I picked this forum because I'm interested in duels with swords... but it might belong in the next century down. Not sure.

So! My first and foremost question is: What on earth does a second do? What's he for? I've heard more than one reason and I haven't been able to reconcile them, and I've never seen or read of a duel where the second did anything whatsoever, regardless of their supposed purpose. Are they witnesses? Moral support? what?

At what point in time did there start being more than one second? I know at some point there were always two. Why was this? And again, what did they do? In Dumas it seems the seconds always ended up fighting with each other... so did they just come along to join in the fun? What happened if you didn't have a second?

From what little I've read of them, a second seemed like a combination witness, referee, and caddy. Witness, in that he would be able to relate what happened. Referee, in that if someone did something contrary to the rules that had been laid down, he would call the offender out. Caddy, in that he carried the weapon(s) of the person he was seconding for.

But then again, my knowledge on duels is very limited, so don't quote me.

A second was there to see that everything was fair; to deal with the other party so you didn't end up fighting with the other guy before the duel started. And also to carry back their dead or wounded friend.

*Nods* Yep, that's the answer I would have given as well. They were also supposed to try their utmost to reconcile the offended parties without the fight; they were there as go betweens for the offended parties, their aim was to try to avoid a duel.