Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-50.72.49.241-20130930130812/@comment-26213507-20170224232034

Torygg almost had to accept the duel. Refusing a duel in almost any culture (and for that matter, most other worlds as well) tends to be looked at with sore eyes and a general disrespect for the one who refused. Most of the time, it's considered dishonorable. If he turned the duel down, then he, as a High King, would be mocked throughout Skyrim, as well as looked down by many (especially nords, since Ulfric is one).