The Overlord Challenge

[G]

The acts of the evening make it clear to me that the horse is behaving like a selfish villain bent on power.

If he felt that Damien shouldn't have had power, he could have challenged him numerous times instead of harassing Kaja.

After all, Damien held a Barony for a longer period than Skyler did.

And while the events of the evening were certainly legal, there's no reason one cannot call it for what it is. A Betrayal of Heroic Deeds.

Rakeesh, Villain, I name thee.

G.
Baron of Dockside.

[Damien Mortis]

~From the Law Office of Jeff Krasnow and Associates

My client, one Damien Mortis, announces he has placed a 4000 nobles bounty on the removal of the current Baron of New Haven.

Jeff Krasnow
Attorney

[Baphelocutis]

Let it be known that the Baron of the Old Marketplace, Baphelocutis est Lathadoscia will match the Overlord's reward for removal of the liontaur, Rakeesh the Villian, from his current title.

[Rakeesh]

I act out of my own Faith, and I've done what was necessary to ensure the safety of an entire district from Skyler. Damien I know very little of, and have had no evidence of his shadier dealings until the past 24 hours. I did not even know who he was when I challenged Kaja or Skyler.

Again, I am used to being acted against. I stepped down from a throne once, and was banished by my own kind so that I could follow a path that would allow me to hunt a Demon.

Under order of your traditions, you are welcome to challenge me. I have no issue with defending myself or my actions.

You can call me a villain, and this old man can only muse that when I followed my same convictions to protect Rhy'Din against Skyler months ago you called me a hero. It all reminds me how quirky and waiving the masses can be, though I apologize again for any who feel personally slighted by my actions.

I do what I must. I do not presume to judge Karen's religious beliefs or her convictions that force her to act in a way seen as unorthodox. I would ask the same in this situation.

[G]

I know I didn't call you a hero when you challenged Skyler. It's like I said, Skyler is less deserving a title than you. Call it the lesser of two evils.

And now you're basing your entire decision about Damien on "Evidence of shadier dealings in the last 24 hours" Most will say that ignorance is not an excuse. Me, I'm curious if you'd be willing to change your mind about Damien if he was given the chance to defend himself. If you didn't know much about him, why were you gathering evidence? That tends to take more than just 24 hoursish of time. I would suggest you'd been "hunting" him as well.

What evidence do you have? Please, share with the rest of us so we may decide what opinions we should make. Of course, I've, personally, known Damien for quite a bit longer than most in this Arena, and while he's not the most upstanding citizen, he also isn't as evil as you'd like to have us believe.

Don't call it faith of convictions. Call it what it was. Selfish indulgence and greed of power.

G.

[Rakeesh]

I do not believe he is evil, though, based on his alliance with Skyler, he is likely to give his Overlord grant to those who may be criminal and dangerous. To me, his shadier alliances would be my "evidence" and my reasoning.

As far as Karen goes - I would have alligned myself Loyal, but she does not allow that based on her particular religious beliefs. If I had been loyal to her and Skyler had been chosen to champion Damien, I would have switched alignment immediately and interceded in the same fashion that I did last night. I had hoped Karen would defeat Damien last night, but she did not. Now, it would seem that E will face Damien. I hope he wins. I would align myself loyal if he does. If he does not win, I will face Damien in hopes that the Overlord grant is not mis-used in a way that could inadvertedly harm innocents.

I hope this clears the air some, and people may concern themselves with far more important things than my convictions.

[Tasslehofl Momus]

Your convictions are in question, Lion, as are your view of matters.

It is clear, to many, that you're intention was nothing but a buy for greed in doing what you yourself are trying to prevent. It was nothing but a matter of thinking of yourself, no matter how you phrase your wording.

If you believe that Karen had not already planned for the case of Skyler being the choosen champion for Damien, thus had laid her own plans to keep him from gaining another barony, then you are sadly mistaken.

Flower your words all you like, Lion. In the end, they still stink of greed and even dishonor. To challenge an Overlord you helped make immediately does not bode well for your 'convictions'.

You have made many choices based on your view of 'right and wrong'. Perhaps it is time you take a step back and reevaluate what those views are.

[Rakeesh]

If I were not to challenge Damien, I would be showing a lapse in my convictions, effendi. As it is, I have stepped back and allowed for E to do so first, based on my belief in the honor of his intentions.

If we do not see eye-to-eye on what is 'right' and 'wrong' and what is important, then I hope we can agree to disagree. I hope my intentions are obvious enough, despite all of the curious hype.

If I were truly "power-hungry" I would have not stepped back multiple times in challenges when I believed another had the "right-away". The rights of rulership here are not so unlike those in my homeland. My actions there to protect put me at odds with traditions, and I found myself under martial attack. This reaction is nothing new to me, though the repeating of history does sadden me - I am not as young as I used to be.

[Farek]

Personally, I blame the Lion more for backing down than for issuing the challenge in the first place. Shame on you, Lion, for surrendering your honor to the hackneyed words of self-righteous imbeciles.

[G]

Premise.

I am currently able to be considered a shady character. (Of course, not as bad as Skyler, but on a par or worse than Damien.)

If Karen allowed it, I would say there's a high chance I'd have been Loyal, because we have been friends for a long time.

Based on the above two issues, I'm "shady" but still close to someone you may consider "Honorable and Just." What would be your position on me, hmm?

I figure, should E fail in his challenge and you attempt to gain power, I don't envision you lasting long at all.

G.

[Rakeesh]

I will give E his chance - he has acted honorably and with good intentions through this all. I can only react to any given circumstance, and the only judge of my honor that truly affects me is Sehkmet.

[DUEL Shard]

I would like to personally extend my services as caller for both these matches. If for no other reason then this: the political movements of this group amuse me to no end, and I will probably write at least a thesis on it at some point.

I also find the religious "convictions" and actions that rule some members of the high ranking dueling community to be absolutely fascinating.


So, Baron E, Baron Rakeesh and Overlord Damien, should you need my services, I will be available!

[Harris]

I'm confused again. Rakeesh, you couldn't trust the decision of a two time Overlord to utilize an eight time Baron and former Overlord in his own right to take down Skyler? Yet you're willing to renege on your Overlord challenge and trust a Baron relatively new to the upper echelon of the sport to make clutch decisions in his Overlord challenge?

Something doesn't add up, and it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Your motives are suspect, at best. The whole "I did what I think is right" spiel isn't gonna hold up forever.

[Rakeesh]

If Karen and Cassius failed against Skyler and Damien, I'd not have been in a position to challenge Skyler's barony. If E cannot keep his oath to defeat Damien, I can still challenge Damien before he is able to grant Skyler(or another criminal) a shot at a barony that could harm a district's citizens. I would take this burden upon myself, as is my custom, but E's words have moved me to let him fulfill his promise first.

As I see no negative consequence to this, I have agreed. If he fails, I am ready to do what I was ready to do before.

[G]

On the other side, if Cas bested Skyler and Damien, Karen would have been in a position to award Cassius the Barony of Damien, as well.

So, in effect, you interfered in that, as well.

G