Geronimo

Geronimo is a game that was invented in 2004. There were only a couple Sunday afternoon activities that where getting old and there had not been a new evening activity for many years. Mike Mattson suggested to Ryno to come up with something new. Ryno knew that the campers were capable of playing a more complicated game and was interested in some way to bring back the Native American mythology that was present at Birch Rock in the 50's. It took a whole summer of brainstorming with all the staff and several campers. It was first played at the end of '04. The rules of the game are akin to those of Capture the Flag but in many ways it is very different. Geronimo has been fine tuned in the years following it's creation. The game has become very much a part of camp life, with rituals and gatherings of the teams happening well before the game is actually played.

The Story

The Red Wolf

The Black Elk

Long ago there was One Great Tribe with one Chief. There was peace, and food was bountiful. The Chief had two sons, Black Elk and Red Wolf, and only one would become the next leader of the tribe. When the Chief died in his sleep one night, he moved on to the Spirit World. From there he appeared in their dreams and told them that they must decide who will become leader. The next morning the two brothers began arguing over whom would become the Chief. One of them reached for their father’s Spirit Staff, and the other tried to take it from him. They began to wrestle for it. In the blindness of their anger they forgot this staff, made by the Ancient Ones was very fragile. The staff broke in two, each brother clutching a half. In their anger over breaking the staff Black Elk and Red Wolf each took half the tribe and went off into to a new area in the Great Woods...

Food became scarce, and water sources dried up. Competition formed, and soon erupted into a tribal war. The tribes meet on an open field to settle their feud in battle. The field became soaked with the blood of the two tribes, and many a good many good men were lost on both sides. There were only a few left on the Battlefield when Red wolf came upon Black Elk… and they began to fight. Suddenly in a blast of wind and light the spirit of their father appeared with all the Great Spirits. The brothers instantly stopped fighting and realized how foolish they were. They gave their word to never fight each other again. Their father’s spirit told them to met here every summer to hold a loving battle in memory of the men who had passed on to the Spirit World. The spirits faded and told them “Help the other fellow" in unison.

Now each summer the two tribes meet each other on the Battle field with smiles and laughter instead of weapons. The game keeps the tribe’s skills honed in case there is an invading danger. The Spirit of the Great Chief of the One Great Tribe always watches over each game... and his name is Geronimo!!

Gameplay

Your Mission

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To return the other tribe’s Spirit Stick to The Center.

Field of Play

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Anyone can kill anyone outside of Chief's Land

Geronimo is played with a central Battlefield containing Sacred Circles and The Center. The Battlefield is bordered by two Chief’s Lands on opposite ends. Inside each Chief’s Land is a Circle of the Ancients. Inside each of these holy circles is one of the two Spirit Sticks. The Battlefield does not belong to ether tribe therefore any player can be killed on it by any other player. Battle is never safe.

Sacred Circles

The Center Circle

These circles lay within the Battlefield. An unoccupied Sacred Circle is neutral and may be claimed by either tribe, thus making it safe for that tribe. It takes two members from a tribe to claim a circle. When a Sacred Circle fills with to many players from one tribe it upsets The Balance and angers the Great Spirits who may rush the circle trying to kill the players and restore The Balance.

If a player gets a stolen Spirit Stick into one of these circles it does not return to the Circle of the Ancients if the player is killed. Instead it returns to the last Sacred Circle it entered. A carrier of a Spirit Stick can take over any Sacred Circle.

At the middle of the Battlefield is The Center. In this circle the Spirit Sticks start and finish. At the start of the game both tribes are in their Chief’s Land and one member of each tribe runs out, grabs their Spirit Stick, runs to the Chief’s Land and placed in the Circle of the Ancients. Only then may the tribe charge the field.

Chief's Land

At opposite ends of the Battlefield is the Chief’s Lands. Within it is the Circle of the Ancients. Only Chiefs may guard this circle which holds the Spirit Stick. No other tribe member may enter the Chief’s Land of that tribe. Only a Rival Tribe Warrior may enter the Circle of the Ancients to steal the Spirit Stick.

Classes

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There are three different classes one can play as in Geronimo.

Warriors

The honorable main force of the Tribe. Warriors are much like Knights or Samurai. They are the heroes of the Tribe. The Warriors defend the edge of the Chief’s Land and charge into the Rival Tribe’s Chief’s land to capture their Spirit Stick. Only a Warrior may capture the Spirit Stick and return it to The Center.

Chiefs

The true backbone of the Tribe. Chiefs make or break a game. Only a Chief may guard a Circle of the Ancients, and guard it with their life they do. It is a sacred position to protect the Tribe’s holy symbol. If a Chief leaves their land before a Spirit Stick is stolen they become a Warrior. A Chief may chase a captured stick’s carrier out of the Chief’s Land, but they must return to their land when the carrier gets killed or enters a sacred circle.

Shaman

The mystic healers of the Tribe. Their lives are spent performing and perfecting the rituals that maintain the link between the Tribe and the Great Spirits. This fills their bodies with spiritual energy. During battle it is them alone who can bring the Dead back to life, because of the spiritual energy in them. A Shaman does not steal the Spirit Stick or returning it to The Center, for it would disturb their energy. They can carry it on the Battlefield. They allowed to enter Chief’s Land, but only to heal Chiefs

Experimental Classes

Berzerker Pearson

A few different classes have been tried out over the years.

• Archer: Throws hackey sacks to kill enemies.
• Berserker: Not affiliated with any team but instead wants to kill as many people as possible. Can be killed but only for one minute after which the berzerker is resurrected.