Retraction (Kalamere)

[DoS Archive]

From: kalamere@aol.com (Kalamere)
Date: 20 Apr 1998 23:20:38 EDT

Friends,

As provided by the rules of the sport, as a result of the Overlord's intercession I am required to retract my challenge to Baron Uziel. Although official notice is nothing more than a formallity I see fit to give, accept this letter as my retraction.

There are a few things I feel I must add in here, aside from retraction itself, so please bear with me.

Firstly: it is fitting that he who is defeated in the sport of gentlemen (for despite the politics and without any intended slight to the ladies of this sport, this is what I consider the duel of swords to be) offer apology to the victor. It is a bit of a stretch for me to offer this apology for not only did I not have to opportunity to face he who I challenged, but my cause for challenging was based primarilly in my personal vow and concept of
honor... a thing equally ungentlemanly to give up. And so, I am left with this: To Baron Uziel of the 7th ring. While I can not agree with your politics and have yet to understand some of the arguments made in our exchange, I do offer you my sincere appology for any personal insult you may have taken from my challenge. I recall your offence at my characterization of your loyalty as "blindly following," please consider this retracted.

Secondly: While the challenge was not issued to Overlord Ar'Daumon, it would be unfitting not to offer him some courtesy as well, as it is he who bested me in the ring. There is little I can say here to our Overlord, however, for although my challenge was based upon our difference in views, I do not believe I have offered direct insult. As such, I offer this in it's stead: As your blade has currently been the stronger and won the right to continue
along the path you've chosen without the hinderance of this renegade, I shall remove my voice from those with contempt for your practice of intercession for the remainder of the cycle. Despite the assumptions of yourself and others, Iain MacKenzie and I have not been working together in this turning of tables and as courtesy I shall not now join him. Perhaps this is but a paltry offering, but as I've not seen myself to offend your person, I believe
this is enough to satisfy honor.

Lastly: As my final commentary (unless I am drawn back in) on the matter, there is left the issue of friendship and loyalty. In the Overlord's missive entitled "Thoughts", it was written:

> I do not believe that friendship can exist without loyalty.
> True loyalty is knowing you would fall on your sword if it
> would save the life of someone loyal to you.

I am not here to beg the return of friendship or forgiveness, but rather to remind the Overlord of something from the past. Through a bit of research I managed to dredge up the letter of challenge the Overlord wrote to his predecessor. Of relevance is this particular line:

> I bear Athlstan no ill-will as he is one of my close friends here in
> RhyDin. Nevertheless, I have decided that I must challenge, and I
> will not be deterred

Despite that stated friendship, challenge was issued and it would seem self-evident that one can not be loyal to the Overlord and challenge him at the same time. That leaves three possible explanations here.

1) Our Overlord has come to realize over the last year that Athlstan was nothing more than an "acquaintance" and indeed not one of his "close friends." (Though I believe this to be the most weak of the three)
2) Thoughts of loyalty and friendship, like thoughts on intercession and the test of worthiness, have changed dramatically while the crown has weighed on the brow of the Overlord.. or..
3) Thoughts of loyalty and friendship are inextricably intermingled only when it is what the Overlord expects from those who swear one or the other to him, and not what he has bound himself to return.

Alas, it is a question I will not here seek to answer. Rather I leave off with my own thought on the matter. Politics are politics, and friendship is friendship, seperate entities that make little more than disaster when brought too close together.

Sincerely,

~Kalamere Ar'Din...

[DoS Archive]

From: dukeuziei@aol.com (Duke UzieI)
Date: 21 Apr 1998 11:13:10 EDT

Lord Kalamere Ar'Din,



Your intentions as a gentlemen are respected and your apologies, while not needed, are fully accepted.

Know that in no time had I born you any ill will, though mayhaps in my attempts to defend my own position it might have seemed so....you have my apologies if I seemed to have been overzealous in my defense of the Loyals and the man they are loyal to.

You are an honorable man, and a duelist whose name rings loud within the halls of this sport, and I for one lament the needed handling of your challenge in the political fashion it was done so in, but I also stand by the need, and support the actions of the past eves duels. These actions were not aimed at you personally in anyway...and I hope that you have not taken it as such.

Be well m'lord.



~Adonai Uziel~

~Dragonlord of RhyDin~

~Baron of the Seventh~

[DoS Archive]

From: lordovdale@aol.com (LordovDale)
Date: 21 Apr 1998 16:32:13 EDT

Kalamere,

Though such things cease to surprise me each day, I must say that I am shocked at your attempt to make me look like a hypocrite (And I do admit, it's quite convincing. I almost believed it myself). Nevertheless, you were not privvy to the numerous conversations between Athlstan and myself before I challenged him, so you could not possibly understand the difference in that situation. I will end this since I don't feel compelled to defend my
apparent difference in opinions as much as I felt it necessary to let you know that you do not have all the facts.
And on a lighter note, your retraction is accepted. Again, as this is a sport where strength of the blade is really all that matters, I think perhaps we could all learn something from you about acting honorable in defeat rather than complaining about something being unfair.

sincerely,
Lord Dalamar Ar'Daumon

Overlord of the Duel of Swords
Lord of the Dale
Guardian of the Oldest House

~Vengeance is mine, and I will repay.~

[DoS Archive]

From: athlstan@aol.com (Athlstan)
Date: 21 Apr 1998 20:10:51 EDT

::the Guardian stirs::

Esteemed and worthy Overlords, Barons, Warlords...

I know little of the challenge of Kalamere to Baron Uziel. I do know of Mine own challenge to Kalamere nigh unto a year ago - and I know of Dalamar's subsequent challenge to me. Questions of loyalty and challenge are most complex. I had won right of challenge through a warlord tournament. I bore no malice toward Kalamere, I simply wished to strive against he who was at that time the best by rank - with the title as prize should I prove better that
day. I believe Dalamar had but similar intent in his challenge to me.

There were a number of challenges made to me when I was Overlord. In some cases I believed the challenger unworthy... and used the Test. Other challengers I believed worthy and did not.

Until an Overlord reigns forever, each will face yielding the title to another. I am grateful that both times I did so, I was defeated by a friend.