Instruction Manual
Credits Designed and Programmed by Victor J.
Solium Infernum 1. Introduction Welcome to Solium Infernum, the turn-based strategy game that lets you play as an Archfiend battling for the Infernal Throne of Hell. This manual will provide you with all the information you need to start playing the game. Minimum System Requirements Windows XP/Vista 1.
Solium Infernum Game Length: This drop-down box selects the number of Conclave Tokens that must be drawn to convene the Infernal Conclave and, thus, end the game by choosing the Archfiend with the most Prestige as Ruler of Hell (cf. Winning the Game, 3.4). Short games require that 10 tokens be drawn. Normal games require 15 tokens. Long games require 20. Epic games requires 25. Player Symbol Selection: Use these horizontal arrows to select a symbol or icon to represent each player, be they AI or human.
Solium Infernum • Some actions and orders require the payment of Prestige Points, which are a general indicator of a player’s success within a game. After the game directs you to the Tribute Tab, click on the arrows next to the Prestige symbol (a laurel wreath) to adjust the Prestige that you will commit to the task. The number will display in red until the correct amount of Prestige has been fulfilled. • To respond to a turn log message (e.g.
The Processed Turn When the turn is processed by hitting the End Turn button during a single player or hot seat game (or the Process Turn button from the host’s control panel during a PBeM game), the following preset operations occur in set order: Durational Rituals: Any Rituals that are durational are evaluated for their effects and whether or not sufficient tribute has been paid for their continuance. Threat List Evaluation: For the first 10 turns, a player may change his threat list at no cost.
Solium Infernum Prestige: This represents your standing in the Infernal Conclave and the relative esteem, fear, or favor with which you are held by its members. You can accumulate Prestige in the following ways: • Places of Power: Controlling a Place of Power gives the owner a certain number of Prestige Points per turn. Each Place of Power lists the amount generated as one of its special abilities (e.g., +1 Prestige).
Solium Infernum 4. The Game Elements This next section (the longest) covers the major, active mechanics in Solium Infernum. It’s best to read through this once, then use it as a point of reference if you grow confused. 4.1 The Archfiend Avatar Your Archfiend Avatar represents the scope of your powers within the game. It has a huge impact on the strategies you should use while pushing your claim on the Infernal Throne. When creating an avatar, you are given 30 points to distribute.
Solium Infernum Public Objective The Public Objective is a single, known goal that you are given to accomplish, and it may exemplify the type of strategy you will use. As mentioned above, there is no penalty for failing the Public Objective, though successful completion results in a substantial Prestige Point bonus (30) at game’s end. Gluttony: Consume 35 souls by game’s end. Greed: Hold 50 Tribute Cards in your vault at game’s end.
Solium Infernum The following terrains are passable: Rivers with Bridges, Open Spaces. Use this to your advantage since only few Legions possess flight and even fewer possess terrain-specific enhancements such as Swamp Walk. Player Borders Each player starts the game with a Stronghold and its surrounding territory already placed under the player’s domain. When a Canton is claimed by a player, it is drawn with a border and the correlating symbol which was assigned to that player at game’s start.
Solium Infernum Diabolism Level 1: You are offered 2 cards and may keep 2 cards. Diabolism Level 2: You are offered 3 cards and may keep 2 cards. Diabolism Level 3: You are offered 4 cards and may keep 3 cards. Diabolism Level 4: You are offered 5 cards and may keep 3 cards. Diabolism Level 5: You are offered 6 cards and may keep 4 cards. Diabolism Level 6: You are offered 7 cards and may keep 4 cards. Diabolism Level 7+: You are offered 7 cards and may keep 5 cards.
Solium Infernum Move Points: These determine how far a Legion may move in any given turn across the game board. For each movement point, the Legion may enter one Canton. If the Legion has a special ability that allows it to move into impassable terrain then it still expends one movement point to do so. Special Abilities: Some Legions have special abilities that grant terrain movement bonuses or advantages in battle.
Solium Infernum 4.5 Places of Power The Place of Power is a special landmark of the Infernal Pit, imbued with unholy energy and historic significance. Controlling a Place of Power brings tremendous honor and Prestige to its owner. Places of Power are represented on the game map by unique icons that correspond to the Place’s context. Place of Power Attributes Name: Each Place of Power has a unique name. Icon: Each Place of Power has a unique icon displayed on the game board.
Solium Infernum 4.6 Praetors Praetors are heroes of Hell, used by astute leaders to coerce or otherwise lead Legions and garrisons into battle. Like Legions, Praetors may be auctioned through the Infernal Bazaar. They never exist as a separate unit on the map; they are either attached to a unit or reside in the player’s vault (i.e., Stronghold). Praetor Attributes Name: Each Praetor has a unique name. Icon: Each Praetor has a unique image.
Solium Infernum What is moste important, however, is that we educate ourselves (for is not education our greatest asset over mankinde in the fight against He?) and rise above this recent and banal tendencie to act and disregard ourselves as caotic and unruly, always to increase in nomber but never to organize in strength. What I propose is the listing of various Relics and artefacts worshipped by our kinde and a classification of these through proper verbal and historical insight.
Solium Infernum Assembling and Using Manuscripts Some Manuscripts are single pieces, but many of the most powerful ones require two, three, or four pieces to be collected and then assembled. Manuscripts that train (i.e. enhance) Legions and Praetors are denoted by the letter “L” or “P” in the bottom left of the Manuscript image. Their numbering sequence, if any, is also denoted. “P 1 / 2”, for example, indicates that the Manuscript trains Praetors and that it is the first of two parts.
Solium Infernum 4.11 Rituals ”Well,” I say, “Mother Nature has allowed our corruption since the beginning.” I wave off my own words as inconsequential.
Solium Infernum Challenge Rolls When a Ritual targets an opponent or some item that an opponent controls, the game conducts a Challenge Roll to determine whether it succeeds. These rolls are conducted by the computer in secret, and only their results are displayed to the players. In general, the player performing the Ritual rolls 2d6 then adds his modifiers. The defending player rolls 2d6 then adds his.
Solium Infernum 4.12 Combat Cards Players may create Combat Cards to enhance their Legion’s and Places of Power’s combat attributes. The following rules govern Combat Card creation and use: • The Wrath Discipline governs the creation and use of Combat Cards. Wrath Level 1: Allows the increase of friendly, non-zero attributes. Allows one element per card. Wrath Level 2: Allows the decrease of your enemy's attributes. Wrath Level 3: Allows the increase of friendly Hit Points for the battle.
Solium Infernum Outside the sky coughed a gradient from light grey to purple, and the textured whisper of clouds moved toward what could be the Phlegethon region. He had watched the clouds for a while, outside that window. He was standing with a block of cheese in hand and a knife in the other. Sometimes he would pull the knife toward his thumb and eat a sliver off the blade, watching elements dance that were far beyond his control. “Prelude to the End of Order” by Epistemol 4.
Solium Infernum The following sections cover the diplomatic actions that you may chose. 4.14.3 Demands This diplomatic action lets you send a message via the Infernal Conclave to an opponent, telling them they must surrender something that you desire. Protocols regulate what you can demand as well as your available options, should the enemy refuse. The Cost: Making a Demand costs Prestige Points.
Solium Infernum 4.14.4 Insults You may insult an opponent in front of the Infernal Conclave, though you must pay a specified number of Prestige Points to execute the insult. The Cost: You are allowed to spend a maximum of six Prestige Points modified by the difference in Infernal Rank between you and your opponent.
Solium Infernum Vendetta Objectives: Claiming Vendetta requires that you specify your objectives. The following objectives may be claimed: Capture Cantons: You must capture a NET INCREASE of Cantons from your target opponent. The more Cantons you capture, the greater the reward upon success. The game will present you with several numerical choices. Capture Places of Power: You must capture a number of Places of Power from your target opponent.
Solium Infernum Failure to Appear: If the player claiming Vendetta by Single Combat fails to submit a Praetor within the allotted time, that player forfeits his wager, and the target of the Vendetta has his Prestige wager reimbursed. If the target of the Vendetta fails to submit a combatant in the allotted time, the target player loses his Prestige stake, and the player claiming Vendetta is declared the winner. For winning, the player receives double his Prestige wager.
Solium Infernum 4.14.8 Blood Vassals & Blood Lords At some point in the game you may decide it is more realistic to attempt a second-place finish rather than a first-place one. Players who trail in Prestige and land ownership can petition a more affluent, powerful player to let them become their Blood Vassals. The Blood Vassal works to support his lord’s claim to the throne, understanding that he will be made the Blood Lord’s Lieutenant should the Blood Lord succeed in ascending to the Infernal Throne.
Solium Infernum 4.15 Objectives Objectives are goals that reward you with Prestige at game’s end. Well, if you successfully complete them. Your Public Objective is chosen when you create your Avatar; it can be viewed by all opponents. Secret Objectives, though, are drawn during the game and are generally hidden from one’s enemies. Public Objectives There are seven Public Objectives that correspond to the seven deadly sins.
Solium Infernum A combat usually consists of two such rounds. Attachments (such as Praetors, Artifacts, and Combat Cards) to combative units may alter this outcome. Legions and Places of Power may also possess special abilities to sway these results. If a Legion or Place of Power is reduced to zero hit points, it is defeated. Battlefield Advantage: Before each battle, both combatants roll 1d6 and add their level.
Solium Infernum Battle Example The screenshot to the right (Battle Round 1) shows the first round of combat between two Legions. Notice that the combat data for each attribute flows inward from the outside. On the left, the Iron Maidens show a Ranged challenge attribute of five (their base attribute) and six (their base plus any bonuses due to adjacent Legions, Combat Cards, etc.). The Bloody Hands have values (again, outside in) of four (base) and five (base plus bonuses).
Solium Infernum Basic Combat Moves All Praetors have access to four basic combat moves. Combat moves are assigned through an in-game menu, where Skulls, Shields, and Orbs may be allotted to these moves. The four basic moves are: Melee Attack: This move may be augmented by one to five Skulls. When compared to the opponent’s move in their corresponding Combat Slot, this move may do hit point damage against the opponent.
Solium Infernum Skulls plus the two Luck points that were randomly rolled between zero and three (Furfur’s Luck is three). This score is compared to the Shields and Luck of Decarabia, who, in this example, has no Shields but has rolled a Luck of two (Decarabia’s Luck is two, so this was the maximum possible roll). The difference is calculated as 5 – 2 = 3 damage points, and with the one additional damage point that Impale awards, the new total is now four.
Solium Infernum Bid on Praetor: Use this order to bid on a Praetor in the Infernal Bazaar. Bid on Artifact: Use this order to bid on an Artifact in the Infernal Bazaar. Bid on Relic: Use this order to bid on a Relic in the Infernal Bazaar. Bid on Manuscript: Use this order to bid on a Manuscript in the (yes) Infernal Bazaar. Give Legion Orders: Use this order to March, Fly, Dismiss, or Train a Legion.
Solium Infernum 5. Multiplayer Games That was the hard part. Here’s the easy part. There are two modes for multiplayer games: Hot Seat and Play By eMail. Hot Seat In Hot Seat games, players alternate inputting turns on the same computer. After each human player clicks the End Turn button, a screen appears which prompts the next player to begin their turn.
Solium Infernum Appendices A.
Solium Infernum Ministerium – Tribute Assign Prestige Resources Committed To Task Tribute Task List Tribute Task Icon Task Details Number of Tribute Cards Tribute Card Manuscript Identification Cancel Dialogue Manuscript Card Ministerium – Diplomacy Commit Tribute To Task Diplomacy Tab Close Dialogue Button Threat Order List Player Prestige View Details Adjust Threats Button Demands And Insults History Diplomatic Stance Key Relations/Orders Sub Tab Regent Marker 36
Solium Infernum Ministerium – Forces Forces Tab Close Dialogue Button Item List Item Icon Item Details Flavor Text Attachment Slot Upkeep Item Filters Ministerium – Avatar Avatar Tab Player Portrait Close Dialogue Button Avatar Details Attributes Order Increase Attribute Powers Roll Modifier For Power Stats/Powers Tab 37
Solium Infernum Infernal Bazaar Bid Categories Minimum Bid Item List Avatar Details Item Image Flavor Text Upkeep Place Bid Button B. Hot Keys Spacebar: Open Ministerium Interface “B”: Open Bazaar Interface “Z”: Toggle Map Zoom “N”: Cycle next friendly Legion “M”: Cycle next friendly Place of Power “ , ”: Cycle next enemy Legion “ . ”: Cycle next enemy Place of Power “Q”: Open Save/Load/Quit Interface Arrow Keys: Scroll the map C.
Solium Infernum Melee +X: Add X to the Melee attribute of the Legion or Place of Power commanded by this Praetor. Infernal +X: Add X to the Infernal attribute of the Legion or Place of Power commanded by this Praetor. Level Roll +X: Add X to the level of the Legion or Place of Power commanded by this Praetor during the following: combat and Resistance Rolls, and determining the number of attachment slots. Loyalty +X: Add X to the loyalty of the Legion or Place of Power commanded by this Praetor.
Solium Infernum D. Artifact Special Abilities Sound of Doom: After each round starts, the enemy must roll 1d6 and add its level. If the number is less than 10, any “action” special abilities (such as those given by Artifacts and Praetors) are blocked for the entire round. Special abilities that grant attribute bonuses are not affected. Stunning Blow: A successful Melee attack does double damage and reduces the opponent’s attributes to zero for the rest of that combat round.
Solium Infernum E. Relic Special Abilities Prestige +1: This Relic grants +1 Prestige Point per turn to its owner if placed in a Stronghold’s or Place of Power’s attachment slot. Prestige Bonus +30: This Relic grants +30 Prestige Points to the Archfiend who controls it at game’s end. However, each turn that passes until the end of the game will cost you a prestige point in upkeep. Wrath +1: Add 1 to the Wrath level of the Archfiend controlling this Relic.
Solium Infernum F. Legion Special Abilities Flying X: Legion may jump over Cantons (even impassable ones) to a maximum range of X. Mountain Walk: Legion may enter mountainous Cantons. Swamp Walk: Legion may enter marshy Cantons. Charge: Add three to Melee damage during the first round of combat challenges if the Legion is able to inflict Melee damage on its opponent.
Solium Infernum Infernal Cardinal (+8): As Cardinal, minions bring more tribute to you. You gain +2 to all Tribute Rolls when requests for tribute are made. Obscure (-8): As an obscure member of the Infernal Conclave, minions bring you less tribute. You have a -2 modifier to all Tribute Rolls when requests for tribute are made. Devoted Minions (+8): Your minions and cultists zealously search their provinces for your tributes. You gain an additional tribute choice (i.e.
H. Disciplines and Powers Table Black = Key Ability Bonus Blue = New/Enhanced Secondary Ability Green = Combat Card Ability Red = Ritual Level 6 Wrath Deceit Prophecy +3 CR PCB: Legions Keep 2 Event Cards Prestige Bonus For Victories (x2.
I. Rituals Wrath Level 6: Infernal Juggernaut The selected Legion gains tremendous combat bonuses, though at the end of four turns the Legion is exhausted, so its movement rate as well as all combat attributes are reduced to zero. This effect lasts for four turns. (Note: This exhaustion only affects a Legion’s natural attributes, so bonus granted by Praetors, Artifacts, etc. will still produce their bonus.
Prophecy Level 5: Forbidden Lore Your Places of Power double their Prestige generation. This Ritual may last for multiple turns, though its tribute cost must be paid in maintenance. Note: Prestige generated by Unholy Relics that are attached to a Stronghold or Place of Power is not doubled. Prophecy Level 6: Unholy Revelation Discard a Secret Objective card or attempt to force another player to do the same.
J. Manuscripts – Rites & Machines Machine of Vengeance – Decrease all opponents’ Martial Skill Attribute by two points. Machine of Despair – Decrease all opponents’ Cunning Attribute by two points. Machine of Omens – Decrease all opponents’ Intellect Attribute by two points. Machine of Agony – Decrease all opponents’ Wickedness Attribute by two points. Machine of Gluttony – Decrease all opponents’ Charisma Attribute by two points.
Blackest Insurrection: Cause a random player’s (including yourself ) Place of Power to rise in rebellion against its owner. Capricious Wrath, Targeted: Select an enemy and destroy one of his Legions at random. Even though the choice is random, it will not be a personal guard. Capricious Wrath: Destroy a random player’s (including your own) Legion on the board. The targeted Legion is chosen randomly, though it cannot be a personal guard.
Test of Loyalty: Force all players to sacrifice a Praetor, Relic, or Artifact to the Infernal Conclave. If a player refuses or cannot comply, he loses Prestige. Fill the Coffers: Require that all players pay three to six Tribute Cards to the Infernal Conclave. If a player fails to pay, he loses Prestige. Evil Tax: Require that a player pays three to six Tribute Cards to the Infernal Conclave. If the player fails to pay, he loses Prestige (of course).
K. Additional Tables Below are the numerical values for Infernal Ranks and the Threat Order List. The game uses these values when calculating things such as the Prestige cost to send an Emissary or the quantity of Tribute Cards that one may demanded.
