DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 01/29/2010 Duedate: 02/11/2010
TRICORUS ARENA
DM-51 TURN-530
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
CARGO
SEA DOGS (569)
(51-5335) [22-20-0,113]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
CARGO POSITION IS EMPTY
SEA DOGS (569)
(51-5335) [22-20-0,113]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
TERESAI SHALAITHA
DARK HORSEMEN (433) DARK HORSEMEN (433)
(51-5472) [12-12-0,99] (51-5473) [12-12-1,98]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
DARK HORSEMEN (433)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. SEA DOGS (569) 31
2. DARK HORSEMEN (433) 30 FRUITS (548)
3. FRUITS (548) 1 Unchartered Team
4. RAISING R'LYEH (573) 0
AUSTRALIAN MADE (25)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0 FRUITS (548) 60 33 2 64.5 1/ 2 DARK HORSEMEN (433) 9 6 0
2- 1 RAISING R'LYEH (573) 145 90 15 61.7 2/ 3 SEA DOGS (569) 4 7 0
3/ 2 SEA DOGS (569) 96 97 6 49.7 3- 1 RAISING R'LYEH (573) 3 1 0
4/ 3 DARK HORSEMEN (433) 746 829 24 47.4 4/ 0 FRUITS (548) 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
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Report from the Tourney #1 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Larkin here, with a report from the Winter Tourney. Okay, maybe this isn't
Atlantis, but it's somewhere warm, and if that isn't a beach, at least it's sand,
and, as advertised, there are drinks with umbrellas in them. And young women with a
lot of suntan showing. By the time you read this, the tourney will be over, but
while I'm writing it, the tourney is NOT over. And a lot of you guys reading this
won't have been able to go, anyway.
I'm interviewing Zalgor Prigg, one of the managers participating in the Old
Valamantis Bloodgames, and let me tell you, Old Valamantis is not a place you want to
hang around if you don't have to. It's rotten with magic, to begin with--Folstrom
magic, the blackest there is--and then it's got all this blood and violence on top of
it, and it makes for a dark and scary venue. Anything might rise out of the ruins
around the arena, summoned by the blood and the curses of the managers.
"Mr. Prigg, could you tell us why you--"
"It was the play on words," the manager said, overriding the question. "I
couldn't resist--the chance to call a Bloodgames team Phoenix, you know, the 'rising
from the ashes of death' business. Of course, then I had to change it to Phonetix,
but that's okay, keep people guessing."
"I've heard the Commission mages talking about that name, sir, and they seem
alarmed. One of them said the name was practically a spell in itself, used here."
"I heard. That's why I had to change it."
"Have you considered what might actually rise from the ashes and blood here as a
result?"
"Well, no, but that isn't my business, you know. I manage gladiators. Let the
mages worry about what pops in from some other dimension. Besides, what if nothing
happens?"
"But, sir, there have already been reports of zombie rats and tentacled monsters
lurking in the backs of the locker rooms! And someone is bound to consider that you
have a partial responsibility--"
"No," Prigg said, "I have no responsibility for that kind of thing. I'm no
magician, I haven't been reading forbidden tomes...." He paused, looking thoughtful.
"Maybe it was TigToad with his Obscure Lore...."
"I don't believe there's a team of that name in this Bloodgames--"
"No, not here. Earlier, in Veastian. He could have been, hmm, preparing for
this, opening contacts if not gates, stuff like that. Has anybody seen any Dark
Toads around?"
"Not until they've had six drinks with umbrellas in them. Tell me, sir, have
you given any thought to the moral implications of the Bloodgames?"
"What moral implications?" the manager asked. "This isn't about morals, it's
about survival. And the way to survive on the sands is to kill your opponents every
chance you get!"
"Yes, but--"
"There's a reason they don't hold these contests up in Andoria," the manager
said sternly. "Good people in their ways, the Andorians, but they just aren't cut
out for this kind of grim business." He paused to listen to the roar of the crowds
jamming the ancient arena. Checked the marquee where slaves dangled from ropes and
updated the records of participants. Nodded, grimly satisfied. "Another death.
That's good--can't have too many survivors, or it cheapens the victory at the end."
"But the death toll--"
"Bah! Don't get the idea that these gladiators are the flower of Alastarian
youth. The ones who enter the Bloodgames are the men with no hope. We offer them a
future they could never have dreamed of, but they have to work for it, sweat for it,
bleed for it, and sometimes die for it. The survivors..." he bared his teeth in a
grin that would not have looked out of place on a wolf, "they owe us EVERYTHING, and
they'll do anything to repay us."
"But--"
"And besides," Zalgor Prigg went on, "if you really want to take up the moral
question, go talk to the Grey Wand. She's the one set this up, after all."
"I don't see the point, frankly. She's got plenty of Lord Protectors, and they
have longer training, skills polished and honed to a--"
"The Bloodgames victors, they're Her enforcers," Prigg said. "No polish, sure,
but when a dirty job needs doing, one of these guys will do it, and no questions
asked."
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Report from the Tourney #2 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Larkin here once again, with more interviews from the tourney. This time I'm
talking to a new manager, so new he doesn't even have a manager name. "Sir... what
would you like me to call you, by the way?"
"Why do you have to call me anything? I don't understand why you want to
interview me. There are lots of great managers here who could probably tell you
stuff--"
"I'm looking for a new perspective, the point of view of someone who is just
starting out with the gladiatorial games."
"Oh. Well, I guess that would be me."
"Absolutely right! Tell me, what do you think of the tourney? This is your
first, right?"
"Right, my first," the young man agreed. "And it's GREAT! Everyone is just
great here! I mean, most of these managers, they're, like, legends, you know?
Everybody's heard of them, and they have stables of HUNDREDS of gladiators, and
they've been polishing their tricks for YEARS, and I didn't figure I had much of a
chance, you know?"
"The popular view is that no matter how much you know, the arena can always
throw a surprise at you--"
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that. I don't know if I believe it, but I've heard it.
But that isn't the best thing about this tourney. The best thing is that everyone
here has been GREAT. Or else I didn't meet them--the ones that might not have been.
But I think I met just about everyone, and--"
"And they were great. I'm glad. But perhaps you could tell our readers a
little more, maybe tell them how these experienced managers were great to you?"
"Well, yeah, okay. It's that everyone was so friendly and helpful, see? The
ENTIRE Consortium talked to me about warrior design, for instance. I learned a lot
there. And, well, there was Mannequin, and The Greek Guy, and I actually met
Manager, too! And they were all really helpful. Advice, you know, and charts, and
all that stuff that was so confusing. It was just the best experience! I'm going to
do it again, for sure!"
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===---
Duelmasters
-----------
DM 1 MORDANT (turn 641): BALL PEIN of MANNEQUIN'S BEST (Mannequin, mgr.)
DM 2 NIANIA (turn 523): GOLDINA of THE GOLDEN FISH (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 647): VIRTUAL REALITY of STATE OF MIND (Marma Duke, mgr.)
DM 4 JHELUM (turn 618): PETE MASTIFF of DOGS OF WAR (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 5 KALTOS (turn 642): CREDIT CARD of BLOOD SUCKERS (The Mun, mgr.)
DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 637): RIDLEY SCOTT of THE DIRECTORS (?, mgr.)
DM 7 BONSUR (turn 645): SALTILLA of BEACH BABES (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 10 KOLACT (turn 630): CHAGAN of VIKINGS (Nomad, mgr.)
DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 631): GRUMPY GHOUL of THE GRATEFUL UNDEAD (Street Legal, mgr.)
DM 21 SUNSET (turn 630): SARALEE JO of SWORD OPERA (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 602): GRACIE NICOLE of GIRLS X3 (Non, mgr.)
DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 594): ZIG of U.A.K. (Otis the Drunk, mgr.)
DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 268): XYOKOR YAHL of THE MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 42 RODEKI (turn 578): ALMOST PRETTY of COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 529): CARGO of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
DM 54 TROCAR (turn 253): MATEEN of SAI'FULLAH (?, mgr.)
DM 59 ILLIS (turn 243): GISBORNE of KIWI CONNECTION (The Mun, mgr.)
DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 476): SAND STORM of DISASTERS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 219): BAYLY of KIWI CONNECTION (The Mun, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 523): PTI of WASTELAND II (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
Top Teams
---------
DM 1 MORDANT (turn 641): HOMICIDAL MANIACS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 2 NIANIA (turn 523): THE GOLDEN FISH (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 647): IRATE FORMATIONS (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
DM 4 JHELUM (turn 618): TRIBAL COUNCIL (Chief Illiniwek, mgr.)
DM 5 KALTOS (turn 642): BLOOD SUCKERS (The Mun, mgr.)
DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 637): THE DIRECTORS (?, mgr.)
DM 7 BONSUR (turn 645): BEACH BABES (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 10 KOLACT (turn 630): VIKINGS (Nomad, mgr.)
DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 631): THE GRATEFUL UNDEAD (Street Legal, mgr.)
DM 21 SUNSET (turn 630): BEN'S BAZAAR (Gentleben, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 602): GIRLS X3 (Non, mgr.)
DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 594): U.A.K. (Otis the Drunk, mgr.)
DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 268): POSITION IS EMPTY
DM 42 RODEKI (turn 578): COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 529): RAISING R'LYEH (Reaper, mgr.)
DM 54 TROCAR (turn 253): STREET-SOLDIERS (Darkface, mgr.)
DM 59 ILLIS (turn 243): WHAT'S IN A NAME (Storm Lord, mgr.)
DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 476): MIDDLE WAY 10 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 219): KIWI CONNECTION 7 (The Mun, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 523) 0729205R et al (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
Recent Graduates
-----------------
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 646): HELIAS SOL of ASTRAL KIN (Kid Arcane, mgr.)
DM 7 BONSUR (turn 644): BLUEBURN of SENTINELS (Nomad, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 601): EVA MENDEZ of GIRLS X3 (Non, mgr.)
DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 267): WHAKAPAPA of KIWI CONNECTION (The Mun, mgr.)
DM 42 RODEKI (turn 577): DACIMOUSEL of DELVERS (Harby, mgr.)
LAZY LOOKOUT of DUNGEON CELL (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 528): GOB of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 475): SALTY DOG of DEATH MOB (Jakari, mgr.)
DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 218): EAGLE KEYS of ANCIENT KNIGHTS (?, mgr.)
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Nyarlathotep. Nyarlathotep. It doesn't really roll off the tongue, you know.
In fact, it took the whole 17 minutes for me to figure out how to say it properly.
If it weren't for that guy who yelled "Nyarlathotep, you stupid idiot!" I'd still be
wondering.
I'm not sure whether to expect Shoggoth or Shalaitha this round. Despite both
of their names starting with "Sh", they have very little in common. Shoggoth is
quiet and when he does speak, he says cryptic things. He and the rest of his team
are all like that. Shalaitha, on the other hand, is quite friendly and has offered
me some useful advice in the past. Like don't parry with your face. I don't like to
over-think things, so I'm just going to leave it up to chance. Best of luck to my
next opponent.
Cargo
SPY REPORT
Hail and well met warriors of TRICORUS! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. Former top team RAISING R'LYEH was
unseated this week as DARK HORSEMEN moved up from 2nd ranking to take the top spot
with a 4-1-0 record for the round. SAARVEGHAL caught the eye of many in the
gladiatorial commission as he skillfully bested AMBITIOUS GUARD and was awarded 10
points in recognition. Not for nothing has CARGO in the past laid claim to the
Duelmaster's throne, and this week he's proven his combat skill yet again.
Informants "close" to the city champion have told me that he never fights without
pantyhose on beneath his armor. Watch out!
But come now, let us look deeper into the maze of contention and crossed blades
that is city TRICORUS.
Is not Death a warrior's foremost adviser? Warriors, may this counselor stand
ready at your right hand forever! Dark alleys may hide both secrets and assassins.
In the arena there is only the brightness of steel. Keep vigil always!
If it were not for my skills as a spy I would have been mugged three times
already in TRICORUS. Nice atmosphere you have here! More than a sharp eye must I
keep, indeed a stout pair of legs must I keep as well! The endless paths of Alastari
await me! Till next we meet remember: a fool flies into a rage quickly and often.
The wise are angered by the same thing only once. Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CARGO 5335 22 20 0 113 SEA DOGS (569)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SHOGGOTH 5455 14 3 1 103 RAISING R'LYEH (573)
TERESAI 5472 12 12 0 99 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
SHALAITHA 5473 12 12 1 98 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BAROCHDAL 5456 13 24 1 83 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
-NYARLATHOTEP 5452 14 9 0 79 RAISING R'LYEH (573)
DRUNKEN SAILOR 5453 18 19 1 74 SEA DOGS (569)
-OF SEA AND WIND 5469 7 2 0 72 RAISING R'LYEH (573)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-EVERYONE BURNS 5470 7 2 1 59 RAISING R'LYEH (573)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MAHAGHAL 5475 13 8 1 54 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
SAARVEGHAL 5496 7 3 0 52 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SKIPPER 5502 1 0 0 9 SEA DOGS (569)
GRAPEFRUIT 5343 0 1 0 1 FRUITS (548)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
MAN OVERBOARD 5505 0 1 0 SEA DOGS 569 ARENAMASTER RAHJ 530 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Gob graduated. Brass Monkey dead in the tourney. Time for some new blood around
here. -- One Armed Bandit
Why so bitter? You'd be bitter too if someone named you after a puny grape. --
Grapefruit
Of Sea and Wind -- Really, I'm more of a plains and wind type, myself. -- Saarveghal
Shoggoth -- That kind of thing really messes up my hair. Try not to do it again. --
Shalaitha
For a dwarf, which I am actually NOT, whatever the Commission thinks, the Khalhums
dude isn't so bad. Hairy, but otherwise not too bad. -- Teresai
Drunken Sailor -- At least you were able to fall non-fatally. What with being so
relaxed and all. -- Barochdal
Everyone Burns -- You can actually get a fire started in this weather? That's
impressive. -- Mahaghal
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
MAN OVERBOARD was butchered by ARENAMASTER RAHJ in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
CARGO unbelievably bested SHALAITHA in a action packed 3 minute veteran's Title duel.
BAROCHDAL savagely defeated CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute mismatched duel.
DRUNKEN SAILOR was overpowered by TERESAI in a 2 minute mismatched match.
MAHAGHAL overpowered FRATSFA SLAVE in a 1 minute one-sided struggle.
SAARVEGHAL devastated AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 1 minute one-sided competition.
SKIPPER won victory over GRAPEFRUIT in a 2 minute beginner's duel.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 2 TOTAL PARRY 9 - 4 - 0 69 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 2 AIMED BLOW 9 - 4 - 0 69 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 WALL OF STEEL 2 - 1 - 0 67 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 LUNGING ATTACK 8 - 4 - 0 67 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 9 - 6 - 0 60 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 STRIKING ATTACK 8 - 6 - 0 57 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 SLASHING ATTACK 16 - 13 - 0 55 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 3 - 0 0 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
|WALL OF STEEL 0 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 - 0 0 |
Turn 530 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 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 TOTAL PARRY
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE
LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 2 2 SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 1 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 2 STRIKING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0 1 WALL OF STEEL
1 LUNGING ATTACK
1 AIMED BLOW
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
TOTAL PARRY CARGO 5335 22 20 0 113 SEA DOGS (569)
LUNGING ATTACK MAHAGHAL 5475 13 8 1 54 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
AIMED BLOW SAARVEGHAL 5496 7 3 0 52 DARK HORSEMEN (433)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is TERESAI 5472. The most popular warrior this turn
was SHALAITHA 5473. The ten other most popular fighters were TERESAI 5472, CARGO
5335, BAROCHDAL 5456, SAARVEGHAL 5496, SKIPPER 5502, GRAPEFRUIT 5343, MAHAGHAL 5475,
DRUNKEN SAILOR 5453, MAN OVERBOARD 5505, and 0.
The least popular fighter this week was MAN OVERBOARD 5505. The other ten least
popular fighters were DRUNKEN SAILOR 5453, MAHAGHAL 5475, GRAPEFRUIT 5343, SKIPPER
5502, SAARVEGHAL 5496, BAROCHDAL 5456, CARGO 5335, TERESAI 5472, SHALAITHA 5473, and
0.