Taverns and tavern games

[Curufea]

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[NanDispute]

The "Tavern Games" is interesting. Three of them are, in fact, authentic medieval games.

Their rules for Hazard are more like Craps; Hazard is a bit more complex, though not much.

"Merrils" is properly called "Merelles," which is, to be accurate, a class of games, of which the best known is Nine Men's Morris, which is what they're describing.

"Fox and Geese" is also medieval, and known only by that name. There is a completely different game called "Hnefatafl," which I guess is the source of the name they've given to Fox and Geese. BTW, they made one change; in Fox and Geese, the Fox starts on the middle-most spot, not "on any empty point."

The other two are, as far as I know, inventions of their own.

[jtelson]

"Chasing the Girls" is a very old Backgammonesque game from Iceland. Not sure about the dragons/pegs game - sounds familiar so they may have just done a better job of filing the serial numbers off.

[Korvar]

If you scroll through the free products, there's a few other interesting bits and bobs.

[shadowcat1313]

what if your in a bar like Callahans Crosstime Saloon. duels in rhyme, bad punmanship abound. and games of darts from a range of 30 feet.

[NanDispute]

"Chasing the Girls" is a very old Backgammonesque game from Iceland. Not sure about the dragons/pegs game - sounds familiar so they may have just done a better job of filing the serial numbers off.

Ahh?!?? Interesting. Thank you for adding to my knowledge.

The dragons/pegs game sounds much like an entire class of games, all of the "chase down the path" type. A very medieval type of game, so if it's their own invention, they've invented a very fitting game. :thumbup:

[jtelson]

Ahh?!?? Interesting. Thank you for adding to my knowledge.

The dragons/pegs game sounds much like an entire class of games, all of the "chase down the path" type. A very medieval type of game, so if it's their own invention, they've invented a very fitting game. :thumbup:

Rereading the description it sounds a bit like Dogs and Jackals.

What's a bit funny about this is that games are one of the things I habitually forget to include on my first passes when I'm building a fantasy world. They almost always end up being added during my final review.

[NanDispute]

Rereading the description it sounds a bit like Dogs and Jackals.

Or Hyena Chase, or any of a number of other "chase and/or be chased" games.

Quite an interesting product. :)

[AmadanNaBriona]

The "Tavern Games" is interesting. Three of them are, in fact, authentic medieval games.

Their rules for Hazard are more like Craps; Hazard is a bit more complex, though not much.

"Merrils" is properly called "Merelles," which is, to be accurate, a class of games, of which the best known is Nine Men's Morris, which is what they're describing.

"Fox and Geese" is also medieval, and known only by that name. There is a completely different game called "Hnefatafl," which I guess is the source of the name they've given to Fox and Geese. BTW, they made one change; in Fox and Geese, the Fox starts on the middle-most spot, not "on any empty point."

The other two are, as far as I know, inventions of their own.

the Tafl Games (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tafl_games) wiki page is pretty good, and does mention halatafl in passing as the Old Norse name for Fox and Geese.

And yeah... TOTALLY different games.

I dig Hnefatafl quite a lot, but remember hunting up the O.N. name for Fox & Geese back when I first had the idea to make a Norse style "R'yleth" halatafl board , using the "trying to escape the fox" rules , little warrior pawns, and a big Cthulhu fox.
pick an Old Norse saga form, bang out a few verses about the fate of this damned crew, & carve the tale of woe in runes ringing the board and you'ree golden.


Farkle (sometimes better known these days as Cosmic Wimpout) makes a fun dicing game as well, one we adapted for gambling around our sheilds on campaign long ago. It's faster paced than any of the Hazard family of games and makes for better theater.

[Tandem Esk]

Are darts from the middle ages? That would be cool to describe happening; playing them for real could get hairy! :eek:

Some question for Liars' Dice.

[Evil Steve]

Mankala. Very easy to learn, can be played well with only limited focus on the game, making it quite sociable. Use coins as playing pieces and you have a quick and dirty gambling game of pure skill.

wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mankala

[AmadanNaBriona]

Rereading this thread suddenly snapped something loose in my memory.

Gluckhaus (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=cat3_gallery_15&listing_id=17053929), favorite dice game of my Landsknecht comrades.

[Tandem Esk]

How medieval is Two Up?


j/k :rofl:

[danbuter1]

I'd have to say that if you go throughout the Lythia site, you will find TONS of free material, most of it with no game stats, and all very appropriate for a low-magic/fairly realistic setting. I also happen to really like Harn, though, so that might color my recommendations.