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Code Duello is a 'perma-death' dueling dice game. Killed duelers are forbidden from ever playing again and winners take ownership of the sole copy of Code Duello. The owner can make a challenge or be challenged at any time without the option to decline. Its clunky dice are hand-forged and heavy enough to damage most surfaces, so an appropriate location must be chosen for each dual. A referee is appointed to oversee the duel, ensuring that the rules inscribed on its wooden exterior are followed and the results are publicly recorded.
The game is inspired by a chapter from Mark Twain's autobiography. In his time dueling became a machismo fad that shocked and terrified him. He observed that this bizarre trend in social etiquette forced men to slay each other, destroying families in the process. He nervously avoided all conflicts for fear of accidently becoming trapped in a duel. Further reading on the history of dueling turns up The Code Duello, a insanely serious and complex set of rules for when and how gentlemen must duel.