Jamesson Vs. Kensley 2

[Pellaeon]

A few notices were put up around the city


"Archduke Sorenvik",

I don't appreciate your recent attitude towards myself, so I've decided to challenge you from the perspective of the Velheim community, which, might I comment, has degraded significantly over these last few years. Lost all individuality have the common folk of the community, as they've resigned themselves to licking the boots of either House Viduggla or House Sorenvik, soon after, they decide they've kissed enough ass to make asinine remarks against myself for not following in their footsteps. You had some individuality; leading that Old Town Militia, taking a stand to protect the Velheim and neighboring districts, owning and managing that little ringside bar, and so on, soon becoming a prominent figurehead in the community. Now, you've become "Archduke Sorenvik", as your House now heads the guard, the Chancellor's contingent, and a militarized Alms-House (???). Noticed the changes I have, and they're more than just in name and title. Now for me, I started off many years ago wide eyed and eager to prove myself. I hoped to gain the good graces of the house(s) at the time, mainly House Norrvakt. I made my friends, and we had our adventures. Now, I find myself here, alone, and those companions are long gone. Many changes I have witnessed through the years, them being in people, in society, and in our little community here, and many of these changes hurt, but never did /I/ change, despite what you or others may think. Tried and tested is my will, and unbroken it remains, for only cowards betray their ideologies. Here I am, but where is everybody else? Those who replace them I find unfit to do so, and at the spearhead of it all, I see you. So, I present my challenge before you, a bout within the community. I've beaten you before, viciously, and I can do so again.

Earned, not given.

We can publicize it if you choose, Archduke. Those being news reporters, question and answer events, sponsors or what have you.

Date and time pending your response.

Urijah Jamesson

 

[Ocularum]

If you want, we can publicize it.

Click to shrink...

Liezel squinted at a notice board significantly taller than she was—Bless Urijah and his large handwriting. With a hop and a swipe a single copy of the notice came down. Destination? The Sunday Scratch.

News wrote itself these days.

 

[Bensonio]

Staring at the announcement caused a lone sigh to slip past Thorom's lips. The Half-Eronidas shook his head and let his murky yellow eyes skim over the notice once more.

"Shite's sake man," he grumbled with a tut, "Life's a bloody tree. You lose your leaves and grow new ones after winter, or you wither."

And with that, a sharp grunt, and the notice in his meaty hand, Thorom slunk off to the Sorenvik Estate to see what Papa Viggo thought.

 

[Arhbi]

"Holy fuck not this ingrate again," says an Anglian named Stefan.

 

[MrNoot1]

The Celate was within one of his few daily strolls, in which he'd stop at the notice board to see what was new. However, he would stop to read before moving to slam his head in the nearest wall. "Urijah.. it's always Urijah." And after that, he'd leave for home in order to rest his head.

 

[Greenie]

"That's the blundering fool I ran into yesterday," uttered the Duke Stalvinge as he turned to his peers. "I hope the Archduke truly whoops him."

 

[MonMarty]

From the desk of Tirioc Menhaal Mionther Bel-Antaal Solleria-Athentol, Steward to House Sorenvik, on the request of communication by the Archduke of Medelpad, Norrvenøya, Mannerdrepland. To the foul-mouthed son of one James of the North. Your communication has been received by the Archduke, and considered. We regret to inform you however, that there are many incorrect assertions in your writing. The Archduke has thus requested that I write a response to satisfy the public purview. To review your writing firstly. The first few sentences are idle bluster that warrant no response. Then in chronological order you state that: The common Velheim people have lost individuality, The Archduke Sorenvik "had" some individuality, you have individuality but are now alone /this is the part where you go on a lengthy soliloquy about yourself/, then you make a couple of grammatical errors that make your additional points illegible, and finally round your poorly edited letter with a challenge to what was presumed is a physical fight. Quite astonishingly, the Archduke told me this was an open letter meant to defame the Archduke, however after reading it, I was merely left wondering:
​

Is this a letter criticizing the Archduke for what he has become, or simply a lonely soul speaking about himself, because he is afraid no one else will. ​

To call someone "lacking in individuality" is indeed a strange concept. It is true that individuality exists on a spectrum, more than not do people have varying degrees of communal or opposingly individual ideals. But I will now illustrate why your accusation of lacking individuality is nonsensical. By its definition, Individuality means /qualities of the individual that define them as unique or separate of others of the same kind/. It is true there are matters about the Archduke that are lacking in individuality. He has a faith that is the same as other Velheim men. He has the body of a Velheim man, incidentally also owned by other Velheim men. He believes in the Old Gods, much like other Velheim men, and he can speak Skodje. But there are also things that individualize him. And here comes the strangest part of your letter: You make a perfectly adequate summary of the reasons /why/ the Archduke is more individual than his peers. He is the only Male Archduke in the Empire right now. He is the only Guard Commander right now. He is the only person with ultimate sway over the Continent. His wife controls the only Alms Ministry right now. These are all singular qualities, entities of which only a single individual may exist in the world at any given time:
​

The Archduke has set himself apart and above other Velheim men, like you, who have no other individuality to their combat-bearded-face-painted-brash-male identity, save for a particular "gimmick", yours being overly crude with your language. You are just a Velheim man with a gimmick, son of James of the North, lacking other noteworthy individuality.​

The Archduke quite literally owns and rules the land your former masters, House Norrvakt, used to own. The Archduke went from commanding a disorganized mob of seperatists in the Velheim District, to commanding thousands of men within the Guard from who he earned the loyalty from, through the hard work and unity he has brought them. The Archduchess Sorenvik commands the favor of the common people, and has a name that is whispered by men, women and children far and wide. These two amazing people who I have the privilege to serve, are in a way, a representation of what it truly means to be Velheim. I myself have long struggled with the concept of ideology among the Velheim people, what do they truly stand for, what does it mean to be Velheim? As an outsider, I was only ever merely looking in from the outside, an Elf caught out in the cold, for the many years I lived in Drixagh.
​

But then it occurred to me, House Sorenvik, and by extension the Archduke you accuse and challenge, are the epitome of what it means to be Velheim: to face adversity, and to thrive, even in rough conditions, even with the whole world against you.​

For it is historians who tell us, that the Velheim people were trapped on a desolate island, the home of Zemlith, where food was scarce, enemies circled like predators hungry for their next meal. Despite all adversity, from god to beast to man, the Velheim people spread far and wide, found new lands, new opportunities, colonized, survived, and thrived. Is this not what the Archduke and Archduchess have done? Found new opportunities to make their name, stake their claim, and earn their fame? Is it not the Velheim community themselves who have found reprieve in return? The Helbolwen, the home of your dead and forefathers, safer than ever from Regalian interference, and cleaner and more well kept than ever. The Velheim district, still blessed by the individual care of the ex-Kensleys, their bar remains open for the common folk to use even as they have moved up society. And the Velheim people all over the world, have champions that stand true, to protect their faith and identity. For time and faith has not been kind to the Velheim people, and circumstances once more demand that their folk are led by those who can look towards the future and adapt in this season of adversity.
​

It is perhaps poignant to say that the Velheim people around you have come to realize, that you represent stagnation, and a past they do not wish to return to. You represent failure to adapt. Blind dogma to tradition, and unwavering loyalty to an idea that nobody else seems to pretend exists: your own greatness. ​

The Archduke will not accept your challenge, son of James of the North, because it is entirely without merit, and you are entirely without merit. You are not challenging the Archduke from your Soldi, because you are within an inch from being declared anathema by that very community, one without honor. You represent the naïve and dogmatic past that the Velheim have come to realize was only good to act as the rusty nails in their own coffins. You yet stand unbroken, on borrowed time and air, before your name will be snuffed out from memory, not even a Navner capable of remembering.
​

Go forth, son of James of the north, grey-named man with a gimmick of barely noticeable quality. Keep your name and memory alive for just a little bit longer, as you pontificate where no one else will. This will be the last and only response from House Sorenvik for me to cite. Unless, for your misfortune, you should walk into the wrong alleyway at night.​

​

 

[RunicScrawl]

Eerikur, finally getting their spirit back let out a laugh, pocketing Jamesson's original notice and walked off. Later on, they found Triss. They handed it off to her.

"Good Gods, get a load of this. Remember that guy from yesterday? Looks like the dumbass is at it again."

They said, shaking their head with another laugh.

@Trinimere

 

[Trinimere]

Eerikur, finally getting their spirit back let out a laugh, pocketing Jamesson's original notice and walked off. Later on, they found Triss. They handed it off to her.

"Good Gods, get a load of this. Remember that guy from yesterday? Looks like the dumbass is at it again."

They said, shaking their head with another laugh.

@Trinimere

Click to shrink...

Triss poured over the letter, a very blank face looking back. "Are people really this bored?"

 

[RunicScrawl]

Triss poured over the letter, a very blank face looking back. "Are people really this bored?"

Click to shrink...

"Guess so. Heard a thing or two about this guy — Seems like this is his usual deal." They said, shrugging idly, crossing arm over chest.