CAIRN
Hey there! Welcome to Cairn, a game where you and I become powerful tribe leaders, each fighting to conquer the other. It’s the ultimate battle between the land and the sea, and it’s up to us to decide who will come out on top. Are you ready?
SETUP
First things first, let’s get set up. We need to pick our tribes and gather our resources. Each of us will choose a tribe and gather five shamans and victory tokens that match our tribe. Now, let’s set up the gameboard in the middle of the playing area. Make sure to have the sea side facing you if you have the sea tribe, and the forest side facing you if you have the forest tribe. Next, place three shamans on the empty spaces in the first row, not counting the ones with totems. Any extra shamans go in the village. We’re almost ready to go!
When we start a game, each player puts their score tokens at the beginning of their score track. We take the Megalith tiles and mix them up, then we put them face down next to the game board. From those tiles, we draw four and place two of them face up on the two stone circles. The other two go on the upcoming megalith spaces.
Next, we throw the Action tiles into the air and put them on empty spaces on the board where they belong. We do the same thing with the transformation tile, putting it in its assigned spot. Now, it’s time to figure out who goes first, and then we’re ready to start the game!
How to Play
When it’s my turn, I have two things to do. First, I need to pick an action to do. Then, I have to figure out what will happen from that action. I can choose to do different things like adding a shaman, moving a shaman, or jumping a shaman. If I decide to add a shaman, I just move it from my village to the white or black totem. When moving a shaman, I can move it one space, or I can jump a shaman, even if it’s not mine.
Once I finish my action, I flip over the tile I used and check if I can do a transformation. This gives me the power to banish other shamans or build a megalith. I can only do one transformation per turn. To do it, I have to make the same arrangement as the tile shows and move a shaman found in that arrangement.
If all the requirements are met, then transformation can happen. The transformation flips over, banishes the opponent’s shaman, and builds a megalith. When a shaman is banished, it is removed from the field and sent back to its village. To construct a megalith, a player needs to create a transformation or have their shaman leave the field through an opponent’s village.
In both of these situations, the player gets to choose one of the two megaliths to build. They then place it on the field, move forward on the score track, and draw a new megalith. The game continues like this until a player has constructed three megaliths or is unable to take any more actions.
END OF THE GAME
The game can end in two different ways. First, if a player manages to build three megaliths, they automatically win the game. Second, if a player is unable to complete any of the three actions at the start of their turn, they lose the game instantly.
Hi there! I’m Ellie, and I live in Northeast Tennessee. I have a passion for animals, whether they’re big or small. Fantasy fiction novels are my favorite, and I enjoy spending time outdoors. Luckily, I have an amazing husband who loves me almost as much as our two fluffy pets. It’s great to be a part of this wonderful community!
Hey, it’s Ellie again! I live in Northeast Tennessee and I’m thrilled to share a bit more about myself. As an animal-loving person, I find joy in the presence of all creatures, no matter their shape or size. When I’m not engrossed in a fantasy fiction novel, you can find me outside, surrounded by nature. And speaking of love, I have a fantastic husband who adores me just as much as our two adorable fur babies. Being a part of this incredible community brings me so much happiness!