DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 02/20/2020 Duedate: 03/18/2020
ARKERS ARENA
DM-8 TURN-448
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
UGARG SNOTSNIK
BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
(8-5815) [27-9-0,109]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
UGARG SNOTSNIK MAGNETIC WOMBAT
BLOODY HAND CLAN (626) UNLIKELY HEROES (635)
(8-5815) [27-9-0,109] (8-5584) [5-1-1,62]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
ZEPHYR ZEPHYR
Z GLADIATORZ (519) Z GLADIATORZ (519)
(8-5824) [15-9-0,102] (8-5824) [15-9-0,102]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
SMITHSONIAN (245)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. SMITHSONIAN (245) 36
2. UNLIKELY HEROES (635) 18 Z GLADIATORZ (519)
3. BOOK OF THOMAS (411) 14 Unchartered Team
4. BLOODY HAND CLAN (626) 7
5. PHOENIX (661) 0 UNLIKELY HEROES (635)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1*UNLIKELY HEROES (635) 5 1 1 83.3 1/ 2 SMITHSONIAN (245) 8 3 1
2- 2*PHOENIX (661) 2 1 0 66.7 2/ 1 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626) 6 9 0
3/ 0 Z GLADIATORZ (519) 378 205 10 64.8 3/ 7 BOOK OF THOMAS (411) 3 6 0
4/ 3 SMITHSONIAN (245) 890 530 21 62.7 4/ 9*UNLIKELY HEROES (635) 2 0 0
5/ 5 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626) 181 146 12 55.4 5- 6*PHOENIX (661) 2 1 0
6/ 0 THE CHOSEN (613) 345 323 25 51.6 6/ 0 THE CHOSEN (613) 2 3 0
7/ 8 BOOK OF THOMAS (411) 127 177 9 41.8 7/ 0 Z GLADIATORZ (519) 1 4 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
Dark Stoicism
The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.
Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final
resting spot of the failed gladiator.
* * *
"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted
away.
"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from
the infirmary back to their training hall.
* * *
A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead.
* * *
Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful.
"That'll do. Now strike!"
* * *
Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash,
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success.
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more
slowly...
* * *
The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield,
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.
* * *
Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening,
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.
The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now,"
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.
The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open,
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was
over. And it might never end.
-- memory
SPY REPORT
It's me, The Unknown Spymaster, back to give you this week's Spy Report. Sit
back in your seats and we'll have more fun than a barrel of Zontanis. Say good-bye
to BLOODY HAND CLAN, as they are pushed from the coveted top team spot by the
SMITHSONIAN stable. A stormcloud is brewing over the BIG LAKE KNIGHTS guildhouse.
Rumor says any more weeks like this ones 0-0-0 may send the team to the Dark Arena.
Coming up with a solid 1-0-0 outing, UNLIKELY HEROES has advanced 5 places in the
rankings. It looks like the guys(?) at SMITHSONIAN had a good week as they went
4-1-1 to put them in 1st place. I guess steroids help! Hey everybody, watch out for
MAGNETIC WOMBAT, who flew up 18 points in the rankings after mashing ALBUS
BONERATTLER like a melon. Keep your eye on this beast. Ya know, some days it
doesn't pay to walk out on the sands. ALBUS BONERATTLER was overcame by MAGNETIC
WOMBAT and drops 13 points. Well, everybody's pal UGARG SNOTSNIK moved his record to
27-9-0 by defeating ZEPHYR in the Duelmaster's Title Bout and gaining 11 recognition
points. Can you believe they are paying me 10 gold to deliver this stuff?
But enough of that bunch, let's get on to the wimps who like to avoid battle!
Did you hear that HOYT FOUNDATION was most avoided team this week? Well, knowing the
personal hygiene of HOYT FOUNDATION's warriors, I'm not surprised! For those of you
who like math, try this one: HOYT FOUNDATION + Weapons That go Boom = THE CHOSEN +
Avoid City. Well just about everybody wants a piece of LICKETY-SPLIT, who was this
week's most challenged warrior.
Remember that an arena is not always a safe place to be, but it is one of the
most interesting, though! ZUCCHINI says to its dog--'Who should I fight this week?'.
Dog says 'WURM KIN'. So the beast dies. Moral? Put lying dogs to sleep. Big deal,
so ZOMBIE got mashed in the Dark Arena. With his face he was more at home with the
trolls than with us. (Waka waka). There's got to be more reason for the sending of
ZEBRA to the Dark Arena than his record (3-2-0). Anybody got any ideas Z GLADIATORZ?
Knowing when to use the right tactics at the proper time is a very important step on
the road to Duelmaster.
I think I had better cut this one short. It's been nice chatting to those of
you whom I have not offended yet. C'mon, Leadfoot, let's make some tracks. Its been
fun, and I'm sure you enjoyed it (boos). Now that I've got you worked up for Snide
Clemens, I'll be leaving-- The Unknown Spymaster
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
UGARG SNOTSNIK 5815 27 9 0 109 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
EIGER THE HARDY 5811 23 8 0 104 THE CHOSEN (613)
ZEPHYR 5824 15 9 0 102 Z GLADIATORZ (519)
RAL STORMBREAKER 5786 19 15 0 94 THE CHOSEN (613)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GETTYSBURG 5854 13 11 1 72 SMITHSONIAN (245)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
PEARL HARBOR 5950 7 0 0 65 SMITHSONIAN (245)
MAGNETIC WOMBAT 5584 5 1 1 62 UNLIKELY HEROES (635)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
HAL THE CRAZED 5858 6 7 3 55 THE CHOSEN (613)
ALBUS BONERATTLER 5874 8 6 2 51 THE CHOSEN (613)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
APPALACIA 5959 5 1 0 33 SMITHSONIAN (245)
LICKETY-SPLIT 5909 3 0 0 33 BOOK OF THOMAS (411)
CONSTITUTION 5984 2 0 0 33 SMITHSONIAN (245)
-CORPSE EATER 5973 4 2 0 30 BIG LAKE KNIGHTS (663)
KANGRI THE STRONG 5877 7 6 0 27 THE CHOSEN (613)
RADTEEF WAZGRIM 5919 5 5 2 26 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
BUNKER HILL 5907 5 6 1 25 SMITHSONIAN (245)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
NATRUZ MUDSLAG 5949 4 4 2 18 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
-THE SOLICITOR 5974 2 5 0 17 BIG LAKE KNIGHTS (663)
-GUTTERBOY 5969 1 1 0 16 BIG LAKE KNIGHTS (663)
-SIGMA PHOENICIS 5941 1 0 0 11 PHOENIX (661)
ZORRO 5930 1 0 0 11 Z GLADIATORZ (519)
SNIKGUL 5985 1 2 0 10 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
-XI PHOENICIS 5939 1 0 0 9 PHOENIX (661)
-FACECRAMMER 5967 1 0 0 6 BIG LAKE KNIGHTS (663)
ALPHA 5936 0 2 0 6 BOOK OF THOMAS (411)
-GUTTER SNIPE 5968 1 1 1 5 BIG LAKE KNIGHTS (663)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SKARAG MORSNAGA 5988 0 2 0 2 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
HEDIES 5990 0 1 0 BOOK OF THOMAS 411 MOUNTAIN TROLL 448 NONE
WHIPPOORWILL 5922 1 1 0 BOOK OF THOMAS 411 BUNKER HILL 5907 448
SOULMAN DAN 5857 4 3 1 BORN LOSERS 634 DRAGONS CLAW 5866 444 NOT REVENGED
TERRIBLE TALON 5867 2 2 0 EAGLES CLAW 656 LUTHER LOCKJAW 5961 444 NOT REVENGED
THE CANDYMAN 5927 3 7 0 HOYT FOUNDATION 636 DICK GREGORY 5926 445
BUFFALO ROAMS 5855 8 6 0 SMITHSONIAN 245 KYRON FLEMING 5545 445
ZEBRA 5917 3 2 0 Z GLADIATORZ 519 SPYMASTER 448 NONE
ZOMBIE 5823 8 8 1 Z GLADIATORZ 519 STONE GOLEM 448 NONE
ZUCCHINI 5859 8 1 1 Z GLADIATORZ 519 WURM KIN 448 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Congrats, again, to Ugarg Snotsnik, a truly fine warrior and Duelmaster. -- Curator
Well, Ugarg, you have surely shown me who is boss in these last two fights. Uncle. --
Gettysburg
P.S. I might yet beat you in four score and seven years b&b&b&
Alpha, all those skills I learned in Tempe paid off. That win felt good. --
Constitution
Natruz Mudslag, surprise, eh? Our practice paid off. -- Pearl Harbor
Stray Catman, thanks for filling in. I needed that. -- Appalacia
We Smithsonians are proud of our three representatives at the recent FTF in Tempe.
They were 21-9 (One a grudge win.) and won one TV. They also added 33 skills.
Hopefully that means they will "take off'! -- Curator
Health. Humility. Honor. -- Curator
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
ZUCCHINI was dealt death by WURM KIN in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
ZOMBIE was killed by STONE GOLEM in a exciting 2 minute gory Dark Arena melee.
ZEBRA was slaughtered by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena brawl.
HEDIES was assassinated by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena fight.
NATRUZ MUDSLAG was devastated by LICKETY-SPLIT in a 1 minute uneven Challenge brawl.
SNIKGUL savagely defeated ALPHA in a 1 minute gory amateur's Challenge brawl.
UGARG SNOTSNIK overcame ZEPHYR in a action packed 4 minute expert's Title melee.
EIGER THE HARDY overpowered KHALHUMS DWARF in a slow 5 minute uneven duel.
GETTYSBURG was overpowered by RAL STORMBREAKER in a 1 minute uneven match.
ALBUS BONERATTLER was beaten by MAGNETIC WOMBAT in a 2 minute fight.
HAL THE CRAZED was subdued by PEARL HARBOR in a crowd pleasing 1 minute match.
RADTEEF WAZGRIM slimly lost to APPALACIA in a exciting 3 minute brutal contest.
KANGRI THE STRONG was devastated by CONSTITUTION in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
BUNKER HILL dispatched WHIPPOORWILL in a 2 minute master vs. beginner bout.
SKARAG MORSNAGA was handily defeated by ZORRO in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 6 AIMED BLOW 11 - 5 - 2 69 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 5 TOTAL PARRY 14 - 7 - 0 67 |
|TOTAL PARRY 4 WALL OF STEEL 12 - 7 - 1 63 |
|WALL OF STEEL 3 SLASHING ATTACK 15 - 10 - 3 60 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 3 PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 1 - 0 50 |
|BASHING ATTACK 3 STRIKING ATTACK 23 - 24 - 3 49 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 LUNGING ATTACK 18 - 22 - 0 45 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 BASHING ATTACK 7 - 16 - 0 30 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 3 - 0 25 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
Turn 448 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:
AIMED BLOW 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 3 2 TOTAL PARRY
WALL OF STEEL 3 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 2 STRIKING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 2 - 2 STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 4 2 BASHING ATTACK
PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 LUNGING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 WALL OF STEEL
PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 1 SLASHING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK 0 - 3
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
TOTAL PARRY UGARG SNOTSNIK 5815 27 9 0 109 BLOODY HAND CLAN (626)
STRIKING ATTACK ZEPHYR 5824 15 9 0 102 Z GLADIATORZ (519)
SLASHING ATTACK RAL STORMBREAKER 5786 19 15 0 94 THE CHOSEN (613)
BASHING ATTACK GETTYSBURG 5854 13 11 1 72 SMITHSONIAN (245)
LUNGING ATTACK PEARL HARBOR 5950 7 0 0 65 SMITHSONIAN (245)
WALL OF STEEL MAGNETIC WOMBAT 5584 5 1 1 62 UNLIKELY HEROES (635)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is ZEPHYR 5824. The most popular warrior this turn was
ZEPHYR 5824. The ten other most popular fighters were ZOMBIE 5823, RADTEEF WAZGRIM
5919, ALBUS BONERATTLER 5874, CONSTITUTION 5984, LICKETY-SPLIT 5909, APPALACIA 5959,
SNIKGUL 5985, UGARG SNOTSNIK 5815, MAGNETIC WOMBAT 5584, and PEARL HARBOR 5950.
The least popular fighter this week was EIGER THE HARDY 5811. The other ten least
popular fighters were SKARAG MORSNAGA 5988, KANGRI THE STRONG 5877, GETTYSBURG 5854,
ALPHA 5936, NATRUZ MUDSLAG 5949, HEDIES 5990, ZEBRA 5917, ZORRO 5930, BUNKER HILL
5907, and WHIPPOORWILL 5922.
NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA
Algernon, who had NOT gotten the name change he'd asked for, looked at the latest
petitioner. This was a typical gladiator, big, muscular, and scarred, with a frown.
"Ah, what can I do for you?"
"Name change. I heard we can do that. I'm tired of being Jane Doe."
"I'd think you would be," Algernon said faintly. "The Commission has actually
been thinking about this. It isn't FREE, mind you! It takes money to run our office,
you know, and we want to buy some goats--"
"I don't care about goats!" He made a crude suggestion about goats.
"Gladiators, teams, it will cost you two dollars to make a change--"
"I had a talk with my manager. He'll find the money. I want to change my name
to Jane Ralph. I'm no doe!" He thumped a fist on the counter.
"Er, yes. Jane Ralph. Fill out this form, please." He pushed the paper across
the counter. "The changes start on the 15th of April--that's the Ides, you know, and
can be submitted through the end of May. With the payment. No change without the
goat, ah, the gold."
* * * * *
Warrior and team name changes will be accepted beginning April 15 and continuing
throughout the month of May. The cost will be $2 per name change. All proceeds will
be used to buy goats via Heifer International and will be matched up to $500.
If you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI