The Game of KINGS

Pipe dreams, being what they are - flights of fantasy, with high hopes of grandure - I've got one of my own. Without drawing out all the details, this is just a hint of one of my hobbies and aspiring pipe dreams; before its big premiere debut. Here is the first Handcrafted version of "The Game of Kings."

A complex, situationally driven, strategy game using a milliaristic format to move pieces on a board with dice, and cards. Inspired by the Fantasy Shortstories of Michael T. Smith, and Don Walker.

The origin of KINGS reaches back into the antiquity of a forgotten world; the Land of the Seven Empires. The Game of Kings commemorated the end of a seven hundred year war between its two largest countries. The realm of the Moon standard lands of Berendez, and The Star standard eastren lands of Parval; who ended their rivalries naming KINGS their offical game. Having once been a game only for the nobles, KINGS soon found enjoyment in all households of the Empires.

KINGS is a two player game. Any method agreed upon to begin play is acceptable. The image on the card depicts which piece on the board may be moved, in alternating turns.

The full deck of cards are shuffeled then placed face down. Each player initionally draws six (6) cards, and thereafter must retain six (6) in hand throughout the game. Only a pair enables a piece to be moved. The Flag card serves as a "wild card" allowing it to complete a needed pair. The player anounces the piece to be moved, while removing that pair from their hand, creating a discard pile, (with face up; oppoiste the draw plie). A player's turn is called a "round" and is completed by replenishing the player's hand, totaling six cards. If no pairs can be played the player may discard as many cards as they wish, replacing them with the same amount; which concludes their round.

The cards determine which piece may be moved. Yet, the dice determines which direction the pieces are allowed to move. Each piece is governed by its own moving style. When the Flag is threatened with capture in the next move it must be anounced with "Threat." Whenever all possible protective countermeasures have failed "Surrender" is anounced, and the is game over. However, when the Flag has not been surrendered but all possible moves place it in Threat a Stalemate is declared, and the game is over. If all of an opponant's pieces have been captured the game is over, and victor declared.

Casmar and Duke

Origins of the game of Kings; excert taken from

THE TALES of CASMAR and DUKE

"The first day of the Fair of Merd saw a swarm of people entering the walled city of Germaine to set up their stalls in the marketplace. Jugglers, courtesans, artisans, storytellers, and vendors of every commodity imaginable thronged the plaza, each vying for the attention of the passerby.

"Chance for gold! Play the game of Kings! Double the contents of your purse!"

In one corner of the market sat an ostentatiously-attired young man. Before him was a gaming board set with curiously-wrought playing pieces which gleamed in the late morning sun.

"Chance for gold! Play the game of Kings! Double the contents of your purse!" Few of the passersby did more than momentarily glance at the board. One onlooker, however, stopped in his tracks and surveyed the table with puzzlement written upon his face.

"Try your luck, sir?" queried the young man.

The potential customer, a large barbarous sort, shrugged his brawny shoulders, and took a seaton the provided stool, which groaned ominously. Even sitting down, he towered over most people. He scratched in turn his hairy pot-belly, his long mop of dirty-brown hair, and the matching beard which grew wildly from his broad face.

The young man withdrew from a pocket of his cloak a large deck of cards which he began shuffling flamboyantly as he explained the rules of the game. *

*Originally written by Michael T. Smith and Don Walker

THE ROYAL GAME OF UR

I my long Epic story I have two characters saying their dialogue while playing a game.  I did not want to use (it would feel like stealing it) my brother-in-law's Game of Kings or Chess (over used).  After a little searching on the on the web I came across THE GAME OF UR; I have a city in my world named "Uruk" [next to Ur of the Biblical Chaldeans]. So I'm finishing up crafting my replica version  of the world's oldest game.
   I made the game from scratch.  A co-worker (Stephen Hines) gave me some scrape pieces.  After repairing the cover on an old Bible I realized I had a really nice piece of deer skin left over.  However it is very delicate and thin and tears very easily.  I don't have tools and didn't make a block of wood so drew the 'board' on the skin and then attached it with spray glue to a padded synthetic cloth material.
THE Rules of Play>

Michael's Book

The Unpublished Tales of Casmar and Duke by Michael Thomas Smith. Here's my Preface:

These are the unpublished works of my brother-in-law, Michael Thomas Smith. I encouraged Michael several times to get his voluminous work out of his head and onto paper, but the depths of his procrastinations were fueled by an overwhelming depression since the death of his wife, Kathirene. Before his own death in 2009, our relationship had become considerably strained, due to his procrastinations to follow through on even the most mundane of tasks in his personal life.

We can never take back the harsh words spoken nor deeds done after a loved one has passed on, so it was with my own regrets. However, about a year after his passing, I came across a folder that had been packed away in the back of our closet of Michael’s most prized imaginative writings. I vowed to myself that his story would, in some form or fashion, become known to others.

These stories are about the misadventures of two friends, and take place in an ancient fantasy realm called: The Land of the Seven Empires. Inspired by Fritz Leiber’s tale of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Michael’s two main characters were loosely based on himself and a close friend of his named, Don E. Walker. In fact, it was both Michael and Don themselves who first collaborated in conjuring these stories into being, but Michael who later developed their detailed background histories and genealogies further.

Along with the stories is a map, I drew from rough sketches by Michael. There was even a time when Michael and I created the actual board game of KINGS; which was the vehicle that brought the two main characters together. Our game-making venture later fell through, but it was quiet an adventure in itself to invent and craft. The rules of the game are provided in an appendix as another insightful example of Michael‘s complex thinking.

It is my sincere hope the reader will enjoy these brief stories as much as those of us who first heard them told.

Doom of the Kings

STONES, BONES and SEEDS

   There was an old woman brought before the king one afternoon. The guard said, “My Lord here is the Seer you called for.”
He spoke to her saying, “Word has come to my ears you are one who practices the dark arts, is this true?”
   She answered, “I practice the arts sire but it up to others whether they be good or ill. For God makes it rain on the just and unjust; destroying forest fires replenish the woods. Pray, what is it really you seek King of the West?”

   “To amuse us as I weigh the case of your kind before me,” He said to her.
   “As you wish,” She stepped forward and took the kings own bowl of water for cleaning his hands and cast it before court on the chamber floor. “In time we all vanish before the world.” Suddenly the water on the floor dried away before the onlookers. From a pouch on her waist cord the old woman withdrew a velvet bag. Emptying the contents into the bowl she set it before the king again. Stepping back to where the guard had introduced her, the old woman requested of the king. “Oh King, before this council chose and do with them as you wish.”
   Looking into the bowl he saw gemstones, acorn, almond and various seeds, crow, rabbit and rat’s foot and various bones. The King picked out the gem stones: red ruby, black onyx, blue sodalite, purple amethyst, snowflake obsidian, rose quartz, blood garnet, white agate, and the yellow leopard skin stone. The king set them in a row, and then looked up at the old woman. She gave no attention to him with regard to reaction.
Thinking he had been made to play a fool’s game, king tried crushing the stones with the hilt of his side dagger, then brushed them and the bowl from off his table crying out, “Such nonsense this foolishness is. If we are called to play games then name it as such, and if it be some lesson of fate then instruct such as well.”
   The old woman covered her face in her hands and began weeping as she rocked back and forth. Then answering the king’s question of ‘What is wrong’ the old woman rose to her feet from the floor?
   “Hear now, oh realm of Eriduah for your king has selected your future oh Mithar! Not the bones of your various enemies did he seek to wipe away, nor the various seeds of your children does he care to plant; but those who desire to instruct with wise council has your king chosen to crush before him. Yeah, for many kings of this realm shall crush those with firm voices to direct, yet shall the un-thrown one remain before the city falls!”
   Looking before him, the king saw that the white agate remained where he had placed it, then to the guards he pronounced, “Take her from my sight, and to the caves of Sinjar you are confined till I call for you, one year from this very day.”

-----------------------------------
Before the year is out the King has killed Kashon, the first of the Nine Prophets to arise and nine days later; to the very day the king himself falls into a deep sleep never to awake.

...

KINGS at the Galleria Mall

We still have much work to accomplish in even beginning our small bussiness; however, on a marketing excursion to various North Texas shops, at least three appeared hopeful. We went to the Dallas Galleria Mall yesterday. At one of the upper level shops, Amazing Toy Creations, the spokesperson was very open to the possibility of us placing our GAME OF KINGS on consignment at thier location. If nothing else it would be name reconginition, and at least a foot-in-the-door to other local Merchants.

It's just a neat hobby - using my artistic abilities, but who knows with a lot of patience, luck, and a great deal of presistance we just may be on to something. The experience will be interesting to say the least.

KINGS origins

Click to enlarge

This is a MAP I drew based on the rough sketches of my brother-in-law's penciled efforts of The Lands of the Seven Empires; where The Game of Kings is first mentioned.

Hand Crafted GAME

THE GAME of KINGS; our handcrafted, made from scratch board game, for a "from the ground up" beginning new small bussiness: The Thomas DeLane Company.