If a person insults a Turachian by calling them a coward where others can hear, the Turachian is encouraged to challenge his insulter. The coward challenge, unlike many other rites, does not require that two persons fight one another. Instead, this requires a painful and potentially deadly action. Both parties are required to enter a body of water, outdoors, without the aid of clothing. If both individuals have a human form, or access to appropriate objects that would temporarily grant them one, this is preferred. In fact, if the challenger has a human form, whilst the insulter does not, his honour will be considered doubly renewed for using it.
If the pair are not situated close enough to a natural body of water, a pool may be used. The water may begin at a temperature no more than tepid. The challenger and insulter must then both enter the pool and wait. If the challenger has not left before the pool reaches freezing temperatures, his honour is regained. If the insulter gets out before the challenger does, the insult is considered to have switched positions – now the insulter has lost honour. The insulter is not required to (nor is encouraged to) remain in the pool longer than the challenger, only until freezing temperatures have been reached.
Both parties are likely to be very weak and potentially hypothermic at the end of the Coward Challenge, so having extra hands nearby to help warm them up is a good safety precaution. Never-the-less, it is not unusual for both parties to succumb to death whilst partaking in this challenge. Insulting someone’s courage is a very grave insult in Turacha.