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Cards

Standard Glain playing cards number fifty-six cards in four suits (Swords and Pentacles are black suits, Diamonds and Stars are gold suits). Each suit consists of ten numbered cards (Ace through Ten) and four face cards (Knight, Sorceror, Lady, and Lord). In most Argossean decks there are also four red cards, not of any suit: The Harlequin (or Fool), the Dragon, the Queen, and the King. While the regular cards are the same as cards in other lands, the red cards are specific to the Argossean region. (Generally, only the Fool is found everywhere.)

Card games of Glain are many and various, but two games stand out: Five-in-Hand and Tarak. Five-in-Hand is a betting game similar to poker. The red cards have special uses in this game: The Fool is "wild low"; it may take on the values of the cards Ace through Ten of any suit. (Aces are valued at one in this game.) The Dragon is "wild high"; it may take on the value of any face card of any suit. The Queen and King are ranked above the Lady and Lord of all suits, so they may be used to create a high-value straight with the Sorceror, Lady and Lord of any one suit.

Tarak is a point-based card game played similar to rummy, but only for straights. Each player gets a seven card hand, and the draw-play-discard pattern is followed as in rummy. Straights are kept in the hand, as in gin rummy. The red cards are used exactly as in Five-in-Hand. The play pattern procedes around the table until one player decides to go out. That player must have either two three-card straights or one five-card straight. Each player is then awarded points for all the cards he has in straights, and penalized for all cards not in straights. Numbered cards are worth their listed value, except for Aces, which count as eleven. All face cards are worth twelve points, and red cards are worth thirteen points.

Games of Skill

Games of skill in the region include darts and pool. Darts are much like modern dart games; concentric circle boards are preferred. Play (and betting) is by points. Usually, three to five darts are used.

There are two major variants of pool: the regular game (called "pool" or "ten ball") and "Lot" (or "fifteen ball"). Tables have six or eight holes. Regular pool may be played on either type of table, but Lot requires an eight-hole table. A variant game called "War", played like cutthroat, is quite popular in some areas. All variants of betting are allowed. (In Lot, the eleven ball serves the same purpose as the eight ball in standard pool.)

Inns and Taverns

Seasoning at inns and taverns is provided by the diner. Argossean sailors often use shark oil seasoning, which most other people find disgusting.

Common Alcoholic Beverages

Name Type Notes
Northern (Argossean) Beer Beer Strong and dark
Southern Beer Beer Light color, moderate alcohol
Montau Red Wine Strong and cheap
Roslanian Brandy Brandy Very strong, acidic flavor
Shellan Brandy Wine Pale red
Lamdian White Wine  

 
Questions, Comments, or Complaints? Contact:
  Chris Gonnerman <chris.gonnerman@newcenturycomputers.net>
Games and Entertainment Last Updated 08/21/2006