In Sailing Toward Osiris players gather resources over the course of four rounds in order to build monuments. The game positions players as governors of the land competing to build monuments for the glory of the recently deceased pharaoh, who died intestate; the most successful builder will become the new king.
Inspiration for this scenario, as noted within the game’s materials, are the events following the death of Rameses XI and his succession by Smendes, who had been a governor in Lower Egypt (that is, according to The Story of Wenamun, in which he is the ruler of Tanis).
Grain, clay, and stone, represented by small playing pieces in approximate shape and colour for the item in question, are collected by placing workers in the respective zones, which are located in fields and quarries along the Nile. Extra resources can be gained by sending workers to a camel caravan, as well as trading at the market. Players then use their resources to build pylons, sphinxes, and obelisks, with pylons requiring the greatest volume of material, but being worth the greatest amount of ‘glory points’, and obelisks the least.
The game’s board presents a section of the Nile with tight meanders and rapids that do not represent the actual river. However, this layout is required in order to segment the board into four areas that correspond with the game’s four rounds, while also creating variety across these rounds. Desert fills the rest of the board area, providing a plain background on which other images are drawn that relate to its mechanics.

Author: Jennifer Cromwell