Totem Chess Rules

Totem is played like chess, with the following differences:

-9x9 board with the Totem piece (T) starting between the King and Queen, each player has nine pawns, and Null (0), a neutral piece, starts in the center of the board https://imgur.com/8nGnR32

-Totems can move up to 3 squares in any direction, can move through allies, and allies can move through it. Totems cannot move through the Null piece except to capture the opposing Totem.

-Totems can only capture or be captured by the opposing Totem or the Null piece. It cannot capture opposing pieces or place the opposing King in check.

-Totems can swap with allies by landing on them. Swaps with allies can also be performed by landing on the Totem. A piece pinned to a King cannot move onto a Totem to swap but a Totem can move to it to swap. Swaps through checks are legal, as well as swaps to escape checks.

-Notation for a Totem on c3 swapping with a Bishop on f6 is Tf6<>Bc3 and for a Bishop on f6 swapping with a Totem on c3: Bc3<>Tf6

-Pawns can move 3 steps on their first move. Capturing En Passant is therefore extended: https://imgur.com/GzNtG02

-Queenside castling is 3 squares toward the Rook

-The Null piece moves after every third player turn, determined by the roll of an eight-sided die, cast by the player who just finished their turn. Starting from the A1 corner, Null moves one space in the direction determined by the roll of the die, capturing any piece on that square (if a King, that players loses) unless the piece is a Totem, in which case it is sent back to its starting square. If that square is occupied by a piece, it is captured. If that piece is the opposing King, that player loses. If it's the player's King, the King's spirit now occupies the Null piece (move the king to the Null piece's current square), and moves and captures as a pawn in either direction, and if captured, results in a loss for that player. If it reaches the end of either side of the board, it promotes to an Ascended King (A), which moves and swaps as a Totem and can also capture opposing pieces. However, an Ascended King in check can only move one space when escaping check.

The Null piece respawns on e5, capturing any piece on that square and removing it from play, including Totems. A player whose Totem is captured in this way cannot promote a pawn to Totem for the remainder of the game. If a King is captured in this way the game ends in a DRAW.

If the roll designates a square beyond the boundaries of the board, it wraps around to the other side. If on A1, a roll of 1 brings it to I9, 2 to I1, 3 to I2, 7 to B9, 8 to A9. https://imgur.com/EePe2ae

If a Null roll would place a King in check, that player may sacrifice their Totem to prevent that roll. If they have no Totem to sacrifice, they lose on the spot.

-A Totem on e5 has its range extended to 4 squares, and an Ascended King on e5 can move as any piece from that square. Ascended Kings can move through the Null piece.

-An Ascended King captured by the Null piece demotes to a normal King and is swapped to the Null piece's previous position. That player's Totem is then permanently removed from play. If that player has no Totem, they lose the game.

-The player who moves immediately following Null dice roll may choose to sacrifice their Totem to undo that Null roll. This counts as that player's turn. A player may also sacrifice their Totem on any move, the notation for which is (t). This takes up their turn.

printable board https://imgur.com/DSc8UNh

3D-printable totem https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/totem-chess-piece

printable rules https://pastebin.com/qDL1z1hN