Summer 7 - Game Night

[norrhamn_residents]

[ It's a rainy afternoon on Norrhamn, with a distant thunderstorm rumbling over the gray sea. Typical Swedish summer, if we're honest, but that only means that the residents on this island know exactly how to combat it: with a game night.

The main dining hall has been cosied up for the occasion. There's plenty of blankets to go around and the tables have been laid out with flickering tealights and a variety of board- and card games of varying difficulty. There's Scrabble of course, and games like Settlers of Catan, Clue, Ludo and many others, along with regular decks of playing cards. There may be a few Witchcraft: The Collection around here too...

Alongside the usual offerings of hot food that's served throughout the day, the kitchen staff has set up a table with tea, coffee and hot chocolate, as well as treats like cinnamon buns and cookies, salty snacks and candy. Perfect to nibble on while in a particularly thrilling game of Backgammon, or just a good setup for a rainy day fika. ]

Comments

[bluerocks]

I'm rarely patient enough to spend much time with pawns. Mostly, they get in the way of the pieces that can actually cross the board efficiently. [ He looks down at the row of plain little figures, making a wall that both seals his opponent out, while also leaving his advances locked down. ] It's rather unfortunate to think of anything as expendable.

[burntviolet]

That is your... first mistake. Every move m-must be executed with proper thinking behind it. Chess matches u-usually last long because the players need the time to s-study the situation and weigh the risks that may arise w-with their next move. If you're not patient... that would be a problem.

[ Her hands curl a little, sweat gathering over the palms. She comes to the realization that being a teacher is incredibly nerve consuming. But she's committing to this and can't drop the ball this soon. ]

It is... rather lucky that at least they're game p-pieces and not real people. I would never c-consider them expendable. [ She's a strategist, but not a cruel one. ]

[bluerocks]

Sometimes, real people are used as pawns to fight battles, though. Chess is perhaps just a metaphor for warfare.

[ Zel's no stranger to people being used as expendable, after all.

He sips his cold coffee, taking a moment to consider that there's a vast number of possible moves at the beginning of a match. ]

Maybe this is more like a fencing match between two people. In the first few moves, we're testing each other, seeing if the opponent can perceive our strategy. I've been playing as if only the next one or two moves matter, but now I understand that I need to see much further ahead.

[burntviolet]

[ She works hard to repress a wince. Warfare is not why she likes chess, it's more about the challenge tied to the length of matches and how her mind can handle it. There's an array of chances she can open up through every single move. Attack, defense, quick thinking, plan Bs, saving throws. Nothing she really wants to tie together with real people fighting battles and dying. It pretty much spoils her fun.

But she lets it slide, listening to the man and agreeing to the fencing comparison. Her expression relaxes thus. ]

Yes. In order to proceed smoothly, you must pay attention to ever piece on the board before and after every move of yours, n-not only the ones you are actively using. If you miss an important spot and make yourself open, you will run the risk t-to have your opponent exploit that lack of attention to remove your more i-important pieces. Be aggressive, b-but also be conscious of your current situation in the game.