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Ars Dimicatoria
Ars Dimicatoria is a side quest in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
Quick walkthrough
- Talk to Menhard at the inn.
- Steal the Kuttenberg brotherhood's sword.
- Display the sword on the Town Hall outer wall.
- Return to Menhard.
- Become a member of the swordfighting brotherhood.
- Tell Menhard when you are ready for the duel with the Kuttenbergers.
- Defeat the Kuttenbergers.
- Wait for your duel.
- Go to the yellow corner and wait for the duel to start.
- Fight!
- Leave the tournament pen.
- Wait for your duel.
Detailed walkthrough
To the north of Kuttenberg, near the armourer, Henry may encounter Menhard von Frankfurt, a renowned swordmaster from Frankfurt. Upon interaction, Menhard will challenge Henry to a duel, citing the shared name of a notable Holy Roman king as his reason for the challenge. The player character can accept the duel, and additionally set a wager.
The standoff
Regardless of the outcome, the duel is interrupted by a group led by Emmeram. A standoff occurs between Menhard and Nicholas of Prague, a master swordsman from Kuttenberg. The situation is diffused when Fridusch Kumel, a Kuttenberg councilor, reaffirms the council's decision. Menhard is banished and fined for violating city regulations.
The player character can intervene and reason with Fridusch. Passing a skill check leads Fridusch to acknowledge Menhard's royal charter but maintains that Menhard violated Kuttenberg's laws by engaging in illicit swordfighting, resulting in a fine. Henry can argue further, claiming Fridusch wronged Menhard. Fridusch inquires what offense provoked the duel, presenting several player-selected options:
- I insulted his art.
- I seduced his daughter.
- I killed his dog.
- I slandered him.
- I cheated him.
- I cheated him at dice.
Fridusch provides unique responses to each option. Regardless, the group disperses, and Menhard asks Henry to meet him at the Schenke Kaiser Karl. At the inn, Menhard and his accomplice, Arne, reveal their plan: Henry must infiltrate the swordfighting hall, steal the guild sword without being detected, and display it on the Rathaus wall to issue a formal challenge.
Stealing and displaying the guild sword
Menhard recommends stealing the sword at night. Enter the hall via the back door, ascend the stairs, and open the door to the right of the staircase. The door has an easy lock. Inside, two people are present; move along the right wall to access the guild longsword at the rear.
Once the sword is secured, escape the hall and locate the Kuttenberg Rathaus, identifiable by its astronomical clock. Hang the sword on the wall and return to Menhard. He and Henry proceed to the Rathaus, where Linhart and the group await.
To resolve the conflict, Fridusch declares that the victor of a tournament will lead the Kuttenberg swordfighting brotherhood. Despite Emmeram's protests, Nikolas agrees to the terms. Emmeram outlines the tournament rules: three fighters from each side face off, each participant dueling all three opponents. The group with the most victories determines the winner. However, Menhard's group only has 2 members. He will ask Henry to join them in the tournament. The player character can choose to help, not help, or be unsure.
If Henry chooses to help and was noticed while stealing the sword, Emmeram confronts him about this. While the player character can deny, Fridusch also confesses that he knows about the incident, giving the Kuttenberg brotherhood an advantage by allowing them to wear hauberks and steel helmets, while Menhard's brotherhood can only wear gambesons.
Joining Menhard's bruderschaft
Before Henry can fight with Menhard in the tournament, the player character must join Menhard's brotherhood first. Menhard forfeits the payment for acceptance if Henry has helped them previously. Arne acts as the witness, and Henry takes the brotherhood oath. As Henry places his hand on the sword, the player can choose who to swear by:
- The player character can swear by the King.
- The player character can swear by his father, Martin.
- The player character can swear by all the saints.
Regardless of the option, Menhard names Henry his student in the art of swordsfighting. He teaches Henry the principle to "strike and wound", something he will use in the tournament against the Kuttenbergers. Menhard tells Henry to inform him when he is ready.
Defeating the Kuttenberg brotherhood
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At the start of the tournament, Fridusch introduces the event, explaining that the dispute will be resolved under the council’s and Kuttenberg burghers’ observation. Participants are provided armor from the city armory, which can be repaired using tools in the armorer’s tent. Injuries will be treated by the bathmaid, and rites are conducted by Father Tobias. The opening match pits Menhard against Linhart, the cobbler.
Menhard defeats Linhart decisively. Henry takes on Linhart next, followed by Emmeram replacing Linhart and fighting Menhard, who wins again. Master Nicholas then steps in, facing Arne. The duel becomes heated, with Arne suffering a forehead injury. Although urged to yield, Arne persists but is ultimately beaten by Nicholas, who attempts a finishing strike. Menhard intervenes, stopping Nicholas. Fridusch acknowledges Menhard’s intent but declares the Frankfurt brotherhood disqualified for breaching tournament rules.
Arne is taken to the bathmaid’s tent for treatment. While his left eye’s vision is impaired, the blade narrowly missed, and his condition is expected to improve over time. Fridusch sympathizes but insists that Menhard has forfeited due to Arne’s injury. Menhard protests, arguing the tournament should continue without Arne. With two duels remaining, the score stands at 3–4 in favor of the Kuttenbergers.
Henry has two options:
- The player character can argue that Menhard hasn’t lost, noting that Menhard and Nicholas didn’t duel, leaving both sides with only three victories.
- The player character can assert that Henry must win both remaining duels.
If Henry successfully persuades Fridusch, the score is reset to 3–3. Regardless, Henry must fight twice, with the next match against Emmeram.