> He could, but he'd have to be nuts to do it. If anything goes wrong > they will all blame him. > > --Greg
The Esrolian Goldentongue in question is a pretty impressive godar. Humakt isn't well represented in Yina's clan, and the goldentongue in question (the spy) has killed over a dozen men in swordfights. It ended up being him who invoked Humakt for the oaths.
Both clans lined up to watch, and the chiefs managed to negotiate things so that, after a quick weapontake at the Mountain Deer clan's side everybody agreed to let the duel be the end of the affair, come what may.
The Goldentongue had stayed up all night by a black rock that represents Humakt for Yina's clan. He had died his hair black, dropped ash over himself and drawn a cross over his face in blood from a black calf he sacrifised to Humakt. After a night of meditating on Humakt with a sword in hand he was ready to administer the oaths. [The goldentongue was a ritual priest of Garzeen before his life as a goldentongue and spy, and takes such things extremely seriously]
In addition to the Oath to Humakt, Orlanth and Ernalda were also invoked as guardians and witnesses (by the enemy tribes chieftain and their chief priestess of Ernalda).
Yina herself was painted with woad by her siblings, but wore a small leather top and a short skirt so as not to appear as a fanatic. Going skyclad is for war afterall, not a duel.
Grymbörn admitted to the killing, and took responsibility. The huge man, armed and armoured in bronze, asked Yina what terms she has to offer for the duel. Yina said that Björn could take off his armour, turn his back and take her best strike with her mothers sword, and the matter would be settled. Alternatively they could take the matter up on the field of leather (a 3 yard by 3 yard dueling hide), and go at it with weapons and armour until things are settled.
Björn thought about it for a long while (Yina was convinsing), and asked to see the sword. The claw of Gavreninkin glinted menacingly in the morning sunlight, and Björn said he wasn't ready to lay down his life without a fight.
The huge man thought about fighting the small woman on the hide, and how her speed wouldn't help her much on it. Björn said that as a big man he needed more space than that, and since Yina didn't have armour, he took off his own (angrily shaking off younger warriors who rushed to help, the fat weaponthane struggled out of his bronze shirt himself). Björn said that Yina would decide when she had had enough blood to end the affair. They also agreed that the loser, if alive, would forfeit their weapons and armour to the victor, and recieve the lesser outlawry of a year and a day.
Both duelists invoked the gods and called out to them to uphold the justice of their cause. Yina called up her shimmer aura (augment), making her hard to hit, and at this Björn used his Odayla magic, and grew a think bearlike belt.
As Yina closed to fighting range, Björn let out a great bearlike bellow, startling Yina to leap several meters into the air. As she came down she called on the power of her sibling Silfarr (Silver Warrior) to apparently grow larger and scarier (like a cat!), causing Björn to take a small step backwards.
At that Yina leaped at her opponent, swinging Cat's Claw wildly. At first Björn seemed reluctant to strike her, but as he received several small cuts he started to fight with all his ability.
The duel went back and forth for a long time. Björn's bear pelt blunted Yina's blows, and she was driven back by the longer slashing blade of the big weaponthane on occasion.
After a furious assault Yina delivered a deep cut to the massive thigh of the bear man. Björn almost fell clutsing at the blood gushing from the wound, and Yina retreated to see what would happen. Björn used his one use boar-amulet, that let him fight to the death without feeling his injuries. Standing tall again, and bleeding openly he attacked aggressively, apparently hoping for an honourable death. (The duel happened to fall on the Death day of Darkness week, so death was in the air.
Björn delivered several huge slashes that Yina dodged by the skin of her teeth, her battle aura torn to silvery streamers by the tip of Björns long blade. At that Yina displayed her own power of Shadow Walking, ran up along the shadow Björn was casting in the morning sun and dropping down delivered a huge slash that opened Grymbjörns belly up from the groin!!
The big man fell hardly making a sound, greviously wounded, and the people of both clans winced from the blow that seemed to show that Babeester Gor had manifested in the duel. The goldentongue merchant embodying Humakt asked if Yina was satisfied and enough blood had been spilled. Yina said it was so, and the duel was over. Björn was near death, but alive. The gruesome castaration at the end of duel pretty effectively made sure that nobody would have had the stomach to start more violence, even without the oaths. :)
Yina's brother soaked up some of Björns blood in a piece of white linen they placed on their mothers shrine, and Yina's clan threw a huge feast to celebrate their victory (and for the more prudent members, also that things could now be patched up properly with the neighbouring clan).
-Adept
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