Manual — Menara: Rituals & Ruins

8+
1– 4
45–90
You can decide for yourselves which components you want to use or not use. This way, you determine the level of the challenge you will face together.
From p. 15 of these instructions, you find predefined scenarios that you can use for some game variants.
Later on, with some experience, you can combine the components you want, and thus assemble your game to your own liking.
Have fun!
MATERIALS
1 cloth bag
8 Temple floors
12 Tears of the Gods:
26 Fate cards
13 Ritual cards
30 Construction Plan cards
69 cards:
2 golden columns
35 columns:
2 blue
3 white
6 black
9 red
15 yellow
6 red
6 blue
by Oliver Richtberg
The green hell of MENARA has often put your explorer‘s hearts to the test. But what you now discover during a solar eclipse at this place is breathtaking: Blue and red crystals, ruins, column segments, and floor fragments present you with completely new challenges. Will you, despite all adversities, be able to build the temple even higher and let it shine in the twilight of the solar eclipse?
The game materials expand the equipment of the basic game with new columns, temple floors, and construction plans. Additionally, new components ensure that RITUALS & RUINS offers new challenging game variants for MENARA.
The new components in the game are:
1. The TEARS OF THE GODS (crystal tokens)
2. The RITUALS (Ritual cards)
3. The FATE (Temple Floor cards)
INTRODUCTION
Can be played only together with:
SET-UP OF THE GAME
Always include all the materials from the basic game. For this, use the bag that is contained in RITUALS & RUINS; it is large enough for playing all possible variants. The basic game contains the following materials:
35 Construction Plan cards:
• 9 easy tasks ( )
• 12 medium tasks ( )
• 14 difficult tasks ( )
18 Temple floors
1 camp
5 level cards
76 columns:
• 30 yellow
• 20 red
• 12 black
• 8 white
• 6 blue
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To begin with, set up RITUALS & RUINS in the same way as the basic game.
Choose what additional materials (from RITUALS & RUINS) you want to use for the expanded game:
• Add the Temple floors you want (and as many as you want).
The new Temple floors are explained on page 11.
• Depending on the Temple floors chosen, take new Construction Plan cards and columns as listed in the table
below.
• Decide whether to include the golden columns. If you do, place them next to the camp.
• Decide whether to include the Tears of the Gods. If you do, place them next to the camp.
• Decide whether to include the Ritual cards. If you do, shuffle the cards thoroughly, draw one of them and
lay this card face up next to the camp. This card is then in force as explained on p. 13–14. Put the remaining
Ritual cards back into the box.
• Decide whether to include the Fate cards. If you do, shuffle them thoroughly and put them as a face-down
pile next to the camp.
To become familiar with the expanded game, play your first game with the
golden columns and the first four
Temple floors
of the table below – along with the required cards and columns.
The table below shows how many (new) Construction Plan cards and columns from RITUALS & RUINS you have to
add to the basic game if you choose to play with certain Temple floors.
To this end, shuffle each individual category (
//) of the new Construction Plan cards, draw the number of
cards indicated in the table, and then shuffle these cards into the respective pile of the same category of cards from
the basic game. Throw the additional columns – along with the columns from the basic game – into the bag.
THE NEW TEMPLE FLOORS
All temple floors of RITUALS & RUINS show a symbol on their light side and on their dark side:
This way, you can easily distinguish these temple floors from those of the basic game.
For most temple floors, the
building rules for both sides are the same. Only a few temple floors have different rules
for the light side and the dark side.
Example: If you use “The Double Ax“, shuffle 1 easy (
 ), 2 medium ( ) and 1 difficult ( ) Construction Plan
card into the basic game card piles of the respective categories. Then throw into the bag

2 yellow 
 , 1 red , 1 black , 1 white and blue column from RITUALS & RUINS, along with all columns
from the basic game.
+ Construction Plan cards + columns
Temple
floor
Name
The Double Ax 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1
The Wheel of the Five Winds 1 0 1 2 0 2 1 0
The Bridge of Dangers 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0
The Wheel of the Three Truths 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0
The Wedge Moon 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 0
The Ring of Balance 1 1 1 3 1 1 0 0
The Thorn Moon 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1
The Crescents of the Sun 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0
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THE DOUBLE AX:
Both sides: Always build on two connected bases (twin bases) on the same game turn.
If you have only one suitable column available, you cannot build.
Attention: The task “Move columns up“ requires moving one column to a higher level. The “twin“ of this column remains in place. You can build on an emptied single base only when its twin base has been emptied, too.
THE WHEEL OF THE THREE TRUTHS:
Both sides: The rules are the same as for the temple floor “The Bridge of Dangers“.
THE WEDGE MOON:
Light side: You may build columns only in number sequence (starting with “1“).
Attention: Through the task “Move columns up“, occupied bases can become vacant again irrespective of the numbering. If you place new columns on this temple floor later on, you have to build on vacated bases with lower numbers first.
Two bases have a “2,“ another two bases, a “3.“ Choose which of the two “2“-bases and (subsequently) which “3“-base to build on first.
Dark side: Columns on these colored bases move, following the same rules as for the temple floor ”The Bridge of Dangers“.
THE CRESCENTS OF THE SUN:
Both sides: For the ruin base in the middle, the rules of the temple floor “The Thorn Moon“ apply. For the other bases, the normal building rules of the basic game apply.
THE RING OF BALANCE:
Both sides: The rules are the same as for the temple floor ”The Wedge Moon“.
THE THORN MOON:
When you build this temple floor, no column underneath it may protrude into the openings of the floor (see illus. 1).
Both sides: You may not put any further temple floor on top of this temple floor; it has ruin bases only. When you build on it, you place the column in the opening in such a way that it sits slightly tilted (see illus. 2). This may also be a golden column.
Attention: This temple floor may never be used for extending the temple base. If you cannot add this temple floor, you move it to the last position of the quarry (or move its Fate card to the very bottom of the card pile). Then you need to add two Construction Plan cards to the row of level cards; take these cards from any discard piles.
✔
✔
✔
✘
✔
✘
Illus. 1
THE WHEEL OF THE FIVE WINDS:
Both sides: You may build on the central white base only when the other bases of this temple floor are occupied.
THE BRIDGE OF DANGERS:
Both sides: Each column color may be used for building only once. In this context, it doesn‘t matter on which bases the color columns are standing. You may build exclusively on the starting base. If this base is occupied, you move the column standing there (along the arrows ➙) to the second base without touching it with your fingers. To move it, use only the column that you are (now) going to place here.
If the second base is occupied as well, you move the column standing there (following the same rules) to the third base, before you move the column from the first base to the second base in the same manner, etc.
Attention: Golden columns cannot be moved! Once you have placed a golden column on the starting base, it can never be moved or removed from there. This way, it blocks any further completion of this temple floor.
Illus. 2
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THE GOLDEN COLUMNS
The two golden columns are shorter than the normal columns. Instead of a column from your supply, you may build a golden column on a base of any color. Golden columns may never carry a temple floor.
All Construction Plan cards from RITUAL & RUINS show this symbol:
This way, you can easily distinguish them from those of the basic game.
THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PLAN CARDS
THE TEARS OF THE GODS
Keep placing columns, one after another, on two temple floors until all bases of these floors are occupied. After you have done this with the first temple floor, you immediately add a new temple floor to the tower. Only after that may you place columns on the second temple floor. (This can even be on the just-placed temple floor.) After that, you add another temple floor.
COMPLETE 2 DIFFERENT LEVELS:
Place two or three columns on different temple floors.
BUILD 2 OR 3 COLUMNS ON DIFFERENT TEMPLE FLOORS:
Place two or three columns in different colors on color-matching bases.
BUILD 2 OR 3 COLUMNS OF DIFFERENT COLORS:
Place two or three columns of the same color on color-matching bases.
BUILD 2 OR 3 COLUMNS OF THE SAME COLOR:
If you play with THE TEARS OF THE GODS, during the set-up of the game, put the 6 blue and the 6 red Tear tokens next to the camp. They can be acquired and placed by all players during their game turn. Your objective is to place all 12 Tear tokens in the temple before the game ends. Only then will the spiritual balance of the temple be preserved.
HOW DO YOU ACQUIRE A TEAR TOKEN?
• If you want to acquire a Tear token, you throw any column from your supply back into the bag before you draw a Construction Plan card. Then you choose a blue or a red Tear token and put it in front of you.
• You may even acquire more than one Tear token on your turn if you throw one column into the bag for each token.
HOW DO YOU PLACE A TEAR TOKEN IN THE TEMPLE?
• Tear tokens may be placed only on those spots on (some) temple floors that show a magically glowing mark of the same color (illus.).
• Only one Tear token may be placed on each magical mark.
• Whenever it is your turn, you may place any number of Tear tokens you have acquired in the temple, regardless of when you acquired them.
• You may place a Tear token in the temple even if you can‘t fulfill the Construction Plan card you have drawn.
• If a Tear token falls off “its“ temple floor during a game turn, you immediately have to put it back there.
➙ ONCE BUILT, GOLDEN COLUMNS CAN NEVER BE REMOVED OR MOVED!
AN EXPLANATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN CARDS:
Place one or two black columns on black bases.
BUILD 1 OR 2 BLACK COLUMNS:
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Tear tokens that have not been placed in the temple by the end of the game are added to the end of the row of level cards.
Each token – like each level card – increases the number of levels the temple needs to have for you to win the game.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE ARE TEAR TOKENS LEFT AT THE END OF THE GAME?
THE RITUALS
Shuffle the 13 Ritual cards, draw one of them and lay it next to the camp. This card is then in force for the entire game of RITUAL & RUINS. Put the other 12 Ritual cards back into the box; they are not needed for this game. The rituals modify the rules of the (basic) game.
THE ENLIGHTENMENT:
Add temple floors to the temple exclusively with the light side facing up.
Attention: If you play with the Tear tokens, you need to consider that the light sides have no spots where you can place red Tear tokens.
Consequently, these 6 Tear tokens will invariably be left over at the end of the game.
THE CURSE OF THE GODS‘ TEARS:
Play with the Tear tokens! Temple floors with magically glowing marks may be completed with columns only after all glowing marks of that floor have been covered with Tear tokens.
THE GRACE OF THE YELLOW COLUMNS:
If you perform the task “Move columns up“, you may use only yellow columns for this.
THE UNHOLY WHITE COLUMNS:
When you place or move a white column, take the top one of the easy Construction Plan cards ( ) and put it on the discard pile. This Construction Plan card is not executed; it is just no longer available. If the pile of easy Construction Plan cards is depleted and you place or move a white column, you take and discard a medium Construction Plan card ( ).
The DARK:
Add temple floors to the temple exclusively with the dark side facing up.
Attention: If you play with the Tear tokens, you need to consider that the dark sides have no spots where you can place blue Tear tokens.
Consequently, these 6 Tear tokens will invariably be left over at the end of the game.
THE BAN OF THE BLUE COLUMNS:
At the beginning of the game, you equip the camp with 3 blue columns and 3 columns of different colors, drawn from the bag. Nobody has blue columns to begin with. During the course of the game, any drawn blue columns are thrown back into the bag without replacement.
Exception: If all columns of the camp are exchanged (which is possible if a new card has to be added to the row of level cards) and any blue columns are drawn in this process, they remain in the camp and may be used during the course of the game. If there are not enough non-blue columns left in the bag when new columns are drawn at the end of a turn, the game ends immediately.
THE JINXED YELLOW COLUMNS:
If you successfully place or move yellow columns on your turn, you lay the completed Construction Plan card in front of you – not on the discard pile. You may put it on the discard pile only when you don‘t place or move any yellow columns on a subsequent game turn. If you have any such cards still lying in front of you at the end of the game, you have to add them to the row of level cards.
Attention: If you use a golden column to place it on a yellow base on your turn, this column also counts as a “jinxed“ yellow column.
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THE THIN TIP:
From the fourth level on, you may build only one temple floor per level.
Attention: The temple floor “The Thorn Moon“ cannot be used for this ritual; remove it from the quarry. If you play with the Fate cards, remove the corresponding card from the pile.

THE SLIGHT EARTHQUAKE:
If you draw an easy Construction Plan card (), remove all (non-golden) freestanding columns from completed temple floors – before the execution of the card – and throw them back into the bag. (A column is freestanding if its upper end doesn‘t touch any temple floor.)
Attention: This way, twin columns can be torn apart (as on the temple floor “The Double Ax“).

THE GLOWING RED COLUMNS:
In this ritual, red columns are blazing hot. If you build a red column into the tower, you may not have any direct body contact with the column. To protect your fingers, you can use the sleeves of your pullover, a handkerchief or any other object that allows you to avoid skin contact with the column.
However, you don‘t need to protect your fingers when you draw red columns out of the bag, exchange them with columns from the camp, or handle them in your supply.

THE FLOATING QUARRY:
If you are to add a new temple floor to the tower, you draw the top three temple floors from the quarry (if you play with the Fate cards, you draw the top three cards from the respective pile). Choose one of these three temple floors and put the other two back into the quarry (or onto the pile of Fate cards) without changing their order. If you choose the second or third temple floor, you may build it only as the top level of the temple.
Attention: If you play with the Fate cards, you cannot choose the variant “Merciful Fate“ (see below and on page 15).

THE NARROW BASE:
Use the three smallest temple floors (illus.) to form the temple base. In doing so, turn the side upwards that shows fewer bases:
Attention: If you play with the Fate cards, remove the cards of these 3 temple floors from the pile before the start of the game.

The FATE
The Fate cards show all types of temple floors that exist in the game.
Before you start playing, remove the cards of those temple floors in RITUALS & RUINS that you do not want to include in the game. (Then don‘t forget to adjust the applicable quantities of columns and Construction Plan cards according to the table on p. 10).
Shuffle the cards thoroughly and put them as a face-down pile next to the camp.
Draw the top three cards. If you draw the temple floors “The Thorn Moon“ or “The Crescents of the Sun“, shuffle them back into the pile after having drawn a different card for each of them. Then pick out the temple floors from the quarry that are indicated on the three cards you have drawn and use them to form the temple base. It is up to you whether to use the light or the dark side of the temple floors for the base.

THE BALANCE OF FATE:
If you draw an easy Construction Plan card () and are able to fulfill it, you don‘t lay this card on the discard pile (as would be usual) but put it in front of you. On your next turn, you must draw a difficult Construction Plan card (). If you fulfill this card, you may throw it – along with the card in front of you – on the discard pile. If you cannot fulfill it, the difficult Construction Plan card is added to the row of level cards, and the easy one remains in front of you.
On your next turn, you have to draw another difficult Construction Plan card (). If there are no difficult Construction Plan cards left, you have to draw a medium one (). If there are only easy Construction Plan cards left, this ritual rule is omitted. If you still have an easy Construction Plan card lying in front of you at this time, put it on the discard pile.
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You can choose from three fate levels:
MERCIFUL FATE:
Lay three Fate cards face up next to the pile. When you build a new temple floor, you have the choice among the
three temple floors shown on these cards. Pick out the chosen temple floor from the quarry. Put the Fate card you
have used on a discard pile and add a new card from the pile face up to the two other Fate cards.
Attention: If you play the ritual
“The Floating Quarry“, you can‘t choose this difficulty level.
BEARABLE FATE:
Lay one Fate card face up next to the pile. When you build a new temple floor, use the temple floor depicted on
this card (from the quarry). Put the Fate card on a discard pile and lay out a new card face up.
Tough Fate:
Do not lay out any Fate cards. Only when you build a new temple floor do you draw the top card from the pile of
Fate cards and use the depicted temple floor (from the quarry). Put the Fate card on a discard pile.
If you want to use a
predefined combination of rules and materials, you can avail yourselves of the following
scenarios. The list below shows you which temple floors (with the associated Fate cards), columns, and
Construction Plan cards from RITUALS & RUINS you’ll need. You can also see whether to play with the Tear
tokens
and what Ritual card tops the scenario off:
SCENARIOS
• At the beginning of the game, have a look at the newly-drawn Construction Plan cards before shuffling them into
the respective piles. If you want to make the game more difficult, shuffle them in unseen.
• It is advisable to form an extra discard pile for each pile of Construction Plan cards, and to check from time to
time what cards have already been discarded.
• Consider carefully when to use a golden column. Sometimes, using such a column can save the current game,
but a golden column can also be disrupting since you may not move it or put a temple floor on it.
• Don‘t be afraid of continuing to build upwards. Sometimes, not building beyond the required minimum number
of levels creates more complications in the temple than you think.
• Also keep in mind that it can occasionally be useful to build a temple floor on only two columns.
• Sometimes it makes sense to build in such a way that a column carries two temple floors (these may never over
lap, however).
• Even if you have the impression that you are no longer able to win the game, don‘t give up too soon. It often
happens that opportunities arise to still save the temple during the further course of the game.
TIPS
1) WHEELS AND THE MOVING COLUMNS
Temple floors:  The Wheel of the Five Winds,
 The Bridge of Dangers,  The Wheel of the
Three Truths,  The Wedge Moon
Columns:
7 
, 4 , 3 , 2 , 0 ,
Construction Plan cards: 2 , 1 , 3 
Ritual:  The Dark
2) RUINS AND TEARS
Temple floors:  The Bridge of Dangers,
 The Ring of Balance,  The Thorn Moon,
 The Crescents of the Sun
Columns:
7
, 5 , 3 , 0 , 1 ,
Construction Plan cards: 1 , 3 , 2
Ritual:  The Curse of the Gods‘ Tears
Tear Tokens:
6
, 6
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3) Blockades
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance
Columns: 10, 3, 4, 2, 1
Construction Plan cards: 4, 3, 4
Ritual: The Grace of the Yellow Columns

8) AS BRIGHT AS DAY
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 11, 5, 5, 2, 1
Construction Plan cards: 4, 3, 5
Ritual: The Enlightenment
Tear Tokens: 6, 6

4) OUT OF THE BLUE
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Ring of Balance, The Thorn Moon
Columns: 9, 3, 4, 2, 2
Construction Plan cards: 3, 4, 3
Ritual: The Ban of the Blue Columns
Tear Tokens: 6, 6

9) WHOEVER HAS THE CHOICE, HAS THE AGONY
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Bridge of Dangers, The Wheel of the Three Truths, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance, The Thorn Moon, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 15, 9, 6, 3, 2
Construction Plan cards: 4, 5, 6
Ritual: The Floating Quarry

5) ROUGH TIMES
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance, The Thorn Moon, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 11, 6, 3, 1, 2
Construction Plan cards: 3, 4, 4
Ritual: The Narrow Base
Tear Tokens: 6, 6

10) THE YELLOW PERIL
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Bridge of Dangers, The Wheel of the Three Truths, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance, The Thorn Moon, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 15, 9, 6, 3, 2
Construction Plan cards: 4, 5, 6
Ritual: The Jinxed Yellow Columns
Tear Tokens: 6, 6

7) IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT
Temple floors: The Double Ax, The Bridge of Dangers, The Wedge Moon, The Ring of Balance, The Thorn Moon, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 12, 7, 4, 1, 2
Construction Plan cards: 3, 5, 4
Ritual: The Glowing Red Columns

6) AIMING HIGH
Temple floors: The Wheel of the Five Winds, The Bridge of Dangers, The Wheel of the Three Truths, The Wedge Moon, Der Ring der Ausgewogenheit, The Crescents of the Sun
Columns: 11, 7, 5, 2, 0
Construction Plan cards: 3, 2, 5
Ritual: The Thin Tip

Author: Oliver Richtberg
Illustration: Sébastien Caiveau
Layout: Oliver Richtberg
Translation: Sybille & Bruce Whitehill, “Word for Wort“
2019 Zoch Verlag
Simba Toys GmbH & Co. KG
Werkstraße 1
D-90765 Fürth
www.zoch-verlag.com
60 110 5153
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