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Carcassonne Central variant-expansion by Scott and Jonathan Warren 

 
 

It’s fair time in the region of Carcassonne! Travelling minstrels, jesters, jugglers, 
musicians and magicians gather together to provide fun and festivities for the peasants. 
News of the fair is spread far and wide, with some of the entertainers travelling the nearby 
countryside to announce the fair’s whereabouts.  Some of these travelling showmen 
perform song and dance for their onlookers; others provide a bit of tom foolery and 
distract peasants from their duties. 

 
 
 

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•  2 extra pieces

1

 

 

One piece representing the Jester

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One piece representing the Minstrel

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The Jester and the Minstrel requires a copy of The Catapult expansion. 

 

The Jester and the Minstrel was originally conceived to play using the tiles of The Catapult but without the catapult rules 
themselves (i.e. providing another way of using the fair tiles for those players that do not like the way they are used in The 

Catapult). However, you are free to use the rules of The Catapult with The Jester and the Minstrel should you wish, but both the 

Jester and the Minstrel cannot be removed or moved as a result of a catapult token (of any sort) hitting or touching them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 The Minstrel and the Jester are neutral figures and are not owned by any player. 

 

2

 The piece pictured is a meeple from the game Carcassonne: The Discovery and painted White. It was chosen as it looks as if the meeple is wearing a hat, as 

Jesters do. However, any other piece can be used to represent the Jester, as long as you can differentiate between the Jester and Minstrel. 
 

3

 The piece pictured is a meeple from the game Carcassonne: The City and painted White. However, any other piece can be used to represent the Minstrel as 

long as you can differentiate between the Minstrel and Jester. 
 

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Place the Jester and the Minstrel pieces on the starting tile. 

 

 

When playing with either or both of the River or River II expansions, place the Minstrel on the Spring tile. After placing the 

river, according to the usual river rules, place the Jester on the Lake tile.

4

 

 

 

 

If The Count of Carcassonne

5

 is being used, place the Jester on the road of tile number 4, and the Minstrel on the city of tile 

number 9. 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

  

 

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A player who places a fair tile may ‘move the wood’

6

 as usual. Then the game is interrupted – the Jester and the Minstrel 

are on the move!  

 

Beginning with the player whose turn it is (who laid the fair tile), each player must move the Jester exactly one tile 

horizontally or vertically from his current location. The Jester always moves six tiles, irrespective of the number of 

players, except in the case of a dead end. He may not move onto a tile twice. After the Jester has moved 6 tiles, the Minstrel 
immediately moves. Beginning with the player following the last player to move the Jester, each player must move the 

Minstrel exactly one tile horizontally or vertically from his current location. The Minstrel always moves six tiles

irrespective of the number of players, except in the case of a dead end. He may not move onto a tile twice. 

 
It is the drawing of a fair tile that 

triggers the movement of the Jester and Minstrel by the players. 

 

Here is an example of the moving phase, assuming a 4 player game and the playing order is Red, Green, Blue, Yellow: 

 

 

4

 The Jester and the Minstrel can share a tile with any follower or special figure (this includes regular and large followers, Wagon, Mayor, Builder, Pig, 

Barn, Fairy, Dragon and Tower pieces). Placing the Jester and the Minstrel is a free action that does not take the place of ‘moving the wood’. 
 

5

 Although the Jester and Minstrel may pass through the city of Carcassonne they have no power to capture the attention of any followers within the city of 

Carcassonne. 
 

6

 The term ‘moving the wood’ refers to the action that a player may take after placing a tile. Thus, ‘moving the wood’ refers to placing a follower as a 

Knight, Thief, Monk, Heretic, Farmer, Builder, Pig, Mayor, Wagon or Barn to the tile just played, moving the Fairy or placing a Tower piece onto an 
existing tower or foundation. 
 

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It is Red’s turn. He draws and places a fair tile. After he has ‘moved the wood’, he moves the Jester from his current location 

1 tile horizontally or vertically (Jester’s 1

st

 move). 

Green moves the Jester 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Jester’s 2

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 move). 

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Yellow moves the Jester 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Jester’s 4

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 move). 

Red moves the Jester 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Jester’s 5

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 move). 

Green moves the Jester 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Jester’s 6

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 and final move). 

Blue moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically from his current location (Minstrel’s 1

st

 move). 

Yellow moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Minstrel’s 2

nd

 move). 

Red moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Minstrel’s 3

rd

 move). 

Green moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Minstrel’s 4

th

 move). 

Blue moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Minstrel’s 5

th

 move). 

Yellow moves the Minstrel 1 tile horizontally or vertically (Minstrel’s 6

th

 and final move). 

Scoring now takes place. 

Green continues the game. 
 

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The Jester or Minstrel’s attention capturing area is 9 tiles; 8 tiles surrounding the Jester or Minstrel and the tile that the Jester 

or Minstrel is currently residing on (a cloister type area). A follower is said to have had his attention captured when he is within 

the attention capturing area of either the Jester or the Minstrel. 

 

When the Jester captures the attention of a follower, he imposes a penalty on them. When the Minstrel captures the attention of 

a follower, he imposes a bonus on them. The followers are not physically removed from the playing area. 

 
The example below shows the tiles on which a Jester will capture the attention of any followers, if the followers are on these 

tiles: 

 

 

 

The Blue Knight and the Yellow Monk have had their attention captured by the Jester. The Jester imposes a penalty on these followers. 

 

 

The example below shows the tiles on which a Minstrel will capture the attention of any followers, if the followers are on these 

tiles: 

 

 

 

The Blue Knight and the Yellow Monk have had their attention captured by the Minstrel. The Minstrel imposes a bonus on these followers. 

 

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Carcassonne – The Jester and the Minstrel

Carcassonne – The Jester and the Minstrel 

 

               4 

 

 

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Any follower that is within the Jester’s attention capturing area has a penalty imposed upon him while he remains in the Jester’s 

attention capturing area:

7,8,

 

A follower deployed as a Knight in a city, or a wagon deployed in a city, is scored at minus one strength (i.e. a regular 

follower or a wagon has no strength, a big follower has the strength of one, a mayor the strength of all pennants minus one). 
 

A follower deployed as a Thief on a road, or a wagon deployed on a road, is unable to score for the road if that road is 

completed (i.e. a completed 6 tile road is worth nothing instead of the usual 6. If there is an inn on this road it also scores 

nothing, instead of the usual 12). 

 

A follower deployed as a Monk or Heretic in a cloister or shrine, or a wagon deployed in a cloister or shrine, is unable to 

score for a completed cloister or shrine (i.e. a completed cloister is worth nothing instead of the usual 9). 
 

This does not include Farmers; the Jester has NO effect on farmers.

10

 

 

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Any follower that is within the Minstrel’s attention capturing area has a bonus imposed upon him while he remains in 
Minstrel’s attention capturing area:

11,12,13 

 

A follower deployed as a Knight in a city, or a wagon deployed in a city, is scored at plus one strength (i.e. a regular follower 

or a wagon has the strength of two, a big follower has the strength of three, a mayor the strength of all pennants plus one). 

 

Any follower deployed as a Thief on a road, or a wagon deployed on a road, receives double points if that road is completed 

(i.e. a completed 6 tile road is worth 12 points instead of the usual 6. If there is an inn on this road it is scored at 24 points, 

instead of the usual 12). 
 

A follower deployed as a Monk or Heretic in a cloister or shrine, or a wagon deployed in a cloister or shrine, receives a bonus 

of 9 points for a completed cloister or shrine (i.e. a completed cloister is worth 18 points instead of the usual 9). 

 

This does not include Farmers; the Minstrel has NO effect on farmers.

14

 

 

 

 

7

 Additional rules for those using the fan-made expansions ForestsFishermen and Gold Mines. Woodsmen (deployed in forests) and Fishermen (deployed 

on the river) can be caught in the Jester’s attention capturing area and receive the Jester’s penalty. Gold Miners are far too busy underground, mining for 
gold, to be distracted by the Jester and therefore cannot be caught in the Jester’s attention capturing area.  
 

8

 If the Jousting Tournament fan-made expansion is being used, the Jester does not prevent the jousting tournament taking place, and so, players are free to 

move their pieces within the city in accordance with the Jousting Tournament rules. Any penalties imposed by the Jester are ignored if there is a challenge to 
the jousting champion. 
 

9

 If An Apple a Day fan-made expansion is being used, the Jester cancels out the +1 strength awarded by the ‘An Apple a Day’ counter. 

    

10

 Question: Does the pig or barn receive a penalty from the Jester? 

Answer: No. The Jester never imposes a penalty on followers deployed in farms. Firstly, the pig and barn are not followers, and so are exempt from being 
caught by the Jester. Secondly, the pig and barn are types of farmers and are only deployed in farms. 
 

11

 Additional rules for those using the fan-made expansions ForestsFishermen and Gold Mines. Woodsmen (deployed in forests) and Fishermen (deployed 

on the river) can be caught in the Minstrel’s attention capturing area and receive the Minstrel’s bonus. Gold Miners are far too busy underground, mining for 
gold, to be distracted by the Minstrel and therefore cannot be caught in the Minstrel’s attention capturing area. 
 

12

 If the Jousting Tournament fan-made expansion is being used, the Minstrel does not prevent the jousting tournament taking place, and so, players are free 

to move their pieces within the city in accordance with the Jousting Tournament rules. Any bonuses imposed by the Minstrel are ignored if there is a 
challenge to the jousting champion. 
 

13

 If An Apple a Day fan-made expansion is being used, the Minstrel provides a +2 strength awarded by the ‘An Apple a Day’ counter. 

 

14

 Question: Does the pig or barn receive a bonus from the Minstrel? 

Answer: No. The Minstrel never imposes a bonus on followers deployed in farms. Firstly, the pig and barn are not followers, and so are exempt from being 
caught by the Minstrel. Secondly, the pig and barn are types of farmers and are only deployed in farms. 

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Should the Jester and the Minstrel be in a position where both of them capture the attention of a follower (or followers) after 

they have finished moving, the person who initiated the movement by drawing and playing the fair tile must move either the 

Jester or the Minstrel to any other position on the playing area as long as the capturing area of the piece moved does not 

overlap the other. He is free to move either the Jester or the Minstrel (but only one of them) into a position that will affect 

subsequent scoring of any features. After this, scoring takes place. 
 

If the Jester and Minstrel are in a position where both of them capture the attention of a follower (or followers) when a feature 

is completed but they have not moved as yet (i.e. still remaining in their starting position), then they impose neither penalty 

or bonus on followers that are occupying those completed features. 

 

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The Jester and the Minstrel are both neutral pieces and are not owned by any player. The Dragon does not remove either of 

them from the playing area and both can share a tile with the Dragon. The Jester or Minstrel cannot be captured by a tower. 

 

 

 

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10 Dec 2008 

Ver 1.0 is released 

8 Dec 2008 

Ver 0.9 is released as a draft 

7 Dec 2008 

Ver 0.8 is released as a draft 

5 Dec 2008 

Ver 0.7 is released as a draft 

28 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.6 is released as a draft 

27 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.5 is released as a draft 

26 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.4 is released as a draft 

13 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.3 is released as a draft 

12 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.2 is released as a draft 

11 Nov 2008 

Ver 0.1 is released as a draft 

 

 

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Thanks to the following people that have contributed to this mini-expansion: 

 

•  Gantry Rogue and Matt Harper for Carcassonne Central – THE community for Carcassonne fans. 

•  Novelty, Whaleyland, mathguy89, Lardarse and wicke for their encouragement during the development of this 

variant-expansion. 

•  Oskar Lindqvist for providing the Blue and Yellow meeple graphics (www.tranberry.se). 

 

 

 
 

 

Rules

 for

m

at or

iginally develo

p

ed by

 J

onat

han W

a

rr

en for

 C

a

rc

as

sonne C

entr

a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.carcassonnecentral.com