DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 08/02/2006    Duedate: 08/15/2006

LAPUR ARENA

DM-29    TURN-533

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

MACHIGAI
BLACK SAMURAI (166)
(29-4506) [18-5-0,106]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

YEAR OF THE CAT                BIG BERTHA
ARENA FELINES (399)            BOMBER GALS (409)
(29-4624) [10-4-0,128]         (29-4728) [3-0-1,27]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

MURRY                          LYRA
CROC FILES (374)               VENUSIANS (321)
(29-4638) [14-24-0,70]         (29-4320) [15-10-0,95]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

FORCE OF NATURE (312)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. VENUSIANS (321)             29
2. FORCE OF NATURE (312)       18      ARENA FELINES (399)
3. BLACK SAMURAI (166)         10      Unchartered Team
4. BOMBER GALS (409)           10
5. ARENA FELINES (399)         10      BOMBER GALS (409)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 0 ARENA FELINES (399)       18  10  0 64.3   1/ 3 FORCE OF NATURE (312)    10  5 0
 2/ 1*BOMBER GALS (409)          9   5  3 64.3   2/ 1 VENUSIANS (321)           8  7 0
 3/ 2 CROC FILES (374)         301 278 20 52.0   3/ 2 CROC FILES (374)          7  8 0
 4/ 3 BLACK SAMURAI (166)      296 283 20 51.1   4/ 5 BLACK SAMURAI (166)       4  3 0
 5/ 4 VENUSIANS (321)          132 131  7 50.2   5/ 6*BOMBER GALS (409)         4  5 1
 6/ 6 FORCE OF NATURE (312)    162 190 11 46.0   6/ 4 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      4  8 0
 7/ 7 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)     305 387  7 44.1   7/ 0 ARENA FELINES (399)       2  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[ A Crocodile in the Shadows #21 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

     Bindi lowered herself into the pool and sighed with pleasure.  At this point,
the land wasn't a swamp yet, just a water-spangled mixture of meadows and small
groves.  But it was well worth the effort it had been to get here.  She had seen
rabbits or some similar small animals disappearing into the grass, a heron had risen
from this pool and flown away trailing long legs and water droplets that gleamed in
the sun as they fell, and the gleam of fish bodies moved through the tea-colored
water.  It was a good place.  And the land was still sloping downward, although only
gently now; there would be more water down there, different kinds of trees, reedbeds.
Home, even though she'd never seen it before.
     She glanced at Agro.  He was enjoying the chance to submerge as much as she was,
but his eyes were always turned outward, watching the increasingly swampy land beyond
their position.  If there were indeed other crocs here, they would soon know of the
newcomers.  There would be challenges issued, because territory was being trespassed
on.  Fights.  Agro would have to establish himself as..."someone you listen to and
don't mess with."  She saw by the way he moved as he emerged from the water that he
was ready for it.
     "I'm going down there to find some crocs," he said.  He didn't look at his
companions for several minutes while he studied the swamp.  Then he glanced back at
Tyrai and Vurand.  "You'd better stay here, you won't be much good in the swamp.  And
Bindi will stay with you in case crocs come here before I return."
     Vurand shrugged.  Tyrai nodded.  "That is reasonable.  Good luck."
     Agro grinned, displaying many sharp teeth.  "I make my own luck," he said.

     This was not the swamp of which Agro had vague memories, the one he had been
born in, before T-Hawk had taken him to Ghea and changed him for the arena.  He
wondered again why the mage had done it, but shrugged off the question quickly.  Who
could understand the motives of a human and a mage?  Better to accept that fact and
go forward, as the crocs in Lapur had done.
     But Lapur had no land so fine as this for a croc.  It was too cold, for one
thing, and the change from river to dry land was too abrupt.  Crocs could live there
for a while, but they could never settle there.  He slipped into the water of a
channel, not so focused as a river, and glided with the faint current.
     An animal, some kind of wild pig, came down to the water to drink.  It didn't
notice him, though he could see that it was twitchingly alert.  It would make a tasty
meal.  No, not now.  Soon, very soon, he would meet some of the local crocs.  He had
entered their territory, he was sure he had crossed borders here.  And there would be
a fight, almost certainly.  Never eat right before a fight.  He learned that a long
time before he became a gladiator.
     He drifted deeper into the swamp.

     Tyrai sat cross-legged near the edge of the pool.  Vurand stood farther back,
scanning the surrounding countryside uneasily.  Bindi stayed in the water.  She had
missed being able to stay in the water for too long, she wasn't getting out now, even
for conversation with Tyrai.
     "Something out there," Vurand said quietly.  "Coming closer."  He indicated
direction--toward the swamp--with a half-gesture and kept scanning the area.
     Tyrai stood started her own scanning.
     Bindi envied her that grace on land; no croc would be really graceful on land,
it was not their element.  She half-raised herself in the water and turned to look
toward the swamp.
     "Two," Tyrai said.  "Three, maybe.  Big, but keeping low to the ground."
     Bindi climbed out to look.  "Crocs," she said after a moment.
     "Yes...."  After a moment, Tyrai, who had the best distance vision, said, "No.
One croc, two other creatures.  Some kind of giant lizards."
     "It doesn't look much like you," Vurand said.  "Or like Agro, either."
     "No...."  Bindi found that confusing.  Partly she remembered, sort of, and
partly...she didn't.  This croc was about the same height as she was, but with a
longer torso and shorter legs.  The arms were long in proportion, and sometimes it
supported itself with its knuckles, like some ape!  And its head was more wedge-
shaped, with a much longer snout.  It looked...more like an animal.  She hated that.
She was used to crocs that looked like people.  She had forgotten that this was one
of the changes T-Hawk had made.  Would it even be able to talk?

     Agro listened while the croc's voice echoed across the water.  Sounded like a
big one.  Good.  A big one would have more authority.  And defeating this "champion"
would give a standing to him and allow him to talk to the local crocs even though he
didn't have territory here.  Long arms and short legs, long toothy snout, what a low
type!  Dangerous enough, probably, but not the equal of HIM.  The gladiator was
marginally aware of other crocs around the edges of the shallow pool, watching.
Waiting to see if their champion could take him.
     He'd give them a show.

                                      SPY REPORT

     Hail LAPUR!  Warriors of the arena, prepare to be praised and blamed for your 
deeds.  It seems the training can make the difference, as VENUSIANS is pushed out of 
top team by FORCE OF NATURE, who came from 3rd with a 3-2-0 this turn.  And let's 
see, SOLAR FLARE fought CONNIE and gained 18 points and contributed to VENUSIANS' 
3-2-0.  CONNIE has lost to SOLAR FLARE, falling 16 points, while helping make CROC 
FILES a 1-4-0 turn.  MACHIGAI challenged for the Duelmastership this turn, attempting 
to dethrone VENUSIANS' warrior.  And not without some honor, MACHIGAI now claims the 
title and throne of Duelmaster of LAPUR.  Can someone confirm a rumor for me?  I hear 
the top team makes their losing fighters do dishes at The Warty Toad until they win.  
Maybe?   
     He who challenges well, fights well.  He who avoids without cause, shall lose 
for good reasons.  My mama told me that one.  I also notice that the ECHL-EAST stable 
was the most avoided team this turn.  Come on LAPUR, what are you afraid of?  And 
avoiding ECHL-EAST more than any other team we find BLACK SAMURAI.  LAPUR, are we 
going to accept, or respect this sort of thing?  Well, sports fans, take notice that 
SUE NAMI from FORCE OF NATURE was LAPUR's most challenged warrior this turn.   
     A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man only once.  Wise men know this to 
be true.  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.   
     Remember, blood on the purple robe does not change it from a purple robe.  Dare 
to fight bravely.  Always good to rest in LAPUR, but never good to wear out my 
welcome.  Look for me in future turns.  Until you see my quill in LAPUR again, 
farewell-- Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MACHIGAI 4506                18   5  0   106       BLACK SAMURAI (166)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 YEAR OF THE CAT 4624         10   4  0   128       ARENA FELINES (399)
 LYRA 4320                    15  10  0    95       VENUSIANS (321)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SUE NAMI 4097                14  19  0    88       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 DOWN POUR 4323                8  12  0    72       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 MURRY 4638                   14  24  0    70       CROC FILES (374)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SOLAR FLARE 4427             10   7  0    66       VENUSIANS (321)
 MIGHTY MOUSER 4621            6   4  0    66       ARENA FELINES (399)
-KOJIRO 4456                  14   9  1    63       BLACK SAMURAI (166)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 TIGER LILY 4732               6   2  0    55       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 JUNIBAN 4599                 15   4  0    49       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 SNOWSHOE 4712                10   8  0    49       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 CONNIE 4716                   9   5  1    45       CROC FILES (374)
 AMIE 4718                     5   5  1    45       CROC FILES (374)
 ASTRIAL 4328                  8  11  1    43       VENUSIANS (321)
 LADYBUG 4709                 11   7  0    40       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 WHIRLWIND 4325                8  13  0    37       FORCE OF NATURE (312)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MENSA 4442                    8   7  1    35       VENUSIANS (321)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 WEIPA 4726                    4   4  1    32       CROC FILES (374)
 BIG BERTHA 4728               3   0  1    27       BOMBER GALS (409)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-AKUMU 4674                    4   3  0    22       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 ZERO VISABILITY 4495          4   6  0    19       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 CEZZARO 4719                  4   6  0    19       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 GREEN DRAGON 4729             3   0  0    19       BOMBER GALS (409)
 CARINA 4749                   2   1  0    16       VENUSIANS (321)
-POKI-GAL 4731                 1   1  1    16       BOMBER GALS (409)
 STICKET 4751                  2   1  0    10       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
-BIG BAD CAT 4623              1   0  0     6       ARENA FELINES (399)
 MS MANNERS 4730               1   2  0     5       BOMBER GALS (409)
 LUCY 4754                     0   1  0     1       CROC FILES (374)
-DAIHACHI 4750                 0   1  0     1       BLACK SAMURAI (166)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
HORIKAO 4748           0  1 0 BLACK SAMURAI 166     WEIPA 4726            530 JUST REV
TORPEDO JANE 4727      1  2 1 BOMBER GALS 409       WYVERN 392            533 NONE    
ILL OMEN 4494          4  3 1 FORCE OF NATURE 312   ASTRIAL 4328          530 REVENGED

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Drums with the Scribe.  Want better. -- Big Bertha

Zero -- We must dance again. -- Poki-Gal

Corina -- Your technique is crude. -- Ms. Manners

Lyra and Venus -- Congrats on your duelmastership! -- Storm Front

Mensa -- Well, what did you think of my stamina after our second fight?  I sure did
enjoy that drink.  Maybe we can do it again some time.... -- Whirlwind

Ladybug -- It must be my new haircut.  I have Mensa buying my drinks and you sending
my flowers. -- Whirlwind

Astrial -- I will be the first to admit, I did not think our fight would end that
way...but I seem to be on a mini-roll. -- Down Pour

Ladybug -- As tacky as it sounds...I will send Down Pour to help try to wash that
sand out of those places. -- Sue Nami

Akumu -- Look, I am a short term warrior here already and you are not helping my
cause to stick around any longer.  You are making Storm Front's choices easy. --
Sticket

Connie -- You are a good fighter, and I really did not expect to win that fight.
Good luck on your way up. -- Sue Nami

Tiger Lily -- Careful on your climb...it can be a hard fall down.  Good luck up
there. -- Zero

Lady Bug -- This is another one I seriously did not think I could win, but I promised
Sue that I would help you remove the sand. -- Down Pour

Down Pour -- Yuck, I hate it when water falls out of the sky.  It seems so UNNATURAL.
Don't do that again, okay? -- Ladybug

Zero Visibility -- Sounds like a good day to stay home.  Wish I'd thought of that
excuse! -- Tiger Lily

Deadly Assassin?  Why would anybody want to assassinate ME? -- Showshoe the innocent
and inoffensive

Solar Flare -- You really messed up my radio reception.  What are you going to do
about it? -- Cezzaro

Whirlwind -- Maybe...tarps? -- Ladybug, concerned comrade at arms

Down Pour -- Then how come the gullies were all washed by the end of it? -- Cezzaro

Sue Nami -- One does as one must, and no hard feelings. -- Ladybug

Tiger Lily -- That would be wonderful!  I would send you some luck but as you can
see, mine ran out. -- Ghost of Ursa

Ms Manners -- I don't suppose I can talk you into bringing me some of that green tea?
-- Ghost of Ursa

Amie -- I'm not sure how tasty you really are since I couldn't get anywhere near you.
I can say that you left a bad taste in my mouth nonetheless...a salty/coppery taste
to be exact. -- Astrial

Whirlwind -- I doing great until you decided to do that whirling trick, think you can
teach me? -- Mensa

Murry -- Nice to see you again, sorry about the infirmary thing, I thought, what with
all your strength training you, uh, never mind.  Nice to see you again...yeah. --
Lyra

Cezzaro -- You sure know how to warm a woman up!  I needed that after Snowshoe. --
Solar Flare

10 July 2006
The Dark Knights sat at the Dark Table with grim faces.  All present knew that there
could be no quarter.  The Forces of Desolation would be unleashed.  There would be no
turning back, no mercy and no hesitation to do what was necessary.  Teeth gritted and
knuckles whitened with fury as the IMPERIAL PROCLAMATION was signed by each Dark
Knight.
     AS OF JULY 1, 2006 -- WAR IS DECLARED ON THE ALLIANCE KNOWN AS THE VENDETTA
CARTEL.
     The Desolate Empire -- Dark Knights:  Ancient Creep, Blackstorm, Dok Sik, Goat,
Heathen, Hatebred, Kon, Osiris, Toker, Wasby the Great

14 July 2006
In response to the Desolate Empire's declaration of war, the Vendetta Cartel offers
the following response:

The members of the Vendetta Cartel can be found in 1, 8, 9, 10,  11, 14, 22, 25, 28,
31, 39, 45, 47, 50, 52, 54, 59, 60, 100, and 106.  Stop yapping in the all-arena ads,
pick an arena, issue a challenge, actually win something, and then maybe (and we
stress maybe) you may speak.  You may come to our home arenas (8, 31, and 47) and
confront us, but we suggest you learn to win in your own "home" arena (52) first.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

TORPEDO JANE was butchered by WYVERN in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
JUNIBAN bested WEIPA in a 4 minute Bloodfeud duel.
MACHIGAI luckily beat LYRA in a popular 3 minute veteran's Challenge Title melee.
SUE NAMI devastated MURRY in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
AMIE savagely defeated LADYBUG in a 2 minute bloody Challenge match.
YEAR OF THE CAT bested M. CHARDINEE in a popular 1 minute duel.
DOWN POUR devastated SNOWSHOE in a 1 minute mismatched match.
MIGHTY MOUSER handily defeated THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a 2 minute uneven fight.
CONNIE was vanquished by SOLAR FLARE in a 1 minute uneven duel.
WHIRLWIND was vanquished by TIGER LILY in a 1 minute uneven fight.
MENSA unbelievably bested ZERO VISABILITY in a 4 minute fight.
CEZZARO was overpowered by ASTRIAL in a 2 minute uneven match.
BIG BERTHA luckily beat CARINA in a 2 minute brutal novice's fight.
GREEN DRAGON bested LUCY in a 2 minute amateur's conflict.
MS MANNERS was outlasted by STICKET in a tiring 14 minute amateur's match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -   2 -  0      67  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   4         STRIKING ATTACK   26 -  14 -  1      65  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         SLASHING ATTACK   13 -   9 -  0      59  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    4         BASHING ATTACK    13 -  10 -  2      57  |
|AIMED BLOW                       3         AIMED BLOW        14 -  12 -  0      54  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   3         TOTAL PARRY       11 -  11 -  0      50  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         LUNGING ATTACK    21 -  23 -  4      48  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     2         WALL OF STEEL     12 -  22 -  1      35  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -   2 -  0      33  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         PARRY-LUNGE        0 -   0 -  0       0  |

Turn 533 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    2 -  0     LUNGING ATTACK     1 -  3         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
TOTAL PARRY        4 -  0     STRIKING ATTACK    1 -  3         2  TOTAL PARRY    
AIMED BLOW         2 -  1     WALL OF STEEL      1 -  3         2  SLASHING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK     2 -  1     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         1  STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE       1 -  1     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         1  BASHING ATTACK 
                                                                1  PARRY-STRIKE   
                                                                1  AIMED BLOW     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      MACHIGAI 4506              18   5  0  106 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
STRIKING ATTACK  YEAR OF THE CAT 4624       10   4  0  128 ARENA FELINES (399)
LUNGING ATTACK   LYRA 4320                  15  10  0   95 VENUSIANS (321)
SLASHING ATTACK  SOLAR FLARE 4427           10   7  0   66 VENUSIANS (321)
PARRY-STRIKE     MIGHTY MOUSER 4621          6   4  0   66 ARENA FELINES (399)
AIMED BLOW       TIGER LILY 4732             6   2  0   55 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
WALL OF STEEL    LADYBUG 4709               11   7  0   40 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is MURRY 4638.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
LYRA 4320.  The ten other most popular fighters were AMIE 4718, ZERO VISABILITY 4495, 
WEIPA 4726, YEAR OF THE CAT 4624, MS MANNERS 4730, MACHIGAI 4506, LADYBUG 4709, DOWN 
POUR 4323, MIGHTY MOUSER 4621, and TIGER LILY 4732.

The least popular fighter this week was STICKET 4751.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were MENSA 4442, WHIRLWIND 4325, SNOWSHOE 4712, JUNIBAN 4599, TORPEDO JANE 
4727, CONNIE 4716, MURRY 4638, CARINA 4749, BIG BERTHA 4728, and CEZZARO 4719.

The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:

LEXINGTON (29-4580) DARK GLORY (395)

               NEW TEAMS IN THE TEMPORARY TOURNAMENT ARENAS (DM 81/83)

Please note that all new teams created at the Face-to-Face were temporarily placed 
in a temporary Tournament Arena, DM 81 or DM 83.  If you requested that your team be 
placed in a specific arena, it has already transferred to that arena.  Any teams not 
transferred out of DM 81 and DM 83 by September 1st will be deleted.  If you have 
questions about any of your teams, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI