The Right to Challenge

The Right to Challenge is a W'hoorn tradition and law practiced in Benu Wen which allows progression in their societal structure.

W’hoorn within a certain level of societal prestige may challenge one another in unarmed combat to the death. The repercussions of the challenging W’hoorn losing include bringing shame to the challenging W’hoorn’s name and shame upon his or her family.

Furthermore, if someone loses a challenge, the pinion feather of their right wing is pulled upon cloning, or from their corpse if they do not have an INR (HETE are 'respectful' of this cultural tradition and remove the feather from future cloning templates - though wealthy W'hoorn have been known to pay them off to insert a replacement pinion). Following this procedure, people in Benu-Wen will evermore regard them with suspicion and often derision. They will not be allowed to progress in the military and are traditionally shunned by their family. People who have lost this pinion feather are known as 'Pinfallen'.

The winner of a challenge has the brush of their tail dipped in the blood of their fallen enemy, which is left until it fades of its own accord. The removed pinion feather of their opponent is then wrapped in a fine layer of ultra-light gold silk in a traditional process known as pingilding, after which is it known as a Pryapt. It is then given to the champion, to adorn their own wing.

It is a great accolade in Benu Wen to have a Tectrix - which is a collection of Pryapts so long that it forms a golden fringe along the bottom of one or even both of your wings.

The process and ceremony can be done anywhere, but it is traditional to hold both the challenge and the falling and adorning ceremony on the Steps of Aes'tun just outside the capital city, Vertenalith.