The Rules of Tlachtli (WIP)

[KeiLynx 61]

The Sacred Ball Game

( Orcs of Clan Ixtzûl, dressed up and positioned around a Tlactli hoop, to be taught the sport by the Kharajyr )

 

Tlachtli is an ancient ball game, still played to this day by a select few Kharajyr. Many Kha would claim that this sport originated in their original homeland of Khalenwyr. This myth and some rumors surround the sacred pastime. Members of other races may unscrupulously remark that it was once played with a severed head instead of a ball, or that the losing team of every match would be ritually sacrificed. Regardless of whether these rumors hold any truth, modern Tlachtli is much less barbaric in practice. There is also some variation to this game between the different Kharajyr settlements. For simplicity, this article will cover the ruleset practiced at the Pyramid Eittitica.

 

The game is played by two teams competing on an I-shaped court. Long walls stand parallel to each other along the sides of this court and feature elevated vertical hoops protruding from them. Players are restricted to their team's half of the court and take turns volleying the ball to the opposing side. This allows the ball to gain the height and speed needed for a player to eventually hit it through one of the hoops and score. This is made challenging by the fact that using hands and feet is prohibited during play. Instead, players are required to use their thighs, hips, and elbows to hit the ball as it travels about the court. The ball itself is also traditionally made from solid rubber, and can weigh around 9 pounds (4 kilograms), becoming a dangerous projectile at higher speeds. Bruising is common even when the game is played cautiously, with some blood being shed in almost any game. Serious injuries are less likely, but still quite possible, with the rare circumstance of death if a player struck accidentally in the head or stomach. This game is beyond sacred to Kharajyr culture. Cheating or otherwise defaming or dishonoring the pastime is considered deeply offensive, and can even warrant one's arrest.

 

 

Minecraft Mechanics

 

Setting Up The Game
Tlachtli is played with 3 to 6 players per team. Although this number can vary, both teams must begin the game with an equal number.
Each team is assigned one half of the court, and are not allowed to cross over the half-way mark. There are 3 Guards (positions), set up in a line :
 - Center Guard, the closest to the center of the court.
 - Rear Guard, set towards the outsides of the court. 
 - Middle Guard, covering the space in between the previous two positions.
With the minimum number of players, each position can be covered by one character.
In the event of more players, positions get a second character in the order of Middle first, then Center, and Rear last. 
Each game must have a Referee that is well-versed in the rules, that can narrate what happens during the game, and keep score.
If all players know the rules and mechanics well enough however, a Referee is still recommended, but not necessary.
 

Beginning The Game

A roll of any die decides the beginning position of the ball.
One character is chosen by the Referee to decide between even and odd. The other outcome is given to their opposing team.
The roll is made and the team with the matching outcome chooses whether it’s them or their opponent that starts the game.
( This can be represented in-game as anything from flipping a coin, choosing which hand holds a certain item, rolling a die, etc. )
The team that does not start the game is given the ball and emoted throwing it to the Middle Guard of their opponent’s side.
The game begins and the ball is at [Momentum 2].

 

* If the ball has to be reset during the game, repeat the last steps above with the ball being thrown to the team that scored.

 

 

Explaining Momentum

Momentum is the term for how high and far the ball will fly through the air, represented in text as [Momentum #].
# in this representation is the ball's current Momentum rating, always being a number that follows in the bracket.
This number cannot exceed 5, and can decrease all the way down to 0, leaving the ball inert on the field.
The players have more control over a ball with a higher Momentum rating when it comes to Scoring.
This means that both teams should try raising this rating for a better chance at winning more points later.

 

 

Actions During Play

When the ball is headed towards a player, that player has two options :

They can Serve, attempting to pass the ball to the other team.
Serving is how players raise the ball’s Momentum rating to prepare it for Scoring. The ball is passed back and forth between the teams, ideally going faster and higher with each volley. Teams can also gain points by Serving if their opponent fails to do the same. When the ball is successfully served, it moves a number of Guards down the court equal to its new Momentum rating, never passing the Rear Guard (For example, if the Center Guard of Team One successfully serves a ball with [Momentum 2], the target of that ball would become Team Two's Middle Guard). If there are multiple characters in the target Guard, the Referee chooses one to be the target, and alternates between characters every time the ball makes it to said Guard. If the ball cannot be served to the opposite side of the court, it is considered a "Failure to Return", awarding the opposing team 2 points. The target serving character emotes their intention to serve, and rolls a d20. The outcome is then narrated with an emote from the Referee.
 

   - 1 or less =     The character is struck by the ball and gets hurt ( see Getting Hurt ).

   - 2 and 3 =      The character misses the ball, which is now at [Momentum 0] and must be reset.

   - 4 to 6 =         The character delivers a weak hit, decreasing the ball’s Momentum rating by 1.

   - 7 to 9 =         The character delivers a light hit, and the ball's Momentum rating does not change.

   - 10 to 14 =     The character delivers a moderate hit, increasing the ball’s Momentum rating by 1.

   - 15 to 18 =     The character delivers a hard hit, increasing the ball’s Momentum rating by 2.

   - 19 and 20 =  The character has full control and chooses between delivering a powerful or controlled hit. 

On a powerful hit, the ball’s Momentum rating increases by 2, and the next target character gets hurt with a 10 or less on their next roll ( see Getting Hurt ).

On a controlled hit, the ball’s Momentum rating does not change, but the serving character can choose any Guard on the court to be the ball's next target.

They can Score, attempting to hit the ball through the hoop.
Scoring is how players gain the most points for their team. The ball is hit towards the hoop that hangs over each team's respective right side. If the ball goes through the hoop, the Scoring team gains 6 points. This shot is always risky, however. If the ball does not go through the hoop, it still needs to be returned to the other side as if it is being served, and it may not hit the wall or rim of the hoop at an angle needed to do so. This is considered a "Foul" which awards the opposing team one more point than failing to return a serve. The target Scoring character emotes their intention to score, rolls a d20, and adds the ball’s current Momentum rating to the roll. The outcome is then narrated with an emote from the Referee.

   - 8 or less =     The ball collides with the rim or misses completely, and falls down at [Momentum 0].
   - 9 to 14 =       The ball bounces off the wall or rim in a way that decreases its Momentum rating by 4.
   - 15 to 20 =     The ball bounces off the wall or rim in a way that decreases its Momentum rating by 2.
   - 21 or more = The ball passes through the hoop. The ball is then reset if the game is not over.

 

Winning the Game

A team wins after gaining a total of 10 or more points.

Below is a quick reference for how many points are gained during scenarios of play. 

     6 points for scoring, when the ball is successfully hit through a team's hoop.

     3 points from a foul, when a team fails to score and does not return the ball to the other team.

     2 points from a failure to return, when a team is unsuccessful in serving the ball to the other team. 

A team also wins if their opposing team ever has any less than 3 active players.

 

 

Getting Hurt

As stated in the description, Tlachtli is an intensely physical sport that is taxing for the body.
Soreness and bruising is commonplace with some players becoming bloodied or worse.

However, adrenaline flows and allows athletes to ignore their pain while playing.
They can easily shrug off what would otherwise be debilitating. At least for a short time.
This can be dangerous if one is pushed to their limits, or if the ball hits a bad spot on the body.

Below is a set of guidelines for what happens when a player gets hurt.

 

     If a character is hurt once, they suffer a minor injury.
     This is an injury that is somewhat noticeable, but does not hinder a player too much.
     Characters with a minor injury subtract 1 from rolls made for Serving and Scoring.

 

     If a character is hurt twice, they suffer a serious injury.

     ( This may be an exacerbated version of the previous injury, or a brand new one )

     This is an injury that is noticed by everyone, and usually warrants removal from the game.

     If that character continues playing, they subtract 3 from rolls made for Serving and Scoring.

 

     If a player is hurt a third time, they are put completely out of commission.

     This character is in critical condition, mortally wounded, or killed outright.

     The character is pulled from the court to receive necessary attention elsewhere.

     The ball is then reset and the game then continues if it is possible to do so.

 

The nature of a character's injuries is always decided by that character's player.
They must follow the guidelines above, and should have the injury make narrative sense. 
 

 

( The post written above is still considered to be a work in progress and these rules are awaiting playtesting )

Edited May 12, 2023 by KeiLynx

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