Very popular ball game played by Akdorian and Santharian Brownies, having fans and supporters from all races.

History. Tree Ball was originally played in the ancient Brownie kingdom of Birny. It was not played in more recent times until Greybark's granddaughter, the Butterfly Dragon rider Ruby Fog a few hundred years b.S. Having discovered references to the game at an early age, she made it her life's work to research and reconstruct the game. She named her own team after grandfather. At the height of her career, she was eaten by the Swimmer of her own team.

By the time of Santhros, there were five teams competing in a bi-yearly tournament, and Tree Ball also caught not only the attention of Brownies but as well of big people. Yet only at the beginning of this millenium has the game truly caught on.

From the late 900s onwards, there was a virtual explosion of Tree Ball, with a dozen teams in the Vale alone, seven or eight teams from Akdor, three Milken teams, and occasionally a Rat Brownie team will be in contention for several years. Championship games are played to packed crowds from all races, with magical open-air broadcasts taking place in several major cities. The 1557 Championship game in particular attracted a huge crowd (the game was played between two hills to accommodate the masses of Brownies, men, elves, dwarves and others who came to watch the event). An exciting upset, Akdor's Plainsrunners, previously unheard of, defeated the then undefeated Greybarks 34-31, making Tree Ball history. This unlikely game of Tree Ball has truly caught the imagination of Caelereth.

Image description: The Tree Ball Playing Field.

Diagram. The Tree Ball field consists of 5 squares in a row, from left to right: Forest square [1], Field square [2], Flood square [3], Field square [2], Forest square [1]; all surrounded by a moat. Each square = 5 peds across (equivalent to 60 subjective peds for Brownies)

Moat = 1 ped wide, 1 ped deep (12 subjective peds)
Total land length = 25 peds (300 subjective peds)
Total length including Moat = 27 peds (324 subjective peds)
Total land width = 5 peds (60 subjective peds)
Total width including Moat=7 peds (84 subjective peds)
Forest Square: The outer two squares. Each has 5 trees in an X pattern. The goal is in the middle tree, 4 peds (48 subjective peds) off the ground.
Field Square: The next two squares in. Consists of flat ground.
Flood Square: The middle square. Water is 0.1 ped (1.2 subjective peds) deep
There is a wall just outside the moat, 2 peds (24 subjective peds) high in places, with half-ped bleachers behind them, and 1 ped high in other places to allow big people of various kinds to watch (The ground is raised in a platform behind the wall to let smaller varieties of big people such as dwarves and halflings watch too).

Equipment. In order to play Tree Ball the following equipment is necessary:

• The Ball.
  The ball, although light, is a full three inches wide (7 1/2 cm). This big of a size, being carried by a Brownie perhaps twice as tall as the ball, makes teamwork essential. It is painted a bright pink in order to be easily seen, and is a lacquered, waterproof paper balloon.

• Players.
  15 players in all, 11 of which are Brownie and 4 are animal. The Brownie players consist of 3 Striders, 2 Forwards, 2 Guards, 1 Flyer (rides a flying animal), 1 Swimmer (rides a swimming animal), 1 Runner (rides a fast running animal), 1 Climber (rides a climbing animal).

• Referee.
  Usually played by a Drasil.

Game Set-Up. When the game starts the players have to be located  in the following positions:

1.) Striders: Start at front of Field Square.
2.) Forwards. Start in their own Field square.
3.) Guard: Start in front of the two trees.
4.) Flyer: Starts in the goal tree.
5.) Swimmer: Begins behind the goal tree.
6.) Runner: Begins under one of the back trees.
7.) Climber: Begins under the other back tree.

Rules. The ball is placed in the middle of the Flood square. Until the Ball is touched by a forward, no other player may enter the Flood square. At the referees signal, the two forwards from each team, who have started at the edge of their Field Square, dive in and swim for the ball. Whoever gets possession may carry it, throw it, kick it, pass it to any of their teammates, Brownie or otherwise, whatever it takes to get it to the opponent's Forest Square, where they must climb the Goal tree and stuff the ball up into the Goal Net which is suspended 4 peds up, roughly above the center of the tree. The referee will then take the ball and place it back in the center of the Flood square. The game begins at sunrise and concludes at sunset. A lunchbreak is held at noon for the players, usually in the referee's branches.

Possible player movements:

1.) Striders may go everywhere.
2.) Forwards must stay in their own Field square or the Flood Square.
3.) Guards must stay in their Forest Square.
4.) Flyers may leave their animals, but must not enter either forest square.
5.) Swimmers must stay in Moat or Flood square. Animals must not set foot on land. Rider may leave animal, but must not enter either Forest Square.
6.) Runners may leave their animals, but must not enter either Forest Square.
7.) Climbers may leave their animals as well, but must not enter either Forest Square.

The following main rules have to be obeyed:

1.) No attacking of other players.
2.) No leaving the field during the game.
3.) Wrestling is permitted among Brownies.
4.) Play continues unless the ball has completely left the stadium.
5.) No leaving your assigned position.
6.) Saddles, bridles, reins, grappling hooks, tie-vines, climbing claws, are all permitted. Tools for any use other than controlling animals or climbing trees are not permitted.
7.) Substitution is permitted.
8.) Gameplay stops upon any injury that a player or the referee deems to be serious.
9.) Magic is only permitted to be used as an aid for climbing, for breathing underwater, to heal ones teammates if necessary, and to keep other players or oneself from injury. Any other use of magic is strictly prohibited.
10.) Animals are bound by the same rules as other players.

Any breaking of these rules will result in the player involved being removed from the game. Removed players are not to be replaced.