Country of Origin: Eisen
Salon: None (the style is taught only by Masters among the Nibelungen, to those the mysterious order deems worthy)
Founded: 1664

Description: Occasionally, for reasons known only to them, the mysterious Order of the Nibelungen will entertain a petition, even from someone hailing from another country, for assistance in fighting some grand obstacle whether it is a monster, oppression by a dictator, or some equally unassailable goal. If the cause is just, and if the Nibelungen feel the petitioner is worthy, they may forge a weapon for him or her. On very rare occasions, they may even train the petitioner in its use. The twin knife style known as Zwillingsdolch is one means to this end. It is rumored that this style was taught to “Bloody” Bonnie MacGee when she sought out the Nibelungen, and that it’s possible they developed this style specifically for her, because they knew she would one day seek them out.

Zwillingsdolch is practiced using two exotic daggers forged by the Nibelungen (typically, but not necessarily, from Dracheneisen). These daggers have a round, spiked pommel and only a minimal cross guard. In addition to the main, spade-like blade, each dagger has two retractable side blades which can be extended by pushing a secret button on the hilt. These weapons are treated as normal daggers with the side blades retracted, or triple daggers with the side blades extended. In combat, extending the side blades does not cost an Action, but resetting them into retracted position does. The style can be used with only one of these daggers, but many of its techniques will be ineffective.

The main weakness of the style is that it uses weapons with a very short reach. Even an opponent armed with a regular dagger or main gauche will have a reach advantage; he only needs to stay out of the Zwillingsdolch fighter’s range and watch for the telltale forward step that precedes an attack, or the backwards shift that signifies a reset of position, during which it is harder to mount a defense.

Basic Curriculum: Athlete, Knife
Knacks: Disarm (Knife), Exploit Weakness (Zwillingsdolch), Lunge (Knife), Pommel Strike (Knife), Sidestep

Apprentice: Apprentices of Zwillingsdolch learn to fight with two of their signature weapons at once. The off-hand penalty is negated while wielding two of these weapons. In addition, the spiked pommels of these signature weapons increase the Damage Rating of a Pommel Strike from 1k1 to 1k2.

The style is not sanctioned by the Swordsman’s Guild; Apprentices receive a Free Rank in one of their Swordsman Knacks in lieu of Guild Membership.

Journeyman: A Journeyman in Zwillingsdolch learns to use his weapons in tandem to devastating effect. While wielding two of his signature daggers, after successfully performing a Disarm with one, the opponent’s TN to be hit by the other drops to 5 for the rest of the Phase, for the Zwillingsdolch fighter only.

In addition, while both weapons have their side blades extended, the Journeyman gains the benefit of wielding a triple dagger from each of them (i.e., +4 to his TN to be hit while using Parry (Knife) for Passive Defense), assuming the Journeyman is fighting with a dagger in each hand.

Master: Zwillingsdolch Masters have learned to use his dual weapons to take away an opponent’s offensive ability with one weapon, then strike with the other. So long as the Master is wielding two of his signature weapons, after successfully performing a Disarm with one, he may immediately make an attack against the same opponent without spending an Action. This may be a normal attack, a Lunge, or a Pommel Strike.