First Entry
Danen 13th, 1173 AL

While I do possess doubts as to the effectiveness of this endeavor, I shall nonetheless attempt to record the details of my imprisonment. I shall not be able to record regularly as my supply of paper and charcoal are meager . I was travelling by caravan to Heap to seek employment with a printer there, but we were attacked by the dead only two days outside of Southbury. My companions were all put to the sword, but myself and another man were spared. The black-robed creature that captained the ambush was interested in my being a man of letters. I am not certain as to what interest the creature had in the other gentleman, nor have I seen him since. Sadly, I have seen some of my other former companions since the attack, and their passing has not delivered their earthly remains from the exertions of labor. I was bound and blindfolded following my interview, and after countless hours in the back of a cart I was ushered into a building of ancient magnificence. My bonds cut and my blindfold removed, I deduced that my prison was none other than the necropolis of Gil-Nam, the Fortress-City of Murder. For three days I have languished in this tower with no clue as to the purpose of my imprisonment. No doubt these quarters were once highly luxurious, but now they smell of dust and mold, and their once beautiful tapestries have succumbed to rot. I have slept on hard stone as I am wary of the stains that cover the moldering bed. I have been served food once each day, but have elected to eat only the bread I am given. I will not touch the dried meats that lie twisted and dark on my plate. But of all the discomforts I suffer, none are worse than the noises that emanate from outside. The legends of this city are true - the outside walls and towers are covered in the chained remains of the dead. They hang from every place imaginable and they are not quiet. Each has been raised in the manner their dead master is so fond of, and they howl and writhe at all times of the day. And so my existence is that of hellish dread and terror, and I know not what the future holds.



Second Entry
Danen 17th, 1173 AL

My nightmares have been given form. While no stranger to the threat of the dead, my life has until now remained blessedly free of their presence. But my new master surely seeks to remedy my inexperience, for the past three days have seemed like many lifetimes of horror. There can be no doubt who it is I serve - he is Ret-Talus, the Rotten King, the bane of all Itharia. I have been tasked as his scribe. I will not relate what material serves as my paper, nor will good taste allow me to detail what substance I must use as ink, but there is no amount of water that could now wash these sullied hands clean. At first I was confused as to why my new master would require my assistance, but time has yielded clues. He is prone to moving very little, as if reserving his energy for more important matters. I have also guessed that the majority of the dead that serve him must be controlled by him directly, making it far easier for him to dictate to me than to them. My writing has been limited to some sort of accounting. He has me tallying "walls" though what these walls may be I do not know. I list their numbers, their locations, and I attach names to them. I do not know what purpose my lists have, but I have recognized many of the names there. There must be some linear organization here, for at first the only names attached to the walls were my master´s and Dane Lightbringer´s, the long-dead, almost mythical founder of the Vanguards. But now many of the names are of leaders of various nations or factions that I recognize. For instance, I have listed Grognack, one of the fearsome leaders of the northern orcs several times now. I have also scribed names such as Oldin and Sera Eldwyn. On numerous occasions I have marked certain walls as destroyed, something which bothers Ret-Talus immeasurably. He makes frequent disparaging comments about those individuals he holds responsible for a wall´s destruction, saying they hasten the end of the power of the gods, though what this power is, and what gods he is referring to I do not know. I once heard him mutter, "They can tear Godshome to pieces, wield its power like the ignorant children they are, but like children they will cry when the toy is broken and lost to them forever." Whatever the case he plays the hypocrite for as I said, I have recorded him as a destroyer of walls as well.


Third Entry
Danen 19th, 1173 AL

My brain burns with fever, and my joints ache. My digestion suffers as well. Great hunger drove me to finally feed upon the meat they serve me. While salty, foul, and suspect, I can no longer live alone on the crusts they give me. My illness was apparent to my master today. I imagined him looking down upon my shaking mortal frame with disgust, but truthfully his face was as dead and unreadable as it usually is. He pardoned me from my labors at an earlier hour than normal and I assume it is due to my poor health. I learned today that the walls I record are none other than the walls used by the summoners to bring forth their legions into battle. I suspect I am privy to some great secret, for I have always been of the understanding that those walls were merely raised from the earth itself by the magic users. Given Ret-Talus´s comments I cannot help but conclude that the summoners of Itharia do not fully understand the source of their power, for Ret-Talus clearly believes the summoning stones are pulling the walls from some strange destination - some place of divine origin. This knowledge has filled me with purpose, for now I know I must live. I must find the means to escape this place. I will travel to the Citadel of the Fist and tell the Vanguards there what I have learned. Surely it will be useful in their struggles against the dead.


Final Entry
Danen 26th, 1173 AL

The fever has rolled back from my mind like clouds leaving the sky after a long rain. The ache still fills my joints, but I confess to finding it oddly pleasurable. It reminds me of being a child and having a loose tooth - they would hurt so, yet I could never leave one alone, always wiggling it with my tongue. I find that my spirit is somewhat buoyed of late. Indeed, I spent several hours this evening counting the bones I felt beneath my skin. There was something marvelous about it, and once I was sure I had counted each one, I repeated the effort and laughed in delight at my recreation. The food seems to have improved as well. Perhaps my master is pleased by my service? While the meat looks the same as it always has, the taste has improved immensely. It is sweet and rich, and I feel it nourish me even as I first swallow it. Its excellence has lead me to ignore the bread which now seems so overly dry and grainy. Such improvements in my stay here make me wish to show my thanks so that Ret-Talus will see they do not go unnoticed. I have considered giving him this collection of papers so that he will see my labors for him do not stop, even when he has no need for me. I shall consider the matter again tomorrow, but for now I will content myself with lying here in bed, and listening to the song that wafts in through my window from outside.

Dragos was destined to inherit his noble family´s fortune before he sought out Ret-Talus. The Rotten King was amused by the arrogant youth who demanded immortality in exchange for riches, and so Dragos was damned with vampirism. Ret-Talus keeps Dragos in thrall and uses him as an infiltrator in the cities of the living.

The missile troops of the Vanguards fight in heavier armor than some close combat experts of other factions. Though the introduction of summoning magic to the science of warfare made units of archers obsolete, the archers of the Vanguards are trained to fight back-to-back, combining their fire to bring down stronger foes.

The rank and file of Ret-Talus´s armies is made up of the rotting bodies of his fallen foes. Uncaring and never faltering, their weapons go where their master instructs. Yet as horrifying as facing the reanimated dead may seem to most soldiers, the true terror lies in the tainted flesh of the zombies. Those wounded by these corpse warriors are often changed, and quickly join the ranks of the groaning dead.

The Priests of the Vanguards are as much warriors as holy men. Their healing prayers help the already formidable soldiers of the Vanguards outfight ordinary men, and their massive hammers, sanctified by the waters of the Font of the Stone, can reduce enemies to pulp.

Raechel is a high-ranking Warmatron for the Sisters of Justice. On the battlefield she strikes down her foes with the physical manifestation of her faction´s hatred for corruption, avarice, and warmongering. The power of these attacks has been known to assail enemy summoners with magical feedback, leaving them reeling from the loss of an underling.

Even the most basic of soldiers among the Vanguards is a walking hulk of armor, capable of ignoring blows that would fell an ordinary man. Such is their unswerving dedication to the Vanguards and Lightbringer´s Seven Principles of Justice, that they attack their foes with a ferocity that cannot be ignored.

The Premium board is ready to go to print. This board comes in two halves that combine to make one 2-player board. The board is mounted on reinforced 2.5mm chipboard. Each half of the board quad-folds, creating a compact foot print for storage and portability. The premium board is only available through PlaidHatGames.com. The board can be pre-ordered HERE

While the board is ready to go, we are delayed in putting it into production until we can build the funds necessary to do so. We are prepared to have the board go into production in 3 months time, it would then ship out to customers from our warehouse in Georgia approximately 2 months after that (September 2010).

So why are we putting up pre-orders for a board that may still be 5 months away? Because we believe that our customers are chomping at the bit to get their hands on this board, and together we can make that happen. We will be keeping track of how many pre-orders have come in at THIS POST in the Summoner Wars community forums. Once we have hit 400 boards pre-ordered we will immediately put the board into print, and it will arrive here in the states, ready to ship out to pre-order customers, 2 months later.

So the more pre-orders we get, the faster we can get this board out to you. Again keep an eye out HERE for how quickly the pre-orders are coming in. Bottom line, the latest the board will be here is September 2010, but we believe with your pre-orders that date will be significantly sooner.

Beings of naught but unlife, Reapers have been cursed by their master to hunger for something they may never possess. They stalk the battlefields, cutting down their foes to feed upon their souls. But the screaming voids of nothingness that make up their being can never be sated, and so the Reapers become more terrible and more frenzied in their desperation to be assuaged.

She is only sixteen years of age, yet this maiden wielding the ancient Stone of the Dane strides across the battlefield like a goddess of old. Grown men gladly sell their lives to protect her, the love in their eyes dangerously akin to religious awe. But her eyes are tired and worn for one so young - they are the eyes of innocence lost, the eyes of one who must stare into pits of undying malice. She is Sera Eldwyn: prodigy, general, Grandmaster of the Vanguards... And now the youngest summoner in Itharia´s history must turn the tide against its most ancient and terrible of foes. He is Ret-Talus, the Rotten King, a decayed thing over two thousand years old, and one of the most intelligent creatures ever to exist. The day will come when these two summoners must face each other, and one shall be the other´s undoing.

This expansion introduces two exciting new factions to the game. Will you take up arms as the righteous humans of the Vanguards, using protection and healing magic to stand firm upon the battlefield in defense of the downtrodden? Or will you lead the undead hordes of the Fallen Kingdom, making any fiendish sacrifice necessary, as you wield the dark necrotic arts in pursuit of the subjugation of the world?

These two new Faction Decks for Summoner Wars: The Fallen Kingdom and The Vanguards, will become available in June of 2010. You can Pre-Order now, and be the among the first to recieve these new Factions.

Each of these Faction Decks includes everything needed to play a completely new Summoner Wars Faction. Summoner Wars Faction Decks are not a stand alone games. They are intended for use with a Summoner Wars Starter Set.

---

Skhull is a grotesque puppet of meat, sinew, and bone assembled by Ret-Talus to offend and horrify his enemies. Made up of the parts of various creatures, Skhull is a monstrosity that walks with a strange, unnatural gait, yet is able to strike with obscene grace. An Elven warrior who once survived an attack by Skhull said she was not so horrified by the countenance of the blasphemous thing that sought to rend her flesh, as she was by the tiny, hushed voice she heard coming from its throat, begging her for help.

The angelic battalion of the Vanguards is lead by the Archangels, beings whose spirits burn with an unending desire to dispense violent justice. Though once human, they have abandoned their mortal frames and their minds are possessed of a strange intelligence. There are those even among the Vanguards who shiver when they stare deep into the eyes of an Archangel and see the alien mind that dwells there.

An infernal being summoned by Ret-Talus, and kept bound in cursed chains of iron, Elut-Bal was once strong and intelligent. But centuries of torture and starvation have left this demon little more than a slavering weapon for Ret-Talus to casually toss at his foes. Elut-Bal can only derive sustenance from the flesh of the living, and when he is let loose upon a battlefield he is far too starved to consider an escape.

Venerable. Unyielding. Lord of the Knights of the Citadel. He is a direct descendant of Dane Lightbringer, founder of the Vanguards. And though he could have possessed whatever authority he desired, Kalon has shied away from citadel politics and instead dedicated his life to combating the forces of the Fallen Kingdom. Such is his dedication that many believe he may soon take the path to becoming an angel, and those who have seen him in battle do not doubt this.

Tundra Orcs ~ Susie Starlight
Phoenix Elves ~ Quasimedoc (Mike Barkes)


Preamble

It was just after dawn when Grognack, Summoner of the Tundra Orcs, Lord of the Illimitable Wastes and Custodian of the Sacred Tartan, awoke from his slumbers and hauled himself from his lice-infested pallet. A firkin of ´Old Loincloth´ ale stood by his bed and the Orc refreshed himself by hoisting the cask to his tusked lips and drinking a couple of gallons at a single quaff. Somewhat unsteadied by this toxic breakfast (for ´Old Loincloth´ is not to be sniffed at) Grognack groped his way out of his campaign tent and greeted the awakening day. It felt good to be alive. Here was the morning of his thirty-seventh birthday. There was a battle to be fought and, Dauch willing, a victory to be won. Out of the early morning mist, a cringing servant approached.

"My lord, an ambassador from the court of the elves seeks present audience." Blearily, Grognack gestured with his skull-topped staff to indicate that the herald might advance.

"Your Greatness," shrilled the elf, "My most sovereign liege, Prince Elien, lord of just about everything, presents his compliments and seeks to know whether the Orcs of the Tundra wish the honour of engaging first?"

Elves always talked in this archaic, mincing fashion, and Grognack, like all his fellow Orcs, despised them for it. He visited an enormous beery belch upon the herald before replying, "Tell your master to make his dispositions, we will be ready for him."


[## Susie wins First Move Determination and elects to go second]


"With your permission, your Foulness," said the messenger, presenting an ornate, sandalwood box, "I have been charged with one further duty. The noble Prince Elien, being aware that today is your birthday, sends you this gift. He asks that your lordship accept it, both as a mark of respect from one captain of armies to another, and also as a measure of the personal regard in which he holds you."

Grognack opened the box and stared in anger and disbelief at the pale-coloured lozenges within.

The messenger stepped back a pace or two in alarm as a dangerous light flared in the Orc Summoner´s eyes.

"DOG BISCUITS!" howled Grognack, flinging the gift box onto the ground. "By the crimson scrotum of Dauch! The chief catamite of the Phoenix vermin dares to send me DOG BISCUITS!"

He thrust his head forward, his enormous gleaming tusks only inches away from the face of the cowering herald. "You go back and tell your master that the majesty of the Tundra Throne will not be mocked in this fashion. You tell him that I will return his gift to him this day: I will return it in steel and ice and red slaughter!"


[## Turn 1: Highlights]


Safe behind one of his Elf Walls, Prince Elien sat comfortably on a camp stool (what else?) while a servant put the finishing touches to his eye make-up. So far, the battle seemed to be going well for the elves. Arrivals for this turn had included both Kaeseall and the Fire Drake and the prince had decided to bank his Magic Points for a couple of turns so he could summon the latter of these two, the most formidable of his champions, to the field of combat.

At this moment a terrified-looking attendant dashed around the wall. "Sire, a mob of orc butchers is close behind me! They seek your life!" The prince twitched an elegant nostril.

"Yes," he said, calmly, "I believe I can smell the fellows on the wind."

"Where are your bodyguards, my lord?"

"I have no need of guards," said Elien, rising languidly to his feet. "Let me show you how a Summoner of the House of the Phoenix deals with assassins."

[## So saying, the prince stepped nimbly around the wall and hosed the approaching Smasher regiment with fire. Unfortunately, Mike had miscalculated: Although the Smashers had already suffered thanks to an earlier ´Burn´ event, they still retained just enough stamina to charge into Prince Elien and inflict two wounds upon him. The effect of this damage was to force the elf leader to reconsider his position and he was to spend most of the rest of the battle cringing behind his various defence works.

On Elvish (Drunk again, Mr Presley?) Turn 5, Mike summoned the Fire Drake to the field: A sight which made even the stoutest Tundra Orc quail. However, no sooner had the monster advanced than Susie was able to hit it with a timely ´Freeze´ event and then surround it with common units. Mike responded by spending two of his precious Magic Points to remove the Freeze marker, but Susie was soon able to hit the Elf Champion with a second ´Freeze´. So, instead of reaping units to left and right, the Fire Drake found itself blinking on and off like a motel bed-lamp. Eventually, Susie summoned the drunken Blagog, who reeled his way onto the battlefield to confront the Fire Drake. Dauch ~ the god of all things inebriated ~ must have smiled down on him that day for, when the orc swung his two great warhammers, Mike rolled a magnificent 4,5,1,4,6 and the four hits took what remained of the Fire Drake´s life points.

Those of you who have played Summoner Wars will know that one of its greatest joys is the fact that, in most sessions, predicting a winner is well nigh impossible until the end. Colby´s game design creates a fascinating ebb and flow of ascendancy, and this is what happened in the above battle, with first the Elves, and then the Orcs, seeming to gain the upper hand. Common Units were summoned, fought and died: Champion Units were summoned, fought and died, often slugging it out, toe-to-toe with each other, until eventually, by the sixteenth turn, hardly any units remained standing.

Both Mike and Susie now found themselves with no Draw Cards or Magic Points remaining. For the Orcs, Grognack was still there, but his army was completely destroyed. All that Susie had left ´off table´ was a single unsummoned Smasher Unit as the last card left in her Hand. The Phoenix Army had fared slightly better than the Orcs, in that, as well as Elien, two fresh elf units ~ a Warrior and an Archer still bestrode the field. However, Mike had no cards left whatever.

Now it was that Mike decided to move in for the kill. Prince Elien advanced out from behind cover, and the two Elf Units moved decisively towards Orcish ´back line´, towards the square which Grognack had occupied since Turn 1. Mike recognised that it was going to be a close-run thing: Grognack ~ with 5 of his original 7 lives still intact ~ was going to be a tough proposition, but the Elf Player reckoned he could weaken the Orc with his two ranged units before sending in his Warrior Regiment to administer the coup de grace. To the Elves, Susie appeared to have given up, as she did nothing with Grognack as the enemy advanced. But crafty Susie had remembered what Mike had forgotten, Grognack´s special ability. Because the Orc Summoner had neither moved nor attacked since the start of the game, Mike had clearly been lulled into a false sense of security. Not only that, but Susie had used her generous Wall/Ice Wall provision to create a defensive labyrinth, protecting her Summoner. As his units closed to bow range, Mike could not understand why Grognack was not coming out to meet his foes. This would be too easy! Suddenly, however, Susie sprung her trap.

"Grognack attacks both Elf Commons using his special ability."

Mike gulped as he finally realised the danger, both his Warrior and Archer were adjacent to walls!

A rattle of the die and there it was on the table ~ a ´5´.

"Both units take 1 wound: Both units die. Let´s see you Blaze Step your way out of that one!" chortled Susie.

I would like to report that Prince Elien answered this setback by making a magnificent, suicidal, Valkyrie-like death charge against his opposite number, but he didn´t. Instead, he ran back to his silly wall and cowered there. On the next turn, Susie used her two newly-won Magic Points to summon her Smasher regiment to the battlefield and soon it was all over: A magnificent victory for the Tundra Orcs and the most excellent of birthday presents for Summoner Grognack]


Grognack stood amidst the carnage and howled a prayer of thanks to Dauch, the Maker. He looked at the ruin of what had once been the Elvish camp: the place where his blood-crazed troops had hacked and trampled the elf prince´s scarlet and yellow pavilions into the mud. He called out as a blood spattered Smasher captain wandered past him.

"You there, did you find any spoils of war, any elf treasure?"

"Nothing, your Repulsiveness, nothing beyond a score or so of animal cages."

"Animal cages?" said Grognack

"Puppies, my lord," said the soldier, "Lots of sweet little puppies. We fed and watered them and then set them free."

"Good work," said the Summoner, a tear moistening his great yellow eye.

"Elvish beasts," he said, "One hears such stories about what use they make of those innocent little creatures."

"It´s best not to think about it, my liege," said the soldier.

"Quite right! Quite right!" said Grognack, "Well, at least they´re free now."

"There was one other thing, my lord,"

"Oh, yes?"

"We also found a few Guild Dwarf prisoners: Must have been left over from that set- to last week between the dwarves and the elves."

"Dwarves, eh?" said the Orc Leader, licking his huge lips. "Butcher them and cook ´em up: We´ll have them casseroled for my birthday supper!"

Unfit for heavy, close fighting, Ret-Talus uses the bones of his enemies as missile troops. Bone is a currency Ret-Talus is rich in, and the overly decayed nature of these soldiers means enemies are often cheated of magic power when they strike them down.

Bio: The guardian knight screamed and was silenced as his body was torn in two, a crimson arc of viscera splattering across the ground. The demon Elut-Bal howled in ecstasy and looked around for his next victim. The din of battle ricocheted off the buildings of the town as swords clashed and the dying cried out for mercy. Ret-Talus sat at the edge of the fray, near the outskirts of the forest, seated on a throne made of corpses, his thoughts controlling his puppets of meat and bone. Such concentration would have taxed any other being, but three thousand years of meticulous study had left Ret-Talus´s mind incalculably fortified. A horrible squawking sounded off to his right as a wake of vultures descended upon the town, their hooked beaks digging into the fleshy treats they found scattered about on the ground. Ret-Talus did not move, the necrotic flame of his eyes hardly flickering. He could feel the power of his sacrifice congealing around the town. He felt the summoning stone pulsate from within the tomb inside his breast. It called out to him as his soldiers moved through the streets and buildings dispatching all they found there. It sang to him as life spilled onto dusty floorboards and muddy paths.

Dragos appeared from behind a smithy, fresh blood staining the vampire´s lips and chin. He approached the throne, grinning with his reddened teeth, and knelt before his master. Ret-Talus´s mouth twitched, and slowly his lips parted, his dried flesh wrinkling and flaking from the movement.

"What have you found Dragos?" he asked.

"A most precious trinket your majesty." Dragos reached beneath his cloak and pulled out an object. Ret-Talus felt a sudden surge from the metal casket buried in his hollow, rotten chest. Reaching out he took hold of the stone Dragos offered him and held it up. There was no doubt - it was a summoning stone. "I cannot imagine why the Vanguards would be hiding it in a logging town," muttered Dragos, shaking his head in disbelief. But the mind of his master was far superior.

"They were not hiding it fool. They were travelling with it and merely stopped here to rest. They were taking it back to the citadel - back to Eldwyn." Dragos nodded at his master´s wisdom, and Ret-Talus saw his servant´s eyes fall upon the stone and the Rotten King recognized the greed reflected there.

"Another stone your highness! Such a mighty tool. Surely with two stones you will be unstoppable."

"Wipe your mouth Dragos - such drooling reeks disgustingly of life. I do not need another stone. I have forty-seven necropolises on five continents. I have extinguished the lives of millions of sentient beings, and am personally responsible for the downfall of twelve nations. Such talk of being unstoppable is petty and unimaginative." Ret-Talus peered through the eyes of his reanimated minions and was pleased with what he saw. "The remnants of the townsfolk are barricaded in the chapel," he told Dragos. "Burn it to the ground then return Elut-Bal to his shackles. I am returning to Gil-Nam and will summon you there within an hour."

"Of course my king," said Dragos with a pathetic multitude of bows. "May I inquire what you plan to do with the second stone, my liege?"

"It will never be yours Dragos," said Ret-Talus. "That is all you need ever know. Let me be plain: I made you for but one purpose. You are the servant who can blend with the living. You can act as my messenger. I have no other need of you. You begged me once for immortality, but understand that immortality for you Dragos means nothing more than an eternity of servitude. No glory awaits you. You are my slave from now until the sun burns out of the sky. Am I understood?" Dragos tried to smile politely, but the horror he felt was plain. As was the hatred lurking in his eyes.

"Yes, my king," the vampire said bowing once more.

"Careful with your eyes Dragos. They speak treason." Ret-Talus did not even move, but from within one of Dragos´s hands came the terrible noise of bones splintering apart. "I am the master of all dead flesh. Never forget that." Dragos yowled and clutched as his maimed hand.

"Of course sire. The lesson is well-learned." Dragos stood, turned, and hastily walked off in the direction of the chapel. Ret-Talus stood up from his morbid throne and in mere seconds was gone from the forested logging town, and was instead standing in an enormous charnel hall built entirely from bone. His mind was a tentacled creature of unlimited size, and even as he had chastised Dragos, he had resolved what to do with the stone. It would be a gift to the most grateful of recipients - a hungry, violent little worm who had no interest in being a player on the world stage. If the Fallen Kingdom was not to be the sole owner of a Summoning Stone, then Ret-Talus could at least ensure that every madman in Itharia was armed with one.

Sera Eldwyn - Summoner of the Vanguards.

Bio: General Farthen slouched in his chair and ran a hand down his tired face. In all his years of serving the Vanguards...

"Let me make certain I understand you Magistrate," he growled. "You want this council to go before the people of the citadel, and tell them their new leader is not only a girl, but one who has been rotting in a prison her entire life? A criminal who knows nothing of civility, much less leadership?" Magistrate Clocke cleared his throat politely and looked over at Kalon. The weathered knight nodded his head in consent, his chiseled face an impossible mask to read. It will not be long before that one takes the Path of Ascension, thought Clocke.

"Your description does the young lady a grave injustice General," Clocke chided." Indeed both she and her brother have been prisoners their entire lives, but it is no secret that Lord Melwpn jailed their family out of a perceived political necessity."

"My great-great-grandfather suffered from irrational fears," said Kalon, his voice deep and far away. "This is known. His imprisonment of the Eldwyn family was dishonorable. But seeing as he was the last Lightbringer to lead the Vanguards we have as of yet been unable to correct that injustice."

"Let us also not forget that she is neither animal nor imbecile," Clocke interjected. He was a thin man whose appearance mimicked his love for details and minutiae. "The Eldwyn children have enjoyed the finest education. Shackles have never touched their wrists or ankles, and they have been allowed walks along the ramparts every day." The magistrate´s fingers toyed nervously at the left sleeve of his fine robes. He always became fidgety when pressing home a point he was passionate about. "And let us also remember that the crone herself-"

General Farthen slammed a meaty fist down upon the circular table they sat around. He often wondered if the citizens of the citadel knew that such a legendary table was a simple one made of such lackluster wood.

"Forget the crone, Clocke!" he barked. "The recommendations of their order have never been necessity!"

"Yet always followed," said Kalon. "I have seen this girl, this sixteen-year-old woman, and marveled at her grace. She talks as one saddled with the secrets of the world, yet she does not seem burdened by them."

"I have seen her as well," said Farthen, his face reddening, "and while lovely to look upon, and no doubt a fine prize for any man willing to overlook her being born into disrepute, I do not believe we can tell the people of the Citadel of the Fist, nor the cattle of Heap for that matter, that we have chosen her as our grandmaster."

"You would rather tell them we have ignored the advice of the Sisters of Justice?" said Clocke. The magistrate perfectly arched a peppery eyebrow to display his disbelief. "Imagine the accusations we will face. They will claim we play at politics, and who could say they would be wrong?" The three men sat in silence, rays of sunlight moving across the table´s surface, broken by moving clouds outside the overlarge windows that lit the chamber in the Tower of Law. To General Farthen´s left sat an empty chair where Father Glintnas normally sat. The aging high priest lay hacking up phlegm on his deathbed somewhere in the monastery. To Kalon´s left sat Sister Agathan´s chair. It was custom for the head matron to abstain from council following the sisterhood´s recommendation for grandmaster. But between Kalon and Clocke was a filled chair, the seat of Lord Dilgren, Marshall of the Citadel, and aside from dying Glintnas, the most senior of the council. The old man had waited silently, his ample frame straining his chair, a single plump finger idly toying with his wispy mustache.

"It would seem to me," he wheezed, and the other three leaned slightly closer to him, "that we have neglected the most important voice in all of this." A long minute passed.

"And whose voice would that be Lord Marshall?" Farthen asked testily.

"Why the stone of course," said Dilgren with a stupid smile. "It is the stone that guides us. It is the stone that has brought salvation to these dead-ravaged lands. And it is the stone that speaks to the sisters. It would seem to me gentleman that you argue over a settled matter. The stone has chosen its new master - or mistress I should say. Whatever the fate of the Vanguards may be, it will come to us through a girl born in our prisons, from a family stripped of all property and honor, and from one who has no reason to bear us any love. Sera Eldwyn will lead us. Yet I do not fear my friends. The stone has spoken, and it has always known our need." Silence fell over the room again, and General Farthen pushed back his chair and stood up to gaze out the window behind him. His eyes travelled over the buildings and keeps of the citadel he loved so dearly, and as he took it in he recognized a small figure standing on the eastern wall. She stood there, a tiny shape on the squat, hulking bulwarks, dressed in a simple cotton dress that billowed with her hair in the breeze. And she stood there looking out into the lands beyond the citadel, and beyond its child-city of Heap, and though she seemed to stare into nothing, she stood tall, and alert, and with all the strength of the wall she stood upon.

"So be it," the general said.

Stalwart Archer - Common of the Vanguards.

Raechel Loveguard - Champion of the Vanguards.

Guardian Knight - Common of the Vanguards.

The history of the unique oddity known as Heap began when Dane Lightbringer, general of the long-lost nation of Waells discovered a summoning stone in the Vale of Brennan. At the time it was the only other summoning stone known to exist, the other held by Ret-Talus, the lord of the Fallen Kingdom. Upon finding the stone, Lightbringer resigned his commission with Waells and taking those of his men who would follow, set out with the goal of establishing a military force that had but one purpose: to counter the forces of the Fallen Kingdom. Lightbringer and his men established a base of operations five months after their exodus from Waells. Calling themselves the Vanguards, they built what would later be named the Citadel of the Fist atop a wide plateau. The citadel was many things: monastery, small city, barracks, and its fortifications were amongst the best engineered of its time. It also had the distinct honor of being one of the few points of civilization that did not have a necropolis with three leagues of it.

News of the Vanguards spread far and wide, and after several successful military actions against the armies of the dead, they became legends in their own time. And so something happened that Lightbringer had never considered: the people of Itharia flocked to the Citadel of the Fist in droves. There were refugees of every nation; some merely desiring to protect their families, others the refuse of conquered lands. There were golden-skinned elves from the southern jungles, almond-eyed humans from the eastern grasslands, and every other variance imaginable. They camped at the base of the plateau where they thought the Vanguard presence would provide protection. But what started as a loose collection of camps turned into buildings of stone, and the Vanguards watched as refugees continued to arrive with each day´s passing. Soon the plateau was completely encircled. Many of the Vanguard grumbled that they were supposed to be an army and not parents of wayward children. But chief among Lightbringer´s Seven Principles of Justice was the care of those in need, and so the makes hift city and its inhabitants were allowed to stay. The Vanguards kept themselves out of the city´s governance but they reserved the right to make military decrees to ensure they would never be hampered by those who sought their protection.



Fear of the undead hordes, of enemies who could teleport into their midst, drove the exiles to build up the side of the plateau rather than outward from it. And so began the strange evolution into what would be dubbed Heap. In the long generations that followed its birth, houses and other structures were built upon each other in termite hill fashion, always seeking to be closer to the Vanguards who were the city´s salvation. Time passed and soon a hierarchy developed. The wealthiest citizens built towers to live in, and the poorest dwelt in the bottommost portions of Heap, a district known as the Shambles. In the year 1104 the Vanguards issued a decree that lead to the creation of Dane´s Highways - four highways that connected the citadel to the base of the plateau below. No part of the city was allowed to obstruct the highways which allowed the Vanguard military to reach the ground without having to wind through Heap´s labyrinthine streets. In 1124 the Vanguards heard of plans to build a spire so high it would peer down upon their citadel. They deemed this outrageous and passed a decree stating that no part of Heap could crest the plateau´s top. Aside from these two decrees however, Heap´s growth has largely been a chaotic and unchecked thing. Travelers nearing Heap always marvel at the bizarre, top-heavy appearance of the city, as if some monstrous creature vomited random stacks of buildings there.

Citizens living in the spires of Heap are often referred to as Ups by those who live beneath him, and most of Heap refers to those who dwell in the Shambles as Grounders. The life of a Grounder is a perilous thing, as often the city´s criminal elements will flee to the depths when in straits in the districts above. The Shambles is also home to numerous nests of giant rats that prey on those who wander alone. But it is the Grounders whose border farms feed the city above, and without them Heap could not survive.



The City of Heap is one of Itharia´s greatest unnatural wonders. It is a city that lacks any sense of design and has taken on the most unusual of shapes. Its citizenry is composed of such diversity as to be unheard of elsewhere. In a world where survival often means sticking to one´s own kind, Heap represents a break from logic, but prospers nonetheless. As the War for Itharia rumbles on, and the Great Races clash against each other, new refugees struggle into Heap every day. In the end, it may be Heap itself, the city of homeless outcasts that stands as the last bulwark against darkness.

Kalon Lightbringer - Champion of the Vanguards.

Elut-Bal - Champion of the Fallen Kingdom

The Tundra Orcs are not for the faint of heart. One way of looking at them is as the gambling faction: they rely on luck, and like any good gambler a player has to know how to stack the odds in his favor. But another way to view the Tundra Orcs is as the all-or-nothing-knockout-blow-to-the-head faction. The orcs revere strength and brutality above most other virtues, their frigid climate having created one of the hardiest and most ruthless races in Itharia.

These qualities are epitomized in the Tundra Orc Summoner Grognack, who rose to power by being able to ignore pain and rip his foes asunder with his bare hands.



He is currently tied for the highest Life Points of any Summoner, and has the highest Attack Value as well. Once you add in the option of having a fifty percent chance of hitting all foes adjacent to his Walls, he is a powerful force in his own right.

Walls of Ice Shard would be tough for most factions to get a lot of use out of since most decks only have three Wall Cards in them, but Grognack can make more Walls out of ice!



Besides serving as protective barriers and Ice Shard launchers, recall that Walls also serve as additional summoning points. Having more Walls in your deck means that you can often lash out at your opponent´s Summoner from unexpected locations.

What´s that you say? Summoning happens before Events such as Walls? Well, that´s where the Reinforcements Card comes in.



The Reinforcements Event Card allows you to summon two Common Units from your hand at no cost. When played immediately after a Wall Card, you can summon any of the following troops to surprise your opponent´s Summoner.



First there is the Shaman, the only ranged attacker in the Tundra Orc starter deck. Some players distrust the Shaman´s Unwieldly Magic, but they are great for destroying two-life Common Units, or putting the hurt on your opponent´s Champions or Summoner. Two hits will quickly wipe that haughty smirk off of Prince Elien´s face. Shamans also prove that the best faction to oppose the Tundra Orcs is... more Tundra Orcs. Shamans easily reduce Smashers to smoking piles of ash.

There is also the Fighter, whose Fury and chance for repeated attacks is matched only by the Champion Ragnor.



Designer Tip: it is sometimes worth sending your Fighters after unworthy targets in an attempt to Fury-launch them towards your opponent´s Summoner.

The best use for the Reinforcements Event Card is perhaps the mighty Smasher, whose combination of four Life Points and Attack Value two is unparalleled among Common Units.



Sure, the Smasher always takes the maximum damage when attacked, but the only characters currently capable of killing them in one hit are Grognack, and the Tundra Orc´s very own Blagog. A Smasher or two can be essential to mounting a good offensive front, and can be especially trying for factions with low damage output.



Another way to keep the heat off your Tundra Orcs is the judicious use of the Freeze Event Card.



It is tempting to place this card on the most dangerous card in your opponent´s arsenal, like a powerful Champion, or to place it on a Guild Dwarf unit with a passive ability that you would like to ignore. However, your opponent will almost undoubtedly pay the cost to remove Freeze right away. Another tactic is the common cold. Pick off some wayward Common Unit that is standing adjacent to one of your opponent´s walls. By Freezing that guy, you slow down their ability to summon more troops, and give yourself yet another roadblock to hide behind as you advance your predominantly melee forces. Will your opponent really want to waste two Magic Points to defrost their one or zero-cost Common? Will they waste an attack on it to gain Magic Points back? Either way, it´s a win for you. And of course Freeze is also useful against those Summoners who habitually run away. Freeze can prevent Sneeks from using his Sly ability to flee, and if you can manage to save several Freeze Event Cards in your hand, you can drop a pile of icy hurt on a Summoner that will make your opponent´s jaw drop.

Now, get out there and smash some cocky elves!

Skeletal Archer - Common of the Fallen Kingdom

Ret-Talus - Summoner of the Fallen Kingdom

Battleplan for Summoner Wars is a third-party browser-based card reference database and deck builder. The fine people at Mythacle put this cool gaming tool together. Check it out!

Zombie Warrior - Common of the Fallen Kingdom

Dragos - Champion of the Fallen Kingdom Dragos is a vampiric champion of the upcoming Fallen Kingdom faction.

The first version of the Summoner Wars FAQ has been published and is now available for download in our downloads section.

Have you ever played a game you so strategically planned you knew somewhere deep in your heart it would be impossible to thwart? A silent, but exciting thought probably hit you as the plan unfolded in your mind:

"Holy crap! I´ve totally got this. If I can only roll what I need to..."

Ten minutes later, there you were curled up in a ball, sobbing in a corner as your opponent stood on the table laughing an evil and victorious laugh. How could it have happened? You had it all planned out! That game was yours! Then the god of six-sided dice looked down on you and said, "I hate you (insert name here)!"

Now imagine playing a game where the dice god has little or no say... Where the plan unfolds exactly as you intended... Where all your game playing dreams come true...Say hello to the Phoenix Elves!

The Phoenix Elves are a determined and bitter race. Differing from others of their kind, these volcano-dwelling beings will stop at nothing to restore all they think they have lost. Though their ancestral home is now gone, their passion and desire for vengeance burns like the magma core of Itharia. The ancient Phoenix Elves have mastered the element of fire and perfected their skills with the blade, striking flawlessly at those whose purpose opposes their own. A warm breath of air now rolls over the snowy wastes as the elves, newly armed with a Summoning Stone, descend upon their most hated of rivals, the Tundra Orcs - or as the xenophobic elves often call them, the blueskins.

The Phoenix Elf faction has a deck that emphasizes a well thought out strategy followed by perfect execution. Why perfect? Unlike any other faction, the elves have the advantage of direct damage. No rolls. Just hits. One example of this awesome concept lies with the Guardian:



Of course even if the other units are not gifted with Precision like the Guardian, many of their Event Cards make up for it.



Whether you are an offensive or defensive player, the elves are good at both. However, there is something truly exhilarating about charging your opponent. Summon Phoenix Elf Warriors to immediately charge in and attack units, then Blaze back to the safety of a Wall before your opponent can retaliate!



...or maybe you want to hold back and let your opponent come to you for a change? Use Archers to pick at your opponent from afar, while in the process, staying out of the fray of battle.



One of the greatest of the Phoenix Elf Champions is the ancient and strong Fire Drake. It would be a terrible thing for any foe to be fooled by this creature´s calm and often resolute posture. The Fire Drake is deadly both close and at a distance. Just when your opponent thinks he can hide behind a wall, be sure to remind him that the Drake´s Breath of Flame is an attack that absorbs everything within its reach.



Designer Tip: The Elves´ greatest weakness is the Prince´s low Life Points. Though his powerful Fire Blast and high Attack Value are tempting weapons for approaching foes, be wary of how open you leave Prince Elien on the field. He can easily die in a single turn! Keep an eye out for instances when Prince Elien has a Wall you control in the space that is either to the upper left or upper right of his position, and Prince Elien has clear line of sight to an enemy unit ahead. Attack the unit ahead with Prince Elien and at the end of your turn, immediately place a Phoenix Elf Warrior in front of him to block off possible counterattacks.



When playing with the Phoenix Elves never forget that your greatest advantage is in setting the terms of battle. Do not be drawn into conflicts where your units can be ganged up on or suffer multiple attacks, especially against factions with Common Units that possess more than 1 Life Point. If you take care to control the flow of battle, your Phoenix Elves can emerge victorious - whether the god of six-sided dice wants them to or not!

LADIES AND GENTS! Plaid Hat Games is NOW SHIPPING copies of Summoner Wars all across the country directly from PlaidHatGames.com! Click on the "Shop" tab to order yours today! And don´t forget, when you order directly from PlaidHatGames.com, you will receive one free Khan Queso (Mercenary Champion) promo card with each Starter Set ordered!

Check out what people who have already received their copy are saying about this game:

"The quality of the game components are top notch. Sturdy boxes, nice art, clean design, and good quality cards all support a great game."
- Pete Miller (AKA - Doc Savage)

"I purchased one of each Starter Set on Preorder. Now that I´ve played the final product, I´m going to have to order more. My brother loved it so much, I wrapped the other set up for a Christmas present for him. I´m going to have to order a few more copies for other friends. This game is addictive and very strategic both with hand management, but also placement and movement across the board."
- Chris Dupuis (AKA - gameguruchris)

"The game immediately feels comfortable to new players, because the core rules are very streamlined and easy to understand...I´ve introduced the game to several people now, and I´ve heard that magical phrase ´let´s try that again´ almost every time."
- Chris Schenek (AKA - cbs42)

"Each time you play makes you want to play again, trying another strategy... I see this game having a long life and am excited to see where it goes!"
- Cory Gerleman (AKA - darthTurambar)

So, you´ve gotten your copy of one of the Summoner Wars Starter Sets. Or maybe you got one of each. You´ve punched out your markers, unfolded your playing mat. You´ve riffled through your cards, taking in the amazing art and abilities.

You´ve played your first game (and maybe second and third and more), but, as with all good things, the end has come. It is time to pack it all away. You refold your mat, being careful to follow the original creases. You return the markers and dice and rule book to the box. You go to put your cards away... You don´t want them loose in the box, but you don´t really want to risk damaging them with a rubber band either. What do you do? Well, you download these tuck boxes, print them out on card stock using your color printer. You put them together and you store those gorgeous cards safely and snuggly.

An epic battle was waged last night between my heroic Tundra Orcs and the evil Phoenix Elves.

Those nasty puppy-killing Elves went first. My opponent thrust forward in an obvious sign of unprovoked aggression. Since he appeared to be committing to a fast offensive front, I utilized one of the unique Events available to my Orcs -- Ice Walls. On my first turn, I deployed two ice walls, and pulled my front line troops back a bit.



This may seem like a cowardly maneuver, but I had a plan. I hoped that he would continue to press into my territory, since my Summoner was able to turn my walls into a whirling cuisinart of icy death.



Wary of my withdrawal, my opponent held his ground instead of advancing, and in the next couple of rounds began to draw me out of my defensive position by focusing archers on my ice walls.



Well I couldn't just sit back and let my walls die, so I had been massing forces for a charge into the heart of the wicked Elven empire. When the assault began, my opponent had the advantage with his longer range. But I had numbers. My forces swarmed forward, ready to dine on Elf-burgers after the battle. The body count was high in the ensuing rounds, with more of my forces falling than his. I cringed, knowing that every noble Orc corpse provided him the magic to bring forth more Elven filth.

By this point, I'd deployed a couple more walls, nearly cutting the battlefield in half. The only clear path through my line of walls was in the center, where my Orcs continued to spray a jet of vengeance.

My opponent had been keeping pace but slowly losing ground by not bringing out as many troops as he could, which worried me. What was he planning with that stockpile of magic? For my part, I'd committed to a swarm offense, and I still felt it was better to press forward with this strategy. My only alternative was to stem the flow of my forces in order to build up the magic needed for a larger unit. But my enemy had the advantage of a significantly higher supply of magic at this point, so I felt this was a losing alternative. Onward then, with the swarm.

Then it happened. A brief veil of silence fell across the battlefield as magical forces swirled and siphoned into the hands of the Elven Summoner, Prince Elien. A brief moment later, the landscape of the battlefield had changed -- Maelena had arrived.



My forces were rattled, but knowing that something big was coming, I'd prepared a nasty surprise for my enemy. With a confident flair, I encased her in an icy prison.



This took my enemy by surprise, but he was able to muster enough magic to cast aside the freeze, and marched Maelena forward to smite another of my Orcs. I wasn't done yet. I had another Freeze that I dumped upon her, swarming my units around her to deal some hefty damage. Again though, she was able to escape the icy tomb, and sallied forth into my territory, casting aside my troops like ragdolls. The enemy Summoner, Prince Elien followed in her wake.

Maelena was able to corner my Summoner, dealing a crushing blow to him in the process. Things looked bad for me. To make matters worse, my draw deck was exhausted. If I was to be victorious, it would have to be with the remaining troops I had. Thankfully, a few moments later, Maelena was eliminated by a counterstrike from Grognack, but not before she had done extensive damage to Orcish forces.

My summoner, Grognack, had 3 life points remaining.

Prince Elien advanced upon him and performed a Fire Blast, to bring him down to a single point.



An Elven Warrior next to my Summoner attempted to land the killing blow, but failed. This gave me one last shot...

Fortunately, in order to cast his Fire Blast, Prince Elien had foolishly advanced within striking distance of my Summoner, the noble Grognack.



Grognack lunged forward, with the fury of a thousand Orcs. Four dice were rolled, and four hits were achieved. As Grognack's weapon came crushing down upon the head of vile Prince Elien, all enemy forces dissolved...

... the battle had ended. Grognack drew his remaining energy to stand above the body of the evil Prince, and spit upon his corpse. Many had died that day, but Grognack knew his brave soldiers did not die in vain. The world was safe for now ... especially for the puppies.

The ancient summoning stones have been uncovered, and now great power falls into the hands of a chosen few. These titans of the magical arts, these Summoners, will soon clash on the field of battle in a flurry of arcane wizardry and clanging steel. They call upon the strength of their faction, their race, and their creed, as they summon forth the warriors and the champions of their people to wage a war so great that the very foundations of Itharia will shudder in its wake.

Summoner Wars brings all of the action and strategy of a miniatures game into an affordable card game format. In Summoner Wars players will take on the role of a powerful Summoner, and each will summon forth elite warriors to the battlefield and weave magical spells as the battle against their opponent swells.

Now available for pre-order in the Plaid Hat Games Shop are two Starter Sets for Summoner Wars: Phoenix Elves vs. Tundra Orcs, and Guild Dwarves vs. Cave Goblins. Each of these Starter Sets includes everything needed to play a 2-player game of Summoner Wars.

Summoner Wars is an expandable, non-blind purchase card game. It will be expanded with new common and champion units for customizing your favorite faction, and will also be expanded with all new factions and all new Summoners for existing factions. Summoner Wars can also easily support 4 players with the purchase of 2 Starter Sets.

This is our first faction highlight article. In Summoner Wars each faction has a variety of unique qualities. The purpose of these faction highlights is to celebrate a faction by discussing some of the things that makes it unique and fun and to give out some tips for playing that faction.

The Cave Goblins are psychotic little creatures that care little for their own lives and care even less for the lives of their fellow goblins. The goblins live in a network of caves and tunnels located in the Mountains of Sorrow. They share those mountains with a variety of dark dwellers, some of which they´ve even managed to summon to the battlefield. But the goblins´ most notable neighbors are the Guild Dwarves, whose great stone city is carved into the mountainside. The goblins have striven against the dwarves for generations beyond remembrance. Now that the goblins have found a summoning stone, they can at last wage a real war against their dwarven foes.

The goblins are a horde faction. Many of their units have a summon cost of 0. This allows players to press forward on a constant attack, regardless of whether they have magic to spend.

In Summoner Wars you can only attack with 3 units every turn. That would make a horde army difficult to execute, if it were not for the backbone unit of the goblin army - the Fighter.

Goblin Fighters allow you to sneak in up to 2 extra attacks every turn. This requires a little finesse in which units you summon and how you attempt to position them on the battlefield, but the rewards for proper execution are an opponent that feels quickly overwhelmed and is forced into a defensive posture.

The Fighters aren´t the only horde trick that the goblins have up their sleeve. The goblin event cards revolve around making the horde the best they can be.

The Goblin Horde Attack event is great for turning a few little goblins into a dangerous mob. Use it in the right situation to make quick work of an enemy champion, wall, or even a Summoner.

Goblins can struggle, at times, with breaking through the enemy line and getting at their opponent´s Summoner. A well played Goblin Rush, or two, can help with this. It is also perfect for setting up one of those turns where you play a Goblin Rush to get units into position and then play a devastating Goblin Horde Attack and/or Goblin Rage to get in a bunch of powerful attacks, making full use of your extra Goblin Fighter attacks.


The goblins have some fun champion units. The Eater is this huge creature that lives in the depths of the Mountains of Sorrow. The goblins dubbed it The Eater long ago and have learned to fear it, as it likes to snack on wayward goblins. When The Eater is summoned to the battlefield it must feed on a steady diet of common units or it will just wander away. The goal is to have it eating more of your opponent´s units than it eats of yours. Eating one of your spare goblins with The Eater isn´t a total loss though, since when you destroy a unit, that destroyed unit goes to your magic pile, whether the destroyed unit was yours or your opponents.


Blarf is a snively little goblin who has long been mistreated by the other goblins. The other goblins put Blarf through a painful dark ritual, which allows a Summoner to juice him up on magic, turning him into a beast of a goblin. The problem is, if your opponent destroys Blarf, all those cards you used to beef him up will go into your opponent´s magic pile. The goblins have no moral qualms with attacking and destroying their own injured Blarf to prevent that from happening, taking the cards, instead, for themselves.

Designer Tip: Try using the Cave Goblin Summoner Sneeks´s Sly ability early. This comes with some inherent risk as you´ll be exposing your Summoner to damage, but Sneeks is built to take a little damage and keep on ticking. Use Sly to bring Sneeks up to the frontline of the battle before turn 3 or so. It´s early in the game so your opponent will likely still have precious few resources, he will be forced to focus those resources on Sneeks. Meanwhile, you´ve got an entire horde of common units pressing forward on your opponent. After you´ve inflicted heavy damage on your opponent´s forces, Sly Sneeks back to safety and watch your opponent scramble as they try to deal with the horde of goblins that snuck over while they were focused on Sneeks. Another great time to Sly Sneeks forward is on a turn that you´ve played Goblin Invincibility. You´ll get to take advantage of a heavy hit from Sneeks with little risk of him taking damage himself.
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