Fairy Dell

“Tai-la-lei-la! It Today is the Fairy Queen’s coronation, and the fairies are gathering at their sacred meeting place to celebrate, but they are not alone. The Wood Goblins are looking to ruin the fun.

Fairy dell is a co-operative tower defense game for players of all ages..

Defend the Sacred Dell and protect the Fairy Queen from the meddling Wood Goblins. Work together to play sets of cards to the table to grow protective mushrooms around the perimeter of the Dell. The stone circle laid out for the celebration mark the spots where you need to grow them. The Goblins will not be turned away so easily though. If they get close to the circle, they will stomp your mushrooms, and you will need to play another card to regrow a mushroom in that spot. Fear not, for there are other ways to protect the Dell. Grow itchy Poison Ivy to delay the approach of the Goblins. Hurl acorns to knock them out of the Dell. If needed call upon one of the Fairy Queen’s 4 season abilities to help with the defense. If the Fairies can grow all the mushrooms, and complete the protective circle, they can celebrate the Queen’s birthday.

SPECS

  • Conceived 2015

  • Cooperative Play / Tower Defense

  • 2-6 Players

  • 8 and older

  • Being play tested

GENESIS

I am always interested in trying new design mechanisms, and had not yet tried tower defense in a game design. My kids were still young, and I wanted to find a theme that might get them interested. This was also new territory as I had not designed much for younger players. I was drawn to Fairies, as my girls had toys and stories about them that they enjoyed. Thinking about the possibilities, tower defense came to mind. It seemed like a good match as it made for a cooperative experience, and I had not encountered a lot of co-op games for younger players. Goblins made for a good antagonist, and Fairy Dell was conceived!

I took photos from nature to use for some of the artwork. I thought these would contrast well with the illustrations I had in mind. I brought my oldest daughter into the project and asked her to draw the Fairies for me. She has drawn me three different iterations over the past few years, and the latest version is in the game today. I handled the illustrations for the Goblins, Mushrooms, Acorns, and Poison Ivy.

GAME PLAY

Fairy Dell is playable by up to 6 players. You control one of the Fairies attending the celebration. The Fairy Queen is placed at the center of the board. All player’s Fairies start in the center ring of the board next to the Fairy Queen. You may strategize with other players during the game.

Win/Lose. If the players grow Mushrooms in the circle Stones Spaces they win. If a Goblin reaches the center of the board, they take the queen away to their kingdom, and the celebration is over for the Fairies.

Goblins

The Goblin Party deck is created by separating out 2 strength of 2 Goblins, 2 strength of 3 Goblins, and 1 strength of 4 Goblin. Then draw a random Goblin card for each player, and add them to the Goblin Party. Take the matching Goblin standees and distribute them evenly to the four corners of the board. Shuffle the Goblin Party deck and place it near the board.

Cards

Shuffle the 4 Fairy Queen power cards and place them near the board.

Shuffle the Fairy Dell cards and deal each player a hand of 5 cards. If a Goblin Surge card is dealt, place it back into the deck and deal a new card to the player. The types of Fairy Dell cards are:

  • Mushroom cards, numbered 1-8. When you are adjacent to a Stones Space you may play a Mushroom card to the table that matches the number of the board section the stones are in. When two of the same numbered cards are played to the table a mushroom grows in the matching stones space. When played a Mushroom Card will move Goblins on the board (indicated by an arrow and +/- for direction), and will place a random Goblin on the board (draw the top card from the Goblin Party deck), if there are any face down cards in the Goblin Party deck. Place the played Mushroom cards near the board so all players can see them.

  • Acorn Cards. Play an Acorn card to hurl and acorn at a goblin. You may aim at a Goblin in the same numbered section of the board, or an adjacent section. If your roll equals or exceeds the Goblin’s strength, remove them to one of the corners. If you roll lower than the Goblin’s strength, they stay put. If you roll the Arrow symbol, move the Goblin away from the center one space.

  • Poison Ivy Cards. Play a Poison Ivy card to place a Poison Ivy marker on an adjacent space of the board. If a Goblin is supposed to move onto that space, remove the Poison Ivy marker, and leave the Goblin on its current space.

  • Goblin Surge Cards. If you draw one of these when replenishing your hand to 5 cards, all the Goblins on the board move forward one space. Continue drawing up to 5 cards.

On your turn you may move your Fairy up to three spaces (orthogonally or diagonally), and perform one action. Determine play order in a manner of your choosing. The first player takes their turn and turn order proceeds clockwise around the table from them.

Actions include:

  • Playing a card from your hand

  • Discarding a card. This will still move the Goblins around the board, and bring a new Goblin onto the board if there are any face down in the Goblin Party.

  • Choose to play one of the Fairy Queen’s power cards.

    • New Growth: All Goblins are pushed back from the center of the board one space.

    • Ray of Sun: Remove one in-play Goblin from the board for the rest of the game.

    • Tornado of Leaves: Switch the positions of two in-play Goblins.

    • Deep Freeze: All Goblins loose movement for the next players turn.

At the end of your turn draw back up to 5 cards.

 

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All content ©2020 Christopher Wiley and Ringstrue Studio.

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