Children Of Infinity (OOC)

[Elysian Kentarchy]

The 500 is the members of the Order itself (the knights of the Order), not the general population. The general population, while a bit under populated for a Cathedral world is still of sufficent size, but Rache views them as two separate entities (protector and protected). Does that work or am I missing something?

That works fine. It's a pretty small number of knights all things considered, but then, not exactly abnormal. They could be particularly elitist, or the populace could have lots of qualms about becoming actual knights.

Considering they were once an Order of scholars being a somewhat elitist seems highly likely and something to be mixed in is that the populace doesn't see the Order as a good opportunity or offer good benefits (they don't even offer dental coverage, those bastards ) in all honesty their treasury isn't that large so career choice wise it isn't the best choice unless you leave Vigil, this would also lead to a highly cynical Order because of this, the only members minus those who join on a dare are people who were born into the Order like Rache was.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

That works fine. It's a pretty small number of knights all things considered, but then, not exactly abnormal. They could be particularly elitist, or the populace could have lots of qualms about becoming actual knights.

Considering they were once an Order of scholars being a somewhat elitist seems highly likely and something to be mixed in is that the populace doesn't see the Order as a good opportunity or offer good benefits (they don't even offer dental coverage, those bastards ) in all honesty their treasury isn't that large so career choice wise it isn't the best choice unless you leave Vigil, this would also lead to a highly cynical Order because of this, the only members minus those who join on a dare are people who were born into the Order like Rache was.

That would make sense. -nod-

[Pyrade]

So have we settled the rules for dueling? I'm curious to see what they are.

[Ularn]

So have we settled the rules for dueling? I'm curious to see what they are.

Here's what I've got so far. Obviously it needs adding to and developed and if anyone wants to help by asking questions then it'll help me figure out what rules are needed and what I still need to write. Eventually, once I get it organised, this might be the sort of thing worth linking in the introductory posts, I hope.

Code Duello
1. Definitions

1. "Duel" refers to any prearranged armed engagement that is conducted -
   
   1. between one Challenger and one Challenged,
   2. with the intention of settling a dispute between two parties arising from an insult, and
   3. in accordance with the terms of this Code.
2. "Proceedings" refers to the entire period from the giving of the insult to the conclusion of the duel.
3. "Challenger" refers to the insulted person who issues the challenge for the purposes of seeking redress for an insult.
4. "Challenged" refers to the person who has committed the insult for which the Challenger seeks redress.
5. "Second" refers to any so appointed assistant of the Challenger of Challenged.
6. "Witness" refers to any person other than the Challenger or Challenged who is present for any part of the proceedings

2. General

1. None of the following parties may be prosecuted for their actions pertaining to the proceedings insofar as they are in accordance with this Code,
   
   1. Challenger,
   2. Challenged
   3. Seconds
   4. Witnesses
2. It is for the challenger to chose the maximum degree of risk and injury that may be endured by the Combatants to satisfy honour.
3. In choosing the maximum degre of risk and injury that may be endured by the Combatants, the Challenger shall have regard to -
   
   1. the reputation of the Challenger,
   2. the reputation of the Challenged, and
   3. the severity of the insult.
   4. the Hierarchy of Injury (see Apendix A)
4. To ensure both combatants are sound of mind and body and fully committed to the enterprise, there can be no duel until the morning following a challenge.
5. At any time before taking to the field of honour, the challenged may give apology for the insult which gave rise to the matter, thus forgoing the need for a duel with neither party being declared victor or vanquished.
6. At any time before taking to the field of honour, the challenger may withdraw the challenge, thus forgoing the need for a duel with neither party being declared victor or vanquished.
7. The challenger gets to choose the starting distance between combatants and the signal used to begin the duel.
8. Once the duel has begun, there can be no withdrawal of the challenge or offer of apology without first yielding to the other combatant.
9. Once the duel has begun in continues until one of the following conditions has been met:
   
   1. Either combatant yields to the other combatant, granting victory to the other combatant.
   2. Either combatant suffers injury sufficient to satisfy honour, as specified by the challenger, granting victory to the other combatant.
   3. Either combatant is rendered insensate, unconscious, dead or otherwise sufficiently injured as to be unable to continue the duel, granting victory to the other combatant.

3. Weapons

1. The Challenged may decide -
   1. the quantity and nature of weapons, and
   2. the use of magic
   - permitted in the course of the duel

[*]Training weapons or low power settings should not be used where the issue is of such severity as to necessitate the drawing of blood.
4. Seconds

1. Each Combatant must be represented by at least one Second.
2. Each party must be represented by the same number of Seconds.
3. A Second from either Combatant has a duty to
   
   1. facilitate communication between their respective Combatants where the Combatants are unwilling or unable to communicate themselves.
   2. encourage reconciliation by the Combatants, either through apology or withdrawal of challenge, without the need for duelling.
   3. act as their Combatant's agent in agreeing location, date, time weapons and other factors essential to the duel.
   4. inspect weapons prior to the duel
   5. ensure that all other rules are obeyed throughout its course.
   6. bear witness to all proceedings and give fair and honest testimony in a court of law should any legal action occur from them.

5. Witnesses

Appendix A: Hierarchy of Injury
A duel ends when one combatant yields, is unable to continue, or has suffered a specified degree of injury as decided prior to the duel by the Challenger. This degree of injury may be anything the Challenger decides but ought to be proportionate to the insult suffered which led to the duel. The following is a non-exhaustive list of the most common or famous degrees of injury specified in duels, ranked in order of severity from lowest to highest. The list is a guide and Challengers may specify a different degree of injury should they wish:

• Duel to Points - Using training weapons, combatants duel until one combatant scores a predetermined number of points. A point is scored when one combatant makes a connecting strike against their opponent's shield or person. The first combatant to reach the predetermined number of points is declared victor.
• Duel to the Shield - Using training weapons, combatants duel until one combatant disables their opponent's shield and lands a connecting strike upon their person. The first combatant to land such a strike is declared victor.
• Duel to "Well-Beaten" - Using training weapons, combatants duel until one combatant reduces their opponent to a state where they would clearly be defeated in a duel using live weapons, such as knocking them to the ground. The first combatant to render their opponent such is declared victor.
• Duel to First-Blood - Using live weapons, combatants duel until one combatant disables their oppoent's shield and lands a connecting strike upon their person that causes real injury. The first combatant to land such a strike is declared victor.
• Duel to "Well-Bloodied - Using live weapons, combatants duel until one combatant reduces their opponent to a state where they are unable to continue with the duel. The first combatant to render their opponent such is declared victor.
• Duel to the Death - Using live weapons, combatants duel until one combatant slays their opponent. The first combatant to slay their opponent is declared victor.
• Duel to the Pain - To the pain means the first thing you will lose will be your feet below the ankles. Then your hands at the wrists. Next your nose. The next thing you will lose will be your left eye followed by your right. Your ears you keep so that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out, “Dear God! What is that thing,” will echo in your perfect ears. That is what to the pain means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

I like it, Ularn. I can certainly link it in the third post with the other worldbuilding bits. Now or later, it makes no difference as long as you update that specific post (which should be easy if you have me add it now, as there'll always be a link in the third post).

As for questions, the only one that I can think of at the moment is regarding 1-a. What issues would be considered of such severity?

- - -

On a completely unrelated note, I have not yet started a post (if you must call me lazy, I accept the compliment with open arms). Among other things (games, for one), I've been wondering just how far ahead I should skip. Should I just have them head back to the hotel and let them mingle some more or skip to the next morning and have the duel happen and stuff? If we do the latter I'll obviously allow a bit more time for you guys to finish conversations and such.

[Ularn]

I deliberately left what sort of insults should give rise to what injuries unspecified, since that's for the challenger to determine. Conceivably, a challenger could demand a duel to the death after someone was unimpressed with his wife's cooking. It would be his choice. In practise this wouldn't happen often though, because (a) the challenged party would probably decide, "Fuck. This isn't worth getting killed over; I'll apologise," and (b) a person who took such grave offence to such minor slights would swiftly find themselves without friends and associates.

As a general rule, the greater the insult and the greater the reputation being insulted, the more serious the terms of the duel. A squire who gets called a dickhead should be able to settle the matter with a duel to first of three hits or something suitably mild. A commoner in the same situation ought to forget about duelling and just settle the matter through fisticuffs. On the other hand, an Arche from a respected family who is accused of cowardice on the battlefield resulting in the death of someone from another great family may see no alternative but to duel to the death to redeem his reputation. In the current situation, Kyr is too junior a knight for her insults to be regarded as terribly severe, but the alleged insult in question concerns the honour of Rache's order, which has significant reputation and has supposedly suffered a serious insult in being compared to a Lawless Order. In such circumstances, a duel to first blood or even until well-bloodied may very well be appropriate.

Inadequately serious terms may also affect the reputation of the challenger. If the aforementioned Arche offered to settle the matter with a few whacks of a training sword would be seen as a dishonourable coward who places little worth in his own reputation. Conversely, if the squire demanded a battle to the death he'd end up in the same position as the man with the culinarily inept wife.

I might try to figure out how to fit that into the code but really it's intended to be left as a judgement call for the challenger. In the meantime, go ahead and link it if you're happy to and I'll keep updating it as I think of stuff.

As for thetimeskip, I'd rather opt for a skip towards, say, dinner at the resort or something. Kyr has to meet Kal about him becoming her second, and I've got a whole post prepped about Kyr being kept up at night wondering what armour to wear the next day (no, seriously; it's already sitting in my drafts!). Saleon and Atlannia might also want to RP their characters organising the duel as well.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

-snippity-
As for thetimeskip, I'd rather opt for a skip towards, say, dinner at the resort or something. Kyr has to meet Kal about him becoming her second, and I've got a whole post prepped about Kyr being kept up at night wondering what armour to wear the next day (no, seriously; it's already sitting in my drafts!). Saleon and Atlannia might also want to RP their characters organising the duel as well.

Makes sense, all of that. I'll go ahead and link it then.

Regarding the timeskip, fair points, all of them. I'll work on a timeskip to dinner time.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Yeah I was hoping for a time skip to dinner myself. I pretty much have a few things planned for Rache as well at dinner . (a lot of it is mostly his thoughts, in addition to laying out the terms of the duel, for future reference any sentence I put in italics is in the character's head and is not being said out loud).

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we go. It's not much, but it's a timeskip. We're now at dinner. -nod-

So, you guys do your thing. The guides will be there if you need them.

@Charm: If you're going with Juna being in the same group as everyone else, now would be a good time to introduce her to them, probably. She hasn't really interacted with anyone from her group.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Sal, the group's not in the banquet hall.

[Saleon]

Sal, the group's not in the banquet hall.

One of these days
*types frantically*
you saws nothings you whippersnapper!

[Ularn]

Are Silver Hand students not allowed alcohol? Either way, that waiter cannot be getting paid enough to tell a knight he can't have wine!

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Are Silver Hand students not allowed alcohol? Either way, that waiter cannot be getting paid enough to tell a knight he can't have wine!

I mean, it's a rather successful resort. I'm pretty sure he's content enough with his wages to do as he's told.

[Saleon]

Are Silver Hand students not allowed alcohol? Either way, that waiter cannot be getting paid enough to tell a knight he can't have wine!

I mean, it's a rather successful resort. I'm pretty sure he's content enough with his wages to do as he's told.

they were "sternly told to keep it away from students."
(Zarkenis Ultima, on page 101, in response to me)

[Ularn]

Fair enough. By the way Sal, is Kal actually smoking in your posts or just going through the motions because of withdrawal? I got a bit confused by one of your posts and although I'm sure it's explained somewhere I think it might be from before I arrived in the thread.

[Saleon]

Fair enough. By the way Sal, is Kal actually smoking in your posts or just going through the motions because of withdrawal? I got a bit confused by one of your posts and although I'm sure it's explained somewhere I think it might be from before I arrived in the thread.

withdrawal for a lack of a better term

[Ularn]

Fun fact; the advice from Kyr's uncle about doing the wrong thing now comes from me misquoting a line from the opening chapter of Starship Troopers. The actual quote is, "As they keep telling you in Basic, doing something constructive at once is better than figuring out the best thing to do hours later."

[Charmera]

Oh, by the way, feel free to answer Juna if you feel like interacting with her.

[Pyrade]

Oh, by the way, feel free to answer Juna if you feel like interacting with her.

Seeing as I have no idea what else to do with Orion I shall take up that invitation.

[Esternial]

Why yes, Ritz is a naturist.

The more she fits with my archetype of a moderate hippie, the better.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Why yes, Ritz is a naturist.

The more she fits with my archetype of a moderate hippie, the better.

Damned hippie nobles. -shakes head-

[Pyrade]

Why yes, Ritz is a naturist.

The more she fits with my archetype of a moderate hippie, the better.

XD showing up at dinner in nothing but a towel. Well okay then, I suppose in an anime that would be considered overdressing

[Pyrade]

Why yes, Ritz is a naturist.

The more she fits with my archetype of a moderate hippie, the better.

XD showing up at dinner in nothing but a towel. Well okay then, I suppose in an anime that would be considered overdressing

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Why yes, Ritz is a naturist.

The more she fits with my archetype of a moderate hippie, the better.

XD showing up at dinner in nothing but a towel. Well okay then, I suppose in an anime that would be considered overdressing

Yeah, I know, right? What is she going to a Victorian ball or something? Sheesh.

[Pyrade]

XD showing up at dinner in nothing but a towel. Well okay then, I suppose in an anime that would be considered overdressing

Yeah, I know, right? What is she going to a Victorian ball or something? Sheesh.

Law of probable attire: A female in an anime will always where as little clothing as possible. Should a female be gratuitously clothed her clothes will undoubtedly be torn or ripped to pieces by some or other circumstance. Failing this a convenient shower scene will commence.