Ushre'ah
Summary
A spherical, rounded ball principally made of a stitched-together rachtoh silk shell, and filled with some mysterious material. The silk itself is a creamy white, and it has fanciful blues, turqoise, and ruby-red colored patterns etched into it with secondary threads. A tight, thin wrapping of brown leather secures everything tightly, giving the ball's shell a rather sturdy feel despite its responsive bounciness. Few sports command the prestige or history that of good ball play does in Immensio. The simple ball has found itself in dozens of competitive formats from a simple ring in the ground, to various hoops, trick shots, and other fanciful arrangements. Of all its famed competitors, none more than old Odora, its spiritual godmother, holds renown across all the nomads. A natural-born pacifist, her ignoble lifestyle led to ridicule and scorn from her fellows for not taking up the clan's warrior tradition. It would be when she filled in for a ball player who'd fallen sick that her world radically transformed. Odora's fierce competitive spirit awoke, and although she lost the matches, had a craving love for playing ball. Such it would be that when her own clan would not entertain her wishes, she departed to others, enlisting as a foreign player on any team that would take her. So it came to be, through her unrelenting dedication and cultivated skill, she climbed to the top of competitive form. A mercenary in all but name, whoever could offer the most interesting matches received her help. Countless dozens received an indirect tutelage, pushing the sport to ever greater heights. It is from her favorite rules to play under that the twelve ball games came to be; hence, they are the most played in Immensio. Confronted by the inadequacy of balls at the highest levels of play, Odora had a special one commissioned for her. No one is certain who built it exactly, but none could doubt its center of gravity, pleasantness to hold, and unrelenting durability. Some accused it of foul play, but Odora was just as comfortable using ordinary balls (and destroying them utterly over the course of a match). Eventually, no one really bothered accusing her of cheating. The crowning moment of her career came in a moment so strange, historians still have trouble validating it. As the sayings go, one day a sudden Forsaken mass appeared, rampaging across the plains. A legendary undead by the name of Japernkax headed it, once an honorable warrior returned with vengeance. Unable to evacuate in time, the gaming league and its surrounding clans prepared for a brutal battle to the death. Odora, however, walked out and challenged Japernkax directly. Although stripped of their sanity, Japernkax's honor wouldn't abide turning down the challenge. And so, Odora trained Japernkax to play her twelve favorite games over the course of a week. Then, for five days and nights, they dueled in an grueling series of one-on-one matches. Victory swung in either direction, and the onlookers couldn't tell who would decisively take the lead. The Forsaken and normal people alike were enraptured by the spectacle, both athletes competing with unbelievable skill. By the end of it all, Japernkax clawed victory out, securing three decisive matches and winning. The two of them laughed and clapped hands together, and Japernkax left with the other Forsaken. Bewildered, everyone asked Odora what had happened, to which she famously declared, "They just wanted a good time. Now, they've gone to rest." Indeed, hunters who followed the Forsaken found them laying themselves into the veltron, never stirring again. Priestesses later came to give them their final rites, and so they found peace. Odora would go on to continue competing until old age finally took its toll, and the rest of her days were spent teaching her beloved games to new generations. Her prized ball, hence called Ushre'ah, roughly, 'bouncing joy', would be passed down to the champions of her twelve games. It is considered proper ceremony to use the ball for the most important matches, where it would bring good airs and fiery spirits to the competition.Mechanics & Inner Workings
Ushre'ah itself has a phenomenal degree of craftswomanship--to the degree it wouldn't be unsound if a dragon or two had been involved. Those who play with the ball find themselves with a clearer state of mind, unblemished by prejudices or the fear of failure. Aim, accuracy, and certainty of movement are all exemplified; ostensibly, in the name of a better athlete.
Significance
There are those who, quite superstitiously, believe the ball to carry on Odora's spirit and that of the competitors of her games. In such a light, it is an almost holy artifact, and important to the nomads of Immensio.
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