History
Codified in 1918 CE but much older, Satailarr was originally a game among herders, simulating the need to maneuver amongst a delicate herd but nonetheless kill dangerous predators. It was considered a gentleman's game from the 1900's to the 2300's, as Satai ate expensive feed, but with discovery by the Hekayti, Satai are now affordable for most larger communities, and the game has taken on interplanetary fervor. Outversers have compared the game to a mix of polo, frisbee golf and jai alai.
Teams and Equipment
There are two teams of seven, all mounted on shaggy, rhinoceros-like Satai. Each team member is equipped with flexible armor on their left arm from shoulder to knuckle in their team's colors, a fixed glove on their right hand mounted with a curved xistera-like flexible track for catching and flinging a leather disc (called a Bailliuc) at fantastic speeds, and an optional helmet. The Satai are equipped with a standard saddle with several leather loops and pockets along the flanks for on-saddle acrobatics.
Each team is given twenty-one three foot long wooden stakes, painted in their team's colors. Before the game begins, the teams take turns placing the stakes within the five hundred by five hundred foot field. Each stake must have one end buried between three and six inches into the ground, and be poking up at between a 45 and 135 degree angle from the ground. Strategies vary widely, from spreading the stakes out as far away from each other to force the other team to waste time, to overlapping stakes in order to build less-breakable structures. The stakes can only be legally broken via one method: by an eight inch stiff leather disc called the Ciorrcal, and whichever team breaks all of the other team's stakes first, wins.
Penalties
If a player breaks a stake illegally, if a referee sees a player touch the ground with any part of his body, or if a referee witnesses a player trying to dismount another player, gameplay stops, the opposing team is allowed to place another stake anywhere on the field, and are given the Ciorrcal and a free throw from the place of breakage.
Tactics
Typical tactics consist of the following:
- 1. Hanging extremely low off the side of a saddle and puddle-jumping the disc to break multiple stakes at once, like a mix of skipping stones and billiards.
- 2. Downward strokes from standing on the saddle are used to bypass enemy defenders, similar to a slam dunk.
- 3. Diagonal or twisting shots are used to get within packed-together stakes to exploit any structural weakness.
- 4. Underhanded lobs are used to pass the Ciorrcal to a close teammate.
- 5. Frisbee-like tosses are used to pass the Ciorrcal to a far-away teammate.
- 6. Using the Ciorrcal as a crude hand axe to break troublesome stakes.
- 7. Strategically vaulting on to another player's mount. While they can prevent the intrusion while the intruder is in the air, once both of the offender's feet touches the mount, both are disallowed from trying to knock the other off the Satai. This typically forces the unwilling host to hop onto a teammate's mount and ride back to take the intruder's mount.
- 8. Using the Satai to cross-check one's opponent's Satai to slow it down or knock it over.
- 9. Using multiple Satai huddled around stakes as shields against Ciorrcal intrusion.
- 10. Using the armored left arm or Bailliuc to disrupt a pass or shot.
Injuries
Satailarr can be brutal for injuries. Ciorrcal can reach over 150 miles per hour, causing concussions and broken bones where they hit. Satai occasionally bump into each other, causing bruised and broken legs. Falling off one's mount can cause one to get trampled. And most commonly, acrobatics and whipping the Ciorrcal around with the Bailliuc can cause pulled and strained muscles.
OOC
Satailarr utilizes four specialties: Riding, Throwing, Blocking and Reaction, with optional Jumping.