Ascendallion – Intro

Introduction
Ascendallion is a card-based, fantasy skirmish wargaming system for two or more players. The game takes place in a fantasy world ruled by several rivaling gods, their corresponding elements and a variety worshipping races, lineages and beasts fighting a eternal power struggle. The players take control of small forces called “warbands” and either play a standard game or a scenario with special victory conditions.

Background Story – Chapter: 1
“But…Master Ashra, this war is in vain!” shouted Dahlia with an awkward voice at the elderly knight. Dahlia was a beautiful young woman, she had long blonde hair and a slim figure. her skin tone was tanned and her white dress added a breathtaking contrast to her curves. Dahlia was abut 20 years old and since her birth she had been chosen to be the future queen of the kingdom of eszme. As to emphasize her words she stamped her dainty foot to the ground. Her crystal slippers made a clickering-tickering sound on the marble floor. The arched hallway was immediately filled with a gentle echo. Ashra darted an icy glance at the young woman. “War…” he said with a resigned voice, while his eye fell on an ancient painting on the wall. Ashra was the oldest of the royal guard, the highest order of knights in the kingdom of eszme. His shoulder long, brittle white hair scarcely hid uncountable scars on his face, his shoulders and his throat. His worn armor still reflected sparks of daylight. Three symbols made from pure gold embellished his suit: A crown, a ring and a rose. Those three symbols mirrored the highest virtues of the order. But in theese war torn times of intrigue, murder and foul plots even the virtues of the royal guard seemed to loose their shine. After taking a deep breath, Ashra finished his sentence: “War, is our peoples destiny”.

Summary of Play
In the Ascendallion game, two players fight a war, each using an army represented by cards, a special playmat, differently colored six-sided dice and additional cards to aid the players. From turn to turn the players send their pre-drafted armies onto each other striving for victory through field dominance and terrain control.

Object of the Game
Claim six victory points to defeat your opponents army and win the game. Victory points can be claimed in two different ways:

• Field Dominance
At the end of every turn, the player who caused more casualties than his opponent this turn, claims 1 victory point.

• Terrain Control
At the end of every turn, a player claims 1 victory point for every terrain he or she controls.

Background Story – Chapter 2:
“Mylady, its time for us to go – the council awaits us” said Ashra to the young princess while putting his hand on her shoulder. Dahlia shrugged it off and replied: “The meeting of the of the high priests is in vain too. This land is doomed anyway. The council – nothing more than a desperate attempt to keep our minds busy.” Dahlia took a look out of the cone-shaped window and sighed deeply. Ashra raised his voice again: “Lady Dahlia, you wont be able to pluck up courage just by ignoring your duties”. The young lady spinned around, her look searching for Ashras. As their eyes met she began with a determined voice: “Duties? You try to shed some light upon my daily routine while our people, this land, the whole continent are doomed to extinction?” Dahlias tanned cheeks turned red and she pressed together her lips until they looked like nothing more than a thin bloodless line. Ahsra moved one step backwards, he knew about Dahila’s double sided personality very well. Sometimes it took only seconds to turn her from a sad little girl into a resolute woman with quite some temper. “Lady Dahlia…” began Ashra as calm as possible, spreading his hands towards her. In situations like theese he felt more like taming a mare than talking to a princess. “Dahlia, isn’t looking away desperate too?” he finished his question. But that was enough for the young woman and she yelled into the knights face: “Looking away? You tell me I am looking away? A blessed swordsinger you are, teacher and mentor on all my ways. But, tell me how can I turn blind eye to this?”. To underline her words, she raised a hand into the air and pointed her finger through the open window, directly towards the sun. Ashras view wandered from Dahlias angry face to the end of her forefinger. Although he already knew what he would see, his face went pale in presentiment. A small object was embedded within the bright, fiery aurora of the sun. It looked like a black pearl tht hovered weightless in thousands of miles of distance. The air around it shimmered and whirred because of the heat. Although the object was small, the leaders of men realized even without their wizards that this inconspicious looking object carried a devastating message with it: Apocalypse.

• Continue reading the second chapter