Post by vendile on Feb 27, 2007 23:15:54 GMT
The idea came to me from god-knows where a couple nights ago and so i sketched a couple basic drawings and even possible "averaged" stat lines for a character arc-type (at 3 different ability levels as well!). I've been thinking about it more and feal it would work well with the hive-berg society set-up.
This will be developed into a full explorator report when i have the time, but for now its a proposal...
Basics:
As is always the case, over the course of the millenia every planet will develope its own unique traditions and attitudes.
The Honour Merchants are one such tradition on St.Martius' Bounty.
The Honour Merchants are at their highest level esentially elite bodyguards for the Nobels of the Hive-bergs, in which case they are refered to as "Honour Guards". When honour is insulted, a duel to first blood will take place between each nobels Honour Guard (expanded below).
At their most basic level the Honour Merchants compete in gladitorial-style competitions for the entertainment of the crowd. In most legitimate duels death is a rarity, with perhaps seven to ten deaths on average each year.
The Merchants are effectively sportsmen in the status they hold within Hive-Berg society, with many of the most successful being hired by well-off traders, noblemen and similar people to become their Honour Guard.
At their absolute lowest they do not deserve their title of "Honour Merchant", and as such are usually refered to as "The Chain Men". It is believed that there are around two illegal so-called "slum-duels" take place every week, with blood-thirsty crowds packed into the largest space possible whilst the duelists fight it out in the centre.
Many more of these fights end in serious injury or death, with most competitors at this level taking part in their free time, as the prize money can be incredible (compaired to their usual earning rates) - many competitors use enchancing drugs to boost their abilities for the fight.
Mechanics of a duel:
The most important aspect of the duel is the arena, in the case of Honour Guard duels it is the nobel who has been challenged who picks the "Duel-Dome" to be used.
Most Hive-Bergs have at least two top-side Duel-Domes used solely for Nobel duels and the biggest of the Honour Merchant competitions.
Whilst the number of official submerged duelling locations can varies between four (Florichberg) and eleven (Kamenberg).
As stated before, the illegal slum-duels take place in any location big enough for a make-shift raised fighting cirlce and a large crowd - typical locations to be used include empty warehouse units and even unfilled [name of resource] container tanks.
In all cases however the duel takes place on a raised circlur platform roughly ten foot in diameter, with the platform being raised as high as eight to twelve feet in the official Duel-Domes, a large sand pit surrounding its base in this case.
With the slum-duels however the often rikety platform can be anything from a simple cirlce chalked onto the ground to a large enough piece of metal sheet layed across the gap between two I-beams. More than one Arbites report have also mentioned the use of crane lifting platforms being manuvered above the crowd with the duel taking place at varying heights and occassionally with the platform being moved latterly as well.
A duel is won by any of the following;
It should be noted that the latter is avoided at all levels, with the rule only in place to prevent Honour Merchants and Honour Guards being arrested for murder - as at these levels of the best fighting the best, its is rare but not uncommon for the only weakness presented to an opponent to be a fatal one.
With the slum-duels these rules are observed to a greater or lesser degree depending on a variety of circumstances, such as how bloodthirsty the crowd is, the whims/attitude of the "duel master" running the event and numerous other similar factors.
Death is far more common in the slum-duels, with many bodies being reported as being found with obvious signs of being in something more than just a drunken brawl.
Equipment:
The traditional weapons used by the honour merchants and guards are the wrist-mounted chainblade and the honour shield, though around seven hundred years ago a new technique sprung into popularity, the use of a five foot pole with a chainblade mounted at either one or both ends. Many believe this idea originated from the slum-duels, but none can refute its popularity as an alternative for the Honour Merchant competitions.
Honour Guards;
Honour Merchants;
The Chain Men;
More will come, and whats here will be, well, arranged in a better way...
This will be developed into a full explorator report when i have the time, but for now its a proposal...
Basics:
As is always the case, over the course of the millenia every planet will develope its own unique traditions and attitudes.
The Honour Merchants are one such tradition on St.Martius' Bounty.
The Honour Merchants are at their highest level esentially elite bodyguards for the Nobels of the Hive-bergs, in which case they are refered to as "Honour Guards". When honour is insulted, a duel to first blood will take place between each nobels Honour Guard (expanded below).
At their most basic level the Honour Merchants compete in gladitorial-style competitions for the entertainment of the crowd. In most legitimate duels death is a rarity, with perhaps seven to ten deaths on average each year.
The Merchants are effectively sportsmen in the status they hold within Hive-Berg society, with many of the most successful being hired by well-off traders, noblemen and similar people to become their Honour Guard.
At their absolute lowest they do not deserve their title of "Honour Merchant", and as such are usually refered to as "The Chain Men". It is believed that there are around two illegal so-called "slum-duels" take place every week, with blood-thirsty crowds packed into the largest space possible whilst the duelists fight it out in the centre.
Many more of these fights end in serious injury or death, with most competitors at this level taking part in their free time, as the prize money can be incredible (compaired to their usual earning rates) - many competitors use enchancing drugs to boost their abilities for the fight.
Mechanics of a duel:
The most important aspect of the duel is the arena, in the case of Honour Guard duels it is the nobel who has been challenged who picks the "Duel-Dome" to be used.
Most Hive-Bergs have at least two top-side Duel-Domes used solely for Nobel duels and the biggest of the Honour Merchant competitions.
Whilst the number of official submerged duelling locations can varies between four (Florichberg) and eleven (Kamenberg).
As stated before, the illegal slum-duels take place in any location big enough for a make-shift raised fighting cirlce and a large crowd - typical locations to be used include empty warehouse units and even unfilled [name of resource] container tanks.
In all cases however the duel takes place on a raised circlur platform roughly ten foot in diameter, with the platform being raised as high as eight to twelve feet in the official Duel-Domes, a large sand pit surrounding its base in this case.
With the slum-duels however the often rikety platform can be anything from a simple cirlce chalked onto the ground to a large enough piece of metal sheet layed across the gap between two I-beams. More than one Arbites report have also mentioned the use of crane lifting platforms being manuvered above the crowd with the duel taking place at varying heights and occassionally with the platform being moved latterly as well.
A duel is won by any of the following;
- knocking opponent off of the dias.
- inflicting a wound of more than a hands length across any part of the body.
- opponents death by your hand.
It should be noted that the latter is avoided at all levels, with the rule only in place to prevent Honour Merchants and Honour Guards being arrested for murder - as at these levels of the best fighting the best, its is rare but not uncommon for the only weakness presented to an opponent to be a fatal one.
With the slum-duels these rules are observed to a greater or lesser degree depending on a variety of circumstances, such as how bloodthirsty the crowd is, the whims/attitude of the "duel master" running the event and numerous other similar factors.
Death is far more common in the slum-duels, with many bodies being reported as being found with obvious signs of being in something more than just a drunken brawl.
Equipment:
The traditional weapons used by the honour merchants and guards are the wrist-mounted chainblade and the honour shield, though around seven hundred years ago a new technique sprung into popularity, the use of a five foot pole with a chainblade mounted at either one or both ends. Many believe this idea originated from the slum-duels, but none can refute its popularity as an alternative for the Honour Merchant competitions.
Honour Guards;
- the wrist-mounted chainblade, at around a foot in length, is the traditional weapon of the duelists - often an Honour Guard will have a more sophisticated version paid for by his employer.
- honour shield - these shields have the symbol of the Honour Guards master emblazed on them, again stronger ones will be owned by Honour Guards.
- chain staff - as mentioned above, yet this is rarely, if ever, used to settle duels between the Honour Guards of noblemen.
Honour Merchants;
- the wrist-mounted chainblade, at around a foot in length, is the traditional weapon of the duelists
- honour shield - at this level they vary between reinforce wood to tough well forged pieces on a par and often better than those given to the lowest paid Honour Guard.
- chain staff - as explained above, this weapon comes in three different styles, one chainblade, two chainsblades facing the same side, or two chainblades facing opposite sides. A popular alternative, these days all duellists able to will train with this weapon as well as the traditional pairing.
The Chain Men;
- wrist-mounted chainblade - this is quite uncommon for the sulm-duels, with most occuraces being due to the competitor being an Honour Merchant to have fallen out of grace or into serious debt.
- wrist-mounted knife - a common replacement for the more sophisticated chain weapons.
- items such as crowbars, sharp pieces of metal with handles tied on, mechanics tools, metal poles, axes and just about anything else thinkable are used.
- bare fists - often brutal punching will come into play, as well as kicks.
- basic shields - not a very common occurance at this level, though when they do make an appearance they vary from pieces of wood with handles bolted on, to thrown away or broken Honour shields.
- those who feel the need to will take boosting drugs such as the local equivilents of Onslaught, Psychon, Reflex and Barrage (often these can be sourced back to planets or wildlife in the continental jungle).
More will come, and whats here will be, well, arranged in a better way...