Boldhome Heroes

Chalana Arroy members must decline all duels, and get no penalty for doing so.

So: do they give cause for duel (due to tribe etc)?

Preliminary answer:

Yes, unless the Chalana Arroy cultist is an initiate or higher. As to initiates and higher, there are strong cultural/religious restrictions against attacking them.

A Chalana Arroy lay member has to decline a duel which gives the opponent 2CP. The Chalana Arroy lay member suffer no consequences.

What do you think?

Now, imagine a Chalana Arroy cultist making slanderous remarks that would count as cause for duel. In RuneQuest, the cultist would lose points in their Harmony Rune (I imagine), and eventually lose favor with the Goddess/cult. I suspect there is need for a consequence for a Chalana Arroy cultist abusing their status? Maybe a cult trial of sorts, with risk of excommunication?

The 'problem' is that being a Lay Member has little commitment or meaning. Every coward could become a lay member to avoid any duels.

Perhaps only Initiates should be allowed to refuse a duel without consequence?

Perhaps there's an alternative to weapons for the duel?

I agree with your outline of Chalana Arroy cultist behaviour.

As I understand it, all who wish to join this cult must have a sincere wish to heal and must take an oath not to harm a living creature and aid all within the limits of their ability - including becoming vegetarian. They also refuse to take sides in politics and consequently become respected but ignored members of political councils. They also refuse to study violence so weapon training is out and the only way to join a regiment would be in a healing capacity.
Even lay members would have obligations on their behaviour.

So as you rise in the order, your expected behaviour would become more restricted and the more severe the sanction of those who transgressed these strictures.

I suspect harm might reasonably be taken to include behaviour that degrades or demeans others and affects their mental wellbeing.

So pretty restrictive.

But we need to be balanced. We need to make such characters playable where social advancement is the core objective. Potentially such a cultish should refrain from giving offence - and if they give cause for a duel, then society must expect them to meet the challenge and take part in a duel but not to attack/harm their opponent.
Killing such a cultist who would only be defending themselves would seem to be repugnant to society - similar to killing a member of your own regiment etc and a cause of disgrace.

Now, my friends, come come what's all this bluster and over concern regarding the enlightened and peaceful followers of Chalana Arroy?!

As Boldhome's only prominent member of this blessed cult, there are your normal run of the mill members of course but all non-descript types, I feel I ought to be listened to on this matter.

The rules are quite clear, no duels as that goes against our very ethos, hurting and maiming people, killing in some instances, all terrible stuff for those of us set on a life of helping and healing our fellow man. Believe me it's no easy cross to bear upon my part I can tell you, it's mighty hard to supress the natural warrior in me, what with me being one of the Magnificent Malani, a tribe known for it's martial prowess and skilled fighters. However, we all have to make certain sacrifices for our respective God and who am I - or, in fact, we - to challenge such?!

Personally speaking, and don't go bandering this about, there's nothing I'd have liked better than to have gone toe-to-toe with Evil Erik, blade-to-blade, the exhilaration of the duel, the very basics of one-on-one combat.....oh, how I used to love that and it's cost me another victory on the duelling ground by having to miss out on it, as I know I'd have beat the fellow easy enough, but, sadly, life is never always how we'd want it and it was a reminder and test to me how I need apply myself to the Goddess's plans and dreams for us all.

So, let's all quieten down shall we, no need for any fuss or scratching of heads as to how a cult that none of you are actually in should be conducting itself. I mean, do you hear me going on about what's the best colour uniforms for Humakti to wear, should Yelmalian helmets be quite so shiny and why can only women be admitted into Babeester Gor! That's down and out discriminatory that one and people should be complaining about that and not about some petty issue over a healer cult not duelling!

My old father used to say to me "Son, if it's not broke then don't try and fix it", wise words in this instance. On a final point what do we all honestly think of a supposed warrior - this Evil Erik bloke - that continually whines on about being insulted, isn't he man enough to just ignore words he doesn't like, consider himself above self conceived trivial insults? My old dad had another saying too "Some jumped up Colymar lacky who regularly goes shouting his mouth off to all and sundry isn't worth a trollkin's tooth and anyone who comes across such types should simply ignore them, shoo them away from your Inn or home and tell them never to darken the place again by their odious and stinky presence", again wise words in this instance!

I hope that's cleared matters up and we can all move on to more important issues.

All hail and praise to the blessed Mother Chalana.

Well, this is an OOC discussion.

When there are enough Chalana Arroy cultists to form a quorum. it will presumably be possible to decide whether deliberately giving offence (as decided by the vote in favour of a duel) was sufficient to warrant punishment (probably by demotion within the cult).

Until then, I would suggest that the 'offender' lose the normal 2 CP (or possibly more for a hostile regiment).

The giving offence thing seems to have been discussed a bit (and I think the no duels restriction / protection kicking in at Initiate rather than Lay Member makes sense), but I wonder what to do about, e.g. tribal hostility when a CA initiate and a tribal rival might court the same lover. It's unfair for either of them to automatically step down but, equally, it's not right that either should suffer consequences for not being able to duel.

OOC of course.

I think the game loses something important if one can hodeaway from duels by "merely" joining a cult. I have tried top play Erinestra as being on good terms with everyone and yet she had to fight a duel and I think that's important. Remember "Violence is always an option!" Every en garde campaign i've played in has involved dancing around accidentally offending someone and ending up having to duel with them, and perhaps suffering the consequences of declining the duel.

Everyone candecline a duel that doesn't mean there are not social consquences. I strongly feel that CA cultists shoudl definitely have a social penalty for declining a duel BUT if someone was so crass as to actually fight with them then they shoudl have a social penalty too.

Sartar society is not the 21st Century West or even 17th Century France, it's a brutal society where might makes right.

Just my humble opinion of course.

Darryl

Ok, how about this:

Chalana Arroy initiates must decline all duels. They get no penalty for declining to duel, unless the cause of the duel was decided through a vote.

This means a Chalana Arroy initiate is kept above the petty tribal (and regimental, if a regimental healer) hostilities, but is still possibly punished for socially unacceptable behaviour.

Also:

To become a Chalana Arroy initiate the character must not have participated in a duel or been a member of a regiment the last three turns.

This would allow Chalana Arroy lay members to duel, but it would slow down their cult career.

Puckohue wrote: ↑Thu Jul 13, 2023 8:58 pm ...

Also:

To become a Chalana Arroy initiate the character must not have participated in a duel or been a member of a regiment the last three turns.

This would allow Chalana Arroy lay members to duel, but it would slow down their cult career.

Well, no, because you cannot get promoted to Initiate until you have been a Lay Member for 3 months anyway.

But it does stop people joining as Initiate... if they have already done these other things.

Of course being a healer is excluded from being a member of a Regiment by the implied logic of the rules.