“Being exactly where you are in the present moment is a precious experience, Shima. Do not take it for granted…” - Pona

If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, click below!

Goal:

Reach Campaign Tile 1.1 and flip it over to reveal what comes next.

Components Needed:

Before you set up, pull these components from the box and set everything else aside.

Tiles

Tray 1 (all tiles included in this tray)
Campaign Tile 1.1

Cards

Relic Deck — 1 per player (your character's deck)
Monster Deck — shared (confirm Stumpy has been removed)
Event Deck — shared

Character components — 1 set per player

Character card
Monster mat
Miniature
Dice set
Dry erase marker

Special Rules:

Ambush — pre-spawned monsters
At the start of this episode, before play begins, each player draws 1 card from the Monster Deck. Ignore the Spawn direction printed on the card. Instead, place your monster anywhere on the board that is not a player starting tile. Assign it to your Circle stand and track its HP on your monster mat.
The Consumed have already arrived. You don't choose when this fight starts.
Starting positions
All players begin on or adjacent to the Campfire tile — the pink-outlined tiles shown on the map. Each player occupies a separate tile.
Starting Ether
Before play begins, each player rolls their Ether Die once and gains that much Ether. Write it on your character card. Start the episode with something in your pocket.

Map:

The Campfire tile and Campaign Tile 1.1 are fixed — place them exactly as shown. They are always face-up.

All other tiles are hidden resources. Shuffle them face-down before placing them randomly across the remaining positions on the board. Do not look at the backs. The board is a mystery until you explore it.

Setup Checklist:

Step 1 — Build the board

Assemble Tray 1 using the map diagram above.

Place the Campfire tile and Campaign Tile 1.1 in the positions shown. These are always face-up.

Gather all remaining tiles for this tray. Shuffle them face-down — do not peek at the backs. Place them randomly across all remaining tile positions, face-down. Snow tiles go on Snow positions, Water tiles go on Water positions.

The board is set. Nobody knows what is out there until someone goes looking.

Step 2 — Set up your character card

Each player takes their character card and a dry erase marker.

Write your Max HP in the HP tracking area
Write 0 in the Ether tracking area for now — you will roll for Starting Ether in Step 7
Locate your dice — confirm which die is Movement, Attack, and Ether using the icons in your Attributes row

Step 3 — Set up your monster mat

Take your color-coded monster mat. Your three stands — Circle, Square, Triangle — live on their matching shapes on the mat until a monster needs them.

Step 4 — Shuffle and draw your starting hand

Shuffle your Relic Deck thoroughly. Draw 7 cards. This is your starting hand — keep it hidden from other players.

Place your Relic Deck face-down in the Relic Deck zone on the left strip of your character card.

Step 5 — Prepare the shared decks

Place the Monster Deck and Event Deck face-down in the center of the table within reach of everyone.

Before you do this: make sure Stumpy has been removed from the Monster Deck. Stumpy is a tutorial card and does not belong here.

Shuffle both decks.

Step 6 — The ambush — draw your monster

Each player draws 1 card from the Monster Deck.

Slot the card above the Circle zone on your monster mat
Write the monster's HP in the HP field of that zone
Take your Circle stand and place it somewhere on the board — not on a player starting tile

You are ignoring the Spawn direction on the card during this phase of the episode. Place your monster wherever feels reasonable. Spread them out — avoid clustering all six monsters on top of the starting positions.

Step 7 — Roll for Starting Ether

Each player rolls their Ether Die once. Gain that much Ether and write it on your character card.

This is a one-time bonus for Episode 1. It will not happen at the start of every episode.

Step 8 — Place your miniature

Each player places their miniature on one of the pink-outlined starting tiles near the Campfire. Each player occupies a separate tile.

Step 9 — Roll for turn order

Everyone rolls their 1d20. Highest goes first. Ties re-roll. Turn order proceeds clockwise.

Step 10 — Begin

The board is built. Monsters are in play. Hands are drawn. Ether is ready.

Tips

You don't have to fight everything. Your goal is to reach Campaign Tile 1.1 — not clear the board. Move toward the objective. Fight what's in your way.

Spread out early. Starting with up to 6 characters and 6 monsters on one tray is a crowded board. Players who push toward the Campaign Tile early create space for everyone behind them.

Event and Monster tiles are new this episode. When you hit an Event tile, draw from the Event Deck, read it aloud, resolve it, discard it. When you hit a Monster tile, draw from the Monster Deck, follow the Spawn direction on that card, assign your next available stand, track HP on your mat.

The board is different every time. You have no idea what's under those tiles. That's the point. Explore carefully — or boldly. Either way, the Kairos surprises everyone.

Act 1 - Episode 1: “The Awakening”