DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 02/25/2020 Duedate: 03/23/2020
FRATSFA ARENA
DM-52 TURN-396
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
FORGED BISHOP
IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
(52-4563) [10-4-1,80]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
FORGED BISHOP BIG APPLE
IRON CATHEDRAL (159) WORLD BLADES 14 (434)
(52-4563) [10-4-1,80] (52-4311) [1-5-0,28]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
TONIO SALAGAZA DELTA CYGNI
MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) CYGNUS (446)
(52-4362) [11-19-0,52] (52-4465) [9-4-0,69]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 45
2. WORLD BLADES 14 (434) 26 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
3. CYGNUS (446) 17 Unchartered Team
4. INCARNATIONS (281) 4
5. THE CHOSEN ONES (143) 0 WORLD BLADES 14 (434)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1- 1 THE CHOSEN ONES (143) 133 105 8 55.9 1/ 4 IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 7 4 0
2/ 3 IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 227 200 21 53.2 2/ 3 CYGNUS (446) 5 1 0
3/ 4 CYGNUS (446) 18 16 0 52.9 3- 2 THE CHOSEN ONES (143) 4 0 0
4/ 2 INCARNATIONS (281) 221 199 13 52.6 4/ 1 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) 4 11 0
5/ 5 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) 180 252 3 41.7 5/ 5 INCARNATIONS (281) 3 4 0
6/ 6*WORLD BLADES 14 (434) 4 8 2 33.3 6/ 6*WORLD BLADES 14 (434) 1 2 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
Dark Stoicism
The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.
Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final
resting spot of the failed gladiator.
* * *
"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted
away.
"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from
the infirmary back to their training hall.
* * *
A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead.
* * *
Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful.
"That'll do. Now strike!"
* * *
Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash,
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success.
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more
slowly...
* * *
The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield,
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.
* * *
Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening,
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.
The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now,"
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.
The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open,
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was
over. And it might never end.
-- memory
SPY REPORT
It's me, The Unknown Spymaster, back to give you this week's Spy Report. Sit
back in your seats and we'll have more fun than a barrel of Zontanis. Say good-bye
to MIDDLE WAY 8, as they are pushed from the coveted top team spot by the IRON
CATHEDRAL stable. Coming up with a solid 4-0-0 outing, IRON CATHEDRAL has advanced 3
places in the rankings. Hey everybody, watch out for BIG APPLE, who flew up 21
points in the rankings after mashing TENNESSE SMITH like a melon. Keep your eye on
this guy. Ya know, some days it doesn't pay to walk out on the sands. VERN WULF was
defeated by SISTER STEEL and drops 16 points. Try as hard as the INCARNATIONS stable
might, they were unable to find their warrior (and ex-Duelmaster) BA'AL before this
week's fights. It's a proud day for the IRON CATHEDRAL stable, as their warrior,
FORGED BISHOP, ascended the Duelmaster's throne. An apple a day keeps the doctor
away, but an onion a day keeps T.P.s at bay.
But enough of that bunch, let's get on to the wimps who like to avoid battle!
Being a spy is great--other people die and you spend the rest of the day
drinking to their memory. Better tanked than dead! Here's some advice: warriors
with little wit and will may encounter problems on the trail to the Isle.
Well, there's the manager of the FRATSFA giving me the 'cut' sign (or is that
'They're going to strangle you in the alley?). Okay, so I may not be the world's
best comedian, but then you guys aren't the world's best warriors. Hasta la bye-bye.
(Loud choruses of 'Beat it, ya bum!')-- The Unknown Spymaster
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
FORGED BISHOP 4563 10 4 1 80 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-BOUDICA 4413 15 2 0 106 THE CHOSEN ONES (143)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SPARTACUS 4361 13 5 2 86 THE CHOSEN ONES (143)
-JOAN OF ARC 4412 8 8 1 85 THE CHOSEN ONES (143)
DELTA CYGNI 4465 9 4 0 69 CYGNUS (446)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-BA'AL 4532 8 6 0 66 INCARNATIONS (281)
SHACKLED PRIEST 4464 16 14 2 64 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TONIO SALAGAZA 4362 11 19 0 52 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
SISTER STEEL 4562 8 9 1 49 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
XAVIER YANG 4568 5 9 0 39 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
KAPPA CYGNI 4469 9 6 0 38 CYGNUS (446)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TENNESSE SMITH 4411 6 11 1 30 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
VERN WULF 4567 6 8 0 29 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
BIG APPLE 4311 1 5 0 28 WORLD BLADES 14 (434)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BANDED ACOLATE 4582 2 1 0 21 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
FERNY ROSS 4578 3 6 0 15 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
-SOKAR 4590 1 0 0 13 INCARNATIONS (281)
-AMAUNET 4574 1 0 0 13 INCARNATIONS (281)
-MAIDEN ALLOY 4579 0 2 0 6 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
HEDIES 4593 0 1 0 INCARNATIONS 281 LAURENTS OF ARAB 396 NONE
DA1 4566 0 1 0 WORLD BLADES 14 434 SARKOZY 396 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Delta Cygni -- You don't look much like a swan. -- Vern Wulf
P.S. Of course, I don't look much like a wolf, either. Good thing I don't have to
worry about permanent wounds.
Forged Bishop -- To be expected of a dwarf. You guys are always forging things. --
Tonio Salagaza
Well, that was embarrassing. -- Xavier Yang
Sister Steel -- Nope. I'd know. -- Ferny Ross
P.S. Besides, you're a shew and I'm half elven. No way we could be kin.
Banded Acolate -- Throw off your bands! -- Tennessee Smith
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
HEDIES was butchered by LAURENTS OF ARABIA in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
DA1 was butchered by SARKOZY in a 2 minute Dark Arena duel.
FORGED BISHOP demolished M. CHARDINEE in a popular 1 minute one-sided Title melee.
SHACKLED PRIEST won victory over XAVIER YANG in a 2 minute brawl.
DELTA CYGNI devastated TONIO SALAGAZA in a 2 minute brutal one-sided fight.
VERN WULF was devastated by SISTER STEEL in a 1 minute uneven brawl.
TENNESSE SMITH was overpowered by BIG APPLE in a 1 minute one-sided struggle.
KAPPA CYGNI devastated FERNY ROSS in a action packed 1 minute one-sided competition.
BANDED ACOLATE vanquished OSKSI NOBLE in a 1 minute uneven duel.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 5 TOTAL PARRY 4 - 0 - 0 100 |
|AIMED BLOW 2 AIMED BLOW 22 - 13 - 2 63 |
|BASHING ATTACK 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 6 - 4 - 0 60 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 BASHING ATTACK 10 - 7 - 0 59 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 2 - 0 50 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 LUNGING ATTACK 13 - 13 - 1 50 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 1 STRIKING ATTACK 27 - 29 - 1 48 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 1 WALL OF STEEL 4 - 6 - 0 40 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 4 - 0 33 |
|TOTAL PARRY 0 SLASHING ATTACK 6 - 12 - 0 33 |
Turn 396 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 2 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 4 AIMED BLOW
PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 1 3 STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
BASHING ATTACK 2 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 5 1 WALL OF STEEL
WALL OF STEEL 1 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 0 1 BASHING ATTACK
1 LUNGING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
AIMED BLOW FORGED BISHOP 4563 10 4 1 80 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
PARRY-RIPOSTE DELTA CYGNI 4465 9 4 0 69 CYGNUS (446)
WALL OF STEEL SHACKLED PRIEST 4464 16 14 2 64 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is TONIO SALAGAZA 4362. The most popular warrior this
turn was DELTA CYGNI 4465. The ten other most popular fighters were FORGED BISHOP
4563, SHACKLED PRIEST 4464, XAVIER YANG 4568, KAPPA CYGNI 4469, SISTER STEEL 4562,
BIG APPLE 4311, DA1 4566, TONIO SALAGAZA 4362, VERN WULF 4567, and FERNY ROSS 4578.
The least popular fighter this week was TENNESSE SMITH 4411. The other ten least
popular fighters were HEDIES 4593, BANDED ACOLATE 4582, FERNY ROSS 4578, VERN WULF
4567, TONIO SALAGAZA 4362, DA1 4566, BIG APPLE 4311, SISTER STEEL 4562, KAPPA CYGNI
4469, and XAVIER YANG 4568.
NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA
Algernon, who had NOT gotten the name change he'd asked for, looked at the latest
petitioner. This was a typical gladiator, big, muscular, and scarred, with a frown.
"Ah, what can I do for you?"
"Name change. I heard we can do that. I'm tired of being Jane Doe."
"I'd think you would be," Algernon said faintly. "The Commission has actually
been thinking about this. It isn't FREE, mind you! It takes money to run our office,
you know, and we want to buy some goats--"
"I don't care about goats!" He made a crude suggestion about goats.
"Gladiators, teams, it will cost you two dollars to make a change--"
"I had a talk with my manager. He'll find the money. I want to change my name
to Jane Ralph. I'm no doe!" He thumped a fist on the counter.
"Er, yes. Jane Ralph. Fill out this form, please." He pushed the paper across
the counter. "The changes start on the 15th of April--that's the Ides, you know, and
can be submitted through the end of May. With the payment. No change without the
goat, ah, the gold."
* * * * *
Warrior and team name changes will be accepted beginning April 15 and continuing
throughout the month of May. The cost will be $2 per name change. All proceeds will
be used to buy goats via Heifer International and will be matched up to $500.
If you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, a few additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
TRILLIUM (2-6366) FLOYD'S BREWERY
DR. GIRLFRIEND (3-7105) IRATE FORMATIONS
SAUL GOODMAN (5-5832) ANTIHEROES
COURAGE (32-6353) ANGELS OF PAIN
BIG BROTHER (69-6988) FRAT PARTY BLOWOUT
SPILLS (72-6855) BASH BROS THEATER
PARKING LOT (72-6868) BASH BROS FREEWAY
JANUARY JONES (73-6056) CALENDAR GIRLS
BIRGITTE (73-6755) KINGS BLADES
GUARDIAN (82-16446) WAY TOO MUCH BEER5
CRAZY 54 (84-11494) CRAZY 88 15
PAYED LATE (84-12533) TMF II
BILLABONG (84-13804) GENERATION Y
SAROKITH (84-30929) DUB O DUBS
CIEL PHANTOMHIVE (84-36380) ANIME LEGENDS 4
SWEET-N-SOUR (84-50491) SUPERIOR FORCES DA02
ROBERT PAULSON 115 (84-52207) PROJECT MAYHEM 36
THE SQUIDS (84-54746) CHICAGO BOUND 15
CAT SCRATCH FEVER (84-56886) COLLEGE RADIO X
THE ORANGE ONE (84-57256) THE MOTHERSHIP ZU
GINGER KNOWLES (85-5131) SWORDFISH
VOODOO TOAD (85-14776) DARK TOADS
HIDEYOSHI (85-21460) SAMURAI FIVE
ZOCALO (85-24610) KC FOOD XIII
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes