Open your
Vassal Module Library
and find the TBK Base Module. Make sure a map extension is attached to the base module ...doesn't matter which one.
Right-click the base module and select "Open" to start it, select "Start new game offline" from the Start Wizard, load the assets, select a Clan Affiliation and the game will load up. Or, if you saved a game earlier, just open the saved game. Note that the graphics used in the rule book are usually scaled down and you'll be able to see things much more clearly if you follow along with a running game.
This chapter will give you a quick tour of the game interface so you'll know where things are located as well as a brief description of each. Some of these items will be explained in much more detail throughout the rules. I'll end this chapter with some basic concepts that will help clarify certain terms and conventions.
Once the game is loaded, you'll be presented with the game Control Window (aka Chat Window) and the Shields Window. Don't try to close either of these windows as this will attempt to close the game. If you do so by mistake, make sure to select 'cancel' when it asks if you want to save your game.
This window should remain visible throughout the game. The turn sequence for each round is randomly determined and displayed in this window as a series of clan shields to show the turn order for that round. The "New Round" button is used to advance to the next round once everyone has had their turn.
This window shows a short row of menu icons along the top, a message window, and, at the bottom of the message window, a chat line that allows you to send messages to others via keyboard ...although playing TBK should be down alongside some form of verbal communication like Discord or Ventrilo. Trying to play via keyboard chat would be rather cumbersome.
The message window will display the results of die rolls, random events, "The Kindgom News" and other important information. Your current window display may be much different than what's shown here. You can adjust the size of the window anyway you like but give yourself room for about 4 to 6 lines of text to be visible. Messages that appear are important so avoid covering up the message window with other windows at all times.
Here's a breakdown of the Control Window icons used for controlling the various aspects of the game as well as a brief description of the goodies these buttons will reveal.
This set of icons are Vassal Engine controls. The first is a standard Undo button, in case you wish to reverse a series of actions. The second is the Step-Forward button. If you record your games in a log file, you can load the log file at a later time and use these two button to go step-by-step forward or backward through the log file to review a previous game.
The Server button (shown as two computers). See
Playing Online
The last icon showing a two-tone shield and two opposing arrows is the Change Sides icon. Clicking this button will allow you to quit the game (by choosing "Observer" making your player side available for someone else) or choose a different clan. Clans are tied into game usernames and passwords so if you leave a game without changing to Observer, you'll essentially be locking out that clan for use by anyone else. As a courtesy, if you can't continue in a particular campaign, make sure to unlock your clan by switching it to Observer before leaving.
This icon will allow you to open the 3 maps used in the game: The Kingdom, Laurica's Palace and the Catacombs. Selecting one of these maps will bring the map into view. Most maps, and windows in general, may contain the following controls:
You can zoom in
and out
or customize your view
.
If you are zoomed in, you can use the Map Overview button
to quickly move to a specific area of the map by clicking on the small overview map. You can also use the Snapshot button
to take a picture of the map and save it as a .png graphic file. The size of your picture will depend on the zoom level of your map. So, if you want a full sized picture of the map, you'll want to set the map's zoom level to 100% before taking a screen shot.
Shown as a hand holding a set of cards, this icon allows access to the inventory of each player via their clan shield. A player's inventory is not secret and players may freely look at anyone else's inventory at anytime during the game.
Open the player inventory for your chosen clan. If you are currently logged in as an 'Observer', click the Change Sides icon to select a clan. Once your inventory is open, you'll note your clan shield in the upper left and areas for various cards, tokens and game pieces that you'll accumulate throughout your travels. This will all be discussed in detail later in the
Managing Inventory
section.
The box with your clan shield is also your 'Card Drop'. What this means is that, whenever something is sent to your inventory, it will land here. You can then drag it to the appropriate area in your inventory.
Your clan shield also has a very important function at the beginning of the game in that it will allow you to create your character and provide them with
talents,
stats, cash, a starting location and a gift from your clan in the form of a
collectible.
This will be fully discussed in
Chapter 4) Developing a Character.
This icon will reveal the list of merchants in the marketplace and what each currently has for sale. You may open these windows to examine their goods at anytime. However, if you wish to buy or sell any of their goods and services, you will need to stop movement on one of merchant locations on the map.
Each merchant window will have pics of what their location tiles will look like (although the map file you are using may only have one location tile for a particular merchant on the map) and there's a description for the merchant in between these two pics.
At the beginning of the game, the items they start with will be stacked and should be spread out. Also, the description acts as a card drop for new items that the merchant acquires. Whenever you open a merchant window, make sure to spread out any items that are sitting on the description to insure everyone can see everything that is available as well as being able to read the merchant description.
You can right-click any item and select "Info" to see the item's properties, base price and other information. Merchants will all be discussed in detail later in the
The Merchants
&
Collectibles
sections.
This icon will open your spell book. When you click this icon, only your spell book will be revealed as spell books are private. Whenever you receive a spell, it will be sent directly to this window and a message will be posted to all players saying that you've received a spell.
Also, when you [Peek] at a relic in the palace, it will be sent to your spell book so that you may examine it without revealing it to others. Possible events that you may force onto other players while sitting on the throne are likewise sent to your spell book so your rivals don't know what the events are.
Some races always have at least one spell. If you select such a race, you will automatically be given a spell as your character is being created. Spells will all be discussed in detail later in the
Spells
section.
This icon will open your Palace Notes. Like your spell book, this is private to you. This is helpful when traveling around inside Laurica's Palace looking for your Relic as you can match up a room's name with the relic you find in that room. Keeping track of this may be far more important than you might think. Details will be presented in the section on Laurica's Palace.
This icon will present 4 options: Standard Dice, Combat Dice, Random Locations and Special Card Draws.
This will basically present a list of dungeon dice that all adventure gamers are familiar with. When these dice are rolled, the results are posted in the message window.
These rolls are used exclusively in combat to determine combat scores, initiative & special circumstances, armor checks and run checks. These will be further explained later in the Combat chapter.
There may be instances where a random location is needed in a specific region, an island, an indoor or outdoor location or a location anywhere in the Kingdom. Just select the option appropriate for your situation and the results will be displayed in the message window using a location code. This will be further explained later in the Location Codes section.
There may be times where a specific type of card or item must be drawn. When one of these options is selected, a random item of that type will be sent to the character token of the player who made the selection. This will not work if the current Round = 0.
This icon simply presents various charts that players may reference during the game. Might want to take a peek to see what's here and each of these charts will be pointed out in the rule book were applicable.
A location on the game board is referred to as a hex, tile, and/or location interchangeably throughout the rules and the game.
In order to prevent having to say, "Unless otherwise instructed", about a thousand times, keep in mind that the rules are always in play unless you receive specific instructions during game play that contradicts the rules. If this happens, these instructions override any rules they may affect and you should follow those specific instructions instead.
Whether in the game or here in the rule book, anytime you see a word in brackets, [like this], it's referring to an option (usually a right-click option) on one of the pieces involved in your current activity. For example: If you are on a Merchant location, like the Blacksmith, and you wish to purchase something from him, you will have to [Dicker] on the price. Note that when you right-click the Blacksmith tile, the Dicker option appears.
