DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 11/07/2005    Duedate: 11/19/2005

ARDIVENT ARENA

DM-46    TURN-461

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

ECLIPSE
CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
(46-2740) [17-2-0,182]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

ECLIPSE                        POSITION IS EMPTY
CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)        
(46-2740) [17-2-0,182]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

BECKER COLLIN                  ECLIPSE
BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)        CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
(46-3850) [10-10-1,50]         (46-2740) [17-2-0,182]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)     48
2. RUBY DRAGONS (336)           1      CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
3. BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)      0      Unchartered Team

                                       ZODIAC (86)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)  185 119 10 60.9   1/ 1 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)  11  4 1
 2/ 2 RUBY DRAGONS (336)       100  91  2 52.4   2/ 2 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)   8  7 0
 3/ 3 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)  348 524 10 39.9   3/ 3 RUBY DRAGONS (336)        2  3 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[ Nightfall #8 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

On the south coast of the Ardivent Peninsula:

     Two men stood on the roof of the manor house and stared out at the bay.  A black
tower rose from the water near the string of rocky islands that narrowed the channel
between Ardivent and Kaltos.  Near the islands, but not on them.
     "I can't make out what it's standing on," Harbad Kore said.  The Guard was
Ambitious, but his inclinations had not led him to study charts of the bay.  He felt
there was more scope for him on land.
     "Not an island, not a charted rock," Ternas d'Aleen said.
     D'Aleen had shipping interests, or maybe just was interested in ships and boats,
but at least he was likely to know about the waters here.  You'd never take him for
an Assassin, and now that the Assassins' Guild had been outlawed again, he didn't
practice.  At least, he said he didn't practice assassination any more.  Although how
he supported himself based on occasional appearances in the arena as a standby...
maybe he really was a shipper.  Kore shrugged that off.  It wasn't his business,
anyway.  "Okay, then what IS it standing on?"
     D'Aleen raised an eyebrow.  "How should I know?  But it arrived courtesy of
magic, so maybe it has a magical foundation, as well."
     "Magic."  The guard considered that for several minutes.  "And it's threatening
Ardivent's shipping, right?  Probably the Transelites did it."
     "An unfounded assumption," the assassin said.
     "No it isn't!  Transel's got loads of magicians, and the whole island lives off
piracy.  Seems reasonable to me that they're doing this."  His hand went to his
sword.  "We should Take Steps.  Those pirates can't be allowed to get away with
this!"
     "We all know you're a bit of a fool, Kore," the assassin said coldly.  "But you
don't need to keep demonstrating it.  And fortunately for us all, you are not the one
who must make the decision.  That is the Baron's prerogative.  We are merely here to
observe and report."
     Kore twitched his shoulder.  The comment about him being a fool he decided to
ignore; practicing or not, D'Aleen WAS an assassin.  "Okay, fine, I know I'm not the
diplomatic type, but mark my words, we'll end up going to war with Transel over this.
I just wish...."  He glanced down at the building beneath them uneasily.
     "Oh, I agree," D'Aleen said.  "I would much have preferred almost any other
vantage point, but this IS the best place for observing the black tower."
     "That statue in the front hall--"  The guard shivered.
     "I believe it isn't actually a statue," D'Aleen said after a moment.  "I seem to
have heard that it is actually a living person, preserved in amber.  A Lady
Protector...Stepharoo, or something like that."
     "It isn't decent," Harbad Kore said.  "She should be, I don't know, put out of
sight at the least, or buried, or something.  Just having a naked woman standing
there in the hall...."
     "Not buried," D'Aleen said.  "If she's a Lady Protector, which is what I
remember, then even if she's dead she isn't really dead.  To be buried alive..." he
shuddered.  "But if we have to use this place again, I would agree that we can move
her into a closet or something."

     Weeks had passed.  The Black Tower had come and gone and come again, sometimes
interfering with shipping, other times ignoring it.  No one ever appeared on the roof
of the tower to demand toll or make any explanation.  No ship was searched, no cargo
seized.  But some ships disappeared, and some were destroyed despite all efforts to
protect them physically or magically.
     "Magic," Ternas d'Aleen said bitterly.  "I hate cases where magic is an
important factor.  There is so very little that an ordinary person can do against
it."
     "Very little?"  Harbad Kore stared at his companion.  "I thought there was
NOTHING we could do.  Except get caught by it ourselves," he added.  "And I still
don't see why WE have to be the ones watching for the tower."
     The assassin shrugged.  "We didn't get out of sight fast enough when the Baron
asked for volunteers."  He looked at the manor house they'd used as an observation
post before and grimaced.  "We're going to put that...chunk of amber out of sight
this time."
     The Ambitious Guard nodded agreement.  The Lady Protector preserved in amber
gave him the creeps.  He couldn't regard her as being truly alive, but neither did
she seem to be completely dead, and anyway, it was indecent.  Not just because she
was nude, either, it was...an insult to HER that she should be displayed like that.
He wondered uneasily what magician she had offended, and how, to have drawn such a
fate.
     More to change the subject than for information, d'Aleen said, "What's the news
around the court about the Black Tower?  Any word from the other Bay Ports?"
     "How should I know?"
     "You're a guard in the Baron's palace.  You must hear things."
     "I'm not supposed to repeat what I hear," Harbad Kore said primly.
     "Bull."
     "Well...I guess this is a 'need to know' situation, isn't it?"  The Guard
glanced over his shoulder.  There was no one behind them, nothing but the forest and
the lane, both drifted deeply with fallen leaves.  "Everyone denies having anything
to do with it.  Transel, too.  Word is that some magician in Valamantis thinks he's
got a clue but can't make it work.  Figures.  Magicians!"
     "So," the assassin mused, "no information and no plan.  Not good."
     Kore shrugged and pulled the heavy wrought-iron key to the old manor from his
pocket.  He scanned up the front wall.  "This place was built to last," he said, "but
it won't, not unless it gets a tenant who cares about it.  A Lady in amber can't keep
it in good condition."
     D'Aleen shrugged again.  "So long as it doesn't fall down while we're in it, I
don't care," he said indifferently.  "It's just a building."
     "Listen, this is a classic of the Early Medjal era," Kore said.  "It's
HISTORIC."  He slipped the key into the lock and turned it, not without difficulty
and a lot of noise.
     "It's just a building," the assassin said.  He helped his companion push open
the door.  The hinges squealed, and the door scraped heavily on the stone floor of
the hall.  "Where's that light coming from?"
     "Gods!  The amber--it's cracking!"

      * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *

                          ---===ANDORIAN REGIONAL NEWS===---

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 263): ZIG ZAG of Z GLADIATORZ (Mr. Zee, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 527): VIRGINIA'S SECRET of WAR-C-KERS (Papaiz, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 527): PEREGRINE of RAPTORS (Warden, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 520): CRIMSON WONDER of MEDIEVAL CHAOS (Huckle Cat, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 516): PINE LEAF of KRILL CAVALRY (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 516): SPARK of ERRATA (JE, mgr.)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 514): BOUNCER of GOLDEN CANYON (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 509): DR. ROSENZWEIG of LENPROS (Lenpro, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 478): JENIPHER of BEYOND THE PALE (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 470): FLUTTERLEE of WANDERERS (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 460): ECLIPSE of CYNICAL DELUSIONS (Eclipse, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 210): COLLAPSED LUNG of OTTO'S PARTS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 376): BRUSHFIRE of NATURAL DISASTERS (Soultaker, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 364): MALICHAI of WAY OF THE BLADE 2 (Vhagar, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 165): SHALL BE of WHY (Elderberry, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 412): BRUENOR BATTLEHAMME of FORGOTTEN REALMS from BARIKALA
                            (Talon Warsmith, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 263): CHAMPIONS OF STEEL (Blackstorm, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 527): BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 527): THE DOGHOUSE (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 520): KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 516): KRILL CAVALRY (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 516): THE MIDDLE WAY 4 (Nolan Orgel, team captain)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 514): GOLDEN CANYON (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 509): LENPROS (Lenpro, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 478): PHILANTHROPISTS (Aragorn, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 470): WANDERERS (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 460): CYNICAL DELUSIONS (Eclipse, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 210): ODIN'S CHOSEN (Heathen, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 376): NATURAL DISASTERS (Soultaker, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 364): WAYFARERS (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 165): NIGHTHAWKS (Savant, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 412): BOXES, etc. (Doc Steele, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                   ----------------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 263): ZIG ZAG of Z GLADIATORZ (Mr. Zee, mgr.)
                           YMIR BLOODRAVEN of NORTHERN BADLANDS (Maximillian, mgr.)
                           ZIT of Z GLADIATORZ (Mr. Zee, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 527): BRANFORD HAWKE of TUFT TUGGERS (Tankesh Dushanbe)
                   (turn 526): ALMOND ALBATROSS of ANIMAL FARM (Mino, mgr.)
                               HOT DOG of BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.)
                               RAINSONG of ELFQUEST (Armalias, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 519): CLINT EASTWOOD of THE REPUBLICANS (The Judge, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 459): POISED TO KILL of CYNICAL DELUSIONS (Eclipse, mgr.)
                             PALANTIRIATHALASA of RUBY DRAGONS (Talon Warsmith, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 210): MUTILATE of ASSASSIN NATION (Ghab, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 376): BRUSHFIRE of NATURAL DISASTERS (Soultaker, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Greetings warriors!  It is I, Zontani Sharp Eyes, here to bring report of the 
clash and bustle of the weekly ARDIVENT games.  VECORDIUS caught the eye of many in 
the gladiatorial commission as he skillfully bested DEBRA COLLIN and was awarded 10 
points in recognition.  In one of the week's more notable duels, VECORDIUS put down 
DEBRA COLLIN, causing her to lose 7 points of recognition in the process.  Not for 
nothing has ECLIPSE in the past laid claim to the Duelmaster's throne, and this week 
he's proven his combat skill yet again.  Heed this!  A seer has warned that if 
exactly 6 die in duels this week, the whole city shall perish!  Just remember...5 or 
7!   
     Many and various are the arts of battle.  In ARDIVENT "art" is a word that has 
long since passed from the language!  Mighty fighters cannot but expect competition 
from those below.  FLINT HILLS take warning!  You have more than a few enemies in 
ARDIVENT.  A match that raised a few eyebrows at the games this week, it seems that 
GOLDEN FURY posted a challenge against the more highly recognized FLINT HILLS.  The 
results, you ask?  Well, the firebrand GOLDEN FURY overcame FLINT HILLS.  Remember 
warriors, this is the discipline of steel.   
     Is not Death a warrior's foremost adviser?   Warriors, may this counselor stand 
ready at your right hand forever!  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?  Ahh, but I can hear the spires of a far off 
city calling to me.  I must away!  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                  
 ECLIPSE 2740                 17   2  0   182       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 VECORDIUS 3870                9   3  0   105       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
 SOLARIS 3759                 21  31  0    94       RUBY DRAGONS (336)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FLINT HILLS 3796             18  36  0    90       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
 GOLDEN FURY 3887              5   0  1    88       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
 DEBRA COLLIN 3816            19  23  0    86       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BREAK POINT 2741             14  11  0    68       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BECKER COLLIN 3850           10  10  1    50       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
-IRONWOLF 274                  5   1  0    42       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 LORI COLLIN 3888              3   0  0    32       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HERMY COLLIN 3878             4   3  0    23       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
-UG 271                        4   2  1    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-KROKUS 272                    4   2  0    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-TARAMON 270                   3   3  0    18       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-WEASEL 273                    4   2  0    15       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
PLINT MILLS 3889       0  1 0 CYNICAL DELUSIONS 218 SPYMASTER 22          461 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Palantiriathalasa -- Great send off for you, to leave with a victory over a young
fighter such as myself.  Oh and by the way, Poised will be joining you in your guild
house on the Isle, he might even move in. -- Vecordius

Solaris -- Well, it's the battle of the striker and the TP.  The fights are at least
getting longer.  I'm in good shape so you will have to extend the fights to at least
fifteen minutes in order to see me sweat a bit.  Don't worry, my time is coming up
soon, and the throne will be yours. -- Eclipse

Becker -- Didn't you see that coming, first it's BP then me.  Different style and
all, but retirement might be the best option. -- GF

Deb -- I thought we were on good terms, then you go and wipe me out in the sixth
inning; what kind of person are you? -- Break Point

Poised to Kill -- Dammit, don't DO that.  It gives me the willies every time you take
that "poised" stance. -- Flint Hills
P.S.  Actually, I suppose you can go ahead and do it all you want now, since you
won't be doing it here.  We'll miss you.
P.P.S.  Okay, as Leeta has so KINDLY pointed out, even when we're in the arena with
you, we miss you.

Break Point -- But not THAT point, I guess.  And still your record is better than
mine. -- Debra Collin
P.S.  This is totally gazebo.

Golden Fury -- Picture me as Blushing Shame. -- Becker Collin

What kind of cults do half elves have? -- Hermy Collin
P.S.  I thought cults were into purity and stuff.

That Constable was WAY too Friendly.  I had to slap his silly face. -- Lori Collin

Eclipse -- No, that hadn't occurred to us.  Our sympathies to your manager. -- Leeta
and the Bluvalley Warriors, also internet-dependent

12 October 2005
Magic Man -- You are a fellow Canadian, are you not?  Where do you hail from?  I live
in Kelowna, B.C. -- Maximillian, 8,13, 28, 47, 54

5 November 2005
It is with a proud heart that I announce the newest member of the Desolate Empire
alliance.  Dok Sik will be known from here forth as Dark Knight Dok Sik, of the
Desolate Empire.  May he be blessed with victory and courage.  May his enemies' blood
flow freely! -- The Dark Knights Wasby and Toker

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

PLINT MILLS was butchered by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
VECORDIUS devastated DEBRA COLLIN in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel.
GOLDEN FURY demolished FLINT HILLS in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight.
ECLIPSE viciously subdued SOLARIS in a popular 3 minute veteran's Title contest.
BREAK POINT unbelievably bested BECKER COLLIN in a action packed 4 minute gory brawl.
HERMY COLLIN was devastated by AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 1 minute mismatched match.
LORI COLLIN handily defeated TRUSTWORTHY SCRIBE in a 1 minute uneven melee.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         SLASHING ATTACK    3 -   0 -  0     100  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      2         STRIKING ATTACK   22 -   6 -  1      79  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      4 -   2 -  0      67  |
|AIMED BLOW                       1         WALL OF STEEL      6 -   3 -  0      67  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         AIMED BLOW         4 -   3 -  0      57  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-STRIKE       5 -   5 -  0      50  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         BASHING ATTACK    11 -  12 -  0      48  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    0         PARRY-LUNGE        4 -   6 -  1      40  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   0         TOTAL PARRY        7 -  12 -  0      37  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    0         LUNGING ATTACK     0 -   2 -  0       0  |

Turn 461 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     AIMED BLOW         0 -  1         4  STRIKING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK    3 -  1     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  1         2  TOTAL PARRY    
TOTAL PARRY        1 -  1     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  1         1  BASHING ATTACK 
                              PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  0         1  PARRY-STRIKE   
                              LUNGING ATTACK     0 -  0         1  PARRY-LUNGE    
                              BASHING ATTACK     0 -  1         1  SLASHING ATTACK
                              WALL OF STEEL      0 -  0         1  AIMED BLOW     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
STRIKING ATTACK  ECLIPSE 2740               17   2  0  182 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
TOTAL PARRY      BREAK POINT 2741           14  11  0   68 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BECKER COLLIN 3850.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was ECLIPSE 2740.  The ten other most popular fighters were BECKER COLLIN 3850, 
VECORDIUS 3870, SOLARIS 3759, BREAK POINT 2741, LORI COLLIN 3888, GOLDEN FURY 3887, 
HERMY COLLIN 3878, PLINT MILLS 3889, DEBRA COLLIN 3816, and FLINT HILLS 3796.

The least popular fighter this week was FLINT HILLS 3796.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were DEBRA COLLIN 3816, PLINT MILLS 3889, HERMY COLLIN 3878, GOLDEN 
FURY 3887, LORI COLLIN 3888, BREAK POINT 2741, SOLARIS 3759, VECORDIUS 3870, BECKER 
COLLIN 3850, and ECLIPSE 2740.