Board Game - Mezhen

Since ancient times, the Mezhen River has stretched among the steep cliffs and dense groves of the north. It attracted horses, birds, and foxes – and even humans could not resist its beauty. So astonished was he that he stayed... here for many centuries – but that was not enough.
He decided to immortalize this splendor, to give it form... Thus, the legendary Mezhen painting was born, which is still alive today.
 
About the game:
The game "Mezhen" is based on cultural motifs and the style of Mezhen painting, which is reflected in all components – from cards to the board and tokens. Players will take on the roles of northern craftsmen competing to create beautiful ornaments. By completing orders from round to round, you will compose combinations of animal symbols, earn points, and use talismans to become the most famous master!
 
How to play?
Each player receives a set of 25 tokens with various symbols – from hedgehogs to horses. From these tokens, randomly lay out a 5x5 square – this is the player's ornament. Next, reveal the first goal cards – they change with each round. Give one of the participants the active player figure. Then, players receive 5 talismans each – and you can start.
The game lasts for 10 rounds. When they are finished, a final score count takes place.

The order of the round is as follows:

Look at the current round's goal – based on it, at the end of the round, you will receive victory points. Each round, you will strive to achieve different goals related to the tokens on the board: they are connected to the placement of symbols in your ornament.
The active player announces one of the five symbols: bird, horse, fox, hedgehog, or fish. Each player must then remove from their ornament a group of tokens with that symbol. However, by giving the active player 1 talisman token, a player can choose any other symbol for themselves.
Each player decides which specific group they will remove. A group is a row of identical tokens connected to each other vertically or horizontally.
Players can use talisman tokens to change groups. For example, you can place a talisman token on one of the tokens in the group to split it into two smaller groups and choose one of them. Or vice versa – with the help of a talisman, you can combine two or more groups into one.
Each player removes from their ornament all tokens of the announced group, turns them over, and places them next to the ornament. The reverse side of the tokens differs slightly from the face side. Firstly, the reverse side of the tokens is painted black – this will later affect the receipt of victory points. Secondly, the symbol of the animal is also presented on the reverse side, but it may differ from what is depicted on the front. Thirdly, among the "black" tokens, there is a special symbol of a fir tree – this is a kind of "joker" that, when adjacent to any group, is also considered part of it.
Each player shifts down the tokens under which empty spaces have formed, filling the empty positions. Then you again lay out the removed tokens on the ornament – turned over and in any order. In the end, the ornament must again represent a complete 5x5 grid. Here, you should pay attention to the task set at the beginning of the round – building a specific combination of tokens, you can earn victory points.
When everyone is finished, count the points earned for the round.

The goals can be very varied – for example, you may be required to place a symbol of a certain type in a specific location on the board. Or, for example, you can earn points for the number of "black" tokens in your ornament.
Despite the cozy design, the game requires constant concentration and attention to detail: if you lose focus, you can easily miss a combination that will bring many victory points. Along with this, it is important to adapt, as each round the strategy may change fundamentally – you should never get hung up on one thing!
After counting the points, reveal a new goal card, pass the active player figure to the neighbor on the left, and start a new round!
Who won?
When 10 rounds have passed, count the points as usual. Also, each player will receive additional points for:

Each token on their ornament, lying with the light side up
Remaining talismans
Any chosen group on their ornament

The player who has scored the most victory points wins! Praise to the most skilled master! 

- Box contents
- 125 double-sided tokens with symbols of Mezhen painting
- 36 goal cards
- 75 talismans
- 5 "50/100 points" tokens
- 5 markers for counting victory points
- Game board
- Active player figure
- Game rules

 
Game duration: from 30 minutes
Number of players: from 1 to 5