The Objective

**Previous:** Conduct Expectations

Players participate in the Curio Wars with different goals in mind--some aim to assert their athletic or strategic dominance in contests, while others aspire to be featured as **Plot Characters**, or maybe you just want to make friends, get in better shape, or share and develop new interests.

Whatever your end goal, your objective is to steal **Curios**--AKA magic presents--from other teams. Curios gives your team new powers and points that contribute to your team's rankings. The teams in your region with the most Curio Points on midnight of Oct. 1 (CST) go on to compete in the **Ultament**--the annual championship tournament, which runs from the last Friday of April through Sunday. The winner of the Ultament is invited back to star in the next **Cursanti**, a story-based event on the last Friday of October. Whether your goal is glory in the Ultament or the opportunity to shape the outcome of the Grand Game is up to you. Let's start with worrying about how to pry those presents from your opponents' warm, slightly moist hands.

### Curios… What are they?

There are two types of curios that teams compete over:

**Team Curios** are worth 1 curio point, and

**Plot Curios** are worth 12 curio points.

In addition to being worth points, each Curio has a **Charm**—a special power which aids the team that defends it. A Curio only grants you its Charm when you are defending it with your team.  If the Curio is not in play, then it does not bestow its Charm to you.

Every team is permitted to create two curios. Any team may create a **Team Curio** upon registering their team.  For Team Curios, the team must provide its own physical curio and select a name for the curio (both of which are subject to approval), then they may pick a charm from a pre-approved list.

Plot curios are special, very powerful curios that a team must earn.  All teams in good standing are guaranteed the opportunity to earn a plot curio after meeting certain conditions (you wouldn’t want to have to protect it when your team is just a bunch of noobs anyway).  A team may also petition to donate a suitable curio if they wish.  Of course, a plot curio does not just fall into a team’s lap—it arrives with a special quest that the team must complete to earn their curio, and the plot curio will have a unique charm that is suited to its backstory.  Other plot curios may also appear in your area randomly and without warning, though you may have to compete or cooperate with other teams to secure them.

Curios are often objects which would not be safe to be running around with on the battlefield of play, so must be packaged with safety in mind.  All curios are stored in a styrofoam container with foam packing, which is itself inside a cardboard box that is wrapped like a present.  During a **Kerfuffle**, curios are most often hidden in your base, though may also be hidden in the battlefield or on a person depending on the curio.  Each curio has different rules.  All curios are accompanied by a **Curio Tile** which outlines the curio’s stats, description, and rules.  This certifies the authenticity of the curio (a curio without a tile is not a curio) and must be always kept with the physical curio.

Caring for the Curio: Between matches, a curio generally stays with the team Officer, or designee.

Curios should be returned to their container shortly after enjoying a bit of fresh air and team spirit.  They should be stored in a safe, private place where they will not be lost or stolen.  (Please don’t clean or alter the curios in any way unless instructed.)

Damage:  Despite all the protective packaging, it’s possible for damage to befall a curio what with the running around while carrying it.  If a curio or its container is damaged, the player in possession (or otherwise deemed responsible for the damage) must provide an approved replacement or that player may be charged for the damages.

## The Ultament & Cursanti

This is what it all leads to.

The Curio Wars On-Season begins on Apr. 1 (no, seriously) and ends on Sept. 30. The **Ultament** is held each Spring beginning on the last Friday of April and ending that Sunday. It’s a mirthful festival in which the top teams from the past season compete in good spirit to establish their ranking (and find out which is the ultimate team).  The top 12 teams with the most curio points from the previous season are invited to compete in the Ultament, along with an exhibition match against last year’s champions.

**Cursanti** is held each Fall beginning on the last Friday of October and ending that Sunday. It marks the end of the Curio Wars season and the start of the spooky season  … not particularly mirthful, and at this time of the year our focus shifts to the Grand Game.  The victors from the previous Ultament return as featured characters in a cooperative challenge that brings teams together.

**Next:** Teams