Duelist
“Steel is not just for killing. It is for art, for honour, and for the thrill of hearing your foe admit defeat with their last breath.”
– Maestro Vittore di Calavario, famed Duelist of Florenzia
Duelists are not soldiers of the line nor bravos in the shadows, but masters of the blade who live for precision, speed, and spectacle. In the courts of Tilea, Estalia, and beyond, a skilled duelist can win not only coin, but status, admiration, and fear. Some fight in honour duels for their patrons, others sell their expertise as bodyguards, mercenaries, or assassins. All share the same philosophy: every fight is a performance, and every stroke of the blade must be perfect.
Though often associated with Tilea’s cities and mercenary bands, duelists are found wherever pride, wealth, and insult clash. To face one in single combat is to risk not just your life, but your reputation.
Tier: Silver
Origins: Empire (Human), Tilea (Human), Bretonnia (Human), High Elf
Favoured Characteristics: Weapon Skill, Initiative, Agility
Skill Bonuses: +1 to four of the following: Melee, Defence, Awareness, Athletics, Leadership, Charm
Lore: High Society, Literacy or Anatomy or Law
Trappings: Rapier, sword, or small blade; Parrying dagger or Buckler, Lordly Attire
Assets: Training hall, fencing partner, or patron
Contacts: The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels
Career Talent: Flow of Steel: You fight with speed and precision, turning defence into offence. When wielding a fencing weapon (rapier, foil, sabre) or other light weapon, you gain +1d on Athletics Tests to defend against Melee Attacks. On your next Turn, if you attack the same opponent you defended successfully against, you gain **+1d on your Attack Test for every 2 net successes (rounded up) you scored on that Athletics Defence Test. If you are staggered or wounded until your next turn the bonus dice is forfeited.
If you roll Labourer or Boathand on the Standard Career Table, you may choose to roll on the Hard Workers Table where this Career is included.