The Tusk Duelling School offered an introduction to non-duellists, lessons to those who want to develop the basic skills, and practice facilities to those who wish to improve their skills.

All under the watchful eye of Robert Samuels, a Modern Duellist from Restov.  Although he specializes in rapier, he has practised the other styles and understands them, however, his particular skills and abilities mean he is more comfortable in the modern Style.  He is the first to admit that he isn't the best duellist, but he is a competent coach and reasonable manager for the School.

Whenever the salon is used, Robert will oversee activities, and has an arrangement with Cayden Cailean's priests that they will send an acolyte along to oversee most practice duels.

Duels 'to unconcious' are more difficult.  There are no readily available priests able to raise dead in the city, although the school has a scroll of raise Dead and specuial dispensation.  However, each participant is required to sign a binding contract that states they will pay the costs and fees of associated with the 'accident' and the replacement of the scroll.  It will run into a few thousand GP or a BP at the very least.

The salon itself is well appointed, the walls are hung with matched pairs of swords - Duelling Swords, Falcata (with their associated bucklers), Rapiers and duelling daggers about -  but there is a variety of other blades present too.

---

OOC:

One Duel at a time please.
Oversee your own duels  :)  (Unless it is to the death or there is an accident)

Read this page first.
http://rp.baileymail.net/doku....and:general:duelling
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:36, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

Domitius entered the Salon he had come prepared for his duel with the Lord Mayor of Tusk,  Barbatius had spent hours polishing his armour and the golden sun upon his breastplate gleamed in the sunlight.  He nodded in greeting to Master Samuels as he saw him "Master Samuels, the time has come for my duel with the Lord Mayor.  I thank you for allowing us the use of your Salon."  Dom moved over to one side of the dueling area with Barbatius and Brother Thaddeus in attendance.

Barbatius shook shook his head slightly as the crossed the room "You had to start at the top with the Mayor didn't you boss." he said with a sigh.

Grinning Thaddeus replied "At least it wasn't Lord Henry he started with."

Cass entered the salon with his own retinue and they took up position on the opposite side of the dueling mats as Domitius and his people. As Magatha inspected some of the dueling weapons, Jensen presented himself as the official second for Cass.

Before Jensen could say more, Elkin strode forward all business-like. “Please try not to kill ‘The Mordane’ or render him completely useless!” Elkin said matter-of-factly. “He has promised to purchase for me a well needed pony after this...ceremony. At the request of His High and Mightiness, the opponents will duel with their own personal choice of weapons, but no armor. No magic is to be used either for attacking, defending, or healing. Is this agreeable?”

“I was supposed to discuss the duel terms,” Jensen whispered harshly at Elkin. “I was chosen as second.”

“You are a farm boy wrapped in an iron pot,” Elkin whispered back. “And you already got to select a mount.”

Kendrick Winters walked into the salon. He looked over the small group gathered there for several seconds. Finally he stepped to the mayor. "Cass are you sure about what you're about to do here?"

Cass nodded to Kendrick. “I inadvertently insulted Domitius during the war hall discussions. I must allow him the opportunity to defend his honor by accepting his duel challenge. To refuse to do so would be a dishonor to him and myself both.” Cass pointed to Jensen. “We have a paladin on hand to provide immediate healing if needed.”

Kendrick let out a slow breath, "Alright, try not to get yourself killed. Good luck." He turned to face the other side of dueling area. "Well, I better get myself ready." Kendrick walked away from Cass and crossed the dueling area.

He greeted Domitius with a clasp of his arm. "My sword is ready should you need it." Kendrick drew his sword and inspected the edge while gauging Cass across the salon. "Don't over extend yourself. I'm sure that he'll be quick." Kendrick advised.

Domitius raised an eyebrow at the term "The Mordane" but said nothing as Elkin outlined the terms of the duel. Barbatius looked to Domitius who nodded "Master Domitius agrees to the terms of the duel, it will take but a moment to remove his armour"

Quickly Dom's retinue removes his armour and he is stripped down to his gambeson as Kendrick arrives.  He watches his friend address the Mayor impassively and waited for him to join him, returning his arm clasp "It is good to see you my friend, this should prove interesting I think, I have yet to see his lordship fight but I am sure he shall be a challenging opponent."

He nodded towards Barbatius who drew Blazefury from it's sheath and took it to present to Elkin and Jensen.  "Master Domitius's blade for your inspection."  It was a traditional Aldori dueling sword but made of mithral "Crafted by Mistress Rikka and named Blazefury."

Smiling Domitius says to Kendrick "Smart move on the no armour, that should make it a shorter fight."

“Excellent name and I am sure a near perfect blade.” Jensen had heard that Rikka’s craftsmanship was practically flawless. Meanwhile Elkin inspected the sword with the same stink eye that he was known to use when searching for a carp in a barrel of trout.

Cass presented himself for inspection in that he wore clothing with no armor or enchanted protections. Jensen and Elkin presented the well used Aldori dueling sword Cass had always worn as his official dueling weapon. It was Cass who spoke.

“Best workhorse steel I could afford at the time. So she’s one of the original heavy blades. No enchantments. No formal naming, but I sometimes in combat I call her Mist. Just Mist.” Cass always loved that joke.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:19, Sat 29 Aug 2020.

Robert examines the blades and nods his acceptance. "Lord Adoven explained that there might be days like this. Please remember that this isn't a death match. And we have no assistant Mayor to take over in case of mishap." Robert shows both combattants to their respective marks. "Begin as you wish" he simply says.

Domitius smiled "Hopefully she lives up to her name my Lord Mayor" Domitius replied as he presented himself, he had removed the gambeson and now wore a silk shirt over his trousers.

Barbatius inspected the blade offered and nodded "I believe all is in order gentleman, we shall proceed unless of course The Mordane would like to apologise for his comment."

Off near the entryway, there came a light smacking sound, that was Alisa D'Medvyed, who had just come in, slapping her forehead.

She had gained admission under the pretext she was hear to watch her fiance in his duel. There was a little more to it than that; and once inside, could not contain herself:

"And this here is what prevents me from ever being an Aldori enthusiast!"   She said something mostly under her breath in Azlanti, that had the semblance of cursing.  She paced nearer, went on:

"Never mind we've no dearth of threats and real enemies that want to spill our blood!  And that we should stand united against!  No, you two intend to go at it like a pair of contankerous boys, after one has called the other a do-do head! Ugh! By the Crescent, come to your senses!"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:22, Sat 29 Aug 2020.

Domitius sighed, he had hoped that Alisa would understand that this wasn't done lightly, he moved to stand before her taking one of her hands in his"Alisa my love, you know I cannot back down if I ever want to show my face in society again.  My honour has been challenged and if I do not stand then I may as well cast my sword aside and admit to being a liar and a coward." he raised her hand to his lips "I will promise that I will not fall, not today but if I am to become the First Sword of Midmarch then this is a path I must walk."

Practicing is one thing ... but Berta regards dueling over some slight, imagined or not, as strictly for rank amateurs.  Still, Wyn had bid her attend this farce, whether out of concern for the Mayor's health or hoping to see Domitius get his comeuppance she neither knew nor cared.

Unable to hold back a snort of laughter at Alisa's voicing of her disapproval, the Dragon's resident bouncer pushes her way easily to the priestesses side, thinking to show her support for that stance ... and stare down any others in the crowd who might disagree.

"Little boys," Berta murmurs, winking at the priestess, smiling sweetly all the while.

She'd been watching from the sidelines, but watching Alisa, it had just taken a few nimble steps, and there she was on her other side.

"Sting- just relax, Ali.  Breathe.  This is just like what happens at the Nectar sometimes- two guys will get up, go outside, beat eight kinds of holy hells out of each other over some slight, then come back in, collapse at the bar, and proceed to become the bestest best friends you've ever seen over more alcohol than you'd ever think two people could possibly drink.  But since this is high-society and all, they have to put on airs and do it this way, too.  Still bet they'll go off and get half-plastered after all this.

Just let the boys go get it out of their systems and then maybe this will all be in the past, and we can all move on to bigger and better things.

Besides, I trust the both of them to not go overboard in this- Dom is Dom, he'll keep his word, and the Mayor and I might not see eye to eye on a few things, but I'm pretty sure we can trust him, too."

She looked over to the woman on Ali's other side, gave her a once over, and then looked back to Ali, with a bit of a sly smile on her face.

"Plus- if Dom gets himself hurt, that just means you can get him alone and give him a lecture and a piece of your mind while you heal him up- or just bind his wounds up with some salve and bandages and let him ache for the next few days while you crash with my at the Nectar and give him the silent treatment."

Andalon stood back near the doorway, just as an observer. The duelists were both men of some significance in the community and he felt obliged to see how this played out. But when Elkin announced the rules Andalon felt he needed to make sure his understanding of those rules was correct, at least on the final point. He walked over for a quiet word with Elkin.

"I trust that the rule of no magic use for healing only applies during the duel, not afterwards?" he asked.

Elkin grinned. “Don’t tell Jensen, but one of the reasons that he was selected as second was so he would be ready with his healing hands on less than a moments notice. And as for Cass, His Mystical Loftiness would drop his sword in mid-strike to heal Domitius if needed. His Short and Sassiness just wants to look big in front of a crowd.”

"I've seen people die over what started out as a friendly bar fight," Berta tells Kiera.

"Not here," she clarifies, "back when I was on the Watch.  Saw a lot of bad things."

"Anyone wants to fight at the Dragon, even outside our doors, then they'll be drinking somewhere else thereafter."

Even so, she smiles back in a friendly manner at Kiera's frank appraisal, since all three women seem muchly in agreement.

"Hope you're right ..."

"So what sort of duelling house are you running Robert?" Mia asks from where she lounges by a wall.  "It is always weapons off the wall, stripped down to britches and no jewellery.  Then everyone knows it is fair.  Pure sword skill and nothing else.  No hidden advantages, no extra armour.  Just what skills and abilities THEY have."

Robert smiles grimly. "That won't always be the case. Lord Adoven, who set up this School, is an Arcane Duelist in the Modern style. He fights with two weapons, and has learned defensive magics to suppliment his training."