DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 07/02/2004 Duedate: 07/29/2004 TROCAR ARENA DM-54 TURN-183 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS LAWYER PLAGUES (273) (54-2595) [10-6-0,107] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader RUBBER BULLET POSITION IS EMPTY USELESS TOOLS (219) (54-2503) [18-1-0,120] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite SILVERBOLT LAWYER RUNNING AMOK (238) PLAGUES (273) (54-2554) [9-7-0,70] (54-2595) [10-6-0,107] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM USELESS TOOLS (219) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) 34 2. RUNNING AMOK (238) 12 USELESS TOOLS (219) 3. PLAGUES (273) 10 Unchartered Team 4. THE BLACK COMPANY (185) 6 5. THE MUPPETS (20) 0GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS (210) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 3 USELESS TOOLS (219) 164 77 4 68.0 1/ 2 USELESS TOOLS (219) 11 3 1 2- 4 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) 77 47 4 62.1 2/ 6 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) 8 7 0 3- 5 THE MUPPETS (20) 76 55 5 58.0 3- 1 THE MUPPETS (20) 6 3 1 4- 6 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) 86 80 6 51.8 4- 3 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) 5 5 0 5/ 7 RUNNING AMOK (238) 65 62 7 51.2 5/ 5 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) 5 6 1 6/ 8 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) 127 127 6 50.0 6/ 4 PLAGUES (273) 5 10 0 7/ 9 PLAGUES (273) 38 42 0 47.5 7/ 7 RUNNING AMOK (238) 3 0 0 8/10 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) 88 114 3 43.6 8-10 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) 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 * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * HAMMERZ HERALD Death Fest Dada Data Edition/Diabolical Delarq Declaration by Hammer Behold, they belch out [insults] with their mouths; swords [of sarcasm, ridicule, slander, and lies] are in their lips, for who, they think, hear us? -- Psalms 59:7 Amplified Bible Sensational News about Hammer negotiating the Re-Opening of Delarq Tor DM 58 as a Slow Arena "Prize Package" for the DM 59 Death Fest Illis Iron Stable Award Winners was spreading all across the Delarq Federation quicker than Dragon Fire!!!!! Delarq Tor DM 58 would be Re-Opened as a Slow Arena by the Gladiatorial Commission as a Special Prize Awarded to the Illis Iron Stable Award Winners on the following conditions: 1. At least 20 of the stables entered in the DM 59 Delarq Death Fest beginning July 29th Must Complete a Minimum of 67 of a possible 75 fights over the course of 15 rounds 2. At least 20 of those Iron Stable Managers Must Enter a New Team Roll Up into DM 58 Delarq Tor Without Cannibalizing Any of Their Active Stables 3. A Minimum of 15 Stables are Required to Remain Active Each Cycle for the First Six Months to Ensure Exclusive Competition for the Duel Master and Team Awards [Free Fights!] Without Any Other Stables Being Allowed to Enter the Newly Re-Opened DM 58 Slow Arena [Until the First Six Months Have Expired in May 2006]. Hammer was Alerting the entire Delarq Federation Regular and Slow Arenas; as well as the Andorian and Free Blades Slow Arenas; Extending to Every Manager from Newbie to Jaded Veteran His Personal Invitation to Compete in the DM 59 Delarq Death Fest; with the Understanding that Delarq Tor DM 58 would be Re-Opened as a Slow Arena [If More Than Enough Managers Would Compete for the Opportunity to Re-Open Delarq Tor!]; Thus Carving a New Chapter in the Alastari Historical Archives; While Fulfilling Their Own Delarq Dueling Destiny! One of the things Hammer enjoyed most about Hosting/Promoting New Contests Was/Is the Transformation/Enlargement of the Chosen Arena Site; Especially Anticipating the New Stable Names/Managers Who Answer the Call to Cross Blades and Match Wits in a Hammer Hosted/Sponsored Contest. Offering 25 points to each Death Fest competitor who writes a minimum 15 paragraph Team Spotlight [including their Stable Name and Managerial Alias]; while Highlighting a Storyline of their own choosing as they Answer the Call to Cross Blades and Match Wits in a Hammer Sponsored Slow Arena Contest; would be One of Hammer's Most Anticipated Aspects of Hosting the Delarq Death Fest in DM 59. It would be Interesting to see Who was able to Write their Spotlight and Email it in a Format that would NOT be Cut Off by HAL; plus Who would be able to Submit their Hand Written [or Typed] Spotlight in Time for the RSI Typist to have Time to Type It into the DM 59 T-172 Newsletter; Otherwise, those 25 points would be Forfeited Due to the Fact that Hammer and Other Interested Persons would be Deprived of the Pleasure of the Potential Entertainment of Reading Countless Team Spotlights on the Opening Round of the Delarq Death Fest [because of Missing or Partial Team Spotlights!]. Hammer also was Interested in Who would have the Foresight to Place Their Stable on Team Maintenance or Warrior Maintenance to Ensure Their Stable Would NOT Miss a Death Fest Round; thus Forfeiting Both an Additional 25 points for fighting 67 of a possible 75 fights over the course of 15 rounds AND the Opportunity to Start a New Stable in Delarq Tor DM 58 as an Illis Iron Stable Award Winner; Once the Death Fest Contest Concluded in August 2005 and Qualified Managers were Listed with the Gladiatorial Commission to Send RSI a New Team Roll Up to Register a New Stable in DM 58 Delarq Tor: Thus Qualifying those New Stables to Compete in the Rookies 2005 Fall Mailer Tourney Before Competing in the Historic First Turn of the Newly Re-Opened Delarq Tor DM 58 Slow Arena on November 3rd 2005. Hammer Had Done His Best to Send Out the Call for the Devious, the Diabolical, the Dangerous and the Down Challenging to Cross Blades and Match Wits in Competition for the Top 10 Prize Categories and Illis Iron Stable Award [Where Everyone Wins the Right to Compete in the Newly Re-Opened Delarq Tor DM 58 Slow Arena on November 3rd 2005] All Sanctioned by the Gladiatorial Commission! Delarq Tor DM 58 Awaits Those Who are Brave Enough to Endure the Delarq Death Fest in DM 59 [Beginning July 29th 2004 T-172; Concluding August 25th 2005 T-186] By Completing a Minimum of 67 Fights Out of a Possible 75 Fights Over the Course of 15 Rounds of Dastardly Delarq Dog-Fighting! ***** Consult the DM 59 T-171 Newsletter Team Spotlight by Hammer for a Complete Listing of Death Fest Rules/Prize Allocations! ***** The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definitions: Dada: A movement in art and literature based on deliberate irrationality and negation of traditional artistic values. Data: Factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation. Diabolical: Devilish, Fiendish. Declaration: To make known formally or explicitly. "May Your Blades Be Sharp and Your Wits Sharper!" -- Hammer/Death Fest Host/ Vendetta Cartel Captain; WordSmith and High Priest of the Crimson Ascension Family in DM 28 + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #7 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Delarquan Edition Old Valamantis: The group of gladiators moved toward the edge of the risen city as slowly and carefully as they would have approached a sleeping dragon... that maybe wasn't sleeping after all. There was a partial wall separating the buildings from the countryside around them, but it must be outside the area of effect, because it was not in good condition. There were gaps and fallen stones, even trees growing between them where the ages had trapped dirt. Smeds of Mordant patted one of the stones thoughtfully. "Honest stonework here," he murmured. "And more recent than the ruins," Shamu of Cliffhome agreed. "Six hundred years, I'd say." He glanced at Smeds, and the other Dwarf nodded agreement. "Built just before the most recent Chaos War," the Silver Mage said, "to keep things in the ruins from getting out. Brought down by that war, at least in part. But..." he touched several stones lightly and smiled a little, "not completely useless even now and against this enemy. Honest stonework, as you say, but there is a barrier spell bound within the stones, and it remains." "If the spell is still working, why are we worrying about the ruins?" Smeds of Mordant demanded. "Because the spell will not keep working much longer." Tensekai frowned across the wall into the city. "It was a good wall and a good spell, but it won't hold Folstrom forever. Nothing--" He stopped and looked uncomfortable. "You were going to say that nothing will hold the Folstrom forever?" Sputter of Dwes Eg asked. Tensekai shrugged. "No absolute statement like that should be trusted, but I can honestly say that nothing we've found so far, except raw Chaos, will stop them. We have new spells, of course, but what was there to test them on? We don't know." "Yes, okay, but what are we supposed to be DOING here, then?" Lavender Lance of Illis asked. "You must observe," the Silver Mage answered promptly. "And I must go with you, because there are some things ONLY a mage can observe. If we can find the keystone of the spell that holds the towers up, we could destroy it, yes, and it might be a good thing to do so, but the towers are just a symptom. There are more dangerous things in Old Valamantis than just the towers." "Those things being?" Smeds cut in. "The wizards, obviously," Lavender Lance snapped. "Again, just a symptom," Tensekai said. "Dangerous, yes, very dangerous, but...." Ka D'Argo, who had never been described as stupid, even by his enemies, nodded slightly. "The wizards in Old Valamantis were resurrected along with the city," he said slowly. "You think there might be some way for them to reach other wizards, other Folstrom, of THIS time, don't you? That's what we have to prevent." Tensekai nodded. "How?" Smeds demanded. "I'm not sure," the Silver Mage admitted. "Killing the resurrected wizards might do it." "But you don't think that's enough, do you?" Goblin said. "No. I think we'll have to destroy the old city again," Tensekai answered. "And that won't be easy with all the blood that's been spilled there. Not when blood magic is at its strongest, as now." "But it can be done?" Smeds asked. "To get rid of bloodstains, soak in cold water and hand-wash," Lavender Lance muttered. Tensekai turned toward her slowly, eyes wide. "WHAT did you say?" The Illisni gladiator backed up a couple of steps in the face of his intensity. "It's how you get bloodstains out of cloth. Soak it in cold water--" "Yes!" The mage stared around almost feverishly. "We'll need a LOT of cold water...." "Ice," Smeds suggested. "From the mountains above Khalhums. Dwarves can do that." He glanced at Shamu, who nodded. "We're on it." The two Dwarves stepped aside, muttering together about sledges and sawdust. "If the wizards now in Old Valamantis realize we're trying to... quench the blood magic, they'll move to stop us," Ka D'Argo said. "So securing the arena and a route of access will be our job." "And if any wizards get killed in the process..." Goblin bared his fangs, "too bad for them." + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #8 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Delarquan Edition Old Valamantis: Smeds of Mordant and Shamu of Cliffhome, both Dwarves, drew off to the side from the rest of the group. Harvesting and transporting tons of ice from the peaks above Khalhums was the kind of technical problem they relished, a true Dwarven sort of problem. Let the others worry about fighting resurrected wizards. "Can we quarry ice like stone?" Smeds wondered. "There's always heat associated with breaking rock, what if it melts the ice?" "It'd only melt some," Shamu guessed, "and we could stand that, especially if it made things go a little faster. And there are plenty of Dwarves in Khalhums who'd be glad of a little work these days." "Closing the arena didn't close down the town!" Smeds protested. "Up to a point," Shamu agreed, squinting into the distance. With the heat and humidity over the Feyranse basin, the mountains weren't visible, but any Dwarf could sense them. Why, they probably weren't much more than a hundred miles away! Well, no more than two hundred, anyway. "But how are we going to HAUL all that ice down here before it melts?" "Wagons. One thing that did drop to a trickle in the last couple of years is trade through the mountains," Smeds answered. "I've got friends up there, and I've heard. There are LOTS of carters eager for a load." "Right, and woodcutters in Caer who'd be glad to supply sawdust to pack it in, I bet." Shamu agreed. "We can do this!" "But I don't know ANYTHING about magic!" Lavender Lance of Illis was protesting, again. "That's all right, I know lots about magic," Tensekai the Silver Mage said. He patted her back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. "You've got something just as good in a situation like this: you're a lucky guesser. Between my knowledge and your luck, we should do well. Now..." he glanced around at the other gladiators, Ka D'Argo, Sputter, and Goblin, "you do all understand the plan?" "Kill everybody in Old Valamantis who isn't us," Goblin answered promptly. Ka D'Argo suppressed a sigh and glanced sideways at the gladiator from Kaltos. To Tensekai, he said, "We're to secure the Bloodgames arena and a corridor of approach, hold it till the ice gets here, keeping the wizards out." "It's the part about keeping the wizards out that worries me," Sputter of Dwes Eg muttered. "Easy to SAY that, but they're WIZARDS. How are we supposed to stop them?" Xochithlan: There were no ruins around Xochithlan to rise up at the wizard's call, because the modern city was the old city, continuously lived in for longer than most Alastarian cities had existed. There was, perhaps, a tendency for certain long- buried residents to stir in their graves, but if any came out to walk the streets, it was not immediately obvious. What was obvious was the forest. There had been a forest around Xochithlan for a long time, but it had been burned away during the Rirorni War. Replanting efforts had been ongoing for the last eight years, but eight years is not long enough to bring back a major forest. And what surrounded the city now, pressing in against the walls and disturbing the newer suburbs, was a major forest. Not, however, a forest such as the Xochithlani remembered. This was a Forest Primeval. This was a forest that might hide...anything. And according to the scholars of ancient texts consulted by King Feyen of Xochithlan, it probably did. "But I don't trust gladiators!" King Feyen protested. "Why should I give them this important job?" "Because no one else will take it," Chancellor Leldys said. "The merchants will not set their guards to clearing the road, each one fears that the others will hold back men and attack those who strip their Houses of defense." "The army, then," Feyen said. "What do I pay them for, anyway?" "You pay them to defend Xochithlan and your dynasty, Sire. We dare not set the army to the task of clearing the road, thus leaving the palace defenses understrength now, when your half-brother Ferhis is showing his teeth. An army could be lost in that Forest...or could change allegiance to avoid going into it. No, gladiators are your best resource for this. Set them to clearing the Forest back from the road so that we can resume our regular coming and going with the rest of the Federation--" The king scowled and stroked his thin mustache. "I notice there hasn't been any problem with THEM getting in contact with us--the Shagair." The chancellor shrugged. "Their methods are not something I would recommend. To use the old magic so freely...dangerous. Very dangerous. And surely you don't want to see the Shagair as our only contact with the rest of the world!" "Well, they ARE our kin." "I have kin I wouldn't trust. And the Shagairn ideas of what constitutes proper payment for the Rirorni War Debt is not...." "Not something we can pay. I know." Feyen sighed. "Oh, all right, we'll ask the gladiators to clear the road. Land grants for every ten-mile stretch cleared to a bow-shot back on each side...." The chancellor blanched. "Land grants? Sire, you can't go handing out land as though it was an endless resource! You--" "SMALL landgrants, Leldys. I am NOT an idiot, you know. If you're thinking of the unfortunate incident with the oryx and the lotus tank, I assure you that it was all Tirisha's doing!" "And I believe you, of course," the chancellor murmured. "But things would be so much easier, Sire, if you had an heir--" "I am NOT going to get married just to make things easier for you," Feyen cut in. "There's plenty of time. Let's think about getting the road cleared first." + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #9 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Delarquan Edition Old Valamantis and away: Smeds and Shamu didn't wait for the others to solve THEIR problems, they set out for the mountains and Khalhums, by way of Mordant and Caer, hitching a ride on a wagon full of tanned hides. Shamu sprawled on the pile of leather and grimaced as the wagon jolted into and out of a pothole. Both Dwarves bounced and rolled. "This is just about unacceptable." "It could be worse," Smeds offered. "They could be GREEN hides instead of tanned ones!" "Yuck," the Cliffhomer said absently. "But that wasn't what I meant--the road. How can we expect to send dozens, maybe even scores of wagons over a road like this? They'd be shaken to bits if they hurried, and the ice would melt if they didn't." "These are the roads we've got to work with," Smeds answered. "And they aren't THAT bad." An especially deep set of ruts sent them bounding wildly over the back of the wagon. "Okay, maybe they ARE that bad, but they're STILL the roads we have to work with." He was silent for a moment, then shrugged--and grabbed for the side of the wagon as it rocked and tilted over more ruts. "This wouldn't be so bad if we hadn't had two weeks of rain to make really big muddy ruts, and then a couple of months dry, you know. Maybe if it rains again--" "Oh, joy, wagons stuck in the mud from Khalhums to Valamantis." Shamu frowned at the road and at the forest passing on the left (the Feyranse River was on the right). There was nothing like a technical problem to get a Dwarf thinking. "We need to corduroy the road. There are trees enough. Organize parties to work out of Mordant in both directions, and the road might be passable by the time the ice wagons are coming down." "A corduroy road won't last," Smeds warned, "not where the ground's as wet as it is here. The logs will rot." "It'll last all summer, at least, and that's all we need. If we haven't gotten enough cold water to Old Valamantis to wash out those bloodstains by then, we're going to be in too much trouble to worry about the road." Smeds sighed and then laughed. "I can't BELIEVE we're taking Debby Tonte's advice on this!" "Well, nobody else had any suggestions at all." Nobody paid attention to them when they entered the resurrected city of Old Valamantis, but that wasn't reassuring. There were a lot of people around, more than they'd expected, and somebody SHOULD be paying attention. "It's a trap," Ka D'Argo muttered. "They know something we don't. Something that means we're walking right into the frying pan." "So what?" Goblin asked. "We know something THEY don't, too. Something that means anybody who attacks US is in for a really big surprise." The Kaltosian gladiator fingered his sword and bared his pointed teeth in a hungry grin. "I hope they start something SOON." "I don't," Sputter grumbled. "Better to put off till tomorrow the blows you can avoid today. And spells are even worse." "They won't attack us until we get near the arena," Tensekai said. The Silver Mage squinted at the sky, which was a dome of glaring white haze, and then at the battered wall of the Bloodgames arena looming over the lesser structures a mile away. "Okay, they might attack physically before then, but...I think they'd rather have our blood spilled close to the center of their spell-working." "So our blood can feed their spells, too? Great, just great. What I always wanted to do," Lavender Lance said. She sighed heavily. "And I'm SURE they won't appreciate us properly." She drew herself up into a stance that had made more than one male gladiator falter at the wrong moment as pearly flesh strained against violet lace. "I've heard that wizards are BLIND to the finer nuances." Tensekai coughed and wrenched his gaze away, blushing. "Not all of us," he said in a strangled voice. "Not...BLIND, anyway." "I really don't think we should be doing this," Alta Chess muttered. She looked back over her shoulder at the patchwork wall of modern Valamantis longingly. "I don't WANT to be doing this...." "Nonsense! Don't be such a coward, Alta," Chip Enser said. "This is ADVENTURE. Things are HAPPENING in Old Valamantis. Do you want to be nothing more than a SPECTATOR?" "Wizard things," his teammate countered. "And what do we know about wizard stuff? Yeah, I'd lots rather be just a spectator. Lots rather." "There's gladiators involved in this; it isn't ALL wizards. And not all of them are Lord Protectors, either." Chip sighed ostentatiously. "I suppose I couldn't expect better from a GIRL. But we can at least get close enough to WATCH, can't we?" * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 498): JEJUNE of MANNEQUIN'S BEST (Mannequin, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 383): TOOFLESS of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 503): HARALDUR of AESIR (Buri, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 499): STANLEY'S CUP of SPORTZ! (Guardian, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 498): FRIED TWINKIE of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 502): SERENGETI of BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 500): TASTY HANGNAIL of WASTELAND II (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 494): LENNY BAXTER of TOWNSVILLAINS (The Narrator, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 486): PURPLE FIREFISH of BIG MEAN FISH (Big Wave Dave, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 485): SYRANO BLOODBANE of THE BLOODBANES (Stik, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 459): PINK BEAR of LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 450): STEVEN SCIMITAR of EAGLES CLAW (Talon Volksie, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 196): DUCK TAPE of DUCKS UNLIMITED (Crip, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 436): GUNSLINGER of KING'S KREW (King Ralph, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 385): APPLE of FRUITS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 182): MOUSETRAP of USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.) DM 59 ILLIS (turn 170): HOFFA WITH HAIR of IMPROVED ILLUSION (Phantasm, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 334): YOU of SRETSAMLEUD (Phat Phat, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 148): CANNONBALL of X-POSSE (Savant, mgr.) ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 378): SLEEPLESS PARANOIA of PARENTHOOD from DWES EG (TUM) Top Teams --------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 498): SWEORDMASTERS (Mannequin, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 384): GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 503): AESIR (Buri, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 499): ORCCON THUGS (DMobster, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 498): THE TAKEN (Silver Stroke, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 502): BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 500): WASTELAND II (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 494): PRAETORIAN GUARD (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 486): CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 485): CARNAGE CANARIES (Carnage Canary, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 459): LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 450): EAGLES CLAW (Talon Volksie, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 196): ATMAN PROJECT (Kosmos, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 436): HIGHER PURPOSE (Angus, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 385): ALL-UGLY TEAM (The Sentinel, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 182): THE MUPPETS (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.) DM 59 ILLIS (turn 170): ISLANDERS (Nick, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 334): SRETSAMLEUD (Phat Phat, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 148): X-POSSE (Savant, mgr.) ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 378): BLACK PRIMERS, etc. (Doc Steele, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 497): WISPER of SWEORDMASTERS (Mannequin, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 384): ONE BROW of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 498): MARCH MADNESS of SPORTZ! (Guardian, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 499): PTI of WASTELAND II (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 494): LENNY BAXTER of TOWNSVILLAINS (The Narrator, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 485): SYRANO BLOODBANE of THE BLOODBANES (Stik, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 459): PINK BEAR of LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 196): MISS CON DUCK of DUCKS UNLIMITED (Crip, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 436): GUNSLINGER of KING'S KREW (King Ralph, mgr.) (turn 435): ANN ARTICHOKE of DELVERS (Nick, mgr.) YANKEE DAN of CLOWNING AROUND (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 182): MERGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Woelfe, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 147): 2 PHAT of VERMIN (Sultan, mgr.) DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. Do you realize that now that I am back here on the porcelain throne for yet another turn that three of the current box of useless tools have more than the minimum required 17 political points to graduate? May have to try something special with one big special graduation party for the entire stable. That is if we can survive! Challenge this turn to the graduating Mergen. Good luck in Crysalis, old dude. Mousetrap Useless Tool SPY REPORT Like the magnificent Sun, rising upon the Dawn and exiling the Night for a Day, I, Novgorodny Vir, return once again! The boys at THE MUPPETS left the arena dejected, after being kicked out of the top spot by USELESS TOOLS. Good show! What's a move up by 4 you ask? (alright, maybe you didn't ask) Cause for celebration, according to TRADERS OF TROCAR. USELESS TOOLS had cause to celebrate, after NO-STICK TAPE got 14 points by beating WARRIOR-MAGE. A certain someone should cut down on the drinking and practice more, after losing 11 points to SILVERBOLT. (Discrete enough, KILLER BEE?) Now I can't insult LAWYER, as it has gloriously dueled to the top. Oh great new Duelmaster!!! (Stop me if I lay it on too thick) So who was the warrior seen charging into immovable walls and challenging dead trees? Someone's got a basic problem... A Zenmaster once told me, 'Does not the spinning wheel turn? And do not the little birds cry out?' Any ideas? Perhaps the warriors of THE MUPPETS should take up some hobbies, as they are the most avoided team... As a woman of good breeding scorns the "warriors" of USELESS TOOLS, so did that sorry team shy from THE MUPPETS Is it charming personality? Conversational abilities? Good oral hygiene? Whatever it is, MERGEN is the most challenged warrior. Ah, the duel! The roar of the oppenent, the smell of the crowd! Those who owe MERGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY money and had written him off, take note: he'S BACK FROM THE DARK ARENA!!! AND he'S MAD!!! Oh hard! that to strike a flame, the match itself must needs be wasting! All good things must come to an end. As the seasons change, and the creatures of the wild change also, so do I feel a yearning to leave this place. Like a mixed metaphor, and an overtaxed simile, I now bid TROCAR farewell-- Novgorodny Vir DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME LAWYER 2595 10 6 0 107 PLAGUES (273) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME RUBBER BULLET 2503 18 1 0 120 USELESS TOOLS (219) MICROSOFT 2483 12 5 0 111 USELESS TOOLS (219) -FOZZY 2398 16 7 1 101 THE MUPPETS (20) -THE LIMPER 1844 20 11 0 100 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CERISA 2414 20 31 1 97 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME MOUSETRAP 2521 13 4 1 90 USELESS TOOLS (219) -COOKIE MONSTER 262 19 7 0 85 THE MUPPETS (20) -CROAKER 1898 12 16 0 81 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) NO-STICK TAPE 2541 11 3 1 81 USELESS TOOLS (219) IN-LAWS 2593 10 6 0 80 PLAGUES (273) A.O. HELL 2523 11 5 0 79 USELESS TOOLS (219) -RAVEN CLAW 2461 9 11 1 79 RUNNING AMOK (238) -RALPH 2397 9 14 1 77 THE MUPPETS (20) SILVERBOLT 2554 9 7 0 70 RUNNING AMOK (238) -JOURNEY 1900 14 13 0 69 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME LOCUST 2594 6 10 0 56 PLAGUES (273) -RIZZO 2405 8 6 1 53 THE MUPPETS (20) -IRON TALON 2460 12 12 0 52 RUNNING AMOK (238) KILLER BEE 2596 6 10 0 51 PLAGUES (273) WIMPERETTA 2655 9 3 0 49 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) -SLOW GIN FIZZ 2556 8 4 0 44 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) DAROSHTAN 2602 8 9 0 43 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -FIREFLASH 2459 6 6 2 32 RUNNING AMOK (238) FIREANT 2592 6 10 0 32 PLAGUES (273) -RED EYE 2542 7 5 0 27 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) -THUNDERBIRD 2555 5 4 0 25 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) -ANIAKIN 2386 3 8 0 25 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) -WHITE RUSSIAN 2652 4 1 0 24 INDULGENT DRINKS (256) -SAM 2692 4 1 0 24 THE MUPPETS (20) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -FOXY LOXELY 2717 3 1 0 22 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) PALLADIARUM 2710 3 3 0 21 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) -AJA 2719 1 2 0 17 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) VIRET 2727 1 0 0 13 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) -ZOZZY 2725 1 0 0 11 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) -TOM-TOM 2718 0 2 0 6 THE BLACK COMPANY (185) -BLACK DOUGAL 2726 0 1 0 1 THE WHITE COMPANY (201) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? MAINAKHA-TE ASSASS 22 0 1 0 DARK ARENA 0 MERGEN 1899 183 NONE WIMPLES 2640 7 7 0 TRADERS OF TROCAR 252 NO-STICK TAPE 2541 182 PERSONAL ADS Silver Stroke -- Give us details. Being listed in the newsletter but inactive still permits challenges. What's worse, being active in another arena and transferring in also allows challenges, which is a bunch of malarkey. But without details, you are blowing in the wind. -- Crip Also, if one member of the team is listed in the newsletter, the whole team is considered active, apparently. -- Ed. The Limper -- See my compatriot, the DM of Xochithlan, he is much better at holding armour together. Which I guess is why he wears plate, and mine keeps falling apart. -- No Stick Tape Mergen -- No need for an armorer, I find an armourer works better. -- Mousetrap Killer Bee -- Now that's a scouting report -- A.O. Hell Fozzy -- Remember to make sure you have a full tank of gas next time. -- Mousetrap Croaker -- Thanks for being so generous, it's been a while since I've fought here and thought I might crash and burn. -- Microsoft Ralph -- With a weapon like that, you'll be going to the dogs. -- Rubber Bullet Wimples -- What were you thinking? Do you realize you single handedly knocked our kill rate from 1 in 50 wins to 1 in 40 wins. That is not easy to do. -- No Stick Tape Lawyer -- (crossly) Lawyers ALWAYS want it all--you got the win, the skills, the points.... -- Cerisa Tom-Tom -- I beat you like a drum, eh? -- Palladiarum No-Stick Tape -- (whimpering) You didn't LIKE me. I could TELL. -- Ghost of Wimples Shlow Gin Fizzzzz -- You may a been 'dulgent, but I liked you lotsh. -- Darhostan P.Sh. Shpecially the fizzzz. Got bubblesh up my noshe. Fireant -- I will have NO MERCY on you. -- Wimperetta P.S. Go bite someone else so that you're full of blood when I crush you. A.O. Hell -- Maybe, but I have fun. -- Daroshtan Ed., Silver Stroke -- My two cents re challenging. My understanding was that if the warrior was listed in the rankings, whether active or inactive, he could challenge or be challenged. Once prolonged inactivity (three consecutive turns for the team as a whole) causes the warrior to drop off the listings, THEN he should be unable to challenge until he has been back on the ranks again for a turn, which is to say: I don't think he can issue a challenge on the turn he returns to action from an extended vacation. But I, too, could be wrong. Strange things happen sometimes. -- Nick, Traders of Trocar 16 June 2004 Death Fest Begins July 29/DM 59 T-172 "You drive a hard bargain Hammer," responded Lord Lian Ki Na-Sul, "but the Gladiatorial Commission has agreed to re-open DM 58 Delarq Tor as a Slow Arena exclusively for a period of six months to those Death Fest contestants who fight their stables at least 67 times out of a possible 75 during the 15 rounds of Death Fest; on the condition that at least 20 stables qualify for the Illis Iron Stable Award at the conclusion of the Death Fest and those qualifying managers send a New Stable to DM 58 Delarq Tor without Cannibalizing their participation in the other arenas where they have active stables!" Hammer felt a certain sense of satisfaction as he studied the ghoulish grin spreading across the face of Lord Lian Ki Na-Sul; proud Arena Master of the once dying Illis Arena, as the DM 59 Arena Authority signed the Gladiatorial Commission papers authenticating the arrangement agreed upon by the two parties presiding. "You and the Gladiatorial Commission also drive a hard bargain," Hammer replied as he reflected upon the prospects of Delarq Tor DM 58 being re-opened as a Slow Arena with at least 20 New Stables by the Managers who fight their stables at least 67 times out of a possible 75 during the 15 rounds of Death Fest. "I also notice the clause that for Delarq Tor to be open Exclusively for 6 months to the New Stables managed by the Illis Iron Stable Award Winners that there must be at least 15 stables Active each cycle. That is a fair bargain for the opportunity to battle for the Duelmaster Throne each of those six months before Other New Stables are allowed to enter Delarq Tor." This was a Golden Opportunity for both Veteran and Newbie Managers to pave a new frontier of Delarq history by qualifying their Death Fest stables in DM 59 with 67 fights out of a possible 75; then for the price of running a stable in a Regular Arena, continuing to be Active in DM 59 and sending a New Team Roll Up to be a part of "History in the Making" when Delarq Tor would re-open for its First Turn as a Slow Arena on November 3rd, 2005. Death Fest would conclude on T-186 August 25th, 2005 allowing the Illis Iron Stable Award Winners enough time to be registered with the Gladiatorial Commission; whereupon they would be able to submit a New Team Roll Up to the GC to start a New Stable in Delarq Tor; be able to fight those New Gladiators in the Rookies 2005 Fall Mailer Tourney; then begin competing for the DM 58 Duelmasters Throne in Delarq Tor right out of the gate with the November 3rd 2005 T-1 Debut Opening Round. Hammer of the First Part had also negotiated with Lord Na-Zul of the Second Part an agreement that All 10 Dark Arena Monsters and 17 NPCs Characters be re-named by the Top Ten Death Fest Finishers. [See DM 59 T-171 Newsletter Team Spotlight by Hammer for the complete listing of Dark Arena Monsters/NPCs and the Official Death Fest Designation for which Top Ten Finishers re-name which characters!] Lord Na-Sul could not hide his delight at the prospects of Death being re- delivered to his once dying arena during the Delarq Death Fest; the DM 59 Arena Master agreed that these Death Fest Prizes were but a Small Exchange in Comparison to the Profits to be made by the local Illis business merchants and surrounding community from the Anticipated Influx into Illis by the Veteran and Newbie Managers/Gladiators/Stables seeking to make History in the Delarq Death Fest. Nor could Hammer conceal his jubilation regarding the Call Across Alistari being Answered to Cross Blades and Match Wits with the Devious, the Diabolical, the Dangerous and the Down Challenging who were being drawn to the Delarq Death Fest to Fulfill their Delarq Dueling Destiny! REMEMBER: Death Fest begins July 29th T-172 with 25 points being awarded to those who write a minimum 15 paragraph Team Spotlight [including Stable Name & Managerial Alias in the Storyline!] for the DM 59 T-172 Newsletter [So Make Sure HAL Does Not Eat any Lengthy Sentences that are Emailed without Proper Formatting; and the RSI Typist has Plenty of Time to Type Any Hand Written Spotlights; Lest Ye Discover 0 Points Awarded for a Missing or Incomplete T-172 Team Spotlight!] "May Your Blades Be Sharp and Your Wits Sharper!" -- Hammer/Death Fest Host/Vendetta Cartel Captain; WordSmith and High Priest of the Crimson Ascension Family in DM 28 LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS MERGEN butchered MAINAKHA-TE ASSASSIN in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Dark Arena fight. A.O. HELL was narrowly defeated by CERISA in a 2 minute Challenge melee. SILVERBOLT demolished KILLER BEE in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight. LOCUST bested DAROSHTAN in a 2 minute gory Challenge contest. MOUSETRAP was savagely defeated by LAWYER in a 2 minute master's Title match. MICROSOFT overpowered IN-LAWS in a 1 minute one-sided struggle. RUBBER BULLET unbelievably bested VENOMOUS CONCUBINE in a 3 minute competition. NO-STICK TAPE vanquished WARRIOR-MAGE in a 1 minute uneven duel. WIMPERETTA vanquished FIREANT in a action packed 1 minute uneven fight. PALLADIARUM overpowered PRETTY LERONA in a 1 minute one-sided fight. VIRET handily defeated TROLLBAIT in a 1 minute one-sided bout. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |STRIKING ATTACK 6 TOTAL PARRY 49 - 34 - 0 59 | |WALL OF STEEL 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 11 - 8 - 0 58 | |AIMED BLOW 2 PARRY-LUNGE 6 - 5 - 0 55 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 AIMED BLOW 13 - 11 - 0 54 | |TOTAL PARRY 2 STRIKING ATTACK 43 - 37 - 2 54 | |LUNGING ATTACK 1 LUNGING ATTACK 10 - 9 - 0 53 | |SLASHING ATTACK 1 WALL OF STEEL 10 - 11 - 0 48 | |PARRY-LUNGE 1 SLASHING ATTACK 16 - 18 - 0 47 | |PARRY-STRIKE 0 BASHING ATTACK 15 - 25 - 2 38 | |BASHING ATTACK 0 PARRY-STRIKE 4 - 7 - 1 36 | Turn 183 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: LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 4 TOTAL PARRY SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 WALL OF STEEL WALL OF STEEL 2 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 2 STRIKING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 5 - 1 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 2 1 SLASHING ATTACK AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 1 LUNGING ATTACK PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 1 BASHING ATTACK TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME SLASHING ATTACK LAWYER 2595 10 6 0 107 PLAGUES (273) WALL OF STEEL RUBBER BULLET 2503 18 1 0 120 USELESS TOOLS (219) STRIKING ATTACK MICROSOFT 2483 12 5 0 111 USELESS TOOLS (219) TOTAL PARRY MOUSETRAP 2521 13 4 1 90 USELESS TOOLS (219) PARRY-LUNGE A.O. HELL 2523 11 5 0 79 USELESS TOOLS (219) AIMED BLOW WIMPERETTA 2655 9 3 0 49 TRADERS OF TROCAR (252) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is SILVERBOLT 2554. The most popular warrior this turn was LAWYER 2595. The ten other most popular fighters were CERISA 2414, WIMPERETTA 2655, A.O. HELL 2523, LOCUST 2594, MICROSOFT 2483, SILVERBOLT 2554, DAROSHTAN 2602, RUBBER BULLET 2503, PALLADIARUM 2710, and VIRET 2727. The least popular fighter this week was FIREANT 2592. The other ten least popular fighters were IN-LAWS 2593, KILLER BEE 2596, NO-STICK TAPE 2541, MOUSETRAP 2521, VIRET 2727, PALLADIARUM 2710, RUBBER BULLET 2503, DAROSHTAN 2602, SILVERBOLT 2554, and MICROSOFT 2483. The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn: MERGEN (54-1899) THE BLACK COMPANY (185)