Category:Kindred Games

Renamed Kindred Games in 2023, the Highman Games at Jirkil's Hilltop is a giantman festival surrounding the games played by the Highman and Shantira tribes of the Bear Clan.

History

Jirkirl's Hilltop is located near a half-day hike and climb from the base of the Yuriqen tree settlement. Its founder, Jirkirl, was an Issimir who decided to take advantage of some of the scruples of the Yuriqen merchants who would not sell metals and other goods. He set up several small shops with his kegritsha a small distance away from the sylvan village on the top of a small hill. Before long other giantkin came along to Jirkirl's Hilltop to start new businesses, new lives, or just to get away from the larger cities and be with other Giantkin.

During a particularly harsh winter, the Highman and Shantira tribes of the Bear Clan decided to move off the freezing peaks to a climate a bit more suited for their seasonal battle. The closer they got to the Hilltop, more and more of them decided to head to the city to replenish their alcohol supplies before fighting. As both tribes realized all of the members of the other were there, they decided (in quite the drunken planning session) to forego the seasonal battle in interest of contests of a slightly different nature. Thus was the Highman Games born.

The tribe chieftains met just outside the Tavern of the Hairless Rolton to plot what contests would be had. They eventually settled on Log Tossing, Hammer Throwing, Arm Wrestling, and of course the Drinking Game. After they argued about whether the drinking game had already been started and concluded, they decided to bring one game their tribes played on their own time. The Shantira decided to bring their Shantira Slalom, which consists of sitting on one's shield and rocketing down a snow-covered slope while avoiding obstacles. The Highmen decided on a massive Tug of War game involving every member of each tribe and one of Elanthia's strongest ropes.

The first set of games was won by the Highman tribe, who decided in their victory to name the event after their tribe. They also vowed to make the Games a yearly event to replace that season's battle. Ever since, both tribes have kept their part of the bargain and met at Jirkirl's Hilltop to try to best each other in the contests. A room in the Hairless Rolton depicts the victory marks of the year's champions all the way back to the very first Games.