Kragmortha
Kragmortha Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Rigor Mortis' Library board
- 6 Teleport tokens
- 8 Goblin pawns (in different colors)
- 24 Ominous Glance cards
- 8 Goblin tiles (in different colors)
- 58 Movement cards
- 1 Rigor Mortis pawn
- 18 Spell Book cards
- 6 Bookshelf tiles
- 1 Desk tile
- 1 Rulebook
Introduction
In this game the participants take on the role of goblins snooping around the library of their Master. They try to lay their sticky little hands on his books. But they must be careful. If they are caught by Rigor Mortis, the punishment will be severe. The Dark Lord is in the habit of hurling terrible spells at his unruly servants. The only question left is whether the winner will be the one who steals the most, or the one who manages to avoid punishment most often. Only time will tell...
Setup
Figure A shows how to prepare the library board, including the placement of the desk and bookshelf tiles. The Rigor Mortis pawn is placed in the same spot regardless of the number of players (see figure B on the next page). The board layout depends on the number of players (2-4, 5-6 or 7-8 players); some spaces are excluded from play, and there are goblin starting spaces at the shorter edge of the board opposite the Desk.
Next, shuffle the six Teleport tokens and place them face down next to the board (B). Then separate and shuffle all three decks of cards. Place the Ominous Glance cards and the Movement cards face down next to the board, and the Spell Book cards on the desk (B). Finally, each player chooses a goblin pawn (with its attached tile) and draws three Movement cards, forming their starting hand. Now the game (and the fun) can begin!
Course of Play
The player who most resembles a goblin, or is simply the shortest, starts the game: he enters the library by placing his goblin on one of the empty spaces at the shorter edge of the board (A) opposite Rigor Mortis' desk (B). Then the player to his left does the same, and so on, until the goblins of all players have entered the library. With 8 players, the eighth player may place his figure on any empty space adjacent to another player's figure. While goblins are being placed, Teleport spaces have no effect on the game. When all goblins are on the board, the first player may take his turn.
A turn consists of two steps: playing a Movement card (see MOVEMENT CARDS and MOVING AROUND THE LIBRARY) and drawing a new Movement card. When a player has completed both steps, the person to his left begins his turn.
Movement Cards
Movement cards allow players to move their goblin pawns and Rigor Mortis around the library. In the upper corners of each card are symbols corresponding to the symbols printed on the board spaces. There are only two kinds of Movement cards (they differ in their pictures):
- Goblin (C): The symbols on these cards show onto which adjacent spaces your goblin may move.
- Rigor Mortis (D): These work exactly like goblin Movement cards, but they allow only Rigor Mortis to be moved.
Some cards (E) are marked with a magic orb: these cards allow movement onto any adjacent space, regardless of the symbol on it. When the player finishes his move, he draws a new Movement card and ends his turn. The turn of the player to his left begins.
Moving Around the Library
Goblin pawns and the Rigor Mortis pawn are moved using Movement cards. When you play a Movement card, you move your goblin or Rigor Mortis (depending on the type of Movement card played) by 1 or 2 spaces. You may move the pawn to an adjacent space marked with one of the symbols shown on the played card. Then you may move again, but only if an adjacent space is marked with a symbol from the Movement card that has not yet been used. Spaces are considered adjacent only if they touch along their sides, not corners!
Example: after playing Movement card (F), the red goblin can move to the (yellow) space marked with a scroll, then to the (blue) space marked with a magic stone (G), or first to the (blue) space marked with a magic stone and later to the (yellow) space with the scroll (H).
A player does not have to move a second time if he does not want to. He may decide to move only 1 space. After the move is finished (whether by 1 or 2 spaces), the player draws a new Movement card and ends his turn. The turn of the player to his left begins. If he cannot play any of his Movement cards, he loses his turn. He must show his hand to the other players, discard all his cards, and draw three new Movement cards.
No pawn may enter a space with a bookshelf. If a goblin ends up on the space with Rigor Mortis, see FACE TO FACE WITH THE DARK LORD.
Pushing Goblins
During the game, only one pawn may occupy each space at a time. If a player moves his goblin onto a space already occupied by another, he pushes that goblin in a direction of his choice. He cannot choose the space from which he came. If the pushed goblin lands on yet another goblin, it chooses where that one moves. This can trigger an interesting, often dramatic chain reaction with an explosive finale. Especially when goblins start pushing each other near Rigor Mortis.
Example: Pushing goblins can often cause a series of unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on which goblin you control) side effects. In this example the purple goblin plays a Green-Blue Movement card (I) and moves to the (blue) magic stones space, then uses the second move to go to the (green) potion space (L), pushing the orange goblin onto the space with the green goblin. The orange goblin decides that karma does not like the green goblin today and pushes him straight onto Rigor Mortis, who immediately blasts him with an Ominous Glance (see FACE TO FACE WITH THE DARK LORD). Someone has just found a reason for revenge!
Face to Face with the Dark Lord
When a goblin collides with the Dark Lord (whether it moves onto Rigor Mortis' space, or Rigor moves onto its space), the game is immediately paused. The player controlling that goblin must draw an Ominous Glance card and immediately follow it (see OMINOUS GLANCE CARDS). Then he must place his goblin pawn on an empty Teleport space of his choice and end his turn (this action does not activate the Teleport). If all Teleport spaces are occupied, the goblin must be placed on any starting space (A).
Teleport Spaces
When a goblin enters a Teleport space (through its own move or by being pushed), its movement ends immediately. The top Teleport token must be drawn and immediately followed.
- Teleportation: The player must immediately move his goblin pawn to any empty Teleport space. Then his turn ends (he does not draw another Teleport token).
- Spell Book: The player must immediately move his goblin pawn to any empty Teleport space and draws a Spell Book card. Then his turn ends (he does not draw another Teleport token).
- Trap: The player must immediately move his goblin pawn to any empty Teleport space and draws an Ominous Glance card, immediately following it (see OMINOUS GLANCE CARDS). Then his turn ends (he does not draw another Teleport token).
After resolving a Teleport token, place it face up next to the stack of Teleport tokens. When all Teleport tokens have been used, shuffle them and place them face down next to the board.
Rigor Mortis does not need to draw a Teleport token when he uses Teleport spaces. He may simply move to any empty Teleport space, chosen by the player who activated it (the chosen space may not be adjacent to a space occupied by a goblin). If all Teleport spaces are occupied, teleportation is impossible.
Ominous Glance Cards
These cards show the terrible punishments awaiting those who have drawn the wrath of Rigor Mortis, the Dark Lord. Players must watch each other regarding compliance with the penalties imposed by Ominous Glance cards (they usually do so gladly!). Anyone who in any way fails to carry out the instructions on his card must draw a new Ominous Glance card.
Each Ominous Glance card has a symbol in its upper left corner (M). If a player draws a card whose symbol matches the symbol on one of the cards he has already collected, he puts that Ominous Glance card on the bottom of the deck and draws a new one. He does this until he draws a card with a new symbol. If any player collects 4 Ominous Glance cards, he is eliminated from the game and the game ends (see END OF THE GAME).
Spell Book Cards
In the corner of the library is Rigor Mortis' Desk. On it the goblins will find various Spell Books that give them a considerable advantage over the others. All four spaces on which Rigor Mortis' Desk may be located are considered marked with the magic orb symbol (meaning that any symbol on a Movement card allows entering them). When a goblin enters the space with the Desk, he immediately draws the top Spell Book card and places it in front of himself, then moves his goblin to one of the starting spaces (see SETUP).
A player may use an acquired Spell Book card only during his own turn, unless it says otherwise on it. When a player uses a Spell Book card, he turns it face down as a reminder (unless the card says otherwise). Each Spell Book card has from one to three magic symbols. They are used to break ties. If any player draws the last Spell Book card, the game ends (see END OF THE GAME).
End of the Game
The game ends when any player receives a fourth Ominous Glance card or draws the last Spell Book card. The winner is the player who has collected the fewest Ominous Glance cards. If there is a tie, the winner is the player who has collected the most Spell Book cards. If this still does not decide the winner, the winner is the player who has collected the most magic symbols in his Spell Books.