The Maiden in the Forest
The Maiden in the Forest Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 12 Tree Cards
- 4 Object Cards
- 1 Maiden Card
- 1 Reference Card
Setup
Shuffle the twelve Tree Cards and place them in a ring like a clock face. All cards should have their blooming side revealed and their trunks must point towards the center of the ring.
Place the Maiden Card inside the ring at the 12 o'clock position. Set the four Object Cards off to one side.
Turn Structure
Each turn consists of a Day and Night phase.
Day Phase
Each day, you perform two actions:
1. Shuffle the Object Cards. Place them face down in a pile and reveal the top card. Tree Cards featuring this object may not be touched by the player during the day or night phase of this turn.
2. Take the remaining Object Cards and use their actions to swap the positions of Tree Cards. You may use 0, 1, 2 or all 3 remaining Object Cards and perform the actions in any order.
When swapping positions, keep the existing card orientation. Do not rotate or flip them over at this time.
Night Phase
Each night, you perform two actions:
1. Advance Tree Cards using 0, 1, 2 or all 3 of the Advancement Patterns (The Path, The Crossroads, The Divergence). These patterns allow Blooming Cards to be rotated so that their trunks point away from the ring, and Rotated Cards to be turned over to their Dormant Side.
You may use each of the patterns only once during this night, but you may use them in any order you choose.
2. Move the Maiden Card one position clockwise in the ring. This will signal the end of one complete day and night phase, and starts a new turn.
Object Cards
Each Object Card shows an icon and describes which pair (or pairs) of Tree Card positions its swap action may target.
Leaf
Any two opposed cards — the two Tree Card positions directly across the ring from one another.
Bird
Any two cards where color or object match — either two Tree Cards of the same color, or two Tree Cards showing the same object icon.
Flame
Any two cards — any pair of Tree Card positions in the ring.
Comb
Any two adjacent cards — two Tree Card positions that sit next to one another in the ring.
Advancement Patterns
Each Advancement Pattern lets you rotate Blooming Tree Cards so their trunks point away from the center of the ring, or turn Rotated Cards over to their Dormant Side. A card advances one step at a time: Blooming → Rotated → Dormant.
The Path
Two cards which must match in their color or object and are an equal number of cards apart.
The Divergence
Three cards in which each pair must match in colors or objects and are an equal number of cards apart.
- Card 1 matches card 2
- Card 2 matches card 3
The Crossroads
Four cards in which each pair must match in colors or objects and are an equal number of cards apart.
- Card 1 matches card 2
- Card 2 matches card 3
- Card 3 matches card 4
End of the Game
If you turn each of the twelve Tree Cards to their Dormant Side before the end of twelve clock cycles of day and night, you immediately win the game.
If you do not complete this in time, you have lost.
Flavor Text
One, two, Three, four Trees planted in days of yore
Take leaf, comb, bird, and flame The Maiden knows their true name
Bloom in season, shed in time Freedom from here shall be mine
Credits
Design: Todd Sanders
Art: Todd Sanders and Fabrice Weiss
2019 Button Shy Games
Rules questions? Visit buttonshygames.com