IC 3: Roving around Raevin
"I wish my people understood that sort of strength," said Mortaar. "Each tribe has its own ways, but most fight and hunt and live with weapons, and understand that strength alone. My position was to mediate troubles between tribes, in a trial by combat if necessary. I have matched my skill and strength to uphold what is right, but when two strong tribes are both in the wrong, and the weak do nohing rather than seize their own strength by banding together, what does one do?"
Mortaar shrugged off his consideraitons by thinking on an example. He actually seemed happier and animated to be speaking about it. "There was one minotaur, who fought with no weapon, just his enormous horns. He was a giant of a bull anyway, but each horn was curved like a scythe and as large as any sword. He fought me unarmed, but it was I who was disadvantaged. He had height on me, and with a twist of his neck could bring one of the blades against my own. I foguht him to a standstill for a while, then had to take a charge on one of my shoulders, near breaking that arm. I had one hand to weild my two handed battleblade, and he was not weakeneing and had obviously not lost his twin weapons." Mortaar tapped on the upper area of his chest. "Of course, his height and horns did not matter as much when I went right in to his body. I had one good hand if I dropped my blade, and went for stopping that neck from twisting, and squeezing that throat. It was then a race between my hand on his neck, and his arms crushing my chest. I had beenfaster, and my ribs were stronger - just - and he passed out before I did."
Mortaar nodded happily at the victory, and took a drink.