Xanth V2 Rivals Map

Notes:

This is an all-new electronic map of the fantasy land of Xanth created by Piers Anthony. The V1 map was hand-drawn in 1992. Following successful games with 3 and 4 players in Variable Pig, the map has been tweaked very slightly for v2.1 (tweaks still in progress). The V2 map features magic areas and spells. The map legend describes these but some clarification has been needed in the first two games. These points are listed below as a FAQ: Buying spells from the Good Magician: Now I am connected to Good Magician can I buy further spells whenever I like or am I limited to when I build in or out or run races that include it? The instructions say he "can be visited during the build phase or during a race by landing on or passing through his hex". To clarify, you can buy spells on any build round in which you construct some track into or out of his hex. You can also buy spells during a race as you pass through his hex, and these are available for immediate use. Note that the above means races are directional on this map(so the one-way bridge may not be usable). Note also that Vortex and Mundania are always target locations when races are drawn by the GM. Gateway Castle: Can I build from there to Vortex? No, the Mystic Portal spell can only be used during a race (it can also be cast when at Noname key to get to Mundania). Dragon Repellent: How does it work with the Gap Dragon and the Dragon Repellent? If you have a Dragon Repellent, will it only be used when the train ends a dice roll over the gap? The train driver casts the spell when over the gap with the sound of leathery wings in his ears, rather than having to cast it at the start of the race just in case. Invisible Bridge: When the build crew falls into the Gap does that end building for the whole turn or just the current phase? I can confirm it is the whole round not just the dice roll, So companies should ideally arrange to use the last pip of the round to try the bridge. New for V2.1 is the Detect Invisble spell which must be cast adjacent to the Gap and will test 1-4 hexes depending on where it is cast. The information is private to the casting company. Conditional builds are not allowed at all in RR so the timing of the casting is important. The image below shows the 12 possible locations for the invisible bridge (in purple). One-way Bridge: Can the bridge only be used for races south to north or does it just apply during the build stage? The Gap bridges feature in several of the Xanth novels. There are 3 bridges over the Gap: the main bridge, the invisible bridge, and a one-way bridge from south to north. In the first book "A Spell For Chameleon", Bink is able to find the invisible bridge using a handful of dust (not an option for railway construction teams, they have to build using blind faith [v2.1 unless a Detect Invisible spell has been cast]). The one-way bridge is protected by "routine one-way magic" which means it cannot be seen or used from the north side. I'm assuming the one-way magic persists even after track has been laid on it. Elemental Protection: The text reads that you derail if you enter such a hex. Is that so, or is it only if your dice roll ends on such a hex? If it always derails, I guess it means you will always need to use an Elemental protection for every such race. If it only derails if you end your dice roll on such a hex, then the question is if the Elemental protection is also only used if you end your dice roll on such a hex (similar to how the Dragon repellent works)? For the element hexes it is indeed derailment due to being sucked into a void, engulfed in water, burnt, blasted by air or covered in earth as soon as the train enters the hex, regardless of whether it stops or not. Unlike the Dragon Repellent spell, the Elemental Protection spell needs to be cast at the start of a race and protects the train for any number of elemental hexes (of any type) during that race. If a race route passes through the Good Magician hex, a spell can be bought and cast immediately to protect for the remainder of the race. Region of Madness: Is there a spell to protect against the train being reversed? Mind Blank has been added for v2.1. Elemental Protection does not help. Default Orders for Spellcasting: What happens if a a spell is needed for an entered race but its casting is not specified in a player's orders? XRP (Xanth Railway Personnel) union rules state that drivers will always cast spells if available when required for self-preservation. Conditional Spell Purchase: Can I make the purchase of a spell conditional, for example to replenish a Dragon Repellent only if cast on an earlier race? No. Humphrey is a busy man and orders must be placed in advance and cannot be cancelled. Gold Coast Ties: What happens if two or more companies discover new gold hexes simultaneously? With two companies, each gets 1.5 gold per hex, for three or more each gets 1 gold per hex. Grey Hexes: The greyed out squares at the top of the map. I presume they are out of bounds and not buildable? They are part of Mundania and Mr. Trump will not allow magical weirdos to build railway lines there!