Duel Arcane

History

Since time immemorial, mages have struggled against each other. Long ago, the orders codified and formalized their conflicts to allow the Awakened to settle their differences. Their system is known in common parlance as the Duel Arcane or wizard’s duel, a magical battle between mages.

The practice of the Duel Arcane dates back to the time of Atlantis, and remains largely unchanged since then. All the orders, even the Seers of the Throne, recognize the validity of a challenge from a fellow mage (although the non- Atlantean orders are more likely to cheat or ignore the results of a lost duel). The ultimate purpose of the Duel Arcane is to allow sorcerers to test their powers against each other without immediately fatal results.

The Duel Arcane is championed by the Silver Ladder who see it as an important part of minimising large-scale conflict between the Orders. The Ladder are often those who arbitrate duels, and ensure that proceedings occur fairly and the outcome of the duel is upheld. Those who cheat or do not hold up their end of the bargain are punished or shunned by their peers.

A duel challenge can be issued over any dispute. An academic disagreement, an accusation of mana theft, soul-thievery, a personal disagreement or a response to an insult are all valid grounds to challenge someone. Often, a duel is used to oust political opponents from office within a Consilium, although usually this is only done if the challenger is confident they have enough support within the Consilium, lest they themselves be subsequently challenged. Once a duel challenge is issued, the challenged must either accept or refuse. If they refuse, it is an acknowledgement that they are at fault, and they must act accordingly. An apology, return of stolen items or even a public statement are typically necessary.

Preparation

If the duel is accepted, the duelists must each nominate a second who must fight in their place should they not turn up to the duel. They must also agree on a time and a place - usually hosted by a neutral third party, typically someone of good standing in the Silver Ladder. Finally, they must agree on the stakes. The stakes need not be the same - one party may desire an artefact in recompense, the other may demand as much mana as they can carry.

On the day, the duellist assemble at the specified location, and a neutral third party must prepare the duelling ground. This involves a disciple of Prime casting the spell 'Display of Power', which allows all mages to see the imagos of those under its effects. In essence, it allows the duelling mages to display the magic they could cast upon each other.

It is a mistake to assume a Duel Arcane is just two mages flinging spells at each other until someone dies. While it can, to the outside, appear that way, the reality is that a Duelist’s real work is internal, as each pushes at not just at the other’s body, but at the mind and soul of the enemy, hoping to lay them bare. The Duel Arcane is meant to make one mage more right than another, and to reduce the opponent to nothing or next to nothing by right of might and will.

Narratively, the Duel may be a complicated affair with witnesses, ceremony, ritual, and fanfare. The duelists may fling insults, converse, or abuse one another with words while they set up. Intimidate one another with their mystical pedigrees or beg for understanding. The traditions and practices around the Duel vary by city and Order.

The Duel Itself

Since the duel is a contest of wills, the willpower of the duellists represent their 'health'. On each turn, the duellist can choose to either attack, defend or negotiate. Attacking or defending always uses an Attribute and an Arcanum. If an attacker succeeds, they reduce their opponent's willpower by one. If an attacker fails, they cannot use the same arcanum until they have successfully wounded their opponent with another arcanum. Each attack or defence is represented by an illusory spell effect as their Imagos are laid bare for all to see. Negotiations involve one party offering the other a binding promise which, if agreed to, wounds the duellist who accepts.

No matter what the terms of the Duel, when the final willpower dot is removed, his soul is laid bare, and he is as good as spiritually destroyed. He is helpless against his opponent and has spent himself. At that moment, the Duel ends, the magical space created by it fades, and the mages’ view of the Fallen World returns. The victorious character refreshes Willpower to full, and gains the Triumphant Condition. The loser loses all of their willpower and suffers the Defeated Condition. If the terms of the Duel were “to the death” or something equally drastic, an execution may proceed — but it happens in the Fallen World, outside of the sacred dueling space.