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| Action Id: 3263 | Crisis: | Participants: Marian, Bliss, Simone, Monique and Margret | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: April 8, 2019, 3:29 p.m. | Public: True | GM: Apostate |
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Economic Resources: 600 Military Resources: 600 Social Resources: 600 |
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Action by Marian
Count Gael Fournier has suggested quite loudly that it was a mistake for House Valardin to allow for houses such as Greenmarch to bend the knee, and they have no place at all in the Compact, and the Oathlands would be better without them. Princess Marian Redrain, born of House Greenmarch and formly of House Valardin, has taken deep offense to his words, since she was instrumental in brokering the return of House Greenmarch into the Compact. In addition, she has lost blood relatives towards the defense the Compact, at the Tragedy of Sanctum where she lost her father, Marquis Marcel Greenmarch and aunt, Lady Maeve Greenmarch, and the Battle of Stormwall, Lady Eirlys Greenmarch. Since House Greenmarch does not currently have a Sword, and she is first born of this generation, Princess Marian Redrain has with Marquessa Simone Greenmarch and Lady Monique Greenmarch support challenged the Count for his personal insults to a duel. She has named Radiant Bliss Whisper as her champion in the duel. It is her hope that the Count will answer the challenge with a champion of his own.
Action by Bliss
Well. This is a complicated situation, isn't it? Let's make it even moreso by having the Radiant dueling as a Champion - likely a historical first. Knowing that this is going to have ripple effects in many ways, Bliss has prepared a statement to be released alongside the public naming of her as the Champion for Princess Marian, explaining her reasons for doing so and just what it is she is defending - the origins of the Champions Guild lie in the individual Champions truly believing someone's honor has been slighted and stepping in to fight for it, after all. She has done silly duels in the past, but this one is something different.
We aren't quite at the point where a House Sword is dueling to try to prevent a war from happening - this is being framed as a personal insult to Princess Marian, rather than a challenge to House honor itself - but this is, fundamentally, about whether or not the Compact and Prodigals both should keep both sides of their promises to one another after the knee is bent.
If the terms of the duel allow for it, she will be wielding Vowkeeper.
Bliss's statement: https://pastebin.com/6T9ADkjD (I can make this into a proclamation after action resolution or I'm happy to let it be part of that process)
Action by Simone
Simone cannot personally attend the duel because she is away aiding House Valardin in smoothing the situation, diplomatically. However, but she also knows the importance of duels in Compact culture and wishes to make sure that this one is given all due consideration. Lady Margret Greenmarch, also a voice of the House, will be attending to represent House Greenmarch as a member of the compact. Resources from the house have been made available to help as well, but Simone is personally sending Marian some of her own to aid with whatever may be needed in hiring and supporting their champion.
Action by Margret
Margret comes as a representative from House Greenmarch to witness the duel. However, while that is her stated purpose she has other motives.
Her first purpose? To convince those present that House Greenmarch is not some wild group of heathens from the woods. They are an Oathlands house that belongs in the Compact. She goes to the duel looking every part an Oathlands noblewoman. She is courteous and polite without being over the top. She demonstrates that she, a Prodigal herself, has assimilated. She is not ostentatious or over the top about it. The men-at-arms and attendants who accompany her are the best Greenhaven has to offer, and they represent Greenmarch in a manner that would make the House proud.
Her second purpose is to humanize the prodigals to the other Oathlanders. Some of the men-at-arms and attendants brought with her are recently arrived Prodigal refugees. She has only brought the most courteous, charming, and polite with her. The hope is that the other Houses will see them, learn where they came from, and realize they are people instead of a scourge on the Oathlands.
Her third purpose is to feel out any dissent within the Orthodox Oathlands houses that are committing the purges against the Prodigal refugees as well as the houses speaking out against them. If there are family members within the Orthodox Oathlands houses that do not approve of the purges she will do what she can to encourage their dissent. If she can get those people to speak out it will weaken the position of the knights who are killing the Prodigals.
Her fourth purpose is to show that House Greenmarch is a strong house militarily, and attacking it would be a costly mistake. She does not intimidate people with her men-at-arms, but she does make sure they have top of the line equipment and that they like strong Oathlands Knights who will not fall easily in battle.
Action by Monique
Monique will show up to this duel looking every inch the infamous Minx of the Marches, Greenmarch and Oathlands legend that she is. Instead of pretending an assimilation, Monique makes it look /fabulous/ to be Prodigal as she supports Marian.
Result
Something seems a little off.
Count Gael Fournier, and the Fourniers in general, have been full of bluster and threats about prodigals, and have been openly contemptuous of House Greenmarch since it joined the Compact. They are hardly alone in being an Oathland house to doubt the wisdom of a Valardin prince marrying Marian so long ago and ennobling her family, but they were particularly loud in their objections, and one would expect that to still hold now, as House Fournier comes to defend its honor.
But Count Gael is oddly restrained. He seems visibly uncomfortable and uncharacteristically quiet, and he treats the challenge as a matter of personal honor, and hires William Brightsword from the Champions Guild of Arx as a champion. Bliss, as a champion, is of course familiar with him- and while Willy isn't an incompetent Champion, and is a capable entertainer, he's not a particularly difficult opponent, nor even an expensive one. More someone that would put on a good show than to have a realistic chance of defeating Bliss in a Champion's honor duel. So while no, this is not a match of House Swords on the field of battle, it isn't something fully for sport either, and the choice is a little odd- it's not the choice of someone that's extremely invested in winning. And there's no pre-match bluster, of someone answering the accusations with insults or the like, with the long conversations that Champions would use to build up the crowd.
Margret with Simone's support make certain that every diplomatic effort is made, and that the proper dignity is extended that is sure to win points with Oathlanders, and the atmosphere for the duel is just right... and then Bliss is on the field, ready to duel William.
It's far more serious than most honor duels done for sport, but that doesn't mean its not a show. Bliss outmatches her opponent easily, and is able to make it memorable, disarming him three times in a pointed gesture as the man is permitted by his opponent to retrieve his weapon in a show of good sport. But eventually, after the proper emphasis is well and truly made of the Radiant's skill, Bliss draws blood- and wins decisively.
It's surprisingly how conciliatory after the victory Gael is. He disavows his previous positions, he promises exceptionally generous trade pacts with House Greenmarch, and he gives Margret ample time to speak persuasively in the defense of prodigals to Fournier and diehard traditionalists in attendence. Truthfully, while his family isn't really allowed to show it without a tremendous loss of face (no one in the Oathlands likes a sore loser), it is painfully obvious that most of Gael's family is furious at him for how accommodating he is being, and he steadfastly pretends to ignore it. It's a little puzzling. But the count, awkwardly and a little forced, claims that he's seen the light about Greenmarch, and would never underestimate them again.