Carcassonne: The Tollkeepers

About this expansion

Carcassonne: The Tollkeepers is a 2019 board game for 2–4 players about raising customs on travelers and goods to earn points.

Set in the Middle Ages, the game draws on customs laws that gave landowners the right to impose an import duty, or toll, on people passing through their lands. Travelers and traders could therefore be charged as they made their way through the region.

A central distinction in The Tollkeepers is between two kinds of customs. These duties reflect different aspects of medieval toll collection:

• Small customs: Mainly associated with the use of a means of transport.
• Large customs: Levied on goods according to their type and weight.

Players can raise these customs on passing travelers and on goods, turning the movement of people and merchandise into opportunities to score points. The theme connects the game’s scoring with the practical realities of medieval trade and travel.

By focusing on tolls, transport, and goods, Carcassonne: The Tollkeepers presents a historical take on customs law within the Carcassonne setting. Its subject matter highlights how landowners could benefit from traffic moving through their territory.