Wandering Towers

Overview

Wandering Towers is a family strategy game where wizards race across a circular track to reach the black tower Ravenskeep for their magical exam. Players play movement cards to move towers and wizards, trying to get their wizards into Ravenskeep while trapping opponents under wandering towers. Towers can cover wizards (imprisoning them) or carry them along when they move. The first player to get all their wizards into Ravenskeep wins.

Components

• 1 Game board (circular track with spaces)
• 9 Towers (hollow, stackable plastic towers including Ravenskeep)
• Wizard meeples (in player colors, quantity varies by player count)
• Movement cards (numbered, with tower and wizard movement)
• Potion tokens
• Spell cards (optional advanced rules)
• Rulebook

Setup

1. Place the game board centrally.
2. Position Ravenskeep (black tower) on its designated starting space.
3. Distribute remaining towers evenly across the track.
4. Each player takes their wizard meeples and places them on the starting space.
5. Deal movement cards to each player.
6. Give each player starting potion tokens.
7. Determine first player.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Play a Movement Card

Choose and play 1 or 2 movement cards from your hand. Each card shows a number and specifies whether it moves a tower or a wizard.

2. Move Tower or Wizard

• Tower Movement: Move a tower the exact number of spaces shown. The full movement must be used (no stopping early). If a tower lands on a space with wizards, those wizards become trapped underneath.
• Wizard Movement: Move one of your wizards the exact number of spaces shown. Wizards can enter Ravenskeep if the movement ends exactly on its space.

3. Gain Potions

If your wizard is trapped under a tower (your own or opponent’s), gain 1 potion token. Potions can be spent for special effects.

4. Draw Cards

Refill your hand from the draw pile.

Actions

• Move Tower: Slide a tower along the track. Full card value must be used. Towers capture any wizards on the destination space.
• Move Wizard: Move your wizard along the track. Must use exact card value.
• Use Potion: Spend a potion for a special ability (varies by game variant).
• Cast Spell (Advanced): Use spell cards for unique magical effects.

Tower Interactions

• Towers can stack on each other and on spaces with wizards.
• A tower with wizards underneath carries them when moved.
• Multiple towers can stack in a single space.
• Each space or tower can hold up to 6 wizards.
• Wizards trapped under a tower can only be freed when the tower moves away.
• Ravenskeep cannot be moved onto (towers cannot enter Ravenskeep’s space).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Immediate Victory: The first player to get all their wizards into Ravenskeep wins.

• Wizards enter Ravenskeep by landing exactly on its space via wizard movement.
• Ravenskeep itself can be moved along the track (like any tower) using tower movement cards, potentially bringing it closer to or further from wizards.

There is no point-based scoring.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Self-Imprisonment: You can trap your own wizards under towers. You still gain a potion, but you will need to free them later to win.
• Ravenskeep Movement: When Ravenskeep moves, it carries any towers stacked with it. Towers on Ravenskeep’s space move along.
• Full Movement Required: You must use the full movement value on your card. You cannot stop early.
• Stacking Limit: Up to 6 wizards per space or tower. All 9 towers can stack in a single space.
• Tower Landing: If a tower lands on a space with wizards, all wizards on that space are now trapped underneath.
• Freeing Wizards: Wizards are freed when the tower above them moves to a different space.
• Ravenskeep Entry: Towers cannot move onto Ravenskeep’s space. Only wizards can enter Ravenskeep.
• Card Draw: After playing cards, refill your hand.
• Player Count Adjustment: The number of wizards per player varies by player count.

Player Reference

Card Type	Effect
Tower card	Move 1 tower X spaces
Wizard card	Move 1 of your wizards X spaces

Goal: Get all your wizards into Ravenskeep (black tower)

Trapping: Tower lands on wizards = wizards trapped underneath

Potions: Gained when trapped; spent for special abilities