What is the Mountain Quest?

     The Mountain Quest is a highly variable fantasy board game. The object of the game is to explore two regions (Countryside and Mountainside) while gaining Strength and Magic Power along the way.  You'll eventually become strong enough to climb the Mountain, overthrow the Mountain King and defeat his powerful Henchmen. On your quest you will find items, uncover places, learn and cast spells, meet strangers, acquire henchmen of your own, and fight with various beasts of Strength and Magic. The Mountain Quest can be played in one player mode or multi-player mode where 2-4 players can play over the internet.

     Although its helpful to read about all the aspects of the Mountain Quest, most of the major concepts and important information is presented during game play. So its possible for anyone to just download the Game and begin playing; figuring things out as they go along. Simply double-clicking a space, or clicking on any encounter that is already out on the board will give you a detailed description of the space or encounter. Players can get a description of any items or henchman that are in their possession by going to the View Character screen and simply clicking on them.

 

How To Play:

     The Mountain Quest is based around the roll of a six sided dice. Players will start every turn by Traveling. A dice is rolled, and then players will have their choice to move the number rolled in either direction that they choose (The space will be highlighted in blue).  Depending on the space they choose to land in, players will either have to Encounter the space or deal with whatever has already been encountered on the space (e.g. Item, Place, Stranger, Combat, Another Player). Spaces get explained in more detail in The Board section. Players start off with 4 Strength Points, 3 Magic Points, 5 Hit Points and 1 Gold Coin. Players gain Strength and Magic points by Encountering Items that add to their Strength and Magic, henchman that join them, events that may take place, and by gaining experience by defeating monsters in Combat along the way. Players win the game when they decide they are strong enough to make it to the Mountain Top Region and are the first to defeat the Mountain King. The next section describes the perils of the Mountain Top.

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Mountain Top:

     The Mountain Top Region is where the Mountain King and his 4 Henchmen are waiting to defeat anyone who dares to oppose them. When Players feel that they are strong enough to defeat the Mountain King and his henchmen, they will make their way to the Secret Mountain Pass (located in the Mountainside Region). The Secret Mountain Pass is the entrance to the Mountain Top Region. Players must have 20 or more Magic Points to find the Secret Mountain Pass (unless they have Items or Henchmen that allow them to do so without 20 Magic Points). Players may only move one space per turn while climbing the Mountain. Each space on the Mountain Top is a combat with one of the Mountain King's 4 henchmen and lastly, the Mountain King himself. Players may not heal or do anything outside of fighting the Mountain Top Combats while on the Mountain Top. If a player loses any of the Mountain Top Combats they are warped back to the Secret Mountain Pass. Defeating any of the Mountain King's henchmen will not remove them from the game like regular Combats. You'll have to face all 4 of them again and again until the Mountain King himself is finally defeated. The Mountain King has a Strength of 32 in the Single Player and One on One modes. During a Multi-Player game the Mountain King has a Strength of 26.

     Most of the Henchmen that you acquire throughout the game cannot climb the Mountain. So at the end of every turn on the Mountain Top there is a chance that one of your Henchmen will fall and die. Some henchmen can climb the Mountain without dying.

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Combat

     You'll be fighting other players and a large variety of Monsters during the Mountain Quest. When a Combat Monster is encountered players will usually have the chance to prepare before fighting. When players prepare they'll be able to choose which Combat Items they wish to use in the fight. Certain combat spells can be used as well. Combat Items range from weapons and armor to potions and devices. The Combat Items and spells will add points on to your base Strength or Magic for the round of combat only. After preparations are done, a 6 sided dice is rolled and the value of the roll is added to the player's current Strength or Magic points. A die is also rolled for the enemy in which your in combat with and added to the enemy's base Strength or Magic. Whoever has the highest combat score at the end is deemed the victor. Some Monsters in the game will be fought in this manner using players' Strength Points (Physical Combat), others will be fought using players' Magic Points (Magic Combat). Combat between players is always Physical Combat. Combat Monsters that are encountered during the game will remain on the space they were encountered until they are beaten, unless otherwise specified.

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Player Combat:

If you happen to land on another Player during the game you will have your choice to engage that Player in Player Combat before Encountering the Space. Player Combat is performed in the same manner as regular Combat. The only difference is that if the Player who has initiated the Player Combat (Attacker) wins the Combat, they may take a Reward from player who was Attacked (Defender). The Reward can be either 1 Item or Henchman from the Defender, all of the Defender's Gold Coins, or a Hit Point. Attackers that choose to take a Hit Point from the Defender do not gain the taken Hit Point for themselves. If an Attacker loses, they will lose 1 Hit Point for the Combat. Defending Players may not take a Reward for beating an Attacker in Player Combat.

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Items (Using/Protecting):

      Items are either Combat Items (which only may be used in Preparing for Combat), Items that are always in use, or Items that have to be specifically Used. You can determine what kind of item it is that you found by its description. If the description says that the item will benefit you while you carry it, then it is in use all the time. If the description states that the items will benefit you when used, then you'll have to go to the View Character screen. Click the item then click Use.

     Players can only carry 5 Items at once. However, a Mountain Goat can be purchased to carry Items for you. An additional 5 Items can be carried for every Mountain Goat that you buy. You may only have 4 Mountain Goats at any one time. Therefore, players can only carry a maximum of 25 Items with them during the entire Mountain Quest. If a Mountain Goat is lost, then all the Items that the Mountain Goat is carrying are lost as well.

   If  Players Encounter an Item when they cannot carry any more items they will have the choice to Drop an Item that they have and take the Item that was just Encountered. If a Player cannot carry any more items and then lands on an Item that is already out on the Board, the Player cannot take that Item. Instead, their turn will just end. Players may choose to Drop any of their Items at the beginning of their turn. Items can only be dropped on empty Encounterable Spaces. Encounterable Spaces are discussed in more detail in the Board section.

     On the View Character screen there is a list of all of the items that you are carrying. The top 5 items in the list are the ones you are carrying on your person. Items that are not in the top 5 are being carried by your Mountain Goats. If you have Mountain Goats and over 5 Items, when you go to the View Character Screen and click on an item, you will get the option to Protect that item. Clicking on Protect will put the item on your person (the top 5). So that the item won't be lost in case a Mountain Goat is lost.

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Henchmen:

     During the Mountain Quest Players will Encounter Henchmen that want to join  their cause and lend their services. All Henchmen that are Encountered will join Players even if they don't want them to. Henchmen are used in the same manner as Items. The description of the henchmen will tell you when and where they can be used. Most Henchmen cannot survive in the Mountain Top Region. After every turn on the Mountain Top there is a chance that a Henchmen will fall and die. 

    Certain Henchmen and Items throughout the Mountain Quest will allow you to take Monsters that you Encounter as your Captive Henchmen. Captive Henchmen will help you in Combat. When you go to the View Character screen and click on a Captive you will get the details of the terms in which your Captives will help and stay with you. You may only have a total of 3 Captive Henchmen at any one time. Players can never take Captive Henchmen from other players by any means in the Mountain Quest and Captives will never fall and die on the Mountain Top.

 

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Alignments:

     At any given point in the Mountain Quest, Players will have a specific Alignment. The 3 possible Alignments are Good, Neutral, and Evil. All Players start the game with a Neutral Alignment. Some Items and Henchman that are Encountered will not help Players of specific Alignments. For example, only Good Players may take the Holy Symbol, players with an Evil or Neutral Alignment cannot take the Holy Symbol in their possession. Certain Places and Events that are Encountered throughout the Game specifically help or hurt Players depending on their current Alignment. Alignments can be changed in a variety of different ways during the quest. Players' Alignment come in to play mostly when it comes to Healing Hit Points. There are fixed Spaces on the Board where Players with different Alignments go to gain back their lost Hit Points.

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The Board:

     There are 24 Spaces in the Countryside Region and 16 Spaces in the Mountainside Region. The Spaces are either Designated Spaces or Encounterable Spaces. Designated spaces are fixed spaces that contain services to players and remain there for the entire Quest.  All healing, buying and selling Items, and moving from the Countryside Region and Mountainside Region are located on Designated Spaces.

The Designated Spaces in the Countryside are the following:

  • Church - The Church is where Good Players go to Heal Hit Points or Stay. Evil Players lose 1 Hit Point upon entering The Church. All Players who stay at The Church run the chance of becoming Good.
  • Darkness - The Darkness is where Evil Players go to Heal Hit Points or Stay. Good Players lose 1 Hit Point upon entering The Darkness. All Players who stay in The Darkness run the chance of becoming Evil.
  • TownCenter - Players who enter The TownCenter may visit The Alchemist to change Items that they have into Gold Coins or they can just Stay. The Alchemist will only pay 1 Gold Coin for any Item given to him. Different things may happen to Players who stay in the TownCenter.
  • Inn - Players that enter the Inn may either visit the Magic Armory or Players may choose to Stay and rest for a night and gain 1 Hit Point for free.
  • Village - Players who enter the Village may buy weapons or armor at The Armory. Players could also choose to Stay. Many Things can happen to Players who stay in The Village.
  • Rock Path - Players that Land on the Rock Path must follow it. If your Experience Points are equal to 50 or greater The Rock Path will take you to the Mountain Side.

     All other Spaces in the Countryside are Encounterable spaces. This means that the contents of these Spaces will change throughout the Quest depending on what is Encountered in the Space.

Designated Spaces in the Mountainside are the following:

  • Waterfalls - A player who enters the Waterfalls may be warped back to the Countryside.
  • Safe Haven - All Players are always safe in the Safe Haven.
  • Monastery - All Players that enter the Monastery must pray to the Mountain Gods. The Mountain Gods are sometimes giving and sometimes spiteful.
  • Wasteland -  Any Player that lands on the Wasteland without a Canteen will lose 1 Hit Point. Players take a terrible risk staying in The Wasteland and it should be avoided at all costs.
  • Hide Out  - Players that enter the Hide Out will fight a round of Physical Combat with the Evil Thieves. If you lose they take all of your Items, Gold, and Mountain Goats. The Thieves have a Strength of 12. When Players die during the game the Items they are carrying go to the Hide Out. So Players who defeat the Thieves at the Hide Out will have the option to take items of their choice from the Hide Out. The Hide Out is also the only space in the Game where Items can be dropped regardless if the Space is empty or not.
  • Canyon - No Mountain Goats can cross the Canyon. If a player crosses the Canyon with Mountain Goats, the Mountain Goats fall and die. All the items that the Mountain Goats are carrying are lost. Players may buy a Magic Carpet at the Magic Armory which will allow Players to safely cross the Canyon without losing any Mountain Goats.
  • Secret Mountain Pass - Players need 20 Magic Points or more to find the Secret Mountain Pass on their own. It will take any Player to the Mountain Top who can find it.

     All other Spaces in the Mountainside are Encounterable spaces. This means that the contents of these Spaces will change throughout the Quest depending on what is Encountered in the Space.

      Combats on the Mountainside are more powerful than those on the Countryside. Only Players with sufficient Strength and Magic points should adventure in the Mountainside. There are a few special Encounterable Spaces on the Mountainside where Combats are even more powerful. Players may Double-Click the name of any Space to get a detailed description of the Combat guidelines for each Space.

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Spell Rules:

     Players may only learn Spells when they have Spell Casting Ability. Players can learn Spell Casting Ability various  different ways throughout the game but Players will need at least 5 Magic Points to do so. Players may learn Spells in various ways as well. But the amount of Spells a Player may know at any one time is determined by their Magic Points. Players may know only one spell if their Magic Points are between 5-7. They may know 2 Spells if their Magic Points are between 8-10, they are allowed 3 Spells when their Magic Points are between 11-13,  4 Spells when their Magic Points are between 14-16, and 5 Spells when their Magic Points are 17 and over. Players can only know a total of 5 Spells at once regardless of  how many Magic Points over 17 they have.

     There are Combat Spells and regular Spells. Players cast regular Spells by going to the View Character screen then clicking on the SpellBook button. Combat Spells are cast in the Prepare stage before a Combat by clicking the SpellBook button. The SpellBook button is different from having the Spellbook Item. The Spellbook Item, when used, will teach players the Art of Spell Casting when their Magic Points are 5 or greater. The Spellbook Item can then be sold to the Alchemist.  Selling the Spellbook Item will not stop you from casting Spells. Although its a good idea to keep the Spellbook Item in case you lose Spell Casting Ability along your Quest..

 

~Scotiva

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