Penny Papers Adventures: The Valley of Wiraqocha
Penny Papers Adventures: Valley of Wiraqocha Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Concept of the Penny Papers Adventures Series
Equipped with a pencil (not included) and an Adventure sheet, all players use the same result from a die roll to explore a location more thoroughly than the other contestants. Each player attempts to place the numbers in their grid the best, and to make wise use of special powers to score the most stars. Everyone plays at the same time!
Setup
Materials included: 3 dice and 100 two-sided Adventure sheets (the back offers a different valley).
Each player grabs a pencil and an Adventure sheet (everyone uses the same side), on which they jot their initials in the upper-left corner. Place the three dice in the middle of the play area, so everyone can see them.
Gameplay
Someone (it doesn't matter who) rolls all three dice.
All players must use the numbers and/or special faces rolled to write a number (or draw a structure, if the Dakota Smith symbol is rolled) in one or more spaces of their grid adjacent to a space with a number or a structure. If there are no empty spaces adjacent to a number or structure, write the number (or draw a structure) in any empty space of your choice.
Exception: The first space you fill must be along the edge of the valley, beside the clouds. This is where Penny Papers & Dakota Smith arrive.
The number you write in each space can be the number from just one of the dice, or the sum of any two of the dice, or the sum of all three – your choice! You may only use each die result once; therefore it is impossible to fill more than three spaces in a single turn. You are not required to use the results from all of the dice, but you must fill at least one space (or cross out a snake; see Snakes below).
After everyone has filled a space in their grid (and maybe mapped an area or discovered a vestige; see Mapping and Discovering Vestiges below), roll the dice again to start the next turn.
Example
The dice rolled 2, 3, and 5. Each player can choose any one of the following sets of numbers to write in their grid: 2, 3, and/or 5; 7 (2+5); 7 and 3; 8 (3+5); 8 and 2; or 10 (2+3+5).
Special Faces
Dakota Smith — When this symbol is rolled, each player may draw one of the three structures available (hut, statue, mine). You can draw each structure only once. If you draw one, mark the little bubble corresponding to that structure on the right side of your sheet.
Penny Papers — When this symbol is rolled, each player may write a number of their choice from 1 to 15 in their grid, according to the normal rules.
Snake — Whenever this symbol is rolled, ignore the other dice! Everyone does the following: Put your sheet in the middle of the play area, take another sheet at random, then draw a snake on this sheet in an empty space of your choice (it does not need to be adjacent to anything else). Then, return the sheet to its owner (look at the initials in the upper-left corner of the sheet).
NOTE: You may use special faces and other dice (unless the Snake symbol was rolled, of course). Example: Dakota Smith, Penny Papers, and a 3 were rolled. You may draw a structure, and write any number from 1–15, and use the 3.
Structures
This symbol represents Dakota Smith, who discovers and identifies ancient yet functional structures.
There are three types of structures, each of which earns you stars according to the spaces adjacent to it:
- The hut earns you 2 stars per adjacent Jungle space at the end of the game.
- The statue earns you 2 stars per adjacent Town space at the end of the game.
- The mine earns you 2 stars per adjacent Mountain range space at the end of the game.
Snakes
This symbol represents the snakes infesting the valley, for which Penny Papers and Dakota Smith must watch out during their expedition.
Drawing a snake in an opponent's grid not only makes the space unusable, but also makes them lose a number of stars equal to the largest adjacent number at the end of the game. Unless…
Our heroes can escape these snakes! In order to do so, simply use a 9 (by adding dice according to the normal rules, or by using a Penny Papers face to create a 9) without writing it on your sheet. Then you can cross out a snake on your grid. Die results used to cross out a snake are sacrificed and cannot be used to fill a space.
Mapping and Discovering Vestiges
Throughout the expedition, you will discover vast jungles and vestiges of ancient towns, as well as imposing mountains ranges and magnificent pyramids.
After everyone has filled their one to three spaces for this turn (or crossed out a snake), each player can choose to reveal a single one of the following discoveries at a suitable location in order to score the corresponding stars. You can make several discoveries of the same type over the course of the game. Except where indicated otherwise, the spaces composing the discovery do not need to be in any specific arrangement.
Jungle — A jungle can be revealed on exactly five adjacent spaces with five different values. In order to reveal a jungle, draw a border imitating foliage along the external border of the five spaces. At the end of the game, each jungle is worth 5 stars.
Town — A town can be revealed on exactly four adjacent spaces with identical values. In order to reveal a town, draw a straight border along the external border of the four spaces, adding a little flare-out at each corner. NOTE: You cannot have two towns with the same value on your sheet. At the end of the game, each town is worth 6 stars.
Mountain Range — A mountain range can be revealed on exactly three adjacent spaces with values 6 or higher. In order to reveal a mountain range, draw a cone around the number in each of the three spaces. At the end of the game, each mountain range is worth 7 stars.
Pyramid — A pyramid can be revealed on four adjacent spaces with values 10 or higher, specifically in the pyramid arrangement indicated (a base of 3 spaces with one space above the center space of the base), but its rotation does not matter (0°, 90°, 180°, or 270° is fine). In order to reveal a pyramid, draw a triangle around the four spaces. At the end of the game, each pyramid is worth 15 stars.
NOTE: Each space can be included in only one such discovery!
End of the Game & Counting Your Stars
The game ends when someone has filled every space of their grid.
Finish the round in progress, then each player counts their stars in the following fashion, writing their subtotals in the spaces provided at the bottom and right of their Adventure sheet:
- If you completely filled your grid, earn 7 stars.
- Each discovery is worth the stars detailed above (5 per jungle, 6 per town, 7 per mountain range, 15 per pyramid).
- Each structure is worth 2 stars per adjacent space of the corresponding type (hut: jungle, statue: town, mine: mountain range).
- Each snake not crossed out loses you stars equal to the largest adjacent number.
The player who has scored the most stars wins the game.
In a tie, the tied player who scored the most stars from structures wins. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.
Clarifications
Adjacent
In this game, adjacent always means orthogonally or diagonally adjacent (i.e. in one of the 8 surrounding spaces).
Strikethroughs & Scribbles
You are not allowed to strike through or erase a space of your grid: Everything you write is permanent, so think carefully before making your marks!
However, if someone notices a violation of the rules, you may use a proper strikethrough to correct the mistake.
In Living Color
To make it easier to count your stars, use a different-colored pen, pencil, or even crayon for the border of each type of discovery.
Worked Example
Henri's filled Adventure sheet is scored as follows.
Structures
- The hut is adjacent to 5 jungle spaces, so it earns 10 stars.
- The statue is adjacent to 5 town spaces, so it earns 10 stars.
- The mine is adjacent to only 2 mountain range spaces, so it earns 4 stars.
Discoveries
- Henri has discovered 3 jungles (green), and earns 15 stars.
- With 3 towns (blue) of different values on the map, he earns 18 stars.
- He has discovered 2 mountain ranges (orange), earning 14 stars.
- Henri has discovered 1 pyramid (purple), which earns him 15 stars.
Snakes
Our hero has escaped one snake, so he loses no stars for that one. On the other hand, the other three snakes still lurk and bite, which loses him the value of the largest number adjacent to each, which is −13 − 9 − 6 = −28 stars!
Solo Adventure
Play alone and try to achieve the highest score to determine your adventurer level!
The solitaire mode of Penny Papers Adventures: Valley of Wiraqocha follows all the normal rules of the game, with two exceptions:
- When a snake is rolled, you must place it on an empty space adjacent to one of the spaces you filled in the previous turn. If this is not possible, you can place the snake in an empty space of your choice.
- The game lasts 25 rounds. To track this, at the end of each round, mark one of the little bubbles on the left side of your sheet. Once all of the bubbles are marked, the game is over.
Once your game has ended, evaluate your success level according to how high your score was, as follows:
- Tourist → 0 – 89 stars
- Pathfinder → 90 – 109 stars
- Voyager → 110 – 129 stars
- Explorer → 130 stars or more
However, to compensate for the harsh hostility of the valley of Wiraqocha, achieving these levels takes 4 fewer stars per snake placed during the game (including snakes you escaped). Example: If 5 snakes have appeared during the game, it takes only 130 − (4 × 5 snakes) = 110 stars to become an Explorer.
Credits
- Designer & Graphic Artist: Henri Kermarrec
- Illustrator (Box): Géraud Soulié
- Translator: Nathan Morse
The designer wishes to thank Laetitia Di Sciascio for her pertinence and pugnacity, GRAL for the unwavering creativity and frankness, and the ANTIJEU festival for supporting the original project. The publisher wishes to thank everyone who has volunteered to playtest the game.
A game from Sit Down! published by Megalopole sprl. © Megalopole (2018). All rights reserved.