Fist-fighters rarely get the chance to cast spells. Someone might cast a defensive spell in preparation for a fist-fight, however, and this is considered fair. It is not fair for others to cast magic on the fighters during the fight, even defensive or healing magic. Offensive magic of any kind, but especially Ironhand, is dirty fighting.
Unless the fight gets dirty, no one will break it up. Bystanders may bet on the outcome, but bets are off if the fight does get dirty. In addition to forbidden magic, dirty fighting includes using a bladed or hafted weapon, and gouging eyes or genitals. (In a wrestling match, of course, the only weapon fighters can use is a dagger.) Having armor on is not dirty fighting, but nobody wears armor all the time. Only a fool challenges someone in armor when he is not armored.
If the fight stays fair, then it ends when someone is knocked unconscious or surrenders. The bystanders praise the winner and console (or heal) the loser. The argument is considered settled, at least for the time being, in favor of the winner.
Fighters rarely suffer permanent harm in such fights. On rare occasions, someone loses an eye. A healing spell can usually fix that and the victim will regain his or her vision within a few minutes, hours, or days. If sight does not return, the person who caused the loss of the eye must apologize and make amends. King Sartar set the reparation for the loss of one eye at 500p (10 pigs or 5 cows). Some tribal kings have set the "eyeprice" higher or lower since his day. However, if the blinded man's weregild is less than 1000p., the gouger can usually get away with paying about half the weregild.
On very rare occasions, a fighter dies. This usually
happens as a result of a chokehold or a very lucky punch to the
head. The family of the dead man will try to have him raised
from the dead. The degree of effort varies with the man's
importance. The killer has no duty to aid in that effort. If
the victim stays dead, though, the killer must pay a weregild to
the victim's family. Weregilds are listed in the Gamemaster's
Book in Deluxe RQ.
Stick-fighting
Stick-fights result from long-standing grudges or group conflict. Despite the name, stick-fighters use cudgels, wooden maces, and other blunt weapons. The typical group is four or five men on a side. Women do not fight this way, and the adults keep boys from fighting this way until their initiation. Old men do not engage in this nonsense.
This is the level which Pavis street-gangs typically use. It is also a favorite of noblemen and others who run protection rackets. The nobleman or boss does not actually fight--he just sends his thugs or housecarls to beat up people. If the victim can't get anyone to fight beside him, he gets the tar knocked out of him.
When beating up a defenseless target, most thugs use natural weapons only, or at least pull their blows with the club. The idea is to cause pain without risking killing a person. In circumstances in which a mobster on Earth would break a person's legs, however, the thugs have to get mean. A Healing spell will fix a broken leg far too easily. To cause permanent or long term damage to someone means one has to amputate something. Thugs will take an ear from someone they do not fear, a hand from someone they do. They might ransom the body part back to its owner, or they might sell it to a magician. If they have an enemy in a weak position, they may force him to swear an oath to do something or not to do something. Coercion does not make an oath bad.
Stick-fighters can use defensive and healing magic and can wear armor. Using offensive magic is dirty fighting, and using bludgeon is most shameful. Most stick-fighters wear little or no armor. Pavis street gangs wear a couple layers of leather. Wearing metal armor is not dirty fighting, but a guy in chainmail who is wielding a stick looks ridiculous.
Dirty fighting includes making thrusting (or missile weapon) attacks, using bladed weapons, and using metal mace-heads. The penalty for dirty fighting is two-fold. A dirty fighter gets a reputation as such, which dishonors his name. Dirty fighting may also lead to escalation, especially where the victims of the dirty fighting have large families.
Winning a stick-fight means knocking all foes out of the fight, either by making them unconscious, making them surrender, or making them run away. The winners may rob the losers.
Eyeprice and weregild are as described above. However, the victim or his family may have a hard time collecting it.
[end part 2]
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