User:Locutus210/Sha'rah

Sha'rah Sha'rah is a fictional game from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. It is mentioned only once in the book The Path of Daggers. It was also recently developed into a real game by an independent game designer.

Sha'rah in the Wheel of Time
Warning this section may contains spoilers.

Sha'rah is a game mentioned only once thus far in the Wheel of Time (WoT) series in the book The Path of Daggers, withing the prologue entitled Deceptive Appearances. The Character Moridin, revealed to be the resurrected Ishameal. On page 34 Mordin reflects on Sha'rah as, 'A complex game,' which was, 'ancient long before The War of Power.' This war he references is from some long forgotten past, part of Robert Jordan's common theme of cyclical history in the WoT series, but serves to illustrate that the game has special significance to Moridin in that it is older than even he is. Moridin and the other 'forsaken' are characters form an earlier age in history and are the primary antagonists in this the WoT series. Moridin continues on to say that only nine living people remember the game, once again showing that the game is very old as only the forsaken (Moridin/Ishamael, Graendal, Demandred, Semirhage, Mesaana, Moghedien, Osangar/Aginor, Arangar/Balthamel and Cyndane/Lanfear) can remember it.

The primary purpose of the game in the books seems to be as a metaphor for the conflict over whether the side of 'The Light' or the side of 'Darkness' or 'The Shadow' will control 'The Dragon' in the last battle. Throughout the ages the last battle has never resulted in a victory for the darkness or that would be an end to the turning of the wheel of time, however there is always a conflict over who will control this key piece as it can mean ultimate victory. Robert Jordan demonstrates this metaphor in a number of ways 'When masters play the fisher changed sides many times before the end,' (pg 34) and 'Perhaps the Fisher from some dim remnant of a memory of Rand al'Thor... the Fisher stood waiting, but in the greater game, al'Thor moved already to his wishes.'(pg 35) This last line is a reference to one of the ways to win the game of Sha'rah (by forcing your opponent to move the Fisher onto a square of your color anywhere on the goal row).

Outline for further article development: -Significance of Sha'rah in book -Rules and layout of Sha'rah outlined in book -Significance of Fisher King and Arthurian Legend -Basis of Sha'rah and short history of Tafl games -Short overview of recently developed real Sha'rah game and link to full rules