Players collect Runes that allow them to summon champions, equipment, relics and spells to the battlefield. The turn-based game is played out across a variety of maps where champions do battle to collect Nora, a vital resource used to summon additional Runes into play. The strategic placement of units and tactical choice of attacks are vital to success.

Several features set PoxNora apart from the competition. First of all, gamers can play PoxNora totally free with the basic set and never buy another pack. Runes gain experience during play that can be used to upgrade or learn new attributes and abilities, meaning that as your play style evolves, so do your Runes. Finally, PoxNora will allow players to compete against bots if they want to play alone so they can experiment tactically in a more controlled environment.

"Octopi has been working the last several years to develop an exciting online collectible strategy game that appeals to more than just the hardcore trading card game player," said Dan Kopycienski, president, Octopi. "PoxNora is the first game of its kind to combine the best ideas of so many gameplay models into one fun, challenging and easy to learn package."

The base set is free, but players can greatly expand their options with Rune Starter Packs or smaller Rune Booster Packs, illustrated by popular fantasy artists. PoxNora runs on Java-enabled Internet browsers on Windows, Linux and Macintosh computers.

The game will launch Aug. 1, 2006, with nearly 200 Runes in the online store. Starter packs ($9.99) include 30 random Runes and boosters ($4.99) contain 10 random Runes.