A game for Mor's End
Since the early days of Mor’s End, the sport of hurtling has been a popular and entertaining way to spend an hour, an afternoon, or a day off from work. The City annals record several references to early hurtlers, including one Jase Hurvan, who reputedly
“Hurtled a quilton, on the full, to the top of a cypress tree, which was nigh on sixty feet high, and looped the topmost branch.”
This respected sport is now considerably different from the rather chaotic affairs of those earlier times, where several instances of property damage, injury, and ‘general rowdiness’ were causes for extensive fines.
Hurtling is played between two teams, usually of seven or eleven men each. The object of the game is to hurl a ‘quilton’ (a ring of braided leather) around a pole set upright in the ground. Players may not use their hands, but are equipped with staves, usually called pilins. The quilton is hurled and caught from the pilin, and must be spun on the tip at all times. Players may move with the quilton on the pilin, but must keep it spinning around the staff, and may not drop the staff more than 45 degrees below the vertical.
Passing is usually conducted in two ways. Firstly, the pilin is pulled back, and then whipped forward. This creates a low, quick pass, accurate over short distances. Secondly, the quilton is spun off. This second method is very difficult, but is akin to how a quoit is thrown from around the finger. Experienced hurtlers can send a quilton forward, to either side, and backwards, by varying the speed and direction of their spin. This is usually used to clear the quilton away from the goal, or to send longer passes. It is also the best method of shooting, for the quilton must fall down onto the goalpost from above (in most cases.)
The Quilton, if it falls to ground, is subject to a toss, in which one of the players throws is back over his head towards two other players – one from each team. The two strive to send their staff into the ring (called casting) and gain possession. They still may not drop their sticks too low, and this requires a fair deal of skill. A player who has possession may be ‘canted’ in which the quilton is knocked off by an opponent. This creates a toss, or may lead to a switch in possession, if the quilton remains on the offensive player’s pilin.
The Goalkeeper is allowed to have a hook on one end of his pilin (originally, all pilins did, since it was first played by shepherds using crooks), which he can catch the quilton with. He may remove the quilton from the hooked end to throw with the other, but is still not allowed to touch the quilton with his hand while it is in play. He may no touch a quilton with the hooked end of his pilin if it is moving upwards – something that makes the drop shot especially useful.
Pilins are mainly between 3 and 4 feet in length. One man on each team, the chaser, (who are the usual recipients in a toss) is allowed to use a special eight-foot pilin. They are used to receive very long passes, and attempt to pass to another team member nearby to score. Alternatively, they provide effective defenders, to block out opponents from receiving. Chasers can only pass very weakly (due to their very unwieldy sticks), and so must be closely supported by another player, who passes on the quilton. Some teams don’t even use Chasers – fielding a full side of normal length pilins. Chasers are usually very tall and strong, but not the quickest. Small, fast players tend to have trouble with the longer pilin.
Advanced movements include the drop pass or drop shot (where the quilton is left to fall down the pilin, then flicked off the bottom – a very difficult play), the high cast (where the player leaps onto the back of an opponent and takes the quilton before they do), and the bounce pass (the quilton is passed, but the receiver simply hits it on with a swing from his pilin, sending it to another. This requires a great deal of coordination and timing.)
Penalties are touching the quilton with the hand, lowering the pilin, and dangerous play. Each gives the quilton to the other team. There are seldom set boundary lines or a field of play. Many of the guilds field a side of Hurtlers. There is some talk of setting up a league, but most are content to challenge sides for bragging rights.
Since the early days of Mor’s End, the sport of hurtling has been a popular and entertaining way to spend an hour, an afternoon, or a day off from work. The City annals record several references to early hurtlers, including one Jase Hurvan, who reputedly
“Hurtled a quilton, on the full, to the top of a cypress tree, which was nigh on sixty feet high, and looped the topmost branch.”
This respected sport is now considerably different from the rather chaotic affairs of those earlier times, where several instances of property damage, injury, and ‘general rowdiness’ were causes for extensive fines.
Hurtling is played between two teams, usually of seven or eleven men each. The object of the game is to hurl a ‘quilton’ (a ring of braided leather) around a pole set upright in the ground. Players may not use their hands, but are equipped with staves, usually called pilins. The quilton is hurled and caught from the pilin, and must be spun on the tip at all times. Players may move with the quilton on the pilin, but must keep it spinning around the staff, and may not drop the staff more than 45 degrees below the vertical.
Passing is usually conducted in two ways. Firstly, the pilin is pulled back, and then whipped forward. This creates a low, quick pass, accurate over short distances. Secondly, the quilton is spun off. This second method is very difficult, but is akin to how a quoit is thrown from around the finger. Experienced hurtlers can send a quilton forward, to either side, and backwards, by varying the speed and direction of their spin. This is usually used to clear the quilton away from the goal, or to send longer passes. It is also the best method of shooting, for the quilton must fall down onto the goalpost from above (in most cases.)
The Quilton, if it falls to ground, is subject to a toss, in which one of the players throws is back over his head towards two other players – one from each team. The two strive to send their staff into the ring (called casting) and gain possession. They still may not drop their sticks too low, and this requires a fair deal of skill. A player who has possession may be ‘canted’ in which the quilton is knocked off by an opponent. This creates a toss, or may lead to a switch in possession, if the quilton remains on the offensive player’s pilin.
The Goalkeeper is allowed to have a hook on one end of his pilin (originally, all pilins did, since it was first played by shepherds using crooks), which he can catch the quilton with. He may remove the quilton from the hooked end to throw with the other, but is still not allowed to touch the quilton with his hand while it is in play. He may no touch a quilton with the hooked end of his pilin if it is moving upwards – something that makes the drop shot especially useful.
Pilins are mainly between 3 and 4 feet in length. One man on each team, the chaser, (who are the usual recipients in a toss) is allowed to use a special eight-foot pilin. They are used to receive very long passes, and attempt to pass to another team member nearby to score. Alternatively, they provide effective defenders, to block out opponents from receiving. Chasers can only pass very weakly (due to their very unwieldy sticks), and so must be closely supported by another player, who passes on the quilton. Some teams don’t even use Chasers – fielding a full side of normal length pilins. Chasers are usually very tall and strong, but not the quickest. Small, fast players tend to have trouble with the longer pilin.
Advanced movements include the drop pass or drop shot (where the quilton is left to fall down the pilin, then flicked off the bottom – a very difficult play), the high cast (where the player leaps onto the back of an opponent and takes the quilton before they do), and the bounce pass (the quilton is passed, but the receiver simply hits it on with a swing from his pilin, sending it to another. This requires a great deal of coordination and timing.)
Penalties are touching the quilton with the hand, lowering the pilin, and dangerous play. Each gives the quilton to the other team. There are seldom set boundary lines or a field of play. Many of the guilds field a side of Hurtlers. There is some talk of setting up a league, but most are content to challenge sides for bragging rights.
. Did you base this on an existing sport? Basketball perhaps?
