The Paranormal Gauntlet

THE PARANORMAL GAUNTLET: OFFICIAL ITINERARY & RULES

--- FRIDAY: THE GAUNTLET RUN ---

3:00 PM – ARRIVAL & CHECK-IN
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM. This is a Self Check-In process. You will receive a text message with a unique door code to enter the building. There is no need to check in with staff upon arrival. Simply use your code, proceed directly to your room to get settled, and meet everyone in the Ballroom at 7:00 PM.

7:00 PM – KICK-OFF (MANDATORY)
Location: The Ballroom
Agenda: Team Draft (Poltergeist, Anomaly, Phantom), Safety Briefing, and Protocols.

THE INVESTIGATION SCHEDULE
(Two 30-minute sessions per team. 15 min switch/gear return between slots.)

ROUND 1
8:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Team Poltergeist (Session 1)
(8:30 PM – 8:45 PM: EQUIP RETURN / SWITCH)

8:45 PM – 9:15 PM: Team Anomaly (Session 1)
(9:15 PM – 9:30 PM: EQUIP RETURN / SWITCH)

9:30 PM – 10:00 PM: Team Phantom (Session 1)
(10:00 PM – 10:15 PM: EQUIP RETURN / SWITCH)

ROUND 2
10:15 PM – 10:45 PM: Team Poltergeist (Session 2)
(10:45 PM – 11:00 PM: EQUIP RETURN / SWITCH)

11:00 PM – 11:30 PM: Team Anomaly (Session 2)
(11:30 PM – 11:45 PM: EQUIP RETURN / SWITCH)

11:45 PM – 12:15 AM: Team Phantom (Session 2)

Note: During your downtimes, you may use the Command Center for immediate review.

--- SATURDAY: EVIDENCE, AWARDS & AFTERPARTY ---

EVIDENCE FINALIZATION LAB
This is your team's dedicated time to review footage, select your strongest evidence, and organize files on the USB stick.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: TEAM POLTERGEIST
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: TEAM ANOMALY
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: TEAM PHANTOM

THE FINALE
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: FINAL TURN-IN (USB Sticks must be handed to Judges)
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: JUDGES DELIBERATION (Closed Session)
8:30 PM SHARP: AWARDS CEREMONY (Meet in Ballroom)

THE CELEBRATION
9:00 PM – LATE: AFTERPARTY WITH THE WRAITH CHASERS
Hang out with the Guys and sing and dance to your favorite hits into the late hours. During this time the music will be loud with lights sound and fog in the Jefferson Palace Nightclub downstairs. Warning- Rooms 13,14,15, 6 are directly above the ballroom and these rooms will be able to hear the music. If you are planning on sleeping during the afterparty choose a different room. 

--- OFFICIAL RULES & PROTOCOLS ---

OFFICIAL SCORING SYSTEM
Teams will submit their single best piece of evidence for each category. Judges will review the submission and award a point value based on quality, clarity, and distinctness, up to the maximum amount listed below.

Example: If a team submits a Spirit Box session that is vague or hard to hear, judges may award a 3 out of 10. If the session is crystal clear and relevant, judges may award a 10 out of 10.

1. AUDIO EVIDENCE
- Spirit Box Response: Max 10 Points
- EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon): Max 15 Points

2. INTERACTION
- Intelligent Response: Max 25 Points (Direct engagement, e.g., flashlight manipulation or knocking on command).

3. VISUAL EVIDENCE
- Best Photo: Max 40 Points (Unexplained anomalies, shadows, or figures).
- Best Video: Max 50 Points (The "Gold Standard"—moving shadows, apparitions, or poltergeist activity).

HOW TO WIN
The judges will total the points awarded across all categories. The team with the highest final number wins the Gauntlet.
Tie-Breaker: The team with the highest score in the "Best Video" category wins.

LOCKDOWN & ZONES
To ensure the integrity of the evidence, the following rules are strictly enforced:

1. THE HOLDING AREA
While not investigating, all participants must remain in the Ballroom and Saloon areas. You may leave the building to eat/etc, but you MUST use the Saloon Door only to exit and enter. If you need something out of your room, you will need to tell a designated employee or judge to go with you. This should be for a very important reason.

2. ACTIVE INVESTIGATION AREAS
Downstairs: Room 0, Room 2, Lobby, Main Hallway, The Kitchen.
Upstairs: Room 13, Room 14, Room 10, Room 19, Attic, Hallways.

3. RESTRICTED ZONES (NO ENTRY)
Do NOT go back to your rooms or enter hallways during active investigation times.
Restrooms: Use the restroom located downstairs outside the ballroom area only.
Guest Room Protocol: If you are staying in an investigation room (0, 2, 10, 13, 14, 19), you must place personal belongings inside your bathroom and shut the bathroom door prior to the investigation. Additionally, before coming down to the Kick-Off meeting, please turn off all TVs and lights and leave your main room door OPEN. These bathrooms are OFF LIMITS for investigation, please respect people's privacy and items inside the bathrooms.

EQUIPMENT PROTOCOLS
Provided Gear: All teams will use the exact same equipment load-out provided by Paranologies.
Outside Gear Rule: No outside equipment is permitted unless it is cleared by the judges AND made available for every team to use during their investigation. (This ensures fair play for everyone).
Intercom Alerts: We will announce over the intercom when you have 5 minutes remaining and when your session is officially over.
The Hand-Off: When you hear the "Return" announcement, it is YOUR TEAM'S RESPONSIBILITY to bring all equipment back to the Ballroom immediately. Do not leave equipment in the hallway or rooms. The next team cannot start until you return the gear.

EVIDENCE SUBMISSION RULES
Formatting: All evidence must be submitted as Video files or .JPG images.
Audio/EVP: If you capture an EVP on a digital recorder, you must use your phone to record a video of the audio playing back, and submit that video file.
Logging Timestamps: When you capture potential evidence, immediately make a note of the timestamp on your phone or camera. This will make finding your evidence much faster and easier during the review process.
Organization: Use the provided USB Stick. The stick will already have folders labeled for each category (e.g., "Best EVP", "Best Photo"). Simply drop your best files into the corresponding pre-made folder.
Deadline: All USB sticks must be turned in by the deadline stated on the schedule. No late entries accepted.