Pantheon
Pantheon is a board game for two or four players. It is played on a circular board with two concentric rings of spaces. The outermost ring ("The World"), has 20 spaces, and the middle ring ("Anemim") has four spaces. At the center of the board is a single, circular space ("The Great House").
Pantheon Board
Setup
Players start with six pieces: a figure representing one of the Anem, and five pieces representing the mortals bound in service. Each set of pieces is colored differently for easy identification. The figures and colors traditionally associated with each set are as follows:
Na-Chorash | a man holding a set of scales | red |
Na-Lenas | a woman holding a sheaf of wheat | green |
Na-Leral | a young woman holding a shepherd's crook | white |
Na-Maruk | a man wearing an ornate crown | yellow |
Na-Rashil | a cloaked and hooded figure | black |
The pieces are initially set up with each player's mortals in five consecutive spaces in a quadrant of the outer ring, and their Anem in the Great House.
At the start of the game, the players each roll a single die to determine who will take thier turn first.
Movement
At the start of a player's turn they roll two dice to determine their move. They then apply the rolls to two of their pieces as follows:
Mortals
- On a roll of 1 to 5 in The World, the piece moves the number rolled without doubling back on a space they've already occupied
- On a roll of 6 in The World, the piece moves to the corresponding quadrant of Anemim
- On a roll of 1 to 5 in Anemim, the piece moves to the corresponding space in The World (numbered counter-clockwise from the start of the quadrant)
- On a roll of 6 in Anemim, the piece moves into an adjoining quadrant of Anemim
Anem
- On a roll of 1 to 5 in The World, the Anem moves the number rolled without doubling back on a space they've already occupied
- On a roll of 6 in The World, the piece Anem to the corresponding quadrant of Anemim
- On a roll of 1 to 5 in Anemim, the Anem moves to the corresponding space in The World (numbered counter-clockwise from the start of the quadrant)
- On a roll of 6 in Anemim, the Anem moves into The Great House or into an adjoining quadrant of Anemim
- On any roll in The Great House, the Anem may move into any quadrant of Anemim
Mortals may not move into The Great House. No more than two pieces at a time may occupy a single space in The World. If a space is already occupied by two of an opponent's pieces or two of the player's pieces, then the piece cannot be moved through that space and any move in that direction is cut short.
There is no limit on the number of pieces in Anemim or The Great House.
Taking Pieces
Pieces may only be taken in The World. To take an opponent's piece, a player must move a piece into a space in The World that is already occupied by an opponent's piece and one of their own. If a space is occupied by the pieces of two different opponents then two of the three involved players must agree on which piece is taken.
When an Anem no longer has any mortals remaining, they are removed from the game. If an Anem is taken then all of their mortals are also taken.
A player has won when they have taken all of their opponents' pieces.