Duelist Life

Card Games in Dangerous Places

Crux, the card game upon which Diamond City's very defenses are built, was created based on the technology brought to Diamond City by the Numeral 5 company. The dueling tech that "professional Duelists" use is developed using a similar power to that used by the very "shadows" they fight against. It is largely unknown what magic or science powers the duel tech, or what the powerful effects and ethereal monsters and heroes it creates are made of.

Professional Duelists always begin as regular players. Children of all walks of life play the Crux card game. Sure, there are video games, television, and other modes of entertainment in Diamond City, but Crux is by far the most wide-spread pastime. The prevalence and popularity of the professional Duelist scene ensures this. The current duelist generation grew up watching lives be saved by the heroic Duelists who came before, and that tradition continues. It is not uncommon to aspire to be a professional duelist, and many schools have special programs dedicated to training future Duelist generations. They don't just learn a children's card game as they hone their other skills, they learn how to defend their city with their lives.

A Duelist becomes a professional in a few ways. Some find partnerships and sponsors within Diamond City's brand scene before they are even out of high school. Others inherit tech from their parents and can sustain themselves independently while seeking sponsorships. For others, those school-sponsored dueling courses sometimes offer short-term scholarships for students to begin their professional Dueling careers, to buffer them until they find more long-term sponsors.

The Almanac

In the interests of transparency, the Duelist Almanac is released every month with stats for every duelist. Number of killed shadows, games won vs. games lost, and other metrics are recorded by duel tech and reported at the end of each excursion into the undercity. These metrics are sometimes used by brand sponsors to evaluate the performance of their Duelists, but is also used by the general public in their discourse about which Duelists are the best. It helps to drive the Duelist culture in the city, fueling competition between Duelists and encouraging them to keep honing their skills. It also serves to uplift the citizens and alleviate their worries. Every slain shadow is a monster that won't be able to attack innocent citizens, presumably.

Shadow Duels

The most important kind of duel, and also the most dangerous, is a duel with the Shadows. These lanky, vaguely humanoid creatures occupy the undercity, drawing on the power of strange cyrstals in order to manipulate the darkness around them. Years ago, a Shadowgate was installed on the city's fourth level, blocking off the lower 3 levels that were corrupted by the darkness. The darkness is kept at bay, but it still surges at times, and the shadow gate must be opened to let out the pressure. When this occurs, Duelists are dispatched to deal with shadows who seep through. Sometimes, very rarely, experienced Duelists are dispatched into the undercity itself in order to complete an objective. Usually this is gathering information or scavenging for supplies. Shadow duels are the only duels in which Weapon Cards can be used.

Exhibition Duels

Duelists do not always get along. Sometimes they disagree about how to duel against Shadows. Sometimes they let their Brand Affiliations get in the way of friendship. Sometimes, they just want to settle a score. Two Duelists with duel tech can be a spectacle to watch. And when two famous Duelists get into it, it can draw quite a crowd. Exhibition Duels are officially-sanctioned duels between one Duelist and another. They are usually planned some time in advance so that they can garner the most public attention, and sometimes the duelists will levy stakes against each other, like cards, money, or decisions. When you bet or promise something for an official Exhibition Duel, you are legally required to see it through, if you lose. 

Exhibition Duels take place in the Duel Arena on Level 4.

Casual Dueling

Duelists may be professionals with a job to do, but they are also usually people who love the card game. A Casual Duel is one you play in your free time, without using your Duel Tech. The results of these duels are not recorded or broadcast to the whole city, so they can be a great way to test out new cards and relax without the prying eyes of the almighty Brand Sponsors.

Brand Deals

When they aren't Dueling, professional Duelists often spend time with their Brand-mates. Either they are attempting to gain a sponsorship within one of the brands, or they may already have one. Once you score a brand deal, the real work begins. Most brands come with events to attend or responsibilities to take care of in order to continue being sponsored.