Runir Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• About the Game
• Game Setup
  • Game Components
• Game Play
• The Jarl's Grand Hall
• Rewards
  • Praise from the Jarl - 8 Types
  • Magic Rune Symbols - 8 Types
  • Goods - 8 Types
  • Bonus Points for the Rewards at the End of the Game
• Carver's Aid Areas
• Turn Example
• Scoring
• Alternative Versions
  • Longer Version - Play 2 Sessions
  • Children's Version
• Runipedia
  • Runes
  • Magic Staves
• Overview
  • Game Play
  • Scoring

About the Game

Runir is a quick played dice game for 2 - 4 players, ages 14 and up. Playing time is 10 minutes per player.

In Runir each player gets his set of crystals, which represents his energy. The energy will be used to carve runes or to gain aid. The dice are the tools needed for carving. On each side of the die there is a unique rune symbol that needs to be matched with the correct rune combination on a rune stone on the board in order to get payment and score honour points. If the outcome of your dice roll is not as needed, you have a chance to use your energy crystals to get aid or adjust your dice. When any player has used all of his energy crystals, the game ends. Honour points, gained by carving rune stones, are then counted. The player with the most honour wins and becomes the Rune Master.

Game Setup

1. Each player selects a colour and takes a player token and 12 crystals in the same colour.

2. The Jarl's Grand Hall. Sort the coins according to the magic rune symbols on the back & place them with the number side down on the box lid. Shuffle each stack before placing down.

   Place the tokens on the 0 space on the honour track. Number side down.

   Shuffle together all the rewards and pile them face down on the lid. Take the top 3 rewards and place 1 face up on each of the 2, 3 & 4 spots.

   Feel free to use the box storage as a dice throwing tray during the game.

3. The playing boards. Roll 4 dice. Connect together playing boards with the same symbols as are on the dice. It does not matter which side is facing up or how they are aligned.

   If you get replicated dice, roll again until you have boards with different rune symbols on all boards.

   Alternatively take 4 boards at random. Connect them with the center piece, the arrow side facing down (expansion module) and place it in the middle of the playing area. The remaining 2 boards will not be used during this game.

   Keep the 6 white dice within reach. If a board that shows a dark die was chosen, place 1 dark die per player close to the board, they can be activated & used later in the game.

4. This completes the setup. The person that last saw a rune goes first and takes the starting player token.

Game Components

• 6 x Game boards + 1 central puzzle piece
• 10 x Dice (Futhark rune symbols - 16mm)
• 60 x Coins (2x10 bronze, 2x10 silver, 2x10 gold - 25mm round)
• 48 x Energy Crystals (4 x 12 crystals in 4 colours, 8 - 12mm)
• 4 x Colour tokens (1 for each player, same colour as crystal)
• 24 x Reward tokens (8 magic runes, 8 goods and 8 praise)
• Starting player token

Game Play

Runir is played in continuous turns, beginning with the starting player then continuing in clockwise order. The game continues until any player finishes all of his energy crystals. Complete the round and then count the final honour points.

During each player's turn:

1. The active player rolls the 6 white dice.

   Wild rune: a set of any same runes can match these symbols.

2. Based on the dice result:

   A. Find the matching runes on any rune stone. All runes on any 1 stone must match some of the runes on the rolled dice *.

   • Before a stone is carved, the aid areas can be used for improvement. Place 1 or 2 energy crystal(s) on 1 of 4 avialable areas around the center to use the aid. Each player can use each aid area only ONCE during the whole game & only ONE aid area can be used per turn.
   • To carve a stone, place 1 energy crystal in either of the empty holes on the stone that matches with the dice roll. If a stone has a wild rune symbol, use a set of any same runes to carve the stone.
   • If both holes have energy crystals in them, this stone cannot be carved *.
   • Place dice that have been used to carve a stone, in the center of the board. They cannot be used again during the turn to carve another stone *.
   • Players MUST use at least 1 energy crystal during their turn.
   • • there are corners that break these rules.

   B. Set 1 unused die OR re-roll all unused dice.

   • Players can place 1 energy crystal in the board center to set any one unused die to a side of their choice. Alternatively, players can take all or any of their unused dice (dice that have been rolled but not placed in the center to indicate that a stone has been carved with them) and re-roll them.
   • Please note that this action can only be used ONCE during the active player's turn.

   Players can use as many energy crystals as they want during each turn, but keep in mind that they can use each aid area only once.

The Jarl's Grand Hall

If players fulfill the preferences of the Jarl, they have a chance to get more honour delivered to them on a platter.

When the active player has fulfilled some or all of the Jarl's preferences, he can visit the Grand Hall to get his rewards.

The Jarl's preferred choices give honour points, if players have:

• a) carved certain rune stones (a combination of a red, a blue and a yellow rune stone symbol).
• b) received a certain magic rune payment combination (e.g. three red coins / three silver coins with the required rune symbol).
• c) used their energy in a certain way (placed energy crystals on shown areas).

The Jarl's preferences give honour points based on how important they are:

• 4 points - Most preferred
• 3 points - Mid preferred
• 2 points - Least preferred

A player can fulfill these preferences throughout the whole game. It usually takes more then 1 turn to fulfill these preferences (collect coins, placing crystals on the board), but the players can only get their rewards during their active turn!

When the active player fulfills the preferences:

• He gets the honour points (2, 3 or 4) from the area where the fulfilled reward was taken and he moves his honour points up accordingly.
• He places the coins that were used on top of the reward that was taken. They can not be used to gain other rewards. Crystals stay on the board.
• Players can get all the 3 rewards in the same turn, they can be taken immediately as soon as the requirements are met.
• After the active player's turn is over, the rewards are filled up. Move the remaining reward(s) to a higher preference point (direction of the arrows) and fill the empty area(s) with new reward(s) drawn from the draw deck.

Rewards

Praise from the Jarl - 8 Types

The Jarl is pleased with your good work and offers you a toast! A praise is gained by placing your energy crystals on the required locations on the board, as seen on pictures:

• The active player has carved the same rune stone twice anywhere on the board.
• The active player has carved at least 1 stone in all 4 boards.
• The active player has carved the shown total number of rune stones (3 or 4) anywhere on the board.
• The active player has carved the shown number of rune stones on the same board.

Magic Rune Symbols - 8 Types

Protect or aid the rune carvers. Magic rune symbol rewards are gained when the active player has received payment with the required magic rune symbols, as seen on the coins: three matching magic rune coins or three matching magic rune coins of another colour, etc.

If the active player has received the correct payment, e.g. 3 silver coins with the required rune symbol, he can get the reward.

Goods - 8 Types

General goods to enjoy and feed the carver's family. Rewarded with a specific set of gained coins, for example: two red coins and two gold coins, or three silver coins, etc.

If the active player has received the correct payment, e.g. 2 gold & 2 bronze coins (rune symbol not relevant), he can get the reward.

Bonus Points for the Rewards at the End of the Game

• For each set of magic runes, goods & praise, players get 3 honour points.
• The player with the most of each (magic runes / goods / praise) gets 2 honour points. A minimum of 2 tokens are needed to gain majority.

See more in "Turn Example" below.

Carver's Aid Areas

Players can use 1 of the 4 aid areas during their turn by placing their energy crystal on them. Each aid area can only be used once during the game by each player, but players can ONLY USE 1 AREA during the same turn.

• Re-roll max 3 of used dice. Place 1 energy crystal here, players can re-roll MAX 3 of the used dice that have been placed in the board center. Use them again to carve a new stone.
• Re-use a used die. Place 1 energy crystal here. Take a die that has been used & placed in the board center, use it for the 2nd time with the SAME rune icon (no re-roll), to carve another stone.
• Get 1 permanent extra die. Place 2 energy crystals here to gain 1 black die. This die can be used immediately & it lasts until the end of the game.
• Re-use one of the other corners. Place 1 energy crystal here. Use one aid area that you have already used, AGAIN (except "Get 1 permanent extra die").
• Change the rune of a chosen colour. Place 1 energy crystal here. Return a coin/s of a chosen colour from your storage (e.g. a magic rune coin) and take the same number of coin/s with the other magic rune on it in the same colour (e.g. the other magic rune coin of that colour).
• Use 1 rune less to carve a stone. Place 1 energy crystal here. Carve a rune stone with one less rune required (die). Can be any type.
• Carve a stone that has full holes. Place 1 energy crystal here. You can carve a rune stone that has already 2 energy crystals on it. You do not place your other energy crystal on the carved rune stone as well.
• The center - set a die / re-roll unused dice. Place 1 energy crystal here. Set 1 unused die to a side of your choice OR re-roll any unused dice. Each player can use the center to set-a-die OR re-roll unused dice (choose either action) only once per turn.

Turn Example

Blue's turn. He rolls the 6 dice.

a) Find a match. Example of 2 options: two of the same rune, or any two runes, shown as two alternative sets of dice. A "=" marks two of the same, any two.

b) If roll is not sufficient. He aims for 2 silver, so he wants to set-a-die. To set-a-die, he places 1 energy crystal into the center and sets 1 unused die to a side of his choice.

Success! He carves both silver stones. He places 1 energy crystal in each empty hole on the stones.

Blue has used all of his dice for this turn, so he claims his payment: 2 silver coins for carving 2 silver stones. Blue carved 2 silver rune stones this turn so he takes 2 silver coins. He chooses 1 of each type.

Blue has earned these coins during the game. He would need 1 more gold to get the middle reward, but he gets the other reward instead.

Blue instantly receives 4 honour points, he moves the marker up on the honour track accordingly. He places the required coins on the top of the gained reward. Move the remaining tokens and place a new one from the draw pile.

The current player finished his turn & the player on his left goes next.

Game continues until any player has finished all of his energy crystals. Finish the turn up to the Starting player.

Scoring

When any player has finished all of his energy crystals the game ends. Other players can finish their turn according to the starting player order.

Go to final score:

• 1 honour point for every unused energy crystal a player has left.
• Reveal the points on the back of the coins and add to score track (Bronze 1 - 3 honour, Silver 3 - 5 honour & Gold 5 - 7 honour).
• 3 points for each set of all reward tokens (1 x goods, praise & magic rune).
• 2 points for the player with most GOODS (min 2 x goods).
• 2 points for the player with most PRAISE (min 2 x praise).
• 2 points for the player with most MAGIC RUNES (min 2 x magic rune).

If no player has the majority of goods, praise or magic runes, no extra points are rewarded.

If passing the 20 point mark, turn your token to the "20" side, if passing 40, place a crystal in player's colour on the 0 mark to indicate.

The player with the most honour points wins. In case of a tie, the player that has the most reward tokens wins. Still tie, most gold coins wins, if still tie after that, most silver, if still tie, then most bronze. Still tie, least energy left wins!

Alternative Versions

Longer Version - Play 2 Sessions

Set up and play the game as normal, but do not count the reward bonuses at the end of the game, only the coins.

At the end of the 1st session, do the following changes:

1. Keep all the reward tokens, but sort and shuffle all of the coins back to their piles after counting the honour on their backsides.
2. Continue the scoring for the next session from current location.
3. Take all the energy crystals back from the board. If a dark die was gained during the game it is kept and used again during this session.
4. Throw 1 die. Remove the board shown on the die and switch with either one of the unused boards.

The reward tokens bonus is only counted at the very end of the game!

Children's Version

Normal setup and play, but do not use the reward tokens. Only gain the points at the back of the coins. Player with the most honour wins!

Runipedia

Runes

The Elder Futhark runic alphabet, named after the first 6 letters, was widely used in the Nordic countries from the 2nd - 8th century when it was replaced with the Younger Futhark.

Runes were generally used for expressing all sort of information, ranging from a simple claim of ownership to epic stories of raids and plundering in faraway lands.

Carving runes was not a common practice among the people, it was a trained trade similar to carpentry or iron working. In Scandinavia, more then 100 Rune masters or Rune carvers have been acknowledged in the Viking age for their skills. Some were more productive & had more fame than others.

Iceland had their own version of the Younger Futhark from the Age of Settlement in 870. Icelandic runes were commonly used into the 15th century when the modern alphabet slowly took over. The oldest known Rune carving in Iceland dates back to the 10th century.

Magic Staves

According to the Sagas, runes have been used as magical properties since the Age of Settlement, but the more symbolic Icelandic magic staves only date back to the 16th century. They were used to both aid and harm people.

• Thor's Hammer - One of the most powerful protective runes.
• Trading Stave - Draw on paper and keep under left arm. Success!
• Rotas Stave - Protective crucifix. The more you use, the better.
• Gapaldur - Used to fight magic, keep under heel of right foot.
• Fishing Stave - Inscribe on calf skin to secure good fishing.
• Dream Stave - Carve on a dogfish bone, place under head & dream.

Overview

Game Play

During each player's turn:

1. Roll 6.
2. Use at least 1 crystal during your turn. Carve a stone by placing a crystal in some empty hole on a rune stone.
3. Optionally, use a corner / center:
   • a) To use one of the center actions, place a crystal in the board center.
   • b) Place a crystal on an aid area, for aid or improved outcome.
4. Players can visit the Grand Hall, if they fulfill the Jarl's preferences.
5. End of turn, player to the left goes next.

Scoring

Game ends when any player has placed all of his crystals; each other player gets 1 final turn according to starting player token so all get equal turns.

1. 1 honor point for each unused crystal.
2. 1 - 7 points from the back of the coins.
3. 3 points for each set of magic runes, goods & praise.
4. 2 points to the player that has the most praise (min 2 x praise).
5. 2 points to the player that has the most goods (min 2 x goods).
6. 2 points to the player that has the most magic runes (min 2 x magic rune).

The winner becomes the Rune Master!