DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 12/14/2009    Duedate: 12/26/2009

ARDIVENT ARENA

DM-46    TURN-568

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

BINKLY
DEATHTONGUE (89)
(46-4115) [21-16-0,120]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

BINKLY                         POSITION IS EMPTY
DEATHTONGUE (89)               
(46-4115) [21-16-0,120]        

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

BETTY                          FRAN BRAN
DEATHTONGUE (89)               DEATHTONGUE (89)
(46-4149) [12-11-0,86]         (46-4157) [7-7-0,40]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

FANDILS (75)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. DEATHTONGUE (89)            37
2. WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)    19      FANDILS (75)
3. FANDILS (75)                16      Unchartered Team
4. BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)      9
5. SERPENT'S HOLD (178)       -18      EVIL DEAD INC. (221)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 FANDILS (75)             %1025 724 37 58.6   1/ 2 FANDILS (75)             13  2 0
 2/ 2 DEATHTONGUE (89)         %1226 902 58 57.6   2/ 1 SERPENT'S HOLD (178)      9  4 0
 3/ 3 SERPENT'S HOLD (178)     308 263 28 53.9   3/ 4 DEATHTONGUE (89)          8  7 0
 4/ 0 WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)  38  42  1 47.5   4/ 3 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)   5 10 2
 5/ 4 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)  545 856 17 38.9   5/ 0 WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)  3  2 1

    '*'   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[ The Andorian Succession #40 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

In the mountains west of Fratsfa:

     After a while, maybe half an hour, Fandil stood.  Elosjon shivered again.  This
was it.  Ultimate battle, powerful enemy, no quarter.  They were probably going to
die.  HE was probably going to die.  As he stood and tried automatically to brush the
dirt off his robe, he found himself thinking that it was a shame he hadn't ever
visited the Flower Shoppe in Fratsfa for its primary purpose.  Some magicians claimed
that doing so would impair the vital forces, but others claimed it was energizing.
He wished now that he had take the time to formulate his own opinion and test it.
Well, too late for that, but if he DID by some chance survive, he would--  He
remembered Ravishing Redbud who had started out with them, and blushed.  But if he
survived, he WOULD.  With her.
     Fandil glanced at him and said, "Remember, you are present as a back-up.  Not to
throw yourself into the forefront of the battle and get killed for nothing, but to
hold ready for that instant when just a little extra power on my side will tip the
scales."
     Elosjon opened his mouth to protest what he saw as coddling, but the older mage
stopped him with a glance.
     "No, I'm not slighting your ability, my young colleague.  It isn't ability that
you lack, but simple experience.  Some things only come with long practice, and the
timing that is critical in a magical battle, or any other kind of battle, is one of
them.  I'm not giving you the 'easy' job, either.  When your assistance is needed, it
will be needed desperately, and you will have to be ready to give without hesitation
or limit."  The older man's beard twitched in what might have been a smile.  "And if
any of the watchdogs show up while I'm busy, I trust you will deal with them."

Fratsfa:

     "What I want to know," Sunflower said, "is what this Korneth guy thinks he's
going to get out of it all."
     "Power," Herlas said.  "A crown."
     "Yes, but how?  Even if the old king is gone for good, how does all this..." she
stirred her hand around as though mixing a pot of trouble, "how does it make HIM into
the new king?"
     "That's how a man becomes a king," Lady Fern said.  "By seizing a chance when it
comes along--and often enough by making the chance in the first place.  He will argue
that there is no one else at hand who can do what needs to be done, and point to the
'Karnhorn Menace' or some other made-up danger and say that no time can be lost, the
Andorian League--"
     "He'll make it a kingdom, not a league," Herlas put in.
     She nodded.  "That seems a logical step for him.  That Andoria needs a strong
hand on the reins now of all times.  None of the other 'lesser' rulers will do: the
Baron of Ardivent is too little known to the population as a whole, and he's an elf,
the leaders of the Clanholds are Aruaki, the Thane of Convincia is too old, the
Raltumans are out of the question since Aradi's defection--"
     "What about Emperor Alonj?" Orchid asked.
     "Easily discredited.  He used to seem half-mad, though he wasn't, and many
people will believe that he really is."  Fern snorted.  "His wife may have something
to say about that, true, but Alonj doesn't want to rule Andoria, and she may not push
him into something he doesn't want."
     "He's right about one thing," Lenpro said.  "Somebody has to take control."
     "Why?" Herlas asked.  "Why not go back to being independent units: Ardivent and
Fratsfa, the Clanholds, Convincia, and Raltumas.  It isn't like the League is some
ancient tradition, or the separate parts will turn on each other without the
framework of the League to make them work together."
     Lenpro and Fern spoke together:  "No."  Fern gestured for Lenpro to carry on
with the explanation.  "Only in a perfect world will people work together without
rules and leaders, and this is not a perfect world.  People--petty nobles, great
nobles, military leaders, wealthy merchants, ambitious priests--they'll see a power
vacuum and try to step in to fill it.  There will be fighting, and sooner or later a
union again.  We should bypass that if we can:  Better a bad ruler than no ruler."
     "Not always," Lady Fern said.

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 316): CONFIDENCE of CONSANGUINEOUS (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 634): STABLEBOY of KRILL CAVALRY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 634): TYNE of OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (The Mun, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 619): HATE MY LIFE of KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 623): WILD FIRE of DISASTER (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 619): RAVING LUNATIC of DARK FORCES (?, mgr.)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 618): DEATH RATTLE of ULTRA-VIOLENT (Deep Thought, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 616): HIPS of HER BEST ASSETS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 580): TERILEE LINZ of BEYOND THE PALE (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 576): COUNTRY RHODES of WANDERERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 567): BROTHER JEROME of FANDILS (Wise Old Fandil, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 264): NUMBSKULL of OTTO'S PARTS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 466): VALNAKORINE of WAYFARERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 217): WITCH of DOGS OF WAR (?, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 519): SPAWN of CHECKMATE (The Storm Lord, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 316): Z GLADIATORS (Z Man, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 634): ANIMAL FARM (Mino, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 634): OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (The Mun, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 619): KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 623): MEDAL OF HONOR Z3 (The Anarchist, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 619): DARK FORCES (?, mgr.)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 618): GOLDEN CANYON (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 615): LENPROS (Lenpro, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 580): BEYOND THE PALE (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 576): THE STORM FRONT (The Storm Lord, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 566): SERPENT'S HOLD (Khisanth?, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 264): BLOOD AND GUTS! (Le Pentarque, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 466): WAYFARERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 217): THE ZOO (Jorja, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 519): KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                   ----------------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 315): CONSTERNATION of CONSANGUINEOUS (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 619): HERSHEL WILLIAMS of MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (Anarchist, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 622): LORMIN GARDE of KRILL CAVALRY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 580): TERILEE LINZ of BEYOND THE PALE (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 575): STANLOY MEDAR of WANDERERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 566): ANNA BEATRICE of FANDILS (Wise Old Fandil, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 264): NUMBSKULL of OTTO'S PARTS (Crip, mgr.)
                            BRAIN TUMOR of OTTO'S PARTS (Crip, mgr.)
                            PULLED HAMSTRING of OTTO'S PARTS (Crip, mgr.)
                (turn 263): BEXLY of OHIO (Berylstar, mgr.)

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     Gee, I did it again.  And against Betty.  That down-on-the-knees-praying made
all the difference, I think.  I do.  Oh, my.  There is another Deathtongue right
below me just waiting to unseat me.  His name is Binkly and he is an aimer, and I
admit that I fear him.  Shouldn't I?
     Speaking of aimers, I thought I might give you a summary of my 17 (15-2-0) arena
fights.  My only two arena losses have been to Bingo Little, a slasher, and you can
bet I am avoiding him.  Yes, indeed.
     ST = 5-0
     LU = 4-0
     TP = 3-0
     WS = 2-0
     AB = 1-0
     SL = 0-2
Interestingly enough, in tournament action, I have fought7 ST's, 1 TP, and 1 SL.
(Yes, I lost to THAT SL also.)
     One thing you can be assured is that I am avoiding slashers, and I am fearing
aimers.  I guess I had better get down on these tiring knees and get at that prayer,
then, because they are all coming to get me.  I gladly accept your prayers, too.
               Brother Jerome DMII

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, in ARDIVENT a quiet thief gets rich, but a quiet spymaster gets poor.  
So bring me ale and harken to my tidbits of news.  It seems the training can make the 
difference, as SERPENT'S HOLD is pushed out of top team by FANDILS, who came from 2nd 
with a 4-1-0 this turn.  The DEATHTONGUE guild has had a 4-1-0 turn and deserves to 
be watched in the future.  You never know where this kind of thing can lead.  And 
let's see, BONE MILL fought SHADOW BLADE and gained 13 points and contributed to WOE 
TO WHITECHAPEL's 3-2-1.  SABRE has lost to UNCLE BOB, falling 9 points, while helping 
make SERPENT'S HOLD a 1-4-0 turn.  Well done, ARDIVENT, the Duelmaster was this 
turn's most challenged warrior.  Perhaps BROTHER JEROME is not as thrilled, being 
challenged 4 times.  BINKLY challenged for the Duelmastership this turn, attempting 
to dethrone FANDILS' warrior.  We should ask BINKLY about the thrill of victory, and 
what being the new Duelmaster does for a warrior, he's now the one to ask.  Tell me, 
is nothing sacred?  I have heard from unimpeachable sources that The Victory Tavern 
uses trolls in their stew.  Talk about gristle!   
     The crowd's roar, the smell of iron and leather, mixed with sweat, what more 
could a warrior ask of life?  Well, besides that.  DEATHTONGUE has cause to stand 
tall, as they were ARDIVENT's most avoided team.  A smart manager knows this is a 
team to beat.  And guess who avoided DEATHTONGUE stable the most?  Believe it or not, 
it was FANDILS.  Anyone surprised?   
     We only live a short time in this world, so why not take a sharp blade, and 
shave it close?  A brave warrior does not carry a red shield, he has nothing to cover 
or hide when the fight is over.  Consider well.   
     I like this place, ARDIVENT, the taverns have old wine, and young serving girls. 
Who could ask for more?  Well, I'm burning daylight here in ARDIVENT and I've a long 
road ahead of me.  Happy Trails.  Until the sun next rises and my pen sets to paper-- 
Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BINKLY 4115                  21  16  0   120       DEATHTONGUE (89)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 LILY CATHERINE 4154          15   3  3   107       FANDILS (75)
 UNCLE BOB 4143                9  13  1   102       FANDILS (75)
 SIS 4153                     13   4  0    99       FANDILS (75)
 BONE MILL 3977               12   5  0    97       WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)
 BROTHER JEROME 4152          15   3  0    91       FANDILS (75)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SHADOW BLADE 2972            11   7  6    87       SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
 BETTY 4149                   12  11  0    86       DEATHTONGUE (89)
 TANIA PARK 4117              22  15  0    81       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
 SABRE 3026                    6   1  0    77       SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
 MUNGO BURKE 4097             14  27  0    75       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
 SNORKY 4134                  16  14  1    72       DEATHTONGUE (89)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BINGO LITTLE 4148            12  12  1    67       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 RATLER 3055                   8   2  1    60       SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
 FEAR VECTOR 3978              7   9  0    59       WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 UP FROM THE SEA 3979          6   9  0    44       WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)
-IRONWOLF 274                  5   1  0    42       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
 FRAN BRAN 4157                7   7  0    40       DEATHTONGUE (89)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 RAGNAR 3063                   6   4  0    32       SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
 DESPAIR 4171                  3   0  0    29       SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
 BORN OF THE DARK 4004         5   5  0    27       WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)
 SHANTQUITMINIFE 4041          3   0  1    26       WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)
 CELIA RANDELL 4170            4   2  2    24       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-UG 271                        4   2  1    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-KROKUS 272                    4   2  0    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
 TESS TURBO 4169               3   3  0    19       DEATHTONGUE (89)
-TARAMON 270                   3   3  0    18       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-WEASEL 273                    4   2  0    15       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
 EARL 4174                     1   0  0     7       FANDILS (75)
 KATERINA COLLIN 4172          1   2  0     5       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
FRIENDLY CONSTAB        0  0 0                      SHANTQUITMINIFE 4041  568  NONE
SHIFTYEYED VOLUN        0  0 0                      CELIA RANDELL 4170    568  NONE
JENNIMYS COLLIN 4114   16 19 0 BLUVALLEY WARRIOR 74 LILY CATHERINE 4154   565   

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Good bye all.  It was fun.  M. Chardinee, thanks for being my last as I am now
officially retired.  For those anxiously awaiting, my published faves were: Great
Axe, High/Mod, innate Responsive, learns Attack. -- Lord Protector Anna Beatrice

Oops, you did it again!  Prayer works.  Congrats to Duelmaster Brother Jerome!
Health.  Humility.  Honor. -- Fandil The Wise

It wasn't easy, Boss.  That Betty of Deathtongue is really, really, really tough. --
Brother Jerome

Bingo Little -- I swung, the Aremamaster called O-64, and I screamed BINGO and won!
-- Uncle Bob

Virginal Concubine and Kung-Fu Master -- Thanks for filling in.  We needed the
practice. -- Lily Catherine and Sis

     We'll send you a bill. -- Aleksondra, V. Concubine,  and Sholdifain, Master of
     Kung-Fu

Khisanth, Jorja -- I am not TRYING to add to the color of The Arena Of The Red Sands.
Somehow, stuff happens.  Fandil gives me a very difficult time about this, so please
don't pile on. -- Lily Catherine (snifflingly and quite penitently)

Sorry I haven't been doing personals lately, I blame facebook. -- Technogeek

Tania Park -- Well, at least I can beat you.

Cellia -- Avast! -- Fran

Katerina -- You're cute. -- Tess

Brother Jerome -- You ain't no brother of mine. -- Betty

Mungo -- No, Mungo, bad Mungo! -- Snorky

Binkly -- Drat.  That hurt.  Well, I said so, of course, but I *meant* it. -- Tania
Park

Uncle Bob -- Oh, I say!  One shot on the billowy portions?  Not sporting, old chap.
Not sporting at all. -- Bingo Little

Fran Bran -- Do you do muffins?  I've been wanting a plain old brain-nut muffin for
SOOO long, and people keep putting BANANAS in it, or something weird like that. --
Celia Randell

Tess Turbo -- It must be your hat.  My great-aunt, she's the fashion person in our
family, tells me that turbans are Out, but it surely worked for you. -- Katerina
Collin

Snorky -- Serves you right.  You're a golem and you were making rude noises. -- Mungo
Burke
P.S.  It would probably have been worse if you were NOT a golem and you were making
rude noises, but maybe not.  Hard to tell.

Brother Jerome -- Yes, well, I don't. -- Tania Park

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

BINKLY devastated BROTHER JEROME in a 2 minute mismatched Challenge Title fight.
SABRE was demolished by UNCLE BOB in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge melee.
TESS TURBO was defeated by DESPAIR in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Challenge duel.
LILY CATHERINE devastated MUNGO BURKE in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
SHADOW BLADE was subdued by BONE MILL in a 2 minute master's competition.
SIS vanquished BINGO LITTLE in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
BETTY overpowered FEAR VECTOR in a popular 1 minute mismatched brawl.
TANIA PARK viciously subdued NOBLE ASSASSIN in a crowd boring 11 minute uneven melee.
SNORKY defeated RATLER in a popular 1 minute uneven duel.
RAGNAR was narrowly defeated by UP FROM THE SEA in a 4 minute gruesome match.
BORN OF THE DARK was savagely defeated by FRAN BRAN in a 9 minute brutal fight.
CELIA RANDELL murdered SHIFTYEYED VOLUNTEER in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
SHANTQUITMINIFE butchered FRIENDLY CONSTABLE in a 1 minute one-sided battle.
KATERINA COLLIN was unbelievably bested by EARL in a 3 minute amateur's bout.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   6         SLASHING ATTACK   22 -   8 -  3      73  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    5         TOTAL PARRY       15 -   6 -  0      71  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  3         PARRY-STRIKE       2 -   1 -  1      67  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      3         STRIKING ATTACK   25 -  16 -  0      61  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  3         WALL OF STEEL     12 -  12 -  2      50  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         LUNGING ATTACK    18 -  20 -  1      47  |
|AIMED BLOW                       2         AIMED BLOW         5 -   6 -  0      45  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      8 -  10 -  0      44  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         BASHING ATTACK     5 -   7 -  0      42  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         PARRY-LUNGE        0 -   0 -  0       0  |

Turn 568 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       BINKLY 4115                21  16  0  120 DEATHTONGUE (89)
SLASHING ATTACK  LILY CATHERINE 4154        15   3  3  107 FANDILS (75)
WALL OF STEEL    BONE MILL 3977             12   5  0   97 WOE TO WHITECHAPEL (358)
TOTAL PARRY      BROTHER JEROME 4152        15   3  0   91 FANDILS (75)
LUNGING ATTACK   SHADOW BLADE 2972          11   7  6   87 SERPENT'S HOLD (178)
STRIKING ATTACK  BETTY 4149                 12  11  0   86 DEATHTONGUE (89)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BETTY 4149.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
FRAN BRAN 4157.  The ten other most popular fighters were BINKLY 4115, SHADOW BLADE 
2972, BETTY 4149, RAGNAR 3063, UP FROM THE SEA 3979, KATERINA COLLIN 4172, LILY 
CATHERINE 4154, RATLER 3055, UNCLE BOB 4143, and TESS TURBO 4169.

The least popular fighter this week was TANIA PARK 4117.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were EARL 4174, BORN OF THE DARK 4004, FEAR VECTOR 3978, BINGO LITTLE 4148, 
MUNGO BURKE 4097, SABRE 3026, BROTHER JEROME 4152, SHANTQUITMINIFE 4041, CELIA 
RANDELL 4170, and SNORKY 4134.

The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:

BINKLY (46-4115) DEATHTONGUE (89)