Rapier Wits

Sworn off adventuring to finish my villa, I labour'd a few hours adjusting here, texturing there, but the sound of steel against steel and the promise of seeing reknown duellists in combat weakened my resolve and led me to Spangle, where Comhrag McLeod tutored two beginners, yours truly and the willowy Ishi Mirrikh (on the left), in the art of duelling by Combat Cards. After two rounds we broke off, rank beginners that we were, and unsure of our controls, to watch Osprey Therian, uncharacteristically putrid in her Sick Sumo guise (in the background), deliver grievous harm to her opponent. I cannot tell if I felt faint for loss of blood or from the sight of so much gore indiscriminately spilt.

We revived in the graveyard, where I faced off with the King of the Mountain, and suffered a good beating, my life spared by someone called Stack Overflow just as I was to receive the death blow, much to the consternation of Doc Boffin, author and inventor of the Cards. I have played with swords, cups, coins and staves; and with hearts, bells, sleeves and acorns, but never with arcana that nominated the Maiden's Moan or the Courtier's Cuff!

The duel of wits that presently followed while admiring the new game cards demanded more skill than any armed combat seen that day. There were intelligent and sharply honed minds in play, and few defensive moves available to any!

I shall return after I lick my wounds and recover my breath!