Elvish dueling

the great duel between Svava and Jellihondor

Though dueling occurs in most sentient species, elvish dueling refers to a traditional form of conflict management governed by a very specific (and sometimes contradictory) set of ancient rules. Elvish dueling has been documented within each of the elvish breeds, and has also been used to manage tensions between them as well. On very rare occasions, elves will duel with other beings, both magical and not. Unlike the duels of humans, which are often short, brutal, and to the death, elvish duels virtually never result in death and often last for an extended period of time due to the many procedural points that must be addressed before, during, and after the duel takes place.

Step 1: The Challenge
Elvish duels are the mechanism through which most questions of honor or cultural transgressions are solved. The duels have a highly formalized structure, and each step of the process is considered binding. In order to challenge another to a duel, an elf must approach their opponent in a public space with at least five witnesses present. They must then declare the point of contention and explicitly propose the binding resolutions of the possible outcomes. If the opponent declines the duel, an elf cannot challenge them on this point again and must find another way of resolving the conflict. If the opponent accepts the challenge (which is most often the case) the challenged elf accepts the terms of resolution and chooses the kind of magic to be used during the duel

Step 2: Preparations
Because of the almost ritualistic nature of elvish duels, at least three days of preparation are needed before it can commence. To be considered valid and bindings, a duel must occur in a proper arena, in front of at least ten witnesses (one of whom cannot be an elf), and must be judged by three individuals who are considered to have extraordinary magical skill or knowledge. Each opponent selects one judge, and the third is typically a volunteer not affiliated with either side in order to ensure impartiality.

Step 3: The Duel
Once the arena has been established, judges have been found, and witnesses have agreed to attend, the duel can proceed. It should be noted that generally, finding the requisite number of witnesses is not a difficult task as duels are regarded as a sort of spectator sport among the elves. Particularly impressive duels, such as Svava's challenge for the throne, can be attended by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of elves. Most duels are also accompanied by traditional drums, as well.

After a long series of formal introductions (which include, but are not limited to, the opponents introducing themselves to each other, the judges introducing themselves to each other, the judges getting introduced to the opponents, etc.), the original point of contention and terms of resolution, and the type of magic to be used are reiterated. Generally, one of the witnesses is recruited to act as a master of ceremonies, but this is not always the case.

The duel then begins. A duel consists of four rounds, and during each round, one elf uses offensive magic and the other uses defensive magic. The rounds alternate such that each elf is offensive twice and defensive twice, and never uses the same type of magic consecutively. Typically, the original challenger is allowed to choose which position they will take (offensive or defensive), thus establishing the pattern for the duel. The object of each round is to use the most impressively difficult, but still appropriate, form of magic of the round. Skill is primarily determined through the strength and effectiveness of the magic used, but most judges also take the innovative use of magic, the quickness of a duelist's reflexes, and (to some degree) the showmanship involved into account as well. Those who have witnessed elvish duels say that they are breathtaking displays of magic.

Step 4: The Decision
After the completion of the duel, the judges retire to come to a decision. The decision must be unanimous, so, this process sometimes takes a considerable amount of time. Whatever decision the judges reach is considered permanent and binding, and thus cannot be appealed. Once the decision is reached, the judges return to the arena (where the duelists have been waiting in the interim ) and the terms of resolution are immediately enacted.

The finality of these decisions underscores the seriousness of duels in elvish culture. a case in point is the duel of Prabil Worthis, one of the few non-magical beings ever to participate in an elvish duel as anything more than an observer. Worthis was challenged to a duel by a particularly xenophobic elf named Rustletan, who challenged Worthis' right to marry an elf. Worthis (against the wishes of virtually everyone involved) accepted the duel, and as was his right as the challenged party, requested the duel take place as a drinking contest. Worthis won, and in the process, was awarded the northern Fethil. Rustletan and his fellow stuck by their word despite the strange circumstances, and have never uttered a bad word against Worthis since.