Hnefatafl

"Hnefatafl" is an old board game played by the mediaeval Norse and Celts.

## In the Rabydosverse

Hnefatafl is popular among the Norse peoples of Jerde.

Sleipnir, the fictionalised version based on the Norse mythological horse, is a fan of hnefatafl and plays it with other smart horses and bewildered people.

## Zarijanian hnefatafl

The Zarijanian version of hnefatafl was introduced by Norse traders, becoming more akin to a form of chess. It is known as "darashmjad", meaning "the shining table".

### The bandit

The name refers to the diamonds in a bag used a wicked king or thief who hid royal regalia with the diamonds. No player controls the usurper, but another person or the game's judge will move him around. The judge of the game is a third or fifth (in four-player games) player who decides where the thief and any neutral pieces will go. The number of steps the thief and all neutral pieces is determined by one or three dice rolls, with the first of three being used for the thief.

The diamonds cause the usurper to move more slowly, although at every three turns, the usurper will move quickly, representing him stealing a horse, using an empty tunnel, or hiding in a wagon.

### Players

The Zarijanian variant involves four armies of two or four players who catch a usurper or thief at the middle. The player whose "soldiers" capture the thief or kills off the last soldier of the opponent wins the game. Some games are timed by a number of turns or an hourglass, so the player with the most soldiers wins the game.

It also adds several "knight" pieces that may move in long angular lines, and two "vizier" or "champion" pieces who sit somewhere as "towers" that may kill any piece that is right next to them. Each army has only two vizier pieces, so any player can have either four vizier-towers (in two-player games, when either of two armies belongs to one of two players), or two (in four player games, since each army now belongs to any of the four players).

### Viziers and their towers

A vizier piece becomes a tower piece by being flipped upside down, showing a different symbol. Each tower is hit by any soldier two or three times, and it is torn down and removed from the game. A tower that sets up right next to the usurper causes an instant victory, as it represents the vizier arresting or striking down the usurper to return the stolen treasures. This is especially a very lucky move for smart players who may trick the usurper into not noticing a vizier going around him.

### Variant games

Some games have "bandit" pieces, other neutral pieces that may kill "soldier" pieces. They cannot tear down tower pieces, but they can also kill a vizier before he can set up a tower. Bandit pieces are killed when a player's soldier strikes them first, and then they are removed from the game.

Others have a rule that allows a player to "recruit" up to three lost pieces by moving any of their units to a friendly tower. Once all three pieces are recruited, no more can be added to the player's army until any piece is removed. Then, the player must move a piece to a tower to bring the unit back. To give the opponents more time to decide, another variant only allows any player to recruit lost units every nine turns.

### Names of hnefatafl

* Zarijanian: darashmjad
* Sevraejan: gjevato (Norse), darešma (Zarijanian)
* Rukanian: hnibad
* Kalambouri: drasmad
* Hothrovian: drasmon