DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 02/26/2020 Duedate: 03/24/2020
STORMCROWE ARENA
DM-45 TURN-421
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
DOROTHY
BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
(45-5055) [12-2-2,102]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
DOROTHY POSITION IS EMPTY
BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
(45-5055) [12-2-2,102]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
URBAN LEGEND IMA PIMP
BOOK OF THOMAS (528) IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
(45-4836) [15-20-0,74] (45-5062) [7-2-0,32]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. DARQUE FORCES (428) 32
2. BOOK OF THOMAS (528) 30 DARQUE FORCES (428)
3. GOING BERSERK (527) 22 Unchartered Team
4. IMA BUBBA 2 (541) 17
5. DEAD POETS (548) 10 OTIS OFFENSIVE ATL (492)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1 DARQUE FORCES (428) 596 372 35 61.6 1/ 1 IMA BUBBA 2 (541) 8 7 0
2/ 2 IMA BUBBA 2 (541) 28 21 1 57.1 2/ 3 BOOK OF THOMAS (528) 7 3 0
3/ 3 GOING BERSERK (527) 100 80 8 55.6 3/ 2 GOING BERSERK (527) 4 4 0
4/ 4 BOOK OF THOMAS (528) 78 65 3 54.5 4/ 5 DEAD POETS (548) 3 0 0
5- 5 SHEWISH BUFFET (520) 135 134 10 50.2 5/ 7 DARQUE FORCES (428) 3 2 0
6/ 6 DEAD POETS (548) 66 71 3 48.2 6/ 4 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393) 3 12 0
7- 7 BATTLE SHIPS (552) 48 55 2 46.6 7- 6 THE MENTORS RIDE (550) 2 1 0
8/ 8 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393) 368 471 11 43.9 8- 9 BATTLE SHIPS (552) 0 1 0
9- 9 THE MENTORS RIDE (550) 39 51 1 43.3 9- 8 SHEWISH BUFFET (520) 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
Dark Stoicism
The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.
Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final
resting spot of the failed gladiator.
* * *
"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted
away.
"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from
the infirmary back to their training hall.
* * *
A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead.
* * *
Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful.
"That'll do. Now strike!"
* * *
Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash,
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success.
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more
slowly...
* * *
The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield,
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.
* * *
Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening,
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.
The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now,"
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.
The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open,
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was
over. And it might never end.
-- memory
SPY REPORT
Hail and well met warriors of STORMCROWE! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. Did only my eyes note the 4-0-0
record which BOOK OF THOMAS managed to post this round? I don't doubt that such a
record will draw challengers! KURR caught the eye of many in the gladiatorial
commission as he skillfully bested ATALI and was awarded 19 points in recognition.
In one of the week's more notable duels, KURR put down ATALI, causing her to lose 11
points of recognition in the process. Due to his absence and inability to defend the
throne, EDGAR ALLAN POE has lost the title of Duelmaster. This time victory fell to
the grasp of the usurper. All hail DOROTHY, Duelmaster of STORMCROWE! Would you
believe that over half of the old women in STORMCROWE seem to feel that they could
fight better than you gladiators?
I have been in deep conclave with my spies who watched all that has recently
transpired. Indeed there is much I would report. I saw one fighter that warriors
avoided when this week's challenge seeking began. IMA BUBBA 2 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 IMA BUBBA 2. Indeed it was GOING BERSERK. Mighty
fighters cannot but expect competition from those below. POLAR FLEECE take warning!
You have more than a few enemies in STORMCROWE.
What warrior does not hone his years, impatiently waiting for the moment of his
foe's mortality? Some say a warrior is judged by the way he bears arms. One thing
is sure, better a dagger in hand then a sword on the belt!
If it were not for my skills as a spy I would have been mugged three times
already in STORMCROWE. Nice atmosphere you have here! 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 - the pen is mightier than the sword, but a maul is a
different story!-- Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
DOROTHY 5055 12 2 2 102 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-HUMAN BEAN 4853 13 5 1 109 SHEWISH BUFFET (520)
-PRISM GUARD 4857 12 5 1 104 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
-CHOPPER 5044 7 6 1 102 THE MENTORS RIDE (550)
-EDGAR ALLAN POE 5016 13 11 0 100 DEAD POETS (548)
-USKURNTAI 4886 9 9 0 97 GOING BERSERK (527)
-UNDK 4872 13 8 1 94 GOING BERSERK (527)
KWITCHERBICHON 4861 18 11 0 93 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
POISON IV 5338 10 6 1 84 DARQUE FORCES (428)
-HMS CENTURIAN 5068 12 7 0 76 BATTLE SHIPS (552)
URBAN LEGEND 4836 15 20 0 74 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
MAD MOXXI 5390 6 2 0 74 DARQUE FORCES (428)
-FAMILY RECIPE 4854 11 3 1 71 SHEWISH BUFFET (520)
RAINBOW BYTE 5391 7 3 0 69 DARQUE FORCES (428)
IMA GETCHA 4944 8 3 0 67 IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SHRIMP SCAMP 4855 6 8 0 66 SHEWISH BUFFET (520)
YAK 5296 9 6 1 61 GOING BERSERK (527)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-OZARKS 5046 8 6 0 56 THE MENTORS RIDE (550)
KURR 5432 4 0 0 55 GOING BERSERK (527)
-SYLVIA PLATH 5008 8 4 0 51 DEAD POETS (548)
-YAMATO 5083 10 8 0 44 BATTLE SHIPS (552)
-TOBIR BATTER 5316 3 3 0 42 SHEWISH BUFFET (520)
ATALI 4770 7 19 0 40 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
-BLOW OUT 5043 6 11 0 39 THE MENTORS RIDE (550)
-ARISTOPHANES 5103 4 8 0 37 DEAD POETS (548)
-BATTLE WAGON 5275 7 9 1 35 BATTLE SHIPS (552)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
IMA KILLA 5298 4 2 0 33 IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
IMA PIMP 5062 7 2 0 32 IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
POLAR FLEECE 4817 6 10 0 28 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
CRYSTAL 5413 4 3 0 27 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
-THROTTLE JOCKEY 5336 3 0 0 26 THE MENTORS RIDE (550)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BIRDIE 5386 3 0 0 24 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-OVID 5333 3 1 0 23 DEAD POETS (548)
SHAKESPEARE 5356 2 0 0 20 DEAD POETS (548)
LITTLE SISTER 5410 3 4 0 18 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
OTHER MOTHER 5439 1 0 0 13 DARQUE FORCES (428)
POLE STAR 5423 2 4 0 10 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
CARMEN MONOXIDE 5427 1 2 0 5 DARQUE FORCES (428)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
DA1 5447 0 1 0 GOING BERSERK 527 SPYMASTER 421 NONE
DA1 5446 0 1 0 IMA BUBBA 2 541 BLOOD CATCHER 421 NONE
JUMK 5444 0 2 0 IMA BUBBA 2 541 HIGH ELF 421 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Ima Killa -- Not yet, and long may it be so. -- Little Sister
Ima Pimp -- Ah, that explains the purple suit. -- Atali
Blow Out -- Those were my BEST tires! -- Polar Fleece
Birdie -- An orcish bird? The tusks are disconcerting. -- Crystal
Shakespeare -- Cool. Say something quotable. -- Pole Star
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
JUMK was butchered by HIGH ELF in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
DA1 was butchered by BLOOD CATCHER in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena duel.
DA1 was easily killed by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute Dark Arena match.
YAK was defeated by URBAN LEGEND in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Challenge duel.
KURR devastated ATALI in a 1 minute brutal one-sided Challenge fight.
IMA KILLA viciously subdued POLAR FLEECE in a 2 minute gruesome Challenge brawl.
SHAKESPEARE overpowered POLE STAR in a 1 minute bloody one-sided Challenge struggle.
DOROTHY viciously subdued POISON IV in a action packed 1 minute gruesome Title fight.
IMA GETCHA was vanquished by KWITCHERBICHON in a 1 minute uneven duel.
MAD MOXXI defeated M. CHARDINEE in a action packed 1 minute duel.
RAINBOW BYTE overpowered AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 1 minute gruesome one-sided fight.
IMA PIMP savagely defeated LITTLE SISTER in a exciting 5 minute brutal fight.
BIRDIE viciously subdued CARMEN MONOXIDE in a crowd pleasing 2 minute brutal conflict.
CRYSTAL demolished CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute one-sided brawl.
OTHER MOTHER handily defeated MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute one-sided conflict.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 9 SLASHING ATTACK 4 - 2 - 0 67 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 5 LUNGING ATTACK 23 - 13 - 0 64 |
|AIMED BLOW 3 WALL OF STEEL 6 - 4 - 0 60 |
|WALL OF STEEL 2 STRIKING ATTACK 40 - 43 - 1 48 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 1 AIMED BLOW 15 - 21 - 0 42 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 TOTAL PARRY 3 - 5 - 0 38 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 BASHING ATTACK 4 - 7 - 1 36 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 5 - 0 29 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
Turn 421 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 1 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 6 5 LUNGING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 3 STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 4 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 AIMED BLOW
AIMED BLOW 2 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 1 SLASHING ATTACK
WALL OF STEEL 1 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK DOROTHY 5055 12 2 2 102 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
AIMED BLOW KWITCHERBICHON 4861 18 11 0 93 BOOK OF THOMAS (528)
STRIKING ATTACK MAD MOXXI 5390 6 2 0 74 DARQUE FORCES (428)
WALL OF STEEL IMA GETCHA 4944 8 3 0 67 IMA BUBBA 2 (541)
SLASHING ATTACK KURR 5432 4 0 0 55 GOING BERSERK (527)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is URBAN LEGEND 4836. The most popular warrior this
turn was IMA PIMP 5062. The ten other most popular fighters were LITTLE SISTER 5410,
DOROTHY 5055, BIRDIE 5386, MAD MOXXI 5390, URBAN LEGEND 4836, POLAR FLEECE 4817, KURR
5432, IMA KILLA 5298, RAINBOW BYTE 5391, and CRYSTAL 5413.
The least popular fighter this week was CARMEN MONOXIDE 5427. The other ten least
popular fighters were IMA GETCHA 4944, POLE STAR 5423, ATALI 4770, DA1 5447, DA1
5446, JUMK 5444, POISON IV 5338, YAK 5296, OTHER MOTHER 5439, and KWITCHERBICHON
4861.
NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA
Algernon, who had NOT gotten the name change he'd asked for, looked at the latest
petitioner. This was a typical gladiator, big, muscular, and scarred, with a frown.
"Ah, what can I do for you?"
"Name change. I heard we can do that. I'm tired of being Jane Doe."
"I'd think you would be," Algernon said faintly. "The Commission has actually
been thinking about this. It isn't FREE, mind you! It takes money to run our office,
you know, and we want to buy some goats--"
"I don't care about goats!" He made a crude suggestion about goats.
"Gladiators, teams, it will cost you two dollars to make a change--"
"I had a talk with my manager. He'll find the money. I want to change my name
to Jane Ralph. I'm no doe!" He thumped a fist on the counter.
"Er, yes. Jane Ralph. Fill out this form, please." He pushed the paper across
the counter. "The changes start on the 15th of April--that's the Ides, you know, and
can be submitted through the end of May. With the payment. No change without the
goat, ah, the gold."
* * * * *
Warrior and team name changes will be accepted beginning April 15 and continuing
throughout the month of May. The cost will be $2 per name change. All proceeds will
be used to buy goats via Heifer International and will be matched up to $500.
If you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, a few additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
TRILLIUM (2-6366) FLOYD'S BREWERY
DR. GIRLFRIEND (3-7105) IRATE FORMATIONS
SAUL GOODMAN (5-5832) ANTIHEROES
COURAGE (32-6353) ANGELS OF PAIN
BIG BROTHER (69-6988) FRAT PARTY BLOWOUT
SPILLS (72-6855) BASH BROS THEATER
PARKING LOT (72-6868) BASH BROS FREEWAY
JANUARY JONES (73-6056) CALENDAR GIRLS
BIRGITTE (73-6755) KINGS BLADES
GUARDIAN (82-16446) WAY TOO MUCH BEER5
CRAZY 54 (84-11494) CRAZY 88 15
PAYED LATE (84-12533) TMF II
BILLABONG (84-13804) GENERATION Y
SAROKITH (84-30929) DUB O DUBS
CIEL PHANTOMHIVE (84-36380) ANIME LEGENDS 4
SWEET-N-SOUR (84-50491) SUPERIOR FORCES DA02
ROBERT PAULSON 115 (84-52207) PROJECT MAYHEM 36
THE SQUIDS (84-54746) CHICAGO BOUND 15
CAT SCRATCH FEVER (84-56886) COLLEGE RADIO X
THE ORANGE ONE (84-57256) THE MOTHERSHIP ZU
GINGER KNOWLES (85-5131) SWORDFISH
VOODOO TOAD (85-14776) DARK TOADS
HIDEYOSHI (85-21460) SAMURAI FIVE
ZOCALO (85-24610) KC FOOD XIII
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes