C'est par mon ordre et pour le bien de l'Etat que le porteur du pr�sent a
fait ce qu'il a fait.
- Richelieu
> A common rule of duelling has been "challenged party
> chooses the weapons". Of course, a gentleman will only
> choose weapons which his opponent knows how to use...
> won't he?
A *gentleman* would, yes. A professional duellist would work at getting insulted/slapped, and then choose his *own* best weapon. (Or just be a damn'd good fighter, ala Scaramouche)
> It can be very important to specify *exactly* what
> weapons you're talking about, of course. At an ACW
> show a few years back, we staged a duel. What weapons?
> "Guns". So they drew their pistols, turned their backs
> on each other, walked the prescribed number of paces
> away - which took the artillery officer to his
> 12-pounder Napoleon cannon. I'm not quite sure how
> you'd simulate this in Glorantha.
That's what seconds are for in that era - to examine and agree that the weapons are equivalent/in good working order/"gentlemanly".
My favorite duel is from "Those Daring Young Men in Their Flying Machines" -
Ballons and Blunderbusses. For a good time, rent "The Duellists" -
Napoleonic era French Hussars fight a series of duels over 15 years. Sabres,
Smallswords, Pistols, On Horseback...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JU7U/102-3632634-8517730?v=glance&n=130
Of course, "duels" vary from culture to ciulture and era to era. The Holmgang is a duel, Pistols at dawn is a duel, and "I'm a-callin' yew out yew lily-livered polecat" is a duel, but the rules and expected behavior (or even behaviour) is different for each of the three. In some duels only the two aggrieved parties fight, in others, the entire "side" fights (Three Musketeers, the first "duel" that d'Artagnan fights alongside the Musketeers). Seconds may fight alongside you, fight for you, or merely make sure things are done in a gentlemanly manner.
Since no-one's written the rules for a Dara Happan or Carmanian duel, someone gets to make it up...
RR
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