The Circle of Equals

Despite their scholarly heritage, the Praxxis family is a human family, with all the needs and desires of the individual humans that comprised it. As the family grew in wealth and power, so too did the need to establish an order to the expanding infrastructure of what would become the Kratan Kingdom. A pragmatic people, the governing Praxxis family established a simple, effective system for handling internal conflict: The Circle of Equals.
The Circle of Equals; at its core, is a simple concept. When a disagreement between individuals or any rank or station cannot be resolved through other means, in leui of a plea to the courts, a challenge in the Circle of Equals may be demanded. Inside the circle, the individuals settle their grievances through combat, the rules of which are determined when the challenge is issued. The simplicity of this core concept allows an enormous amount of flexibility in handling nearly any conflict.
The Circle of Equals is called such because within the circle a person’s rank, position or status commands no authority over the outcome. The combatants are regarded as equals when entering, and will remain so until the challenge is completed. Combatants are honor bound by the results which are witnessed (and when necessary enforced) by the peers forming the circle. For most challenges, a judge referred to as an Arbiter of Honor is chosen from among the group to preside over the challenge.
The Circle itself is an abstract thing; it is most often defined by peers forming a circle around the combatants, and may vary in size depending on the nature of the challenge. An unarmed melee will generally require a small circle, while combat involving bladed weapons will require a larger one. This allows challenges to be handled quickly and efficiently wherever they may arise. Challenges involving “high stakes” may even become a public event in some cases. Challenges are not always settled by combat, disagreements involving subjects such as quality of workmanship or value may be decided by a Circle of Equals as well. Famously, several smiths challenged for the right to forge the Great Sword of Kratus Praxxis by submitting their works to the smithing guild for judgement.
The challenges are honor based, and can be overridden by a superior or by consensus of the peers of the challenger. This prevents spurious or unbalanced challenges from wreaking havoc in a command structure.
The Circle of Equals may be a Kratan tradition, but it is malleable enough to adapt to many cultures’ honor duels with minimal adjustment. This tradition has become an almost reverent ritual, and its tenets are respected and honored amongst all Kratans.

Execution

When a person or party demands satisfaction by rite of the challenge, they must name a loremaster and state the terms of the challenge. The specific wording of the challenge is not important, so long as contains the necessary elements:

1. The name of the person or party issuing the challenge.
2. The name of the person or party to be challenged.
3. The subject of the challenge (an order, decree, possession of an object, etc.)
4. The time and place of the challenge
5. The means by which the challenge will be settled (unarmed combat, combat by sword, etc.).
6. The conditions of victory (a test of workmanship, the first to fall, first blood drawn, to the death, etc.)
7. The name of a person or party who will serve as Arbiter of Honor, or name their gathered peers to ratify the outcome.

The named Arbiter must respond next by accepting their appointment. On the rare occaision that an Arbiter of Honor declines, that person will name an alternate, and may even delay the challenge so that an appropriate party can serve. The party being challenged may also demand an alternate. If the challenger disagrees, the gathered witnesses will voice their opinions to choose an Arbiter, or defer to a higher authority.
Once the Arbiter of Honor has been chosen and accepted, the challenged party must then answer. If they agree to the challenge as stated, the named Arbiter must ratify the terms and the challenge can begin. If the challenger disagrees with the terms, a negotion occurs between the parties until the terms are settled.
The challenged party may choose to acquiesce instead of proceeding with the challenge. While rare, this is not unheard of; a challenged party may simply feel the risk is not worth the reward. Such an answer can have consequences for the honor of either or both parties, depending on how gracefully the situation is handled by either party.
In cases where one or both parties is a group, the Arbiter of Honor will ensure that neither side has undue advantage over the other. The Arbiter may declare that one or both groups put forth one or more champions to represent their group to balance the terms of the challenge. This step may be skipped if the issued challenge dictates these terms in advance.
Once the terms are set, the gathered witnesses arrange themselves in a circle, and the challenge begins. When necessary, the cricle may be defined by other means. Flags, landmarks and even formal arenas have been used to faciliate challenges. Upon completion, the Arbiter of Honor ratifies the result, and the prize is immediately conferred upon the victor.
Any unresoved issues are deferred to the courts, to be decide by Arbiters of Justice.

Participants

The Challenger

Any person who demands satisfaction by Circle of Equals is the Challenger. If the challenger is a group of individuals, they are generally represented by a leader or spokesperson for the group.

The Challenged

Whoever is named as the opposition of a challenge is the Challenged.

Arbiter of Honor

The Arbiter of Honor is a named person or group who will preside over the challenge. The Arbiter of Honor is generally a senior officer, one who is respected and objective, with no stake in the outcome of the challenge. A chosen Arbiter may recuse himself if he does not feel he can be objective, but this is a rare occurrence. For some challenges, the gathered assemblage may be named and the challenge is "Arbited by Peers". Arbitration by peers is usually invoked when the challenge is for leadership or high office; for example, if an officer challenges the captain of a ship for command, the crew will typically server as Arbiters as a group. This particular sort of challenge is a rare occurance, and can have drastic consequences for the parties involved.

Gathered Peers

Gathered witnesses, parties with interest in the outcome or even random citizens who happen to be in the vicinity when a challenge is issued are considered peers. The gathered peers will spectate the challenge, and may even respond as a crowd when called for to decide matters that an Arbiter of Honor cannot or will not. The gathered peers often voice their collected opinon as a crowd, and at times one or more may step forward to offer their opinions or accounts of facts when called for. Peers may also force a review of the outcome of a challenge with the support of those present, but this is a rare occurance.

Observance

A challenge in the Circle of Equals is called whenever a party demands it, and are typically settled immediately. Challenges may be issued for a variety of reasons; most commonly regarding a promotion in rank or position, a disagreement regarding tactics or strategy, an interpersonal conflict or the rights to a reward of some type.
Challenges may also be deferred when the situation calls for it. For example, if a commander’s strategy is believed to be lacking by one of his officers, that officer may demand a challenge; however, the challenge does not immediately halt the battle. It is instead settled afterwards.

Related Organizations

• Kratus

Related Ethnicities

• Kratan