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lemondrop13 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-14-2009, 01:03 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 Classic, in which you must knock more Gobstones than your opponent outside of the circle.

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 Jack Stone 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 be "knocked" out of the circle and out of play. The second house's ball will be considered closest to the jack stone, thus earning them one point for that question. If both houses get the question wrong on their first attempt, both stones will roll out of the circle, 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 · 06-15-2009, 11:23 PM

Professor Shackleton gestured to the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw players to gather close around the Gobstones court. She handed a golden drawstring bag to a member of the Hufflepuff team and a blue bag to the Ravenclaw team. Each contained the appropriately colored gobstones. She then opened the drawstring on a separate grey bag and levitated the stones into a small circle in the center of the court. She announced, "Welcome Eagles and Badgers to your preliminary match-up! I expect that before we begin you will have all made yourself familiar with the rules. You now have your Gobstones, so let's get started!"

Quote:

Round 1: Question 1
Subject: Muggle Studies
Level: Medium

Which gaseous substance do Muggles sometimes use to make things float?

krazypenguin · 06-15-2009, 11:24 PM

helium

lemondrop13 · 06-16-2009, 08:42 PM

Ravenclaw opens the match, using a great deal of force to simply break up the circle of grey stones in the center of the court. They've managed to knock one of the stones slightly closer to the edge of the circle, but not quite out. Which team will get that stone out first?

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1: Ravenclaw
Question 2:

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 0 rounds
Ravenclaw - 0 rounds

Quote:

Round 1: Question 2
Subject: History of Magic
Level: Difficult

On which date in history was the infamous Harry Potter first delivered to his Aunt and Uncle's doorstep and by whom was he delivered? (Include month, day, and year for the date)

krazypenguin · 06-16-2009, 08:51 PM

June 8, 1981 by Hagrid

*PhoenixRising* · 06-17-2009, 03:37 AM

November 1, 1981. He was delivered to the doorstep by Dumbledore, but to Privet Drive by Hagrid.

lemondrop13 · 07-08-2009, 08:40 PM

Hufflepuff responds by sending their golden Gobstone at the grey gobstone furthest from the center of the circle. They send it rolling in the opposite direction, just shy of the outside of the circle. That stone is just aching to be outside the circle! Next team to tap it will probably earn that point!

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1: Ravenclaw
Question 2: Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 0 rounds
Ravenclaw - 0 rounds

Quote:

Round 1: Question 3
Subject: Astronomy
Level: Easy

The object of Project Orion was to build a spaceship powered by what?

*PhoenixRising* · 07-08-2009, 08:43 PM

atomic bombs

Paintbrush · 07-08-2009, 09:35 PM

Nuclear pulse propulsion, which would be caused by the exploding of atomic bombs behind the aircraft

lemondrop13 · 07-08-2009, 09:50 PM

Hufflepuff seals the deal by ever so lightly tapping that grey stone out of the circle and keeping their gold stone within the confines of the circle's perimeter. Nice work Badgers!

Quote:

Round 1 Score
Question 1: Ravenclaw
Question 2: Hufflepuff
Question 3: Hufflepuff

Round Winner = Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 0 rounds

Quote:

Round 2: Question 1
Subject: Potions
Level: Easy

What is the most common ingredient in antidotes?

*PhoenixRising* · 07-08-2009, 09:53 PM

mandrakes

lemondrop13 · 07-08-2009, 10:12 PM

Hufflepuff starts round two with a forceful gobstone toss at the center's grey stones, sending them all scattering about the circle, but not yet knocking any outside of the drawn line.

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1: Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 0 rounds

Quote:

Round 2: Question 2
Subject: Arithmancy
Level: Medium

Which Destiny Number has a mission in life to create harmony and find balance?

Daemon · 07-08-2009, 10:15 PM

The number two.

lemondrop13 · 07-08-2009, 10:44 PM

Ravenclaw pitches a blue gobstone into the mix and shifts several grey stones about. They've managed to arrange several stones nearby the circle perimeter, but have not knocked one outside the circle yet.

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1: Hufflepuff
Question 2: Ravenclaw

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 0 rounds

Quote:

Round 2: Question 3
Subject: History of Magic
Level: Difficult

Who was the initial spokesperson for the Troll Rights Movement?

Daemon · 07-08-2009, 10:46 PM

Heliotrope Willis.

*PhoenixRising* · 07-09-2009, 12:35 AM

Heliotrope Willis

lemondrop13 · 07-09-2009, 12:42 AM

Ravenclaw evens things up by nudging a single grey stone outside of the circle! Eagles and Badgers are tied so far!

Quote:

Round 2 Score
Question 1: Hufflepuff
Question 2: Ravenclaw
Question 3: Ravenclaw

Round Winner = Ravenclaw

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 1 round (2)

Quote:

Round 3: Question 1
Subject: Ancient Runes
Level: Easy

Which rune is this: ?

Leeness · 07-09-2009, 12:43 AM

Jera.

lemondrop13 · 07-09-2009, 02:53 PM

Hufflepuff begins round three by rolling their gobstone ever so slightly into the circle, thus positioning themselves for a closer attack in their next turn. Will this strategy pay off?

Quote:

Round 3 Score
Question 1: Hufflepuff

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 1 round (2)

Quote:

Round 3: Question 2
Subject: Current Events
Level: Difficult

Of the Ministry-approved professors sent to augment the staff of Cooper's and Belle's Schools, how many had previously worked for the Ministry of Magic?

Torchwood · 07-09-2009, 03:06 PM

...12

Leeness · 07-09-2009, 03:11 PM

I only really know of Berty Borr and Sophia Melita having worked in the Ministry... this was HARDD.

LadyNerd · 07-09-2009, 03:13 PM

There were five from Cooper and seven from Belle with a total of twelve.

lemondrop13 · 07-09-2009, 04:06 PM

Both teams slide their gobstones into play... and both teams miss their target! There goes a gold gobstone out one side and a blue stone out the other. Better luck next time, folks!

Quote:

Round 3 Score
Question 1: Hufflepuff
Question 2: Draw

Quote:

Match Score
Hufflepuff - 1 round (1)
Ravenclaw - 1 round (2)

Quote:

Round 3: Question 3
Subject: Transfiguration
Level: Medium

Where do vanished objects go?