Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-72.74.78.209-20141019230536/@comment-25640840-20141117234857

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).