History & Lore
One of Espen's oldest and most secretive traditions is the Frörsto Raj. Unlike other traditions across Espen, this particular event is hosted in a different Dwarven city each winter. Part of the reasons for the secrecy and venue change is to afford no particular city or lineage a consistent advantage. As the Frösto Raj (literally translated from the Old Dwarvish to mean Frozen Trials) is one of the few traditions that remain from the Warring Kings Era.
The tradition is a 3-day competition centered around a series of Old Dwarvish games. Teams must have at least two Dwarves on them. The standard four games are the Lithic Stäk, Krushtan, & 20 Røk.
- Lithic Stäk - A game of skill and precision requiring the handling of precisely cut stones to be stacked in formation by teams of 3.
- Krushtan - A game of brute force, in which teams of two are given 2 minutes to smash as many Grade D stones as they can.
- 20 Røk - A game of strategy requiring one team's stone's to be knocked out of the field of play by the other team's stones using a regulation Krallop (a 20 lb. rounded stone polished to a mirror finish)
The fourth competition is decided on by the Apostle King or Queen of the city (or patron town if not hosted in a city proper)
- Hill to Hilt - A local mine is required for this game, during this competition a team of three races mine a substantial amount of ore, smelt it and forge it into a hilt worthy of a Dwarven Dagger.
- Hotstone - Stones, weighing 15 lb are placed in each hand of a competitor, with 1 point awarded for each minute the stones are held outstretched in each palm, if the hands drop below the shoulders a competitor is eliminated.
- Precision Split - 3-ton stones are brought in for this event. For each team, one competitor is given three strikes to split the stone. Teams are given 30 minutes and 5 wedges to prep their stones, at the end of the 30 minutes an individual is given 3 minutes to make the three attempts. The clock begins on the first strike.
Cultural Relevance:
Though the location, date, and time of each Frösto Raj are secreted among the Dwarven populations, the winners gain a substantial amount of notoriety with the Dwarven people. The winning teams are invited to a gala with the Apostle Queen/King of the host city.
Observances
Frösto Raj occurs on the first day of the new year. Primrose 1 is considered a time for forgetting past grievances and embracing new things.
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