In a world filled with magic, a select group of individuals gifted with extraordinary talents has been summoned from their humble villages to the enigmatic Ruined City, deep within the twisted wilderness. Accompanied by their devoted followers, they are drawn to the cursed Tower of Magic at the heart of the city, where the Archmage and her Order of Mages once held dominion over the land, unifying the disparate magics of mythic races into a formidable force. But that era ended abruptly, forever known as "The Ending."

Now, the Ruined City is a mere shadow of its former self, inhabited by only a fragment of the mythic races that once served the Archmage. Until this moment, no human dared to set foot in these forsaken streets. These newcomers, descendants of the ancient Mages, are now Outcasts, dwelling in camps at the farthest edges of the realm. Unusual displays of power in their home villages have already garnered them small yet enthusiastic followings. Their journey has brought them to the representatives of the mythic races, seeking their ancient wisdom and magical secrets.

These mythic races guard six distinct spheres of magic, each with its unique abilities. Only the Archmage possessed the knowledge to meld these spheres, ascending to higher planes of magic. But much of this magic has since faded, and the newcomers, having traversed great distances, are told that they must embark on a quest to recover sacred relics, lost to the races over time. The pursuit of ultimate magical power has only just begun.

"Archmage" is a fusion of euro and thematic gaming, placing players in the shoes of budding Mages. Their mission: to explore the lands, recover ancient relics, amass followers, and train apprentices in the art of six distinct magic spheres and beyond. As their Order's power grows, they will pit apprentices against one another, attain unprecedented spells and magical abilities, and construct their own Mage towers, from which they shall weave their enchantments and oversee the realm.

When the time of reckoning arrives, a new Archmage will emerge to rule.

Each turn comprises two phases:

The Journey: Mages traverse a map composed of hexagonal tiles, discovering new locations, deploying followers to gather relics from Ruins, Libraries, Sacred Glades, and other sites sacred to the mythic races, and engaging with the followers of their rivals.
Journey's End: Mages conclude each journey in specific locations, where they can take specific actions:
- Ending a journey in a Town enables Mages to call upon their Followers to deliver the relics and resources they've amassed.
- Ending in a Settlement, where the descendants of Mages sought refuge after "The Ending," allows Mages to recruit more Followers to their Order.
- Ending encounters with a Mythic Race empowers Mages to train Followers as Apprentices, specializing in the magic of that Mythic Race, albeit at the cost of the Relics required for weaving the magic.
- Ending in the Wilderness empowers the Mage's followers to exert more physical control over the area.
- Ending in the Mage's Tower (once constructed) enables Mages to train and test their Apprentices. The tower's floor, known as a mandala, influences the types of spells the Order can access. Testing apprentices allows one of them to advance to a higher level, uncovering new spells and magics beyond the knowledge of individual Mythic Races and adding them to the Order's spell library.

Spells offer Mages an array of strategic and tactical options. "Archmage" boasts a modular spell system with 18 spells in the base game and plans for expansions to introduce more sets. Spells are cast by expending Relics, the unique magical currency of the game, specific to each mythic race.

The game unfolds over multiple turns, contingent on the player count. As the last turn concludes, the Mage with the most potent Order of Mages ascends to the title of the new Archmage, restoring power to the lands... until the next epoch dawns!

Archmage - engl.