Table of Contents

Basic Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Game Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mercenaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Army Group Markers . . . . . . . . .
Queen Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Game Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identity Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Personality Cards . . . . . . . . . . .
Diplomacy Cards . . . . . . . . . . .
Envoy Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Game Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kingdoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allied and Enemy Kingdoms . . .
Changing a Kingdom's Status . .
Activation of Kingdoms . . . . . . .
Deactivation of Kingdoms . . . . .
confusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
forced peace . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inactive Kingdoms . . . . . . . . . . .
Fate of Player Kingdoms . . . . . .
Game Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Player-Order Determination . . . . . .
Random Events Phase . . . . . . . . . .
Replacements/Reinforcements .
Diplomacy Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diplomacy Cards . . . . . . . . . . . .
Activation Attempts . . . . . . . . . .
Deactivation Attempts . . . . . . . .
Assassination Attempts . . . . . . .
Dueling an Enemy Ambassador
Death of an Ambassador . . . . . .
Banishing Ambassadors . . . . . .
Forced Peace Attempts . . . . . . .
Siege Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Declaring a Siege . . . . . . . . . . .
"Inside and "Outside" of Castles
Intrinsic Defense Strength . . . . .
Effects of a Siege . . . . . . . . . . .
Resolving a Siege (Siege Attack)
Modifying the Siege Roll . . . . . .
Ending a Siege . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Breakouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Besieger Displacement . . . . . . .
Mixed-unit Siege Combat . . . . .
Fleets at Sieges . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mixed-unit Combat During Relief
Besieging Neutral Castles . . . . .
Non-siege Attacks by Besiegers
Movement Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Movement and Terrain . . . . . . .
Special Terrain Bonuses . . . . . .
Terrain Effects Chart . . . . . . . . .
Castles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scenic Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Navigable Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . .
Movement Restrictions . . . . . . .
Enemy Units and Movement . . .
Fleet Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fleets and Navigable Rivers . . .

Introduction
Divine Right is a fantasy game dealing with the struggles for power
and territory between the various kings, queens, sorcerers, and
other inhabitants of the continent of Minaria. Players begin as
monarchs of different kingdoms. As the game proceeds, each
player attempts to build fragile alliances of kingdoms long enough
to crush all opposition and win the game. Assassination and
backstabbing are popular pastimes in Minaria, and loyal allies may
suddenly abandon the field in the middle of a campaign through the
use of black magic, treachery, or skillful diplomacy.
More than just a game, Divine Right is a work of fantasy literature,
in which the players control the destinies of nations. You organize
the alliances, seek out magical treasures, and lead your armies
and fleets into battle and sieges to plunder, and ultimately (if you
have been wise) victory. The game is divided into three levels of
play: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Make sure to master the
Basic Game before moving on to the Intermediate and Advanced
rules included which are on the accompanying CD-ROM.

Game Inventory
Map Board
6 Army Display Sheets
14 Identity Cards
600 Counters (two sheets)
22 Personality Cards
2 dice
52 Diplomacy Cards
CD-ROM
12 Envoy Personality Cards
If any parts are missing, please check the CD-ROM for
replacements or write to:
Right Stuf International
Attn: Divine Right
P.O. Box 71309
Des Moines, IA 50325

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Transporting Troops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Castle-Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-Castle Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Movement and Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combat Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying the Combat Roll (Odds) . . . . . .
Ties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Which Units May Attack? . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mixed-Type Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effects of Terrain on Combat . . . . . . . . . .
Retreat Before Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advance After Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Amphibious Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Relieving Forces at Sieges . . . . . . . . . . .
Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hero Movement Bonus and Terrain Bonus
Hero Combat Bonus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hero Fate Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shipwrecked Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capture of a Non-Player Monarch . . . . . .
Special Rules for Select Kingdoms . . . . . . .
Basic Game Optional Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Re-entry of Eliminated Players . . . . . . . .
History and Geography of Minaria . . . . . . .
Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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23

Basic Game Units and Markers

Monarch (hero)

Movement Rate

Coat of Arms

Monarch Symbol

Regular Army Unit

Starting Location

Movement Rate
Coat of Arms
Terrain Bonus Symbol

Regular Fleet Unit

Movement Rate

Coat of Arms

Starting Location

Ambassador
Marker

Common
Mercenary Army
ID Letter

Movement Rate
Mercenary Army Symbol

Basic Game
The Basic Game is the most streamlined version of Divine Right.
The Magicians, Special Mercenaries, and Magic Devices provided
in the counters, as well as the special qualities of the Scenic
spaces, are not used in Basic play. Once players have mastered
the basics of siege, movement, combat, and diplomacy, they will
be ready to move onto the evolving complexity of the Intermediate
and Advanced games. These rules introduce new material and
modes of variant play.

Common
Mercenary Fleet
ID Letter

Movement Rate
Mercenary Fleet Symbol

Army Group
Marker

In general, the rules of the Basic Game also apply to both the
Intermediate and Advanced Games.

Plundered
Castle
Marker

Rounding of fractions: any place in these rules where rounding is

required require that fractions be rounded down, unless specifically
stated otherwise.

Randomizer Chit

Game Pieces
The multi-colored cardboard counters are the playing pieces (or
chits) for Divine Right. In the Basic Game there are hero units and
two types of combat units: armies and fleets. There are also a
number of other unit types, including ambassadors, magical items
and more.

Queen Marker

The Coat of Arms and color identify each separate nation of

Minaria. It appears on each type of unit belonging to that kingdom.
Mercenaries
The mercenary armies and fleets shown above are the only ones
used in the basic game. They are designated common
mercenaries to distinguish them from the special mercenaries of
the intermediate and advanced games. All common mercenaries
begin the game off board in the mercenary force pool. They are
deployed on the board through random events. Common
mercenaries that are eliminated for any reason are returned to the
mercenary force pool.

All of a kingdoms forces are the same color. Mercenary units are
black and white; each player should record the ID Letters of the
mercenary armies and fleets he controls.
The Movement Allowance indicates the maximum number of
movement points that a unit may expend in a single turn.
Terrain Bonus symbols mean the units moves faster than most
through certain types of rough terrain. See Special Terrain Bonus.

Army Group Markers

Due to the difficulty of handling large stacks, the players may wish
to use Army Group markers to represent unwieldy stacks on the
map. Five marker counters are provided for each of six possible
players.

The Cards
There are four types of cards used in Divine Right:
Identity Cards
Identity cards feature the countrys king, queen, the name of the
kingdom, the national coat of arms, the name of the Royal Castle,
and the number of regular armies and fleets (if any) belonging to
the kingdom. The Eaters of Wisdom, the Storm Riders and the
Black Hand are not used in the Basic Game.

An Army Group marker deployed on the board corresponds to a

force of units stacked in the corresponding box on the player's
Army Display Sheet. Any units that enter or exit the space
containing the Army Group marker may subsequently be added to
or subtracted from the stack on the sheet. Any units in the Display
Sheet box may be placed into the space of the Army Group
counter. There is no movement point cost for moving units to, or
taking them from, the Display Sheet. Because some units move at
different rates, it may be prudent to keep any slower-moving units
on the map and the other, faster, units on the Display Sheet,
otherwise the slow units could be inadvertently moved at the same
rate as the faster units. A good rule to remember is that an Army
Group Marker may move only as fast of the slowest unit in the offmap stack.

Personality Cards
Personality cards are paired with all non-player monarchs. Each
card gives a brief profile of the monarch and lists what effects the
monarch's personality will have on diplomacy, movement, combat,
etc. Each is numbered.
ERRATA: Card number fourteen may be more easily
understood as having the following effect: if the monarchs
kingdom of origin is part of the alliance attempting to
activate/deactivate the monarch, there is a +1 bonus to
the diplomacy roll. If the monarchs kingdom of origin is
part of another alliance, there is a -1 penalty to the
diplomacy roll.

Queen Markers
Much of Divine Right refers to monarchs as male in nature, but all
players have the choice of having either a male or female (as given
on the Identity Card) as the monarch of their Kingdom. If a player
decides to utilize a female monarch for his kingdom, the Queen
marker is placed on the Kingdom's identity card to designate that
the monarch in play is the Kingdom's female ruler. All bonuses
listed on the kingdom's monarch unit apply whether the monarch
is male or female.

There is a misprint on Card number ten. It should

indicate that this monarch may NOT lend a movement
bonus to any unit.
Diplomacy Cards
There are two types of diplomacy cards: Diplomatic Ploy and
Special Mercenary. The Diplomatic Ploy cards list special
maneuvers, functions, and tricks of the diplomatic art, and confer
bonuses to diplomacy rolls. The Special Mercenary cards show the
name of a Special Mercenary and the location of their deployment.
All Special Mercenary cards should be removed from the deck
when playing the Basic Game.

In the basic game all non-player monarchs are assumed to be

male, and there is no difference in the basic rules between male
and female monarchs. Both of these points change in the
advanced game.

The Game Map

The game map depicts the continent of Minaria. A hexagonal grid
is superimposed upon this map to regulate movement and combat.
In these rules the hexagons of the map are referred to as spaces
or hexes. Each kingdom is outlined and colored to clearly define
national boundaries. There are some areas that are unclaimed
and do not belong to any particular kingdom.

Envoy Cards
These cards are not used in the basic game. See intermediate and
advanced rules.

Game Setup
Spread the map on a table. Carefully separate the Diplomacy
cards. Set aside the envoy and special mercenary Diplomacy
cards, which are not used in the Basic Game. Next separate the 14
Identity cards and the 22 Personality cards. Go through the stack
of Identity cards and remove the Storm Riders, the Eaters of
Wisdom and the Black Hand; these are not used in the Basic
Game. Shuffle the remaining Diplomacy cards and place them,
face down, near the map. Shuffle the remaining Identity cards.

Terrain features such as mountains and hills are also represented

with graphics and are explained in detail in the Terrain Effects
Chart. Note that the deployment space for each kingdoms
monarch is outlined in white. This space is also that kingdoms
royal castle.
MAP ERRATA: Each castle should have a defensive value
printed on the map The following castles are missing
these values:
Aws Alzak 4
Parros 3
The Keep 2
Zefnar 3

Each player draws one Identity card. The card drawn designates
the home kingdom of that player. Players should note the color for
the kingdom they have selected and gather the matching units
(monarch, ambassador, armies, and fleets). Read the player
monarch's Identity card carefully. It lists the number and type of
units that belong in the kingdom's military (or force pool). Players
now place their armies and fleets on the map according to the
starting locations printed on the unit counters. Monarchs always
start in their kingdoms Royal Castle. (Royal Castles are castle
spaces with a white outline and an asterisk.) The ambassador
marker is placed on the players Identity card. If the player wishes
the kingdoms monarch to be female, place a Queen marker on the
identity card.

Also, the Dark River appears to run through a hexside as

it leaves Muetar. This is incorrect; the river at that point
is in the more southerly of the two hexes. It may be
helpful to black out the blue portion of the river graphic in
the more northerly hex.

If a player monarch is killed or captured, the player is eliminated,

but retains any victory points he may have attained. See Fate of
Player Kingdoms, below. The player might still win the game,
despite being eliminated, if he has the most victory points out of all
the players at the end of turn 20. An optional rule allows for a
player to forfeit the victory points he has earned so far and re-enter
the game. See the Optional Rules section at the end of this book.

Some kingdoms have special rules that can be beneficial to their

troops. Players should check the rules section Special Rules for
Select Kingdoms to see if any such rules apply to the kingdoms
they have chosen. It may also help to read the historical notes
pertaining to the kingdom in Geography and History of Minaria.
The Identity cards not chosen by the players represent "non-player
monarchs." The units of these monarchs kingdoms are not initially
placed on the game board. For the remainder of the game, players
will attempt to use Diplomacy to ally themselves with these
monarchs and their forces in the struggle for control of Minaria.
Shuffle the Personality cards and, without looking, place one card
beneath each of the remaining Identity cards. Any unused
Personality cards are placed face down on the table near the
Diplomacy cards. The selected cards give each non-player
monarch a distinct personality that is revealed later in the game
when an ambassador visits the monarch.

Kingdoms
There are 13 kingdoms on the game board. The hexes that
comprise each kingdom can be distinguished by being of the same
color. Following is a complete roster of the kingdoms:
1. Ghem

(The Dwarves)

2. Hothior
3. Immer
4. Mivior

The turn counter should be placed on the Turn Indicator at the

bottom of the map for turn 1. After each complete game turn has
been completed the counter should be moved forward. This will
help players remember how many turns remain to the end of the
game and keep track of diplomatic banishments.

5. Muetar
6. Neuth

(The Elves)

7. Pon
8. Rombune

One randomizer chit for each player (numbered 1-6) should be

placed in a small container. Initial player order is determined by
each player drawing a randomizer chit from an opaque container.
The player with the lowest number goes first.

9. Shuccasam
10. The Trolls
11. Zorn
12. Eaters of Wisdom

The game is ready to begin.

13. Black Hand

Victory

All land hexes outside of the kingdoms are considered unclaimed

spaces. Note that the Eaters of Wisdom and the Black Hand are
not used in the basic game; the hexes of these kingdoms are
considered unclaimed territory in the basic game.

Victory is determined one of two ways:

A) Eliminate (capture or kill) all opposing player monarchs
B) Accumulate the largest amount of Victory Points. The player
who amasses the most points after 20 turns is the winner. Victory
Points are awarded as follows:
Deed
Plundering Enemy* Castle
Plundering Enemy* Royal Castle
Capturing Enemy Player monarch
Killing Enemy Player monarch
Killing Enemy Allied Monarch**
Capturing Enemy Allied Monarch

(The Goblins)

Each player is allocated one kingdom at the start of the game.

These are player kingdoms. All the others are non-player
kingdoms. A non-player kingdom is always either active (allied to
a player kingdom) or inactive (neutral). Active kingdoms can be
referred to as allied kingdoms, the kingdom of the player who
activated them is referred to as the non-player kingdoms player
ally.

Points
5 castles defense strength
10 castles defense strength
70
70
40
30

Allied and Enemy Kingdoms

It is important to note that all of the player kingdoms in the game
are mutually hostile. They are never considered allied for
purposes of the rules, even if the players controlling the kingdoms
are temporarily cooperating for some reason. An alliance consists
of a player kingdom and all non-player kingdoms that the player
has activated. Likewise, all kingdoms that are members of one
players alliance are hostile to all kingdoms that are members of
other players alliances.

*including those of enemy-allied non-player kingdoms

** except by assassination. Assassinating a Non-Player Monarch
gains a player no victory points at all.
Castle defense strengths are indicated on the board adjacent to
each castle. A player plunders enemy castles by successfully
besieging them. See Siege Phase, below, for the mechanics of
this process.
In the Basic Game, the following castles do not exist and cannot be
plundered: the Invisible School, the Tower of Zards, and the Keep.

A players forces include the units of his own (player) kingdom,

any mercenaries he has on the board, and the forces of any allied
non-player kingdoms.

Executing a Captured monarch (only possible in the case of nonplayer monarchs, and only if the captor has no castle in which to
imprison him) gains no additional victory points. The points for
capture are retained, however. If a non-player monarch is captured
and then freed by their allies, or released by the captor, the victory
points are still awarded to the captor.

A players forces may freely enter all hexes of all kingdoms in the
players alliance. Additionally, large portions of Minaria, such as
the Banished Lands and the Blasted Heath are outside established
kingdoms. No penalty is incurred for entering these unclaimed
areas. All unclaimed hexes are tinted a light brown color. A
players forces may even enter hexes of enemy kingdoms with no

special prohibitions or penalties (i.e., no declarations of war or

the like are required.)

monarchs personality card and shuffle it into the deck of unused

ones.

Changing a Kingdoms Status

Random events and the diplomacy of players can activate a
kingdom. A kingdom can be deactivated through random events,
diplomacy, the death of its own monarch, the death of its player
allys monarch, and forced peace attempts. A non-player
kingdoms status can change any number of times.

Confusion lasts for a number of turns equal to the result of a single

die roll. The unit counter for the monarch is placed on the Turn
Indicator Track according to the roll of the die. This represents the
turn that the new monarch is crowned.
No ambassadors may work diplomacy with a kingdom during the
period of Confusion. When a new monarch is crowned, draw a new
Personality card and place it, face down, under the monarch's
Identity card. He is now available for diplomacy.

The details of attempting to change a non-player kingdoms status

are described in the Random Events and Diplomacy rules sections.
But whenever such an attempt succeeds, the procedures below are
followed:

EXAMPLE: A monarch is killed during game turn 7, and 4 is rolled

on the die. In this case, place the monarch on the Turn Indicator
Track with four blank spaces ahead. The kingdom will be in
Confusion for the rest of turn 7, and for turns 8, 9, 10, and 11. On
turn 12 a new monarch becomes available to ambassadors.

Activation of Kingdoms
When a kingdom is activated, the kingoms monarch unit and all of
its available combat units are set up on the playing map
immediately. The kingdoms monarch is placed in the kingdoms
royal castle, and each available combat unit is placed in the
location specified on its counter. Available combat units consist of
the kingdoms entire force pool if this is the first time the kingdom
has been activated. If the kingdom is being re-activated, its
available combat units are all of its units that were on the board at
the time the kingdom was deactivated.

The restrictions given under ONGOING SIEGES, above, apply to

the imposition of confusion. If any besieger refuses to give up his
siege(s), confusion does not occur, a new monarch is crowned
immediately, (a new Personality card is drawn after the old one is
shuffled into the deck) and the kingdom does not deactivate.
FORCED PEACE
During his diplomacy phase, a player who meets certain conditions
may attempt to impose a forced peace on a non-player kingdom.
If successful, the kingdom deactivates immediately and the
monarch's Identity and Personality cards are returned to the pool
of non-allied non-player monarchs. Roll one die to determine the
number of turns the forced peace will last. Place the kingdoms
monarch counter on the Turn Indicator Track the indicated number
of turns in the future. During a Forced Peace ambassadors cannot
perform any diplomatic actions upon a kingdom. In this respect it
is similar to Confusion.

On the turn of deployment, units of a newly activated ally are

limited in their actions. They may only move within their own
kingdom, sea hexes, and into unclaimed wasteland hexes. They
may only attack enemy units within their own kingdom. In
subsequent game turns they may move and fight normally.
Deactivation of Kingdoms
When a kingdom is deactivated it leaves its current alliance and
becomes inactive. The forces of a deactivated kingdom are
removed from the map. The Identity card and the Personality card
of the deactivated monarch remain together, and are returned to
the pool of inactive non-player monarchs. Any of the kingdoms
regular units eliminated while their monarch was active remain
eliminated. Regulars may be replaced (via Random Events) only
while a kingdom is active. Should the kingdom be re-activated
later, only those regular units who were alive at the time of
deactivation will be deployed on the board. The previouslyeliminated units may be brought back as replacements once the
kingdom is reactivated.

As with all deactivations, any enemy units that are in a kingdom

that goes into forced peace have one Movement Phase in which to
exit the kingdom (or be voluntarily eliminated) without Diplomatic
Penalty.
The restrictions given under ONGOING SIEGES, above, apply to
the imposition of forced peace. If the besiegers will not quit their
siege(s), the forced peace does not go into effect.

ONGOING SIEGES
A kingdom cannot be deactivated if one of its castles is currently
besieged by another player who refuses to give up the siege. The
decision to continue the siege or not is made the instant the
possible deactivation comes about. If the siege is abandoned, the
besieging units are displaced from the castle hex.

Inactive Kingdoms
While a players forces may freely enter hexes of friendly and
enemy kingdoms, if combat units or heroes of any type cross a
border and enter the territory of an inactive (non-allied) kingdom,
the violating player incurs a Diplomatic Penalty with that neutral
kingdom.

MERCENARIES AND DEACTIVATION

Common mercenaries within a deactivating kingdom are removed
from the board unless stacked with a non-deactivating hero or
combat unit. A common mercenary (regardless of location) is also
removed from the board if all the regular combat units stacked with
it deactivate. As always, common mercenaries removed from the
board are returned to the mercenary force pool.

A player attempting a Diplomacy Roll against a kingdom with which

he has a Diplomatic Penalty receives a -1 penalty to his die roll.
(See Diplomacy Phase, below). This penalty is imposed for the
rest of the game. Once a non-allied kingdom has been violated,
any subsequent violations of its territory by the same player do not
result in further penalty. Active combat units within a kingdom that
has been deactivated have their next Movement Phase to leave the
kingdom or else incur the Diplomatic Penalty. Units that are unable
to leave in time may be voluntarily eliminated to avoid the penalty.

CONFUSION
Confusion is a special type of deactivation. If a monarch is killed,
his kingdom deactivates and goes into a temporary state called
Confusion while a new monarch is selected. Discard the deceased

ACTIVATION OF INVADED INACTIVE KINGDOMS

While a player willing to incur the diplomatic penalty may move his

forces through hexes of an inactive kingdom, they may not enter

non-plundered castle spaces of such a kingdom except to initiate
a siege (see Siege Phase). If a player initiates a siege of an
inactive kingdoms castle, the violated kingdom immediately
activates and joins the alliance of another player
monarchrandomly determine which one. Even a kingdom in
Confusion or under a Forced Peace will activate under these
circumstances. In the case of a kingdom in Confusion, a new
monarch is immediately selected. Draw a personality card for him
as usual.

The Game Turn

Each game turn of Divine Right consists of player-order
determination followed by one player turn for each player. Each
player turn consists of five phases:
PHASE 1: Random Events
The player rolls two dice, consults the Random Events Table
and performs the actions indicated by the dice roll.
PHASE 2: Diplomacy
A) Draw a Diplomacy card - the card may be used or saved
for later
B) Pass or select one of the following actions:
1. Attempt to activate any non-allied kingdom
2. Attempt to deactivate any enemy-allied non-player
monarch
3. Attempt to assassinate any enemy-allied non-player
monarch
4. Duel an enemy ambassador
C) Resolve any attempts by the player to Force Peace on
enemy-allied kingdoms.

Units of the kingdom that are to be deployed in the castle being

besieged are deployed regardless of the siege. If any non-castle
deployment space (including a plundered castle deployment space)
is enemy occupied, the units scheduled to enter there may be
placed in any space of the kingdom.
After the units of the violated kingdom are set up, the odds of the
siege, or sieges, must be re-figured to determine if a state of siege
still exists (see Sieges).
Fate of Player Kingdoms
A player is eliminated from the game if his player monarch is killed
or captured. When this happens his player kingdom immediately
becomes an inactive non-player kingdom in Confusion. All of the
players units are removed from play, including mercenaries. All
kingdoms allied to the eliminated player are deactivated. The
players kingdom is thereafter treated in all ways as any other nonplayer kingdom.

PHASE 3: Resolve Ongoing Sieges

A) If the player has any previously declared sieges, he
resolves them in any order desired according to the rules
for siege combat.
B) If the player has any castles under siege by enemy units,
and has combat units in those castles, they may make
Breakout Attacks to escape from the siege.

An optional rule allows for the player to forfeit any victory points
and re-enter the game as the head of a new kingdom. See the
Optional Rules section at the end of these rules.

PHASE 4: Movement
The player may move as many of his units as he wishes
including his own kingdoms units, units of allied kingdoms,
and friendly mercenaries. Units are moved over the spaces
expending one or more movement points per space. Units may
be moved in any direction or combination of directions, up to
their full printed movement allowance.
PHASE 5: Combat
The player declares which of his units will be initiating combat
and what they will be attacking. All declared attacks are
carried out in any order that the player chooses, although
attacks entirely by or against units of a suddenly deactivated
kingdom are cancelled.
After the first player has completed all phases, the next player
begins his turn with Phase 1. This continues until all players have
completed all five phases. At that time, the Turn Indicator is moved
forward and the new game turn begins by the players drawing a
new Player-Order Determination

Player-Order Determination
For each game turn, the players randomly determine who is to
have the first player turn, the second, the third, and so on. This
draw holds only for the present game turn; the order will be
changing from game turn to game turn. It is possible, therefore, for
one player to be last player in one game turn and the first player in
the next, in effect having two player turns in a row.
To perform Player-Order Determination, take the 10 counters
numbered 1-10; these are the "randomizer chits." Count out one
chit per player. At the beginning of each game turn, each player
draws one randomizer chit. The player with the lowest number goes
first, the one with the second lowest goes second, and so on.
Players should keep their chits face up in front of them on the table.

The player always chooses which unit(s) to lose in the case of

storms, mutiny, epidemic, or desertion. However, in the case of an
epidemic, if a player's largest stack must be selected (i.e., none of
his stacks contain 10 or more combat units) and the player does
not have one stack larger than any other, the player randomly
determines which stack will be reduced.

Random Events Phase

Random events can bring additional troops to the field, raise
storms to damage fleets, enter new allies into the fray, or even
cause the untimely demise of an important ally. Two dice are rolled
by the player and their total is referenced on the Random Events
Table. The indicated event occurs immediately.
Roll Event
2 Untimely Death

Replacements/Reinforcements
Reinforcements are common mercenaries (that is, not the Special
Mercenaries of the intermediate game) which are added to the
players forces on the board. Reinforcements can only enter in an
unbesieged friendly castle or, if a fleet, in an unbeseiged friendly
port (including castle-ports). Castles that have been plundered
may be used by the occupying force (or the original owner, if
currently unoccupied) for the deployment of mercenary
reinforcements.

Result
One of your allied non-player monarchs
dies. Determine randomly who dies.

3 Storms

Lose one of your fleets that is not in a port.

All heroes aboard an eliminated fleet are
Shipwrecked (see Heroes, Shipwrecked
Heroes).

4 Mutiny

Lose one friendly regular or mercenary unit.

5 Bad Omens

The regulars of one friendly kingdom,

chosen at random, will not attack in regular
or siege combat, or initiate a siege this
game turn. They will move, defend, and
maintain existing sieges normally.

6 Replacements

Bring two eliminated regular units back into

play in their deployment spaces.

7 No Event

Replacements are previously eliminated regular units of a friendly

active Kingdom that are returning to the map. A replacement must
enter at the deployment site named on the counter. If that space is
occupied by enemy units, or is under siege, that particular unit may
not be chosen to re-enter the game at that time. (Note that this
differs from the procedure for deploying a newly-activated
kingdoms forces.) Castle spaces that have been plundered, but
which are now free of enemy forces, may be used for deployment
of replacement units.
All replacements and reinforcements may move and fight normally
in the same player turn that they appear. The regular forces of a
kingdom cannot exceed the total number given for them on the
monarch's identity card, although mercenary units may supplement
this total.

8 Reinforcements Bring 2 common mercenary units into play

in any friendly Castle hex (port hex if a
fleet).
9 Epidemic

Eliminate half of the combat units in each

friendly stack containing 10 or more. If no
stack contains 10 or more units, the player
loses one combat unit from his largest
stack.

A player with no friendly ports may not bring in a fleet replacement

or reinforcement.
DEPLOYMENT OF COMMON MERCENARY REINFORCEMENTS
As long as both mercenary fleets and land armies remain
undeployed, the player may choose either type to deploy as
reinforcementsalthough if he has no ports he may not receive
mercenary fleets.

10 Replacements / Bring into play one common mercenary unit

Reinforcements or one previously
eliminated regular
combat unit (player's choice). Place a
regular unit in its space of deployment;
place a mercenary in any friendly Castle (or
Port if it is a fleet).
11 Desertion

Lose one common mercenary unit.

12 Help from Afar

One randomly chosen non-allied non-player

monarch becomes your ally immediately.
The kingom activates normally. (see
Kingdoms, above).

If all mercenary units of one type are on the board, the player must
enter a unit of the undeployed type. If he cannot deploy a unit of
the type that remains (for instance, only fleets remain undeployed
and he has no ports), he may instead steal common mercenary
units of the other type from another players forces. If a player is
due to receive a common mercenary unit and ALL common
mercenaries are on the board, the player may steal units of either
type.

If it is impossible to comply with the instructions as given (e.g., one

does not have the type of unit one is required to lose), treat the
result as "no event."

Players cannot steal units currently under siege or fleets that are
transporting enemy troops or heroes. In effect, having land units in
transport protects the mercenary fleet unit from seizure.

All gains and losses of units as a result of Random Events apply

only to the player rolling the dice. Replacements and
reinforcements may not be given to, nor losses taken from, another
player or his allies.

Not all the units need to be deployed in the same space, but if the
player has no available space for immediate deployment, no
reinforcements are gained.

When selecting a random kingdom of a certain sort for events 2 or

12, a fast method to select a kingdom is to place the ambassadors
of all of the possible kingdoms in a cup and draw one blindly. Note
that kingdoms in Confusion or Forced Peace can be selected for
event 12.

Diplomacy Phase
More than any other aspect of play good diplomacy will prove the
key to victory. Diplomacy is defined as actions taking place
between a players ambassador and non-player monarchs
(ambassadors of non-player monarchs are not used). Alliances are
defined as existing between a player and any number of non-player

DEACTIVATING A NON-PLAYER KINGDOM

Enemy-allied non-player monarchs may be persuaded to neutralize
their current alliance (deactivate) in a manner similar to activation.

monarchs. Temporary agreements between players are not

alliances and have no enforcement rules.
Each player has one ambassador, which is kept off the board until
the Diplomacy Phase. An ambassador represents not merely an
individual, but the entire diplomatic apparatus of the player
monarch.

To deactivate a non-player kingdom, the player announces his

intention and indicates which kingdom is the target of the
deactivation diplomacy. The player with the ambassador may play
one Diplomacy card. Finally, one die is rolled. If the modified result
is a 7 or more, the monarch is deactivated and drops out of the
enemy alliance. See the rules for Kingdoms, above, for the
deactivation procedure. If a Diplomacy card was played, it is then
discarded.

Ambassadors do not move across the map; they are markers that
are simply picked up and put down in the space where the
diplomacy is to occur. The ambassador is removed from the map
at the end of the Diplomacy Phase. The movement of
ambassadors is in no way hindered by sieges or other activities
engaged in by other units. Ambassadors are not heroes and never
need to make a Hero Fate roll.

Note that a kingdom that currently has any castles under siege may
not be deactivated unless all besiegers gives up their sieges (see
Kingdoms). Also, a player may not attempt to deactivate a
kingdom whose monarch is held captive by another players forces
(see Prisoners).

Diplomacy Cards
The Diplomacy cards list the maneuvers and tricks of the
diplomatic art in Minaria. These are called diplomatic ploys and
they grant bonuses to the diplomatic roll. The Special Mercenary
Diplomacy cards are not used in the Basic Game.

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS
Only once during the entire game can each player attempt to
assassinate an enemy-allied non-player monarch. The players
ambassador is placed on the intended victim. Diplomacy cards
cannot be played.

Before conducting Diplomacy, the player draws one Diplomacy

card, even if that player's ambassador is dead. Diplomacy cards
may be accumulated, but not be traded or transferred between
players. A player may retain no more than four Diplomacy cards at
the end of a Diplomacy Phase. The player must discard any excess
cards at that time. If all Diplomacy cards have been drawn, the
discard pile is reshuffled and the deck turned face down for reuse.

One die is rolled for the ambassador and one for the victim. If the
monarch rolls higher, the ambassador is killed. If the ambassador
rolls higher, the monarch is assassinated. If the result is a tie,
neither is killed.

Resolving Diplomacy
In a diplomacy phase an ambassador may perform any one of the
following four diplomatic tasks:

A successful assassination deactivates the monarch and their

forces (See Death of a Non-Player Monarch). However, no victory
points are scored. After any unsuccessful assassination attempt,
the ambassador (or his successors, if killed) is banished from the
kingdom until the offended monarch dies.

1. Attempt to Activate any one non-allied non-player monarch.

2. Attempt to Deactivate an Enemy-allied non-player monarch.
3. Attempt to Assassinate an Enemy-allied non-player monarch.
4. Duel any one Enemy Ambassador

DUELING AN ENEMY AMBASSADOR

Once per game a player can have his ambassador duel with each
of the other players' ambassadors. Regardless of who makes the
challenge, ambassadors may duel each other only once. The
ambassador counter is placed with the intended opponent. No
Diplomacy cards may be played. Both players roll a die. The player
with the lower roll loses and his ambassador is killed. If the result
is a tie, both ambassadors are killed. An ambassador cannot
refuse a challenge.

In addition to normal diplomacy, the player may attempt to send

enemy-allied kingdoms into a state of Forced Peace. See Forced
Peace at the end of this section.
ACTIVATION ATTEMPTS
To activate a non-allied, non-player kingdom, the ambassador is
placed in the Royal Castle of that non-allied non-player monarch.
If the kingdoms Royal Castle is occupied by enemy combat units,
the ambassador may be placed anywhere in that kingdom.

Death of an Ambassador
Even though ambassadors represent many individuals serving in
distant capitals, the "death of an ambassador" signifies a
diplomatic catastrophe that throws the whole service into
temporary disarray. Two game turns must pass before diplomatic
activity may resume normally. Place the dead ambassador on the
Turn Indicator three game turns ahead to represent the two turns
of inactivity (e.g., an ambassador killed in turn five cannot work
diplomacy again until turn eight). Any banishments incurred by one
ambassador are passed on to all successors, although the inactive
turns are counted against the duration of these banishments.

The Personality card of the Kingdoms monarch is then read out

loud. Certain personality cards give bonuses or penalties to various
diplomatic ploys. The player then chooses whether or not to use a
Diplomacy card to aid his efforts. If he uses one, it is shown to all
the players. (In the Basic Game no more than one Diplomacy card
may be played per Diplomacy Phase.) The player then rolls one
die and adds any modifiers appropriate to the Monarch and/or the
Diplomacy card used. This is the Diplomacy Roll. If the result is a
6 or greater after all bonuses have been added and penalties
subtracted, the non-player monarch becomes an ally of the rolling
player. This is called Activationsee Kingdoms, above. If a
Diplomacy card was played, it is discarded. There is no restriction
on the number of times a kingdom may be activated and
deactivated.

Banishing Ambassadors
The play of certain Diplomacy cards (Black Magic, Threats,
Blackmail, and Crass Bribes) causes the banishment of the
ambassador if the Diplomacy Roll fails. While banished, the
ambassador may not attempt any of the diplomatic functions upon
the offended monarch or kingdom. The length of banishment is the
number of turns equal to the modifying number on the Diplomacy

card, plus one. Thus, if a player is unsuccessful with a +1 Threat,

the ambassador would be banished from that kingdom for two full
game turns. A side record of banishments should be kept.

New sieges are created in the Movement Phase or in the Combat

Phase (by means of advance after combat).
Enemy combat units cannot enter (inside) a castle/castle-port until
after it has been besieged and plundered.

Certain Personality cards may require the banishment of an

ambassador for other reasons. If a player manages to incur both
types of banishment at once, the terms of banishment are added
together.

Declaring a Siege
To declare a siege of a castle, a player must occupy the space of
an enemy castle. For him to be able to this,

Forced Peace Attempts

During the Diplomacy Phase a player may use political coercion to
Force a Peace on any enemy-allied kingdoms whose Royal Castle
he has plundered and occupied or whose Monarch he holds
prisoner (see Prisoners). A player who both occupies a kingdoms
royal castle and holds its monarch prisoner is not entitled to two
attempts per turn, however. Attempting to impose a forced peace
does not require the players ambassador, and is conducted after
his ambassadors diplomatic activity for the turn is resolved.
Player-kingdoms are not subject to Forced Peace attempts.

A) No defending units inside the castle space may be "outside" the

castle. (See "Inside" and "Outside" Castles, below.)
B) The attacker must have a number of besieging combat units at
least equal to the intrinsic defense strength of the castle plus the
total number of combat units inside the castle.
The instant that the conditions above are met and a player moves
his stack into the enemy castle space (either by movement or
advance after combat), he must declare that the castle is "under
siege." Enemy combat units cannot enter an unplundered castle
space (whether it contains enemy combat units or not) unless they
are able to declare a valid siege.

Roll one die for each kingdom on which the player is attempting to
impose a Forced Peace. Diplomacy cards may not be used and
Diplomatic Penalties do not modify a Forced Peace Roll.

It is not possible for a stack to Retreat into an enemy castle space

and then declare a siege.

If the result is 1-4, nothing happens.

If the result is a 5 or 6, the attempt was successful and the
kingdom goes into a Forced Peace. Roll another die. The resulting
roll is the number of game turns the Forced Peace will last. (see
Kingdoms, above, for the effects of a forced peace.)

Heroes may always enter an enemy castle, even if it is currently

occupied by enemy units (but see Hero Fate Roll).
"Inside and "Outside" of Castles
Only one player can besiege a castle at a time. To besiege a
castle, the castle space must be occupied by besieging units. It is
possible that enemy combat units may be already within the enemy
castle space; these units must be eliminated, driven "inside" the
castle, or driven out of the castle space entirely before the friendly
units may advance after combat to begin a siege. But remember,
advance in this case is possible only if the advancing stack still has
strength (after engaging in combat) great enough to meet the
requirements necessary to declare a siege.

If an occupying player so chooses, he may instead make a normal

deactivation attempt on the kingdom with his ambassador. If this
succeeds, the resultant deactivation is not considered Forced
Peace. A player may not attempt to force peace on a monarch and
attempt to deactivate him through normal diplomacy in the same
turn. (Although the ambassador is free to perform other functions.)
PREVENTING A FORCED PEACE
As specified in the rules for Kingdoms, a kingdom with one or more
castles currently under siege will not go into a forced peace unless
the besiegers agree to immediately terminate their sieges. Also, a
player may not attempt to Force Peace on a kingdom whose
monarch is currently a captive of another player unless that player
agrees to release the monarch.

Enemy units defending the castle from "outside" are treated as

ordinary land units (i.e., the presence of the castle has no effect).
If the defending units are declared to be "inside" a castle's walls,
they do not prevent enemy entry into the space. Such defending
units should be inverted to show they're "inside the castle's walls."
Units can be inverted only during the owning player's movement
phase. All units which are uninverted are considered to be outside
the castle.

Siege Phase
[Designer's Note: The siege rules in the 3rd Edition of DIVINE
RIGHT differ in two major ways from earlier editions. First, it is no
longer necessary to have a besieging fleet to lay siege to a
castle-port. Second, the manner of conducting sieges has been
altered in a major way. Each castle space is now considered twospaces-in-one (i.e., a space "inside" the castle, and a space
"outside" the castle). During sieges it is permissible for stacks
which are enemy to one another to occupy the "inside" and
"outside" of the castle spaces.

There is no additional movement cost for moving into or out of a

siege situation, but such a status change can only be made during
the owning player's Movement Phase, or through a Retreat,
Advance After Combat, or Displacement.
Intrinsic Defense Strength
All castles have a number printed on the space (e.g., 2, 3, 5) called
the Intrinsic Defense. The intrinsic defense strength of a castle is
only useful in defense against sieges. It may not be used to make
an attack nor added to the strength of friendly units defending the
space "outside" the castle.

For players familiar with the earlier editions of DIVINE RIGHT, it is

important to remember that the "zone of siege" procedure
previously used has been replaced by the new system given below.
Read the following rules carefully. Although the official rules
mention a "zone of siege" and even show diagrams, they were
included in error. Ignore them.]

CORRECTION: Some of the Castles on the map do not show an

intrinsic defense strength. Their defense strengths are given in the
map errata at the beginning of this booklet.

The Siege Phase is the time to resolve siege situations that already
exist. No new siege situations can be created in the Siege Phase.

subtract one. The number remaining is added to the attacker's roll.

However, a Natural Roll of 1 Is Always a Failed Attack.

Effects of a Siege
Replacements and reinforcements may not enter or re-enter the
game in a castle deployment space under siege. Combat units
under siege may not move from the space unless they have made
a breakout attack.

EXAMPLE 1: 15 combat units besiege a castle with intrinsic

defense strength of 4. The castle has 3 combat units inside, giving
it a total strength of 7. Dividing 15 by 7 equals 2.14. Rounding
2.14 down and subtracting 1, leaves 1. Therefore, 1 is added to
the attacker's Siege Roll. Hence, a roll of 5 or 6 would plunder the
castle.

The siege continues until the besieging force successfully plunders

the castle, becomes too weak to maintain a valid siege, or leaves
the castle space through movement, displacement, or retreat. A
besieging force that becomes too weak to maintain a siege is
displaced at the end of the game turn. See below.

EXAMPLE 2: This time, the castle with an intrinsic defense of 4 has

4 combat units inside, giving it a total strength of 8, while the
besieger again attacks with 15. (15/8 = 1.88). Dropping the
fraction to 1 and subtracting 1 leaves zero. There is no addition to
the roll.

Resolving a Siege (Siege Attack)

Prior to resolving any siege attacks, the besieging player must
point out all the Castles which will be attacked. If the player has
any units (or heroes) stacked with besiegers that the player does
not want to be part of the attack, they must be immediately
displaced from the space before the Siege Roll is made.
(CAUTION: the player must take care not to remove so many units
that he no longer has sufficient strength to maintain the siege.) It
is also possible to end the siege at this point by displacing one's
entire besieging force from the castle space.

EXAMPLE 3: If only 1 combat unit was inside the castle (with an

intrinsic defense strength of 4) defending against 15, 2 would be
added to the attacker's Siege Roll (15/5 = 3; 3- 1 = 2).
Ending a Siege
Siege continues until the besieging force:
A) Becomes too weak to maintain a valid siege situation

Displaced units are regarded as unused units and are able to be

moved in the Movement Phase of the same turn. Any combat units
that take part in siege attacks may not be moved in the Movement
Phase.

B) Voluntarily moves (or displaces) away from the space

C) Retreats from combat from the space
D) Is eliminated

Once any desired displacements are done, the player resolves

siege combat for each besieged castle that he wishes to attack. All
combat units that remain in a besieging stack must join in the
attack. Roll one die:

E) Plunders the castle

Once a castle is plundered, it remains plundered for the rest of the
game. It cannot be besieged again, and units can no longer be
considered inside of it. The hex can still serve as an entry point
for replacements and reinforcements, however. Occupying a
plundered castle hex with a combat unit makes the hex friendly for
purposes of entering replacements and reinforcements. If
unoccupied, the hex is considered friendly to its original owner.

Roll
Result
1 The attack has failed. One besieging combat unit is
eliminated. Further, besieging heroes must take a Hero Fate
Roll. Captured besieging heroes are placed inside the castle's
walls with the defenders.

Breakouts
Combat units attempting to leave a besieged castle must first make
a breakout attempt by attacking all of the besieging enemy combat
units in the castle space. The only exception to this is that
besieged land units may freely come and go if the besieging force
has no land units (i.e., is comprised entirely of fleets), and fleets
may likewise enter and leave if the besieging force has no fleets.

2-5 Nothing happens. The siege may continue as long as the

besieging forces are able to maintain the conditions of a siege.
6 The castle is taken and plundered. All combat units within the
plundered castle are eliminated. All heroes in the castle must
take a Hero Fate Roll. A Plundered marker is placed on the
castle and the plunderer scores victory points. (This process
represents taking a castle by its craven surrender, a clever
stratagem, or through treachery from within. Taking a castle
by storm is detailed in the Advanced game.)

Breakout combat is resolved in the besieged players siege phase.

The combat is otherwise resolved in the normal manner, except
that all units, both land units and fleets, of the besieged and
besieging forces are totaled into a single attacking strength and a
single defending strength. (Normally fleets and armies do not fight
one anotherbreakout combat is an exception.)

Units that have made a siege attack (successful or not) cannot

move or attack during the same game turn.
The Siege Roll is NOT required. It is sometimes strategically wise
for a besieger not to make such a roll, thus preserving the stack's
options to engage in movement and/or combat in later phases. If
no siege attack is made, the siege condition simply continues as
before, except that the besieger has given up the possibility of
plundering the castle in that particular Siege Phase.

Win or lose, any surviving besieged units can then move out of the
castle in the subsequent Movement Phase. It is not required for the
player to move all his units from the besieged castle.
However, if enemy combat units and/or impassable terrain occupy
all the spaces around the castle, the besieged units cannot exit the
castle space. If they are unwilling or unable to exit the castle, they
lose the right to do so until they have made another breakout
attempt in a later turn.

Modifying the Siege Roll

The greater the attacking force, the better the attacker's chance of
success. Divide the total number of attacking combat units inside
the castle space by the total strength of all defending units plus the
intrinsic defense strength of the castle. Drop any fractions and

Besieged units that attack their besiegers in the Siege Phase

cannot attack during the Combat Phase of the same player turn.

10

The freedom of fleets in sieges is only a factor of movement. A

fleet cannot be deployed as a replacement or reinforcement in
besieged castle-port even if is besieged only by land units. (And
likewise in regard to land units when a castle-port is besieged only
by fleets.)

Besieger Displacement
Before any siege attacks are resolved, the player may voluntarily
displace units from his besieging stacks to adjacent hexes, thereby
freeing those units for movement later in the player turn. He may
also displace an entire besieging stack, thereby ending that siege.
The displacement move itself is free; the displaced units have
their entire movement allowance available to them during the
subsequent movement phase.

Mixed-unit Combat During Relief

Because relief combat is fought in the Combat Phase, army and
fleet units may not attack one another in the course of relief
combat. Relieving land forces may attack only besieging land
units, while relieving fleets may attack only besieging fleet units,
unless the attack is amphibious (see Amphibious Attack).

The displaced units can attack normally in the combat phase, and
may even enter a castle space and begin another siege. Note:
besieging units that do not displace, but also do not make a siege
attack are eligible to instead attack adjacent enemy units in the
combat phase; they simply cannot move.

EXAMPLE: A castle-port is besieged by two enemy fleets and six

land combat units. A relieving force consisting of four fleets and
two transported land units attacks. The attacker does not wish to
conduct an Amphibious attack, so he fights with only his four fleets
vs. the two enemy fleets (both the land units on the fleets and the
enemy land unit are discounted). The combat is fought at odds of
2 to 1. After the attack, the two besieging fleets survive, as do
three of the relieving fleets, and these three fleets now enter the
besieged castle-port (along with the two transported land units).
Although the two arriving land units have not yet fought, they may
not initiate any further attacks during this game turn because the
time for announcing new attacks has passed.

Should losses or the entry of a relieving force into a castle reduce

the ratio of besiegers to besieged combat units (plus intrinsic
defense strength) to less than 1 to 1, the besieger must displace
his forces from the space at the end of the current game turn.
Despite the reduction of forces, the siege condition continues to
persist until the end of the game turn, except that a Siege Roll may
not be taken.
Sometimes enemy units in one or more adjacent spaces will bar
the displacement described above. In such cases, the displacing
stack would displace the enemy units that are blocking its route.
Each player determines the route of his own units' displacement,
but the stack of displaced besiegers must lose a number of friendly
combat units equal to the number of enemy combat units that it is
displacing. (This represents losses taken by fleeing besiegers
fighting their way out of encirclement.)

Instead of launching an ordinary combat as given above, it is

possible that the relieving player may opt for the riskier Amphibious
Attack. The procedure for carrying out both Relief attempts and
Amphibious Attacks is given in the Combat Phase rules section.
Besieging Neutral Castles
If a player declares a siege against a neutral non-player castle, the
kingdom in which the castle is located immediately becomes the
ally of a randomly-determined enemy player. Deploy the kingdom's
units immediately. This will usually mean that some units will be
deployed in the very castle that is under siege, which is allowable.
If this deployment increases the castles defense value to the point
where it is greater than the strength of the besiegers, the siege is
no longer valid and the besieging units are immediately displaced
from the castle.

If the enemy units barring the stack's displacement are equal or

greater in number than the stack of displaced besiegers, or if the
displaced besiegers have no unobstructed route of displacement
due to terrain or some other factor, they are not displaced but are
instead eliminated. Any hero located in a totally eliminated stack
must take a Hero Fate Roll.
A land unit may displace into a sea or lake hex only if an empty
friendly fleet is available in the besieging forces to carry it.
Displacing fleets may ignore land units in the space it displaces
into. It is allowable for enemy land units and friendly fleet units to
occupy the same coastal space after displacement. This should be
corrected the next time that the player controlling the fleet moves.

Non-siege Attacks by Besiegers

Besiegers may attack adjacent enemy units outside the castle
space without disrupting the siege. However, if the besieging stack
has already participated in a siege attack, it may not attack in the
Combat Phase. (Remember, a player may deliberately refrain from
attacking in the Siege Phase.) If the combat results reduce the
besieging force to less than the number of units needed to maintain
the siege, they are displaced at the end of the game turn, ending
the siege.

Mixed-unit Siege Combat

In the Basic Game, fleets generally do not engage in combat with
land units, and vice-versa. Siege situations are an exception to
this. When calculating strengths for initiating or maintaining a
siege, or for modifying the siege combat die roll, all combat units
stacked in a castle space during the Siege Phase are treated as
undistinguished strength points.

Movement Phase
During the Movement Phase, the player may move any (or none)
of his units, in any direction or combination of directions. Only the
current player may move units.

Fleets at Sieges
Fleets are not required in the besieging of a castle-port, but they
may contribute their strength to both the defense of and attack
against a castle-port.

Units, or stacks of units, are moved together over contiguous

spaces on the map. As each unit (or stack) enters a space, it
expends points from its movement allowance as determined by the
type of terrain in the space.

Land units aboard fleets that are reinforcing a siege must debark
into the besieged castle space to be considered as part of the
besieging force. A besieged player's fleets can freely enter and exit
besieged castle-ports and transport units into and out of besieged
castle-ports, unless the besieger has at least one fleet in the
besieging stack.

The movement allowance of a given unit is printed on the upper

right corner of the counter. The movement allowance is the number
of movement points it may expend in a single game turn.

11

Movement points cannot be saved from one turn to the next, nor
may they be transferred from one unit to another. Movement
allowances can be increased through Hero Movement Bonuses.

Terrain Effects Chart

Stacking
All friendly combat units and heroes may stack together in the
Basic Game. Friendly allied units from non-player kingdoms may
stack with those of their allies and enter to defend a friendly castle.
At any time, any player can examine the stacks of opposing players
to determine their contents.

Clear
1 movement point

Movement and Terrain

Each type of space represents a particular terrain type. Each unit
entering into a space must expend a certain number of movement
points from its allowance. No unit may enter into a space unless it
has sufficient movement points to pay all of the movement
expenses for that space. All point costs listed below are per space.

Hills
2 movement points

Terrain effects are cumulative. For example, to enter a forested

mountain space, the cost would be six movement points (2 for the
Forest + 4 for the Mountain).

Treated as clear
terrain to units with
mountain movement
bonus.

Mountain
Cost is 3 points for
4 movement points units with mountain
terrain bonus. +1 to
the defenderscombat
roll if he occupies a
mountain hex.

Special Terrain Bonuses

The increased cost of certain types of rough terrain may be
reduced if the moving unit has the appropriate special terrain
bonus. There are three types of bonuses, mountain, forest and
swamp. The mountain bonus means the unit treats hills as clear
terrain and treats mountains as having a cost of 3 movement
points. The forest bonus allows the unit to treat forest hexes as
clear terrain. The swamp bonus allows the unit to treat swamp
hexes as clear terrain.
There are four ways that a unit may gain a special terrain bonus in
the Basic Game:
A It is a unit having one or more bonus symbols (forest, swamp,
or a mountain) printed on the counter beneath its movement
allowance.
B It is a unit led by a hero with such a symbol.
C It is a unit inside the kingdom of its origin. All units possess
ALL terrain bonuses within their home kingdoms.
D It is a unit led by a hero who is traveling through the terrain
spaces of his home kingdom.

Mountain pass
2 movement points

A defenders combat
strength is doubled
in a mountain pass.

Forest
2 movement points

Treated as clear
terrain to units with
a forest movement
bonus. Note: There
are two different map
symbols for forests.

Swamp
2 movement points

Treated as clear
terrain to units that
possess a swamp
movement bonus.

Open Sea or Lake

1 movement point

Only fleets may

enter. Land units
may be transported
through such terrain
by fleets.

Hero units may pass their movement bonuses on to land units they
are leading, but a combat unit cannot transfer its bonuses to other
combat units in their stack. A hero may "ride" a combat unit for the
whole length of its unassisted movement, and in doing so benefit
from any terrain bonuses the unit might have.
A unit's terrain bonus may negate all or part of the penalties for
combined terrain. For example, a hill-forest space would cost a
Zorn unit, or a mercenary led by the monarch of Zorn (which has
both forest and mountain terrain bonuses), only 1 movement point.

12

simply a clear space for movement purposes. Also see CastlePorts, below.
Isle of Fright
1 movement point

Sea Coast or
Lake Shore
cost varies

Navigable River
cost varies

Fleets may only

enter if rescuing a
hero. Land combat
units may not enter.

1 point for fleets.

Land units pay the
cost of the land
terrain in the hex.

Land units add 1 point

to cost of other terrain in
hex if entering or exiting
the river valley. Fleets
may not enter

Castles and
Castle Ports

Units may be inside or

outside the castle
itself. Outside is
always clear terrain.
See rules below.

Scenic Space
1 point

Rivers
Rivers that travel through the hexes are non-navigable and
impassable to fleets. Land units pay an extra movement point to
enter or leave such a hex unless moving along the river valley.
This cost is over and above the cost of any other terrain in the hex.

Fleets pay 2 points

if moving upriver; 1
if moving downriver. Land units
pay 2 MPs to cross
and must stop
before doing so.
See rules below.

River
cost varies

1 point

Scenic Spaces
Any named hex with a silhouetteother than a mountain pass or
castleis a scenic hex (castles can be distinguished by the
defensive value in the hex, and mountain passes by the 2
notation in the hex). Scenic hexes are treated as clear terrain in the
basic game. Some scenic hexes have a dot at the top of the hex.
(The picture in the terrain effects chart has such a dot.) When
present, the dot indicates that the scenic hex is the entry location
for a special mercenary in the intermediate and advanced games.

Navigable Rivers
A navigable river is one that is exceptionally large and deep. They
follow a path along the hexsides of the board rather than traveling
through a path of single hexes the way most rivers do. Fleet units
can move along navigable rivers; when doing so they are
positioned in the actual hexes bordering the river. See Fleets and
Navigable Rivers, below.
Land units are limited in their ability to cross navigable river
hexsides. They may not attack land units across such a hexside.
They may never retreat across such a hexside. They may only
cross such a hexside during movement if they begin the movement
phase next to the hexside to be crossed (they must stop to prepare
a ferrying operation.) Even then, the crossing is accomplished with
an extra cost of +2 movement points Fleets may act to ferry land
units across a navigable river. See Ferrying, below.
The only navigable river on the board is the River Deep and the first
hex of the River Waning, connected to the River Deep. The exact
beginning and end of the River Deep are as follows: The hex
southeast of Castle Lapspell is a coastal hex, the Deep river
commences east of that hex, running to its furthest inland hexes
southwest of Pennol.
All other cases where one might question whether water forms a
navigable river or a coastal hex are actually coastal hexes.
Specifically:
The hex southeast of Addat is a coastal hex.
The Boom is a coastal hex.
The hex to the northeast of Adeese is a coastal hex.
Parros is not surrounded by a navigable river. It is an island
surrounded by coastal hexes. See the Rombune section of
Select Rules for Special Kingdoms.
Lake Carth, to the west of Pennol, is a small sea.

Treated as clear terrain

in basic game. See
rules below.

Castles
Castles with asterisks are royal Castles. Hostile units may not
enter the space outside an unbesieged castle except to initiate a
siege. Once a siege is initiated, units friendly to the besieger may
enter and exit freely.

Movement Restrictions
Land units may not cross all-sea hexsides. Fleets may not cross
all-land hexsides. All ports are considered to be coastal spaces and
may be entered by both fleets and land units. No unit may move
or retreat off the map.

A friendly castle is any castle or port inside the boundaries of a

kingdom belonging to the player monarch or to that monarch's
allies. If plundered, the castle ceases to exist but the space still
serves as an entry point for replacements and mercenary
reinforcements. A plundered castle is considered friendly to its
original owner for this purpose unless actually occupied by at least
one enemy combat unitin which case it is considered friendly to
the occupying force. If a castle is plundered, it is considered

Enemy Units and Movement

Combat units cannot enter or stop in spaces already occupied by
enemy combat units of their same type (land units / fleets). The
only time this does not apply is in regard to sieges.

13

EXAMPLE: A fleet with a movement allowance of 8 can negate the

existence of the river for up to 8 combat units crossing the river
over the top of the fleet, but not more.

Land combat units can enter coastal hexes and hexes bounded by
navigable rivers regardless of the presence of enemy fleets. If they
stop in that hex the enemy fleet must leave during its next
movement phase. However, land units may not cross a navigable
river controlled by an enemy fleet (see Fleets and Navigable
Rivers, below).

If a fleet has had to move to reach the desired ferry-position, it may

only ferry a number of combat units equal to the unspent
movement allowance remaining to it.

Fleets can enter coastal hexes and hexes bounded by navigable

rivers regardless of the presence of enemy land units. They may
not stop in a hex containing enemy land units, however.

For the purpose of ferrying land units, it does not matter on which
side of the river the fleet is physically located. If approaching the
river from the fleet side, the land units move over the fleet and to
the opposite bank. If approaching from the other direction, they
move from that bank into the fleets space on the other side.

A Hero can enter hexes containing enemy combat units, but must
must make a Hero Fate roll if he enters a hex occupied by an
enemy land comabt unit or crosses a navigable river hexside
controlled by an enemy fleet.

Transporting Troops
Fleets may transport land combat units and heroes by sea. Each
fleet may carry one combat unit and any number of heroes. To
transport a unit, the fleet moves into the coastal or port hex
containing the unit to be transported and the unit embarks. The
fleet may then continue movement. Debarking is the reverse of the
embarkation process. Fleets may transport land units up and down
navigable rivers; this is distinct from Ferrying, where the units
merely use the fleet to cross the river.

Unlike many other games, units in Divine Right do not have zones
of control extending into adjacent hexes, except in the sense that
fleets control all adjacent navigable river hex sides. This is due to
the small size of the armies of the era. A strength point represents
the equivalent of a thousand human soldiers and each space is
about fifty miles across. Therefore, units may pass through spaces
adjacent to enemy units without penalty or delay.

A unit may not embark or debark in a coastal space that contains

mountains. Units may not debark in an enemy castle-port unless
they meet the requirements to besiege the port. The fleets
transporting the units may be counted as part of the stacks
strength for determining if a siege is possible.

Fleet Movement
Fleets are seagoing combat units. They may enter all-sea spaces,
coastal spaces, friendly ports, and spaces bordered by navigable
river hexsides. A fleet in a port should be inverted to show that it
is "inside" the port. Fleets expend 1 movement point per hex except
when moving upstream in a navigable river, which costs 2
movement points per hex.

Example: two fleets are transporting two land units. This stack
may enter a hex containing a strength 4 enemy castle and initate
a siege. If land units are present outside the castle, this is not
allowed. An amphibious attack would be the only way for the stack
to directly enter such a hex (see Amphibious Attacks).

Fleets and Navigable Rivers

A fleet which ends its movement in a navigable river effectively
controls all the navigable river hexsides of its hex. The river at that
point is blockaded. Enemy land units may not cross such a
controlled hexside. A hero unit may attempt to cross an enemycontrolled river hexside, but must take a Hero Fate Roll upon
making the attempt. (Only one roll, even if enemy fleets occupy
the hexes on both sides of the river.) Fleets moving in a river must
stop upon entering a hex that shares an enemy-controlled hexside.

Embarking and debarking are accomplished at no movement-point

cost to the fleet. A fleet may continue moving, embarking, and
debarking land units until its own movement allowance is spent.
Units transported by sea cannot move further during that turn.
Castle-Ports
Not all castles bordering water are castle-ports. A castle-port is
indicated when the castle silhouette does not extend completely to
the bottom of its hex. For instance Pennol, Muetars royal castle,
is not a port. Adeese, Schucassams royal castle, is a castle-port.

Example: If a fleet is in hex B, it

controls the river hexsides
between B and E, and between
B and F. If an enemy fleet
were in hex A or D, it could
move to hex E but would have
to stop at that point. It could
move to F on its next turn, but
would again have to stop. The
turn after that, it could freely
proceed upriver.

The term castle-port is used when special attention needs to be

drawn to the spaces capacity for functioning as a port. All rules
which pertain to castles also pertain to castle-ports.
Players without friendly ports cannot add fleet replacements or
reinforcements. A plundered castle port is still considered a port,
and can serve as an entry point for replacement fleets and
mercenary fleets. If unoccupied, it is considered friendly to the
original owner, if occupied by enemy units it is considered friendly
to them.

A fleet may act as a ferry across a navigable river, in that way

negating the existence of the river for friendly land units. A fleet
acting as a ferry does not move, it merely allows land units to cross
from one side of the river to the other without needing to stop or
pay additional movement points (see Navigable Rivers, above).
Any number of heroes may cross freely by fleet-ferry, but a
stationary fleet may only ferry a number of combat units equal to
its movement allowance.

Non-Castle Ports
Bartertown and Freeport are non-castle ports. These are small
affairs. Each may shelter a single fleet from a Storm random event.
Additional fleets in the port space are not protected. Mercenary
fleet reinforcements may be entered into play at a friendlycontrolled non-castle port.

14

EXAMPLE 1: 5 units attack 3. Dividing, 5/3 = odds of 1.66 to 1.

Rounding 1.66 down (in favor the defender) yields 1. The ratio is 1
to 1. Add 1 to each of the players die results. (Note: In a 1 to 1
situation, it is acceptable to ignore the modification and accept the
straight roll. It will not affect the outcome.)

Fleets and land units enter at the cost of one movement point.
Land combat units may freely enter a non-castle port occupied
solely by enemy fleets. Doing so makes the port friendly to the
occupying land units (Essentially, for control purposes, land
combat units are superior to fleet units.) The enemy fleet is
displaced from the space at the end of the Movement Phase.

EXAMPLE 2: 7 units attack 3. Dividing, 7/3 = odds of 2.33 to 1.

Rounding in favor of the defender yields 2 to 1. Add 2 to the
attacker's roll result and add 1 to the defender's.

Movement and Diplomacy

Moving heroes and combat units into neutral kingdoms has
diplomatic repercussions. See The Diplomatic Penalty.

EXAMPLE 3: 8 units attack 9. Dividing the larger by the smaller

number, we have 9/8=1.125 to 1. The fraction is rounded UP
because the attacking force is smaller, meaning that the one is
added to the attackers combat die roll and two is added to the
defenders roll.

Ambassadors do not move across the map like units; they are
markers that are simply picked up and put down in the space
where diplomacy is to occur.

Combat Phase

EXAMPLE 4: 2 units attack 3. Dividing the smaller number by the

larger gives 3 to 2, or 1.5 to 1, which is again rounded up to yield
modifers of 2 for the defender and 1 for the attacker.

Combat occurs between adjacent opposing units at the discretion

of the current player. This player is considered the attacker and his
opponent the defender, regardless of the overall strategic situation.

Ties
If the modified rolls of both players result in a tie, then both the
attacker and defender must lose a number of combat units equal
to the unmodified number rolled by the weaker player. In such a
situation the player with more units is never required to lose more
than twice the number of losses suffered by the smaller force.

A player must predesignate all attacks he will make before

resolving any of them, but declared attacks may be resolved in any
order that the attacker chooses. The result of each attack is applied
immediately after the attack is executed.
Making Attacks
A possible combat situation exists when the combat units of two
different players are adjacent to one another and the terrain does
not specifically forbid combat (e.g., units on opposite sides of a
navigable river).

EXAMPLE 1: A stack of 8 combat units attacks a stack of 4. It is a

2 to 1 attack. Each player rolls a combat die; the attacker rolls a 2
(which is modified, for odds, by +2 = 4) and the defender rolls a 3
(which is modified, for odds, by +1 = 4). The result is a tie. Because
the player with the fewer forces has rolled an unmodified 3, each
player would have to lose 3 units.

To resolve an attack, the attacker and the defender each roll one
die. This is called the Combat Roll. The Combat Roll of both the
attacker and defender can be modified by having superior
numbers, or monarchs with special Personality cards that assist (or
hinder) combat. The player with the highest Combat roll is the
winner of the attack. The loser must remove the number of combat
units equal to the difference between the two Combat Rolls.

EXAMPLE 2: A stack of 6 combat units attacks a single enemy

unit. It is a 6 to 1 attack. The attacker rolls a 1, and the defender
rolls a 6. These results when modified (by +6 and +1 respectively)
to yield a tie of 7. The defender has only 1 unit to lose. However,
because of the small size of the defender's casualties, the attacker
need not lose 7 units but can instead loose a sum equal to the
other player's actual losses 2. In this case 1 2 means that the
attacker loses 2 units.

When taking combat losses, the owner of the units always decides
which units will be eliminated. Land units aboard eliminated fleets
are also eliminated, but do not count against losses to be removed.

Which Units May Attack?

Only those units belonging to the current player may attack. Units
that have moved into an enemy castle and declared a siege during
that turns movement phase, or that have made a siege attack
during that turns Siege phase may not attack during the Combat
Phase.

If all the defending units in a given space are eliminated, the

attacker may advance some, all, or even none of the attacking
units into the space vacated by the defender. Should an attacker be
totally eliminated, the surviving defending units cannot advance
into the vacated space.
Modifying the Combat Roll (Odds)
The strength of each combat units in the Basic Game is 1. The
strength of an attacking or defending force is thus the sum of the
number of combat units involved. Combat Rolls may be modified
depending on the relative strength of the attacker and defender:

Land combat units that are aboard fleets may not participate in
combat, unless a port is being attacked (see Amphibious
Attacks). Replacements and reinforcements that entered during
the Random Events Phase may attack in the same game turn that
they enter. Units of a newly-activated kingdom may only attack
units inside their home kingdom on the turn of activation. See
Activation of Kingdoms.

The combat strength of both the attacking and defending units are
totaled. The larger total is divided by the smaller total, and the
result rounded off to get a simple ratio such as 3 to 1. The
rounding is always in favor of the defender. This means that if the
attacking force is larger, round the result down. If the attacking
force is smaller, round the result up. Then simply add each
player's ratio number (e.g., 3 or 1 in the case of a 3 to 1 odds ratio)
to their respective combat roll.

Units may attack any (or all) enemy units adjacent to them, except
those that are "inside" Castles, those forbidden by impassable
terrain, or navigable river. Only those units directly adjacent to a
given enemy stack may participate in an attack upon that stack.
If a stack attacks an enemy, all units in the stack must attack.
However, just because opposing stacks are adjacent to one

15

If any elves in a stack retreat, all elves present must retreat.

another does not mean that they must attack. Once a unit has
participated in an attack upon an enemy combat unit it may not
make any other attack for the duration of that Combat Phase. No
combat unit may be attacked twice in the same player's Combat
Phase.

Hero units do not retreat unless at least one friendly combat unit
does so. Heroes basically ride a combat unit away during its
retreat.
EXAMPLE 1: Common mercenaries (always treated as humans)
stacked with Elves from Neuth (non-humans) receive a roll of 5.
Both groups may retreat before combat. If the player had rolled a
2, the humans would be forced to stand and fight. The Elves could
still roll to retreat without the mercenaries, if their owner so desires.

EXAMPLE 1: To the left, A, B and C

are friendly stacks. X, Y, and Z are
enemy stacks. A and B may both
attack X, or A may attack X alone. B
may attack X alone, Y alone, or both X
and Y together. C may only attack Z.

EXAMPLE 2: A mixed stack of Elves and Dwarves attempt retreat

from an enemy attack. A retreat roll of 2 is rolled. Neither the Elves
nor the Dwarves may retreat from the combat situation. If the
player had rolled a 3 he could retreat all of the elves, all of the
dwarves, or the entire force.

EXAMPLE 2: The units in stack A are enemies to

stacks X, Y, and Z. Stack A could attack in one of
several ways: 1) Not at all, 2) Attack only X, only Y,
or only Z, 3) Attack any combination of two enemyoccupied spaces, or 4) Attack all three adjacent
enemy-occupied spaces as a combined defending
total.

Any units successfully retreating before combat must move to an

adjacent space. All units of the same basic type (e.g., land or fleet
unit) that retreat on a single roll must retreat to the same space. A
stack with both land and sea combat units may choose to retreat
to two different spaces, but must roll separate retreat rolls.

Mixed-Type Combat
In the Basic Game, fleets and land units may only fight each other
in a siege situation during the Siege Phase or during an
Amphibious Attack. In all other cases, the presence of one type of
unit is ignored by the other during combat even if they should
occupy adjacent spaces. Even so, they cannot indefinitely occupy
the same space. Fleets which find themselves in the same hex as
enemy land units must leave as soon as possible, except in siege
situations.

Units may not retreat into a space that contains an enemy combat
unit, a non-plundered enemy or neutral castle (unless it is already
besieged by friendly combat units), or into any space occupied by
friendly units that are currently engaged in an unresolved attack
that same player round.

Effects of Terrain on Combat

Units defending in a mountain may add +1 to their combat roll.
Units defending in a mountain pass have their combat strengths
doubled. These combat bonuses are in addition to any other
combat bonuses that may accrue to the defending player (e.g.,
those that come from heroes, etc.)

If no space is available for a stack to retreat into, no retreat can

take place regardless of the roll. The player may abort an intended
retreat even after a successful retreat roll. For example, if Elves
and Dwarves are stacked with human units and are able to retreat,
while the humans' roll is an unsuccessful one, the player may opt
to keep the Dwarves, Elves, and the humans together to face the
attack at better odds. Conversely, either the Dwarves and/or Elves
may retreat, while letting the humans stay to defend the space.

Land units may not attack across an all-sea or navigable river

hexside, nor may fleets attack across an all-land hexside. Ordinary
rivers have no effect upon combat.

If, after a Retreat Before Combat, a unit or stack is still adjacent to

the enemy units that were attacking it then the retreated unit(s)
may still be attacked. No second Retreat Before Combat is allowed.

Retreat Before Combat

After an attack has been declared and before the combat dice are
rolled, the defender may attempt to retreat to avoid taking losses.
The ability to retreat is determined by the type of combat unit trying
to retreat:

If, after a Retreat Before Combat, the retreated units are adjacent
to a different enemy stack, one that has been declared to be
attacking other defenders but whose attack has not yet been
resolved, the attacker may choose to include the retreated units in
the combat. Their strength is then added to the strength of the
originally declared defenders in this second combat. The units may
not retreat again, although the originally declared defenders against
this new attack may still attempt to do so.

Type of Unit:
Human (most kingdoms, mercenaries) :
Non-Human (Neuth, Ghem, Nithmere, Trolls) :

Retreats on:
4, 5, or 6
3, 4, 5, or 6

Advance After Combat

Attacking units may advance into a space occupied by a defending
force that was entirely destroyed in combat. Attackers may also
advance into a space that has been vacated by defenders who
have performed Retreat Before Combat, although in that case note
that the advance counts as the advancing units attack for the turn.

All fleets in the basic game are considered human and retreat on
a 4-6.
When a stack of units is attempting to retreat, test the type of unit
with the least chance of success first; if it succeeds, all other units
in the stack are assumed to have successfully made their required
retreat roll. If it fails, it must stand and fight, although if other units
are present with a better chance of retreating they may make their
own roll to attempt a retreat.

Amphibious Attacks
A player may make an amphibious attack on a body of enemy
combat units in a port space or outside the castle in a castle-port
space. (The besiegers of a castle-port fall into the latter category.)
But such landings are dangerous and should not be engaged in
lightly.

A player cannot split up a force of similar-type units by retreating

part of it. If any humans in a stack retreat, all of them must retreat.

16

In an amphibious attack the enemy units may be attacked from

adjacent sea spaces by fleet units, either alone or in combination
with any land units they are transporting. (This is an exception to
the restriction on combat by transported land units, and the
restriction on land units fighting fleets.)

A force of land units attempting to relieve a besieged castle-port

only fights against the beseiging land units, should the besieger
have both land units and fleets present. If the besieger has only
fleets, land units may freely enter the castle-port.
Likewise, a force of naval units may relieve a friendly castle-port
besieged by only land units by simply entering the port in the
movement phase. They may transport land units and disembark
them in the besieged castle as part of this movement. If the
besiegers DO have fleets, however, the relieving fleets must fight
them (and only them, not the besieging land units) in the combat
phase to gain the right to enter the port. If the relieving fleets were
transporting land units, they may be disembarked once the
relieving fleets have entered the besieged castle-port.

All enemy land and sea units in the space (the ones outside the
castle in the case of a castle port) defend against the attack. In
addition, fleets inside a castle port can come outside to defend
against the attack, if their owner desires. All losses to a mixed force
of land and sea units in an amphibious attack can be divided
between the two types of units however the owner desires.
Should the attacker lose an amphibious attack (e.g., take greater
or equal losses), half, rounded down, of all the surviving attackers
are then eliminated. This represents the difficulty of withdrawing
safely from a failed amphibious situation. The attacker may
apportion these losses as desired between land units and fleets.

Note: this is NOT an amphibious attack. The land units are merely
cargo and do not participate in the combat resolution. If the player
wants both the fleets and their transported land units to participate
in the combat, he must make an amphibious attack as outlined in
the previous rules section.

In the case of units amphibiously assaulting a besieging force, the

attacker may also add into the fray either the land or sea units
inside the besieged castle. He may not add both, as these units
are not really engaging in an amphibious attack themselves.
Likewise, if things go badly they are not subject to the halfsurvivors-eliminated penalty of the previous paragraph. The
attacker may not add in beseiged units that made a break out
attack during the siege phase of the same turn.

If the besieging forces include both land units and fleets, a player
may launch two attacks on the hex, one by relieving land units
against the besieging land units, and one by the relieving fleets
against the besieging fleets. He must do so if he desires to have
both land- and sea-borne units enter into the besieged castle.
(Naturally, if the player conducts an amphibious attack that is a
different matterall the attackers fights all the defenders in one
battle in that case. This provision covers situations where land
units are attacking by land and sea units by sea.)

Fleets from inside a castle-port that assist an amphibious attack

against their besiegers return inside the port after the battle.
However, fleets that came out of a port or castle-port to defend
against an amphibious attack remain outside the port after the
battle.

The defending forces inside the castle may participate in the relief
attack so long as they did not make a breakout attack during the
preceding siege phase. Land units in the castle may join in the
attack of relieving land units, and fleets in the castle may join in
the attack of relieving fleets. Either type (but not both) may join in
the case of an amphibious attack attempting to relieve them, as
outlined in the rules given under Amphibious Attacks.

After an amphibious attack all the survivors on both sides remain

in place unless A) all defending land units were destroyed or
retreated before combat or B) the attack was an effort to enter
relieving forces into a siege. In the first case the attacker may
advance into the hex, possibly initiating a siege if the defenders
were outside of a castle-port. In the second case the surviving
attackers may be immediately added to the besieged force. See
Relieving Forces at Sieges, below.

Heroes
In the Basic Game, all units representing individuals (as opposed
to combat units which represent hundreds) are referred to as
"heroes." Those that are eligible to lead troops are hero-leaders.
All monarchs in Minaria, player and non-player, are hero-leaders.
(In the Intermediate game there are some heroes who are not
leaders.) Units led by a hero are granted the hero's movement
allowance and terrain bonuses. Additionally, they are able to attack
or defend with the aid of any combat bonuses granted by the
monarchs Personality card.

EXAMPLE: Four besieging Mivioran land units are in the space of

the Rombuni port of Thores but are "outside" it. The Rombuni fleet
stops adjacent to the castle with four fleets and four land units. The
Rombunis may attack the Mivioran units at 2 to 1 (8 vs 4) by
means of amphibious landing. If they destroy all of the Mivioran
units they may advance into the hex and be considered either
inside or outside the port as they desire. If they do not destroy all
of the Mivioran units they may nonetheless enter the castle as a
relieving force.

Heroes, by themselves, have no combat strength, but some

monarchs grant combat bonuses to accompanying combat units
combat resolution, if such bonuses are listed on the monarchs
Personality card.

It is permissible to launch an amphibious attack against an empty

castle-port hex for purposes of advancing after combat into the hex
and laying siege to the place.

Heroes traveling alone can pass through a stack of enemy combat

units, or even an enemy castle, but must take a Hero Fate Roll
when so doing.

Relieving Forces at Sieges

Relieving forces may win the right to advance into the castle space
and add themselves to the force "inside" the castle walls by moving
adjacent to the besieging stack and attacking the besieging units
in the Combat Phase. Any such attack is made during the
besieged player's Combat Phase. Win or lose, the relieving force
may then advance into the castle to join the besieged force.

Hero Movement Bonus and Terrain Bonus

Monarch heroes may confer their own movement rate to a stack
containing other heroes, his own regular units and/or mercenaries.
They may not assist in the movement of regulars of other friendly
kingdoms.

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Some hero units have terrain bonuses on their counters (see

Movement). All monarchs have mountain, forest, and swamp
terrain bonuses when moving within their own kingdoms. These
bonuses are likewise passed on to all units (except regulars of
other kingdoms in the case of monarchs) which are in the heros
stack.

Hero Fate Roll

When a hero is in danger of being captured or killed, he must make
a Hero Fate Roll. Whenever one of the following situations occurs,
a die must be rolled for each threatened hero.
1) One or more units in the hero's stack are lost in combat.
2) The hero passes through a stack of enemy combat units
alone.
3) Enemy combat units land on or pass through a lone hero
(referred to as a "search.")
4) The hero begins his turn in an enemy stack and attempts to
leave.
5) A castle containing the hero falls to a siege.
6) The hero attempts to enter or leave a besieged castle alone.
(To enter/exit the space and the castle walls is a single roll, not
one for the castle and one the enemy besiegers).
7) The hero attempts to enter or leave any enemy or neutral
castle.
8) The hero is inside an enemy castle at the beginning of the
owners player turn.
9) The fleet transporting the hero is shipwrecked.
10) The hero attempts to cross a navigable river hexside controlled
by enemy fleets.

Units that are to receive these bonuses may not move

independently in the same movement phase. Units that the player
does not wish to have benefit from the hero's bonuses should be
moved first. If a unit begins its move in concert with a hero, it may
not split off from the heros stack and move on its own. It may
cease moving before the hero, but may move no further that turn.
If two or more heroes are in the same stack, only one of them may
lead the unit for movement. If, for example, the monarch of Immer
and the monarch of Neuth are in the same stack, each monarch
can only move units of its own country, and any mercenaries that
happen to be present. If mercenaries are present, they can only
benefit from the movement bonuses of one of the leaders each
turn.
EXAMPLE: A stack of one regular troop unit and one mercenary
unit, both of which have a movement allowance of 5, is led by the
monarch of the regular troops kingdom. The entire stack gains the
monarchs printed movement allowance of 7 and moves using all
the terrain bonuses the leader possesses.

A "lone hero" means that there are no friendly combat units stacked
with the hero. Several heroes stacked together without friendly
combat units as escorts are equally vulnerable. A lone hero in a
non-friendly castle space is always considered to be inside the
castle walls.

EXAMPLE: If the monarch of Ghem with one unit and the monarch
of Muetar with 2 units are moving through hills, the one Ghem
(Dwarven) combat unit and the king of Muetar may accompany the
Ghem monarch, through up to 8 spaces of clear terrain and hills.
Because the Muetaran monarch chooses not to lead, the Muetaran
combat units are on their own and can move only 5 movement
points, which would take them through just 2 hill spaces.

If a stack begins its turn stacked with an enemy hero, the player
must have the units expend movement points equal to the terrain
cost of the space in order to make a search and force a hero fate
roll. Of course, this is only really a factor if the player wishes to
then move the units elsewhere after the search is conducted. (Time
is lost in the process of making a search).

Units with their own terrain bonuses that use hero-assisted

movement lose their normal bonuses. Thus a unit which is able to
move through forest as clear terrain does not transfer this ability to
the hero leading its stack and may not use its own forest-terrain
bonus if it is benefitting from the hero's movement bonus. Multiple
heroes may not combine movement enhancements in any way.

Thus, if the space contains mountain terrain, at least one combat

unit loses 4 movement points in conducting the search. (If the units
were to use a friendly hero with a mountain terrain bonus to reduce
the movement point cost of the hex to 3, then that hero must also
expend movement points in the search.)
THE HERO FATE TABLE
Roll
Result
1
Hero Killed
2-5
No Effect
6
Hero Captured

Note, however, that a hero may forego leading troops and instead
be carried along by them as they move, thus indirectly gaining the
combat units own terrain bonuses. Outside of a monarchs home
kingdom, the terrain bonuses of other units may more than make
up for losing the enhanced movement rate the monarch would
confer were he leading the stack instead of being carried along by
it.

Usually, a Hero Fate Roll can be forced on a hero only once per
player turn. For example, if a hero's stack is eliminated in combat
and the enemy advances on top of the hero, only one Hero Fate
Roll is made. However, on that hero's next Movement Phase,
another Hero Fate Roll must be made at the beginning of the heros
next turn (for beginning his player turn in a hex with enemy units.)

Hero Combat Bonus

Various factors give a hero a Combat Bonus. In the Basic Game
only a monarch with Personality card 16 has a Combat Bonus.
Many more such bonuses are present in the intermediate and
advanced games. When playing using those rules, only one hero
(per side) may grant a bonus to the combat die roll. Combat
Bonuses do not apply to Siege Resolution Rolls unless specifically
stated in a heros description. The hero granting the combat bonus
is said to be leading the units in combat. A monarch may not lead
regulars of another kingdom in combat. It is possible, though rare,
for units to be led by one hero during movement and by another in
an ensuing combat.

Only one Hero Fate Roll may be required of a given hero during
each enemy player's movement. (For instance, an enemy player
may not force seven rolls by separately moving seven combat units
over a lone hero). However, a monarch that enters multiple hexes
containing enemy units must make a hero fate die roll for each
such hex he enters.
If a hero begins an enemy turn in an enemy castle, a Hero Fate
Roll must be made for the hero at the start of the enemy player's

18

half of the friendly units engaged in a combat situation.

Random Events Phase. A lone hero exiting a besieged castle and

passing though a non-besieging enemy unit adjacent to it must
undergo two Hero Fate rolls. In fact, there is no limit to the number
of rolls that a hero must undergo for situations of his own making.

There are only three ways to free an imprisoned monarch:

1) Successful siege and plunder of the prison castle by the
prisoner's own troops or allied troops.
2) If the kingdom in which the prisoner is being held deactivates
in any manner, the prisoner is released and placed in the
nearest friendly castle.
3) If the castle is plundered by units enemy to the captive, the
captive is freed, but remains in place until his own next
movement phase. Usually one or more Hero Fate rolls will be
required to evade the new enemy.

A lone hero may never be attacked. Aside from assassination (see

Diplomacy), the only way heroes may be killed or captured is
through the Hero Fate Roll.
Shipwrecked Heroes
A hero is either killed, captured, or shipwrecked if he is left without
a friendly fleet in an all-sea space.

FREEING A PRISONER
A captive who is voluntarily freed is placed in the nearest friendly
castle. If no castle is friendly to the freed captive, he is placed with
the nearest friendly combat unit. If there is no friendly combat unit,
the owning player places the freed captive in any space that he
desires.

A Hero Fate roll is made. The hero dies on a 1, and is captured on

a 6. On a 2-5 (and on a 6, if no attacking or searching enemy fleets
are responsible for his plight), the hero is immediately placed on
the Isle of Fright. The castaway must remain there until picked up
by a friendly fleet that moves into the space. Enemy fleets may not
capture a hero on the Isle of Fright, as there are too many caves in
which to hide. In a similar manner, fleets may not unload combat
units there because of the many dangerous reefs surrounding the
island. Fleet movement into the Isle of Fright space is restricted to
rescue attempts. Ambassadors may still work diplomacy upon a
castaway monarch's kingdom, since a temporary regency is
assumed. (Any modifications to the diplomacy roll imposed by the
monarchs personality are ignored during this time.)

EXECUTING A PRISONER
Immediately upon capture, or in any of the captor's subsequent
diplomacy phases, a prisoner may be executed. No additional
victory points are awarded for such an execution, though the
capturing player still gets the victory points for the capture.
Additionally, the player executing a monarch incurs a permanent
Diplomatic Penalty of -1 in the kingdom of the slain monarch.

Until freed or rescued, a shipwreck causes the monarch's combat

units to suffer a -1 modifier on all (offensive) Combat and Siege
Rolls in which they make up more than 50% of the participating
friendly force. A non-player monarch is automatically removed from
his place of exile should his kingdom be deactivated or go into
forced peace.

FORCING PEACE ON A PRISONER

Forcing peace on a prisoner is similar to forcing peace on a
kingdom due to the capture and occupation of its Royal Castle (see
Forced Peace). Each and every game turn that a monarch is
imprisoned, the jailor, during his Diplomacy Phase, may make a
special roll to attempt to force the captured monarch into peace.
This is also called the "Forced Peace roll."

A hero castaway on an inland body of water is placed on the

closest non-port river space, lake shore, or coastal space of the
same body. If two spaces are equally close, decide randomly. A
castaway will violate a neutral kingdom if he is cast upon its shore,
unless he is eliminated voluntarily.

A jailor may choose not to attempt to force peace on their prisoner,

but instead attempt to work normal diplomacy on the captive with
the ambassador. In this case Diplomacy cards and penalties do
apply, but that is the only function that the ambassador may do
that turn.

Death of a Monarch
If a non-player monarch is killed, his kingdom deactivates and goes
into a form of Forced Peace called Confusion (see Confusion,
above). Discard the deceased monarchs personality card and
shuffle it into the deck of unused ones.

Only the jailor's ambassador may work diplomacy on a captured

monarch. Deactivating a captive by using an ambassador is
considered normal diplomacy and not considered Forced Peace.
CAPTURE OF A PLAYER MONARCH
If a player monarch is captured, essentially the same procedure is
followed if he had been killed. His kingdom becomes a non-player
kingdom in confusion. All of his allies deactivate normally. When
the former player kingdom comes out of confusion, its monarch is
still the same person as he was before, but in being captured and
released he has lost sufficient standing among his fellow monarchs
that he can no longer function as a player monarch. His is taken
to be a lost cause, and not one worth championing. A personality
card is drawn for the now non-player monarch when his kingdom
comes out of confusion.

If a player monarch is killed, the player is out of the game and his
kingdom becomes a non-player kingdom. See Fate of Player
Kingdoms, above.
Capture of a Monarch
When a non-player monarch is captured, he is immediately placed
in the nearest non-plundered, non-besieged castle controlled by the
captor. If the captor has no such castle, there are two other
options: 1) Execute the monarch immediately, or 2) Set the
monarch free. In either case, the captor still gets the victory points
for the capture (see Victory).
A captured hero may not be transferred from one prison castle to
another, and is incapable of any offensive or defensive action. The
captor does not need to keep a combat unit at the castlethe
intrinsic defense factor of the castle constitutes a garrison.

Special Rules for Select Kingdoms

The Trolls
Trolls have four separate locations on the map. They are a
common but somewhat disorganized race. Trolls are regenerative;
in addition to any replacements they may receive via Random

If a monarch is a captive, the monarch's combat units suffer a -1

modification on the Combat Roll, should they make up more than

19

Events, they may replace one eliminated regular unit (if any) at the
beginning of each turn. The Troll is replaced at its original
deployment space. If the deployment space is enemy-occupied, the
regenerated units may not be brought into play that turn. Any Troll
regulars lost through Random Events may not be regenerated in
the same game turn.

over at zero victory points and must randomly draw a new player
monarch from the currently available neutral monarchs (including
his former player kingdom). The player receives its full force pool
for deployment, even if the kingdom currently has unreplaced
losses from previous conflict. However, Plundered Castles remain
plundered.

The Trolls have the only kingdom without a Royal Castle. Use the
scenic space of the Face as a Royal Castle for diplomacy purposes
and mercenary placement. The Trollish monarch may enter play in
any of the four scenic spaces of the Troll kingdom.

If there are no neutral monarchs available, the player randomly

draws a nonplayer identity card from the player with the largest
number of allies. As before, the kingdoms force pool restored to its
original starting strength. Any hostile units are displaced from the
kingdoms deployment spaces to allow for normal deployment of
the returning player's units.

Zorn (The Goblins)

Most of the Goblins inhabit the kingdom of Zorn in the Nithmere
Mountains. They are a tribal people dwelling in scattered goat
pastures. Their units must be deployed on the mountain and pass
spaces of Zorn; only one may be placed per space, and no two
may be deployed in adjacent spaces. This rule must be followed
both when setting up and when bringing in replacements.

If the player does not choose to re-enter the game, he keeps any
victory points earned thus far. If he has the greatest number of
victory points at the end of turn 20, the eliminated player monarch
is the winner despite his death.

History and Geography of Minaria

Ghem (The Dwarves)

Dwarves, who own the kingdom of Ghem, have three widely
separated locations determined by the availability of rich mines:
Aws Noir, Aws Alzak, and Rosengg. Though separated, they are all
related and will fight fiercely for a common cause.

The following is a brief summary of the most important events of

Minarian history and the background of its current heroes. More
information is available on the accompanying CD-ROM.
Early History
Little is known of pre-Cataclysmic Minaria outside of the
information provided in a few surviving histories compiled in Lloroi
times. The Lloroi were a highly civilized race, more akin to the
present day woodland Elves than to Men or Dwarves. Out of the
earlier kingdoms and barbarian lands, the Lloroi forged a great
empire. Yet their drive to conquer was inspired more out of pride in
their culture than in any ambition for resources or military glory.

Hothior
Due to the vulnerability of their capital city of Port Lork, the
Hothiorans have engaged the best engineers to construct a heavy
chain on a boom to prevent the entry of unwanted ships.
"The Boom," sometimes called "Boarhort's Boom" after the king
who authorized it, is located in the scenic coastal space next to
Port Lork. This space is considered part of Hothior and it is a
diplomatic violation for an enemy unit to enter it. In enemy turns,
the Boom is closed, forcing enemy fleets to stop in the Boom space
for one turn before entering the space of Port Lork. The Boom is
open to all fleets if Port Lork is under siege or enemy-occupied.

The two thousand year period following the conquest of Minaria is

remembered as the classical period of Minarian culture. It was a
time of great artistic and scientific development; a time of peace
and tranquility marred only by the long rebellion of the Scarlet
Witch King and occasional strife.

Rombune
Like Hothior, Rombune has gone to extraordinary lengths in late
years to protect its vulnerable quarters by engineering. The
Rombunis have exaggerated the gradual sinking of the hinterland
around Parros with man-made canals. Now Parros is effectively
surrounded by a large moat.

Then came the Cataclysm. Its causes remain unknown, although

some blame it on the results of the extensive magical research
conducted by the Lloroi in defense against the Scarlet Witch King.
At any rate, the world literally turned upside down. Tempests,
earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, and giant meteorite
storms shattered the land and wiped out the Lloroi Empire. When
it was over, barbarism overwhelmed the survivors and tribal
warfare raged among the ruins - the New Dark Age.

A land invasion is still possible, but more costly. Crossing the canal
space sides of Parros costs an player 2 extra movement points,
unless Parros is a friendly castle. Increase the combat roll of the
stack defending outside the castle by +2, unless the invader attacks
with the support of fleets (e.g., has sufficient fleets present to
transport the attacking force, although no actual transport is done.
This is not considered an amphibious assault.)

The highly civilized Lloroi were unable to adapt to the new world.
What remained of the Lloroi ruling class swiftly dwindled into
insignificance as short-lived barbarian kingdoms rose and fell in a
seemingly endless succession. Fortunately, not all Lloroi culture
was lost during the centuries of the Dark Age. The people of
Minaria grimly fought to preserve what they could of the glory and
wisdom of the past. In the last few hundred years, new and
powerful kingdoms have advanced upon the foundations laid by the
work and sacrifice of their forebears, bringing about a new order to
the continent.

Shucassam
In the Basic Game the scenic space of the Obelisk is considered
a wasteland space and not part of the kingdom of Shucassam.

Basic Game Optional Rules

Eventually, eleven kingdoms and two sorcerous principalities grew

up to form the political entities of the West. Most of these are
feudal monarchies, generally lacking the political and economic
base for territorial expansion. However, border strife and raids for

Re-entry of Eliminated Players

If a player is eliminated, he can, with the unanimous consent of the
other players, return to play as a new player monarch. He will start

20

construction of a fleet to ply the sea of Zett. Increasing pressure

from a reviving Shucassam has made Jipols more dependent on
Rombuni help and most observers regard its independence is a
sham and consider it a part of the Rombuni kingdom.

plunder are common.

Recent History
More than fifteen years have passed since the last documented
history of Minaria. In that time much has changed, but much has
also remained the same. Despite many wars, the monarchs we
came to know a decade and a half ago all still reign; their virtues
and foibles are still the familiar ones. The long-lived Schardenzar
barely shows his added years, and the immortal Black Knight has
not changed at all. Bilge Rat and Juulute are now more mature and
seasoned heroes, but still vigorous and perhaps even more
cunning.

As a check against their great rival, Luppi of Pon has supported

Rombuni influence in Jipols until Ponese ships began to suffer
attacks by corsairs based in Jipols. Nonetheless, the Archduke's
ambition causes him to support the independence of the free port
of Bartertown, from whence Pon is able to draw richly upon the
trade of the south. To deal with enemy activity and to capture this
commerce for its own, Shucassam has launched its own Zett fleet.
The maritime feud between the three states grows ever more bitter.

The new continental map reflects some surprising changes, but

most are not changes, but actually corrections of old errors. The
most widely circulated map of previous days drew heavily from the
cartography of Roebon of Boliske, who, though invaluable for their
researches into the restricted Mivioran archives, used the
questionable materials of Kroysta of Beolon for charting much of
the interior of the continent. Cartography is still an imperfect
science in Minaria, but the editors of the current chart have used
the latest scholarship and are confident that it is more accurate
than ever.

Increasingly Mivior must answer to new challenges against its

maritime hegemony. Independent shippers and smugglers divert
trade from its mercantile houses by way of Freeport in the
Waterless Downs. Pirates, growing ever bolder, raid far and wide.
The most vulnerable ports of Mivior's rivals, such as Parros and
Port Lork, have been strengthened by military engineering and her
neighbors are no longer intimidated so easily. Once the most
promising of Minaria's kingdoms, factors beyond the ingenuity of
its leadership have allowed Mivior to stagnate to a surprising
degree.

Similarly, many names have changed slightly and some entirely.

Some labels were outright errors based on garbled travel tales.
Others represented foreign names for certain localities, which the
present map editors have chosen to use translations of the areas'
own inhabitants instead. The new map conveys more detail, and
some locations which have gone unnamed in past editions have
been duly labeled based on the latest information. For example,
though Mivioran traders have long called the great lake of Neuth
"Lake Melting Star," the Elves themselves have always referred to
it as "Star Lake."

The Trolls, tired of defending fixed boundaries and strongholds with

restive troops, no longer claim exclusivity in Trollwood and have
dismantled the rude walls of the Face. Its royal treasures, such as
they are, have been hidden in secret wasteland vaults. The Eaters
of Wisdom and Black Hand, too, have wearied of acting in the
uncongenial role of landed sovereignties. They have cut loose the
surrounding wastelands that they once jealously claimed for
themselves. Likewise, in times of national weakness, Shucassam
is sometimes unable to exert its national claim to the entire length
of the Old Caravan Road and failed to oppose brigands and even
entire armies moving between the Banished Lands and the Wastes
of Vah-Ka-Ka.

A decade ago, a great earthquake in Eastern Muetar diverted the

mighty River Wanderer south, leaving a truncated stream that
locals now call the Waning. Groat, once an island, is now
surrounded by swamps. Though the Wanderer's course change
has impoverished large areas of Eastern Muetar, the loss has been
partially made up by Muetaran industry dredging the Deep River to
allow larger vessels passage for increased shipping.

Distinct groups, such as the Ercii, Ghouls, Selkies, Shadowolves,

and Tail-People, have grown in prominence. Magic is also better
understood. Magic devices are catalogued and studied like never
before. Alas, curses have grown to be so common in Minaria as to
become a social problem. Not even the will of the gods have
remained immutable; perhaps to counter the flood of evil magic,
the divinities of the Temple of Kings are much more willing to loan
their precious gifts to rulers of noble heart.

The temporary upset of the Muetaran kingdom following the

earthquake allowed Immerites to move on Irredentist claims
against the north shore of Lake Carth. They have not yet
succeeded in seizing the territory, but have extended the Disputed
Lands. On the other hand, while engaged against a weakened
Muetar, Immer suffered the loss of Choked Chasm Pass to the
Goblins. This reverse redoubled the importance of Gap Castle as
a fortress, which was accordingly strengthened.

Arguably, the greatest change inside Minaria is the breaking down

of the old group mind-set that had for so long discouraged personal
achievement. In this regard, the human race has shown the most
vitality. Increasing trade, wider disseminations of ideas, and the
inspiring example set by Minaria's earlier heroes have contributed
to this changing outlook. Now many men and women of ability are
emerging from towns and villages, castles and forests, to write their
names across the face of a continent.

Great changes have occurred in the vicinity of Shucassam and

Pon. The saline Sea of Zett, never so small as Roebon drew it, has
expanded now that it is fed by the rerouted Wanderer River,
extending it to Grugongi in the east and Jipols in the West. Luppi,
reacting swiftly to opportunity, has improved the defenses of
Grugongi and built a fleet to safeguard the increased trade across
the Zett.

But the changes are reflected even in the demeanor of the

peasants. New philosophies circulate amongst the humble. In part
the rising prosperity is responsible. Where once charitable orders,
such as the cult of Huisinga, showed their benevolence by
supplying basic sustenance and medical care to the wretched, the
lightened burden on the peasantry now allows priests and
missionaries the luxury of addressing higher abstractions,
emphasizing the idea of the gods' love for the individual. The
change is evident in the frequency that peasants flee the land to

Meanwhile, the earthquake weakened the kingdom of Shucassam

enough to allow the irreconcilable ethnics of Jipols to successfully
revolt with the help of Rombune, effectively ending Shucassamite
control of the lands immediately to its north. Currently, Jipols is a
protectorate of Rombune, who has remade it into a port to allow

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HOTHIOR
Eking out a living in the sandy land of Hothior has left most of the
native yeomen little time for high cultural achievement. Worse, their
thinly-populated nation is beset on every side by powerful rivals
who often come raiding and further impoverish the inhabitants. For
this reason, Hothiorans are often deemed crude and backwards by
Minarian standards. But adversity has made them a canny and
energetic people. The capital, Port Lork, is the center of a vast
horsehide tanning industry. Castle Lapspell is an even more
prosperous trading city. There the Yando Rivermen land their
wares and pay their duties, while its markets throng with merchants
from Shucassam, Rombune, and Mivior. Dikes have expanded the
marshes east of the city, protecting that vulnerable flank and
allowing new wet-land crops to be planted profitably in what was
before but poor pasture land.

become mercenaries, vagabonds, or sailors. And it is also evident

in the waxing tension in rural villages. Where heroes appear to
exploit the discontent, local risings will follow, as will their violent
suppression. There are changes without Minaria, too. In the West,
the Ogres become even more intrusive, but somewhat more
tractable. Minarian contacts with the southern subcontinent of
Girion grow ever closer. Pon, Rombune, and Shucassam outstrip
all others in capitalizing on the new trade and the cultural
exchange, but stronger ties also tend to embroil the insular
Minarians in the strange and violent doings of the southerners.
There are ominous rumblings in the East. Wyrms are now
permanent residents along the southeastern borderlands, where
earlier their existence was only hearsay. Even more dangerous to
the border kingdoms are the Eastern Horsemen, spilling over the
frontier to lay waste far and wide. There are also rumors of
something worse behind the barbarians - a merciless empirebuilding in the Far East with a monarch possessing worldconquering ambitions and who, it is said, has already sent his
insolent emissaries to Minaria's courts, demanding tokens of
submission and tribute.

IMMER
The kingdom of Immer rose from a hearty stock of hunters and
trappers who infiltrated from the south. Soon farmers followed the
hunters and Immer expanded north, east, and west from the fort
established early on at Muscaster. At length, the Immerites, in
alliance with the Eaters of Wisdom, drove the local barbarians from
the pre-cataclysmic fortress Castle Altarr and made it their capital.
Today, fur trading has diminished, except among the Gorpin.
Woodsmen, cattle grazing and placer mining in the River Rapid
have replaced the old ways. Immerites are known to be formidable
fighters, as their armies get little respite from the invading
Barbarians from the north, raiding Goblins from Zorn, and battles
with the Muetarans, who hotly contest with Immer for the western
quarter of the Disputed Lands.

Whatever else may be said, the end of Minarian history is not yet
come.
Kingdoms of Minaria
THE BLACK HAND
Some say the Black Hand arrived from exile out of the east. Others
conjecture that it arose from the mausoleums under the Tower of
Zards itself. Armed with a foul magic unknown to Westerners, and
with demonic aid, it repaired the ancient Tower and now throws a
sinister shroud over the Shards of Lor. The Black Hand has been
known to go to war for one coalition or another, but prefers to
remain alone in its tower, practicing death magic in a restrained
and culturally acceptable manner.

MIVIOR
The tangled forests and high mountains of the interior have forced
the people of Mivior into the business of the sea. From her thick
forests the ships that dominate the commerce of the Great Sea are
built. A near monopoly of trade with the distant continent of Reiken
to the west has fabulously enriched the kingdom. Mivior maintains
the largest war fleet in Minaria and controls the sea - unless two or
more enemies combine their fleets to challenge her. Its large army,
with many marines trained in amphibious raiding, make Mivior a
desirable ally and an opponent to fear.

THE EATERS OF WISDOM

So-called for their voracious appetite for knowledge, the Eaters of
Wisdom are a society of sorcerers and philosophers. They claim
a pre-Cataclysmic origin, but this contention is often debated. Still,
it cannot be denied that the Eaters possess most of what remains
of the knowledge and history of Lloroi culture. The Invisible School
of Thaumaturgy provides the finest classical education to which a
young Minarian noble can aspire.

MUETAR
The kingdom of Muetar has been forced to maintain the largest
army in Minaria. Often attacked on every side, the hearty yeomen
of Muetar have developed a strong militaristic tradition, all to often
at the price of liberty. The products of its rolling hills and fertile
valleys are carried to port by the famous barge sailors, the
rivermen of Yando or, more lately, picked up by seagoing ships
that ply the arduously- dredged channels of the River Deep. A
recent earthquake temporarily weakened the kingdom and caused
a loss of control in some minor borderland districts.

The Eaters of Wisdom pursue a policy of secular intervention. A

select few of their students are trained in high sorcery, for the
Eaters believe that magic can have a positive influence on the
march of civilization. It is this philosophy that induces them to
intervene in the frequent wars that disturb the peace of Minaria.
GHEM
The Dwarves of Ghem are a race that dwells in scattered mining
colonies around Minaria. They prefer to tend to their own business,
but will rally to their monarch if called. Dwarves are scorned in
Minaria for their lack of culture, but are popular for their spending
habits. A typical dwarf laboriously gathers a sack of gold or jewels
and then hurries to the nearest town that offers rich food, strong
drink, and tawdry goods. A day or two later, broke and overloaded
with costly junk, the dwarf scuttles back to the mine to pull more
riches from the earth, all the while dreaming of their next visit to
town. But times are changing in Ghem, too, and an increasing
share of its economy consists of fine crafts, especially weapons,
produced for sale.

NEUTH
Often called "Elfland" by its human neighbors, Neuth is the home
of the forest Elves. The Elves believe themselves to be better
endowed with intellect, noble spirit, and pure aspirations than
humankind. A couple generations ago, this conceit impelled the
Elves to abandon their isolation and follow a fanatic monarch into
a ruthless war against their neighbors. After overrunning most of
the northwest, the Goblins rose against them and collapsed their
short-lived conquests. When the tide of battle turned, Ider Bolis, the
Elven capital, was sacked and the priceless ancient library was
claimed as booty by the victors. Yet this very act of theft may be
responsible for the new enlightenment that is sweeping over the

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growth of strong human kingdoms to the south and the appearance

of the Black Hand in the Shards of Lor brought the Goblins together
in a common cause. Their capital is now a volcanic labyrinth known
as the Pits. Aside from extensive goat herding, the chief Zornite
economic activities are plundering, raiding, and enslaving their
neighbors.

continent.
PON
The kingdom of Pon is a fusion of earlier mountain tribes and
robber baronies. The powerful dukes of Marzarbol gradually drew
the disorderly inhabitants of the forests and mountains together
and established a kingdom. The Ponese still favor their ancestral
trade of robbing and raiding their neighbors, but the growing
strength of Shucassam and Muetar have forced a change in their
ways. The most recent addition to the coffers of Pon has come
through southern caravan trade, bypassing the high imposts of
Shucassam. This trade has been further enhanced by the
expansion of the Sea of Zett. Heap, once a despised backwater,
has grown and gained wide prominence as a port of trade under its
older, more honored, name - Grugongi.

The Ancient Battlefields

The sites of four pre-Cataclysmic battlefields are known to exist in
Minaria. Said to be saturated with magic and the spirits of the
dead, these eerie places are respected and avoided by most of
Minaria's inhabitants.
FIELD OF THE LAUGHING DEAD
History recounts how the unconquerable army of the Lloroi met its
doom here at the hands of the ghost troops and the wizards of
Khos. It is said that the maddened souls of the slain Lloroi were
sent into the spirit world from whence their maniacal laughter still
drifts on the wind.

ROMBUNE
The pirate hideaways on Skull Isle thrived for many years on the
hapless merchantmen plying the Great Sea. However, as Mivior
grew to become the ruler of the seas, the independent pirate
captains were forced to unite and form an elected monarchy based
on the articles of piracy. Tradition and bribery have kept the throne
in one family for the past two hundred years. The thick forest of
Skull Island supports a flourishing shipbuilding industry. A
protectorate by marriage, the mainland city of Parros has secured
control of the important iron industry there for Rombune. More
recently, Rombune has turned its attention toward the interior of the
continent and has opportunistically seized control in Jipols. There
Rombune has built a fleet to ply the Sea of Zett.

PLAIN OF BONES
This wretched place is the only known monument to the Woida, an
ancient people destroyed here and almost completely obliterated
from the memory of men. A crumbling scroll kept in the Invisible
School of Thaumaturgy recounts the exploits of the Lloroi hero
named Gappa, who was largely responsible for the downfall of the
Woida. With great stealth, Gappa stole their magical safeguard,
thus allowing their destruction by means of a hideous putrefaction
spell.

SHUCASSAM
Minarians call the materialistic Shucassamites the "people without
gods." This is not precisely true, although their type of shamanism,
the legacy of their nomadic origins, lacks the ceremonial
sophistication of northern religions. Only the Holy Brotherhood of
Pinboh, a military order of lepers, manages to work up any real
religious fervor. The realm of Shucassam is a toll gate across the
caravan routes from the north to the south. High taxes on this
commerce allows Shucassam to support a large army and a
luxurious way of life for its upper classes. Recently, the growth of
the Sea of Zett has aided Shucassam's rival, Pon, by diverting
trade away from Shucassam's borders. In an attempt to strangle
the new route, a fleet, whose wood was brought from far away at
great expense, has been built in Adeese.

THE WASTED DEAD

Armed with powerful magic, the Scarlet Witch King met the might
of the Lloroi Empire here in a test of strength. Six battles were
fought across the same ground before the Witch King finally
collapsed in exhaustion and was seized and punished.
THE UNKNOWN ARMY
Some believe this battlefield to be a product of the years of chaos
that followed the Cataclysm. Others, however, insist that the battle
occurred even before the Lloroi arrived from the East. There is no
known history or ballad that records who fell here or why they
fought.

Credits
GAME DESIGN: Glenn & Kenneth Rahman
ORIGINAL CONCEPT ART & DESIGN: Kenneth Rahman
25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION MAP: Kris Kleckner, James
Spangler
BOX TOP DESIGNER: Kris Kleckner with original art from Kenneth
Rahman
BOX BOTTOM DESIGNER: James Spangler
LAYOUT DESIGNER: Kris Kleckner
EDITING & GAMEPLAY: Shawne & Kris Kleckner, James
Spangler, Marc Ray
Copyright 2002, by Glenn Rahman, Released under license by The
Right Stuf International, Inc. Divine Right is protected under the
copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction
or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork comprising the
game is prohibited without the express written permission of Glenn
Rahman.

TROLLS
Although Trolls sometimes appear in mercenary units and perform
heavy labor for certain human masters, they generally prefer to
wander the wastelands of Minaria in nomadic bands. They can
thrive where life would be next to impossible for other intelligent
creatures. Minarians tend to respect the Trollish hunting grounds
and their sacred gathering areas: the Vale, the Crag, and the
Gathering. Their most sacrosanct gathering ground is, of course,
the Face. All these locations serve as places where Trolls meet to
argue Trollish matters or organize for war. The present Troll
dynasty was founded by an exceptionally craggy-faced Troll who
claimed the throne by the right of most closely resembling the holy
Face.
ZORN
The Goblin kingdom of Zorn supports a large population of fierce
fighters. Had the Goblins united earlier, they undoubtedly would
have controlled vast territories. Unfortunately, these aggressive
nonhumans were long divided amongst themselves. Only the

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