DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 01/27/2026    Duedate: 02/09/2026

JHELUM ARENA

DM 4    TURN 1031

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

SEEDS OF LOVE
PALE SHELTER 57 (698)
(4-7644) [8-0-0,107]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

SEEDS OF LOVE                  MITHRA GRIM
PALE SHELTER 57 (698)          PERSIANS (737)
(4-7644) [8-0-0,107]           (4-7954) [1-0-1,21]

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

VALENTINE                      CARRO LEGGERO
TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)        TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)
(4-7776) [18-29-1,84]          (4-7904) [4-15-2,31]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

CLASSIC BLUES (549)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. PERSIANS (737)                67 
2. CLASSIC BLUES (549)           27    PALE SHELTER 57 (698)
3. THE KILLING HIVE (718)        18    Unchartered Team
4. ERRATA (714)                  17 
5. PALE SHELTER 57 (698)         16    PERSIANS (737)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 0*PERSIANS (737)             5   0  1 100.   1/ 2 CLASSIC BLUES (549)      10  5 2
 2/ 0 PALE SHELTER 57 (698)     64  14  2 82.1   2/ 1 THE KILLING HIVE (718)    7  5 0
 3/ 0 FAIL TO WRECK (720)       17   9  0 65.4   3/ 7 SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   6  7 0
 4/ 5 ERRATA (714)              10   7  0 58.8   4/ 4 TRIBAL COUNCIL (120)      6  9 1
 5/ 2 THE KILLING HIVE (718)    43  31  1 58.1   5/ 0*PERSIANS (737)            5  0 1
 6- 3 UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)   262 196  4 57.2   6/ 3 OF WOLF & TROLL (732)     5  3 0
 7/ 4 CLASSIC BLUES (549)      211 159 11 57.0   7/ 5 TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)   5  8 0
 8/ 6 THE REPLACEMENTS (622)   104  83  2 55.6   8- 6 PHILANTHROPISTS2 (253)    2  0 0
 9/ 0*POP (102)                 11   9  1 55.0   9/ 0 PALE SHELTER 57 (698)     2  0 0
10/ 7 OF WOLF & TROLL (732)     17  15  0 53.1  10/11 DOGS OF WAR (115)         2  4 0
11/ 8 TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)  271 243 27 52.7  11/ 9 THE REPLACEMENTS (622)    2  4 0
12/ 9 TRIBAL COUNCIL (120)     587 528 23 52.6  12/ 0 FAIL TO WRECK (720)       1  0 0
13-10 PHILANTHROPISTS2 (253)   325 303 24 51.8  13/12 ERRATA (714)              1  1 0
14/11 SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   64  64  0 50.0  14- 8 UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)    1  5 1
15/12 DOGS OF WAR (115)        1170 1692 42 40.9  15/ 0*POP (102)                 0  1 0

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
16/ 0*EIRSHOON AERION (738)      0   1  0  0.0  16/ 0*EIRSHOON AERION (738)     0  1 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

Well, well, well... I didn't think my near term prospects would include this honor. I 
wonder if the Philanthropists will let me retain this chair for long...

We lost Training Tank and are still awaiting the arrival of our new teammate. For 
those who wonder, Training Tank was a ST 11-9-17-15-12(1)-14-7 Great Dam, Normal 
Endurance and only abnormality was a -1 to INIT. He died with AD EX in Initiative and 
Decisiveness and Expert in Riposte and Attack. Stunk a little losing him so close to 
his retirement, but what can you do. Talk about a parting shot! 

Out of curiosity, the boss did a "deep dive" into Training Tanks' record. He only had 
4 opponents who he faced more than once and had a 50% or better win rate (Cahokia, 
Convicted Thief, Pillar of Creation, & Dot) with Dot being beaten 3 out of the 4 times 
they met. He fought best against Bashers (75% win rate) and Strikers (57.1% win rate). 
And most of his wins came early and late with an ugly 33 turn period in the middle 
where he went 6-27-1.

Anyone understand why this matters? Not me.

As for me, I'm an experiment. I'm not allowed to tell the specifics yet, but the boss 
was encouraged to give me a shot even though some of my characteristics are not where 
he would prefer. 

Otherwise, I guess we will learn soon who survived the most recent tournament and see 
what happens to me. Can I hold onto the throne until I depart for the greater things? 
Can I even survive until then? 

Tune in next turn to start discovering the answers to these (and more important) 
questions!

                           -- Conqueror, 
                              Your 7 win DM who isn't even hitting 50% in the W column

                                      SPY REPORT

     It is I, Novgorodny Vir, Spymaster of Spymasters.  Look on my work, ye mighty, 
and despair!  Nothing is certain in JHELUM, with changing loyalties, changing 
Duelmasters.  Write this down:  new top team--CLASSIC BLUES.  Those betting on UTOPIA 
RELIGIOSO lost their shirt, as UTOPIA RELIGIOSO lost their fighting abilities:  
0-0-0.  Nothing works for a team like victory (How's that for a perceptive 
observation?) as SONGS OF THE WOOD can attest...  The boys at PERSIANS are walking 
tall, as they are ranked 5th on their first try!  Going for the Duelmaster soon?  
PERSIANS had cause to celebrate, after MITHRA GRIM got 21 points by beating 
EMBEZZLING SCRIBE.  A certain someone should cut down on the drinking and practice 
more, after losing 15 points to STRAR.  (Discrete enough, THE WHISTLER?) In JHELUM, 
nothing is permanent (except Death), and we find ourselves a new Duelmaster, SEEDS OF 
LOVE.  Word has it one team in JHELUM is taking speech lessons to try to bore their 
opponent to death.  I'll bet it works.   
     So much to report, so little time!  Like the noble eagle soaring amongst the 
mountaintops, so stand the warriors of TANKS FOR NOTHIN', alone and unchallenged.  
The warriors of TANKS FOR NOTHIN' found their efforts at combat frustrated as SONGS 
OF THE WOOD apparently had more important things to do than fight.  Is it charming 
personality?  Conversational abilities?  Good oral hygiene?  Whatever it is, LEAD 
BALLOON is the most challenged warrior.   
     The moving sword slashes, and having slashed, moves on...  Admittedly Death 
waits for no one, but me thinks RUNNING BRAVE of TRIBAL COUNCIL (2-0-1) is being sent 
off a little prematurely.  Congratulations, LIL GREEN.  The manager of OF WOLF & 
TROLL should have sent MULINEAUX to the Dark Arena for having a 5-3-0 long ago.  I 
hear CRAZY GIRL of POP tired of the battles and was thinking of becoming a priest.  
JESSE FULLER of CLASSIC BLUES saved him the effort of getting references.  Ask not 
for whom the sword slashes; it slashes for thee.   
     Do not think spyreporting in JHELUM is the highlight of my life.  Keep those 
sands bloody and the buzzards fat!  JHELUM, I leave you now.  The Duelmaster has 
agreed to foot my bill at The Dripping Blade.  'Til next time-- Novgorodny Vir  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SEEDS OF LOVE 7644            8   0  0 107         PALE SHELTER 57 (698)     

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-EMRY 5357                    11   7  0 123         PHILANTHROPISTS2 (253)    
-SWAYTHE 5253                 11   9  0 108         PHILANTHROPISTS2 (253)    
 STRAR 7672                    9   3  0  98         ERRATA (714)              
 POLAR BEAR 7820              20  16  0  95         TRIBAL COUNCIL (120)      
 BROOK THE RAGE 7726          14   8  0  94         FAIL TO WRECK (720)       

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 VELVET QUEEN 7797            15   9  0  86         SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   
 PANZER IV 7847               13  17  2  86         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)   
 CONQUEROR 7907                7   9  0  86         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)   
 VALENTINE 7776               18  29  1  84         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)   
 LIL GREEN 7803               11   4  1  83         CLASSIC BLUES (549)       
 THE WHISTLER 7789            12  13  0  80         SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   
-HUNTING GIRL 7846            10   7  0  76         SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   
 STONE RONIN 7730             10  13  0  75         THE REPLACEMENTS (622)    
 EDGAR 7838                   17  16  0  74         DOGS OF WAR (115)         
 JACK FROST 7785              10  16  0  74         SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   
-HAVEN OF GLOOM 7826          14  17  0  72         UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)    
 BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN 7423      7   0  0  71         PALE SHELTER 57 (698)     
 SHATTERBOW 7772               9   4  1  70         THE KILLING HIVE (718)    

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 THE HOODED CROW 7786         13  13  0  64         SONGS OF THE WOOD (725)   
 LEAD BALLOON 7742             3  55  0  64         DOGS OF WAR (115)         

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-MIRE OF DOUBT 7849           12  12  1  53         UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)    
 ASHFLAYER 7775                8   5  0  52         THE KILLING HIVE (718)    
 JESSE FULLER 7802             9   7  1  51         CLASSIC BLUES (549)       
-ARK OF AFFLICTION 7853       12   9  0  45         UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)    
 BARBAX 7891                  10   2  0  44         THE KILLING HIVE (718)    
 REJI 7862                     7   3  0  42         OF WOLF & TROLL (732)     
 WALTER DAVIS 7922             6   4  0  42         CLASSIC BLUES (549)       

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CARRO LEGGERO 7904            4  15  2  31         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (171)   
 ALBERT COLLINS 7917           5   6  1  28         CLASSIC BLUES (549)       
 OSCEOLA 7929                  5   1  1  26         TRIBAL COUNCIL (120)      

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-HOKEI POKEI 7875              1   3  0  22         THE REPLACEMENTS (622)    
 MITHRA GRIM 7954              1   0  1  21         PERSIANS (737)            
-MUGDA 7927                    2   3  0  19         OF WOLF & TROLL (732)     
 NARSEH 7952                   1   0  0  15         PERSIANS (737)            
 CYRUS 7955                    1   0  0  13         PERSIANS (737)            
 XERXES 7953                   1   0  0  13         PERSIANS (737)            
 PINK ANDERSON 7942            2   1  0  11         CLASSIC BLUES (549)       
 ROSTAM 7951                   1   0  0   5         PERSIANS (737)            
 VEYRUN 7959                   0   1  0   5         EIRSHOON AERION (738)     

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-PATH OF BONE 7935             0   2  0   4         UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (388)    
 THUGGO 7943                   0   3  0   3         THE KILLING HIVE (718)    

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
EMBEZZLING SCRIB        0  0 0                      MITHRA GRIM 7954      1031 NONE
SKIP JAMES 7924         1  2 0 CLASSIC BLUES 549    OSCEOLA 7929          1027 REVENGED
MULINEAUX 7863          5  4 0 OF WOLF & TROLL 732  LIL GREEN 7803        1031  
CRAZY GIRL 846          4  1 0 POP 102              JESSE FULLER 7802     1031  
BRAVE 7946              0  2 0 TRIBAL COUNCIL 120   MOUNTAIN TROLL        1031 NONE
RUNNING BRAVE 7944      2  1 1 TRIBAL COUNCIL 120   MOUNTAIN TROLL        1031 NONE
STRONG OAK 7932         1  5 0 TRIBAL COUNCIL 120   WURM KIN              1031 NONE

                                     PERSONAL ADS

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

RUNNING BRAVE was dealt death by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 2 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
STRONG OAK was slaughtered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute Dark Arena battle.
BRAVE was easily killed by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 1 minute Dark Arena match.
VALENTINE was overpowered by POLAR BEAR in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge duel.
VELVET QUEEN devastated STONE RONIN in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
THE HOODED CROW was outlasted by EDGAR in a 8 minute master's Challenge competition.
LIL GREEN savagely slew MULINEAUX in a exciting 7 minute bloody Challenge struggle.
JACK FROST handily defeated LEAD BALLOON in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight.
WALTER DAVIS was vanquished by SHATTERBOW in a 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
CONQUEROR was vanquished by SEEDS OF LOVE in a 1 minute uneven Title fight.
THE WHISTLER was overpowered by STRAR in a 1 minute uneven match.
PANZER IV was outlasted by BROOK THE RAGE in a exciting 7 minute veteran's fight.
BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN overcame ASHFLAYER in a exciting 4 minute contest.
BARBAX subdued AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 3 minute brawl.
JESSE FULLER executed CRAZY GIRL in a 1 minute mismatched conflict.
REJI narrowly defeated CARRO LEGGERO in a popular 5 minute bloody duel.
OSCEOLA viciously subdued PINK ANDERSON in a 3 minute brutal fray.
ALBERT COLLINS devastated THUGGO in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
VEYRUN was luckily beaten by ROSTAM in a 2 minute novice's bout.
NARSEH beat EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a popular 1 minute novice's bout.
XERXES handily defeated MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
MITHRA GRIM executed EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute brutal uneven fight.
CYRUS overpowered MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute uneven fray.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK                  10         PARRY-LUNGE        4 -   1 -  0      80  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   8         PARRY-STRIKE       3 -   1 -  1      75  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    5         WALL OF STEEL     15 -   8 -  0      65  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         TOTAL PARRY       32 -  18 -  1      64  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         LUNGING ATTACK    49 -  34 -  6      59  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    3         PARRY-RIPOSTE     15 -  14 -  0      52  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     2         SLASHING ATTACK   10 -  10 -  1      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         STRIKING ATTACK   16 -  26 -  1      38  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         BASHING ATTACK    23 -  47 -  1      33  |
|AIMED BLOW                       0         AIMED BLOW         2 -   7 -  0      22  |

Turn 1031 was great if you    Not so great if you used      The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles:     the fighting styles:          top eleven warriors are:

PARRY-LUNGE        1 -  0     BASHING ATTACK     3 -  7         2  WALL OF STEEL  
PARRY-STRIKE       2 -  0     STRIKING ATTACK    1 -  3         2  PARRY-LUNGE    
SLASHING ATTACK    1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -  4         2  LUNGING ATTACK 
TOTAL PARRY        4 -  0     AIMED BLOW         0 -  0         2  BASHING ATTACK 
WALL OF STEEL      2 -  1                                       1  PARRY-STRIKE   
LUNGING ATTACK     5 -  3                                       1  TOTAL PARRY    
                                                                1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
PARRY-STRIKE     SEEDS OF LOVE 7644          8   0  0  107 PALE SHELTER 57 (698)
LUNGING ATTACK   STRAR 7672                  9   3  0   98 ERRATA (714)
BASHING ATTACK   POLAR BEAR 7820            20  16  0   95 TRIBAL COUNCIL (120)
PARRY-LUNGE      BROOK THE RAGE 7726        14   8  0   94 FAIL TO WRECK (720)
TOTAL PARRY      LIL GREEN 7803             11   4  1   83 CLASSIC BLUES (549)
STRIKING ATTACK  JESSE FULLER 7802           9   7  1   51 CLASSIC BLUES (549)
WALL OF STEEL    REJI 7862                   7   3  0   42 OF WOLF & TROLL (732)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is VALENTINE 7776.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was CARRO LEGGERO 7904.  The ten other most popular fighters were PANZER IV 7847, 
BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN 7423, MULINEAUX 7863, ASHFLAYER 7775, REJI 7862, OSCEOLA 7929, 
RUNNING BRAVE 7944, SEEDS OF LOVE 7644, SHATTERBOW 7772, and BROOK THE RAGE 7726.

The least popular fighter this week was EDGAR 7838.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were THUGGO 7943, CRAZY GIRL 846, THE WHISTLER 7789, WALTER DAVIS 7922, LEAD 
BALLOON 7742, LIL GREEN 7803, STONE RONIN 7730, VALENTINE 7776, BRAVE 7946, and 
STRONG OAK 7932.