[EMPIRE!] The First Melytis-Alyba Design Race 527CE

[zabbarot]

In the coastal city of Melytis, Qarimos a large section of dock is cordoned off and full of bustling workers. Workshops are prepared for competitors along with individual dry docks. A central warehouse is stocked with wood, cloth, and other standard shipbuilding materials for use by competing teams. The whole area is decorated brightly with banners and flags of the many nations competing. Upon arrival, teams are directed to their workshops and given maps of the competition grounds. Each workshop has a loft area with modest sleeping arrangements as well. Teams are welcome to take the mattresses with them on the voyage, if they choose.

A central pavilion is surrounded by tables and chairs, making it a combination of official meeting area and communal dining for the duration of the design and build phase. Currently it is occupied by the race officials, and a few local officials including the Mayor of Melytis, and the Governor of Qarimos, along with some local Senators, and Chancellor Hammer. Also amongst them is the Earl of Horbeach and his entourage. Once the competitors gather there is a drum roll and short fanfare to start off the event.

"Good morning and thank you for coming to the first Melytis-Alyba Design Race! As some of you may know I love to sail, and here in fair Qarimos I am not at all alone." This elicits applause from the local crowd. "Now, I know that a few nations have made the claim of being the best shipwrights and sailors in the world, so I've come up with this competition to see if we can settle the matter; for a little while at least. Those of you competing will have twenty-eight days to design and build a ship to take you from these docks to Alyba, Tuhiland. After those twenty-eight days you will have two days to rest and load your ships. The following morning the race will begin at dawn. We will set a series of check points along the way, to help you gauge your progress. If anything should go wrong, sickness, loss of provisions, or, gods forbid, leaks try to make it to the nearest checkpoint for assistance.

"The large warehouse has materials should you need them. And we have several advisers on hand should any of you wish to pick their brains during the design phase" He motions to several men wearing yellow and green striped shirts to stand out. "That might be a bit to take in, but there is a copy of the full rules in every workshop. I wish you all luck. I'll see you at the finish line. I believe the Earl of Horbeach has a few words for you before we officially start. The stage is yours Elster." Hammer shakes Earl Elsters hand as he heads off stage.




28 days to build
2 days of rest
Race begins. (20-60 days at sea)

Because of the length of time devoted to this it is unlikely that actual rulers would compete. Send bored second children and national shipwrights :smalltongue:

*It is currently early Spring IC and I've just decided we need a calendar system. So... this will get an update.


OCEAN FAIRING SHIPS ARE REQUIRE TO COMPETE.
But we will gift the tech to anyone who doesn't have it and wishes to compete. (that's what the advisers represent, mostly)

This is effectively rolling stats for your ship.

Steering: d4+(1/2Cur)
Propulsion: d4+(1/2Cur)
Hull: d4+(1/2Cur)

Stats are rolled then assigned however you like. You do not have to roll them in order.
If you introduce a tech directly related to one of these stats on the round of the race you may take 4 for that stat. For example, a tech like Carvel Building would effect the Hull stat.
You may choose a single tech you created, or national resource, and designate it as a national specialty to add +1 to one ship stat.
Ship stats cannot exceed 10. They shouldn't anyways, but if there is ever power creep this rule stands.


It's a long way for a smallish boat. So it's as much an endurance race as a speed race.

Navigation!
20-(1d10+Steering)

Speed!
Propulsion die based on your Ship's propulsion stat:
1d2 1-2
1d4 3-4
1d6 5-6
1d8 7-8
1d10 9-10

(Navigation - Propulsion die) = Speed

Endurance!
1d100 vs [(Hull x 10) - Speed]*
Increase Final Speed score by 2 for every 10 points over the TN


*A negative speed will increase this number giving you a greater chance of success =D
The Endurance portion is a roll under. Lower numbers are better.
On a roll of 90 or higher on the Endurance portion there is a 50% chance that your boat sinks, or otherwise does not complete the race(1d2; incapacitated on a 1). The exact description of events is left to the competitor.



The lowest Final Speed wins the race!
The lowest possible score is -10. Which is incredibly unlikely, but good luck :smallwink:
The highest possible is something like 34, with a chance of sinking. If you hit this and still finish you probably got lost on the way :smalltongue:


1st Praeclar's Journey - Praeclarus - 16 days!
2nd - Empire of Hurosha - [B]19 days!
3rd - An Nádur - [B]21 days!
3rd - Qarimos, UJR - [B]21 days!
4th Scarlet Lady - Kingdom of the Carmine Sea - 24 days!
5th Lusty Lilith - Seaborne Confederation - 26 days!
6th - Kingdom of the Isles - [B]32 days!
7th - Kingdom of Serendel - [B]33 days!

[lt_murgen]

I have the unfortunate situation of having changed rules recently. So I have a low Curiosity at the moment. That will be part of the story I am telling.
I’m selecting my national specialty as propulsion.
THE SEABORNE CONFEDERATION

Arthur Grant-Tremblor Fitzrion stood listening to the speakers. It was downright shameful, he decided, that the Seaborne Confederation wasn’t sending any of their shipwrights to this event. The Skipper-ette, as he derisively referred to Elizabeth Grant, had the shipwrights working full time on the new skyships. He had managed to convince two of her bastard children to sign on, though. With luck, their embarrassing finish will motivate his cousin to pay more attention to burnishing their national image.

Larry and Darrel, on the other hand, were looking forward to this. Both attended the Naval Academy. Larry was an excellent navigator and Darrel had a knack for reading the winds. The chance to build their own ship and compete against the best in the world excited them. Well, that and the chance to carouse on the central continent. They both were jealous of the hottie their brother had married recently. Arthur, despite being almost 70, envied the twenty-something boys. They were both tall and broad shouldered, with rugged good looks. [think Chris, Liam, and Luke Hemsworth]

The group decided to design a classic islander vessel. It was to be a classic fore-and-aft upswell with the wide dual plane leading edge for stability on the ocean. Three batten sails provided the ability to close-hull sail if the winds were contrary. Clockwork gearsets sped up lowering and raising the sails, as well as angling them towards the wind. Kestuek crystals illuminated the decks and the waves beyond, allowing them to sail at night. The lower cabin would comfortably fit the crew and the provisions.


http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/img_lectronic_432/2008-10-15_4341_Princess%20Tai%20Ping%20Junk.jpg
The boat turned out better than they imagined. It was the best design (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19143148&postcount=832) they could have built with their limited team They named it the Lusty Lilith, after their grandmother (and much vodka).

[Gengy]

[Praeclarus]

Praeclarus arrived, walking straight out of the sea, led by G'ninb, Second Son of the Sanctus. There were ten Makgrull total, including G'ninb, and a single pair of Malleus (one male, and one female). Joining G'ninb was Orator G'gjin, the current favorite to replace Chief Orator T'chep when he retires. The two of made sure that everyone backed away carefully, and G'ninb made an announcement.

"The Sanctus regrets he can't be here. He sends me as an envoy, but I am not leading this... expedition. Once again, those of Praeclarus have found an interesting race of beings in the sea. We were concerned at first; one of our Orators did perish in their waters. But it was not their doing." G'ninb's voice is precise and careful. He does not hesitate, but it does feel as though he is weighing each word for it's value.

"They live to the south of the Empire of the Silver Moon, and are protectors of the Makgrull cousins found within the region. They provide them saftey, and the Makgrull, in return, provide them with food and see to their needs. For Praeclarus, this event will be led by one of their number. Please do not be alarmed. They are sizable creatures, but intelligent and friendly."

From the ocean, a arrow-like head surfaces, beautiful teal-blue gills adorning it's sides. The neck continues to rise. And rise. And rise. It is some fifteen feet in the air, and still moving closer to the shore, as the body begins to fill out, and thin, webbed-like wings flow down it's side, like water itself. It walks upon four legs, and as it finally is fully out of the water, all can see that the tail is long and powerful.


http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=4928
The creature is equal parts terrifying and beautiful, and from the look in it's eyes, it knows it. It curls it's tail around it's body, and then does the same with it's armored, scaled neck the best it can, readjusting itself so it faces forward, away from the sea. Laying down, it is still a large thing; some twelve feet from the ground up, and at a guess, forty-five feet from snout to tail.

"Please allow me to introduce," G'ninb continues, "Custos of the Belua."

With a rumbling breath, Custos speaks, "Thank you, Son of the Sanctus. I shall take it from here."

"I am here to help the little Makgrull with their ship-thing. I will guard it. I will protect it. I will pull it, if needed. It is good to meet you all."



The Makgrull get to work on designing their ship. In the early years of Praeclarus, shipwrights have had to excuse themselves after seeing a Makgrull ship design. It made them ill, with the thought of even calling such things 'ships'. Raft was more accurate, but also an insult to rafts. Makgrull just didn't understand the concept of what they - at first - called 'wood demons'. Why would they? They had no need of sailing over the ocean to get to where they needed to go.

To better integrate themselves with society, however, and also participate in the Fifth Tellurian Games, Praeclarus started looking into ship-crafting. Their ships were still only politely called rafts at first, and even then, reluctantly. The advantage the Makgrull had, however, was the ability to study failures. If a ship doesn't work... it sinks. The Makgrull had plenty of dead 'wood demons' to look at, and though they kept their raft-like design (it was easier to push that way), they were learning. Their ships looked less repulsive as the years went on.

Ten years ago, their ships could be called rafts without embarrassment. Five years ago, they began to embellish things, and add second levels to their rafts - the better to jump off of, and dive into the water. Now? Now they were building something new. Something different.

They started with harnesses. Three of them. One very large harness that Custos deigned to allow the Makgrull to fit to him. It was made in such a way that he had full movement, and could pull the craft with ease... but also quickly release the harness if he needed to, in order to defend himself or the crew. The other two harnesses had no such quick releases, and were fit to two Hippocampi that Custos spent most of his time with. The water horse-creatures needed time to get used to the large Belua, and the female Malleus spent quite a lot of her time speaking softly, lovingly, caressingly to them. It took several days of careful work, but eventually, the Hippocampi were at ease around the Sea Drake.

With their propulsion complete, the Makgrull turned themselves towards creating the boat itself. It needed to be large enough to comfortably hold all twelve of the crew, though the Makgrull had the advantage of being able to forage for food more easily then the other ships. They designed the ship to be a complex raft, with a single lengthy storage room, a second floor, and a third "look out" tower. Though still probably one of the smallest ships in the competition, it was the largest vessel built by Makgrull hands. G'ninb helped direct the finer details of the creation, pulling on knowledge learned while he spent time with the Tzaltec. Custos did the heavy lifting, at times holding up the entire raft by himself.

Eventually, their creation is complete, and G'gjin delicately paints on the side of it, in the trading script, Praeclar's Journey.



http://viralnity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Sauna-Raft8.jpg
The ship kinda looks like this, but with Makgrull instead of the people, and with three 'leads' at the front, where Custos and the Hippocampi pull the craft.
It's not... exactly pretty. But it is the best looking ship that the Makgrull have created.

Trades: The Makgrull are open to trades at this event! And they have something that you may want. Be sure to review Belua Bay (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?351078-Empire!-The-Lands-of-Telluris-(the-fluff-beyond-the-crunch)&p=18950307#post18950307).

YES, I will be discussing the Academy Ship at this event... but not right away.

[Aedilred]

The Earl of Horbeach was a somewhat elderly man in his late seventies, his once-black hair now almost completely white, though retaining good coverage, and a bristly moustache and sideburns.

"Thank you, Chancellor, and I likewise am proud to welcome you all to the event, and pleased to see so many of you eager to take part. And where better to start the race than here in Qarimos, where those pioneers of eastern sailing called home? When the naval event was excluded from the last Games I and many of my clan were outraged, but out of it grew this splendid race which I hope will allow all of you to show off your ingenuity and seamanship in a spirit of friendly competition. I know the people of Trinacria are waiting eagerly to see what you come up with, and I have no doubt that your bright ideas to help you achieve victory in this race will further the cause of shipbuilding and sailing for Telluris as a whole."



The Scarlet Lady was of a fairly typical Tuhiland design, sleek and narrow, although despite the original plans including two masts the size had to be reduced after the shipwrights realised it would take too long to build, and she took to sea with just the one.

Rolls here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19138629&postcount=799) and following.
Final speed is 4.

[Philote]

Sebastian Mouse, the newest Royal Visionary, enters into the competition waters riding along one of the many ships brought by the Caramel Kingdom. Each ship, a cruise ship or entertainment ship of some sort, would be cannibalized for parts and reconstructed into a new ship under the Royal Visionaries designs and per the competition's rules. The final sailing ship would be an amalgamated ship of art and efficiency utilizing the best parts of the previous designs. Mouse himself steered the new ship, the Jubilee, with gleaming blue glass eyes and Garb that shifted from a kingly design to a rugged pirate theme.

Roll (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=19145301#post19145301) here and following

Final Speed = 5!

[PepperP.]

The Spriggan delegation of Craftsmen and Sailors worked diligently and cheerfully for the 28 days allotted to them. They could often be heard singing merrily as they swung their hammers and sawed their logs.

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something new to this wonderful year;
To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

On the 28th day, Captain Libeias Ashwater stood before his crew and revealed the name of their ship, "I dub this ship the Celestial Fortune! Just as the Sea has been our people's fortune, so shall this ship be ours!" His men cheered boisterously and they sailed into the distance, the sky filled with the hope of dawn and the Sailor's hearts with pride.

http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan/images/arch_junk.jpg

17 days later
Captain Ashwater stood at the helm of Celestial Fortune as his brow furrowed. He could feel the storm building in the ache in his bones and in the crackle of electricity in the air. The boat began to roll from side to side and the temperature dropped suddenly. Dark clouds obscured the sun as a thunder clap rent his ears. beneath the clouds, the rain moved towards them, heavy droplets like a waterfall that stung his skin like crystalline nails. He could see his crew running to and fro, fighting to steady the rocking ship as it bobbed like a cork upon the capricious sea. The waves reached over the bow, hissing and lashing at their faces. A mountainous wave rose up before the ship, blotting out the sky. The wind howled their doom as a great whirlpool formed and spun fast and white with brine. The boat rose with the swell, inclining upwards to it's destruction, it was propelled up onto the lip and hovered there, the whirlpool gaping under them as they clung to the masts and each other. Captain Ashwater clung to the tiller with the last of his strength and he heard the timbers creak with strain and protest. The Celestial Fortune skirted the whirlpool but the mighty winds and waves from the storm sent them far off course. With his keen eye for the stars and his crew's diligence, Captain Ashwater guided the craft back on course and finished the race. They were many days off of the winning pace, but the Celestial Fortune had lived up to it's name, delivering all of her crew members safely to port, with a newfound respect for the might of the sea, and a harrowing tale of survival on their smiling lips.

[Gengy]

After the Race

Finishing relatively early, the crew of Praeclar's Journey spends the next several weeks - respectfully awaiting their competition - by designing more ships. They begin chatting about this grand idea of a gigantic ship, one that is positively enormous and overly complex in scale, and laugh at how ridiculous the idea is. G'ninb even throws in that it would be funny if the whole thing was an Academy, the size of a city, where everyone could learn things. It's laughable. It's preposterous.

But they can't get it out of their minds. They start drawing up ideas. As the other teams come in, slowly over the course of a couple weeks, they talk about it with the other competitors. It's infectious. After all, no ship could be built that big.

"But, imagine. Imagine if it could." G'ninb says, 10 days after Praeclar's Journey has landed. Everyone was sitting around, celebrating the Lusty Lilith making it's final port of call. "A place like that. Where everyone could learn. Open to anyone who can get to a port."

Custos lets out a careful breath from where he lay upon the beach. "I do not know much about your ship-things, little Makgrull. Something that large though, would it not need a very big... what is word... place where ship-things toss down metal-stopper anchor things."

"Dock?"

"Yes, dock. Would need big dock, yes?"

"I suppose... but... well, what do you think, cousins?" G'ninb looked over at the two younger members of the Seaborne crew, Larry and Darrel, and their captain, the elder Arthur Fitzrion. The discussion had been tossed about, mostly half-heatedly for the past few days. This was the first time that G'ninb was taking it seriously.

((OOC: Anyone who finishes in under 26 days may feel free to join in the conversation at this time. Anyone whom finishes after that time will still have a chance to talk about the Academy Ship, but it will have already had some more preliminary designs drawn up, and maybe some 1/10,000th scale models built of early ideas.))

[Aedilred]

Alyba, the Destination

The finish line for the race was well back inside a fjord, at the back of which stood the city of Alyba. Ships entering the fjord would find the wind dropping remarkably and the sea almost completely calm, which might catch out an unwary captain. The coast of the fjord approaching the city was busy with buildings and smallholdings, almost all of them with docks and slipways, and it was here that the shipyards of the kingdom were located. There were even a couple of ships currently under construction, at various stages of completion.

The city itself was small but with a number of stone buildings further away from the coast, mostly in the style of the northern kingdom, suggesting a relatively recent construction. Atop the castle on the hill the royal standard flew, for those sharp-eyed enough to see it, indicating the king was present, although he himself and his dragon were nowhere in evidence. The port area was a little older, with a smoother, more sloped style to the walls and lower battlements; here as each ship approached a colourful delegation of men and elves waited to greet them and congratulate them on making the journey: at their head, Belanym of Tesh, the Lord Protector of the Republic.

Belanym was not himself a lord, although of a good family, but he was popular with folk of all classes and he was keen that the first major international visit to the Republic under his rule was a success.


http://cdn.moviestillsdb.com/sm/9b4452fa2c15e876387b3fd9f6b6ba9d/alexander.jpg


Elwyn is here, but won't be making any public appearances so as not to overshadow the Lord Protector. If anyone wants to discuss matters of trade or other foreign policy he'll receive them to talk.

[Rain Dragon]

Llyeth stretched lazily on the grass enjoying the sea breeze which playfully gusted across the obscure island upon which they had set up. The Kingdom of the Carmine Sea have many revolutionary wonders to their name, such as Carval Hull building techniques, their newest Academy, the strange blessing which allow the Jarrows to glow just to name a few. Yet none quite affected the lives of the An Náduri as much as the game of Keppjat.

* Splosh! *
"You idiot!" Llyeth shouted, "How are we ever to catch up to 570 with plays like that?!"

The young Cervidh who had hit the ball into the sea ducked her head, equally disappointed with herself as Llyeth seemed to be. Looking up, she seemed about to say something before something caught her eye. Dropping her bat and squinting, a wild grin grew on her face. "Look! It's our ship!"
A small boat with a single square sail could be spotted in the distance.

"I wonder if they know they're not coming last." Llyeth casually said to nobody in particular.

[PepperP.]

Llyeth stretched lazily on the grass enjoying the sea breeze which playfully gusted across the obscure island upon which they had set up. The Kingdom of the Carmine Sea have many revolutionary wonders to their name, such as Carval Hull building techniques, their newest Academy, the strange blessing which allow the Jarrows to glow just to name a few. Yet none quite affected the lives of the An Náduri as much as the game of Keppjat.

* Splosh! *
"You idiot!" Llyeth shouted, "How are we ever to catch up to 570 with plays like that?!"

The young Cervidh who had hit the ball into the sea ducked her head, equally disappointed with herself as Llyeth seemed to be. Looking up, she seemed about to say something before something caught her eye. Dropping her bat and squinting, a wild grin grew on her face. "Look! It's our ship!"
A small boat with a single square sail could be spotted in the distance.

"I wonder if they know they're not coming last." Llyeth casually said to nobody in particular.

Princess Mellado approached the grassy knoll upon which the Ceannin of An Nádur sat watching a game of Kepjjat and gracefully dropped down to sit cross legged on the grass. "Llyeth, it's so good to see you. I have somebody I would like you to meet." Mellado grabbed the arm of the Spriggan man who had accompanied her but hung back shyly, pulling him down with her. "This is Crother Starridge, my cousin. He's the one my mother spoke of warding with you." "Pleasure, Ceannin, I am grateful for this opportunity." Crother spoke reticently, but sincerely, nervously picking at the grass beneath him.

[WaylanderX]

"Work harder, you pedn boba! Work those engines, supply more quillednow!" Captain Pirin Pozan yelled to her crew, herself kept busy by the hefty task of steering the bizare vehicle in the right direction.

"Ea, Pedn!" The Bucka crew yelled in unison to their captain. They supplied Tanedhan feathers to the engines when needed, rimmed the sails and made sure nothing got stuck inside the fans powering the whole craft.

The Galloz Gavar raced across the water swiftly, moving faster than anticipated. However, Bucka were know for their inventiveness, not for their navigation. On multiple occasions, they lost their way, but through the speed of their craft, they still managed to outspeed most of their competition. It might not have been the most elegant boat ever, but it was still a good piece of Bucka enginuity.

http://airboats.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/21257-1341674671400.jpg

It's much bigger than this, and much slower and more bulky than a modern fan boat. Very hard to control. Also more steampunkish of course.

Meanwhile at the end point of the race, a few Huroshans could be seen awaiting the arrival of the Galloz Gavar. Among them, two Menhirin scholars were discussing the efficiency of the craft, while a Cloudiz and an Maighdeann were placing bets on if the craft would be lost. Several more were present, all relaxing and taking it easy. In general, a cheerful air hung among those of Hurosha who had come to watch the end of the race.

[Aedilred]

Praeclarus

Belanym was not a shipwright himself but they were a sufficiently important constituency, particularly in Alyba, that he had had to learn something of their craft. Word had reached him of what the Makgrull were discussing fairly quickly, and before long he made his way to greet them for a second time, asking about the academy ship he had heard mentioned.




Custos lets out a careful breath from where he lay upon the beach. "I do not know much about your ship-things, little Makgrull. Something that large though, would it not need a very big... what is word... place where ship-things toss down metal-stopper anchor things."

"Dock?"

"Yes, dock. Would need big dock, yes?"

"I suppose... but... well, what do you think, cousins?" G'ninb looked over at the two younger members of the Seaborne crew, Larry and Darrel, and their captain, the elder Arthur Fitzrion. The discussion had been tossed about, mostly half-heatedly for the past few days. This was the first time that G'ninb was taking it seriously.
"Is there not a fundamental problem with the project, though, as you say? The academy is supposed to be open to anyone with a dock, and that is a worthy goal which the Republic would be proud to support. But few cities, even the largest, have a harbours capable of accommodating such a vessel. Even if one can be put to sea, there are only a handful of ports capable of accommodating it: Bandar, the port of the Grand Coalition, Emerald City perhaps, Horbeach, Florin, maybe Palas Caercia and Diamondhead at a stretch, and even they would require some modification..." He ticked them off on his fingers. "But to call at any other coastline would require construction of a huge specialist dock just to house the academy, and by the time that much effort has been expended one might as well establish a permanent academy in each port of call. Not to mention the problems it would cause with navigating canals, and if it cannot manage them it will be restricted to a single sea.

"Perhaps it would be better instead to construct a small fleet of ships, whose seaworthiness was not in doubt. Great ships, all the same, but capable of accessing more ports without such a high level of local investment - and less vulnerable to mishap or wreckage, where a large ship could be caught in shoals or in a storm and the whole project not to mention all the esteemed worthies aboard lost."


Outside the city

On the outskirts of the city, the locals were playing a game, just as the An Náduri were on their island. A number of spectators had turned out to watch, along with a number of shadier characters who circulated among the crowd making discreet notes and pocketing money. A few street food vendors were there too, selling spicy kebabs, hot meat-filled pastries, and baked potatoes with cheese and any number of other fillings, not to mention beer and childerberry wine. The general atmosphere was relaxed, with sporadic applause when something happened out in the middle - although there were a few people paying rather closer attention to the action, with a degree of tension apparent from their posture.

This was apparently an exhibition match between teams sponsored and selected by local noblemen - one of whom was captaining one of the teams!

A couple of men and women in floppy hats and red-and-yellow coats greeted any foreigners approaching the game.

"We hope you enjoy the game!" one of them said. "Entrance is free although if you would like to make a donation to the sailors' widows fund that would be very generous of you. This match is scheduled to end at dusk but if you'd like to try your hand there will be some shorter matches tomorrow. Let one of us know and we'll take down your names."


A description of the game

This is a game called Keppjat which has become popular in the Kingdom of the Carmine Sea in recent decades. The game is played in an open space of any size, although fairly large ones are preferred for obvious reasons. In the middle of the playing area is a cut grass pitch 22 yards long with a set of stumps - three upright sticks with some smaller sticks balanced on top - at each end.

One team bats while the other team fields. A batsman stands at each end of the pitch and guards a set of stumps until he is out. A member of the fielding team bowls (traditionally, rolls, but in recent years a bowler called Edwyr Estevyn has introduced a technique of bouncing the ball to introduce more variation and deceive the batsman, and this is quickly catching on) a ball towards the batsman trying to hit the stumps. The batsman must defend his stumps with his bat. If the batsman's stumps are hit, he is out. If he hits the ball in the air and it is caught, he is out. He scores points ("runs") by running from one end of the pitch to the other, but if the fielding team collect the ball and throw down the stumps before he makes his ground, he is out.

Usually a bowler bowls a set sequence of balls (called an "over") from one end of the pitch and then another bowler bowls an over from the other. The number of balls per over and whether the bowlers change ends can vary from match to match depending on what is agreed before play. Most overs have 4-8 deliveries, with 6 being the standard.

When a team can no longer field two batsmen they are "all out" and the innings is over. The teams then switch places, with the fielding team going in to bat. At the end of the match whoever has scored more runs has won.

A good batsman is expected to score at least 20 runs per dismissal on average, but not all players in a team are specialist batsmen. A score of more than 100 runs (a "century") is considered a major achievement. Getting out for 0 (a "duck") is common, even for good batsmen.

The usual form of the game has eleven players per team and each team bats twice over the course of 2-3 days. There are a number of variants, though, with various levels of handicap (e.g. one team being allowed more than eleven players, or a smaller than usual set of stumps), and a popular form is a sort of "1v1" with only one player on each side able to bowl or score runs, and the fielders being "neutral" and remaining in place whoever's turn it is to bat. Some other forms have the match ending after a set number of overs even if some batsmen are still not out.

Gambling is omnipresent.