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Buryl is outmatched and he knows it--nothing he can do at this stage will turn the combat to his favor, so he gives one last half-resigned heave to try and throw off the dwarf's compact bulk, which proves ineffective. He sighs and taps out, conceding the match to Dorvar.

The crowd erupts into a round of cheering greater than that which recently greeted the end of the archery competition across the square. Cries of "Dorvar the Lumberjack" and "Dorvar the Giant-Slayer" arise spontaneously from the crowd and are taken up enthusiastically. The sore and weary dwarf is slapped repeatedly on the back by well-meaning congratulators until he needs to sit down and have a drink to recover.

After he bulk of the tumult subsides, the Duke steps forward, smiling. "Any seasoned fighter knows how essential the best of arms and armor are to success on the field of battle. But the greatest measure of a warrior's skill and spirit comes when he can rely only on his own body and mind. Congratulations, Dorvar the Dwarf, Wrestling Champion of Vaul!"

The crowd gives another cheer as the Duke presents Dorvar with a silver pin wrought cunningly into the shape of a closed fist with the numeral 1 engraved on it.

Preparations begin for the next round of competitions, with townsfolk getting new drinks and finding new spots to sit or stand as their interests dictate.

100xp for Dorvar!

Bertram applauds the triumphant wrestler. He gathers drinks for himself and Adrienne and finds a good spot to view the next competitions.

Orrin claps Dorvar heartily on the back as he exits the ring.

There's a reason they once ruled this land.

Dorvar walks over to the area by the tavern to get a drink. Ghrym, I'm not as young as I used to be. There was a time I would have whipped the competition with no rest in between and still be able to take on a few more challengers. Now, I wish to take a seat and have a mug of your special offering. Don't get me wrong- it's not that I can't take on more, just that I don't really feel like it anymore. It is more tiring than it used to be, back when I'd get into bar brawls with regularity- all part of my prior job, mind you. The dwarf looks at the bartender and gives him a sly grin. But it's still just as much fun!

2:20 arrives and the contestants gather for the next round of events. Some muse that the storytelling event might prove disastrously distracting for the high-wire participants, but they are laughed off by the contestants of the balance competition, who are in the zone and prepared to test their mettle with the threat of death on the line...

Actually, no death. There is a net to catch those who fall.

High-wire contestants
------------
Lug
Vaul
Wendall
Valorei
Abi
Dorvar


Storytelling contestants
------------
Zampari
Constance
Jem

As the high-wire contestants gathered at the foot of the pole at one end of the fifteen-foot rope hanging very slightly slack, they take one another's measure. Among them, Wendall chuckles at Lug's size. "You might be a good wrestler, but all that height only means you'll still be touching the rope when you hit the ground! Ha! Ha!"

A sullen Varas runs up to the high wire. "Is it too late to sign up?" he asks.

Valorei stops his last minute balancing practice to wave at Varas as he runs up, "Varas! It is good to see you! You are still up to come with me to the east after this festival yes? Those elves won't find themselves Haha!"

Too late, sorry!

Dorvar sees Varas and overhears that he is unable to sign up for the highwire contest. Varas, you may have my spot in the competition. I entered mainly as a joke, so if you wish to compete, I am happy to withdraw in order to free up a spot for you.

Olympia walks up to her friends Dorvar and Varas and claps them on the shoulders, still a bit sore from the wrassling math. She gives Dorvar a kiss on the cheek and cheers loudly. "Congratulations on besting that mighty beast!" she laughs. "Dorvar the Lumberjack, they say--who felled the mighty oak!" She hugs him and offers to buy his next drink.

Well, if you are buying, it would be rude of me to turn down a drink! says Dorvar, winking at Olympia.

The rules for the highwire are thus:

You make a straight DEX check to cross from one end of the highwire to the other. You get one point for a successful crossing.

You can elect (before rolling) to attempt one or more "tricks" as you cross the highwire, each of which decreases your effective DEX by two points for the check. You get one additional point for each trick you succeed in IF you make it all the way across. You must narrate each trick you attempt in order to have it count for points!

A failed DEX check means you fall off the wire. Two falls and you are disqualified from further attempts. Only the points from your highest-scoring pass on the wire are counted. The format is round-robin, excluding those who have already bowed out or reached their limit of two falls.

If you get a natural 20 on your DEX check, you may be subject to injury or other unpleasantness (roll on secret table will determine).

If a round begins and all active contestants have the same score (and it is greater than 1), each new round begins with only the highest-scoring contestants advancing.

Lug: points 0, falls 0
Vaul: points 0, falls 0
Wendall: points 0, falls 0
Valorei: points 0, falls 0
Abi: points 0, falls 0
Varas: points 0, falls 0

As Lug queues up, The Wendall once again snickers. "Timbeeeeeeeeeer," he stage-whispers.

Ulf steps up to the highwire. "Doesn't look that high to me," he says.

He steps up to the not-so-highwire platform, gives it one good look, then turns around and closes his eyes. He steps back onto the wire, then moonwalks his way backward and blind all the way across the wire.

At the other end, he opens his eyes and takes a bow to the crowd. "That's the backward no-look wire-cross!"

Ulf, high-wire, trick move (Dex: 14-2): [1d20] = 1

Any bonuses for a natural 1?

Too bad Ulf isn't signed up.

Lug: points 0, falls 0
Vaul: points 0, falls 0
Wendall: points 0, falls 0
Valorei: points 0, falls 0
Abi: points 0, falls 0
Varas: points 0, falls 0