>
> Trial by combat may be more of a threat than a regular
practice,
> anyway. _Njal's Saga_ has a number of very good scenes that play on
this.*
> First Hrut (a good fighter) challenges Mord Fiddle (an old man)
over the
> return of a dowry. Later, Gunner (a really good fighter) challnges
Hrut
> over the same dowery. In both cases, the weaker fighter backs down,
> abandons the claim or the money, and looses some prestige.
Basically, the
> challenge to trial by combat is more a form of legal bullying than a
> judicial tool.
On the whole I agree but with caveats;
- Healing will make people less afraid to get hurt, nobody will take
on a clearly superior fighter but if they think they are in with a
chance against a normal opponent they might have a go. In this
context Humakti may or may not be regarded as normal opponents, by
reputation they tend to kill when others would be satisfied with a
less final victory.
- Humakti are not exactly afraid of death and IMO many would have a
very strong Death Before Dishonour attitude to the idea of backing
down. Not all Humakti would go this far but how can you be sure
until you challenge them?
Its probably still safer and more productive to appeal to their
honour. Even if you are the better warrior it only takes one lucky
shot or one bit of unanticipated magic for you to die, the stakes in
the case would have to be very high to be worth it. Unless you are
*much* better of course, I doubt if Harrek loses many court cases!
--
Nic