The Lantern at Low Tide

Place six tide counters in the short game or eight in the full game. Spend them only for printed action costs, never for discussion or movement. A counter is a useful stretch of working water, not an exact minute. Ask who holds the rope, who watches the water, and who communicates with Mira. Repair and rescue are separate tasks: a working lamp cannot rescue the crew. The service stair needs no rope but costs two tide counters. Three signal lamps are reserved for the ferry, unless the group spends one illuminating the stair. That trade makes the repaired beacon necessary for an immediate return. At one tide counter, announce the wet lower step; zero leaves people sheltered and the ferry offshore, with the safe pause ending always available.

Truth and opening

A fuse failed five minutes before Mira closed the gate to protect the crew. The gate did not break the lamp. The small side channel lowers water for a rope crossing; a longer service stair preserves the gate position. Either the repaired lantern or three shore lamps can guide the ferry.

90-minute route

Compare the log and select supplies 15m → Reach the gate and commit to a rescue 25m → Bring the crew home and choose the signal 25m → Return and record the repair rota 10m

Begin with the two quay cards already visible. The six-window budget supports the kit, drained rescue, and repair, but leaves little room for a detour. At 65 minutes present shore-return and pause beside restore.

People

Oren: wants Bring the ferry in only on a recognizable signal. Offers Three covered lamps, the log, and a patient signal watch. Boundary: Will keep the ferry outside if a three-lamp pattern is incomplete.

Tess: wants Repair the fault and retain a written inspection rota. Offers A matching fuse and an extra rope, collected together. Boundary: Will not touch the lamp before its fictional isolation latch is secured.

Ivo: wants See four people come home together. Offers The gate sketch and a steady end for a rope. Boundary: Will not open the main gate over the ledge.

Mira: wants Protect the workers without sacrificing the ferry. Offers Leads either the drained crossing or the upper stair. Boundary: Will not leave a worker behind for tools.

Events and costs

Working tide windows at most 1: Water touches the lowest step. Name the windows and lamps still available before anyone commits to more work.

Closures

A repaired light: Crew on dry ground is true and Matching fuse collected is true

Three lights and a late arrival: Crew on dry ground is true

A night of waiting: Available

Recovery

A blocked dock–gate footway is bypassed through dock–stair–gate. Missing cards can be read from the visible fixtures without changing their facts. If every window is spent, pause calls the reserve crew and keeps the ferry offshore; it never claims the lantern was repaired.