The following article was seen on page three of the RhyDin Post, April the first.
Pride and Character; An Outsider's Opinion on Duelists April 1, 2010
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/dfenner_photo/6264346944a710cfe80dc5.jpg Senior Columnist and Investigative Journalist: Darien Fenner
Paul Bryant, an American football coach back on Earth, had some excellent advice for his athletes: "Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself."
A lot of starry-eyed fighters new to the dueling venues no doubt are under some groundless preconceived notion that as long as they show up for matches and throw punches, they'll eventually win. Now I am no sports commentator; I leave the educated analysis of Swords and Fists strategies to my colleagues. But I have had the privilege of competing in quite a few duels since last year. I have observed many more. And I have begun to learn the difference between what makes a duelist, and what makes a great duelist.
Recently, I had the auspicious privilege of being able to interview a five-time Baron and two-time Overlord, Anubis Karos, who in few words embodied justifiable esteem worthy of a dueling competitor.
Lesson number one. Class.
William Hazlitt, ladies and gentlemen. The truly proud man knows neither superiors nor inferiors. The first he does not admit of; the last he does not concern himself about. Indispensable attributes of an exceptional fighter are without a doubt a cool head and calculated perception of both strength and worth.
Karos seemed to observe the logic of challenge-issuing with Hazlitt's wisdom in mind.
"Humanity is such a strange species..." claimed Karos. "You do not see the cat bark at the dog, or the antelope chase the lion. The rat does not dive into the grain to hunt the cobra. Yet...when Guillermius challenged me, that is what happened."
Sources claim that Fortis's challenge was issued with flagrant disregard for rank and established courtesy, and with regards to out-of-venue behavior.
What was it Bryant had to say about class"
The fact of the matter is, when a caller validates a match, what a duelist does with his own time becomes irrelevant. Challenges should be issued as a test of self-worth, and not under some na've illusion of misplaced virtuosity.
Lesson number two. Character.
Many opinions differ on what constitutes strong character, but I have found that congruence generally can be found in honesty. Karos, who is so liberally criticized outside the dueling venues, harbors no misconceptions of external impressions. Moreover, he does not let outward criticism of his behavior faze him. Nor should he. He is nothing if not honest of both his life and intentions.
"I am not a "purveyor of flesh," I am not a "merchant of living goods," I am a slaver," explained Karos of his profession. "That unfortunate trend started with idiots who feared the consequences of the trade or who thought that the allusion passed for clever...and unfortunately, a few individuals whom I hold a shadow of respect for have adapted it. I feel no shame about my vocation."
Added Karos: "As for my pets...any man who could hold absolute power over the beauties that I do and would not go where your mind wanders to....is not a man. Of course, my wife provides stiff competition in that regard."
As for intentions" Suffice to say, Karos nurtures no delusions of ingenuous rule-bearing and tongue-in-cheek interpretations of "honor." He is there for the same reason most are - the unstinted challenge of the sport.
" to quench my natural appetite for victory and blood, and to put the fear of the gods in my enemies," explained Karos. "Slavers have a reputation from running from physical combat....and I would be a liar if I said that it was not without merit in many instances. My record in the duels lets those who would be heroes know that they are, to use a phrase from your time which your readership can relate to now but will seem ridiculous in a century...."batting out of their leagues." Trust me" for every title that I win, an idiot's life is saved."
Lesson number three. Pride.
I am no stranger to the classics, so I am inclined to agree with Jane Austen's interpretation of pride and vanity. A person, ladies and gentlemen, may be proud without being vain. Pride relates to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.
Apparently, good works of literature on RhyDin are scant, for there are a select number of duelists about this city who can hardly fathom the difference.
Stumbling into a position of deference because of a fortunate streak of wins or a serendipitous pairing in a tournament does not necessarily make a good fighter. Flaunting one's placement in dueling standings to fledglings is not proud, it is vain. But taking into consideration a long, prestigious career of documented success when making an educated prediction for the outcome of a match is not vain. Not in the least.
"My advice to Swordswoman, Grand Mistresses, and Warladies before you duel me....bathe," suggested Karos. "And don't wear anything that you are attached to; I'm just going to throw it in the fire."
The fact of the matter is, while the nature of the Baron of Battlefield Park's disposition might not appeal to some of our RhyDians" more sensitive natures, his long history of achievements within the dueling world undoubtedly demands respect. For what is respect without pride" What is pride without character" And what is character without respect?
To become not only a capable fighter, but also a respectable one, critics encourage pride, but not vanity. Character, but not imprudence. And above all, to exhibit class above one's rank with no exceptions. The sport of dueling is measured in skill, and skill alone, and petulant protestations of a contentious opposition ultimately accomplish nothing.
As for my own personal advice as an outsider to the up-and-coming duelist' Leave your problems at the door. Fuel only adds to fire, and a blaze can far too easily become impossible to control.
Pride and Character; An Outsider's Opinion on Duelists April 1, 2010
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/dfenner_photo/6264346944a710cfe80dc5.jpg Senior Columnist and Investigative Journalist: Darien Fenner
Paul Bryant, an American football coach back on Earth, had some excellent advice for his athletes: "Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself."
A lot of starry-eyed fighters new to the dueling venues no doubt are under some groundless preconceived notion that as long as they show up for matches and throw punches, they'll eventually win. Now I am no sports commentator; I leave the educated analysis of Swords and Fists strategies to my colleagues. But I have had the privilege of competing in quite a few duels since last year. I have observed many more. And I have begun to learn the difference between what makes a duelist, and what makes a great duelist.
Recently, I had the auspicious privilege of being able to interview a five-time Baron and two-time Overlord, Anubis Karos, who in few words embodied justifiable esteem worthy of a dueling competitor.
Lesson number one. Class.
William Hazlitt, ladies and gentlemen. The truly proud man knows neither superiors nor inferiors. The first he does not admit of; the last he does not concern himself about. Indispensable attributes of an exceptional fighter are without a doubt a cool head and calculated perception of both strength and worth.
Karos seemed to observe the logic of challenge-issuing with Hazlitt's wisdom in mind.
"Humanity is such a strange species..." claimed Karos. "You do not see the cat bark at the dog, or the antelope chase the lion. The rat does not dive into the grain to hunt the cobra. Yet...when Guillermius challenged me, that is what happened."
Sources claim that Fortis's challenge was issued with flagrant disregard for rank and established courtesy, and with regards to out-of-venue behavior.
What was it Bryant had to say about class"
The fact of the matter is, when a caller validates a match, what a duelist does with his own time becomes irrelevant. Challenges should be issued as a test of self-worth, and not under some na've illusion of misplaced virtuosity.
Lesson number two. Character.
Many opinions differ on what constitutes strong character, but I have found that congruence generally can be found in honesty. Karos, who is so liberally criticized outside the dueling venues, harbors no misconceptions of external impressions. Moreover, he does not let outward criticism of his behavior faze him. Nor should he. He is nothing if not honest of both his life and intentions.
"I am not a "purveyor of flesh," I am not a "merchant of living goods," I am a slaver," explained Karos of his profession. "That unfortunate trend started with idiots who feared the consequences of the trade or who thought that the allusion passed for clever...and unfortunately, a few individuals whom I hold a shadow of respect for have adapted it. I feel no shame about my vocation."
Added Karos: "As for my pets...any man who could hold absolute power over the beauties that I do and would not go where your mind wanders to....is not a man. Of course, my wife provides stiff competition in that regard."
As for intentions" Suffice to say, Karos nurtures no delusions of ingenuous rule-bearing and tongue-in-cheek interpretations of "honor." He is there for the same reason most are - the unstinted challenge of the sport.
" to quench my natural appetite for victory and blood, and to put the fear of the gods in my enemies," explained Karos. "Slavers have a reputation from running from physical combat....and I would be a liar if I said that it was not without merit in many instances. My record in the duels lets those who would be heroes know that they are, to use a phrase from your time which your readership can relate to now but will seem ridiculous in a century...."batting out of their leagues." Trust me" for every title that I win, an idiot's life is saved."
Lesson number three. Pride.
I am no stranger to the classics, so I am inclined to agree with Jane Austen's interpretation of pride and vanity. A person, ladies and gentlemen, may be proud without being vain. Pride relates to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.
Apparently, good works of literature on RhyDin are scant, for there are a select number of duelists about this city who can hardly fathom the difference.
Stumbling into a position of deference because of a fortunate streak of wins or a serendipitous pairing in a tournament does not necessarily make a good fighter. Flaunting one's placement in dueling standings to fledglings is not proud, it is vain. But taking into consideration a long, prestigious career of documented success when making an educated prediction for the outcome of a match is not vain. Not in the least.
"My advice to Swordswoman, Grand Mistresses, and Warladies before you duel me....bathe," suggested Karos. "And don't wear anything that you are attached to; I'm just going to throw it in the fire."
The fact of the matter is, while the nature of the Baron of Battlefield Park's disposition might not appeal to some of our RhyDians" more sensitive natures, his long history of achievements within the dueling world undoubtedly demands respect. For what is respect without pride" What is pride without character" And what is character without respect?
To become not only a capable fighter, but also a respectable one, critics encourage pride, but not vanity. Character, but not imprudence. And above all, to exhibit class above one's rank with no exceptions. The sport of dueling is measured in skill, and skill alone, and petulant protestations of a contentious opposition ultimately accomplish nothing.
As for my own personal advice as an outsider to the up-and-coming duelist' Leave your problems at the door. Fuel only adds to fire, and a blaze can far too easily become impossible to control.