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Ulmen Trials Rules and Requirements

Ulmen Trials 2004 Card Manipulation ...back to About

The Ulmen Trials is the toughest test of Xtreme Card Manipulation ever conceived. It consists of 13 steps, each step requiring the challenger to complete a difficult move, series of moves, or to create an original move to meet strict requirements. Upon completing the trials, the individual or individuals attain the Ulmen “Master” title and a medallion in memory of the original Ulmen 4. History of the Ulmen Trials The Ulmen Trials were established many years ago, and continues to this day in memory of the original founders who have all deceased since. The trials began as a way for these 4 members to challenge each other and took many forms to include card manipulation.



It began as informal meetings that 4 very close friends would have to attempt specific goals that they would set for each other. These friends, the Ulmen 4, would meet once a month to see how close they could get to their goals. Their stunts grew legendary within their circles around the small villages throughout the Eifle region of Germany. Many of these stunts included physical dangers such as completing 3 backflips in the air starting from the ground, stunts with fire, and other hazards. Their challenges would continue to become harder and harder throughout the years, with many people gathering just to see the Ulmen 4 attempt the impossible. Their goals would always be out of reach for themselves as they believed that to truly excel or move forward meant to try to accomplish the impossible. Simply put, “shoot for the stars, and catch the moon.” The Ulmen Trials card manipulation challenge began when several members enjoyed the game of “Deckle flipping” which is a game of manipulation skill in Germany. It began with flipping playing cards, and the Ulmen 4 quickly created many other ways to manipulate the cards. Two of the members began to create moves to be used in their poker games, and then the challenges with cards began. Very quickly some of the original challenges included cards manipulated with their feet, and on fire, and many other outrageous creations. As the members got better with their manipulation, the challenges and tests of each others skill got even more outrageous until many of the challenges were not achievable. The Ulmen 4 convened and set 13 goals/challenges to measure each other by. Everyone would finally have the exact same goals for card manipulation! These tests and challenges were on a scale, with the easiest being step #1, building to the hardest of step #13. They designed these challenges to be incredibly difficult compared to their skill level which at the time was extremely high! Some of the original Trial steps/challenges were physically impossible to complete, yet the Ulmen 4 members would continually attempt these feats and eventually none of them would ever complete their unbelievable goals. Several members were seriously injured while attempting their challenges. The Ulmen Trials is about the individual, what they are capable of doing and pushing their internal limits to the end. This isn’t just about cards and what moves you can do, it’s about a personal commitment and the growth of both the human mind and body. Marius Sr., one of the original members of the Ulmen 4 asked his son Marius Jr. before he passed on, to continue the tradition and also requested that the challenges be adjusted to be more realistic, achievable, and present less of a danger to those that wish to take them. Several sons from the Original Ulmen 4 are keeping the Ulmen Trials alive today! Last year, the representing party of the Ulmen 4 convened and changed the trials to meet their fathers’ goals. They made the first 6 trials fairly simple to attract more individuals to come and take part of their fathers’ tradition. They inducted De’vo vom Schattenreich’s Cobra cut into the trials which was a huge honor to both De’vo, and Handlordz. De’vo has always been a supporter of the Ulmen Trials and the Ulmen 4. Many of his moves were developed to complete the original Ulmen Trials as his personal goal was to follow in the footsteps of Marius Sr. De’vo vom Schattenreich was among the first 6 people to compete in the “new” Trial requirements and he is currently the leader of the trials and will go to Ulmen this July to try and tackle one of the more difficult requirements. The Ulmen Trials Today -Ulmen Trials 2004-

We just got back home from the 2004 Ulmen Trials and damn what a trip it was! Here is a basic play by play by day of our trip...

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The new Ulmen Trials is broken into steps. The first 8 steps represent life. This is due to the fact that the original members never made it past the 8th step (old trial requirements) before their death. Through-out the first 8 steps the challenger is in human form. The 8th step is entitled “Cradle to Grave” and represents the life of the competitor. Completion of this step represents the death of the human form and birth of the inhuman form. De’vo is the first to move past death and is why the Ulmen 4 named him “De’vo vom Schattenreich”. Vom Schattenreich means “from the shadow empire”. This is an honor for De’vo, although he knows that he could of never of passed the original 8 steps of the trials. He trained for years and could only get to step 4 of the old trials because of the Ulmen 4’s extremely high goals and requirements. The first 8 steps of the new trials are human form because the representing Ulmen 4 party believes that these are goals that human can conquer, and De‘vo has clearly proved this. The remaining steps however are considered inhuman and some are taken from the original trials (lowers steps). The first 6 steps are always given out to those that wish to come and test their personal power and take the Ulmen Trials. Upon arrival and competing in Ulmen, the remainder of the trials will be given to the competitor. This ensures that the competitor will concentrate on the natural progression of the ladder instead of wasting energy on more difficult challenges that are far off from their skill level. When an individual completes a step, it is completed forever and they receive a scroll of completion. The following year, they will not have to repeat the steps they have already completed. This lets the challenger concentrate on the next challenges instead of worrying about the steps they already completed. Requirements are very stringent and are enforced by the Ulmen 4. The individual taking the challenges will be alone with the Ulmen 4 in the old castle ruins where the Trials are held. The Trials is about the individual and their personal power. The feeling of being in the ruins, with only the Ulmen 4 is a very powerful one. The Ulmen 4 wear black cloaks in memory of their fathers and stand in front of you watching carefully that you fulfill the requirements. There is no slack by the Ulmen 4, after all the trials are about pushing personal boundaries and fulfilling the Ulmen 4’s original dream. Ready to take on the challenges? Read the Rules and Requirements