The Last Ferry Before the Fog

Four parties negotiate a genuine eight-unit demand on a six-unit ferry. Four travellers plus the compact repair crew make the people-and-tools manifest; growers then need two real storage bays and tomorrow’s priority token. Four travellers plus two crate units make the market manifest; repairers then need a work bench and two lodging host tokens. The pilot supplies the ferry but will never spend the safety reserve or increase capacity. Neither branch depends on rank or a claim of emergency. Players assign counters, listen to what an overnight delay actually requires, and write who receives the limited morning priority. A cancelled sailing offers everyone the quay hall and leaves all delivery goals unresolved. Competing commitments consume scarce hospitality and cannot be promised twice.

Truth and opening

The ferry has six capacity units. Four travellers need four seats; the repair crew and its compact kit need two; the growers’ return crates need two. Everything cannot cross in one sailing. The growers can hold crates overnight if given two storage bays and a morning priority token. The repair crew can stay overnight if given a work bench and two host tokens; then travellers and crates fit. The pilot needs a complete manifest and an untouched safety reserve. Nobody has secret authority to add capacity.

120-minute route

Hear all four parties and compare delays 25m → Inspect storage and a possible workshop 25m → Secure hosts and write the market manifest 30m → Review, board and hand over the shore job 20m

Two real host invitations make the market branch possible. Use booking → hall → store → workshop → store → booking → pier. The extra work turns allow comparison, but capacity stays six and the safety reserve never becomes a resource to bargain away.

People

Elin: wants Cross together with a trustworthy arrival plan. Offers Four valid tickets and help reading the boarding order. Boundary: Four actual places on either manifest; no splitting the group without consent.

Bex: wants Move two crate units or secure a credible morning alternative. Offers Can defer crates if both dry bays and morning priority are committed. Boundary: No exposed overnight crates and no vague promise of “first if possible.”

Nuri: wants Take compact tools across or do useful shore work with a place to stay. Offers Two capacity units including compact kit, or overnight work if hosted. Boundary: Staying requires a prepared bench and two willing host tokens; the crew will not sleep in the store.

Yara: wants Leave once with a complete six-unit manifest before fog. Offers One departure and public approval of either feasible allocation. Boundary: Exactly six capacity units; safety reserve remains untouched; no second departure tonight.

Events and costs

Preparation turns before fog at most 1: Only one preparation turn remains. A completed manifest can still receive pilot review; new bench or crate preparation would leave no review turn.

Closures

Tools tonight, crates tomorrow: Chosen manifest is tools

Crates tonight, a workshop at shore: Chosen manifest is market

The hall lights stay on: Available

Recovery

If dry storage is unavailable, the hosted-workshop branch can still send crates in the long route. If hosts, storage or the review window are missing, cancel-departure keeps everyone sheltered while explicitly leaving cross-river work undone. Refusing a capacity violation never removes a legitimate alternative.