DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/09/2004 Duedate: 03/22/2004
ZUKAL ARENA
DM-9 TURN-488
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
ALEX GRIFFIN
DREAM PARK (447)
(9-4856) [14-9-1,100]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
ALEX GRIFFIN SINFUL PRIDE
DREAM PARK (447) DARK GLORY (449)
(9-4856) [14-9-1,100] (9-4893) [3-1-0,43]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
ALEX GRIFFIN THE PRUSSIAN
DREAM PARK (447) BLUE MOON (381)
(9-4856) [14-9-1,100] (9-5039) [3-4-0,26]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
BLUE MOON (381)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. DARK GLORY (449) 19
2. BLUE MOON (381) 11 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
3. ZOO-GHIO (456) 10 Unchartered Team
4. DREAM PARK (447) 5
5. LETTER BOMBS (436) 0 DARK GLORY (449)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1- 1*REDNECK HEAVEN (455) 1 0 0 100 1/ 3 BLUE MOON (381) 6 9 0
2/ 0*DARK GLORY (449) 3 1 0 75.0 2/ 2 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457) 5 5 0
3- 2*WRATH OF ONE (460) 3 2 0 60.0 3- 1 LETTER BOMBS (436) 4 4 0
4/ 3 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457) 36 26 2 58.1 4/ 4 DREAM PARK (447) 3 0 0
5- 4 DSM4 (239) 355 279 25 56.0 5- 5 DSM4 (239) 3 3 0
6/ 5 DREAM PARK (447) 44 36 1 55.0 6/ 0*DARK GLORY (449) 1 0 0
7/ 9*ZOO-GHIO (456) 1 1 0 50.0 7- 8*REDNECK HEAVEN (455) 1 0 0
8- 6 LETTER BOMBS (436) 69 72 2 48.9 8/ 9*ZOO-GHIO (456) 1 1 0
9/ 7 BLUE MOON (381) 299 429 9 41.1 9- 6*WRATH OF ONE (460) 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
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #77 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Near Barikala:
The Golden Moon, Lady Protector Artemisia commanding, was approaching the Urt
Delta from the northeast as the day drew to a close. Her goal was Zukal, but as soon
as the ship came within sight of land, she would anchor and wait for daylight. The
maze of channels and islands that formed the delta was not something to attempt at
night. At least, not now. A decade ago there had been an intricate network of
beacons that a skilled and familiar pilot could use to reach the city's docks at any
hour, but the invasion from the East had put an end to that. The defenders had
destroyed the beacons to hamper their foes, and the triumphant invaders of Zukal had
neither the knowledge or desire to restore the system.
Artemisia's lip curled. The Easterners called the people of Alastari
barbarians, because many of their cultures were young. But if the 'civilized' old
cultures of the East didn't--or couldn't--restore safe shipping, who was the true
barbarian?
The lookout shouted that land was in sight, and Artemisia turned to squint into
the setting sun. But she was lower than the man on the mast and couldn't see the
dark line of the shore yet. With a shrug, she turned to look the other way,
searching the sky for a warning of the sudden storms that had given this great lake
its name. That horizon was clear, also. She didn't quite trust it, but...the sky
was clear and the wind was steady. Good enough, for now.
When she turned to the west again, she could see land herself, the long, dark
hump of Barikala Island, silhouetted against the crimson sky. The sun vanished from
sight, and its light was replaced by the broad, slightly greenish beam that shot
straight upward from the center of Barikala. Around her, the sailors moved to place
the ship in a safe position and run out the anchors for the night; her first officer
needed no instructions to handle that.
That beam of light over Barikala was also new since the invasion, and Artemisia
wished her friend Beag Magda were here. The Elf understood such things. Or at least
knew how to think about them, because nobody understood just what that blazing beacon
was...other than dangerous. No one who had landed on Barikala in the last few years
had returned from there to tell what they'd seen.
The lookout called down something else that she couldn't hear over the bustling
sounds of sails being lowered and anchor chains creaking off their drums. One of the
sailors halfway down the mast below him shouted up, got an answer, and came hurrying
down.
"Koro says there's something coming out through the delta," the sailor reported.
"He isn't sure what, the light's about gone, but it might be a group of canoes. They
aren't in a main channel, anyway."
Artemisia glanced to the side. Her first officer was there, as he should be.
"We may have an attack coming up," she said quietly.
He nodded and moved off to make sure the crew was ready.
Artemisia tapped her fingers on the hilt of her cutlass, reviewing
possibilities, then shrugged. It was useless to speculate without more information,
and dangerous to formulate plans under such circumstances. She would have to wait
upon events.
Zukal:
Ghenis glared down into the alley where the last of the soldiers were marching
past. Nothing had happened. The dark god he had believed he served had not
responded. The Ferencian was lying to them all. But somewhere, he knew, there was
such a dark demongod, and he vowed to find it. And the Ferencian liar would be the
first sacrifice....
He withdrew carefully from the roof above the alley. It would be a good idea to
get out of Zukal for a while. Out from under that liar Pelishtekan's eye, so that he
could think and lay his plans in relative safety. Niatoli Island, that's where he
would go. The false cult already had a 'mission' there, and Cousin Og would be his,
Ghenis's, first recruit.
The Isle of the Eye:
Beag Magda sat at a small table near the back of the Two Lilies and swirled the
last of the tea in her cup moodily. She had no fault to find with the Lilies, they
knew her here and always gave her the same table. And the tea, as usual, was
excellent. Something was wrong somewhere, but it was less definite--and more
important--than a problem with the service, or a mediocre cup of tea. She was almost
afraid to look into her cup.
That was nonsense. It was only the unknown that should be feared, and once she
read the tea leaves, the problem would not be unknown. Well, it would not be
completely unknown, but tea leaves were a very imprecise method of diagnosis and
prognostication. With a little shake, she threw off the dark mood, emptied the last
swallow of tea into the saucer, and peered into the cup at the leaves clinging to its
bottom and sides.
She could feel the hair trying to rise on the back of her neck. The leaves
seemed to be swimming in a web of shadows. The patterns they formed all indicated as
plainly as tea leaves could that something very dark was impending. But nothing was
clear. Who was menaced, and by what? How soon?
Beag Magda set the cup down very carefully, because her hand was trying to
shake, and laid coins beside it to pay for the tea. She needed more information, and
she couldn't get it here.
Stormcrowe:
Lord Protector Ipecac stalked ashore and glared around for someone to share his
outrage. Anyone who recognized him in time--and Stormcrowe was a small island with a
limited population who generally DID recognize one another--departed hastily. Lady
Protector Snowfall wasn't quite fast enough. "Do you know what HAPPENED?" Ipecac
demanded.
Looking distinctly queasy, Snowfall shook her head.
"My ship was ATTACKED," the warrior from Emetics snapped. He didn't notice when
the shapely woman flinched from his vehemence; people were always doing that around
him. He stalked closer, dropping his voice for privacy. "Monsters," he hissed.
"Demons out of the waves. Half shark, half man, you might say. Others like kraken.
They were summoned by a dark wizard on a black ship. We have to do something about
this."
Snowfall swallowed a couple of times, then said, "Why? And how?"
Ipecac raised his eyebrows. "You want to live on nothing but fish caught in the
harbor?" he asked. "They could blockade us! And what if they decide to come ashore
and attack us here on the island?" He frowned thoughtfully. "Probably it's part of
some Karnhorn plot, and if we don't nip it in the bud, they'll be all over us,
murdering and enslaving. Can't have that."
"No," Snowfall agreed faintly, "we can't have that. But how do we stop them?"
"We fight, of course!" He hesitated, perhaps realizing that such a plan was
lacking in useful details. "All the ships will have to be armed with...catapults,"
he suggested. "And...none of them going out alone. Yes. And we need to find any
wizards on the island and recruit them to help fight, and more importantly to find
out what we're up against. That's a beginning." He nodded firmly. "We need to
start right away!"
Snowfall turned quickly to the rail at the edge of the dock and fed the fish her
lunch, then straightened. "Yes, I can see that. Wizards, catapults, convoys. No
time to waste...."
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 LETTER BOMBS, as they are pushed from the coveted top team spot by the BLUE MOON
stable. Hey everybody, watch out for SINFUL PRIDE, who flew up 19 points in the
rankings after mashing TITO THE GUIDO like a melon. Keep your eye on this gal. Ya
know, some days it doesn't pay to walk out on the sands. GREEN MACHINE was beat by
DANGEROUS CRIMINAL and drops 13 points. Going for the gusto and coming up with aught
but bloody knuckles was ZUKAL's M. CHARDINEE, who was turned away from the
Duelmastership by ALEX GRIFFIN. 4 out of 5 gladiators surveyed protect the body, so
try and avoid aiming at that location.
Here is other news that is of note. And hey, kiddies, those of you who didn't
avoid LETTER BOMBS, please raise you hand. Wow. Does ZUKAL really have that many
liars? And you guys like to boo me? Well, unsling your rasberries, cause CLAN O'
WHOOPAS beats feet every time LETTER BOMBS smiles at them. Try farming, eh? And who
is this BISBEE you ask, with 31 points and a 7-10-0 record. Ooh, the tales I could
tell!
Remember that an arena is not always a safe place to be, but it is one of the
most interesting, though! Well, the dead guy SLASH LARUE just took CLAN O' WHOOPAS
off his Christmas card list. The poor guy's bloodfeud just expired with zippo
results. Remember: alliances are great, but try and take your ally in the arena
with you and see what happens.
Well, there's the manager of the ZUKAL giving me the 'cut' sign (or is that
'They're going to strangle you in the alley?). Well, there goes another Spy Report.
Good luck in next week's fights. 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
ALEX GRIFFIN 4856 14 9 1 100 DREAM PARK (447)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-ANXIETY 4961 6 0 1 82 DSM4 (239)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-INSOMNIAC 4870 8 1 0 65 DSM4 (239)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-ACACIA GARCIA 4862 8 5 0 55 DREAM PARK (447)
-B. TRAYOR 5019 4 2 0 50 LETTER BOMBS (436)
CLEOPATRA SCHWARTZ 4990 8 5 1 47 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
GREEN MACHINE 5027 4 3 0 43 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
SINFUL PRIDE 4893 3 1 0 43 DARK GLORY (449)
STONEWALL JACKSON 4991 9 4 0 40 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
-I RULE!!! 5016 3 0 0 36 WRATH OF ONE (460)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TITO THE GUIDO 4992 9 4 1 32 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
BISBEE 5002 7 10 0 31 BLUE MOON (381)
BLUE RUIN 5023 6 7 0 26 BLUE MOON (381)
THE PRUSSIAN 5039 3 4 0 26 BLUE MOON (381)
MORENCI 5003 1 16 0 24 BLUE MOON (381)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-T. ZER 5011 3 3 0 21 LETTER BOMBS (436)
-CHESTER HENDERSON 4868 4 4 0 16 DREAM PARK (447)
-N. TOMBER 5037 3 0 0 16 LETTER BOMBS (436)
-JETHRO 4978 1 0 0 15 REDNECK HEAVEN (455)
LARRY LION 4984 1 1 0 13 ZOO-GHIO (456)
MALACHITE 5047 2 2 0 8 BLUE MOON (381)
-DARKSTAR 5029 1 4 0 7 DREAM PARK (447)
EAT QUIZNOS SUBS 5066 0 1 0 1 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
SLASH LARUE 4993 6 3 0 CLAN O' WHOOPAS 457 ALEX GRIFFIN 4856 484 NOT REVE
PERSONAL ADS
Insomniac -- So, when you can't sleep, you sit around thinking up cunning moves,
right? Ouch! -- Bisbee
Cleopatra Schwartz -- I really admire a woman who can hold her liquor. -- Blue Ruin
P.S. Or my liquor, for that matter.
T. Zer -- Good gods! You spend a minute beating me up, I have time to do nothing at
all, and from this you learn six skills? I don't think I USED any skills in that
fight. -- Morenci
A Cult Member! I know what to do with HIM. -- The Prussian, who would have killed
him if the arenamaster hadn't stepped in, and who DID laugh
Jethro -- I, um, wanted you to feel welcome. Yeah, that's it. -- Malachite
25 February 2004
Readers, and especially those who volunteered warriors -- My apologies for the sudden
lack of episodes. I've been sick, but expect to be back at the keyboard soon. -- the
Scribe
3 March 2004
MONGO'S MARDI GRAS MADNESS DUELMASTERS AUCTION
Mongo, aka Matt McIntosh and ex-Warden of the Dark Circle, is auctioning off his
entire collection of Duelmasters warriors and stables. Don't miss out on this chance
to own some fantastic warriors! There are ADM warriors available in every class from
Primus to Freshmen, as well as over a dozen Basic stables.
Does a Slasher with +4 attack, +4 decisiveness, +3 initiative and +2 riposte
sound good? How about a Lunger who received the benefit of a TC prize, has TVed
three times after graduating--and still hasn't maxed out his skills!? How about a
Striker in the Freshmen class who has decisiveness for a favorite learn and the MAUL
for a favorite weapon!?
Or perhaps you prefer playing in Basic. Then how does a stable with four Adept
class warriors who have a combined record of 41-19-9 sound? Or maybe a stable with
three 21-Will warriors? Or perhaps a stable with four Initiates and a Rookie who
have a combined record of 23-6-1?
The quality of the lots is excellent. All you need to view and bid on the lots
is go to:
http://members.aol.com/jvmerlino/mardigras.html
If you want to be on the mailing list to receive regular updates on the auction,
just send an e-mail to JVMerlino@aol.com. Merlin, aka John Merlino and also an ex-
Warden of the Dark Circle, will be running this auction for me. I just moved to New
Orleans and am likely currently stumbling around the French Quarter...because it's
Mardi Gras! So I have named my auction in honor of this occasion.
The auction will start on Saturday, March 13th, 2004, and will continue for
several weeks. But you should get your bids in early if you want your best chance at
owning any of these fantastic warriors and stables.
Many thanks to all for your interest and your bids,
Mongo
5 March 2004
Style Masters Symposium
Hosted by Hammer
The years have slipped by and many DM Managers have come and gone since the last
Hammer's Handbook was compiled and printed.
There is now a stirring within me to begin writing and editing yet another
Handbook with a distribution date sometime in 2005.
This Handbook will be made available via Email with a possibility of burning the
info to a CD for distribution.
Special arrangements will be made to provide the information via printed page to
those contributors who are serving sentences behind bars.
The working title of this new Handbook is "Style Masters Symposium Hosted by
Hammer".
Distribution of this Handbook is projected to be MAINLY for those DM Managers
who contribute information/articles to Hammer by June 2004.
Informative and entertaining articles should focus on insights regarding Any or
All 10 Style Masters for both the Basic and ADM arenas as well as Tourney
competition.
Articles focusing on Weapons/Armor are also encouraged for inclusion.
Whether you are a Newbie Manager without a clue or a Jaded Veteran; everyone has
discovered something about this gaming experience that is both Insightful and
Entertaining.
Email Your Articles to HammerDM@fastermail.com or send them via Diplo to either
Flower Hammerz (372) in DM 28 or Casino Hammerz (576) in DM 33.
Length and Content of the Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer will be
Determined by the Quality and Quantity of Contributors Combined with the Literary
Efforts of Hammer who is currently overseas for an indefinite period of time.
Articles Contributed for this Project should be of Sufficient Length and Content
to Warrant being Included to Receive the Finished Document when Hammer has completed
this literary work to His satisfaction.
Managers contributing articles are also requested to include a DM Bio of
Themselves along with any Notable Successes and/or Failures during Their DM Career in
Basic, ADM and/or Tourney Play.
A listing of Active Stables would also be Helpful for Anyone Seeking to Reply to
Contributors via Diplo, Email or Snailmail.
May Your Blades Be Sharp And Your Wits Sharper!
-- Hammer of Flower Hammerz (372) DM 28 and Casino Hammerz (576) DM 33
18 March 2004
St. Valentine's Day Massacre Update
We are pleased to announce that the kLk sponsored St. Valentine's Day Massacre
kill contest in DM 36 is off to a great start. We are also pleased to announce that
in addition to the 10 team rollups we are also able to offer the renaming of a dark
arena warrior as a prize to the manager with the most kills. The contest is only 2
turns old and is still wide open. There are currently 5 managers tied with one kill
each. Anything can still happen so hurry up and get into the arena.
On a personal note, no other alliances have entered the arena in force to
challenge the kLk dominance. We were expecting The Firm to put up a fight for their
supposed home arena. But, they were a no show. Guess they proved what they are
really made of. *evil grin*
Perhaps another alliance would like to step in to give us a challenge. We are
throwing down the gauntlet. Perhaps the Chaos Inc. boys I keep hearing about would
like to step in and challenge the kLk for arena dominance. If you don't show up,
Chaos, don't feel bad. FAR better managers than you have been invited into Jhans but
have chosen to pass on the offer.
So if you consider yourself worthy to compete, like fierce competition, and
enjoy arenas where the personals are as fierce as the fighting, come visit JHANS DM
36. We're already planning our next contest, "Capture the Flag," and have a
storyline being actively worked on in the arena. Whatever you like about DM you can
find it in JHANS.
Bookie
mgr. of Suicidal Dreams
and Director Jhans Board of Tourism
kLk Alliance
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
CLEOPATRA SCHWARTZ devastated BISBEE in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
ALEX GRIFFIN vanquished M. CHARDINEE in a 1 minute uneven Title battle.
STONEWALL JACKSON subdued THE PRUSSIAN in a action packed 4 minute bloody fight.
GREEN MACHINE was devastated by DANGEROUS CRIMINAL in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
TITO THE GUIDO was subdued by SINFUL PRIDE in a 1 minute competition.
MORENCI savagely defeated CULT MEMBER in a exciting 1 minute bloody struggle.
BLUE RUIN overcame EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute expert vs. beginner fight.
LARRY LION vanquished EAT QUIZNOS SUBS in a 3 minute uneven duel.
MALACHITE was defeated by EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a popular 1 minute beginner's duel.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|WALL OF STEEL 4 AIMED BLOW 8 - 2 - 0 80 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 3 PARRY-STRIKE 6 - 2 - 1 75 |
|BASHING ATTACK 2 LUNGING ATTACK 17 - 10 - 1 63 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 STRIKING ATTACK 17 - 11 - 2 61 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 WALL OF STEEL 22 - 15 - 1 59 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 3 - 0 40 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 TOTAL PARRY 1 - 2 - 0 33 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 SLASHING ATTACK 2 - 4 - 0 33 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 BASHING ATTACK 8 - 17 - 0 32 |
|TOTAL PARRY 0 PARRY-LUNGE 3 - 7 - 0 30 |
Turn 488 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 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 4 STRIKING ATTACK
WALL OF STEEL 3 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 3 LUNGING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 2 WALL OF STEEL
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 PARRY-STRIKE
STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 2 1 AIMED BLOW
TOTAL PARRY 0 - 0
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
WALL OF STEEL ALEX GRIFFIN 4856 14 9 1 100 DREAM PARK (447)
LUNGING ATTACK CLEOPATRA SCHWARTZ 4990 8 5 1 47 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
STRIKING ATTACK GREEN MACHINE 5027 4 3 0 43 CLAN O' WHOOPAS (457)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is ALEX GRIFFIN 4856. The most popular warrior this
turn was THE PRUSSIAN 5039. The ten other most popular fighters were STONEWALL
JACKSON 4991, MORENCI 5003, LARRY LION 4984, CLEOPATRA SCHWARTZ 4990, SINFUL PRIDE
4893, BLUE RUIN 5023, ALEX GRIFFIN 4856, MALACHITE 5047, BISBEE 5002, and GREEN
MACHINE 5027.
The least popular fighter this week was EAT QUIZNOS SUBS 5066. The other ten least
popular fighters were TITO THE GUIDO 4992, GREEN MACHINE 5027, BISBEE 5002, MALACHITE
5047, ALEX GRIFFIN 4856, BLUE RUIN 5023, SINFUL PRIDE 4893, CLEOPATRA SCHWARTZ 4990,
LARRY LION 4984, and MORENCI 5003.
The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn:
ALEX GRIFFIN (9-4856) DREAM PARK (447)