Pai Sho

Pai Sho is a popular board game, and thousands of years old with numerous ways to play with cultures having diverse rules and means of victory. Certain clubs form to establish a set of rules for members and an organization in which they may arrange games and expand it's practice to future generations.
==Rules==
Pai Sho is a game with many variants, at times players simply see what pieces they have on them and negotiate the rules before play (a practice that has contributed to it's many variations). Here are some common iterations of the game;
===Avatar (aka Elements)===
Elements is a variation of the game that utilizes six tile types; Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Avatar, and White Lotus. Each player begins the game with three of each element tile and one Avatar and one White Lotus tile. The White Lotus tile represents life and the Avatar the force that keeps the elements in harmony. The objective of the game is to get your White Lotus tile to the center of the board and encircle it with one tile of each element (though some players allow four tiles of any element). The White Lotus can not capture any piece and elements can only capture pieces of their weaker element - Fire takes Air, Air takes Water, Water takes Earth and Earth takes fire. The Avatar can capture any element tile- the only way to remove an Avatar tile is to move another Avatar tile to capture it. This variation of Pia Sho was created to pass on knowledge of the Avatar's role in the world.
===Dragons (aka Four Dragons)===
Dragons requires the fewest tiles. At least four Fire tiles are positioned at the center of the board. Each player controls a single Serpent tile. The players objective is to move their Serpent (dragon) to a Fire tile and 'capture it'. The Fire tile will then move with the Serpent tile that has captured it. The players are aiming to be the one to have brought the most fire back to their nest. Dragons can battle other Dragons for captured Fire tiles, a defeated Dragon will return to the player's nest. Which ever player has the most fire wins the game. The game is often called 'Four Dragons' as it's considered most enjoyable with four players. This game originated in the Fire Nation.
===Ikebana===
Ikebana is a variation working off of strategy rooted in the ancient art of flower arranging. It's focus is harmony with players attempting to avoid disharmony. Players 'plant' (place) either red or white flowers declaring which of the two they are at the start of the game. Flowers are in harmony with two types of other flower tiles and disharmony with one type. Each player tallies their score after the pieces have been placed. This variation of Pai Sho is not considered as exiting as other variations. Yet it requires a method of thinking that does not involve the capturing of pieces, and is thus considered more cerebral and soothing. In some regions of the world it can be found being played in tea or flower shops and being taught at certain schools for ladies of the nobility. 
=== Republic Standard ===
Republic Standard is the name of the rules provided in a mass produced variant of Pai Sho in the United Republic of Nations.It's played with 14 pieces with each player having the same pieces and labeled as being for 2 to 4 players.
==Tiles==
Tiles are easy to craft with the right artistic skill. Specific pieces can be found for sale in shops around the world. Every decade or two someone tries to introduce a new tile and it may or may not catch on in use.
*Air - The Air tile is typically used to represent an air bender. It can 'glide' four spaces in one direction ignoring all pieces between it and that point. This does not apply for some iterations of the game such as 'Avatar' where it moves only one space but captures water tiles.
*Boat
*Chrysanthemum
*Fire
*Earth (aka Rock)
*Jasmine
*Knotweed
*Lily
*Red Lotus - The Red Lotus tile moves one space diagonally in any direction making it the second most basic of Pai Sho tiles. It's sometimes used to represent assassins.
*Rhododendron
*Rose (aka Snapdragon)
*Serpent (aka Snake aka Dragon) is a tile that moves in a 'S' fashion. It's move will end prematurely when it runs into another tile though sometimes players let it finish moving (especially when it's being used to represent a Dragon).
*Turtle - The turtle tile has two flip sides; one with the turtle in it's shell and one with the turtle out of it's shell. The turtle is slow needing a turn to flip over and moving only one space. It can only move when it's out of it's shell. When it's in it's shell it can not be captured nor may it capture other tiles nor move.
*Water
*Wheel
*White Dragon
*White Jade
*White Lotus - The White Lotus moves left, right, up or down one space. It's the most basic of Pai Sho tiles. It's sometimes used in specific iterations of the game such as the Avatar variation.
Category:Avatar