...a game played by the old elves. Jaefa Smiota is played on a board drawn like a spiders's web. In the Golden ages of the elves, the boards were colored with the colors of the family houses. As a wedding gift, the bride and groom were given a marble table made of the joined family colors.
The name, Jaefa Smiota, means Spider Battle in the old language.
Often old elves would sit for days contemplating moves and strategies, without touching a single piece.
Sometimes if the players were old friends and had nothing better to do, they would play 'ransoms'. If the Prince playing piece was ever captured, the losing player could 'ransom' his Prince piece by exchanging places with another of his pieces on the board.
Players would agree ahead of time, to two, three or even four ransoms to extend the length of play.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/23090
playing rules: The Prince piece is the only piece that can share the section with another of the players pieces. If an attacking piece lands on a section occupied by the Prince piece and another piece, the lower ranked piece is forfeited, and the Prince may either attack the invading piece or flee.
