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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 5240184" data-attributes="member: 92305">-- Grulklim -- The Grulklim is a ritual that a Blue Fox clansman may attempt in a personal challenge to himself. Those who succeed are admired by the entire clan. A person who wins the grulklim wins for himself a sense of self-worth and inner peace. This is the closest Cimmerians get to attaining a higher level of mind and body. In front of the entire town, and many times with most of the clan as witness, the clansman will strip naked and climb one of the standing stones of his choosing. If the clansman is a member of one of the town's six original founding families, then often he will choose to climb the stone of his family's namesake. Other clan members climb any of the seven stones for various reasons, but the Thrallan stone is climbed most often because it is tallest. The clansman climbs naked, as the rock is naked, with a knife, dagger, or similar tool clenched between his teeth. The climb, in such a manner is quite a delicate procedure. Use the standard climbing rules to conduct the Grulklim. A number of climbing checks is required based on the climber's climb rate. It's a DC 27 to climb any of the stones. (If the climber has Speed 30, it takes 6 checks to reach the top of Thrallan, Caelis, Foilloch, Silaigne, or Huogh. It takes 5 checks to reach the top of Daollcohr or Padrang.) Once at the top, the climber uses the tool he had clenched in his teeth to chip out a small piece of the stone--usually about the size of the thumb to the first joint--then climbs back down. The stone chip is then proffered to the Clan Elder, who uses a sharp edge on the stone to cut two diagonal lines pierced by a vertical line on the climber's body. The two diagonal lines symbolize life's challenges while the vertical line represents the victor who has conquered all obstacles laid before him. Where this cut is made is entirely up to the climber. Climbers who have conquered the Grulklim will have the cuts made on his chest or cheek. The marking is an honor testament to skill, persistence, and endurance. Cimmerians are not apt to boast, though. Most often, the cuts are made on the climber's forearm or shoulder. The climber keeps the stone, most often wearing it on a leather thong around his neck or using it as a charm that hangs from a favored weapon. The stone, itself, is referred to as a "grulklim". Thus, if a climber conquered Thrallan's stone, the necklace made from the retrieved stone would be called "Thrallan's Grulklim". Those that have conquered the Grulklim are as revered among the Cimmerians as are Games Athletes among the Hyborians. It is not unusual for Cimmerians from other clans to come to Seven Stones Ridge to attempt the challenge. Even if a bloodfeud exists between the Urrogh and the climber, a temporary truce is respected to allow the Cimmerian his chance at obtaining the Grulklim.</blockquote>

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