Portals and Prophets Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Setup
  • Reading an Event Card
• Gameplay
  • 1. Draw a Card
  • 2. Move Your Pawn
  • 3. Play a Card
• How to Determine the Time Capsule Range
  • Exchanging Cards for Fuel
  • Discarding Cards
• Game End
• Scoring
  • 1. Card Points
  • 2. Region Sets
  • 3. Symbols
  • Region Cards
  • Symbol Cards
• The Chronology of Biblical Events
• Game Variations
  • Team Variant
  • Simplified Variant
• Event Card Stats
• Quick Reference

Contents

• 1 Game Board
• 10 Colored pawns (two of each color)
• 3 Geography Portals
• 18 Genesis Cards
• 70 Old Testament Cards
• 20 New Testament Cards
• 1 Time Capsule
• 1 Fuel Marker

Setup

1. Shuffle the Genesis cards and deal three cards to each player face down. Remove the remaining Genesis cards from the game (they will not be used). After receiving three cards, each player picks up their cards and places them into their hand.
2. Shuffle the Old Testament cards and place them face down on the space marked Old Testament.
3. Shuffle the New Testament cards and place them face down on the space marked New Testament.
4. Place the time capsule on the Genesis time period of the timeline.
5. Place the fuel marker on LOW.
6. Place the three portals. Suggested locations are Beersheba, Shiloh, and Sea of Galilee. However, you may place them on any three geographical locations on the game board.
7. Give two pawns of the same color to each player. Each player places one pawn on the Start space of the scoring track running along the map's border. Throughout the game, each time a player scores points, he will advance his pawn accordingly. Place the other pawn on a geographical location as described below. Choose a starting player to place his/her pawn. The pawn may be placed on any geographical location on the game board. Placement continues clockwise around the game board until all players have placed their geography pawn. Players may not place a pawn on a location occupied by another player's pawn.
8. After all players have placed their pawns, five cards are drawn from the top of the Old Testament deck and placed face up in the designated locations on the game board.

Reading an Event Card

• Title of the event.
• Time period of the biblical event. Note: The centuries are B.C. which means the larger the number, the earlier in history the event occurred.
• Location of the event. The background color indicates the region.
• Card symbols are features that highlight certain aspects of the event. For example, a crown symbol indicates that royalty was present at that event.
• Fuel icons: some cards have fuel icons. These cards can be discarded for fuel.
• Point value of the card.

Gameplay

Gameplay proceeds clockwise beginning with the first player to place their geography pawn during setup. Once all players have completed a turn, the round is finished and the time capsule is moved forward one space on the timeline. This means each player will get one turn in each century. When the capsule reaches the New Testament period it remains there for the rest of the game.

When it is a player's turn to play, he/she may take up to four actions from the following choices:

1. Draw a card and add it to their hand
2. Move their geography pawn
3. Play a card from their hand to score points

Note: Players may choose the same action four times, or mix and match actions. For example, on a turn, a player could draw one card, move two spaces and then play one card.

1. Draw a Card

A card may be drawn from the five face up cards or the top of one of the face down piles. If one of the faceup cards is chosen, immediately replace the empty space with the top card from the Old Testament deck. If the Old Testament deck is depleted, the empty space is not filled.

A player may not hold more than seven cards in his/her hand at any given time. If a player already holds seven cards and desires to draw another card, an existing card in the hand must first be either discarded (removed from the game) or cashed in for fuel (described below). If a player holds more than seven cards in their hand the player to their left blindly removes cards from the player's hand until they hold seven cards.

2. Move Your Pawn

For one action, the geography pawn may be moved to an adjacent geographical location on the game board or from one portal to any other portal. (Portals are an extremely effective way to travel.) A pawn may not pass through or land on any location occupied by another player's pawn.

Example: for one action the pawn can travel to any location connected to it by a road. In the book's example, the pawn can be moved to Hazor, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee or Assyria.

3. Play a Card

Event cards may be played when a player's location pawn is in the location specified on the event card AND the time capsule is in the same century or has sufficient fuel (described below) to reach the century written on the card. To play a card, players must state the title, time and place of the event, then lay the card face up in front of them on the table. Move the player's score pawn forward equal to the number of points indicated on the card.

Example: a card for Moses at the Burning Bush (15th century, location Arabia) can be played because the geography pawn is in the correct location and the capsule is in the correct period.

How to Determine the Time Capsule Range

The fuel gauge consists of five spaces labeled Low, 1, 2, 3, and Full.

Initially, the fuel gauge marker is placed on Low. When the fuel marker is resting on Low, the range of the time capsule is limited to the century where it is resting on the timeline.

When the fuel marker is resting on a space containing a number, the range of the capsule is the century where the capsule rests, plus or minus the number of centuries indicated by the number under the fuel marker. (Example: if the fuel marker is on 2 and the time capsule is at the 11th century, one could play cards with time periods from the 13th to 9th century.)

When the fuel marker is resting on "Full", the range of the time capsule is unbounded and all event cards are in range.

Exchanging Cards for Fuel

Some event cards have fuel icons on them. These cards may be discarded in exchange for fuel at anytime during a player's turn. Exchanging a card for fuel does not count as one of the player's four actions.

When an event card is exchanged for fuel the marker on the fuel gauge is increased by the number of fuel icons on the card. (A card with two fuel icons increases the fuel gauge by two. If the fuel marker is resting on 1, it is moved to 3.) The card used for fuel can no longer be used by the player. Remove the card from the game.

During a turn, a player can only play a second fuel card if the fuel icons are a different color. (For example, two cards with red fuel icons cannot be played on the same turn.)

The fuel remains in the tank until the fuel gauge registers "Full". The player who adds the fuel resulting in the tank becoming full gets the special advantage of being allowed to play event card(s) regardless of timeframe (unlimited range) on the turn in which the fuel was added. At the end of that player's turn, the fuel gauge is reset to "Low".

Discarding Cards

A player may discard any card from his/her hand at any time. Discarded cards are removed from the game. This does not count as one of the player's actions.

Game End

When a player plays their 3rd New Testament card, complete the current round so that each player has played the same number of turns. The player with the highest score wins the game.

Scoring

The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Points are scored in the following ways:

• Points from event cards
• 10 Points for each Region Set
• 7 Points for each Symbol Victory
• 1 Point for each symbol with a matching Symbol Card

1. Card Points

Every event card has points associated with it. When the event card is played, the player's scoring pawn is advanced an amount equal to the point value associated with the card. This scoring occurs throughout the game.

2. Region Sets

There are five geographical regions on the game board. Each region is identified by the color on the left side of the event card. A Region Set consists of one event card from each of the five regions. At the end of the game, 10 bonus points are awarded to players who play event cards in all five regions. Points are scored in multiples of 10. So if a player plays three event cards in each of the five regions, 30 bonus points are awarded.

A region card acts as a wild card and is used to complete Region Sets. Use the Region card in place of one of the five colors. (With the Region card you would only need four different colored cards to have a Region Set.)

3. Symbols

Some event cards have symbols on them (Ancient, Royalty, God Speaks, Miracle, Battle, Mountain). Cards can have anywhere from zero to four symbols. Cards with symbols are often worth fewer points, but can be more valuable at the end of the game. At the end of the game, 7 points are awarded for each symbol category to the player with the most-played cards containing that symbol. Players who tie for the most symbols in a given category all get the full 7 points.

If you hold a symbol card in your hand at the end of the game you receive 1 point for each event card you've played with the matching symbol on it (include 1 point for the symbol card). Also, when counting to determine winners of symbol categories count the symbol card as +1 for the depicted symbol on the card.

Region Cards

There are four Region cards in the Old Testament deck. Use these cards to increase the likelihood of completing a Region Set. Region cards are revealed at the end of the game from a player's hand.

Symbol Cards

There are six symbol cards (one for each symbol type) in the Old Testament deck. This card helps win symbol categories and rewards you for playing numerous cards containing the matching symbol. These cards are revealed at the end of the game from a player's hand.

The Chronology of Biblical Events

Genesis: The Fall of Man; The Ark Lands on Mount Ararat; Confusion at Babel; Abraham and Sarah Leave Ur; Abraham and Sarah Deceive Pharaoh; Abraham Settles in Hebron; Abraham Meets Melchizedek; God Makes Covenant with Abraham; God Destroys Sodom; Ishmael and Hagar Sent Away; Abraham Makes Treaty with Abimelech; Abraham Tested by God; Abraham is Buried; Rebekah at the Well; Jacob's Dream; Jacob Works for Laban; Jacob Wrestles with God; Joseph Sold into Slavery by Brothers

15th Century: Moses Hidden in the Nile; Moses at the Burning Bush; God Parts the Red Sea; Rahab Helps the Hebrew Spies Escape; The Conquest of Jericho; Joshua Camps in Gilgal; The Northern Kings are Defeated

14th Century: The Sun Stands Still; The Canaanites are Defeated; Levite Becomes Priest for Micah; Israel Mourns for the Tribe of Benjamin

13th Century: Ehud Assassinates Eglon; Deborah Judges Israel; The Battle of Mount Tabor

12th Century: The Call of Gideon; Gideon and His 300 Men; Ruth Meets Boaz; Hannah Prays for a Son; The Ark in the Temple of Dagon

11th Century: Samson Kills a Lion with His Bare Hands; Death of Samson; Samuel Hears God's Voice; Saul Makes an Unlawful Sacrifice; Samuel Anoints David; David Slays Goliath; David Hides from Saul; Saul Goes to the Witch of Endor; The Death of Saul and Jonathan

10th Century: David Meets the Woman of Tekoa; Absalom's Treason Against David; David Reigns in Hebron; Solomon Builds the Temple; Abijah is Victorious Against Jeroboam

9th Century: Elijah Challenges the Prophets of Baal; Elijah Seeks Refuge from Jezebel; Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria; Ahab Takes Naboth's Vineyard; Elijah Taken to Heaven in Fiery Chariot; Elisha Curses Young Men who Mock Him; Elisha Raises the Shunamite Boy; Naaman Healed of Leprosy; Elisha's Servant Sees Heaven Open

8th Century: Israel Led into Captivity; God Extends Hezekiah's Life; Jonah Flees to Tarshish; Jonah Preaches in Nineveh

7th Century: Josiah Becomes King; The High Places are Destroyed; Daniel Interprets the King's Dream

6th Century: Remnant Flee to Egypt; Ezekiel Sees a Vision; Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall; Daniel in the Lion's Den

5th Century: Esther Becomes Queen; Haman is Hanged; Rebuilding the Wall of Jerusalem; Sanballat Plots to Hinder Nehemiah

New Testament: Angel Appears to Mary; Jesus is Born; Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt; The Baptism of Jesus; Jesus Talks to the Samaritan Woman; Jesus Turns Water into Wine; The Sermon on the Mount; Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-In-Law; A Mob Tries to Kill Jesus; Jesus Feeds Over 5,000 People; Jesus Heals a Blind Man; Jesus Raises a Boy from the Dead; Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead; The Death of Jesus; Jesus Rises from the Dead; Jesus Ascends to Heaven; Ananias and Sapphira Die; Tabitha Comes Back to Life; Peter's Vision; Peter Meets Cornelius

Game Variations

Team Variant

With four players, the game may be played with two teams of two players each. The two players play independently as indicated in the rules. However, at the end of the game, the points for regional sets and symbol categories are scored after players on the same team have combined their cards. The team with the most total points wins.

Simplified Variant

To simplify the game for younger players, do not use the fuel gauge. Event cards may be played at any time provided the player's pawn is in the correct location. The time capsule still travels forward in time by one century, but only as a way to count the number of rounds. When the time capsule reaches the New Testament era on the timeline, all players take their last turn.

Event Card Stats

Number of event cards in each deck by symbol and region:

Symbol / Region	Genesis	Old Testament	New Testament
Ancient	18	14	0
Royalty	3	19	0
God Speaks	8	11	3
Miracle	2	13	10
Battle	0	9	0
Mountain	3	6	2
Judea (brown)	8

Quick Reference

• Actions (take up to four on a turn): Draw a card; move your geography pawn; play an event card.
• Discarding: Discarding cards for fuel or to reduce your hand to the 7-card hand limit does not cost an action.
• Game End: When a player plays three New Testament cards, complete the current round so that each player plays the same number of turns. The winner is the player with the most points.
• Scoring: All points from event cards played during the game; 10 points for each Region Set; 7 points for winning a symbol category; 1 point for each symbol with matching Symbol Card.