Iron Dragon
Iron Dragon Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Credits
IRON DRAGON ©1994, 2001 Mayfair Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Game Design by Darwin P. Bromley & Tom Wham Designed based on Empire Builder® by Darwin P. Bromley and Bill Fawcett Game Development: Darwin P. Bromley Cover Art: ©1994 Larry Elmore Cover and Interior Design: Chris Vande Voort
Playtesters: Jay Tummelson, Larry Roznai, Joe Roznai, Barbara Roznai, Bridget Roznai, Bill Wordelmann, Elaine Wordelmann, Matt Godlewski, Lory Aitken, Randy Aitken, Ann Hamon, Peter Hamon, Jay Ferm, Barb Orvis, Al Orvis, Matt, Dallace Unger, Chuck Kallenbach II, Pamela Vlasak, Gaspar Porta, Charlene Britton, Chuck Baltes, Dave Bennett, Diana Peske, Paul Karczag, Paul Woida, Roger McCort, Mark Bailey, Harry Ohrt, Steve Pesklo, First Minnesota Historical Wargaming Society, Kathy Stroh, Bill Navolis, Nick Sauer, Felice Sauer, Ryan Moats, Kathleen Moats, Mark Lein, Donald Woods, Allen Stiles, James Jewell, Monique Moenssens, Mark Rosenberger, Erika Rosenberger, Bill Ingram, Chuck Savage, Mark Kalina, Rob McCarter, Mark Andresen, Chris Porto (and the Central Connecticut Wargaming Association), Michael S. Buskus, Randall S. Davis, Joseph Shanley, Jen & Sean Lamb, Ty & Carrie Hare, Richard Edison, Maura Edison, Michael & Jill Josey, Michael Losee, K.D. Haley, Bill Wilkerson, Eric Verheiden, Lee Austin, Lester Torpy, David Nicholas, Rob Connor, Mike DeArruda, David DeArruda, Debbie DeArruda, Paul Chapman Jr., Mary Chapman, Paul Chapman III, Daryl Toe, George Robbert, Robert Flaminio, Kurt Wasserman, H.C. Baltes, Todd Vander Pluym and Al Gaines
Empire Builder is a registered trademark of Mayfair Games Inc. Iron Dragon is a trademark of Mayfair Games Inc.
Look for the book, Iron Dragons: Mountains and Madness, by Rose Estes available from Baen Books.
Game Parts
Iron Dragon
Contains:
- 1 eight piece puzzle cut board
- 100 load chips
- 1 sheet load labels
- 2 decks cards, including:
- 120 Demand cards
- 20 Event cards
- 18 Loco cards (2-sided)
- 13 Foreman Cards
- 13 Ship Cards
- 6 Wipe-off crayons
- 6 Pawns
- 1 pack money (1=1 gold piece or GP)
- 1 Iron Dragon rules
If any of these parts is missing, please write for free replacement (identifying the missing part) to: Iron Dragon Parts, Mayfair Games, 5211 West 65th Street, Bedford Park, IL 60658. 708-458-3900. Or contact www.mayfairgames.com
Playing Board
The central feature of the board is a map of the world of the Iron Dragons. The map has a grid of round, triangular and other dots, called mileposts. The mileposts regulate rail building and train movement. In scale, they are approximately 10 leagues apart.
The map shows 57 cities. The cities are grouped alphabetically by country on the map. Near each city are symbols representing the goods available for pick-up in that city. The map also shows the relative location of the seacoasts and major river obstacles. The locations of some coastal cities have been moved slightly inland from the coast to ease play of the game. The sea coast is identified by the sharp black line along the coast.
The upper left corner of the mapsheet contains the Underground, a region carved out of the earth by Dwarves and subsequently conquered by Orcs. There are four entrances to the Underground marked north, east, south and west (the Underground Entrance symbol) on the main map that correspond to the same entrances on the small map.
Crayons
The special wipe-off crayons supplied with the game let players draw on the playing board during play and clean the board afterwards. No other marker than those supplied should be used without carefully checking for erasability on a section of the board away from the playing area.
IMPORTANT: THE PLAYING BOARD IS COVERED BY A THIN PLASTIC COATING TO ALLOW FOR EASY CLEAN-UP BETWEEN GAMES.
DO NOT USE ABRASIVE CLEANERS to clean the board — use a dry paper napkin or paper towel. Using water will not speed cleanup.
DO NOT USE OTHER MARKERS than those recommended: pencils, pens, regular crayons and dry markers will permanently color the playing surface and ruin the playing board.
Whenever using any marker other than those provided, first mark the board away from the playing surface and leave it overnight. If the mark can then be wiped off without leaving a stain, the marker is usable. Each individual color has to be tested. Keep crayons away from direct heat.
ALWAYS CLEAN THE BOARD IMMEDIATELY AFTER PLAY!
Cards
There are five types of cards: Demand, Event, Foreman, Ship, and Loco.
Before playing, the Loco cards should be separated from the others and kept with the money. Separate the Ship cards and the Foreman cards and place them on the table adjacent to the board. Shuffle the remaining Demand and Event cards together to make the demand deck and place it on the table adjacent to the board.
Demand Cards
Each Demand card shows the demand for three goods and for each good shows:
- The city (Bluefeld) needing the goods.
- The money (22 GP) payable on delivery of the goods to the city.
- The goods: Gold and (goods symbol)
Event Cards
The deck has 20 Event cards which affect the play of the game. When drawn, Event cards are immediately placed face up and shown to all players; the drawing player then continues to draw cards until he has three Demand cards in his hand. Every player must always have three (3) Demand cards.
Event card effects are described in detail below.
Loco Cards
Each player has one Loco card, showing the type of the players' train, its maximum speed, and its load capacity. There are eight types of trains.
| Train Level | Type | #Loads | Speed per turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| I (6 each) | Teapot | 2 loads | 10 mileposts |
| II (3 each) | Sardar | 3 loads | 10 mileposts |
| II (3 each) | Salamander | 2 loads | 12 mileposts |
| III (3 each) | Fire Drake | 3 loads | 12 mileposts |
| III (3 each) | White Dragon | 2 loads | 14 mileposts |
| IV (3 each) | Black Dragon | 3 loads | 14 mileposts |
| IV (3 each) | Red Dragon | 2 loads | 16 mileposts |
| V (6 each) | Iron Dragon | 3 loads | 16 mileposts |
Each player starts with a Teapot. After he finishes moving, he may upgrade his train in addition to building track. The cost is 10 GP to upgrade from each level to the next. The total amount spent during the building portion of a turn, including track building costs, underworld construction bribes, and upgrades may not exceed 20 GP; a player may upgrade two levels in one turn if no other money is spent.
There are only 3 trains of each type. If a particular train type is not available, it cannot be purchased. After upgrading, the level II - IV discarded trains become available for other players to purchase.
Ship Cards
The available ships have speeds ranging from eight to thirteen sea points per turn and boarding costs from one to five GP. Ships may be hired when a train is in a port. See Ships and Ports below for further information. The ships available for hire are:
| Ship Name | Boarding Cost | Speed per turn |
|---|---|---|
| Parekis Packet | 1 GP | 8 sea points |
| Serpent | 1 GP | 8 sea points |
| Far Horizon | 1 GP | 9 sea points |
| Seahawk | 1 GP | 9 sea points |
| Eastern Star | 2 GP | 10 sea points |
| Hyperion | 2 GP | 10 sea points |
| Old Mormoth | 2 GP | 10 sea points |
| Fourth Emperor | 2 GP | 11 sea points |
| Mother Bren | 2 GP | 11 sea points |
| Royal Sovereign | 3 GP | 12 sea points |
| Vulture | 3 GP | 12 sea points |
| Feathermoth | 3 GP | 13 sea points |
| Golden Sprite | 3 GP | 13 sea points |
Foreman Cards
There are thirteen foremen of various abilities as stated on the cards. A player must have one and only one foreman (See Preparation for Play). The available foremen are:
| Foreman | Abilities |
|---|---|
| Catman Carras Cynnrr | Player builds track to jungle mileposts at cost of 1 GP. |
| Dwarf Dingur Knorsen Orrik Ironfist Ragnor Rockjaw | Player builds track to mountain mileposts at cost of 1 GP. |
| Elf/Half-Elf Gaelwyth Grae Persy Browne Steffan | Player builds track to forest mileposts at cost of 1 GP. |
| Human Denzel Halbezch Groc | Player builds bridges across rivers for free and across ocean inlets at cost of 1 GP. |
| Orc Kudamram | Player pays no bribes in Underground and receives payment of Underground bribes by other players. |
| Troll Urk Harakn | Player builds in Underground at cost of 2 GP per mile post. Player pays no bribes for building. Player may not build outside of Underground. |
| Wee Folk Wellpole Wyndle | Player may draw three ship cards when boarding ship. Player does not pay boarding fees. |
Load Chips
Before playing, the printed stickers must be applied to the plastic chips, one sticker per chip. Save the blank stickers to replace missing chips.
Each load chip represents a load which can be carried on a player's train. To show that a load is being carried, place the load chip on the player's Loco card.
The unused loads are placed on the table, where players can see what loads are available for pick up. When a player delivers a load, drops a load without delivering it for payoff, or loses a load due to an Event card, the load is returned to the table with the other available loads.
The load chips are limited to those provided in the game; additional loads should not be made except as replacements. Charts showing the number of loads available, as well as where the loads are available for pickup, are included for player reference.
Preparation for Play
The players sit around the playing board. One player acts as banker; he takes the money and gives each player 60 GP to start the game. The banker also holds the Loco cards and available load chips.
The dealer shuffles all three decks, Demand, Ship and Foremen, and places the decks next to the board. The players each cut the Demand deck to find who goes first. The player who cuts the card with the highest payoff (Event cards have a zero payoff) goes first. The dealer deals three Demand cards to each player; after looking at the cards, each player discards all Event cards and receives new cards in return. (Event cards are discarded only at the beginning of the game; Event cards drawn later are displayed and become immediately effective.) The dealer reshuffles the deck with the discarded Event cards and places the deck next to the board.
The dealer next deals out the entire Foreman deck evenly to the players (extra cards are set aside). Each player selects one or none of the Foreman dealt him, and discards the unselected Foremen cards. The discarded Foreman cards are then shuffled with the extras and again dealt evenly among the players without a Foreman. This process continues until every player has selected a Foreman. The remaining Foreman cards are shuffled and placed next to the board.
When any deck becomes exhausted during play, the dealer reshuffles the discard pile to form a new deck.
At the beginning of the game, each player should have:
- 3 Demand cards (face up)
- One Teapot Loco card
- One Foreman card
- 60 GP in cash
- One pawn and one crayon of like color
A player must have three Demand cards, a Loco card and a Foreman card in his hand at all times. Whenever a Demand card is discarded and an Event card is drawn, a replacement Demand card must be drawn. If a player finds he has fewer than three Demand cards, he must draw a replacement Demand card immediately, whether or not it is his turn.
How to Play
The first player takes his turn, and play continues clockwise around the table. On his turn, each player can:
FIRST, operate his train, by moving, loading and unloading his train, paying use fees, paying underground movement bribes, collecting payoffs and hiring ships;
SECOND, spend up to 20 GP per turn to hire a new Foreman, to build track, and/or to upgrade his Loco.
After the player has completed his turn, the next player takes his turn.
A player may change his Foreman card (hire a new Foreman) in one of two ways. First, a player may spend 1 GP and draw the top card from the Foreman deck or discard pile, choosing the newly drawn card or his previous Foreman card and discarding the other. Second, a player may spend 5 GP and select a new Foreman card from the entire Foreman deck and discard pile, then discard his previous card. After the second option, reshuffle the Foreman deck (not including the discard pile).
Instead of taking his turn, a player may discard his entire hand of demand cards and draw three new cards, displaying and replacing any Event cards drawn. Event cards drawn take effect immediately. A player who loses his turn from an Event card may not discard his hand during the lost turn.
Building Railroads
The playing board begins without any player's track drawn on it. At the beginning of the game, players take three turns with no train movement to start building their rail empires using all or part of the initial 60 GP. Each player may use up to 20 GP in each of the three beginning turns. A player may upgrade a Loco card instead of building track.
During the first turn, the first player takes his turn, and play progresses clockwise around the table. After completing the first turn, the player who played last (on the first turn) goes first on the second turn and the order of play is reversed (progressing counterclockwise) for the second building turn. The first player goes first on the third and subsequent turns.
While looking at the nine demands listed on his Demand cards, each player finds where the loads are located on the board and pairs the nearest source of each load with the city having the demand for the load. The player then compares these load source city/demand city pairs to find overlapping routes that would be efficient to build. Knowing this, he plans the route for his railroad and begins to build track.
A player builds his railroad by drawing a line from one milepost to the next. For each section of track, the player must pay the cost for the milepost to which he is building. (See map for building costs.) For example, building from a clear milepost to a mountain milepost costs 2 GP, building from a mountain milepost to a small city milepost costs 3 GP, etc.
These rules must be followed when building track:
Iron Dragon Map Legend
| Symbol | Type of Terrain | Building Cost |
|---|---|---|
| (dot) | Plain | 1 GP |
| (circled dot) | Desert | 1 GP |
| (tree) | Forest | 2 GP |
| (triangle) | Mountain | 2 GP |
| (marked triangle) | Jungle | 3 GP |
| (open triangle) | Alpine | 5 GP |
| (double triangle) | Volcano | 5 GP |
| (marked open triangle) | Underground Rock | 5 GP |
| (marked circle) | Underground Ent. | 2 GP |
| (circled dash) | Port | 2 GP |
| (filled circle) | Small City | 3 GP |
| (filled square) | Medium City | 3 GP |
| (filled hexagon) | Major City | 5 GP |
| — Ocean Inlet | 3 GP add'l | |
| — River | 2 GP add'l | |
| — Sea Point | Not allowed | |
| — Border | No effect |
Beginning Construction
A player may build track from any major city milepost or from any milepost to which the player has already built track. A player may not build more than two track sections from major city mileposts during one turn. No track may be built within the red area of a major city. No track may be built to the sea points; they are only used for ship movement.
The cost of each milepost is stated on the chart on the game board. The cost for building across a river (2 GP) or ocean inlet (3 GP) is in addition to the regular cost for building to a milepost. Building to a mountain milepost and crossing a river thus costs 4 GP. (See illustration for further examples.) Note that the abilities of a Foreman can affect these costs.
Ports
A player may not build from a port just by landing there by ship; track must be built to the port from a major city in the usual way, and then the player may continue building from the port. Only 2 players may build into a port not in a major city. Ports in major cities are available to every player. No track may be built to or from a port which would block a second player from building into the port.
Right to Enter Major City
Every player has the right to build at least one section of track from every major city. No track may be built which would block any other player from having one section of track from every major city.
Limited Entry Into Medium and Small Cities and Tunnel Entrances
Only three players may build track into a medium city, and only two players may build track into a small city. Any number of players may build into a tunnel entrance. No player may build more than three track sections to a particular medium or small city or tunnel entrance. No track may be built to or from a medium city that would block a third player from having one section of track to that medium city or tunnel entrance. Also, no track may be built to or from a small city or tunnel entrance that would block a second player from having one section of track to that small city. Every player has the right to build at least one section of track to and from at least one tunnel entrance.
Right of Way
Only one section of track (track section) may be built between any two mileposts.
No Credit/No Loans
A player may not build more track than he can immediately pay for. Track drawn which cannot be paid for is immediately erased.
Magically Linked Cities
Wikkedde and Ozu-Zarkh are magically-linked cities; players can magically travel from any milepost of one city to any milepost of the other city, such movement counting as one milepost. The cities and the track from the cities are considered linked for victory conditions. The Rainbow Bridge Event card links Bluefeld and Octomare in a similar manner (see Event Card effects).
Building in the Underground
Players who build in the Underground must pay a 1 GP bribe per turn to the player with the Orc Foreman. This bribe is in addition to the bribe required to operate in the Underground and is included in 20 GP per turn building limit. The player owning the Troll Foreman does not pay a bribe (no Orc would dare ask for one), nor does the player with the Orc Foreman. If the Orc Foreman is not in play, the bribes are paid to the bank.
Players build into or out of the Underground by building to the Underground Entrances on one map and out of the corresponding entrance on the other map.
Hauling Freight
A player earns money by carrying a load on his train from a city where the load can be picked up to the city where there is a demand for the load.
Starting the Train
Each player may start his train (represented by his pawn) at any city on the map.
Running the Train
A player moves his train by travelling on track built on the board and counting the mileposts reached, up to the maximum movement of the player's train.
There is no limit to the number of trains that may end a turn on one milepost or use the same track. One train may not block another train's movement; two trains may pass each other on the same track. A train may reverse direction only at a city (including all major city mileposts) or at a port.
All players tracks are connected across the major cities by the red area (which represents the local belt or terminal rail system). Trains may travel across the city using the red area as their own track connecting all major city mileposts. Loads may be picked up or delivered at any major city milepost. The center milepost in a major city is a milepost for movement.
A player pays nothing to run his train on his own track. A player may run on his opponent's track, but must pay 4 GP per turn to each opponent on whose track he has run during his turn. A player may not use an opponent's track unless he has the cash to pay for its use before using it.
Ships and Ports
To use a ship, the player must move his train to a port and stop moving for that turn. The player then draws a ship card and decides whether or not he wants to board that ship. If he does, he immediately pays the stated boarding cost for the trip (not per turn); if not, he may move normally from the port or wait until his next turn.
On the following turn, the player moves the ship (with his train on board) from sea point to sea point counting the number of sea points used up to the full number stated as speed on the Ship card. A player may end his turn with a ship on a sea point and may move less than the maximum number of sea points. A player with a train on a ship ends his ship movement and disembarks when he moves onto a port milepost, and the ship card is immediately discarded. On the player's next turn, he moves his train by counting from the port and moving at full rate that turn.
A player moving to a port milepost may treat it as a clear milepost if he is not hiring a ship. A player disembarking at a port in a major city may immediately deliver load(s) at that city. If the player desires, he may draw another ship card but may not continue sea movement until the next turn.
Picking Up Loads
A load may be picked up by a train passing through a city where the load is available. No more loads can be picked up than there are load chips representing the load.
Trains may carry loads up to their maximum capacity. Trains may carry different types of loads. Trains may carry loads whether or not they have a demand for that load. Players may drop a load without payoff at any city.
A player picking up or unloading a load incurs no movement penalty and may travel his full movement. During his turn, a player may load, unload, and move his train any number of times in any order; movement is limited only by the type of train he has and by any Event cards in play.
Movement in the Underground
A player (other than one employing an Orc or a Troll Foreman) must pay a bribe of 1 GP per turn to the Orc Foreman for every turn that he moves his train in the Underground. A player may not move in the Underground unless he has the GP to pay for its use before entering the portal. Movement from the surface entrance to the Underground entrance and from the Underground entrance to the surface entrance counts as a movement point, for which a bribe must be paid.
Delivering Loads
When a player delivers a load to a city with a Demand for that load on one of his Demand cards, the player:
- Discards the Demand card. Only one load can be delivered for payoff with one Demand card.
- Receives the amount stated on the Demand card from the bank.
- Returns the load chip to the pile of available loads.
- Draws a new Demand card.
- Continues his turn, including, if he can, delivering another load for payoff, dropping a load, picking up a load, and moving. The player may continue until his movement allowance is used up.
After finishing his movement, the player may then spend up to 20 GP to hire a new Foreman, build additional track and/or upgrade his train.
Event Card Effects
An Event card takes effect immediately upon being drawn. Generally, the Event card continues in effect until the end of the drawing player's next turn, when it is discarded. However, the certain Event cards act once and are then discarded, including: Volcanoes Erupt, Free Dragons Attack, Evil Prince Summons Warlord, War Tax, Vampire Attack, Winged Demons Escape Underworld, Siren Song-Seamen Enchanted, Sea Serpent, and Runaway Dragon. When one of these cards is drawn, the only trains affected are those within the areas at the time the card is drawn. Trains may enter the areas immediately afterwards without penalty.
The players must obey the directions on the Event card while it is in effect. A player whose track has been erased by an Event card (e.g., Flood, Sandstorm, etc.) retains the right of way to rebuild his track for three turns after the card has been discarded. The following explain the effect of some Event cards:
Counting Mileposts
Mileposts are counted in the same way as train movement is counted. To count mileposts from a Major City, count from the city center and not from the outer mileposts. To count mileposts from the seacoast, count from the milepost nearest the seacoast.
Half Rate
When trains move at half rate, Teapots and Sardars move at 5 mileposts per turn, Salamanders and Fire Drakes move at 6 mileposts per turn, White Dragons and Black Dragons move at 7 mileposts per turn, and Red Dragons and Iron Dragons move at 8 mileposts per turn. When an Event card causes the drawing player's train (which had already moved) to move at half rate, or a player's train moves into an area of bad weather, the train's remaining movement is halved, rounding all fractions up.
Floods
When a river floods, all track of all players bridging the river is immediately erased. Track across the river may be rebuilt and new track crossing the river may be built only after the Flood Event card has been discarded at the end of the drawing player's next turn. Rebuilt bridges cost the same as the original track building, i.e. 2 GP plus the cost of the milepost.
Sandstorms
When a sand storm occurs, the only trains affected are those on sand desert mileposts when the card is drawn. The trains lose a turn and a load and are placed in the last city through which it had moved. All track built to or from a desert milepost is immediately erased. Track may again be built to desert mileposts only after the Sandstorm Event Card has been discarded at the end of the drawing player's next turn.
Lost Loads
When a train loses a load, the player operating the train chooses which load is lost from those the train is carrying. The Event card does not affect any loads picked up after the card is drawn.
Rainbow Bridge
The Rainbow Bridge magically links the cities of Bluefield and Octomare and remains in effect for the remainder of the game. The Wizard's Strike card only suspends use of the magic bridges.
Tournament Rule: The Rainbow Bridge remains in effect until the next time the Wizard's Strike card is drawn. The Rainbow Bridge may again come into effect when its card is drawn again (after a reshuffle).
How to Win
The winner is the first player whose continuous line of track connects seven of the eight major cities and who has 250 GP cash. Wikkedde and Ozu-Zarkh are connected; a city connected only by sea movement is not connected by a continuous line of track. Only cash is counted; the money spent on building railroads does not count toward winning.
Courtesy in Play
A player's Demand cards, Foreman card, and Loco card (together with the load chips on the Loco card) must be face up in front of the player. A player need not show his money until the War Tax Event card appears, after which the amount of the player's money is also public information.
A Bit About the World
Only a part of the world of Darwinina is shown on the map. In the east is the Old World, home of the old and somewhat corrupt Empire. It has a long established and relatively stable government. Many years before, explorers and then colonists sailed east from the Old World and settled in what is now called the New World. The New World is actually a collection of Kingdoms of several different races, all of whom get along now in relative harmony since the signing of the great peace that established the national boundaries.
The Bright Kingdom
The oldest and most prosperous kingdom in the New World is populated primarily by humans, the Bright Kingdom was founded nearly 100 years ago by industrious sons of tradesmen from the Old Empire. Rendon Frithark, great-great-great grandfather of the present queen, promptly set himself up as King moments after the first boatload of settlers had arrived. His wisdom in dealing with the few natives that lived in the verdant woods and fields of the future Bright Kingdom was great enough to establish his family as the noble rulers of the place.
Ruled today by Queen Tianna, the Bright Kingdom is a model of enlightened government. The land is a constitutional monarchy and produces most of the world's supply of hops, lumber, steel (thanks to dwarves), wheat, and cattle.
Caicenden
The mysterious land of the cat people, Caicenden is rarely visited by outsiders. Of late, due to the orcish invasions, the cat people have come out into the world seeking allies. Ruled by a matriarch, Cianna, the Cunning, the cat people are a race unto themselves. Half cat, half human, their language is a mixture of grunts and purrs, and is very hard to master. Catmen are highly valued as scouts and explorers and their superior senses of smell and hearing are valued throughout the land. Ivory gathered from elephant graveyards is still the chief export product, although a class of farmers have sprung up raising wheat to sell to other markets.
Dul-El-Dur
Inhabited by savage barbarians, constantly warring among themselves, Dul-El-Dur is not really a part of the New World... it is merely next to it to the south. Its chief exports are ivory and spices. The ivory is taken from the elephants who roam the jungles, and the spices from exotic jungle plants. There is no central government in Dul-El-Dur.
Eusarch
This rowdy, newly formed land on the southwestern corner of the New World was wild land, inhabited only by natives until about 40 years ago. A gold strike in Ebannet brought thousands of would be millionaires from the east, draining the populations of Janoshal and the Bright Kingdom. There is little government and mob rule is the order of the day. Travelers in this land are well advised to be well armed and wary.
Glyth Gamel
This land of elves is ruled over by the wise King Ninius. A growing class of merchants has sprung up among the mainly tree-dwelling folk of this land. Now there is a market for the fine wine produced from the vineyards and orchards of the forested land. Elves from Glyth Gamel discovered the first dragon, destined to become the famous "Iron Dragon" near the borders of the Dwarvish Kingdom of Rakhatz. Now King Ninius is striving to bring Glyth Gamel into the world of trade and commerce that will come with the railroad. Of course there are elves in the land who oppose this change and open rebellion is an ever-present danger to be faced by the rulers of this Elven Kingdom.
Iron Holm
Due to volcanic activity in the mountains of this kingdom, dwarves from Rakhatz migrated years ago across the desert to the land of Iron Holm to make use of the metallurgic properties of the area. Deep tunnels were driven into the mountains to tap the natural heat available. Today it is the seat of the greatest weapons production industry in the world. Both arms and armor are produced here in the great forges powered by the hot core of the world itself.
Janoshal
Descendants of the ruling families from the Old World settled en-masse in Janoshal. If there were to be a copy of the Old Empire, it would be found in Janoshal. It has its own emperor, Jandorr the 2nd, and a long list of laws that mimic the imperial code of Old World. In spite of the rigid government, Janoshal prospers mainly from the sale of pipe weed, valued throughout the world.
Koland
This mountainous kingdom in the North was founded long ago by the old seafaring tribes. It is known also as the land of the Red Men (for their long red hair). It consists mainly of many widely dispersed villages. Each village consists of wooden or stone huts with steep pointed roofs. Surrounding the huts are verdant, well kept gardens in which the inhabitants raise vegetables during the short growing season.
Koland is a monarchy, currently ruled by Eric the 21st, who resides in an austere castle situated on a high hill in the center of the capital city of Kola (if it can be called that - it is more a large collection of small villages all surrounded by a rough stone wall). The people of Koland are tall and white skinned, and both the men and women are proud of their long red hair. The soldiers wear armour of chain-mail, pointed polished steel helmets, carry stout round shields and are generally armed with short swords or war clubs. In winter this gear is supplemented with tunics and trousers of reindeer skin and great shaggy cloaks made from mammoth hide.
The principal industry of Koland is the care of the vast mammoth and reindeer herds which roam the area. In the summer, the Mammoths go up into the highlands to graze, and in the winter the gentle animals come down to the great pastures tended by the inhabitants to sustain the herds over winter. It follows, then that the main export commodities of Koland are ivory and furs, although fish are to be had in abundance in some of the more remote coastal villages. Prowling the pine forests are the remnants of a race of huge black cave bears, the largest of which stand almost 15 feet tall. The bears, along with a few bands of timber wolves occasionally prey on the herds, but their numbers have dwindled in recent years.
Northern Wastes
Although called the Northern Wastes, this area is anything but wasteland. It is however, largely wild and uncivilized and it is the last place on the planet where dragons dwell. The mountains and valleys also abound with wild game, including a few cave bears and timber wolves, as well as isolated bands of giants, trolls, and orcs who usually live high in the mountains.
The eastern end of the Northern Wastes are dominated by the Three Brothers, three active volcanoes who have a nasty habit of erupting unpredictably at just the most inconvenient moment. Situated slightly to the west of the Three Brothers is the only settled area in the land, Nordkassel. Nordkassel was built centuries ago by the giants, and subsequently taken over by the League of various magic users, sorcerers, and magicians, who have turned the place into a small, bustling city in the midst of the wilderness.
The principal export of the Northern Wastes are subdued Dragons, which the local inhabitants trap and bring to the city for sale. The dragon population is on the decline, and in years to come, there may be none left to trap or sell.
Old World
Many races inhabit the Old World, but the great empire, which has known peace now for some hundred years is growing a bit decrepit around the edges. Graft and corruption are rife at all levels of government... a fact that led to the exodus of many leading citizens to Janoshal in the New World. The great Imperial school of wizardry is the one remaining claim to greatness of the Old World. There, the entire world supply of magic scrolls is produced under state monopoly. The lesser universities at Octomare and Opal Bezin still hold a monopoly on the production of wands (magic weapons).
Orc Wastes
The western desert in the New World is the last stronghold of the native Orcs, who once roamed most of the New World. The orcs as a race are saddled with a tribal system and general lack of centralized government. Greed and avarice are important factors, and seldom can an alliance of tribes succeed in any joint effort for long. Aside from the accidental gold discovery near Orc Obasyln, Orc cities produce little. In recent times a mysterious force has taken hold over the Orcs and driven them to vile attacks on their neighbors.
Pirate Isles
This collection of islands, just off the coast of the Bright Kingdom, sits astride the main sea trade routes of the world. For many years they harbored dangerous but colorful pirates who preyed on the plentiful shipping. This, however, is now a thing of the past thanks to the efforts of the lords of the Bright Kingdom who sought to secure their shipping through the use of heavily armed warships. Systematically, the pirates were hunted down and brought to justice. The remaining pirates, mostly Wee Folk and Humans, gave up the business and turned to fishing and cattle raising to earn their livelihood.
Rakhatz
This dwarven kingdom, situated in the Iron Hills is ruled over by the wise and clever dwarf king, Bagor Stoneheard. The whole Iron Dragon story began near a once secluded iron mine near Redcliffe, some leagues north of Railla, the capital city. Originally used to bring ore up from beneath the ground, the rail road has been put to new uses. Now Redcliffe is a busy place swarming with, elves, dwarves, and humans, striving to produce the massive quantities of Iron Dragons that will be needed to pull the trains that will span the continent. Both iron and steel are the principal exports of Rakhatz.
Silvarre
Bordered by Rakhatz to the North, Janoshal and Wislandor to the East, Caicenden to the South, and the Orc Wastes to the West, this old elven kingdom of the south has at last grown out of its aloofness and sought alliances with other nations. Driven by orc raids, and attacks by dire wolves, the elves of Silvarre have thrown in with Rakhatz, Glyth Gamel, and the Bright Kingdom for common defense and construction of the great transcontinental rail road. As in Glyth Gamel, there is a rising merchant class of elves here, and trade with other lands is becoming more important. Principal exports of the kingdom are fruit, and of course, fine elven wine.
Gamer's Note: The forests on the map are all represented by deciduous trees. On the original map, the forests of Glyth Gamel and points north were little evergreen symbols, and the forests of Silvarre and points south were the same deciduous symbol. Well, only one symbol is allowed for forest. The evergreen symbol is now lumber. There you have it.
Wislandor
Formerly a race of sailors, whose fleets ruled the seas, the Wee Folk of Wislandor gave up their nautical ways thanks mostly to the depredations of the dreaded Pirates. Years ago, they stopped building ships and turned to their industries to other things, notably jewelry, a craft in which the Wee folk excel. Wee Folk are short in stature and jovial in nature... never wear shoes (they have very hairy feet) and all still have a latent lust for the sailor's life.
Underworld
Inhabited by all sorts of nefarious creatures, principally orcs, but also including Trolls, Vampires, and other unmentionables, the Underworld is a dark and strange place. It is rumored that the great tunnels were originally carved out by the dwarves, who later moved on to Iron Holm after a series of wars with the orcs from the wastes above. Now the Underworld, and its great underground city of Uloggh, have achieved the respect of most nations of the New World... The cool temperatures underground (and skillful brewmasters) have led them to become the beer brewers of the continent.
Gamer's Note: The alpine spaces shaded gray in the Underworld are actually solid rock. You can blast your way through them if you want, but it will cost dearly. Also, there is a secret tunnel leading up through the earth from Uloggh to Orc Octzerro on the surface. Unfortunately, no trains may pass, so this only has role playing possibilities, not rail playing.
Loads
| Load (No.) | Source Cities |
|---|---|
| Ale (4) | Udern, Uloggh |
| Armor (4) | Inhass, Izyndyl |
| Arms (4) | Ilik-Herb, Izyndyl |
| Cattle (4) | Bulatz, Penjold |
| Cloth (4) | Easingwere, Octomare, Oulde-Mordel, Oykjsord |
| Dragons (3) | Nordkassel |
| Fish (3) | Killavare, Parekis, Piggnytz |
| Fruit (3) | Ghassouf, Shayobh |
| Furs (4) | Kenare, Kola |
| Gems (3) | Elmsworth, Railla, Sbadeh |
| Gold (4) | Eabannet, Risidan, Orc Obasyln |
| Hops (4) | Bluefeld |
| Iron (4) | Railla, Risidan |
| Ivory (4) | Caetee, Daguui, Kodankye |
| Jewelry (4) | West Wyckk, Wyrre |
| Lumber (3) | Borgofort, Pinewaere, Kutno, West Wyckk |
| Pilgrims (3) | Eaglehawk, Janoshal, Ozu-Zarkh |
| Pipeweed (4) | Jarlsstadh, Jodarre |
| Potions (4) | Okybanti, Oraianda, Ozu-Ozu |
| Sheep (4) | Glynclwyn, Jobabh |
| Spells (3) | Ozu-Zarkh |
| Spice (4) | Dawuuj, Dobra-Dyn |
| Steel (4) | Bremmner, Redwitte |
| Wands (3) | Octomare, Opal-Bezin |
| Wheat (3) | Brevandes, Caldeen |
| Wine (4) | Glyween, Saadah |
Cities
| City | Milepost | Load |
|---|---|---|
| Bluefeld | D9 | Hops |
| Borgofort | D7 | Lumber |
| Bremmner | D9 | Steel |
| Brevandes | F8 | Wheat |
| Bulatz | E9 | Cattle |
| Caetee | L4 | Ivory |
| Caldeen | L5 | Wheat |
| Daguui | M4 | Ivory |
| Dawuuj | M2 | Spice |
| Dobra-Dyn | M6 | Spice |
| Eabannet | J2 | Gold |
| Eaglehawk | K1 | Pilgrims |
| Easingwere | M1 | Cloth |
| Elmsworth | L1 | Gems |
| Ghassouf | D6 | Fruit |
| Glynclwyn | F5 | Sheep |
| Glyween | E6 | Wine |
| Ilik-Herb | H1 | Arms |
| Inhass | H1 | Armor |
| Izyndyl | I1 | Armor, Arms |
| Janoshal | H8 | Pilgrims |
| Jarlsstadh | I9 | Pipeweed |
| Jobabh | I9 | Sheep |
| Jodarre | G9 | Pipeweed |
| Kenare | A1 | Furs |
| Killavare | D1 | Fish |
| Kodankye | B1 | Ivory |
| Kola | C2 | Furs |
| Kutno | C3 | Lumber |
| Nordkassel | B6 | Dragons |
| Octomare | G12 | Wands, Cloth |
| Okyabanti | D13 | Potions |
| Opal Bezin | H11 | Wands |
| Oraianda | F13 | Potions |
| Oulde Mordel | M12 | Cloth |
| Oykjsord | I12 | Cloth |
| Ozu-Zarkh | K11 | Spells, Pilgrims |
| Ozu-Ozu | L13 | Potions |
| Orc Obasyln | G5 | Gold |
| Orc Ogonnyk | J3 | |
| Orc Orodrag | H4 | |
| Orc Oktzerro | F3 | |
| Parekis | E9 | Fish |
| Penjold | D11 | Cattle |
| Piggnytz | B10 | Fish |
| Pinewaere | C12 | Lumber |
| Railla | G6 | Gems, Iron |
| Redwitte | F7 | Steel |
| Risidan | H6 | Gold, Iron |
| Saadah | I6 | Wine |
| Sbadeh | J7 | Gems |
| Shayobh | K7 | Fruit |
| Uderyn Underground | Beer | |
| Uloggh Underground | Beer | |
| West Wyckk | K9 | Lumber, Jewelry |
| Wikkedde | J9 | |
| Wyrre | M9 | Jewelry |