Iron Wyrm Vault

Illus. by H. Lyon

The highest spire athletes are encouraged to make their own precautionary arrangements . The ban against magic is the only rule once climbing begins . Interfering with other climbers is frowned upon, but not prohibited .

Recharge: After a character has become the year’s Spire Hawk, no one can benefit from the highest spire’s special ability for 1 year . The next year, a new climber earns the title (this could be the previous year’s champion) .

No character can gain more than one bonus feat from the highest spire, though a second victory still bestows the other benefits noted below .

Special Ability (Ex): The experience of scaling the highest spire grants a character insight into her own athletic talents that she never realized before . She gains her choice

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You rely on your agility to perform athletics feats, rather than brute strength.

Prerequisite: Climb 1 rank, Jump 1 rank.

Benefit: When making a Climb or Jump check, you use your Dexterity modifier for the check.

Normal: Without this feat, you use your Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.

This feat first appeared in Races of the Wild.

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of Skill Focus (Climb) or Agile Athlete (see the sidebar) as a bonus feat .

Additionally, that character earns the title “Spire Hawk” and receives a finely crafted wooden medallion carved with the image of the archon at the tower’s peak . For the next year, that character holds the champion’s title and wears this medallion, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with natives of the city that is home to the highest spire. In addition, the character receives a 10% discount on all goods and services purchased in that city (up to a maximum discount of 1,000 gp on items or services costing 10,000 gp or more) .

Duration: The bonus feat conferred by this location is permanent . The other benefits remain until the next city festival, a year later . At that time, the character must be the first to climb the highest spire again, or lose these benefits to the new champion .

Variation: The highest spire might be any location that involves an annual feat of skill and endurance . Changing this location to suit your campaign is as simple as making the event a lengthy marathon, night-long ball, song competition, scavenger hunt, or any other trial that tests the competitors’ ability and stamina. The frequency of the event might also change, shortening to several times a year or becoming a rare festival that occurs only once a decade . The difficulty might also change, even requiring Constitution checks (perhaps of increasing