Origin : Ancient Egypt, circa 3100 B.C.
Type of game : Race game. The goal is to bring the pawns from start to finish before the other player can do the same.
History : The game seem to appear during Predynastic Egypt (before the reign of the first pharaoh) even though the first definitive evidence dates from the Old Kingdom. It was very popular and played by rich (on beautiful boards) and poor (with makeshift boards) alike. During the New Kingdom, a spiritual meaning was added to the game. The path followed by the game pieces was compared to the journey of the ka (part of the soul) in the afterlife.
Rule variants added with the Expansion Packs
(Click on the image to enlarge)
Birth of RaYou need to throw a 1 to make a pawn enter the board.
Wrath of EnlilEvery 90 seconds, Enlil floods the board, sending unprotected pawns back.
Fury of ZeusZeus is restless and fires a thunderbolt on random squares.
Might of MarsMars turns the board into a battlefield and hides traps. Avoid them.
Immortal SoulsAll Pawns are safe from capture.
Depth of the EarthTunnels leading to random exits appear all around the board.
Rage of the VanquishedA captured pawn can move twice as far the next time it is played.
Dragon HeistCapture more treasures than your enemy before the dragon Fafnir wakes.
Sleeping GargoylesThe enemy pawns are sleeping until one of your pawns wakes it.
Djinn's GamesA Djinn plays a trick on you : the board is upside down.
Flowers of CreationIgnore your enemy, the Flowers are what you seek.
Danse MacabreDepending on your place in the Danse, you will start with 5 to 9 pawns.
Curse of StoneMovement will petrify a pawn. The curse lasts as long as the dice allowed it to move.
Enigms of the SphinxIf you want to capture your prey, complete the trial of the Sphinx.
Blessing of the PhoenixIf you are blessed, you will play again. Otherwise, you will loose your turn.
Shadows on the StyxYou only have one pawn, but you must defeat countless Shades.
Altars of QuetzalcoatlAn Altar must be occupied in order to be able to roll more than 1.
Sacrifice of BloodCapturing a pawn grants you an additional turn.
City of GoldGather more gold than your opponent but be careful, the city has its own defenses.
Fountain of YouthEach time a player drinks from the Fountain, one of his enemy's born off pawns comes back.
Empower your pawns and smite your enemies.
Relic of HehPawns capture by this Relic are frozen in time for 3 turns.
Relic of SetPawns captured by this Relic are sent to a random square.
Relic of HathorEach time this Relic moves, another pawns follows.
Relic of RaCapturing this Relic blinds the opponent for 3 turns.
Relic of HapiWhen this Relic moves, its starting square becomes a marsh, drawning the pawns that stop there.
Requires "Dawn of Civilization"
Relic of the MageWhen captured, this Relic turns back time, sending all pawns one square back.
Requires "Fantastic Worlds"
Relic of the KnightThis Relic captures all the pawns on its path unless they are protected.
Requires "Medieval Wonders"
Relic of the MinotaurPawns close to this Relic are lost and will ignore the results of the dice.
Requires "Children of Myths"
Relic of the SunstoneIf this Relic is captured 3 times, it is automatically borne off the board.
Requires "Fall of Man"
Dawn of Civilization
Fantastic Worlds
Medieval Wonders
Children of Myths
Fall of Man