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Setup
Each player secretly draws one altar card and one amulet card. Undrawn cards come out of
play, unrevealed. The amulets are placed randomly on the map, not more than one on one
field.
The Game
The Wizards choose a start wizard, play continues clockwise. At his turn, a wizard may ask
a question to the old spirits (the others players). All answers are recorded by the players.
The game continues and is only interrupted by the tries of casting a spell. If the spell
succeeds, the casting wizard wins the game. If it doesn't, the casting wizard is out
of play and may no longer ask the spirits. But he is still giving answers as a spirit.
In the case of all wizards failing the casting, there is no winner, only misery...
Asking the spirits
At his turn, the active wizard may place the amulets on the altar as he likes, not more
than one per field. Afterwards he reads out the coordinates of the 5 amulets, for all
players to write down in the amulets' rows in their spell book.
The spirits' answers
Beginning at the left of the asking wizard, each player checks his personal altar field and
his personal amulet. Then he gives exactly one of four possible answers, which is recorded
in all players spell books in the row of the answering spirit. His possible answers are:
1.) If his amulet is on his own field, he answers "I'm home". All players note a '*'.
2.) If a foreign amulet is on his own field, he answers "Someone is at my home". All
players note a 'o'.
3.) If his amulet is in one line or one row with his field (same letter or same number),
he answers "I can feel my home". All players note a '+'.
4.) If none of these conditions occur, he says "No answer". All players note a '-'.
In case of conditions 1 & 3 or 1 & 3 occurring at the same time, the spirit's answer is
always the higher one. Answer 3 is not mentioned then.
The asking wizard never gives any answer.
Casting a spell
A wizard may interrupt the game at any time, if he thinks he found out all the spirits'
amulets and their coordinates. He places the assumed player amulets on their assumed homes
and all the assumed non-player amulets at random altar fields. This is his try of casting
the spell. The others players (the spirits) now check this try clockwise, beginning with the
left neighbour. If his personal amulet stands on his personal field, he answers "yes",
and the next player continues checking. If it doesn't, he says "No", and the casting has
failed. The trying wizard may not ask the spirits anymore, and the game continues where
interrupted before.
But if all spirits answer "Yes", they are freed and the casting wizard wins the game.
Designer's note
This game, years old and deriving from boring school times, is nothing else but a
master mind clone, but a funky multi-player one. Experienced players should not need more
than 5-6 questions. This is not really a party game, since all players stare at their notes
and beg each active player for a thinking break :) - give it a try.
[J_HANSEN@WEB.DE]
TALES OF ARABIA
by Frederic Moll
(fmoll@geocities.com)
Here is another way to use the cards described in the ARABIA
game.... It will be "ARABIA : the story-telling game"...
The original idea came when i first played "Once upon a time"
game... Thus it use the OUAT system with arabian twists...
Material required :
- Cards from the ARABIA game
- Endings cards (similar to the OUAT ending cards but with
arabian flavor)
- More cards (locations, characters, etc....)
Goal of the game :
Being about to tell and finish stories... The longer the story, the
more victory points will be earned...
Game setup :
Give to each player 4 ending cards. Shuffle the remaining
ending cards with the ARABIA cards and then deal 7 cards to each
player.
One of the player will begin to tell a story and put down a card
when the card/word is said...
Game system (borrowed from OUAT game):
Every time a word on a card is said, the card will be put down
on the right of the last card. If during his play, the teller says a
word that is on a card of another player hand, it will be an
interruption. The interruption put his card down and must continue
the story.
Beginning a sub-story :
As most arabian stories have sub-stories, when a
character/human/intelligent being is placed down, it is possible to
begin a sub-story...
Example : when Alex played the "Old man on the sea", he
decides to start a sub story that will be told by this old man... The
sub story cards will be placed in a row under the originating card...
To conclude the sub-story , and thus continue the original
storyline, at least 4 cards must be placed before being able to put
an ending card...
As in arabian tales, it is possible to have a sub-story told during
a sub-story...
When the sub story is ended, the "ending" player take all the
cards composing the sub story in front of him in his victory pile.
Picking additional cards :
When a player is interrupted, he must pick a card from the
deck of unused card.
If a player try to place an ending card that is not viewed as a
good ending to the story by the other players, he must pick 3
additional cards.
Finishing the game :
The game is finished when a player has laid down all his story
cards and place the final ending to the main storyline.
Determining the winner :
Being the finishing player of the main story : 2 points
For each sub-story/story finished : 1 point + (number of story
cards played in the story minus 3)...
Example : Alex was able to finished 2 sub stories (8 cards long
and 6 cards long)... Thus alex will earn :
1 point + 5 points (8 - 3) for the 8 cards long story
1 point + 3 points (6 - 3) for the 6 cards long story
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