DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/04/2004 Duedate: 03/17/2004
ZUWAYZA ARENA
DM-19 TURN-479
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
BLUE
THE SIERRAS (393)
(19-4647) [11-4-0,113]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
BLUE JIMI HENDRIX
THE SIERRAS (393) HIPPIES FROM HELL (181)
(19-4647) [11-4-0,113] (19-1898) [5-1-0,57]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
BLUE BLUE
THE SIERRAS (393) THE SIERRAS (393)
(19-4647) [11-4-0,113] (19-4647) [11-4-0,113]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
THE SIERRAS (393)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. CURTAIN CALL (404) 46
2. HIPPIES FROM HELL (181) 11 THE SIERRAS (393)
3. DRAGON JUNKIES (392) 1 Unchartered Team
4. QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363) 0
5. ANARCHY (342) 0 CURTAIN CALL (404)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 2*CURTAIN CALL (404) 9 1 1 90.0 1/ 1 THE SIERRAS (393) 10 4 0
2/ 1*HIPPIES FROM HELL (181) 12 4 0 75.0 2/ 3*CURTAIN CALL (404) 9 1 1
3/ 3 THE SIERRAS (393) 48 24 2 66.7 3/ 4*HIPPIES FROM HELL (181) 4 2 0
4- 4 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363) 58 62 7 48.3 4- 2 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363) 4 5 1
5/ 5 DRAGON JUNKIES (392) 57 69 4 45.2 5/ 5 DRAGON JUNKIES (392) 4 7 0
6- 6 ANARCHY (342) 139 169 21 45.1 6- 6 ANARCHY (342) 0 5 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...."
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Ah yes my fellow warriors of Zuwayza, 'tis I Tmarack once again your Duelmaster.
Malkai, you put up a struggle for a while but were no match for me. Lucky I had not
got my challenge on you for the weapon chosen was not what you faced. Well boys,
who's next?
Tmarack
SPY REPORT
Welcome ZUWAYZA. I, Olaf Modeen remember this place well. Many the fights have
I fought here. The celebrations, the disappointments... What's with JIMI HENDRIX?
He actually beat ZUWAYZA's DANGEROUS CRIMINAL, and walked away with 16 more points
from the fight. Major screwup at DRAGON JUNKIES. FATHOM lost 9 points to MISCHEF.
Some new strategies, perhaps? Maybe FATHOM will provide more easy wins... ZUWAYZA,
set your sights on KHALHUMS DWARF. He'll be happy to entertain all requests after
defeating TMARACK. BLUE looked pretty Duelmasterlike as he took ZUWAYZA's top spot
with 113 points. Now, what will TMARACK do? I suppose you want to hear some rumors
and dirty gossip about your fellow fighters? Tough!
No matter the time or place, men will always duel. How well I know the feeling
of being in the most avoided team! Don't fall out of practive, QUASI-LEGAL OPS! In
my day, no team with a 58-62-7 would scare me off! What's the problem, THE SIERRAS?
What do people see in ZOSO? His 4-1-0? HIPPIES FROM HELL ain't talkin', but he's
got 48 points. BLUE expects the easy win by going 16 points down. MALKAI will find
this a hard lesson! BLUE won victory over MALKAI. I bet BLUE could beat
two-year-olds, too. Well, DRAGON JUNKIES knows who to set their sights on. I hate
going to the effort of writing about the kind of fights that CALLISTA gets in. She
fights people like ZOSO, 10 points below. I thought CALLISTA showed great skill and
promise when she overcame ZOSO. All right, so I slept through it! Big deal!
A fighter's lot is filled with strife, revenge, and killing. Some fighters
don't accept this. The best do. Here's some advice: study your opponent, master
many skills, fight dirty.
Who knows what the future holds for a warrior. More fights, there's no doubt.
ZUWAYZA is a nice place to live, but I don't like to live in nice places. Time for
my medication, so I'll leave now. Practice, practice, practice!-- Olaf Modeen
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BLUE 4647 11 4 0 113 THE SIERRAS (393)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-TRAGIC TUESDAY 4226 12 9 1 96 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TMARACK 4651 8 1 0 90 THE SIERRAS (393)
-LADY DEATHSTRIKE 4232 10 6 2 88 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363)
MALKAI 4571 22 8 0 86 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
HAWKINS 4649 7 2 0 85 THE SIERRAS (393)
CALLISTA 4575 14 12 1 73 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
MURPHY 4703 10 4 2 68 THE SIERRAS (393)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SEA DAR 4721 9 4 0 62 THE SIERRAS (393)
JIMI HENDRIX 1898 5 1 0 57 HIPPIES FROM HELL (181)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-KOOKOOYCOCOABLUNTS 4562 8 5 1 55 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363)
-MYSTIC 4348 7 9 2 50 ANARCHY (342)
ZOSO 1899 4 1 0 48 HIPPIES FROM HELL (181)
-ZUWAYZAN TSAR 4759 6 3 0 47 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363)
BONZO 1896 3 2 0 39 HIPPIES FROM HELL (181)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MISCHEF 4781 2 0 0 27 CURTAIN CALL (404)
CHAOS 4779 2 0 0 24 CURTAIN CALL (404)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ARROGANCE 4777 2 0 1 18 CURTAIN CALL (404)
-TRIPTOPHINE 4773 2 1 0 14 QUASI-LEGAL OPS (363)
-HIGH ELF 4732 2 4 1 13 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
CRAZY 4785 1 0 0 13 CURTAIN CALL (404)
MALIGN 4780 2 0 0 11 CURTAIN CALL (404)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SIMPLE SIMON 4631 2 2 0 8 ANARCHY (342)
-SLOW BURN 4630 2 2 0 8 ANARCHY (342)
FATHOM 4763 2 1 0 7 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
-OVERDRIVE 4783 0 1 0 1 ANARCHY (342)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
MORDANT DESERTER 362 0 1 0 1 ARROGANCE 4777 479 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Greetings and Salutations from Paradox23, mgr. of Hippies From Hell! (Now I wonder
if there is any way to change that gods awful name?)
Every now and again we have a Name-Change-O-Rama. Other than that, I'm afraid
you're stuck with the name. Not sure when the next O-Rama is, but it will come.
-- Ed.
Tmarack -- Don't get too comfortable; I know 3 warriors that are aimin' to sit back
in that gold plated recliner of yours. -- Paradox23
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
BLUE viciously subdued MALKAI in a 4 minute master's Challenge Title fight.
CALLISTA handily defeated ZOSO in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge match.
FATHOM was vanquished by MISCHEF in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge brawl.
TMARACK was luckily beaten by KHALHUMS DWARF in a 2 minute veteran's fight.
HAWKINS vanquished KUNG-FU MASTER in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
MURPHY overpowered BONZO in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
JIMI HENDRIX overpowered DANGEROUS CRIMINAL in a action packed 1 minute uneven melee.
ARROGANCE slaughtered MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute uneven fight.
CHAOS won victory over EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 2 minute novice's fight.
MALIGN outlasted CONVICTED THIEF in a slow 7 minute novice's melee.
CRAZY demolished CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute mismatched match.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 5 WALL OF STEEL 1 - 0 - 0 100 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 4 SLASHING ATTACK 21 - 8 - 1 72 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 16 - 9 - 0 64 |
|TOTAL PARRY 2 AIMED BLOW 3 - 2 - 0 60 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 7 - 6 - 1 54 |
|AIMED BLOW 0 TOTAL PARRY 8 - 8 - 0 50 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 STRIKING ATTACK 12 - 13 - 2 48 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 - 0 0 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 - 0 0 |
|WALL OF STEEL 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 - 0 0 |
Turn 479 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 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 3 LUNGING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 3 STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 3 - 2 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 2 BASHING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 1 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0 1 TOTAL PARRY
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK BLUE 4647 11 4 0 113 THE SIERRAS (393)
STRIKING ATTACK TMARACK 4651 8 1 0 90 THE SIERRAS (393)
TOTAL PARRY MALKAI 4571 22 8 0 86 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
SLASHING ATTACK HAWKINS 4649 7 2 0 85 THE SIERRAS (393)
BASHING ATTACK CALLISTA 4575 14 12 1 73 DRAGON JUNKIES (392)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is BLUE 4647. The most popular warrior this turn was
BLUE 4647. The ten other most popular fighters were TMARACK 4651, JIMI HENDRIX 1898,
CHAOS 4779, MALKAI 4571, CALLISTA 4575, MISCHEF 4781, HAWKINS 4649, MURPHY 4703,
ARROGANCE 4777, and CRAZY 4785.
The least popular fighter this week was MALIGN 4780. The other ten least popular
fighters were BONZO 1896, FATHOM 4763, ZOSO 1899, CRAZY 4785, ARROGANCE 4777, MURPHY
4703, HAWKINS 4649, MISCHEF 4781, CALLISTA 4575, and MALKAI 4571.