HIGHLANDER Card of The Week #2 Week of 12 November 1995 Copyright 1995, Jeff Barnes (barnejd@wkuvx1.wku.edu) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOLY GROUND Event "You escape temporarily to Holy Ground. Avoid all attacks this turn. All players discard 4 cards and draw up to their Ability. Your turn is over." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kentucky, 1778: "I still do not see why we are here," I exclaim, surprising even myself with my vehemence. Hassan looks at me with amused patience, as though remembering a similar situation from his past. "We are here, Ishmael, because you need a place to train away from the noise of battle, away from any others. Here you are safe." I sigh as I sense another repetitious lecture coming on. Hassan does not disappoint me. Unfortunately. "Only on holy ground are we safe, boy. Always remember that. No one, not even the most evil among us will violate that tradition. No immortal will battle another on holy ground." I roll my eyes. "I know that, but why am *I* on holy ground? I can fight well enough. I'm ready to face anyone." The words are scarce out of my mouth before Hassan is in motion. Quicker than the eye can follow, his scimitars spring from their scabbards and dive toward me. I try to hop back, but as they slice in, his boot knocks the breath from me. I collapse to the ground as Hassan flips his twin blades back into their scabbards. "Ready, are you boy? Are you so sure of that?" Wheezing, I force myself up to a kneeling position. "H-how? I t-t-thought you s-said no immortal would fight on h-holy ground?" He fixes that cold gaze on me again. "That is true. Had we fought, you would be dead. That was no battle, but a lesson." He turns and strides away, leaving me to ponder his words and my own readiness... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- When all other defenses fail, HOLY GROUND may be the immortal's only refuge. This event allows you to avoid all attacks that are made upon you, giving it a definite advantage over blocks and dodges. However, it also carries with it a great disadvantage, in that it ends the turn when it is played. Along with these characteristics is a third that acts as something of a two-edged sword: when Holy Ground is played, all players must discard four cards and then draw up to their ability. Holy Ground: Temporary Escape is, of course, of primary use against mass attack events such as Berserk or Battle Rage. Each of these cards carries with it the proviso that dodges will not stop consecutive blows, along with the normal requirement that blocks will not work on adjacent attacks if they are not both made to areas covered under the blocks. Normally, these events would pose a problem, but with Holy Ground, escape becomes simple. Holy Ground is also useful against unblockable attacks, particularly if said unblockable attack is a power blow thrust that will deal 5 damage. It likewise proves its worth against power blows that can be blocked; if you have a valid block and would rather not exert or take damage, simply play this card and take no damage. It should be noted, though, that this is something of a desperation ploy; the player will lose 5 cards just as if he or had exerted (though it will be 4 cards of their choice, not randomly as with an exertion) and in effect lose the turn. This card works best when wielded by the immortal Nefertiri. Because that persona allows the player to place any cards discarded on top of their endurance, Nefertiri players can place the four on top of their endurance and then draw them again while "grinding" the other player for four cards. Should the Nefertiri player find any of the cards in their hand useless or desire other cards, these cards can be discarded instead. As the Nefertiri deck slowly but surely wears its opponent down, its player should find this card to be the cornerstone of their deck. Coupled with "discard" events such as Alan Baines, Caught in the Act, Interference, Linda Plager, Scorn, Watcher: Discard Dodge, and Avery Hoskins (coupled with Master) and the situation cards forming Counterfeit, it can be a very lethal deck. In short, Holy Ground acts as a two-edged sword. If used incorrectly, it can drag you closer toward exhaustion; if employed properly, though, it will spell the difference between life and death for many an immortal. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Highlander is a protected trademark of Gaumont Television, used under license by Thunder Castle Games. The card text is copyright 1995 by Thunder Castle Games. All rights reserved. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------