The late 1500s. Spying in Elizabethan times. The instability brought about by the Reformation and Counter-Reformation racks Europe, as does the looming Ottoman threat. This is a time of intrigue and international espionage on a grand scale. A game of the shifting tides of faith and indirect confrontation.
The Players represent 2-5 powers: England, Spain, France, Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottomans.
Each player has a set of action cards (Espionage Cards) to use each turn, which are used to increase or decrease faith, as well as lobby for influence with certain power centers (e.g., the Vatican, the Hanse). These are put within a "sealed envelopes". Players simultaneously reveal their actions.
THE BOARD: MEDITERRANEAN
Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, all broken into "Provinces". Each “Province” has advantages to certain players, marked by its initial religious affiliations: Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Moslem. These Provinces form Meta-Regions (Britain, Germany, Balkans, etc.).
THE BOARD: POWER CENTERS
Twelve slots and a city name next to each slot. The Power Player cards and stacks will be placed onto this board.