Latest Site Notices

lemondrop13 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-24-2008, 02:11 AM

Gobstones Club Rules

Hello and welcome to the Gobstones Club! Gobstones is a magical game similar to marbles & petanque played by Muggles, except that the balls spit up (gob) a foul smelling liquid in the face of the opposing player when they loose a point! The version of Gobstones we will be playing this term is a variation of Snake Pit, in which you must roll your Gobstone closer to the pit than your opponent, without falling in.

House Teams: Each student will serve as a representative of their House and have the opportunity to participate in the Gobstones Tournament. There will be no set number of members on the team, and thus, NO TRYOUTS. Everyone gets to play if they wish to do so (even Mods and Quidditch team members) by choosing to answer for their House whenever a question is asked! Also, there are no ‘positions,’ so any person can answer any question at any time.

Tournament: The tournament consists of three matches, two preliminary and one final Championship match. The matches will be open in their own threads and will last for approximately 1-2 weeks, which is plenty of time to allow for people in different time zones and with differing schedules to be involved. The first two matches will run simultaneously in different threads, while the third will be played a short time after those matches conclude.

Format & Scoring: These matches will be played using a question-answer format, similar to that used for Quidditch matches in the School RPG. Questions will be categorized by academic subjects that include: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Current Events (pertains to Hogwarts, A History for the School RPG), Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Flying and Quidditch, History of Magic (includes Harry's time at Hogwarts and anything prior), Muggle Studies, Potions, and Transfiguration.

Each match is divided into eight rounds. Each round consists of three questions of varying challenge levels – Easy, Moderate, and Difficult, and varying subjects, with some questions combining subjects. Each question will be asked to BOTH Houses simultaneously in a head-to-head situation. Each house gets ONE CHANCE ONLY to answer the question, so only one player (presumably, whoever gets there first and thinks they know the answer) should answer from each House. (Please do not post the same answer multiple times from different players of the same house. Answers from the same house posted 4 or more minutes apart will be penalized so make sure you refresh when necessary.) The first House to answer correctly will get their ball closer to the Snake pit than their opponent and earn one point for that round.

If a house answers and the opposing house believes the answer to be incorrect, that opposing house has the opportunity to answer the question correctly (provided that they have not already given another answer.) If the first House is incorrect and the second House is correct, the ball belonging to the first house will enter the Snake Pit and be out of play. The second house's ball will be considered closest to the Snake Pit, thus earning them one point for that question. If both houses get the question wrong on their first attempt, both stones will roll into the pit, out of play, and there will be no score for that question.

The House with the most points (best out of three) for each round will win that round. Each subsequent round will be played the same way until 8 rounds have been completed. The house with the most won rounds will have rolled their gobstone closest to the pit and won the match. In the event of a tie, either within a round or between rounds, there will be a tie-breaker question or round of questions, respectively.

House Points: The winning house of the championship match will receive fifty house points.

Example: Here is what a question from a round may look like:

Quote:

Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw
Subject: Ancient Runes
Round 1, Question 1
Difficulty: Easy

Question: Which rune is known as the Rune of Chance, Mystery, and Science?

Now say, Slytherin answered first with the following:

Quote:

Perth

Since this answer is correct, my reply (as Club advisor) might look like this:

Quote:

The Slytherin player rolls the stone at just the right speed and angle, putting their gobstone as close to the jack stone as you can get! Ravenclaw's stone overshoots and rolls out of the circle! ٍSlytherin's stone spits up that foul-smelling nastiness into the face of the Ravenclaw player!

Round 1 Score
Question 1 - Slytherin

Match Score
Slytherin: 0 rounds
Ravenclaw: 0 rounds

Responsibilities: All members on each team are expected to act with decorum both in the school RP and on the SS site. Any abuse or perceived unsportsmanlike conduct behavior by any member of a House (player or not) can result in House Point deduction, detention, banning from the Gobstones club, loss of the match, and/or expulsion from the site.

Infractions and Penalties: Editing your post is not allowed. If you are caught editing your answer to a question during a match, the opposing team will automatically be awarded the point for that question, regardless of their answer. If the behavior continues, you will be banned from the club. You have been warned.

lemondrop13 · 10-24-2008, 02:15 AM

Welcome Lions and Badgers to your preliminary match-up of the Gobstones Club! Everyone gather around the court with gobstones in hand and get ready to play Snake Pit. Here we go!

Quote:

Round 1: Question 1
Subject: Arithmancy
Level: Easy

Question: What is the formula for calculating the Personal Year number?

*PhoenixRising* · 10-24-2008, 02:20 AM

Personal Year Number = month of birth + day of birth + current calendar year

Loki · 10-24-2008, 02:21 AM

First name + middle name + last name

lemondrop13 · 10-24-2008, 03:41 AM

Hufflepuff opens the game by slowly rolling their gobstone into the circle. A modest approach to start. Gryffindor rushes in a bit, not trying to place their stone near Hufflepuff's. Hufflepuff is closer to the Snake Pit at the end of the first turn!

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1 - Hufflepuff

Quote:

Round 1: Question 2
Subject: Ancient Runes
Level: Medium

Question: Why is wood the medium of choice when crafting rune sets?

*PhoenixRising* · 10-24-2008, 03:53 AM

Wood has a sacred, or mythical meaning. Every rune set is absolutely unique, bearing the characteristics of a single branch from a particular tree.

lemondrop13 · 10-24-2008, 10:37 AM

Hufflepuff lines up their roll, releases, and observes as the Gobstone heads directly for the Snake Pit, but stops just mere centimeters from its edge. Gryffindor can't beat that kind of precision without sinking their own gobstone. Hufflepuff wins the point!

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1 - Hufflepuff
Question 2 - Hufflepuff

Quote:

Round 1: Question 3
Subject: Astronomy
Level: Difficult

Question: What is the average temperature of the third largest planet in the solar system?

*PhoenixRising* · 10-24-2008, 10:49 AM

-197.15 degrees Celsius

lemondrop13 · 10-24-2008, 06:17 PM

Hufflepuff strikes again by keeping its Gobstone near the Snake Pit! Where are the Gryffindors? Hufflepuff takes an early lead by winning the first round of the match! And ewwwww! Those stones just spewed up nastiness at the Lions!

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1 - Hufflepuff
Question 2 - Hufflepuff
Question 3 - Hufflepuff

Round Winner = Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 0 rounds
Hufflepuff: 1 round

Quote:

Round 2: Question 1
Subject: Herbology
Level: Easy

Question: What color are puffapod seeds?

marfamarfa · 10-24-2008, 06:47 PM

Pink!

*PhoenixRising* · 10-24-2008, 10:21 PM

Pods are pink, but the color of the seeds is never mentioned ...

lemondrop13 · 10-25-2008, 06:25 PM

Hufflepuff and Gryffindor both launch their gobstones into the circle and both come to a hault an equal distance from one another! This turn is a draw!

OOC: When I wrote the question, I had intended for the answer to be pink; however, upon further inspection, I realized that I had read my source wrong and the color of the seeds were never described. Since the problem was with the question, I am going to make this question a draw and proceed to the next question.

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1 - Draw

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 0 rounds
Hufflepuff: 1 round

Quote:

Round 2: Question 2
Subject: Care of Magical Creatures
Level: Medium

Question: Which magical furry insect produces a fluid that causes melancholy?

*PhoenixRising* · 10-25-2008, 06:27 PM

the glumbumble

lemondrop13 · 10-25-2008, 08:53 PM

Hufflepuff continues to show their dominance against Gryffindor. Come on, Lions, let's hear you roar! Or those Badgers are going to take the victory all the way to their den!

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1 - Draw
Question 2 - Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 0 rounds
Hufflepuff: 1 round

Quote:

Round 2: Question 3
Subject: Charms
Level: Difficult

Question: Which dual-function charm can be used to relay messages and protect from dark creatures?

FoxFire · 10-25-2008, 08:54 PM

The Patronus Charm

*PhoenixRising* · 10-25-2008, 08:54 PM

patronus charm

lemondrop13 · 10-25-2008, 11:56 PM

Gryffindor battles back to tie up the round! We need to go into a tie-breaker toss! Closest stone to the pit will win the turn and the round! Good luck!

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1 - Draw
Question 2 - Hufflepuff
Question 3 - Gryffindor

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 0 rounds
Hufflepuff: 1 round

Quote:

Round 2: Question 4
Subject: Charms
Level: Difficult

Question: You’ve just made a study schedule for your OWL exams, but you find it difficult to read because all the words are in one color. Which charm could you use to best make the text more colorful and eye-catching by blinking?

*PhoenixRising* · 10-25-2008, 11:57 PM

colour changing charm

*Nordic Witch* · 10-26-2008, 12:12 PM

Colour Changing Charm

lemondrop13 · 10-26-2008, 02:15 PM

Both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor make their approaches, but from different sides of the circle. Oh, but both sink their gobstones in the Snake Pit! Looks like we're going to have to do another tie-breaker!

OOC: The answer I was looking for was the flashing paint charm.

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1 - Draw
Question 2 - Hufflepuff
Question 3 - Gryffindor
Question 4 - Draw

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 0 rounds
Hufflepuff: 1 round

Quote:

Round 2: Question 5
Subject: Charms
Level: Difficult
Which cookbook by Gerda Catchlove involves the use of charms on dairy products?

Liisa · 10-26-2008, 02:16 PM

Charm Your Own Cheese

relly1611 · 10-26-2008, 02:20 PM

Charm Your Own Cheese

lemondrop13 · 10-26-2008, 02:27 PM

Gryffindor takes their turn first, using a lot of force to get their gobstone into the circle. Hufflepuff tosses their stone next, but doesn't use enough power and comes up short. Gryffindor wins the round and ties up the match!

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1 - Draw
Question 2 - Hufflepuff
Question 3 - Gryffindor
Question 4 - Draw
Question 5 - Gryffindor

Round Winner = Gryffindor

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 1 round (2)
Hufflepuff: 1 round (1)

Quote:

Round 3: Question 1
Subject: Divination
Level: Easy
How many Major Arcana cards are in the standard tarot deck?

Liisa · 10-26-2008, 02:29 PM

22.....

lemondrop13 · 10-26-2008, 10:09 PM

Gryffindor uses their victory from last round to foster some momentum as we enter the third round. Hufflepuff better beware to not let them build too much momentum of those Lions might eat up those Badgers!

Quote:

Round 3 Score
Question 1 - Gryffindor

Quote:

Match Score
Gryffindor: 1 round (2)
Hufflepuff: 1 round (1)

Quote:

Round 3: Question 2
Subject: Potions
Level: Medium
Sliced caterpillars are used in which potion?