Spell Merchants

by Alan Parr

POSTAL RULES

1. Every player is an apothecary, each starting with the same 12 ingredigits (two each of ingredigits 1-6).

2. In the course of the game up to 12 wizards will request the apothecaries to create spells for them.

3. There are six sessions, each of two rounds. In each session two wizards' requirements are displayed, along with the payments they are offering (see Appendix B).

4. Each apothecary submits orders itemising the spells he wishes to offer to meet the specification.

5. The best spell is the one which uses most ingredigits (so, for example, a five-ingredigit spell will beat all spells of four or fewer ingredigits). When two spells have the same number of ingredigits the numerical values of all the ingredigits are totalled and the one with the highest total is best.

6. Apothecaries can offer no more than one spell to each wizard. The best spell offered will receive the first prize, the second best will be given second prize. All other valid spells will be given an entry prize. Where rule 5 isn't adequate and ties need breaking, the total prizes won by the tying players are added and shared equally (fractions are rounded; halves being rounded up). For example, where two players tie for a second prize of 8 and the entry prize is 3, 11 points are shared, so both players receive 6 (5.5 rounded up).

7. All ingredigits used in any spell become the property of the wizard, so are no longer available to the apothecary.

8. It is not compulsory for an apothecary to offer an entry for any round, but a fine is payable each time an apothecary does fail to submit an entry (valid or invalid). The fine is 1 for the first offence, then 2 for the second, 4 for the third and 8 for all subsequent offences.

9. An apothecary who chooses not to enter a round can take the opportunity to do some restocking of his resources, opting to receive either four ingredigits randomly selected or any three ingredigits of his own choice. (It makes life easier if these new stocks are disclosed to all.)

10. The winning apothecary is the first to reach an agreed target number of points: three players, 75 points; four players, 65 points; five players, 50 points. If after 12 rounds nobody reaches the target, the winner will be the players with the most points.

11. Players may offer conditional (but not too complex, please) orders.

12. Should a player NMR his poorest quality valid spell will be submitted. If he cannot submit a legal spell then the poorest quality invalid spell will be used. If he has no items at all then he will be fined (see rule 8) but will not take up a restocking opportunity.

APPENDIX A

The spells requested by the wizards use these formulae:

1. all ingredigits different;
2. only one type of ingredigit;
3. exactly two types of ingredigit;
4. ingredigits numbered consecutively;
5. ingredigits total a multiple of 3;
6. ingredigits total less than 8;
7. ingredigits total more than 10;
8. all ingredigits odd;
9. all ingredigits even;
10. equal numbers of odd/even ingredigits;
11. no ingredigit numbered 4, 5 or 6;
12. no ingredigit numbered 1, 2 or 3.

Notes: In most cases a single item spell is acceptable: e.g. a wizard (h) would accept a single 5. (c), (d), (g) and (j) are exceptions to this. In (d) no ingredigits may occur more than once - so spells 1,2,3,2,1 or 1,1,2,2 are not valid.

APPENDIX B

The following table shows the tariff of prizes: