Nyi’ett

Va’nu’ian Game of Chance & Deception

Nyi’ett is the Va’nu’ian answer to Earth's Blackjack: faster, louder, and infinitely more dishonest. Two suits, a handful of wild cards, and dice that no one trusts. The goal is to hit twenty, but the real sport is seeing how much you can cheat before someone calls you out. Tyek cards turn the table into a battlefield, tokens vanish and reappear, and even children learn early that victory comes from nerve, not luck. In Nyi’ett, everyone cheats—only the clumsy get caught. Lies are expected. Cleverness is admired. Being caught is humiliation.

Overview

Nyi’ett is a Va’nu’ian card-and-dice game derived from the Human game Blackjack, adapted to reflect Va’nu’ian values of risk, adaptability, and social cunning. While the goal appears simple—reach as close to twenty as possible—the true heart of Nyi’ett lies in its unspoken rules: cheating is expected, deception is celebrated, and disgrace comes not from attempting to bend the rules, but from being caught.

Nyi’ett is played casually among families, competitively in public halls, and ruthlessly in high-stakes tournaments. Children learn it alongside adults, absorbing not only arithmetic and probability, but observation, restraint, and timing.

Cultural Significance

To Va’nu’ians, Nyi’ett is a contest of attention as much as chance.

Cheating is considered a calculated art. Players are expected to test limits—stacking decks, counting cards, coordinating with compatriots, drawing multiple cards at once, or manipulating dice (magnetic dice are particularly favored). However, anyone exposed during their deception is immediately removed from the game and subjected to open ridicule by players and spectators alike.

Those who master the balance between subtle dishonesty and plausible innocence are respected, if not outwardly praised.

Only a small, insular clique of Va’nu’ians takes Nyi’ett seriously as a discipline, perfecting both statistical mastery and advanced cheating techniques.

Players & Stakes

• Players: 2–10 (average: 4–6)
• Starting Tokens: Determined by rolling a 10-sided die
• Minimum starting tokens: 4
• End Condition: The game continues until all but one player has lost their tokens

Cards & Components

Card Suits

• Two suits of alternating colors (commonly black and silver)
• Each suit contains 25 cards

Standard Cards

• Numbered cards from 1–10

Kha’i Cards

• Three per suit
• When played, the player rolls a 10-sided die
• The die result determines the card’s value
• Magnetic dice are frequently used to cheat

Ya’i Cards

• Two per suit
• Function as wild cards, matching any value already in the player’s hand
• Rarer than numbered cards and ranked higher in tiebreakers

Tyeks (Special Cards)

• 14 unique cards
• Designed to manipulate players, hands, and the flow of the game
• Can be used strategically—or offensively

Setup & Initial Deal

Each player:

• Receives one card from each suit
• Begins with tokens determined by the initial die roll

A central pot is established.

Turn Structure

• Each round consists of three turns
• Turns proceed right to left

On their turn, a player may:

1. Draw (must add one token to the pot, then discard one card from either suit)
2. Stand
3. Play a Tyek card

Winning Conditions

• The goal is to reach as close to 20 as possible
• If multiple players remain when tokens run out, the highest-value hand wins

Tie & Rank Rules

• Equal totals split the pot
• Two Ya’i cards defeat two 10s
• Ya’i + 10 ranks below two Ya’i cards
• Two identical high-value numbered cards can defeat a lower Ya’i + card combination

Tyeks (Special Cards)

House Rules & Variants

Tournaments and high-stakes games often introduce:

• House-specific rules
• Unique Tyeks
• Faction-themed specialty cards available only for that event

These variants are usually revealed only after buy-in, adding another layer of uncertainty.

Social Role

Nyi’ett serves as:

• Family entertainment
• A social equalizer
• A test of perception and self-control
• A subtle education in Va’nu’ian values

Winning is respected. Cheating is expected.
But getting caught is unforgivable.