DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 02/11/2016 Duedate: 02/24/2016 ROCANIS ARENA DM-56 TURN-657 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS IOTA DRACONIS DRACO (465) (56-4546) [14-11-0,105] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader IOTA DRACONIS POSITION IS EMPTY DRACO (465) (56-4546) [14-11-0,105] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite IOTA DRACONIS HOCHOPEPA DRACO (465) MEN OF STEEL (131) (56-4546) [14-11-0,105] (56-4658) [4-2-0,40] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM MEN OF STEEL (131) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. BONE AND STEEL (472) 33 2. MEN OF STEEL (131) 22 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) 3. DRACO (465) 14 Unchartered Team 4. SKULL SQUADRON (28) 4 5. TREXTRAS (449) 0 BONE AND STEEL (472) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1*DEMONIC DELICACIES (471) 6 1 0 85.7 1/ 1 MEN OF STEEL (131) 8 4 0 2/ 2 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) 131 93 8 58.5 2/ 3 SKULL SQUADRON (28) 6 4 2 3- 3 TREXTRAS (449) 41 31 0 56.9 3- 2 TREXTRAS (449) 3 1 0 4/ 4 SKULL SQUADRON (28) 437 350 28 55.5 4/ 5 DRACO (465) 2 1 0 5/ 7 DRACO (465) 14 14 0 50.0 5/ 0*BONE AND STEEL (472) 2 3 0 6- 6*FAVORITE SAYINGS (459) 5 5 0 50.0 6/ 4 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) 2 5 0 7/ 8 MEN OF STEEL (131) 315 353 42 47.2 7- 7*DEMONIC DELICACIES (471) 1 0 0 8/ 0*BONE AND STEEL (472) 2 3 0 40.0 8- 6*FAVORITE SAYINGS (459) 1 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 "All roads lead to the Eye of the Isle." My-re glanced at the old caravan driver, named Chuck. She half-listened to his constant dialogue for the past two weeks out from Valamantis, but every few hours he pulled out a gem of a quip. A tight canvas covered their two-man wagon stacked full of supplies, but her seat was little more than an old board. It was hard with rough edges, so splinters were a concern. She sat on a change of clothing, so going over rocks were less a bother. However, the smell of their team of oxen irritable bowels was more problematic. At the start of their travels, she wondered if Chuck, and his mouth, would make it alive to see the end, but found his comments about life, travels, and stories helped pass the time. Embarking, Chuck stated he had only one rule. Chuck and only Chuck determined when the wagon stops and when the wagon starts. The merchant guild paid him a hefty bonus for every day he cut off his travels. This made taking care of nature's call troublesome during the day, as he only halted once the sun in the sky grew long. However, the exercise to catch back up after a 'rest stop' did stretch her legs a bit. Chuck nudged his head forward. My-re saw a haze forming on the horizon. "Is that fog?" "Nah, it be the Lake of Mists. We's should be there in an hour lass. Get yer things, as I only be stopping long enough to unload these supplies." My-re traveled light. She packed her belonging in a backpack and loosely donned her ring mail armor over her clothing. She was ready, but an itch at the back of her mind caused her to turn towards her axe wrapped in sailing-cloth to keep the elements at bay. She reached back and retrieved it. True to his word, it took an hour before the shore of the Lake of Mist came into view. Chuck headed to what appeared as an outcropping of rocks, but as they grew closer the mist revealed them as stacks of crates and hog-head barrels piled high on the rocky beach. She thought it odd that someone had abandoned the supplies at the shore's edge, but then saw a figure stand up from one the crates. As they approached the coast, My-re saw the man stroke his long side moustache downward to his goatee, it seemed he was sizing them up. His rough fingers then gingerly traced a long scar that ran from the left side of his nose across his mouth to his chin. He removed his helm exposing his shaven head with a few days' worth of stubble, which highlighted a strong widow's peak and appearing as if he had a black skullcap on. It also revealed a fresh scar with stiches stretched along his left forehead. "In the nine hells, it's about time someone showed up!" the man yelled, but it wasn't in the Alastarian dialect, but that of Rathiri, the Rirorni native language. "What's a Rirorni doing out here?" Chuck asked, but it seems more rhetorical. He then reached under his seat and to My-re's surprise pulled out an intricate designed short sword and a sharp, curved dagger. Despite his old-man appearance, it seemed he was versed in the dangers of the road. Their wagon stopped a safe distance and Chuck yelled out. "What are you about Rirorni? If you be thinking of stealing these supplies, then ye be in for a lick of trouble." The Rirorni scrunched up his face at Chuck's words, as if he didn't understand them. "Wonderful, another Alastarian idiot dumping off supplies. Sure, I'll just continue to sit here and wait for hours and hours for some boat to take me to the Isle of the Eye," grumbled the Rirorni in Rathiri. My-re understood what the Rirorni was saying having grown up on the Rirorni plains, near the Free Blade city of Rocanis. Normally, business in the south used Rathiri for trade, so her mother taught her the language. "What did he say?" Chuck asked. "He's waiting for a boat to travel to the Isle," My-re said quietly. "Ah, another Lord Protector," Chuck said putting away his weapons under his seat. "Never, seen a Rirorni protector before. Gotta be a first for everything." Chuck began to unload the wagon's supplies next to the ones already on the beach. My- re watched the Rirorni pace back and forth watching them out of the corner of his eye. Within an hour, Chuck was back on the wagon, his cart empty. "Good luck in yer training, lass!" Chuck yelled over his shoulder as his team of oxen pulled the wagon back south. My-re watched Chuck's wagon travel for a few minutes and then sighed, turning back to the mound of supplies and the Rirorni staring at her. He snorted and drew a sword sheathed from his back. He tossed an apple into the air and pierced it with his sword's tip. He brought it down, removed the fruit, and began eating it. The Rirorni said, "At least I get some company, though I'm sure you don't understand a word I'm saying. I doubt anyone on that cursed isle does. However, the bright side is I thought you were some kid with a bad haircut, but at least you're soft on the eyes." My-re touched her short, black hair, with the back shaped in a crescent. "Wait, you understood what I said didn't you?" asked the Rirorni in mid-bite. My-re didn't answer. "You do understand me, don't you kid." The Rirorni looked her over and stroked his long side moustache, "Your father bathes with pigs and your mother--" "Yes, I understand what you are saying Rirorni and you'd be wise not to say anything more about my parents," My-re interrupted and said in Rathiri. "A fighter after all, I knew it. However, you look a little young to be a Lord Protector," the Rirorni said. "And you look a little old to be a Lord Protector," My-re replied. "My name is Pol, General Pol of the Skull Squadron stable and I've been fighting battles long before you were even born, kid. Not long ago, I slew the mighty Shewish Giant Rokori Klee in the Dark Arena. What monster did you slay in the Dark Arena?" "I didn't fight in the Dark Arena," My-re said. General Pol scoffed. "I guess every arena needs initiates." My-re heard splashing from the water, as if oars from a boat. The two turned and out of the mist appeared a single long boat with three men. Then three more crafts appeared behind the first with two men each. One man, a warrior, from the first craft disembarked and headed their direction, while the others landed and began loading the supplies from the beach to the boats. The warrior wore well-oiled leather armor. His golden-brown arms and legs boasted perfectly carved muscles. His round helm covered his entire head, including a nose guard with thick rivets around the opening, so only his scowling mouth was visible. His helm hid his eyes in shadow. "I bid you greetings, Lord Protectors. My name is Captain Darien. I'm here to escort you to the Isle of the Eye." SPY REPORT If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of ROCANIS brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too. Of course, we're all terribly impressed to see TEUTON win a fight and gain 15 points, terribly. Tsk, tsk, MUD KING beat RAO and RAO lost 8 points. You're breakin' my heart. And if variety is the spice of life, ROCANIS may be getting bland, as IOTA DRACONIS stays top dog in the city. Kickbacks and bribes, kickbacks and bribes, how else do you think some of these guys win their fights? Skill? Ha! He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day, the coward. MEDAL OF HONOR A11, I suppose you'll be glad to know you were this turn's most avoided team. Care to know who is the most afraid of you? And it looks like SKULL SQUADRON avoided them the most this turn. What a pack of would be losers, if you ask me. Hmph. GREYLOCK was challenged more times this turn than the Duelmaster. Now was the DM insulted or feared? Heh, heh. Death and Taxes. The less death I see, the more it taxes my patience. Let's see if anyone's dead or dying. Honor is like a chainmail shirt, it only shines through use. Certain nameless cowards will doubtless rebuke me on this one. What does the ROCANIS arena have in common with the inns? It's just as comfortable to sleep in either place. Ha ha ha ha! Well, I've had enough of this drivel, and I'm sure you have too. Off like a dirty shirt of padded leather. I see the crowds are getting restless, I must leave now-- Snide Clemens DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME IOTA DRACONIS 4546 14 11 0 105 DRACO (465) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -TAMOON 4360 11 3 0 113 TREXTRAS (449) -SERGEANT 5 4497 14 5 0 101 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME DA1 4599 12 5 1 80 MEN OF STEEL (131) -VEALZEBUB 4623 6 1 0 71 DEMONIC DELICACIES (471) JOMMY 4539 14 19 1 68 MEN OF STEEL (131) -ZARABETH 4295 9 4 0 68 TREXTRAS (449) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME MUD KING 4659 5 0 1 62 MEN OF STEEL (131) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME GREYLOCK 4605 8 2 0 56 MEN OF STEEL (131) RAO 4607 8 11 0 41 SKULL SQUADRON (28) -LOVING IT 4440 4 1 0 40 FAVORITE SAYINGS (459) HOCHOPEPA 4658 4 2 0 40 MEN OF STEEL (131) COSH 4651 7 3 0 34 SKULL SQUADRON (28) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME ANUSHA 4660 4 3 0 31 SKULL SQUADRON (28) -KOLLOS 4621 3 0 0 31 TREXTRAS (449) BOSH 4656 5 3 1 28 SKULL SQUADRON (28) SERGEANT 8 4614 5 5 1 24 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -GENIUS AWESOME 4402 2 1 0 22 MEN OF STEEL (131) TARGUS 4665 2 1 1 21 SKULL SQUADRON (28) SERGEANT 1 4662 3 3 0 20 MEDAL OF HONOR A11 (456) -REGER 4637 1 1 0 15 TREXTRAS (449) TEUTON 4668 1 0 0 15 BONE AND STEEL (472) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME STRYKEJERN 4671 1 0 0 15 BONE AND STEEL (472) -ELEEN 4630 0 1 0 1 TREXTRAS (449) BLOOD OX 4667 0 1 0 1 BONE AND STEEL (472) DEN HAMMER 4670 0 1 0 1 BONE AND STEEL (472) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? RICTUS GRIN 4669 0 1 0 BONE AND STEEL 472 MAGE'S APPRENTIC 657 NONE WASSUP 4437 1 1 0 FAVORITE SAYINGS 459 BOSH 4656 656 POPS 4642 1 1 0 THEM 433 SERGEANT 8 4614 653 NOT REVENGED PERSONAL ADS Favorite Sayings -- Welcome back to Rocanis, though it probably wasn't the welcome you expected for Wassup. -- Grimwood, mgr. Skull Squadron P.S. May the RUGs bestow your stable with a suitable replacement. Rocanis -- I think everyone was on edge last turn as I think every one of my matches had someone 'brutally attempting to slay his foe'. Let's hope this turn is a little more civil. -- Grimwood LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS MUD KING devastated RAO in a action packed 1 minute brutal mismatched Challenge fight. IOTA DRACONIS handily defeated DA1 in a 2 minute gruesome one-sided Title match. JOMMY devastated RIRORNI THUG in a 2 minute one-sided contest. GREYLOCK overpowered SERGEANT 8 in a crowd pleasing 1 minute mismatched match. HOCHOPEPA defeated BOSH in a exciting 6 minute bloody struggle. COSH overcame SERGEANT 1 in a 2 minute gruesome fight. ANUSHA won victory over CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute duel. TARGUS vanquished DEN HAMMER in a 1 minute one-sided duel. BLOOD OX was vanquished by MAGE'S APPRENTICE in a 1 minute gory one-sided duel. TEUTON overpowered PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 1 minute one-sided melee. RICTUS GRIN was assassinated by MAGE'S APPRENTICE in a 1 minute one-sided match. STRYKEJERN bested MAGE'S APPRENTICE in a 5 minute amateur's conflict. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |STRIKING ATTACK 3 PARRY-STRIKE 6 - 2 - 0 75 | |LUNGING ATTACK 3 TOTAL PARRY 14 - 5 - 2 74 | |WALL OF STEEL 3 WALL OF STEEL 18 - 12 - 1 60 | |BASHING ATTACK 3 STRIKING ATTACK 12 - 10 - 0 55 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 LUNGING ATTACK 12 - 10 - 2 55 | |TOTAL PARRY 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 - 5 - 0 44 | |AIMED BLOW 1 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 5 - 0 44 | |PARRY-LUNGE 1 AIMED BLOW 6 - 8 - 0 43 | |PARRY-STRIKE 0 BASHING ATTACK 7 - 13 - 1 35 | |SLASHING ATTACK 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 5 - 0 17 | Turn 657 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 - 1 2 WALL OF STEEL STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 PARRY-STRIKE LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 2 STRIKING ATTACK WALL OF STEEL 2 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 3 2 LUNGING ATTACK PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY TOTAL PARRY 1 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE 1 AIMED BLOW TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME WALL OF STEEL IOTA DRACONIS 4546 14 11 0 105 DRACO (465) TOTAL PARRY DA1 4599 12 5 1 80 MEN OF STEEL (131) LUNGING ATTACK MUD KING 4659 5 0 1 62 MEN OF STEEL (131) STRIKING ATTACK GREYLOCK 4605 8 2 0 56 MEN OF STEEL (131) PARRY-RIPOSTE HOCHOPEPA 4658 4 2 0 40 MEN OF STEEL (131) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is IOTA DRACONIS 4546. The most popular warrior this turn was HOCHOPEPA 4658. The ten other most popular fighters were BOSH 4656, MUD KING 4659, IOTA DRACONIS 4546, GREYLOCK 4605, COSH 4651, SERGEANT 1 4662, TARGUS 4665, JOMMY 4539, ANUSHA 4660, and TEUTON 4668. The least popular fighter this week was STRYKEJERN 4671. The other ten least popular fighters were RICTUS GRIN 4669, BLOOD OX 4667, DEN HAMMER 4670, DA1 4599, RAO 4607, SERGEANT 8 4614, TEUTON 4668, ANUSHA 4660, JOMMY 4539, and TARGUS 4665. NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA The crowd was surprisingly orderly, but it was still a crowd, and the Commission clerk, Algernon, looked at it uneasily. Whenever this many people came together to petition for something, it meant trouble. For him, anyway. Records to be altered. Altering records was Bad. It made Extra Work. His assistant clerk leaned close and whispered, "If it weren't for gladiators, we wouldn't have jobs. Smile at them and ask what they want." Algernon closed his eyes briefly. Looking at this crowd made him dizzy. They were all wearing black and white stripes. Like a herd of zebras, except that zebras didn't carry swords. Then he took a deep breath and managed a smile. "What... ah, what can I do for you?" "We want new names," the first gladiator said. There was a number on the front of his shirt: 0381. He thumped the number with his thumb. "This here isn't a name--" "We want REAL names!" That voice came from farther back in the crowd. "Yeah! We've paid our dues," another shouted, "and we've EARNED real names!" One from the very back yelled, "I want to be called Tom." All the others turned to look at him. Algernon couldn't see him, but apparently those looks were accusing. Well, he could understand that, "Tom" was such a... common name. "My mom called me Tom," the voice in the back protested. "It's a good name." "It isn't the name you put on the petition," 0381 said. "We talked about this. We got our manager's agreement. You get the name on the petition." "But--!" Algernon didn't really want to keep staring at all these stripes while they argued. He picked up the petition. "These names are the ones you want?" 0381 turned back. "Yes." "It's a lot of trouble, and when other people see that YOU are getting name changes, THEY are going to want them--" Seeing the gladiators beginning to frown... and finger their weapons, he went on quickly, "So I figure we might as well make it a complete deal. A Name-Change-O-Rama. Everyone who wants a name change can petition for it. Get it all over with at once." He glanced at the petition, shuddered slightly, and passed it to his clerk. "We'll announce it, proclaim it, even, and you will get the names on this petition. And others will get the names THEY think they should have had, too." He paused. "And I think I'll get a new name, I'm tired of being an Algernon...." * * * * * Warrior and team name changes will be accepted during the month of March. If you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI NEW NOVEL: "BLOOD GAMES" Hail Gladiatorial Managers of Alastari, My name is Mark G. Manley, AKA Grimwood, author of the Duel 2 novel, "Dark Arena." The RSI staff and I are pleased to announce the next novel in the Duel 2 reality, "Blood Games." A publisher has offered a contract to publish the novel and I'll continue to provide detailed updates as they become available. However, I wanted to share a quick blurb about the novel. * * * WAR! The land of Alastari is thrown into chaos caused by the invasion of the Rirorni horde. Swept up in the conflict and captured is My-re, a young girl living on the edge of the Rirorni plains. Regarded as a spoil of war and growing up in a Rirorni family band, her troubles just begin as warlords within the Rirorni Empire fight each other for prestige, property, and personal honor. For mutual protection, My-re is taught the family band's Wall of Steel combat style, where if executed correctly, no blade, no weapon, no arrow can penetrate. In a land where life is dangerous, brutal, and short, My-re is confronted by a prominent Rirorni warrior and kills him in self-defense. She is sold to a Rirorni slaver after being found guilty of murder, and exiled back to her native land of Alastari. However, there is no happy reunion, no joyful return, as she is sentenced to fight in the Blood Games arena for her crime. My-re's one chance of freedom resides in winning the Blood Game tournament. But the champion is not declared by besting your opponents, but by slaughtering them. * * * As with novel "Dark Arena," I worked with RSI to write and publish "Blood Games" in the Duel 2 world of Alastari. But it will always be known as Duelmasters to me. I wanted to share a little bit of background about myself, I started my first team back on turn 12 in Niania (Arena #2) on February 13, 1990. I managed a team called Wolverines. The next summer at Gen Con, I started my main team, Skull Squadron in Rocanis (Arena #56). The following summer at Gen Con, I stared Legion of Death, in Valamantis (Arena #62). Twenty-five years later, I've graduated numerous warriors, which would not be an easy feat to count. Good luck on the arena sands and more to come. -- Mark G. Manley AKA Grimwood