The ILLUSIONIST
Dossier for:
The Sphere of the Illusionist
“Look Again”
Dawn of the 4th Cycle of Alamaze
The Sphere of the Illusionist is a kingdom whose power and influence are derived from the mastery of illusion magic, fostered by none other than their enigmatic leader, The Grand Illusionist. With their profound expertise in the realm of illusions, they wield unparalleled strength, enabling them to exert control and influence in a myriad of ways. At the heart of their dominion lies the hidden capital city, expertly cloaked from prying eyes through intricate illusionary enchantments. This invisibility affords the kingdom a remarkable advantage, shielding their strategic assets and operations from external threats. Furthermore, the illusionists utilize their magical prowess to shroud their spies and operatives, allowing them to navigate the realms undetected and gather vital intelligence.
Illusion magic serves as the lifeblood of the kingdom’s economic and diplomatic endeavors. The Illusionist’s artistry enables them to manipulate trade routes, divert economic flows, and influence political landscapes, making the Sphere of the Illusionist an enigma that few can decipher. Within their society, wizard adepts lend their expertise, assisting in the creation of intricate illusions and conducting research to unlock new applications for their enchanting craft. In times of conflict, the Illusionists eschew traditional warfare, favoring guerilla tactics that exploit their mastery of illusions. They adeptly deploy ambushes and disorienting deceptions, striking swiftly before retreating into the shadows. This unorthodox approach confounds their adversaries, creating an aura of uncertainty that permeates the battlefield.
A secretive society, the Sphere of the Illusionist remains an enigma to the outside world, rendering predictions and reactions from neighboring realms incredibly challenging. Their ability to manipulate perceptions, veil their true intentions, and outmaneuver their opponents in both war and diplomacy sets them apart as an unparalleled force.
TO ARMS!
From Your Chief Enchantress:
Grand Illusionist, your title says it all. Master of illusion, our strength is in your magic Supremacy, as well as the many important spells you gain earlier than your rivals, and interesting special orders and abilities. Our traits provide a hidden capital, agent bonuses, trading and some economic manipulation. We can move nearly undetected. Surprise should work in our favor. Exploit our magic advantages and agent advantages. Try to use guerilla tactics militarily rather than slug it out. Tend to the development of your adepts and lesser wizards. Our foes may never see us coming.
Specialized Traits For Our Kingdom:
The following traits provide special and unique bonuses for our kingdom. These effects are inherent and do not require specific action to enable unless otherwise specified in the section below.
| Type | Name |
|---|---|
| Cultural | Charisma |
| Cultural | Cunning |
| Cultural | Forethought |
| Cultural | Secretive |
| Cultural | Trick Of The Trade |
| Magic | Supremacy |
- Charisma: +1 influence. A bid for an open High Council chair is elevated by 10,000 gold without paying the cost (so a bid of 30,000 actually counts as 40,000).
- Cunning: +15 point bonus to Incite Rebellion (#320) and Stir Unrest (#315). +3 levels to max agent training. Agent training reduced by -1,000 gold.
- Forethought: Increases +2 standing orders allowed at onset, +1 per region controlled over standard. +3 (instead of +2) orders allowed over influence.
- Secretive: The kingdom begins with a hidden capital and an additional level 4 agent. On turn 0, the capital will be given a Glyph of Concealment. This magical effect is permanent and is not transferrable to another popcenter by any means (even if relocating the capital, the glyph stays at the former capital). Hidden popcenters will not be discovered when a group travels over them nor will they be revealed by a High Priestess divination. A hidden popcenter may only be discovered if a group ends movement upon it (not searching for popcenters) or by a level 4+ agent performing a single recon (#970) but not trail group (#691/971) or search for popcenters (#976).
- Trick Of The Trade: Gets 25% more in a trade with another kingdom that does not possess the same trait (Trick of the Trade) than the indicated amount (this does not come from the other player’s treasury). Agents have -25% to being captured (so a 40% chance of capture becomes 30%). Sea movement by a group is 25% less likely to be interdicted.
Special Rules For The Sphere of the Illusionist Kingdom:
- Terrain Adeptness: Standard
- Magical Prowess: Supremacy (Tier 1 of 7)
- Spells available earlier than prowess base: Chaos, Conceal Emissary, Create Gold, Instant Phantasmal Force, Greater Masking, Lesser Masking, Mirror Image, Project Image of Group
- Our kingdom has access to the full set of Summon Monster I-IX spells. These creatures are of standard caliber without any special abilities, though they are quite useful in combat.
- Our kingdom begins the game with a Cloak of Disguise for our highest ranking emissary.
- Illusionist agents gain a 10% bonus during all Steal (food, gold, artifact) and Rescue attempts. During those missions, our agents are 10% less chance of being caught.
- Our agents held as prisoner gain a 15% bonus when attempting to escape from prison.
- Our emissaries have a 20% less chance of being detected while relocating to another popcenter.
- Wizard capitals start with a significant boost to their defense than normal.
Your first group begins as your most powerful and important group. In addition, should you earn your Early Strategic Objective or qualify for an Appeal to the Gods (Epic Game only) there are possible awards that only go into your first group (see General Rules).
Early Strategic Objectives:
Enter your selections for the Early Strategic Objectives with your orders on turns 1 through 3. Use Order #991 and reference the instructions in the Official Rulebook. If you do not select any objectives, your kingdom will receive the default objectives listed below:
| Control a region | worth 2 points |
| Have 3+ Dukes (not Demon Princes/Consuls/King/Queen/Regent) | worth 1 point |
We are pursuing a MINOR ESO!
On turns 10 through 15, if our kingdom has achieved the above requirements to total 3 achievement points, we may claim awards worth 3 points!
Victory Conditions:
This campaign has NORMAL victory conditions.
Therefore a kingdom may win via Rex (control 5+ regions) or by Lion’s Share (most status points at end of the game).
Skeletons In The Closet:
The following skeletons, if revealed, will have detrimental impact on your influence and on regional reaction in some regions.
| Type | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR | 2623 | The King Has Hydrophobia: He Is Terrified Of Water (Especially The Sea). |
| MINOR | 6075 | The King Has A Bad Heart Which Acts Up In Periods Of Crisis. |
| MINOR | 7762 | The King Is A Shocking Sexual Deviant. |
Magical Prowess:
Proficiency: Supremacy (Tier 1 of 7)
Maximum assured Power level attainable: 9
(Spellcasters may attempt to research beyond the assured level, but may fail about 50% of the time, and the gold cost is still consumed)
Gold cost per research level: 7,000
(Plateau levels have additional cost. At 3rd level, +10,000 gold. At 5th level, +30,000 gold. At 7th level, +60,000 gold. For example, to increase a pwr-2 wizard to pwr-3, the cost is the gold-cost-per-research-level x level + plateau cost, or 31,000 gold. To reach 5th level, the cost is 65,000 gold. To reach 7th level, the cost is 109,000 gold.)
Spell List
Level 0: Rite Of The Magi, Self Invisible, Wizard Assist Encounter
Level 1: Bridge Of Mist, Create Food, Create Gold, Diplomacy, Fear, Lesser Masking, Light Of The Evening Star, Lightning Attack, Magic Research, Protect Heroes and Wizards, Raven Familiar, Reveal King’s Influence, Shield, Speed, Stun Leader, Summon Monster I (Troglodyte), Valor, Ward
Level 2: Bridge Of Mist (Intrinsic), Chaos, Conceal Emissary, Dispel Magic, Dispel Storm at Sea, Firestrike, Greater Masking, Guarded Attack, Invisible Patrol, Kill Leader/Wizard, Light Of The Evening Star (Intrinsic), Mirror Image, Ship of Mist, Sleep, Summon Monster II (Gnoll), Teleport Self
Level 3: Command Tornado, Dire Wolf Familiar, Dispel Dome of Invulnerability, Dispel Regional Effect, Eagle Familiar, Flash Flood, Hidden Ore, Instant Self Teleport, Instant Summon Phantasmal Forces, Invisible Brigade, Presence (Intrinsic), Project Image Of Group, Protection from Regional Effect, Raise Population Center Census, Summon Monster III (Owlbear), Teleport Patrol, True Seeing, Wall of Flame, Ward Population Center, Wind Storm
Level 4: Destroy Undead, Earthquake, Fertile Fields, Imp Familiar, Invisible Division, Strengthen Walls, Summon Minotaurs, Summon Monster IV (Gargoyle), Teleport Brigade
Level 5: Blinding Light (Regional Effect), Bounty (Regional Effect), Conjure Prestige, Create Magical Item, Ice Torrent, Infuriate Populace, Invisible Army, Meteor Strike, Raise Regional Census (Regional Effect), Summon Monster V (Manticore), Summon Rock Golems, Teleport Division, True Seeing (Intrinsic), Unveil Group Locations, Unveil Population Centers
Level 6: Augment Title, Chain Lightning, Charm Region, Conjure Scandal, Dome of Invulnerability, Enhance King’s Aura, Revelation, Simulacrum, Storm at Sea, Summon Monster VI (Ettin), Teleport Army
Level 7: Power Word Stun, Prismatic Rays, Summon Death, Summon Monster VII (Umber Hulk), Teleport Army Group
Level 8: Crack The Sky, Incendiary Cloud, Summon Iron Golem, Summon Monster VIII (Gelatinous Cube)
Level 9: Arcane Disjunction, Disintegrate, Summon Monster IX (Shambling Mound)
The Sphere of the Illusionist Military Dossier
Kingdom Brigade Description:
We are mainly light infantry supported by archers. Determined Attack or Hold at All Costs should almost never be used. If military power becomes important, recruit and use your available Companions.
Kingdom Brigade Ratings:
| LR Missile | SR Missile | Charge | 1st Melee | 2nd Melee | Combined | Storm (PC) | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Above Average | Below Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average |
Recruit Troops (Order #560), Recruit Companions (Order #565), or magically summoned brigades fight at their respective values for all kingdoms. They move according to the kingdom’s movement table. They consume food and gold at their respective rates. Groups at sea fight according to the fleet quantity and quality in the given sea.
Special Note: Flyers may be available for your kingdom through the Recruit Companions (Order #565) or as a Wizard Summoning Spell. All flying groups, either as natural flyers like Dragons or groups enhanced with special brigades/artifacts that bestow flying capabilities, are considered flying at all times. When specifying the group’s movement, all terrain costs are calculated as normally in your movement order (including when flying over water areas). However, flying groups whether they are all-natural flyers (e.g., all brigades of Griffons) or non-natural flyers (ground-based troops that gain flying by acquiring an artifact or by recruiting Giant Eagles) are checked throughout the turn if their situation changes. Flying status may be lost if the group no longer meets certain criteria such as losing division-sized status required by certain artifacts due to transferring troops between groups, combining groups together, or gaining additional troops through battle as what may occur with special troops like Zombies that eat the dead and grow in number. Or Lycanthrope that spreads among the injured on the battlefield and the group acquires new Lycan brigades. Another possibility to consider is if the group will receive any troop reinforcements, which occurs at certain intervals throughout the game. So, even though a ground-based, non-natural flying group may start the turn as a flyer, its status may change throughout the course of the game. A flying group that flys over or lands upon a water area may be issued any movement order (e.g., 720 and not required a sea movement order like 710).
Natural flyers are: Black/Red Dragons, Great Bats, Phoenixes, Specters, and Wyverns, as well as the new troop types of Air Elementals, Beholders, Chimeras, Cockatrices, Fairy Folk, Gargoyles, Giant Eagles, Griffons, Manticores, Mephits, Pixies, Rocs, and Sprites. Giant Eagles and Rocs are the only natural flyers capable of bestowing flight to ground-based troops. Artifacts that are capable of bestowing flight to others are: Great Red Bats of the Lost Caves, Green Dragon Mates, and the Last Herd of Winged Stallions. If a group consists of only natural-flyers or ground-based troops that become capable of flying, the following flight bonuses apply: +20% attack bonus vs pop centers, immune to Earthquake, Flash Flood, and Wall of Flame spells, patrol-sized groups have 32 (rather than 20) movement points (only for patrols of the Black Dragon, Red Dragon, and Fairy Folk kingdoms), may fly over water without a naval fleet being involved (may finish movement upon a water area), automatically performs a reconnaissance of the group’s location as a level 1 agent, and the flying group may not be flanked in battle (a special attack maneuver that certain kingdoms may perform).
Kingdom and Recruitable Troop Types (Food/Gold Amount Is Cost To Recruit):
| Type | ID | Food | Gold | Max Per Group | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illusionist | IL | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | Kingdom brigade, not recruitable but receive as reinforcements |
| Mythians | MY | 6,000 | 8,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within Zanthia (6), The Sword Coast (8), Zamora (10), Mythgar (11), or The Untamed Lands (12) and requires General and 1 Veteran brigade |
| Northmen | NM | 4,000 | 6,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within The Crown Islands (1), Darkover (2), The Diamond Coast (3), Triumvia (5), or Stormgate (13) and requires Captain |
| Nyvarians | NY | 4,000 | 6,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within The Diamond Coast (3), Nyvaria (7), Pellinor (9), The Untamed Lands (12), or Stormgate (13) |
| Paladins | PA | 8,000 | 10,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within Darkover (2), Krynn (4), Triumvia (5), Nyvaria (7), or Pellinor (9) and requires General and 1 Veteran brigade [Only permitted for non-evil kingdoms] |
| Stormgate Guard | ST | 10,000 | 10,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within Stormgate (13) and requires General |
| Vikings | VI | 6,000 | 9,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within The Crown Islands (1), Darkover (2), or The Diamond Coast (3) and requires General and 1 Veteran brigade |
| Westmen | WE | 4,000 | 6,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within Krynn (4), Triumvia (5), Zanthia (6), The Sword Coast (8), or Stormgate (13) and requires Captain |
| Zamorans | ZA | 4,000 | 6,000 | Unlimited | Recruit at pop center within The Sword Coast (8), Pellinor (9), Zamora (10), Mythgar (11), The Untamed Lands (12), or Stormgate (13) and requires Captain |
| Companions (Order #565): | |||||
| Chameleons | CH | 3,000 | 3,000 | 5 | Recruit in wild (no pop center) in Forest, Marsh, Desert terrain and requires General and 1 Veteran brigade |
| Scorpions | SC | 4,000 | 8,000 | 3 | Recruit in wild (no pop center) in Desert terrain and requires General and 1 Elite brigade |
| Saurus | SU | 4,000 | 8,000 | 5 | Recruit in wild (no pop center) in Marsh terrain and requires General and 3 brigades |
| Summoned (By Spell): | |||||
| Ettins | ET | N/A | N/A | 3 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Gargoyles (Flyer) | GA | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Gelatinous Cubes | GC | N/A | N/A | 3 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Gnolls | GL | N/A | N/A | 10 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Iron Golem | IG | N/A | N/A | 1 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Mountains terrain |
| Manticores (Flyer) | MC | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Minotaurs | MI | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Forest, Mountains terrain |
| Owlbears | OW | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Phantasmal Force | PM | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in any terrain |
| Rock Golems | RG | N/A | N/A | 5 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Mountains terrain |
| Shambling Mounds | SM | N/A | N/A | 3 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Troglodytes | TG | N/A | N/A | 10 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
| Umber Hulks | UH | N/A | N/A | 3 | Summon in wild (no pop center) in Plains, Forest, Mountains, Marsh, Desert terrain |
Resource Consumption per Brigade (Each Turn):
| Type | Food | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Illusionist | 1,400 | 1,400 |
| Mythians | 1,700 | 2,100 |
| Northmen | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Nyvarians | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Paladins | 2,700 | 2,700 |
| Stormgate Guard | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Vikings | 1,800 | 2,200 |
| Westmen | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Zamorans | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Companions (Order #565): | ||
| Chameleons | 1,100 | 1,100 |
| Scorpions | 1,700 | 1,500 |
| Saurus | 2,200 | 1,500 |
| Summoned (By Spell): | ||
| Ettins | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Gargoyles | 850 | 850 |
| Gelatinous Cubes | 1,750 | 1,750 |
| Gnolls | 650 | 650 |
| Iron Golem | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Manticores | 950 | 950 |
| Minotaurs | 2,300 | 2,500 |
| Owlbears | 750 | 750 |
| Phantasmal Force | 0 | 0 |
| Rock Golems | 500 | 1,500 |
| Shambling Mounds | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Troglodytes | 500 | 500 |
| Umber Hulks | 1,500 | 1,500 |
Reinforcement Schedule (Receive As Kingdom Brigades):
| Turn 5: | 2 |
| Turn 10: | 1 |
| Turn 15: | 2 |
| Turn 20: | 1 |
| Turn 25: | 2 |
| Turn 30: | 1 |
| Turn 35: | 2 |
| Turn 40: | 2 |
Terrain Combat Adjustment:
| Terrain Type | Movement Point Cost | Movement (Ice Age) | Illusionist | Trait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | 5.0 | 6.25 | 0% | |
| Forest | 7.0 | 8.75 | 0% | |
| Mountains | 8.0 | 10.00 | 0% | |
| Desert | 7.0 | 8.75 | 0% | |
| Marsh | 7.0 | 8.75 | 0% | |
| Sea | 5.0 | 6.25 | 0% | |
| vs PC’s | * | * | 0% |
Intercept Radius:
Your intercept radius is 3 areas (for Order #732).