You can see in the distance the bountiful land that the seafarer has dreamed of during his long voyage. The king will be proud of his explorer! The players take the roles of the Kings who bid to hire the services of the best and most daring explorers. They do so by offering them the ducats they need to finance their explorations. When a king makes the highest offer, he pays the money and sends his explorer on his journey. By hiring Magellan, for example, a king can earn fame and a small return on his investment. Marco Polo can fill his benefactor's gold vaults while Christopher Columbus can earn his king important victory points that can lead to victory in the game. As the game progresses, competition for the explorers' services increases as each explorer has fewer and fewer expeditions available for investment. In the end, only one ship for each explorer will make the final trip and give the king who invests in the journey the reward for his support.