Duels

Both legal disputes and personal disputes are often settled by duels
"Let us watch duels," said the Forkbeard. The duel is a device by which many disputes, legal and personal, are settled in Torvaldsland.
Marauders

Two sorts of duels - formal and free
There are two general sorts, the formal duel and the free duel.
Marauders

Formal duel is quite complex
Two men meet, each permitted a shield bearer
The formal duel is quite complex, and I shall not describe it in detail. Two men meet, but each is permitted a shield bearer; the combatants strike at one another, and the blows, hopefully, are fended by each's shield bearer;
Marauders

Three shields permitted in formal duel
When three shields have been used up (hacked to bits) the shield bearer retires from the duel and the fighter is on his own, defending himself only with his weapon
...three shields are permitted to each combatant; when these are hacked to pieces or otherwise rendered useless, his shield bearer retires, and he must defend himself with his own weapon alone;
Marauders

Swords must not be over a certain length in a formal duel
Duels take place on a large 10 foot by 10 foot square cloak
Cloak is pegged down in place
swords not over a given length, too, are prescribed. The duel takes place, substantially, on a large, square cloak, ten feet on each side, which is pegged down on the turf;
Marauders

The challenged (or the champion fighting on behalf of the challenged) has the right to strike the first blow
Then he said to me, "As you are the champion of the challenged, it is your right to strike the first blow."
I tapped the shield of Bjarni of Thorstein Camp, it held by another ruffian from his camp, with the point of my sword.
"It is struck," I said.
With a cry of rage the shield bearer of Bjarni of Thorstein Camp rushed at me, to thrust me back, stumbling, hopefully to put me off my balance, for the following stroke of his swordsman.
Marauders

Outside cloak are two squares, a foot from the cloak, drawn in the turf
Outer corners of these squares are marked with hazel wands
Altogether creates a 12 foot square fighting area
No ropes stretched between wands
outside this cloak there are two squares, each a foot from the cloak, drawn in the turf. The outer corners of the second of the two drawn squares are marked with hazel wands; there is thus a twelve-foot-square fighting area; no ropes are stretched between the hazel wands.
Marauders

There are two referees at a formal duel
At the agreement of the combatants, duel may be terminated when first blood touches the cloak
When the first blood touches the cloak the match may, at the agreement of the combatants, or in the discretion of one of the two referees, be terminated;
Marauders

Referees are white robed
"Who is your shield bearer?" asked one of the two white-robed referees.
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Chief referee wears a golden ring on his arm
Chief referee approves (or not) Champions to stand in for the fighters
The chief referee looked at me. His office was indicated by a golden ring on his arm. To his credit, he had, obviously, not much approved of the former match.
"Approve me," I told him.
He grinned. "I approve you," said he, " as the champion of Hrolf of Inlet of Green Cliffs."
Marauders

Loser of formal duel pays winner three silver tarn disks
Winner then performs a sacrifice
a price of three silver tarn disks is then paid to the victor by the loser; the winner commonly then performs a sacrifice; if the winner is rich, and the match of great importance, he may slay a bosk; if he is poor, or the match is not considered a great victory, his sacrifice may be less.
Marauders

Formal duel is commonly used for settling boundary disuputes or gaining satisfaction from an insult
Commonly, of course, the formal duel is used for more reputable purposes, such as settling grievances over boundaries, or permitting an opportunity where, in a case of insult, satisfaction might be obtained.
Marauders

Men with skill are known to other men of Torvaldsland
"He is a famous champion," said Ivar, whispering to me, nodding to the large burly fellow. "He is Bjarni of Thorstein Camp." Thorstein Camp, well to the south, but yet north of Einar's Skerry, was a camp of fighting men, which controlled the countryside about it, for some fifty pasangs, taking tribute from the farms. Thorstein of Thorstein's Camp was their Jarl.
Marauders

Free duel permits all weapons
No restrictions on tactics or field
The free duel permits all weapons; there are there are no restrictions on tactics or field. At the thing, of course, adjoining squares are lined out for these duels.
Marauders

Free duels are often held on wave struck skerries in Thassa
Two men are left alone, a skiff later returning to pick up the survivor
No referees are needed or used for the free duel, the winner is clearly the man who remains alive
Such duels, commonly, are held on wave-struck skerries in Thassa. Two men are left alone; later, at nightfall, a skiff returns, to pick up the survivor.
Marauders

By law, all that a man has is surrendered to the winner if a man is killed in a duel - his farm, daughter and companion as well
These duels, particularly of the formal variety, are sometimes used disreputably for gain by unscrupulous swordsmen. A man, incredibly enough, may be challenged risks his life among the hazel wands; he may be slain; then, too, of course, the stake, the farm, the companion, the daughter, is surrendered by law to the challenger.
Marauders

This custom (law) enables strong powerful men to obtain land and women.
Encourages those who possess land & women to keep in fighting condition
The motivation of this custom, I gather, is to enable strong, powerful men to obtain land and attractive women; and to encourage those who possess such to keep themselves in fighting condition.
Marauders

On the other hand...

Ivar Forkbeard killed Finn Broadbelt in a duel. Instead of gaining Finns lands, Svein Blue Tooth set a wergild so high that Ivar is forced to become an outlaw in Torvaldsland.
Note that the rune priests and Blue Tooths men protest this action.
"I am an outlaw," said Ivar. 'In a duel I killed Fin Broadbelt."
"It was in a duel," I said.
"Finn Broadbelt was the cousin of Jarl Svein Blue Tooth.
"Ah," I said. Svein Blue Tooth was the high jarl of Torvaldsland, in the sense that he was generally regarded as the most powerful. In his hall, it was said he fed a thousand men. Beyond this his heralds could carry the war arrow, it was said, to ten thousand farms. Ten ships he had at his own wharves, and, it was said, he could summon a hundred more "He is your Jarl?" I asked.
"He was my Jarl," said Ivar Forkbeard.
"The wergild must be high," I speculated.
The Forkbeard looked at me, and grinned. "It was set so high," said he, "out of the reach of custom and law, against the protests of the rune-priests and his own men, that none, in his belief, could pay it."
"And thus," said I, "that your outlawry would remain in effect until you were apprehended or slain?"
"He hoped to drive me from Torvaldsland," said Ivar.
"He has not succeeded in doing so," I said.
Ivar grinned. "He does not know where I am," said he. "If he did, a hundred ships might enter the inlet."
Marauders