A Dueling Man

A Sample Quest – Based on Revel Immortal
By Derrick Leu

Scene – Fiore Liberi Tavern
Accepting quest sets Questduel to true
Completion and/or refusal sets Questduel to false

Princess Morning walks into the FIORE LIBERI, a loud and rowdy tavern filled with a rougher-than-usual crowd. A woman in a frilly dress dances upon a stage and all the men are armed (Duelist Base NPC). In a corner, three men hunch over a table, their heads close together.

From left to right, they are:
RENNY PARRY, MARNY MORDSTREICH, and JONATHAN RIPOSTE.

Topic: (Opening)
RENNY PARRY
Jon, he’s one of the finest duelists in the realm!

JONATHAN RIPOSTE
Even the greatest swordsman can be caught off guard, Renny.

Renny Parry
Look, Marny, this is just way too risky. You’re going to get us killed!

MARNY MORDSTREICH
The odds are not as bad as you think they are!

Jonathan Riposte realizes that Morning is listening in, and turns to her. (Action: Turn)

Jonathan Riposte
Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! Shove off!

Marny Mordstreich
I think she was eavesdropping.

Renny Parry
Listen lady, just forget everything you heard.

Jonathan Riposte
Renny, stop being an idiot. If she heard us, she might tell Aram.

Marny Mordstreich
Tell you what, here’s a few gold pieces. You heard nothing, got it?

Player Responses:
Option 1: Alright. Thanks for the gold. (End conversation) (End Quest)

Option 2: Sounds like you boys need some help with something.

They turn to each other and fall to whispering loudly. (Action: Turn)

Whispers:
She looks tough.

But it’s a woman!

Look at her gear, idiot.

I think her sword’s bigger than mine…

Sod it all, we’re going with it.

The men turn back to Morning. (Action: Turn)

Marny Mordstreich
Alright. My handkerchief was stolen by a duelist named Aram Pembroke. It’s very important to me. His house is just two blocks north of here. Get it back for me.

Player Responses:
Option 1: Very well. (Start Quest) (End Conversation)

Option 2: What’s in it for me?

Marny Mordstreich
I’ll give you a fine shield I won in a duel from a knight.

Jonathan Riposte
I can’t believe you’re trading an expensive shield for a hanky.

Marny Mordstreich
Shut your mouth!
(to Morning)
Force him, talk to him, I don’t care. Just get my handkerchief! (Start Quest)

Scene – Aram Pembroke’s House
Princess Morning enters Aram Pembroke’s house (House locked unless Questduel true). A one bedroom one living room home, the rooms are clean and well-lit. Armor stands and weapon racks line the right side of the living room.

ARAM PEMBROKE, a brown-haired human male in a blue tunic with a longsword, stands before a rack. Upon Morning’s entrance… (Action: Turn)

ARAM PEMBROKE
You there! What business have you, entering my house without invitation?!

Player Responses:
Option 1: I hear you’re a famous duelist. Let’s see the truth of those words! (Begin Combat)

Upon looting, Princess Morning obtains ISABEL’S HANDKERCHIEF.

Option 3: Marny wants his handkerchief back. You’d best surrender it.

Aram Pembroke
HIS handkerchief? What lies has he been feeding you? Allow me to explain.

Aram Pembroke
My lady love Isabel Marshal threw to me a token of her regard after one of my duels. However, it caught wind and blew into Marny’s face.

Aram Pembroke
He would not return it, so I wrested it from him with my sword. It is mine by right. If you have any sense of honor, you will readily agree with me!

Player Responses:
Option A: I care nothing for your claims. Have at you! (Begin Combat)

Option B: Marny is offering a fine shield for the handkerchief. What will you offer?

Aram Pembroke
A reward? How mercenary. Very well, I will give you a masterwork sword.

Aram Pembroke
Return to Marny and tell him that I wasn’t home. I will arrive shortly to handle the snake myself. (End Conversation) (set Aramdeal true)

Option C: Had I known the truth, I’d never have listened. What do you propose?

Aram Pembroke
An honorable man. Inform Marny that I wasn’t home. I will arrive shortly to handle the snake myself. (End Conversation) (set Aramdeal True)

Option D (intimidation/persuasion): Regardless of your claims, I have a task to perform. Hand over the handkerchief. The token is not worth your life.

Aram Pembroke
I… very well. Filthy blackguard. Now leave. (End Conversation)

Morning receives Isabel’s Handkerchief.

Scene – Fiore Liberi Tavern
Morning returns to the Fiore Liberi Tavern. Upon interacting with Marny Mordstreich…

IF THE HANDKERCHIEF WAS RETRIEVED (Handkerchief true)

Marny Mordstreich
Excellent! Wonderful! Superb! Here friend, your shield! (End Quest) (End Conversation)

IF NOT RETRIEVED (Handkerchief false) & NOT CONTINUING: (Aramdeal false)

Marny Mordstreich
Have you the handkerchief?

Player Responses:
Option 1: Not yet. I’ll get on that soon. (End Conversation)

Option 2: I’ve decided I’m not going to do it.

Marny Mordstreich
Faugh! Coward. Very well, I’ll handle it myself. (End Conversation) (End Quest)

IF MORNING HAS COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH PEMBROKE: (Aramdeal true)

Player Responses:
Option 1: You are filth! Have at you! (Begin Combat)

When Marny, Renny, and Jonathan are dead, Aram Pembroke enters.

Aram Pembroke
What is this?! I wished the satisfaction for myself! Bah. Very well, it’ll have to do. Take this sword, for your part in this, and my thanks. (End Quest)

Option 2: Pembroke wasn’t home.

Marny Mordstreich
No? Very well. We’ll try again another time.

Aram Pembroke enters the tavern and approaches Marny.

Aram Pembroke
So. Not only do you attempt to steal my token, you also besmirch my honor and Isabel’s! I’ll have my satisfaction from you, blackguard!

Marny Mordstreich
(to Morning)
What! How dare you betray me!

Aram Pembroke attacks and makes short work of them. Player may join in.

Aram Pembroke
Ah, ‘tis most satisfying to deal harshly with scum such as he. My thanks for your part in this. I trust that this sword will do for your reward?

Morning gains a Masterwork Sword.

Aram Pembroke exits the tavern. (End Quest)

A Dueling Man Quest Complete

Trivia:

Mordstreich means ‘murder strike’ and was a german technique used in armored warfare where the knight/warrior would grip the sword by the blade and strike with the pommel or crossguard, allowing the sword to be used like a mace or hammer.

A Parry is a fencing maneuver used to block or deflect an incoming attack.

A Riposte is an offensive strike made after a fencer has just parried an attack.

En Garde is a neutral fencing position, from which parries are commonly performed.

William Marshal was a famously honorable English knight who served four kings. He married Isabel De Clare and became the very powerful Earl of Pembroke. It’s said that he has participated in over five hundred duels and has won the vast majority of them.

Fiore dei Liberi was an Italian knight and fencing master. He wrote a manual, complete with illustrations, on fencing, dueling, and armored warfare called The Flower of Battle.