Par Odin
Par Odin Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How to Play
Each challenge shows you a set of warrior faces. Reproduce the challenge with your dice, then split your warriors into two armies of identical strength.
The strength of an army is calculated by adding together the strength of every white face present in that army.
Once your seven white faces reproduce the seven warriors indicated by the challenge, you must split the warriors into two armies of identical strength. Every challenge you are given follows the same rules. Here is an example that details the method to follow.
Example: 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 3 + 3 + 2
The two armies have an identical strength. The challenge is therefore successful!
Each challenge has only one solution.
Effects of the black faces always take place after the strength of all the white faces has been calculated.
The Warriors
On white faces, the strength of each warrior is shown in the corner, at the top right.
The Hero
The Hero has a strength of 3.
The Captain
The Captain has a strength of 2.
The Soldier
The Soldier has a strength of 1.
The Traitor
The Traitor reduces to 0 the strength of a Hero present in its army. It has a strength of 1.
Note: each Traitor only acts on a single Hero present in its army.
The Cursed
Bearer of Andvari's ring, this warrior has been driven mad by it. The Cursed has a strength of -1.
The Mage
The Mage's strength is equal to the number of non-Mage white faces present in its army.
Reminder: if there are several Mages in an army, the strength of each Mage is equal to the number of non-Mage white faces present in its army.
Even if a Hero has a strength of 0 because of a Traitor, it still counts as a non-Mage face when calculating the Mage's strength.
The Fabulous Animals (Black Faces)
Fenrir, the Wolf
Fenrir is not a simple wolf: he is the son of Loki, the most cunning of the gods, and of the giantess Angrboda, she who brings sorrow.
Place Fenrir in the army of your choice. He acts on the strongest white face of that army and multiplies its strength by 2.
Example: 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 0 + 1 + 4
Remember: the effects of black faces always take place after the strength of all the white faces has been calculated.
The Challenges
Brokk, the dwarf innkeeper of the inn of the gods, guides you through your first challenges.
Challenge 01
"At the beginning of all things stands the sacred tree Yggdrasil, and every day, in its shadow, the eagle and the serpent wage an eternal battle, repeating this primordial truth of the North: that which lives is that which struggles." — Skald, bard and poet of the northern lands
Challenge 02
"So, traitor, which side are you on?" "It's very simple, I am on the side of the strongest..." — Extract from the Battle of Hjaðningavíg
Challenge 03
"The gods should never have stolen Andvari's golden ring... For he, seized with mad fury, cursed the ring so that it brought destruction and misfortune to all who possessed it. Thus began the curse of the ring." — Extract from the legend of Reginsmál
Challenge 04
"The gods have always loved gold; it may be one of their greatest flaws. But how can you keep the brightest from loving what shines?" — Austri, great dwarf chief called "the Oriental"
Challenge 05
"They say the first Mage was a fallen god who, having come down among men, spread terror and chaos." — Skald, bard and poet of the northern lands
Brokk: "Bravo, warrior! You have understood the principle of the game. Your quest can now truly begin. The challenges awaiting you afterward will be far more complicated. You will think, hesitate, and even doubt... but one piece of advice: never give up! I leave you now with one of the great gods of Ásgard: the famous Loki. Good luck, my friend!"
Loki, god of trickery and mischief: "Hmm... Hello there, human... So you wish to learn our game? And you believe yourself capable? Ah, ah, ah! You are all the same, you humans, presumptuous and fragile... Well then, I will teach you what I know, and we shall see if you are worthy of this knowledge. But be careful, do not try to cheat — only I have that right!"
"Here are 10 challenges that will put you to the test! Now is when the first real difficulties begin... Ah, ah, ah! Your turn, warrior!"
Challenge 06
"If you see a Mage: do not run, he would catch you. Do not scream, he would silence you. Do not fight, he would kill you. Pray, that is all that is left for you to do..." — Helgi Hjörvarðsson, human hero
Challenge 07
"The power of the Mages surely lies in the knowledge of the runes. A sacred script, whoever deciphers it gains the power and breath of the All-Father." — Aslak, bard and poet of the northern lands
Challenge 08
"And you, remember this advice: leave this place! Sounding gold, ember-red silver, and rings will lead you only to death." — Fáfnir the dragon, from the legend of Sigurd
"When a Traitor and a Mage are in the same battle, sparks fly! Will you be able to understand these next challenges?"
Challenge 09
Even if a Hero has a strength of 0 because of a Traitor, it still counts as a non-Mage face when calculating the Mage's strength.
Challenge 10
"If a Traitor betrays another Traitor, doesn't he become, in a way, an honest man?" — Ndjal called the Burnt One, at the Battle of Vígríðr
Challenge 11
"The history of men is made of betrayals. Betrayal of love, betrayal for money, betrayal of family... But among all these betrayals, betrayal in war remains the most common. Is it the most odious?" — Lird, prophet of the great North
"So, what do you think of the Mages? Do you like them? Well, you are going to be served: here come several of them! Good luck!"
Challenge 12
"There is nothing worse than one Mage, except perhaps... two Mages." — Hrym the giant, during the Battle of Ragnarök
Challenge 13
"Every year, the Mages gather in a secret place. Is it at the borders of Midgard, or in Nidavellir? No one knows. And in my opinion, it is best not to know..." — Anonymous Nordic bard
Challenge 14
"Some battles seem impossible, unreal. Is it a dream? A nightmare? Or is it simply a sign that our time is already running out?" — Jarl, hero of the great North
Challenge 15
Loki: "Hmmh... In the end, we might be able to make something of you after all! But you are only at the beginning of your journey. Go see Frigg on my behalf; she will be able to teach you many more things about the game of the gods... But be careful, my friend — if Frigg, the earth-goddess, is the most beautiful of the goddesses, she is also Odin's wife. So do not play with fire, or you risk getting burned... Ah, ah, ah!"
Frigg, goddess of love and fertility: "I greet you, warrior. I knew you would come here one day. You have managed to triumph over the challenges set by Loki! Well done, that is no small feat. But what awaits you now is far more difficult. I am going to teach you to use the black faces. Yes, you will make the acquaintance of the powers of the fabulous animals! Will you succeed? That, I alone know..."
"Here is the first fabulous animal I will introduce to you: Fenrir, the wolf!"
Challenge 16
"Fenrir is not a simple wolf; he is the son of Loki, the most cunning of the gods, and of the giantess Angrboda, she who brings sorrow. A cursed union, a cursed son..." — Hagbard, king of the Scandinavian seas
Challenge 17
"The wolf Fenrir will walk with gaping jaws, his lower jaw scraping the earth and his upper jaw touching the sky, and he would open it wider still if there were room." — Gylfaginning, chapter 51
Challenge 18
"If Tyr, god of war, is a one-handed god, it is because his hand remains forever in Fenrir's jaws. Such was the price to pay for Fenrir to be chained." — Anonymous Nordic bard
Solutions
The solutions to the challenges are given only as a checking sequence, since there is only one possible answer for each challenge: 09 · 08 · 07 · 06 · 05 · 04 · 03 · 02 · 01 · 18 · 17 · 16 · 15 · 14 · 13 · 12 · 11 · 10.
You have now reached the end of this preview of Par Odin. But know that the gods still have many surprises in store for you! You will meet the five other fabulous animals, and above all get to know the terrible Thor, god of thunder and strength, who saves the most demanding of the 50 challenges of this adventure for you: the famous two-black-face challenges!
Bonus Challenges
"Despite all the trouble I went to, those blasted OldChap folks finally managed to release their game?! Well, I must bow down... And since I'm a good sport, here are a few extra challenges! But be warned: to face them, you must already know how to play the game..."
Bonus 01
"One day, Odin was walking with two of his brothers, Hœnir and Lóðurr. The three gods then saw two trees, an ash and an elm. They found them so beautiful that they decided to transform them, and thus the first human couple was born: Ask and Embla." — Aslak, bard and poet of the northern lands
Bonus 02
"Few know the origin of the dwarves. In the beginning, they were simple maggots that devoured the immense corpse of the giant Ymir. To these creatures of the depths, the gods gave intelligence and a... respectable form." — Helgi Hjörvarðsson, human hero
Bonus 03
"Of all creatures, the elves — or White Elves — are surely the most mysterious... Some call them the imps of light, as opposed to the dwarves, who are the imps of darkness. Airy and light, they are sometimes worshipped as gods." — Arnbjörn the wise
Bonus 04
"How can one resist the charms of the Havfrues, also called mermaids? However, sailor, if you cross their path, steer clear! They bring nothing but torn nets, rotten fish, and dreadful shipwrecks..." — Hagbard, king of the Scandinavian seas
Bonus 05
"Giants can have up to nine heads, and most of them have four immense feet. Needless to say, the many crevasses surrounding the glaciers of Utgard are the result of their daily strolls." — Starkaðr, admirer of giants
Bonus 06
"The Nixes are outstanding dancers and singers. They spring from springs to grant immortality or even bring back the dead. But sometimes, through the grace of their songs, they lure a child away and never bring it back..." — Eldrid, elder of the great North