Mythology (board game)

Mythology is a game in which each player takes the role of a deity from Greek mythology and attempts to control the lives of heroes and monsters.^[1]

The game box contains:^[2]

• a circular board
• counters
• information cards
• event cards
• rulebook
• pad of log sheets
• counter tray

Heroes are set up at random locations on the map, while treasures are placed at the edge of the map. Each player secretly draws a Fate counter, which gives them a secret Victory condition.

Each player takes the role of a Greek god who is attempting to control Greek heroes and monsters, either using the heroes to kill monsters or other heroes, or getting the heroes to move to the edge of the board to obtain a treasure. Each player has ten power points per turn which can be secretly allocated to attempting to move up to five heroes or monsters.

Once all power points have been allocated, the first player announces a hero or monster that the player wishes to move, but the player is not required to reveal how many power points are actually being used. (The player could have allocated no power points to he hero or monster, and then can attempt to bluff the other players.) If the active player succeeds in moving a hero or monster without a challenge, the player receives a glory point.^[2]

Any player can challenge the active player's attempt to move a hero or monster, either believing that the active player is bluffing and has not allocated any power points, or the active player has allocated less power points than the challenger.

This challenge is resolved by a bidding process, in which the two players use power points up to the number they allocated to the hero or monster in question. (Both players must be truthful about the number of power points they allocated.)The winner of the bidding war steals a glory point from the other player. ^[2]

Players can use heroes to kill monsters (a reward of three glory points), or other heroes. If the hero killed is controlled by another player who allocated power points to the dead hero, then the victorious player receives glory points. However, if the dead hero was not controlled by any other player, then the victorious player loses glory points.^[2]

If a player can get a hero to collect a treasure and bring it home, the player is awarded 50 glory points. This is a rare event — reviewer John Lambshead noted that he had never seen a treasure successfully retrieved.^[2]