Pyramid of Pengqueen
Pyramid of Pengqueen Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 magnetic board
- 1 magnetic mummy figure (in two parts)
- 4 magnetic treasure hunter pieces (red, green, blue and yellow)
- 12 life tokens with torch symbols (3 in each player color)
- 5 treasure hunter dice (white)
- 1 mummy die (black)
- 2 small game inserts (1 for the mummy side, 1 for the treasure hunter side)
- 23 treasure cards (5 in yellow, green, grey, and 4 in red and purple)
Object of the Game
One player takes the role of the mummy, all other players play as the treasure hunters. Each treasure hunter must retrieve a unique set of five magical treasures from the pyramid.
A treasure hunter immediately wins the game as soon as they have retrieved all five of their treasures.
The mummy wins the game by catching treasure hunters and taking their life tokens. Each time the mummy catches a treasure hunter, they take one life token from that player. They win as soon as they have collected a number of life tokens based on the number of treasure hunters in the game:
- 2 treasure hunters: 4 life tokens
- 3 treasure hunters: 6 life tokens
- 4 treasure hunters: 7 life tokens
Preparation
The magnetic board is put in the middle of the box insert. The board shows the same map of the pyramid on both sides with some slight differences.
Agree which player will take on the role of the mummy this game, and then position the box so that the mummy player sits on the Mummy's side of the board (marked by the Mummy icon) and all the treasure hunters sit on the other side.
The mummy player may never look at the treasure hunter side during the game.
On the mummy's side, place the mummy game insert on top of the mummy's side of the box insert (with the bridge in the middle). Place the treasure hunter game insert on the treasure hunter side of the board (with the snow-covered steps leading up to the entrance).
Each treasure hunter player chooses a color, takes all three life tokens in that color, and adds their matching magnetic treasure hunter piece on their side of the board, onto the treasure hunter starting space (with the single arrow pointing into the pyramid).
The mummy player places both pieces of his magnetic mummy figure on the space with a picture of a sarcophagus, one piece on each side of the board. He places the mummy's head (the larger piece) on his side of the board (on the picture of the glowing sarcophagus), and he places the smaller piece (the magnetic disc) on the treasure hunter's side.
It is very important that the larger mummy piece is placed on the mummy side of the board and the adventurer tokens are placed on the adventurer side. Otherwise, the magnets will not work properly.
Separate the treasure cards into five piles, based on the colors on their backs. Then shuffle each of the piles separately. Give one card from each pile to each treasure hunter. These cards represent the magical objects that each player must find to win the game. These cards should be kept hidden from the other players.
The mummy player places their mummy die within reach, and the treasure hunters place their dice nearby.
(Return any remaining items back to the box, and the game is ready to begin!)
How to Play
(Please Note: the rules for 2 players are detailed at the back of the book.)
The treasure hunter to the left of the mummy player begins the game and play continues around the table in a clockwise direction.
Treasure Hunter Turn
On their turn, treasure hunters take the following steps in order:
- Reset the dice (optional)
- Roll the dice (mandatory)
- Move (mandatory)
- Play a treasure card (optional)
1. Reset the dice
If, after the first turn of the game, any of the dice have been set aside with their mummy side showing, then the player may choose to reset all the dice before rolling them for their turn. In this case, the mummy player immediately takes a special interrupting turn (see the section on this later in the rules). After the mummy player has taken their turn, the treasure hunter player continues on to step 2 with all five dice available.
2. Roll the dice
The player rolls all the treasure hunter dice available which are not showing a mummy. After each roll, any dice rolled showing a mummy must be set aside, and are unavailable until a player resets the dice on a future turn. If, after rolling, the player is satisfied with their result, they may proceed on to the next step. Otherwise, they may choose to roll all the available dice again. The player may repeat this process as often as desired, setting aside any dice showing mummies after each roll.
Remember: you can only roll the dice which do not show a mummy!
3. Move
The player looks at the dice they rolled and chooses one of them, the result of which (1, 2, 3, 4, or arrow) is announced to the mummy player, and then applied to their piece.
If the player chooses a die with a number, they must move their treasure hunter piece the corresponding number of spaces. They may pass through spaces with other treasure hunters (counting each space as one movement), but they may never end their turn on the same space as another treasure hunter.
The following additional rules must also be followed:
A piece may only be moved horizontally or vertically (never diagonally).
Changing direction, including backtracking, is allowed. During a turn, the same space may be entered several times by going back and forth, each time counting as one additional movement.
A piece must be moved the full number of spaces chosen. If this cannot be done, the player must roll again (or choose another die, if one is available to them).
If the player chooses a die with the arrow, they must move their piece in a straight line (horizontally or vertically) until it hits an obstacle or another player's treasure hunter. The current treasure hunter then ends their movement on the space immediately in front of the obstacle / treasure hunter. A treasure hunter may not end their movement on the same spot they started on when choosing this option.
Obstacles include: walls, the treasure hunter starting space, the mummy's sarcophagus, and the current space of the mummy figure. Obstacles may not be entered or crossed as part of a treasure hunter's movement.
4. Play a treasure card
If a treasure hunter ends their move on one of the symbols matching their treasure cards, then they may reveal their card and place it face up for everyone to see (including the mummy). If a player plays their last card, then they immediately win the game.
Example of a treasure hunter's turn
It is the blue player's turn. From earlier turns there are two dice showing mummies. Blue decides not to reset and therefore rolls only the three dice remaining without mummies. He rolls a mummy, a 1, and a 2.
He sets aside the mummy die. He does not like his result, so he chooses to roll again. He rolls the two remaining dice. His choices are now a 1 and a 4.
Blue announces that he will move four spaces. He moves to the red jewel. Because he has the treasure card with the red jewel, he then places it face up on the table. This ends his turn. Next, the red player is up and decides to reset the dice.
The mummy player then takes an interrupting turn, but the red player will get to roll all five dice afterwards.
Mummy Turn
Normal Mummy Turn
Taken after each treasure hunter has taken a turn:
The mummy player rolls the mummy die and adds the result to the number of treasure hunter dice set aside with mummies on them. This total indicates how many spaces the mummy may move. The mummy may only move horizontally and vertically. They may not move through walls, and may not move into the treasure hunter starting space or back into their sarcophagus.
If the mummy enters a space with a treasure hunter, then that treasure hunter has been caught. The turn ends immediately, and the mummy remains on the space where it caught the treasure hunter. The treasure hunter piece is moved to the mummy's sarcophagus and the treasure hunter must give a life token to the mummy. When a treasure hunter has lost their last life token, they are out of the game.
Important! After a normal mummy turn the treasure hunter dice showing mummies remain that way. They can only be reclaimed by a treasure hunter choosing to take the Reset action.
Interrupting Turns
Taken after a treasure hunter has chosen the Reset action:
The mummy moves as many spaces as there are dice set aside showing mummy symbols. The mummy die is not rolled.
Otherwise the rules are the same as for a normal mummy turn. After the mummy's turn, the treasure hunter who chose to reset the dice gets to resume their turn and rolls all the treasure hunter dice (step 2).
Remember treasure hunters: play honestly and do not cheat. For a real adventurer it is a matter of honor in the end!
The treasure hunter player wins when they have played all 10 treasure cards. The mummy player wins when they have collected 3 life tokens from the treasure hunter player.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately when either:
A treasure hunter has played their last treasure card. In this case, that treasure hunter wins the game.
OR
The mummy has collected a number of life tokens, based on the number of players in the game:
- 2 treasure hunters: 4 life tokens
- 3 treasure hunters: 6 life tokens
- 4 treasure hunters: 7 life tokens
In this case the mummy wins the game.
The Game for Two Players
Games with two players use the following changes to the rules:
The treasure hunter player controls two different treasure hunter pieces and the life tokens of both. They draw 10 treasure cards (2 cards of each color). A normal turn is taken for each piece (always in the same order). The player's treasure cards can be played by either one of the pieces (as long as they are on top of the correct treasure). The mummy player takes a turn after both treasure hunters have had a turn.
Special Situations and Advice
What happens if all five treasure hunter dice show a mummy side?
The player loses their turn. Their piece stays where it is. The next player has no choice but to reset the dice, which will give the mummy player an interrupting turn.
What happens if a treasure hunter is completely surrounded by obstacles on their turn?
If it is impossible for a treasure hunter to move on their turn because they are enclosed on three sides by walls and on the fourth side by the mummy, then the player must announce this to the mummy player. They do not get to take a turn. They may not reset or roll the dice. The game proceeds to the next player's turn.
After the mummy player catches them, on their turn, can a treasure hunter leave the mummy's sarcophagus in either of the two directions (breaks in the walls)?
Yes.
Magnet tip: In order for the magnets to work well, pieces should always be placed in the middle of their spaces. If the mummy enters a space with a treasure hunter, and the piece is not "caught" by the mummy's magnet, the treasure hunter still counts as being captured.
Mummy tip: The mummy player may ask to look at the backs of the treasure hunters' remaining treasure cards in order to see which colors each treasure hunter still needs to collect.
Treasure hunter tip: Treasure hunters should play to help themselves in the early part of the game, but begin to help each other later on if the mummy threatens to win the game.
Credits
Author: Marcel-André Casasola Merkle
Illustrations: Reinis Pētersons
Brain Games Publishing SIA Bruņinieku 39, Riga, LV‑1001, Latvia T. (+371) 67334034 info@Brain‑Games.com www.Brain‑Games.com
© 2018 Brain Games Publishing SIA