Keeper's Notes · Orientation
Ward Primer
How spirit cards work, what the numbers mean, and how quiet duels unfold across the wards.
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- BreathTop-left cost
- SpiritBottom-left power
- CalmBottom-right durability
- ShinrinRealm affinity
The Four Quiet Wards
Past the last train stop, four countryside wards still remember how to breathe slowly. Shinrin's cedar shade, Naminami's tide hush, Akari's golden hearth, and Takane's highland breeze are home to gentle spirits, thoughtful decks, and players who compete without breaking the calm. Wander the wards before the Haru-kaze carries the last stillness away.
Shinrin
The Cedar Quiet
The Cedar Quiet — mossy shrines, tea terraces, and footpaths through morning mist.
Naminami
The Tide's Hush
The Tide's Hush — fishing piers at dawn, tidal gardens, and lantern-lit bays.
Akari
The Golden Threshold
The Golden Threshold — harvest hills, festival lanes, and warm onsen outlooks at dusk.
Takane
The Wind's Rest
The Wind's Rest — windmill ridges, cloud pastures, and chime summits above the valley.
Hold the ward
You and a rival keeper take turns placing spirits. Reduce their health to zero before your calm breaks.
Reading a card
Each card is a spirit you invite onto the board — forest walkers, coastal guides, hearth dancers, and mountain readers.
- BreathBreath cost — the stillness you spend to call this spirit forth.
- SpiritSpirit — force expressed when the card engages in combat.
- CalmCalm — composure remaining before the spirit fades.
- DomainWard affinity — Shinrin, Naminami, Akari, or Takane.
- AbilityNamed blessing or trick printed under the title.
- KeywordsShort traits that change how the spirit interacts with the board.
The board
Four resting places for spirits. Fill them to guide the flow of the duel — pressure, guard, and finish.
Turn structure
- Draw breath at turn start — five to begin, +1 max each turn.
- Play affordable spirits from your hand onto open places.
- Press Battle so your spirits move first.
- End turn — opponent plays, then combat settles.
- Remaining attackers touch the rival keeper's health. Continue until one reaches zero.
Composing a list
Twenty-card decks. Blend gentle openers, mid-game anchors, and late calm-breakers for a list that breathes with the season.