Ard Rí (2015)

Ard Rí is a 2 to 5 player strategic competitive card game, designed for players ages 14 and up. Average game-play time is 30 to 90 minutes. A simplified introductory version is also available for children ages 5+. In the game, players take on the role of ancient Gaelic warlords and compete among each other to collect the most wealth in order to force the other players to acknowledge them as the ARD RÍ (i.e. the High King). Play progresses through the seasons of the year, with each season providing players with the opportunity to engage in specified actions. For instance, Cattle are added to a player’s wealth in Spring, with Warriors flocking to banners in the Summer. Wealth is acquired from the wilds during the harvest time of Autumn, with the Harvest Feast of Samhain occurring at the end of that season. At the Harvest Feast, players are required to feed those Warriors they wish to remain under their banner. Winter is a time of hunting, raiding, and politicking, when fortunes can change in a heartbeat. Play continues until one player accumulates enough wealth or warriors to force the issue and cause the others to acknowledge them as High King. The game has been heavily influenced by the history and mythology of the ancient Celts, and the advanced version of the game incorporates the mythology into the game-play. The game uses our Celtic Myth playing cards as game components, with one deck being sufficient for a 2-player game, two decks being recommended for 3 to 4-player games, and all three decks being recommended for 5-player games.