Ortus Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Before You Start
• Apprentice Game
  • Setup & Components
  • Overview
  • Goal
  • Rounds
  • 1. Collect
  • 2. Maneuver
    • Moving
    • Attacking
      • Strike (3 Power) - All warriors
      • Range (4 Power) - Fire and Wind warriors
      • Charge (5 Power) - Water and Earth warriors
  • Honour & the Guide
  • 3. Return
  • 4. Defend
• Master Game
  • Option
  • Note
  • Hexlines
  • Defending abilities
  • Wind
    • Path of the Kite (move)
    • Way of the Storms (4 Power)
  • Earth
    • Cloak of the Jaguar (defend)
    • Raging Bear (6 Power)
  • Water
    • Strike of Six Streams (3 Power, multiple)
• Variants
  • Chess clock
  • Handicapping
  • Other Arena
  • Bid for first player

Before You Start

Ortus can be played in several ways. Before you start, agree with your opponent on:

• Arena. Decide which arena (side of the board) to play on. For your first game use the same Arena as is used in this rulebook.
• Level. Newcomers are recommended to play the Apprentice game. More experienced players can start to sink their teeth into the Master game.
• Handicap. Experienced player vs novice? Level the playing field by using the Handicap track (see Variants).
• Variants. See the Variants page for more ways to change your game.

Apprentice Game

In these first pages you will learn everything you need to be able to play Ortus. Once you have a grip on the game's basics and you want to explore it further, you can learn the special rules for each Element in the Master game. Of course, nobody can stop you from diving right in and learning the entire game from the get-go.

Setup & Components

Divide the pieces into the two Houses, Gold and Black. Both players pick a House and place the 8 warriors on their Haven in an order of their choice. In the Apprentice Game, Earth (green) and Water warriors (blue) both use a charge to attack. The Wind (yellow) and Fire warriors (red) have a ranged attack. It is good to mix these up a bit. If this is your first game, you can use the setup shown in the rulebook.

Decide by chance who will be the starting player. This player places an Energy Marker on the 7 of his Energy track. His opponent places the marker on 14.

Place the Guides next to the board and you are ready to start!

Board anatomy: Energy track, The Core, a hex, Energy Well, Haven, Arena.

Components: Guide (2x), Warriors (16x), Double sided board, Energy Marker (2x), Handicap Track (variants).

Overview

In Ortus, two players fight for the control of Energy Wells. Their warriors, starting in the safety of the Haven, will need to be maneuvered to seize control of these Wells. They will in turn provide the warriors with the Energy needed to take positions on the Arena, engage opposing warriors and resist incoming attacks.

Goal

Ortus is won by taking 5 Wells and holding them until the start of your turn.

Or by defeating enough opposing warriors to get your Guide to the Core of the arena.

Rounds

Ortus is played in rounds. A Round has 4 phases:

1. Collect Start your turn collecting Energy.
2. Maneuver Spend some of this Energy maneuvering your warriors.
3. Return Return fallen warriors (the Fallen) to your Haven or Guide and end your turn.
4. Defend Use the Energy remaining from your turn to defend against your opponent's attacks.

1. Collect

At the start of your turn, count how many of your warriors occupy an Energy Well. With no Wells occupied, you will start the round with the basic 14 Energy. For each Well you occupy, advance the Energy marker one glowing tile farther. One Well occupied yields 18 Energy, 2 Wells yield 22 Energy etc. If you start your turn occupying 5 Energy Wells, you win the game.

Remember, the starting player gets only 7 Energy for his first turn. Energy remaining from the previous round will be lost when you start a new turn.

Example: Black starts his turn holding 2 Energy Wells. Placing his Marker on 22, he enters the Maneuver phase. Black has 4 warriors to attack with this turn (see phase 2).

2. Maneuver

A part of the collected Energy can now be used to maneuver your warriors. All your warriors on the board may move once this turn. Each warrior starting your turn on the Arena may also attack once. The order in which you execute these actions is entirely up to you.

Moving

To move a warrior, walk it to a free hex. Occupied hexes, the Core and your opponent's Haven are not free and may not be crossed. For every step it took to reach this hex, pay 1 energy by marking it on the Energy track. There is no limit to the distance your warrior can cross, as long as you have the Energy to pay for it.

Example: Black moves his Wind warrior 5 steps, out of the Haven and onto a Well. He pays 5 Energy by marking it on the Energy track. This warrior will be able to attack in Black's next turn.

Attacking

Each warrior that starts on the Arena can attack once this turn. Warriors starting in the Haven this turn cannot yet attack, only move. All opposing warriors on the Arena can be targeted. Warriors standing in the Haven can never be attacked.

When attacking, you spend Energy to cross the distance between your warrior and its target. Every type of attack has its own Power.

After every attack, the defending player has a chance to save the targeted warrior by paying Energy equal to the attack's Power. If the defender cannot or will not pay this, the targeted warrior falls and is placed next to the board. This warrior becomes a Fallen.

Warriors can never perform a Charge or Ranged attack on a warrior standing directly adjacent to them. If there is no empty hex between this warrior and its target, it can only Strike.

Strike (3 Power) - All warriors

If any warrior starts your turn standing next to an opposing warrior, it may use its attack to Strike. Indicate the warrior and the neighbour it attacks. This costs no Energy and has a Power of 3.

Example: Black's Fire uses its attack to strike Gold's Water and pays no Energy. Gold can pay 3 Energy to save her warrior.

Range (4 Power) - Fire and Wind warriors

Indicate a Wind or Fire warrior, followed by its target. Pay 1 Energy for each empty hex between the two, plus 1 for the hex occupied by the target. These attacks may not cross occupied hexes or the Core, but may go around them. Ranged attacks have a Power of 4.

Since this does not require the warrior itself to move, it may move before or after this attack. Between moving and attacking other actions, by other warriors, may be performed.

Example: Black's Wind attacks Gold's Earth, paying 3 Energy. Gold can save her Earth warrior by paying 4 Energy. If she doesn't or can't, Earth falls and is removed from the board.

Charge (5 Power) - Water and Earth warriors

Charging consumes a warrior's move and attack in one action. Take a Water or Earth warrior on the Arena and move it next to its target. Pay 1 energy for every step.

Charging has a Power of 5, meaning the defending player has to pay 5 Energy to keep the targeted warrior on the board. Your warrior does not take over the hex of its target if it falls.

Example: Black moves his Earth warrior next to Gold's Fire and pays 3 Energy. Gold must now pay 5 Energy to resist the attack or remove her warrior from the board. This Earth warrior cannot do anything else this turn.

Honour & the Guide

Every time your opponent removes one of his warriors from the Arena you gain 1 honour.

When you gain honour for the first time, place your Guide on any hex of your Haven. For every following honour you earn, move your Guide one step closer to the Core.

When your Guide reaches the Core you immediately win the game.

The Guide does not occupy a hex, so it can be crossed over or moved on.

3. Return

End your turn when you want to stop spending Energy on maneuvering. All your Fallen (warriors placed next to the Arena) can now be placed back on the free hexes of your Haven. One of your Fallen may be placed on your Guide, provided it's unoccupied. If a Fallen is placed on the Arena this way, it may attack on your next turn.

4. Defend

In your opponent's turn, use the Energy you did not spend in your own turn to defend your warriors.

Every time your opponent attacks one of your warriors, decide if you block it by paying the appropriate amount of Energy (= the attack's Power) or let it fall and remove it from the Arena.

Master Game

Once you have played enough Apprentice games to make you feel comfortable with the concept and tactics behind Ortus, you might try taking it a step further by learning the Master rules. Here, every warrior has its own unique character, reflected by the element they are schooled in. Positioning becomes far more important with the introduction of Hexlines, your initial setup in the Haven becomes more strategic and the order in which you execute your attacks must be well thought of. Study the aspects of each element, its strengths and weaknesses and put them to their ultimate use to best your opponent.

Option

For a gentle introduction to the Master game, you can start by only applying the rules for the Wind warriors and keep the rest as in the Apprentice game. After that you can add the rules for Earth, followed by Water and finally Fire.

Note

In the Master Game, Wind warriors cannot move as in the Apprentice game anymore. Earth, Water and Fire warriors cannot attack as in the Apprentice game anymore.

Hexlines

In the Master game, all warriors will use Hexlines in different ways for their unique skills. A Hexline is a straight, uninterrupted line between two warriors on the Arena. Hexlines are interrupted by the Core and other warriors, but not by the Guides. Warriors directly neighbouring each other also share a Hexline.

Example: Black's Fire warrior has a Hexline with Black's Wind and Gold's Water warrior. It shares no Hexline with Black's Earth or Water or with Gold's Wind warrior.

Defending abilities

Earth and Fire warriors have abilities that are effective during the defending phase. These abilities also use Hexlines, so they depend on the position of warriors on the Arena. After every action (move or attack) a situation might change which could result in the loss or gain of these effects. First resolve the action, then see if the passive abilities are affected and move on.

Wind

Be wary of those who follow the paths of the Wind my son. One never knows where the leaves might fall. It's the feeling of an incoming storm. A breath, a rustle, a blow and gone.

IMPORTANT: When using the Wind warrior rules, the starting player may only bring one Wind warrior to the Arena on his first turn.

Path of the Kite (move)

Wind warriors cannot move as in the Apprentice Game. Instead, they can do a Path of the Kite once per turn. To move a Wind warrior, place it at the end of any of its current hexlines where it is stopped by the edge of the Arena, the Core, another warrior or the Haven. Wind warriors cannot stop on any hex on the way. This move costs no Energy.

Path of the Kite also applies to Wind warriors starting in the Haven.

Example: Black can move this Wind warrior to any of the hexes indicated in yellow.

Way of the Storms (4 Power)

A ranged attack as in the Apprentice game. Can be done before or after Path of the Kite. Indicate your Wind warrior followed by its target. Pay 1 Energy for each hex from the Wind warrior to its target. This attack has a Power of 4.

Earth

Those who truly feel the Earth we walk. Those who need not dig for secrets. Only they can fade from view. Only they achieve such mighty fist.

Cloak of the Jaguar (defend)

Earth warriors on the Arena are normally covered. While covered, they cannot be the target of any attack (also not by other Earth warriors). Earth warriors reveal opposing Earth warriors when there is a direct Hexline between them. When revealed, all warriors can target the Earth warrior again.

A charge on a revealed Earth warrior may end up blocking the revealing Hexline. If this happens, resolve the charge as normal. If the Earth warrior survives the attack, he is once again covered.

Raging Bear (6 Power)

Charge a target with a Power of 6 and pay 2 Energy per hex traveled. Earth warriors still pay 1 Energy per hex for normal movement.

Example: Black spends 8 Energy to charge Gold's Water for 6 Power. He could not attack Gold's Earth because it was covered. Gold decides to save her Water warrior (pays 6 Energy). By having placed the Earth warrior here, it forms a Hexline with Gold's Earth warrior, revealing it. Black's Wind warrior still has an attack for this turn and could now target Gold's Earth warrior.

Water

Tranquil as the streams that guide me. Patience shows few ripples. Then, to strike with the weight of an ocean. Drown in my might.

Strike of Six Streams (3 Power, multiple)

Target and charge an opposing warrior. All opposing warriors standing next to Water after this charge are attacked with a Power of 3. The defending player can decide which warrior to save individually.

Notice that a covered Earth warrior can still be victim to each of these attacks as long as it is not the initial target.

Example: Black's Water warrior takes 4 steps to charge Gold's Fire warrior. Gold now decides the fate of her Earth, Fire and Water warrior individually.

Flow of Crashing Waves (5, 3, 1 Power)

Charge a warrior with a Power of 5. Is the attack blocked? Then Wave stops.

If the target falls however, the attack continues in the same direction.

If by removing the first target, a Hexline opens to a second opposing warrior, it is attacked at range with a Power of 3.

This is repeated to a third victim if the second warrior also falls. The Power of the last attack is 1.

Example: Black's Water warrior charges Gold's Fire with a Power of 5. Gold removes this Fire warrior (breaking the Phoenix on Earth. See Fire). Now Gold's Earth is attacked at range with a Power of 3. The Earth warrior also falls, so the last Fire is attacked for 1 Power.

Fire

Sister Flame, in your smoldering presence. Brother Fire, by your guiding light. In our sight their fate. In their ashes our glory.

The Phoenix (defend)

While defending, your warriors that share a Hexline with both your Fire warriors are shielded. Also, when your Fire Warriors share a Hexline between themselves, they are shielded. All attacks on shielded warriors have their Power reduced to 2.

If the attack interrupts the Hexline that forms the Phoenix, its Power will still be reduced to 2. Any following attacks will have a normal Power. Attacks with a Power of 2 or less will not change.

Example: Both Fire warriors are also shielded. Black's Water warrior charges a Water warrior of Gold. Because the Fire warriors formed a Phoenix with this Water warrior, Gold can block this attack for 2 Energy. The Phoenix Hexline is now broken, so a following attack on this Water warrior will have its full Power again.

The Dragons (4 Power)

When both your Fire warriors have a hexline with the same opposing warrior, they can perform The Dragons. Indicate the target and declare the attack. Performing the Dragons costs no Energy and has a Power of 4. It spends the attack of both Fire warriors.

Both Fire warriors need a distance of at least 1 empty hex from their target to perform this ranged attack.

Example: Black moves the left Fire warrior 2 steps so that both his Fire warriors have a Hexline with Gold's Earth. This Earth is revealed by Black's Earth warrior. Black announces the attack and pays no energy. After this, the right Fire warrior may move still.

Variants

Chess clock

Play with a chess clock. Tip: if you don't own one, there are a lot of chess clock apps for smartphones.

Give each player 15 minutes (or whatever you can agree on). If a player runs out of time before any of the victory conditions are met, his opponent wins the game.

Tap the clock when:

• you end the Return phase and hand the turn over to your opponent.
• you have performed an attack (and paid the Energy).
• you have made the decision to block an attack or let a warrior fall (defense phase).

Handicapping

When both players have a significant difference in skill, you can level the playing field by using the Handicap track found on the end of one of the Energy Tracks.

Decide the handicap level you wish to use (+1 through +4). When defending, the Handicapped player may use the extra spaces as Energy to defend his or her warriors. Keep playing like this until both players are about equally skilled.

Other Arena

Simply flip the board to reveal the alternative Arena to play on. The exact same rules apply here.

Bid for first player

Decide by chance who is the first player. The player who would go second may claim first turn by lowering his starting Energy to any number below 7. After this, the first player has again a chance to take first turn by going lower than his opponent's bid. Continue until someone folds.

For instance: Adrian challenged Beau to a game. Beau 'won' first turn. Adrian thinks he has a better chance if he goes first so he claims 6 Energy. Beau does not want to give up first turn and claims 5 Energy. For Adrian, 4 Energy is too low, so he folds. Beau starts with 5 Energy and Adrian is second with 14 as normal.