The Duellist Academy

An alternate Combat System for Seventh Sea

I’ve not really managed to get the hang of combat in Second Edition Seventh Sea, so I made my own.
This system takes the structure of the first edition combat rules and replaces it with second edition
mechanics. I’ve also taken the liberty of adding a few new options and actions for expanding combat.

by Andrew Peregrine

Explorers Society, 7th Sea and all related marks are © and ™ 2016 John Wick Presents. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be duplicated without express permission from the
Author. Images from Explorer’s Society stock or the Dreamstime stock photo website. I’m also using English spelling, deal with it 

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 Swashbuckling Adventures
The one thing I have a bit of trouble with in Seventh Sea is the combat system. Dramatic and action
sequences for anything else run great. I just can’t quite manage to make actual combat suit the way I
tend to run. This is probably because I’m too entrenched in using first edition, so I’ve combined the two
here to offer a new way to run combat and brute squads. If you fancy using this system, do everything
you would usually do with Second Edition, but switch to this the moment anyone draws a blade.

Overview
This new system takes the action dice mechanic from first edition and uses the second edition system of
raises to do wounds. The effects of Dramatic Wounds and the Death Spiral remain, but each attribute
also has a particular use in combat. The duellist manoeuvres become actions available to all swordsmen,
but the Duellist advantage still grants a special school ability and now another bonus to make them
deadly without being overpowering. I’ve also added a few more bells and whistles you might enjoy.
Essentially, it takes the versatility of Second Edition and adds the structure of First Edition.

Using Attributes
The five attributes all have a particular use in combat. While I’ll go into depth a little later with each
action, the following details how they are generally used.
Brawn is the main damage and hitting attribute. It is now always used in your attack no matter what
type of weapon you use as it defines the damage you are doing when added to your skill. You skill
already covers the dexterity part of the attack.
Finesse determines the amount of actions you have in a round. The faster you are the more strikes you
can get in.
Resolve is used to determine how many wounds you can take before suffering a Dramatic Wound. Each
character can take double their Resolve score in wounds before they must take their next Dramatic
Wound. This is the only change to the character sheet.
Wits isn’t especially useful in a fight, but is useful for tactics and strategy. There is now a special action
you can take to represent finding an advantageous position in the fight.
Panache isn’t left out and is used in any roll to do something swashbuckling and daring, such as carving
your initials on your opponent’s shirt.

Running a Combat Turn

So, taking those general themes, resolving a combat turn works like this:
1 - Roll for actions, using D10s to determine which rounds you act on during a turn
2 - On your round, choose an action
3 - Resolve actions over all 10 rounds of the turn
4 - Start again if anyone is left standing

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 Roll for Actions
As soon as combat has been initiated, everyone should roll dice to determine when they will act during
the turn. A turn is about a minute or so in game time, and is itself broken into ten rounds. Each character
gets to make one action each turn for every point of Finesse they have. Which round they act on is
determined by the roll of a D10. So, at the beginning of each turn, each player should roll a number of
dice equal to their Finesse. Make a note of the numbers, and these are the rounds in the turn they will get
an action. First edition players should be used to this, although they used to use Panache.
Estelle and Gunter are fighting a bunch of brigands. Estelle has a Finesse of 3 and rolls 2,5,8. Gunter
has a Finesse of 2 and rolls 1 and 4. So Estelle will get to do an action on rounds 2, 5 and 8, Gunter will
get to act on rounds 1 and 4.

On your turn, Choose an Action

The Gamemaster then begins counting down the rounds, starting at round 1 and asking who has an
action. If it is your turn to act that round, you get to choose an action and resolve that. If there is a tie,
anyone who is using a held action (see later) may use it first. Otherwise ties are resolved in order of
highest weapon skill, then highest Finesse. Failing that, both actions are considered simultaneous (and
both combatants get an action without any of the penalties, such as death, that their opponent visits on
them that round).
Held Actions
When you have the option to act in a turn, you can choose to defer that action until later in the turn. This
might be to save an action as a potential parry or riposte, or simply to see what your opponents are doing
first. You may choose to take this action on any subsequent round or as a reaction to anything happening
in the current round (such as a parry).

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 Actions
If you don’t opt to hold your action, there are several things you can do. Pick one of the following and
resolve it as detailed. Feel free to add new actions to this list depending on your group, but remember
that any action taken will only have time to take a few seconds. There may be time to duck behind a
barrel, but picking a lock might take more than one action. Also, feel free to reduce the list to keep
things simple, all you really need are slash and parry.
Ready might be required if you have been caught on the hop. If you don’t have a weapon to hand or
have been caught unawares the Gamemaster might insist you use up an action to get yourself together,
draw a weapon etc.
Slash is the basic combat attack. You choose to do damage to your opponent with the weapon you have
ready. Make a roll of Brawn + Weapon skill (usually Aim, Brawl or Weaponry) and make raises as
usual. The first raise allows you to hit your opponent, each subsequent raise does 1 wound of damage to
them. If this makes them reach a Dramatic Wound any further wounds from the attack are lost.
Feint allows you to make a less dangerous but far more cunning attack. It works the same way as a
Slash, but the amount of damage you do is reduced by 1, plus 1 for each point of Wits your opponent has
more than you. However, the opponent cannot use Parry or Riposte to avoid the damage.
Parry is usually used as a held action, especially when you have more actions than your opponents.
When you suffer damage from a Slash or Lunge you may use an action to make a parry. Roll Finesse +
Weapon skill and reduce the damage you take by the amount of raises you roll. It should be noted, you
need not only parry blows aimed at yourself. It is perfectly acceptable to use an action to parry a blow
aimed at someone else as long as you are close enough to interpose with your blade.
Lunge allows you to make an ‘all or nothing’ attack. You do more damage but leave yourself open to
attack. A lunge works the same way as a slash, but you may add a number of dice to your dice pool up to
the level of your weapon skill. However, your dice pool for your next action is penalized by that amount
plus 1. Additionally, following a lunge you may not make either a parry or riposte as your next action.
Gunter has a Brawn of 2 and a Weaponry skill of 3. He usually rolls 5 dice to perform a slash. He
decides to do a lunge and may add up to 3 dice to his pool. He opts to add 2 to make his dice pool 7 for
this attack. However, for whatever action he does next, he will have to remove 3 dice from his pool.
Manoeuvre allows you to get to a more advantageous position in the combat. If you have a low combat
dice pool, this is a good way to improve it. While it costs an action it can be a great advantage for the
rest of the round. When performing this action, roll Wits + Warfare and make raises as usual. These
raises become a pool of dice you can use to add to any dice roll you make for the rest of that turn. You
can use as many or as few as you like on any roll, but they are all gone at the start of the next turn. You
may only make another manoeuvre action when you have run out of dice from any previous manoeuvre
actions.
Estelle rolls Wits (3) and warfare (3) to score 4 raises. On the next action she uses 2 of these raises to
add 2 dice to a slash attack, saving the last two to add to her next parry.
Escape allows you to disengage from combat without inviting an attack from your opponent. You roll
Finesse + Weapon skill, and if you score equal to or more raises than your opponent’s weapon skill you
have disengaged from the fight and can make a run for it. If you don’t make enough raises you may still
choose to disengage, but you suffer a number of wounds equal to the amount of raises you missed by.
You cannot otherwise disengage from combat without using this action.

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 Swashbuckle is a new version of ‘tagging’ and covers the use of a weapon to do something cool but
non-damaging to an opponent. This might be slicing a Z into their shirt, cutting their belt or slicing a
chandelier weighted rope so it carries you up to the balcony, or swings you across the room on a
chandelier. To perform this action you should make a Panache + weapon skill roll, reducing your total
raises by the Wits of your opponent. You then spend those raises to detail your swashbuckling action.
The Gamemaster may insist that some actions require more than 1 raise to succeed. But even one raise
should do something (such as ruining a shirt even if you haven’t properly cut a Z into it). This action is
very much down to Gamemaster interpretation, but the players should be encouraged to perform
whatever cool manoeuvres come to mind.
Ranged Actions
If you are using a bow or a pistol, you need to use
different actions. Unsurprisingly, these are shoot and
reload. If you wish to do some sort of trick shot with a
pistol or other ranged weapon, you should use the
Swashbuckle action, rolling Panache + Aim.
Shoot allows you to take a shot at a target with a ready
and loaded ranged weapon (bow, crossbow, pistol or
musket weapon. For any ranged attack roll Finesse +
Aim and subtract 1 raise (which is used to hit the
target). The Gamemaster may subtract two or even
three raises if the shot is especially difficult, such as
the target being behind cover or far away. Parry or
riposte cannot be used against a shoot action.
Firearms work much as they do on p180 of the Core
Rulebook. On a successful hit from a Firearm the
target receives a dramatic wound, and additional
wounds equal to the remaining raises from the roll.
For a crossbow, the remaining raises are applied as
wounds. But there is no extra dramatic wound and no
option to wound beyond 1 dramatic wound. Few
people use crossbows, but smaller single handed
versions are popular with some assassins.
A longbow is the same as a crossbow but has the
added bonus of a faster reload. A long bowman can opt
to further reduce their roll by 1 raise to reload as part
of their shoot action.
A throwing knife works the same as a longbow but doesn’t require reloading. You might only have so
many about your person though!
Reload needs to be used if your ranged weapon requires reloading. Each type of weapon takes a certain
number of raises to reload. So make a Finesse + Aim roll, and if you get enough raises, your weapon is
reloaded. A longbow requires 1 raise, a crossbow requires 3 and a firearm requires 8. If you don’t get
enough successes you need to perform the reload action again until you have collected enough. Once the
weapon is reloaded, any extra raises are lost.

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 Duellist Actions
While most options are available to any swordsman, the Gamemaster might restrict these slightly
advanced actions to duellists only
Riposte is a slightly more dangerous form of parry for a skilled swordsman. You use this action just as
you would a parry, but you reduce your total raises by 1. However, if you have spare raises after
neutralizing all the damage your opponent did, you may use those raises to do wounds to that opponent.
Pommel Strike allows you to get close to your opponent and smash the pommel or guard of your
weapon into their face. You roll Brawn + weapon skill and reduce the amount of raises you get by the
Resolve of your opponent. The resulting raises are applies to the next action your opponent makes,
reducing his dice pool by the amount of raises you collected. It this number means the next action for the
opponent has no dice left the Gamemaster might rule they have been knocked insensible for the rest of
the turn.
Wall of Steel involves the character going completely defensive, foregoing the option to attack to
maintain a parry. It costs one action to activate and also costs you your next action. However, until you
are able to take a new action any attacks against you reduce the wounds they inflict by your weapon
skill.
Disarm is an attempt to relieve an opponent of their weapon. Both the character and opponent make a
roll of Finesse + weapon skill. If the acting character gets more raises than their opponent, the
opponent’s weapon flies out of their hand. They will need to make a ready action to either reclaim it or
otherwise rearm themselves.

Start again if anyone is left standing

Once you reach the end of round 10, everyone should have used up all their actions. If anyone still has a
held action they should use to now or lose it. If the fight is still going on, everyone should reroll their
action dice and start another turn.

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 Duellist Styles
Under this system, the Duellist advantage is still just as expensive as usual. It grants a duelling style
special ability and membership of the swordsman’s guild as before. It also grants access to the duellist
actions if the Gamemaster is restricting them.
Additionally, a duellist gains a favoured action from among any of the combat actions. When
performing this action, they gain a bonus raise. Each sword school comes with a favoured action already
specified, but the Gamemaster may allow duellists to pick their own. However, whatever they pick they
can only use the favoured action bonus if they are using a weapon appropriate to the duellist style in
question. Essentially, if they can’t use the duellist style’s manoeuvre, they can’t gain a favoured action
bonus either. If you ever get the option to pick a second favoured action you have to pick something
different, rather than scale up for 2 raises!
The various duelling style techniques often need a little tweaking to fit the new system, although most
translate across pretty clearly. In all cases the abilities retain any requirement for particular weapons or
situations for their use. I’ve covered all the Duelling styles from the Corebook, Pirate Nations and
Nations of Théah books. That should be enough to get you started.
Core Rulebook
Aldana (Aldana Ruse)
Favoured Action: Feint
When you have a fencing sword in one hand and nothing else, you may perform the Aldana Ruse as an
action, but only once per combat turn. It works exactly like the slash action but allows you to add your
Panache in dice to the dice pool
Ambrogia (Veronica’s Guile)
Favoured Action: Manoeuvre
When using a dagger and fencing blade the duellist may use Wits instead of either Finesse or Brawn to
perform an action. If the action doesn’t use either, Wits cannot be substituted. Spending a hero point
allows the duellist to add their Wits to any action using Finesse or Brawn.
Boucher (Boucher Step)
Favoured Action: Feint
When using the right weapons, a Boucher duellist may (on their action) take their next action on the
same action. So if you act on round 3, 5 and 7, on round 3 you might act twice, but you will not get
another action until round 7. This may only be done once per combat turn.
Donovan (Donovan’s Bulwark)
Favoured Action: Wall of Steel
When you make a parry action you may add your Brawn to the usual dice pool. If you also spend a hero
point your opponent may not take any actions until you take another action. You may forego an action to
maintain this effect.

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 Drexel (Drexel Stances)
Favoured Action: Lunge
You must pick a stance at the start of any combat. You may change that stance in addition to taking an
action, but it costs 1 raise from your action attempt if you do. You must opt to change stance before
rolling any dice.
Bittner – You may not use the slash action, but any use of parry gains an additional raise.
Metzner – You gain a pool of extra dice equal to your Wits to spend on any actions you take this turn.
You lose this pool if you change stance (and only regain what you didn’t spend if you return to it). You
may not perform parry or riposte while in this stance.
Gerbeck – Any action that does wounds gains 1 raise. But all other actions suffer a penalty of 1 raise.
Eisenfaust (Iron Reply)
Favoured Action: Riposte
Add your Brawn to the usual dice pool when making a riposte action.
Leegstra (Leegstra’s Crash)
Favoured Action: Lunge
Once per turn you may ignore the penalty on your next action for
having taken a lunge action.
Mantovani (Mantovani Flay)
Favoured Action: Slash
Once per turn, if you have done at least one wound to an opponent
that turn you may pick an action they may not perform on their
next action.
Mireli (Mireli’s Revision)
Favoured Action: Manoeuvre
If you perform the same action you took last round, you may
add 1 raise to your result.
Sabat (Sabat Gambit)
Favoured Action: Lunge
When performing a lunge you may increase your dice pool by as
much as your total dice pool instead of just your weaponry.
However, whatever bonus you pick is still the penalty for your next
action, although it cannot be higher than your Finesse.
Torres (Matador’s Flourish)
Favoured Action: Parry
Once per turn you may add your athletics skill to a parry action.

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 Valroux (Valroux Press)
Favoured Action: Slash
Once per turn you may reduce the wounds you suffer from a single attack by your weaponry skill. If you
do, you may pick an action, and if your opponent attempts that action this turn they suffer a penalty of 1
raise to their result.
Pirate Nations
Bugu Takobi (Takobi Gudana)
Favoured Action: Riposte
Like Valroux you may reduce the wounds you take from a single attack by your ranks in weaponry, but
only once per turn. The next action you take deals 1 wound of additional damage, no matter what it is.
Jogo de Dentro (Riso da Malandragem)
Favoured Action: Slash
When you perform a slash you must pick 2 or more opponents and reduce your result by one more raise.
You divide the wounds you do between all your selected opponents. Each opponent must then reduce
the wounds they do on their next attack by 1, no matter who they attack. Additionally you also gain a
bonus die to Athletics, Brawl, Hide or Perform as long as you justify your use of Jogo de Dentro to
augment it.
Lakedaimon Agoge (Agoge Thrust)
Favoured Action: Lunge
The Agoge thrust is the same as a lunge and works the same way as the Sabat Gambit. When performing
a lunge you may increase your dice pool by as much as your total dice pool instead of just your
weaponry. However, whatever bonus you pick is still the penalty for your next action, although it cannot
be higher than your Finesse. However, with Agoge, there is no limit to the penalty on the next action.
Instead you get a bonus depending on the weapon you use with Agoge.
If you choose sword you get an extra raise for the first action you take in a turn. If you choose spear you
can reroll 1 die for any athletics test if you detail how the spear is helping you. If you choose bow you
may effectively make the Agoge thrust with a bow by overdrawing it. However, this will break your
bow string which will need to be ‘reloaded’ costing 4 raises.
Nations of Théah Volume 1
Skatha’s Cleasa (Salmon Leap)
Favoured Action: Manoeuvre
Once per round you may add your athletics ranks to a slash action as long as you are not wearing
armour.
Siqueira (Tomar al Toro Por las Astas)
Favoured Action: Parry
Pick an opponent at the beginning on the turn (this may not change until the start of the next turn). Any
attacks from that opponent are reduced by 1 additional raise. If they attack you and score no damage,
they suffer a wound.

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 De Vore (De Vore Politesse)
Favoured Action: Wall of Steel
Once per turn you may take a new type of action called De Vore Politesse. This action allows you to
make a Finesse + Weaponry roll and the resulting raises (to a maximum of your weapon skill) are now
your ‘protection points’. Each wound you take reduces this pool of protection points instead of doing a
wound to you. When the protection points are gone you can be wounded as normal. You may still opt to
perform a parry or the like, but all protection points vanish at the end of the turn. You may spend
protection points to reduce the wounds of others as long as they are close enough for you to defend them
with your sword.
Hallbjorn (Hallbjorn Slam)
Favoured Action: Slash
If you make a successful slash attack (one that does at least 1 wound) you may roll your Brawn. Any
raises you make with this new roll are added to the wounds you do with the attack. You may only
perform this action if you did not perform it with your last action.
Nations of Théah Volume 2
Kummerholt (Death Knell)
Favoured Action: Lunge
Once per turn you may use a special action called Death Knell. It works like a Slash action but you may
add your opponents Brawn to your dice pool. The target cannot use riposte but may parry.
Szybowanie (Eagle’s Dive)
Favoured Action: Slash
When attacking from a height advantage (such as on horseback) once per turn you may perform an
‘Eagle’s Dive’. This allows you to do a slash action but add your ride (if mounted) or athletics to the
dice pool. By performing this action you end up losing your height advantage (and are no longer on
horseback if riding).
Kulachniy Boi (Iron and Velvet)
Favoured Action: Slash
You gain one free raise to any action when using rukavitsa in your sleeves during a fistfight.
Le Strade (La Furia delle Strade)
Favoured Action: Parry
When you take a parry action you may add your ranks in Athletics to the roll as long as there is enough
cover and plenty of obstacles to dodge around.

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 Other Combat Advantages
There are a few other combat related advantages that need an adjustment for use in this system. Each
remains the same cost, simply replace the previous system detail with this version. Plenty work just fine
as they are in the book. For many, just consider any combat action a ‘physical risk’ if appropriate.
Core Rulebook
Reckless Takedown – You can drop two nearby Brutes but suffer a dramatic wound.
Bar Fighter, Boxer, Bruiser, Fencer – gain a bonus die when
using the appropriate weapon for any combat action.
Deadeye, Sniper – gain a bonus die when making a shoot action
with the appropriate weapon
Quick Reflexes – If you pick a non-combat skill, this advantage
works just as it does in the book. If you pick a combat skill you may
reroll one of your Finesse action dice and either discard or keep the
new result as long as you are using the appropriate weapon.
Signature Item – all of those suggestions work fine in the book, but
you should talk this one over with your Gamemaster anyway!
Hard to Kill – as it is in the book, but you still get double your
resolve between your fourth and fifth dramatic wounds.
Riot Breaker – When fighting Brutes you only mark off wounds on
your Death Spiral when you have taken wounds equal to your
Resolve that turn.
Duellist – Gain a Duelling style, swordsman’s Guild membership
and a favoured action. It can still be taken multiple times.
I’m taking you with me – Just as it says in the book, except replace
‘on this round’ with ‘with this action’.
Pirate Nations
Speed Load – Once per turn, when you reload a Firearm it need
only take one raise. But you still need to use the reload action.
Nerves of Steel – just as it works in the book
Nations of Théah Volume 1
Anything can be a weapon if you hold it right – If you opt to
destroy your weapon in an attack, the opponent may not parry or
riposte.
Fish in a Barrel – When you perform a shoot action, against a Brute, you need not reduce your raises
due to aim penalties.
Haymaker – Once per turn, if you damage your opponent, they are stunned and cannot act on their next
action round.
Into the Fray – Instead of rolling the dice you may opt to do 1 dramatic wound to a brute.

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 Trigger Control – Using the right ranged weapon you may spend a hero point to do an additional
dramatic wound to your target.
Whirlwind of Steel – Against brutes you may use the Wall of Steel action and not have to forego your
next action.
Adaptive Duellist – as it says in the book
Student of Combat – You may use all duellist actions even if you do not have the duellist advantage.
You may also pick slash or parry as a favoured action.
Nations of Théah Volume 2
Body Blow – same as in the book, +2 wounds for spending a hero point in a fistfight.
Fast Draw – again, same as the book. Roll a double get a bonus raise. Can be used for shoot or reload
and you can spend the hero point after seeing how the dice fall.
Flashing Blade – you can apply the result of an attack action that round to a second opponent. Both
opponents may parry or defend themselves from this as usual.

New Advantage – Favoured Action (2 points)

Pick one of the listed combat actions you are able to perform. It is now counted as a favoured action as if
you were a duellist (grants a bonus raise). You may take this advantage in addition to duellist, but it may
only be taken once.

Adapting Brutes & Villains

Given I’ve swapped a few things around; we need to take a look at Brutes, villains and monsters. To be
honest, I’ve never been a fan of either edition when it comes to mooks and goons. So this is how I tend
to do it.
Brutes
Using this system, all Brutes have the same array of skills and attributes as the player characters.
However, for the sake of ease they are all the same number. So a Rank 2 Brute has every attribute and
every skill at 2. A rank 3 Brute has every attribute and skill at 3 etc. The Gamemaster may decide there
are things they can’t do, in which case they don’t get a roll. But if the Gamemaster thinks the brute has a
skill, it’s at the same level as their rank. This means you just double their rank for basically any roll they
might make.
The second important aspect of Brutes is that they go down easy. Each one can only handle 1 Dramatic
wound. Get them to a single Dramatic Wound and they fall over insensible. This means you can throw a
crowd at the player characters and they don’t get any less dangerous when a few have fallen over.
When it comes to deciding what rounds they act on, roll 1 set of Finesse dice and make them all act on
the same rounds. Otherwise you may have a lot of numbers to keep track of. You might also rule that
Brutes always go after heroes when there is a tie (notice I say heroes and not player characters…  )
That is pretty much it. Never give Brutes advantages or anything like that, they are just goons. Just
assign a rank and hit the player characters with as many as you like. While Brutes can technically be of
any rank from 1-5, you shouldn’t ever need rank 1 or 5. 1 is way too easy and 5 would be deadly.

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 However, a rank 5 Brute who still goes down after 1 Dramatic Wound (but will take 10 wounds to get
there) might be good for elite but faceless opponents, such as a ninja attack. In general:
Rank 2 Brute (Thug) – A thug, bandit or brigand. Experienced in combat but not trained. The standard
for most player characters to face (dice pool 4, 4 wounds to suffer a Dramatic Wound).
Rank 3 Brute (Mercenary) – These guards are a lot tougher (dice pool 6, 6 wounds to suffer a
Dramatic Wound). They might be the Cardinal’s Guards or battle hardened mercenaries.
Rank 4 Brute (Elite) – This is as high as you should really go, certainly en-masse against an average
player character group. They are the elite soldiers, the Emperor’s personal guard or the villain’s major
lieutenants (dice pool 8, 8 wounds to suffer a Dramatic Wound).
Finally, there is no reason not to adapt this on the flay as you see fit. Give your rank 2 Brutes a 5 dice
pool, or make it 6 wounds before they suffer a Dramatic Wound, or even less. Remember that the point
of Brutes is to occupy heroes not kill them. Brutes serve to offer exciting combat opportunities, get in
one or two good hits, or keep the heroes busy while the villain escapes. So while they might badly hurt
the heroes, there should never be much doubt about who is going to be victorious in the fight. Save that
for the villain.

Villains
Villains have ready-made statistics for this
sort of thing in Second Edition. Strength
represents their physical ability and
Influence their social power. So you can
assume any physical dice pool they use in
combat is equal to their Strength. However,
unlike Brutes, they get all 4 Dramatic
Wounds and it takes their Strength in
wounds to do a single Dramatic Wound.
However, you may put a limit of 10 on this
or combat will take all night! On the other
end of the scale, you may insist on a
minimum as well. So a villain should never
have a dice pool lower that 4 and it always
take 4 wounds before they suffer a Dramatic
Wound. You should always remember that
the villain has a purpose in your adventure,
so they should have the attributes to perform
as you need them to and create a challenge
for the heroes.
Villains also have Influence, and they can use this is a fight. As an action, once per fight, they can
summon a gang of Rank 2 Brutes equal to their Influence. These are people they have nearby keeping an
eye out for them. The villain can half the number (round up) and make them Rank 3 Brutes instead. The
Brutes arrive on the next round, and their first action will be to protect the villain and/or their means of
escape.
Many villains also have advantages and special abilities to bring into play, so don’t forget those. These
will balance a lower Strength. But in all cases, the balance between Strength and Influence tells you how
this villain should be used. A true villain always makes sure any encounter gives them the advantage.

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 They don’t take on heroes in a sword fight if that is not their forte. They send in the Brutes instead,
occupying the heroes while they abscond with the princess or ruin their reputations to the Queen.
As a way to hurt and reduce the villain (taking bites out of the whale) you should reduce their Strength
by 1 following any combat they suffer at least 1 Dramatic Wound in. Those fights with the heroes add
up and eventually they will be too injured to deal with them. At Strength zero, they can be arrested
without a fight. Influence can also be reduced with violence. Should they publically be forced to flee or
retreat, especially if injured, they lose their Influence. Influence might be dropped by a point for a public
failure, and also (as usual) for the clear thwarting of any of their minor schemes.
Monsters
Monstrous creatures have much the same sort of traits as a villain. So use their Strength to determine
their combat dice pool and how many wounds they can take in the same way. However, monsters are
usually quite dangerous, so their minimum dice pool for a combat should be 6 dice (but base their action
dice and wounds on the Strength directly even so). Monsters all have certain qualities, but all these
convert across happily into the new system so use them as they are.

Tweaks and Fiddles

So, that’s the basic system and all the other bits and pieces updated. There are a few more fiddly bits I
thought worth adding though. You can use these as you see fit depending on how many extra rules your
players like in the game.
Heavy weapons versus light weapons
With all weapons using Brawn, it doesn’t really matter if you use a rapier or a broadsword. So your
Eisen warriors might prefer to use the following adjustment. Anyone using a ‘light weapon’ just uses the
system as normal.
When using a heavy weapon, you have a bonus pool of dice equal to your Brawn for each turn of the
combat (unspent dice are lost). You can spend as many or as few of them as you like on any attack roll
(slash or lunge). However, there is a downside. Firstly, if you use any of the bonus dice on an attack,
your total is reduced by one additional raise. Heavy weapons are harder to wield, especially when you
are hitting as hard as you can. So it is best to spend at least 2 of your bonus dice on a roll if you are
going to use them at all.
The other downside of heavy weapons is that they are slow. So you must take your lowest (best) action
dice each turn and reroll it, taking the worst result.
All this means heavy weapons have the potential to do a lot of damage, but are slower and have an
increased chance to miss.
Unarmed Brawling
When you are in a fist fight the system works the same. All the basic actions are possible, and will use
Brawn + Brawl for the most part. Parry is possible, but only if fighting another unarmed (or non-lethally
armed) opponent. The Gamemaster should reserve the right to declare any particular action unavailable
to a fistfighter if the situation warrants it.
Fist fights are also non-lethal damage. This means they do wounds and Dramatic Wounds as usual.
However, the effects don’t last as long. After the fight, all wounds are removed. Any non-lethal
Dramatic Wounds have the same effects as usual, but one of them is healed after every night of rest.

Garion Cazzell (Order #15503522)

 Flesh Wounds
One of the characters in my game (Cosette the Montaigne Jenny) has a very low combat dice pool. With
a Brawn of 2 and a weapon skill of 1, 3 dice isn’t very much. With 1 raise required to make a slash or
lunge, 3 dice will usually get a hit but not grant any wounds. Cosette currently has two options, to make
a lunge or to make a manoeuvre to improve her dice pool (or get Deanna the Eisen monster hunter to
spend some time training her!). If you use the flesh wounds option, it gives characters like Cosette a bit
more of a chance.
Using this rule, after making raises, you will have a dice or two spare that won’t make a raise. If you
haven’t done any damage to your opponent, you can take the highest of those remaining dice and add it
to the result of the next person that attacks that opponent. The new attacker doesn’t get to reroll the dice,
if it rolled a 7, it stays a 7. But if they have a spare 3 after making raises it’s another wound. If the
second attacker doesn’t use the flesh wound dice, it can be passed to the next person to attack that target.
Using Sharper than any Blade
Having written a whole article on social combat,
I’d be remiss not to address it her for conversion.
As it was designed to mirror physical combat, it
does the same here. So you roll for actions as
before, but use Wits not Finesse.
The trait and skills you use to take actions are
based on the approach you have chosen that
evening, as detailed in ‘Sharper than any Blade’.
For any attacks (slash, lunge etc) you should use
Panache, for any defences (parry, riposte etc) you
should use Wits
Each attack action will do social and taunt wounds
that work in the same way as before.
All that leaves us with is the social duelling styles.
They may be gained by picking the ‘Social
Duellist’ advantage, which is the same as Duellist
(5 points) and offers a style ability and a favoured
action for social combat. Needless to say, if you
have a physical style that offers slash as a favoured
action, it doesn’t mean you can treat a social slash
as a favoured action. The social duelling styles
work as follows:
Avalon (Polite Indifference)
Favoured Action: Parry
No matter what the Avalon duellist scores on a parry action, they always block a minimum of 1 taunt
wound.
Castille (Play to the Crowd)
Favoured Action: Lunge
As long as there is a crowd of at least 2 or more people watching the social duel, a Castillain duellist
does a minimum of 1 taunt would with any attack action.

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 Montaigne (Twist the Knife)
Favoured Action: Lunge
If a Montaigne duellist performs a lunge and delivers at least 1 taunt wound to their opponent, they may
spend a hero point to deliver a social wound as well.
Vodacce (Veiled Insult)
Favoured Action: Feint
When performing a feint, a Vodacce duellist may consider their opponent’s Wits to be 2 points lower
than usual.
Courtesan (Seductive Distain)
Favoured Action: Riposte
A courtesan gains a pool of bonus dice at the start of each turn equal to her tempt skill. She may spend
these dice to augment any roll (on a 1 for 1 basis) against any opponent who might find her attractive.
Any remaining dice are lost at the end of the turn although the pool is refreshed.
Pirate (Bigger than you)
Favoured Action: Parry
Pirate social dualists may use Brawn instead of Panache to make an attack action.

Story Hooks

After the Duel

The heroes are minding their own business when they come across the end of an illegal duel. As they
arrive on the scene, they see one of the duellists run through, at which point the rest of the group make a
run for it. As they go to see to the injured combatant the local authorities arrive, having been tipped off
about the duel but arriving too late. They assume the heroes are responsible for dropping the
unconscious gentleman (or lady) and attempt to make an arrest.
Whether they escape arrest or not, they are the main suspects until the injured duellist recovers
consciousness. Unfortunately, the other duelling party is not satisfied with just an injury and they seek
out the unconscious gentlemen to finish the job. If the heroes can discover what is going on, this might
be a great way to trap the real culprit.

An Unfortunate Reputation
The heroes are approached by a wealthy merchant who tells them he has heard of their skill and wishes
to employ them. He wants them to fight for him, and specifies a place they should meet up for more
details. The venue turns out to be a fighting arena, where some rather nasty specimens engage in illegal
blood-sports for the enjoyment of a wealthy crowd. If the heroes fight they will be rewarded, if they
leave the arena alive. But the merchant has built up their potential participation as a big deal, so if they
fail to take part their reputations will suffer as cowards.

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 War Games
A local noble wants to perform some army training exercises. He calls upon any swordsmen to join in
the exercise and act as the opposing forces. A large field out of town has been set aside, and there will be
cannons and swordplay, albeit unloaded and blunted. However, accidents might happen in the heat of
fake battle.
Unfortunately, there is more going on here than expected. Another noble is planning to use the war
games to launch an attack of the other noble’s lands. They have paid a lot of mercenaries to take real
weapons into the fray. The plan is to turn the games into a real fight and take out the organising noble’s
forces. They then plan to launch an attack on their estate to claim it for themselves. If the heroes find out
about the plan, whose side will they choose?

Other Explorer’s Society titles from me

 Rooksholm Inn - The first of a series of inns set in different nations, detailing the staff, regulars
and repasts you will find there. We begin here with Avalon
 The Doctor will see you now – A guide to healing and medical expertise, including several
example doctors and the adventures you might take on to pay for their services.
 All the World’s a Stage – A guide to theatre across Théah. Including detail on life backstage
and on the road. New theatrical backgrounds and advantages and a look at theatre across the
nations. It also looks at creating theatrical adventures in your campaign
 Sharper than any Blade – Rules for social combat using the duelling system to play out battles
of wit. Includes new twists on the duelling manoeuvres for use in verbal badinage and duelling
schools for words rather than blades.
 Mirage – A new sorcery involving mirrors, where secrets might be stolen as long as you do not
lose your soul to the glass
 Vergogne - A guide to the most romantic place in Montaigne, if not Théah! Includes a host of
people and places as well as notes on adding a little romance and fashion into your game.
 Hearts and Harlots – Detail on the Jenny’s Guild and life as a Jenny, including a look at
Brothels across Théah, the Guild as a ‘secret society’ and new advantages and story ideas.
 Razor Sharp Dalliance – The history and use of the fan in Théah, including the mysterious fan
code and a new duelling style.
 The Wine List – A guide to the vintages and drinking habits of the nations of Théah (and its
free!).
Coming next – more Inns in more places and possibly some Fate Witches!

Garion Cazzell (Order #15503522)