Cthulhu Wars: Library at Celaeno Map
Cthulhu Wars: Library at Celaeno Map Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- Library Map boards (2), printed on both sides
- Agony die
- 8 Silence Tokens
- 4 Library Hint Cards
- 4 Library Tomes
- Custodian (figure)
- Librarian (figure)
Setup and Map Basics
The Library at Celaeno Map consists of two levels, the Lower Floor and the Upper Floor. Each of these is a separate board, and they should be kept near each other in play, but do not need to be adjacent. They do not connect normally, as the Library is not a globe. Therefore, the two levels have edges and corners, and Units cannot move around from one edge to another.
As with other maps in Cthulhu Wars, use the 3-Player sides for a 3-Player game, use the 5-Player sides for a 5-Player game, and use one 3-Player and one 5-Player side for a 4-Player game.
There are 4 Upper Floor Areas which have square slots on them, named Barrier of Naach-Tith, Guardian Under the Lake, Larvae of the Outer Gods, and Yr and the Nhhngr. Place each corresponding Library Tome in its slot.
If Opener of the Way is in the game, it CANNOT start in any of those four Areas with the Library Tomes.
The Librarian and Custodian figures begin off-Map.
Part of the library is flooded, which makes these Areas Seas. In all cases these are labeled either with the word Sea in their name, or in parentheses as (Sea). Any Sea Area is an Ocean or Sea Area for all game purposes. Note, for example, that the word "Lake" in the name does NOT denote an Ocean or Sea Area—it must include the word Sea or Ocean.
The Stairwells and Archways
Stairwells
Certain Areas boast Stairwells and are are lettered A-F on each floor. These Areas are adjacent to the matching Area on the other level. For instance, in the 3 Player side of the Lower Floor the Chamber of Apkallu contains Stairwell D. It is therefore adjacent to the Area of Barrier of Naach-Tith which is marked with a D on the Upper Floor (for both 3 and 5 player sides).
A Unit in a Stairwell Area that is Pained can go through the Stairwell to the other Floor, because they are adjacent for every purpose.
Archways
Several Areas contain an Archway. These are similar to Stairwells, except that they are not lettered A-F. For purposes of the Move Action and movement type abilities, each Archway Area is adjacent to EVERY OTHER Archway Area on both Floors of the Library. However, unlike the Stairwells, the Archways are NOT adjacent when being Pained or Retreated.
Players using other movement type abilities to travel may do so between the two boards freely. For instance, Shub-Niggurath can Avatar to either side, Crawling Chaos's Hunting Horrors can use Seek and Destroy to either board, Cthulhu can use Submerge to hit both boards, etc.
The Library Tomes
Spontaneous Gate Creation
At the start of the first Doom Phase, place a Gate in each of the four Areas where the Library Tomes were placed during setup (unless a Gate is already present).
This Gate creation only happens once. If one or more of these Areas is missing its Gate in later Doom Phases, nothing happens.
The Library Tomes Themselves
The Library Tomes themselves act as additional Spellbooks you can have. However, they are not placed on your Faction Card and do not count towards having 6 Spellbooks (for Unlimited Battle or winning the game).
When you Control a Gate in an Area with a Tome, take that Area's Library Tome (if it is still on the Map) and place it by your Faction Card. You may now use its ability like any Spellbook.
Overdue Library Tomes
If you lose Control of a Gate in a Library Tome Area, then that Area's Library Tome is now Overdue. This does not affect your use of the Tome—it remains next to your Faction Card, and you can keep using its effects.
However, having an Overdue Library Tome means you are now vulnerable to the Librarian's vengeance (see The Librarian on page 129).
Silence Tokens
At the start of each Doom Phase, all players take 1 Silence Token. If a player still has a Silence Token after the Action Phase (when the Gather Power Phase starts) he must discard it. Therefore, a player can never have more than a single Silence Token at a time.
On your turn, as an Action, you may spend 0 Power, discard your Silence Token, and do one of the following:
- Activate the Custodian
- Activate the Librarian, if an enemy player has an Overdue Library Tome
Note: You may also discard a Silence Token to unflip certain Library Tomes, or to cancel the effects of the Barrier of Naach Tith.
The Custodian
When you Activate the Custodian, you may place or Move it to any Area (or keep it in the same Area). Then roll the Agony die. If the Custodian stays in the same Area without Moving, add +1 to the Agony die's final total.
A number of Units in the Custodian's Area equal to the Agony die's total must be Moved to The Oubliette. If more than one Faction is present, the Activating player gets to choose how many Units must go from each Faction (up to the Agony die's total), but the affected players get to choose which Units are moved. The player who Activated the Custodian can be affected as well, if he chooses a number of his own Units. If there are fewer Units in the Area than the Agony die's roll, then just Move all Units present to the Oubliette.
Example: The Yellow Sign spends 1 Silence Token to Activate the Custodian in the Black Chamber. There are 3 Factions present—Great Cthulhu (with Cthulhu plus 2 Cultists), Crawling Chaos (a Nightgaunt and 2 Cultists), and The Yellow Sign (King in Yellow alone). A 2 is rolled, which is increased to a 3 because the Custodian was already in the Black Chamber and didn't Move. The Yellow Sign selects himself as one of the victims, and happily evacuates his King to The Oubliette. He decides that Crawling Chaos must Move the remaining 2 units, and that means Cthulhu need Move none. Crawling Chaos chooses to Move his 2 Cultists, leaving his nightgaunt behind.
No player may take Control of an Abandoned Gate in the Area inhabited by the Custodian. If the Custodian is sent to an Area with a Controlled Gate, the Gate may remain Controlled (for the time being). If you Create a Gate in an Area with the Custodian, it must remain Abandoned, until the Custodian leaves!
Additionally, the Custodian cannot be Battled by players. It is immune to all Spellbooks, abilities, and other effects. The only interaction it has with a Faction is when it is Activated by a player using a Silence Token. It is not any Unit type.
The Librarian
A player may only Activate the Librarian if at least one enemy Faction has an Overdue Library Tome. If so, the player spends a Silence Token and places or Moves her to any Area containing at least one Unit from an enemy Faction that has an Overdue Library Tome. Then roll the Agony die. As with the Custodian, if the Librarian stays in the same Area without moving, add +1 to the Agony die's final total.
If more than one enemy Faction with an Overdue Tome is in the Area, the Activating player divides up the Agony die's total between them.
Satisfying Agony
Each victim must satisfy all the Agony assigned to him by choosing from the following options:
- Satisfy one Agony for each of your Units in the Area you choose to Eliminate.
- Satisfy one Agony for each 1 Doom you choose to lose.
- Satisfy one Agony for each Overdue Tome you return to its slot.
If the victim does not have enough collective Units, Doom and Overdue Tomes to satisfy the Agony assigned to him, then the remaining Agony can be ignored.
When an Overdue Tome is replaced due to satisfying Agony, and there is a Faction currently Controlling its respective Area's Gate, then that player immediately takes possession of the Library Tome.
Note: The only way a player can replace a Library Tome back to the Map is by Satisfying Agony inflicted by the Librarian. You cannot otherwise voluntarily replace it, nor are you ever forced to do so (if you always choose to lose Doom or Units instead).
Example: It is the start of the Action Phase, and two Tomes are Overdue. Cthulhu has one of the Overdue Tomes, and Black Goat has the other. The Librarian is currently at The Oubliette.
Sleeper pays a Silence token, but does not Move the Librarian, leaving her at The Oubliette, where Cthulhu has 4 Units. Sleeper rolls a 3 on the Agony die, but since the Librarian did not Move, the result is actually a 4. Cthulhu decides to lose 1 Unit, lose 2 Doom, and return his Tome. This satisfies all 4 Agony.
As with the Custodian, no player may take Control of an Abandoned Gate in the Area inhabited by the Librarian. If the Librarian is sent to an Area with a Controlled Gate, the Gate may remain Controlled (for the time being). If you Create a Gate in an Area with the Librarian, it must remain Abandoned, until the Librarian leaves!
Additionally, the Librarian cannot be Battled by players. It is immune to all Spellbooks, abilities, and other effects. The only interaction it has with a Faction is when it is Activated by a player using a Silence Token. It is not any Unit type.