Stefan Coram's feud with Rhydon

[Laurna]

Poison seems to me to be a woman's tactic, and too lowly for Coram.  I think a private arcane duel or a sudden unanticipated dispute between them. One which Rhydon may have started, but Coram finished with an abrupt deathreading; learning that becoming Rhydon would have certain benefits that he had not considered before.

[revanne]

I think that poison is also a conspirator's weapon where honourable combat is impossible. Although I lean to the idea that Coram stopped Rhydon's heart magically.

[Bynw]

I'm in total agreement that Coram did murder by magic Rhydon.

[whitelaughter]

With no healing magic, but normal scrying magic available, Coram may simply have noticed the incipient heart attack and made sure that he was in position when it occurred.
Or - there must be magical equivalents of duels to 1st or 2nd blood. Deliberately inflicting a wound that ends the duel, but will kill the target later, would be a tactic that the sneaky would consider.
Finally, given Rhydon was supposed to be villainous, he may well have tried to kill Coram, and learned the hard way that this was a bad idea...

[tmcd]

Deliberately inflicting a wound that ends the duel, but will kill the target later, would be a tactic that the sneaky would consider.

a.k.a. the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique. (Kill Bill)

[ReikiDeryni]

Rhydon's death was in all likelihood was just a natural occurrence. I base my observation on what has been written about Coram as being honorable but capable of ruthlessness (i.e. poisoning himself and others). Rhydon's death in my opinion was being in the right place and the right time and taking full advantage of it. His stated reason in HD for the poisoning (i.e. poisoning is not looked on as dishonorable in some cultures and/or some circumstances) was mostly so nothing went Wencit's way nor sideways (as in the death of Kelson). As to Coram and the Protocols of Orrin his shape shifting (the Camber series) and his final words to Arilan, all hints at that and belonging to a group other than the Camberian Council (Camber and Heirs series) though those observations can truly only be made in hindsight

[tmcd]

I just reread that final scene, but I'm afraid I don't see the "hints" of "belonging to a group other than the Camberian Council". As an aside, I also don't see anything like "His stated reason in HD for the poisoning (i.e. poisoning is not looked on as dishonorable in some cultures and/or some circumstances)".

[drakensis]

I referred to that in a recent, non-Deryni story, as 'died of natural political causes'.

[ReikiDeryni]

Granted it's been a few years since I've re-read the first trilogy and I don't have the books handy, but I remember Stefan mentions oaths to others or something similar. So if both Arilan and he are in the Camberian Council, who else would be the others and why  hide them from Arilan? We also know from later novels i.e. Camber the Heretic and The Harrowing of Gwynedd that another group had likely been formed outside the Camberian Council and that is the "hint" I'm talking about. Coram taking on Rhydon life/form is much or just like Camber did with Alister's this also suggests that he belonged to that other group, because obviously how to do that was close to double ultra secret, not just a secret knowledge. As to the  poisoning it was to make sure Kelson won and Wencit didn't, he literally tells Kelson's group that he couldn't take the chance of Kelson losing and Wencit it winning

[DoctorM]

I've never trusted people like Coram. I think he'd poison Rhydon if he thought he could get some "greater good" out of it.

[tmcd]

For me, not just Coram. I have the feeling that the Camberian Council in general would burn down a nunnery with orphans in it just to get a small "greater good", or rather something that they think is a "greater good" but other people might disagree.

[DoctorM]

For me, not just Coram. I have the feeling that the Camberian Council in general would burn down a nunnery with orphans in it just to get a small "greater good", or rather something that they think is a "greater good" but other people might disagree.

I agree. Very much so.

[Bynw]

For me, not just Coram. I have the feeling that the Camberian Council in general would burn down a nunnery with orphans in it just to get a small "greater good", or rather something that they think is a "greater good" but other people might disagree.

I agree. Very much so.

I totally agree.

[revanne]

Agreed. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them - to use an idiom from this side of the pond.

[Nezz]

Agreed. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them - to use an idiom from this side of the pond.

We use that idiom here on the left side as well.