XANTH QUEST






INTRODUCTION
Board and Card game for 2+ players.
Based on the Xanth series by Piers Anthony.
If you are unfamiliar with the series, check out the links first.
It is light hearted fantasy filled with lots of Magic, puns, clichés, titillation, 
Mysteries, moral dilemmas, likeable characters, and just good romping fun.

DISCLAIMER
Xanth is a copyrighted property. This is merely a fan site.

VICTORY
Be the first player to get your pawn to the end space and then back to the 
Starting space. (It’s a race game)
This represents a quest involving a trek across the dangerous wilderness of Xanth.

PAWNS
Each player has a pawn of a unique color.
The Pawn represents the players main Character and any Companions.

THE BOARD
The Board is a Track 63 spaces long.
The first space is the Starting space.
The last space is the End space.
Space # 32 is the Gap Chasm.
Each space must be big enough to contain one face-up card

DICE
Six and Ten sided dice are needed.

CHARACTER
Each player starts with one Main Character of their choice. 
This can be any adventuring character from any of the Books.
Every Main Character has a Power Level = 3.
An example of a Main Character would be Bink or Trent.

THE DECK
Players share a Common Deck.
There are 10 card types:
C = Companion
E = Event
D = Delay Challenge
L = Lethal Challenge
Q = Quest Challenge
X = Location
A = Aid
H = Healing
N = Divination
M = Move
S = Safe


SETUP
Players put their pawns on the starting space.
The best looking player goes first.

TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
On your turn roll 1D6 and move that many spaces forward.
Once you have reached the end space, you turn around and head back.
If you land on an empty space draw one card and reveal it to all players.

CHALLENGE CARDS
If you draw a Challenge card, you must resolve it immediately.
Roll 1D10 and add the Power of your Character and all Companions.
This is the Hero roll.
Roll 1D10 and add the Power of the Challenge card.
This is the Foe roll.
Hero and Foe rolls are called Challenge rolls.
If the Hero roll is equal or greater, the Challenge is defeated.
If the Foe roll is greater, the Character is defeated.
If a Character loses against a Delay Challenge, the Character misses his next turn.
If a Character loses against a Lethal Challenge, the Character must discard a Companion. 
If the player has no Companions, he misses his next turn.
If you win a Quest Challenge, move your Pawn forward 1D6 spaces.
If you fail a Quest Challenge, move your Pawn backward 1D6 spaces.
The player may play Aid cards to raise his Hero roll total.
Discard all played Challenge cards and Aid cards.

LOCATIONS
If a Location card is drawn, it is placed into the space.
The location card stays there for the rest of the game and must 
Be encountered by whomever lands on it.
Some locations are challenges, some are safe, some require you to roll on 
Special Tables such as the Settlement Table.
Note: You must stop upon entering the Gap Chasm Space.
You cannot leave the Gap Chasm until you find a Way across.

SETTLEMENT TABLE
1D10	Result:
1	Magical Transport: Move Forward 1D6 Spaces
2	Hospitality: Nothing Happens
3	Intrigue: Miss next Turn
4	Legal Dispute: Miss next Turn
5	Gain Companion: Flip cards & take next Companion in Deck. Reshuffle
6	Receive Aid: Flip cards & take next Aid card in Deck. Reshuffle
7	Information: Look at next 7 cards in Deck
8	Perform Service: Quest Challenge of Power = 6
9	Difficulties: Flip cards & Face next Challenge card in Deck. Reshuffle
10	Safe Passage: Move Forward 1D6 Spaces

GAP CHASM TABLE
1D6	Result:
1-2	Find Way Across: You may move next turn
3-4	No Way Across: Roll again next turn
5-6	Gap Dragon: Lethal Challenge of Power = 9

AID CARDS
If you draw an Aid card, put it in your hand.
Max hand size is 4 cards. Discard excess cards.

COMPANIONS
If you draw a Companion card, put into play face up in front of you.
The Companion is “attached” to your Character.
It stays in play until you lose a Lethal Challenge, or some other misfortune.
You can have a maximum of 3 companions. 
Discard excess Companions.

MOVE, EVENT, DIVINATION, SAFE, & HEALING
If you draw an Event, Move, Divination, or Healing card, it must be resolved immediately.
Effects of Events vary.
For a Move card, immediately move 1D6 spaces forward.
For a Divination card, look at the next 7 cards in the deck.
For a Healing card, put a Companion in the discard back into play attached to your Character.
For a Safe card, nothing happens.
Discard the Move, Safe, Event, Divination, or Healing card after it is resolved.

CONFRONTATIONS
If you land on another player’s pawn, there will be a duel.
(Do not draw a card, and ignore locations)
Resolve the Duel like a Challenge.
A tie means nothing happens.
The higher total is the winner.
The loser must miss his next turn.

COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Card Name:		Type	Power	Notes:
Pranksters		D	2	Humans with Heat & Shield Spells
Ruffians		D	3	Humans with Sword, Gas, & Hole Spells
Justin			N	-	Talking Tree that Gives Advice
Sabrina			C	1	Smart, Pretty woman with Holograph Spell
Repulsion Spell		A	3	Protects Villages
North Village		X	-	Roll once on the Settlement Table
Gap Village		X	-	Roll once on the Settlement Table
Omen			N	-	They always come true
Lookout Rock		X	-	Treat as Divination card when landed on
Chameleon		C	2	Woman. Genius or Beautiful. Monthly cycle.
Basilisk		L	4	Lizard with Gaze of Death
Fanchon			A	3	Highly Intelligent Woman
Dee			A	2	Average Woman
Wynne			A	1	Very Beautiful Woman
Fiery Salamander	L	4	Starts strong Fires
Stench Puffer		D	2	Olfactory Nuisance 
Castle Roogna		X	-	Roll twice on the Settlement Table
Isle of Illusion	X	-	Treat as Delay Power = 5 when landed on
Coral Sponge		H	-	Heals wounds
Bianca			C	2	Woman with Replay Spell
Roland			C	3	Man with Stunning Spell
Wild Oats		D	5	Home of a Beautiful Nymph
Beerbarrel Tree		D	1	Don’t drink too much!
Locoberry Bush		D	2	Don’t eat too much!
Restoration Spell	H	-	Heals wounds
Will o’ the Wisp	D	3	Leads one into danger
Spectre			L	3	Type of Ghost
Shade			L	1	Weak Ghost
Protected Trail		M	-	Near Settlements
Short Cut		M	-	Through the Woods
Guide			M	-	Local Inhabitant
Griffin Steed		Q	-	Hard to Handle
Map			M	-	A recent Map
Needle Cactus		L	2	Shoots Barbs
Village Elders		E	-	Roll once on the Settlement Table
Roc			D	4	Hide from Giant Stone Bird
Ghoul			L	2	Walking Dead
Ogre			L	4	Man Eating Giant
Young Bull Centaur	L	4	Looking for a fight
Chester			C	3	Male Centaur
Cherie			C	3	Lovely Female Centaur
Kings Path		M	-	Protected by the Covenant
Nicklepedes		L	2	Nickel size bites
Unicorn			L	4	Horn & Hooves
Ride Centaur		M	-	Preferably a Female Centaur
Tangle Willow		L	4	Carnivorous Tree
Peace Pines		X	-	Peace Spell: Lethal Power = 4
Lightning Bugs		L	1	Semi-Dangerous
Winged Cows		S	-	Domesticated
Wiggle Swarm		L	9	Deadly Flying Worms
Breadfruit Tree		S	-	Food
Stone Doves		S	-	Harmless
Confidence Spell	A	2	False Courage
Fish River		L	5	Converts drinkers into Fish
Drowning Lake		L	5	Drowning Spell
Werewolf		L	4	
Farm House		X	-	Roll once on the Settlement Table
Lyrebird		D	1	Stay and listen to Music
Clutchroot		L	2	Carnivorous Plant
Medicinal Spell		H	-	
Help a Shade		Q	3	Help ghost with unfinished business
Magic Woods		D	3	Ignorance, Fear, and Aversion Spells
Sea Monster		L	6	
Illusionary Terrain	D	5	
Sorceress Iris		D	7	Powerful Illusionist
Helpful Plants		S	-	Blanket Tree, Hotsoup Gourd, Pillbox Bush
Dryads Grove		E	-	Roll once on the Settlement Table
The Spring of Life	X	-	Treat as a Heal card when landed on
Chimera			L	5	Lion, Goat, and Serpent Heads
Corporal Crombie	C	3	Soldier with Direction Finding Spell
Harpy			L	2	Foul Mouthed Flying Scavenger 
Technicolor Hailstorm	D	5	Hail stones the size of Fists
Mind Reading Spell	A	3	Don’t marry the girl with this power
Evade			A	3 	The better part of Valor
Run Away		A	2	To fight again another day
Escape			A	3	Narrow
Hide			A	2	Survival Skill
Angry Hippocampus	L	3	Man sized Seahorse
Hidden Door		D	2	You have to find it
Manticora		L	5	Winged, Scorpion tailed, Man faced Lion
Bottle Demon		N	-	
Truth Spell		N	-	Answers Yes or No questions
Spell Abate		A	2	
Invisible Giant		L	6	Don’t get Stepped on
Interference Magic	A	2	Self Preservation Spell
Enchanted Forest	D	4	Misdirection & Repellant Spells
Countermagic		A	3	
Invisible Bridge	M	-	
Love Spring		D	6	Explains existence of most Half-breeds
Opening Spell		M	-	
Whirlpool		D	6	Sucked In
Kraken Weed		L	6	Carnivorous Seaweed
Mermaids		D	4	With Perky Breasts
Tritons			L	3	Boyfriends of the Mermaids
Underwater Caves	Q	5	Difficult to navigate
Acid Crabs		L	2	
Catoblepas		L	3	Whatever it is, it’s Ugly as sin
Argus			L	3	Large Fish Headed Pig
Honorable Action	Q	4	Difficult Decision
History Lesson		N	-	Human Immigration & Evolution
Hypnogourd		D	3	Peephole Spell
Demon Weed		L	3	Carnivorous grass with Stasis Spell
Magic Sniffer		N	-	
Vine Tree		L	4	Carnivorous
Forest Trap		D	4	Lure Spells & One way Path
Vampire Bats		L	2	Blood Suckers
Cling Rats		L	3	Attraction Spell
Zombie Reptiles		L	2	Crocs & Snakes
Human Zombies		L	2	Slow
Sword			A	2	Hand to Hand Weapon
Bow & Arrows		A	2	Ranged Weapon
Questing Rope		A	3	
Magic Fountain		X	-	Treat as a Heal card when landed on
Cherry Bombs		A	3	
Ancient Spells		A	3	
Moral Dilemma		Q	6	
Ethical Dilemma		Q	6	
Choke Bees		L	2	
Dragon			L	8	Flying, Fire Breathing Variety
Petrification Spell	A	3	Paralyzation
Direction Spell		M	-	
Sphinx Riddle		L	5	
Stun Spell		A	3	
Truce			A	2	
Wyvern			L	4	Winged, Poisonous Dragon
Land Serpent		L	5	
Troll			L	3	
Goblins			L	2	Hard Heads
Faeries			D	5	
Herman the Hermit	C	3	Magic using Centaur
Exiled			E	-	Opponent must go back 1D6 spaces
Blackmail		E	-	Opponent must go back 1D6 spaces
Genie			L	4	
Magic Spotter		N	-	
Noose Loop Bush		L	2	Carnivorous Bush
Ant Lions		L	1	Colony
Set Trap		A	3	
Retreat			A	2	
Phoenix Form		M	-	Fiery Bird
Blinding Fog		D	3	
Magical Storm		D	4	
Flying Carpet		M	-	
Travel Conjurer		M	-	
Wolf Head		L	2
2 Headed Serpent	L	2
Practical Decision	A	3
Calculated Risk		A	3
Truth Revealed		N	-	





LINKS
Hi Piers
Xanth World
Castle Roogna
Draco’s Xanth Page
Allscifi.com
Ivy’s World of Xanth
The Land of Xanth

GAME DESIGNERS NOTES
I read the first 9 books of the series in my teens.
I just reread the first book, “A Spell for Chameleon”. 
This game is based 98% on the material in that book.
I recommend the book. Its fun, cute, clever, and thought provoking.
Piers Anthony is one of my personal favorites, along with Asimov, Heinlen, and Clarke.







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