Inis
Inis Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Epic Tale Card Legends
Each of the Epic Tale cards make specific references to Irish Celtic legends, which are explained here:
Diarmuid and Gráinne: Gráinne is betrothed to Fionn mac Cumhaill, who is a great warrior, but is older than her father. On the day of the wedding, she convinces Diarmuid to elope. Fionn pursues them endlessly.
Eriu: The Tuatha Dé Danann made the promise to the Milesians, who had recently arrived in Ireland, to name the island after Eriu in exchange for her help. She is the goddess that personifies Ireland.
Battle Frenzy: Some warriors, like Cúchulain, may experience warp spasms which completely distorted their bodies and gave them a frenzied fighting spirit.
Kernunos' Sanctuary: Kernunos is the personification of savage people, nature, life, forests and fertility. He is a mysterious god apart from the other gods.
The Otherworld: Tír na nÓg is the land of gods, dead people and endless joy; it is the realm of eternal youth where gods took refuge. Some mortals have sometimes been able to access it…
Balor's Eye: Balor, king of the Fomorians and demon of the Northern Islands, had an evil eye in his forehead that he could use to smite his enemies.
The Battle of Moytura: The second battle of Moytura opposed the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians and was devastating. During the battle, Lugh killed his grandfather Balor and the Fomorians left Ireland in the aftermath.
Deirdre's Beauty: Deirdre was loved by King Conchobar mac Nessa and her beauty was the cause of many tragedies and massacres before she killed herself.
Tale of Cúchulain: Cúchulain, one of the greatest Celtic heroes, is the son of the god Lug. He defended Ulster single-handedly against Queen Maeve's champions. He also rejected the advances of the Morrígan.
Dagda's Club: Thanks to this weapon, the Dagda has the gift to kill but also to restore life.
Dagda's Harp: This divine harp plays all songs, in particular the songs of sadness, laughter and sleep. The Dagda plays this harp to give rhythm to nature and the four seasons.
Lug's Spear: The spear of the god Lug ensures victory to its possessor.
Dagda's Cauldron: This cauldron of abundance can feed all the tribes without ever lacking. It can also bring the dead back to life.
Tuan's Memory: Tuan is a druid and hermit who survived several centuries by transforming himself into different animals. He was in Ireland before the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians. He witnessed the five conquests and conversed with St. Patrick. He is History's memory.
The Morrigan: She is the goddess of war and sovereignty and the Dagda's wife. She sometimes appears in the form of a raven.
Cathbad's Word: Cathbad is a druid, prophet and warrior. He was the father of King Conchobar mac Nessa and the tutor of Cúchulain.
The Champion's Share: The best part of a banquet. It is reserved for the most prestigious warrior and could be lead to many arguments.
The Stone of Fal: Brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann, the stone was said to roar when it came into contact with a man worthy to rule.
Oengus's Ploy: Oengus, son of the Dagda, took possession of his father's castle by asking him if he could live there "day and night", meaning for the rest of eternity…
Tailtu's Land: Daughter of a Fir Bolg king, Tailtu opened up the forest to make the ground ready for cultivation before dying of exhaustion. Her adoptive son, Lug, established the harvest festival, Lughnasadh, in her honor.
Breas' Tyranny: Breas "the Beautiful" became king of the Tuatha Dé Danann when Nuada abdicated. But he was a very mean and greedy king who did not share his wealth and despised the bards. He also abdicated after a poet produced a terrible satire of him. Afterwards, he led the Fomorians to war against the Tuatha Dé Danann, a war which will end after the second battle of Moytura.
Ogma's Eloquence: Ogma, a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is the master of eloquence and knowledge. Also a poet and a warrior, he invented the Ogham, the sacred alphabet.
Streng's Resolve: As a Fir Bolg champion, he cut Nuada's hand during the first battle of Moytura. Even on the edge of defeat, he and three hundred surviving warriors fought with such a strong will that the Tuatha Dé Danann, out of respect, offered him the Connacht, a region in the north-west of Ireland.
The Dagda: The Dagda, the kind god, is the protector of tribes. He is a druid, a warrior, a sage, the harbinger of life and death, and the master of time and seasons.
Manannan's Horses: Mannanan mac Lir reigns over the seas and guards the frontier to the Otherworld. He created horses out of foam that galloped across the lands, through shadows and mists...
Children of Dana: The Tuatha Dé Danann came from the northern islands and settled in Ireland. They fought against the Fir Bolg and then against the Fomorians. Later, they withdrew to the Otherworld, making way for Men, the Milesians.
The Fianna: They are a band of mythical warriors. Their leader, Fionn mac Cumhaill, is one of the great Celtic heroes, warrior, poet and unexcelled magician.
Maeve's Wealth: Maeve, as Queen of Connacht, shares her wealth with her people. She goes to war against the king of Ulster, Conchobar mac Nessa, to capture the Brown Bull of Cooley.
Lug Samildanach: Lug is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann related to the Fomorians through his grandfather Balor. He is the master of all arts and sciences. Thanks to this, Nuada offered him to lead the Tuatha Dé Danann during the Second Battle of Moytura.
Nuada Silverhand: King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, he had to abdicate when he lost his arm against Streng. He regained the right to reign when Dian Cecht made for him a silver prosthetic arm. He was killed by Balor during the second battle of Moytura.
Goal of the Game
Players aspire to become elected High King over their new land. Each round, players check to see if a player has been elected. To be elected, a player must fulfill the most victory conditions:
- Be present in six or more territories.
- Be chieftain over a combined total of six or more opposing clans.
- Be present in territories with a combined total of six sanctuaries.
Overview
Each game round consists of two phases.
First is the Assembly Phase, during which players check for victory, determine who the chieftains are, and draft Action cards.
Next is the Season Phase, during which players play cards from their hand.
Important: In Inis, the only way a player can perform any action in the game (placing new clans, moving clans, building Sanctuaries, etc.) is by playing a card. Because of this, which cards you draft during the Assembly phase is essential to you winning the game.
Components
16 Territory Tiles 20 Buildings — 10 Citadels, 10 Sanctuaries 67 Cards — 17 Action Cards, 16 Advantage Cards, 30 Epic Tale Cards 15 Tokens & Markers — 1 Brenn Marker, 1 Flock of Crows Token, 4 Pretender Tokens, 8 Deed Tokens, 1 Festival Marker 48 Clan Figures (12 in each color) 4 Reference Cards
Territories
A new territory is always placed adjacent to at least two territories. When a new territory is placed, its matching Advantage card is taken from the Advantage deck and placed faceup by the play area.
Clans
Each figure is a clan. Each player has 12 figures of one color. There are multiple sculpts, but the different sculpts do not affect gameplay. If a player has all 12 of his figures on the board, he cannot recruit more clans until some of them have been returned to his reserve.
Buildings
There are two building types: Citadels and Sanctuaries. There is no limit to the number of buildings a territory can contain. If a player attempts to place a new building in a territory, but there are no more buildings of this type in the reserve, he cannot place this type of building. Buildings do not belong to any player in particular.
Citadels
Citadels allow players to protect their clans during clashes. Each Citadel has space to hold one clan during a clash (see Clashes). One Citadel is larger than the others: it is the Capital (see Setup).
Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries are necessary to achieve one of the victory conditions.
Tokens & Markers
Brenn: The Brenn is a temporary leader until someone is appointed High King. He is randomly determined at the start of the game, and during each Assembly phase the title of Brenn is passed to the Capital territory's chieftain. The Brenn organizes the Assembly and, at the end of the game, has an advantage in case of a tie with another player.
Flock of Crows: This token shows which direction to resolve turn order: clockwise or counterclockwise. It is tossed by the Brenn during each Assembly (see Playing the Game).
Pretender: When a player meets a victory condition's requirement, he takes one Pretender token to show that he is a pretender to the throne. Only players with a Pretender token can attempt to claim victory during the Assembly (see Playing the Game).
Deed: A Deed is earned through Action or Epic Tale cards. A Deed is a "wild," which allows a player to supplement a victory condition (see Victory Conditions).
Festival: This marker is used when the "Festival" Action card is played during the Season phase.
Cards
Each card has a specific type (Action, Advantage and Epic Tale), timing icon (Season or Triskel), and effect. Players keep cards in their hand secret from their opponents, but the number of cards in their hand and which card types (visible on the card backs) is not secret. Players discard cards after playing them.
Timing (icon in top-left corner)
There are two different icons that indicate when a card can be played. Each card has at least one of these icons, and some cards have both:
- Season Card — Season cards are played during the Season phase on the owner's turn.
- Triskel Card — Triskel cards indicate a specific timing when they can be played.
Example: The Action card "Master Craftsman" has both timing icons, Season and Triskel. The Season icon corresponds to the effect on the left ("Discard 1 card if able, then draw 1 Epic Tale card.") and the Triskel symbol corresponds to the effect on the right ("After you play an Epic Tale card: Instead of discarding it, give it to any other player and gain 1 Deed."). A player who wants to use the right effect on this card can only do so at the time and conditions specified on the card, which in this case is "After playing an Epic Tale card."
Card Type (indicated by the card's color)
Cards are divided into three types: Action, Advantage, and Epic Tale. Each card is acquired in a different way according to its type:
Action Cards — During the Season phase, an Action card allows a player to perform important actions such as recruiting new clans or placing new Sanctuaries.
- How to Acquire: These cards are drafted during the Assembly phase at the start of each round.
- Allowed to Keep: These cards are not kept from round to round. If a player does not play all of his Action cards during the Season phase, they are discarded and shuffled with the other Action cards to prepare for the next round.
Advantage Cards — How the chieftain of each territory represents that territory's advantage.
- How to Acquire: During the Assembly phase, the chieftain of each territory takes its matching Advantage card.
- Allowed to Keep: Once an Advantage card is in a player's hand, that player keeps it for the entire round until he chooses to play it. Even if an effect causes him to no longer be chieftain of the matching territory, he still keeps the card in hand (and can play it) until the end of the round. These cards are not kept from round to round, but the same player can have the same Advantage card in back-to-back rounds as long as he is chieftain of that territory.
Epic Tale Cards — These cards evoke the Celtic gods and heroes, and they inspire the clans to accomplish legendary feats.
- How to Acquire: These cards are drawn when certain game effects occur, such as the "Bard" Action card or when placing a new Sanctuary.
- Allowed to Keep: These cards are kept from round to round until played.
Example card excerpts illustrating card types and effects: "Craftsmen & Peasants" (Action) — "In each territory where you are present, you may place 1 clan for each Citadel in that territory. OR Draw 1 Epic Tale card." "Bard" — "After 1 of your maneuvers removes 1 or more opposing clans: Gain 1 Deed." "Balor's Eye" — "When an Attack maneuver is performed against you in the Hills: Ignore the attack; you do not remove a clan or discard an Action card." "Lost Vale" (Advantage) — "After you play a Season card: Move any 1 clan from a territory adjacent to the Lost Vale into it. This move does not initiate a clash." "Battle Frenzy" (Epic Tale) — "During a clash, at the end of the Citadels step: Take all clans out of their Citadels in this territory. These are now exposed clans. Remove 1 clan from any territory."
Card Details
The color on the card back indicates the card's type: Epic Tale card, Advantage card, or Action card. Each card is laid out with the following elements:
- Title — the card's name.
- Timing (Triskel and/or Season) — a timing reminder of when the card can be played.
- Icon(s) — these icons indicate the card's general effect: Build, Move, Recruit. A separate icon indicates that playing the card may initiate a clash. Another icon indicates a card used only in a 4-player game.
- Effect(s) — the card's text.
Example: The "Scouts & Spies" card reads: "Look at the Action cards in 1 opponent's hand. Then you may move 1 or more of your clans from 1 territory to 1 adjacent territory."
Setup
- In a 2- or 3-player game, return the Action cards that have a 4 in the bottom-right corner to the box; they are used only in a 4-player game.
- Each player chooses a color and places his 12 clan figures in front of him; this is his reserve.
- Place the Deed tokens, the Pretender tokens and the Festival Marker near the play area.
- Shuffle the Epic Tale cards and place them in a facedown pile.
- Shuffle the territory tiles and place them in a facedown stack near the play area.
- Draw a number of territory tiles equal to the number of players and place them faceup and interlocked to each other at the center of the play area. Each tile must be adjacent to two other tiles. Search for the Advantage cards that match the territories in play and place them faceup near the play area so that each card is visible. Place the other Advantage cards in a facedown pile.
- Give the Brenn marker to a random player.
- The Brenn chooses one territory to be the Capital and places the plastic Capital and one Sanctuary there.
- The Brenn flips the Flock of Crows token like a coin. The faceup side indicates the direction of turn order at the start of the game.
- Starting with the Brenn and proceeding in the direction indicated by the Flock of Crows token, each player in turn places one clan in any territory until each player has two clans somewhere on the board.
Discovery Scenario
For your first game of Inis, we recommend that you play the discovery scenario. The rules are unchanged, but you must set up the game as follows:
- Instead of drawing territory tiles to create the starting play area, use these territories:
- 2 players: Valley and Cove
- 3 players: Valley, Cove and Plains
- 4 players: Valley, Cove, Plains and Hills.
- Before creating the stack of territory tiles, search for these tiles: Meadows, Misty Lands, Forest, Gates of Tîr Na Nóg, Highlands and Mountains. Shuffle these tiles and place them facedown to create the bottom of the stack.
- Shuffle the remaining tiles and place them on top of the stack.
Territory Chieftain
The chieftain is an important concept used by several game effects. The player who has the most clans in a territory is chieftain of that territory. In case of a tie, that territory has no chieftain.
Example: The Moor contains 4 green clans, 3 blue clans, and 2 white clans. The green player has the most clans here, so she is the Moor's chieftain.
Example: The Capital territory contains 1 orange clan and 1 white clan. Because there is a tie for the most clans in this territory, there is no chieftain here. Even though none of his clans are present in the Capital territory, the blue player stays the Brenn.
Playing the Game
The game is played over a series of rounds, and each round consists of two phases:
- Assembly Phase: The Brenn is appointed, victory conditions are checked, turn order is set, chieftains take Advantage cards, and players draft Action cards.
- Season Phase: This is the core of the game, during which players perform various actions and effects by playing cards from their hand.
Phase 1: The Assembly
Complete the following six steps in order:
Chieftains' Business
1. Assign Brenn. The chieftain of the Capital territory becomes the Brenn and takes the Brenn marker. If the Capital territory does not have a chieftain, the Brenn does not change—even if none of the current Brenn's clans are present in the Capital territory. The Brenn can change only at this time, not during the Season phase.
2. Check for Victory. Check to see if a player has won. Victory conditions are explained further in the Victory Conditions section. Players return all Pretender tokens to the supply, if they had some.
3. Take Advantage Cards. The chieftain of each territory takes that territory's matching Advantage card. If a territory does not have a chieftain, the Advantage card stays faceup near the play area.
The Oracles
4. Flip Flock of Crows Token. Important: Any game effect that refers to "next player" or "in turn order" uses the order shown on the faceup side of the Flock of Crows token.
Season Preparation
5. Deal Action Cards. For a 4-player game the Brenn takes all 17 Action cards, shuffles them, randomly sets aside one card facedown, and deals four cards to each player. For a 3-player game, same thing but there are only 13 cards because the ones that have a 4 in the bottom-right corner were returned to the box during the setup. For a 2-player game, see the 2-Player Rules section.
6. Action Card Draft (3–4 Players).
- Each player looks at his four Action cards, chooses one to hold, and passes the other three to the next player, as indicated by the Flock of Crows token.
- Next, each player adds the one card he held to the three cards passed to him. He looks at all four Action cards, chooses two to hold, and passes the other two to the next player.
- Finally, each player adds the two cards he held to the two cards passed to him. He looks at all four Action cards, chooses three to hold, and passes the other one to the next player.
At the end of the Assembly phase, each player has four Action cards in hand and maybe some Advantage and Epic Tale cards.
Note: Inis handles card drafting differently than most games that use a card drafting mechanic. For example, in Inis it is possible for a player to take his held card from Step 1 and pass it to his neighbor during Step 2. This allows players to adapt and have the option to take cards they see later in the round that might be more appealing.
Phase 2: The Season
The Brenn begins the Season by playing the first card, which must be a Season card. Then the next player has the choice to:
- Play a Season card
- Pass
- Take a Pretender token
This continues with each player in turn order doing one of the three options until all players have consecutively passed, which ends the Season phase. Then a new round begins with the Assembly phase.
Play a Season Card
A Season card may be an Action card, an Advantage card, or an Epic Tale card. The player plays the card, resolves the indicated effect, and then discards the card:
- Action cards are discarded in a facedown discard pile. Players can look at the cards in this discard pile only when a card effect allows it, such as the "Druid" Action card.
- Each played Advantage card is placed facedown near the play area with its card back visible.
- Epic Tale cards are discarded in a faceup discard pile, and players can look at the cards in this discard pile at any time.
Note: Passing is a useful option that allows you to delay your decisions and save your cards for later—but it can be risky. If you pass and all other players also choose to pass after you, the Season ends, and all players must discard their Action cards.
Reminder: Triskel cards can be played only during the specific timing indicated on the card. When the card is played, it is played in response to an action. Triskel cards are discarded by type, just like Season cards (see "Play a Season Card" above).
Important!
- One or more Triskel cards can be played in response to the same action.
- The "Geis" Triskel card, which ignores an Action card effect, can be played only after the current player has fully declared his action (which clan he is targeting, which territory he is moving from, etc.).
- A Triskel card that states "After you play a Season card…" cannot be played until after fully resolving the Season card's effect, which includes any clashes that were initiated.
Pass
The player does not play any cards and simply passes. He will be able to play cards again if the turn comes back to him.
Take a Pretender Token
The player must meet at least one victory condition and cannot already have a Pretender token. He takes a Pretender token from the supply and places it in front of him. This token is kept until the Assembly phase, even if at a later point the player no longer meets any victory conditions.
Example: During his turn, the orange player chooses to take a Pretender token because he meets one victory condition (he is present in three territories which have a total of six sanctuaries). During the next Assembly phase, the orange player will be among the players who are checked for victory.
Specific Situation: If a Player Has No Clans in Any Territories
If a player has no clans in any territories when his turn begins, he must discard a Deed token if he has one. Then, whether he discarded a deed token or not, he places a total of two clans in any territories. After that he can take his turn as normal: play a Season card, pass, or take a Pretender token.
Reminder: Place one clan. When a player plays a card that states "place 1 clan," he takes these clans from his own reserve, not from another player's reserve.
End of the Season
When all players have consecutively passed, the Season ends. Players keep all Epic Tale cards in their hands, but they must discard all Action cards. If a player has an Advantage card in his hand and he is no longer the chieftain of that territory, he places that Advantage card faceup near the play area.
Reminder: If the Festival marker is in a territory at the end of a Season, remove it and place it near the play area.
Clashes
A clash occurs when one or more clans are moved to a territory where any opposing clans are already present. Also, some card effects can cause clashes to occur without any clans moving. A clan that is "placed" in a territory (such as the "New Clans" Action card) does not initiate a clash. As a reminder, cards that can initiate a clash show a symbol in the top-right corner.
Example card excerpts that initiate or affect clashes: "Migration" — "Choose 1 territory. Move 1 or more of your clans from the chosen territory to 1 or more adjacent territories." "The Morrigan" — "You may flip over the Flock of Crows token. You may initiate a clash in any territory, and you choose 1 player who is present to be the instigator." "Geis" — "When an opponent plays an Action card: Ignore the effect on the Action card just played and discard it."
When a clash is initiated, the owner of the incoming clan is the "instigator". When it is a card that initiates a clash, the player who is the instigator is indicated on the card. Then the clans present in the territory need to decide among them how best to settle their differences—either aggressively or peacefully.
As soon as a clash occurs, players immediately resolve the clash before continuing on with the round. If a single effect results in multiple clashes (such as the "Migration" Action card), the instigator chooses which clash to resolve first. After resolving the first clash, he chooses which clash to resolve next, and so on until all clashes have been resolved.
Resolving Clashes
A clash is resolved in two steps:
- Citadels
- Resolution
1. Citadels
During this step, clans can take shelter in the Citadels of the clashing territory. A clan in a Citadel is protected and is not involved in the clash in any way. After the clash ends, the clan leaves the Citadel.
Starting with the next player after the instigator and proceeding in turn order, each player (except the instigator) can take one of his clans in the clashing territory and place it in an unoccupied Citadel. This can take several turns; when all Citadels are occupied or no more players wish to occupy them, proceed to the Resolution step.
Each Citadel can protect one and only one clan.
Reminder: If the Festival marker is in the clashing territory, the player who initiated the clash immediately loses a clan before the Citadels step.
Exposed Clans
During a clash, clans present in the clashing territory who are not in a Citadel are "exposed."
Example: The turn order is: green, blue, orange and white. There are three Citadels in this territory. The green player is the instigator. The blue player chooses to protect one of his clans in a Citadel. The orange player does the same. The white player chooses not to send any of his clans to the Citadel. Next it is back to the blue player, who can choose to protect another of his clans in the last unoccupied Citadel. He does so, and now they proceed to resolve the clash.
Note: The Capital's Citadel functions just like all other Citadels.
2. Resolution
Starting with the instigator and proceeding in turn order, each player who has one or more exposed clans performs one maneuver. Continue taking turns performing maneuvers until the clash ends.
Very important! Before each maneuver, players with exposed clans may discuss and agree to immediately end the clash.
Note: A player who has one or more exposed clans in a clash must choose to perform one of the maneuvers. Even if he would prefer to wait and see how the situation evolves, passing is not an option during a clash.
Maneuvers
If the clash has not ended, the player must perform one maneuver. There are three possible maneuvers:
- Attack
- Withdraw
- Epic Tale Maneuver
After each maneuver has been performed, including any Triskel cards that might have been played in response, check to see if the clash ends. If there are no exposed clans in the clashing territory, the clash ends. If there is at least one exposed clan, the clash continues. The next player who has one or more exposed clans performs a maneuver, and so on until the clash ends.
Attack
The player chooses an opponent with one or more exposed clans present in the clashing territory. The attacked player chooses one option:
- Discard an Action Card: The attacked player chooses an Action card in his hand and discards it with no effect.
- Remove an Exposed Clan: The attacked player takes one of his engaged clans and returns it to his reserve.
If the attacked player does not have any Action cards, he has no choice but to remove an exposed clan.
"Removing a clan": When a player removes a clan, he takes it from the territory and returns it to his reserve. This clan will be used again during the game.
Withdraw
The player moves one or more of his exposed clans to adjacent territories where he is the chieftain. The Withdraw maneuver does not initiate another clash. If a player is not the chieftain of any adjacent territories, he cannot choose to perform this maneuver.
Important: If a player has several territories as possible options for withdrawal, he can choose to divide his clans among the available options as he wishes.
Epic Tale Maneuver
Some Epic Tale cards with the Triskel symbol can be played "as a maneuver." Like all other Triskel cards, these cards can be played only during the specific timing and condition indicated on the card.
Example: The turn order is: green, blue, orange and white. The blue player chooses the Attack maneuver and targets the orange player. The orange player has no more Action cards in his hand, so he removes one of his exposed clans. After that, the orange player chooses the Withdraw maneuver. He takes his three exposed clans from this territory and moves them to the Plains, an adjacent territory where he is chieftain. The white player, just before his maneuver, asks the remaining involved players if they agree to end the clash now. The green player agrees, but the blue player refuses, so the clash continues, and the white player must perform a maneuver. The white player chooses the Attack maneuver and targets the blue player, who chooses to discard one Action card from his hand. It's back to the green player's turn. He plays the Epic Tale card "Ogma's Eloquence" as his maneuver, which immediately ends the clash. All clans in Citadels are taken out and placed back in their territory.
Clarifications:
- A player can withdraw to any adjacent territory where he is the chieftain, including the territory where the instigator came from.
- If a player uses a single effect to move his clans to multiple different territories (such as with the "Migration" Action card, for example) and by so doing initiates multiple clashes, it is possible for a particular situation to occur. In territories where other clashes are waiting for the current clash to be resolved, it is possible for the instigator to have more clans in those territories than anyone else. While waiting for that territory's clash to be resolved, the instigator is considered that territory's chieftain, so he can use the Withdraw maneuver to move his clans there, but other players cannot.
3. End of the Clash
A clash ends either when all involved players agree to end the clash or when there are no exposed clans remaining in the clashing territory.
Note that even in the case where only one player still has exposed clans in the territory, he must decide to either end the clash (he is the only one to decide) or to perform a maneuver, probably Withdraw. If he chooses to withdraw with some but not all of his exposed clans, it becomes his turn again as he is the only player with exposed clans in the clashing territory. At this point, he really should end the clash.
When the clash ends, all clans occupying Citadels are taken out and placed back in their territory.
Victory Conditions
There are three victory conditions. Each player can meet several victory conditions. During Step 2 of the Assembly phase, Check for Victory, players check to see how many victory conditions each player with a Pretender marker currently meets.
The Victory Conditions:
- Chieftain over Six or More Opposing Clans: Add up the total number of opposing clans in territories where the player is chieftain. If there are six or more, the player has met a victory condition.
- Present in Territories with Six or More Total Sanctuaries: Add up the total number of Sanctuaries in territories where the player has one or more clans present (even if he is not the chieftain). If there are six or more, the player has met a victory condition.
- Present in Six or More Territories: Add up the total number of territories where the player has one or more clans present (even if he is not the chieftain). If there are six or more, the player has met a victory condition.
The degree to which a player meets a victory condition is not important, but the total number of victory conditions met is important. For example, if two players meet the "territories" victory condition (one player being present in six territories while the other is present in eight), both are tied and equally considered to have met the victory condition.
Deeds
Players acquire Deed tokens by using cards like "Bard" or "Master Craftsman." Players keep their Deed tokens in front of them and visible at all times. Each Deed token can act as a "wild" toward meeting any one victory condition by adding "1" to the number of specified requirements. Each Deed can be used only once to complete a single victory condition.
Example: The blue player is present in four territories with a total of five Sanctuaries. He also has two Deed tokens. He can meet only one victory condition: being present in territories (4 + 2 Deed tokens) or being present where Sanctuaries are (5 + 1 Deed token). However, if he had three Deed tokens, he would meet both victory conditions.
End of the Game
During Step 2 of each Assembly phase, Check for Victory (and only at this time) players check to see if there is a winner.
If no player has a Pretender token, then there is no winner—even if players currently meet one or more victory conditions.
Otherwise, check the victory conditions of each player who has a Pretender token: The player who meets the most victory conditions wins! (He must meet at least one victory condition in order to win.)
In case of tie for meeting the most victory conditions:
- If the Brenn is among the tied players, he wins the game.
- If the Brenn is not among the tied players, there is no winner.
If there is no winner, all Pretender tokens are returned to the supply, and the game continues for another round, proceeding with the rest of the Assembly phase.
Example: Orange, blue and green players each have a pretender marker. Orange and blue players each fulfill two victory conditions. Green player is Brenn and fulfills one victory condition. Orange and blue players tie for the most victory conditions, but as none of them is Brenn, the tie is not broken, there is no winner and the game goes on for another round. In the assembly of the new round, Orange and green player both have a pretender marker. They both fulfill one victory condition, but green player is still Brenn so he breaks the tie in his favor and wins the game.
2-Player Rules
In 2-player games, the Flock of Crows token is not used except for resolving the Gates of Tír Na Nóg's territory effect. Do not forget to remove the Action cards with a 4 in the bottom-right corner, as they are not used in a 2-player game.
During the Assembly phase, replace Steps 5 and 6 (the drafting rules) with the following:
- Shuffle all Action cards and randomly set aside one card facedown.
- The Brenn deals three cards facedown to each player.
- Each player looks at his three Action cards, chooses one to hold, and passes the other two to his opponent.
- Each player looks at his three Action cards, chooses two to hold, and passes the other one to his opponent.
- Each player places his set of cards facedown in front of him.
- Once again, the Brenn deals three cards facedown to each player.
- Just as before, the players draft this new set of Action cards as explained above.
At the end of the draft, each player has a total of six Action cards that were chosen in two drafts.
Important Game Terms
Clan: One figure.
Chieftain: The player who has the most clans in a territory. In case of a tie for most clans in a territory, there is no chieftain. The chieftain receives that territory's Advantage card during the Assembly phase.
Assembly: At the start of each Season, the chieftains gather for an assembly where they divvy up the responsibilities that need to be fulfilled during the upcoming Season.
Brenn: The Brenn is a tribe leader who is chosen to guide all the tribes into the island. He is the highest authority until the High King is elected. The Brenn organizes the Assembly, acts first during the Season, and has a great advantage in case of a tie for victory. He is determined at random at the start of the game and can change over the course of the game.
Capital: The territory chosen by the Brenn at the start of the game. At the start of each Assembly, the Capital's chieftain becomes the Brenn.
Citadel: A fortified village. Citadels allow players to send their clans there to seek refuge and protection during clashes.
Sanctuary: A place of worship. Being present in territories with Sanctuaries is one of the three victory conditions, and placing new Sanctuaries in a territory allows a player to draw an Epic Tale card.
Present in a Territory: A player is present in a territory if he has one or more clans there.
Attack: One of the maneuvers that a player can choose during a clash.
Instigator: The player who initiated a clash, typically after moving some of his clans into a territory.
Special Thanks
I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me throughout this long and beautiful project.
Thanks to all those who have played Inis in one form or another during the past eight years, over the course of an evening, a weekend, or a convention.
Thanks to all my friends from Lyon, Villeurbanne and its surroundings, to the pioneers, and especially to Stephane Frénot for his valuable support.
Thanks to Thierry Ubeda, Thierry Gislette, Bertrand Lévêque, Stephane Ubeda, Christophe Vaginay, Frédérique Laforest, Peter Wolfslayer, Sabine and Jean-Jacques.
Thanks to all my friends from Britanny, Jean Paul and Nath the dream readers, Yann Kalon Stout, Etienne the Cromlech Skyclad and Valérie, and Jean-Luc.
A huge thanks and sláinte to Gwenael de Montfaucon for all those uplifting discussions and for that Celtic style!
Thanks to my friends from Montpellier and elsewhere, François, Petit Pierre, Stephane Arthemix, Bonhomme and Christophe Viking for sending Inis through a trial by fire.
Thanks to my friends from the Clés du Royaume in Grenoble, Bruno, Michel, Eric, Patrice and the others.
Thanks to Bruno Cathala for all the constructive conversations. The game sure turned out "epic"!
Thanks to the whole Matagot team for making a dream come true.
Thanks to Jim for accepting to be part of this adventure. I still can't believe it!
Thanks to you, Pierre, wherever you may be. We shall play again when the gates of Tír-Na-Nóg open...
And thanks to Domie and Ewenn for their support and love each time the wheel of Dagda turns.
— Christian Martinez
Credits
Game Design: Christian Martinez
Cover and Interior Art: Jim Fitzpatrick — Territory Art: Dimitri Bielak
Graphic Design: Camille Durand-Kriegel, Sabrina Tobal
Editing: Steven Kimball