>EURMAL DUELS
>Eurmal cultists have a special relationship with Humakti; the latter
>hate the former. One spell quite common among the third and second
>types of Trickster apes the theft and spreading of Death; it allows
>the Trickster to create an illusionary weapon, which will be a
>perfect copy of an existing weapon (often the sword of a Humakti).
>Eurmali like to mock the Humakti, and one of these mockings is the
>Eurmali duels, following The Essential Rule Of No Rules; tricking
>your opponent is the important thing. Often the duel centers around
>one central contest; the most famous are the Shapeshifting contest,
>the Best Practical Joke Played On Innocent Bystander contest and the
>"Knife? That Is Not A Knife. THIS Is A Knife" contest (which simply
>includes producing an illusionary or not-so-illusionary weapon out of
>nowhere). Sometimes the winner of the duel gets some special benefit,
>but usually the idea is that humiliating your opponent (and stealing
>his boots if you in Some Way get him unconscious) is enough,
>especially if you get other Tricksters as witnesses.
Another popular "dueling" method is what is known in the U.S. as "playing the dozens." This is a little ritual of exchanging colorful and witty insults, often having to do with the target's mother. Delivery is important, so it's hard to give an example in writing. Lots of sexual innuendo. If you can get your opponent really angry while amusing the on-lookers (who are key to the whole ritual), you score a point.
I generally liked Eric's take on things, except for the implication that anyone chooses to be a Eurmali. Few people in Orlanthi society choose their life roles, and no one would choose to be a Eurmali. I almost wrote "no one in his right mind," but of course someone in his wrong mind is quasi-automatically a Eurmali. People become Eurmali when Eurmal Touches them. Sometimes Eurmal touches all the members of a family, and sometimes he touches children, and sometimes he touches grown men or oldsters. "Grandpa started cussing and telling dirty stories after he lost all his teeth--guess we know whose Touch he felt."
End of Glorantha Digest V2 #190
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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