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Assess risk
personal - GemStone IV HIGHMAN GAMES 5010


EVENTS




- Ebon Gate 5109 -

- Krystanne's and Caleanon's Wedding 5109 -

- Highman Games 5110 -

- Grawood Festival 5110 -

- Mist Harbor Eastern Harbor Street Festival 5110 -

- Ebon Gate 5110 -

- Zifku's Vodka Drinking Game 5111 -

- Droughtman's Challenge 5111 -
             Challenger's view
             Best Heckles
             Key Moments

- Mist Harbor Anthem Ceremony 5111 -

- Ebon Gate 5111 -

- Ebon Gate 5112 -

- The wedding of Erienne and Nordred -

- Highman Games 5113 -

- Gweniveer and Japhrimel Wedding 5113 -

- River's Rest Pickle Festival 5113 -

- River's Rest Pickle Festival 5114 -

- River Rest Pickle Festival 5115 -










Caber Toss Field

I wandered past a magnificent wood carved statue of a hulking male figure clutching a thick log and through a clearing that led me to one of many caber toss fields. There I read the instruction for the caber toss.

picture of a caber

read sign

In the Common language, it reads:
If ya want to COMPETE, just ASK the REFEREE about it.
For ya visitors that haven't done this before, here's how it works:
First ya GET yerself a CABER and walk it upright.
Then ya gotta KNEEL, get yer hands under it and RAISE yer CABER.
Next, ya PUSH yer CABER away from yer chest and try ta balance it.
Ya can LOOK at yer CABER ta see its position.
If it don't look like it's straight, ya can LEAN yer CABER ta shift its position.
Finally, when yer ready, just TOSS yer CABER and hope for the best!

Following the instructions I began to practice.

get caber
In a series of smooth, swift motions, you heft the broad end of the caber over your head, then gracefully shift your hands downward along its length as you walk the caber forward into an upright position. Roundtime: 6 sec.
A caber toss referee grunts, "C'mon Bremerial, RAISE the caber up!"

You kneel down.
Kneeling low to the ground, you lean the caber against your shoulder so that you can slip your hands beneath it and lock your fingers into the proper support position for lifting. Veins stand out on your forehead and your jaw muscles clench in determination as you slowly attempt to stand. The weight of the tall caber is awkward and unwieldy, but you manage to maintain control, finally succeeding in raising the caber. Roundtime: 5 sec.

A caber toss referee grunts, "C'mon Bremerial, PUSH the caber off yer chest!"

With a great grunt you push the caber off your shoulders and balance it upright in your hands!
Roundtime: 6 sec.

A caber toss referee grunts, "C'mon Bremerial, TOSS the caber down the course!"
You lean the caber carefully, trying to center its weight.

Trying to keep the caber in balance, you charge forward, running a short distance before planting your feet in a deep squat. As the caber starts to rise off your shoulder, you add momentum to the toss by using your legs to push downward while your arms naturally follow through over your head. The caber flips into the air, narrow end over broad, until the heavier end hits the ground and the caber topples like a falling tree. A final bit of finesse is evident as the caber bounces lightly and holds position precisely on the intended path. What it lacked in precision, it gained in distance. That was some throw! That throw definitely soared above the rest. The caber toss referee nods and drags the caber back over to you and says, "Have at it again!

I continued practicing for 4 more consecutive throws culminating in a poor final score

A caber toss referee nods and says, "Not a bad round, I'll say it's worth about 11 points."

And this was the start of an hour of practicing in preparation for the competition to follow later in the week. After consoling myself with ever increasing scores, none of which were sufficient to find a place on the leader board, I sat back and watched Jeafwsian and Frorin show me how it should be done. I then attempted to throw again, adopting Frorin's technique for attaining a better grip on the caber

[Total modified roll = 195]
You dredge the back of your throat for some meaty phlegm and bring a gob to the tip of your tongue. You expertly shape the gob into a perfect missile and fire it straight up into the air!
You catch the glob of spittle with your right hand!
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Amazingly with one final throw I found myself peering into the distance expectantly and then back at the referee!
A caber toss referee nods and says, "Not a bad round, I'll say it's worth about 35 points."

Frorin exclaims, "Ye beat me!"
You grin.
+--------------------------------+
---------HIGH SCORES
+--------------------------------+
------ Laphrael***46
------ Droit *****45
------ Reddic****43
------ Roblar*****40
------ Razurn**** 35
------ Bronwic*** 35
------ Bremerial***35
------ Frorin *****32
------ Yarx ******31
------ Rendena ***30

Within three more rounds my score was increased to 45. It is amazing how exciting it is to be on the leader board. The only negative thing about the game was the number of injuries that I sustained... from cuts to my arms and legs to damage to my head. Only the herbs carried on my person sustained me.

I continued to practice, spurred on by the efforts of Frorin, Razurn and Grendeg. However one announcement brought my practice to an abrupt end.. the announcement of ale being sold by the picnic tables. I rushed over to the place where it was being sold. and an Issimir woman stepped over to me muttering something about the wisdom in my choice. I handed over my 200 silvers and she in turn handed me some Issimir ale.

This was how my day ended, with me drinking cool ale and contemplating the next activities to be undertaken.

I woke early on the Day of the Huntress, day 5 of the month Fashanos in the year 5110, determined to further perfect my caber tossing and to increase my cumulative score. However work within the field became more than a trial of skill. It became a social event, with humour and the consumption of fine ale exercising our attention, as much as the tossing of the caber.

After a two hours of caber tossing I decided to spy out the land and see what other activities there were left undiscovered. I challenged Tdem to an arm wrestling contest , which I duely won. I then made a foolish decision which was to have dire consequences. I decided to try my hand at shield slalom.

Shield Slalom



I wandered past the fairground to a snow-covered hill down which I assumed the the slalom would be taking place. The hill provided a natural obstacle course of trees and other shrubbery dotting the landscape. I could see why this venue had been selected. As I followed the trail to the finish line at the bottom of the hill, I noticed small, medium, and large shields haphazardly stacked where their users discarded them in teetering piles next to some stairs.

A long banner, presumably the finish line, was fluttering against its wooden uprights and, roughly ten or fifteen paces away, a broad berm of snow separated slalom participants from curious onlookers. Large basket torches blazed in a circle around the area, with smaller ones set alongside the steep mountain stairs at regular intervals to light the ascent. Gertl, who was acting as timekeeper, was standing next to a scoreboard. I gazed at the scoreboard to determine the extent of the challenge before me.

+--------------------------------+
-------HIGH SCORES
+--------------------------------+
------- Fleurs**** 835
------- Laymia*** 835
------- Corlyne*** 835
------- Renaden** 835
------- Aubriella** 835
------- Cimmorina* 835
------- Buen***** 834
------- Eugenides* 831
------- Keleborrn** 823
------- Kaedra**** 818


Had I realised that Gertl was more than a timekeeper and that he was there to furnish me with advice regarding the slalom event, then I might have asked him a few questions. As it was, I moved past him and up some stairs that took me to the start line for this activity. I picked up a small shield and opted to try out the snowbunny course for the novices. I can only assume that the words 'snowbunny' were a euphemism for 'will kill you more slowly than the harder course'. I have recorded to the best of my ability all the elements of this event.. although forgive me if I have missed anything out. I was attempting to change my brown trousers for most of the event!

[Shield Slalom, Snowbunny Course]
You careen right into the copse of trees slamming into a shoulder-wide trunk!
You manage to hold on to your shield and pull yourself back on top.
Your descent down the mountainside really takes precedence right now.
... 10 points of damage!
Strike to the eye clips the eyebrow.
You are stunned for 1 round!

You continue down the course.

A chasm splits the course ahead. Fortunately, the glacial mass on the far side has subsided, slipping several feet down the mountainside. With enough speed and the proper angle, traversing the gap should be a breeze. Splintered remains of several shields, however, give proof that that disaster is not altogether impossible. You also see some high hanging branches and some massive iron basket torches.
You hurdle down the course and slam into the jagged rocks.
You manage to hold on to your shield and pull yourself back on top.
... 5 points of damage!
Stomach shot lands with a hollow *thump*.
As you enter the steep moguls you realize too late how little control you have. The very first bump sends you flying into the air! A fantastic cartwheel is only outdone by the impact of you crashing into every bump on the hill to the bottom!
Your small warped shield flies out of your hands and skims down the mountain ahead of you!
... 10 points of damage!
Smash to the kneecap.
... 10 points of damage!
Grazing blow to your stomach.
... 10 points of damage!
Flattened your right hand.
As you enter the deep powder drifts you dive under the snow, resulting in an explosion of ice and spray!
... 10 points of damage!
Flattened your left hand.
As you whip through the snow flurry the cold bites and tears at your body. Brrrrr!
... 7 points of damage!
Torn muscle in your left leg!
... 10 points of damage!
Blow to your back cracks several vertebrae.
As you enter the steep moguls you realize too late how little control you have. The very first bump sends you flying into the air! A fantastic cartwheel is only outdone by the impact of you crashing into every bump on the hill to the bottom!.
... 1 point of damage!
Broken finger on your right hand!
... 5 points of damage!
Whiplash!
... 10 points of damage!
Bones in left arm crack.
You careen right into the copse of trees slamming into a shoulder-wide trunk!
Your descent down the mountainside really takes precedence right now.
... 5 points of damage!
Cut over your right eye.

At this point I managed 90 seconds on downhill terror without sustaining an injury. But that good luck was about to change

As you whip through the snow flurry the cold bites and tears at your body. Brrrrr!
... 5 points of damage!
Blow raises a welt on your left arm.
You hurdle down the course and slam into the jagged rocks.
... 1 point of damage!
Broken finger on your left hand!
With a sudden feeling of weightlessness, the sudden drop falls out from beneath you. For several seconds you freefall through the air before crashing to the ground with bone crushing impact!
... 7 points of damage!
Torn muscle in your right leg!
Sudden lifts and drops are nearly invisible as mottled light and dark patches of snow confuse the eyes. Wooden debris from countless shattered shields is strewn across the landscape, with broken bits of shiny metal peppered throughout. You also see a large ice tunnel and some massive iron basket torches.
With a sudden feeling of weightlessness, the sudden drop falls out from beneath you. For several seconds you freefall through the air before crashing to the ground with bone crushing impact!
... 5 points of damage! Jarring blow to your back.
As you enter the steep moguls you realize too late how little control you have. The very first bump sends you flying into the air! A fantastic cartwheel is only outdone by the impact of you crashing into every bump on the hill to the bottom!
... 7 points of damage! Torn muscle in your right leg!
... 1 point of damage!
Broken finger on your left hand!
... 5 points of damage!
You hear a buzzing in your ears from that blow!
Rimalon just slid into the course above you.
Your descent down the mountainside really takes precedence right now.
As you enter the steep moguls you realize too late how little control you have. The very first bump sends you flying into the air! A fantastic cartwheel is only outdone by the impact of you crashing into every bump on the hill to the bottom!
... 5 points of damage! Jarring blow to your back.
... 10 points of damage!
Smash to the kneecap.
... 5 points of damage!
Whiplash!
You careen right through the copse of trees grazing the twigs and trunks.
Your descent down the mountainside really takes precedence right now.
... 10 points of damage!
Strike to the eye clips the eyebrow.
You are stunned for 1 round!
As you whiz past the low hanging branches you are caught square in the face!
... 7 points of damage!
Torn muscle in your left leg!
Rutted tracks in the snow make maneuvering tricky, especially near some of the larger obstacles. From the damage apparent on some of the tree trunks, it is clear that numerous racers were unable to maintain control through this bumpy section of the track. You also see a large copse of trees and some massive iron basket torches. Obvious paths: none
It seems you have died, my friend. Although you cannot do anything, you are keenly aware of what is going on around you...
You mentally give a sigh of relief as you remember that the Goddess Lorminstra owes you a favor.
...departing in 16 mins...

My death was in effect death by 1000 cuts from rocks, branches and jutting debris. Had I spoken to Gertl I might have sustained less injuries or at least attained a score. As it was, I was so disgusted at my performance, I took the only option available to me. I allowed the Huntress to take my soul, on this, her day.

The world before you dissolves into a grainy montage of color...
You find yourself wandering amidst endless streaming light and vast nothingness. This place feels torn between two powers, polar opposites vying for your loyalty. You are surrounded by the spirits of those who could not choose. The only way out seems to be through light or darkness.
Time has no meaning as you wander aimlessly amidst the uncomfortable tugging for your attention. Hopelessness washes over dreams you once held like the creeping tide of doom.
After what could be moments, or perhaps an eternity, the goddess Lorminstra finds you wandering in the endless space and speaks soothingly to you. She gently reassembles the pieces of your tattered soul and then, taking you by the hand, the goddess leads you back to mortality...

You feel drained!
[Temple, Altar]
The altar is plain, and bears only onyx bowls of smouldering incense and smoking paraffin. Draped behind it is a cloth banner, appliqued with an ancient mystical pattern. A legend is embroidered along the bottom. On the far side of the room at the end of an aisle, you see two pillars.
Obvious exits: out

Again I repeat to all those reading my words. Obtain information about the tasks you are undertaking. Had I spoken to gertl, I would have realised that Gertl had the power to restore my life.





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