GERMAN LANGUAGE UNLOCKED! (And A Custom Inlay On The Way!) + Meet The Legendary Rulers of Yucatán
about 2 years ago – Sun, Feb 27, 2022 at 01:15:50 PM

Dear Future Rulers,

We are on a roll - we couldn’t even comprehend that we reached the funding goal and four other stretch goals, and you guys have already unlocked another stretch goal!

Ahau - Rulers of Yucatán is already mostly language-independent in the first place to make sure that the language barrier does not result in a less enjoyable game flow. However, thanks to your amazing support, we will be able to make sure the rulebook and the summary cards are translated to German as well. This was a cherished dream of ours, as we are devoted fans of making everyone involved regardless of geographical distance.

Vielen Dank für eure Unterstützung. Viel Spaß beim Spielen!

NEXT STRETCH GOAL: CUSTOM INLAY

For the next stretch goal, we’ll be upgrading the basic inlay with a custom inlay to ensure you will be able to store all the game components neatly.

We have confirmed with our production partners that this custom inlay will offer a solution for storing your pyramids whole once assembled. We are also working with them to ensure that the pyramids are sturdier and more stable than our initial prototypes.

 ***

MEET THE LEGENDARY MAYA RULERS OF THE CLASSIC PERIOD

Learn the fascinating story of the rulers featured in Ahau: Rulers of Yucatán. See their historical images in all their glory next to their illustration in the game. The rulers we decided on were all from the same century or so and several of them were intertwined to some degree, which is fitting for a game where they're all competing with each other!

What would you like to see as an alternative to ruler standees? Can you guess why Ix Wak Chan Ajaw was assigned the orange colour in our game? Which ruler would you choose in the game? Tell us in the comments.

Ix Wak Chan Ajaw, ruler of Naranjo (682-741 CE)

Ix Wak Chan Ajaw is one of a relatively small number of women during the Classic period known to have ruled her city outrightly, bearing the Ajaw title herself. Her rise to power was closely linked with a broader conflict during the mid-seventh century between Tikal’s ruler Nuun Ujol Chaak and his rival at Dos Pilas, B’alaj Chan K’awiil, who had an alliance with Tikal’s greatest rival Calakmul.

Ix Wak Chan Ajaw was the daughter of B’alaj Chan K’awiil. Seeking to bolster their regional hegemony, B’alaj Chan K’awiil, a k’uhul ajaw in his own right,  installed his daughter as the ruler of Naranjo in 682 CE, revitalizing the city’s dynastic line. In 693 CE, Wak Chan Ajaw named her then-five-year-old son, K’ahk’ Tiliw Chan Chaak, as Naranjo’s ruler. Such a young child, he was obviously incapable of ruling himself and so Wak Chan Ajaw continued to rule as queen regent.

Wak Chan Ajaw was a militant ruler, with Naranjo continuing to pursue her family’s military campaign against Tikal during this time, with one monument recording the capture of an important warrior in 695 CE. Beyond military action, Wak Chan Ajaw also engaged in a campaign of diplomacy and gift giving meant to rebuild the Naranjo kingdom. Wak Chan Ajaw died (cause unknown) in 741 CE and the royal house of Naranjo declined rapidly following her death. In 744 CE, Tikal attacked the city of Naranjo itself, taking the ruler Yax Mayuy Chan Chaak captive and looting the symbols of Naranjo’s royal court, including the palanquin and throne. It is not known when or how Wak Chan’s son, K’ahk’ Tiliw, died, but it is thought that he preceded his mother in death, last mentioned on a monument in 728 CE.

Her portrait is depicted on several monuments at Naranjo, including Stela 24 (where she is depicted celebrating a K’atun ending in a costume and bearing bloodletting implements commonly attributed to male rulers), shown below next to her illustration in the game.

Ix K’abel, ruler of El Perú-Waka’ (c. 670-700)

Ix K’abel was a princess of the great Kaan dynasty at Calakmul and was the first, but not last, Calakmul woman to marry into the Waka’ royal line, solidifying a long-lasting and powerful alliance between these two cities.

In Ahau, we are calling her Ix K’abel, but it should be noted that we do not know her original Maya name. We have examples of her name glyphs, but they remain as yet undeciphered. One of her aliases, Lady Waterlilly Hand, comes from her name glyphs, one of which bears resemblance to a waterlilly, the other being a hand glyph. Her other alias, Lady Snake Lord, comes from the fact that her full title includes the kaan ajaw glyphs, marking her as a member of the Kaan royal dynasty.

She was married to the Waka’ king named K’inich Bahlam II in the seventh century. Although we don’t know the exact dates of her reign, she is depicted on two stelae (each a part of a pair, the other depicting her husband) commemorating k’atun endings in 672 and 692 CE. A third stela commemorates the k’atun ending in 711 CE, but this only makes reference to her husband, suggesting she may have died prior to that date.

While her husband bore the ajaw title and was a king in his own right, K’abel’s position as a member of the Kaan royal family meant that she held much of the power in their joint rule of Waka’. In addition, she bore the title Ix Kaloomte’, roughly translated to “Lady Warlord” or “Lady Overlord.” This marked her as a figure of greater military and political authority than her husband as Kaloomte’ was the highest royal rank, reserved for the members of the most powerful Maya dynasties. She was the symbol of Waka’s alliance with Calakmul and as such, her image and story was evoked more than a century later by the royal court of Waka’ to revive that authority. Her tomb was discovered during excavations at El Perú-Waka’ in 2012.

Ix K’abel is depicted on Stelas 11 and 34 from El Perú-Waka’, the latter of which is depicted below next to her illustration from the game.

Jasaw Chan K’awiil, ruler of Tikal (682-734 CE)

Jasaw Chan K’awiil I was the son of Nuun Ujol Chaak, the ruler of Tikal during its disastrous defeat at the hands of Dos Pilas and Calakmul in 679 CE. Under the rulership of Jasaw Chan K’awiil, Tikal’s fortunes were reversed, ushering in new military victories and an expansive building program. About 10 years into his reign, in 695 CE, Jasaw oversaw a decisive victory over Yich’aak K’ahk’, then the ruler of Calakmul. This victory began the gradual decline of Calakmul’s regional hegemony and led to the rebirth of Tikal as a regional military superpower. Temple 1 (the Temple of the Great Jaguar), one of two large pyramids flanking the Great Plaza of Tikal, was built to commemorate this victory and serve as Jasaw Chan K’awiil’s funerary temple by his son Yik’in Chan K’awiil. In 1962, Burial 116 was excavated within a tomb in this pyramid and proved to be the tomb of Jasaw Chan K’awiil. It remains to this day one of the most lavish burials known in the Maya region. Part of Jasaw’s plans to reinvigorate Tikal involved reviving the symbolism of Teotihuacan that was so common at Tikal more than three centuries earlier after the famous “Entrada” of 378 CE. He celebrated three K’atun endings in power, in 692, 711, and 731 CE. Each of these was marked by the construction of a large twin-pyramid complex at Tikal. He also made several substantial additions and expansions of the Central Acropolis (palace) and oversaw the construction of Temple 2, which was dedicated to his primary wife, Lady Lachan Unen Mo’.

Jasaw Chan K’awiil is depicted in all his glory, richly attired, in Stela 16 from Tikal (dated to 711 CE), shown below next to his illustration from the game.

Itzamnaaj Bahlam III, ruler of Yaxchilan (681-742 CE)

Itzamnaaj Balam oversaw one of the greatest periods of expansion and architectural construction in Yaxchilan’s history but, surprisingly, the majority of it occurred during the final 20 years of his 60-year reign (when he was in his 70s!).

Temple 44 at Yaxchilan highlights his military exploits, including a list of the important personages he is said to have taken captive. One of these captives, a minor lord named Aj ‘Nik from the Namaan kingdom happened prior to his accession and was such an important moment in his life that the epithet “Master of Aj ‘Nik” appears in his name in 32 different instances.

For a brief period during his rule, the nearby kingdoms of Bonampak and Lacanha fell under Yaxchilan’s dominion. Like other Yaxchilan kings, Iztamnaaj Bahlam’s rule was characterized by sustained conflict with their upriver rival, Piedras Negras. The “frontier zone” between Yaxchilan and Piedras Negras was a fractured landscape of shifting power dynamics full of smaller centers ruled by sajals (regional governors, lieutenants, and war captains).

Notably, though, a Piedras Negras monument dated to 726 CE commemorates a victory over Yaxchilan where one of Itzamnaaj Bahlam’s sajals was taken captive.This clearly did not adversely affect Itzamnaaj Bahlam’s rule, though, as over the next 15 years or so he continued to build and commission great works of art. For example, the famous lintels of Yaxchilan (Lintels 23, 24, 25, and 26), each a masterful example of the finest Maya stonecarving of the Classic period, were commissioned by Itzamnaaj Balam and depict himself and his principal wife, Lady Xook’ (two of them adorned the doorways to a building that was dedicated to her, which he built even before beginning construction on Temple 44, which commemorated his military career), during various ceremonies and rituals.

Itzamnaaj Bahlam III is depicted on many monuments and carvings from Yaxchilan, including Lintel 24, shown below next to his illustration from the game.

K’inich Janaab Pakal, ruler of Palenque (615-683 CE)

It would not be an overstatement to call Pakal the most famous Maya king and, like the other rulers in the game, he oversaw a period of tremendous growth for Palenque. He took to the throne at the young age of 12 during a period of ill fortune for Palenque after the earlier deaths of several important figures. Palenque was besieged by Calakmul when Pakal was a young boy, undoubtedly leaving a lasting impression that would shape his rule.

Living a very long life, he also enjoyed one of the longest reigns of any known Maya ruler, ruling until his death at 80 years old. Palenque was transformed from a largely provincial town to a bustling urban center under Pakal’s rule. The central palace of Palenque with its unique multi-storied “tower” was commissioned by Pakal. One of the structures of the palace, House C, records Pakal’s military exploits including a list of captives he took.

He also began the construction of the massive Temple of the Inscriptions which served as his funerary temple, though he did not live to see its completion. His tomb was discovered in the Temple of the Inscriptions in 1952 by the famous Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier. His richly furnished burial is one of the reasons that Pakal is such a famous king today, including a massive carved stone sarcophagus. He was buried with a mosaic jade mask and hundreds of other equally impressive artifacts.

Pakal is depicted on many monuments at Palenque, both during and after his reign. Shown below is his portrait on a monument from Temple XXI next to his illustration from the game.

***

Thanks to Joshua Schnell, David S. Anderson, and Walter Paz Joj for checking the in-game representation of these rulers. Special thanks to Josh for the write-up. 

Weapon Tiles Unlocked (And German Language Up Next!!)
about 2 years ago – Fri, Feb 25, 2022 at 05:40:06 PM

Greetings, Future Rulers! ☀️

Can you believe that we’re just two days into our crowdfunding journey and together we’ve already unlocked four stretch goals?! Before we explore these latest unlocks and head to the court for a ballgame, we wanted to share our sincere thanks and gratitude for everyone who has chosen to join us on this adventure. Now then, let’s meet our work-in-progress weaponry!

Weapon Tiles Unlocked

With this stretch goal, we will add three new weapon illustrations to diversify the weapons depicted on the weapon tiles. Right now, the famous macuahuitl is depicted on the weapon tiles. This was the Mesoamerican equivalent of a sword, though it was used a bit more like a club. It consisted of a long, flattened wooden shaft with a handle large enough to wield two-handed, with small 2-4 inch long obsidian blades hafted along both edges of the wooden shaft. 

Together, these obsidian blades formed the “blade” of the weapon. Though this weapon did not make it into the Maya region until the mid-late Postclassic period through contact with Central Mexico (and the Toltec and Mexica peoples there), it is nonetheless the most iconic Mesoamerican weapon and was thus chosen for the original weapon tiles in the base game. It was so effective and feared that a Spanish conquistador once wrote that he witnessed a Mexica (Aztec) warrior nearly cut the head off of a horse with one swing.

These three new illustrations will introduce weapon types common during the Classic period to the game, including the blowgun, the axe, and the spear. 

Blowgun

The blowgun was primarily a hunting tool and is depicted in many hunting scenes in Classic-period art. It also played a very important role in a key mythic narrative featuring the famous Hero Twins, one of whom shoots the Principal Bird Deity with his blowgun. Like other hunting tools, such as the slingshot, the blowgun could have easily been used during combat, particularly during surprise raids which would not have given warriors time to fully prepare. Most households would have had a blowgun (or slingshot) for hunting which would be easily grabbed as an improvised weapon. In form, these were long hollow tubes likely made of reed or wood. Many had linear sights towards the end of the tube for aiming and others had cloth or leather wrappings around the mouth-end to serve as a hand grip. Rather than darts, Maya blowguns fired small round pellets. 

Axes

Similar to the blowgun, axes were simultaneously used as weapons and tools and also played an important role in mythic narratives. For example, the Classic period god of rain and storms, Chaac, is often depicted as a bringer of storms, dancing about wielding an axe (representing lightning) as well as a stone manopla (representing thunder), which was a rounded, handheld stone used in boxing (similar in function to modern brass knuckles). 

As a tool, the axe would have been used for chopping and splitting wood, rough woodworking, and even excavating into the soft limestone bedrock of the Yucatán Peninsula. We know that they were also used as weapons because of depictions of warriors wielding shields and axes. Maya axes were large, often rounded, stone bifaces (chipped stone tools worked on both sides, rather than one) that were hafted onto wooden handles. Incredibly, a hafted example was found in Belize in the 1980’s called the “Puleston Axe” after the man who found it. 

Spear

Finally, the spear is a true weapon, in that it is never depicted in hunting scenes, and is the single most common weapon depicted in Classic-period art of Maya warriors. Famous examples of these weapons include the jaguar-skin-clad warriors wielding elaborate spears wrapped in jaguar skin from the murals of Bonampak as well as the many spears kings and important warriors are depicted wielding on stone monuments across the Maya region. They could range from extremely simple (just a wood shaft and stone point), to incredibly elaborate, with cloth or leather wrappings, feather and bead embellishments, and points made from obsidian or very high-quality stone. It is fair to assume, based on their ubiquity, that spears were the de facto weapon of the Classic Maya warrior, supplemented with shields, axes, daggers, and clubs. Spear points are found at nearly all archaeological sites across the Maya region.

***

Now, enough talk about weapons and war. Let’s play some ball!  The ancient ballgame in Mesoamerica was a source of entertainment but was also a substitute for war between rival cities and kingdoms. 

In addition to being played for fun and as a proxy for warfare, the ballgame held spiritual importance, hence it was taken very seriously by everyone who participated. The main objective was to pass the ball back and forth off their hips or the sloping sides of the court without letting it drop.

This famous game is also featured in our game not once, but twice: through the Ball Court building which is the base game, and through the Ballgame Player role card. And who knows, perhaps the Eclipse Expansion will feature the Great Ball Court too? 🤫

Base Game Building Feature: the Ball Court

The Maya ball courts are well-known even today due to the Mesoamerican ballgame and its extraordinary rules. These spacious places were perfect for a game that could last for long days. 

The courts in which the ballgame was played are well-known and can be found at many ancient Maya sites, but they are more frequent in the southeast areas of the Yucatán peninsula. These courts feature magnificent masonry and have sloping playing surfaces. The ball court at Chichen Itza was the largest of them all, with walls 8.2 m high, and a length of about 149 m.

That is one of the reasons why ball courts are featured in our game Ahau as well, and let you advance on the War Track whenever you construct a building in the game.  

First Expansion Role Card Feature: the Ballgame Player (pitzil)

Just like modern sporting events and tournaments, games drew attendees from nearby towns and villages and important games might have warranted a visit from the Ajaw themself. In some cases, the Ajaw would have actually played in the game.  In most cases though, the ballgame was played as a popular recreational sport, involving women and children as well.

Well then, it seems we have come to the conclusion of today’s celebration (and history lesson), so it’s time to share our next community goal. Yes, that’s right, our first Language Pack is right on the horizon!! 

Also, as mentioned in our last update, we have heard all of your amazing feedback over the past 48 hours and the overwhelming request has been to add a custom inlay to allow all Ahau players to store their pyramids whole once assembled. We had several meetings yesterday to confirm the viability of this option, and we’re happy to announce that we will be unlocking this inlay next!!

That’s all for today, so thank you so much for reading, and we’ll see you in the comments!

The Apeiron Games Team

3 New Stretch Goals Unlocked + And An Eclipse Sneak Peek!
about 2 years ago – Fri, Feb 25, 2022 at 04:43:56 PM

Dear Future Rulers,

Good morning! We hope you're prepared to start your day (or your afternoon) with a great bout of good news. We just reached our funding goal only a few hours ago and now, thanks to your support, we have already unlocked our first three stretch goals! 🎉

These are: 

• New Building Tiles
• Mayan Glyphs For Each Ruler

and...

• New Building Illustrations

Let's take a closer look at them, one by one!

***

NEW BUILDING TILES

By reaching 33,000 USD, we are excited to announce that three new building tiles with completely new powers will be added to the base game: 

- The Temple will increase your summoning power;

- The Plaza will let you gain additional Fame when you construct buildings;

- The “Giant Stela” building illustration will serve as another building, giving you 2 Fame each time you win a conflict, in addition to any War Track rewards.

Two copies of the Observation Tower and one copy of the Ball Court will be replaced. The one remaining copy of the Observation Tower will let you pick both tiles from the region at the end of your Movement Phase. The one remaining copy of the Ball Court will stay as it is. (Letting you advance on the War Track whenever you construct a building.)

The reason for the change is that the god scoring tile that score War Track and weapon tiles gave too much Fame, because there were too many weapons in the game. By removing 7 weapons, this god scoring tile will be now more balanced, as confirmed by quite a few tests.

***

MAYAN GLYPHS FOR EACH RULER

As for our next stretch goal, through the help of Walter Paz Joj, our cultural consultant from Guatemala, every Ruler in the game will receive an inscription using authentic Maya glyphs based on real historical examples. The glyphs drawn by Walter would then be retouched/recoloured by our main illustrator, Dávid Szabó to match the game's art style. 

Walter Paz Joj is an ajtz’ib, a modern-day Maya Kaqchikel scribe, who is striving to resurrect the ancient Maya writing system for modern use. Walter is also a designer, musician and a community leader in Pan Ajache’l (Sololá, Iximulew/Guatemala). In his words: 

My work is based on and inspired by the form of ancient Maya writing (tz’ib). It seeks to represent, in my own way and my own style, ideas, feelings, and emotions as a Maya kaqchikel. I come from Pan Ajache’l, Sololá, within Lake, Atitlán, Guatemala. I am dedicated to researching and sharing the ancient Maya writing through its function and use, as well as in its artistic application, so that it might serve as inspiration for all Maya people who are interested in contributing to the revitalization and use of Mayan hieroglyphic writing from their own territories, ways of thinking, and languages. I have also dedicated space to music through the re-creation of ceramic instruments, invoking forms of expression through sound that were created by the ancestors.

***

NEW BUILDING ILLUSTRATIONS

By reaching 40,000 USD, we replace any remaining repetitive images in the building tile deck, mostly the stelae illustrations that have served different functions:

- The building titled “Giant Stela” giving plus 1 building action will be renamed the “Workshop” and will get its separate illustration.

- The “Favour of the Gods” building, giving you additional resources when you produce, will also receive its own illustration and will be renamed to “Raised Bed Farming”.

- The “Produce Market” building will also get its own illustration to differentiate it from the “Market” building.

- Finally, the “City Gates” building tile will also receive its own illustration to differentiate it from the “Gateway”.

This is not just an aesthetic change, but also functional, as the distinct illustrations will help you better differentiate the building powers during the game. 

***

EXPANSION UPDATE 

That is not all for today's update. 

The time has come to introduce you to the unique and exciting Eclipse cards in the first expansion of Ahau! The Eclipse cards help to raise the stakes even higher to provide you with a new challenge the moment you feel like you have got the game all figured out. Buckle up, because the events depicted in these Eclipse cards have already stood the test of time and history - let’s see if you can use them to your advantage or conquer them as a divine ruler!

How the Eclipse cards work:

The Eclipse cards introduce characteristic or important events of this era in history. The cards are shuffled during setup, and one Eclipse card is turned face up, which will be the 'future' Eclipse card. This card will take effect in the next round. At the end of the first round, a new Eclipse card is drawn, which will be the new 'future' card. This way the players will be able to foresee the Eclipse cards two rounds in advance and prepare accordingly.   

First Eclipse Card Feature: Plentiful Harvest

This Eclipse card will let you produce from two different connected resources in your turn. 

The traditional Maya fields - called Milpas - sustained the ancient Maya for thousands of years, which is particularly impressive considering the relatively large number of people living in each Maya city-state.

In order to prepare a proper Milpa, part of the nearby forest had to be cleared, The forest was cleared by hand (trees chopped down or small plants cut) and the litter was burned afterwards.

Alongside corn, the Maya grew beans, squashes, chile peppers, and fruits which helped to not only provide shade and keep the soil moist enough to be fertile, but also served as a nutritious part of the traditional Maya cuisine. Milpas were usually productive for only a few years but were returned to after lying fallow for a year or two.

***

First Expansion Role Card Feature: the Astronomer

Almost every ancient civilization had its variations to measure time and attempts to build a calendar system, the Mesoamerican versions - especially the Maya - are the most complex and accurate. Maya astronomers were often priests at the same time and it was necessary for them to build and maintain a close relationship with the stars and the “heavens” in order to receive the most accurate guidance from the deities. They observed and tracked the complex motion of the sun and the planets carefully and recorded all this information in their chronicles.

The Astronomer role card included in the Eclipse expansion honours this ancient tradition. By playing this card, you may take a discarded Eclipse card that will apply only to you this turn. When we look at the stars, we look at the distant past. 

First Eclipse Expansion Building Tile Feature: the Observatory 

It is only fitting that we close this update by showcasing the Observatory, a building tile that also lets you have fun with the Eclipse cards. Through this building, in your turn, you may look at the two top cards in the Eclipse deck, and then you may put one of those cards to the bottom of the deck..

The Maya priests had an important relationship with the heavens as their power and social status was dependent on the guidance they were supposed to read from the stars. The motions of the planets, stars, and mainly the Sun were essential information that they immortalized in chronicles as well. Because of this, observatories held great importance in almost every city. These cylindrical-shaped buildings had multiple tiers so their heights could help the avid astronomers have a sight of the stars without any disturbance - especially because they were looking at the stars with naked eye. They were often built in groupings, like the one in Uaxactún - three observatories that were inspired by the summer solstice.

That's all for now! Thank you for taking the time to read through this celebratory share. We look forward to seeing what fresh excitement Day 2 brings — starting with an upgrade to our armoury! 

We have also noted all of your helpful feedback from Day 1, and we are actively working with our production partners today to sort out an efficient storage solution that will allow you to store your pyramids whole once assembled and enhance the neat organization for all other existing components. Stay tuned for news!

Have a wonderful day,

The Apeiron Games Team

Fully Funded!! Our Many Thanks & Our First Stretch Goal
about 2 years ago – Fri, Feb 25, 2022 at 04:38:34 PM

Dear Future Rulers,

The moment has finally come! After so much care, effort, hard work, and anticipation, we can now gladly announce that Ahau - Rulers of Yucatán has reached its funding goal - and it is all thanks to you!

Although we definitely want to take a moment to celebrate this first of many milestones, we can’t wait for you to see all of the amazing surprises we have in store. Please do not hesitate to share the project you have all helped us bring to life with any and all gaming friends and loved ones who might enjoy a journey through time. 

For our first stretch goal, we will seek to unlock three new building types. If you haven’t had a chance to flip through our rulebook, you’ll be happy to know that this trio of tiles will offer you even more ways to customize your engines - with additional mid-game and end-game scoring effects. 

While we have you here, we would love to hear from you! Where did you first discover Ahau? ☕

Again, we are so glad that you have chosen to join us on this journey. Your support means the world to our entire team. 

Have a wonderful evening,

The Apeiron Games Team