Vaultball

Talent can win a game but only teamwork can win you a championship

— Coach Jharvin

Sports have always had a strong hold on the passions of the people of Tairos. That is a fact that is often forgotten in a world after the Queen's Rebuke. Yet it is a fact none the less. One need only look back on the New Sanctuary Chronicle issues being released prior to the disaster to see how many articles were written about sporting events across the city and even across the continent. While that paper would have reported on countless different events none would have commanded as many front-page headlines as Vaultball.
The sport itself has murky origins but most agree that it was birthed in the tribal days even before the rise of Melanthris or the Balmoran Empire. Cave drawings exist that depict teams of players scrambling over a a large turtle shell or heavy rock, trying to deliver it into a dug-out hole in the ground that another team is guarding. The similarities are very superficial but it is an example of early organized play by the proto-civilizations and goes some length toward showing the importance of sports throughout history. The first recognizable version of the game comes much later, during the early period of Balmoral's rise when trade between the three great empires (Melanthris, Balmoral, and Ghal Ankhar ) was beginning. Not only were goods, sciences, and magic being traded but so too were entertainments. Some of the oldest writings on the subject speak of Balmoran traders visiting Ghal Ankhar and witnessing the dwarven youth playing a game with a bouncing ball made of boiled fungi; inside massive vaults that were still under construction. These vaults would eventually be treasure holds for dwarven lords but during their construction young dwarves would run back and fourth from one end of the chamber to another, trying land their ball into makeshift buckets. This game had no formal name at the time; among the dwarves it was called a variety of different things from mountain to mountain, even vault to vault. And like it's name even the rules varied as well. However; once the Balmorans witnessed it the term Vaultball was born, both because of where it was played and the need to jump in order to score.
The sport would make its way back to Balmoral and quickly become integrated into their entertainment culture. Gladiatorial bouts were the most popular sport at the time and during all of Balmoral's history they would remain the premier form of entertainment. Gladiator games helped to reinforce the Balmoral ideals of individual glory, victory, and the potential of human strength yet not all citizens enjoyed the bloody spectacle and frequent deaths of favorite fighters. Vaultball quickly caught on with these demographics, providing a game that required physical strength yet relied most heavily on teamwork. Within a century of reaching Balmoral, Vaultball had codified rules, dedicated arenas (within the capital and colonies), and merchants looking to profit off its popularity.
Leagues would sprout up within most major cities throughout Tairos with their own championship games, star players, and even slight variations to the rules. However; a standardized set of rules was agreed upon for what would come to be called the Continental League. Continental games were matches played between the top teams of different nations. Continental League games generally took about two years to resolve, with a one year break between resolution and the start of a new series, culminating the crowning of a Continental champion. Championship teams were lauded with a trophy (created for that cycle's games by the hosting city), wealth, and considerable prestige. A city's winning team also benefited greatly from this victory in the form of revenue spent on entertainment, visitors, and general moral. To avoid unfair homefield advantage the Continental Championship games (best of five) were played in a neutral city rather than either of the participating city's. Prior to the Rebuke the College of Magic would assist in sharing a live play of the game, usually at taverns and other venues friendly to the College (and likely to share profit with them). Magical viewing of the games became a contentious legal issue in many cities over the lifetime of the Continental League games. So much so that non-College associated magicians would often interfere with arcane broadcasts of the College of Magic or secretly tap into their viewings to steal the game play without having to pay.
Vaultball retained it's popularity up until the Queen's War. As nations splintered between those that sides with the Fae and those that stood with the Concordance teams began refusing to play in each other's cities and fans became hostile toward each other. For a time, league play within cities continued. However; as the war further spiraled out of control the games were put aside. Ghal Pelor maintained their league the longest but it too faltered and eventually failed a few short years before the Queen's Rebuke.
The demise of Vaultball has been dissected several times by scholars and the conclusion most tend to agree on is that two primary causes are to blame: distrust and the demise of magic. First, with the fracturing of the Concordance and so many siding with the Autumn Queen interteam and intercity rivalries became cause for outright violence. Scandals involving Manacite and fae enhancements rose to prominence. Many sports favored by the fae had already infiltrated Tairos' entertainment world but they had also begun developing a version of Vaultball that was open to magic use during the game. This version, Wonderball, was short lived but provided a great deal of spectacle for viewers. However, as animosity toward the fae increased many of the Wonderball players became targets of violence themselves. The violence associated with games of Vaultball peaked when the stadium in Melanthris was struck by an explosive during a busy game by anti-fae radicals. Dozens were killed, including many of the players themselves.
The second cause was the deterioration of magic itself. The sharing of games via magical viewing became increasingly costly and difficult, and venues that could afford it were charging more for their libations and tickets. Soon, common people could not afford to watch games they couldn't attend in person. Once the Rebuke's effects were fully settled upon the land, Vaultball was dead.
Today, Vaultball is a historical footnote that hasn't seen largescale play in centuries. There have been small revival teams that have popped up from time to time in Ghal Pelor but these are small efforts and often short-lived. Ghal Pelor's stadium was known to host the occasional exhibition game from time to time but its primary purpose was boxing and gladiatorial matches . This remained true until the stadium's demise during a fierce tornado two decades earlier.

Rules and Organization

Objective The primary objective of Vaultball is to score points by throwing a ball through a vertically-mounted hoop at the opponent's end of the playing field. Continental League rules state that the hoop poll itself have two hoops built into it, one at 10 feet and the other at 6 feet above the ground. This is known as the Dual Hoop Design, more information can be found below. The 6 foot hoop exclusively for dwarven, gnomish, and halfling players while the upper hoop is available for all players.
Points are scored once the ball enters the hoop. Shots entering the hoop from within twenty feet are worth two points. Any shot from further away is worth three points.
Teams Each team consists of 7 players, with different species contributing to unique roles on the team.
Playing Field The field is an oblong, rectangular area, approximately 80 feet long and 40 feet wide. At each end of the field, there's a set of hoops mounted on a tall pole. The hoops have a diameter of 2 feet.

Equipment Ball: A heavy leather ball
Hoops: Made of wrought iron, sturdy enough to withstand physical play.
Player Gear: Each player wears padded gear for protection, with boots designed for traction Rules
Start of Play: The game starts with a jump ball at the center of the field, where a player from each team tries to tip the ball to a teammate.
Movement: Players can run with the ball, but they must dribble it every three steps. Passing the ball to teammates is encouraged to advance the play.
Defense: Physical contact is allowed, but overly aggressive moves like tackling are penalized. The emphasis is on blocking shots and intercepting passes.
Time: Each half of the game is 30 minutes long, with a 10-minute break between halves. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. Ties are decided by special 15 minute overtime rounds.
Fouls: Common fouls include holding, tripping, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Free throws are awarded for fouls, taken from a designated spot 15 feet from the hoops.
Magic: Magic is strictly prohibited during the game. Any use of magic results in immediate disqualification and potential suspension from the league.

Dual-Hoop Structure

Main Pole: A sturdy wrought iron pole, 10 feet tall, anchored securely into the ground.
Hoops: Two hoops mounted on the pole at different heights. The upper hoop is at 10 feet, and the lower hoop is at 6 feet.
Upper Hoop (10 feet): Height: 10 feet from the ground. Diameter: 2 feet. Backboard: A rectangular wrought iron frame with a strong mesh or netting to provide a rebounding surface. Net: A traditional woven net, hanging from the hoop.
Lower Hoop (6 feet): Height: 6 feet from the ground. Diameter: 2 feet. Backboard: Similar to the upper hoop, with a smaller rectangular frame and mesh or netting. Net: Matching the upper hoop's net design. Pole Design:
Material: Wrought iron with intricate designs, adding aesthetic appeal and structural integrity. Designs often include iconography native to the host city or its mythology
Support Arms: Two horizontal arms extending from the pole, one at 10 feet and one at 6 feet, each supporting the respective hoop and backboard.
Base: A wide, stable base embedded into the ground, possibly decorated with carvings or designs to match the rest of the hoop's aesthetic

Localization

At the peak of Vaultball's popularity almost all major cities had active leagues. The only exception was Far Harbor and Frostmere. The first due to its lawless nature and the second because the perceived "softness" of the sport compared to their own brutal forms of entertainment.