Slåjens (SLOW-jenz)

Objective:

• The objective of Slåjens is to accumulate the highest score by rolling dice and strategically choosing which results to keep and which to re-roll.

Players:

• 2 or more players

Equipment:

• 5 six-sided dice
• A scoring sheet or pen and paper to keep track of scores

Gameplay:

• Slåjens is played over a series of rounds, with each player taking turns.
• On each turn, a player has the option to roll the dice up to three times to achieve the best possible score.
• The player with the highest total score at the end of all the rounds is the winner.

Round Structure:

Roll Phase:

• On their turn, a player rolls all five dice together.

Scoring Phase:

• After the initial roll, the player chooses which dice to keep and sets them aside.
• The player can choose to keep any number of dice and re-roll the remaining ones.
• The player can repeat this process up to three times in a turn, choosing which dice to keep and re-rolling the rest each time.
• After the third roll, the player must finalize their score for the round.

Scoring Calculation:

• Once the player has finalized their score for the round, they calculate their total based on the following scoring categories:
• Ravens (2, 3, 4, 5, 6): Each Raven rolled is worth its face value in points. For example, rolling two Ravens of 3 and one Raven of 6 would score 12 points (3 + 3 + 6).
• Lyja's Luck (1): Rolling a Lyja's Luck is worth 10 points.
• Slalt (5): Rolling a Slalt is worth 5 points.
• Berserker (Three of a Kind): If a player rolls three dice of the same face value, they score the total sum of all five dice in that round and reroll the remaining dice. For example, rolling three 4s, one 3, and one 1 would result in a score of 16. The player would reroll the 3 and 1 and then add the subsequent numbers to the previous score.

Round End:

• After scoring, the player records their total score for the round.
• The dice are then passed to the next player, and a new round begins.

End of the Game:

• The game continues for a predetermined number of rounds, typically determined by the players before starting the game.
• At the end of the final round, the player with the highest total score is declared the winner and hailed as the Ahökva (Ah-HOOK-vuh), or victor.

Variations:

• Sjond (HYOND), or Steal: Introduce special dice symbols or combinations that trigger unique abilities or bonuses, such as bonus points, extra rolls, or stealing points from opponents.
• Team Play: Players can form teams and take turns rolling for their team. The team with the highest cumulative score at the end wins.

Sjond Variant Rules:

In this variant, players have the opportunity to steal points from their opponents during the game. It adds an extra layer of strategy and competition to Slåjens.

Stealing Condition:

• To initiate a steal, a player must declare their intent to steal. They may attempt to steal any amount up to their opponent's total score from the previous round. They must then roll the dice and roll three dice that consecutively ascend in value (ex. a 3, 4, and 5; or 1, 2, and 3).

Initiating a Steal:

• The targeted opponent must have a minimum score threshold for stealing to be possible, such as having at least 20 points in their current round or a total score of 50 points or more.

Stealing Resolution:

• The targeted opponent has a chance to defend against the steal. They can choose to accept the steal or attempt to prevent it by rolling a certain combination or reaching a specified threshold on their next turn.
• The defending opponent may have specific dice combinations or score requirements they need to achieve to successfully defend against the steal.
• If the defending opponent successfully defends, they retain their points, and the stealing player receives no points.

Stealing Outcome:

• If the defending opponent fails to defend or chooses not to defend, the stealing player takes the declared amount of points from the opponent.
• The stolen points are added to the stealing player's score.

History

Slåjens originates in the Realm of Vraya. It is popular among sailors there but has increased in popularity in the port cities of the Greydeep.

Related Organizations

• The Realm of Vraya

Related Ethnicities

• Vrayan