Its World-Build-Tober:
Look at the Romans, unless you count Gladiator battles and lions eating Christians sport.. (Yes I am aware that in reality these things were not common events like movies & TV shows us)
It does make sense, however, that many games and sport-like events would have happened locally. groups of boys in the street would most definitely have invented their own games, some of which may have continued into early adult life.
But the game I'd like to discuss is the one, inspired by Robert Asprin, in his Myth.inc books.
Dragon Poker.
When I first read about dragon poker, I was highly intrigued. The idea of playing a game of cards that, the more rules you knew off by heart, the better your hand would be, and an adjudicator was needed to prove each rule quoted.
For example:
I might have a run of diamonds, 4,5,6,7 and 8, while you have a run of spades, also 4,5,6,7 and 8.. but, because I'm wearing predominately red clothes, but you have blues and greens, my red cards are worth more to me, counting my run as 5,6,7,8 and 9.. so I win..
But, you then point out that in the city of Maine, (where we're playing) red clothing is counted as negative, so my cards are now 3,4,5,6 and 7.. I lose.
Other factors include, time of day, number of players, city you were born in. hundreds of possible variants.
Also you would not point out rules that would be negative to you, that's your opponents job, you'd point out rules that gave you an advantage and rules that would negate your opponents cards.
So that's my inspiration:
Dungeon (draw) Poker, is a 7 card, with a 3 card open and 1 card closed (to you) game of poker like rules. There are a total of 12 suits in the game, and special wild cards, but unlike normal games, you bring your suit to the table yourself, submit it to the dealer, they shuffle in the wild cards available, and hand out the cards as a normal game of poker
You try to make the same kind of runs, sets or otherwise, like any poker styled game you've seen before.
The fun part is, there is always that 1 card you have no idea about, 3 cards that everyone 'has' and the wild cards.
Wild cards, allow you to mix up the rules along the way (like fluxx) some might allow you to change the open cards, view your closed card, view an opponents card, but as often as not, wild cards might boost certain hands, modify the cards worth based on factors.
Lastly, because paper is expensive, card stock is rarer, many of the Dungeon Draw cards are worth a bit more than a gold, so much so, that some nobles use the cards as currency in certain circles. This has created a supply demand curve on certain cards and even parties arranged for the exchange of cards, akin to world politics.
One kingdom traded a Dungeon Draw/Dragon Poker card in part to complete a marriage arrangement and bring peace to the lands. The card went on to win a tournament and bring untold wealth to the now merged kingdom and two generations later the same card swapped to another noble house brought about the ruin of another kingdom.
Heroes, often find cards, sealed in chests, in tombs, in dungeons, sometimes unaware of their wealth, they use them to light fires or pick simple locks.
If your heroes find a treasure, the most common cards are the suit of Peasants, or the Suit of Soldiers, throw in a card or two.
Tuesday the 9th - World-build-tober
"Draw (or describe) a common game or sport"
Sport, for the most part is a derivative of the violent games played in medieval times, which are a derivative of war. So it seems a little strange to assume that sport would exist in a medieval environment at all..Look at the Romans, unless you count Gladiator battles and lions eating Christians sport.. (Yes I am aware that in reality these things were not common events like movies & TV shows us)
It does make sense, however, that many games and sport-like events would have happened locally. groups of boys in the street would most definitely have invented their own games, some of which may have continued into early adult life.
But the game I'd like to discuss is the one, inspired by Robert Asprin, in his Myth.inc books.
Dragon Poker.
When I first read about dragon poker, I was highly intrigued. The idea of playing a game of cards that, the more rules you knew off by heart, the better your hand would be, and an adjudicator was needed to prove each rule quoted.
For example:
I might have a run of diamonds, 4,5,6,7 and 8, while you have a run of spades, also 4,5,6,7 and 8.. but, because I'm wearing predominately red clothes, but you have blues and greens, my red cards are worth more to me, counting my run as 5,6,7,8 and 9.. so I win..
But, you then point out that in the city of Maine, (where we're playing) red clothing is counted as negative, so my cards are now 3,4,5,6 and 7.. I lose.
Other factors include, time of day, number of players, city you were born in. hundreds of possible variants.
Also you would not point out rules that would be negative to you, that's your opponents job, you'd point out rules that gave you an advantage and rules that would negate your opponents cards.
So that's my inspiration:
You try to make the same kind of runs, sets or otherwise, like any poker styled game you've seen before.
The fun part is, there is always that 1 card you have no idea about, 3 cards that everyone 'has' and the wild cards.
Wild cards, allow you to mix up the rules along the way (like fluxx) some might allow you to change the open cards, view your closed card, view an opponents card, but as often as not, wild cards might boost certain hands, modify the cards worth based on factors.
Lastly, because paper is expensive, card stock is rarer, many of the Dungeon Draw cards are worth a bit more than a gold, so much so, that some nobles use the cards as currency in certain circles. This has created a supply demand curve on certain cards and even parties arranged for the exchange of cards, akin to world politics.
One kingdom traded a Dungeon Draw/Dragon Poker card in part to complete a marriage arrangement and bring peace to the lands. The card went on to win a tournament and bring untold wealth to the now merged kingdom and two generations later the same card swapped to another noble house brought about the ruin of another kingdom.
Heroes, often find cards, sealed in chests, in tombs, in dungeons, sometimes unaware of their wealth, they use them to light fires or pick simple locks.
If your heroes find a treasure, the most common cards are the suit of Peasants, or the Suit of Soldiers, throw in a card or two.
GMs: roll a 2d6, or d8+8 for rarer cards, In order: Ace/Void, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, Lord, Knight, Baron, Count, Prince, Duke, King, Emperor, Dragon, Suit-wild. Don't tell your players what they're from, just see how long til they destroy it or use it for strange reasons.
Sub-note: The Wizards, being interested in such things have invented their own similar game, which brings forth illusions to fight out over what cards were played, but it is a highly complex game, only for wizardly minds who like complex things.
Sub-note: The Wizards, being interested in such things have invented their own similar game, which brings forth illusions to fight out over what cards were played, but it is a highly complex game, only for wizardly minds who like complex things.
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