After talking to Lyra (whenever that wraps up), Morgana will head back to her throne room temporarily. Grind accompanies her as a bodyguard, and the room does have a number of dwarf and orc guards. Morgana's throne is made of twisted wood, on a stone dais set against the wall. Sun from the late afternoon filters in, illuminating the room in a diffuse but clear light.
She settles in, and her guests are invited in.
07.09j: Vermin Defense
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
Harrune and party enter the throne room. He gestures for them to stay back while he approached the throne. He will bow deeply to Morgana and wait to her to acknowledge him. He will then stand and speak quietly enough for Morgana and Grind, but not for the room at large (although Osmund might still be able to pick it up).
"I am so sorry to do this to you, but I have a problem here and I do not see an acceptable path out of it on my own. This dwarf here just tried to assassinate my associate Osmund and myself. In front of a witness he said that his entire clan would continue to try to see it through if necessary. If I act it could far too easily escalate into a full-scale conflict between our two Courts. If he faces your judgement rather than mine then perhaps there is a way to avoid that."
Harrune sighs deeply. "I do not hate him. I am not even angry with him. He's just afraid, and fear can make fools of us all. How do you wish to proceed?"
"I am so sorry to do this to you, but I have a problem here and I do not see an acceptable path out of it on my own. This dwarf here just tried to assassinate my associate Osmund and myself. In front of a witness he said that his entire clan would continue to try to see it through if necessary. If I act it could far too easily escalate into a full-scale conflict between our two Courts. If he faces your judgement rather than mine then perhaps there is a way to avoid that."
Harrune sighs deeply. "I do not hate him. I am not even angry with him. He's just afraid, and fear can make fools of us all. How do you wish to proceed?"
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
Morgana will sigh. "This is part of why I suggested a short wait before your walk. Although, I suppose getting it over with will prevent this from spreading. Still, a formal announcement would diffuse the situation. Are you intending to win any of the tournaments? You could request that as a prize..."
Looking back to the dwarf, she will blink and fuss with her hair a bit. "He does not wish punishment. Still, I must do something. This would be a time to demand to walk the pattern yourself, if you wished, Guddhi." She will loom a little closer. "That would prevent the follow-up attempts nicely, would it not? Still, you have raised your hand against an Amberite. If Dworkin hears of this, he will insist you are thrown to the pattern. You knew this and knew you would not succeed."
She will pause. "Do you want to walk the pattern?"
Guddhi, the dwarf, will shake his head. "If it will make your rule easier, Morgana."
With that, Morgana will turn to Harrune. "I'd prefer a different idea."
Looking back to the dwarf, she will blink and fuss with her hair a bit. "He does not wish punishment. Still, I must do something. This would be a time to demand to walk the pattern yourself, if you wished, Guddhi." She will loom a little closer. "That would prevent the follow-up attempts nicely, would it not? Still, you have raised your hand against an Amberite. If Dworkin hears of this, he will insist you are thrown to the pattern. You knew this and knew you would not succeed."
She will pause. "Do you want to walk the pattern?"
Guddhi, the dwarf, will shake his head. "If it will make your rule easier, Morgana."
With that, Morgana will turn to Harrune. "I'd prefer a different idea."
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
Harrune sighs. "I had not planned to enter any of the tournaments, but if it will make things easier for you then no doubt we can still find one for me. I will be guided by your wisdom in this.*"
"There is only one other path I can see that might work at this point: what if Guddhi and I were to duel. I would consent to return his weapons to him and I would face him with only my sword. He can send for a second of his choice, and Alaror will stand for me. I will not insist that we fight until death, I would accept unconsciousness or surrender. Should Guddhi defeat me, and I survive, then I will forgo walking the Ht'gon Pattern. Should I be victorious and he survives then he will commit himself to helping you heal the rifts within the great Court of Ht'gon An-rit and this incident shall be left behind us."
"I suppose that we could walk the Pattern together and let the Pattern judge, but I cannot say that I am sure people would accept the outcome of that. There definitely is an element of chance there. Guddhi could survive, or the Pattern could reject me as it has rejected others in the past, we could both succeed or both fail."
"I am open to other ideas if anyone here has one"
------------------------
* Morgana knows Harrune well enough to know that he would prefer an event based on Warfare, not Strength so that may influence any possible answer here.
"There is only one other path I can see that might work at this point: what if Guddhi and I were to duel. I would consent to return his weapons to him and I would face him with only my sword. He can send for a second of his choice, and Alaror will stand for me. I will not insist that we fight until death, I would accept unconsciousness or surrender. Should Guddhi defeat me, and I survive, then I will forgo walking the Ht'gon Pattern. Should I be victorious and he survives then he will commit himself to helping you heal the rifts within the great Court of Ht'gon An-rit and this incident shall be left behind us."
"I suppose that we could walk the Pattern together and let the Pattern judge, but I cannot say that I am sure people would accept the outcome of that. There definitely is an element of chance there. Guddhi could survive, or the Pattern could reject me as it has rejected others in the past, we could both succeed or both fail."
"I am open to other ideas if anyone here has one"
------------------------
* Morgana knows Harrune well enough to know that he would prefer an event based on Warfare, not Strength so that may influence any possible answer here.
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
Morgana will ponder... "When I was three two of my brothers beat a third to death over an extra portion of gruel. I'm sick of death." She will nod. "Guddhi was attempting to kill Osmund. Sorry, but as a non-Amberite, that will not require the death penalty. So... Let's see if we can avoid later attacks."
She will turn to Grind. "There are enough requests for an Amberite-level contest. Harrune, do you think you could win one? If we do that, we could keep your involvement to a minimum. Or perhaps do something similar to what we did with Odin earlier. Even, perhaps keep it largely private."
She will turn to Grind. "There are enough requests for an Amberite-level contest. Harrune, do you think you could win one? If we do that, we could keep your involvement to a minimum. Or perhaps do something similar to what we did with Odin earlier. Even, perhaps keep it largely private."
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
As Morgana speaks the first half, Harrune will nod to let her know what he will support that interpretation of events.
"Do I think I can win? I think for Ht'gon's sake I have to. I am afraid it will need to be at least somewhat public. I know that I am often seen as weak here and so I do not receive much respect. Perhaps it is time to address that image."
"So perhaps a contest of skill at arms? Weapons only, no spells. We could invite any of the local clan chiefs or other notables and of course the Amberites. Should the bouts be first blood, or until unconsciousness or surrender? The latter could take quite some. Should be be single elimination, or do I have to fight each of them in turn? Make the appropriate announcements and I will do my part."
"Oh, and this sword I'm carrying is more for show than hard combat. I assume there is a decent broadsword that I might be able to borrow?"
"Do I think I can win? I think for Ht'gon's sake I have to. I am afraid it will need to be at least somewhat public. I know that I am often seen as weak here and so I do not receive much respect. Perhaps it is time to address that image."
"So perhaps a contest of skill at arms? Weapons only, no spells. We could invite any of the local clan chiefs or other notables and of course the Amberites. Should the bouts be first blood, or until unconsciousness or surrender? The latter could take quite some. Should be be single elimination, or do I have to fight each of them in turn? Make the appropriate announcements and I will do my part."
"Oh, and this sword I'm carrying is more for show than hard combat. I assume there is a decent broadsword that I might be able to borrow?"
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
((OOC aside: if you want to avoid people switching to strength, first blood is probably a good idea - that way if someone tries to take a hit to close to grapple, they simply lose. Unless they've got enough armor, of course...))
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
She will think. "You would need to best... Lyra and perhaps Alys. Lyra recently made a public show of being stronger than most of the clan heads. Alys is going to be training some of the amber guards and recently bested a redcap. Cameron would be another good one, but his bout with teh black orc was less public. I will invite just the heads, that will make it much less of a show. That means this is a private petition, not a demand, and you are being tested properly but privately by Ht'Gon."
Morgana will address Guddhi, "Will that satisfy your clan?" She does not wait for a response. "You may also state that upon walking Ht'Gon's pattern, he will be offered a small noble rank here, perhaps over two or three households. Something like Baron... And within Ht'Gon, that will be his new rank and standing*."
"You would be able to choose weapons, and if the other participants agree, you would be able to choose the time as well. Sooner is likely better."
______________
*: While such a rank would be internal to Ht'Gon, it is the lowest possible noble rank one can hold.
Morgana will address Guddhi, "Will that satisfy your clan?" She does not wait for a response. "You may also state that upon walking Ht'Gon's pattern, he will be offered a small noble rank here, perhaps over two or three households. Something like Baron... And within Ht'Gon, that will be his new rank and standing*."
"You would be able to choose weapons, and if the other participants agree, you would be able to choose the time as well. Sooner is likely better."
______________
*: While such a rank would be internal to Ht'Gon, it is the lowest possible noble rank one can hold.
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
"Agreed. If we are going to do this, best that it be done quickly. Let me know when the arrangements are made. I am at your disposal."
Re: 07.09j: Vermin Defense
Morgana will nod. "Very well. Ghuddi, bring news of this to your clan, and any other clan involved in the attempt on Osmund's life*. We can trust you to avoid another incident until this is resolved? If they do not wish a pattern walk then they should encourage Alys, Lyra and Cameron to stop him. I'm okay with a single conflict, but if all three wish to stop him, all three may. If Harrune bests all three, no one may argue with that."
She will sigh and get up. "Harrune, thank you for your understanding and discrete handling of this matter. I am sorry I don't have a better solution than this. If I can get this resolved tonight, I will do what I can. I hope that will not disrupt your plans too much. At worst, it may take a day... which would allow you to walk Amber's pattern tonight as you wished."
_____________
*: The emphasis speaks volumes.
She will sigh and get up. "Harrune, thank you for your understanding and discrete handling of this matter. I am sorry I don't have a better solution than this. If I can get this resolved tonight, I will do what I can. I hope that will not disrupt your plans too much. At worst, it may take a day... which would allow you to walk Amber's pattern tonight as you wished."
_____________
*: The emphasis speaks volumes.