The right to coup: looking for a name.

[Three_Haligonians]

Hey,

Part of the background of the latest adventure I'm running includes a scenario in which one noble has taken rulership of an area away from another. Essentially Noble A walked into the court of Noble B and said "I challenge you!" and then won the contest.

I'm trying to come up with a name for this challenge. The Rite of .... whatever.
It's a codified piece of noble law, probably old and forgotten by most, and it involves more than just a duel between the two (though that is definitely part of it), some kind of test of skill and/or knowledge and the like.

Anyone got any ideas? I'd love to hear them.. I'm hoping the ENWorld brainstorm can save the day.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[EricNoah]

Hmmm ... tough one ...

It basically sounds like a lesser noble is trying to get the greater noble to admit, publicly, that he does not deserve to be greater than the challenger. That the cosmic scales are out of whack, and this is a correction. Also seems to bank on reputation and influence as valuable things that can be won or lost.

Some synonyms:

correction: adjustment, alteration, amendment, counteraction, discipline, emendation, modification, punishment, rectification

reputation: cachet, character, credit, distinction, esteem, estimation, fame, glory, honor, infamy, kudos, name, notoriety, prestige, prominence, regard, renown, repute, respect, respectability, standing, stature, stock

influence: afflatus, ascendency, authority, charisma, clout, control, dominance, drive, force, impulsion, incentive, incitement, leverage, manipulation, miasma, patronage, persuasion, predomination, preeminence, prestige, puissance, restraint, sanction, stimulus, sway, vector

So maybe mix and match a few of these. Rectification of Ascendency or something along those lines.

 

[Andor]

Rite of rulership? (If you like puns.)

Challange of Nobility

It depends on the justification the society uses to rationalize the position of nobility. If it's a 'divine rite of kings' thing then it could be a Test of Divinity.

Gauntlet of Mettle
Duel to Rule?

 

[withak]

I'm reading the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher (the Dresden Files author) and in that world, the duel-for-settling-legal-matters-between-nobles thing is called juris macto. I think that sounds pretty cool, and I'll be stealing it for my campaign. I suggest you do the same.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Right of Insurgency?

Rite of Autarchy?

Rite of Dominion?

 

[Walknot]

Could be "rite of duke smith" or some other name from the history of that culture. take a puzzler and make it a tie-in.