DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 09/15/2005 Duedate: 09/28/2005
VEASTIAN ARENA
DM-43 TURN-460
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
TIRANIAN
THE FAMILY (116)
(43-4391) [13-10-0,84]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
TIRANIAN THURNOCK
THE FAMILY (116) RAIDERS OF GOR (341)
(43-4391) [13-10-0,84] (43-3433) [5-2-0,30]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
TIRANIAN TIRRAJ
THE FAMILY (116) THE FAMILY (116)
(43-4391) [13-10-0,84] (43-4429) [7-2-0,47]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
THE FAMILY (116)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. THE FAMILY (116) 40
2. DARKSPEAR (443) 12 THE FAMILY (116)
3. PHILANTHROPISTS (407) 8 Unchartered Team
4. RAIDERS OF GOR (341) 5
5. ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446) 0 DARKSPEAR (443)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1*DARKSPEAR (443) 2 0 0 100 1/ 1 THE FAMILY (116) 8 7 0
2- 3*ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446) 3 2 0 60.0 2- 2 WOLF RIDERS (391) 3 1 0
3/ 2*RAIDERS OF GOR (341) 16 11 0 59.3 3- 3*ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446) 3 2 0
4- 4*INTO THE WILD (445) 1 1 0 50.0 4/ 4*DARKSPEAR (443) 2 0 0
5- 5 WOLF RIDERS (391) 84 89 8 48.6 5/ 6*RAIDERS OF GOR (341) 2 6 0
6/ 6 THE FAMILY (116) 440 494 10 47.1 6- 5*INTO THE WILD (445) 1 0 0
7/ 0*PHILANTHROPISTS (407) 0 3 0 0.0 7/ 0*PHILANTHROPISTS (407) 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
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Storm Season #3 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Off the coast of Convincia:
"Ships aren't supposed to BURN!" Kurilo Deschan said. "They're on the water.
We're on the water--"
"Ships burn. They're wood. And this one is definitely burning," Hodag said.
He put one hand on the rail, unfastening his armor with the other and jerking off his
helmet. "If I was you, I'd get out of that armor and jump over the side before it
burns out from under us."
"But we may have to fight," the Mercenary protested.
"You WILL have to swim, Ziffrin," Hodag assured him. "And for that, armor is
contra-indicated. Trust me on this."
Ziffrin Sheel glanced over his shoulder at the ship's crew. They were jumping
off the far side of the vessel, all except three who were attempting to lower a
smaller boat to the water. "We'll burn, too, if we get down into that," he said.
Hodag glanced at the black lace on the waves and nodded. "We might, but it's
still our best chance." His armor clattered onto the deck, and the Black Orc jumped,
twisting in mid-air to turn it into a dive. The two standbys followed him into the
water.
When they cut through the surface of the lake, the filigree of black foam clung
to them like cobwebs, pulling against them like the meshes of a net. It was, Hodag
was sure, a trap of some kind, but still better than burning with the ship. He
spared a moment to hope the crew had been able to jump free of the ship, too.
And then the net of magic and foam tightened against him and dragged him through
the depths faster than any orc might swim. As always in a tight place, Hodag's brain
worked quickly. (This was how he'd moved from Captured Orc up to Black Orc in the
arena system.) Their bodies were being retrieved, presumably by the demon which had
destroyed the ship, presumably for no good end. Were their lives being preserved, or
would they drown in a minute or two? He managed to turn his head to look at his
companions. Ziffrin Sheel was struggling uselessly but strongly. He was, after all,
Aruaki: essentially a cat. Being in the water would not be something that appealed
to him. But the important thing from Hodag's point of view was that the Veteran was
gasping for breath and not sucking in a flood of water in the process. So. Someone
wanted them alive.
Hodag grimaced. He could make a guess as to why. For use in blood magic.
Because of their privileged position in the arena system, frequently dosed with
magical healing potions and sometimes resurrected, the standbys, and especially
himself, were embued with a low level of magic. This would probably increase their
value as blood-magic victims.
What to do about it? Nothing for now, but when they were taken out of the
water...see what opportunities offered, and seize them with both hands.
Amen-Tei:
"It's a storm," Maurice Karn said. He had said this before, and he was getting
tired of repeating himself. "Gladiators can't do a damned thing against the
weather." Being an Ambitious Guard did not mean that he was a patient one.
Dame Mingia pressed her lips together. Karn wondered idly what comments she was
suppressing and decided he would rather not know. Finally she said, "This is not
normal weather, as you are doubtless aware, having lived here for years. The seers
in the employ of the High Thane tell us that it is a Sending, born of magical
operations somewhere out in the lake to the north and west."
Krego Dehann, the Veteran Mercenary, rubbed his nose. "Or...from Skaithvarn,
maybe?"
Mingia spread her hands and shrugged. "The seers were not exact." Her tone was
acid. "They claim that exactness is impossible...under these circumstances.
Something in the nature of the spell, or possibly in the decline of the Arcanum, or
just POSSIBLY in the inadequacy of their arts prevents them from saying more than
'north and west'. Make of that what you will. Bonner Kay is prepared to make a ship
available to 'pursue' the storms to their lair."
Karn and Dehann exchanged glances. Bonner Kay was the arena's Honest Merchant
this season. And he WAS honest, but he was also not at all careless with his
property. So he must be really worried about this weather to risk a ship in it. And
he must believe that this expedition had a chance of solving the problem.
"I don't think I like having the prosperity of Amen-Tei's shipping resting on my
shoulders," Dehann muttered.
"It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it," Karn answered.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Storm Season #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Near Veastian:
Sharrou Darrasagh, Convicted Assassin, peered into the fog uneasily. "We
shouldn't be out here," he muttered. "This isn't safe--"
"Row!" Marsham t'Sulej said. The Ambitious Guard wasn't any happier to be out
on the lake in a fog than his companions, but he'd be damned if he'd let any of them
see his fear.
"No good to row till we know which way to go," the Veteran Mercenary said
calmly. The dwarf claimed his name was Vargas Tarn and that he had an absolute sense
of direction, developed in the tunnels under Murska. "There's a magical field of
some kind at work that is distorting directions and all useful clues. We just have
to wait it out."
"There's something WITH us out here," t'Sulej whispered.
"Oh, THANK you for that information!" The Assassin was whispering, too, but his
voice dripped sarcasm--and fear--even so. "If it's a Black Ship, I'm just going to
lie down and die right here."
"I hope it is a Black Ship," Tarn said. "That's why we're here, isn't it? To
deliver our emir's answer to the ultimatum? The sooner we meet the Ship, the sooner
we're done."
"And the sooner the demons on the Ship can eat us," Darrasagh muttered. "You
know the emir said no, and we'll be the first to reap the Or Else."
"It's an adventure, boy," Tarn said. A grin split his beard. "Better'n dying
of boredom."
A darker blob in the murk grew and resolved itself into the black hull of a
ship. A ship a lot bigger than their rowboat. A voice came down to them. "Dho you
haf see answerh?"
T'Sulej held up the leather message tube.
"Frow i' upf."
He tossed it up.
The voice above them said something in a language none of them knew. But they
all understood the net that dropped over them.
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
This is ridiculous.
Tiranian
P.S. And insulting.
SPY REPORT
Good day, in VEASTIAN a quiet thief gets rich, but a quiet spymaster gets poor.
So bring me ale and harken to my tidbits of news. And let's see, SNOHBAL fought
SULLIUS MAXIMUS and gained 12 points and contributed to DARKSPEAR's 1-0-0. STILJANZ
has lost to AMBITIOUS GUARD, falling 6 points, while helping make THE FAMILY a 3-2-0
turn. The attempts to dethrone the Duelmaster have failed, and TIRANIAN remains
VEASTIAN's top warrior for another turn. Tell me, is nothing sacred? I have heard
from unimpeachable sources that The Warty Toad uses trolls in their stew. Talk about
gristle!
I tell you, a green quarterstaff lasts longer than a seasoned sapling. A basher
friend of mine assures me this is true.
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. Well, I'm burning daylight here in VEASTIAN and I've a long road
ahead of me. Happy Trails. Until you see my quill in VEASTIAN again, farewell--
Alarond the Scribe
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TIRANIAN 4391 13 10 0 84 THE FAMILY (116)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-DART 3865 14 23 1 79 WOLF RIDERS (391)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GRINIAN 4407 11 6 0 60 THE FAMILY (116)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TIRRAJ 4429 7 2 0 47 THE FAMILY (116)
STILJANZ 4409 9 7 0 37 THE FAMILY (116)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
THURNOCK 3433 5 2 0 30 RAIDERS OF GOR (341)
SNOHBAL 4424 2 0 0 27 DARKSPEAR (443)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-TREESTUMP 4357 2 5 0 16 WOLF RIDERS (391)
SULLIUS MAXIMUS 3434 4 3 0 15 RAIDERS OF GOR (341)
-JAGUAR 4440 1 0 0 13 ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446)
-BENGAL 4444 1 0 0 13 ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446)
-ONE-EYE 4447 1 0 0 11 WOLF RIDERS (391)
-GHAN-BURI-GHAN 4436 1 1 0 8 INTO THE WILD (445)
ARN 3430 1 2 0 7 RAIDERS OF GOR (341)
-LION 4442 1 0 0 7 ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446)
KONJOR 4448 0 3 0 3 THE FAMILY (116)
-LONE WOLF 4443 0 1 0 1 ANIMAL MAGNETISM (446)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
SIR DA 4120 0 1 0 PHILANTHROPISTS 407 MOUNTAIN TROLL 18 460 NONE
DISHONORED 4449 0 1 0 RAIDERS OF GOR 341 HIGH ELF 19 460 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Huh, I heard about this Captured Orc. He eats too much, that's why the arena keeps
trying to get rid of him. Well, I'm not going to feed a bottomless pit! -- Grinian
That Fratsfa Slave was wimpy, and he screamed and wept when he went to the arena, and
just generally he made me feel a little queasy just being around him. I should've
killed him, but the arenamaster cut in and stopped me. -- Tiranian
I dunno what it is with this Dangerous Criminal, but he seems to be one standby that
is damned hard to beat. Let's take him out on the lake and drop him overboard with
an anvil tied to his feet. -- Tirraj
Tiranian did not overstate the case against the Fratsfa Slave. -- Stiljanz
Lion -- Heck. I meet the only managed warrior, and I LOSE to him. I hate it when
things like that happen. It's just so unfair! -- Konjor
P.S. Of course, three skills are fine things to receive.
15 September 2005
HAMMER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Be it known from the highest mountains to the darkest alleys of Alastari that
the veteran manager known far and wide as Hammer has now officially retired from
sponsoring contests as of September 15, 2005.
What a long time ago was a fun motivated activity to help promote our common
DM/D2 gaming interest in an effort to promote the growth and competitiveness of
selected arenas has become a far from fun experience.
In other words Hammer has had it!
The combination of real life situations interfering with the time needed to
effectively sponsor a contest, plus the attitudes expressed during such sponsorship
interference has led to Hammer closing his personal coin coffers and retiring from
his planned sponsorship of any future contests.
There are others in our close knit gaming community who are well able to step up
to the plate and continue sponsoring contests that make the basic game a fun
experience for all those who choose to compete and interact in such future endeavors.
Hammer thanks all managers both active and inactive who helped to make the
Hammer sponsored contests a historical and entertaining experience well worth the
time, effort and money spent over the past several years.
May the Cheers and the Jeers of future contests build upon the legacies of those
who have paved the way in years gone by to help make this game what it is today.
Hammer has no regrets for the part he has played in that history.
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
DISHONORED was butchered by HIGH ELF in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
SIR DA was viciously butchered by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 2 minute Dark Arena battle.
TIRANIAN overpowered KHALHUMS DWARF in a 2 minute mismatched Title duel.
GRINIAN overpowered THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a 2 minute bloody mismatched match.
STILJANZ lost to AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 2 minute bloody fight.
TIRRAJ beat THURNOCK in a crowd pleasing 4 minute brawl.
SULLIUS MAXIMUS was overpowered by SNOHBAL in a 1 minute uneven melee.
ARN viciously subdued KONJOR in a popular 1 minute gruesome beginner's duel.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 WALL OF STEEL 4 - 0 - 0 100 |
|AIMED BLOW 2 LUNGING ATTACK 11 - 5 - 0 69 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 STRIKING ATTACK 12 - 7 - 0 63 |
|BASHING ATTACK 2 AIMED BLOW 8 - 5 - 0 62 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 6 - 6 - 0 50 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 1 PARRY-LUNGE 7 - 7 - 0 50 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 - 0 50 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 TOTAL PARRY 1 - 2 - 0 33 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 BASHING ATTACK 2 - 5 - 0 29 |
|WALL OF STEEL 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
Turn 460 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:
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 2 STRIKING ATTACK
AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 PARRY-LUNGE
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 1 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 2 AIMED BLOW
TOTAL PARRY 0 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY
WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0 1 SLASHING ATTACK
1 LUNGING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
STRIKING ATTACK TIRANIAN 4391 13 10 0 84 THE FAMILY (116)
PARRY-RIPOSTE GRINIAN 4407 11 6 0 60 THE FAMILY (116)
AIMED BLOW TIRRAJ 4429 7 2 0 47 THE FAMILY (116)
PARRY-LUNGE STILJANZ 4409 9 7 0 37 THE FAMILY (116)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is TIRANIAN 4391. The most popular warrior this turn
was TIRRAJ 4429. The ten other most popular fighters were TIRANIAN 4391, SIR DA
4120, GRINIAN 4407, STILJANZ 4409, SNOHBAL 4424, ARN 3430, KONJOR 4448, SULLIUS
MAXIMUS 3434, DISHONORED 4449, and THURNOCK 3433.
The least popular fighter this week was THURNOCK 3433. The other ten least popular
fighters were DISHONORED 4449, SULLIUS MAXIMUS 3434, KONJOR 4448, ARN 3430, SNOHBAL
4424, STILJANZ 4409, GRINIAN 4407, SIR DA 4120, TIRANIAN 4391, and TIRRAJ 4429.