Ketáh

Ketáh (lit. "little two-fold") is a Chess-like board game widely popular among the military caste of the Azure Army, the armed forced of the Shadowborn . It is said to have been introduced as a more complex game made to train officers in strategic thinking but has since been reduced to a more abstract game and become popular among all branches of the military. It is also played by many civilians throughout the Iron Desert , but it is still associated with the military class.
Ketáh is a peculiar board game as it represents the dual nature of warfare in the Iron Desert; it is simultaneously played on two boards. Often, these two playing fields are simply two divided parts of the same board and simply painted in opposing colours. The surface board is typically represented by the colours red and blue, while the subterranean part is black and white. 
The surface board has a total of 9 opposing pieces for a total of 18; 3 lancers, 3 archers, 2 bannermen and 1 commander. These pieces represent cavalry and are indeed sometimes carved as little figurines of horse or camel riders, although the properties of pieces can be reversed in a so-called "dismount". In more expensive sets the horse figurines are replaced by standing warriors. In more humble sets, they are simply tokens with Essjentine script written on them, and are simply reversed to show another symbol when dismounted. The surface board is a grid much akin to chess, although there are two black squares which are "cave" units. At these two points the two boards connect and on the subterranean board, these are represented by red or blue squares instead.
The subterranean board has 12 pieces on either side and a "dead" zone in the middle where enemy units can be trapped. In the "dead" zone, units may move but are unable to attack, and being able to trap important enemy units in the "dead" zone is a significant strategy. The subterranean pieces have 6 warriors, 2 vanguards, 2 skirmishers, 1 commander and 1 assassin. Just like in chess, all of these pieces have special strengths and weaknesses. For example, the vanguard pieces cannot be attacked from the front but move very slowly. The assassin pieces cannot attack in the front but is capable of a maneuver similar to Castling. 
The purpose of the game is, just like in chess, to destroy the enemy commander.
Category:Culture