DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 03/17/2010 Duedate: 03/30/2010 MALCORN ARENA DM-15 TURN-636 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS STARIEL DARK CREATION (471) (15-4963) [17-14-1,108] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader STARIEL MAXIMILLIAN DARK CREATION (471) VC RULES (501) (15-4963) [17-14-1,108] (15-5011) [6-3-1,53] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite STARIEL STARIEL DARK CREATION (471) DARK CREATION (471) (15-4963) [17-14-1,108] (15-4963) [17-14-1,108] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM VC RULES (501) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. VC RULES (501) 60 2. DARK CREATION (471) 36 DARK CREATION (471) 3. RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) 7 Unchartered Team 4. STARBASE 5 (263) 7 5. WRETCHED HORDE (499) 0 RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1*WRETCHED HORDE (499) 2 0 0 100 1/ 4*VC RULES (501) 9 4 2 2/ 2*RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) 7 3 0 70.0 2/ 1 DARK CREATION (471) 8 7 0 3/ 3*VC RULES (501) 26 17 3 60.5 3/ 5*RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) 7 3 0 4/ 4 DARK CREATION (471) 358 305 18 54.0 4/ 3 STARBASE 5 (263) 7 5 0 5/ 5 STARBASE 5 (263) 327 323 13 50.3 5/ 2 GREENWARDENS (244) 7 8 0 6/ 6 GREENWARDENS (244) 682 790 14 46.3 6- 6*WRETCHED HORDE (499) 1 0 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[ Edge of Night #51 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + The Silent Place: The cloud thing watched them come. It still seemed wrong that a cloud should be able to watch anything, or care about anything, but then, this cloud WAS wrong. A creature, not a cloud. Blackwind raised his blade, caught a glint of light down it, sunlight in this darkest place. Where did you strike a cloud, where were its vitals? It roiled like a thunderstorm with internal winds, shifted right and left as though trying to feint him out of position. Or distract him from some partner cutting in from behind-- "Another one back here," Redfox muttered. "I've got it covered, but don't back up." Ah, okay. A good man at his back was better than armor. Time to deal with his own problem, then. The eyes, that was probably the best target he'd have. He watched it twitching around in front of him for another few seconds and then lunged. No warning, no flourishes, just the lunge, gleaming steel with all his weight and speed behind it. The cloud recoiled and began to slide away. Not fast enough. The sword plunged to the hilt in the roiling darkness, flaring sunbright just before it sheathed itself in the cloudy body. There was no resistance such as a body would offer, but the internal currents of the thing wrenched at the blade, trying to tear it from his grip. He stumbled off-balance and went to one knee but locked his second hand over the hilt to strengthen his hold. The talisman, which was still dangling from his off-hand by its chain, twirled and then strained out parallel to the blade of his sword. Fat silver-blue sparks jumped from it to the sword, then ricocheted like lightning toward the cloud. Which winced away. Blackwind wouldn't have thought a cloud could wince, but this one was doing it. Sliding off his blade, too, so that it dripped... something. Milky and glinting, falling to the ground and lying there like pearls. Hailstones? Well, why not, if it was a cloud? He got to his feet again and followed, trying to keep pressure on the cloud that was now retreating, and following the talisman as well. He didn't dare look away from the cloud to see if-- "Right behind you," Redfox said. The Spirit Land: Necroma, Young Joan, and Cloudrider hesitated on the edge of the cliff, studying the possibilities. "You're sure we can't just *believe* a way down?" Cloudrider asked again. "No, I'm not sure," the young Necromancer said. "Nobody can be sure about things here. You can try. But I don't expect it to work--" "And your skepticism is part of the body of belief at work here," Young Joan finished. She pointed off to the side, where a seam in the rocky face of the cliff suggested a path. "Forget trying to create a way down and let's follow that ledge." Cloudrider muttered something about mountain goats but moved in the indicated direction. "What do we do when we get down into the valley, then?" "The Valley of the Shadow," Necroma corrected absently. "I have no idea what we're supposed to do." She glanced at Joan and raised an eyebrow in question. "We'll ask Uncle Wolf," Joan said. "But he isn't here!" 'Rider protested. "He's down there." They had come far enough along the cliff to have a different view down into the valley, and Joan pointed. A group of three riders were crossing toward the flame-lit gates. One of them was clearly the shaman Wolf in full ceremonial regalia, one was a black-maned Shew, and the third seemed ordinary. "Three isn't enough to storm the Gate of Hell, so I guess there will be something for us." "And six is enough?" Cloudrider muttered. "Oh, joy." Down in the Valley: Math looked at the huge gates and the shadows moving just within them. Probably demons, what else would you expect in the Gate of Hell? He had, not for the first time, the feeling of being out of his depth. He opened his mouth to say so, then looked at Wolf and Lord Malcorn, both focused on whatever they were planning to do, and shut it again. On the face of it, this task was impossible for any kind of reason you could imagine: the gate leaves were too heavy--well, he didn't know that, but they looked heavy, and the forces or beings who had opened them were bound to resist, and three was just too small a number to storm Hell. But his companions were going forward as though they had a chance, so he could hardly do less. He tested his sword to make sure it was loose in the scabbard and ready to come out, but he didn't draw it yet. A drawn sword was a declaration of intent to fight, and if this could be solved short of combat, that suited him. Coming through: The cloud dissolved as it came up against a building of some kind. Blackwind bit down on a curse--this didn't seem like a good place to be cursing. But if that thing was going around behind them and reforming-- He'd been following faster than he had realized and didn't have time to stop before slamming into the wall. Barely had time to see that it was built of weathered stone, blotched with lichens that glowed with a faint phosphorescence, carved into the niche-shape of a false door, such as he had seen on temples elsewhere. And then he slammed into the stones... and fell through. A moment later, Redfox followed, but the Rirorni had had enough warning to jump clear of his companion, and landed rolling just beyond. Blackwind scrambled to his feet--never good to meet a possible battle lying on the ground--and looked around. They were in a shadow-filled valley, almost a canyon, and a little way on it was lit with a fiery gleam where brass-bound gates opened in one of the canyon walls. Three horsemen were approaching up the valley from the other side of the gate. One was big and black and solid, unexpectedly reassuring: Lord Malcorn. "I think we're here," Blackwind said. * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 639): LIP GLOSS of HOT STUFF (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 641): SCURVY LADY of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.) DM 13 DULLENS (turn 513): AVENGING ANTELOPE of SATAN'S KINGDOMS (Dark One, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 635): AGATE of GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 637): ON GOLDEN POND of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 629): THEODOSIUS of FIELDS OF ELYSIUM (Caesar, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 630): FARM WEEKLY of THE MAGNIFICENT MAGS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 317): CRICTOR UNGERER of THE PENTARCHY (Le Pentarque, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 626): JAILYN of MID EARTH (Visionist, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 315): KOLUM MAROD of MIDDLE WAY 7 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 623): BILL P. GORE of DEVIL ADVOCATES (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 620): CRAB SMASHER of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 612): ORION of ON THE ROCKS (Bartender, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 575): PRINCE CONNOR of LUROCIAN ROYALTY (The Greek Guy, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 292): WALRUS of NORTHERN LIGHTS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 47 TEMPLE OF ABARSIS (turn 286): VYNMORGATH of KAOS (Grimm, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 273): MRS. VAUGHN of LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 502): FREM HARID of MIDDLE WAY 20 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 489): IMOTO-CHAN of EX OBLIVIONE (Enigma, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 469): FALLING LEAF of AUTUMN SAGA (Jugger, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 466 BOBIKA VHETT of TIL DEATH DO US PART (Killjoy, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 222): ROS QUIN of MIDDLE WAY 18 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 426): HESTI TYL VAREN of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 419): QUINCY WATTS of GREATS OF TROY (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 412): DEVONSHIRE of KIWI CONNECTION (The Mun, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 528): JEANNE D'ARC of GORGEOUS GOBLINS (Bartender, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 639): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 641): SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.) DM 13 DULLENS (turn 513): HARRY POTTER AND THE (?, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 635): DARK CREATION (H.P.L. West, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 637): GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 629): THE GENERALS (?, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 630): THE MAGNIFICENT MAGS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 317): THE PENTARCHY (Le Pentarque, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 627): MID EARTH (Visionist, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 615): THE KINDRED (Godric Magnesson DaVinci, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 623): ANGELS OF PAIN (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 620): THE SEWING CIRCLE (Jorja, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 612): POSITION IS EMPTY DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 575): LUROCIAN ROYALTY (The Greek Guy, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 292): ASAIRE (?, mgr.) DM 47 TEMPLE OF ABARSIS (turn 286): LAND OF OZ (Oz the All-Winning, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 273): LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 502): INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 489): THE BROTHERHOOD (?, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 469): DOCTORS (?, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 466): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 222): BLACKMAIL (The Mun, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 426): NUMB-ERS (?, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 419): GREATS OF TROY (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 412): J (?, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 528): DO IT AGAIN et al (The Dark One, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 13 DULLENS (turn 513): AVENGING ANTELOPE of SATAN'S KINGDOMS (Dark One, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 316): OTHER of EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 627): JULIANUS of EQUESTORS (Spartacus, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 315): KOLUM MAROD of MIDDLE WAY 7 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 612): MANDOLIN WIND of URBAN JUNGLE (Jugger, mgr.) (turn 611): EVINDAL of CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 292): WALRUS of NORTHERN LIGHTS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 273): KIRLA LORVIN of MIDDLE WAY 6 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 501): BALZEC of INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 489): IMOTO-CHAN of EX OBLIVIONE (Enigma, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 468): CHAM DUGAN of MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 465): FLITCHAK of CASTAWAYS (She-Puppy, mgr.) DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. You hate me, don't you, Rexroth? You must, to have deliberately handed the title to me again. What do I want with the title? It's just words. I have heard that in the Olde Days, when the arena was bustling and profitable, the duelmaster received a bounty, or a percent of the gate, I'm not sure what, but something along those lines. Now... Well, with a percent of the gate and a couple of coppers, I could buy a mug of bad ale. Oh, well. Agate SPY REPORT Greetings, Warriors of MALCORN. Allow this humble servant Novgorodny Vir to give you a respite from the fights in the form of this Spyreport. The boys at DARK CREATION left the arena dejected, after being kicked out of the top spot by VC RULES. Good show! Nothing works for a team like victory (How's that for a perceptive observation?) as VC RULES can attest... Practice pays for MAXIMILLIAN, who pummelled DROVANITAR LIX, to pocket 24 points. A certain someone should cut down on the drinking and practice more, after losing 13 points to QRYSYS. (Discrete enough, STARLYN FYREFLY?) Now I can't insult STARIEL, as she has gloriously dueled to the top. Oh great new Duelmaster!!! (Stop me if I lay it on too thick) Word has it one team in MALCORN is taking speech lessons to try to bore their opponent to death. I'll bet it works. So much to report, so little time! Is there life after death? Pragmatics (and warriors) know there is death after life! The audience gave a nice round of rasberries to DROVANITAR LIX of STARBASE 5, for expiring in such an ungraceful fashion. 6-10-3, indeed! Ask not a spymaster for counsel, for he will pontificate long after you have fallen into an unconscious stupor. All good things must come to an end. Keep those sands bloody and the buzzards fat! Like a mixed metaphor, and an overtaxed simile, I now bid MALCORN farewell-- Novgorodny Vir DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME STARIEL 4963 17 14 1 108 DARK CREATION (471) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME ROCKWOOD 4984 17 8 0 102 GREENWARDENS (244) REXROTH 4957 21 11 0 98 DARK CREATION (471) AGATE 4951 18 18 0 95 GREENWARDENS (244) APOK 4964 18 11 0 92 STARBASE 5 (263) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME QRYSYS 4958 20 12 2 87 DARK CREATION (471) STONEBOW 4993 10 9 0 86 GREENWARDENS (244) CYBERMANCER 4992 10 10 0 79 DARK CREATION (471) BRISTLECONE 4952 20 16 1 77 GREENWARDENS (244) STARLYN FYREFLY 4983 10 14 0 68 STARBASE 5 (263) MISTRESS 4996 9 7 0 68 STARBASE 5 (263) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME MAXIMILLIAN 5011 6 3 1 53 VC RULES (501) MASTER DARQUE 5015 5 4 0 48 VC RULES (501) SILVERBIRD 4994 11 8 0 41 GREENWARDENS (244) FIZBAN 5013 5 4 1 39 VC RULES (501) STREET LEGAL 5012 6 3 0 35 VC RULES (501) -GOLDEN DREAM 4977 2 0 0 34 WRETCHED HORDE (499) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -HAMMER 5014 4 3 1 27 VC RULES (501) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CARTMAN 5025 2 0 0 18 RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) JIM 5021 2 0 0 17 RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) QREATED 4999 4 3 1 16 DARK CREATION (471) MRS PIGGY 5024 1 1 0 13 RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) -KHAMUL 4033 1 5 0 8 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) -NEMO 4648 1 1 0 4 DOWN WITH THE SHIP (468) KERMIT 5022 1 1 0 4 RAINBOW CONNECTION (503) -AKHORAHIL 4031 0 1 0 4 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) -ADUNAPHEL 4032 0 4 0 4 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? ROLF 5023 1 1 0 RAINBOW CONNECTI 503 EMBEZZLING SCRIB 636 NONE DURIN I 5020 0 1 0 SAVE THE GOLD 502 QREATED 4999 633 THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? DROVANITAR LIX 4991 6 10 3 STARBASE 5 263 MAXIMILLIAN 5011 636 PERSONAL ADS Cybermancer -- A pleasant change. -- Rockwood The Veteran Mercenary... or maybe it's A Veteran Mercenary, because I find it hard to imagine the same one stepping out onto the sands cycle after cycle for more than twenty years. -- Stonebow Stariel -- Well, I suppose it's just as well you won. It would have been a shock to Jorja if we won all our fights today. -- Birstlecone Apok -- We'd've been fine with just one loss, you know. No need for two. -- Silverbird Greetings back to you, Fizban. -- Jorja, manager Greenwardens LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS AGATE was viciously subdued by STARIEL in a 2 minute master's Title fight. REXROTH overcame STONEBOW in a popular 1 minute match. ROCKWOOD won victory over CYBERMANCER in a crowd pleasing 1 minute gory brawl. APOK overpowered BRISTLECONE in a crowd pleasing 1 minute mismatched match. STARLYN FYREFLY was vanquished by QRYSYS in a exciting 1 minute mismatched fight. MISTRESS devastated THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a 3 minute one-sided competition. DROVANITAR LIX was slaughtered by MAXIMILLIAN in a 1 minute uneven duel. SILVERBIRD was overpowered by MASTER DARQUE in a 1 minute uneven duel. STREET LEGAL overpowered CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute one-sided fight. FIZBAN handily defeated QREATED in a 1 minute one-sided bout. CARTMAN demolished CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute mismatched match. JIM overcame PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 3 minute novice's contest. KERMIT was demolished by MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute one-sided brawl. ROLF was easily killed by EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute one-sided conflict. MRS PIGGY vanquished MORDANT DESERTER 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 7 SLASHING ATTACK 16 - 6 - 0 73 | |AIMED BLOW 4 BASHING ATTACK 2 - 1 - 1 67 | |SLASHING ATTACK 3 PARRY-STRIKE 3 - 2 - 0 60 | |TOTAL PARRY 3 WALL OF STEEL 6 - 4 - 0 60 | |PARRY-STRIKE 2 TOTAL PARRY 19 - 14 - 1 58 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 AIMED BLOW 17 - 15 - 0 53 | |PARRY-LUNGE 1 STRIKING ATTACK 30 - 28 - 3 52 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 - 0 50 | |WALL OF STEEL 1 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 6 - 0 40 | |LUNGING ATTACK 0 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 636 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 3 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 1 - 2 3 AIMED BLOW BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 3 TOTAL PARRY AIMED BLOW 3 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 2 SLASHING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 4 - 3 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 0 2 STRIKING ATTACK PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 1 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME SLASHING ATTACK STARIEL 4963 17 14 1 108 DARK CREATION (471) AIMED BLOW REXROTH 4957 21 11 0 98 DARK CREATION (471) STRIKING ATTACK QRYSYS 4958 20 12 2 87 DARK CREATION (471) TOTAL PARRY BRISTLECONE 4952 20 16 1 77 GREENWARDENS (244) BASHING ATTACK MAXIMILLIAN 5011 6 3 1 53 VC RULES (501) WALL OF STEEL SILVERBIRD 4994 11 8 0 41 GREENWARDENS (244) PARRY-STRIKE FIZBAN 5013 5 4 1 39 VC RULES (501) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is STARIEL 4963. The most popular warrior this turn was STARIEL 4963. The ten other most popular fighters were MISTRESS 4996, JIM 5021, REXROTH 4957, ROCKWOOD 4984, APOK 4964, QRYSYS 4958, AGATE 4951, MAXIMILLIAN 5011, MASTER DARQUE 5015, and STREET LEGAL 5012. The least popular fighter this week was ROLF 5023. The other ten least popular fighters were KERMIT 5022, QREATED 4999, SILVERBIRD 4994, DROVANITAR LIX 4991, BRISTLECONE 4952, STARLYN FYREFLY 4983, CYBERMANCER 4992, STONEBOW 4993, MRS PIGGY 5024, and CARTMAN 5025.