Port Royal: The Adventure Begins... Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Flow of Play
  • Basics for a Good Start in the Adventure
  • Victory Conditions in the Cooperative Game
  • Tasks
• Crown Cards
• Turn Sequence
  • Reveal 1 Event Card
• New Ships: A 6th Color and Items
• Game End
• Variant: The Variable Competitive Game
• Appendix: The Cards
  • Character Cards
  • Event Cards
  • Playing Cards
  • Tasks
• Event Card Text
  • Event Cards Numbered 0
  • Event Cards Numbered 1, 2 and 3

Components

This expansion is for 1–4 players, aged 8 and up.

120 cards, comprised of:

• 5 double-sided Character Cards with different characters on the front and back, each with its own special ability and the number of coins received to begin the game.
• 4 Crown Cards.
• 1 Overview Card "Cooperative Victory" (double-sided, card number 9).
• 39 Playing Cards that will be shuffled into the Playing Cards from the base game over the course of the 5 Chapters. These consist of Ships, Persons, Expeditions, and Tax Increases.
• 16 Event Cards that form a separate deck. There are 13 Event Cards with the number 0 constituting the base deck. The card with the number 1 is added for solo and 2-player games. The card with the number 2 will be used in (almost) every game. The card with the number 3 replaces the number 2 card in the variable competitive game (see page 3).
• 55 Story Cards (including a book cover and 4 Chapter Cards). Front side: the story is told here. There are also instructions for which new Playing Cards must be shuffled into the deck. Back side: tasks to be fulfilled are shown here, as well as information on the requirements for the next Story Card.

20 Wooden Cubes: 20 Markers, 5 in each color.

Each chapter consists of card numbers assigned by a series (cards 10–17 for Chapter 1, cards 20–28b for Chapter 2, etc.). The End-of-Chapter Cards are all in the 60 series (card 61 for Chapter 1, card 62 for Chapter 2, etc.). Between the chapters you will find unnumbered chapter title cards that show the chapter number and title on the front side and a summary of the story so far on the backside (to make it easier to pick up the story between game breaks).

Note: Do not shuffle the cards until you are told to do so! Follow the instructions in the game setup.

Setup

Note: You will need the Playing Cards from the Port Royal base game to play Port Royal – The Adventure Begins. This expansion allows you to play with a maximum of 4 players. (The Expedition Card used only for a 5-player game is not needed.)

Shuffle all Playing Cards from the base game and form a face down draw pile. Leave room for a faceup discard pile.

Place the new Playing Cards from this expansion on the edge of the playing area without shuffling them. The Story Cards will tell you when you need to shuffle these cards into the draw deck.

Randomly deal each player 1 Character Card. Players freely choose which side of the card they want to play and place it with that side faceup in front of them.

Alternative selection of Character Cards: Determine a start player and let the player to his right choose 1 of the 5 Character Cards to play. In counter-clockwise order, the remaining players each choose a Character Card with the start player choosing last. Players freely choose which side of the card they want to play with and place it with that side faceup in front of them.

Return remaining Character Cards back to the box.

Now take the number of coins indicated on your Character Card from the draw pile. In addition, each player takes 1 Crown Card and 5 wooden markers in the color of their choice. Place 4 markers on your Character Card (1 on the door and the other 3 on the 3 windows) and place the remaining marker next to your Crown Card.

Next, create the Event Deck. First, shuffle the 13 Event Cards with the number 0. Depending on the number of players and the chosen game variant (competitive, i.e. against each other, or cooperative, i.e. together against the game), draw the following number of Event Cards facedown:

	1-Player	2-Player	3-Player	4-Player
Cooperative	1	1	2	3
Competitive	–	3	4	4

For 2-player and solo games, shuffle in the Event Card with the number 1.

These 2–4 cards now form the facedown Event Deck.

Now put card number 2 Month's End under the facedown Event Deck. Place the Event Deck next to the draw deck leaving room for a face up discard pile. Return the card with the number 3 back to the box. Place any remaining Event Cards with the number 0 facedown on the edge of the playing area, as you will need them later.

Return the overview card "Cooperative Victory" back to the box if you are playing competitively. If you are playing cooperatively, you will need it very soon.

Now there should only be a deck of Story Cards with a book cover card on top remaining. Never shuffle this deck!

In subsequent games, you may leave Story Cards for completed chapters in the box. In this case, the Chapter Card for the next chapter should be on top of the stack. Now the adventure begins!

Flow of Play

Port Royal – The Adventure Begins is comprised of 5 consecutive chapters. Each game session consists of exactly one chapter.

Basics for a Good Start in the Adventure

Start by reading the Chapter Card (or, for the first chapter, the card with the book cover). This card contains the title of the chapter and, beginning with the second chapter, you will find a summary of what has happened so far on the back of the card.

Immediately afterwards, read the first Story Card (card 10 for Chapter 1). The start player should read these aloud and then shuffle the indicated Playing Cards into the draw deck. The icon on the right (a card back showing the card number and how many of those cards are shuffled in, e.g. 80) always tells you which cards and how many must be shuffled in. (It is best to add the new cards into the deck at different points and then shuffle them thoroughly).

Then, turn the Story Card over and place it in your playing area to reveal your first task. (After you read the story, you must always turn the card over. This icon – a card being turned over – will remind you.)

Victory Conditions in the Cooperative Game

If you are playing cooperatively, take card number 9 now, which summarizes the victory conditions for each player count (indicated by the number of hats) on the left and right hand sides of the front and back of the card. Take the edge corresponding to your number of players and tuck Card 9 under the left side of the first task of the chapter so that you have the relevant information to the left of the task card. (Details on the victory conditions can be found in the section Game End on page 3.)

Tasks

In order to successfully complete chapters you must, among other things, complete tasks.

You may always complete tasks as an active or inactive player whenever it is your turn to act. Each player is allowed to complete each task only once. In order to complete a task, you must

• return the indicated number of items to the discard pile, if there is a minus in front of the number on the card (Ares Pirates, Coins, Books of Ritual, etc.)
• otherwise simply have the items in your personal display (Persons, Swords, etc.).

If you complete a task, place 1 marker from your Character Card on the square box below the window on the right side of the task.

You must always take the leftmost marker from your Character Card. The first marker is the one on the door. If you fulfill your first task, you will enable your character's special ability (a) (see the appendix on page 4). Fulfilling your second task reveals the trophy (b) that is of critical importance for victory in the competitive game (see page 3). Fulfilling the third and fourth tasks gains 1 and 3 crowns respectively (c, d). (See the next page for details on crowns). No one can fulfill more than 4 tasks.

If you are the first to fulfill a task, you sometimes receive a small reward in the form of 1 or 2 coins (e) (and in one case, 1 crown). In addition, with some tasks you can receive 1, 2, or 3 crowns (f) that are displayed below the wooden board.

All other players that fulfill this task later can only receive the last reward, the crowns displayed below the wooden board.

Crown Cards

When you receive or return crowns, move your marker on the Crown Card to reflect the gain or loss. The track starts at the bottom left (at the foot of the throne). When you gain crowns, advance your marker to the next adjacent field(s) accordingly. In order to return crowns, you must have at least as many crowns as you want to return. Move your marker backwards down the crown track by the number returned. Crowns provide a new alternative for gaining victory points (up to a total of 6). Throughout the game, always add the victory points from the last shield whose (corresponding) field you have reached or surpassed to your total victory points. (As soon as your marker reaches the first shield's field, you add 1 victory point to your total score. Once your marker reaches the field with 2 victory points, add 2 points to your total score, instead, and so on. If you return crowns, your victory points can also be reduced.)

Turn Sequence

As in the base game, a turn in this expansion consists of the 2 unaltered phases: Phase 1: Discover and Phase 2: Trade & Hire.

However, these 2 phases are now preceded by the following step:

Reveal 1 Event Card

The active player's turn now begins by revealing the top Event Card from the Event Deck and reading it to all players. The event must either be executed immediately or in the phase specified. Discard it to the Event Deck discard pile after execution.

The last card in the Event Deck is a special event – Month's End. It triggers the Month's end effect for the most recent task. This will continue the story and brings a new task into play, sometimes depending on your success.

What needs to be done is specified in the lower half of the last assigned task card as shown next to the hourglass icon.

If a brown card with number and question mark is shown, check if at least 1 player has completed the indicated task. If so, read the Story Card with the number next to the green check mark.

If none of you have completed the required task, you must read the Story Card with the number next to the red X. This new task will be more difficult.

Place the new task to the right of the previous (task). This way, you will always know which task is the most recent.

If a fist or handshake is shown next to the hourglass, follow the instructions for the fist if you are playing competitively or for the handshake if playing cooperatively.

Finally, discard the Month's end card to the Event Card discard pile. Then, flip the discard pile over without shuffling it to create a new Event Deck. Randomly draw a new Event Card with number 0 and place it on top of the new deck. The next active player will start by revealing this event.

New Ships: A 6th Color and Items

The Ares Pirates represent a new, sixth ship color. If there are 6 ships of different color in the harbor display, the active player may take 4 cards from the harbor.

In addition, all ships in this expansion carry items: the Ares Pirates carry either the Book of Rituals or Medicinal Herbs. The other 5 ship types carry either Bread or Rum.

If you take any of these ships in Phase 2, you always have 2 options:

• Take the coin or, in some cases, the crown, and then place the ship in the appropriate discard pile. (For the coin, take 1 card from the draw deck as usual, and for the crown, move your marker forward on your Crown Card).

OR

• Put the ship card in your personal display. You now have this item that you can use later for a task, an expedition, or the innkeeper, or an Ares Pirat to discard as required by many tasks.

Important: In both cases you receive 1 additional coin if you have a trader of the ship's color (or a captain, priest, or settler from this expansion) in your display.

For further information on cards from this expansion consult the Appendix.

Game End

In the cooperative game, the game ends immediately during the Month's End as soon as the hourglass icon directs you to Card 9. To be successful, you must have fulfilled the conditions stated on card 9:

• Each task must have been fulfilled by at least 1 player.
• Altogether, you must have placed at least as many markers on the tasks as indicated on the conditions list.
• Altogether, you must have collected at least as many victory points as indicated on the conditions list.

If you have completed all of these conditions successfully, take the Story Card with the number next to the green check mark and read the end of the chapter aloud. You can start your next game with the next chapter. (At the beginning of the next game, leave all of the completed Chapter Cards in the box).

If you did not succeed, you will need to play the chapter again. In this next game, you can begin with 3 additional coins in total. Decide together how to best divide the coins among the players. For each additional failure within this chapter, you will receive 3 additional coins for the next game. After 3 failures, you will have 9 coins to distribute to the players according to your group decision. Once you have successfully finished the chapter, start the next chapter without any additional coins!

The crowning achievement for a successful cooperative adventure is to play through all 5 chapters one after the other without a single defeat.

In the competitive game, the game ends as soon as one player has reached at least 12 victory points (via person cards, expeditions, and/or the Crown Card) and has fulfilled at least 2 tasks so that the trophy is revealed in the first window. In other words, no one can win unless they have the trophy available. For this reason, there is a specific Month's End hourglass effect that allows you to pay 8 coins to remove the left-most marker on your Character Card at the end of the month and return it to the box. Then prepare the Event Deck as usual.

When the game end is triggered, finish the current round (so that each player has been active player an equal number of times). The player who has revealed their trophy and has the most victory points wins. Victory points include points from persons, expeditions, and the Crown Card. In case of a tie, the tied player with fewer markers left on their Character Card wins. If still tied, the tied player with the most coins wins.

You may then begin a new game with the next chapter.

Important: Prior to the next game, prepare the game as described in the Game Preparation section. Any Playing Cards that were shuffled in with the base game Playing Cards remain in the draw deck; do not sort them out after a defeat or win (unless you want to play the base game without this expansion). These Playing Cards may still play a role in later chapters.

Variant: The Variable Competitive Game

Have you already completed the whole adventure? Then you can continue to play as follows (leave the 39 new Playing Cards in the deck):

Sort out the 15 task cards with the small red star at the top right from the Story Cards. Shuffle these, and randomly select 4 and place them faceup side by side. These are your tasks for the game.

Create the Event Deck as described in the table on page 2. Place the card with the number 3 under the stack instead of the card with the number 2. You will now be able to remove the leftmost marker from your Character Card back to the box at the end of each month for 10 coins. There are no other changes.

Appendix: The Cards

Character Cards

As soon as you complete your first task, remove the leftmost marker from your Character Card. This unlocks your character's special ability. You can use it just as you would use a person's skill or in addition to it.

• Grace "Kid" May: If you end your turn due to 2 ships of the same color in the harbor display and there are 4 or less cards in the harbor display, gain 2 coins. (You must end your turn.)
• Jacques Grandeur: Whenever you fulfill an Expedition, receive 2 crowns.
• Jean Blackbeard: Same as Sailor.
• Lady Anne: Same as Mademoiselle.
• Master Ferdinando: Same as Trader (however, you get 1 crown instead of 1 coin).
• Officer Scott: Same as Admiral (however, you get only 1 instead of 2 coins).
• Peter "Snug" Landman: Same as Trader.
• Cutthroat Mary: Whenever it is your time to take a card/cards during Phase 2: Trade & Hire and there are currently 3 or more ships in the harbor display, you immediately gain 1 coin.
• Samuel Blackguard: You receive 2 coins as a one-time bonus.
• Thomas Fishborn: Same as Lookout (see below).

Event Cards

As the first action in their turn, the active player always reveals the top card of the Event Deck. The card's effect takes place either immediately, in Phase 1, or in Phase 2 – depending on the card's instructions. After resolving the event, discard the Event Card.

The last card of the Event Deck is always a Month's End card. When drawn, you must complete the Month's End effect that is depicted next to the hourglass on the most recent task. This continues the story for this chapter and adds a new task to the display that is always placed to the right of the last task. Finally, place the Month's End card in the Event Card discard pile. Then, flip the discard pile over without shuffling it to create a new Event Deck. Randomly draw a new Event Card with number 0 and place it on top of the new deck. The next active player will start by revealing this event.

Playing Cards

• Ares Pirates (x8): If you trade with the Ares Pirates (a very tough situation), place the card on the discard pile. You only receive 1 coin for this. Alternatively, you may place the card in your display, which represents your acquisition of an item from the pirates, either a Book of Rituals or Medicinal Herbs. You can use these later in the game for a task or an expedition. In addition, many tasks require that you discard Ares Pirates in order to fulfill them.
• Tybuk Brothers (x3): Their swords count towards repelling ships the same as for the sailors and pirates in the base game.
• Lookout (x5): As an active player, you may look at the top 3 cards of the draw deck once per turn. Then place 2 cards into the discard pile without effect. Place the 3rd card back on top of the draw deck. Then you may decide whether to reveal more cards (you know the next card) or to proceed to Phase 2.
• Captain, Priest, Settler (1 of each): In addition to the icon that is used for expeditions, these persons enable you to take 1 additional coin when you trade with the Ares Pirates – either when you place the ship in the discard pile or when you place the ship in your personal display for the item.
• Expeditions (x3): The new expeditions are used in the same way as those in the base game. If an expedition is revealed, place it above the harbor display in its own place. It remains there until an active player completes it during their turn. To do so, that active player has to discard the listed cards. He then places the expedition in his display and takes the indicated coins from the draw deck. This can be done at any time during his turn. The victory points indicated are now part of his score. Players may complete multiple expeditions even in a single turn.
• Innkeeper (x5): If it is your turn as either the active or inactive player and there are 4 or more cards in the harbor display, you receive 1 crown and you may also sell 1 bread or 1 rum at the price listed on the innkeeper card.
• Tax Increase (x2): The new Tax Increases are used the same way as those in the base game. However, the tax only affects players with 16 or more coins. These players must immediately discard half of their coins (rounded down) to the discard pile. Then the player(s) with the fewest victory points gain(s) 2 coins from the draw pile (even if they have no victory points).

Tasks

Each task shows what is required to complete it. If there is a minus sign in front of the number, the corresponding cards must be discarded. Otherwise, you only need to have the cards in your personal display. The stated number is the minimum required, for example, you can have more swords than needed in your display.

Usually, you are not required to complete a task as soon as you meet its requirements – you can do so later, if you wish.

• Task 13: To fulfill this task, the player must discard 4 coins and have at least 1 priest in their display.
• Task 30: To fulfill this task, the player must have at least 1 expedition in their display.
• Task 40: To fulfill this task, the player must have at least 3 persons in their display that cost 3 coins (or maybe less in the future). (Possible discounts from the Mademoiselle do not apply.)
• Task 41: To fulfill this task, the player must discard 1 Ares Pirates card with Medicinal Herbs and 1 ship with bread.

Regarding the following 5 tasks you have to decide immediately, if you want to complete the task or not.

• Task 33 & 34: These 2 tasks may only be fulfilled by the active player. If there are at least 4 ships of different color in the harbor display, the active player may immediately place 1 of their markers on this task. For task number 34, they must also discard 5 coins to fulfill the task.
• Task 50: For this task, everyone must immediately decide if they want to place one of their markers on this task, in case they have to pay taxes.
• Task 51: This task may only be fulfilled by the active player. To fulfill this task, the active player must immediately stop after placing the 4th card in the harbor display. They must also pay 5 coins and take 1 card less than allowed, which almost always means they take no card.
• Task 52: This task may only be fulfilled by the active player. To fulfill this task, the active player must stop after placing only 1 card in the harbor display. Then they may place 1 of their markers in the top field. Any markers in this field do not count as being placed on a task (important for the victory condition in the cooperative game). On any future turn, the player can stop again after only placing 1 card in the harbor display as the active player. They may then move their marker from the first field to the second field on the card. Markers on this second field count as being placed on a task.

Event Card Text

The text of the Event Cards printed in the expansion, as shown on the card faces. Event Cards numbered 0 form the base Event Deck; the card numbered 1 is added for solo and 2-player games; the card numbered 2 (Month's End) is placed under the facedown Event Deck; the card numbered 3 replaces it in the variable competitive game. Icons are described in words.

Event Cards Numbered 0

• Favorable Opportunity: Phase 2: The cost of hiring Persons is reduced by 1 Coin.
• Black Market: Immediately: Whoever returns 1 Crown gains 4 Coins (maximum 1 time).
• Peaceful Trade: Immediately: Whoever has at most 1 Sword in their display gains 1 Crown per Trader.
• Detested Pinnace: Phase 1: For each Pinnace (yellow ship) that you repel, gain 1 Crown. All other players who could have repelled this Pinnace, also gain 1 Crown.
• Blessing in Disguise: Phase 1: If you are forced to forfeit the rest of your turn and there are at most 4 cards in the harbor display, gain 2 coins.
• Scarce Coffers: Immediately: Whoever pays 2 Coins gains 1 Crown (maximum 1 time).
• Risky Maneuver: Phase 1: If you stop drawing cards and at least 3 ships of different colours are in the harbor display, gain 1 Crown.
• Join Forces: Phase 1: 1 player of your choice gains 1 coin from the draw deck. For this turn, you may add that player's Swords to your total. Solo Play: Exchange this event for a randomly drawn event.
• A Stitch in Time: Phase 1: If you stop drawing cards and exactly 3 cards are in the harbor display, gain 1 Coin.
• Recruitment: Immediately: All players with at least 1 Captain gain 1 Coin.
• Trade in Blue: Phase 2: Whoever trades with a Flute (blue ship) gains an additional 1 Crown.

Event Cards Numbered 1, 2 and 3

• Bribery (1): Immediately: All players receive 2 coins per Jester and – as much as they can – must pay 2 coins for each Governor and Admiral.
• Month's End (2): Immediately: Complete the Month's End effect on the last task card. Discard this card to the Event Card discard pile. Take the discard pile and turn it over to create a new Event Deck. Then place 1 random Event Card with the number 0 on top. The next active player will reveal this new Event Card to begin their turn.
• Month's End (3): Immediately: the icon shows 10 coins with an arrow to a marker cube (the variable competitive game's option to remove the leftmost marker from your Character Card back to the box for 10 coins). Discard this card to the Event Card discard pile. Take the discard pile and turn it over to create a new Event Deck and place 1 random Event Card with the number 0 on top. The next active player will reveal this new Event Card to begin their turn.