Black Rose Wars

is a tactical fighting game among aspiring mages striving to become the next Great Master of the Lodge. Developed over the last three years, it features solid mechanics, tried and tested in numerous trade shows and in many different groups of playtesters. In Black Rose Wars, there are lots of different ways you can win. It's up to you to find the method that best suits your strategy, successfully completing missions, defeating enemy mages or destroying the rooms of the lodge. But beware... because the lodge may get the better of you.

In Black Rose Wars, each player embodies one of the powerful Mages of the Order of the Black Rose, seeking to becoming the New Grand Master by acquiring the power of the Black Rose Artifact. When the game begins, the Mages are in their meditation Rooms (Cells) within the Black Rose Lodge. They must use their powers to battle their way through the Lodge and appease the sentient Black Rose Artifact itself to gain mastery over it. Each Mage has a Grimoire of Spell Cards from six different Schools of Magic. They will need to add Spells to their collection if they have any hope of crushing their opponents.

At the end of the battle, the Mage that has accumulated the most power will be crowned by the Black Rose as a worthy successor and Grand Master of the Order of the Black Rose.

## The Black Rose War (background)

> Turin, the year of our Lord 1522: The Italian city that rises on the banks of the Po River is scourged by the Plague, while the iron fist of the Holy Church of Rome hangs like the Sword of Damocles over those who practice powers that are beyond human knowledge. A few hours separate the city’s pavement from re-embracing the light of dawn, while a blanket of fog lies widespread on the suburbs of Turin. The presence of bizarre individuals, emerging from every corner of the city center, can arouse curiosity in the most careful wayfarer. Wanderers or pilgrims like many others, but with a flicker more, something as impalpable as air that inquisitors and ignorant call merely: magic.
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> Enchanters, necromancers, and diviners come from the most disparate ravines of this old world, for the sole purpose of reaching the Grand Master’s home: the Black Rose Lodge. Special beings, who can see beyond what their deadly eyes offer, parade through the streets of the city, hidden from indiscreet eyes. They show something to a sleepy youngster, and then disappear beyond an anonymous wooden door. Protected by the dull gaze of those who live keeping their feet anchored to the ground, magicians can sharpen their knowledge as they divulge, confront, and cooperate to preserve the purple world. The Masters, expert spell casters, can transcend reality to contemplate the plan of eternal flames and participate in the most important ceremony of the covenant: “The Black Rose
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> War”. Through this ritual, which is performed at the end of each decade, the Grand Master will be appointed to guide the Coven until the next ceremony, during which he could reaffirm his role by defeating all of the challengers by casting the mightiest spells.
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> To keep the secrecy of the clash, and mostly the safety of those participating in the celebration, the Lodge has a room that is forbidden to any member, except during the mysterious ritual. The room is not easily accessible, except through deep tunnels that seem to lead to Hell itself, while its appearance is completely different from the other areas of the building. Four metal altars are connected to a magical artifact that dominates the room, while a blinding light obscures the contours of the other elements.
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> By walking through the last door, it is possible to reach the dimension in which the whole conflict takes place. The Lodge will always hinder the participants by shaping itself to resemble actual rooms, transforming them, when necessary, to adapt to new levels of challenge.
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> A guardian lives in the Black Rose, standing up straight and severe as a judge and jury of the ceremony. An intangible being of pure spiritual energy conspires and actively participates in the clash, if none of the aspirants turn out to be worthy of the honor of becoming the new Grand Master of the Lodge.
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## Credits

* **Project manager:** Andrea Colletti
* **Production, Advertising, and Fulfillment:** Vincenzo Piscitelli
* **Game design:** Marco Montanaro
* **Development:** Ludus Magnus Studio
* **Lead Graphic Design:** Paolo Scippo Graphic Design: Diego Fonseca
* **Art director:** Andrea Colletti
* **Concept artist:** Giovanni Pirrotta
* **Illustrations:** Giovanni Pirrotta, Henning Ludvigsen
* **Lead 3D sculptor:** Fernando Armentano 3D sculptor: Tommaso Incecchi
* **Editing and Writing Coordinator:** Paolo Scippo
* **English version translations:** Flavia Frauzel, Silvia Franci, Luisa Marzullo
* **English language editing:** Kevin Chapman, Fabrizio Rolla, Frank Calcagno, and Louis Angelli
* **Customer care and Social media:** Roberto Piscitelli
* **Web editors:** Marco Presentino, Luca Bernardini, Roberto Piscitelli
* **Kickstarter manager:** Andrea Colletti
* **Writer:** Marco Olivieri
* **Playtesters:** Ilaria Pisani, Antonio Gentile, Enrico Savioli, Demetrio D’Alessandro, Mauro Baranello, Giuseppe Verrengia, Fabio Capelli, Andrea Compiani, Francesco Montanaro, Andrea Pomelli
* **Special thanks** **to** Collins Spanerger for helping us manage our web community.
* **Thanks also to** Oscar Andrés Schwerdt, David Martin, Paul Scrimo, Eddie Bianco, and Alessandro Berutti, and Frank Calcagno.