Yikes! I didn't bother to print out the great post about Dragon Chess, and the link to it in the "Best of AoW Threads" post doesn't work any more because all the archived posts seems to have gone poof!
Did anyone save the contents of that post? It had rules for a Dragon Chess skill and how to play the game.
I had hoped to have one of the PCs invited to a "beginners dragonchess tournament" to introduce them to the game and to get some interaction with NPCs going. And I was hoping to do it tonight. :-(
Help! Thank you!
Deimodius
Senior Software Developer
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The rules can be found here.
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Here's the post, edited for clarity (I love these rules, and so do my players):
Hi Everyone,
I gave the following to one of my players who was interested in Dragonchess. It's an augmentation of the rules given in Dungeon 124. Considering that it is such a game of skill, it would seem strange that a novice could actually expect to beat a master occasionally. I've just tightened a few things up so that the game relies more on skill than luck. In addition, since it is played by wizards, it seems strange that all the synergy bonuses are in cross class skills for them. As such, I've expanded the system of bonuses.
Dragonchess Overview
Dragonchess is a game popular amongst wizards and the elite where opponents match wits orchestrating the two sides of 42 pieces over three 96-square (12x8) boards representing the Sky, the Earth, and the Underworld. Pieces include the griffon, the sylph, Oliphant, basilisk, hero, thief, and paladin amongst others. Scholars claim the game is a metaphor for the celestial struggles of fundamental law, chaos, good, and evil. While this may be the case in the heady world of the scholarly elite, in Diamond Lake, it’s principally another justification for gambling.A game of dragonchess takes a full hour to play (longer for "big" games) and is played conversationally. Many casual players prefer the discussions to the game and play accordingly. Others dedicate considerable passion toward memorizing strategies and perfecting surprise traps and feints. It is said that you can learn more about a person in an hour of dragonchess than you could spending a year otherwise - the game perfectly reflects a player’s personality.
To resolve a game of dragonchess, one must gain control of all three boards - Earth, Sky and Underworld. However, the Underworld board is pivotal in achieving this dominance being of greater importance than the Sky board which in turn is greater in influence than the Earth board.
The Rules
The base skill for dragonchess is Profession (gambler). If the player has no ranks in Profession (gambler), they can still play, using a Wisdom check with a possible -2 circumstance penalty if they are not basically conversant with the rules - for example if it is their first game or they have not seen a few games being played.This base check may be modified by the following circumstances:
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Bluff
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Concentration (the ability to concentrate is pivotal whilst dealing with the varying distractions that surround the game)
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Diplomacy
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Intimidate
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) (those with an understanding of magical and mysterious things can apply this knowledge to the game of dragonchess in subtle ways)
+2 bonus for 5 or more ranks in Sense Motive+2 bonus for masterwork playing pieces (Masterwork pieces are usually individualised making it easier for that player to remember the myriad of special skills of each individual piece)
+2 bonus if the player has levels in wizard (the flow of the game is similar to that of preparing to cast arcane spells making all wizards naturally adept at the game)+2 bonus if the player has control of the Earth board.
+4 bonus if the player has control of the Sky board.
+6 bonus of the player has control of the Underworld board.A player with control of the Earth board may add their Intelligence modifier to their skill check as a circumstance bonus.
A player with control of the Air board may add their Wisdom modifier to their skill check as a circumstance bonus.
A player with control of the Underworld board may add their Charisma modifier to their skill check as a circumstance bonus.Note that it is not essential for a player to include a bonus upon a skill check. In fact, in casual or friendly games, it is normally considered impolite to use skills such as Bluff and Intimidate. For some though, not using particular bonuses is a key element of sharking an opponent. Any sharking attempt can be discovered by an opponent using the usual Bluff/Sense Motive opposed roll. In a serious game, sharking is considered poor form (particularly if spectators have also placed wagers upon the outcome).
The first opposed checks are made to decide which player gains control of the Earth (starting) board. Opposed rolls are made until a player wins two checks in a row. This player then gains control of the Earth board. The controlling player then chooses the next board to play for (Sky or Underworld). Again, checks are made until a player succeeds twice in a row.
This continues until a player controls all three boards and is thus the winner.
Best Regards,
Herremann the Wise
Thank you Herremann!
Oh, and I figured out the dragonchess skill modifiers for the typical Lazare's House patron, according to the stat blocks in the Age of Worms overload:
Allustan +10
Lazare +15
Dannath +6
Trevant +11
Golgan Hant +10
Khellek +15
Melinde +9
Prince Moonmeadow +8
Chaum Gansworth +7
Luzane Parrin +8
You may wish to adjust the stat blocks to give some of the NPCs (esp. Allustan and Lazare) higher bonuses - my PCs are 2nd level, and the active dragonchess player has a modifier of +12 or so.
These rules really should be put in a more permanent location. Lilith?
TK
So I read Gary Gygax's rules online for Dragonchess (it all reminded me greatly of 3-d chess from Star Trek) found here: http://www.chessvariants.org/3d.dir/dragonchess.html
But I did not like that. So I wrote up my own history of dragonchess, as explained by Khelleck, in his most obnoxious manner, and my own rules. By the way it ran very well in my game, fast yet full of history, in so fullfilling the dule purpose of a game within a game and enhancing the atmospher and my players understanding of Greyhawk.
“Hmm, have you ever actually played Dragonchess before? It is not a game for children, nor for simple minded farmers. It is a game that represents all that we do and are, it represents life itself. If you wish to play against me, I will not turn you aside, for unfortunately there are no worthy players on the road tonight.”
As he begins his opening move Khellek says “It is said that each of the rounds of Dragonchess is named after a Age of Oerth, a epoch in our own history. The first three rounds, named the Opening of the Sky, the Razing of the Earth, and the Breaching of the Underworld, represent the beginning of all that is. This is followed of course by the Age of Eldar, a reference to the long lived elves I suspect. The Age of Law follows, perhaps this land was once more axiomatic than it is now. The Age of War and Age of Dust follow the Law, both of which I believe are references to the great fall of the Suel Empire. The Age of Roads speaks to the migrations of people, the conquerors that made this land. Finally we reach the Age of Empire, a clear reference to the late Great Kingdom, followed by the concluding round, the final tally, the Age of Disolution, which I do believe is the age we live in now. How interesting to think of life in such grand stages, much larger than any of us, no? It is unfortunate that I was born into such a lowly age as that in which we live. We find but the remnants of the great Suel empires, or even the Wind Dukes who built the deadly Cairns of old. It is rumored that there is an 11th Age which has yet to come to pass, the Age of Worms, of it little is spoken, darkly, and from the depths of depraved minds. Ah what an ending the Age of Worms would make, the whole world eaten like some overotten corpse left out in the sun to long. Perhaps there will be rebirth from such rot, perhaps it will be the end, the mad sages do not say.”
Opposed Prof (Gambler) skill checks. +2 for 5 or more ranks in Bluff, Dipl, or Intim
The Opening of the Sky (round 1)
The Razing of the Earth (round 2)
The Breaching of the Underworld (Round 3)
The Age of Eldar (round 4)
The Age of Law (round 5)
The Age of War (round 6)
The Age of Dust (round 7)
The Age of Roads (round 8)
The Age of Empire (round 9)
The Age of Dissolution (round 10)
Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for posting the rules for me guys and gals, it was perfect timing. We have only played two sessions of AoW so far, and in truth we haven't actually made it to the WC yet! (We started with the Abandoned Mine Office side trek which only took half a day, and spent the rest of the day wandering around town).
One of my players can not make it to every session, so he is playing a cleric NPC I made to round out the party (they had no healing!) and even though I gave them all the article about Diamond Lake to read, none of them took an interest in Dragon Chess. SO I gave the NPC cleric ranks for Dragon Chess, although in my game I am using "Knowledge: Gaming" instead of "Profession: Gambling".
I wanted to introduce the players to Dragon Chess because it really should play an important role in socialization in the game. To this end I had the cleric with DC (dragon chess) ranks invited to a small tournament put on by Chaum Gansworth at The Rusty Bucket (also giving the PCs a chance to see the politics of the town at work).
The tourney involved 40 players in single elimination. The main room of the restaurant was laid out with tables for playing while spectators watched from a roped off area along three sides. At the fourth side Chaum sat with Luzanne at his table on the raised platform. There was also a platform with a chalkboard for keeping track of the players, a referee with a bell, and runners to check on the games in progress.
It was very crowded, and though the referee announced NO betting before each match, much gold changed hands. Before the tourney began, Balabar Smenk had the audacity to appear and wish all the players luck, even though it was not his tourney. Accompanied by his albino half-orc body guard (the PCs have not actually met Kullen yet) he pushed through the crowd and asked Chaum if he could join him at his table. Luzanne whispered madly in Chaum's ear, and eventually Chaum declined to have Balabar join him. The surly mine-manager and his body guard left, pushing their way back through the crowd. The PCs watched in rapt attention, trying to figure out the town politics.
Then with a ring of the bell, the tourney began.
I had the Cleric face a total of 5 players, a mix of NPCs from the adventure, a few NPCs made up on the spot. Oh, and did I mention that Khellek was present! The PCs saw him, and had heard ahead of time that a "master" from the Free City had come to play in the tourney.
In order to speed up the games to play an entire tourney, rather than having to win two rolls in a row to capture a board, we played "best 2 out of 3". By narrating between each roll various made up moves and "gambit" or "strategy" names I added some sense of tense anticipation.
In the first round the Cleric, Sarbanne, faced a made-up NPC named Copran Fill, an amiable young man who was likewise new to the game (K:Gaming +1). Sarbanne won this match after four rounds of play (4 x "best 2 out of 3").
After all the matches were complete, he moved to teh next round, facing off against Mélinde, the beautiful red-haired warrior cleric from the temple of Hieroneous. I played her as friendly, and even a little flirtatious. She bantered with Sarbanne, and even pouted coyly when she was losing. This match took a bit longer, 5 rounds, with Mélinde winning the first two rounds, but with Sarbanne then coming back strongly to win three rounds in a row and take the match. Mélinde was gracious in losing, inviting Sarbanne (a cleric of St. Cuthbert) to come by the temple of Hieroneous any time.
For the match against Mélinde one of the other PCs accepted a wager of 5gp from an NPC. While discussing the wager, the PC (Laian, an elven ranger) accidentally flashed a platinum piece he received in payment from Allustan for retrieving an obsidian necklace from the goblins in the abandoned mine office. Of course the players got rather tense when it seemed Sarbanne was losing, but in the end they cheered when he won. The man who lost tried to sneak away, but sullenly paid up.
After a 5 minute break, in which Sarbanne was able to meet with the others for a while, the tournament recommenced with Sarbanne up against Rontabont Mur, the visiting copper merchant staying at the Able Carter Coach Inn. As suggested in the Diamond Lake article, I played Rontabont as being whiny, snivelling, and a very sore loser. He made snide remarks all through the game, at one point almost accusing Sarbanne of cheating and asking for a ruling fro the referee. In the end they did not get to finish this short match because Rontabont became so enraged after losing the Underworld board that he stood up and knocked all the pieces to the floor. Sarbanne won by default and Rontabont was ejected from the premises.
In the fourth round, Sarbanne was matched up against an savant autistic child chaperoned by his grandmother. The child, Dorbur, didn't speak, except occasionally rocking back and forth and muttering "meat!" to which his grandmother said "later, dear" and explained to Sarbanne that his parents were both dead, and Dorbur wanted to make it to the Free City to play Dragon Chess and escape squalor.
Even though Sarbanne (and all the players) felt horrible about the prospect of beating a poor handicapped child (who was none the less an intelligent "genius" child) he played his best, eventually beating the child (with only ONE flubbed roll by me. ;-) ) in 5 rounds.
Now, with only the final match left, the referee called for a 10 minute break. Sarbanne joined his friends and they discussed the interesting social games going on around them, like the two strange men who made reference to Rontabont Mur's loss to Sarbanne, and the possibility that it was fixed.
Finally the break came to an end and Sarbanne was set to face none other than Khellek. Chaum had the two players approach his table where he made a short speech and a toast to the contestants while behind them the regular tables were removed and a special final game table was brought to the center of the room.
Khellek and Sarbanne sat at the table and the game began. Khellek was cool as a cucumber. Sarbanne and his friends had decided they would pump the wizard for info (as they had already heard about the visiting adventurers), but Khellek had his own agenda. When Sarbanne slyly asked if Khellek and his friends had a bumpy ride in from the Free city, Khellek off-handedly remarked that they had "merely teleported in". At this the players all sucked in their breath and swore about how "powerful this guy must be".
They game went in Sarbanne's favour for a while, but Khellek remained calm, giving vague answers to Sarbanne's questions, and posing his own in return he managed to get information out of the cleric about the goblins at the abandoned mine office, and the stirgenest cairn. Much to Sarbanne's chagrin, teh game turned against him, and after 5 rounds Khellek was the victor. He was awarded the prize of a masterwork dragon chess set and 50 gold. The restaurant emptied with the tournament over.
Outside the players tried to convince Khellek that he should join _them_ in exploring the abandoned mine, but he dismissed them politely, but coldly, as being "not experienced enough to accompany him", and he left them standing in the street at 2am, their jaws hanging open.
Of course it didn't end there. The man who lost his 5gp to Laian betting on Sarbanne's second match showed up with 4 friends (3 lvl1 rogues, 2 lvl 1 fighters) and attacked. The PCs managed to disarm them, defeat two of them, and send the others running. While trying to decide what to do with the ones they had caught (they managed to get the name of the leader with the vendetta) two of teh corrupt members of the sheriff's office showed up, demanding a bribe in exchange for not arresting the party for attacking the two men on the ground.
With the sheriff's men paid off, the party decided to track down the man with the grudge, and that's where we ended.
So, it seemed to work amazingly! The players really got in to the whole Dragon chess thing, and two of them remarked that they plan to take ranks in K:Gaming when they level up. It also gave rise to some pretty fun, and informative roleplaying. Now the PCs are terrified that Khellek and his crew will go up to teh abandoned mine office and find something they missed.
Now I just have to get them to the Whispering Cairn!