Board game - How to defeat a dragon

Every self-respecting Princess goes through three trials in her life: a sleepless night spent on ten mattresses with a pea hidden beneath them, a lost shoe at a ball, and abduction by a Dragon. Whether she likes it or not, she has to endure: if none of these events have happened in the life of a lady, then she isn't really a princess after all. Thus, she has to sigh, toss and turn, and sleep with the shutters open, so the horned and winged creature can squeeze through the elegant window. And herein lies the problem: while she can handle the pea and the shoe issue on her own (after so many centuries, such ingenious tactics have been devised so her sides don’t hurt too much and her legs don’t ache!), when it comes to the Dragon, she has to rely on the Hero. And that’s a matter of chance...

That's why the Academy created an entire subject dedicated to the Rescue of the Damsel in Distress. There, future Heroes work hard to hone their skills and learn to apply everything they come across effectively, in order to reach the captive and free her from the predator's claws as soon as possible. But there is just one damsel (don’t worry, not a real one – for now, just a mannequin!), and many want to rescue her while simultaneously receiving the highest score on the Unified Heroic Exam. And you are among them! So gear up quickly and set off on a journey along a winding path, where you will frequently encounter various useful and not-so-useful items that can – and must! – be effectively used against the legendary beast – and against opponents!

About the Game
In this board game, you will become a hero who moves along a winding path leading to a beautiful Princess (or rather, her mannequin – for the safety of the beauty). Along the way, you will encounter various events that can either hasten the rescue of the unfortunate one or slow it down. You will also surely meet enemies, whose malicious nature has but one goal – to prevent you from doing good. However, you are a hero – so show that your training at the Academy was not in vain, and overcome all obstacles. Your goal is to reach the Dragon and defeat him, thereby passing the Unified Heroic Exam and proving that you can be trusted to rescue a real Princess.

How to Play?
You will move your hero figurines across the squares of the picturesque board. Each square has an event token, the effect of which is applied as soon as your character lands on it. Each turn starts with a dice roll that determines how far you must move on the board. Once an event activates, you act according to what it entails. For example, you can:

Move a certain number of squares forward or backward
Draw or discard a treasure card
Fight an enemy or retreat
Teleport to another location
Skip a turn or take an additional one
Roll the dice to perform a specific action or apply an effect
Each hero has a unique ability, and they are trained enough to use it once per turn and as many times as desired throughout the game. You will also be able to find (and lose) treasures that can ease your path, and you will be able to devise specific strategies for using them.

Ultimately, you will reach the Dragon's cave – this is the last square on the board. You will only have to fight him and wound him three times, each time testing your luck and skills with a dice roll. However, be cautious: if you miss, you will have to flee from the scorching dragon flame, moving away from it by the number of squares indicated by the dice, and try to defeat it again on your next turn.

Who Won?
The hero who lands the third and final blow to the Dragon wins. Claim the Academy of Heroes Cup and rejoice – you are now fully accredited to rescue real Princesses from the clutches of other monsters!

Game Duration: 30 minutes or more

Number of Players: 2 to 5