Peacemakers: Horrors of War Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game overview
  • Objective of the game
  • Card sections
  • Scenarios and this rulebook
• Credits
• Components
• Game setup
• Adventurer phase
  • Round overview
  • Actions – Play resource cards
• Horror cards
  • Survey – Reveal an army's order card
  • Travel – Move on the map
  • Fortify – Place fortification tokens
  • Delegate – Give a card to another player
  • Scheme – Resolve a card's written effect
  • Refresh – Draw 4 new cards
• Army phase
  • Round overview
  • Order cards
  • Unit groups
  • Unit movement
  • Unit attacks
    • Attack target prioritisation
    • Attack resolution
    • Unit defeat
• Status phase
• Backstory
  • A letter from Meron
• Scenarios
  • Scenario 1 – Order in Chaos
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
  • Scenario 2 – Loose Cannon
    • Scenario rules
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
  • Scenario 3 – Heights of Glory
    • Scenario rules
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
  • Scenario 4 – Shifty Alliances
    • Scenario rules
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
  • Scenario 5 – Lost in the Jungle
    • Scenario rules
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
  • Scenario 6 – Talking in Circles
    • Scenario rules
    • Strategy tips
    • Challenges and the scenario log
• Iconography
• Keywords
• Round overview (quick reference)

Game overview

Peacemakers: Horrors of War is a co-operative game where you try to achieve peace between warring animalfolk armies. The game has 6 unique scenarios, and each one presents a new, challenging conflict for you to resolve. The rules are the same for all player counts, including solo.

Objective of the game

To win the game, you must find ways to lower both sides' motivation until they are ready to make peace. While you cannot control the armies directly, you can find ways to ruin their plans by using your limited resources wisely. However, you lose if a side's motivation falls too far, causing them to surrender.

Failing to keep the casualties low can leave a mark on your adventurer in the form of horror cards. In addition to draining your resources, they make things more chaotic and harder to control.

Card sections

The cards in the game are organised into sections in the insert, and each card's section is shown on the label at the bottom. After each game, you simply sort the cards back into the insert.

Scenarios and this rulebook

This rulebook first covers the game's rules and then outlines the 6 unique scenarios. The back provides a summary of icons and keywords used in the game, as well as a round overview reminder.

We recommend you play scenario 1 first. Its map and cards include several purple notes, which remind you of the game's rules. After that, you can play and replay any scenarios in any order you want. Each scenario also offers optional challenges you can attempt – if you dare!

Credits

Game design: Sami Laakso

Game development: Sami Laakso, Ville Reinikainen

Scenario design: Sami Laakso, Ville Reinikainen

Graphic design: Sami Laakso

Illustrations: Sami Laakso, Jesús Delgado

Story writing: Ville Reinikainen, Sami Laakso

World building: Jordan Lee MacCarthy, Sami Laakso, Ville Reinikainen

Proofreading and rules feedback: Adrien Delouye, Kevin Hernandez, Cody Hoover, Lynda Leppert, Jordan Lee MacCarthy, Erin Purington, Martin Řehořík, Oliver Schenk, Bartek Szopka, Dan Wackwitz

Playtesting and advice: Jesús Delgado, Seija Helle, Kevin Hernandez, Cody Hoover, Juha-Matti Jaakkola, Eero Kesälä, Sam Maiden, Aleksi Mansikka, Tommi Mansikka, Jarmo Niinisalo, Maria Oksanen, Niklas Oksanen, Janne Pietikäinen, Martin Řehořík, Layane Souza Barros, Bartek Szopka

Special thanks: All 1459 Gamefound backers, your support is what keeps us going!

© 2024 Snowdale Design. All rights reserved.

Components

• 300 cards: Resource cards, Horror cards, Ocelot order cards, Macaw order cards, Tuatara order cards, Bear order cards, Toucan order cards, Iguana order cards, Frog order cards, Negotiation cards
• 4 adventurer figures
• 29 unit figures: 4 ocelot unit figures, 5 macaw unit figures, 1 tuatara unit figure, 4 bear unit figures, 5 toucan unit figures, 4 iguana unit figures, 6 frog unit figures
• 2 map books: 1 left map book, 1 right map book
• Miscellaneous: 12 unit figure bases, 30 fortification tokens, 30 damage tokens, 3 glass beads, 1 custom 12-sided die
• 3 documents: 1 welcome letter, 1 scenario log, 1 rulebook

You can print new scenario logs at snowdaledesign.fi/peacemakers-log.

Horror mini expansion (sold separately): 10 horror cards. Its cards can be added into the horror deck. They have general effects instead of using adventurer priorities (see page 6).

Game setup

Before you begin, select a scenario from this rulebook and optionally a challenge. Take any setup instructions on the scenario page into account during the setup.

1. Place the map books in the middle of the playing area and open the appropriate pages (L1 and R1 for scenario 1). Leave room below them for discard piles.

   Some map spaces have effects, like stealth in forests. See the back of this rulebook for quick reference.

2. The unit portraits on the map books have group icons below them. For each icon, attach a base of that shape to a unit figure matching the portrait. Place each figure on its corresponding starting space on the map, facing the direction shown on the space.

   The three possible groups: circle, star, and cluster.

3. Place a glass bead on the marked spot on both motivation tracks.

   This accounts for any map space bonuses.

4. Separate all cards for the chosen scenario by card back. Shuffle each order deck and place them on their designated spots at the bottom of the map books.

   These order decks dictate what the armies do each round.

5. Each player chooses an adventurer to play and places their figure on the starting space.

6. Place the fortification tokens, damage tokens, and die within everyone's reach.

7. Shuffle the horror deck and place it within everyone's reach.

8. Shuffle the resource deck and place it within everyone's reach. Leave room for its discard pile.

9. Draw 4 cards from the resource deck. Before looking at them, divide them evenly between all players. These are your starting hands.

   With 3 players, choose who gets 2 cards.

After the game, remember to sort all cards back to their correct sections in the insert based on the label at the bottom.

Adventurer phase

Each round begins with an adventurer phase, where players can take actions by playing resource cards from their hands. There is no player order. Anyone can take an action, as long as any preceding action (and possible horror effects) has been resolved. Anyone can take any number of actions, as long as they have cards to play.

Keep your hand of cards faceup in front of you. Alternatively, you may keep them private to focus on your own cards.

You may look through all faceup cards at any time, but do not reorder any decks or discard piles.

Round overview

1. Adventurer phase – Manipulate the battlefield
   • Actions – Play resource cards
   • Refresh – Draw 4 new cards
2. Army phase – Armies execute their orders
3. Status phase – Check if the game ends

Actions – Play resource cards

Each action you take requires playing a card from your hand and choosing one of its available actions. You can choose one of the up to 4 icon rows:

• Survey
• Travel
• Fortify
• Delegate

Or you can choose the written scheme effect at the bottom.

An icon row can also have the extra card icon. If you play the card for that action, draw a new card from the resource deck after resolving the row's other icons.

Unless told otherwise, place the resource card faceup on the resource discard pile when you play it. If the resource deck is empty and you need to draw from it, shuffle the resource discard pile to form a new deck. In the rare case the resource deck and discard pile are empty at the same time, you cannot draw new cards.

Most actions can only target nearby things. Nearby means something sharing a space with your figure, like another adventurer or a unit. If you have a nearby unit, you are also nearby that army and their order.

Horror cards

Whenever a unit is defeated, place a new horror card from the horror deck facedown on top of the resource deck. It will haunt you for the rest of the game.

Whenever you draw horrors from the resource deck, set them aside facedown. After completing the effect which drew the cards, reveal and resolve them one by one.

Each horror affects the card's topmost listed adventurer in play. Its effect can be either immediate or ongoing, which lasts longer. When the effect has been fully resolved, place the card faceup on the resource discard pile.

You may not look through the resource deck to see where the horrors are.

Survey – Reveal an army's order card

You can survey armies to reveal their upcoming orders.

To survey, play a resource card with a survey icon. Choose one order deck from a nearby army, flip its topmost facedown card, and leave it faceup. Surveying does not reorder the cards.

If you survey a deck which has no facedown cards left, first shuffle its discard pile to form a new deck. If the deck had any faceup cards, place the shuffled cards under those.

Order decks can have a mix of both faceup and facedown cards. As mentioned earlier, you may look through all faceup cards in decks and discard piles at any time.

Travel – Move on the map

You can travel across the battlefield to reach different units and other adventurers.

To travel, play a resource card with one or more travel icons. For each icon, you may move your figure one space to any adjacent space on the map.

Fortify – Place fortification tokens

You can fortify spaces on the map to protect units.

To fortify, play a resource card with one or more fortify icons. For each icon, place one new fortification token on your space (use a substitute if you ever run out of tokens).

Fortifications cannot be placed on water, and they stay on the space on which they are placed.

Delegate – Give a card to another player

You can delegate cards to others so the right player has the right card at the right time.

To delegate, play a resource card with a delegate icon. Instead of discarding it, give that card to a nearby adventurer.

Scheme – Resolve a card's written effect

You can scheme to influence the armies in various ways, each adventurer having their unique strengths.

To scheme, play a resource card and resolve its written effect as completely as possible. Any adventurer can use any scheme, but if your adventurer's icon is on the effect, you can also use the coloured effect bonus.

Example: "Remove up to 2 damage from a nearby unit, or up to 4 damage — bonus for Tambatro."

If the scheme is ongoing, place the card near the area it affects as a reminder, and discard it only after its effect has been fully resolved. Make any decisions about the effect when you play the card, after which anyone can take the next action.

Refresh – Draw 4 new cards

When no one wants to play more cards this round, keep all unused cards in your hands and end the adventurer phase by resolving the following steps:

1. Draw 4 cards from the resource deck and keep them facedown for now.

2. Before looking at them, randomly divide all drawn resource cards evenly between all players. If you cannot divide them evenly, choose together who should gain more. There is no hand limit.

   Do not pay too much attention to your new cards yet, as you cannot use them until the next round.

3. If you drew any horror cards, reveal and resolve them one by one.

Army phase

When the adventurer phase ends, the army phase begins. In it, armies act according to their orders without player input.

1. Place 1 card from the top of each order deck faceup on top of its discard pile. Each pair forms a new order.
2. Determine each order's speed (see below).
3. Resolve each order one by one from the highest to the lowest speed.

Round overview

1. Adventurer phase – Manipulate the battlefield
2. Army phase – Armies execute their orders
   • Discard topmost order cards
   • Determine order speeds
   • Resolve orders one by one
3. Status phase – Check if the game ends

Order cards

An army's order consists of two cards, the left and right halves. Both halves have a speed value, and the sum of those two values is the order's total speed (7.3 in the example below). The decimals on the right halves prevent ties. Unless the cards say otherwise, resolve their effects from top to bottom, the left half before the right.

If an order deck is empty and you need a new card from it, shuffle its discard pile to form a new deck.

The animalfolks' and leaders' unique effects are typically on the order's left half, including most effects which raise or lower motivation.

Each order affects a single group in its army, as shown by the right half's group icon. The right half also dictates what the group attempts to do, like move, attack, or defend.

Example order pair: left half "Swift" (speed 6) — "If this order has the highest speed, +1 motivation. If this order has the lowest speed, -1 motivation." Right half "Strike" (speed 1.3, circle group) — "Each macaw attacks."

Unit groups

Units of the same colour are in the same army, and each army is divided into up to three groups: circle, star, and gear. During setup, each unit figure gets its own base, which shows its group.

When you resolve an order, it affects a single group, matching the right-half card's group icon, shown at the top of the card. Always use the leftmost icon unless that group no longer has units on the map. In such a case, use the next group with units (1st priority, 2nd priority).

Units on the same side are allies, and those on the opposing side are enemies.

Unit movement

When a group moves, each unit in it simultaneously tries to move 1 space forward or backward relative to the direction the figure faces. Units can move to a space containing allies but cannot move to a space containing enemies.

Do not alter the direction a unit faces unless told to do so.

Unit attacks

When a group attacks, each unit in it first tries to choose an enemy as their target, and then they attack simultaneously. Units never target adventurers with their attacks.

Unit portraits show their statistics. A unit typically has a range of 2, which means it can target enemies up to 2 spaces away. Units prioritise possible targets as such:

1. The first priority is the closest enemy. If multiple enemies are equally far away, the attacker prioritises the space in front of it, continuing clockwise around.

   Enemies with stealth can only be targeted from adjacent spaces.

2. If the space has multiple enemies, the attacker targets the one with the least amount of health left.

3. If multiple enemies on the space have the same amount of health left, randomly choose one using the die (for example, with 2 units, 1–6 for one and 7–12 for the other). If multiple simultaneous attacks target the same space, use the same result for all.

Attack target prioritisation

After determining targets, resolve attacks as such:

1. The attacker's offence defines incoming damage. If multiple units attack the same target at the same time, add their offences together into a single attack.
2. Lower the damage equal to the target's defence.
3. Remove fortification tokens from the target's space up to the amount of remaining damage. Each removed token lowers the damage by 1.
4. If the remaining damage is 1 or more, place that number of damage tokens near the target (use a substitute if you ever run out of tokens).

Attack resolution

Each damage token a unit has lowers its health by 1. If a unit has no health left, it is defeated:

1. Place its figure to the corresponding spot for defeated units and remove its damage tokens.
2. Lower the unit's side's motivation by 1. If the unit was a leader or the side's last unit, lower the motivation directly to 0 instead.
3. Place a new horror card from the horror deck facedown on top of the resource deck.

Motivation cannot be raised from 0 by any means.

Unit defeat

Each damage token a unit has lowers its health by 1. If a unit has no health left, it is defeated, as described above.

Status phase

After all orders have been resolved, the status phase begins. In it, you check if both sides are ready to negotiate peace, or if one or both sides surrender.

• If both sides' motivations are on green, you win.
• If either side's motivation is 0, you lose.
• If neither of those happens, you begin a new round.

You now know all the rules! Read the backstory on the next page or jump directly to scenario 1 on page 12.

Backstory

A letter from Meron

on August 22nd 3331

Adventurers,

Like some of you, I once journeyed to South America over the oceans and made it my home. I have lived here for over a century now, serving as a historian, advisor, and negotiator, and I have acquired modest renown and wisdom. However, the greatest lesson I have learned is this: positive change comes through decisive action. I refuse to trust myself upon the waves of fate again.

Much like a storm, war changes the course of folks – of nations and continents. A time of tempest is a time of uncertainty and horror, and those fortunate enough to survive will never be the same. However, unlike a storm, I believe a war's course can be changed, or one averted entirely. That is why I called upon your aid two years ago, and that is the destination of the organisation we have founded.

In this time, our influence is greatly needed. Old belligerents are back on the warpath, and new nations and new conflicts have risen as well. The horrors of war threaten to engulf our home and hearts in darkness. While I work in the background, you will head into the battlefields. Quell the winds of war before they become cyclones beyond control. Through pausing hostilities, through dialogue on equal footing, a course towards lasting peace can begin. Should one side be devastated, that bitterness will remain and surge up again.

It will be a balancing act of great difficulty. Your bravery, humility, and patience will all be tested, but I am certain you can do it. I see a new land on the horizon. A land of peace.

— Meron

Tambatro, a supportive gold dust day gecko: "I received the first supplies from the merchants' guild we founded, and also one more letter from the old chameleon. Couldn't resist another lesson, could he? We've learned ours, I hope. It's actually curious that he calls us adventurers still."

Nabo, a daring marbled polecat: "That's exactly what we are! Adventurers embrace the unknown to pursue something greater. Securing all these resources wasn't too bad, but I'm twitching to put them to use! Hoyah! Let's pick our first spot and go smack some sense into these warmongers!"

Yainar, a scholarly agami heron: "As heartening as your enthusiasm is, we must think carefully before we, ahem, 'smack' anyone. The circumstances are perilous all over, as you can see on my map. We must be foreseeing like the iguanas and work together like the frogs if we hope to succeed."

Akezan, a cunning fennec fox: "We'll do just that! But right now I'm wistful like a mongoose in the morning, and I say our old friends macaws and ocelots are due for a visit. Been days already since I last surveyed their camps after all. Whaddya say? Care to go show 'em what we've learned?"

Scenarios

Scenario 1 – Order in Chaos

As the morning sun rose to gaze upon the land, so did the adventurers look upon a familiar sight. They stood at the border between the orderly scarlet macaws and the chaos-loving ocelots – two folks who had never seen eye to eye. Two years prior, the unassuming river crossing had run red with blood, starting a horrific cascade which swept through the continent. An equally familiar sight was the macaw army closing in once again.

The mighty macaw empire of Axhiquk had had its time in the sun. Theirs was the mightiest nation in the continent, as it had been for ages. The folk were quick to spread their wings with pride, talking about their illustrious cities and the great towers shining in the light. Consequently, the empire was also at its weakest in recent memory, the towers shaken by constant wars of expansion and the resulting internal unrest. Unless they learned from their mistakes, the empire would crumble like a cookie into obscurity – a macaw's worst nightmare.

One who had not learned was Sochiyamaq, the leader of the approaching army. Despite barely surviving the war two years ago, the commander was leading his soldiers to stir the same pot once again. And while far less disciplined and more individualistic compared to their avian neighbours, the ocelots were equally drawn to testing which way their fates spun on the battlefield. The adventurers needed to teach everyone a lesson before darkness befell the land once more.

Akezan: "Wanna hear a joke? What's the difference between Sochiyamaq and a spear? A spear is sharp and flies forward! Heard it from a macaw soldier. Didn't take me long to figure out our dear commander doesn't exactly command respect among the troops."

Nabo: "Ho-yah-yah! Means he'll try to prove himself twice as hard, like a polecat in a flight competition! Means also his confidence will come crashing down twice as fast when you throw a Nabo-sized problem his way! And I'm ready to ruffle some feathers!"

Yainar: "On the other wing, we have the ever-unruly ocelots. To me, chaos is an enemy. To them, it is the dearest of friends, one whose company they will never tire of. We should ascertain they do not attempt anything foolish, to the extent such a feat is possible."

Tambatro: "Right. Learn to expect the unexpected, and we'll steer fortunes like in ocelot rites! I must admit I've truly grown fond of these folks, and I shudder to imagine another great war between them. But we'll make sure those horrors stay a bad memory! Let's go!"

Map book pages: L1 and R1. Difficulty: 1 star (of 5). Warring animalfolks: macaws and ocelots.

Strategy tips

• You can lower each side's motivation by ruining their plans – how to achieve that is different in each scenario and up to you to figure out.
• Letting units get defeated lowers that side's motivation, but adds new horror cards to the resource deck. Be ready to face the consequences!
• Decide carefully when to use your resources. If you save up some cards, you will have more options later.
• Surveying is powerful but expensive. Try to identify situations where you can make use of the information you gain.
• Each adventurer has different strengths, but choose whoever you like the most for your first game.
• Good luck!

Challenges and the scenario log

After winning a scenario, you can try to beat it again while including an extra challenge. Each challenge increases the difficulty, shown by the additional stars. If you still want more difficulty, you can even try both challenges at once!

You can also try winning each scenario without there being any defeated units at the end. This can be achieved while playing with or without challenges.

You can keep track of your wins using the scenario log.

Timid invasion (difficulty +2 stars): Macaws start at 2 motivation and ocelots at 10 motivation.

Bad memories (difficulty +2 stars): After dealing starting hands, shuffle 8 random horror cards into the resource deck.

Scenario 2 – Loose Cannon

The adventurers watched from a distance as boats landed on the scarlet macaw empire's western coast, the shore soon swarming with dark-furred, battle-hardened spectacled bear fighters. Their war roars could be heard all the way to the macaw stronghold. The bears had landed behind it, in enemy territory, and they were preparing to charge.

Nominally, the war between the two folks had already ended, its flames snuffed out. The snappy macaws, who were quick to anger, were equally quick to cool down again. For the bears, however, their flame took a lot to ignite, but the resulting pyre proved difficult to extinguish. Some of them never stopped fighting. Their vengeful rage still burned red-hot, fuelled by lives lost in the past, fanned by blood spilt in the present. The macaws were ready, however. The fortress had stood here at the empire's border for decades, and it would take a force of nature mightier than an angry bear to breach its walls.

As it happened, one was coming. A sound of thunder split the clear skies, followed by another. Shocked, the adventurers took cover as huge stones fell, part of the fortress wall collapsing like a sandcastle against a tide. Then they saw it: a pirate ship approached the coast, and on its deck was a weapon most fearsome. The ship buckled as it fired again, a black bundle of destruction sailing through the air and past the walls. It was a horror of a new age, one of a kind on this side of the world.

Yainar: "I know that weapon! The monstrosity sentenced to be disposed of as per the peace treaty has fallen to the hands of despicable pirates! It is now pointed against its former wielders, but if we do not stop it, the havoc that thing brings is utter and indiscriminate!"

Nabo: "And I know that flag! Howo-arrr! What a blast from the past! Those tuataras are a jolly but disorganised bunch. Get me a boat and a peg leg, and I'll slip right in and keelhaul their plans, whatever they are. Ever tell you how I ended up sailing with pirates once?"

Tambatro: "Somehow that does not surprise me. What does is how the bears would ally themselves with that lot! They're honourable to a fault, are they not? Has anger injured their senses to this degree? We must heal those wounds before they bring everything to ruin!"

Akezan: "Or keep the bears from ever reaching the macaws. I like running from my problems, but making them run from me is even better! And not just for the macaws' sake. Waraq has executed so many great things I'd tire myself out just trying to list them."

Map book pages: L2 and R2. Difficulty: 2 stars (of 5). Warring animalfolks: bears and tuataras vs. macaws.

Scenario rules

• Before dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Set Sail resource cards into the resource deck.
• Like with all cards, remember to sort the Set Sail cards back to the correct section in the insert after the game.
• Tuataras have their own army, but they are allied with bears and share the same motivation.
• Tuataras have one order deck instead of two.
• Macaw Ranger can move to impassable spaces.

Strategy tips

• You can move to and from the tuatara ship only with Set Sail. Decide when it is worthwhile to pay them a visit.
• With 5 order decks, you need to think even more carefully which decks to survey and when.

Challenges and the scenario log

Triple-barrel cannon (difficulty +2 stars): Each Fire the Cannon! order is resolved 3 times in a row. Fully resolve the card's effects each time.

Fog of war (difficulty +3 stars): You cannot survey.

Scenario 3 – Heights of Glory

High up in the skies, flying toco toucan fighters gathered, drawing ominous shapes above Mount Acalahuac with their sudden dives and sharp turns. Their sights were set on the glorious temple above the mightiest peak, shining bright in the sun, built in its resplendent honour. In worldly terms, the temple belonged to spectacled bears. The land-dwelling folk had settled here in the skies in respect to both the sun and their illustrious leader, who in their eyes was just as radiant.

As the adventurers watched, a giant boulder was sent crashing down from the very top, unprotected cliffsides and perilous mountain paths crumbling under its rampage down the mountain. They rushed to cover as another sudden turn sent the rock tumbling their way – and looked down as it continued past its intended target: the toucan forces closing in.

Their fledgling nation had come seeking glory. Not long ago, they had been much like the bears, living in small independent communities. However, due to great efforts and honeyed words of the very leader currently escorting a battering beak up the mountain path, they had recently unified under the idea that together they'd be an unstoppable force. The secretive folk paid little heed to outsiders' counsel – and took anyone standing above themselves and their ambitions as both an insult and a challenge.

The adventurers looked back up at the awe-inspiring cliffs and the mountainous task ahead of them, as high up an even larger boulder was brought to the edge.

Nabo: "Ho-bah! Those arrogant toucans. Whenever I stick my nose in their business, they stick their beaks up at me! Drives me mad. They try to knock the bears down a peg, but two can play that game! I'll uncover their plans yet and push them down from their perch!"

Akezan: "Careful with that. While they are relentless, their confidence can come crashing down quicker than the boulder just now. As it happens, my ears picked up that this glorious unifier of theirs is scared of heights. A silly fear – for a bird. Reminds me of someone."

Yainar: "That is only rational! Higher heights inevitably lead to greater falls. I feel my breakfast beetles coming up already. How does old Teloxhel do it? He has not moved from the top in decades, and not even an earthquake could shake his or his followers' bearings!"

Tambatro: "What if it's their stomachs which rumble? It's all over if their food stockpiles come under attack in a challenging environment like this. No amount of stubbornness helps if your future menu is nothing but rocks. Come! We cannot let the toucans reach the top!"

Map book pages: L3 and R3. Difficulty: 2 stars (of 5). Warring animalfolks: toucans and bears.

Scenario rules

• After dealing starting hands, shuffle the 4 Terrifying Heights horror cards into the resource deck.
• Toucans in the star group stay on the road. The arrows on their spaces determine forward and backward for them.
• Toucans have 4 Secrets with distinct card backs, 2 in each deck. You are not allowed to survey a Secret or any cards below a facedown one. If you do survey a Secret (like when the deck is empty), leave it facedown and take your played card back. You may look where Secrets are in the decks.
• Toucan Swoopers can move to impassable spaces.

Strategy tips

• Terrifying Heights get more dangerous the higher you are. Staying at the top is risky since you are not allowed to check where the horrors are in the deck.
• Toucans' Secrets do not prevent using schemes.

Challenges and the scenario log

Rising stars (difficulty +2 stars): After setup, move each star-group toucan 3 spaces backward. After each army phase, each star-group toucan moves 1 space forward.

The great fall (difficulty +3 stars): The conditions in the status phase are altered as such:

• If both sides' motivations are on green, you lose.
• If one side's motivation is 0, you lose.
• If both sides' motivations are 0, you win.

Scenario 4 – Shifty Alliances

An ancient oasis stood in the desert. Amid the arid plateaus and treacherous chasms, it was an ample well of life – almost a miracle, in more ways than one. As the sands of time shifted, it proved vitally important to the folks living in the area, teaching them to share, co-exist, and to co-operate. Nowadays, the oasis stood upon neutral land between green iguana and toco toucan territories, as neither had seen fit to claim it for themselves alone. Both of their flags adorned the structure. It had once brought them together, but now it stood between them and their blades pointed at each other.

The fearful iguanas were the ones who had started the hostilities. After their secretive neighbours' rapid rise in power, a majority of their tribes' seers declared it the doomsaying lizards' 107th inevitable downfall. They should attack before the conspiring toucans could betray them. Better face your doom with your tail held high than between your legs after all.

As for the toucans, they saw for themselves a future too bright for their pessimistic neighbours to shroud. They would fight for it, their land, and even access to the old oasis with everything they had.

Such a conflict would have been messy even if the iguanas hadn't sought the aid of mercenaries. The ones who accepted the offer were the infamous Scarlet Tails and their leader, Captain Woshira – the self-proclaimed visionary of a chaotic future. He who never falls, and if he does, it's always on his feet.

Nabo: "Ho-ptui! That scoundrel Woshira is as reliable as my old hat! Goes where the wind blows, or for the throat given half a chance. Drags you down if it blows too hard south. At times I wonder how many lives the cat's gone through already. I've always liked him."

Tambatro: "Am I seeing things or are they bearing Sak-Awhu banners? Those unscrupulous mercenaries will drag the ocelot nation into this mess too if we don't stop it! But we must pace ourselves carefully. There'll be a lot to keep track of in the coming chaos!"

Yainar: "Still, we should watch the iguanas closely. A fascinating folk. Their fear of doom makes them even sacrifice themselves to lash out against it. And resilient. I have seen a few reappear out of nowhere when I thought them gone. Speaking of, where is Akezan?"

Akezan: "Here! Pulled some strings to request audiences with all three big shots! Whenever one seeks our counsel, I say we jump on it like frogs. I bet Nabo's hat that even Jatira of the toucans will cave eventually. Looks like everyone could use a friend right now."

Map book pages: L4 and R4. Difficulty: 2 stars (of 5). Warring animalfolks: iguanas, ocelots (mercenaries) vs. toucans.

Scenario rules

• Before dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Invitation resource cards into the resource deck.
• Ocelots have their own army, but they share motivation with their current ally. They start the game allied with iguanas, but various effects can make them switch sides. Keep track of this with a glass bead on the map books.
  • Glass bead facing top right: allied with iguanas.
  • Glass bead facing top left: allied with toucans.
• When ocelots switch sides, reorient all ocelot units. When allied with iguanas, they face top right. When allied with toucans, they face top left.
• Toucan Swoopers can move to impassable spaces.
• Toucan Secrets work identically to scenario 3 (see page 17).

Strategy tips

• Invitations' powerful schemes can help you handle the battlefield of 3 separate armies and 6 order decks, but you must be nearby a specific leader to use one.
• Ocelots switching sides alters the power levels of both sides greatly, and it can be dangerous if it happens at the wrong time.
• Toucans' Secrets do not prevent using schemes.

Challenges and the scenario log

Lethal weapons (difficulty +2 stars): Each unit has +1 offence.

Total chaos (difficulty +3 stars): After dealing starting hands, shuffle 15 random horror cards into the resource deck. In each refresh, draw cards until you have drawn 4 resource cards.

Scenario 5 – Lost in the Jungle

On a misty jungle island, the adventurers stood between two small huts of leaves and branches, a part of the village which sprawled the island and its surroundings. The dwellings belonged to strawberry poison frogs, as revealed by their diminutive size, some being in water, and the Gokammi banner standing in front of one.

Gokammi was one of the continent's newly formed nations. Despite its glossy youth, its population was numerous – a union of a great many hordes which roamed the north-west. Even one such horde could number in the thousands of frogs, all living together crammed in hard-to-reach places of both land and water.

Following their unification, some felt there was no longer a path to uniqueness within the swarming masses. Seeking change, one horde left their homeland and journeyed far south by the great rivers, deep into the jungle. They believed this course of action to bless their descendants with a different way of life, stories, and even colouration.

Their new settlement was discovered recently by green iguanas, to whom the territory had belonged for ages. While the tribal lizards craved companionship, they feared change far more, especially one uninvited. Their villages bound by blood were small in comparison, but the devout folk would sacrifice theirs to the last drop to banish the foreign horrors lurking in their jungle.

On a misty jungle island, the adventurers stood between two folks ready to defend their homes with their lives.

Nabo: "Howoah! Good thing I'm Nabo, or I couldn't tell a frog from a rock out there! Must be how they surrounded the lizards. Lotsa creepy frogs around, all staring at me with their beady eyes! Even these huts look sturdier than the lil' buggers though."

Yainar: "We would be fools to underestimate them for a second! Frogs are right at home in the waters, and they are frightening folk, wielding terrifying toxins of their own creation. When they fight, the horrors simply keep piling on! Keep your distance when you can!"

Tambatro: "Speaking of distance, these folks are scattered all over the place. I feel like running in every direction at once already! That's why we need a good plan if we hope to protect everyone. The iguanas especially are out for blood, so we better not give it to them!"

Akezan: "Say, a few choice words, a misdirection here or there, and some of 'em might start mysteriously mistaking their ways mid-mist. In the darkest jungle, lost like Nabo after a nap, one should reconsider risking their neck for this neck of the woods."

Map book pages: L5 and R5. Difficulty: 2 stars (of 5). Warring animalfolks: iguanas and frogs.

Scenario rules

• Before dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Scout resource cards into the resource deck.
• After dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Frog horror cards into the resource deck. Whenever you reveal one of these, resolve its effect for each adventurer in play, one by one. Randomise the first player with the die and continue clockwise.
• Unit figures face various directions in this scenario. Be mindful of this and avoid altering their orientation unless told to do so.

Strategy tips

• Scout can help you handle the spread-out armies.
• Frog horrors can be disruptive, but also helpful if you are well-positioned on the map or just lucky.

Challenges and the scenario log

Unified armies (difficulty +3 stars): Alter the setup as such:

• Replace the bases of A and B frogs with star bases.
• Replace the bases of I and J iguanas with circle bases.
• Iguanas start at 10 motivation.

Cascading horrors (difficulty +3 stars): After dealing starting hands and after each refresh, place 1 new horror card on top of the resource deck.

Scenario 6 – Talking in Circles

Some 200 years ago, the scarlet macaws sought to accurately define the reach of their influence – that is, the borders of their empire. As part of the effort, they signed an agreement with a nearby strawberry poison frog horde. The farmlands of Domumarr were thereby divided, everything 1000 strong leaps or more east of the Domu river belonging to the macaws. Despite the odd measurement insisted upon, the agreement was stored safely and honoured by the orderly macaws.

It resurfaced when the macaws reassessed their relations to the newly formed frog nation. What they found out was that the river had shifted west to occupy their new territories, as per their right by the agreement. After the frogs resisted, the macaws graciously invited them to negotiate.

That was only one side of the story, however, as the frogs remember things differently. If any writ ever existed on their side, it has long since sailed down the Domu as a paper boat. Theirs was a culture of spoken story, of recited myth, not written word. To write something down would be tantamount to trapping it in wax, condemning it to imprisonment and stripping its right to evolve. They had increased numbers, rather than less, they had a need for more: more stories, more food, and more land.

A divide this fundamental required a patient mind of the highest order to guide the narrative. The two sides disagreed on everything, including who brought their army to the negotiation site first, who attacked first, and who should stop attacking first.

Tambatro: "I cannot decide what's more absurd, fighting during negotiations or fighting around the tent holding said negotiations! The war outside will no doubt impact the battle inside. We must keep an eye on both stages of this circling circus!"

Akezan: "Good thing it's Meron in the eye of the storm. That chameleon must be older than the agreement, and his lectures twice as sleep-inducing. He'll keep all killing intent out of the tent. Surely lets us hear it too. 'Face your fears to unlock your potential' and all that."

Yainar: "Alas, the situation outside is equally dire. I had forgotten just how many frogs live in those houses. It was unsettling how they kept pouring out to surround the macaws! They are terrifying as is, but now they also move with such single-minded purpose!"

Nabo: "They better jump into their ponds quickly when it's ranger-o'clock! Could destroy frog ranks quicker than I destroyed my lunch just now. Howom-nom! Luckily I know a brave, dashing, and well-fed polecat who's just burning to go put a stop to that business!"

Map book pages: L6 and R6. Difficulty: 3 stars (of 5). Warring animalfolks: macaws and frogs.

Scenario rules

• Before dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Lesson resource cards into the resource deck.
• After dealing starting hands, shuffle the 3 Frog horror cards into the resource deck. They work identically to scenario 5 (see page 21).
• The separate negotiation deck works like any other order deck, so all effects affecting armies' orders work on it. You are nearby it when you are on the starting space.
• Macaws and frogs stay and move in their own circles on the map. Arrows on their spaces determine forward and backward for them.

Strategy tips

• Lessons can be very powerful if used wisely.
• Frog horrors can be disruptive, but also helpful if you are well-positioned on the map or just lucky.

Challenges and the scenario log

Macaw mistrust (difficulty +4 stars): During travel, you cannot move to a macaw's space. If any other effect causes you to move to a macaw's space, or a macaw to yours, immediately move 1 space in the direction away from the starting space.

Press the advantage (difficulty +4 stars): Frogs start at 11 motivation. After each round's first army phase, if either macaws or frogs have more motivation than the other, resolve an additional army phase for that army alone.

Iconography

• Extra card lets you draw a new card
• Survey lets you flip a topmost facedown order card from a nearby army
• Travel lets you move your figure on the map
• Delegate lets you give this card to a nearby adventurer
• Defence protects units and fortifications
• Fortifications protect units but get removed
• Water spaces cannot be fortified
• Impassable spaces cannot be entered or fortified
• Range defines how far away a unit can attack
• Offence defines how much damage a unit's attack can deal
• Health defines how much damage a unit can take before being defeated
• Damage a unit has taken is tracked with tokens
• Groups of units are identified by their bases
• Stealth means a unit can only be attacked from adjacent spaces
• Starting space is where adventurers begin the game
• Motivation is an army's will to fight, and an icon on a space means a side has one extra motivation while they have at least one unit on that space
• Leader being defeated lowers the motivation of that side directly to 0
• Speed of an order is the sum of both halves' speeds, and it determines who acts first
• Die is used to randomise the outcome of various effects
• Die result can refer either to the rolled number or group icon

Adventurers: Tambatro (gold dust day gecko), Akezan (fennec fox), Nabo (marbled polecat), Yainar (agami heron).

Keywords

Nearby refers to units and other adventurers on the space with your figure. If you have a nearby unit, you are also nearby that army and their order.

Ongoing scheme or horror is a longer-term effect. Place the card in a suitable spot as a reminder, and discard it only after it has been fully resolved.

Round overview (quick reference)

1. Adventurer phase – Manipulate the battlefield (p.6)

   • Actions – Play resource cards to resolve actions a) Survey – Reveal an army's order card b) Travel – Move on the map c) Fortify – Place fortification tokens d) Delegate – Give a card to another player e) Scheme – Resolve a card's written effect
   • Refresh – Draw 4 new cards

2. Army phase – Armies execute their orders (p.8)

   Resolve orders from highest to lowest speed.

   Attack target prioritisation

   1. Closest enemy, starting from the front and continuing clockwise (skip non-adjacent units with stealth)
   2. Enemy with the least remaining health
   3. Randomly with the die

   Attack resolution

   1. Combine attacks targeting the same unit
   2. Lower damage from defence
   3. Lower damage by removing fortifications
   4. Place damage tokens

3. Status phase – Check if the game ends (p.9)