Blind Gods

A game of epic battles and blind guesses

Disclaimer

This game requires bonking your friends with a foam axe. While that sounds goofy it can be dangerous. Be kind to your friends and don't break your toys.

Background

The inspiration for this game comes from a game supposedly from the viking age called Jomswikinger. In that game two players dodge around a chest blindfolded in order to strike the other player with a bag of hay.
Blind Gods takes that gameplay and amps it up x100, while still trying to maintain the levity and safety of the original game.

The name Blind Gods refers to the Norse gods Odin and Höðr.  Odin blinded himself intentionally in the pursuit of wisdom, and Höðr we do not know the source of his blindness.

Setup

1.  Find two worthy combatants, have them don the ceremonial helmets and wield the ceremonial axes. The ceremonial helmets should sufficiently obscure the warriors' vision to ensure they cannot see their enemy. The ceremonial axes should be roughly 5' to 6' in length, with a head as broad as is managable. 3' was found to be a good size. Axes should be a material you would feel safe getting lightly tapped with.
2. Bind the ceremonial axes, with 20 feet of slack between them
3. Place the combatants at roughly opposite ends of a 10'-15' circle
   
   

Gameplay

1. In the first turn players take turns taking three steps each with no blows between them
2. For all following turns players take turns attacking until only one remains

Attacking

An attack consists of the following:

1. Both players can move freely, until the attacking player requests to make an attack. To do this they must say in their most vikingly voice "Are you ready to taste steel?" or some other suitably challenging phrase. Upon being challenged the defending player can either respond "NAY!" if they wish to keep moving, or "JA!" if they are ready to have the other player attempt to hit them.

2. The attacking player can strike as soon as the defending player consents. The defending player is allowed to move, as long as one foot remains planted. 

3. If the defending player is struck they are eliminated, and gameplay restarts at step one. Suggested best 2 out of 3 rounds of combat.

Striking

Hitting someone who cannot see the incoming strike can be dangerous no matter what kind of material the weapon is made from. For purposes of this game it is best to encourage your players to strike as lightly as possible and ensure that players are comfortable with the possibility of being pushed off their center of balance. Helmets should be of a design such that they do not feature ornamentation that could injure a blindfolded player. Have a referee.

Modifiers

Loki

• Loki is the cleverest of the gods. A trickster. A 3rd player can choose to serve as Loki's avatar. Loki's avatar is not blinded like the other players and can move freely throughout the playspace. Loki cannot touch the other players, and if he is struck he is eliminated for that round. Loki's avatar cannot win, they exists simply to annoy the other players through confusing them with the sounds of movement.

Sticky feet

• A safety modification to encourage players to slow it down. Rather than being able to move freely they can each take two steps in a combat phase.