DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 02/07/2020    Duedate: 03/05/2020

MORYA ARENA

DM-28    TURN-445

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

ACNE
BASH BROS BODY (541)
(28-5722) [15-4-1,104]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

ACNE                           JIM GAFFIGAN
BASH BROS BODY (541)           COMIC RELIEF (591)
(28-5722) [15-4-1,104]         (28-5773) [2-3-0,15]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

MAN'S HANDS                    JIM GAFFIGAN
BASH BROS BODY (541)           COMIC RELIEF (591)
(28-5634) [25-11-0,94]         (28-5773) [2-3-0,15]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

BASH BROS BODY (541)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. BASH BROS BODY (541)        38
2. BOOK OF THOMAS (584)        36      BASH BROS BODY (541)
3. DODGE BULLETS (126)          8      Unchartered Team
4. SEA DOGS (567)               5
5. COMIC RELIEF (591)          -1      COMIC RELIEF (591)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 BASH BROS BODY (541)     181 121  5 59.9   1/ 2 BASH BROS BODY (541)      8  2 1
 2/ 2 SEA DOGS (567)           232 193 18 54.6   2/ 1 BIG LAKE PURE (568)       8  5 0
 3/ 0 BOOK OF THOMAS (584)      49  46  3 51.6   3/ 4 DODGE BULLETS (126)       6  9 0
 4/ 3 BIG LAKE PURE (568)      176 170 20 50.9   4/ 5 SEA DOGS (567)            5  0 1
 5/ 4 DODGE BULLETS (126)      555 589 17 48.5   5/ 0 BOOK OF THOMAS (584)      3  0 1
 6/ 5*COMIC RELIEF (591)         8  17  0 32.0   6/ 3*COMIC RELIEF (591)        2 13 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

                                    Dark Stoicism

The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few 
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The 
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter 
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword 
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and 
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under 
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to 
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.

Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree 
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the 
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the 
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy 
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes 
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the 
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final 
resting spot of the failed gladiator. 

                                        * * *

"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision 
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the 
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's 
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible 
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted 
away. 

"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With 
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior 
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the 
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes 
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from 
the infirmary back to their training hall.

                                        * * * 

A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had 
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered 
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering 
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a 
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his 
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was 
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead. 

                                        * * * 

Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She 
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had 
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I 
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt 
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will 
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as 
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful. 
"That'll do. Now strike!"

                                        * * * 

Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was 
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash, 
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at 
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice 
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success. 
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more 
slowly...

                                        * * * 

The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie 
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did 
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man 
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield, 
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what 
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more 
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic 
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered 
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on 
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver 
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same 
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he 
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten 
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to 
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.

                                        * * * 

Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this 
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw 
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He 
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could 
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his 
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening, 
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty 
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower 
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first 
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.

The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive 
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then 
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now," 
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full 
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.

The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the 
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the 
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck 
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open, 
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and 
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was 
over. And it might never end. 

                                          -- memory

                                      SPY REPORT

     If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of 
MORYA brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too.  Later days, BIG LAKE PURE, since BASH 
BROS BODY took top team from you this turn, you guys are old news.  Of course, we're 
all terribly impressed to see FRECKLES win a fight and gain 21 points, terribly.  
Tsk, tsk, ANDERS SLOWEYE beat LUCKY LOOIE and LUCKY LOOIE lost 7 points.  You're 
breakin' my heart.  And it's out with the old, in with the new, as ACNE takes the 
Title and last week's bar tab from the old Duelmaster.  Heh, heh.  Salty's Chowder 
House, humph!  I've tasted better ale at mortuaries.  Where do they get this stuff?  
From MORYA's trash dumps?   
     Well, let's take a look at some more misdeeds of you miserable sword-boys.  BIG 
LAKE PURE, I suppose you'll be glad to know you were this turn's most avoided team.  
Care to know who is the most afraid of you?  And it looks like BASH BROS BODY avoided 
them the most this turn.  What a pack of would be losers, if you ask me.  Hmph.   
     Ah, now we come to my favorite part, where we see all the guys who are dead and 
gone, and get to see if their team cared.  Bye bye, warrior, bye bye...  DEADEYE 
DALE, a glorious 10-6-0 fighter, has passed away.  Gee, too bad DODGE BULLETS.  
Titanium shields and bamboo daggers, guess what brave team is developing these kinds 
of weapons?   
     What does the MORYA arena have in common with the inns?  It's just as 
comfortable to sleep in either place.  Ha ha ha ha!  Just wait 'till next time I show 
up here, I won't be so nice!  So nyaaah!  Paste this one in your scrapbooks, you'll 
need the kindling come this winter-- Snide Clemens  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ACNE 5722                    15   4  1   104       BASH BROS BODY (541)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-CORSAIR 5198                 12   7  1    96       SEA DOGS (567)
 MAN'S HANDS 5634             25  11  0    94       BASH BROS BODY (541)
 MORYA CHAMPION 5723          14  15  0    94       BIG LAKE PURE (568)
 FRECKLES 5695                12   3  1    91       BOOK OF THOMAS (584)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-OLIVE OIL 5546               11   6  0    86       BOOK OF THOMAS (584)
-SPINE EATER 5585              7   8  0    84       BOOK OF THOMAS (584)
 ANDERS SLOWEYE 5740          12  11  3    80       BIG LAKE PURE (568)
 LUCKY LOOIE 5022             15  23  1    69       DODGE BULLETS (126)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 STORM WARNING 5033           12  24  0    64       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 BEAKHEAD 5676                 4   0  1    63       SEA DOGS (567)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MYRON MEI 5081                8  12  0    50       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 CAROUSEL 5696                11   8  1    47       BOOK OF THOMAS (584)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-JACK TAR 5668                 3   1  1    30       SEA DOGS (567)
 LATELY STONE 5769             3   2  0    27       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 REALITY STIMULATION 5754      7   5  0    26       BIG LAKE PURE (568)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DRIFTWOOD 5658                3   1  0    23       SEA DOGS (567)
 RATUNDO 5768                  3   3  1    21       BIG LAKE PURE (568)
 PULLED MUSCLE 5763            1   0  0    17       BASH BROS BODY (541)
 NO FIZZLE 5758                3   1  1    15       BOOK OF THOMAS (584)
 JIM GAFFIGAN 5773             2   3  0    15       COMIC RELIEF (591)
 FLOTSAM 5779                  2   0  0    14       SEA DOGS (567)
 FATIGUE 5775                  1   0  0    13       BASH BROS BODY (541)
 STEVEN WRIGHT 5772            2   3  0    12       COMIC RELIEF (591)
 ENGVALL 5778                  1   3  0     6       COMIC RELIEF (591)
 JEFF DUNHAM 5777              0   4  0     4       COMIC RELIEF (591)
 FOXWORTHY 5782                0   1  0     1       COMIC RELIEF (591)

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
STRETCH MARKS 5780      1  1 1 BASH BROS BODY 541   WURM KIN              445  NONE
LEWIS BLACK 5774        3  1 0 COMIC RELIEF 591     BEAKHEAD 5676         444   
DEADEYE DALE 5168      10  7 0 DODGE BULLETS 126    FRECKLES 5695         445   

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Anders Slowyeye -- You were watching fast enough to pick up those skills.  Good work. 
-- Storm Warning

Jeff Dunham -- I like a fight where I win and learn some skills.  Good show. -- Lately 
Stone

Jim Gaffigan -- Works for me. -- Myron Mei

Morya Champion -- You're well named. -- Lucky Looie

Man's Hands -- Keep 'em out of my eyes, please. -- Deadeye Dale

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

STRETCH MARKS was butchered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
STEVEN WRIGHT was vanquished by BEAKHEAD in a 1 minute uneven Bloodfeud battle.
JEFF DUNHAM was narrowly defeated by FLOTSAM in a 5 minute beginner's Challenge fight.
JIM GAFFIGAN was bested by LATELY STONE in a 3 minute novice's Challenge contest.
MORYA CHAMPION was viciously subdued by ACNE in a 5 minute expert's Title brawl.
MAN'S HANDS beat KUNG-FU MASTER in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
ANDERS SLOWEYE defeated LUCKY LOOIE in a 2 minute expert's melee.
FRECKLES slaughtered DEADEYE DALE in a 1 minute gory uneven duel.
STORM WARNING vanquished CAPTURED ORC in a popular 1 minute brutal one-sided duel.
MYRON MEI handily defeated REALITY STIMULATION in a exciting 1 minute one-sided bout.
CAROUSEL demolished RATUNDO in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
NO FIZZLE bested PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 4 minute novice's battle.
ENGVALL was devastated by PULLED MUSCLE in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
FATIGUE overcame FOXWORTHY in a 2 minute fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW                       6         WALL OF STEEL     19 -   6 -  3      76  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   3         STRIKING ATTACK   14 -   9 -  1      61  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  3         LUNGING ATTACK    16 -  12 -  1      57  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    3         AIMED BLOW        19 -  16 -  1      54  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      3         PARRY-STRIKE       1 -   1 -  0      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      2         PARRY-RIPOSTE      3 -   3 -  1      50  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         TOTAL PARRY       11 -  12 -  0      48  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         BASHING ATTACK     7 -  13 -  1      35  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         SLASHING ATTACK    6 -  13 -  2      32  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         PARRY-LUNGE        3 -  10 -  0      23  |

Turn 445 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:

PARRY-STRIKE       1 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  2         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         2  WALL OF STEEL  
AIMED BLOW         5 -  1     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  1         2  STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK     2 -  1     TOTAL PARRY        0 -  3         2  SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK    2 -  1                                       1  TOTAL PARRY    
WALL OF STEEL      2 -  1                                       1  BASHING ATTACK 

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
WALL OF STEEL    ACNE 5722                  15   4  1  104 BASH BROS BODY (541)
LUNGING ATTACK   MAN'S HANDS 5634           25  11  0   94 BASH BROS BODY (541)
STRIKING ATTACK  BEAKHEAD 5676               4   0  1   63 SEA DOGS (567)

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       CAROUSEL 5696              11   8  1   47 BOOK OF THOMAS (584)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is MAN'S HANDS 5634.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was JIM GAFFIGAN 5773.  The ten other most popular fighters were ACNE 5722, JEFF 
DUNHAM 5777, NO FIZZLE 5758, ANDERS SLOWEYE 5740, MYRON MEI 5081, FATIGUE 5775, 
LATELY STONE 5769, STORM WARNING 5033, BEAKHEAD 5676, and FLOTSAM 5779.

The least popular fighter this week was FOXWORTHY 5782.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were RATUNDO 5768, REALITY STIMULATION 5754, DEADEYE DALE 5168, STEVEN 
WRIGHT 5772, ENGVALL 5778, LUCKY LOOIE 5022, MORYA CHAMPION 5723, STRETCH MARKS 5780, 
PULLED MUSCLE 5763, and CAROUSEL 5696.