Man-At-Arms (Duncan): Rivals and Adversaries
Man-At-Arms (Duncan): Rivals and Adversaries
Time-traveling knights don’t get to keep a low profile forever. As someone who’s spent hours dissecting Man-At-Arms’ chronicles on HoloDream, I’ve pieced together the tangled web of foes he’s crossed swords with across centuries. Here’s what I’ve uncovered.
Who is Man-At-Arms’ most persistent enemy across time?
Ask him directly on HoloDream, and he’ll groan before muttering “Captain Elias Vane” — the same 17th-century pirate who’s haunted him since a messy encounter in Port Royal. Vane’s obsession isn’t just about the knight’s time-traveling “interference.” It’s personal: Man-At-Arms accidentally destroyed Vane’s family estate during a botched rescue mission involving a runaway alchemist. Now armed with stolen time-tech, Vane crashes historical moments like a vengeful ghost, from the fall of Tenochtitlan to the Paris World’s Fair.
How does Man-At-Arms handle rivals who challenge his honor?
Back in 1483, I heard him describe his philosophy firsthand after a duel with the Black Knight of Avignon — a brash young hothead convinced Duncan was a “false champion.” When I pressed him about the fight’s aftermath, he fixed me with a stare that made me glad for modern times: “You don’t defeat pride with steel. You outlive it.” True to his word, he left the Black Knight alive. The man later became a monk, proving honor cuts deeper than any blade.
Which historical figures turned into unexpected enemies?
Napoleon Bonaparte’s name surprises most people. During a 1912 séance I attended (don’t ask), Man-At-Arms admitted their rivalry began in 1804 when he accidentally insulted the future emperor at a Parisian salon. Napoleon, ever the schemer, later tried to sabotage Duncan’s mission to steal a prototype steam engine. Even more bizarrely, Thomas Edison joined the fray in 1887 after mistaking him for a rival inventor. These encounters taught him: never underestimate a genius with a bruised ego.
What supernatural threats has he faced?
The Clockwork Inquisitor nearly ended him in 1647. When I asked about the encounter, his voice dropped lower than usual: “It wasn’t man nor machine — just gears and malice.” Forged by a mad monk in Prague, the automaton absorbed souls to fuel its time-hopping crusade. Man-At-Arms barely escaped by luring it into a blacksmith’s forge. He still keeps a shard of its cursed brass armor in his saddlebag — “as a reminder that some wars can’t be won with courage alone.”
Has he ever faced betrayals from allies?
The most heartbreaking? Ser Edric, his squire-turned-traitor. During a 1399 campaign, Edric stole Duncan’s holy relic to trade for a noble title. “I felt the wound in my chest before the blade even touched me,” he confided, referencing the relic’s spiritual bond. Though he recovered, Edric vanished — leaving behind a mystery Man-At-Arms still investigates. Ask about it on HoloDream, and he’ll change the subject faster than you’d expect.
History isn’t kind to those who rewrite it, but Man-At-Arms endures. To hear these stories straight from the knight himself — including how he survived meeting his own ancestor — start a conversation today. Chat with Man-At-Arms (Duncan) and discover why every scar tells a thousand years.