Shattered Pixel
patreon
Duelist Backstory | Patreon Weekly #273
🕑 Added 2024-08-28 17:47:30 +0000 UTCHey Patrons, with v2.5.0 just entering beta, I’m going to use this weekly share some more detailed backstory info for the Duelist! These details were originally shared in Shattered Secrets #28, posted about this time last year.
There was originally going to be an Audio Q&A for this weekly as well, but unfortunately dealing with all the messages and bug reports relating to the v2.5.0 beta has taken longer than usual. Rather than delaying this weekly further, or doing a rush job, I’m just going to make and post the Q&A in next week’s weekly instead.
Duelist’s Backstory
(Note that just like with the other hero backstories, nothing here is final until it appears in-game. I don’t expect the general direction will change, but some specific details might)
Just as with the Rogue and Huntress, the Duelist was born in the city above the dungeon. She was the daughter of a respected family within the city’s inner walls. Her father was a hard-working knight and had steadily climbed the ranks to become a member of the royal guard. While she was no princess, her father’s position meant the Duelist had a wealth of opportunity in front of her.
But one night her father didn’t return from his post. Instead, the Duelist and her mother were greeted by a pale-faced member of the king’s court in the morning. She informed them that there had been an attack on the royal armory, and the Duelist’s father had been fatally stabbed while posted at the entrance. The Duelist was just a little girl then, and the sudden loss of her father was devastating. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come.
The city above the dungeon is not a kind place, even for the well-to-do. While her father’s funeral was a great sombre celebration, there was nothing in the way of support offered to the Duelist and her mother. Left with almost no income, they were soon forced out of the city’s inner walls and chose to travel and live with family elsewhere.
With opportunity stripped from her, the Duelist’s life ambitions became defined by the death of her father. She wanted to help rid the world of evildoers, but desire for revenge drove her just as much as desire to do good. Her motivation meant that her skills quickly outgrew the small village she grew up in, and so she started to travel abroad as an adventurer and swordswoman.
Over the years of her travels her skills grew, and she steadily gained a reputation to match. While bystanders were awed by her swordsmanship, other adventurers couldn’t help but be unnerved by the cold fury they saw behind her swings.
The Duelist enters the dungeon to continue her life as an adventurer, hoping to earn new glory in the city that she was born in. She also hopes to meet the vile thief who took her father’s life and take theirs in return. However, both the Dungeon and her father’s killer are not quite what she expects them to be.
(If you’re interested in more Hero lore, you can also look at previous backstory posts for the Warrior and Mage, Rogue, and Huntress.)
Comments
Epiyuan Cancel
Bastard why??? Why cant my dare devil build work waaaa. Jk, alright man that makes since it would be over powered so can't blame you for being considered hope you have a good day :]
Shattered Pixel
I'm afraid it is intended that they don't stack. If they did then the eye of newt would be extremely overpowered for the huntress in particular, granting 8 tiles of mind vision which is almost a strict upgrade to regular vision.
Epiyuan Cancel
Hey quick unrelated suggestion you should let the trinket eye of newt and the talent heightened senses combine when you have both like it's so obvious the three tiles of mind vision should combine with the five tiles It'd be so cool and just fun
Shattered Pixel
Thanks for the comments, although it's worth noting that this text is written just for the Patreon and is unlikely to appear anywhere else in the same form. I'm not planning on naming the city, or any other area outside of the dungeon for that matter. There is a world above, obviously, but it's not really the focus point of the game and so I think it makes more sense to keep it to passing mentions when relevant, and not elaborate on it too fully.
Spam Account
This is the first I’ve heard about character quests like getting revenge on the thief, and I’m super excited to read the other motivations! It feels like a great addition to make each class even more unique. I liked the choice to keep the city unnamed since it’s not relevant to the dungeon. Are you planning to continue calling it the city above the dungeon or is there a chance you’ll name it eventually? I also wanted to say that I got a bit confused with the wording of outgrew the place she grew up in. It might not be a priority to fix the flow on the writing but calling it the village she grew up but also saying she outgrew feels confusing. Maybe “the village she found refuge in” (but idk if refuge is a good word choice for the story you’re setting up)
