DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 07/05/2004 Duedate: 07/17/2004 ARDIVENT ARENA DM-46 TURN-430 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS BERKE DEATHTONGUE (89) (46-3799) [16-6-0,105] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader BERKE POSITION IS EMPTY DEATHTONGUE (89) (46-3799) [16-6-0,105] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite BERKE BERKE DEATHTONGUE (89) DEATHTONGUE (89) (46-3799) [16-6-0,105] (46-3799) [16-6-0,105] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM DEATHTONGUE (89) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. DEATHTONGUE (89) 27 2. CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) 20 DEATHTONGUE (89) 3. RUBY DRAGONS (336) 4 Unchartered Team 4. HARDTIMESINBABYLON (325) 0 5. THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) 0 XC DEATH RUNNERS (159) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1 HARDTIMESINBABYLON (325) 174 98 8 64.0 1/ 1 DEATHTONGUE (89) 12 3 0 2/ 3 DEATHTONGUE (89) %1045 746 55 58.3 2/ 5 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) 5 4 0 3/ 2 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) 128 92 9 58.2 3/ 2 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) 5 10 0 4/ 4 RUBY DRAGONS (336) 63 50 2 55.8 4/ 4 RUBY DRAGONS (336) 4 5 0 5- 5 THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) 79 70 1 53.0 5- 3 THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) 3 1 0 6/ 6 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) 278 443 9 38.6 6- 6 HARDTIMESINBABYLON (325) 1 4 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[ Out of the Past #7 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Andorian Edition Aruak City: "First, gather information," Adeolar muttered. It was one of the basic rules that the more information you had relevant to your problem, the better your chance was of solving it. She frowned at her gilt-framed magic mirror, twisting a lock of hair thoughtfully as she considered how to make best use of it. It was still working, after a fashion, but the reddish film tainting the glass was stronger. It confused the images, and she suspected that it also indicated something more dangerous than misreading a scene: that the spell which it embodied was being contaminated by blood magic, as well. Contaminated, and maybe distorted, maybe even subverted. Did she dare use the mirror spell now? Did she dare NOT use it? She needed information to plan her campaign against Khaldren. She shook her head and wiped at the red-tinged glass once more. She would just have to-- "Ma'am?" She glanced over her shoulder as Segallion Sundancer, one of her warriors, looked into the room. His countrywoman Nila was with him. "Nila and I were wondering if we could help, ma'am. You being a sun priestess, and us being temple staff of the Sun Temple on Korvant Isle, well, we thought we might be... compatible." "Oh. Hmm." Adie frowned, her fingers automatically going to one of her curls and twisting it as she considered the possibilities. The worship of the sun as performed in the western Karian states was not at all like that of her own tradition, but it might work. It might, at least, be worth trying. "Perhaps," she said finally. "Let's set it up this way: I'll start on my own, and if I don't need your help, you keep out of it-- It's too dangerous to mix in if you aren't needed," she added sternly as Segallion opened his mouth to protest. "But you be READY, and if I need help, I'll signal you." Maybe she would, but maybe not. It WAS dangerous, and neither gladiator had achieved Shelia Greywand's immortality yet. But she understood the need to be helpful, and she might not have to make use of their aid. When both gladiators nodded agreement, she turned back to her mirror. Carefully, with every aspect of the spell observed meticulously--something that wasn't necessary under better times, because spells were normally all of a piece and could "take a hint," as it were--she began the incantation that would activate the mirror. The surface shimmered crimson silver, glittering and trembling. This was NOT the normal behavior of a mirror spell! It felt as though she was trying to lift a great weight with her mind. She had never thought of the veil between HERE and THERE as a weight before.... Abruptly the glass cleared, or nearly so, a reddish film remained. And there was risen Krael as she had seen it before. But this time she was not interested in the general view. It was an accepted law of magic that for every strength a magician or wizard had, there was a corresponding weakness. Khaldren had come into the present from Krael, and somewhere in that city she hoped to find a clue to his power and his weakness. There was the ancient city, mud-stained and battered by the centuries it had spent sunk beneath the Trier. There the survivors, moving about their tasks which seemed inexplicable but must be linked in some way to Khaldren. She selected one of the better-dressed men and began to follow him through the ruins. His course was erratic, she thought at first it was to avoid the obstacles presented by the city's decrepit state. But he climbed over the mound of rubble that represented a fallen wall, and splashed through a knee-deep pool of water and mud. There were easier ways to get from one point to another, so why...? The man met up with another, handed over a... she couldn't see what, a crystal of some sort, and sat down on a stone to wring out the hem of his robe. The other man set off across the rubble. With a cold shock, Adie realized that the movement of these men, and others in Krael, were themselves parts of a spell. What kind of spell would be produced by somatic components on such a scale? A very powerful one.... Were the other "risen cities" involved in this? Celestinvael had been mentioned, and Old Valamantis. Adie turned her mirror-sight to the south. She was marginally aware that behind her the two gladiators began to dance and chant. Near Ardivent: Master Cho, former manager of the Bluvalley Warriors of Ardivent and Chan Chi Monastery of Khalhums, sipped his wine and nodded approval. "Very good. Quite drinkable, in fact." Fandil, former manager of the Fandils, laughed and poured wine into his own cup. "Like you wouldn't drink it anyway, you old bandit?" He sobered. "What brings you down from the mountains, Cho? The rumors about Celestinvael?" The ancient city lay in the forested no-man's-land between Ardivent and the Delarquan Federation, and woodsmen had been bringing tales of marvels and minor disasters for weeks now. That it was a matter for concern, a matter that would bear watching, was undeniable, but Fandil had seen nothing to indicate that it was urgent. "Celestinvael is enough to worry about," Master Cho answered, nodding, "and it is indirectly what brought me here. If you think about what the city was like in its last days...! But my immediate concern is young Adeolar up in Aruak City." "I may be retired," old Fandil said stiffly, "but I'm not COMPLETELY out of touch, Cho! Adeolar is a very competent woman, and Kennelworth is not worried about her--he'd have mentioned it in his last letter. She can handle anything she's likely to meet." "No doubt... one on one. But that fool Khaldren has invoked and involved wizards from a dozen centuries. Not all of them will work together--as well try to get cats to run in step! But some will, and can she handle two, or six, or ten, if they're all working together?" "Ah." Fandil was silent for several minutes, stroking his beard slowly as his mind raced. "Ah. That could be... bad. Very bad." He set his wine cup down carefully. "You're quite right. We'll have to assist her, or at least be ready to do so. Now?" "What better time?" * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===ANDORIAN REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 245): MISS STEP of LADIES IN WAITING (Crip, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 492): BARK of BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) DM 14 TOBIR (turn 492): ZERO THE HERO of THE DEATH SQUAD (Street Legal, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 485): FLAT TAX of THE REPUBLICANS (The Judge, mgr.) DM 24 ZORPUNT (turn 481): CROCONAW of WATER DECK (Destitute Noble, mgr.) DM 25 LYRATILAN (turn 481): MONKEY WRENCH of PRIMATES-R-US (Crip, mgr.) DM 26 CALEAM (turn 482): FLIMSY of WARCKERS (Papaiz, mgr.) DM 30 IAYE (turn 477): DARK CHOCOLATE of RED DOG GANG (Leeta, mgr.) DM 40 ZENSU (turn 443): SQUISH THE GERBIL of CRUEL PET NAMES (Crip, mgr.) DM 41 KATI-TEI (turn 436): SADISTA FAIRBORNE of MEMPHIS MAFIA (Bookie, mgr.) DM 46 ARDIVENT (turn 429): BERKE of DEATHTONGUE (Technogeek, mgr.) DM 52 FRATSFA (turn 193): MUTILATE of ASSASSIN NATION (Ghab, mgr.) DM 60 LOOPHOLES (turn 341): LACHES of LEGALESE (The Judge, mgr.) DM 63 AMEN-TEI (turn 330): SEXTANT of SAILS OF CHARON (The Sentinel, mgr.) DM 71 KYR'TERR (turn 147): CHEROKEE of CHIEFS' ELITE (Matrix, mgr.) ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 377): HELIO of ULTIMATE ACCELERATION from ARVAT (LHI, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 245): TEN TON TOGAS (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 492): BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) DM 14 TOBIR (turn 492): THE DEATH SQUAD (Street Legal, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 485): KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.) DM 24 ZORPUNT (turn 481): WATER DECK (Destitute Noble, mgr.) DM 25 LYRATILAN (turn 481): CHAUCERS WORDS (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 26 CALEAM (turn 482): WARCKERS (Papaiz, mgr.) DM 30 IAYE (turn 477): RED DOG GANG (Leeta, mgr.) DM 40 ZENSU (turn 443): TACO GODS (The Oracle, mgr.) DM 41 KATI-TEI (turn 436): MEMPHIS MAFIA (Bookie, mgr.) DM 46 ARDIVENT (turn 429): DEATHTONGUE (Technogeek, mgr.) DM 52 FRATSFA (turn 193): ASSASSIN NATION (Ghab, mgr.) DM 60 LOOPHOLES (turn 341): BUMS 'R' US (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 63 AMEN-TEI (turn 330): SAFE HAVEN (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.) DM 71 KYR'TERR (turn 147): CHIEFS' ELITE (Matrix, mgr.) ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 377): RISEN FROM THE DEAD, etc. (LHI, mgr.) Recent Graduates ---------------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 245): MISS STEP of LADIES IN WAITING (Crip, mgr.) GREY FOX of A.K.A. (?, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 492): BARK of BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) (turn 491): BEEF BULLION of BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) SKYWISE of ELFQUEST (Armalias, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 484): KANGAROO KATE of THE ZOO (Leeta, mgr.) DM 60 LOOPHOLES (turn 340): BLACK EYE of JOKA MASHER! (Sultan, mgr.) DM 71 KYR'TERR (turn 146): TOMB of SHADOW GOLD (Shadowgate, mgr.) SPY REPORT I can't believe the violence in ARDIVENT! I still haven't told Mom I'm writing Spyreports. She'd have a cow! Well, here we go... CYNICAL DELUSIONS like really fought hard to move up to 2nd from 5th. Way to go! MVP award for BOBBI? DEATHTONGUE's proud of her after beating SOLARIS and getting 18 points. Talk about yer big time losers! SOLARIS got smashed by BOBBI, and lost 16 points! This Duelmaster is like something else! BERKE stopped SILVER FURY dead in his tracks! I hear the top team insists all their warriors get nine hours sleep. They want photogenic fighters for PR photos. I gotta admit I haven't been in "deep con caves" with any spies. Really, I just wing this stuff. Like, is BERNINA COLLIN popular, or what? She was challenged the most in all of ARDIVENT! She's got a 12-12-1, is that good? What does a fighter fight for? I mean, the crowds don't give a hoot if someone gets killed. Not after four more fights. What if they had a fight and nobody showed up? I'd be out of a job, that's what!!! I really didn't, you know, study when I was a kid. Who would've guessed I'd be a famous Spyreporter? I know how much you like reading this stuff, but I really should stop. I had a fun time, see you later-- Debby Tonte DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BERKE 3799 16 6 0 105 DEATHTONGUE (89) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BOBBI 3812 9 5 0 89 DEATHTONGUE (89) SILVER FURY 2542 11 8 1 87 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) -MANSIZE ROOSTER 2819 16 11 0 70 THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) SOLARIS 3759 10 11 0 69 RUBY DRAGONS (336) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME REAGAN 3818 7 4 0 66 DEATHTONGUE (89) KHORNE SHADOWSPAWN 3809 12 4 1 61 RUBY DRAGONS (336) POISED TO KILL 2637 9 3 0 59 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) VALLEY-JO 3798 10 12 0 58 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME ECLIPSE 2740 3 1 0 53 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) BERNINA COLLIN 3794 12 12 1 51 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) PALANTIRIATHALASA 3808 9 8 1 51 RUBY DRAGONS (336) RUSTED SOUL 2603 7 5 0 44 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) GNEISS GUY 3787 7 17 0 38 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME FLINT HILLS 3796 7 16 0 37 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BIG DAVE DIODE 3821 5 2 0 32 DEATHTONGUE (89) -PAKMARI 3819 5 3 0 31 HARDTIMESINBABYLON (325) BREAK POINT 2741 5 3 0 30 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) VIRGIL POODINSKI 3828 4 1 0 29 DEATHTONGUE (89) -JOHNNY SUNSHINE 3428 4 3 1 25 THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME DEBRA COLLIN 3816 3 8 0 18 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74) -PARTNER IN CRIME 3405 1 2 0 11 THE FURIOUS FIVE (253) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? DELENN 3822 1 2 0 HARDTIMESINBABYLO 325 JOHNNY SUNSHINE 3428 427 PERSONAL ADS Palantiriathalasa -- You're name's too long, that's YOUR problem. -- Bernina Collin P.S. It slows down your thinking when you have to go, "I, Palantiriathalasa, or was that with two esses, am going to strike--" Bobbi -- Damn! By Bernina's argument, you must have a name that's too short, and that would explain how you jumped me, yes? -- Flint Hills Reagan -- That's no way to treat a... Gneiss Guy The Idiot Peasant's insurance has lapsed. Good! -- Valley Jo I wouldn't trust that scribe to keep MY books. No way. He is, you know, totally shifty-eyed! -- Debra Collin Wow, looking at the Dark Arena deaths last time, I can see that there were REALLY hard times in Babylon. -- Leeta 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 BOBBI devastated SOLARIS in a 2 minute gruesome mismatched Challenge fight. BREAK POINT was demolished by VALLEY-JO in a 3 minute gory one-sided Challenge melee. POISED TO KILL unbelievably bested BERNINA COLLIN in a 2 minute Challenge brawl. VIRGIL POODINSKI savagely defeated DEBRA COLLIN in a 1 minute Challenge fight. BERKE viciously subdued SILVER FURY in a exciting 2 minute master's Title fight. REAGAN handily defeated RUSTED SOUL in a 1 minute uneven fight. ECLIPSE vanquished BIG DAVE DIODE in a 1 minute uneven duel. KHORNE SHADOWSPAWN vanquished GNEISS GUY in a action packed 1 minute uneven fight. FLINT HILLS was overpowered by PALANTIRIATHALASA in a 1 minute uneven match. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |STRIKING ATTACK 4 SLASHING ATTACK 22 - 4 - 2 85 | |BASHING ATTACK 3 STRIKING ATTACK 41 - 22 - 0 65 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 LUNGING ATTACK 14 - 8 - 0 64 | |WALL OF STEEL 2 WALL OF STEEL 10 - 8 - 0 56 | |PARRY-STRIKE 2 AIMED BLOW 6 - 8 - 0 43 | |TOTAL PARRY 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 8 - 12 - 0 40 | |AIMED BLOW 1 TOTAL PARRY 5 - 10 - 0 33 | |LUNGING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 6 - 16 - 0 27 | |SLASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-STRIKE 4 - 11 - 1 27 | |PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 430 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: AIMED BLOW 1 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 3 STRIKING ATTACK LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 LUNGING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 4 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 2 2 WALL OF STEEL PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW WALL OF STEEL 1 - 1 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 2 1 PARRY-STRIKE 1 TOTAL PARRY 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME LUNGING ATTACK BERKE 3799 16 6 0 105 DEATHTONGUE (89) AIMED BLOW BOBBI 3812 9 5 0 89 DEATHTONGUE (89) PARRY-STRIKE SILVER FURY 2542 11 8 1 87 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) STRIKING ATTACK REAGAN 3818 7 4 0 66 DEATHTONGUE (89) WALL OF STEEL POISED TO KILL 2637 9 3 0 59 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218) BASHING ATTACK PALANTIRIATHALASA 3808 9 8 1 51 RUBY DRAGONS (336) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is BERKE 3799. The most popular warrior this turn was BERKE 3799. The ten other most popular fighters were BOBBI 3812, VALLEY-JO 3798, BERNINA COLLIN 3794, KHORNE SHADOWSPAWN 3809, VIRGIL POODINSKI 3828, POISED TO KILL 2637, SILVER FURY 2542, REAGAN 3818, ECLIPSE 2740, and PALANTIRIATHALASA 3808. The least popular fighter this week was FLINT HILLS 3796. The other ten least popular fighters were GNEISS GUY 3787, BIG DAVE DIODE 3821, RUSTED SOUL 2603, DEBRA COLLIN 3816, BREAK POINT 2741, SOLARIS 3759, PALANTIRIATHALASA 3808, ECLIPSE 2740, REAGAN 3818, and SILVER FURY 2542.