1st Curious Thought [Video]

[madcuriosity]

Oh ah, hello and how do you do? My name is Alice Liddell, it's nice to meet you, if we haven't before!

His majesty, King Turgon, and I were hoping to begin a chess club! And I would like to invite anyone who enjoys playing or would like to learn to play to join us! We're... still figuring out the where and the when but I suppose we're trying to see how many people would like to join us!

And oh ah, all of the gods who might wish to play are welcome to join us too! It's not just for us... the ones who arrived here, that is.

Everyone is invited to join, there will be proper tea and biscuits at our first meeting... whenever and wherever that may be.

While... there is a good deal about fighting and the sorts, the mind has to be just as sharp as the body, and they say chess is perfect for that!

Comments

[northerndragon]

[Jon looks baffled, but interested.]

What’s chess?

[madcuriosity]

It's a game! They call it the game of kings where I'm from! Each player has 16 pieces, 1 king, 1 queen, 2 knights, 2 bishops, 2 rooks, and 8 pawns. The other player has the same amount of pieces but in a different color. Each piece moves in a very specific way, and the point of the game is to capture the king of the other player!

[northerndragon]

[Well, that’s troubling, in its way. Such things aren’t a game.

But he can’t claim that he doesn’t have time for games and play here.]

The game ends once the king is captured?

[He sounds glum about it.]

Where I come from, you move your armies about on a map to decide how best to fight an enemy. You know that your cavalry can go further and faster than your infantry — that is, a soldier moves easier if they’re on a horse than if they’re on the ground. Is it like that?

[madcuriosity]

[All the better that it be a game then, right? Rather than the real thing?]

That's right, it's checkmate when you capture the king. But you can always play again and again, I certainly do. The most powerful piece is the queen. She can move as many spaces in any direction she chooses, no other piece can move the way she can. If a pawn reaches the other side of the board, you can turn it into a queen as well... I suppose you can promote a pawn into any other piece but why wouldn't you want another queen on the board?

video

[hikikomori_king]

Just Turgon is fine, Alice, truly! And look! I wanted to show you - it turns out I have somehow managed to acquire the ability to manipulate earth a little

[ He shows her a little clay lump, which slooooooooowly shapes itself into a little chess piece ]

It doesn't seem to last very long, is the only problem...

[Video]

[madcuriosity]

Oh! That shall be splendid for the garden, your majesty! [Alice is... going to have a hard time calling a king by just one name.]

I can do something very interesting too! Do you want to see?

[Video]

[hikikomori_king]

Extremely useful yes! Although I cannot move much at a time, and it seems to make me very tired.

[ He smiles back ] Yes please!

<Video>

[hantale]

[ Fran appears, a bit less finicky with the video now. All smiles and nods. ]

That sounds delightful! I'd love to learn how to play!

Is it similar to Acorn Drafts?

[Video]

[madcuriosity]

I'm afraid I don't know the first thing of the game Acorn Drafts, sir, so perhaps? Maybe you could teach me that game while I teach you chess!

[hantale]

[ There's a confused blink, only for a moment, then Fran nods. ]

Sounds like a deal to me! When will you be meeting?

Audio, UN: GallowsCallibrator

[mindseer]

[She considered using her text, but thought better of it. People were having a little bit of trouble understanding her on this thing, and so... maybe once in a while Audio wouldn't hurt.]

Chess? You mean the human game with the black and white board and the little hoofbeast pieces, right?

[Audio]

[madcuriosity]

Yes, that's right, but it doesn't have to be black and white, it could be white and red or really any two different colors so long as one is lighter and decided as the "white" pieces of sorts. White moves first.

[mindseer]

I guess you're right on the colors. I'm just so used to it being white and black, and colors are kind of a thing for me. But yeah, I get it. I've never actually played it, though. Is it fun?

voice.

[amongfriends]

It wouldn't be too difficult to teach a new player? [She doesn't want to be a bother, but sharpening her mind is appealing.]

[Voice]

[madcuriosity]

Not at all! I would be happy to teach you! Once you know the basics there are all sorts of strategies to learn... I don't even know half of them!

[amongfriends]

We could learn together. [It's a warm suggestion. Gamora is so soft for kids. :'( Alice's offer is generous.]

[asgardswisdom]

[ The mind has to be just as sharp as the body, eh? That's not too bad. ]

Who says chess is perfect for that?

[ It's said with such a perfect deadpan that he might be completely serious. Might. ]

[madcuriosity]

Mr. Odin! Or ah- King Odin! I was hoping to speak with you! Would you like to join us? Please?

[asgardswisdom]

That doesn't answer my question.

[ Again, still spoken in a deadpan, unmoved. ]

Although I'm not disinterested. Tell me more of your plans.

[tealeafs]

[ Chizuru has no idea what chess is - she's a little from too old times and the wrong region for that - but something about this post captures her attention. If not just because it's apparently something Turgon and this girl.. do together? That's an odd combination. ]

Is it some sort of game..?

[madcuriosity]

It is! The game of kings, I've heard it called. Would you like to learn it?

[tealeafs]

Of course, as long as it's not too much trouble for you to teach me.. I'm sure a lot of people must have asked for help with it.

[ Because Alice is offering so sweetly, for one, and since she figures there might be a lot of people here from places where they have never heard of the game. Like her own world, for one. ]

video;

[keybearing]

Chess? I haven't played, myself. I guess I could figure the basics, though? I'm not really a big strategy type person myself. That and I spent most of my time playing outside, fishing, swimming and racing and sparring. But it's great if others want to play too or at least learn and try it out with you, Alice!

[Video]

[madcuriosity]

Oh! You simply must play, Sora! It's a splendid game! Sometimes the best strategy can be no strategy!... Not... always of course.

I've never been fishing, or sparring, I do know how to swim, though!

[Video]

[keybearing]

You think so? Well, okay. How about I teach you to fish and you can teach me chess, sound like a deal, Alice?

[Fair is fair. They can teach each other. And bonus that he gets to keep an eye on her during that at least. While trying not to be too obvious about feeling sort of responsible in his own way for her.]