Search for the Emperor's Treasure Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Inventory of Game Parts
  • The Economy
  • Wound Markers
• How to Start
  • Player/Character Cooperation
• Sequence of Play
• Movement
• Exploration
  • Exploration Chart
• Encounters
  • Battle Sequence
  • Hostile Encounters at Sea
• Encounter Descriptions
• Treasure
  • List of Treasures
  • Imperial Treasures
• Arms
• Magic
  • Magic Spells
  • Spell Descriptions
  • Magic Scrolls
  • Magic Weapons
  • Imperial Treasures (Magic Effects)
• Traveling Companions
• The Map
• Strategy Tips
• Summary of Encounter Characteristics
• How to Win
• Optional Rules
  • Blood & Guts
  • Traveling Together
  • Time Limit
  • Experience Points
  • Improved Abilities
• Credits
• Example of Play: Ozmo's Odyssey in Emperor's Treasure

Inventory of Game Parts

Your Search for the Emperor's Treasure game should contain the following:

• 172 game markers (attached to the map), including:
  • 34 Treasure chits
  • 8 Character chits
  • 42 Encounter chits
  • 27 Arms chits
  • 26 Spell chits
  • 2 Ship markers
  • 2 Boat markers
  • 45 Wound markers
• 1 sheet of 8 character cards (attached to map)
• 1 playing map
• 1 rules booklet
• Several six-sided dice (you provide these)

All character counters and most of the encounter chits have three numbers printed on them. These are their personal attributes. Detailed information on every encounter chit may be found in the Encounter Descriptions.

• Escape Number is used when attempting to flee from a hostile encounter. The higher the number, the better the chance of escape.
• Wound Number is the number of wounds required to kill the character or creature.
• Ability Score is added to any weapon (sometimes a spell) used by the character. If the character or creature has no weapon, this number is the number of attack dice it may use during melee (see Battle Sequence).

The Economy

Any spell markers not chosen by the players, plus the 2 ships and the 2 boats and all unused Wound Markers, are kept near the edge of the map during play. As needed, these markers will be taken from, and returned to, the Economy.

Wound Markers

These small chits are used repeatedly during the game. When a character is wounded during a hostile encounter, the player must place the correct number of Wound Markers on his character card. These markers come in various denominations, so players can make change. If the number of wounds accumulated equals or exceeds the character's Wound Number, he is dead and out of the game.

When a player manages to heal a character's wound or wounds, the appropriate markers are returned to the Economy.

During hostile encounters, it will be necessary to keep track of wounds inflicted on creatures drawn from the Encounter Pool. This is also done with Wound Markers. When the encounter is over, the Encounter chit is returned to the Encounter Pool, even if the creature was killed.

If a ship or boat is wounded (sustains damage), a separate set of Wound Markers must be kept for the vessel. When a ship or boat is returned to the Economy, its damage is repaired, and it becomes available again.

How to Start

The First Time: Carefully remove your copy of Search for the Emperor's Treasure from the center of this issue of Dragon magazine. Cut the playing pieces and the sheet of character cards away from the game map. Then, before you do anything else, glue the playing pieces to heavy stock. Self-adhesive vinyl floor tile makes an excellent backing for the game parts, and can be cut with a pair of scissors. The character cards may be cut out without need of backing.

Sorting: The cut-out playing pieces (chits) must be sorted into groups. You will need 3 dry cups or other similar containers to hold most of the pieces. All Encounter chits are placed in one cup. This is the Encounter Pool. All Treasure chits are placed in another cup, to form the Treasure Pool, and the Arms chits are placed in the third cup, to make the Arms Pool.

Back-fold the map along the center crease so it will lay flat on a table. Set aside an area near the map for the three pools and the unused game markers (the Economy), such as ships, boats, and spells.

Selecting a Character: Each person will play the role of one of the 8 characters provided in the game. Place the 8 Character Cards (2 magicians, 2 fighters, 2 elves, and 2 clerics) in the center of the map. Each player now rolls two dice. The high roll gets the first pick. Selection then proceeds clockwise around the table. Each player takes one character; the remainder are out of play for this game. When character selection is complete, place each character's chit on the map at the Inn of Nobnodd. The Character Card is kept in front of the player.

Personal Possessions: Each player should draw one chit from the Arms Pool and place it on his Character Card. This is all they have when the game begins. Other personal possessions (more arms, clues, treasures, etc.) obtained during the game must be kept face up (for all to see) on or next to the Character Card in front of each player. The card will state if a character may use a weapon or shield. Additional arms can be obtained during the game. A character may carry a weapon or shield he cannot use.

Characters who can use magic spells should now select their starting spells (see Magic). Spells are not considered to be personal possessions but must be kept face up in front of the player until they are cast.

Player/Character Cooperation

Any time characters occupy the same space, the players may trade, buy, and sell possessions between each other. They may not attack one another nor help each other during an encounter.

Sequence of Play

Play consists of a series of turns which proceed from player to player clockwise around the board. Play begins with the most experienced player (if there is dispute over this, roll dice to see who goes first). A player-turn usually consists of several events. Sometimes a player's actions will result in an encounter for a different player. During a turn, a player may do many things, but they must be done in the proper order.

1. MOVE: A player must announce that he intends to move. A player may choose to stay in place. Movement is optional. To move, roll a single die and then move from space to space along the marked trails on the map. A "meditating" player may not move (see Magic).
2. TURN IN CLUES: If the player has arrived at the location indicated by a treasure clue (or delivers Maid Marywin or the Elf Princess to her destination), the clue (or Encounter) chit is returned to the Encounter Pool and the player draws the proper number of treasures from the Treasure Pool.
3. EXPLORE: If the player's marker is in any area listed on the Exploration Chart, roll one die and take the action indicated.
4. ENCOUNTER: If the player's marker is not in any of the areas named on the Exploration Chart, he must draw one chit from the Encounter Pool. If the encounter applies to the type of terrain the character is in, it must be resolved. If the encounter does not apply to the one who drew it, he or she has the option of presenting it to any other player, provided his character is in the right terrain. If the Encounter chit does not apply to the player who drew it, and he does not present it to another player, the chit is returned to the Encounter Pool.

A hostile encounter is one in which the character is attacked. If a character runs away (see Escape) from a hostile encounter, he must drop any one personal possession (if any are owned).

Movement

Movement is always optional, but a player must announce that he is making a movement die roll before rolling the die. The result of this die roll is the player's movement total. Movement is from point to point along the trails and sea lanes on the map. Inside each point on the map is a number that must be subtracted from the movement total. Note: All civilized areas and the Mines of Zerta cost one point to enter.

When a player's movement total reaches zero or less, he must stop moving. But even a single movement point can be used, regardless of terrain. A player with one movement point could still enter a mountain space (this would end his turn). The unpaid movement cost does not carry over to the next turn.

A player may pass through or occupy the same space as other players without penalty. A player need not move the entire number rolled, and may backtrack, or even choose not to move at all after the movement die is rolled.

To move by sea, a player must obtain a ship or boat. A player using a teleport spell may move immediately to any space on the map.

Movement costs for the various terrain types are as follows:

• Clear terrain (pale green): 1
• Desert (yellow): 1
• Wastes (grey): 1
• Forest (dark green): 2
• Swamp (grass symbols): 2
• Coastal Sea (light blue): 2
• Deep Sea (dark blue): 2
• Mountains (brown): 3
• Civilized Areas: 1

The Vanishing Oasis is a special place. When a player is trying to move onto or through it, he must test to see if it can be found. Move the character's token adjacent to (but not onto) the oasis and roll one die. If the result is an even number, the player's movement continues into and/or through the oasis. (It costs one point to enter the oasis.) If the result is an odd number, the player cannot find the oasis and loses the rest of that turn's movement.

Sea Movement: Sea movement is very similar to land movement. To move by sea, a player must first obtain a ship or boat (through exploration) in a coastal village, city or castle. If all boats and ships are in use, the player must wait until one becomes available (there are two of each). When a ship or boat is found, it is placed among a player's personal possessions.

As long as a character remains in a coastal area or is at sea, he may retain possession of a ship or boat. A character may not hold more than one seagoing vessel at a time. If a character moves inland, a boat or ship in his possession is returned to the Economy.

Teleportation: This is a special form of movement, available only to a magician holding a teleport spell or any character holding a teleport scroll (a treasure). Teleportation may occur in place of the movement die roll, or may be done during an encounter to escape enemies.

When teleporting, the player and all of his or her personal possessions (but not a traveling companion) are moved immediately to any other space on the map. If a player with a boat or ship teleports to an inland space, the vessel is returned to the Economy.

If a player teleports away from an encounter and it is not that player's turn, he must still resolve exploration and possible encounters after the teleportation. Once that is complete, play returns to the normal player order.

Exploration

When a player ends a turn in a city, village, castle, or other civilized area (or the Mines of Zerta), he must roll one die and consult the Exploration Chart. This determines the character's success in finding what he seeks. A player must follow the action indicated by the die roll. Explanations are printed following the chart.

A meditating player ignores all results but "Encounter" and "Must Leave."

Exploration Chart

Inland Village/Inn

1. Arms
2. Heal one wound
3. Encounter
4. No action
5. No action
6. No action

Coastal Village

1. Arms or Boat
2. Heal one wound
3. Encounter
4. No action
5. Boat
6. Boat

Mines of Zerta*

1. Arms
2. Arms
3. Second Encounter
4. Must Leave
5. Treasure
6. Treasure

Inland Castle

1. Arms
2. Arms
3. No action
4. Must Leave
5. No action
6. Treasure

Coastal Castle

1. Arms or Boat
2. Arms or Boat
3. Boat or Ship
4. Must Leave
5. Boat or Ship
6. Treasure

Walled City

1. Arms or Boat
2. Encounter
3. Encounter
4. Boat or Ship
5. Treasure
6. Treasure

Monastery

1. Heal all wounds
2. Heal all wounds
3. No action
4. Must Leave
5. No action
6. Heal one wound

Wizard's Tower

1. Arms
2. Heal all wounds
3. Encounter
4. Must Leave
5. Encounter
6. Treasure

Pirate Lair

1. Arms or Boat
2. Encounter
3. Encounter
4. Must Leave
5. Treasure
6. Treasure

Imperial Capital**

1. Arms or Boat
2. Heal one wound
3. Encounter
4. Must Leave
5. Boat or Ship
6. Treasure

* — A player exploring the Mines of Zerta must automatically draw one encounter before rolling on the Exploration Chart.

** — If a player in the Imperial Capital is returning treasure to the emperor, no exploration die roll is made on that turn.

• ARMS: The player may draw one chit from the Arms Pool.
• ENCOUNTER: The player must draw one chit from the Encounter Pool.
• HEAL ONE WOUND: The player (if wounded) returns one Wound Marker to the Economy.
• HEAL ALL WOUNDS: The player (if wounded) returns all of his Wound Markers to the Economy.
• MUST LEAVE: The player has gotten into trouble and is chased out by the locals. Move one space in any direction away from the area.
• ARMS OR BOAT: The player may draw one chit from the Arms Pool or may take a boat from the Economy (if one is available).
• BOAT: The player may take a boat from the Economy (if one is available).
• BOAT OR SHIP: The player may take either a boat or a ship from the Economy. If the player already has a boat, he may return it and take a ship (if available).
• TREASURE: The player may draw one chit from the Treasure Pool.

Encounters

Before the game begins, all the Encounter chits are placed in a cup near the game board. This is known as the Encounter Pool. A player must draw a chit from the Encounter Pool whenever such action is called for by the Exploration Chart, or when his character ends a turn in a wilderness (not civilized) area. Civilized areas include the following: all villages and castles, the Imperial City, the Walled City, the Pirate's Lair, the Monastery, the Wizard's Tower, and the Inn of Nobnodd.

Encounters are generally keyed to terrain. If the chit drawn applies to the type of terrain in which the player's token is located, the encounter must be immediately resolved (see Encounter Descriptions). If the terrain type listed for the encounter is inappropriate (i.e., a Deep Sea encounter is drawn when a character is on land), that player may present the encounter to any other player whose character is located in the type of terrain called for by the encounter chit.

If the player who drew the encounter does not wish to present it to another player, or if the encounter does not apply to any of the other players, the chit is simply returned to the Encounter Pool. In any case, if the encounter chit does not apply to the player who drew it, the encounter is over for that player.

Encounters can be peaceful or hostile. A peaceful encounter is one in which there is no fighting between the player and the creature encountered. Treasure clues and encounters that do not apply to the player who drew the chit are also considered peaceful for that player.

When any encounter chit is drawn, consult the Encounter Descriptions given below to determine exactly how the encountered creature will react.

If the Encounter Description indicates that the creature encountered is going to attack, the encounter is hostile and a battle must be resolved. During a hostile encounter, the person to the left of the player under attack, or the person who presented the encounter to a player (if it came from another player), plays the role of the attacking creature. The creature named on the Encounter chit is the attacker, and the player under attack is the defender.

Each battle consists of a series of rounds. During each round, each side may make one attack against the other. Attacks are considered to be simultaneous.

Battle Sequence

1. Range Determination: Both sides roll one die. The difference between the two die rolls is the number of rounds it will take for the combatants to reach one another and begin hand-to-hand combat (Melee). This phase of the battle is known as the Approach. If both combatants roll the same number, there is no Approach, and the battle proceeds directly to Melee (below).

2. The Approach: Once during each round of the approach, the attacker and the defender may fire missile weapons at one another, either with a bow and arrow or a sling. (Note: Brigands are the only encounter with missile weapons.) After each round of the Approach, the defender may attempt to escape (see Escape Attempt). The attacker may only attempt to escape if the creature attacking can only absorb one more wound before dying.

   If there is no missile fire and the defender does not want to run away, proceed to Melee.

3. Melee: The opponents are now close together and must use hand-held weapons (or bare hands if a character has no weapon). The attacker's dice are printed in the lower left corner of the chit. The defender adds his or her Ability Score to the number of dice given by the weapon being used. Thus, a fighter (ability of 3) with an axe (2 dice) would roll 5 attack dice. Each player may roll attack dice once per round of melee.

   A roll of 5 or 6 on any die is a hit. Each hit (unless absorbed by a shield, weapon or spell) causes one wound on the opponent. The attacks are simultaneous, so it doesn't matter who rolls first. As the battle progresses, Wound Markers are placed next to the attacker's chit and on or near the defender's card.

   After each round of Melee, the defender may attempt to escape (see Escape Attempt). The attacker may only attempt to escape if the creature has only one wound remaining before death.

Escape Attempt: After each round of Approach or Melee, the defender may attempt to escape by rolling two dice. This is called the escape roll. The number rolled is modified by the difference between the Escape Numbers of the attacker and defender. If the defender's Escape Number is larger, the difference is added to the escape roll. If the defender's Escape Number is smaller, the difference is subtracted from the escape roll. If the Escape Numbers of the attacker and defender are identical, there is no modification to the escape roll. If the modified escape roll is 7 or higher, the defender is considered to have escaped from the attacker, and the encounter is over.

Example: The elf Nruff (Escape Number 8) is in combat with the Mountain Lion (Escape Number 9). Several rounds of Melee have passed, and Nruff can only sustain three more wounds before being killed. The elf attempts to escape. Since the difference in Escape Numbers is 1 in favor of the lion (the attacker), Nruff's escape roll must be an 8 or more for the escape attempt to succeed.

The attacker may not attempt to escape from an encounter until it has only one wound remaining before death — at which time most attackers are required to attempt escape at the end of each round. If the attacker is trying to escape and the defender does not wish to continue the fight, the defender may simply allow the attacker to run away, thereby ending the encounter.

After a successful escape by either the attacker or the defender, the player's marker remains in the same space on the map and the encounter chit is returned to the Encounter Pool. Any player who escapes from an attacker must drop (return to the appropriate pool) any single personal possession, lost in the haste of the escape. Personal possessions do not include spells, wounds, or traveling companions.

Use of Magic During Encounters: Most characters have the ability to use spells. A player may use a spell at any time during a hostile encounter; however, the casting of a spell or reading of a magic scroll takes time. A player who casts a spell or reads from a magic scroll may take no other action during that particular round of Melee or Approach. If the spell does not take effect for some reason, the character casting it is not permitted to use a weapon attack or attempt to cast another spell in place of the ruined spell.

Shields and Other Defenses: Fighters and elves may use shields during encounters. When a shield is used, it absorbs the number of hits (wounds) listed on the chit for that shield. These hits are always deducted before the character using the shield takes any wounds. After the shield has done its job for one encounter, it is not destroyed; it just cannot take any more hits during that encounter. On any subsequent hostile encounter, the shield will again be able to absorb hits.

Certain weapons also have the ability to absorb (parry) a few hits during a hostile encounter. These are the staff, sword, axe, mace, and great sword. This ability is identical to that of a shield. If a character is using a shield in addition to one of these weapons, hits are taken first by the shield and then by the weapon. After the weapon has done its job, hits will begin to register as wounds against the character. As with a shield, a parrying weapon regains the ability to absorb blows on a subsequent encounter.

Note: Only one weapon and one shield may absorb hits during a single encounter. A player with several weapons or shields may change arms between rounds, but no additional hits may be absorbed by a new weapon or shield.

Players may also use protection scrolls or spells to obtain effects identical to those of a shield. When the scroll or spell is used, however, it is returned to the appropriate pool or the Economy.

Hostile Encounters at Sea

When a player on a ship or boat at sea is attacked, special rules must be followed. A player at sea may use a shield, a weapon, and spells to parry and absorb hits, except during a Storm at Sea. A player at sea may add the attack value of his ship or boat to the character's attack dice total. Any hits on the defender may be applied instead to the ship or boat, if the defender so chooses. Wounds registered against a ship or boat are considered to be structural damage. If a ship or boat takes the maximum number of wounds it can absorb, it sinks and the player is considered Lost at Sea (see below).

A player located in a coastal land area and in possession of a ship or boat may not use that vessel during a hostile encounter. The vessel is considered to be at the docks and not available for the player's use unless it is actually taken out to sea (moved into a sea area).

Lost at Sea: If a player's boat or ship is sunk, the player is Lost at Sea. A player who is Lost at Sea is likely to lose most of his personal possessions, and will be washed ashore at the Pirate Lair. To determine which possessions a player will save, the player rolls one die for each weapon, treasure, or clue among his belongings. On a roll of 5 or 6, the particular item is saved. On any other result, the item is returned to its appropriate pool.

Encounter Descriptions

The following list of Encounter Descriptions is in alphabetical order. When learning the rules, it is not necessary to read through all the Encounter Descriptions.

When an Encounter chit is drawn, refer to the appropriate description. The number following the name in each description indicates the quantity of that chit found in the pool.

Black Bear (2); found in Mountains and Forests. The black bear will attack anyone who crosses its path. It will not negotiate.

Brigands (1); found in Any land area. Brigands are a motley bunch of thieves who will attack any traveler who does not pay them a handsome bribe. The defender must roll one die and divide the result in half, rounding down (but a roll of 1 is always treated as 1). This number represents the number of treasures the brigands will demand. If the character is able and willing to pay the bribe (by returning the appropriate number of treasures to the pool), the brigands will depart peacefully. Otherwise, they will attack. Note that the brigands have the ability to fire missile weapons during the Approach.

If the brigands are killed in combat, the victor receives one draw from the Treasure Pool. If the brigands escape, the character receives one draw from the Weapons Pool.

Brown Bear (2); found in Mountains. The brown bear is no friendlier than its black cousin. It will attack anyone who crosses its path. It will not negotiate.

Demon (1); found near volcano. The demon will only appear in five particular locations near the volcano: the Monastery, the Village of Despin, the two mountain areas between those locations, and the mountain area directly north of Fragon Birg.

This hideous creature occasionally ventures forth from the bowels of the earth to wreak havoc. He will attack any traveler. The demon is seeking the Stone of Fire (a treasure). If this is given to him, he will return to his fiery home in the volcano without attacking (return the Stone of Fire to the Treasure Pool and the demon to the Encounter Pool). The demon will make no other deals. If he is defeated in combat, the player receives one draw from the Treasure Pool. The demon is an exception to the "must attempt to escape" rule; he will not run away and always fights to the death.

Desert Rat (1); found in Desert areas. This scruffy denizen of the desert is always hungry, and usually bites off more than it can chew. It will attack anyone it meets and it will not negotiate.

Ed Eagle (1); found in Mountains and Forests. Ed is the wisest and largest of all eagles in the land. He can sometimes be persuaded to travel along with a player for a few turns. To determine Ed's reaction, roll one die. An odd-numbered result means that Ed is bored and immediately flies away. An even-numbered result means that Ed will join the traveler (see Traveling Companions).

Elephant (1); found in Forests. Many years ago the elephant came to this land as part of an invading army. In a great battle, all others of his kind were slain. The surviving elephant was found in a miserable state by a band of friendly forest elves, who nursed him back to health. Since then the elephant has lived in the woods. He has a mortal fear of mankind, and will either immediately attack or run away from any humans he encounters. Any character except an elf who meets up with the elephant must roll one die: A result of 1-3 means the elephant will attack, and a roll of 4-6 means the elephant will run away (no escape roll needed in this case). The elephant will automatically join up with any elf traveler he encounters (see Traveling Companions).

Elf Princess (1); found in Any land area. The princess is on an important mission, but she has lost her escort. Any traveler who accompanies the princess to her destination by the shortest possible route (in number of areas traveled) will receive one draw from the Treasure Pool. Upon arrival at the destination, the princess is returned to the Encounter Pool. Any deviation from the shortest possible route for any reason will cause the princess to leave the player (return the chit to the Encounter Pool).

To determine the princess's destination, roll three dice and consult this chart:

Roll	Destination	Roll	Destination
3	Inn of Nobnodd	11	Village of Scrab
4	Mines of Zerta	12	The Imperial Capital
5	Wizard's Tower	13	The Walled City
6	Midland Castle	14	Grenger Castle
7	The Pirate Lair	15	The Monastery
8	River Castle	16	Village of Mohg
9	Fragon Birg	17	Village of Saltz
10	Village of Nebbswitt	18	Village of Despin

If the player is presently located in the destination called for by the chart, another roll must be made to determine a different destination.

The princess is skilled in elvin magic and, if needed (at the option of the controlling player), is able to deliver an elvin magic bolt of 4-dice strength (she has no Ability Score) during each round of battle.

Evil Sorcerer (1); found in Any area on the map. Nobody knows where they came from, but evil sorcerers seem to be the root of the Emperor's problems. They cruise throughout the land mounted on flying reptiles, seeking any magical items in general but the Imperial Treasures most of all.

When this encounter chit is drawn, it does not automatically apply to the player who drew it. The sorcerer will always seek out the player with the most Imperial Treasures. If no player has an Imperial Treasure, the sorcerer will seek out the player with the greatest number of magic items (including magic arms and scrolls, but not spells). In case of a tie between two or more players, those involved should roll two dice. The sorcerer will go after the player who rolls the lowest number. If no players have Imperial Treasures or magic items, the sorcerer is thwarted (for now...) and returns to the Encounter Pool.

The player confronted by the evil sorcerer must either give up all the magic treasures in that player's possession or fight the sorcerer. The plus sign following the sorcerer's ability score indicates that the sorcerer may add one to each of his die rolls during an attack. (In other words, instead of needing a 5 or 6 on a die to score a hit, the sorcerer can also score a hit with a roll of 4, which becomes 5 after the sorcerer's bonus is added.) If the sorcerer is killed in combat, the player may draw one chit from the Treasure Pool. If the sorcerer runs away from combat, the player may make one draw from the Weapons Pool.

Fish Fiend (1); found in Any coastal land area, Swamp, or anywhere at sea. This horrid carnivorous fish has the ability to climb out of the water in search of a meal. It will attack anyone it encounters and will not negotiate.

Giant Squid (1); found in Deep sea areas. This enormous cephalopod occasionally comes to the surface of the sea in search of a ship or boat full of fresh tidbits for its next meal. It will attack anyone and will not negotiate.

Great Whale (1); found in Deep sea areas. The great whale is a leviathan from the deep with a grudge against ships and boats (they occasionally stick things into him). The whale will attack anyone and will not negotiate.

Holy Man (1); found in Mountains, Wastes and Desert areas. Nobody knows how long this kindly old man has been wandering the land. If encountered, the holy man will attempt to heal the player's wounds (roll one die and heal that number of wounds). If the player encountering the holy man is not wounded, the old gent will simply bless the traveler and wander on (return to the Encounter Pool).

Holy Woman (1); found in Forests and Swamp areas. She wanders through different areas of the countryside, but in all other respects the holy woman is the same as the holy man when encountered. She will heal a player's wounds (roll one die for the number of wounds healed), and if the player encountering her is not wounded, she will share her food with the traveler and move on.

Imperial Patrol (2); found in Any land area. The emperor has sent groups of his soldiers out to search for his treasures. If a patrol encounters a player who possesses an Imperial Treasure, the soldiers will attempt to confiscate it. The only way for a player to avoid this is to defeat the patrol in combat. If the player does not wish to fight, he must turn over all Imperial Treasures in his possession. These treasures are not returned to the Treasure Pool, but are placed face up at the edge of the map and are out of play for the rest of the game.

If there is no fighting (either because the player has no Imperial Treasures or because he surrenders them), the patrol will remain with the player until the beginning of that player's next turn. During that time, the patrol will assist the player in combating any hostile encounters presented by other players. Simply add their attack dice to those of the player.

The patrol cannot be bribed. If the patrol is defeated in combat, the victor may draw one chit from the Treasure Pool. If the patrol runs away from combat, the player may draw one chit from the Arms Pool. Once the patrol has done its job or has been defeated in combat, the chit is returned to the Encounter Pool.

Mad Magician (1); found in the Wizard's Tower or the Mines of Zerta. The Mad Magician is intent upon gathering as many magic items as he can. A player who encounters the Mad Magician must roll one die. The number rolled is the maximum number of magic treasures (not spells) that the magician will be willing to trade for. A player may exchange any single magic treasure for two draws from the Treasure Pool by simply handing over the item to the magician. This may be repeated as many times as the player desires, up to the limit of the die roll. Or, if the player does not wish to trade with him, the magician will be mad, but will not attack. The player may only trade items which were in his possession at the start of the encounter. When all of the trading and drawing is done, the items given to the magician are returned to the Treasure Pool and the magician is returned to the Encounter Pool. If the magician is attacked, he will simply disappear.

Maid Marywin (1); found in Any land area. This noble lady is abroad in search of her long-lost husband. While on her journey, her retinue was murdered by a band of brigands and her horses were stolen. She will reward a player who escorts her to her destination by the shortest possible route (in number of areas traveled). Any deviation from the shortest possible route will cause her to leave the player and return to the Encounter Pool. When she arrives at her destination, her chit is returned to the Encounter Pool and the player takes two chits from the Treasure Pool.

To determine Maid Marywin's destination, roll three dice and consult the following chart:

Roll	Destination	Roll	Destination
3	Inn of Nobnodd	11	Village of Scrab
4	Mines of Zerta	12	The Imperial Capital
5	Wizard's Tower	13	The Walled City
6	Midland Castle	14	Grenger Castle
7	Pirate Lair	15	The Monastery
8	River Castle	16	Village of Mohg
9	Fragon Birg	17	Village of Saltz
10	Village of Nebbswitt	18	Village of Despin

If the player is presently located at the destination indicated by the dice roll, another roll must be made to determine a different destination.

Mountain Lion (1); found in Mountains. The mountain lion is a cunning and stealthy beast. It will attack anyone who crosses its path and it cannot be bribed. Because it waits for the right moment to pounce on its victim, the player will have no chance to use missile weapons — there is no Approach during battle with the mountain lion; proceed directly to Melee.

Obtuse Genie (1); found in The Walled City. This devilish djinn pops out of a bottle and takes an immediate dislike to any player he encounters. Roll one die; if the result is an odd number, the genie will steal one treasure (selected at random) from the player. If the result is an even number, the player and all of his personal possessions (not traveling companions) are teleported to the Inn of Nobnodd. The genie cannot be engaged in combat. Any treasure he steals is returned to the Treasure Pool.

Olliver J. Dragon (1); found in Any location on map. Olliver, the largest (and only) dragon in this land, is a greedy beast. He is searching for treasure, but is somewhat gullible. A player who encounters Olliver may tell the dragon that some other player has lots of treasure. Olliver will then fly to — and attack — that other player. He will automatically attempt to escape from a battle when he is more than half wounded. Exception: If Olliver is fighting the player holding the +3 Magic Great Sword (whether or not the player can use it), the dragon will fight to the death and will not attempt to escape. If Olliver is killed, the victor may take one draw from the Treasure Pool.

Pirate Galley (1); found in Coastal sea areas. This cursed cruiser of the inshore seaways is rowed about by the miserable survivors plucked from the ships and boats it has plundered. It will attack any boat or ship, and will not negotiate.

Pirate Raiding Party (2); found in Coastal land areas. Every so often the pirates will send a party ashore in search of landlubber loot. Any traveler who does not pay their price will be attacked. A player who encounters a raiding party must roll one die. Divide the result by two, rounding down (with a roll of 1 always treated as 1); this is the number of treasures the pirates will demand. If they are satisfied, they will leave peacefully. If they are not, prepare to defend yourself (proceed to battle). If the raiding party is killed in combat, the victor may take one chit from the Treasure Pool. If the raiding party escapes from combat, the player may draw one chit from the Arms Pool.

Pirate Ship (1); found in Any sea area. The scourge of the seas is feared by one and all. It will attack any ship or boat that crosses its bow. It will not negotiate.

Sea Monster (1); found in Deep sea areas. The behemoth of the deep sea comes to the surface to sun itself and munch an occasional passing boat or ship. It will attack anything it encounters and it cannot be bribed.

Storms at Sea (1); occur Everywhere at sea. Sailors, beware! A typhoon has come upon you! All ships and boats in coastal waters must roll 3 dice; those in deep sea areas must roll 2 dice. (Note that this is an encounter which can affect an area rather than a certain player, and thus can "attack" more than one boat or ship at the same time.) The result of the roll for each boat or ship is the number of wounds (amount of structural damage) inflicted on that vessel by the storm. If a vessel takes its maximum amount of damage, it is sunk and the player is Lost at Sea.

Shields or weapons will not protect a ship from a storm. A player may cast an invisible barrier spell or use a Protection Scroll to help save his ship or boat, but such an attempt must be made before the dice are rolled for that player's vessel.

Thieves by Night (1); found in Any land area. Despite the emperor's best efforts, organized bands of thieves still roam the land. Stealth and darkness are their principal allies. Thieves cannot be engaged in combat, and will attempt to relieve a player of his belongings. A player who encounters thieves must first roll one die to see if the thieves are surprised. If the result is a 1, the player was able to hear their approach and frighten them away. If the result is any other number, the character sleeps through the whole thing and will be lucky to wake up with all his goods. If the thieves are not frightened away, the player must roll one die for every personal possession (including arms, clues, and all treasures but not including spells or traveling companions). If the result is 5 or 6, the thieves steal the item (return it to the appropriate pool).

Treasure Clues (8); found in Any area on the map. Hidden in secret caches, buried under trees, floating in bottles, lost in the pages of ancient tomes . . . One can never tell where a treasure clue will turn up. When a player draws a clue, it is kept face up as a personal possession. Upon arrival at the place named in the clue, the player draws the number of chits specified from the Treasure Pool. The clue is returned to the Encounter Pool.

Note: The Treasure Map (one of the clues) is worth a variable amount. When it is turned in, the player redeeming it must roll one die. The result is the number of treasure chits which may be drawn from the pool.

Trolls (2); found in Swamp areas and the Mines of Zerta. Ever in search of flesh to eat, Ralph or Edna Troll will attack anyone who crosses their path. These loathsome creatures cannot be bribed, and have the ability to regenerate (heal themselves). After every round of combat (unless they were just killed) Ralph or Edna will automatically heal one wound, if he or she is wounded.

If in peril (down to one wound remaining) Ralph will try to escape. However, Edna is foul-tempered and will fight to the death, never attempting to escape.

Vampire Flying Frogs (1); found in Swamp areas. It is said that these blood-sucking amphibians, who swoop down on their victims from treetops, migrated here from a golf course in the faraway, mystical land of Floorida. The frogs will attack anyone who passes beneath their tree, and they cannot be bribed.

Wastrels (2); found in Wastes and Desert areas. These scraggly creatures inhabit the places that few others desire. They consider it an affront when anyone "invades" their homeland, wretched though it may be. Wastrels will attack anyone who crosses their path, and they cannot be bribed.

Wild Boar (1); found in Forests, Mountains and Swamp areas. The breed of boars in this land is somewhat intelligent, and they have been aware for some time that humans and elves like to carve up boars and eat them. Because of this fact, the boars have adopted a policy of "attack first, think about it later." Boars will attack anyone who crosses their path, and they cannot be bribed.

Wolves (2); found in Mountains. At one time, great packs of wolves roamed the mountains and valleys of the land. But years of hunting have reduced their numbers to a sorry few — and those who remain are very angry. Wolves will attack anyone who crosses their path, and they cannot be bribed.

Treasure

There are 34 treasures in the game. Before play begins, they are all placed in a cup near the edge of the map. This cup is known as the Treasure Pool. When a player finds or otherwise obtains a treasure, a chit is drawn from the Treasure Pool by that player. If a player reads a magic scroll, or if a player loses a treasure for any reason, the chit is returned to the Treasure Pool (exception: see Imperial Patrol).

List of Treasures

Imperial Treasures

• Emerald of Life (1)
• Talisman of Quox (1)
• Palantir of Zog (1)
• Sceptre of Balladan (1)
• Battle Ring of Gorath (1)
• Grail of Pale (1)

Regular Riches

• Sacks of silver (4)
• Sacks of gold (2)
• Silver ingots (1)
• Gold ingots (1)
• Gold box (1)
• Gold crown (1)
• Gold cup (1)
• Gold necklace (1)
• Large ruby (1)

Magic Arms & Shields

• Great Sword (1)
• Sword (1)
• Mace (1)
• Axe (1)
• Bow & arrows (1)
• Dagger (1)
• Shields (2)

Magic Scrolls

• Heal Wounds (2)
• Protection (2)
• Teleportation (2)

Mystical Item

• Stone of Fire (1) — sought by the Demon

Imperial Treasures

There are six special magic treasures that belong to Emperor Balladan. When a certain number of these treasures are found, the game ends (see How to Win). Although the magic of a treasure can help a player, he or she may prefer to return it to the emperor. These treasures are subject to confiscation if a player holding one or more is encountered by an Imperial Patrol.

If an Imperial Treasure is delivered to the emperor in the Imperial Capital, the emperor will reward the player with two draws from the Treasure Pool to replace the treasure returned. If a player acquires one or more Imperial Treasures as the result of such a draw, those Imperial Treasures may be redeemed immediately for other draws from the Treasure Pool (if the game does not end because the proper number of Imperial Treasures have been found). Once an Imperial Treasure has been returned to the emperor, it is displayed face up at the edge of the map.

Arms

There are many different weapons and two types of shields available for use by characters. Collectively, these are called Arms. Before play begins, all arms chits are placed in a cup near the edge of the mapboard. This cup is known as the Arms Pool. At the start of the game, each player draws one chit from the Arms Pool. More Arms can be obtained during the game through exploration.

There are three basic types of arms: melee weapons, which can only be used in hand-to-hand combat; missile weapons, which can only be used during the Approach; and shields, which are used for defense only. Not all characters may use all of the different sorts of arms that are available. A player may, however, carry weapons that he cannot use (these are handy when a character escapes and is required to drop a possession).

Elves and fighters may use any sort of weapon or shield. Magicians may only use the Dagger, Staff, Club, Bow & Arrow, and Sling. Clerics may only use the Mace, Club, Staff, and Sling. Each character may carry as many as five different arms at one time (not including magic weapons obtained as treasures).

The quantities of each weapon and shield in the Arms Pool are printed beneath the accompanying illustrations.

An underlined number in the upper left corner of a chit indicates a missile weapon. The number represents the number of additional attack dice a character can roll when using that weapon during Approach.

A number in the lower left corner indicates a melee weapon. This number represents the number of additional attack dice a character can roll when using that weapon during Melee.

A number in the lower right corner of a chit represents the number of hits that weapon or shield will absorb in any single encounter before the character begins to suffer wounds.

A character may only use one weapon at a time, but players may elect to have their characters switch from one weapon to another between rounds of combat — provided the weapon is one which can be legally employed by that character. Players eligible to use shields (elves and fighters) may use a weapon and a shield at the same time.

Magic

There are several types of magic. Elves, magicians and clerics all have the ability to cast magic spells. In the Treasure Pool there are magic scrolls and magic weapons, and all of the Imperial Treasures are magical.

Magic Spells

Three of the four character types in the game have the ability to carry and use a specific number of magic spells. These spells are represented by chits which are placed face up in front of the player who is carrying them. At the beginning of a game, players who are using spell-casting characters may select their starting spells from all of those available for that character type, up to the maximum allowed. Spell chits which are not chosen at the start of the game are kept in the Economy. When a spell is cast, the chit is returned to the Economy.

A spell may be cast in place of rolling the die to move. A spell may also be cast as an offensive or defensive maneuver during a round of battle instead of using a weapon during that round. Different spells may be cast in consecutive player-turns or in consecutive rounds of combat, but only one spell may be cast per round.

Magicians may hold a maximum of four spells at one time, clerics may hold two, and elves may only carry one spell at a time. A player may not carry two of the same type of spell.

Meditating: As the game progresses, a player may replace a used spell, either with the same type of spell or with a different type, through meditation.

When meditating, a player rolls one die but does not move. This is called the meditation die roll. If the character is in the wilderness, an encounter is drawn as it would be during a non-meditating turn. If the character is in a civilized area, the meditation die roll is treated as an exploration die roll, but all results on the Exploration Chart are ignored except for "Must Leave" and "Encounter."

If the result of the meditation die roll is an even number and the character is not faced with a hostile encounter (combat) and does not obtain a "Must Leave" result, the meditation has succeeded. The player may pick one new spell chit of his choice from the available supply for his character type.

If the result of the meditation die roll is an odd number, or if a hostile encounter occurs that applies to the player, or if a "Must Leave" result is obtained, the meditation has failed. Any encounter or "Must Leave" result must be resolved immediately.

A spell may be discarded without actually being cast, if a player changes his mind and decides that he would rather carry a different one.

Spell Descriptions

Magicians' spells (7 types available, may carry only 4)

• Familiar: This little booger is a fuzzy friend of the magician. No die roll is needed to summon a familiar; the spell is cast as soon as the player carrying it announces his intention. Once a familiar is summoned, its ability score is added to that of the user, increasing the player's potential for success during combat or spell casting.

  A familiar can absorb up to 6 wounds before it is killed. During combat, any wounds which would otherwise be inflicted on the player must be applied instead to the familiar. Once summoned, a familiar will remain with the spell caster until it is killed or it dissipates. At the beginning of each subsequent hostile encounter, the player must roll one die. If the result is even, the familiar will remain with its master for the duration of that encounter (if it survives). If the result is odd, the familiar dissipates, the spell chit is discarded, and the player is once again in unfamiliar territory.

• Teleport: This spell allows the user and all of his personal possessions (including spells but not traveling companions) to move immediately to any other space on the map. (A familiar is not considered a traveling companion and can be teleported.) This spell may be cast in place of the movement die roll, or it may be cast at any time during a round of an encounter. No dice roll is required to see whether the spell works; a teleport always succeeds. Once the spell is cast, the chit is discarded.

• Stinking Fog: The caster must roll three dice, plus dice for his ability score and Familiar (if applicable), to determine whether this defense spell works. If any single die result is a 5 or 6, the spell works, and the stinking fog promptly (phew!) ends the current encounter. Note that an encounter which ends in this manner does not entitle a player to draw any chits, nor does it require the player to drop a possession. Once the spell is cast, whether or not it works, the chit is discarded.

• Bolt of Lightning: This awesome attack spell often eliminates the opposition in one round. The user may roll four dice, plus dice equal to his ability score and that of a familiar, if applicable. For each 5 or 6 rolled on an attack die, four wounds are inflicted on the target. Once it is cast, the spell chit is discarded.

• Ball of Fire: Like the bolt of lightning, the ball of fire is an attack spell. The user may roll three dice, plus dice equal to his ability score and that of a familiar, if one is present. For each 5 or 6 rolled on an attack die, three wounds are inflicted on the target. Once it is cast, the spell chit is discarded.

• Fear: To see if this defense spell succeeds, the user must roll three dice, plus dice for his Ability Score and familiar (if applicable). If the result of any single die is a 5 or 6, the target of the spell runs away in terror, and the encounter is over. Note that certain encounters will entitle the player to draw from the Arms Pool (to retrieve a dropped weapon) if the attacker runs away. If the fear spell works, the draw may still be taken. Once the spell is cast, whether or not it works, the chit is discarded.

Clerics' spells (4 available; may carry only 2)

• Invisible Barrier: A cleric may cast this defense spell without making a dice roll. When cast, it absorbs the first six hits that would have been inflicted on the cleric as wounds. The spell (unlike a rock wall cast by a magician) may be cast at any location on the map. It lasts only for the duration of the encounter in progress, or until it has absorbed six hits. Once the spell is cast, the chit is discarded.

• Heal Completely: This spell may be cast without a dice roll. When cast, it heals all wounds on the character who is the object of the spell. A cleric may cast it upon himself, or upon another character, or upon a traveling companion (but not a familiar). Anyone being healed must be in the same space as the cleric.

• Speak to Animals: A cleric may use this spell to soothe a savage beast. It may not be used on human attackers (thieves, pirates, brigands, Imperial patrol, etc.). To cast the spell, the player must roll three dice, plus dice for the user's Ability Score. If any die result is a 5 or 6, the animal on which it was cast becomes the cleric's traveling companion.

• Phrase of Friendship: By casting this spell, a cleric may be able to turn human enemies into friends. It may not be used on animals, and is less likely to succeed against relatively large groups of people. To cast this spell, the cleric must roll three dice, plus dice for his Ability Score. If the spell is being cast against thieves, brigands, or a pirate raiding party, it will work if any single die result is a 5 or 6. If the spell is being cast against an Imperial patrol or a pirate ship or pirate galley, it will work only if two of the die results are 5 or 6. The spell may not be used on Maid Marywin, the Elf Princess, the Mad Magician, the Holy Man or the Holy Woman.

  If the Phrase of Friendship works, the humans on which it was cast become the user's traveling companion.

Elves' spells (2 available; may carry only 1)

• Elvin Bolt: To cast this attack spell, an elf rolls four dice, plus dice for his Ability Score. For each die result of 5 or 6, four wounds are inflicted on the target. Once the spell is cast, whether or not it causes any wounds, the chit is discarded.

• Elvin Snare: To cast this spell, an elf rolls three dice, plus dice for his Ability Score. For each result of 5 or 6, the target is ensnared for three rounds. While in the snare, the target may not make any attacks. The elf may continue to attack a trapped opponent, or may walk away, ending the encounter without having to drop a possession. Once the spell is cast, whether it works or not, the chit is discarded.

Magic Scrolls

Among the treasures are six magic scrolls, two of each type described below. A magic scroll is simply a magic spell which has been temporarily encoded on a roll of parchment. These scrolls are treasures, and if they are not used they count toward winning the game. However, if a player uses the magic of a scroll, the chit is returned to the Treasure Pool. If a spell from a scroll is cast during an encounter, the user may take no other action during the round in which it is cast. All character types may use scrolls, even fighters.

• Healing: Any player may cast this scroll spell without rolling dice. When cast, it heals all wounds on the character or companion who is the object of the spell. A player may cast it upon himself, upon another character, or upon a traveling companion. However, if one character is healing another, both must be in the same space.

• Protection: Any player may cast this defense spell without a dice roll. When cast, this spell absorbs the first six hits that would otherwise have been inflicted on the caster during a hostile encounter. The spell may be cast at any location on the map. It lasts for the duration of the encounter in progress, or until it absorbs six hits.

• Teleport: This scroll spell allows any player and all of his possessions (including spells but not a traveling companion) to move immediately to any other space on the map. No dice roll is required to put the spell into effect. It may be cast in place of the movement die roll, or it may be cast before or during an encounter.

Magic Weapons

Among the treasures are several pieces of magic arms and equipment. These are magical versions of the weapons and shields which are available in the Arms Pool. If a character type is eligible to use a certain type of normal weapon or shield, that character may also use the magical version of that arm. Otherwise, a player may simply hold onto the magic weapon or shield, since they do count as treasures toward ending the game.

Magic shields are self-explanatory; they can absorb more hits than their non-magic counterparts. Magic weapons will allow the player the same number of attack dice as the normal version of the same weapon. However, the plus sign next to the number of attack dice of a magic weapon means that the user can add one to any of the attack die rolls, up to the maximum number of dice the weapon grants to its user. In other words, a hit may be scored with a magic weapon on a roll of 4 as well as rolls of 5 and 6. Example: A fighter using the Magic Axe could roll a total of 5 attack dice (3 for the fighter and 2 for the Axe), and then add one to any two of the die results. A player may not add more than one to any single die result; the Magic Axe could not be used to raise a roll of 3 to a 5.

Imperial Treasures (Magic Effects)

All of the Imperial Treasures are filled with magic. Imperial patrols are on the lookout for the emperor's treasures and the players who are carrying them, so it can be dangerous to hold onto them. Players may use the magic of Imperial Treasures for their benefit. Any character is eligible to use the magic of an Imperial Treasure.

• The Grail of Pale: This object is held in great esteem by villagers and by the monks of the Monastery. A player holding the Grail of Pale may, if he so chooses, use it to modify by one number (up or down) the result of any exploration die roll in a village or the Monastery.

• The Sceptre of Balladan: This item was manufactured for the emperor himself many years ago by a great wizard, and it is revered in all the castles of the land. A player holding the Sceptre of Balladan may, if he chooses, modify by one (up or down) the result of an exploration die roll at any castle.

• The Talisman of Quox: The emperor used this device to escape from his enemies. A player holding the Talisman of Quox is allowed to add one to his Escape Number, and can also add one to the result of any movement die roll.

• The Battle Ring of Gorath: The emperor obtained this ring from a mighty warrior. A player who holds the Battle Ring of Gorath may add one to his Ability Score, increasing the number of dice he may roll in a combat or spell-casting situation.

• The Emerald of Life: Blessed with the power to heal, the emerald is the most sought-after of all the Imperial Treasures. If a player holding the Emerald of Life is killed, the emerald is returned to the Treasure Pool and the player is restored to life with no wounds. If a player is killed in an encounter and the attacker in that encounter is not also killed and has not escaped during the same round, the combat will continue after the player is brought back to life.

• The Palantir of Zog: This crystal ball not only allows the holder to see the future, but also to change it! When a player holding the Palantir of Zog must draw an encounter, he draws two Encounter chits instead of just one and chooses the encounter which will be played. (If neither of the encounters drawn applies to any player, the turn is ended.) The palantir does not have any effect on an encounter which is presented to a character by another player.

Traveling Companions

There are times during the game when a creature encountered will join the player as a traveling companion. This may happen as the result of a friendly encounter with Ed Eagle, the Elephant, the Elf Princess, or Maid Marywin. Also, clerics have spells which can convert hostile animals or humans to friendly traveling companions.

When an encountered creature becomes a traveling companion, that companion stays with the player, and the player plays the role of the companion in addition to the role of his character.

Before each hostile encounter, the player must roll one die. (Separate die rolls are made for each traveling companion.) If the result of a die roll is an odd number, the companion immediately flees (return the companion's chit to the Encounter Pool). If the die result is an even number, the companion will remain with the player at least until the next hostile encounter (unless the companion is killed in the meantime).

During a hostile encounter, a traveling companion adds its Ability Score (if any) to that of the character. Hits which are scored by the attacker in a hostile encounter must be distributed evenly between the player (or the player's shield and/or weapon) and the companion. The player may decide whether he or his companion takes the first hit in any given encounter, and after that the hits (wounds) must be applied as evenly as possible. Protection spells and scrolls will protect both the player and the companion for as long as they remain in effect. Weapons and shields, however, protect only the player who holds them and do not protect the companion.

The Map

Civilized Areas: Villages, castles, cities and the like are considered civilized areas. If a player ends his movement in a civilized area, he does not draw an encounter unless one is called for by the result of an exploration die roll pertaining to that civilized area. However, since an encounter may be presented to a player by someone else, it is important to remember that civilized areas are still situated in the surrounding terrain. A player in a civilized area is still subject to encounters with creatures who are found in that terrain.

Following is a list of the civilized areas on the map and the terrain in which each area is situated:

Villages

• Saltz (Mountains)
• Nebbswitt (Clear)
• Mohg (Mountains)
• Despin (Swamp)
• Scrab (Mountains)
• Inn of Nobnodd (Clear)

Cities

• Walled City (Mountains)
• Imperial Capital (Clear)

Castles

• Grenger (Clear)
• Midland (Clear)
• River (Clear)
• Fragon Birg (Clear)

Others

• Pirate Lair (Mountains)
• Monastery (Mountains)
• Wizard's Tower (Clear)

The Mines of Zerta: Although the Mines of Zerta is a location listed on the Exploration Chart, it is not considered a civilized area. If a player ends his turn in the Mines, he must immediately draw one encounter before making an exploration die roll (which could result in a second encounter in the same turn). For encounter purposes, the Mines are in the Mountains.

Coastal Areas: Players may only obtain ships and boats as the result of exploration in a coastal area. A coastal area is generally defined as any civilized area which is adjacent to the sea. Coastal areas include the Village of Despin, Fragon Birg, The Walled City, The Pirate Lair and The Imperial Capital.

Strategy Tips

Since the object of the game is to obtain the most treasure, players should proceed to places that give the best chances of finding treasure: The Walled City, followed closely by the Pirate Lair and the Mines of Zerta. Players should take advantage of treasure clues. Unless a character is outfitted like a walking tank (a fighter with the Battle Ring of Gorath, a magic sword, and a magic shield), the best policy is to transport Imperial Treasures to the emperor for the reward. Magic scrolls are useful, but it is best to keep them as treasures and avoid using a scroll if possible.

Different types of terrain have different degrees of risk involved for a player who occupies that terrain. The following list is a rough summary of the number of possible encounters, and the number of those that are hostile or potentially hostile, for each terrain type:

• Mountain — 22 possible encounters, 10 hostile.
• Swamp — 19 possible, 9 hostile.
• Forest — 19 possible, 6 hostile.
• Desert — 16 possible, 5 hostile.
• Wastes — 15 possible, 4 hostile.
• Clear — 13 possible, 3 hostile.
• Coastal Sea — 6 possible, 6 hostile.
• Deep Sea — 8 possible, 8 hostile.

The Mines of Zerta is the single most dangerous location on the map. The safest place to meditate is a village in clear terrain.

Summary of Encounter Characteristics

No.	Name (ability/wound/escape), where found
2	Black Bear (3/12/7), Mountain and Forest
1	Brigands (2m/3/11/8)*, Anywhere
2	Brown Bear (4/13/6), Mountain
1	Demon (4+/13/8)**, Near volcano
1	Desert Rat (2/6/7), Desert
1	Ed Eagle (2/5/10), Mountain and Forest
1	Elephant (4/12/8), Forest
1	Elf Princess (M/8/8)***, Anywhere on land
1	Evil Sorcerer (4+/16/8)**, Anywhere
1	Fish Fiend (5/7/6), Sea, Swamp, Coastal land
1	Giant Squid (5/16/7), Deep sea
1	Great Whale (7/16/8), Deep sea
1	Holy Man (NA), Wastes, Desert, Mountain
1	Holy Woman (NA), Forest and Swamp
2	Imperial Patrol (5/11/7), Anywhere on land
1	Mad Magician (NA), Wizard's Tower and Mines of Zerta
1	Maid Marywin (1/9/6), Anywhere on land
1	Mountain Lion (4/10/9), Mountain
1	Obtuse Genie (NA), The Walled City
1	Olliver J. Dragon (8/20/8), Anywhere
1	Pirate Galley (5/12/8), Coastal sea
2	Pirate Raiding Party (4/11/7), Coastal land
1	Pirate Ship (6/15/7), Anywhere at sea
1	Sea Monster (6/19/7), Deep sea
1	Storms at Sea (NA), All players at sea
1	Thieves by Night (NA), Anywhere on land
6	Treasure Clues (NA), Anywhere
2	Trolls (3/10/6) (4/10/5), Swamp and Mines of Zerta
1	Vampire Flying Frog (4/4/9), Swamp
1	Wastrel (3/9/7), Desert and Wastes
1	Wild Boar (2/7/6), Forest, Mountain, Swamp
1	Wolf (3/9/8), Mountain

Notes:

• * — Brigands are able to use missile weapons.
• ** — Demon and Evil Sorcerer can add one to each attack die.
• *** — Elf Princess can fire a 4-die Elvin Bolt once per round.
• NA — Not Applicable.

How to Win

A player wins the game by holding more treasures than any other player when the game is over. If two or more players have an equal number of treasures at that time, the game is a tie. All treasures, from the most exalted Imperial Treasure to the skimpiest bag of silver, are considered equal for purposes of determining the winner.

The end of the game is determined by the number of players involved and the number of Imperial Treasures which have been found. If 2, 3 or 4 people are playing, the game ends as soon as the fourth Imperial Treasure is discovered (drawn from the Treasure Pool). If 5 people play, the game ends when 5 Imperial Treasures have been found. If there are 6 or more players, the game ends when all 6 Imperial Treasures have been discovered.

Discovered treasures include all Imperial Treasures in the possession of players and all those which have been returned to the emperor, either by a player or by the Imperial patrol.

Quitting the game: As in most multi-player games, not all players may be able to stick around for the finish. If a player quits before the game ends, all of his possessions are simply returned to their respective pools, and normal play continues for the rest of the players still involved. The number of Imperial Treasures which need to be discovered to end the game remains the same as if the lost player(s) had not left.

Optional Rules

The following rules are not a necessary part of the game, but may be added by players who want variety, complication, or a longer game.

Blood & Guts

Some playtesters complained about not being able to attack other players to seize treasure. I wanted this to be a friendly game. Attacking one another usually leads to arguments between the players, but if that's your bag, this is your rule.

When one player ends his or her turn in the same space as another player, either may attempt to attack the other. First, however, all normal encounters must be resolved. Then a period of negotiation is allowed, during which there may be all sorts of threats and bullying. If a satisfactory deal is made, no battle occurs. If negotiations break down, players roll dice to determine the distance between them (see Battle Sequence) and the conflict is resolved as if it were a normal encounter. Escape attempts may be made by either or both players at the end of each round. If any escape attempt is successful, no further conflict between those players is allowed during the current player-turn.

If several players end up in the same space, an inter-player conflict may only be initiated by the player currently taking his turn; if that player chooses not to start a fight, other players may not do so, but must wait until their turn.

If the player currently taking his turn wants to start a fight and there are more than two players in the same space, players may gang up on one another. In such a situation (one player fighting more than one, or two groups fighting each other), the success of escape attempts is determined by the escape number of the slowest player (the one with the lowest Escape Number) on each side.

Traveling Together

Two or more players may elect to travel as a group whenever they occupy the same space and agree to team up.

When the group is declared, a group leader is immediately determined. The group leader is always the player who is next to move in the sequence of play. If it is a player's turn and he has not yet moved, he is the group leader. If a player has already moved into a space with others, the next player to his left will be the group leader.

When the group leader takes his turn, all other players in the group travel along with the leader and do not take separate turns. Only the group leader may draw encounters and make exploration die rolls. All players in a group may cooperate (pool their attack dice) in any hostile encounter. Treasures, clues, other possessions, and wounds must be divided as members of the group see fit. Spells may not be freely exchanged between members of a group. If this rule is used in conjunction with "Blood & Guts," each player in a group has an opportunity to start an inter-player conflict at the time when that player's normal turn would have taken place. In all other respects, a group is treated as a single entity; for instance, if one or more members of a group want to meditate, the entire group must remain in place.

If a player wants to leave a group, the other players must be informed of that decision before the group leader takes his turn. Players may be recruited, in a friendly or perhaps not so friendly manner (if "Blood & Guts" rules are used), into a group during the game, if the group and the lone player both occupy the same space.

Time Limit

If players have only a short time for the game, a time limit should be set before the play begins. When the time limit is reached, each player gets one more turn, beginning with the player who is next in line. The winner is the player with the most treasure, regardless of how many Imperial Treasures have been discovered.

Experience Points

Players who want to add more of the flavor of a role-playing game may be interested in this rule.

One player is appointed to be the record keeper. The record keeper will maintain a running score of experience points on a sheet of paper for each player. Experience points are awarded for performance in hostile encounters and for the acquisition of treasure.

If a player runs away from a hostile encounter, he scores one experience point. If a player's opponent runs away from a hostile encounter (a normal escape or otherwise), the player scores experience points equal to half (round down) of the Wound Number of his opponent. If a player kills his opponent, the player scores experience points equal to the full amount of the opponent's Wound Number. If a cleric charms a creature with either Speak to Animals or Phrase of Friendship, he scores experience points equal to half (round down) of the Wound Number of that creature.

Returning an Imperial Treasure to the emperor gives the player a special bonus of 5 experience points.

Under the experience-point system, treasure is not valued equally, and the winner of the game is not the player with the greatest number of treasures, but the one with the most experience points when the appropriate number of Imperial Treasures have been discovered.

Experience-point values for treasures are given below. In some cases, a certain number of dice must be rolled to determine the value. These dice rolls are not conducted until after the game has ended. Experience point awards for treasure are not calculated until the end of the game.

Experience point values for treasure:

• Imperial Treasures — Emerald of Life 40, all others 20 each.
• Magic Arms & Equipment — Magic Great Sword 25, Magic Dagger 10, all others 15.
• Magic Scrolls — 20 each.
• Regular riches — Large ruby, roll 8 dice; Gold treasures, roll 4 dice; Silver treasures, roll 2 dice.
• Mystical Item — Stone of Fire, roll 10 dice.

Improved Abilities

This rule can only be used in conjunction with experience points. For each 40 experience points that a player accumulates during the game (not counting treasure), the player may add one to any of his three characteristics: Ability Score, Wound Number, or Escape Number. The record keeper should note a player's choice, but the player himself is responsible for remembering to take his character's improved abilities into account during the play of the game.

Credits

• Game Design & Art: Tom Wham
• Map: Darlene Pekul
• Rules Editing: Kim Mohan
• Development, Playtesting, and Other Venerable Aid: Brian Blume, Mike Chance, Neal Christiansen, Dave Cook, Olliver J. Dragon, Ruth Fazzini, Barry Grabow, Bryce Knorr, Rob Kuntz, Frank Mentzer, Kim Mohan, Darlene Pekul, Jeff Perrin, Orlow der Grosse, Eric Shook, Dave & Jeannie Waller, Jim Ward, Jim & Mike Wind
• Inspiration: E. Gary Gygax, Brian Blume

Example of Play: Ozmo's Odyssey in Emperor's Treasure

Four people sit down to play Search for the Emperor's Treasure. After rolling the dice, the players (whose names will not be mentioned) select their characters, choose their starting spells (except for the fighter) and each make one draw from the Arms Pool. This is the situation at the Inn before play begins:

Turb chose a ball of fire, bolt of lightning, familiar and teleport as his starting spells. For arms, he drew a short sword, which he cannot use. Rosa chose heal completely and speak to animals for her spells and got a sling from the Arms Pool. Ozmo, unable to use spells, obtained a wooden staff on his draw from the Arms Pool. Alatha took an elvin bolt as her single spell and plucked a round shield from the Arms Pool.

In the interest of self-preservation, Turb strikes a deal with Ozmo, offering to trade his sword for the wooden staff. The magician gets a weapon he can use and the fighter gets a weapon that gives him one more attack die.

TURN 1: Turb states that he is moving and rolls one die, getting a result of 4. He decides to head for the Mines of Zerta and elects to travel the Western Marshes. He is able to move three spaces. The clear terrain space south of the Inn costs 1 point; the first swamp space entered costs 2 points (he now has 1 point left), and he must stop in the next swamp space because after that move he has no movement points left.

Turb has ended his move in the wilderness and therefore must draw from the Encounter Pool. He meets up with Edna Troll, a swamp encounter that applies to Turb. The player to Turb's right (playing Ozmo) takes the part of the troll. Both players roll one die for range determination, Turb getting a 3 and Edna a 4. The difference between these numbers is the length of the Approach in rounds. Neither combatant has missile weapons, so during the single round of Approach no attack dice may be rolled.

During the Approach, Edna does nothing but lumber toward Turb, intent on making him her next meal. Knowing how hard it is to stop a troll, Turb takes drastic action and casts his ball of fire spell, rolling 5 dice (4 for the spell and 1 for his Ability Score). The result is 3, 3, 5, 6, 6. Since each roll of 5 or 6 is worth 4 hits on the target, Turb scores 12 wounds on the troll. Since Edna can only take 10 wounds before being killed, she is immediately dispatched (no regeneration possible). This ends Turb's turn, and the encounter chit is returned to the pool.

Rosa announces that she is moving and gets a 5 on the die. She moves through the mountains and into the village of Saltz, which costs exactly 5 movement points. Since she has ended her turn in a civilized area, she must now explore. She rolls a 1 and consults the Village/Inn column on the Exploration Chart, finding that she may draw from the Arms Pool. Rosa draws a dagger, which she cannot use, and her turn is over.

Ozmo declares that he is moving, rolls one die, and gets a result of 1. Unhappy with this, he opts not to move at all and remains at the Inn. Since his move is over and he is in a civilized area, he must explore. Ozmo rolls a 2, which is "Heal one wound" on the Village/Inn column of the Exploration Chart. Ozmo is not wounded, so the result is ignored and his turn is over.

Alatha announces that she is moving and rolls a 6. She travels straight south through the Western Marshes, passing Turb, and ends her move in the first forest space beyond the marsh (1 pt. for clear space, 4 pts. to get through marsh, final point used to enter forest space). She is not in a civilized area, so she must draw an encounter. Alatha draws a Brown Bear, a creature that appears only in the mountains. Since she is in the forest, she ignores it, and may if she wishes present it to any other player who is in the mountains. Rosa is the only character in the mountains (at the village of Saltz, which is in mountain terrain). The persons playing Alatha and Rosa are good friends, so Alatha decides not to give Rosa the bear.

LATER IN THE GAME, it is Ozmo's turn. He is in the Pirate Lair. Recently, he arrived there with the Treasure Map and drew three treasures from the pool. His personal possessions now include a ship; 4 Arms (short sword, 2 daggers, kite shield); and 6 Treasures (2 bags of silver, gold box, magic axe, Grail of Pale and Emerald of Life).

Ozmo has two Imperial Treasures in his possession, and Turb is holding a third Imperial Treasure, the Battle Ring of Gorath. This means that the game will end as soon as another Imperial Treasure is drawn from the Treasure Pool.

Ozmo decides that the best course would be to go to the Imperial Capital and redeem both of his Imperial Treasures for the 2-for-1 reward. He announces that he is moving and rolls a 5. Bravely, he chooses to sail north and ends his move in the deep sea, 5 movement points away from the Capital. He could have moved to the safer coastal waters (toward the Walled City), but that route would leave him 9 movement points away from his destination, and time is of the essence.

For his encounter draw, Ozmo brings Olliver J. Dragon into the game. He sends the gullible dragon to attack Turb, Ozmo's closest rival, and Ozmo's turn is over. However, he will play the part of Olliver in the dragon's dealings with Turb.

Unfortunately for Turb, the magician is carrying — but cannot use — the +3 magic great sword. This means that Olliver will fight to the death against Turb unless the magician does something about it. After range determination, Turb casts a stinking fog spell (which he had obtained earlier through meditation) and ends the encounter without harm to himself.

Alatha has decided to remain where she is, in the Walled City, and continue to search for treasure there. She states that she is not moving and rolls one die the exploration. The result is a 3, and she must draw an encounter, which turns out to be the Great Whale. It does not apply to her since she is not in the deep sea, but she can and does present it to Ozmo (who complains bitterly).

Both players roll a 5 for range determination, so there is no Approach and the battle begins with melee. The whale rolls 7 attack dice and gets results of 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, scoring 3 hits (all 5's and 6's are hits), which are all absorbed by Ozmo's shield. Ozmo also rolls 7 attack dice, 3 for his Ability Score, 2 for his magic axe and 2 for his ship. His results are 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5. Because of the magic axe, he may add 1 to any two of these results to make them into hits. The 4 becomes a 5, and there is no way to improve any other roll so that it is a hit. Thus, Ozmo also scores three hits, which are registered as wounds on the whale.

Ozmo would love to escape from this encounter, but he is at a disadvantage. Comparing the whale's Escape Number (8) to Ozmo's (7), he finds that he must add one to the escape roll. Since he would normally need a 7 or higher on two dice to escape, he now needs to roll an 8. He rolls a 6, so the battle continues, Ozmo's shield absorbs one more hit, and then his magic axe parries two more, but from now on, hits on Ozmo must either be taken by him as wounds or applied to his ship as structural damage. The fight continues, and Ozmo's luck at attacking and escaping are both miserable.

By the end of the sixth round of battle, Ozmo has accumulated 10 wounds and his ship has taken 8. Once more he fails to escape, and on the next round he takes 4 more hits from the whale. Ozmo chooses to keep his ship afloat, giving it 3 hits (it can take up to 12) and applying the other hit as a wound to himself.

Ozmo has a Wound Number of 11, which means that he was killed by the last wound he took. Most of the time this means the end of the game for a player, but Ozmo isn't worried, for he holds the Emerald of Life. The instant he dies, the emerald brings him back to life with no wounds, and the treasure chit is returned to the pool.

The revived Ozmo must now continue the struggle with the whale. He takes another two wounds in the process, but finally manages to vanquish the beast. This ends Alatha's turn (it was she who played the encounter on Ozmo), and it is Turb's turn.

Now that Ozmo has used the Emerald of Life, two more Imperial treasures must be found in order to end the game.

Will Ozmo get to the Capital before his ship sinks? Will Alatha be content to keep trying her luck in the Walled City? Will Turb try to turn the tables on Ozmo for dropping the dragon on him? And whatever happened to Rosa? Only time, and the dice rolls, will tell . . . .