ROOT @ Stoup Capitol Hill!

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

Root is a game of adventure and war in which players battle for control of a vast wilderness. Each player in Root has unique capabilities and a different victory condition.

The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Woodland Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of cats. In this effort, the Alliance may enlist the help of the wandering Vagabonds who are able to move through the more dangerous woodland paths. Though some may sympathize with the Alliance’s hopes and dreams, these wanderers are old enough to remember the great birds of prey who once controlled the woods. Meanwhile, at the edge of the region, the proud, squabbling Eyrie Dynasties have found a new commander who they hope will lead their faction to resume their ancient birthright.

The stage is set for a contest that will decide the fate of the great woodland. It is up to the players to decide which group will ultimately take root.

This is intended as a beginner-friendly session, so while I'm personally happy to bring out all of the various expansions, if even a single person at the table hasn't played before we'll limit ourselves to the base game and the standard four factions only.

Root is a medium-complexity game, with the added twist that every participant plays by a slightly different set of rules. It is primarily an area majority/influence game, which may also include elements of hand management, action queueing, and/or negotiation depending on the player's faction. It also incorporates battle via dice-rolling and some "take that" elements.

New players are welcome, and the host is happy to teach if you haven't played before.

2 - 4 players
90 - 120 minutes expected play time, depending on turnout and player familiarity.

Root on Board Game Geek
Game overview: How to Play Root with Becca Scott (Don't worry, we'll go over the rules on the day, too.)

A few important details:

• It's Cap Hill, so parking can be a challenge. Sorry, it's a walking neighborhood! Stoup (formerly Optimism) Brewing is located at the corner of Union and Broadway, very close to several transit stops and the First Hill Streetcar.
• There's an open gaming event organized by another group happening at the same time, we'll try to set up near them so all the gamers can hang out together! In the event of a low turnout we can even see if any of them would like to fill the empty seat(s).
• Purchasing something isn't a strict requirement, but it's nice to do since we're using the space. Please support the business if you can!
• Stoup allows outside food and there are several eateries nearby. There's usually a food truck outside too (Marigold Pizza according to the online schedule)!
• I open signups for most of my events 1-3 days before pressing the "announce" button here on Meetup; if you want to know about that when it happens and have the opportunity to claim a seat before others, you can join the Seattle Board Games Discord server, where I'll post to let users there know as soon as RSVPs open!