send by Sabayna
Tsar's Tournament at the Isfahan Oasis (Hermes Khan)
Here are the tables once again:
For those who are new: you normally play one match a week and will find your partner of a certain week indicated in the tables. Please contact each other and fix a date and time that convenes to both and then send me the result.
And here's the opening ceremony!
[10:16] Melampus (godhet) takes his place and nods amicably to the gathering:
Exalted Khan, esteemed guests and Zar players,
It is always a great pleasure for me to open a Zar tournament in Isfahan with a few spiritual thoughts and words of blessing.
Zar is a school for life. Much of what we learn through Zar consists of fundamental experiences that we can apply in life as well, and which strengthen our faith in the Priest-Kings.
That is why I would like to give you a slightly different kind of guide to this game today: as the tournament begins, I am offering you eight golden rules to follow.
The Eight Golden Rules
Rule 1. We move forward and do not look back.
In the game of Zar, the pieces may only ever be moved forward; moving backward is not an option.
Forget what lies behind and reach out for what lies ahead. Your goal is the baseline on the opposite side.
Our lives, too, have no rewind button. We cannot change the past, but we can consciously take the next step. The priest-kings repeatedly call upon people to set out on the journey.
[10:20] Hermes (prinzensaft): Wonders what they would say about sideway moves....
[10:20] Melampus (godhet): Rule 2. Every move counts.
Every single move has consequences. The same applies to the decisions we make in our lives. Some decisions open up new possibilities for us, while others limit our scope of action.
Test everything and hold fast to what is good. Through this, we learn to take responsibility for our own actions.
In life, too, we are constantly faced with decisions. The Priest-Kings do not take these decisions out of our hands, but they accompany us on our path—even when we make mistakes.
[10:21] Trygg Tyran (tryggtyran) smiles at Melampus as he listens to the Initiate
[10:21] Melampus (godhet): Rule 3. Not every defeat is the end.
There is a first leg and a return leg. One time we have the stones; the next, the sticks. If we lose, we can do better next time. Even strong players lose games. But anyone who plays Zar learns to accept defeat and learn from it.
The righteous man falls seven times and rises again—so our forebears knew. Seven times—meaning, time and time again.
It is the same in our lives. Here, too, we know failure, forgiveness, and new beginnings. Our dignity does not depend on our success, but on how we handle our failure.
[10:22] Cinnabar (evandanir) glances at his owner, then back to the ground. The barbarian boy is still getting used to his new home.
[10:23] Melampus (godhet): Rule 4. Patience is more important than haste.
Even though a clock is ticking in Zar, we know this: Zar does not reward the fastest player, but rather the one who remains attentive.
Be patient and strengthen your hearts. In a world full of haste, the game Zar reminds us of the value of composure and patience.
[10:24] Melampus (godhet): Rule 5. Jump when an opportunity arises.
[10:24] Hermes (prinzensaft): yay! Makes a jump
[10:24] Duncan Willis looks up in the sky for incoming blue flame
[10:25] Angesica: · applause ·
[10:25] Trygg Tyran (tryggtyran) nods in recognition and chuckles
[10:25] Melampus (godhet): In the game, you can leap over multiple pieces in a single move. Be bold and dare to make the jump.
"They gain new strength; they lift their wings like eagles"—so spoke a brother of my order once.
Sometimes, the Priest-Kings lead us through long periods of slow progress. But at times, a door suddenly opens, and we are permitted to act boldly.
[10:26] Melampus (godhet): Rule 6. Every single game piece has its value.
A match can only be won by the person who moves all the stones or sticks to the other side. If even a single piece is left behind, that person has lost the game.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you."
It is the same with us humans. Every single one of us matters, for every person possesses their own gifts and unique dignity. We need everyone to reach our goal. No one must be left behind or lost.
[10:27] Hermes (prinzensaft): nods in agreement
[10:27] Melampus (godhet): Rule 7. We must respect our opponent.
Zar thrives on competition and rivalry, but also on mutual respect. There can be no game without an opponent. Disdain implies arrogance, and arrogance leads to underestimation. If we look down on our opponent, we underestimate them—and may well have lost the game before it even begins.
Outdo one another in mutual regard. Never lose respect for each other. Be fair and be friendly. That is your victory, regardless of the outcome.
[10:29] Melampus (godhet): Rule 8. We must look ahead, but we cannot control everything.
Good players plan several moves ahead. And then something unexpected happens, and all that planning is in vain. We must admit to ourselves that we cannot foresee or control everything. It is precisely the unexpected that makes the game so exciting.
The human heart devises its own path, but the priest-kings guide its steps. Planning is part of life. At the same time, we can trust that the priest-kings walk with us even when our plans change.
[10:31] Melampus (godhet) follows the eight golden rules, takes the holy water sprinkler from a situla, and sprinkles the game boards with the holy spring water he brought back from the Sardar Mountains. Then he returns to his seat and places the sprinkler back into the situla.
[10:31] Trygg Tyran (tryggtyran): "Thank you Blessed One."
[10:32] Melampus (godhet) raises hands for the blessing and closing prayer:
[10:32] Trygg Tyran (tryggtyran) bows his head in respect
[10:32] Melampus (godhet): As the Zar boards are opened today, more than just a competition begins. It marks the start of a time for connection, reflection, the joy of the game, and respectful interaction. May the Priest-Kings grant all participants clarity of thought, equanimity in victory and defeat, and joy in the fellowship we share. And may we not only make good moves in the game but also, in life, be people who act with wisdom, fairness, and love.
[10:33] 12Helga123 Resident: (=>en) look down
[10:33] Melampus (godhet): May the Priest-Kings, who sit enthroned, holy and mighty, high atop the Sardar Mountains, grant us this.
[10:33] Aetes Omar (vosathiel.ravenwood): Thank you, blessed one.
[10:33] Melampus (godhet): Ta Sardar Gor!
[10:34] Hermes (prinzensaft): Ta Sardar Gor!
[10:34] Aetes Omar (vosathiel.ravenwood): Ta Sardar Gor!
[10:34] Melampus (godhet): And now, in this very spirit, I wish you good and joyful games.
[10:34] Hermes (prinzensaft): Thank you very much, Blessed One, you have once again enlightened us!
[10:34] Duncan Willis: "Ta Sardar Gor! Thank you blessed one. Wise words and good advice."
[10:35] Melampus (godhet) steps back from his place.
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