Tom Cavanagh stars in Gray Matters.
Down With the King is a political card game for 2-6 players produced by Avalon Hill in 1981 .. card game. card game. Avalon Hill. Avalon Hill. 1981 in games. Each player takes the role of a noble in the fictional nation of Fandonia during the European `` Baroque age '' -LRB- roughly 1600-1750 -RRB- , and by diplomacy , betrayal , and political maneuvering , attempts to depose the current monarch , and place his lackey on the throne .. noble. Nobility. Baroque age. Baroque age. The game was designed by Glenn Rahman , Kenneth Rahman , and Alan R. Moon .. Glenn Rahman. Glenn Rahman. Kenneth Rahman. Kenneth Rahman. Alan R. Moon. Alan R. Moon. It is sometimes described as a `` Fantasy Political Game '' , but has no inherently supernatural elements .. Fantasy. Fantasy. supernatural. supernatural. Each turn consists of a sequence of random events and player actions .. Player actions include trying to increase their character 's skills , influence , and prestige , gain the loyalty of non-player characters , political offices for characters , destabilize the current king , and interfere with other players ' factions trying to do the same .. Eventually , when a player feels his faction has enough power , and the current monarch is sufficiently destabilized , they may try to usurp the throne , and replace the monarch with a royal character -LRB- or pretender -RRB- under their control .. A player controlling the monarch for three consecutive turns wins the game .. Besides characters , represented as cards , a player controls a certain number of Influence Points , or IPs , spent as `` money '' to accomplish actions , and Prestige Points , or PPs , which serve as a limit to the number of characters they can control .. The player also has a set of cards and opportunity counters that restrict the actions they can take .. Actions include a vast array of options , including Dueling , Assassination , Travel Abroad , Advising the Monarch -LRB- requires an office -RRB- , Escape -LRB- from abroad or hiding -RRB- , Extradite a Wrongdoer -LRB- from abroad -RRB- , Expose a Scandal , Intrigue -LRB- try to steal an opponent 's card -RRB- , Recruit a Character , Court Monarch 's Favor , Fill a Vacant Office , Recruit by Treachery , Seduce a Character , Hold a Wedding , Consult Prestige Tables , and Solicit Bribes -LRB- requires an office -RRB- .. All these actions tend to award or take away PPs and IPs .