The Commons

How the meadow works

Four herds share one meadow for one year. Same face, four ribbons. You speak for Terrace, or you pass the phone and play all four.

• Terrace is yours, unless the phone is going around the table.
• Reed follows Terrace. Yield, and Reed yields. Claim, and Reed claims.
• Salt takes an extra share when you do not, if the pot has one.
• Cloud claims. When trust is tied, the earlier ribbon is spared, so Cloud is often the one who waits.

Spring is 5 grazing days. Summer is the trough: 3, 4, or 5. Three is a dry year. Winter spends the hay stack. Autumn is not an eating season. The cut is 2 bales, plus 1 if all four herds are still here, plus 1 if nobody is thin.

Claim takes a share. If you yield and the pot is short, you go without and gain 1 trust. If you yield and the pot covers everyone, you still eat, gain 1 trust, and leave the extra. Take the extra only when the pot is larger than the number of herds. If anyone is thin, taking the extra costs 1 trust.

If more herds claim than the pot holds, the lowest trust goes without. A tie spares the earlier ribbon. A herd that goes without is thin. A thin herd that goes without again leaves the grass. If Terrace leaves, the year ends after that result is read.

Alone, you may spend 1 trust to ask Reed, Salt, or Cloud to yield. Trust stays between 0 and 4. Every solo choice is written out before you take it. At the table, each herd chooses in turn, and autumn is one choice for everyone.

Keys: 1 to 6 choose. Enter goes onward. M mutes.