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ideas/Artifacts-Game.md

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+# Game of Artifacts
+
+This is the game of artifacts.  The game involves three
+teams competing to find the most artifacts within the arena.
+There are two ways to obtain artifacts:
+
+- find an artifact hidden in the arena
+- force another team to drop an artifact
+
+Artifacts are enchanted to be resistant to most spells.
+That includes spells like "locate object." Therefore,
+finding artifacts will usually take some time.
+
+Taking artifacts from other teams usually requires force.
+Force should be used only when needed, in a spirit of good
+sportsmanship.
+
+## Victory Condition
+
+There are ten artifacts.  The goal of the game is to collect
+four of them.  Artifacts are counted when they are deposited
+into vaults.
+
+There are three vaults scattered throughout the arena.  You
+must find them.  You may use any vault to deposit an
+artifact.  Once an artifact is deposited in a vault, it is
+counted.
+
+The victory condition is simple: when a team deposits its
+fourth artifact, the game is over and the team wins.
+
+## Limitations on the Use of Force
+
+If two teams come face-to-face and one of them possesses an
+artifact, then the two teams may fight for possession
+of the artifact.  Either team may use deadly force.
+
+If neither team possesses an artifact, then neither deadly
+force nor non-lethal force is allowed.  No fighting.  You
+may not cast spells on each other unless the other gives
+permission.
+
+If you are dangerously close to death, shout, "I'm down!"
+Once you do, nobody may use force against you. You must stop
+fighting.  You must fall to your hands and knees as soon as
+you are physically able, to emphasize that you are down. The
+only things you are allowed to do when down are heal
+yourself, receive healing, crawl to safety, and evade or
+block stray attacks. Even if healed, you may not reenter the
+fight.
+
+You cannot carry an artifact while down. Shouting "I'm down"
+while carrying an artifact will cause the artifact to
+fall from your grip, with all that entails.
+
+After the fight ends, anyone who is down can get back up and
+rejoin their team.  They are no longer down.
+
+These are the major violence-violations that can occur:
+
+* Fighting when no artifact is at stake
+
+* Attacking somebody who is down
+
+* Fighting when you're supposedly down
+
+Any of these violations will result in penalties.
+Penalties include debuffs, time-outs, teleportation, or in
+the worst cases, expulsion.  It is entirely up to our
+referees to decide what penalty to apply.  In general, they
+will take into account the amount of force, the degree to
+which the violation was intentional, and any mitigating
+factors.
+
+The arena may contain monsters.  You may always use violence
+against monsters.  Monsters can be distinguished from
+opponents by the lack of clothing: players always have
+clothing or armor or both.  You may not strip completely
+naked to make yourself look like a monster.
+
+You may use violence against inanimate objects in the
+arena. You may break down doors, smash chests, topple
+buildings, and in general reshape the arena as you please.
+
+## Teleportation
+
+Teleportation is when your entire team is teleported to a
+random location in the arena.  All team members are
+teleported, even if your team is scattered prior to
+teleportation.  All team members arrive at the destination
+together.
+
+When your team is teleported, all artifacts that your team
+is carrying are left behind. Such artifacts fall to the
+ground. Teleportation always results in the loss of all
+artifacts carried by the team!
+
+The following conditions will trigger teleportation:
+
+* If any team member loses their grip on an artifact.
+
+* If any team member loses consciousness or appears to be dying.
+
+* If a team member carrying an artifact shouts, "I'm down!"
+
+* If any team member shouts, "teleport us!"
+
+In addition, illegal use of violence may be punished by
+teleportation, at the referee's discretion.
+
+After teleportation, you no longer carry any artifacts.  The
+rules of the game dictate that when you are not carrying
+artifacts, you are safe from violence.   Therefore,
+teleportation always teleports you to safety.
+
+## Holding Artifacts
+
+An artifact must be picked up by an individual.  From that
+point, that individual must maintain a grip on the artifact.
+If that individual ever lets go, the entire team will
+teleport, and the artifact will be lost.  It is not possible
+to pass an artifact to a different teammate.
+
+You can deposit artifacts at vaults.  When you do, you will
+obviously let go of the artifact, which means you will
+teleport.  However, the artifact will permanently count
+toward your score from that point forward.
+
+There is no limit on the number of artifacts you may
+carry at a time.  However, carrying multiple relics is
+very risky, if something forces you to teleport, you
+will drop *all* the artifacts.
+
+Carriers must hold artifacts with one of the following:
+
+- Hands.
+- Feet.
+- Mouth.
+- Big Nose.
+- Tentacles.
+- Prehensile Tail.
+
+Special dispensation may be made for contestants who do not
+have any of these.
+
+You may move an artifact from your left hand to your right,
+or otherwise shift your grip.  You must maintain a grip at
+all times, though.
+
+## Healing and Resurrection
+
+If any of your team members is injured, it is up to your
+team to heal them. However, in an emergency, you can request
+healing from our referees in exchange for the loss of one
+artifact.  Such artifacts will be re-hidden in the arena. If
+you have no artifacts, you can still obtain emergency
+healing.
+
+If it appears that one of your team members is dying, our
+referees may take it upon themselves to heal that team
+member without your approval.  If they do, an artifact will
+be taken from your team.  To avoid this outcome, make sure
+to heal your team members promptly before they reach dire
+circumstances.
+
+This arena is located underneath Valhalla. As such,
+Valhallan rules apply: if you die on the field of battle,
+fighting with honor, courage, and determination, you will be
+resurrected at the end of the battle.  However, such
+resurrection comes at a cost, imposed by the Norse gods, not
+by our organization.  This is beyond our control.  Avoid
+death.
+
+## Communication
+
+Communication between players is explicitly allowed.  You
+may taunt, persuade, negotiate, deceive, seduce, confuse, or
+in general, say or communicate anything you want to your
+teammates and opponents. 
+
+You may use magic or atypical means to communicate with your
+opponents.  For example, you can use translation spells,
+long-distance communication spells, telepathy, interpretive
+dance, and the like.
+
+If your communication does more than just communicate, for
+example, if it charms, ensorcels, or does psychic damage,
+then it is governed by the rules on the use of force.
+
+Offering out-of-game money or favors in exchange for
+advantage in the game is disallowed.
+
+## Losing Artifacts in Vaults
+
+For the most part, once an artifact has been deposited in a
+vault, that artifact is scored for your team permanently.
+There are only two ways that a deposited artifact can be
+lost.
+
+One is to commit a severe misuse of violence and be
+sanctioned by the referees. There are a number of lesser
+punishments that the referees will generally try before
+resorting to this extreme.  These include: debuffs like
+weakness or slow, time outs on the sidelines, or
+teleportation which causes the loss of carried artifacts.
+Only if a team persists in deliberate wrongdoing would an
+artifact be removed from a vault.
+
+The other way to lose a deposited artifact is to reach the
+brink of death, and be rescued by the referees, which costs
+one artifact. Generally, this requires negligence.  If a
+member of your team drops unconscious, you will all be
+teleported to safety. This gives you a chance to heal your
+own people.  Only if you fail to care for your own teammates
+will the referees be forced to save you.
+
+Artifacts removed from vaults will be re-hidden within the
+arena.
+
+## Brownie Points
+
+Of course, it's possible to take artifacts by brute force.
+But remember: this is entertainment for an audience.  If you
+can show more style or creativity, you get brownie points.
+You also get brownie points for using minimum force.  
+
+For example, if you were to trick your opponent into saying
+the words "teleport us," causing them to teleport away and
+drop an artifact, you would get a large number of brownie
+points, in addition to the artifact.
+
+If you get enough brownie points, a brownie will be sent
+into the arena to assist you.  You will very likely never
+see them, but you will often find that one of the following
+things has occurred:
+
+* Your wounds are healed
+
+* You have been magically buffed
+
+* You hear a whispered hint about an artifact
+
+Please do not attack the brownies.
+
+## Announcements
+
+During the game, we will occasionally make public
+announcements. These events will always be announced:
+
+* When a team takes possession of an artifact.
+
+* When a team loses possession of an artifact.
+
+* When a team is sanctioned by the referees.
+
+* When a team deposits an artifact.
+
+In addition, if the game appears to be bogging down, we will
+make announcements designed to accelerate matters.  These
+may include but are not limited to:
+
+* Hints about the locations of hidden artifacts.
+
+* The locations of the teams may be announced.
+
+In general, if any team uses a tactic that causes the game
+to bog down, we reserve the right to undermine that tactic.
+Remember, this is a show for the entertainment of guests.
+