1st annual zerdargian games and festival

[Firebird]

1st Annual Zerdargian Games and Festival

3rd cycle of Cryxatum

Whereas

the citizens of the City of Zerdargia, of the Administrate of Centripax have reopened their gates for trade with Aelyrian Kingdom and

Whereas

the citizens of the City of Zerdargia have expressed a desire for all citizens of the Kingdom to visit the City

Therefore

the citizens of the City of Zerdargia request the honor of your presence at the 1st Annual Zerdargian Games and Festival. All citizens of the Kingdom are welcome. We especially invite all citizens of the kingdom to participate in the Dwarven Games including:

CABER TOSS
A long tapered pine pole or log is stood upright and hoisted by the competitor who balances it vertically holding the smaller end in his hands. Then the competitor runs forward attempting to toss it in such a way that it turns end over end with the upper (larger) end striking the ground first. The smaller end that was originally held by the athlete then hits the ground in the 12 o'clock position measured relative to the direction of the run. If successful, the athlete is said to have turned the caber. Competitors are judged on how closely their throws approximate the ideal 12 o'clock toss on an imaginary clock.

STONE PUT
1. The "Burk Stone" uses a 20–26 lb stone for men (13–18 lb for women) and does not allow any run up to the toeboard or "trig" to deliver the stone, i.e., it is a standing put.
2. In the "Denisson Stone" using a 16–22 lb stone for men (or 8–12 lb for women), the thrower is allowed to use any throwing style so long as the stone is put with one hand with the stone resting cradled in the neck until the moment of release. Most athletes in the open stone event use either the "glide" or the "spin" techniques.

DWARVEN HAMMER THROW
In the Dwarven event, a round metal ball (weighing 16 or 22 lb for men or 12 or 16 lb for women) is attached to the end of a shaft about 4 feet in length and made out of wood. With the feet in a fixed position, the hammer is whirled about one's head and thrown for distance over the shoulder. Hammer throwers sometimes employ specially designed footwear with flat blades to dig into the turf to maintain their balance and resist the centrifugal forces of the implement as it is whirled about the head. This substantially increases the distance attainable in the throw.

WEIGHT OVER THE BAR
also known as weight for height. The athletes attempt to toss a 56 pound (4 stone) weight with an attached handle over a horizontal bar using only one hand. Each athlete is allowed three attempts at each height. Successful clearance of the height allows the athlete to advance into the next round at a greater height. The competition is determined by the highest successful toss with fewest misses being used to break tie scores.

JOUSTING
Two contestants shall face each other, sword and shield in hand, in a ten foot circle. The first jouster to push the other out of the circle wins. No hands may be used except with sword. Bodyweight can factor in the push but each contestant shall only use swords on the other's shield.

DRINKING CONTEST
Contestant who drinks 5 two pint of ale fastest is winner. Ale must end up in mouth not beard. No more than 10 contestents in one contest.

AXE THROWING
stumps will be placed at 10 foot increments. The farthest throw with the axe landing in the middle of the stump wins.

PICKAXE (BOULDER BUSTING)
Two large stones are placed in a circle. Two contestents have three tries to break the boulder into small pieces. The one with the most pieces wins.

CULTURAL EVENTS-DWARVEN

STORY TELLING - 500 word or less story depicting dwarven culture
ORIGINAL POETRY - Best original poem depicting dwarven culture
COMEDY STORY OR ROUTINE- depicting dwarven culture

CETHER HEARTLAND DANCING (NON DWARVEN RACES MAY ENTER)
BAGPIPE/CETHER FIDDLE/DRUMMING,OR OTHER MUSICAL COMPETITION (NON DWARVEN RACES MAY ENTER)

OTHER RACES

STORY TELLING - 500 word or less story depicting their culture
ORIGINAL POETRY - Best original poem depicting their culture
COMEDY STORY OR ROUTINE - depicting their culture

ARCHERY COMPETITION
WRESTLING
CRAFTS
MARTIAL ARTS

THE ENTRY FEES ARE LOW ONLY 25 CROWNS UP TO A MAZIMUM OF 100 CROWNS FOR FOUR OR MORE EVENTS ENTERED. IF LESS THAN 3 PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR AN EVENT, THE EVENT WILL BE CANCELLED.

THE PURSES FOR THE GAMES WILL BE OFFERED STARTING AT 1,000 CROWNS FOR WINNER, 250 CROWNS FOR THE TWO RUNNERS UP.

A KING AND QUEEN OF THE FESTIVAL WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE SPRING DANCE AT MINITH FIELD AT THE CLOSE OF THE FESTIVAL.

All vendors who would like to set up booths in the areas of the games, should contact the Festival Offices. A 25 crown administrative fee will be charged to all vendors to set up booths. Contact us now for the best sites. Sites will be handed out on a first come, first served basis. Accomodations will be on a first come first served basis. A section of the Veldar Elite Parade grounds will be open for campers. Camping fee is 5 crowns.

We hope you will consider visiting our City and all its fine amenities during the 3rd week of Cryxatum.

[Firebird]

Sorry I didn't capitalize the heading .... oh well

[fetch]

Taken from the Dargis Messenger a local newsletter written by one Hotatio Peritwinkle.

The Zerdargian Festival My dear readers the Third cycle of Cryaxtum is upon us and the city is thronging with new faces flocking to the festival. Indeed the CSM of the Veldar Elite the war hero Dirgus Stonethrottle reports that at least three arrests were made for driving a horse and cart too fast in the city endangering persons and property this very brightening. These villains will be spending the next cycle under the tender mercies of the city jail. [Names withheld pending trial] The city is in full bunting and from nigh on every window and door brightly coloured flags adorn our great city, excitement is rife and a local bookmaker tells me that prodigious amounts of gold is changing hands on the many events. It has been reported that sales of ale have doubled in the previous cycle as the locals gear themselves up for a season of merriment. The New Diamond Brewery issued a statement today We expect to match demand for our new spring ale with some ease extra employees have been brought in and our stocks are sufficient for at least six months consumption Mr Doric Pick [dwarf age 250] was heard to remark on the confident statement of the brewery that “It’s bad news lads I intended to drink yon bugga dry meself what’s the rest of ye going to do?” As I write the leading organiser of the festival prepares to make a speech of welcome and we all await the words of Mrs Gladys Weatherstone with bated breath. But my dear readers why a festival at all? It is here that I am grateful to Professor Pulius Goldbrick of the Dargis institute for Dwarven Affairs in Dargis I quote the leaned professor It had happened deep inside the underground city of Dargis. Much debate has ensued about the decision to partially reopen relations with the sister city Zerdargia and old memories have been engaged .One junior dwarven scholar whilst researching in the archives has come across massive rolls of cloths and when curiosity compelled him to unroll these protective bindings an artefact so rare so precious and for so long forgotten was revealed. This is “The Dargian Tapestry” sewn and embroidered by the nimble fingers of the females over many eras it tells in graphic form the history, traditions and culture of the dwarf. This discovery long thought lost in the deepest annals of time was carefully unrolled to reveal its secrets. It measures nearly fifty feet long and eight feet high and was sewn in a highly stylised fashion. It shows the passage of the dwarfs from foreign lands, the rise and construction of the city of Dargis, it depicts the dwarf at work and play, at peace and war, all in brilliant colours that its long but careful storage has not diminished . This marvel was studied at some length by Dargian scholars but it was a particular portion of the tapestry that caught our attention It depicts the dwarf at play under the bright suns of Telath brilliantly captured in threads of many hues it shows the normally serious dwarf enjoying sports and games. This caused great debate amongst the scholars and politician of the underground city this was our heritage and our history that the long sojourn in the dark of Dargis had been denied us. The recent development of relations with the sister city Zerdargia has warmed the Dargian heart. There are differences between us that time and events has caused but at heart the upperworld and underworld share a common heritage. One scholar proposed that “if these games of skill and strength were depicted upon the tapestry then surely they represented the flowering of dwarven culture and that now these games have shown themselves on the tapestry then possibly the way to draw closer to Zerdargia was to hold a version of the games” Much negotiation was held, the upperworld better used to dealing with the races of Aelyria proposed that these games should be open to all races of good faith. The underworld argued that these were specifically dwarfen events and they were celebrating the dwarfen culture. The counter argument won the brightening….one Zerdargian argued persuasively that “if we are to demonstrate our culture then we should stand proud and invite the other races to witness and participate in the glory that is dwarfdom agreement was reached upon this point and the games were born.

Addendum The festival has started a pageant of music, colour and gaiety, processions of young dwarfs dressed in mock armour led the dignitaries to the grandstand on Minith Field and set up a great deal of noise and laughter. The four main leaders the estimable dwarfs of clans Weatherstone, Burk, Goldbrick and Derisson were prominent upon the grandstand each magnificent in full ceremonial robes of fur and leather each holding their axes of leadership a potent reference to the lost axe of King Thorin the last great king of the dwarfs. But these worthies held back in deference to the single dwarf who had taken the weight of the festival upon her shoulders. Mrs Gladys Weatherstone dressed in a well cut dark blue ball gown that only allowed a hint of the fetching yellow hobnail boots she wore on her feet. Her hair was up in a magnificent style that could only be described as a bee hive and threaded through with diamonds on a silver string. A 250th wedding anniversary present from her husband I am reliably informed. Matching this headdress her beard artfully curled for the occasion was set with more matching diamonds. Mrs Weatherstone spoke showing no nervousness often noticeable with those unaccustomed with public speaking …… My fellow dwarf our valued visitors and residents of the great city welcome to the Zerdargian festival! Loud cheers it gives me great pleasure and no little pride to have been asked to open this festival of all things dwarf. It has been many eras since dwarfdom has opened its doors to all fair races and asked them to join us in celebrating what it means to be a dwarf more cheering and applause There have been dark times for this old city we have suffered greatly low moans and rumbles of agreement but now we are open for business. We welcome our visitors to Zerdargia and hope that you will judge us with some sympathy Mr Doric Pick~ “if there’s any lip I split ’em with me axe I tells yer hic!” and understanding. Therefore it gives me great pleasure to declare the festival open more loud cheers and woops and as a symbol of the great history and traditions of the dwarfs I ask that the back drop to the festival be revealed. It was at this point that the children who had processed through the city ran to the back of the stage and pulling on ropes slipped the dull black back cloth away to reveal The Dargis Tapestry a riot of colour and stitch work shining in the twin suns stretched right across the back stage area it was magnificent dear readers a work of art of the highest order unseen for uncounted eras it shone . Here was the history of the dwarf captured for posterity in a single work. This poor reporter was dumbstruck by the sight of this art work as were most of the assembled crowd but dear readers you will receive a detailed analyses of the work in later editions of this newsletter. The festival is open for business the games will begin the feasting and dancing will commence. Zerdargia is proud of its efforts and hopes that many will come to our city to join in and see what it is to be a dwarf.