Underland: Ash and Onyx Brawl (Duel)

**Sonnie Wu** · May 9th, 2025 10:05 PM

The Winter Court were survivalists, not cowards. Sonnie understood that much about them. Withers in particular, though, she knew next to nothing about. The old man was still a mystery to her. So she couldn't really speak to his motives or feelings about this duel.

"Unless you made the challenge in person, it's possible he might not even know about it." She was just theorizing, as she was only aware of the public notice Kray had posted. In any case, without any assurance the Darkling would show, the Spring Queen started to feel bored, as demonstrated by her sigh.

**Circe** · May 10th, 2025 08:07 PM

"Guilty!" She says with cheer and a raised hand when Kray speaks of questionable sanity. Nor was Kray innocent it seems, going through with this over, uh, um. Wait? What words was this over exactly? Circe realizes she has no idea what had been said to enrage the Autumn King. Had it been brought up beforehand?

"Hmm," she folds her arms again at the knowledge Kray was crippling himself for the fight. Again, this was why she was not a warrior of Summer. Screw honorable battle. Fight is fight to kill, training is fight to avoid kill. No in between.

Circe paused as she looks to Sonja as that is brought up. Given how Winters are, to be charitable, anti-social, Withers might have just avoid the gathering spots for bulletins to be read. And was old, didn't main anything given how Wyrd the Wyrd is, but he could be anti-tech too. "Thaaaat would make this kind f awkward Sonja. Might be a loophole with the Wyrd even, ignorance is bliss, As you can't break an oath you never took."

At least that made sense as far as Summer went. She recalled something from the Bay. Allegedly, there was a rumor about a duel that failed because the challenged had been on a multi-week blackout bender.

Circe lets out a snort of amusement. "I don't see Withers being blackout drunk causing him to miss this," she laughs, "Oh ho ho ho! Quite an image. Hm?"

She looks up at Kray. Then Sonja. Back and forth a few times. Face gets a little purple, she waves her hands in the negative, "Ignore me! Thinking out loud, oh ho ho ho."

**Kray** · May 11th, 2025 05:22 PM

Now the Ogre had thought about that given away by the grin still in place. "Ah. But it was public enough to be seen." Gesture to the other monarchs. "Hm. You two being here is proof enough of that." Showing up and knowing what was going on. "So. Either he has seen it and not shown. Which is on his head." The poor choice in this circumstance. "Uh. Or. He hasn't seen the publicly posted declaration and I'm right." Winter might not be the most visibly active court but. "Ha. The difference between subtlety and inaction." A very simple trap that relied on someone, anyone other then Withers taking the bait to show up here, which he had been unsure of but well. Proof is in the eating. "Uh. Third option of course. He already said he would leave once when things weren't going his way." That would be the least fun option, but the least messy.

Settling back against the wall content to wait out his little plan. "So. What happens next really is in his hands." Break tradition, prove me right or scarper.

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**Sonnie Wu** · May 11th, 2025 08:32 PM

"So... what now? We just stand around waiting all night?" Sonnie didn't really buy into Kray's reasoning on why Withers had not yet arrived, but it didn't matter. She wasn't finding this fun and wanted it over with. "Will this be the end of it, either way?"

**Withers** · May 12th, 2025 01:38 AM

Silent and often distance he may be, but a coward the Winter King was not.

In time, the tunnels of the Underland echoed with the sound of his cane against stone. Eventually, he rounded a corner and came face to face with the Ogre who had challenged him. Withers' expression was one of resigned disappointment. He was unlikely to win this fight if it came to blows, which seemed quite likely.

"Evening," he said, his voice monotone, "I won't say that your challenge came as a surprise, Kray. Our words towards one another have been barbed for some time... Nor will I pretend that your wish for the duel to be physical is in any way stacked in my favor. Yet, I am here."

He let the final statement sink. If Withers had to face the music, he was willing, but he wondered if the Ogre was set in his method of the duel or if he would prove willing to discuss another arrangement.

"I agree that a duel must occur," he continued, "but I would ask you to allow me to propose a duel in which we both stand a chance of winning. Before we proceed to discussing the oath."

**Circe** · May 12th, 2025 09:20 PM

Kray pretty much had wiped his hands of responsibility for the future results at this point. Circe found no fault in his logic. As for waiting all night, Circe had a few packs of playing cards. If Withers took too long, she could see if either of them knew to play poker. Or go fish, that was a simple one. Others options came to mind, like crazy eights, caravan to use all at once, or do ome Hedgespinning. Followed by asking if either Sonja or Kray knew how to play Tiddlywinks.

And yet a plan wasn't needed, for Withers had arrived. And opened up with a successful burn of Kray, getting an amused chuckles from Circe. Kray was friend, but that was a good one from Withers. No denying it.

"Hmm?" Circe hums as Withers tries to make things more fair. A brawl would indeed be entirely one sided for Kray, not exactly honor-a-gable, more the word duel than the spirit of it. Circe keeps her mouth shut though. This was a discussion between the Autumn and Winter for the details.

Spring and Summer are here to observe. Maybe to kick each other in the shin when one says something stupid too.

**Kray** · May 13th, 2025 06:18 AM

Before the spring queen can be answered by the Ogre events move forward to render any such unneeded. The question answered by the arrival of the Onyx King. They might be in dispute, they might not like either other but today if any way as event where the pomp and pageantry mattered and a king was due a respectful greeting. So great grey fingers go up to tip the rim of his hat dame as he had for the Summer queen. "Huh. King Withers, welcome. Glad you could make it." Looks like things were going to be going down the fun path then.

But the darkling not understanding how this worked took some of the wind out of his sails a tad. "Oh. It's well past that point. The challenge is issued. The declaration made and the stage set." Compromise and negotiations had no place anymore, beyond the duelling oath. "Ah. You know the challenge. Brawl till one of us loses consciousness, the words of the winner have the right of the loser." That what had been challenged, what the Wyrd now required. "Hm. Words have power and consequence, even those we don't empower with glamour or purposeful meaning." Like a carelessly spoken insult might lead to getting violently beaten. But speaking of words. "Uh, I gave you the oath as is the custom of the ashen court when issuing a challenge, you know the challenge to word the oath around." But an awful lot had been left open, although no consult from the ogre is coming it would break with expected etiquette. "So. Put your brain to work and tell me the oath." It was in the winters hands.

All oaths need to posted to [url=http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?35252-Pledge-Talk&p=14522576#post14522576] pledge talk [/url[ and okaied by Saber

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**Sonnie Wu** · May 13th, 2025 05:11 PM

Withers had arrived. The matter would be settled, after all. Fine by her. The Winter King suggested a different type of contest, but the Ogre wasn't having it. Whatever.

The Beast really had nothing to add verbally aside from a "Hi Withers." With that, she stayed quiet so the two men could work out the details of their oath and duel.

**Kray** · May 19th, 2025 06:28 PM

Time was marching on and the silence was starting to stretch. Had the old darkling's nerve crumbled after all? Was it some new way to slight him, show up accept and then go silent? Or was it more of the same the Winter king refusing to act? "Ah. Come on now. Time was left between the announcement and the duel so you could work this out. Lets hear it. How are you going tie me in knots?" The oath, its crafting, wording, and loopholes where half the fun of the duel.

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