Fairy Trails
Fairy Trails Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Material
- 59 square cards
- 38 player stones
Preparation
Each player chooses a color and takes all the 19 stones of that color. Sort out the starting card (the one that has a different background) and put it face up near the middle of the table. Shuffle the other cards and deal two facedown cards to each player, which players take into their hands. Place the remaining draw pile within reach.
The Cards
The cards show networks in two different colors; elves use the pink paths, and gnomes the yellow paths. Some paths will end on the card, and some will be continued on other cards. Most cards also show houses in one or both colors.
Please note that some cards show underpasses. These cards only connect from left to right and from top to bottom, but they do not allow you to turn.
How to Play
The player who most recently took a walk in the forest while contemplating the existence of hidden peoples begins. On your turn, play a card from your hand to the table. The new card has to touch at least one edge of a card already in place (orthogonally, not diagonally). At the end of your turn, draw one card from the draw pile in order to start each turn with two cards in hand.
Players may always look at their cards in hand, and turn them as they see fit. You may hold a card close to the others to visualize placement, but once you play a card you may not change its position.
The Network
By playing cards, players will create networks of paths in their own color, as well as in the opponent's color. Every time you complete a path of your own color (meaning that no cards can be added to that path, because there are no more open connections), you may place one of your stones on each of the houses that connect to that path.
In the above example, the elf player adds the card to the network, completing the highlighted path. He therefore places three stones, one on each house of the completed path.
Winning the Game
The winner is the player who, on his own turn, places the last of their stones on one of their houses.
Further Explanations
- If you have completed a path without noticing, simply place your stones when you do.
- If your opponent completes one of your paths, place your stones on that path on your next turn.
- If all cards have been laid out and no player has placed all of their stones, the player who placed more stones wins. If both players have played the same number of stones, the game ends in a tie.
Tactical advice: You'll notice that a lot of paths have three-way or even four-way intersections. You may quickly find yourself being unable to complete a path because there are too many open connections. Try to use intersections of your opponent's color to thwart their plans!
Solo Play
Fairy Trails may also be played without an opponent. Take all 38 houses of both colors. Put the starting card on the table and shuffle the other cards. Each turn, draw the topmost card of the draw pile (there are no cards in hand like in the two player game) and place it, following the same rules as in the two-player game. If this completes a path of either color, place stones on all houses of this path. If there are no houses left in the corresponding color, you do not get to place any.
You must complete a path and place at least one house after placing your third card (not counting the starting card). This count is reset every time you place one ore more houses. If you ever play three consecutive cards without placing any houses, you lose the game.
You win the game by playing all houses of both colors. Your score is the number of cards left in the deck.
For an easier game, once per game, you may dicard a card you just drew and draw the next card instead.
Credits
© 2019 by Paper Plane Games
The publisher would like to thank:
My wife Geneviève for her important input and support, Mounir Ferchiou for his kind advice, Antony Pelletier for his honesty, Nicolas Demers for his creativity, and everyone involved in playtesting