DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER Date : 07/19/2003 Duedate: 08/15/2003 SNOWBOUND ARENA DM-50 TURN-187 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS CLOUDS AWAY OPEN SESAME (199) (50-3332) [14-4-1,132] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader CLOUDS AWAY HAPPY OPEN SESAME (199) STRANGE TUNES (369) (50-3332) [14-4-1,132] (50-3399) [3-3-1,44] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite NASSE SUPER GROVER DARK SIDHE (288) OPEN SESAME (199) (50-3307) [13-16-1,74] (50-3413) [0-1-0,7] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM DARK SIDHE (288) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. STRANGE TUNES (369) 34 2. OPEN SESAME (199) 32 OPEN SESAME (199) 3. DARK SIDHE (288) 24 Unchartered Team 4. DRUID'S GROVE (292) 16 5. MASTER BLASTERS (60) 0 STRANGE TUNES (369) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1 MASTER BLASTERS (60) 129 86 3 60.0 1/ 2 DARK SIDHE (288) 11 4 0 2/ 2 OPEN SESAME (199) 244 168 14 59.2 2/ 1 OPEN SESAME (199) 9 5 1 3/ 3 DARK SIDHE (288) 267 255 17 51.1 3/ 4*STRANGE TUNES (369) 8 7 0 4/ 5 DRUID'S GROVE (292) 33 35 3 48.5 4/ 3 DRUID'S GROVE (292) 6 7 0 5- 6 IRON CURTAIN (299) 120 132 9 47.6 5- 6 MASTER BLASTERS (60) 3 1 0 6/ 4 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) 45 50 0 47.4 6/ 5 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) 3 12 0 7/ 7*STRANGE TUNES (369) 13 17 1 43.3 7- 7 IRON CURTAIN (299) 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[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #64 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(< Ibizond, Korga, and in between: The sun was low in the sky, less than an hour from setting, Fist of Kjarran calculated. He glanced at his companions, a hastily assembled group of gladiators from Murska and hunters from Ibizond. They had all heard of the killer that stalked this stretch of road at night--Cadal had insisted on telling them, just to make sure they all knew, which Fist thought was a mistake--and they were nervous. Well, it was time for them to turn back, and their numbers should protect them from attack. Cadal, with Aghatamar and Zilla, were somewhere ahead, waiting in ambush to attack the killer if the killer attacked him, Fist of Kjarran. Not a bad plan, he conceded privately, even if it had come from a Murskan semi-barbarian. The man was almost as good as a true Karnhorn in his thinking.... But Cadal hadn't taken into account the possibility that the killer might take one look at him and sheer off. Fist caressed the hilt of the sword at his side. Even if the killer had never heard of him, the Lord Protector knew that he was an impressive, even daunting, sight. A stir among his companions drew his attention outward again. "About time we turned back," one of the men said. He seemed to be the leader, what was his name...Finn, that was it. "Most of these people aren't Lord Protectors, and if the killer gets them, they're just plain dead." Fist nodded. "Yes, you should have time to get back to Ibizond before dark," he agreed. "And we certainly don't need more deaths along here." They all came to a stop. "Thing is, I don't like leaving you on your own," Finn went on. He looked uncomfortable about the whole situation, but of course he had no belief in Kjarran to sustain him. "I could stay...." "A generous offer," Fist responded, clapping him on the back. It was good to be reminded that even non-believers had courage and honor. "But I'm supposed to be alone, to be tempting bait for the killer. That is the way it's planned, you know. We can't change the plan at this late hour!" "I know," Finn agreed gloomily, "but I don't like it. Well...I guess we turn back now. Good luck!" He gestured to his group, and they turned back readily, even eagerly, toward Ibizond, sturdy walls, lights, and companionship. With a last salute, Finn followed them, leaving Fist of Kjarran alone on the road. Fist of Kjarran watched them go and smiled to himself as he turned to go toward Korga. That was the best thing about adventures; you made new friends, met good people you would never have encountered in your regular life. Doing this service for the people of the area, ridding the road of its killer, was a good thing, a worthy effort, but making new friends was a warmer pleasure. Whistling, he strode eastward toward the prepared ambush. Near Malcorn: Blackie, Lord Malcorn of Malcorn, stood next to the ancient stone and waited for the moon to rise. It would be full tonight, and he knew, because he knew most of the natural world around Malcorn, that when it reached a certain height above the horizon, it would shine through the hole in a more distant rock and strike squarely onto the face of the rock beside him, revealing carvings that had been old when the first Lord Malcorn came to this land. The records of his ancestors said that the Dregur were accustomed to gathering here when the moon was just so. "I must be insane," Tiljanz muttered behind him. "Courage and a sense of responsibility often looks like madness," Blackie agreed, "even to the people exhibiting it. You didn't have to come here tonight, but you felt it was the right thing to do. I can respect that in a man. A lot." "Will it do any good?" the young Karnhorn asked curiously. "We've turned the Dregur loose, and I'd think it hard if not impossible to rein them back in." "We turned them loose under terms," Blackie said. His voice hardened, becoming the voice of the Lord of Malcorn. "They have not kept those terms. They were to attack only those who came here following Inzolas. That a few innocents might get caught in that net by accident was...almost inevitable. But some of the Dregur have been actively hunting those not indicated by the terms of their release." He was silent for a long moment, then shrugged. "I'm not certain that we can put an end to these...excesses. But I am very certain that if we don't protest, the situation will become worse. A failure to protest will be seen as an admission of weakness." >)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #65 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(< Near Zukal: Ghenis grimaced at the wave of fear but set himself to defend his shelter, himself, his horse, and Veleks. The fear, he realized after a moment, was something outside himself, something the monstrous hunter was attempting to impose on him. That knowledge did not lessen the icy waves coming at him, but it let him set it away from himself, make a space between fear and thought. It would not find him an easy victim. There was what seemed like a very long silence, with Ghenis in the ruined house beside his fire, and the icy-eyed shadows outside. The shadows seemed to be waiting for something--for him to flee, screaming, probably. And to be disconcerted by his failure to do so. Ghenis reached up to touch his amulet again, then paused before his fingers reached the cool stone. It looked like he could handle this on his own, so better not to invoke the dark powers. But should he speak, demand what this shadow wanted of him, or wait and let it be first to break the silence? Better to wait; in a contest of nerves, the first to break silence lost points. He didn't have any points, whatever they might be in this context, to spare. Sooner than he expected, a voice came out of the night. It was cold, and hollow, and deep as a cave, sounding distant, somehow, or not quite real. Oh, it was real, Ghenis knew that--out of the corner of his eye, he saw his horse flinch at the sound. But it was hard to imagine that any creature of flesh and blood might produce such a voice. "Why do you not flee?" "Flee? You think I should run away?" The gladiator put as much surprise in his voice as he could. "Why? I've got a fine location here, shelter from the wind and rain, a fire for light and warmth. Why should I leave before morning?" "Do you not fear me? You should." The voice dropped to a deeper, darker tone. "I could rip life and soul from your puny mortal flesh--" "Sounds unpleasant," Ghenis agreed. "But I'm a Lord Protector, and the Greywand has a deal with Ahringol--he doesn't get to keep us Lord Protectors. We get resurrected on a regular--" "Ahringol!" The name crackled like thunder in the darkness. Scornful thunder. "That foolish child? These young gods have no sense of dignity, trafficking with wizards as though they were mortal merchants! Ahringol and Greywand are nothing to me, what I take, I keep." "If you say so," the gladiator responded. The statement that Ahringol, who had a deal concerning gladiators, was not involved was disconcerting, but this was not the time to show it. "But if you could come here and get me, you'd already have done it. What's stopping you?" he added curiously. "The fire, the steel, the fact that I'm not afraid?" "Why should I tell you anything?" The voice sounded annoyed now. Almost sulky. "You think too much." It dropped to a note of menace. "But one night you will be without shelter, and then we will see what your brave words really mean." There was a stir in the shadows, a rushing wind of movement, and then Ghenis had the night to himself. DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. I was hoping to get to sit on the throne before the tournament, but that wasn't the method in my madness. I'm not sure if Dark Sidhe will be able to Bloodfeud or not. Normally, the only warriors able to challenge the Duelmaster are the Challenger Champions, and this is supposed to apply for Bloodfeuds as well as normal challenges. But Maegelos and Nasse are in the Champions class, so they may sneak one through, or they may even get to fight me in a random match-up. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, I hope to have had phun in Philly, and I will be bringing along newcomer Super Grover, who will be debuting in the Rookies tournament, but should be making his Snowbound premiere today. Clouds Away Open Sesame SPY REPORT The sages err'd not in their foretelling of a god descending upon SNOWBOUND, for I, Novgorodny Vir, have returned! Nothing is certain in SNOWBOUND, with changing loyalties, changing Duelmasters. Write this down: new top team--DARK SIDHE. Practice pays for HAPPY, who pummelled HOLLAN INNIS, to pocket 13 points. HOLLAN INNIS certainly had a baffled expression on his face, after losing to HAPPY and losing 9 points in the process! MAEGOLOS found out that SNOWBOUND isn't a democracy. You've gotta be the best to be Duelmaster here! So who was the warrior seen charging into immovable walls and challenging dead trees? Someone's got a basic problem... And how sociable are SNOWBOUND's warriors? Come, let us see. To quell some nasty rumors, the guys in IRON CURTAIN are not carrying any incurable diseases. No need to avoid 'em. As a woman of good breeding scorns the "warriors" of OPEN SESAME, so did that sorry team shy from IRON CURTAIN Everyone is famous for fifteen minutes, and IRIADOR is it right now. Most challenged warrior. Isn't DRUID'S GROVE proud! Is there life after death? Pragmatics (and warriors) know there is death after life! Oh hard! that to strike a flame, the match itself must needs be wasting! Leave me now, you base fools! My fingers tire and I fear my incessant prattling may cause unfair judgement upon my impeccable character. Like a mixed metaphor, and an overtaxed simile, I now bid SNOWBOUND farewell-- Novgorodny Vir DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CLOUDS AWAY 3332 14 4 1 132 OPEN SESAME (199) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME MR. HOOPER 3318 14 9 0 101 OPEN SESAME (199) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME MAEGOLOS 3312 14 13 1 78 DARK SIDHE (288) VANWAFEA 3338 11 7 0 76 DARK SIDHE (288) NASSE 3307 13 16 1 74 DARK SIDHE (288) IRIADOR 2481 8 6 2 70 DRUID'S GROVE (292) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME OBSIDIAN 2484 6 9 1 52 DRUID'S GROVE (292) CINDER 3380 8 1 0 51 DRUID'S GROVE (292) ON MY WAY 3378 9 3 0 49 OPEN SESAME (199) SWEET AIR 3381 7 3 0 45 OPEN SESAME (199) ELLITA FESS 3392 10 9 0 44 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) GILIA HARN 3391 9 10 0 44 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) HAPPY 3399 3 3 1 44 STRANGE TUNES (369) -FUAMATU 3288 9 6 0 43 IRON CURTAIN (299) -30 3320 5 2 1 43 IRON CURTAIN (299) ARLEN ABELI 3387 8 11 0 40 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) -BERLINETTA 2156 7 6 0 40 MASTER BLASTERS (60) SHAME ON THE NIGHT 3398 4 2 0 40 STRANGE TUNES (369) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -31 3322 4 3 0 31 IRON CURTAIN (299) STRYKER 3404 3 3 0 27 DRUID'S GROVE (292) NEUMA 3406 3 2 0 26 DARK SIDHE (288) TOM SMITH DISEASE 3400 3 3 0 26 STRANGE TUNES (369) EXISTENTIAL BLUES 3402 1 5 0 26 STRANGE TUNES (369) HOLLAN INNIS 3388 6 6 0 24 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) -10 3321 3 3 0 24 IRON CURTAIN (299) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME NEVERMORE 3401 2 4 0 24 STRANGE TUNES (369) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME FENDER GRALE 3389 5 8 0 23 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) -AZAER 3096 4 2 0 22 MASTER BLASTERS (60) -ZERO 3397 2 2 0 15 IRON CURTAIN (299) SUPER GROVER 3413 0 1 0 7 OPEN SESAME (199) YAIWE 3414 1 0 0 5 DARK SIDHE (288) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? VINYA 3345 10 4 1 DARK SIDHE 288 CLOUDS AWAY 3332 186 PERSONAL ADS Gilia Harn -- I'm pioneering the double challenge with the same style, different warrior. -- Sweet Air Dr. No-Nookie -- I'll give you this, you've taught me more skills in each of our two fights than I've learned in any other fight in my entire dueling career. -- Mr. Hooper Vinya -- Just as Iriador is Clouds Away Bane, it appears that I am Vinya Bane. Sorry about that. -- Clouds Away Cinder -- Now there's a block if I've ever seen one. -- On My Way Sweet Air -- I wish! But there are places where that's an unattainable ideal. -- Gilia Harn Nasse -- That was all too dark for me. -- Arlen Abeli P.S. How come you didn't have more to teach, what with your greater experience and all? Nevermore -- Promises, promises. The arena's too small to say something like that and have it be true short of death. And I don't think either of us is ready to die. But then, who ever is? -- Ellita Fess Azaer -- The whole works, from A to Z, huh? Good try, anyway. -- Hollan Innis Happy -- I'm glad somebody is. -- Fender Grale 26 June 2003 STOP THINKING TOGS!!!!! It's here. Well, almost here anyway. We're looking at a start date of the first turn in Aradi (DM 60) following the Fall Mail-In. This should give everyone sufficient time to study the new ultra-improved T#%S IV rules and prep accordingly. So without further ado, here is your handy-dandy guide to winning your very own Golden Scrod (and some other very cool prizes to be announced officially before the start of the tourney that must not be named): 1. Each T#%S team consists of two managers. After the tourney starts, there will be no switching partners whatsoever, so choose your partners wisely. T#%S IV will last for 13 turns, so pick a partner you can stand for 6 months or so. The only team I know of so far is last TOGS winners: Ganolus Oakleaf/Hombre of Blood Related/Thieves Guild. Hey, this is fun! 2. The T#%S entry fee is 2 team setups per manager. This means 4 setups per T#%S team. This entry fee is required before the start of the tourney with no exceptions being made. This is to ensure that nobody gets screwed if a team or manager decides to back out early. To pay the entry fee either: a) send $10 cash/check/money order/ or whatever to me personally at: Andy Salveson 6812 Romanzo Way Elk Grove, CA 95758 b) get RSI to send me 2 team setup gift certificates. Sorry, no credit cards and no old teams you have lying around will be accepted. 3. T#%S point system: 10 points for winning on your up-challenge against another T#%S warrior. 7 points for winning on your even challenge of another T#%S warrior. 7 points for winning on another T#%S warriors challenge. 7 points for winning a random matchup against another T#%S warrior. 4 points for winning on your down-challenge of another T#%S warrior. 4 points for winning a random matchup against a non-T#%S warrior. Do not fight your team mate, you will not get any points. Also, you will not get any points if you challenge or get challenged by a non-T#%S team, so use your avoids wisely if you think someone is out to get you. 10 points for being the Duelmaster. This is in addition to all points listed above and will begin turn 1, so prep accordingly. 5 points for every spotlight written by any team member, 1 per manager per turn. The minimum length of a spotlight to receive points is 1/2 column in the newsletter (that's 31 lines-each line 85 characters across) and I will be completely firm on this. In addition to the length criteria, spotlights will not be given points if they are in any way plagiarized or if they are not Duelmasters or fantasy related. I will be the sole judge of this. If you're unsure if I will judge something to be Duelmasters or fantasy related, then e-mail me before you write the spotlight and ask me. I reserve the right to take points away from a spotlight after they are given if I judge at a later time that the spotlight has been plagiarized. -5 points per manager per turn every time a manager does not at least write one personal ad. -5 points for being the team that avoided the most. If you participated in TOGS III, you'll notice some slight changes in the points structure. The main things are points for random match ups against non T#%S warriors, bonus points for being the Duelmaster, new spotlight criteria, and no points given for being the most avoided team. 4. I already mentioned this, but T#%S IV will start the first turn in arena 60 after the Fall Mail-In runs and it will last for 13 turns. There will not be a Survivor format this time around, meaning no eliminations. I will still be doing the multipliers at the end, however. This means that all points accumulated by a team on turns 10 and 11 will be multiplied by 1.5 and all points accumulated by each team on turns 12 and 13 will be multiplied by 2. 5. Prizes are yet to be determined, but I'll tell you what I know. There will be prizes given out each turn to whichever team scores the most combined points on a given turn. Tie breakers will go to the team with the most wins on that turn and then to the team with most overall points. I have asked RSI for the same prizes as last TOGS which were transferring any warrior to arena 60 and renaming Aradi for approximately 6 months, but we'll see what they come back with. I haven't decided how to split the prizes up, partly because I don't know how many teams will be entering yet, but I do know the prizes will be split among the top 3 teams at the end. I will announce the exact breakdown of everything when I know more. 6. And just like TOGS III, Death Stud and I will be the sole arbiters of any dispute that may arise. Whine all you like, but as Nuln told you last time, that's how it is. 7. M & RR Clause (go ahead, read between the capitals): I reserve the right to disallow entry to this tourney if you have a previous history of being a big fat mouth about everything. I think that pretty much covers it. I will be accepting team entries as of now and then posting them in the newsletters as I receive entry fees. Please feel free to e-mail me regarding any questions or comments at Ganolus@aol.com. So everyone don your best pair of leg warmers, hop on your favorite farm animal, and ride to Aradi for the 4th kinda-annual Tournament that must not be named for no apparent reason whatsoever, or T#%S IV, for short. See ya'll there! -- Ganolus Oakleaf, T#%S IV Commish 18 July 2003 To All Managers -- I would like to take this time to announce that my alliance, The Association, is no more. Due to the dead weight managers of the alliance and their lack of participation, DarkSpirit and I have formed a new alliance: The Firm. We have taken on two members so far and are looking for a few more. If you would like to find out more about The Firm, you can diplo Dark Spirit, Unknowns XX in arena 15 or myself, Sungod, Sadists F2FII in arena 62. --* The Firm *-- Sungod -- Sadists F2FII -- 62 Dark Spirit -- Unknowns XX -- 15 Youngblood -- Wensinwasin -- 43 Tripwire -- Of Wolf and Man -- 1 LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS VANWAFEA bested IRIADOR in a 3 minute Challenge fight. SWEET AIR bested ARLEN ABELI in a exciting 5 minute Challenge duel. ON MY WAY unbelievably bested OBSIDIAN in a 3 minute gory Challenge match. NEUMA won victory over NEVERMORE in a 1 minute Challenge brawl. CLOUDS AWAY overpowered MAEGOLOS in a 1 minute mismatched Title match. MR. HOOPER bested NASSE in a crowd pleasing 2 minute veteran's duel. CINDER luckily beat ELLITA FESS in a crowd pleasing 7 minute brawl. GILIA HARN overpowered TOM SMITH DISEASE in a action packed 1 minute uneven melee. HAPPY vanquished HOLLAN INNIS in a action packed 1 minute one-sided duel. SHAME ON THE NIGHT viciously subdued CAPTURED ORC in a 4 minute fight. FENDER GRALE was beaten by STRYKER in a 1 minute fight. EXISTENTIAL BLUES demolished CONVICTED THIEF in a 2 minute mismatched match. SUPER GROVER was unbelievably bested by YAIWE in a exciting 8 minute novice's contest. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |LUNGING ATTACK 5 TOTAL PARRY 28 - 12 - 0 70 | |TOTAL PARRY 4 AIMED BLOW 15 - 10 - 1 60 | |STRIKING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 32 - 29 - 0 52 | |WALL OF STEEL 3 SLASHING ATTACK 11 - 10 - 2 52 | |AIMED BLOW 2 WALL OF STEEL 23 - 21 - 0 52 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 4 - 1 50 | |SLASHING ATTACK 2 STRIKING ATTACK 10 - 15 - 1 40 | |PARRY-LUNGE 1 PARRY-STRIKE 5 - 8 - 0 38 | |PARRY-STRIKE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 10 - 0 33 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 3 - 11 - 0 21 | Turn 187 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-LUNGE 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 3 3 LUNGING ATTACK PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 1 - 2 3 TOTAL PARRY TOTAL PARRY 4 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 1 - 2 2 SLASHING ATTACK AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 STRIKING ATTACK PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME STRIKING ATTACK CLOUDS AWAY 3332 14 4 1 132 OPEN SESAME (199) SLASHING ATTACK MR. HOOPER 3318 14 9 0 101 OPEN SESAME (199) LUNGING ATTACK MAEGOLOS 3312 14 13 1 78 DARK SIDHE (288) FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME AIMED BLOW IRIADOR 2481 8 6 2 70 DRUID'S GROVE (292) TOTAL PARRY CINDER 3380 8 1 0 51 DRUID'S GROVE (292) PARRY-RIPOSTE ELLITA FESS 3392 10 9 0 44 MIDDLE WAY 6 (368) PARRY-STRIKE SHAME ON THE NIGHT 3398 4 2 0 40 STRANGE TUNES (369) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is NASSE 3307. The most popular warrior this turn was SUPER GROVER 3413. The ten other most popular fighters were ELLITA FESS 3392, MR. HOOPER 3318, ARLEN ABELI 3387, VANWAFEA 3338, OBSIDIAN 2484, NASSE 3307, GILIA HARN 3391, SHAME ON THE NIGHT 3398, IRIADOR 2481, and HAPPY 3399. The least popular fighter this week was SWEET AIR 3381. The other ten least popular fighters were YAIWE 3414, FENDER GRALE 3389, MAEGOLOS 3312, EXISTENTIAL BLUES 3402, HOLLAN INNIS 3388, TOM SMITH DISEASE 3400, CINDER 3380, NEVERMORE 3401, CLOUDS AWAY 3332, and NEUMA 3406. The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn: CLOUDS AWAY (50-3332) OPEN SESAME (199)