CYOHA: You find yourself in an affair of honor and on the likely path to a duel

The duel of honor spanned over half a millennium in Europe and its environs, and although each country developed its own particularities broad themes also were always present, with the base nature of the duel firmly grounded in the expression of masculine virility and honor, whatever that might have meant in the time period to the participants. The duel was also part of a larger discourse on honor though, and indeed, most affairs of honor, where a duel might arise, ended without combat, which was instead supposed to be a last resort if other

You are about to embark into one possible situation where a duel might arise, but perhaps you will be able to navigate to avoid it. But first, who even are you?

A) It is 1813, and you are John Lamb, Esq. Born the third son of a South Carolina planter, you have decided to head west to make a name for yourself, and find yourself in Missouri territory, where you must navigate the uncertainties of society on the frontier.

B) It is 1799, and you are Capt. Archibald Fernsby-Fugglewump, of His Most Britannic Majesty’s Royal Navy. You know that your ability to command men in battle is contingent on the respect of them, as well as your peers.

C) It is 1627, and you are Jean-Philippe Goddard, Count de Béchamel. You are punctilious about your honor to a fault, and have fought several duels over as trifling a matter as a cock-eyed glance, to the point you have something of a reputation, but one you enjoy greatly.

I’ll check back in a bit and go with what seems most popular, although depending on time may revisit the others too.