Fidchell

Fidchell is a strategy board game, popularized among the nobility of the Tuatha de Danaan and taken up by the upper classes of other races. Some argue, especially among the Tuatha de Danaan, that the outcome of a match determines the outcome of a battle, representing a form of divination.

History

Tradition links the origins of this game to the Druidic warrior god Lugus

Execution

A special piece, representing a king is placed in the center of the board, protected by a number of pieces arranged around them. The exterior of the board is set up with the opposing forces, with the goal of bypassing or defeating the defenders to attack the king directly.
Tafl is a simiar game played by the Fomorians with some marked differences. In Tafl, the attackers outnumber the defenders 2:1, rather than the equal distribution of the Sidhe game, echoing the Fomorian cultural value on overcoming great odds in battle.

Components and tools

The Fidchell board can be made of a variety of materials, often wood or precious metals, laid out in a simple 7x7 grid of 49 equally sized square spaces. Playing pieces are divided equally, with one side traditionally made of yellow gold and the other of white bronze. While copies, especially among the Bediz and Fomorians may be of other materials, the gold and bronze are considered the mark of a "proper" traditional set.
The Tuatha de Danaan have mastered the use of Arkane to enchant the board, when set up properly, to play itself or against a single player, illustrating a mastery of the game. These variations, created with gold boards and silver pieces, are especially prized and sought after by arkanists, game enthusiasts and collectors alike.

Participants

The game is played with two players, or in the case of an enchanted board, with a single player or the board itself.