A Personal Gift to Johanna from Casper

A Christmas Tale:
Filchs Wound
Choose a player to read the following aloud:

ake quickly hurried inside

Barksburg again. It was
good to be back after a
three days journey. The old oak tree
was much warmer than the cold win-
ter outside. His tail coiled itself back
from around his neck, where it had
kept him warm like a good old scarf.
Tilda was walking towards him in her
old white cloak with blue borders.
Her mace was hanging in her belt
together with her usual healing
herbs. When she got up to Collin she gave
him a huge hug. The pommel on Collins sword How did it really go? she asked, putting
was pressing against his rips. Luckily he had her hands on her waist.
washed the spider slime off the blade with a Ehhmm, Collin began, but Nez inter-
bit of snow, or else both of them would have
rupted him.
had it whipped into their fur.
We got three of them, but the rest es-
So I see somebody is happy to see you
caped into the tunnels. It was too dangerous
alive, said a deep voice behind Collin, I
to follow them, so we went back, he ex-
wonder if she is happy to see me as well?
plained.
Of course I am Nez, said Tilda, so how
Well have to take care of those later,
did it go clearing out those spiders in the
Tilda commented, but for now I have some-
Kings chamber? She let go of Collin and con-
thing to show you. She started walking to-
tinued on to Nez. The tall earlier blacksmith
wards the square, but when the boys didnt
sat his huge war hammer down on the
follow her, she stopped.
ground on its head. He had to bend down to
hug the smaller Tilda. Come on, she shouted, we dont have
all day. Nez picked up his hammer, and they
Well, said Collin slowly, it went ok. But
both started to walk after Tilda. As they were
Tilda got the tone.
walking through the narrow streets of Barks-
burg, Nez leaned towards Collin.

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 I wonder what she is going to show us,
he whispered.
No matter what it is, its got to be im-
portant, Collin answered, my armor is kil-
ling me! He rolled his tired shoulders to ease
the pressure of the tight leather armor he
was wearing. The street slowly got wider and
wider, and when they turned around a corner
they were at the square. All of the buildings
around the square were shops, and they were
all full of people buying the last presents or
just getting a nice snack. Then Collin noticed
the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the
square.
Where did you get that? he burst out.
Because of their size it was almost impossible
to get a Christmas tree.
From the forest, Tilda explained while
scraping her feet.
But, how? Collin questioned. The forest
would be full of enemies, like rats, centipedes
and roaches.
We made an expedition, answered Tilda,
Maginos, Filch, Lily and I. At the same Collin
saw Lily moving towards them, her bow
hanging around her shoulder.
Hey Collin, hey Nez, good to see you
again, said Lily, turning as she said hey to
the boys.
Where is Filch and Maginos? Collin
asked.
Ehhm, well, Lily answered hesitantly,
Filch was hurt in the forest; Maginos is try-
ing to get him back up running.
But, why arent you then with him? Col-
lin turned and asked Tilda.
Thats because its a magical wound, she
answered darkly.
Chapter Objective
The mice enter the castle to get the magical
healing scroll that can save Filch.
Victory Condition
Get to the Alchemist Chamber and find the
healing scroll. Then get back to the court-
yard; clear out all of the minions and get all
uncaptured mice onto the tree entrance
space on the courtyard tile.
Defeat Condition
If the Hourglass marker reaches The End
marker on the chapter track, before they
reach back to the tree entrance space, or if
all the mice are captured at the same time,
the mice are defeated.
Chapter Setup
Chapter End
Place the Chapter End marker on page 4 of
the chapter track
Party Setup
Select 4 mice to be in the party for this chap-
ter. Filch cannot be in one of the 4 mice,
since he is wounded.
Encounter Deck Setup
To build the encounter deck, shuffle and
place all difficult encounters face down onto
the encounter area on the story control
board. Then shuffle and place 4 standard
encounters face down on top of that pile.
Room Tile Setup
Place the following 4 tiles as shown below:
The Courtyard, The Pipes, The Crystal Tun-
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nels, and The Kings Tunnel. Place the 4 mice
being used in this chapter on the start space
marked below. Place the Pipe Overlay token
in The Courtyard on the space with its pic-
ture. Start this chapter by revealing an en-
counter card.
Special Chapter Rules
Christmas Decoration
Every time the mice makes a special search
that gives them christmas decoration, move
the chapter end marker one space further
along the chapter track on the story control
board.
A Single Path
The mice cannot explore the Tunnel En-
trance, The Sewer Drain Pipe, and The Kings
Chamber tiles.
The Healing Scroll
Before the game starts, remove the Heal All
card from the search deck. Throughout the
game ignore all text (except from the title) on
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the card and treat it as a party item. No
mouse can use it for anything else than to
cure Filch.
The Courtyard
Special Rule: Tree Entrance: A figure can
only move onto or off the tree entrance
from the courtyard space adjacent to
the hole in the trunk. All other court-
yard spaces that share a border with the
old gnarled tree are not considered ad-
jacent. While on tree entrance space,
mice do not have a clear line of sight to
any courtyard space other than the
space adjacent to the hole. Minion fig-
ures cannot move onto the tree en-
trance space.
Special Rule: Thick Snow: When rolling
to move a mouse or minion, if a player
rolls a 3 on the action die, the player is
forced to turn it into a 1.
Special Rule: Leaving The Courtyard Tile
via the Pipe Entrance Marker: If a
mouse is standing on the Pipe Entrance
Marker it can use an explore action to
move onto The Pipes tile. When placing
the mice on The Pipes tile place them
 on any space next to the Exit Area facing
The Courtyard tile. After the mice have
been placed on The Pipes tile, remove
the Pipe Entrance Marker from the
game.
The Crystal Tunnels
The Pipes
Special Search (on orange
pipe spaces): Instead of
drawing a search card the
mouse finds a Christmas Heart. (Note:
This item allows the mice to advance the
chapter end marker one space further
on the chapter track)
Story Moment: When a mouse success-
fully finds the Christmas Heart, choose a
player to read the following aloud:
All around the little mouse, pipes
were going up and down in a confusing
mess. As the mouse was slowly turning
around itself to admire this wild beauty
it saw something totally out of content.
Only a few steps away, on a grey pipe
hang a small Christmas heart from its
handle. The mouse quickly ran to it and
put it in its little pocket.
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I bet we can use this for our Christ-
mas tree back in Barksburg, it said for
itself.
Special Search (on spaces next to
a crystal): Instead of drawing a
search card the mouse finds a
Candle. (Note: This item allows
the mice to move the chapter
end marker one space further
on the chapter track)
Story Moment: When a mouse success-
fully finds the Christmas Candle, choose
a player to read the following aloud:
The mouse stumbled over a small
stone lying on the floor. It fell as long as
it was and landed on the hard stone that
knocked out all of the air in its small
lungs. As it was lying there gasping for
air, its eye caught a bright white color
under one of the big blue crystals that
were scattered all over the tunnel sec-
tion. The mouse slowly began to crawl
towards the white thing. One of its small
paws fumbled around under the crystal
until it found a firm, greasy thing. As the
 mouse pulled its paw back, it saw that it
was sitting with a Christmas candle.
This will definitely cheer up our
Christmas tree back home, the mouse
said, as it stopped the candle into a
pocket.
The Alchemist Chamber
The Healing Scroll! the mouse burst
out, stumbling to its feet, but this is too
big to carry back to Barksburg. Maybe if
I claim it just like that time in the guard
tower. Its small paws gripped onto the
huge scroll.
I need this, the mouse whispered,
and instantly the scroll shrunk to the
mouse size. Just as it stopped it into a
pocket it heard the voice.
So you do, said the smarmy voice of
a rat.

Ad 1 rat to the alchemist table.

The Crystal Tunnels (2nd Time)

Special Search: the Heal-

ing Scroll (the Heal All
card) (Note: The mice
need to find this item in
order to cure Filch)

Story Moment: When a mouse success-

fully finds the Healing Scroll, choose a
player to read the following aloud: Special Setup: They Know We Were
Here: When drawing an encounter card
The little mouse ran around on the
for this tile, instead of placing the min-
huge tabletop. Papers of different sizes
ions listed for the page you are on,
were shattered all over the table. As the
place the minions listed for your page
mouse ran, one of its small feet got
plus 1.
caught under one of the papers. It fell
and hit the hard wood tabletop. All of
the air in its lungs was knocked out. The Special Surge: Whatever is listed on the
mouse sat up slowly gaining back when encounter card plus 2 rats.
it saw that it wasnt sitting on just a
piece of paper, but a scroll, and not just
The Kings Tunnels
any scroll.

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 see that it was holding a Christmas star
in its paw. It quickly stopped the star in-
to its pocket, not having breath enough
to say a thing.

Special Rule: Leaving The Kings Tunnels

via the Water Channel: If all minions are
defeated and all other fellow mice are
standing on a space thats not 1 of the 3
water spaces in the other channel, then
if a mouse is being carried out of the tile
by the current, instead of it being cap-
tured, move all the mice to the water
space on The Courtyard tile.
Special Setup: 2 Spiders (Place 1 spider
first and as soon as its defeated place
Special Surge: 1 Spider (If there is no
the next one)
available spider, place 3 rat warriors
instead)
Special Search (in water
spaces): Instead of drawing a
search card the mouse finds The Courtyard (2nd Time)
a Christmas Star. (Note: This
item allows the mice to advance the
chapter end marker one space further
on the chapter track)

Story Moment: When a mouse success-

fully finds the Christmas Star, choose a
player to read the following aloud:
The small mouse was caught in the
current; its small arms swimming for
survival. As a small wave glided along
the water the mouse was temporarily
caught under it. As it kicked hard with
its legs to get back up it hit a pointy
thing. The mouse gasped for air as it
Special Setup: They Know We Were
came back up to the surface. It took a
Here: When drawing an encounter card
deep breath and dived back into the wa-
for this tile, instead of placing the min-
ter. On the bottom of the water its small
ions listed for the page you are on,
eyes caught a flashing item; blurred out
place the minions listed for your page
because of the water. As soon as its paw
plus 1.
closed around the item it kicked hard
with its legs to get back up to the sur-
face. When it got back up it was easy to Special Rule: Tree Entrance: A figure can

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 only move onto or off the tree entrance
from the courtyard space adjacent to
the hole in the trunk. All other court-
yard spaces that share a border with the
old gnarled tree are not considered ad-
jacent. While on tree entrance space,
mice do not have a clear line of sight to
any courtyard space other than the
space adjacent to the hole. Minion fig-
ures cannot move onto the tree en-
trance space.
Special Rule: Thick Snow: When rolling
to move a mouse or minion, if a player
rolls a 3 on the action die, the player is
forced to turn it into a 1.
Special Surge: Whatever is listed on the
encounter card plus 2 rats.
The Story Continues
As soon as the 5 mice entered Barksburg,
they knew, that it was all wrong. Linera, the
city mayor, was running toward them in
haste.
Good you came, she said still out of
breath, its Filch, hes gone even worse.
Collin was the first to react as the trained
warrior he was.
Then what are we waiting for? he asked.
You are right, Linera answered, follow
me. The mice quickly got back to action as
they followed Linera into the city. She turned
around a corner and they were back at the
city square. On a thin straw mat next to the
tree lay Filch. It was first when they came up
to him that they noticed that his face was all
green and that his eyes were closed.
There is no time to waist, said one of the
mice as it pulled out the Healing scroll on
Filchs chest. At once the scroll started to
glow red. Small yellow flames jumped out of
the scroll and started to wave around on
Filchs body. After about 10 seconds the scroll
sat itself on fire, and it was gone. The green
color had left Filchs face and his eyes sprang
up. Slowly he sat up and looked around on
the circle of faces around him.
What are you looking at? he asked and
without being able to stop it all the mice
burst out in laughter.
Story Moment: If the mice have found at
least one piece of Christmas decoration,
choose a player to read the following aloud:
Its a beautiful tree you found, Linera
said, even though we dont have any decora-
tion for it.
But we did find some on the way, one of
the mice answered pulling a piece of decora-
tion out of its pocket.
Lets get that on the tree at once, Linera
answered the mouse. The mouse walked over
to the tree and hanged the decoration on the
tree.
Thats much better, Linera said nodding,
lets celebrate. Come on everybody, lets
have a dance. All the mice gathered around
the tree in a huge circle. Slowly they walked
around singing with a smile on their lips.
Then it ended as a good Christmas, Collin
thought for himself.