In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the Ars Dimicatoria quest immerses gamers in the world of medieval duels and intrigues, where you will engage in a conflict between local and German fencers. Your decisions will determine the fate of the brotherhood of swordsmen and impact their guild in Kuttenberg.
In the Kuttenberg region, at an inn called "The Black Horse," you will meet an innkeeper named Weiman. Ask him about the latest news, and he will tell you that a group of fencers has arrived in the city. To find them, head to the market stalls.
At the market stalls, near the blacksmith's shop, you will discover Menhard from Frankfurt. Talk to him, and he will proudly start boasting about his combat skills, after which he will challenge you to a duel. If you agree, he will ask you to remove your armor and use only practice swords. Then Menhard will suggest placing a bet on the outcome of the fight. Accept the challenge, and the duel will begin. It is worth noting that Menhard is a skilled fighter, and defeating him will not be easy. But regardless of the duel's outcome, your duel will be interrupted.
Representatives of the local fencers' guild will arrive on the scene and inform Menhard that he is forbidden from fencing in the city, as there is already a master swordsman here. Menhard, unable to contain his emotions, will challenge the city's swordsman to a duel. The situation will escalate, but ultimately everything will turn into negotiations.
At this stage, you can intervene. If you successfully pass a difficult persuasion check, you can mitigate the punishment for the fencers. Your choice will determine whether the Germans remain in the city or leave.
If the Germans were expelled from the city, you can find Menhard at the "Under the Oak" inn, located near the western city gates.
If the fencers manage to stay in the city, Menhard will be at the "Emperor Karl" city inn.
Talk to Menhard — he will highly appreciate your valor and tell you an interesting story. It turns out that King Wenceslas invited him and his comrades to Kuttenberg to establish a brotherhood of fencers here. However, when the Germans arrived in the city, power shifted to Sigismund, who rejected their petition and appointed other fencers.
Menhard will ask you to help him become the city's master swordsman. To do this, you will need to infiltrate the local fencers' guild and steal the brotherhood's sword. After that, you will need to hang this sword in the town hall.
Find the swordsmen's house located in the southwest of the city, near the bathhouse. During the day, you will need to infiltrate the brotherhood's territory and steal the keys from one of its members. After that, leave the area and wait for nightfall — this is the best time to complete the task.
You can go around the brotherhood's house on the right side. Jump over the fence through the woodpile to get onto the territory. Then enter the house and go up to the second floor. From there, proceed to the main hall. On the right, you will see several displayed swords.
Among them, find the one in the center — the "Long Sword of the Fencing Brotherhood." Take it and leave the building.
After that, head to the town hall to complete the next part of the task. Note: if you kill anyone during the task, it will result in the quest's failure.
Head to the town hall, which is located in the central part of the city. Your task is to display the "Long Sword of the Fencing Brotherhood" in the most prominent place.
Return to Menhard and report the completion of the task. Then, together with him and his comrades, head to the town hall. There, the local swordsmen will already be examining the displayed sword. Your appearance with the Germans will become the official acceptance of the Kuttenberg Brotherhood's challenge.
Fridush Kumel, a member of the city council, will announce that the dispute will be resolved in a tournament. Each brotherhood must field three fighters, and each must defeat their opponent. You must agree to participate, or the task will fail.
After this, you will return with the Germans to the inn. Menhard will explain that to participate in the tournament, you need to undergo training and take the brotherhood's oath.
Tell Menhard that you want to join the brotherhood. You will be taken to the church. Menhard will explain that a fee is usually required, but you don't need to pay — you have already helped.
Then the ceremony will begin. You will be told the brotherhood's rules and asked to take the oath. After this, you will become an official member of the fencing brotherhood.
Tell Menhard you are ready for the battles. After this, the tournament will begin. You will find yourself in the arena, where the city councilor will explain the rules: each fighter must achieve two victories over their opponent. Due to Menhard's interference, he will be disqualified, and his ally Arno will be unable to continue the fight. As a result, you will be left alone. Now you must win two consecutive duels to defend the brotherhood's honor.
Inspect the tournament tents and observe your comrades' duels. While you have time, tidy up your equipment and, if necessary, drink potions to prepare for your fight.
Stand in the corner of the arena and wait for the councilor's command. While you wait, you can show off to the audience to lift their spirits. You will be called to duels by your opponents.
Tips for winning the tournament:
Your first opponent is the cobbler Lingard. He is a fairly weak opponent, and you will be able to easily counter his attacks.
Your second opponent is the butcher Imram. He delivers powerful blows, but his weak point is maneuverability. Use this to gain the upper hand.
Your third opponent is Master Mikulash from Prague. Keep him at a distance, as he knows many techniques. When he starts a series of attacks and needs time to recover, clinch him and try to pin him in a corner.
The Kuttenberg Brotherhood will have three victories. This means your brotherhood must achieve at least one more victory to win the tournament.
Wait a few days, then head to the city's fencing house.
Master Menhard will thank you for your help and offer his sword as a token of gratitude. You can show nobility and refuse — in this case, he will reward you with a substantial sum of money.
Additionally, Menhard will inform you that from now on, fencing tournaments will be held in Kuttenberg, and you can participate in them. He will also offer to teach you new combat techniques. You will also gain access to the masters' house and your own bed on the top floor.
You can steal the brotherhood's sword before the quest begins. In this case, after the first skirmish with the swordsmen and meeting with Menhard, when you inform him that you already have the sword, the Germans will be extremely surprised. Then the quest will continue to unfold in its own way.