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Staunton figures are mere shadows of the original cast.
This is the original cast !
King Dragon:
Can move one Battle Block in any direction, all
Battle Blocks are available for capture, however, at no time can a king move
through check or into a check position. A check position is any block that can
be captured by your opponent while you commit that move. The only time that a
king has the ability to move more than one block at a time, is to conduct a King
Castle Guard move. This move requires the aid from one of the rooks, which moves
at the same time and is explained in the Three Spells section. The game can
never end, until one of the kings surrender, is defeated in battle, or vanishes.
King Dragon
has survived twelve secret tournaments with the Bane.
Armed with a shield made from the Great Book of Spells , the Dragons attack with
mysterious short weapons that exploit the weak underbelly of the Bane. The
Wingbow is a long and short range weapon. The kings wisdom is priceless, he
values his players in accord to their ability and name. The player’s status
value is a good gauge to use for estimating the wisdom, of an
offensive or defensive move.
Queen Kayla:
The queen is always placed on it’s own color
square to begin the game. A straight or curved line of attack, may be
cast in any direction, in as far as eight unobstructed blocks away.
All spell books are used as more than a shield. The ability to keep up with the
Bane's attack, requires several turns, to cast a combination
of specific spells. She is the King’s administrator of justice, she is the
most useful and mobile of all players.
Her magic can allow her to reappear after being captured in a defensive maneuver called Resurrection. As with a King Castle Guard move, the queen also requires the aid of a loyal subject, a pawn ; his rescue, is a life sacrifice that is made upon the grounds of last hope, farthest away from his past. When this pawn reaches the end of the life board, it is removed and replaced with, most often a Queen.
Name + Ability = Status 5
King’s Rook Beeline:
Though named for the king as he is placed on the kings side of the
board, this rook like all rooks are pledged to serve
his queen. The ability to capture any color square and to
move a maximum of eight blocks away, gives this player an unrivaled ability to
form a checkmating move or defense of the same.
This player can not move diagonally, but can move in four directions, quickly causing confusion in the enemy ranks. Horizontal and Vertical straight line attack ability, can cut off entire sections of the Life Board. An enemy without Hope, is an enemy on the run!
Queen’s Rook Vice: Named for the queen, as are all players placed on the queen side of the board. A Rook can not be used in a King Castle Guard move if it has been in use, previously in the game. Typically a body guard for the King, Rooks make the most defensive move in the game. When in doubt, Castle Guard yourself.
Name + Ability = Status 4
King’s Bishop Luther:
The bishop pieces are only capable of
controlling one color of block. Two of these players on each team are on
opposite colors. To occupy only one color block the Bishops must move on curved
angles, diagonally, shown by diagonal arrows on the detachable base
guide. A maximum capture profile of eight unobstructed blocks gives this
player a long reach.
Luther had his left arm severed in the Battle of Nok. The Great Book of Spells immediately fused onto Luther’s arm to seal the wound. In a fit of rage his twin Railo, severed his own arm for sake of his brother and demanded the book to heal him the same. The results of misusing the Great Book for selfish means has kept the two brothers apart ever since. Now they may tread onto color battle blocks of one color only. Each on the opposite, limiting their usefulness when alone, to half the battle field. No other players have such limitations!
Queen's Bishop Railo: The bishop’s ability to see through the eyes of any player lets him supply the King with battle strategies, gathered by spies in and around the kingdom. Unwitting spies that know not, that their own eyes defeat them. To move a distance of eight blocks, makes this ally a Status Value of 3, equal to only the knight in strength. The best way to predict an attack by your rival, is to see the battle through they're eyes.
Name + Ability = Status 3
King’s Knight Helix:
Knights move with an erratic, spinning attack
profile. They must move in a combination of vertical and horizontal steps, two different directions in the same move, like a
drunken knave, the knight must stumble around. i.e. ; one step forward with two
steps left, or two steps back with one step right, etc. 1&2 or 2&1. Not
capable of straight line attacks. A Knight must move from one color to the
opposite, making it easier to see the attack pattern. Eight possible targets
of one color can be captured if the player is in the center of the board. The
placement of this player within each Battle board can determine the view your
opponent will see, thus confusing their defensive plans. In Staunton chess the
knight attack profile is a small circle, but are large, ever changing
oval shapes, in Gothic Chess.
Severe leg wounds from the Battle of Nok, limit their attack to close combat. This is the most underestimated player on the field as it has the ability to capture in many different directions at once , in fork attacks, but is still of no more value than a bishop, as it can only attack 8 blocks of one color and never the block directly beside itself.
Queen’s Knight Deuce: A Knight and a King alone on the battle field can never obtain a checkmate, so it is advised to maintain both knights and use them as a team. It is more time consuming to look for all the moves of a knight because it can not attack in a straight line, so the chances of getting the element of surprise are greater if you don’t sacrifice them too early. A Knight is not obstructed by having an opponent in front of him, as he can project his body magically, with a combination spell known only to him. Only a knight can go around his obstruction.
The price to pay for an attack profile of eight angles, is that the knight can not go far,... fast. The Kings rules do not allow many players to match the capabilities of the Queen. Competition for attention is fierce but not as fierce as the Queen.
Name + Ability = Status 3
Dragon’s Pawns: Chosen
by both Queen Kayla and King Dragon to bare arms against the Clan of the Bane.
So weak at casting spells, that they may only move straight forward,
one square at a time and may only enter, empty spots in front of them. To
capture an already occupied block, the pawns must attack on an angle to the next
row ahead of them, capturing only the same color block that they are cast
from, never able to have front on, battles. Pawns begin Hungry for
battle, so when they meet their equal game piece, one must fall. It is
illegal to cast a pawn game piece, onto a Battle Block that is directly beside
an opposing pawn occupied block : if the opponent's pawn has the ability
to capture your piece on route to that block, you would never have had the
ability to get past it ! No pawn passing an equal rival without a penalty.
If a pawn is moved into a no-pass position, you may call a
foul, a chicken if you wish. Remove the illegal pawn from the board and place
your own pawn in the block directly behind the penalized pawn, simulating
an attack which should have already happened. The black or dragon pawn that is
shown in this example, has moved illegally past the bane pawn in the upper left.
This dragon subject would be sacrificed, and the bane pawn would advance
on an angle to beside his other three comrades.
The winning or loosing of any good game relies on the life force of a single pawn. Burdened with the weight of new found wisdom, these former mercenaries move ever forward , not able to retreat or go into their past. No one knows where they came from, but certainly their direction is obvious. No surrender, no retreat is their only motto. There is no turning back the wisdom or will of a true patriot, as it has been forged from rebellion and underground activities. Time and suffering have motivated their desire, to now work together as the primary defensive link in this chain of events. The original cast from the Battle of Nok, that have been long since replaced, are as follows: Column, Tong, Shackle, Fence, Scales, Shadow, Door, and Hedge. Shackle was the lone survivor of the battle, at the Shekel of Forli . This cost the Bane the price of victory as King Dragon vanished before defeat, with the aid of my descendant.
Name + Ability = Status 2
All Bane player movement capabilities are equal with their Dragon clan counterparts. How they mirror the appearance and actions of the Dragons remains a mystery. Their status value is the same and can be tallied to add interest to the game, but basically, if your King is captured, you have not done as well as your opponent!
The king players have no need for status value, as they are always considered priceless and protected at all times. The source of planning should always start with the player which represents you. The king game piece is the ultimate goal of this game for a reason!!!!! I personally hope you rule, when your not, playing me!
