Founders
Founders Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 City game board
- 5 Character boards: Silèn the Sculptor, Olechia the Builder, Pehuën the Surveyor, Salyx the Foreman, Cetran the Archaeologist
- 40 City tiles
- 10 District tiles
- 10 Design cards
- 10 Reminder Design cards
- 10 Color cards
- 10 Sleeves
- 1 Hearth tile
- 1 Hearth token
- 1 First Player token
- 1 Bag
- 12 Renown tokens
- 1 Scorepad
- 15 Monolith pawns
- 5 Yak tokens
- 3 Bardiche tokens
- 3 Foundation tiles
- 3 Carving tokens
- 10 Switch tokens
Setup
A. Color card assignment
Sort the Color cards by color and by back: there are 5 different colors (Green, Blue, Purple, Red & Yellow) and 2 different backs (Parchment & Compass).
Form 5 face-down piles, each with the 2 cards of the same color, the first card of each pile must be the one with the "Compass" back and the second one has to be the one with the "Parchment" back.
Place the first card of each pile, in a staggered fashion, above the pile to the right of it. The far-right card on the top (now an orphan) should be moved to the empty space now on the top left. Then reform each pile by placing the top card of each column above the card below.
Quickly rearrange each pile separately so that no-one knows where each pile is.
Quickly rearrange each pile separately so that no-one knows where each color is. Then, remove 1 or 2 piles to play with 4 or 3 players, respectively, so that the remaining piles equal the number of players. Any removed piles will not be used in the game.
For a 2-player game, see the Two-Player Mode section for setup. For 5 players, you must have the BEYOND THE HEARTH expansion.
Each player takes a pile. These two Color cards form the two different types of color assigned to the player.
The pro way to shuffle the piles: During the steps 2 and 4 of the "Color card assignment" phase, if you want to shuffle like a pro and be sure no one knows where each pile was, you can do this: All players (except one) close their eyes, and then the player with open eyes randomly changes the order of the piles. Then this player closes their eyes while another player opens their eyes and randomly changes the order of the piles.
B. Choose a Character
Each player chooses a Character board and places it in front of them. If Silèn, Olechia, Salyx or Pehuën are chosen, take their respective tokens or tiles (see the Description of Each Character section).
C. Design card assignment
Shuffle the 5 Parchment Design cards together and deal one card to each player. Then do the same with the 5 Compass Design cards.
Remove from the game (face down so they are not seen) any remaining Design cards.
For your first game, reveal all the Design cards not dealt.
Each player takes a Compass and Parchment sleeve. They place their Compass color card in the corresponding sleeve and then slide the Compass Design card in front of it. They do the same with their Parchment sleeve and cards.
At any time, players may secretly look at their Designs in their sleeves without showing to other players. The Designs and Colors may not be discussed between players during the game.
D. Shared Elements
Place the board in the middle of the table.
Next to the board, place the Reminder Design Compass cards in a row, and the Reminder Design Parchment cards in another row right below them. These cards are a reminder of the game's different Designs, so that during the game you can search for your partners by comparing their actions with the Designs shown on these cards.
Store the City tiles in the City bag and place it next to the board.
Form pools for the players to use with the following items: District tiles, Switch tokens, Renown tokens and Monolith pawns.
E. Hearth tile & First player
Place the Hearth tile in the center of the City board and place in the first slot the Hearth token. The wisest player begins and takes the First player token.
Flow of a Game
A game takes place over several Days, represented by the Hearth Token in the middle of the board. Each Day is comprised of 3 game phases:
A. Beginning of a Day
- At 3 players, take 9 City tiles from the bag and place 3 in front of each player. Then place 2 additional City tiles between any two players to form a public river. There should be 11 tiles revealed in total.
- At 4 players place 2 City tiles in front of each player. There is no public river at 4 players. These tiles can't be flipped yet, and players can't look at the back of them. During their turn, players will be able to flip the tile they want to play if chosen.
B. Daytime
Starting with the player with the first player token, each player during their turn can take a single tile from anywhere, but not in front of them, and place it on the board. Play continues clockwise.
Once you have chosen a tile you can flip it and place it on the board on any side you wish.
If it's your turn and there are no tiles in front of other players or in the river, then you can take a tile in front of you.
Example: Hugo plays first, taking a tile in front of Anton and places it adjacent to the Hearth. Then Samson also takes a tile in front of Anton and places it. Finally Anton takes a tile from Samson and places it adjacent to the previous tile.
C. End of a Day
After the last tile in front of players or in a river is played, pass the First player token counter-clockwise.
Unless this was the last Day, move the Hearth Token to its next space and start a new Day.
D. End of the last Day
- At 3 players the game ends at the end of the 3rd Day.
- At 4 players the game ends at the end of the 4th Day.
The score is tallied at the end of this Day.
How to Play
How to place a tile?
- You must place the tile with at least one district adjacent to the Hearth tile or to a tile already in play.
- You cannot place a tile that is only connected to another tile.
- You cannot place a tile on top of another tile.
- You cannot place a tile if any part of it protrudes from the board grid.
Districts
Each City tile has 3 triangles on each side, one triangle represents a District.
District Color
There are 5 types of Districts, each with a different color: Scholar, Nourishers, Arcane, Workshop and Leisure.
A City Tile always has 3 different District colors on one side and the remaining 2 colors on the other side (one of which is represented twice). The side of a City Tile showing only 2 colors is still always divided in 3 districts.
Adjacent Districts
A District is adjacent to another District if it shares one of its sides with it.
A District can be adjacent to another District whether it is located on the same tile or not, and whether it shares the same color or not.
Connected Districts
A District is connected to another non-adjacent District if one of its vertices touches one of the vertices of this second District.
For example, in a circle showing 3 connected districts: the blue and the top right red District; the blue and the yellow District; the two red Districts.
A District can be connected to another District whether it is located on the same tile or not, and whether it shares the same color or not.
If two districts are adjacent, they are not considered connected.
Artifacts
Certain locations on the board contain symbols known as Artifacts. As soon as a player covers one of these symbols by placing any tile, they may earn the associated bonus.
Harmony Artifacts
Take a Switch token of the color of your choice and place it on the board on top of any District (from a City tile or a District tile). This District acquires the color of this token, and the previous color no longer applies.
You cannot place a Switch token on top of another Switch token.
Achievement Artifacts
Take a single District tile and place it on the board adjacent to any tile (Hearth, City or District tile).
If it covers another Artifact symbol you earn its bonus.
Philosophical Artifacts
Take 2 Renown tokens, place one of them on the Parchment or Compass slot of your Character board and another one on either the Parchment or Compass slot of another Character's board. Each Renown token will earn 1 bonus point for the corresponding Design cards.
Important: Switch and District tokens are limited. When a token of a certain color runs out, that's it!
Plaza
A Plaza is formed as soon as an empty space is completely surrounded by 3 or more Districts. The 6 spaces within the Hearth tile are considered colorless Districts and can therefore be used to make a Plaza. However the Edges of the board are not considered as Districts, thus they do not help to make a Plaza.
In the middle of one of the empty spaces of the Plaza, place a Monolith Pawn of the color of the District with the majority of adjacent Districts to the Plaza. If there is a tie between two different District colors, the Plaza is not allocated for any color, and a Monolith is not placed. This Plaza can be claimed later, by changing the color of an adjacent District.
A Plaza with more than one empty triangle is possible. However tiles cannot be placed inside a Plaza even if it consists of 3 or more empty spaces.
After a Monolith is placed, it can't be removed or change color, even if a player changes the color of a District adjacent to the Plaza.
At the end of the game each Monolith gives 1 bonus point to two Designs of the corresponding color.
There are 3 Monoliths per color. If there are no more Monoliths in a specific color, you can't claim a Plaza for that color; that Plaza remains unclaimed for now.
End of Game
The game ends at the end of the 3rd or 4th Day, depending on the number of players, or when the Active player can no longer legally place a tile. Players' scores are counted in Renown Points (abbreviated RP) and marked on the scorepad.
Players reveal their two secret Design cards with their associated Color card. The score of each player is then counted according to these phases:
A. Design Score
- After writing their name, each player selects their Parchment color.
- Each player calculates the points earned by their Parchment Design card objective (see the Parchment Design and Compass Design sections) and writes this in the corresponding "goal" space.
- They then write the number of Renown tokens placed on their Parchment slot of their Board, in the corresponding RP space.
- Counting the number of Monoliths on the board matching the color of their Parchment Design, they then write this number in the "Plaza" space.
- The total sum of those three spaces gives them their initial Parchment Design score.
- Then players do the same steps above for their Compass Design card.
B. Color Score
- Going one color at a time, players with matching colors compare their final Design scores. Both players will now adopt the lowest score of those two Designs.
- If one player's Design score was higher, they will earn an additional 1 bonus RP. If both player's Design scores were tied, then they each earn an additional 1 bonus RP.
- Players continue until both of their colors have their final scores, which may or may not have been adjusted from their initial Design score.
Example: If Players Jan & Fauve both had red (Scholar) Design cards, and they scored 9 and 12, respectively, for their Designs – then the final score for Jan would be 9, and for Fauve would be 10 (9+1).
Author's note: It's important to deduce the Colors and Design objectives of other players during the game. Once you've deduced what their objectives may be, try and see if their score is potentially far behind yours - you may need to help them before focusing on your own Designs. It will ultimately affect your own score.
C. Final Score
The Final Score of each player is the sum of their two Color scores.
Whoever has the most Renown Points is declared the winner! They will be rewarded with a coveted seat on The Council. If there is a tie, players share the victory!
Placements on the Board
Group
A Group is formed as soon as two or more Districts of the same color are Adjacent and/or Connected.
Orientation
The Orientation of a District or a Pattern is linked to its rotation.
On the board, a District alone will be in one of 2 Orientations.
Pattern
A Pattern is a Group formed by Districts in a specific position. However a Pattern of two or more Districts can have up to 6 Orientations.
Sides
A Side of the City is an area starting from one of the 6 sides of the Hearth tile and extending to the edge of the board. There are thus 6 distinct Sides.
Fields
The board is made up of 4 concentric Fields:
- One close to the Hearth
- Two in the middle
- And a last one located farthest from the Hearth
Parchment Design
Diamond
Choose an Orientation. For each Pattern of two adjacent Districts of this color, forming a diamond shape and in this Orientation: 2 RP.
Pyramid
Choose one of the 6 Sides of the City. Each District of this color in that part of the City: 1 RP.
Hexagon
Choose one of the six corners of the Hearth, and its corresponding corner at the edge of the board. The hexagon shape that forms in between (which the corners divide in half) is your target area. Each District of this color in that hexagon shape: 1 RP.
Strip
Choose two opposite Corners of the City board. Each District of this color contained in the strip shapes opposite each other as shown (not counting the first Field): 1 RP.
Trapezoid
Choose any two of the 6 Sides of the City that are opposite each other. Each District of this color contained in the middle Fields of these Sides: 1 RP.
Compass Design
Hourglass
Choose an orientation. For each Pattern of two connected Districts of this color, forming an hourglass shape and in this Orientation: 2 RP.
Twin
Choose an orientation. For each Pattern of two connected Districts of this color, forming this Pattern and in this Orientation: 2 RP. Each District can only be counted once for scoring.
Mosaic
Choose 1 Group of Districts of this color (a continuous, unbroken group that is either connected or adjacent to each other). Then choose an Orientation. Each District of this color in that Orientation: 1 RP.
Sandwich
Each District of any other color adjacent to 2 Districts of this color: 1 RP. Each District of any other color adjacent to 3 Districts of this color: 2 RP.
Unlike the "Twin" Design, the Districts of this Design's color can be used multiple times for scoring, as it is the other-colored Districts adjacent to them that are being counted.
Columns
There are six "columns" (of 4 Districts each) in the middle of each Side of the City, extending out from each side of the Hearth. For every District of this color within these columns: 1 RP.
Description of Each Character
Silèn, The Sculptor
You start the game with 3 Carving tokens.
When you complete a Plaza, you can place one of your Carving tokens within it, on an empty space.
If there is a tie between two or more different District colors surrounding the Plaza, the Carving token allows you to allocate a Monolith pawn for any of the tied colors. To do so, place a Monolith pawn of the chosen color on top of your Carving token. Moreover, the space under a Carving token is now considered as a Plaza and a District of the Monolith's color.
Example: As there is a tie, no Monolith should be placed in the Plaza, but thanks to a Carving token, Silèn can still choose to place a blue or purple Monolith (he can't make it red). He chose to put in a blue Monolith, making it a blue Plaza. He chose this location as it would become a blue District and would help him realize his Mosaic Design. Although this location is now also a District, it does not make 2 new Plazas.
Pehuën, The Surveyor
You start the game with 5 Yak tokens.
On your turn, before or after playing your tile, you can place (or change the place of) one of your Yak tokens on the board. This token has to be on an empty space and Adjacent to at least one District. You can't cover an Artifact with the Yak token.
Players can only place a tile on a Yak token's location if the District being placed there matches the same color of the Yak. In this case, remove the Yak token before placing the tile, and return it to Pehuën's reserve.
If, at any time, a Yak token is completely surrounded by 3 or more Districts, remove it and return it to Pehuën's reserve.
Example: Pehuën chose to put a purple Yak near an Artifact. This makes it more difficult for another player to take it. Additionally, if a player puts a City tile here, they must put a purple District on this spot, which will help Pehuën with her hourglass Design. Although she can place, or move only one Yak per turn, Pehuën can have up to 5 of them on the board simultaneously. If no one removes them, it can quickly become a nightmare! Fortunately, Salyx places a tile in the right place, which removes not only the green Yak but also the red one, as it becomes completely surrounded by tiles (the Hearth tile counts).
Olechia, The Builder
You start the game with 3 Bardiche tokens.
When placing City tiles you can place them so they are Connected (not just Adjacent) to other tiles. If you earn an Artifact bonus in this way, you cannot claim it unless you spend a Bardiche token (flip it on the grey side).
You can also place a City tile over the edge of the board, as long as only one District protrudes from the board grid. Districts outside the board can count for Designs.
Example: Olechia places a connected City tile. She can earn the Artifact bonus by flipping one of her Bardiche tokens. Later this Day she places another City tile, covering an Artifact symbol again. She doesn't have to flip a Bardiche to earn it. Any District placed off the board counts towards any Design of any player. Here it will help Olechia with her Hourglass Design.
For area designs (Pyramid, Hexagon, Strip and Columns), consider them as if they continued beyond the board.
Salyx, The Foreman
You start the game with 3 Foundation tiles.
On your turn, before placing a City tile, you can place a Foundation tile adjacent to any District on the board. When placing your City tile, two of the three Districts on the tile must cover the entire Foundation tile, while the third District must cover an adjacent District already on the board.
You cannot place a City tile if it would cover a Switch token. However, a Switch token can still be placed on a tile that's on top of a Foundation tile.
If you cover an Artifact symbol with a Foundation tile, you still earn the associated bonus.
Example: First, Salyx places the Foundation tile… then, he places the tile, covering the two slots of the Foundation tile and a red District of a tile already on the board. Covering the red District with a green one will help Salyx with his Diamond Design.
Cetran, The Archaeologist
Every Artifact effect is improved for you.
You can place a District tile so that they are Connected (not just Adjacent) to other tiles. You can't place them on an Artifact location when placing in a Connected way.
For both your Design cards, and the Design cards of your two allies, each District with a Switch token counts as both a District of the covered District color and the Switch token color.
When you cover this Artifact, place both RP tokens on your own Parchment and/or Compass slots.
Two-Player Mode
Setup
A two-player game is similar in some aspects to a 4-player game. During set-up phase, when allocating Color cards, remove only one stack of cards, as if you were playing with 4 players. Then, instead of shuffling the piles of cards separately, give the first pile to one player and the third pile to the second player. Remove the two remaining piles and proceed with the rest of the setup as normal.
The game will take place over the course of 4 "Days". During each Beginning of a Day phase, place 2 tiles in front of each player and 4 tiles between the two players (as a shared river). When playing, you can choose any tile not in front of you as normal (unless there are no other tiles to take elsewhere). 8 tiles will be played per Day (and 32 tiles in total during a game).
In game
During the game, if you cover a Philosophical Artifact, take only one Renown token, which you can place on your Parchment or Compass slot. If you play as Cetran, start the game with 1 additional Renown token on one of your slots.
End of game
At the end of the game, the player's Ultimate score is the sum of the points earned by their two Design cards (including any RP in the corresponding slots), plus the points earned by Monoliths of their Colors.
Summary
A. Beginning of a Day
- At 3 players: 3 City tiles for each player + 2 City tiles in a public river.
- At 4 players: 2 City tiles for each player (no river).
B. Daytime
- Clockwise each player takes turns placing City tiles until there are no City tiles left in front of players or in the river.
- A tile needs to be adjacent to another District.
- If an Artifact is covered you earn its bonus:
- Harmony Artifact: Place a Switch token on top of a District to change its color.
- Achievement Artifact: Place a District tile adjacent to any tile.
- Philosophical Artifact: Take 2 Renown tokens: one for you and the other for another player.
- If placing a tile enables you to make a Plaza by enclosing an empty area, place a Monolith of the color of the majority District. If there is a tie, don't place a Monolith.
C. End of a Day
Pass the First player token counter-clockwise.
D. End of the last Day
- At 3 players the game ends at the end of the 3rd Day.
- At 4 players the game ends at the end of the 4th Day.