Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-72.74.78.209-20141019230536/@comment-17114085-20141118102955

Sebidee wrote: Here's an interesting alternate view of the duel between Torygg and Ulfric that I just thought up.

Under the Nordic tradition the person challenged with the duel does not actually have to accept it, but refusing would make them look weak. Perhaps Ulfric went to Solitude to challenge Torygg and thus force him to refuse, this would have essentially ended Torygg's high Kingship and given Ulfric a legitimate reason to call a moot.

Two things support this. First is Ulfric's MASSIVE advantage over Torygg, only a fool would choose to fight him and so it's reasonable to think that a refusal would be the more likely outcome. Second is the fact that Ulfric didn't really have much of an escape plan and if it hadn't been for the guard on the gate he would never have left Solitude.

BUT Torygg turned out to be brave and met his death like a man, sparking the Stormcloak rebellion in the process and drastically changing Ulfric's plans. Of course Ulfric will not admit that he didn't want to fight and says that the duel and Torygg's death was deliberate.

I'm not saying this is what happened but its an interesting thought and it makes Torygg look more heroic (he did end up in Sovngarde afterall). That is true. If he had declined the challenge he would've lost his honor and he would've had to step down as High King. Ulfric probably expected Torrygg to decline, as Torrygg was a young man and not at all an experienced fighter. But that isn't to say he didn't come unprepared for a fight with the High King, since he always carries around his sword and axe and he always has his voice.

Him not having an escape plan has nothing to do with it. The duel was legal, he could have just not expected the Imperials to try to come after him. Had the Imperials not tried to kill/capture him after the duel he could've just walked out the front gate riding a war horse and chanting victoriously. That might or not have been his original plan.

The fact that Torrygg accepted his inevitable defeat and bravely fought against Ulfric means he died a true Nord. That is why he is in Sovngard, the afterlife for all Nord warriors. Though Torrygg accepting the duel or not wasn't what likely caused him to change his plans. It was the persecution from the Imperials after the duel that caused him to sneak out of the city with the help of a guard and then high tail it back to Windhelm before they could catch and execute him.

Also another thing on the duel and its legality. After they captured Ulfric in the beginning of the game they tried to kill him without a trial or any kind of legal persecution, because in Skyrim no Nord (not counting those Imperial supporters, because they already agree with anything the Empire says) would've sentenced him to death for a valid Nordic duel to the death. The only reason the Empire even cares about the duel is because the High King was a part of it. Had Ulfric, or anyone else, challenged some random Nordic Joe there would be no persecution.