# Phase 1: Establishment

**Duration:** Until the first Queen of any suit is drawn

**Tone:** Hopeful, ambitious, foundational

**Focus:** The settlement is finding its footing. Players define community identity, establish resources, set up infrastructure, and articulate initial aspirations. Challenges exist but feel manageable. The future seems open.

**Mechanical Notes:**

- Characters emerge slowly; typically 2-4 by phase end
- Tension starts low and builds gradually
- Projects initiated tend to be infrastructural
- Deliberate actions often define cultural identity

**Phase Ends:** When any Queen appears, read that suit's Growth Phase entry below, then transition to Phase 2.