Weird Heraldry

For centuries members of noble families often married their relatives. In the case of regal kings and queens; this meant some heirs were born with “issues” or would have perished in birth. It would also reduce their intelligence, which in turn impacted the monarch's ability to rule.

In this game you will manipulate shield heraldry tiles; tiles Representing bloodlines of six interbreeding noble families. The tradition of Intermarriages is centuries old. Once a dynasty had their power they were never willing to relinquish it. This will all take place on the family crests board to produce your own clandestine family crest. you will help choose which family name will blunder through the annals of history.

Will it be the boisterous Barkhouses’ or the silver-tongued spongs‘? maybe the dapper de la poles’ will remain, who knows; but never count out the raucous rainecourts‘, they are always causing mischief. Although, I did hear that the Greedy Grabhams’ are trying to set up a marriage with the ageless applebottoms‘. Will it succeed? That one mayhaps, you may help decide.

Preparing to Play

Everyone take a Shadow crest and place it in front of you. then Take the Play board and put it into the center. Put all heraldry tiles into the golden royal sack and mix thoroughly. Draw 8 heraldry tiles out of the sack, do not let anyone see them.

Choose any 4 of your drawn tiles and arrange them to form a 2x2 clandestine family crest. This is your goal for the game, and while you may look at it at any time, try not to let others see. The remaining 4 tiles are your starting hand.

How to Play

On your turn, take any two of the following actions, with the restriction that you may never undo a move made by any of your opponents since your last turn. You may though, take any move twice, if possible.

1. Place a Tile: start a new family crest by placing one of the tiles from your hand face-up on the play board.
2. Tile Shift: if there are any family crests with exactly 3 heraldry tiles, slide either one of the two heraldry tiles that are adjacent to the empty corner into that empty corner.
3. Arrange a marriage: if there are at least two complete family crests, first split any 2 such family crests into 2 halves of 2 adjacent heraldry tiles, then rejoin any 2 groups of 2 adjacent heraldry tiles into a new family crest of 4 tiles. The 2 heraldry tiles in each adjacent group must remain together and in the same orientation, but since noble family trees frequently have few branches, they need not be from separate crests.
4. Draw tiles: if you have 3 or fewer heraldry tiles in your hand, draw enough heraldry tiles from the golden sack to bring your hand back up to 4. Everyone Draws until the golden sack runs out. When this happens This will be the final turn of the game.

Ending and Scoring

If at any point during your turn, there is a complete family crest on the play board with 4 heraldry tiles that exactly matches your Shadow crest, reveal your family crest.