DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 01/07/2026    Duedate: 01/20/2026

SHADOWSPIRE ARENA

DM 81    TURN 493

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

HOARD
DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
(81-3974) [21-15-1,128]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

KAPOW                          POSITION IS EMPTY
ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)            
(81-4085) [20-8-3,133]         

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

FLAVIUS MANICUS                THOMAS MANN
ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)           LITERATE LOONS (40)
(81-3976) [22-24-0,99]         (81-4076) [15-17-0,93]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)         53 
2. TOILET PAPER (202)            50    NBA LEGENDS (156)
3. ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)           49    Unchartered Team
4. CLAN LONGBEARD (39)           34 
5. NBA LEGENDS (156)             29 SUPERIOR FORCES A204 (70)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 NBA LEGENDS (156)        362 296 21 55.0   1/ 1 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)      12  3 2
 2/ 2 CULT OF BACCHUS (4)      1084 907 39 54.4   2/ 6 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)    10  5 1
 3/ 3 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)    835 723 23 53.6   3/ 5 NBA LEGENDS (156)         9  6 2
 4/ 5 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)      281 244 12 53.5   4/ 2 ARDUIN (200)              9  6 1
 5/ 4 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)      1034 901 36 53.4   5/ 4 CULT OF BACCHUS (4)       8  5 0
 6/ 6 DARQUE AGES (29)         1131 1051 46 51.8   6/11 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)       8  7 0
 7/ 7 WICKED MARTYRS (148)     697 699 32 49.9   7/ 8 DARQUE AGES (29)          7  8 0
 8/ 8 BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)  520 567 37 47.8   8/ 7 ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)      6  8 0
 9/12 TOILET PAPER (202)        49  55  2 47.1   9/10 LITERATE LOONS (40)       6  8 0
10/10 ARDUIN (200)             122 138  5 46.9  10/12 TOILET PAPER (202)        6  9 0
11/ 9 LITERATE LOONS (40)      851 965 36 46.9  11/ 9 CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)      5 10 2
12/11 CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)     174 209 12 45.4  12/ 3 BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   5 10 0
13/13 ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)     121 148  3 45.0  13/13 WICKED MARTYRS (148)      1  2 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

                         The 2025 Shadowspire Year in Review

                                   TOP TEAM RECORDS

                                     MOST FIGHTS
                                 ALE HOUSE MERCS 116
                                BIG LAKE SOLUTIONS 115

                                      MOST WINS
                                  ALE HOUSE MERCS 77
                                    NBA LEGENDS 69
                                    DARQUE AGES 69

                                      MOST KILLS
                                  ALE HOUSE MERCS 5
                                  CHILDHOOD HEROES 5
                                   ROMAN REPUBLIC 5

                                MOST TURNS DUELMASTERS
                                    NBA LEGENDS 4
                                  ALE HOUSE MERCS 3
                                    DARQUE AGES 3
                                   CLAN LONGBEARD 3

                              MOST DIFFERENT DUELMASTERS
                                    NBA LEGENDS 3
                                  CULT OF BACCHUS 2
                                  DRAGONBANE GUILD 2

                                 MOST LORD PROTECTORS
                                    NBA LEGENDS 5
                                 BIG LAKE SOLUTIONS 3
                                  CULT OF BACCHUS 3
                                 DRAGONSBANE GUILD 3 

                                  BEST W/L FOR YEAR
                                ALE HOUSE MERCS 59.2%

                                 TOP WARRIOR RECORDS

                                  MOST FIGHTS BY LP
                                      ORLANDO 56
                                    BIG BROTHER 54

                                   MOST WINS BY LP
                                   NIKOLAI GOGOL 26
                                   DENNIS RODMAN 26

                                  MOST LOSSES BY LP
                                      ORLANDO 33
                                    BIG BROTHER 30

                                  MOST KILLS BY A LP
                                    DAINTY LEAF 3
                                   KARL -- FRANZ 3
                                       TZISS 3

                                MOST TURNS DUELMASTER
                                   KIRIN ICHIBAN 3
                                   CARMINA BURANA 3
                                        AMOS 3

                           Congrats to all on a good year.
                                             -- Visionist

***---------*---------*---------*---------**---------*---------*---------*---------***

     The native girl gave Orv a surprised smile.  "You have some herb lore, do you?"
     "You could say that," the little spirit replied with an answering smile.  "I'm a 
land healer.  When we're done with the monsters, I will heal the poisoned land here 
before I go home."
     "I'll pass the word.  Maybe some farmers will come and say which fields need 
help."
     The group of adventurers moved on down the flower-lined road, toward the forest 
with the dark and foggy spot in the middle.
     Vengeance said, "This chaos gate, is it a big visible stone gate, like when we 
fought in Gateway Arena?"
     Orv shook his, or her, or its head.  "It is a wound in Ghea, which has festered 
through the volcanic flow Sheila Greywand used to try and seal it.  The world beyond 
that breach is as poisonous to our world as our world is to that world."  Shaking its 
head, it spat to the side, as though tasting something vile.  "The breach is under the 
polluted water and I don't recommend going through to the other side.  It's likely 
that the enemy will be on this side, maybe in the water as the poison comforts them.  
In case you have to enter the water, I'll make you a salve to protect your bodies and 
your equipment, but that won't last more than an hour."
     Tortured Trout frowned as he strode down the road.  "Sounds like it would be best 
to lure them out of the water.  What can we do to really piss them off?"
     Orv gasped a surprised laugh, sounding as innocent as a child -- a child with 
mischief on its mind.  "I don't know them well, but I'd guess these invaders are 
fanatics who take themselves very seriously.  If they think you are making fun of 
them..."
     Marduk nodded.  "So, we pants them."
     Teetotaler shook his head.  "Nnn... ah.  We're talking about making them come out 
of the water to fight us.  How would that work?"
     "I could make an illusion," Trout suggested, rubbing his bearded chin.
     Teddy Brewster shrugged.  "When we see them, we should simply charge!"
     "We hide in the trees," said Vengeance.  "Trout makes an illusion of a farmer 
pantsing one of the poison weasels.  They get offended and come ashore to deal with 
it.  THEN we charge.  Hmm.  There are six of us, and seven of them.  Orv, do you 
fight?"
     The little spirit shook its head, then said, "Well... it depends.  You can see 
that I'm not as big and strong as all of you."
     "But you are of Ghea," said Tortured Trout.  "Can you poison those things with a 
touch?"
     "Oh.  Yes, I suppose so.  But if I am slain, I can't heal the land."
     "We won't include you in the fighting line, then.  Or Trout, either.  You guys 
are support.  The five of us can take those evil weasels."
     They had been walking rapidly as they made their plans.  Now, they were in the 
forest, which looked sick.  It was mostly oak and maple and sycamore trees, which 
should have had green leaves on this warm island, but all the leaves were shriveled 
and black, and curled up on the ground.  The tree skeletons looked twisted, as though 
they were in pain.  The group of fighters walked up a small rise in the land, and 
looked down upon a swamp, pools of bubbling yellowish water that stank of sulfur and 
rot.
     Vengeance looked at Orv.  "Can you tell where they are?"
     The nature spirit stretched out its arm, pointing at a particularly large pool.  
"Four of them.  The other three might still be in their own world."
     Teddy Brewster shifted his feet, hefted his sword, and snorted.  "Let's just 
charge."

                                      SPY REPORT

Hail and damnation, Shadowspire! If this turn were a tavern tune, it would be banned 
for being too dark. There were a lot of deaths this turn. The undertaker was kept busy 
throughout the day. Turn 493 did not just end lives; it harvested them. The sands 
drank deep, and a few mourners were arrested for loitering. Let's begin with the title 
fight, so we can pretend things are nice and orderly in The Spire.

Duelmaster Hoard still squats on the throne. Wow, that sounds inappropriate, and I 
wasn't even trying to be edgy. Three challenges were hurled his way, but Hoard remains 
our champ. John Stockton tried to pull him from the throne, but Hoard remains unmoved, 
unamused, and unlike a few others - alive. Hoard endures, and Shadowspire watches on.

Behind our champion, but also ahead of him in the recognition department, is Kapow. He 
continues to live up to his name, turning opponents into punctuation marks. The Ale 
House Mercs had an outstanding turn, smashing their way to the top and remaining 
Shadowspire's top team. When the Mercs celebrate, mugs clink. When others try it, they 
just get ale all over the place.

With all the death, I feel it necessary to make a "Roll of the Fallen" for Turn 493. 
It shall be black-bordered with crows and freshly inked in honor of the dead.  Velma 
Dinkley solved her final mystery, and the culprit was Molson with a side of violence.  
Sweede of Clan Longbeard was sent skyward by Jason Kidd in a random matchup. You have 
to be careful with those pick-up games. You never know when someone is trying to 
hustle you. Adding to the NBA Legends' macabre turn, Robert Parrish executed 
Shadowfist. Last of all, a Black Orc from the Dark Arena wandered into a Bubble Man 
problem, and now everyone is wondering where the orc has gone.

Elsewhere in the chaos, Toilet Paper continues its strange rise by being the most 
avoided team, which is impressive for a group named after... well, you know. Clan 
Longbeard avoided them the most. Shadowspire is smaller and a bit quieter now. Not 
peaceful, mind you. Just quieter, the way a battlefield is quiet after all the 
screaming and clanging stops.

That is all from me. I'm off to drink something strong enough to make me forget four 
funerals. You know the drill: sharpen, shine, and sip (and I would highly recommend 
updating your will). 

                                             -- Huard DePriest

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HOARD 3974                   21  15  1 128         DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)     

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 KAPOW 4085                   20   8  3 133         ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)       
 ARCTIC WOOKEY 4035           21  16  0 109         ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)       
 MOLSON 4084                  15  13  2 107         ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)       
 GROOG 3960                   23  23  0  99         CULT OF BACCHUS (4)       
 FLAVIUS MANICUS 3976         22  24  0  99         ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)      
 THOMAS MANN 4076             15  17  0  93         LITERATE LOONS (40)       

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 THE LEPER KING 3995          21  22  0  87         DARQUE AGES (29)          
 BOSCOE 4074                  17  15  0  79         CLAN LONGBEARD (39)       
 SARCASM 4051                 16  20  2  76         WICKED MARTYRS (148)      
 GEORGE ELIOT 3978            14  32  2  76         LITERATE LOONS (40)       
 RUNNYMEADE 4130              12   3  0  74         DARQUE AGES (29)          
 MISTI SKYE 4117              11   5  0  74         BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FRANK O'CONNOR 4075          17  15  0  66         LITERATE LOONS (40)       
 ROBERT PARISH 4095           11  11  1  66         NBA LEGENDS (156)         

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SKY BISON 4109               11   8  0  65         ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)       
 TAIZU 4131                   10   5  0  64         DARQUE AGES (29)          
 PTYALISM 3916                14   7  0  62         TOILET PAPER (202)        
 GWORM 4071                   15  10  0  61         ARDUIN (200)              

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MOLDYLOX 4080                13  16  0  56         CULT OF BACCHUS (4)       
 CHARMIN 3943                 11   7  0  56         TOILET PAPER (202)        
 PHAROX TAHT 4097             11  12  1  55         BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   
 DILLY DILLY 4111              9   9  0  53         BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   
 GILMUR 4139                   8   3  0  53         CLAN LONGBEARD (39)       
 GIOTTO 4093                  14  10  0  52         DARQUE AGES (29)          
 THUNDERFIST 4132              8   4  1  48         CULT OF BACCHUS (4)       
 JOHAN 4110                    9   9  1  46         CLAN LONGBEARD (39)       
 PTEROSAUR 3912                9  11  1  45         TOILET PAPER (202)        
 JANE AUSTEN 4133              6   7  0  45         LITERATE LOONS (40)       
 JASON KIDD 4143               7   3  1  42         NBA LEGENDS (156)         
 ALLEN IVERSON 4125            6   8  1  42         NBA LEGENDS (156)         
 PTOMAINE 3914                 7  14  0  39         TOILET PAPER (202)        
 PTERODACTYL 3913              8  13  1  38         TOILET PAPER (202)        
 JIMMY CRACKCORN 4099          8  13  0  38         BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   
 LEONARDO 4136                 7   5  0  37         CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)      
 BRUTE SQUAD 1 4142            4   7  0  34         CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)      

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 KOBE 4138                     5   6  0  33         NBA LEGENDS (156)         
 BUBBLE MAN 4164               3   1  1  33         ARDUIN (200)              
 QUINTUS LAENAS 4152           4   4  0  30         ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)      
 BATTERSKULL 4144              4   5  0  30         DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)     
 DECIUS BELLUM 4155            4   2  0  29         ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)      
 CALYPSO 4173                  2   0  0  29         ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)       
 CAIUS FLACUS 4134             7   5  0  26         ROMAN REPUBLIC (204)      

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 AII LORAII 4153               4   3  0  23         ARDUIN (200)              
 SOULQUAKE 4145                4   5  0  20         DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)     
 WHIPSICLE 4162                2   2  1  20         DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)     
 SCREAMING ITCHY 4147          4   6  0  18         ARDUIN (200)              
 SNOW GOLEM 4165               3   1  0  18         ARDUIN (200)              
 PARADARSHIN 4176              1   0  0  13         DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)     
 ENDONN 4177                   1   0  0  11         CLAN LONGBEARD (39)       
 DONATELLO 4159                2   3  0  10         CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)      
 CARE BEAR 4168                1   2  1  10         CHILDHOOD HEROES (8)      
 JACH SKELLINGTON 4175         1   1  0   6         BIG LAKE SOLUTION (178)   
 CRUSADE 4171                  0   3  0   3         DARQUE AGES (29)          
 C.S. LEWIS 4172               0   2  0   2         LITERATE LOONS (40)       

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
VELMA DINKLEY 4077     11 20 1 CHILDHOOD HEROES 8   MOLSON 4084            493  
RASAE 4032             17 21 0 CLAN LONGBEARD 39    KAPOW 4085             492  
SWEEDE 4129             7  8 0 CLAN LONGBEARD 39    JASON KIDD 4143        493  
SHADOWFIST 4140         4  6 0 CULT OF BACCHUS 4    ROBERT PARISH 4095     493  
BLACK ORC               0  0 0 DARK ARENA           BUBBLE MAN 4164        493 NONE
ZI SHADOWSPLICE 4102   10  4 0 DRAGONBANE GUILD 13  VELMA DINKLEY 4077     492  
WALT WHITMAN 4151       1  5 0 LITERATE LOONS 40    ALLEN IVERSON 4125     490 REVENGED
MARCUS CICERO 4156      2  3 0 ROMAN REPUBLIC 204   WHIPSICLE 4162         492  

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Kapow -- I will haunt you forever. Not like I got anything else to do. -- Ghost of 
Rasae

Dilly Dilly -- I am glad you survived the infirmary. -- Boscoe the Relieved

Caius Flacis -- Whew! Well fought, that was a tough one. -- Johan the Fortuitous

Quintus Laenas -- Well hell! -- Sweede the Foil

Brute Squad 1 -- That makes two for me and none for you. -- Gilmur the Genial

All -- Rasae -- PR -- ST=11(1) CN=11(1) SZ=12 WT=17(1) WL=11 SP=9 DF=17(1). He raised 
4 stats in 5 tries to start his career, pretty good for an 11 WL. Unfortunately he 
learned skills much worse, averaging a little over 1 skill a fight. I am sure ever

Congrats, John Stockton on your invite to the Isle. -- Visionist and Clan Longbeard 

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

BUBBLE MAN unbelievably slew BLACK ORC in a crowd pleasing 3 minute Dark Arena fight.
JOHN STOCKTON was demolished by HOARD in a 2 minute one-sided Challenge Title melee.
PTYALISM won victory over MOLDYLOX in a popular 5 minute master's Challenge brawl.
ROBERT PARISH assassinated SHADOWFIST in a 1 minute bloody mismatched Challenge match.
SKY BISON won victory over PHAROX TAHT in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Challenge fight.
ALLEN IVERSON was beaten by GILMUR in a 2 minute Challenge brawl.
PTEROSAUR overcame BRUTE SQUAD 1 in a 2 minute Challenge fight.
PTOMAINE unbelievably bested QUINTUS LAENAS in a 3 minute Challenge melee.
KOBE vanquished SCREAMING ITCHY in a 2 minute uneven Challenge fight.
ARCTIC WOOKEY vanquished MISTI SKYE in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
MOLSON executed VELMA DINKLEY in a popular 1 minute brutal one-sided melee.
KAPOW demolished CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
TAIZU was demolished by FLAVIUS MANICUS in a 2 minute bloody one-sided brawl.
SARCASM was overcome by THE LEPER KING in a popular 1 minute expert's fight.
FRANK O'CONNOR was bested by BOSCOE in a 2 minute expert's duel.
RUNNYMEADE was savagely defeated by THOMAS MANN in a crowd pleasing 5 minute brawl.
GEORGE ELIOT was overpowered by GROOG in a exciting 1 minute brutal one-sided bout.
GWORM beat JOHAN in a 2 minute bloody fight.
CHARMIN devastated LEONARDO in a popular 2 minute one-sided contest.
GIOTTO outwaited DECIUS BELLUM in a 8 minute gory match.
PTERODACTYL was handily defeated by JANE AUSTEN in a 2 minute uneven duel.
JIMMY CRACKCORN was bested by THUNDERFIST in a 2 minute bout.
DILLY DILLY demolished AII LORAII in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
CAIUS FLACUS was viciously subdued by BATTERSKULL in a popular 3 minute match.
SWEEDE was slain by JASON KIDD in a 1 minute bout.
SOULQUAKE subdued DONATELLO in a 2 minute melee.
WHIPSICLE beat JACH SKELLINGTON in a 2 minute beginner's duel.
SNOW GOLEM beat CRUSADE in a crowd pleasing 2 minute novice's fray.
CARE BEAR was vanquished by CALYPSO in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
C.S. LEWIS was overpowered by ENDONN in a 1 minute uneven duel.
PARADARSHIN overpowered CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute one-sided match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|TOTAL PARRY                     11         PARRY-STRIKE      25 -  14 -  3      64  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   9         WALL OF STEEL     36 -  23 -  1      61  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  8         SLASHING ATTACK   40 -  31 -  0      56  |
|AIMED BLOW                       7         TOTAL PARRY       60 -  58 -  2      51  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    7         LUNGING ATTACK    27 -  29 -  1      48  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  6         AIMED BLOW        40 -  46 -  1      47  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   5         BASHING ATTACK    46 -  53 -  5      46  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     3         STRIKING ATTACK   31 -  37 -  1      46  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         PARRY-LUNGE        5 -   8 -  0      38  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         PARRY-RIPOSTE     18 -  30 -  0      38  |

Turn 493 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:

SLASHING ATTACK    6 -  2     PARRY-STRIKE       1 -  2         3  BASHING ATTACK 
TOTAL PARRY        7 -  4     BASHING ATTACK     3 -  6         2  SLASHING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK     3 -  2     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  1         2  STRIKING ATTACK
AIMED BLOW         4 -  3     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  2         2  AIMED BLOW     
WALL OF STEEL      4 -  3                                       1  PARRY-STRIKE   
STRIKING ATTACK    3 -  3                                       1  WALL OF STEEL  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
SLASHING ATTACK  HOARD 3974                 21  15  1  128 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
BASHING ATTACK   KAPOW 4085                 20   8  3  133 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
PARRY-STRIKE     MOLSON 4084                15  13  2  107 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
AIMED BLOW       BOSCOE 4074                17  15  0   79 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
TOTAL PARRY      RUNNYMEADE 4130            12   3  0   74 DARQUE AGES (29)
LUNGING ATTACK   SKY BISON 4109             11   8  0   65 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    TAIZU 4131                 10   5  0   64 DARQUE AGES (29)
WALL OF STEEL    GILMUR 4139                 8   3  0   53 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is FLAVIUS MANICUS 3976.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was THOMAS MANN 4076.  The ten other most popular fighters were MOLDYLOX 4080, 
QUINTUS LAENAS 4152, BATTERSKULL 4144, LEONARDO 4136, SNOW GOLEM 4165, THE LEPER KING 
3995, JANE AUSTEN 4133, HOARD 3974, PTYALISM 3916, and KOBE 4138.

The least popular fighter this week was GIOTTO 4093.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were C.S. LEWIS 4172, CARE BEAR 4168, CRUSADE 4171, JACH SKELLINGTON 4175, 
CAIUS FLACUS 4134, AII LORAII 4153, JIMMY CRACKCORN 4099, PTERODACTYL 3913, MISTI 
SKYE 4117, and SCREAMING ITCHY 4147.

The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:

JOHN STOCKTON (81-4089) NBA LEGENDS (156)