The Messenger - a solitaire card game for 8-12 year olds. The High King faces a surprise attack by the approaching armies of his nemesis! You, the royal messenger, must return to the palace and deliver the urgent message you've received from the scouts as quickly as possible. Fail to deliver your message in time - and the palace will come under attack before the High King's armies have been mustered! Quick as you are, this challenge may be too hard even for you, messenger. The palace is far away, and it'd normally take you seven days to cover the distance. Now, you only have five. What's more, the roads have become much more dangerous of late. Nevertheless, set out you must, if the High King is to receive the warning in time! Your goal is to return to the palace and deliver your message in five days or less. Along the way, you will face several challenges and come across several people and animals. Each day will present a new challenge or encounter. While some will hinder you, others will help you make it to the palace in time. Your base speed is 40 miles per day, and the royal palace is 280 miles away from your starting point. You won't make it in time unless you somehow manage to increase your speed. Perhaps something or someone along the way will help make you faster... Each time you play, you will draw up to five cards - one card each turn - and face at least three different challenges. It is up to you to decide whether you take on the encounter of the day or avoid it. While some encounters can be automatically avoided, others require you to successfully hide in order to avoid them, and some encounters simply cannot be avoided. You must take on at least three of the encounters you come across (including those which cannot be avoided). —description from the designer