Chronicles of Avel
Chronicles of Avel
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| 1 to 4 players | 60 min | Ages 8+ |
Chronicles of Avel is a cooperative exploration and tower defense game for 1 to 4 players, designed by Przemek Wojtkowiak and illustrated by Bartłomiej Kordowski. In the magical kingdom of Avel, the Black Moon has risen and its servants are swarming towards the Queen's castle. Each player embodies a hero they create, name, and illustrate themselves before setting off to explore modular lands, equip themselves by touch in a magic bag, and prepare for the final battle. A game at the crossroads of an introductory role-playing game and a family dungeon crawler, accessible from age 8 and with much more depth.
How to play Chronicles of Avel?
Game Setup
- Assemble the modular boardby placing the 19 hexagonal tilesaround the Queen's castle—freely or according to a scenario.
- Set up the moon trackwith the Astrolabe marker on the first space, and place the 3 wall markerson the castle defenses.
- Each player takes their double-sided character board, fills out their character sheet(name, hand-drawn emblem) and chooses their starting equipment.
- Slide the 25 equipment tokensinto the cloth bag—they will be drawn and identified only by touch.
- Distribute the 31 monster tokensand the 5 monster diceaccording to the scenario rules.
- Designate the first player and start the adventure.
Gameplay outline
The game is played in 11 to 13 rounds, divided into two main phases:
Exploration Phase (until the Black Moon rises):
- On your turn, you have 2 actionsto choose from: explore a new tile, fight a monster, use the abilities of a special location, set traps or build walls, or rest to regain health.
- The combatsare resolved with dice: you roll your heroic dice(green, blue, orange, yellow depending on your equipment), the monster rolls its monster dice(black or purple). Unblocked damage applies to both sides.
- Each victory over a monster grants access to equipment: reach into the magic bagand identify your loot by touch only. Weapons, shields, helmets, and elixirs have distinct shapes — and each token has two sides: a basic side and an upgraded side.
- Equipment is placed on your character's image or in your limited capacity backpack. Unworn items remain in the bag, not on your player board.
- At the end of each round, the Astrolabe advances: depending on the lunar phases, monsters appear, heroes heal, and events are triggered.
Final Assault Phase (after the Black Moon rises):
- The Beast emerges from its crater and draws all monsterstoward the castle. At the end of each round, all monsters advance one tile toward the ramparts, always following the shortest path.
- Heroes must intercept the monsters on their way AND deal enough damage to the Beast to defeat it.
- The trapsset in the exploration phase can injure the Beast on its path. The lunar sealsallow you to close dens to stop new monsters from appearing.
Win/Loss Condition
Collective Victory: all monsters are defeated and the Beast is vanquished before an enemy enters the castle.
Collective Defeat: a single monster enters the Castle tile — the game is immediately lost.
Our Tips for Winning
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Do you divide the board from the start
Don't stay grouped. Divide the areas to exploreamong the heroes to eliminate as many monsters as possible and close the lairs before the Black Moon rises. The fewer enemies remaining when the assault is triggered, the more freedom you will have to focus your efforts on the Beast.
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Place traps and moonseals as soon as possible
Les pièges et les sceaux lunaires sont vos meilleurs alliés passifs. Un piège bien placé peut infliger des dégâts significatifs à la Bête sans dépenser d'action au moment crucial. Et fermer une tanière, c'est stopper définitivement une source de monstres — un investissement toujours rentable.
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Recalibrate your collective strategy at the new moon
This is the pivotal moment of the game. Before the monsters move, take a few seconds todecide who intercepts whatand who focuses on the Beast. Clear coordination at this precise moment often makes the difference between a solid victory and a surprise defeat.
FAQ – All about Chronicles of Avel
Is the game really playable with children who can't read very well yet?
Yes. Text-free iconsdominate the game materials. The Almanac is for adults, but once the game is underway, a 7-8 year old child can play almost independently. Drawing and naming their character is particularly popular with younger children.
Is the magic bag mechanic truly functional or just a gimmick?
It is unanimously praised. The tokens have truly distinct shapes— elongated weapon, flat shield, rounded helmet, cylindrical elixir — and become identifiable by touch after a few games. It's a real moment of tension and laughter with each exploration.
Is the game punishing if you make bad decisions?
No. Chronicles of Avel is demanding without being punitive. The difficulty can be adjusted using several parameters (position of the Astrolabe, number of monsters). A poor tactical choice will slow the group down but won't ruin the game, especially with good coordination.
Is the game suitable for adults without children?
Exactly. Don't be fooled by the colorful and accessible design: inventory management, board optimization, and final assault coordinationoffer genuine tactical depth. Many adult players have made it their game of the year, regardless of any family context.