There is one major sport on Mendala called hyperball. Created in 6,302 TS by Pamela Bestmore, Jefferson Anselary, and Wetherbee Reston, hyperball combines mentus, mandamus, and physical and mental prowess all into one fast paced, exciting game.
Game Field & Equipment
The Field
Hyperball is played on a 125 x 50 meter field (136 x 54 yd). The field may be any type of terrain that is not hazardous to the players. Examples include grass, quartz rock, shallow water, wood, sand, mud, ice, dirt, rocks, snow, or a combination of multiple terrains.
The field is always surrounded by a 3 meter high bolder quartz wall. There is also a 2.5 meter area between the field and the surrounding wall known as the interim. This is the area where referees monitor the game and additional team members and coaches stand.
The field must contain no less than 300 and no more than 700 embedded mentus and mandamus commands. These commands cannot be guardian or mind mage level and can not cause any serious damage to the players. Embedded mentus and mandamus can be triggered manually by players or randomly throughout game play. Randomly triggered commands must be designed to work without prejudice to either team.
All hyperball fields are approved by a representative from the league it will be used in or by the Worldwide Hyperball League (WHL), which encompasses all hyperball leagues.
Scoring Rings
The field holds 3 scoring rings, 2 meters (6 ½ feet) in diameter that are made from a precise combination of boulder, plethora, and tene quartz. These rings float anywhere between 1 and 7 meters (3 to 23 ft) above the field and can move at speeds up to 7 m/sec (15 mph) of their own volition. This free motion is achieved by embedded mentus. Each ring is painted red on one side and blue on the other side.
The Hyperball
A hyperball is 70 cm in circumference and weighs 1 kilogram. It is composed of boulder, plethora, tene, desert crystal, and onerwa quartz. Hyperballs are always purple.
The creation of a hyperball must be done very carefully. Certain mentus is embedded into the ball during its creation. This allows the ball to feel light and bounce, despite the fact that it is composed of rock. It also allows the ball to fly around the field at speeds of up to 15 m/sec (33 mph) of its own volition. Then the ball is fashioned by skilled craftsmen to make it nearly impossible for any external mentus or mandamus to affect it directly.
In addition, even when physically struck, a hyperball's speed and trajectory can only be altered for 3 seconds before reverting to its own random course around the field.
Lances
A lance is used to strike the hyperball. It is a cylindrical poll, 1.5 meters long and 3 cm in diameter. It is composed of tene and boulder quartz. A lance's design allows it to be temporarily charged with mentus and mandamus which can be helpful when hitting the hyperball.
The base of the lance can be turned like a knob to change its score setting. Depending on what side of the ring the player scores on, red or blue, the lance can be set to change the hyperball the same color when struck. The hyperball will stay this color for up to 3 seconds before returning to its normal purple.
Players
Each hyperball team has a total of 7 players on the field; 4 knights, 2 guides, and 1 field master. Players cannot be mind mages or guardians. Each team also has a healer, quickener, and up to 5 relief players. Teams also have up to two coaches and a team manager or sponsor.
Though both mentus and mandamus are allowed in hyperball, most hyperball players are stronger mentus users. This is because it is easier to use mentus in the game and teams often communicate by using the mentant realm.
Knights
The four knights use lances to pass the hyperball back and forth to each other while trying to keep it from the other team's knights. They coordinate their efforts to keep control of the ball and eventually score by hitting the hyperball through the rings. Knights have the most physically demanding job on the team. Though they can use mentus and mandamus to speed themselves up or jump high in the air to get to the ball, they still have to be in peak physical condition, especially since field conditions can vary. They are allowed to use mentus on themselves or their lances, but not on the rings, field, ball, or other persons.
Knights are the only players that are allowed to physically be on the playing field. They can move into the interim for no more than 3 seconds and cannot interfere or interact with the guides, field masters, referees or other non-playing members in the interim. Most knights enter the interim to propel off of one of the side walls.
Guides
Each team has two guides. Their job is to use mentus or mandamus to move the rings into position so that the knights can score. They must fight with the other team's guides for control over the rings so it can be difficult to get them to stay in one place for very long. Guides work from the interim and are not allowed on the field and cannot touch the rings physically. They are not allowed to use mentus or mandamus on the field or any other players, even those on their own team. Although guides can use mandamus to move their rings, they tend to be strong mentus users as it is easier to move the scoring rings in the mentant realm.
Field Master
The field master uses mentus and mandamus on the field to help their team and hinder their opponents. Field masters work from the interim and are not allowed on the field. They can use embedded commands in the field itself or use mentus and mandamus of their own as long as it is directed toward the field and not the players on the field. Field masters are severely penalized if they use non-embedded field commands on specific players and not the field as a whole so they must be very careful. Such non-embedded commands that are acceptable include weather and terrain altering commands.
Field masters can use the embedded field triggers to affect individual players and are also allowed to use their own mentus or mandamus on individual players to counter the effects of a field command that was either triggered at random or by the opposing team field master.
Field masters spend days studying the field that their team will be playing on to make sure they know all of the traps and triggers embedded in it. The home team's field master of course has a field advantage because they know their field very well but this isn't a guarantee of success.
Game Play
A game of hyperball has four 25 minute quarters. There is a five minute break between each quarter, except the second and third where there are 10 or more minutes depending on half-time entertainment.
In the first and second quarters, the home team (or if it is neither teams' home field the, the team whose home field is physically the closest), uses the blue side of the rings to score, the other team uses the red side of the rings. In the third and fourth quarters, the two teams switch ring sides.
Hyperball is a fast paced game and there is almost no interruption in the game play, even after scoring. Players are substituted by quickener. The game is stopped if a healer is required to care for injuries that cannot be attended to by issuing commands from the sidelines or if a penalty requires a pause in game play. In addition, each team is allowed 7 timeouts of up to 3 minutes.
Objective
The objective of the game is to score as many points by using a lance to strike the hyperball through one or more of the rings.
If a team ties at the end of the fourth quarter, the game is extended by 10 minute intervals until one team wins.
Scoring
Players may only score by striking the hyperball through their team's side of the ring. If a team scoring side is blue, then the ball must pass through the ring from the blue side to score.
Scoring only occurs within three seconds of hitting it with a lance. After three seconds, the ball reverts to its original color and must be hit again to score.
Teams earn more points if the ball passes through 2 or all 3 rings within the same 3 second period, assuming the ball passes through the scoring side of each ring. Three points are earned for 1 ring, 7 points for 2 rings and 12 points for all 3 rings.
When a team scores, game play continues without interruption and the hyperball continues to move around the field on its own.
Rules
The hyperball may only be touched by a lance. Players may not intentionally touch the ball with their body, nor can they attempt to use mentus or mandamus to alter the balls course or speed. Doing so results in a penalty.
The scoring rings' speed, trajectory and rotation can only be altered by guides using mentus or mandamus. Players cannot intentionally physically touch or move the rings.
Players are allowed to use any mentus or mandamus commands on themselves.
Players cannot use mentus or mandamus directly on opposing players. However field masters can use mentus or mandamus on the playing field to trigger or dispel embedded commands that may affect the players on the opposite team and even the hyperball.
Knights are not allowed in the interim for more than 3 seconds. Field masters and guides are not allowed outside the interim for more than 3 seconds.
Penalties
The game is monitored by 12 referees who watch the game both in the physical and mentant realm. Referees are hired and placed by the league to avoid individual team bias. Instead of having referees that always work the same field, the league pulls them at random from a pool. Referees cannot work a game in their home city.
Penalties result in either the inability of certain team members to participate for a short period of time or a penalty shot for the other team.
When a penalty shot is required, the referee moves the rings to one end of the field and holds them in a specific formation. The rings float 3 meters from the ground, side-by-side. There are 10 meters between each ring and 12 meters from the edge of the field to the two outer rings . This ring formation is placed at either of the far edges of the field.
One knight is given the opportunity to hit the hyperball through one of the rings. They must be at least 30 meters away from the ring formation and no other players are allowed to help or interfere. The hyperball still moves freely during the penalty shot phase so the knight must time his shot carefully. A successful penalty shot is worth 2 points.
Ball Tampering
Ball tampering is when a player attempts to alter the course or disposition of the hyperball in a way not allowed by the regulations of the game. This includes purposeful physical movement by any player, other than a knight, or by a knight without the use of a lance, or by the use of mentus and mandamus by any player. Ball tampering results in a 3 minute penalty for the offending player and a penalty shot for the opposing team. Three acts of ball tampering from a team results in immediate disqualification and forfeit of the game.
Ring Tampering
Ring tampering is when a ring is moved in a way not allowed by the regulations of the game. This includes purposeful, physical movement by any player and mentus or mandamus tampering by any player other than the ring guides. Ring tampering results in a 2 minute penalty for one of the two guides on the team of the offending player.
Field Tampering
Field tampering is when the field is triggered or altered by any player other than the designated field master. Field tampering results in a 2 minute penalty for the field master on the team of the offending player.
Player Tampering
Player tampering is when a player is moved or affected by another player physically or with mentus or mandamus in a way not allowed by the regulations of the game. This includes such purposeful physical attacks as pushing, pulling, biting, hitting, kicking, tripping, elbowing, and slapping an opposing player as well as mentus and mandamus directed at any player, regardless of what team they are on, for any reason other than by a field master to dispel or counteract a field related command or a healer to mend an injury.
The first offense by a player results in a penalty shot for the opposing team. The second offense by a player results in a 2 minute penalty and a penalty shot. The third offense results in that player's removal from the game. Player tampering offenses are reset at the end of the 2nd quarter.
Out of Bounds
A knight is out of bounds if he remains in the interim for more than 3 seconds. A field master or guide is out of bounds if they are outside the interim for more than 3 seconds. Being out of bounds results in a 1 minute penalty for the offending player.
Leagues
The overarching hyperball league is called the Worldwide Hyperball League (WHL). This organization is responsible for all hyperball teams including the Professional Leagues, the Masters League, and the Secondary School League.
Professional Leagues
There are three professional hyperball leagues, the Anselary Hyperball League (AHL), the Bestmore Hyperball League (BHL), and the Reston Hyperball League (RHL). Each league can have up to 35 teams, in different cities across the planet and sponsored by various individuals or corporations.
These individual leagues all start their season on the 1st Normender of Cirindin and continue until the 2nd Normender of Zinidrin. Each team in the league plays every other team in the league according to a schedule devised by league officials before the beginning of the season. All games are played on Normenders and occasionally on Erphorders or Selenders.
The top six teams in each league go on to play in the WHL season which last from the 1st Selender of Cirindin to the 3rd Normender of Candovin with the Hyperball World Championship on the 3rd Normender of Sansdin.
The top six teams in each of the sub leagues are chosen by the number of games won. If a tie prevents all six teams from being chosen the tie is broken by taking each team's winning games, determining how many points they won by, and adding these points. These scores are then compared to see who will go on.
Tie breaking is only needed if the tie prevents the top six teams from being determined. For example, if two teams tie for first place, then no tie break is needed, however if two teams tie for sixth place, then tie breaking is used. The same is true if three teams tie for fifth place.
If score comparison does not completely resolve the tie, then the remaining tied teams must play against each other to break the tie.
This same tie breaking procedure applies to the WHL season when trying to determine the top two teams to compete in the Hyperball World Championship.
The entire season lasts 19 months, from one Cirindin to the following year's Sansdin with 5 months of off season time where teams often play exhibition games.
Masters League
Masters academies of mentus and mandamus that have hyperball teams belong to one of the Masters Hyperball League (MHL) divisions. Divisions are determined geographically by the WHL and the number of divisions depends on how many academies are currently in participation as each division can only have a maximum of 25 teams. Since 9,202 TA, there have been 87 participatory academies, and thus 4 masters league divisions.
The MHL season starts on the 1st Selender of Waynin and ends the 3rd Selender of Alamin. Almost all MHL games are played on Selenders with some games on Normenders or Septenies. The top team from each division advances to the league championships in the same way as in the professional leagues. The league championship games between the top teams from each division are played during Candovin and Sansdin, during the academic break. The final game of the MHL has no set date, but it is required to be at least one week before the Hyperball World Championship.
Secondary School League
The Secondary School Hyperball League covers all schools of mentus and mandamus that have a hyperball team. Secondary school hyperball teams are grouped into geographic districts of no greater than 20 schools in much the same way as the Masters League. The season runs from 1st Septenie of Parmin to the 3rd Septenie of Lumin. Most games are played on Septenies with some on Sectarnies and Selenders.
Unlike the MHL and professional leagues, there is no inter-district championship in secondary schools. Instead, in each district, the top four teams during the regular season compete against each other again in a district championship that takes place in Alamin and if needed Candovin.
The top four teams are chosen in the exact same way as in the other leagues. However, the post-season championship games run slightly differently from the other leagues. Two of the four teams are randomly picked to compete against one another, and then the two remaining teams compete. The winners from these two games compete against each other for the district championship.
