• Lose 3 Fame points for:
  • Remaining openings.
  • Open entrances. If a wall blocks an entrance, it's considered closed (details & examples on page 5).
  • Open rooms. If a wall blocks a room, it's considered closed (details & examples on page 5).

The player with the highest total wins the game.

In case of a tie, the player with the fewest negative points wins. If there's still a tie, the player with the most Fame points from the Mummy wins. If still tied, the players share the victory.

Achievements

If you've played enough times and would like to challenge yourself further, we suggest trying the following achievements:

• Master of the Undead: Gain all rewards from Oozes/Skeletons & Zombies and score at least 180 Fame points.
• Magical Warden: Gain all rewards from Golems, collect all magic items, and score at least 180 Fame points.
• Treasure Hunter: Gain all rewards from Mimics, collect all keys, the Skeleton Key, and score at least 180 Fame points.
• The Mapmaker: Gain no negative points and score at least 180 Fame points.
• Mummy Slayer: Defeat the Mummy by hitting it six times and score at least 180 Fame points.

Achievements can be completed in both solo and multiplayer modes.

Easy Mode

For an easier mode of the game, you can start with 3 coins already collected. Simply circle them in the coin table.

Similarly, when playing with kids, you can optionally give them a starting advantage with 5 coins and a key.

Finally, if you are already familiar with the game and you are playing against beginners, you can give them an advantage by playing one of the advanced maps and giving them Map 1.

Examples

In the following pages, you'll find a full first round example that helps showcase the flow of the game and a scoring example of a finished game, with numbers and explanations.

First Round Example

Images 1 to 15 are the step-by-step game sheet images of the printed example. They are described here by their text.

Jane starts a solo game by rolling the two dice. She rolls two 5s, so she marks down these values in the 1st round row (Image 1). She decides to use the first 5 to place the cross-shaped tile and connect it to the top-right entrance (Image 2). Since it is the first time she uses that shape, she marks it off in the Tile Table (Image 3). She then uses the second 5 to place the corner-shaped tile. She could use any of the three available openings, but she decides to take the one that allows her to collect the three gold coins (Image 4). She circles the three coins in the coin table (Image 5), and since it was the first time she used that shape, she marks that off in the Tile Table as well (Image 6).

She has now completed a full row in the Tile Table, so she gains a die of value 2, which she circles in the Tile Table and then writes down in the round row (Image 7). She immediately uses that 2 to place the left shape in the corresponding Tile Table row and marks it off as a reminder (Image 8). Again, she has to choose between the three available openings on her map, and this time she decides to take the bottom one (Image 9).

She now has three available coins and one slot remaining in the current round, so she decides to spend all three of them to gain a value 2 die. She marks off the used coins (Image 10) and writes down the 2 in the final slot of the round row (Image 11). She uses that 2 for the right one of the two available shapes. With this one, she can collect the Mimic and the Shovel of Excavation with one tile (Image 12). She circles both as a reminder (Images 13.1-13.2).

From now on, she can use the Shovel of Excavation at any time, for a total of three times. She does not have a key yet, so she cannot defeat the Mimic, she'll have to wait until she does. It was the first time she used that shape, so she marks it off, and she has once more completed a full row in the Tile Table, so she circles and gains a value 5 die (Image 14). She no longer has any slots in the current round, so she adds the 5 in the next round row (Image 15).

She is now ready to start round 2 by rolling the two dice again. As a reminder she can still use all the shapes she marked off, as many times as she wants. The marking is only for the first use, to track the one-time rewards.

Scoring Example

It is time for final scoring in the example above. Jane gains Fame points as follows:

• She has defeated 3 Oozes and 3 Skeletons for a total of 3×3=9 points.
• The 3 defeated Zombies score 20 points.
• The 3 defeated Golems score 20 points.
• The 6 Mimics score 4 points each, for a total of 6×4=24 points.
• The Mummy was hit in round 8 for 21-8=13 points, round 11 for 21-11=10 points, round 13 for 2×(21-13)=2×8=16 points, and round 18 for 2×(21-18)=2×3=6 points. These add up to a total of 13+10+16+6=45 points.
• The collected magic items score 5 points each, even if they are used, for a total of 3×5=15 points.
• The remaining circled but not marked off monsters, sarcophagi, gems and keys score 1 point each for a total of 5 points.
• The two entrances on the top right side of the map are connected, so that's 5 points.
• There are no remaining openings on the map but the two entrances on the bottom left side of the map are open and so is the bottom room with the gem in the stone block in the middle of the map. That's 3×(-3)=-9 points.
• All of the above add up to a total final score of 134 Fame points.