The King is dead! Long live the King! His passing is a hurtful blow to the realm and to your wallet. The King promised you a number of his treasures, but those are now safely entombed with the remains of the fallen lord. Well, nuts to that! You will get what is rightfully yours! You hatch a plan to raid the crypt and steal back that which was stolen from you using your loyal servants. Unfortunately, your siblings have the same idea. Continue reading
Portugal 1290. The known world is divided up and ruled by kings and queens, each looking for opportunities to extend their kingdoms and influence. You are an explorer, a sailor, and adventurer. You have found what appears to be an unknown chain of islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. If your charts and information is correct, these islands will serve as a foothold into the unknown world! But first, you must convince the royal powers that such a trip is worth taking, then find a crew and a sea worthy boat. Then, finally, take the voyage itself to the fabled “Land of Danger”. Continue reading
Pompeii was a Roman city situation on the sea. It was a bustling place, full of life, leisure, and commerce. Above it stood Vesuvius, a sleeping giant that none in the city believed to be a threat. There were the occasional quakes, but they were minor and became just part of the city life. Little did the people know that the quakes were a warning and soon Vesuvius would come to life, bringing ash, fire, and death to Pompeii. Continue reading
French author and a soldier in World War I, Georges Bernanos, said “The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.” But what if the end is believed to be righteous even though the means may seem unjust? History is written by those who survive to write it, trumping opposing opinions in the process. In this game, corrupting others is essential to victory. Continue reading
Long have the heads of family yelled and threatened each other over the council table. All for not. The bitter rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues runs too deep to be easily fixed by words. Diplomacy has failed and poison is being used to permanently silence the opposition. Exile, it would seem, is now desirable since the alternative is an early grave. Continue reading
The feud between the Capulets and Montagues has now spilled into the streets and blood has been shed. While the feuding families are both powerful and influential, Prince Escalus cannot allow their civil conflict to disrupt the peace of his realm. He calls a council to end the feud once and for all, but there is a snag. The council is made up almost entirely of Capulets and Montagues! Instead of swords in the streets, the battle is now being fought across the council table with words and political intrigue. The new weapon is influence. Wield it wisely! Continue reading
William Shakespeare wrote in his play All’s Well That Ends Well, “Love all, trust a few.” Which, honestly, is a bit of a contradiction. Love, supposedly, includes trusting an individual completely. But as many of us know, either through personal experiences or hours of watching soap operas, love tends to be a very slippery slope. In this game, lies and manipulation make finding true love a game of luck, observation, and persuasion. Continue reading
It was a simple and silly mistake that lead to the Great Fire of London in 1666. A baker carelessly left his oven fires burning and unattended. The flames escaped their coals and caught the baker’s house on fire. The fire spread quickly and soon engulfed Pudding Lane. The alarm was raised and the news spread quickly. When the ill tidings reached your ears, you quickly moved your family to safety and then focused on more pressing matters. Specifically, saving as much of your property as possible and doing it in a way that could win you favor in Londoners’ eyes. Truly, the ambitious make use of all opportunities. Continue reading
