The King's Abbey Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Tool Bags, Wagons, and Trade Tokens
  • Building and Tower Cards
  • Flow of Play
• Winning the Game
• Phase 1 - Roll Dice
  • Recruiting Peasants
  • Training Clergy
  • Clergy Training Bonuses
  • Ways to Gain Defense
  • Crusade Cards
  • Completing a Crusade
• Phase 2 - Draw Event Card
• Phase 3 - Abbey and Crusade Dice Placement
• Phase 4 - Purchase Building Cards
• Phase 5 - Resource and Initiative Selection
  • Initiative
• Phase 6 - Move Peasants
• Phase 7 - Build
  • Constructing Buildings, Walls, and Training Archers
• Phase 8 - Gardening / Farming / Feeding
  • Gardening
  • Farming
  • Feeding
• Phase 9 - Combat Darkness / Move Darkness
• Phase 10 - Collect Income
• Phase 11 - Collect Crusade Rewards And Purchase New Crusades
• Phase 12 - Reset
• End of Game Scoring
• Variants

Components

• 1 Main Board
• 5 Player Boards
• 5 Player Aids
• In the 5 player colors there are: 10 Dice (monks), 15 Meeples (peasants), 1 Prestige Tracker, 5 Sticks (wall sections), 2 Trade Tokens, 1 Altar Token, 1 Defense Tracker, 1 Clergy Training Marker, 6 Tower Cards
• 15 Sheep
• 9 Cows
• 5 Barns
• 5 Viking Dice
• 1 Darkness Tracker
• 5 Remodel Cards
• 4 Extra Defense Trackers
• 1 Starting Player Meeple
• 6 Resource Initiative Tokens
• 7 Relic Tokens
• 63 Building Cards
• 11 Wagons
• 11 Tool Bags
• 60 Coins
• 7 Patron Saint Cards
• 23 Event Cards
• 28 Crusade Cards

Setup

Place the Main Board in the center of the table. Put the wood resource tokens on the forest, the grain resource tokens on the fields, the stone resource tokens on the mountains, the sand resource tokens on the sand pits, and place the coins on the Center Market as shown in example on the next page. Place the Darkness Tracker on the bottom "3" of the Darkness Track for the basic game, or on the next "3" above for a more challenging game. The game lasts for 7 rounds, and at the end of each round the Darkness will increase by one level. For example, if you are playing the basic game, the last round will end on "8." Next, take the 6 "Resource Initiative Tokens," shuffle them and place them in a stack face down on the main board where it says "Initiative Resource Pile." This pile makes up the "Initiative Draw Pile."

Each player takes a Player Board, 1 Wagon and 1 Tool Bag. They also take 6 Tower Cards (2 Battlements, 2 Gate Towers, 1 Chapel, and 1 Bell Tower) 15 peasants, a Defense Tracker, and Altar Token in their player color. Players begin the game with 4 coins, 1 wood resource token, 1 grain resource token, and 1 stone resource token. All players place one peasant on the left most (back) pew.

Each player places his/her purple Clergy Training Token to the right of the first box of the Postulant level on their player board. Each player collects 9 dice in their color and leaves one in the general supply, only to be used when the Monk's Quarters is built and has a working peasant. Each player places their Defense Tracker on defense level "1" on their Player Board. (the shield in the top left hand corner.) Players always have at least one defense in their abbey, and can never go below one.

Take all the building cards and separate the 6 "starting" building cards from the rest of the cards. These all have the words "STARTING CARD" at the bottom of these cards. Take these cards and randomly deal one to each player. The 6 starting building cards are the Library, Mason's Guild, Garden, Cloister, Abbott's Den, and the Money Changer.

Each player will take their starting building card and place it on their player board in one of the 7 building spots. Next they place a peasant in the top left hand corner of their starting building card covering up the black meeple. When placing a peasant this way, it represents a peasant that is working in the building. This will be your first building activated with it's special ability as notated on the card. This starting building does not earn any prestige for being built. IMPORTANT: See "Building Cards" on pages 20 and 21 for more information on each building and what bonuses there are for building 2 of 1 kind. Shuffle the remaining building cards and then make two even draw piles and place each pile on the building market where it says "Draw Pile." Deal 3 cards face up from each pile on the 3 empty squares below each pile, filling them in from bottom to top, and turn over the top card of each draw pile. These eight dealt cards become the "Building Market."

Next, shuffle the Crusade Cards and randomly deal one to each player. Place the remaining Crusade Cards, face down, on the Main Board where it says "Crusades." Players then take their Crusade Card and place it face up next to their Player Board in clear view of the other players. Now take the "Event" cards, separate the 3 kinds of Event cards; Disaster, Vikings! and Year of Plenty. Shuffle each kind separately and then randomly deal 2 Year of Plenty, 2 Disaster, and 3 Vikings! cards into a pile, shuffle this pile and place it face down on the main board where it says "Event." Place the rest of the "Event" cards back in the box. IMPORTANT: See pages 21 and 22 for more information on playing with the Relic Crusade Cards, and Patron Saint Cards.

It is suggested that players use the "Quick Play" rules provided, for their first game.

Players each roll a die to see who goes first. The player with the lowest roll becomes the "starting" player. He/she takes the purple Starting Player Meeple. He/she then places their player disc on number "5" on the Prestige Track. Play proceeds clockwise around the table, beginning with the starting player. Each other player in order, places their player disc on the 6, 7, and 8. Now you are ready to begin! The example below is what setup looks like.

Tool Bags, Wagons, and Trade Tokens

Tool Bags - If a player has a Tool Bag, they may use it ONE time during each round. If you have more than one, you may use each one, at most, one time per round. You may use as many Tool Bags as owned on one Resource Spot, or use them separately at different Resource Spots. Each Tool Bag used will add one "pip" to the total amount of "pips" on your dice that you have placed on a Resource Spot. When you use a Tool Bag, simply flip it over to the "used" side. For example, with 2 Tool Bags you are able to turn a die roll of 4 into a 6. No one die value can ever be increased over 6.

Wagons - If a player has a Wagon, they may use it ONE time then it must be discarded. You may use as many Wagons as you own, on one Resource Spot, or use them separately on different Resource Spots. Each Wagon used will allow the player to gain ONE extra resource token at a Resource Spot where they have already placed a legal die or dice.

Trade Token - Trade tokens are used to keep track of the 2 trades players have each round. Players may trade at the value of each resource. Values are displayed on Player Boards and Resource Spots. Trades must be made for at least the same value or higher.

When making a trade, they exchange one kind of resource for one kind of another resource, including coins. For example, even though 1 wood and 1 grain equals 5 in resource value, you CANNOT trade 1 wood, and 1 grain to receive one sand. Legal trades consist of trading 8 coins for 4 wood or 1 stone for 4 coins or 2 sand for 2 stone or 1 sand for 2 wood. IMPORTANT: Players do not receive change back when trading over. For example, when trading 1 sand for 1 stone, there will be 1 left over. The extra is simply lost.

EXCEPTION: If a player has a Money Changer building built with a working peasant, you can take the difference in coins. When you have made a trade, simply turn over one Trade Token to the used side.

Extra Defense Trackers - These are used to mark the defense that your 2nd Mason's Guild gives you, or used when playing the Patron Bonus of Saint Arnaud.

Towers - are built to gain defense and prestige. Each player has 6 total towers; 1 Chapel, 1 Bell Tower, 2 Gate Towers, and 2 Battlements. Even though there are 6 total towers, each player may only build four total per game.

Chapel - If built, this tower earns the player 4 prestige immediately. As soon as this player reaches the top of the Priest Clergy Training column they move their Defense Tracker one space to the right. IMPORTANT: This tower does not need a peasant in it to be activated.

Bell Tower - If built, this tower earns the player 6 prestige immediately. When a player moves a "baptized" peasant into this tower, they may re-roll two of their dice one time each round but must keep the second result.

Gate Tower - If built, this tower earns a player 8 prestige immediately. When a player trains an archer by paying 5 coins, he may move a peasant directly from the pews OR baptistery into this tower by placing the peasant on the "black meeple with bow" icon. This will give the player one more defense. When an archer is placed, move defense shield one space to the right. IMPORTANT: Archers do not have to be baptized.

Battlement - This tower works the same as the Gate Tower in every way, except it cost more to build and it earns a player 10 prestige immediately when built.

Building and Tower Cards

(see Appendix for explanation of each building card)

• A. Place peasant here to activate the building's special ability.
• B. Name of building /tower.
• C. Prestige received immediately if built.
• D. Cost to build.
• E. Special building/tower ability.
• F. Immediate reward when building is purchased.
• G. There are four spaces in the abbey available to construct towers.
• H. There are seven spaces in the abbey available to construct buildings.
• I. This is where the altar is built.
• J. This is where wall sections are built.
• K. This is where players track their defense.
• L. This is where players track their clergy training.
• M. This is where players keep there extra resources.

Flow of Play

The game proceeds over 7 rounds of play with 12 phases each round.

THE KING'S ABBEY PHASES

1. Roll Dice
2. Draw Event Card
3. Abbey & Crusade Dice Placement
4. Purchase Building Cards
5. Resource and Initiative Selection
6. Move Peasants
7. Build
8. Gardening / Farming / Feeding
9. Combat Darkness / Move Darkness
10. Collect Income
11. Collect Crusade Rewards / Purchase New Crusades
12. Reset

Winning the Game

A player will win the game if he/she has the most prestige at the end of 7 rounds. Players gain prestige by constructing buildings, towers, walls, finishing crusades and fighting Vikings. Players will take the prestige by moving their player disc up the prestige track. At the end of the 7th round, there will be a round of "end game scoring" in which players will add up their prestige of their completed crusades, and any other prestige that certain buildings give each player. The player with the most prestige wins the game.

Phase 1 - Roll Dice

Your dice represent the monks that are in charge of recruiting peasants, training clergy, defending the abbey, going on crusades, fighting Vikings, and collecting resources.

Recruiting Peasants

After rolling the dice, and completing the Event card, each player may use up to three dice per round to recruit peasants. To do this, select the number of dice to use, up to three with values of 1, 2, or 3 and place them to the left of the pews where the dice pics are located. Then collect the number of peasants from your supply equaling the number of dice used, and put them on the wooden pews filling them from bottom to top, left to right. Players must fill in any empty spaces of left most columns before filling the next column. For example, the Yellow player wants to use his two 3's and one of his 2's, to recruit peasants. In example "A," the player already has 3 peasants in his abbey. With two 3's and one 2, he places three more peasants in his abbey like shown in EXAMPLE "A."

Training Clergy

Each player is allowed to use up to three dice per round to train their clergy. There are five levels of clergy training; Postulant, Deacon, Priest, Bishop and Cardinal. Players complete each level of training when they reach the top of a column. For example: at the beginning of the game you are a Friar, wishing to part of the church clergy. Once you reach the top of the Postulant row you been accepted to move on to Deacon training. To train clergy, select the number of dice you wish to use, up to three with values of 4, 5 or 6 and place them to the right of the "Clergy Training" where the dice pics are located. Then move the purple Clergy Training Marker up one square for each die used. (at the beginning of the game your first move would be placing the token at the bottom of the Postulant column.) When you reach the top of a column, collect the bonus listed above it. If you have more spaces to move, simply continue your movement beginning at the bottom of next column to the left. In EXAMPLE "B", the Yellow player is at Postulant level and wants to use his two 4's and one of his 6's to train his clergy. He places the dice and moves his marker to the bottom of the row to the left and continues his movement to reach the top of the next column. He has now reached Deacon level. He immediately receives one permanent defense as a bonus, and moves his defense shield one space to the right.

Clergy Training Bonuses

Players complete each clergy level by reaching the top of the column that their purple Clergy Training Token is in and they automatically receive the bonus listed at the top of the column.

• Postulant level completed - Player receives two extra peasant moves for the rest of the game.
• Deacon level completed - Player immediately receives a permanent defense for their abbey.
• Priest level completed - Player gains two resources of their choice ONE time and may gain one permanent defense if the player has Chapel built.
• Bishop level completed - Player receives 3 more peasant moves for the rest of the game, and 4 prestige immediately. (player now has a total of 6 peasant moves each round.)
• Cardinal level completed - Player receives the prestige at each square as they move up the column, and when they reach the top they receive one more permanent defense.

Abbey Defense - Each player always has at least 1 defense. After building certain towers and buildings, each player must check to see if they have gained any defenses from them and adjust their Defense Tracker accordingly. Most defense in the game is noted by a "shield" symbol.

Ways to Gain Defense

1. Building an Altar - This is done during the "Build" phase and costs you 4 coins and 2 wood resource tokens to build. After paying, place your Altar Token in your abbey. This signifies your altar is built and you gain 1 permanent defense. After placing the Altar, move your Defense Tracker 1 space to the right.

2. Placing Archers in Towers - This is also done during the "Build" phase and costs 5 coins to train an archer. Once you pay the 5 coins, take one peasant from your baptistery OR your pews, and place it on a "gate" or "battlement" tower. An archer placed allows you to gain the defense (shield) listed on the card. You must have a peasant in the pews or baptistery to train your archer. Unlike peasants in buildings, and Bell Towers, archers do not have to be baptized.

3. Using Dice - Since dice represent monks, they can be used to defend your abbey. Simply place any dice you want, up to as many as you want on your defense track to the right of your Defense Tracker token. Every die placed will increase the overall abbey defense by one. Of course these dice are only a temporary defense and will be taken back into players personal supply during the Reset phase.

4. Building a wall - Players may build wall sections at the cost of 1 stone each. 5 wall sections make up a completed wall. A completed wall gives the player "8" prestige and one more defense immediately. IMPORTANT: A partially built wall does not give a player any defense or prestige.

5. Constructing Buildings - Some buildings like the Cloister will give players an extra defense when built and occupied by a peasant.

The example shows a player's abbey with 9 total defense.

Crusade Cards

Each Crusade Card represents a crusade that the monks and peasants from your abbey are currently on. See Examples "2" and "3" on page 11:

• A. Where peasants are placed.
• B. How many dice of the same value that must be placed on the card.
• C. The reward and prestige received for completing the crusade.

The reward for example "2" is; one stone resource token, move Clergy Training Marker 3 spaces and player will receive 6 prestige at end of the game. The reward for example "3" is; one grain resource token, move Clergy Training Marker 2 spaces, and player will receive 4 prestige at end of the game.

Completing a Crusade

In phase 3, players may take the dice they rolled and place them on their CRUSADE CARDS. To begin a crusade, take a peasant from the pews OR baptistery and place it on one of the 2 spaces with the "black meeple icon." This peasant must stay on this card until the crusade has been completed. (only two different colors of peasants are allowed on each card.) Then place any die value on one of the squares. Any other dice placed this round or rounds thereafter must match the current die or dice value of the other dice that are on the card. When all squares have been filled with dice, the crusade is considered completed. After a crusade is completed, and during phase 11, the player will collect the reward but not the prestige. (unless you split the prestige with another player, then both players will take the prestige immediately and the card is discarded.) After phase 11, the player flips the completed crusade over and keeps the prestige hidden until the end of the game where it will be scored. If a crusade is not finished before the end of the game, the prestige becomes negative prestige and players must subtract it from their total prestige points.

Helping Other Players Complete a Crusade:

During phase 3 players may also help each other complete crusades but must follow the rules above. Only one additional player may be on a crusade. In example "4" on page 11, Green cannot seem to roll any more 3's and only needs one more 3 to complete her crusade. She notices that the Red player has rolled a 3 and asks him if he will help. Red complies, so he must place his 3 die on her card along with one of his peasants from his abbey. Players discuss and make deals on how the rewards and prestige will be handed out.

All dice and peasants must stay on the crusade card until the crusade has been completed. If during the Reset phase, the owner of the crusade wants to take back the dice from an un-completed crusade, he may do so and must remove ALL dice, and all peasants on card are considered lost and must be discarded into the box. The player must start this crusade over by placing new dice and peasant after rolling the dice in phase 1. On phase 11, if a player has completed a crusade, the dice are returned to players personal supply and the peasants are returned to the player's pews safe and sound. Players must follow the rules of placing new peasants in their abbey when a peasant comes back from a successful crusade. Phase 11 is where players collect the reward of completed crusades, and may at this time purchase new crusades in player order. Although all players begin the game with one random Crusade Card, players do not have to purchase any more crusades if they do not wish to. IMPORTANT: Players may not use the Library to change dice to be used on Crusade cards. The Library may only change the dice to be used in the abbey only.

Phase 2 - Draw Event Card

The starting player draws the event card and reads aloud the card text. There are 3 types of event cards: "Disaster!", "Year of Plenty", and "Vikings!". If on the first round of play, and on the first round only, a Vikings! card is drawn, discard it to the bottom of the pile and draw another card. Do this until you draw a Year of Plenty or Disaster! card.

"The Disaster!" and "Year of Plenty" cards are simply read out loud and players must follow the instructions on the card. The card is in effect for the entire round. For example; the Year of Plenty card; "Build one building for free" stays in effect even after you purchase new buildings.

"Vikings!" cards are very different. These cards represent Vikings attacking each players' abbey. Players will work together to hopefully defeat the Vikings. When a Vikings! card is drawn, the last player takes as many black dice as there are players and rolls them. (in a Solo game 2 dice are rolled.) He/she then takes the dice and places them in value order beginning at the top purple square, and with the highest value first, filling them in from top to bottom. Then beginning with the starting player, he/she MUST take one of their dice that matches the 1st black die on the top of the column or lose a peasant. Each player has only one turn to place a die or dice. The example to the left is from a game with 4 players. In this example the first Viking to attack has a value of 5. When placing a die that matches the value of the black die, they place that die directly across the die they are attacking. Once the die is placed they receive +1 prestige immediately. Then they may continue to place more dice as long as they have a die that matches the next one down on the column. This means that the starting player could in fact defeat all Vikings by themselves. At the beginning of a players turn, if they do not have a die matching the next one down or they choose to pass, then play continues with the next player. A player may only pass if they have already placed one die. Otherwise they lose a peasant.

If at the beginning of a players' turn they do not have a die matching the next one, they receive minus 1 prestige and then places one of their peasants from their abbey on the square across from the die they could not match. If this happens, they must end their turn immediately and play continues to the next player. This continues around the table clockwise until all players have had ONE turn each to place dice or a peasant. To defeat the Viking attack there must be more players dice then players peasants, in the right hand column. If there are more players dice than players peasants, you have defeated the Vikings! On a win, the player with the most dice placed receives an extra 3 prestige. No extra reward for ties. If there are more players peasants than players dice or a tie, the Vikings have won. On a loss, the player with the most dice placed does not receive any extra prestige, and all players lose one built building or tower of their choice. They must discard the building into the box, all peasants in the buildings lost are put back in the box, and all sheep or cows, that were in the Barn is put back in the general supply.

If losing a Sheep farm or Dairy farm, the Barn is discarded as well. If a player does not have any constructed buildings or towers, they lose all of their current resources and coins. Players may not choose the loss. If a player has a built tower or building they must lose it. The "Vikings!" card stays on the table with all the dice and peasants until the "Reset" phase, where it is then discarded. IMPORTANT: Players may not use their Library to change dice to be used on Vikings! cards.

Scoring reference: Each die placed +1 prestige. No die placed -1 prestige. Most dice placed +3 prestige. Dice > Cubes = Win. Players receive one turn each to fight.

Example: Red is the starting player but does not have a 5 die so he loses 1 Prestige and places one of his peasants on the card. His turn is now over. The Blue player is next and decides to place his two 3's and gains 2 Prestige. This leaves the last die to be defeated; the 1. Green places her 1 die to defeat the last Viking and gains 1 Prestige. Yellow does not get a turn because all Vikings! have been fought. The players have all won. Blue receives an extra 3 Prestige because he placed the most dice.

Phase 3 - Abbey and Crusade Dice Placement

In this phase, all players put their monks to task by placing dice on their Player Board and Crusade Cards. During this phase, players will choose how many dice to use for recruiting peasants, training clergy, defending their abbey, and crusading. Once this phase ends, dice on the abbey or crusades can no longer be moved until the "Reset" phase.

Phase 4 - Purchase Building Cards

Beginning with starting player, players take turns in clockwise order, passing or selecting one building card at a time and paying the purchase price. When the last player selects a building card, the players do one more round of purchasing beginning with the last player and going counter clockwise. Players pay 1, 2, 3, or 4 coins for each building card taken. The coin pics in the middle of the building rows show how much the building costs to the right and to the left of the coins. Once a player has passed, he may not go back and purchase a building card this round. When a building card is purchased, the player immediately takes the reward located on the bottom right of the building card. The card is then placed in the player's personal supply to be later built when they can afford too. Players may only build 7 total buildings. EXCEPTION: Players that have purchased the "Remodel" card may build 2 more buildings. Any building that is not built by the end of the game will become negative prestige.

IMPORTANT: See pages 20 and 21 for more details on how each building works.

Phase 5 - Resource and Initiative Selection

Beginning with player that holds the Starting Player Meeple, begin placing dice on Initiative and Resource Spots. You may only choose one Resource or Initiative Spot at a time. Play then proceeds in clockwise order until all dice have been placed or all players have passed. There are four different resources that you may collect; wood, grain, stone, and sand. Each of these resources will be used to construct buildings, towers, and different parts of your abbey. The resources have a value from 2 - 5. These are displayed on the Player Board and Main Board. Please note: coins are not considered a resource, but have a value of 1.

Resource Spots - On the main board there are 4 resource spots to gather WOOD, GRAIN, STONE and SAND. At each resource spot there are 7 squares. 5 empty squares for ONE die of each player color, and 2 bonus squares. Players may only place one die of their color in one of the top 5 empty squares.

Players may place only ONE die out at a time unless there is a "bonus" square open for a second die. There is always one "bonus" square on each resource board for a second die in a 2 and 3 player game, and in a 4 and 5 player game there are always two "bonus" squares for a second die. In a 2 or 3 player game simply cover up one of the extra bonus squares with a die of a color not being used.

IMPORTANT: Once a player has selected a resource spot by placing a die, they may NOT go back to that same resource spot to place more dice in other consecutive turns on the same round, even if no one else took the "bonus" square.

IMPORTANT: a player MAY NOT use a bonus square unless they are placing 2 dice. They cannot simply place a single die on the "bonus" square to block others from using it. They must play two dice at once, placing one die on one of the empty squares, and the other die on the bonus square, if available.

The number of resources a player receives all depends on the total number ON the die or dice placed on the resource spot. After you place your die or dice on the Resource Spot, you then divide the total number of pips on your dice by the number next to the resource and immediately collect that number of resources. In the example below, Blue collects 6 Wood, 1 Grain, 1 Stone, and 1 Sand. Green collects 1 Wood, 2 Grain, 2 Stone and 1 Sand. Players may not collect change in coin for overpaying unless they have a Money Changer building with a working peasant. For example, if the green player had a Money Changer building constructed with a working peasant, she would be able to collect 5 coins total for overpaying at the wood, stone, and sand Resource Spots.

IMPORTANT: All dice used must stay on Resource Spots and player boards until the Reset phase and no player may have more than 3 resources of each kind at the end of phase 12. However there is no limit to the amount of coins a player may have.

Initiative

Dice may also be used to take initiative and become the starting player. In phase 5 players may place one of their dice on the main board next to the word "Initiative." By doing so, the player who placed their die here may take the top token from the pile. During phase 12 he may take back his die and gain the purple starting player meeple from the player who possesses it. It is still legal to place a die here even if you are the current starting player. So essentially the same player could be the starting player throughout the entire game. There may never be more than one die on this spot at a time.

The six Resource Initiative Tokens are shuffled into a face-down draw pile at setup. Taking initiative lets a player draw the top token, which grants one of six rewards: wood (+3), grain (+2), stone, sand, a tool bag, or a wagon.

Phase 6 - Move Peasants

Each player gets "one peasant move" at the beginning of the game. In this phase you may move a peasant or peasants, ONE space plus any bonus spaces to the right, toward the altar trying to get them into the front row. There must be an empty space to the right of a peasant in order to move it. You may not jump over other peasants. If any of your peasants reach the front row, you may move them directly into the Baptistery as long as there is an empty Baptistery space. IMPORTANT: "One peasant move" means that you may move only ONE peasant, ONE space. When you receive your first clergy bonus (reaching the top of column 1 with the purple Clergy Training Marker,) you will receive 2 extra moves to be used the rest of the game. This means you will now have a total of 3 moves. This does not mean you can move 3 peasants, 3 spaces. This means you may move 1 peasant 3 spaces, or split the moves between 2 or 3 peasants.

Having peasants in the Baptistery is the only way a player may activate their buildings that have been built that need a baptized peasant. To activate a building, simply move a peasant from the Baptistery into a building, placing the peasant on the "black meeple symbol" in the top left corner of the building card. IMPORTANT: Moving a peasant from Baptistery into a building is a free move and does not count toward the total "peasant moves." When placing a peasant this way, the building's bonus (the text in the middle of the card) is now active and will continue to be active as long as this peasant stays on the card. This represents a peasant that is currently working in the building. You may also move peasants from the Baptistery into a built tower. There are two kinds of peasants in towers; "archers" and "conductors." An archer is a peasant that is in a Gate Tower or Battlement. A conductor is a peasant that is in a Bell Tower.

IMPORTANT: Archers do not have to be baptized before placing them in a built Gate Tower or Battlement. Conductors MUST be baptized before placing them into the Bell Tower.

IMPORTANT: Once a player places a peasant in a building, or tower, they cannot be moved. The only way these working peasants are ever moved is in the case of losing them to the Darkness, a Viking attack, famine, or other Disasters. When this happens they are put back into the game box.

EXCEPTION: a Bath House allows players to move peasants from one building to another. In the example below the red player has 3 total moves. He takes his 3 moves as noted and then uses his free ones. He has a free move from the front row to the Baptistery. He then uses a free move from the Baptistery into the Bakery, and a free move from the Baptistery into the Mason's Guild. Then during the build phase he pays 5 coins to train an archer and moves a peasant directly from the back row into the Battlement.

Phase 7 - Build

The phase in which you may now build the different buildings, towers, altars and walls of your abbey. In this phase you may also train archers. Players will all do this simultaneously, but calling out what they are building and the resources they are paying to construct it. If you do not have enough resources to pay for what you are building, remember you may use 2 trades per round to get the resources needed. Players may build up to, but not exceed 2 of the same kind of building, except for Sheep and Dairy Farms. Please see pages 20 and 21 for more details on building 2 of one kind of building.

Constructing Buildings, Walls, and Training Archers

To construct a building, you must have the current building in your personal supply that you purchased in phase 4. Simply pay the resources and coins listed on the building card and then place the card in any legal spot as notated on page 8. You immediately gain the prestige located on the card and move your Prestige Tracker accordingly. If you have a peasant waiting in the Baptistery, you may at this time move him directly into this building, thus activating it. If constructing a second building of the same kind, place it directly over the other one you own, leaving the top portion of the bottom building card exposed to place peasants.

If there are no more legal empty spaces to build, you may not construct any more buildings. EXCEPTION: When you have filled all of the 7 empty spaces on the Player Board AND you have the resources to build it, you may take a "Remodel" card and must build it immediately. Refer to page 10 on how to build walls, altars, and train archers.

Phase 8 - Gardening / Farming / Feeding

Gardening

If a player has a Garden built with a working peasant, they may collect 1 grain for every 3 grain they have at this time. IMPORTANT: Players that have a Garden but no Tithe Barn or Cellarium you may not have more than 3 grain at the end of phase 12. If this happens, the player will have to trade in the grain, or lose the extra grain.

Farming

If a player has a Dairy Farm built with a working peasant, they may collect 1 cow during this phase and place it in the Barn as notated on page 20. (if this is the first round the Dairy Farm was activated then the player must wait until the next round to receive a cow.) A Barn holds up to 3 total cows. It is important to note that when the Dairy Farm is first built it does not come with any cows. Once a peasant is placed on a Dairy Farm, then it is activated and every round thereafter, except for the round you activated the farm, you will receive 1 cow during the Farming phase. At the end of the game, each cow that is in the Barn is worth 3 prestige each.

If a player has a Sheep Farm built with a working peasant, they may collect 1 sheep during this phase and place it in the Barn as notated on page 21. A Barn holds up to 5 total sheep. It is important to note that when the Sheep Farm is first built, it does not come with any sheep. Once a peasant is placed on the farm, you may immediately place 2 sheep in the Barn. Every round thereafter, except for the round you activated the farm, you will receive 1 sheep during the Farming phase. At the end of the game, each sheep left in the Barn is worth 2 prestige each.

Feeding

Players feed their peasants by returning grain resource tokens to the field Resource Spot. Every player must pay 1 grain for each level of peasant population in their abbey. There are 3 levels; 1-4, 5-8, and 9+. Each player must pay 1 grain for 1-4 peasants in the entire abbey that are working or still in the pews. 2 grain for 5-8 peasants, and 3 grain for 9+. Players with Sheep Farms, may discard 1 sheep to feed up to 8 peasants.

IMPORTANT: You may not collect grain, coin or any other resource in return if you are only feeding 1-4 peasants with one sheep. Players with a Dairy Farm may feed 4 peasants with each cow they own. (You do not discard the cows when using them to feed peasants.)

IMPORTANT: When feeding peasants, do not count the Clergy Training Marker. Players may trade in resources to get grain, at this time, as long as they still have trades left. If players are unable to feed their peasants they will lose 1 peasant that must be placed back into the game box, and 2 prestige for each level they cannot pay for it. For example: if a player has 8 peasants and has no grain, he will lose 2 peasants from his abbey, and 4 prestige. Players choose which pew, building or tower the peasants will be taken from. They cannot be taken from Crusade or Vikings! cards.

Phase 9 - Combat Darkness / Move Darkness

Players must have enough defense to combat the Darkness level of each round. The Darkness represents things like depression, famine, raiders attacking, and other things that the Dark Ages brought with it. Players must "match" their defense level with or be higher than the current Darkness level. If a player is unable to gain enough defense in a round to exceed or match the current Darkness level, they will receive a loss. They lose 1 peasant that must be placed back into the game box and 2 prestige for each Darkness level unmatched. For example; if a players' Defense Level is at 3 and the Darkness is at 5, this equals two levels of Darkness greater than the players' defense. In this case the player would lose 2 peasants and 4 prestige. Players choose which pew, building or tower the peasants will be taken from. They cannot be taken from Crusade or Vikings! cards. After everyone combats the Darkness, then move the Darkness Tracker up 1 space.

Phase 10 - Collect Income

Each player earns coins for the peasants in their pews, baptistery, buildings, and towers. For each peasant you collect 1 coin from the general supply. Income is not collected from peasants on Crusades or Vikings! cards.

If you have the Brewery with a working peasant, you may collect 1 extra coin for each peasant that is working, in a building or tower.

Phase 11 - Collect Crusade Rewards And Purchase New Crusades

Although players begin the game with one random Crusade Card, players do not have to purchase any more if they do not wish to. After all players have collected crusade rewards of completed crusades, players turn over completed crusades to keep the prestige hidden and to be scored at the end of game. IMPORTANT: Do not score the prestige on the crusade card at this time. Players may now purchase new crusades in player order. Players must pay 1 coin and draw the top card from the crusade pile and must keep it after drawn. (players may only purchase at most, one crusade card per round.) No player may have more than 2 crusades cards at one time, and players may never discard uncompleted crusades.

IMPORTANT: If players had made a deal to split the prestige on a Crusade Card, players must take the prestige immediately and then discard the Crusade Card.

Phase 12 - Reset

The player who placed their die on the "Initiative" spot, now collects the Starting Player Meeple. (if no one placed a die on the initiative spot this round, the starting player from last round will continue being starting player until "Initiative" is taken away.)

Players collect all dice from Player Boards, completed Crusades, Vikings! card and the Main Board. All peasants from Vikings! cards are placed back into the game box. Fill the Building Market by taking off the bottom building card of each column and discard it and move down all building cards, filling in the empty spaces. Then draw as many cards needed to make sure there are 4 cards revealed in each column.

IMPORTANT: At this time players must check to see if they have more than 3 of any resource. If they do, they must either trade it in, as long as they have a trade left, or lose it. Remember coins are not resources, therefore you may have as many coins as you want.

IMPORTANT: If this is the final round then go directly to End of Game Scoring.

Reset all Trade Tokens and Tool Bags.

Begin again at Phase 1, completing each phase in order again.

End of Game Scoring

At the end of the 7th round, players may make their final trades and then count up all prestige.

Players add together all prestige on their completed Crusade Cards. Turn in any sheep left on farms for 2 prestige each, and gain 3 prestige for each cow. Players with a second Money Changer building with working peasant receives 1 prestige for every 5 coins in their personal supply. Players with a second Tithe Barn with working peasant receives 1 prestige for every 3 resources left in their personal supply. Subtract the prestige of any buildings not built or crusades not finished that are in a player's personal supply.

Whoever has the most prestige is the winner! Ties are broken by the player with the most value in resources. If still tied, then you share the win!

Variants

Once players become familiar with the game, you may want to try different levels of difficulty.

To make the game easier, try one or both of these:

1. Play with fewer Vikings! cards or none at all. Even easier, play with all Year of Plenty cards.
2. Begin the game with 3 peasants in the pews instead of one and set Clergy Training Marker at Postulant level.

To make the game more difficult, try one or all of these:

1. Replace one of the Year of Plenty cards with a Vikings! card, or play with all Disaster and Vikings! cards. IMPORTANT: Remember to keep a total of 7 Event cards when changing out any of the cards.
2. Begin the game on the second "3" from the bottom of the Darkness Track.
3. Begin the game by doing an auction for the Starting Building cards. With this variant, each player begins with 6 coins instead of 4.

Each player beginning with the starting player may bid with coins and or resources for the Starting Buildings. Do a round of bidding until each player has ONE Starting Card. If you pass you must wait until the next round of bidding. Last player without a card will choose from the cards that are left.