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View Full Version : Gamer Tales World's Oldest RPG unearthed in Egypt



Zhentarim
2016-06-17, 11:41 AM
Default Re: Mummy's Mask
A new tomb was dicovered in Egypt containing the world's longest run gaming session. Its not certain how the game was played, but a gaming group got sealed in the tomb some odd 5,750 years ago and played the game by the light of a narrow airshaft until it is presumed they died of starvation. One player held a papyrus scroll in his hand, and sat opposite four other players. One player opposite the one holding the scroll was holding a 20-sided die in its mummified hand. The die was carved from a gem called elephantine, and is still in decent condition. Their was an ivory board between the players with distinct rows and columns of hexagons on it, and there were small figurines on the board: three tiny humans, a tiny petsuchos, and a large demon. One archeologist, Dr. Alexis Blackwood, who is also an avid pathfinder fan, drew simulatities between the set up of the game and a modern gaming group. She said that games were often played in ancient Egypt as a way to prepare one for the afterlife, as is believed to the case with the ancient Egyptian game of senate. She says this game is unusual, however.
"The level of complexity is far greater than we normally see in games from this era. Though this is likely a religious game like others seen in ancient Egypt, its simularities to a modern game are uncanny. Perhaps there are more secrets Egypt hasn't shared with us yet."
AP

Regitnui
2016-06-17, 12:50 PM
Really?

And in other news, the Voynich manuscript has been decoded as the earliest known example of a splatbook.

Flickerdart
2016-06-17, 12:50 PM
Really?

And in other news, the Voynich manuscript has been decoded as the earliest known example of a splatbook.

So called because reading it makes your brain go *splat.*

Arbane
2016-06-17, 01:37 PM
So called because reading it makes your brain go *splat.*

You might be thinking of the Necronomicon. The Voynich Manuscript really exists, but nobody's been able to decipher it yet. (XKCD explains it (https://xkcd.com/593/).)

Lvl 2 Expert
2016-06-17, 02:50 PM
Make it a number of four sided dice and I'd buy it.

WrittenInBlood
2016-06-18, 12:16 PM
http://i.imgur.com/b83r7J3.jpg

Âmesang
2016-06-18, 12:42 PM
And all of this time I thought they only played with cards. Comics have lied to me! :smallfrown:

nedz
2016-06-18, 03:48 PM
Oh - they were taught the game by aliens, who were really time travelling Nazis from the 42nd century - everyone knows that.

Make it a number of four sided dice and I'd buy it.
Also, Pyramids are d5s

Regitnui
2016-06-18, 03:54 PM
Also, Pyramids are d5s

Little known fact; the Ancient Egyptians had a section in their afterlife involving the exploration of an extremely dangerous place of burial full of monsters. Every soul had to adventure through the Tomb to find the true and glorious afterlife. The book Of the dead found in many pharaonic tombs gave them a full list of the Horrors within and how to get past/defeat them.

Lvl 2 Expert
2016-06-19, 02:52 AM
Oh - they were taught the game by aliens, who were really time travelling Nazis from the 42nd century - everyone knows that.

Also, Pyramids are d5s

I hadn't even made that connection, I was more thinking about what I would find believable.

That being said, a pyramid shaped D5 would be cool. Very hard to make fair, but cool. It actually looks different on a critical success.

Zhentarim
2016-06-19, 12:54 PM
I hadn't even made that connection, I was more thinking about what I would find believable.

That being said, a pyramid shaped D5 would be cool. Very hard to make fair, but cool. It actually looks different on a critical success.

Most of this was imaginary. That said, the part about a lone d20 was actually based on a real find:
http://www.cnet.com/news/ancient-d20-die-emerges-from-the-ashes-of-time/

Regitnui
2016-06-19, 01:08 PM
The d20 find is interesting. Ancient Geeks invaded Egypt to get some sun. Maybe Alex the Great was a really munchkin power gamer. "What do you mean conquering ths world is impossible at my level?"

Cazero
2016-06-20, 01:39 AM
The d20 find is interesting. Ancient Geeks invaded Egypt to get some sun. Maybe Alex the Great was a really munchkin power gamer. "What do you mean conquering ths world is impossible at my level?"
"Elephants are stronger than horses, yes. And I don't care. Look at the mounted combat rules and run those numbers again."

Flickerdart
2016-06-20, 08:31 AM
You might be thinking of the Necronomicon. The Voynich Manuscript really exists, but nobody's been able to decipher it yet. (XKCD explains it (https://xkcd.com/593/).)
I know what it is, don't you worry. Just look at it - reading that thing would require some messed-up brain meats.


Oh - they were taught the game by aliens, who were really time travelling Nazis from the 42nd century - everyone knows that.
Excuse me - obviously you meant an evil parasitic alien civilization parading as gods.

Firest Kathon
2016-06-20, 09:01 AM
You are all thinking too small when it comes to Egyptian dice:
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20141214

Joe the Rat
2016-06-20, 09:20 AM
Considering it's covered in greek letters, we're a little off here.
Clearly, this was used to play Scattergories.