A strange little side quest
Put Knight vs Samurai next to the history of role-playing games and a few unexpected connections appear. Early computer role-playing games helped turn rules, inventories, exploration and character progression into systems that could support long-form digital adventures. Another piece of context lands nicely beside it: The word 'checkmate' is linked to the Persian expression 'shah mat', used when the king was trapped. That history is one reason familiar mechanics can still feel new when they are recombined well.
