DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 08/16/2006 Duedate: 08/29/2006 DAL SHANG ARENA DM-65 TURN-375 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS L.A. WOMAN KILLER TUNES (191) (65-6317) [17-15-1,146] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader L.A. WOMAN B.B. SAGE KILLER TUNES (191) MARY'S SOAPS (719) (65-6317) [17-15-1,146] (65-6661) [4-2-1,54] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite KASSAL TEN DRU DEADWOOD SAND DANCERS (233) POSSE (718) (65-6608) [23-21-1,98] (65-6669) [15-4-1,91] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM SAND DANCERS (233) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. COLOR CRAYONS (705) 80 2. KILLER TUNES (191) 27GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717) 3. MARY'S SOAPS (719) 15 Unchartered Team 4. GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717) 12 5. SAND DANCERS (233) 6 MARY'S SOAPS (719) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 1 GOT IT FOR CHRISTM (717) 77 29 4 72.6 1/ 1 SAND DANCERS (233) 10 5 1 2/ 0 COLOR CRAYONS (705) 74 41 3 64.3 2/ 2 POSSE (718) 6 9 1 3/ 2*MARY'S SOAPS (719) 13 9 1 59.1 3/ 3 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) 6 9 1 4/ 3 KILLER TUNES (191) 127 108 7 54.0 4/ 0 COLOR CRAYONS (705) 5 0 0 5/ 4 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) 183 171 5 51.7 5/ 8*MARY'S SOAPS (719) 5 4 0 6- 5 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) 97 94 7 50.8 6/ 4 REFUGEES (377) 5 6 0 7/ 6 POSSE (718) 120 118 8 50.4 7- 5 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) 4 1 0 8- 7 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 269 293 26 47.9 8/ 6 GOT IT FOR CHRISTM (717) 4 2 0 9/ 8 SAND DANCERS (233) 766 900 20 46.0 9/ 9 KILLER TUNES (191) 4 6 0 10/ 9 REFUGEES (377) 409 497 14 45.1 10- 7 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 3 2 1 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT Til Death Do Us Part A dark woman stood with her hands on her hips. She was not happy, and she didn't care who knew it. "So you want me to become a gladiator?" She almost snarled the words. "Octavia, dear, please don't look at it like that," Tenerus pleaded. "You will be doing us a great favor." "Bah!" This time anger overcame good manners and she spat on the floor. "As a GLADIATOR, Tenerus? Those games are barbaric." "They are crude, I'll admit that. But this is the only way. Triss has made friends with the warriors of Til Death Do Us Part. So you must become one of those friends." He poured two glasses of wine and held out one invitingly. She ignored it. "Why me? Surely you've got suitably 'barbaric' men in your employ." "She won't know you," Tenerus answered. "She has seen several of my men around, I'm not sure which ones she might recognize. And besides, she's more likely to make friends with a woman at this point." He came around his desk and held the wineglass toward her insistently. She looked at the glass, then crossed her arms over her chest, making a point of not taking the wine. "I thought you sent Hobgoblin to deal with her." "Yes. Yes, I did. He is certainly capable of this mission. He is just a bit... messy. Effective, but messy. I don't want a lot of attention." "I think they're roster is full," she said, finally accepting the glass. "That is what Hobgoblin will take care of. Drink up, Octavia. A toast, to your new career. You will be greatly rewarded for this." She was silent for a long moment, then took a token sip of the wine. "Yes, m'lord." She bowed and left the room. At the arena: Long Shot was one of the youngest members of the team Til Death Do Us Part, and it showed in his impatience as he waited for his turn to fight. He stood in the shade of the Gladiators' Gate, peering out into the hot sun. Ugly Duckling versus Gobarl. In his thoughts, he urged them to get it over with. His own match against Kassal ten Dru was next, and he was ready for it. He hated waiting. "Long Shot." The voice was soft, almost a whisper. "Who said that?" The young gladiator looked over his shoulder. There weren't supposed to be spectators in this area, but there was someone back there in the shadows. "I did." The man took a step forward but was no easier to see. Long Shot squinted into the shadows. The arena was very bright, a bar of brilliant sunlight shooting across the floor from the doorway, and the hallway very dark. "What do you want?" he asked. "A drink with the duelmaster." "I'm about to go out there," the gladiator said automatically. "Who are you?" "I'm a big fan, my name is Rix. Please, just one? I really wish...." "Okay." Long Shot grabbed the cup from him and looked at it. Wine, maybe six or eight ounces. Not enough to make a problem. "To victory," he said and drained the cup. "To victory," Rix agreed, smiling. "Thank you, sir, and good luck." "Ha! That Sand Dancer needs the luck," Long Shot said. He handed the cup to Rix and stepped out onto the sands as his name was called. Kassal was already out there, swinging his weapon through a series of standard warm-up moves. The Sand Dancer looked good, but Long Shot knew himself to be just as good and probably better. He started to smile in anticipation, but his vision blurred. He blinked and shook his head to clear it. Tried to focus on Kassal but couldn't. He glanced back at the hallway, but saw no sign of Rix. What's going on? A fan should stay to watch. It wasn't like he'd imagined Rix, was it? No, of course not, he could still taste the wine in his mouth. Sour... almost bitter. He shook his head again and staggered. Somebody spoke, but he couldn't make out the words. Something moved toward him, but he didn't see it. Thought he heard his name, didn't hear it, didn't hear anything. Didn't feel himself collapsing toward the sand. A few days later: Killjoy looked at the small group of people who had showed up for the small private service. She cleared her throat and spoke. "Every gladiator knows the risk. There is--always--a chance that you won't come back from the sands. But knowing the risk never makes it easier to handle when a teammate falls. Toben came to me begging to join Til Death Do Us Part. I told him 'no' several times before I finally agreed. He was young, eager, and rash at times. He definitely kept us on our toes." She paused and looked out at the group. "Toben Shaq, I hope you are at peace," she finished and stepped down. The whole team was present, and a few others. They hadn't been in Dal Shang long enough to make many friends yet. She walked past Man-O-War and Sitha, who were talking quietly about something, but she didn't try to hear them. Triss was sitting by herself; she seemed to be taking this hard. And why not? Long Shot was the closest thing to a friend she had on this team, he had rescued her from a very bad situation. Killjoy paused beside Synthia. "I'm going inside. I have a letter to write." When her friend nodded, she added, "See that I'm not bothered." Joy locked her door behind her and sat down at her desk, picked up a pen, found some paper, and then... nothing. It was always hard to start these letters. She thought about it for a few minutes, and then her mind started to drift. Memories of her father. The story Triss had told them about magic swords and dragons. Exhausted, she put her head down on her arm and drifted off to sleep. She dreamed of glorious knights and magnificent dragons and a time long past.... A week later, near the harbor: The old warehouse was actually cool, a surprise in this heat wave. Or maybe not. It was as big as a cave, dark and empty, and water lapped at a loading dock. Three men and a woman sat on empty crates to decide their next move. "You have the opening you need," Hobgoblin hissed. It always surprised Octavia that he could make the most unsibilant words come out as a hiss. It was... almost scary. As though there was something really wrong about him... more than what she could see. But she refused to show her fear and let sarcasm creep into her voice as she asked, "How did you do it? Dark alley?" "That would have been more fun. But no. Rix drugged him before his fight. That Sand Dancer killed him for us." He laughed. "Killjoy will forgive him--she thinks the Sand Dancers are her friends!" "Poison. That's new for you." Octavia looked around the old warehouse. "And for this... what did this cost?" "Only two bodies." Hobgoblin smiled, showing his pointed teeth. Octavia did a little hissing of her own. In annoyance. "You keep killing people, someone will come looking for you," she said. "Let 'em." Octavia smiled. She had never liked Hobgoblin; he was all business all the time--his definition of business. Blood and death. "All right, then. Tell me about Til Death Do Us Part. What do you know about Killjoy?" "I know everything about her." Octavia raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know so much?" "I was on her original team!" To be continued.... DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. It has been exactly one hundred turns since I last sat on this throne. This thing still isn't any more comfortable than I remember. By now you'd think someone would have done something about that. If I'm here again next turn maybe I'll get someone in here to change it. I didn't spend all this money on plastic surgery to sit on some hunk of granite, I need a comfy chair. Kassal gets my challenge again this turn as I'd like to stay on the throne one more turn and see if I get my little invite. Immortality sounds great, party all night with no side effects. That is, if I live through my next bout. There seems to be a rash of deaths in the upper ranks lately. Silverbullet, I was not avoiding the bloodfeud. Otis sent in everything we needed to fight but there is something going against me/us in this arena where we don't fight for some unexplained reason. Hopefully you'll stick around and DUI can get a chance to avenge Bicardi. Besides I wouldn't kill off a guy like that. Sounds like he was a blast to hang around with, free rum and all. Until next turn LA Woman SPY REPORT Much has changed in DAL SHANG since last I was here. Never fear, Olaf Modeen adapts to many situations, as do all successful fighters. Up 'n down. Up 'n down. Rankings always change. Up 'n down. I think I'm gonna be... Well, MARY'S SOAPS' 5th moved them up to 2-2-0 place. What's with BROWN? He actually beat MARY'S SOAPS' LILAC, and walked away with 23 more points from the fight. Laughs were big at COLOR CRAYONS while they watched BROWN clobber LILAC. She lost 16 points and got bruised from objects thrown from the stands. Try as she might, JERI TAVAN wasn't good enough at persuading L.A. WOMAN to step down from the Duelmaster's throne... Wouldn't it be nice to have live subjects to practice on? I hear some team is looking into the uses of convicted prisoners. If at first you don't succeed, avoid. That'll get you in the Spyreports. DAL SHANG thinks KILLER TUNES and their 127-108-7 is too much! If at first you don't succeed, give up... In my day, no team with a 125-105-7 would scare me off! What's the problem, MARY'S SOAPS? What do people see in KASSAL TEN DRU? His 23-21-1? SAND DANCERS ain't talkin', but he's got 98 points. UGLY DUCKING of MIGHTY DUCKS knows how to pick 'em. He challenged KASSAL TEN DRU of SAND DANCERS who is up by 23. Now was this a wise move? UGLY DUCKING perhaps got his just desserts, seeing as he was overcame by KASSAL TEN DRU and ended up with 74 recognition points. Warriors of DAL SHANG unite. You have only your games to lose! So MARY'S SOAPS sent PLUMERIA to the Dark Arena. Big deal. Plenty more fighters where PLUMERIA came from. Dime a dozen... Now, Spyreporters... Someone told LONER that MARY'S SOAPS never Bloodfeuded, that he'd have an easy kill. Well, I'm sure whoever misled you is right sorry. How long have I been here? I got people to see, places to go... Many other cities have retirement homes for aged warriors. Any plans here? Are you as tired of reading this as I am of writing it? Actually, I guess I'm writing it before you read it. Oh, well. I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME L.A. WOMAN 6317 17 15 1 146 KILLER TUNES (191) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME ANNABEL BLACKHEART 6769 11 3 2 108 POSSE (718) -DUI 3076 22 17 0 104 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) LEPAR 6512 13 3 0 103 COLOR CRAYONS (705) KASSAL TEN DRU 6608 23 21 1 98 SAND DANCERS (233) DEADWOOD 6669 15 4 1 91 POSSE (718) GIFT CERTIFICATE 6787 11 2 0 91 GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME KO LAO-DEN 6614 21 21 2 90 SAND DANCERS (233) GOBARL 6604 20 29 0 89 REFUGEES (377) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME UGLY DUCKING 6771 6 6 0 74 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HEMORRHAGE 6420 8 4 1 66 KILLER TUNES (191) -SCREWDRIVER 3541 7 3 1 66 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) JAEGO SARL 6709 15 8 0 58 SAND DANCERS (233) CRACKERMAN 6421 6 6 0 57 KILLER TUNES (191) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SIGBAN 6710 12 11 1 55 REFUGEES (377) B.B. SAGE 6661 4 2 1 54 MARY'S SOAPS (719) MADE IT HOME 6671 11 10 0 53 GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717) FRIAR DUCK 6865 4 2 0 51 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) M2 MALLARD 6786 9 3 0 46 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) -IRISH CREAM 3065 9 13 1 41 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) SIXKILLER 6795 5 4 0 38 POSSE (718) LONER 6779 5 6 1 35 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -VALARION 6808 4 2 0 32 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) REVEREND BLOOD 6868 3 3 1 32 POSSE (718) LISSANE TYL DRU 6881 3 0 0 29 SAND DANCERS (233) -MAN-O-WAR 6810 5 2 1 25 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BROWN 6561 1 0 0 23 COLOR CRAYONS (705) YOUNG GUN 6867 3 3 0 20 POSSE (718) -AMORE' 6879 1 0 0 15 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) -KRAJ 6869 1 2 0 14 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) ANOTHER BRICK PT2 6475 3 3 1 13 KILLER TUNES (191) RED 6882 1 0 0 13 COLOR CRAYONS (705) COCONUT 6791 1 1 0 13 MARY'S SOAPS (719) GRAY 6557 1 0 0 12 COLOR CRAYONS (705) -GREY GOOSE 6878 1 0 0 11 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) GREEN 6556 1 0 0 10 COLOR CRAYONS (705) -CHIANA 6807 2 3 0 9 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) LILAC 6664 2 1 0 7 MARY'S SOAPS (719) PORK SODA 6870 0 2 0 6 KILLER TUNES (191) MODORAM 6880 1 2 0 5 REFUGEES (377) DUCK SOUP 6884 0 1 0 1 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? PLUMERIA 6660 2 1 0 MARY'S SOAPS 719 QUEEN OF STEEL 25 375 NONE BAY RUM 6662 4 1 0 MARY'S SOAPS 719 LONER 6779 374 JUST REV M-1 MALLARD 6780 5 6 0 MIGHTY DUCKS 720 REVEREND BLOOD 6868 374 BACARDI 3077 18 17 3 STUMBLIN' DRUNK 356 L.A. WOMAN 6317 371 NOT REVE LONG SHOT 6815 17 15 5 TIL DEATH DO US P 724 KASSAL TEN DRU 6608 373 PERSONAL ADS All -- M-1 Mallard was as follows: 15-10-14-13-9-10-13 ST Blessed in endurance. No apparent luck either way in skills. The original rollup was 9-10-14-8-9-10-10. Didn't see anything useful to make him so I made a dixie striker. I was debating sending him to the DA three or four turns ago, but I prefer they die in arena. I'm not sure who will bloodfeud. -- Woody Assur -- Greatly increased popularity for Made It Home and Friar Duck! That was kinda cool. Maybe we could give them no armor and whiffle-ball bats next time. Friar Duck -- ...I still think you're boring...twerp.... -- Ghost of M-1 Mallard Reverend Blood -- Hmmm...I think you may have demonstrated your favorite learn. -- Woody Ghost of Bay Rum -- Sorry about that, I guess Loner will have to register his hands as "deadly weapons" with the local constable. -- Woody Sixkiller -- Just to let you know: Ugly Duckling was running defensively. You might need a few more FE do guarantee a victory, even with the style matchup advantage. -- Woody L.A. Woman -- You're a tough broad, no two ways about that! -- Kassal ten Dru Oh, a standby, how thrilling. -- Jeri Tavan Deadwood -- Well, if you're in the tub, I'm not surprised. -- Ko Lao-Den Crackerman -- Ack, crumbs everywhere! -- Jaego Sarl Coconut -- A pleasing scent. What else do you offer? -- Lissane tyl Dru Ed. -- Well...yes, that does have some merit. And we could ask Stumblin' Drunk to bring the beverages, and Killer Tunes could do the music.... Hmm. Let me think about this. -- Jaego Sarl Just make sure I'm invited; I like duck with orange sauce. -- Ed. Young Gun -- (recoiling) You're a cat! I can't stand cats! -- Modoram 11 August 2006 All -- I support Vendetta Cartel's observation of The Dark Knights! If war is declared on V.C. by The Dark Knights, then war is also declared on The Dark Knights of the Desolate Empire by The Avengers of Light! We have been quietly awaiting such a chance to expose ourselves (all interested parties contact me c/o The Barbarians: DM 31, Attn: Timothias)! Come, Vendetta Cartel, let us show these broke-down "Knights" what true warriors are! -- Gemini Goldphoenix, Overlord of The Avengers of Light LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS PLUMERIA was butchered by QUEEN OF STEEL in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight. B.B. SAGE devastated LONER in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud duel. UGLY DUCKING was overcome by KASSAL TEN DRU in a popular 3 minute Challenge match. CRACKERMAN was vanquished by KO LAO-DEN in a 2 minute mismatched Challenge brawl. SIXKILLER was luckily beaten by FRIAR DUCK in a 3 minute Challenge fight. HEMORRHAGE demolished M2 MALLARD in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge competition. COCONUT won victory over ANOTHER BRICK PT2 in a 2 minute Challenge fight. PORK SODA was devastated by LISSANE TYL DRU in a 2 minute mismatched Challenge match. L.A. WOMAN overpowered JERI TAVAN in a 1 minute uneven Title melee. DEADWOOD was unbelievably bested by LEPAR in a popular 7 minute expert's duel. ANNABEL BLACKHEART won victory over MASTER OF THE EDGE in a 2 minute fight. GOBARL was savagely defeated by GIFT CERTIFICATE in a popular 1 minute uneven match. SIGBAN was subdued by MASTER OF THE EDGE in a crowd pleasing 2 minute bloody match. JAEGO SARL devastated SAGAT OF PAIDAN in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided battle. MADE IT HOME overcame REVEREND BLOOD in a 1 minute one-sided conflict. YOUNG GUN vanquished FELTAR OF ILLIS in a 1 minute mismatched bout. MODORAM lost to GRAY in a 1 minute novice's fray. LILAC was devastated by BROWN in a 1 minute mismatched brawl. GREEN overpowered DUCK SOUP in a 2 minute one-sided bout. RED beat BERVAN THE TINKER in a popular 3 minute novice's bout. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |STRIKING ATTACK 8 PARRY-LUNGE 16 - 7 - 1 70 | |BASHING ATTACK 5 STRIKING ATTACK 38 - 25 - 3 60 | |TOTAL PARRY 5 PARRY-STRIKE 11 - 8 - 0 58 | |AIMED BLOW 5 AIMED BLOW 19 - 16 - 0 54 | |PARRY-LUNGE 3 BASHING ATTACK 30 - 27 - 1 53 | |LUNGING ATTACK 3 SLASHING ATTACK 20 - 19 - 1 51 | |PARRY-STRIKE 2 TOTAL PARRY 11 - 15 - 0 42 | |SLASHING ATTACK 2 LUNGING ATTACK 8 - 16 - 1 33 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 5 - 0 29 | |WALL OF STEEL 0 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 375 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are: PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 2 - 3 3 STRIKING ATTACK SLASHING ATTACK 2 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 2 3 TOTAL PARRY PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 1 AIMED BLOW 1 - 4 3 BASHING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 5 - 3 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE BASHING ATTACK 3 - 2 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0 1 SLASHING ATTACK TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME PARRY-LUNGE L.A. WOMAN 6317 17 15 1 146 KILLER TUNES (191) STRIKING ATTACK ANNABEL BLACKHEART 6769 11 3 2 108 POSSE (718) TOTAL PARRY LEPAR 6512 13 3 0 103 COLOR CRAYONS (705) BASHING ATTACK GIFT CERTIFICATE 6787 11 2 0 91 GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717) SLASHING ATTACK HEMORRHAGE 6420 8 4 1 66 KILLER TUNES (191) PARRY-STRIKE JAEGO SARL 6709 15 8 0 58 SAND DANCERS (233) AIMED BLOW SIGBAN 6710 12 11 1 55 REFUGEES (377) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is KASSAL TEN DRU 6608. The most popular warrior this turn was DEADWOOD 6669. The ten other most popular fighters were KASSAL TEN DRU 6608, RED 6882, KO LAO-DEN 6614, ANNABEL BLACKHEART 6769, LEPAR 6512, GIFT CERTIFICATE 6787, ANOTHER BRICK PT2 6475, LISSANE TYL DRU 6881, JAEGO SARL 6709, and GRAY 6557. The least popular fighter this week was DUCK SOUP 6884. The other ten least popular fighters were LILAC 6664, MODORAM 6880, GOBARL 6604, PORK SODA 6870, M2 MALLARD 6786, LONER 6779, YOUNG GUN 6867, REVEREND BLOOD 6868, MADE IT HOME 6671, and SIGBAN 6710. The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn: L.A. WOMAN (65-6317) KILLER TUNES (191) The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn: JERI TAVAN (65-6615) SAND DANCERS (233)