DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 09/01/2005 Duedate: 09/14/2005
ZORPUNT ARENA
DM-24 TURN-512
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
TENTACRUEL
WATER DECK (459)
(24-4588) [11-4-0,130]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
TENTACRUEL INNY MEANIE
WATER DECK (459) MONEY PIT (475)
(24-4588) [11-4-0,130] (24-4656) [3-0-0,26]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
PINE LEAF TAIPAN
KRILL CAVALRY (403) AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
(24-4580) [18-20-0,74] (24-4667) [1-2-0,20]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
KRILL CAVALRY (403)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. AUSSIE KILLERS (455) 31
2. WATER DECK (459) 30 STAR DRECK (467)
3. MONEY PIT (475) 10 Unchartered Team
4. STAR DRECK (467) 7
5. KRILL CAVALRY (403) -1 MONEY PIT (475)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 2 STAR DRECK (467) 14 2 0 87.5 1/ 1 KRILL CAVALRY (403) 8 7 0
2/ 1*MONEY PIT (475) 5 1 0 83.3 2/ 2*MONEY PIT (475) 5 1 0
3/ 3 WATER DECK (459) 79 44 4 64.2 3/ 4 AUSSIE KILLERS (455) 4 5 0
4/ 4 AUSSIE KILLERS (455) 117 109 4 51.8 4/ 3 WATER DECK (459) 3 2 0
5/ 5 KRILL CAVALRY (403) 475 487 13 49.4 5/ 5 STAR DRECK (467) 2 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[ Deep Waters #2 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Iaye:
Kegrald Steelhand, employed by the Gladiatorial Commission as the Khalhums Dwarf
of Iaye (he was actually from Murska, but jobs were hard to find these days), reached
upward for another handhold. He knew there was another secure hold. Bird Rock was
rock, and you couldn't fool a dwarf about rock. He slipped his fingers into the
crevice he had sensed and began to ease his body upward. What he didn't know was
whether he would be able to get high enough fast enough. You couldn't rush things,
climbing a stone like this. Patience was just as important as knowledge, and more
important than simple strength.
But would the Thing in the water give him time? Probably not. Well, it stood
to reason that it wouldn't, not if it was figuring on dwarf for dinner.
A tentacle slapped the rock near his knee. He risked a glance downward, wishing
he hadn't brought his shield, or that he could unbuckle it from his back without
losing his grip on the stone, or that he hadn't come out here in the first place. No
good wishing, that wouldn't get him anywhere. The Thing's hide glimmered like an oil
slick, all treachery and peacock colors. Suckers fumbled at the surface of the
stone.
Kegrald inched a little higher, wincing as a tiny ledge crumbled under his too-
hasty grip. At least the Thing would be having as much trouble with it as he was.
Maybe more, because it didn't look like the kind of Thing that would understand rock.
A water Thing, that's what this one was.
Another tentacle touched his foot, and he kicked at it frantically. He wished
he'd worn boots instead of these sandals, even though he couldn't have climbed in
boots. But the touch of that slimy, boneless, moist, soft, rubbery, lascivious, lip-
like tentacle was enough to set him shuddering, and you couldn't climb a vertical
rock-face while shuddering. He lost one handhold and slithered downward again as his
fingers tightened desperately on the other.
A horn blew behind him, except that no horn he'd ever heard had made such a
liquid, caressing sound as that, and besides, there was nothing behind him but the
waters of the Trier. Not now that the Thing in the water had smashed his boat. He
slewed his eyes sideways as far as they'd go, trying to see what was there. Nothing
good, his luck wasn't running that way today. Could Things blow trumpets?
A shell, as big across as the dwarf was tall, floated on the very surface of the
water, or perhaps an inch or two above it. The Thing that stood on it was beautiful
but totally alien, as tall as a man, or at least a woman, standing on a column of
snakes or tentacles, body like a shining pearl, and no face at all that Kegrald could
see. The sound was coming from it, but how was beyond the dwarf's understanding,
since it had no horn, and no mouth to blow a horn anyway. But more tentacles rose
from the water around it and closed in on Bird Rock.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Deep Waters #3 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Zorpunt and vicinity:
"Tentacles!" The Great White Shark's tone was scornful, but Stonefish noted
that he did not plunge into the water boldly. "Everything has tentacles, and we're
supposed to make the connection: tentacles equals evil. Bah!"
"You can see the point," Stonefish said calmly. He was always calm; even
tentacles didn't menace someone whose very touch was poisonous. "The conventions are
determined by the mammals, and they are helpless against the tentacled denizens of
the waters. Even those mammals who are aquatic are at grave risk. And I haven't
noticed you saying anything good about giant squids, or the kraken."
"That's just common sense," the Shark said. "The respect of one predator for
another, and avoiding those who are harder to combat." He shrugged sloping shoulders
and continued to glare at the harbor, where something roiled the water constantly,
here a whirlpool, there a boil of turbulence, somewhere else an actual visible
tentacle questing above the surface. "A predator isn't evil because he preys on
those weaker. It's the first law of nature."
"Yes...but there IS something different about this predator. Or these, if there
is more than one. I will admit that the mammalian concept of 'evil' is a difficult
one to grasp, but--"
"No. There is only predator and prey, strength and weakness, hunger and
feeding. 'Good' and 'evil' are illusions created by those with fur in the heads
instead of brains." The Shark shrugged off the robe that concealed his unhuman
proportions and stepped to the edge of the dock on which he and his teammate stood.
"You are going to dive here, now?" Stonefish asked.
"Yes." The Shark slipped over the edge and into the water and was immediately
lost from sight.
"He is brave, but foolish."
Stonefish glanced over his shoulder. One of the standbys, Barkhotai, the
Ambitious Guard, was watching from two yards away.
"The Shark is a deadly--"
"We know the Shark is deadly. He has no need to prove it to anyone in Zorpunt."
Barkhotai moved closer to the water, circling a little to keep the same distance from
Stonefish. His eyes were on the pale fin slicing toward the turbulence in the center
of the harbor.
"The Shark makes his own rules," Stonefish said.
"He's a fool. That's a MONSTER out there, he shouldn't be going alone!"
"Are you offering to HELP the Great White Shark?"
Barkhotai hesitated, then nodded.
"You would SWIM in that water, mammal?"
"I'm not that much of a fool." The Ambitious Guard crossed to the other side of
the dock and began to climb down a ladder. "I'll take a rowboat, at least!"
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Zorpunt is my home, and I will defend her forever! I am Tentacruel, a native of this
fine city, and it is my honor to represent her as the Duelmaster. Stonefish was kind
enough to fall over after getting hit many times. I was shocked by how many halberd
shots you took, but then one doesn't get to a great record like 25-14 by being a
pushover.
Our team has gotten a lot younger as of late with the departure of Croconaw, Gyrados,
and now Wartortle--hopefully I'll join them soon enough in Talahya. After that, we
may go inactive for a while--as Noble has his hands full in Chimlevtal, Arvat, and
the upcoming contest in Dullens--not to mention the next tourney, and the next face
to face in a few months. I personally would like to see our squad get to 100 wins--
but that may have to wait for a while.
I challenged James T. this turn (I may have thrown in a secondary challenge against
Joe P.). I beat James T. early on in his career, I'm guessing he's learned a thing
or two since then, but so have I--so I say bring him on and may the best warrior win!
Tentacruel
SPY REPORT
Hail and well met warriors of ZORPUNT! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. TAIPAN caught the eye of many in the
gladiatorial commission as he skillfully bested ULTIMATE SIN and was awarded 18
points in recognition. In one of the week's more notable duels, VENOMOUS CONCUBINE
put down PINE LEAF, causing her to lose 13 points of recognition in the process.
Although STONEFISH made a valiant effort, it did not suffice to topple the reign of
victorious TENTACRUEL. Heed this! A seer has warned that if exactly 6 die in duels
this week, the whole city shall perish! Just remember...5 or 7!
Many and various are the arts of battle. In ZORPUNT "art" is a word that has
long since passed from the language! ZORPUNT, city of gladiators! Mighty among the
names of thy guilds is AUSSIE KILLERS, a guild shunned and avoided by many in the
weekly duels. Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent
the better part of last week avoiding AUSSIE KILLERS. Indeed it was STAR DRECK.
Mighty fighters cannot but expect competition from those below. JAMES T. JERK take
warning! You have more than a few enemies in ZORPUNT. I can not but mention with
disdain the name of JAMES T. JERK who this week posted a challenge to a warrior a
full 10 points below in the rankings. I thought JAMES T. JERK showed great skill and
promise when he won victory over JOE POOLE. All right, so I slept through it! Big
deal!
Is not Death a warrior's foremost adviser? Warriors, may this counselor stand
ready at your right hand forever! Some say a warrior is judged by the way he bears
arms. One thing is sure, better a dagger in hand then a sword on the belt!
If it were not for my skills as a spy I would have been mugged three times
already in ZORPUNT. Nice atmosphere you have here! More than a sharp eye must I
keep, indeed a stout pair of legs must I keep as well! The endless paths of Alastari
await me! Till next we meet remember: a fool flies into a rage quickly and often.
The wise are angered by the same thing only once. Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TENTACRUEL 4588 11 4 0 130 WATER DECK (459)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
JAMES T. JERK 4590 14 2 0 111 STAR DRECK (467)
STONEFISH 4489 25 16 0 99 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
JOE POOLE 4534 20 20 0 94 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BILL POOLE 4634 11 5 1 77 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
PINE LEAF 4580 18 20 0 74 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
-TIGER SHARK 4575 9 8 0 73 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
KING BROWN SNAKE 4635 9 6 0 61 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BUBBA JONES 4621 11 9 0 48 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
TRINA LARK 4615 11 12 0 47 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
-OMASTAR 4665 4 0 0 43 WATER DECK (459)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-VAPOREON 4613 3 3 0 31 WATER DECK (459)
INNY MEANIE 4656 3 0 0 26 MONEY PIT (475)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TAIPAN 4667 1 2 0 20 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
-DEATH ADDER 4582 2 6 0 16 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
ULTIMATE SIN 4659 2 1 0 11 MONEY PIT (475)
-CLOYSTER 4666 0 1 0 7 WATER DECK (459)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
TORCH - CHICK 4668 0 1 0 WATER DECK 459 ARENAMASTER KAI 415 512 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
You know how it is with party lines. You think you've been promised one thing, and
along comes payoff time, and it isn't what you expected at all.
A bridal shower? I thought I was getting a birthday party! -- Ed., feeling
literal
James T. Jerk -- Never have I known a man so well named. You, sir, are a rip-off
artist beyond compare. Well, maybe not beyond COMPARE, because I could compare you
to quite a few, but...definitely a rip-off artist. -- Joe Poole
Wartortle -- I hope you fall into the lake when the Great White Shark is hunting, and
he EATS you. -- Pine Leaf
King Brown Snake -- Have I been introduced to your queen? I'm kinda curious about
her. -- Bill Poole
Someone, and I name no names but have my DARK suspicions, has been feeding Dahlak
Krag, the Captured Orc, meat. And letting him off the leash, too! -- Trina Lark
The Userous Merchant was really pushing his new "Pay now, die later" plan for caskets
and cemetery plots, but I just don't like the idea. It gives me a cold shiver. --
Bubba Jones
P.S. Asking for trouble, if you want MY view on it.
Stonefish -- I dunno about HAPPY, but we do appreciate your effort. -- Leeta, Krill
Cavalry
4 August 2005
Ladies and Gentlemen...The Announcement You Have All Been Waiting For Is Here!!!!!!!!
ZalCon3...The Rebirth!!!!!!!
The Rules Are Simple, The Prizes Are Awesome, The Competition Fierce!
Where: Dullens (DM13) When: October 8th, 2005
The Rules:
Every Manager Must DA Their Entire Team On The First Turn They Enter The Contest.
All Warriors DA'd In This Manner MUST Be At Zero FE And May Fight In The Contest If
They Live. The Style Of The Warrior Must Be Present In The Name In A Non Ambiguous
Manner, Standard Abbreviations Accepted. Scoring Starts On The 3rd Turn Of The
Contest Which Will Also Be The First Turn After The October Mail In. Dead Warriors
May Be Entered From The Contest To Dead Apprentices ONLY--And With Zero FE!!!!! All
Living Warriors May Be Entered Into Rookies or Apprentices For The October Mail In.
Scoring:
1 Point For Each Win.
1 Point For Each Kill.
-1 Point For Each Loss.
-1 Point For Each Death.
Categories:
Ultimate Style Master: Warrior Of Any Style With The Most Style Master Points.
Top Team: Team With The Most Points At The End Of The Contest.
Top Warrior: Warrior With The Most Points At The End Of The Contest.
MVP Team: Team With The Most Free Fight Awards At The End Of The Contest.
MVP Warrior: Warrior With The Most Free Fight Awards At The End Of The Contest.
Style Master: Warrior With The Most Points Vs. Style In Each Style At The End Of The
Contest.
Warrior Top 11: Next 10 Top Point Gaining Warriors At The End Of The Contest.
Iron Manager: Any Manager With 100 Fights During The Contest (20 Turns Plus 2 Pre
Turns).
***Special Category*** An Additional Top Team Award Will Be Granted For Each 5 Iron
Manager Awards Starting At 6.
Prizes:
Ultimate Style Master, Top Team, Top Warrior: +1 To Bonus, Damage Bump, Free Train
Or Learn 2 Skills, Favorites Knowledge.
MVP Team And MVP Warrior: 20 Rollups.
Style Master: +1 To Bonus.
Warrior Top 11: Free Train Or Learn 2 Skills.
Iron Manager: +1 To Bonus.
Please Contact Zalgor Prigg Via Diplo (Armor & Weapons DM102) or Email
(zalgor@hotmail.com) Should You Have Any Questions Or Wish A Free Team Rollup To Dark
Arena On Turn 1.
Disclaimer: All Prizes Are To Be Used On Contest Team Only And Are Non Transferable.
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
TORCH - CHICK was butchered by ARENAMASTER KAI in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
JAMES T. JERK bested JOE POOLE in a action packed 2 minute veteran's Challenge duel.
KING BROWN SNAKE defeated BUBBA JONES in a 2 minute Challenge duel.
TAIPAN devastated ULTIMATE SIN in a popular 6 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
TENTACRUEL devastated STONEFISH in a popular 1 minute bloody uneven Title brawl.
PINE LEAF was overpowered by VENOMOUS CONCUBINE in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
BILL POOLE handily defeated CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute uneven melee.
TRINA LARK won victory over AMBITIOUS GUARD in a popular 1 minute gruesome duel.
INNY MEANIE vanquished PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 2 minute one-sided fight.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 2 AIMED BLOW 7 - 0 - 0 100 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 SLASHING ATTACK 9 - 2 - 1 82 |
|BASHING ATTACK 2 BASHING ATTACK 15 - 7 - 0 68 |
|TOTAL PARRY 2 STRIKING ATTACK 5 - 3 - 0 63 |
|WALL OF STEEL 2 LUNGING ATTACK 9 - 9 - 0 50 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 WALL OF STEEL 9 - 11 - 0 45 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 TOTAL PARRY 8 - 11 - 0 42 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 10 - 0 33 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 3 - 0 25 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
Turn 512 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 3 BASHING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 LUNGING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 2 2 WALL OF STEEL
SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 2 1 TOTAL PARRY
STRIKING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 SLASHING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
1 AIMED BLOW
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
BASHING ATTACK TENTACRUEL 4588 11 4 0 130 WATER DECK (459)
LUNGING ATTACK JAMES T. JERK 4590 14 2 0 111 STAR DRECK (467)
TOTAL PARRY STONEFISH 4489 25 16 0 99 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
SLASHING ATTACK BILL POOLE 4634 11 5 1 77 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is PINE LEAF 4580. The most popular warrior this turn
was TAIPAN 4667. The ten other most popular fighters were JAMES T. JERK 4590, KING
BROWN SNAKE 4635, TENTACRUEL 4588, BILL POOLE 4634, TRINA LARK 4615, INNY MEANIE
4656, BUBBA JONES 4621, JOE POOLE 4534, STONEFISH 4489, and PINE LEAF 4580.
The least popular fighter this week was ULTIMATE SIN 4659. The other ten least
popular fighters were TORCH - CHICK 4668, PINE LEAF 4580, STONEFISH 4489, JOE POOLE
4534, BUBBA JONES 4621, INNY MEANIE 4656, TRINA LARK 4615, BILL POOLE 4634,
TENTACRUEL 4588, and KING BROWN SNAKE 4635.
The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:
JOE POOLE (24-4534) KRILL CAVALRY (403)