Red and White Camels Board Game
“To truly master the camel game, one must play well and be a good sport.”
-Salim al’Dhalsim, far trader from Thalusa, 1037 FB
Red and White Camels, or the camel game, for short, is the most famous board game in the Lands of the Tulamydes, and it also is very common in other parts of Aventuria. Nobody knows exactly when the game was invented, but scholars agree that it was already well known during the times of the ancient Tulamydes. The game is played everywhere from palaces to tea houses and caravansaries, and enjoyed by women, men, and children, whether good friends or bitter enemies.
Red and White Camels usually is played by two competing players. On the first turn, every player receives a set amount of camels and wares. Players organize these into caravans and move them to different locations on the board to sell their wares at the best prices. Some camels also can be used as war camels to seize an opponent’s caravan and block access to good trade routes. To succeed, players need business acumen, the ability to think strategically, and a bit of luck.
Game components may be assembled from whatever one has at hand, but merchants sell sets made from rare and expensive materials. Basic sets use pebbles or simple carved wood for pieces, while sets designed for nobles use pieces crafted from colored glass, ivory, Unau porcelain, alabaster, and, of course, gold and jewels. Some rulers prefer sets made from magical metals and other rare materials, and one potentate was rumored to have employed a flying carpet as the game board.
Certain rulers are said to have owned magical camel games that moved by themselves or offered advice to players. Some sets are cursed and bring bad luck to whomever uses them. More than one fairy tale mentions especially cruel mage sultans who turn their enemies into figures for their camel games, while tales tell of sinister beings who cunningly robbed their opponents of their lives or powers during games of Red and White Camels.
Many Tulamydes view it as the most Phex-pleasing of all games, and quite a few won (or lost) their entire fortune, including their lands and titles, in a single game.
“Some camel game sets are almost as famous as heroes. For instance, consider the Golden Camel Set of Bastrabun, or the exquisite jade set on display in Dolguruk.”
— Mirhiban al’Orhima, Tulamydian fire mage