DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER Date : 10/02/2003 Duedate: 10/15/2003 VEASTIAN ARENA DM-43 TURN-410 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS SUNGOD DESIGNED ME WENSINWASIN (428) (43-4270) [17-1-0,142] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader SUNGOD DESIGNED ME POSITION IS EMPTY WENSINWASIN (428) (43-4270) [17-1-0,142] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite SKYWISE DAPHNE CAMISADO WOLF RIDERS (391) TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) (43-3868) [15-11-1,97] (43-3991) [12-11-1,56] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM MEDS (432) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. KORGAN CRUSADE (392) 34 2. WOLF RIDERS (391) 30 WENSINWASIN (428) 3. MEDS (432) 20 Unchartered Team 4. WENSINWASIN (428) 13 5. THE FAMILY (116) 10 PLUNDER PLATOON (157) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 1 WENSINWASIN (428) 32 11 1 74.4 1/ 2 MEDS (432) 6 3 0 2- 2*EASTERN HORDE (430) 12 6 1 66.7 2/ 3 WIDOWMAKERS (115) 6 7 0 3- 3 JURIM'S TEAM (429) 28 16 1 63.6 3/ 4 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) 6 7 0 4/ 4 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) 266 166 14 61.6 4/ 5 THE FAMILY (116) 6 9 0 5/ 5 MEDS (432) 27 17 1 61.4 5/ 1 WENSINWASIN (428) 5 0 0 6/ 6 WIDOWMAKERS (115) 71 72 2 49.7 6/ 6 WOLF RIDERS (391) 5 5 0 7/ 7 WOLF RIDERS (391) 59 65 8 47.6 7- 7*EASTERN HORDE (430) 3 0 0 8/ 0 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) 77 88 10 46.7 8/ 0 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) 2 3 0 9/ 8 THE FAMILY (116) 308 380 9 44.8 9- 8 JURIM'S TEAM (429) 1 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[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #69 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(< Zukal: Ghenis watched the ship _Relentless_ ease out into the channel and brushed his hands together. It was bound for Niatoli to further certain interests of the dark cult. On it was Veleks, and Cousin Og, who would look after the small thief...one way or another. Which freed him to attend to other matters. First of those other matters was a meeting with Pelishtekan, the Ferencian who was currently the 'chief priest' of the cult. Ghenis scowled to hide his grimace of disgust. He didn't like the Ferencian. In fact, he loathed the man. But it wasn't necessary to like him, not really. As long as Pelishtekan did his job, nothing else counted. And right now, the man's job was to explain what manner of creature, monster, or whatever was hunting over the lands just north of Zukal. And how the damned thing could be fought and destroyed. It was in the way of certain plans that he had made for the benefit of the dark cult...and of himself, of course. The dark power did not expect his minions to work for nothing but the joy of it. Ghenis left the waterfront behind and wove his way through the twisted and noisome alleys of one of Zukal's poorest districts. The cult always had its centers among the homes of the poor. They were the ones who had something to gain from it, and nothing to lose, from shaking up the old order, after all. Ghenis smiled just a little. He liked shaking things up. The cult was headquartered in a tall narrow building squeezed between other tall narrow buildings. The cellar, which was dark and always damp and divided into tiny rooms no more than six feet square, was used for...storage. More or less. The ground floor, reached by going down half a dozen steps from street level, was the shrine itself. The level above that was where the main work of the cult was done, the plotting and planning, the gathering of information, the good stuff. Above that, two floors of small rooms where members of the cult lived if they couldn't do better for themselves. And on the top floor, the pigeons that carried messages from points as distant as Zuwayza and Murska in the north, Rocanis, Xochithlan, and even Tricorus in the south. Most people had no idea how far the cult reached. Which was another source of amusement to Ghenis. The authorities here in Zukal, the very heart of the cult, had no idea that it was anything more than a handful of dissatisfied commoners meeting to worship some petty godling. Ha! If Bey Sekahos knew how near he stood to the rim of disaster, how fast he was sliding down the slope into hell--! Even the Bandit Princes, who had a clearer understanding of their city, didn't know that the cult was gaining power daily and would soon be ready to make its move. IF the monster north of the city could be dealt with. Ghenis pushed open the door and stepped toward Pelishtekan's office. Near Malcorn: The finger of light slid across the surface of the tall stone and touched the worn carvings, which leaped into sudden clarity. The little clearing, which had been empty except for Lord Malcorn and Tiljanz al Burgos, the young Karnhorn diplomat, was suddenly full of shadows. Or something. Tiljanz could feel the weight of a dozen minds thinking about him--calculating minds, hostile minds, hungry ones. He held himself still and quiet with difficulty. This was Lord Malcorn's meeting; he himself was just present as a witness. Words came out of the darkness, hollow as caves, clear as trumpets. "Why are you here, Malcorn?" "To demand that you enforce your side of the agreement we made, Dregur," the lord of Malcorn replied. If a great tree had spoken, its voice might have sounded like that. "Our side? What have we, the true and original lords of all the land between the lakes, to 'enforce' at the command of an ephemeral like you?" "Do not play games with me. A deal was made and sworn under just such a moon, that the dregur would attack only those who entered this land at the command of the Easterner Inzolas. In return for this, you were released from the Silent Place." "And if we choose now to disregard that 'deal' you speak of?" Idle inquiry. "The Silent Place is still there." "You think you could return us to that captivity?" Scorn and amusement. "You?" "If you do not keep your side of the agreement," now Malcorn's voice was like iron, cold black iron, "I will return you to that captivity. Me." At that moment, Tiljanz did not doubt that Blackie would do just that, whatever the cost to himself. "We did make an oath." The voice was the same, but different. A different dregur speaking, Tiljanz thought. "The oath is a binding already. He could do it." Warning, cool consideration. "Because a few of us have chosen to Hunt freely, as we used to? Unfair! This land was OURS. If we stretch out our hand to take it back, where is the injustice in that?" Passion. "The injustice is in the breaking of our oath. The land itself will reject an oathbreaker. It has always been so." Stern command. "We must keep our part of the bargain, or by our failure we release Lord Malcorn from his. And he could then return us to the Silent Place, if he is willing to pay the price." A pause. "And you can see that he is so willing." Objection. "Those who Hunt alone will not be called back to the kennel, even by you." Unyielding command. "Then I myself will lead a Hunt against them." DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. Well my fellow combatants, there are only a few more fights left for me here in Veastian. Though the road has been as short as this arena is small, I can't say that I would have it any other way. My master Youngblood has already been looking for prospects to take my place when and if I leave (you can never be too sure). Even if he does not find a suitable replacement, I am sure that Silver Belle will do just fine. She started off a little slowly, but is coming into her own, so watch out. It will be interesting when I leave this place; the competition will be stiffer and more unpredictable, seeing that I have been Duelmaster for nine consecutive fights, not including if I win this time. I know that everyone is dying for my title, and also tired of seeing me up here turn after turn, but until someone beats me and takes it from me, it will remain mine until I die or leave for the Isle. Fleshrender, good fight. Though you are on the same team that Swordbreaker is on, you are a worthy opponent. May your scars remind him how lucky he really is. Cutter, you will get your shot, but on my terms and those terms alone. I challenged Swordbreaker this turn, and avoided you to get revenge on my only loss. If it doesn't go through, maybe next turn, if you are still up in the challenger champ area, you will get your shot. And if I get my call this time, don't worry, I will test my skills in the dreaded dark arena so a new Duelmaster will emerge. I'll see you on the sands. Sungod Designed Me, the FIRM SPY REPORT Welcome VEASTIAN. I, Olaf Modeen remember this place well. Many the fights have I fought here. The celebrations, the disappointments... Bein' on top is great while it lasts, WENSINWASIN. But how many friends do you have now? Phhbltt! Too much drinking and too little dodging gave WENSINWASIN a 1-0-0! I got a good laugh out of it! What's with RAYEK? He actually beat WIDOWMAKERS' FLESHRENDER, and walked away with 18 more points from the fight. Laughs were big at WOLF RIDERS while they watched RAYEK clobber FLESHRENDER. He lost 16 points and got bruised from objects thrown from the stands. Another fighter (CUTTER 16-10-3) challenged another Duelmaster (SUNGOD DESIGNED ME 17-1-0). Life goes on. Try as he might, CUTTER wasn't good enough at persuading SUNGOD DESIGNED ME to step down from the Duelmaster's throne... I suppose you want to hear some rumors and dirty gossip about your fellow fighters? Tough! No matter the time or place, men will always duel. VEASTIAN thinks WIDOWMAKERS and their 71-72-2 is too much! If at first you don't succeed, give up... In my day, no team with a 69-69-2 would scare me off! What's the problem, WOLF RIDERS? What do people see in FLESHRENDER? His 13-15-0? WIDOWMAKERS ain't talkin', but he's got 70 points. A fighter's lot is filled with strife, revenge, and killing. Some fighters don't accept this. The best do. Sending a warrior to the Dark Arena reminds the others they'd better shape up. Tough beans, BIL BALROGG. That's what a 6-11-0 gets you. Many a warrior has met his fate in a hungover stupor. You young rapscallions, take note! Well, I'm pretty much through. You guys need to get back practicing. VEASTIAN is a nice place to live, but I don't like to live in nice places. I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SUNGOD DESIGNED ME 4270 17 1 0 142 WENSINWASIN (428) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HEMERA AHKISAR 4006 13 7 2 100 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) SKYWISE 3868 15 11 1 97 WOLF RIDERS (391) NHAVARL 4222 13 17 0 92 THE FAMILY (116) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CUTTER 3864 16 10 3 90 WOLF RIDERS (391) RAYEK 3915 15 9 0 89 WOLF RIDERS (391) -MUSHAD 4287 5 1 1 76 EASTERN HORDE (430) FACE BREAKER 1099 17 11 0 73 WIDOWMAKERS (115) SWORDBREAKER 1087 18 12 0 70 WIDOWMAKERS (115) FLESHRENDER 1108 13 15 0 70 WIDOWMAKERS (115) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SWAMPY THE GOBLIN 4310 5 1 0 65 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) PENICILLEN 4299 9 2 0 61 MEDS (432) NORPRAMINE 4296 8 4 1 58 MEDS (432) -SILVER BELLE 4269 7 4 0 58 WENSINWASIN (428) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME DAPHNE CAMISADO 3991 12 11 1 56 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) -JURRASIC LARKS 4278 7 1 0 54 JURIM'S TEAM (429) DART 3865 8 18 1 53 WOLF RIDERS (391) -BIL BALROG'S SON 4281 5 3 0 53 JURIM'S TEAM (429) LIFETAKER 1520 6 9 0 49 WIDOWMAKERS (115) -JABBA 4277 6 3 0 48 JURIM'S TEAM (429) -SHRILL BALROGG 4289 5 2 1 47 JURIM'S TEAM (429) -JIB AH 4276 5 4 0 47 JURIM'S TEAM (429) ETHON EL KEER 3992 8 14 1 45 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) PREDNIZONE 4298 4 7 0 44 MEDS (432) CARLINE 4266 9 11 1 39 THE FAMILY (116) STILTZ 4265 8 12 0 36 THE FAMILY (116) SPACE BABOON 4313 5 1 0 36 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -INZOLAS 4288 3 3 0 33 EASTERN HORDE (430) TIRO CUCKOO 4329 3 3 0 29 THE FAMILY (116) -PEACE 4306 4 0 0 28 EASTERN HORDE (430) TREESTUMP 4159 3 4 2 27 WOLF RIDERS (391) WINTER WITCH 4283 4 12 0 24 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME TIRO COCOCO 4314 3 5 0 21 THE FAMILY (116) THE NAUGHTY POPE 4332 4 1 0 14 KORGAN CRUSADE (392) LADY MANTLE 4267 2 4 0 12 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) RIBSPLITTER 4330 1 0 0 10 WIDOWMAKERS (115) -GALO THE RED 4268 2 2 1 9 WENSINWASIN (428) -BISHOP 4272 2 3 0 9 WENSINWASIN (428) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME RED VALERIAN 4274 0 4 0 4 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? BIL BALROGG 4273 6 12 0 KORGAN CRUSADE 392 ARENAMASTER KHYL 23 410 NONE PERSONAL ADS Fleshrender -- Sorry for the mix-up, it was Face Breaker that I beat, but you Widowmakers are all the same to me. -- Sungod Designed Me Carline -- Good match, your record is rather deceiving, or is it? Anyway, I hope to see you on the sands again. -- silver belle Nhavarl -- Now don't go thinking that just because you are still alive you can go running your mouth. Remember you are alive because I chose for it to be that way, I could have easily killed you without remorse. So go ahead and make your changes, I guarantee the same result. -- Sungod Designed Me, the FIRM Tree Stump -- Have you learned your lesson. I surely hope so. Just remember what happened here when you go trying to kill another warrior. You, my friend, are lucky that I didn't go for you on that final bloodfeud. Just as I hate getting bloodfeuded, I hate handing them out without getting something out of it and if I had run the last one, your life would have probably ended. -- Youngblood, the FIRM P.S. Just thought I would show you what August looked like: 9-10-11-16-17-11-11; not your typical basher but he was 4-0 until you killed him. Sun God Designed Me -- Cutter will finally get to test your skills. I'm glad you challenge Treestump. Only the strong survive on the Wolf Riders. The weak are just meat. -- Dr. Guts Widowmakers -- Don't let the press go to your head. My warriors like variety and fighting your crew every time gets old quick. -- Dr. Guts Cutter -- Huh, you WOULD show up just when I was trying an actual new strategy for SDM. Not that it would have made that much difference, I suppose. -- Nhavarl Silver Belle -- I seem to have this ringing in my ears.... -- Carline Lifetaker -- But you wouldn't want MINE, would you? I'm still using it! -- Stiltz Winter Witch -- Just call me Indian Summer. -- Tiro Cococo The Naughty Pope -- Ooooh, you ARE naughty! Come by the guildhouse and do it again! -- Tiro Cuckoo The question now is can I and SHOULD I try to get a strategy change BACK? -- Nhavarl Wolf Riders -- Do Wendy and Richard know where you are? I'm not sure they'd approve. -- Soultender Youngblood -- The whole team has been on autopilot since the FTF. That's why Ribsplitter was slow to arrive. -- Soultender It seems there's only room for one lovable loser on this team. Winter Witch can learn skills. Sorry Bil. Win your DA battle and we'll talk. -- Jack Wolfspider How long has Sungod Designed Me been Duelmaster here anyway? By my count about 9 years. Make us proud when you finally DO go to the Isle. -- Jack W. 9 September 2003 WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MANAGERS! If you think you have what it takes to match wits and blades with some of the best managers in Alastari, then WE WANT YOU! The Tournament Of The Golden Scrod #4 will begin in Aradi (DM 60) the turn after the Fall Mail-In. It's not too late for you to sign up. I realize that many of you may be hesitant after seeing that myself and Hombre have teamed up again, but we'll try to take it easy on you guys a little bit. For more information on T#%S IV, please contact me at ganolus@aol.com. We're looking for a few good managers...the few, the proud, the TOGS! -- Ganolus Oakleaf, T#%S IV Commish 15 September 2003 An Announcement Concerning the Brotherhood of the Blade Alliance: I have chosen to withdraw my membership from the Brotherhood of the Blade alliance. The years I have spent in the alliance have been the best of my DM career. I leave the alliance with many great friends and will always remain close to my former brethren. The Brotherhood of the Blade will not skip a beat without my membership. It remains in very capable hands and its roster is among the strongest in the game. With the return on some of its founding members to DM, I know the BOB will continue to grow in strength and prestige in the years to come. -- The Sandman 29 September 2003 All -- Let it be known that the Firm accepts SOL into its ranks. The Firm is: SunGod, Dark Spirit, Youngblood, Tripwire, and SOL. LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS BIL BALROGG was butchered by ARENAMASTER KHYL in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight. CUTTER was vanquished by SUNGOD DESIGNED ME in a 1 minute Challenge Title battle. RAYEK demolished FLESHRENDER in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight. DART was outwaited by PENICILLEN in a slow 8 minute Challenge contest. TREESTUMP defeated WINTER WITCH in a 2 minute bloody Challenge match. HEMERA AHKISAR devastated CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute one-sided duel. SWORDBREAKER was overpowered by SKYWISE in a 2 minute gory mismatched brawl. NHAVARL overcame FACE BREAKER in a 2 minute expert's melee. ETHON EL KEER was vanquished by SWAMPY THE GOBLIN in a 1 minute one-sided duel. LIFETAKER vanquished TIRO COCOCO in a 1 minute one-sided duel. DAPHNE CAMISADO narrowly defeated CARLINE in a action packed 2 minute match. NORPRAMINE beat DANGEROUS CRIMINAL in a exciting 1 minute fight. STILTZ was demolished by PREDNIZONE in a 1 minute mismatched competition. SPACE BABOON devastated LADY MANTLE in a 1 minute one-sided battle. TIRO CUCKOO devastated MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute mismatched bout. RED VALERIAN was overcome by THE NAUGHTY POPE in a popular 1 minute beginner's fight. RIBSPLITTER won victory over PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 1 minute novice's fray. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |STRIKING ATTACK 6 TOTAL PARRY 14 - 4 - 0 78 | |LUNGING ATTACK 5 LUNGING ATTACK 38 - 20 - 0 66 | |WALL OF STEEL 5 SLASHING ATTACK 18 - 12 - 1 60 | |SLASHING ATTACK 3 PARRY-RIPOSTE 13 - 10 - 0 57 | |PARRY-LUNGE 3 STRIKING ATTACK 30 - 28 - 3 52 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 WALL OF STEEL 16 - 15 - 0 52 | |AIMED BLOW 2 PARRY-STRIKE 4 - 5 - 0 44 | |TOTAL PARRY 1 AIMED BLOW 3 - 7 - 0 30 | |PARRY-STRIKE 1 BASHING ATTACK 5 - 15 - 0 25 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 14 - 0 13 | Turn 410 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: LUNGING ATTACK 5 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 2 - 3 3 WALL OF STEEL SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 2 3 STRIKING ATTACK TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 3 2 LUNGING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 4 - 2 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 1 SLASHING ATTACK PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 PARRY-STRIKE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME SLASHING ATTACK SUNGOD DESIGNED ME 4270 17 1 0 142 WENSINWASIN (428) LUNGING ATTACK HEMERA AHKISAR 4006 13 7 2 100 TERMAGANT VOTARY (378) WALL OF STEEL SKYWISE 3868 15 11 1 97 WOLF RIDERS (391) STRIKING ATTACK CUTTER 3864 16 10 3 90 WOLF RIDERS (391) PARRY-STRIKE FACE BREAKER 1099 17 11 0 73 WIDOWMAKERS (115) TOTAL PARRY PENICILLEN 4299 9 2 0 61 MEDS (432) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is SKYWISE 3868. The most popular warrior this turn was DAPHNE CAMISADO 3991. The ten other most popular fighters were NHAVARL 4222, TREESTUMP 4159, HEMERA AHKISAR 4006, SKYWISE 3868, NORPRAMINE 4296, SPACE BABOON 4313, TIRO CUCKOO 4329, THE NAUGHTY POPE 4332, SUNGOD DESIGNED ME 4270, and RAYEK 3915. The least popular fighter this week was PENICILLEN 4299. The other ten least popular fighters were LADY MANTLE 4267, STILTZ 4265, TIRO COCOCO 4314, ETHON EL KEER 3992, FACE BREAKER 1099, DART 3865, FLESHRENDER 1108, BIL BALROGG 4273, RED VALERIAN 4274, and PREDNIZONE 4298. The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn: SUNGOD DESIGNED ME (43-4270) WENSINWASIN (428)