DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 10/06/2003    Duedate: 10/18/2003

TOBIR ARENA

DM-14    TURN-473

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

BERWICK
OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
(14-3901) [17-9-2,134]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

BERWICK                        POSITION IS EMPTY
OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)        
(14-3901) [17-9-2,134]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

SOLLY BILL                     ATROPHY
THE DOGHOUSE (188)             THE DEATH SQUAD (63)
(14-3998) [18-12-0,67]         (14-4034) [12-6-1,99]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

THE DOGHOUSE (188)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. THE DOGHOUSE (188)          36
2. OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)     17      OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
3. THE DEATH SQUAD (63)         2      Unchartered Team
4. DELIVERANCE (33)             2
5. LEGION OF STEEL (241)        0      MOTHER EARTH (388)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)  209 121 14 63.3   1/ 2 THE DOGHOUSE (188)       11  4 0
 2- 2 PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)  101  79 11 56.1   2/ 5 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)   6  4 1
 3/ 3 THE DEATH SQUAD (63)     282 257 23 52.3   3- 3 LEGION OF STEEL (241)     6  4 0
 4- 4*I BENT MY WOOKIE (413)     2   2  0 50.0   4/ 1 THE DEATH SQUAD (63)      6  9 0
 5/ 5 DELIVERANCE (33)         433 485 45 47.2   5/ 6 DELIVERANCE (33)          4  4 1
 6/ 6 THE DOGHOUSE (188)       252 292  5 46.3   6- 4 PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)   3  2 1
 7- 7 LEGION OF STEEL (241)     47  60  4 43.9   7- 7*I BENT MY WOOKIE (413)    0  1 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[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Aruaki Clanhold #119 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Tobir:

     Karanjal of Zorpunt held the invitation to adventure while Daisy January swung
the hammer with more determination than skill.  He would have felt safer if HE had
been the one with the hammer, but there was no arguing with a determined woman who
didn't want to listen.  But if "safe" had been something that really mattered to him,
he'd never have become a gladiator.
     "You really expect someone to respond to this...invitation to disaster?" he
asked.
     "Not anyone with YOUR attitude.  It's an invitation to ADVENTURE.  To explore
the whole issue of why Krael is attacking coastal towns.  And yes," Daisy said
calmly, "I DO expect people to respond."  She glanced over her shoulder at him, then
stepped away from the wall.  "You should know how bored warriors can get on the Isle,
after all.
     Karanjal shrugged, but he could hardly argue with that.  "You'd better have a
definite plan," he warned her.
     "I do.  I'll tell you about it over lunch."  She set off briskly toward a small
cafe the gladiators in Tobir favored.
     "Tell me while we walk," he suggested.  "I can't bear to wait that long."
     "Ha ha.  Like this was some huge city that it would take more than ten minutes
to walk across."  She frowned straight ahead, then shrugged slightly.  "Okay.  This
won't be the first time gladiators have investigated Krael, you know.  There was a
group from Point and Iaye that set out to do that several years ago--"
     "I don't think I ever heard of that," Karanjal admitted.  "What happened?"
     "It was hard to find out."  She ducked under the awning that protected the front
of the cafe and made for a booth against the far wall.  When Karanjal slid in across
from her, she said, "I had a hard time finding any information about it--"  To the
waiter she said, "Pizza with everything, I don't want to piss off the pizza guys."
     Her companion frowned.  "Is this a joke?"
     "Hey, the Pizza Guys here in Tobir carry swords!  I don't want them mad at me!"
     "If you say so.  What about Krael?"
     "I did manage to find one of the gladiators that went on that expedition, and he
said--well, he said a lot of stuff, but the important thing was that some kind of
time shift occurred, and when they came back to OUR time from the last days of Krael,
someone from then came too."
     "Oh...shoot," Karanjal said softly.  "I don't like where I think this is going.
There were a lot of wizards in Krael, especially in the 'last days'.  If one of THEM
came to our time...."
     "Exactly.  Quite a possible adventure, don't you think?"

           + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Andorians Abroad #16 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Possibly Zuwayza:

     It seemed to take Tankesh forever to fall out of the Gate, his motion slowed to
the point where he wasn't even sure he was moving at all.  And then there was a sort
of soundless click, and the floor came up fast and hard, knocking the breath out of
him as he hit and rolled.
     Voices speaking akkhadic, upper-class accents.  Shouting.  No time to sort
things out.  Gasping for breath but too well-trained to pause, he rolled to his feet
with his sword out, ending crouched and ready for anything.  By the grace of all the
gods, he was face to face with the Karnhorn vizier, Khannarth.  The man who had
betrayed his city and his ruler, plotted with the Satrap's First Wife to turn over
the Zuwayza to the minions of Inzolas, tried to have the Satrap's Second Wife and
Tankesh killed.....  Ah, it was GOOD to be here, now, and ready.
     The Vizier was looking past him and commanding someone to "get him!"
     Right, voices, plural.  Other people in the room.  Probably guards.  Tankesh
took a quick slash at the retreating Vizier; not a killing blow, but he felt the
resistance of clothing and flesh.  Continued the motion into a turn.  Right, guards.
Two...three.  Startled by his arrival out of nowhere, not expecting him to come
around so fast.  The first man would never have a chance to adjust his thinking; the
slash aimed at HIM gutted him and nearly cut him in two.  The second was a little
farther back.  He might recover, if he got the bleeding stopped in time.  But with
only one hand left to use, that wasn't likely.  Shocked by the unexpected and extreme
violence, he was out of the fight.  Khannarth was screaming orders behind him, and
the third man was leveling his spear for a charge.  Stupid weapon to carry indoors,
maybe it was tradition, maybe it was just ornamental, didn't matter.
     Tankesh edged to the right, drawing the spearman's attention with him.  When the
man was fully committed, all his momentum focused into the charge, Tankesh ducked to
the left.  Tripped over his first victim but rolled and came up again, whacked the
spear in two in passing, kicked the man in the belly as his charge brought him within 
range, and turned to face Khannarth again.
     The Vizier was holding his robes against a bleeding chest wound with one hand
and tugging on a bell-pull with the other.  Tankesh lunged closer and cut through
bell rope.
     And then froze as a man with a cocked and ready crossbow appeared in the doorway
behind the Vizier.  More than one man, and several with crossbows.  Karnhorns, of
course.  Damn.  They were all dressed alike, no doubt a uniform, but not the same as
worn by the three guards he'd just dealt with.  Khannarth began babbling out
accusations and orders.
     The first of the newcomers silenced him with a curt word.  "You will BOTH
explain yourself to the Exalted Satrap, may His justice be swift and sure," the man
said.  He gestured them out into the hallway with his crossbow.  "Now."

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, in TOBIR a quiet thief gets rich, but a quiet spymaster gets poor.  So 
bring me ale and harken to my tidbits of news.  It seems the training can make the 
difference, as THE DEATH SQUAD is pushed out of top team by THE DOGHOUSE, who came 
from 2nd with a 5-0-0 this turn.  OTAGO HIGHLANDERS stable has parlayed this turn's 
2-3-1 into a 3 space move up the rankings.  This brings them up to 2nd place.  Good 
work, guys!  The THE DOGHOUSE guild has had a 5-0-0 turn and deserves to be watched 
in the future.  You never know where this kind of thing can lead.  And let's see, 
CONAN fought SWAMPY SPUR and gained 24 points and contributed to THE DEATH SQUAD's 
2-3-0.  SWAMPY SPUR has lost to CONAN, falling 21 points, while helping make OTAGO 
HIGHLANDERS a 2-3-1 turn.  This turn LIVING DEAD GIRL challenged BERWICK in what was 
TOBIR's Title bout.  Somebody's not going to like this, (then again, somebody will), 
but our Duelmaster, LIVING DEAD GIRL, has died, and BERWICK has killed her.  Can 
someone confirm a rumor for me?  I hear the top team makes their losing fighters do 
dishes at The Deeproot Inn until they win.  Maybe?   
     The crowd's roar, the smell of iron and leather, mixed with sweat, what more 
could a warrior ask of life?  Well, besides that.  Well, sports fans, take notice 
that BERWICK from OTAGO HIGHLANDERS was TOBIR's most challenged warrior this turn.  
In a brave attempt, YETI from DELIVERANCE challenged up 18 points to fight HYDE from 
the OTAGO HIGHLANDERS stable.  YETI perhaps got his just desserts, seeing as he lost 
to HYDE and ended up with 36 recognition points.   
     We only live a short time in this world, so why not take a sharp blade, and 
shave it close?  Will PISSED PIZZA GUYS get away with WINDOW WING SIGN having killed 
BLACKHEAD of OTAGO HIGHLANDERS?  One more turn, and the bloodfeud's over, at least 
officially.  We'd like to remind certain teams not to rob the graves of their 
enemies.  You know who you are; and it's considered rude.   
     Thought for the day, a new sword shines bright, but the notched sword sings the 
sweetest.  It's been nice chatting with you, until we meet again, keep your swords 
sharp and your hammers heavy.  Until the sun next rises and my pen sets to paper-- 
Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BERWICK 3901                 17   9  2   134       OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CONAN 3986                   14  14  0   102       THE DEATH SQUAD (63)
 ATROPHY 4034                 12   6  1    99       THE DEATH SQUAD (63)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-WINDOW WING SIGN 3876         7   1  3    93       PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-RUDE CUSTOMER 3810           13  11  1    88       PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)
 SWAMPY SPUR 3928             11   9  1    78       OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
 MOLYNEUX 3921                14   7  0    73       OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
-SABRE 2142                   12  12  2    68       LEGION OF STEEL (241)
 SOLLY BILL 3998              18  12  0    67       THE DOGHOUSE (188)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HYDE 3927                    12   8  2    61       OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-FAKE PHONE NUMBER 3839        7   7  1    54       PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)
 10% VIGORISH 4108             4   4  0    51       THE DEATH SQUAD (63)
-VICTIM 4033                   8   9  1    44       DELIVERANCE (33)
 CATKILLER 4109                6   1  0    41       THE DOGHOUSE (188)
 YETI 4025                     7  14  1    36       DELIVERANCE (33)
 RAPINE 4091                   7   2  2    35       DELIVERANCE (33)
-$2 A GALLON GAS 3884          4   2  0    34       PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 PUSSYFOOT 4126                3   0  0    27       THE DOGHOUSE (188)
-THE COUGAREAT 3885            3   1  1    26       PISSED PIZZA GUYS (389)
 BOWSER 4096                   5   6  0    24       THE DOGHOUSE (188)
-SHARP STEEL 4123              2   0  0    24       LEGION OF STEEL (241)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 PRITHEE 4092                  5   4  1    20       DELIVERANCE (33)
-REFLECTIVE STEEL 4124         2   1  0    19       LEGION OF STEEL (241)
 LOGCHAIN 4111                 1   3  0    17       THE DOGHOUSE (188)
 JOHN Q. PUBLIC 4102           1   9  0    13       THE DEATH SQUAD (63)
-SURGICAL STEEL 4125           2   1  0    10       LEGION OF STEEL (241)
-COLD STEEL 4122               1   1  0     6       LEGION OF STEEL (241)
 KILDA 4127                    0   2  0     2       OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
LIVING DEAD GIRL 4077 12  1 1 THE DEATH SQUAD 63    BERWICK 3901          473         
UNGER THE OGRE 4103    1  4 0 DELIVERANCE 33        THE COUGAREAT 3885    472         
JUNKYARD MUTT 3936    15 22 2 THE DOGHOUSE 188      SWAMPY SPUR 3928      470         
I ATE MY WORM 4053     2  1 0 I BENT MY WOOKIE 413  RAPINE 4091           472         
BLACKHEAD 3994         7  3 1 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS 348 WINDOW WING SIGN 3876 470         

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Yeti -- How abominable that you had to be here on this hot day.  Not your kind of
thing, right?  Some days life is like that. -- Solly Bill
P.S.  Why didn't you learn more from me?  I was trying hard to demonstrate stuff.

Fake Phone Number -- (cringing)  I made a mistake, okay?  I thought you were a
mailman, and biting mailmen is my job. -- Catkiller, really in the doghouse now

Victim -- It's all a joke or something, isn't it?  You weren't a victim at all, you
were a...you were a DOG, almost!  Or maybe a rolled-up newspaper. -- Bowser

Prithee -- I lost to someone who goes around simpering and sticking his little finger
out while he quaffs tea?  Gods. -- Logchain

Surgical Steel -- No WAY are you going to declaw ME. -- Pussyfoot

$2 a Gallon Gas -- I agree with the low estimate of wheat-free, but what can one do
with an allergy?  I heard of someone who made a crust by substituting garbanzo beans
for the wheat.  Now, THAT is disgusting. -- Leeta

Ed. -- Yes, exactly.  We can appreciate our humans better if we're up on the couch
with them.  And when they're not there, we keep it warm for them. -- Bowser

     Ah, I see.  Such selflessness! -- Ed.

Rude Customer -- I have trouble remembering from one turn to the next what questions
I might have asked.  Sorry.  But I'll leave a good tip. -- Leeta

9 September 2003
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MANAGERS!  If you think you have what it takes to match
wits and blades with some of the best managers in Alastari, then WE WANT YOU!  The
Tournament Of The Golden Scrod #4 will begin in Aradi (DM 60) the turn after the Fall
Mail-In.  It's not too late for you to sign up.  I realize that many of you may be
hesitant after seeing that myself and Hombre have teamed up again, but we'll try to
take it easy on you guys a little bit.  For more information on T#%S IV, please
contact me at ganolus@aol.com.  We're looking for a few good managers...the few, the
proud, the TOGS!

-- Ganolus Oakleaf, T#%S IV Commish

15 September 2003
An Announcement Concerning the Brotherhood of the Blade Alliance:
     I have chosen to withdraw my membership from the Brotherhood of the Blade
alliance.  The years I have spent in the alliance have been the best of my DM career.
I leave the alliance with many great friends and will always remain close to my
former brethren.
     The Brotherhood of the Blade will not skip a beat without my membership.  It
remains in very capable hands and its roster is among the strongest in the game.
With the return on some of its founding members to DM, I know the BOB will continue
to grow in strength and prestige in the years to come. -- The Sandman

29 September 2003
All -- Let it be known that the Firm accepts SOL into its ranks.  The Firm is:
SunGod, Dark Spirit, Youngblood, Tripwire, and SOL.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

LIVING DEAD GIRL was butchered by BERWICK in a 1 minute Challenge Title fight.
ATROPHY vanquished MOLYNEUX in a exciting 3 minute gory uneven Challenge battle.
10% VIGORISH lost to SOLLY BILL in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge brawl.
YETI was overpowered by HYDE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
PRITHEE was bested by PUSSYFOOT in a 3 minute Challenge brawl.
SWAMPY SPUR was vanquished by CONAN in a exciting 1 minute mismatched fight.
CATKILLER viciously subdued CHEERFUL FAN in a popular 1 minute gruesome competition.
RAPINE slimly won victory over JOHN Q. PUBLIC in a 3 minute gruesome duel.
BOWSER won victory over KILDA in a 1 minute expert vs. beginner fight.
LOGCHAIN defeated TRUSTWORTHY SCRIBE in a 2 minute novice's fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    3         AIMED BLOW        11 -   4 -  1      73  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  3         LUNGING ATTACK    13 -   5 -  1      72  |
|AIMED BLOW                       2         WALL OF STEEL     15 -   7 -  2      68  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         BASHING ATTACK    11 -   6 -  2      65  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         STRIKING ATTACK   21 -  16 -  1      57  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         PARRY-STRIKE       8 -   7 -  1      53  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      2         PARRY-LUNGE        4 -   4 -  1      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         TOTAL PARRY        6 -   9 -  0      40  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-RIPOSTE     10 -  17 -  0      37  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  0         SLASHING ATTACK    7 -  14 -  0      33  |

Turn 473 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         2 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -  2         2  BASHING ATTACK 
LUNGING ATTACK     2 -  0     STRIKING ATTACK    1 -  2         2  PARRY-LUNGE    
BASHING ATTACK     2 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  1         2  LUNGING ATTACK 
WALL OF STEEL      2 -  0     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  1         1  AIMED BLOW     
                              SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  0         1  STRIKING ATTACK
                              TOTAL PARRY        0 -  2         1  TOTAL PARRY    
                                                                1  SLASHING ATTACK
                                                                1  WALL OF STEEL  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
BASHING ATTACK   BERWICK 3901               17   9  2  134 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
AIMED BLOW       ATROPHY 4034               12   6  1   99 THE DEATH SQUAD (63)
PARRY-LUNGE      SWAMPY SPUR 3928           11   9  1   78 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
TOTAL PARRY      MOLYNEUX 3921              14   7  0   73 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
WALL OF STEEL    SOLLY BILL 3998            18  12  0   67 THE DOGHOUSE (188)
LUNGING ATTACK   HYDE 3927                  12   8  2   61 OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (348)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is SOLLY BILL 3998.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was ATROPHY 4034.  The ten other most popular fighters were PRITHEE 4092, CONAN 3986, 
PUSSYFOOT 4126, CATKILLER 4109, RAPINE 4091, HYDE 3927, SOLLY BILL 3998, JOHN Q. 
PUBLIC 4102, BOWSER 4096, and LIVING DEAD GIRL 4077.

The least popular fighter this week was YETI 4025.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were LOGCHAIN 4111, KILDA 4127, SWAMPY SPUR 3928, 10% VIGORISH 4108, 
MOLYNEUX 3921, BERWICK 3901, LIVING DEAD GIRL 4077, BOWSER 4096, JOHN Q. PUBLIC 4102, 
and SOLLY BILL 3998.

               NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)

     For those of you who keep track of such things, 18 additional warriors graduated 
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament:

                          CAFFEINE JUNKIE (3-6110) ADDICTED 
                        CATFISH HUNTER (5-3315) PARTY ANIMALS 
                          MATTAHOOPLE (16-4203) GIFTED GODS 
                         SWEET JANE (53-6535) THE DARK TEMPLE 
                              LIL NOIR (62-3311) ENIGMA 
                         NARCISSISTIC NUN (69-8644) ODD SQUAD 
                             LEGION '8' (71-2369) D.O.A. 
                       RAW SEX APPEAL (82-1331) WHY WE LOVE TUM 
                         ZOMBIE STOMP (82-2617) NO MORE TEARS 
                        VIOLENT VOLE (82-4565) MAMMAL MILITIA 
                         LADY OF THE MOON (82-5481) HARM NONE 
                      KAMIKAZI GNAT (82-6073) DEADLY ATTACKS II 
                      THE 13TH WARRIOR (82-6346) STOOPID MOVIES 
                              SIRTON (82-9190) I AM SUCK 
                            DUNE (82-10414) 4-LETTER EPICS 
                           FLEM (82-12614) 4-LETTER FLUIDS 
                     GREENHOUSE EFFECT (82-12996) GLOBAL WARMING 
                         UGLY (82-14501) 4-LETTER DESCRIPTION 

                                          -- Green Eyes