Quote Originally Posted by The_Jackal View Post
I don't understand how using the shout is tantamount to cheating. Is there an according-to-hoyle rulebook for Nord duelling? Somehow I very much doubt that's the case, and the people leveling the 'cheating' accusation at Ulfric are merely trying to discredit his victory, since they can't very well proclaim that Torygg won the duel. My attitude is that when you accepted a duel to the death, you're pretty much in 'no holds barred' territory, and you can't very complain that 'the manner in which I was killed wasn't gentlemanly'.
I think you're right, they are trying to discredit Ulfric's victory. They want to paint Ulfric as a man without honour, who won only through treachery. Partly because this discredits him in the eyes of the people most likely to side with him, traditional nord warriors. The imperials may not be the palatable choice to these nords, given their association with the White-Gold concordat, but they can't very well side with someone without honour. Now can they?

I think there's also a side that there's plenty of nords genuinely disgusted with Ulfric's behaviour, his shouting rendering Torygg not just outmatched but defenceless. After all, if you're going to kill a defenceless man why even bother with a duel? Why not cut his throat in his sleep? At least that'd be more honest than bothering with all the pretense of all this being honourable (read: fair).

Of course... General Tullius is hardly a honourable man either. Makes the matter a bit... muddled.