DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 06/17/2004 Duedate: 06/30/2004 NIYTYOLE ISLAND ARENA DM-33 TURN-472 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS LUCKY LADY HAMMER CASINO HAMMERZ (576) (33-7043) [16-13-1,97] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader LUCKY LADY HAMMER LIONESS CASINO HAMMERZ (576) DARK TOADS II (598) (33-7043) [16-13-1,97] (33-7222) [4-0-0,64] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite HEY, ZEUS! LIONESS WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) DARK TOADS II (598) (33-7068) [14-14-0,73] (33-7222) [4-0-0,64] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM FOOD FIGHT (10) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) 33 2. BLITZKRIEG (597) 26 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) 3. JOYS OF BOOZE (556) 24 Unchartered Team 4. CASINO HAMMERZ (576) 22 5. FOOD FIGHT (10) 17 SUICIDAL MANIA (595) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 0*SUICIDAL MANIA (595) 1 0 1 100 1/ 2 FOOD FIGHT (10) 9 3 0 2- 2 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) 116 92 12 55.8 2/ 1 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) 8 7 0 3/ 3 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) 90 78 13 53.6 3/ 5*BLITZKRIEG (597) 5 6 1 4- 4 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) 85 76 2 52.8 4/ 4 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) 5 9 0 5/ 0 LUROCIANS II (92) 350 324 24 51.9 5/ 3 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) 4 5 0 6/ 6 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) 139 129 4 51.9 6/ 8*DARK TOADS II (598) 3 1 0 7/ 7 FOOD FIGHT (10) 155 148 5 51.2 7- 6 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) 3 1 0 8/ 8 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) 149 147 4 50.3 8- 7 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) 2 0 0 9/10*DARK TOADS II (598) 5 5 0 50.0 9/ 0 LUROCIANS II (92) 2 1 0 10/ 9*BLITZKRIEG (597) 5 6 1 45.5 10/12*CHAOTICDISORDER (585) 2 4 1 11-12*HITCHCOCKIAN (570) 2 3 0 40.0 11/ 0*SUICIDAL MANIA (595) 1 0 1 12/13*CHAOTICDISORDER (585) 3 7 1 30.0 12-13*HITCHCOCKIAN (570) 0 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 * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * HAMMER RUN for the ROLLUPS ROLL CALL Round by Round Recognition P-ad Approved Style Masters Listings "Be Bold! Wager Gold!" (P-ad declarations in parenthesis) [Manager name/Stable name in brackets] Rippers 01. Lucky Lady Hammer (T-440) [Hammer/Casino Hammerz] 02. W. (T-442) [Street Legal/Of Mythos And Men] Lungers 01. Hey, Zeus! (T-443) [Prophet/When Dogma Fails] 02. Career Criminal (T-455) [Philthy Phil/Jailbirds] Strikers 01. Stone Face Hammer (T-463) [Hammer/Casino Hammerz] Pikers 01. Siren (T-442) [Street Legal/Of Mythos And Men] 02. Gordie (T-463) [Kellog/Pig Battallion] 03. Bluffing Hammer (T-463) [Hammer/Casino Hammerz] Slashers Category Now Closed for Hammer Run as of T-469 01. WINNER T-469 Light Da' Pyre (T-443) [Prophet/When Dogma Fails] WINNER T-469 Total Parodys 01. Doctor Lecter (T-444) [Philthy Phil/Jailbirds] 02. Mirikle (T-447) [Dameon Darkheart/Obsidian Hall] 03. Maverick Hammer (T-465) [Hammer/Casino Hammerz] Plungers 01. Piggy (T-455) [Kellog/Pig Battalion] 02. Cool Hand Hammer (T-463) [Hammer/Casino Hammerz] Bashers 01. Repeat Offender (T-447) [Philthy Phil/Jailbirds] 02. Joe Friday (T-448) [Kellog/Pig Battallion] Wastes 01. Luftschwein (T-452) [Kellog/Pig Battallion] Aimers 01. Porkey LR (T-463) [Kellog/Pig Battallion] Attention: Hammer Run is for 0 FE Basic Arena Warriors ONLY. Participants MUST Be Declared in the P-ads On or Before their First DM 33 Basic Arena Fight to Qualify as a Hammer Runner! Winners of Each Category will receive 5 New Team Roll Up Gift Certificates mailed from RSI courtesy of Hammer! As of T-472 All Dead Contestants have been Deleted from the Hammer Run Roll Call to make it easier for everyone to read who is still Registered and which Categories are Closed due to Graduated Winners! * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * HAMMERZ HERALD Hammer Run Edition/DM 33 T-472 by Hammer She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm. -- Proverbs 31:17 Amplified Bible MAHATSAWD the Mighty could barely contain his excitement at the news that his fiancee LUCKY LADY HAMMER had managed to claim the DM 33 Duel Master Throne in such an unexpected fashion by those above her going Inactive! Wedding Bells were ringing loudly in his ears and MAHATSAWD was extremely proud of the fact that LUCKY LADY HAMMER had cheated Death so many times in the Infirmary to battle her way to the Throne while making their Wedding Plans! Hammer had stopped by to congratulate them on the accomplishment; which was an extremely thoughtful thing to do, because Hammer was busy making preparations for the upcoming Delarq Death Fest in DM 59 while still being gripped with Morya Madness! "Those Elven Orbs of Transport sure do come in handy for Hammer to get to all the places that he needs to get to," thought MAHATSAWD as he planned the next course of exercises for LUCKY LADY HAMMER to prepare the defense of her newfound DM Title, "and it is such an honor to be entrusted with the training of one of his favorite Rippers that he hopes to have Graduated to give WILD CARD HAMMER a run for his money over in ADM 106 after we get married!" As MAHATSAWD prepared a training strategy for his fiancee, he remembered the words of Hammer that seemed to carry upon the winds from a Realm stationed SomeWhere beyond ElseWhere and ElseWhen: "LUCKY LADY HAMMER...Make CASINO HAMMERZ Proud...Follow Your Inward Voice...Do Battle In The Name Of The Mighty One Of Old...Endure Hardship As A Good Soldier...For Your Path Leads To The Brightness Of Glories Untold And Unspoken...Overcome Your Opposition With Grace And Wisdom...For You Are Indeed A Champion Ripper...Worthy Of The Hammer Run Title For Your Style...And Worthy To Go To The Next Level To Challenge WILD CARD HAMMER As Casino Hammerz Best Ripper...Fear Not Death...For Immortality Awaits You Upon Graduation!" <)]H[(> + -----:----- + <)] The Free Cities #79 [(> + -----:----- + <)]H[(> Near Barikala: The pillar of light over Barikala was not an attack in any obvious way, but Artemisia found no comfort in that. It was probably magical. No, it was definitely magical. No one had been able to explain it in the months, the years since the Invasion, but they'd figured out that early on. Well, what else could it be? And it, or something connected to it, was deadly dangerous, because no ship or single visitor had returned from Barikala after the pillar first appeared. Those ship captains who normally used Zukal's port had long since worked out the limits of safety in the waters around Barikala, and The Golden Moon was well outside that limit. But...the zombies were something new on the chart. A man screamed behind her, along the ship's other rail, and she whirled. There was movement beyond the rail, black on near black, hard to make out. Lanterns lit the ship's deck but cast no significant light beyond it. She could see one of her sailors staggering toward the rail with some kind of dark cable wrapped around the middle of his body, but not what lay beyond and pulled him. She didn't need to see. She crossed to that side of the deck, her cutlass whistling down on the cable. The blade bit, but not deeply, the cable was more rubbery than a normal rope. It wasn't a rope, of course. She saw with disgust rather than fear that it was a tentacle, though what creature would have a tentacle four inches thick at any point was not something she cared to think deeply about. The Lady Protector hacked downward again. There were more cries. Fear, loathing, terror. More tentacles reaching up and over the ship's side. Tentacles on one side of the ship, zombies on the other. Neither group of sailors could abandon their own task to aid the other. Both attacking forces were stronger than Artemisia had expected. She began to wonder if her crew and her ship would survive at all. Niatoli Island: Lord Protector Ghenis walked along the waterfront of the island's only real town and looked over the shipping on hand. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he figured he'd know it when he saw it. Some people might have taken him for a tourist and considered robbing him, or selling him the kind of trash that hustlers always sold to strangers and rubes, but...not here. This town had an arena, and they knew that kind of walk, that assured and dangerous stance. He could be a hick with hay growing out his ears, but as long as he was a Lord Protector, no one would mistreat him so. At least, no one but another Lord Protector. And since he wasn't such a hick.... He smiled, a baring of his teeth that drove human rats out of his path. Ah. There was a man on the street ahead of him, talking to a probably ship captain. A man who, like himself, was unmistakably a Lord Protector. Tall, hard, maybe not quite human, although Ghenis couldn't put his finger firmly on the difference. Something in the way he stood, maybe. Not that it matter. This looked like a man he could work with. When the man turned away from the sailor, Ghenis was there, nodding his head in a move as close to a bow as he ever got. "I'm Ghenis, from Zukal," he said, and raised a questioning eyebrow. The other frowned. Odd, at this close distance, he seemed almost...scaled. "Agro, Lapur," the man said shortly. Ghenis noted that the sailor was moving away, clearly dissociating himself from the two gladiators. "I have control of a ship," Ghenis said, "and I am minded to make a raid on the invaders at Monuntial. You look like a man who might be interested in that." Agro's frown deepened, but he smiled, baring pointed, over-large teeth. "I'm interested," he agreed. Rocanis: Lady Protector Eleven Blade, Leven to her friends, stood on Spirit Ridge and stared southward. What should have been rolling, increasingly arid grasslands to the distant horizon was now a bank of...fog, maybe. Dark, sharp as a wall at its base, the top of it working like porridge boiling in a pot. And no more than fifteen miles away, probably less. Ten. "I've never seen anything like it," she admitted. "Strange weather...if it is weather." "It's partly weather," her companion said slowly, "but not entirely." He was a Lord Protector from Morya, Ghost Dancer by name. "I have been studying it for two months now. It began...I don't know where. Somewhere in the far south. It was a hundred miles south of here when I first saw it." Leven glanced at the man sharply. She didn't really know him, but there was nothing in his face or manner that suggested he was lying. "It's moved ninety miles in two months? At that rate, it could be on Rocanis within a week!" "Its speed is irregular," Ghost Dancer said. "Some days it moved scarcely a mile, other days it raced north like wildfire. But yes, it could be on Rocanis... any time." He was silent for a moment, as though debating whether he should say more. With a faint shrug, he went on, "I have not been able to find an end to the line of it and get around behind. I have no idea what lies behind in the ground it has already covered. But I would not expect to find anything really GOOD where that has passed." Obviously not, Leven agreed silently. The unknown never seemed to be benevolent. It was probably a natural law. "You couldn't get around an end," she said. "Did you try going straight through?" Ghost Dancer paled a little. "Yes," he said very quietly. "I survived, but I didn't get very far into it. Or I would never have come back, I think. It was like being caught in a whirlwind, in part. But I was not the only thing in the grip of the walking storm, and the others were.... Some of them were beasts, mad with terror and striking blindly. Others were," he hesitated, "things. The sort of things a priest of the Mytori might call out of the Darkness." "Do you believe it's a natural phenomenon?" Eleven Blade asked. "No." "Good. If it's unnatural, it was made by men. Or something like men, anyway. And what men can make, they can undo. Let's find out how, and then...undo." >)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #80 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(< Near Barikala: On _The Golden Moon_, Lady Protector Artemisia commanding, there were cries. Fear, loathing, terror, desperate rage. More tentacles reaching up and over the ship's side. Tentacles on one side of the ship, zombies on the other. Grunting and stamping, and the sound of blows landing. Neither group of sailors could abandon their own task to aid the other. Both attacking forces were stronger than Artemisia had expected. She began to wonder if her crew and her ship would survive at all. The tone of a great bell, deep, loud, shaking the air, rolled over the ship, drowning out even the sounds of battle. Artemisia had never heard it before, so it must be something the attackers were doing. More trouble in the making. That would have to be a worry for later; she didn't have enough men to split off a group for a new problem. She hacked at another of the rubbery tentacles. Her sword made a shallow cut on the surface, the best she'd managed so far, and the wound leaked something pale and phosphorescent. It reared upward, as though it had a mind of its own, independent of the other tentacles, twice the height of a man and curling at the tip like a talon. It poised above her for a moment, then began to descend. Disks of pale light shown on its inner surface, the mouths of suckers such as small octopi had. But these disks were as big across as her hand. She didn't want to think what they might do to human flesh. The bell struck again, a note so heavy with power that it was actually visible as it swept over the embattled ship in a wave of blue darker than the twilight. It struck Artemisia as a huge wave might have, battering her to her knees. The tentacle was also engulfed in the pulse of sound, she saw it bent backward like a willow switch and dreaded the thought of what would happen when the pressure was relieved and it snapped forward again. She would have thrown herself to the side, out of its probable path, if movement had been possible. The heavy blue wave-front passed, and in its wake came a zone of emptiness, no light, no powerful sound, and not much air. The tentacle came forward like a bowstring released. But Artemisia had been released, too, and rolled to the side, gasping for breath. It smashed down on her leg instead of across her torso. The tentacle was as heavy in its way as the sound had been; had it come down over her chest, she was sure it would have crushed breath and life out of her. As it was, she was pinned to the deck. At least for the moment, the thing seemed satisfied with simply trapping her. She raised herself on her elbows and looked around. There were few of her crew still upright and fighting. Most of the ones on the side attacked by the zombies, the side toward Barikala, were simply gone, the zombies as well as the sailors. And most of those remaining on her side of the ship were trapped as she was by tentacles pinning them to the planks. Some of them must be dead, from the way they were crushed against the wood. None were moving. She could only see one other man still standing and fighting, and as she watched, he screamed, slashed wildly at the air, and then leaped forward, throwing himself over the rail into the water. The tentacle over her leg twisted and curled around it, then began drawing her toward the side of the ship. She considered grabbing some part of the ship's equipment and fighting against that force, then shook her head. The tentacle was too strong; it would pull her loose...or pull her apart. She tightened her grip on her cutlass. If this thing thought to eat her, it would find that its meal had teeth. Niatoli Island: "I have control of a ship," Ghenis said, "and I am minded to make a raid on the invaders at Monuntial. You look like a man who might be interested in that." Agro's frown deepened, but he smiled, baring pointed, over-large teeth. "I'm interested," he agreed. "I know people who know these waters," Ghenis went on, "and they tell me that the best time to leave for raiding the coast will be afternoon. Light to get out of the shoals, and then all night to get close to the our target. We'll come on Monuntial at dawn, get 'em before they're really awake." Agro nodded but asked, "You planning on a big fighting crew?" Ghenis hesitated. He didn't actually have any warriors he could be sure of except his teammate Cousin Og. He, Og, and this Agro might be a formidable trio, but it didn't make sense to launch an attack on a city, or even a serious raid, with only three men. Agro grinned again. Really, all those teeth just didn't look human. "I can get some refugees from Monuntial that'd be glad enough to do a little damage. And some other gladiators that're at loose ends. It won't be a problem." This was not as reassuring as Ghenis expected it to be. 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...." * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 493): INSOMNIAC of DSM4 (The Sandman, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 491): JOSTLING JAGUAR of ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 487): THE GOVERNATOR of POLITICALY INCORRECT (The Dark One) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 488): SLOTHIS of MINOTAURS (?, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 486): KARO LEE of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 485): ADARA AL ZAHRA of JAGUAR WARRIORS (Noachian, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 242): CIARAN POWER of 50TH MILK RAS (Dr. Mabuse, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 477): COOKIE of CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 240): VILI of LORDS OF VALHALLA (High Lord Bosk, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 473): STYLISH of SARATOGA GLORY (The Trainer, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 471): LUCKY LADY HAMMER of CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 464): TOM THUMB of THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 428): PENICILLEN of MEDS (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 217): SCORPIUS of KNIGHT BREED (The Omnimancer, mgr.) DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 211): HONEY BEAR of THE BEAR'S PAW (Kat, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 198): TOM SMITH DISEASE of STRANGE TUNES (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 352): CAPTAIN CAVEMAN of LAFFALYMPICS (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 332): TRENT LOTT of DEATH BY STUPIDITY (The Sentinel, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 147): VANISH of THE INANIMATES (Mannequin, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 378): HEL of ARCTIC GUARDS from DWES EG (Yukon Cornelius) Top Teams --------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 493): SOLITAIRE (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 491): HIGH JINKS (Jondeaux, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 487): STARBASE 5 (Zeus, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 488): PUNNY AMINALS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 486): THE HORDE (?, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 485): CURTAIN CALL (?, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 242): THE PENTARCHY (The Pentalque, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 477): SHREW CAN IT BE NOW (The Anarchist, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 240): OVERLORDS (The Icelord, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 473): SARATOGA GLORY (The Trainer, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 471): CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 464): THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 428): HELL'S PAWNS (Harbinger, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 217): MOJO P@TROL (Master Voodoo, mgr.) DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 211): ALL-STAR NANA'S (The Mun, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 198): STRANGE TUNES (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 352): GENERAL SURGERY (Darkfist, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 332): FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 147): MAGIC MAYHEM (Fizban, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 378): BLADES OF GRASS (Lord Andarus, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 491): JOSTLING JAGUAR of ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.) TILLOUISA of SWEET MAGIC (Jorja, mgr.) (turn 490): THE TICK of THE CITY (Berylstar, mgr.) BARRY of THE CITY (Berylstar, mgr.) PHANTAST of DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 486): BIRDSONG of GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 485): TORLYN UNA of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 242): TERRIBLE TOTOMAC of IDIOTIC ICCERS (THawk, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 240): LAPHROAIG of SINGLE MALTS (Berylstar, mgr.) TIGBASA of STORMWATCH (Polar Bear, mgr.) SIR PELLEAS of WILLBENDERS (Abraxis, mgr.) STIGMA OF STUPID of UNFIT TO BE ORCS (Slugbait, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 428): PENICILLEN of MEDS (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 217): SCORPIUS of KNIGHT BREED (The Omnimancer, mgr.) DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 210): TENT IN QUARANTINO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.) BLACK JACK SHELACK of ROYAL FLUSH (Crip, mgr.) 100% COLUMBIAN of COFFEE RULES! (Mr. Coffee, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 351): ANDREW of ROLE MONSTERS (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 146): KASENKO of PERFECTION QUEST II (Mannequin, mgr.) DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. What a pleasant surprise to be crowned as your new Duel Mistress atop the Niytyole Island DM 33 Throne! I remember Roulette Hammer saying the View from the Top was quite breathtaking...right before she was Killed! Now it is up to me to keep from Dying while I do all that I can to make the most of these unexpected Political Points and stay up here until I can get Graduated and win those New Team Roll Ups for Hammer as the Ripper Hammer Runner Champion! Many thanks to those who Challenged me throughout my career and FAILED to Kill Me in the Infirmary! More thanks to those who Challenged me and were Surprised by my Victories! Hammer is scouting his inactive stables to see which Rippers are available to reactivate, because he enjoys this Style so much! I would like to think that I have something to do with his keen interest in reactivating Rippers and plan to NOT Disappoint my Veteran Manager by Dying before Graduation! Hammer is a bit pre-occupied with the final arrangements for his Death Fest contest over in DM 59, so I hope everyone takes an interest in participating over there; even if Hammer does NOT have a Ripper on his Delarq Death Fest squad. Love and Kisses to my fiancee MAHATSAWD the Mighty who is doing his best to personally train me for Graduation so that we can be married before I am off to ADM 106 to see if I can overtake WILD CARD HAMMER and prove I am so much Better Equipped as a Ripper to represent CASINO HAMMERZ over there! Guess I will wait and see who gets a Challenge through for a Title Shot or who gets that Random Match Up Title Shot for T-172; just hope it is someone who teaches Skills so I can get More Than Enough to Graduate in Style! -- Lucky Lady Hammer/Glad to be Alive and Hammer's Favorite Style! P.S. The View from the Top is Even Greater than Expected! SPY REPORT Hail and well met warriors of NIYTYOLE ISLAND! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. Former top team CASINO HAMMERZ was unseated this week as FOOD FIGHT moved up from 2nd ranking to take the top spot with a 2-1-0 record for the round. BEER BELLY caught the eye of many in the gladiatorial commission as he skillfully bested GRUDGEBRINGER and was awarded 22 points in recognition. In one of the week's more notable duels, THUMP IT put down BLUFFING HAMMER, causing him to lose 5 points of recognition in the process. Not for nothing has LUCKY LADY HAMMER in the past laid claim to the Duelmaster's throne, and this week she's proven hers combat skill yet again. No confirmation, but my sources claim that the top team has gained their position using magical aids. Charmed weapons perhaps? But come now, let us look deeper into the maze of contention and crossed blades that is city NIYTYOLE ISLAND. I saw one fighter that warriors avoided when this week's challenge seeking began. WHEN DOGMA FAILS is feared. This much I can say. Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent the better part of last week avoiding WHEN DOGMA FAILS. Indeed it was FOOD FIGHT. Loose talk at the arena has reached my ears and it but confirms the knowledge that many fighters are after BLUFFING HAMMER. Watch your back! Vendettas. Bloodied blades and broken spears. Indeed the city has seen more than its fair share of red in recent times. Walk proud, warriors of JOYS OF BOOZE! By striking down GRUDGEBRINGER you have avenged the honor of your dead. Your virtue is known to all in NIYTYOLE ISLAND. Fate is a fickle mistress. She showers the miserable with fortune but sets enemies against the victorious. Remember this! A thought before I go. Each warrior practices one style, but must not the wise manager learn the secrets of them all? Sadly warriors, now longer can I keep thy company nor savor the ale of thy fine city. Depart I must and soon! 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 LUCKY LADY HAMMER 7043 16 13 1 97 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -KID REDO 6899 11 7 3 94 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -CATLOW 6990 14 7 1 87 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) HAROLD O'DOOM 7176 9 6 1 84 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) LADY KALDRA 5451 7 5 1 84 LUROCIANS II (92) GRUDGEBRINGER 6999 16 19 1 82 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) IRON CHEF 6925 12 5 0 81 FOOD FIGHT (10) BEER BELLY 7127 9 2 0 80 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) -CLINCH 7133 8 2 1 77 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HEY, ZEUS! 7068 14 14 0 73 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME LIONESS 7222 4 0 0 64 DARK TOADS II (598) STUPOR 7094 11 17 0 58 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) -SUPERIOROIREPUS 6922 7 1 0 58 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -SUPERIOR BAGGINS 6968 5 3 0 47 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) LADY WU 6815 6 7 0 46 LUROCIANS II (92) -LONIGAN 7022 8 12 1 43 SACKETT'S & CO. (552) -<B>SUPERIOR</B> 7018 4 1 0 43 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) SNARF! 7227 7 2 0 36 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) OLD MILLWATER 7173 7 4 0 35 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME PASTA LA VISTA 7256 3 0 0 33 FOOD FIGHT (10) THUMP IT 7260 2 1 0 33 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) STONE FACE HAMMER 7245 5 3 0 28 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) COOL HAND HAMMER 7243 5 3 0 28 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) DEMONICHELLION 7038 1 2 1 26 CHAOTICDISORDER (585) PUERCO PIBIL 7258 2 1 0 24 FOOD FIGHT (10) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -SWILL 7187 4 2 0 23 FOOD FIGHT (10) -CHAN 7202 2 0 1 20 BLITZKRIEG (597) -H 6924 4 4 0 19 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) AMORPHOUSBLOB 7042 2 2 0 18 CHAOTICDISORDER (585) BOMBAY 7201 2 1 0 17 BLITZKRIEG (597) BLUFFING HAMMER 7244 4 4 0 16 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) MAVERICK HAMMER 7242 3 5 0 14 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) VICTORIA BLACKHART 7192 1 0 1 14 SUICIDAL MANIA (595) -BOOMER 7198 1 1 0 14 BLITZKRIEG (597) -PSYCHO 6666 2 2 0 13 HITCHCOCKIAN (570) -SUPERIOR TOAD 7019 2 0 0 10 SUPERIOR FORCES 2Y (563) LADY CLAIRE 7125 1 0 0 10 LUROCIANS II (92) WRECHEDMISERY 7255 0 2 0 6 CHAOTICDISORDER (585) -VERTIGO 6667 0 1 0 1 HITCHCOCKIAN (570) SEA MAN 7262 0 1 0 1 BLITZKRIEG (597) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? MORDANT DESERTER 222 0 1 0 1 VICTORIA BLACKHA 7192 472 NONE TRIP 13 7263 0 1 0 BLITZKRIEG 597 ARENAMASTER KAGHA 243 472 NONE JAGUAR 7205 1 3 0 DARK TOADS II 598 DEMONICHELLION 7038 472 DA SPINS 7011 12 11 1 JOYS OF BOOZE 556 GRUDGEBRINGER 6999 468 JUST REV PERSONAL ADS Hammer Runners and All Interested Persons -- Thankfully I have online access to check the newsletters because some of my newsletters are taking about a month to arrive over here. Even had my DM 33 newsletters arrive in different order last month. Anyway, I am unable to comment about LUCKY LADY HAMMER and her Title Fight; due to the fact that I have NO IDEA as to when it will arrive. However, because the newsletters are online I was able to Email a Duel Mistress Column by LUCKY LADY HAMMER for this issue. Have a Great Summer Everyone! -- Hammer P.S. Death Fest begins in DM 59 on July 29th/T-172 for those of you who would like to compete in 15 rounds of a Slow Arena contest! New All Arena Ad should be appearing soon! 25 May 2004 TEN TURNS OF HELL: The KLK Capture The Flag Competition In the spirit of the ongoing effort to make arena play what it used to be (FUN!!), I am proud to announce the KLK Capture The Flag Competition. The competition will be held in Jhans (DM-36, which has, by the way, grown in size equal to Talcama already). :) We are announcing this contest early to allow managers time to prep. Rules: -- On turn 462 (due 8/4/04) the lowest ranked warrior on your team is given your team's 'flag' (he is your initial flag defender). -- Starting on turn 463 (due 8/18/04) flags will be defended every turn and turn 463 is the turn scoring will begin. -- Fights involving flags are winners-take-all and a warrior can carry as many flags as he can win. -- If a warrior holding a flag either A) goes inactive, B) loses to a stand-by warrior or C) gets DA'd, he forfeits all flags he has and they are returned the their original team's lowest ranked warrior. -- If you hold your own flag on an inactive warrior you receive NO POINTS that turn. -- If a warrior graduates to AD holding flags starting on the next turn those flags will be defended by the lowest ranked warrior on the team of the graduating warrior. -- Scoring as follows for each turn: 2 pts -- possession of your own team flag 1 pt -- possession any other flag 1 pt -- for each win 1 pt -- for each kill 1 pt -- for each award you receive in the newsletter -- You may enter as many teams as you like (per RSI rules) but each team is its own entry. -- Tie-Breaker goes to the team that had the most points from flags. -- If still tied the tie-breaker will be the team that had the most points from kills. (It's the Delarq way.) -- The contest lasts 10 turns and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd (based on highest point totals) Prizes: (what you've been waiting on) 1st -- 3 know favorites potions* DA warrior named after winning manager 2nd -- 2 know favorites potions* 3rd -- 1 know favorites potion* * These are full favorite potions (weapon, rhythms and tactics) and can only be used on warriors with at least 4 FE. How's that for paying out? (grin) Even if you think that it's all about the TC, these prizes should be enough to draw you in. (You know who you are.) I hope to see friend and foe alike come to Jhans. Legion, Froths, and all the others...this is your personal invite. Can you win? Can you survive 10 turns of Hell in Jhans? Note: Special thanks to RSI for helping make this contest possible. Thanks guys! Bookie KLK Alliance Director Jhans' Board of Tourism Warden of the Froth Circle (grin) D.R.C. 4 Life 16 June 2004 Death Fest Begins July 29/DM 59 T-172 "You drive a hard bargain Hammer," responded Lord Lian Ki Na-Sul, "but the Gladiatorial Commission has agreed to re-open DM 58 Delarq Tor as a Slow Arena exclusively for a period of six months to those Death Fest contestants who fight their stables at least 67 times out of a possible 75 during the 15 rounds of Death Fest; on the condition that at least 20 stables qualify for the Illis Iron Stable Award at the conclusion of the Death Fest and those qualifying managers send a New Stable to DM 58 Delarq Tor without Cannibalizing their participation in the other arenas where they have active stables!" Hammer felt a certain sense of satisfaction as he studied the ghoulish grin spreading across the face of Lord Lian Ki Na-Sul; proud Arena Master of the once dying Illis Arena, as the DM 59 Arena Authority signed the Gladiatorial Commission papers authenticating the arrangement agreed upon by the two parties presiding. "You and the Gladiatorial Commission also drive a hard bargain," Hammer replied as he reflected upon the prospects of Delarq Tor DM 58 being re-opened as a Slow Arena with at least 20 New Stables by the Managers who fight their stables at least 67 times out of a possible 75 during the 15 rounds of Death Fest. "I also notice the clause that for Delarq Tor to be open Exclusively for 6 months to the New Stables managed by the Illis Iron Stable Award Winners that there must be at least 15 stables Active each cycle. That is a fair bargain for the opportunity to battle for the Duelmaster Throne each of those six months before Other New Stables are allowed to enter Delarq Tor." This was a Golden Opportunity for both Veteran and Newbie Managers to pave a new frontier of Delarq history by qualifying their Death Fest stables in DM 59 with 67 fights out of a possible 75; then for the price of running a stable in a Regular Arena, continuing to be Active in DM 59 and sending a New Team Roll Up to be a part of "History in the Making" when Delarq Tor would re-open for its First Turn as a Slow Arena on November 3rd, 2005. Death Fest would conclude on T-186 August 25th, 2005 allowing the Illis Iron Stable Award Winners enough time to be registered with the Gladiatorial Commission; whereupon they would be able to submit a New Team Roll Up to the GC to start a New Stable in Delarq Tor; be able to fight those New Gladiators in the Rookies 2005 Fall Mailer Tourney; then begin competing for the DM 58 Duelmasters Throne in Delarq Tor right out of the gate with the November 3rd 2005 T-1 Debut Opening Round. Hammer of the First Part had also negotiated with Lord Na-Zul of the Second Part an agreement that All 10 Dark Arena Monsters and 17 NPCs Characters be re-named by the Top Ten Death Fest Finishers. [See DM 59 T-171 Newsletter Team Spotlight by Hammer for the complete listing of Dark Arena Monsters/NPCs and the Official Death Fest Designation for which Top Ten Finishers re-name which characters!] Lord Na-Sul could not hide his delight at the prospects of Death being re- delivered to his once dying arena during the Delarq Death Fest; the DM 59 Arena Master agreed that these Death Fest Prizes were but a Small Exchange in Comparison to the Profits to be made by the local Illis business merchants and surrounding community from the Anticipated Influx into Illis by the Veteran and Newbie Managers/Gladiators/Stables seeking to make History in the Delarq Death Fest. Nor could Hammer conceal his jubilation regarding the Call Across Alistari being Answered to Cross Blades and Match Wits with the Devious, the Diabolical, the Dangerous and the Down Challenging who were being drawn to the Delarq Death Fest to Fulfill their Delarq Dueling Destiny! REMEMBER: Death Fest begins July 29th T-172 with 25 points being awarded to those who write a minimum 15 paragraph Team Spotlight [including Stable Name & Managerial Alias in the Storyline!] for the DM 59 T-172 Newsletter [So Make Sure HAL Does Not Eat any Lengthy Sentences that are Emailed without Proper Formatting; and the RSI Typist has Plenty of Time to Type Any Hand Written Spotlights; Lest Ye Discover 0 Points Awarded for a Missing or Incomplete T-172 Team Spotlight!] "May Your Blades Be Sharp and Your Wits Sharper!" -- Hammer/Death Fest Host/Vendetta Cartel Captain; WordSmith and High Priest of the Crimson Ascension Family in DM 28 LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS TRIP 13 was butchered by ARENAMASTER KAGHAL in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight. IRON CHEF won victory over HEY, ZEUS! in a 3 minute expert's Challenge battle. LIONESS savagely defeated STUPOR in a crowd pleasing 2 minute bloody Challenge duel. PUERCO PIBIL was outlasted by SNARF! in a 7 minute novice vs. master Challenge fight. PASTA LA VISTA viciously subdued OLD MILLWATER in a 13 minute Challenge fight. THUMP IT overpowered BLUFFING HAMMER in a 1 minute uneven Challenge melee. WRECHEDMISERY was vanquished by BOMBAY in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel. LUCKY LADY HAMMER won victory over LADY KALDRA in a 1 minute veteran's Title fight. GRUDGEBRINGER was handily defeated by BEER BELLY in a 1 minute one-sided bout. HAROLD O'DOOM demolished VETERAN MERCENARY in a 1 minute mismatched match. LADY WU subdued STONE FACE HAMMER in a crowd pleasing 1 minute gory match. DEMONICHELLION easily killed JAGUAR in a 1 minute one-sided conflict. COOL HAND HAMMER vanquished EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute mismatched bout. MAVERICK HAMMER slimly lost to AMORPHOUSBLOB in a tiresome 16 minute bloody fray. LADY CLAIRE devastated SEA MAN in a 1 minute one-sided brawl. VICTORIA BLACKHART executed MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute one-sided match. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |BASHING ATTACK 5 WALL OF STEEL 21 - 8 - 0 72 | |STRIKING ATTACK 5 PARRY-RIPOSTE 15 - 8 - 0 65 | |TOTAL PARRY 5 TOTAL PARRY 33 - 27 - 0 55 | |PARRY-STRIKE 4 PARRY-STRIKE 13 - 11 - 0 54 | |LUNGING ATTACK 3 STRIKING ATTACK 19 - 17 - 0 53 | |PARRY-LUNGE 2 BASHING ATTACK 19 - 20 - 4 49 | |SLASHING ATTACK 2 SLASHING ATTACK 15 - 16 - 0 48 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 LUNGING ATTACK 24 - 36 - 1 40 | |WALL OF STEEL 1 AIMED BLOW 3 - 5 - 1 38 | |AIMED BLOW 0 PARRY-LUNGE 7 - 13 - 0 35 | Turn 472 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-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 2 - 3 3 LUNGING ATTACK WALL OF STEEL 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 2 2 WALL OF STEEL BASHING ATTACK 4 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 3 2 STRIKING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 2 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 2 BASHING ATTACK PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME PARRY-RIPOSTE LUCKY LADY HAMMER 7043 16 13 1 97 CASINO HAMMERZ (576) LUNGING ATTACK HAROLD O'DOOM 7176 9 6 1 84 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) STRIKING ATTACK LADY KALDRA 5451 7 5 1 84 LUROCIANS II (92) WALL OF STEEL IRON CHEF 6925 12 5 0 81 FOOD FIGHT (10) BASHING ATTACK BEER BELLY 7127 9 2 0 80 JOYS OF BOOZE (556) TOTAL PARRY SNARF! 7227 7 2 0 36 WHEN DOGMA FAILS (566) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is HEY, ZEUS! 7068. The most popular warrior this turn was LIONESS 7222. The ten other most popular fighters were HEY, ZEUS! 7068, LADY WU 6815, IRON CHEF 6925, THUMP IT 7260, BOMBAY 7201, LUCKY LADY HAMMER 7043, HAROLD O'DOOM 7176, SNARF! 7227, LADY KALDRA 5451, and BEER BELLY 7127. The least popular fighter this week was AMORPHOUSBLOB 7042. The other ten least popular fighters were MAVERICK HAMMER 7242, OLD MILLWATER 7173, PASTA LA VISTA 7256, SEA MAN 7262, JAGUAR 7205, STONE FACE HAMMER 7245, GRUDGEBRINGER 6999, WRECHEDMISERY 7255, TRIP 13 7263, and VICTORIA BLACKHART 7192.