DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 01/17/2007 Duedate: 01/30/2007
DAL SHANG ARENA
DM-65 TURN-386
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
LONER
MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
(65-6779) [13-9-1,131]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
LONER POSITION IS EMPTY
MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
(65-6779) [13-9-1,131]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
GOBARL FRIAR DUCK
REFUGEES (377) MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
(65-6604) [22-38-0,104] (65-6865) [11-5-0,102]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
SAND DANCERS (233)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. MIGHTY DUCKS (720) 32
2. STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) 22GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717)
3. TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) 14 Unchartered Team
4. SAND DANCERS (233) 2
5. POSSE (718) 0 LOSERS (329)
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) 88 37 4 70.4 1/ 1 SAND DANCERS (233) 10 4 0
2/ 2 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) 217 191 6 53.2 2/ 2 MIGHTY DUCKS (720) 10 5 0
3- 3 POSSE (718) 143 138 11 50.9 3/ 4 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 8 6 0
4/ 4 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) 121 123 11 49.6 4/ 5 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356) 4 11 1
5/ 5 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 297 319 28 48.2 5- 3 POSSE (718) 3 2 0
6/ 6 SAND DANCERS (233) 791 921 20 46.2 6/ 6 REFUGEES (377) 3 3 0
7/ 7 REFUGEES (377) 417 519 14 44.6 7/ 7 GOT IT FOR CHRISTM (717) 0 3 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
* >)] H [(< * >)] Til Death Do Us Part [(< * >)] H [(< *
North of Lin Tirain, not far from the river:
Man-o-war glanced at the sky. He couldn't see the sky through the season's
clouds, but the brigtness was fading. Nearly sunset. "Get yourself something to
drink," he said without turning to look at his companion. He indicated a small
stream beside the path they were following.
For five days now they had been following Hobgoblin and the sword of power,
Windsong. Man-o-war was beginning to wonder if he had made the right choice in
taking Octavia and going after Hobgoblin alone. For all he knew, the woman could be
leading him on a wild goose chase. He scowled. For her sake, she had better not be.
"Fill your canteen, too. We won't be here long."
"Aranthar, please, you have to believe me."
"Drink!"
She sighed and did as she was told.
Man-o-war walked his horse over to the stream and let it drink as well. "I'm
sorry for pushing you so hard, old friend," he murmured, patting its strong
shoulders. He glanced at Octavia. "You'd better be right about this."
Octavia was on her knees, cupping water into her hands. "The outpost is not far
from here. ON the far side of the river. He will stay there overnight, and we will
gain on him there." She dunked her water bottle in the stream to fill it, then
fastened it to her belt and stood, brushing off the bits of dirt and pine needles.
"How do you know this?" Man-o-war finished with his own water bottle.
"I have worked with him before. He has habits."
Man-o-war nodded, knowing that was truth; one developed habits. He let his
thoughts turn to Sitha for a few minutes, how much he missed her, and how much he had
hated leaving her without an explanation. He knew, however, that it would not take
her long to find out what had happened. What she might choose to do then... he
didn't want to guess. "Okay, then. Let's get going. How far is this outpost?"
"We should be able to get there by dawn," she said, climbing up behind him.
They'd had two horses for most of the way, or they wouldn't have been able to
make such good time. But Octavia's mount had gone lame and been left behind at the
last village. A village which had no horse to offer to travelers in a hurry. Riding
double slowed them badly.
"There will be spotters on the other side of the bridge, but I can get us past
them," Octavia said. She thought of this trip as a penance for what she had done to
Triss, her true friend. But it was so a relief to be free of the cobweb of lies
she'd spun that even this discomfort didn't bother her that much.
"So be it." Man-o-war flicked the reins to set his horse in motion.
A mile or two behind them:
Sitha and Triss rode side by side, and behind them was Wild Weasel, Lameto,
Bobika, and Jinx. All of them were pushing their horses to go faster, but the mounts
were slowing, better to stop and give the horses, and themselves, a break. They all
dismounted.
"We're wasting time," Triss said in frustration.
"Trust me, Triss," Sitha said. She put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"I want to catch up to them as much as you do. But it does no good to run the horses
into the ground. We would go even slower then."
"I... I know." Triss looked down, ashamed of her impatience. She could imagine
her father scolding her for it, as he had done so often when she was growing up.
"We'd better find him fast," Weasel muttered. He braced both hands against his
back and stretched, twisting from side to side. "This is killing me."
Lameto laughed. "You've been getting soft on the Isle," he said. "Once you
could ride for days without a problem."
Jinx was studying the ground for tracks, as she did every time they stopped.
Tracks were important, even with a path in front of them. Tracks told you if you
were still following the right people. "Why would he just go off alone, anyway? You
know, instead of waiting for the rest of us." She smiled when she found the
hoofprints. "Yup,, here they are. We seem to be gaining. Of course, with them
riding double now, we're bound to catch up."
"Aranthar is the son of Zalmar, Duke of Torasin, and a knight of Kekoral,"
Bobika said. "Something horrible happened to someone very close to him. I'm not
going to get into that right now, but it was devastating to him. I know he vowed
never to let something like that happen again. An oath is very important to a
knight. And while there's still air left in his longs or blood in his veins, he will
protect those he cares about."
Jinx stood up straight. "So he is trying to protect us?" she asked, frowning.
"Not just us. Everyone. Even if it means he doesn't make it back himself. He
is a knight," Bobika added, as though that explained everything. For him, it did.
"And we are going to make sure he DOES make it back," Sitha said, her voice
hard.
Nobody said more. When the horses were ready, they mounted and continued their
journey.
Man-o-war and Octavia rode through the night. The path was easy enough to
follow, even in the dark, and it took them along the edge of the Red Forest to an old
bridge that crossed the river.
Octavia pointed across the bridge at the treeline on the other side. "There
will be a lookout on the other side of the bridge," she said. "In the trees."
"How many men?"
"Two men. One will keep an eye on us, and the other will run to warn the
outpost."
"How many at the outpost?"
"Six. Two of them will be archers on top."
"Okay. How do we get across the bridge?"
"Hand signals are used during the day. At night, we use torch signals."
"Okay." He turned her to face him. "You'd better not be lying to me," he said,
his face serious and hard as stone.
"Aranthar..." she sighed. "You're just going to have to trust me."
He frowned, then nodded and handed her a torch, using his pocket sparker to
light it.
Octavia led the way to the bridge. Her torch moved in a series of complicated
motions. Man-o-war followed her onto the span, leading his horse.
She paused at the midway point, frowning at the dark line of the other shore.
"Hmm..."
"What?" he questioned.
"No response." She did the signal again.
"What were you expecting?"
"Just an acknowledgment."
"Maybe the fell asleep."
"Not likely," she said, shaking her head. "Tennerus would have the head of
anyone caught sleeping on watch." She tried the signal again, but there was still no
response.
They walked the rest of the way across the bridge without talking. Octavia was
frowning. Man-o-war was peering into the darkness under the trees, his hand on the
hilt of his sword, searching for the lookouts that all good sense claimed should be
there.
They crossed without challenge or sign of anyone waiting. Searched along the
edge of the woods. A spot had been made for the lookouts, a wooden floor to get them
off the damp ground, a roof to keep off rain or snow, no walls to interfere with
their view. Backpacks beside crude benches, a book, a lantern that had burned all
its oil, a package of sandwiches still wrapped in oiled paper. No sign of a
struggle. There had been men here, probably two men, but they were gone and left no
sign of why or how.
"No one here," Man-o-war said. He scanned the area as far as the circle of
torchlight reached.
Octavia was staring around, her face shocked. "There is always someone here."
"Not today."
They searched in circles around the little guard post, casting wider and wider,
but found no sign. Finally Man-o-war shrugged. "Let's try the outpost. Which way?"
Octavia set off into the trees.
The sky was turning from black to dark blue as morning approached. By the time
they reached the outpost, there was just enough light to make out the shape of it
without straining. No lights showed.
"There it is," Octavia said.
He could hear the frown in her voice. "What?"
"There should be at least one light, in entry room. Always."
"Not today," he said again. He tied his horse and knelt next to her inside the
screen of bushes. The outpost was a large round tower with a long rectangular
building attached.
"There should be two men on top," she said. "The archers. There are always two
archers on top."
Man-o-war studied the tower, marking the crenellations in the top that would
protect archers, the slit windows, the heavy door. A site designed for defense,
although the added building was a weakness. Wood instead of stone, it could burn.
Or someone could get on the roof of it and maybe enter the tower through a second-
story window.
He turned to Octavia. "You wait here," he said. Before she could react, he
took off in a sprint toward the tower.
When he reached it, he pressed himself against the cold stone wall and listend
at the door for any sound of movement inside.
Octavia sat back, watching him. "He is crazy," she muttered. The horse snorted
as if in disagreement.
Man-o-war's breathing deepened as he sucked in air, preparing his muscles for
violent activity. He had no idea what to expect inside this tower. Hopefully,
Hobgoblin. No sounds. Not a whisper of movement.
Sword drawn in one hand, he used the other to ease the door open just enough to
peek inside. Dark, silent, no movement. Opened it a little wider. No one. The
room was empty. He slipped inside.
Back to the wall beside the door, he searched the room with his eyes. There was
another door on the far side, that would probably lead to the added building. A
staircase that circled the inside of the tower, probably went all the way to the top.
In the middle of this room was a table and four chairs; cards on the table, and in
the center a small pile of coins.
But no people.
Octavia sat outside nervously, waiting for something to happen. The sky was
well lit by now, and the tower clearly visible.
Where was everyone?
Movement! On the far side of the clearing, just within the woods. She ducked,
not wanting to be seen. Someone emerged and walked toward the tower, two more
followed behind him.
"I have to warn Aranthar--"
A branch snapped behind her. She jumped and darted a glance over her shoulder,
then staggered a step and fell.
It had once been a man. Half of its head was missing, the uniform it wore was
soaked in blood. The one eye left was filmed with white, and the whole thing reeked
of decay. Man-o-war's horse was rearing and kicking.
The dead mouth moved as the thing moved closer to her. "h... help... meeeeee,"
it muttered
Octavia screamed and lurched to her feet, running for the tower.
Man-o-war had finished searching the rooms and was returning to the door when
Octavia burst in, pulled it shut, and locked it.
"Zombies!" she gasped.
Then the pounding started.
To be continued...
SPY REPORT
Well, what are you looking at, DAL SHANG? Ain't you never seen Snide Clemens
before? Ah, shaddup and listen to my news. Gee, I'm impressed, a 4-1-0 is nice, but
don't get cocky, MIGHTY DUCKS, the Fates teach humility, and the Fates are proud. Of
course, we're all terribly impressed to see SCREWDRIVER win a fight and gain 15
points, terribly. Tsk, tsk, LUCKY DUCK beat JOEVINA SARIL and JOEVINA SARIL lost 11
points. You're breakin' my heart. And if variety is the spice of life, DAL SHANG
may be getting bland, as LONER 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. DAL
SHANG, I am losing what little hope I had in you. POSSE the most avoided team? What
insult will suffice, I cannot say. And who led the way in this mass act of
cowardice? Let's see, well, whatcha know? It was GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS. Ha ha ha
ha! Ooh, I'm frightfully impressed, GOBARL was this turn's most challenged warrior.
Watch that ego swell, sports fans. I guess I can give a little credit to FRIAR DUCK
of MIGHTY DUCKS for challenging up by 24 to GOBARL. FRIAR DUCK won to get 102 points
of recognition.
Some people like volunteer work in the hospitals. I volunteer for DAL SHANG's
morgue. More variety. And what a stunning loss we have here, boys and girls, LONDEL
TYL SARH of SAND DANCERS has added the final loss to hers 5-3-0. Tee hee! We're all
going to die in the end, so why worry if the fate catches up with you sooner that
later?
I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for
an epee. Forgive me for writing with a dagger. Well, I've had enough of this
drivel, and I'm sure you have too. Off like a dirty shirt of padded leather. Glad
to see the back of this place-- Snide Clemens
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
LONER 6779 13 9 1 131 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GOBARL 6604 22 38 0 104 REFUGEES (377)
-SIXKILLER 6795 12 6 0 104 POSSE (718)
FRIAR DUCK 6865 11 5 0 102 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
AMORE' 6879 9 3 2 94 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
-REVEREND BLOOD 6868 9 6 2 92 POSSE (718)
-ANNABEL BLACKHEART 6769 13 6 2 91 POSSE (718)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MADE IT HOME 6671 17 15 0 83 GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717)
SCREWDRIVER 3541 12 9 2 81 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
IRISH CREAM 3065 15 18 2 70 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MAN-O-WAR 6810 10 8 3 66 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724)
OCTAVIA 6890 7 3 0 61 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724)
VALARION 6808 9 8 0 58 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
LISSANE TYL DRU 6881 10 4 0 40 SAND DANCERS (233)
MODORAM 6880 5 9 0 37 REFUGEES (377)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CHIANA 6807 7 9 0 30 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724)
BETTER DUCK 6889 5 5 0 30 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
-STEELHORSE 6900 3 1 0 26 POSSE (718)
-LONESTAR 6901 2 2 1 25 POSSE (718)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
LUCKY DUCK 6903 2 3 0 23 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
MERRO DOSH 6912 2 0 0 20 SAND DANCERS (233)
JOEVINA SARIL 6904 2 1 0 12 SAND DANCERS (233)
KARZIN TYRN 6911 1 1 0 12 SAND DANCERS (233)
MOJITO 6896 2 5 0 11 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
BOBIKA VHETT 6914 1 1 0 7 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BLACK VELVET 6913 0 2 0 2 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
SIGBAN 6710 14 17 1 REFUGEES 377 MAN-O-WAR 6810 383
LONDEL TYL SARH 6895 5 4 0 SAND DANCERS 233 SCREWDRIVER 3541 386
JAEGO SARL 6709 18 12 0 SAND DANCERS 233 AMORE' 6879 382 NOT REVE
BOBIKA VHETT 6891 5 2 0 TIL DEATH DO US P 724 LONESTAR 6901 383 REVENGED
PERSONAL ADS
Chiana -- Not a good way for you to start the new year, well, I suppose you STARTED
it last cycle, but still, you're alive, and THAT is always a good way to start a new
year. -- Londel tyl Sarh
P.S. Darned if I know why I won. Must have been a style thing.
Mojito -- What? They send me a CHILD? That's an insult to me, and a deadly threat
to you. Better take it up with the handicapper. Use a sword. -- Lissane tyl Dru
P.S. Cut him down to size.
Black Velvet -- I can't stand things made of that. It shows EVERY stain, even water
will mark it. So I, uh, tried to see if sand would clean it up? -- Joevina Saril
Bobika Vhett -- Wow, that was a SPECTACULAR comeback. Good going. -- Karzin Tyrn
P.S. Not the fight. It was a rotten fight.
Well...I could've done worse than draw a standby. I guess. -- Merro Dosh
Our congratulations to the Ugly Duckling. -- the Sand Dancers
Better Duck -- Yep. It's a far, far better thing you duck, or something. -- Lissane
Made It Home -- If I can get a nice little place up in the hills, no neighbors nearer
than a mile or two, deer grazing right into the yard, fish jumping out of the stream
into my frying pan, maybe you should drop by. -- Ko Lao-Den
Made It Home -- Yeah, me, too. -- Gobarl, pleased to be in off the ice
Lucky Duck -- Gods, I hate ducks. Except roasted, with oranges and cranberries, of
course. Maybe...wine marinade? Not sure about that. -- Modoram, suddenly
preoccupied with recipes for duck
Chiana -- Er...you mean that guy who had the unfortunate accident in a alley on his
way home from the arena last time? I don't know a thing about it! -- Modoram
Friar Duck -- You are good at making the person you fight "this week's favorite." --
Screwdriver
Loner -- I want another shot...I ummm...well...I wasn't ready...yeah that's it. --
Amore'
Londel -- What did you call me??? -- Octavia
Octavia -- Penance not...well you know. -- Killjoy
OOOOOOOHHHH...okay, sorry everyone. -- Octavia
Lonestar -- I'm going to try to avenge my own so called death if you're here this
turn. Hope you didn't kill me again. -- the new and hopefully improved Bobika Vhett
Modoram -- Kind of...*blushes* -- Chiana
18 December 2006
Let it be known that Buddy Lee is no longer a member of The Company of Brothers,
T.C.B. I have resigned as of 10-23-06. Thank you.
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
FRIAR DUCK viciously subdued GOBARL in a crowd pleasing 3 minute Challenge fight.
LONER demolished IRISH CREAM in a popular 1 minute one-sided Title melee.
UGLY DUCKING vanquished MAN-O-WAR in a 2 minute mismatched brawl.
MADE IT HOME was savagely defeated by AMORE' in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
LONDEL TYL SARH was slaughtered by SCREWDRIVER in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
LISSANE TYL DRU beat CHIANA in a crowd pleasing 1 minute brawl.
BETTER DUCK was overpowered by VALARION in a 1 minute uneven melee.
OCTAVIA vanquished ONE-EYED YOFAN in a 1 minute uneven duel.
MODORAM overpowered MOJITO in a 1 minute uneven duel.
BOBIKA VHETT was defeated by MERRO DOSH in a 1 minute novice's fight.
LUCKY DUCK overcame JOEVINA SARIL in a 2 minute novice's bout.
KARZIN TYRN demolished BLACK VELVET in a 1 minute bloody mismatched match.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 7 TOTAL PARRY 9 - 4 - 1 69 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 3 AIMED BLOW 21 - 14 - 0 60 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 3 STRIKING ATTACK 29 - 21 - 3 58 |
|BASHING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 23 - 17 - 1 58 |
|AIMED BLOW 2 PARRY-STRIKE 9 - 7 - 0 56 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 SLASHING ATTACK 18 - 17 - 4 51 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 PARRY-LUNGE 5 - 6 - 1 45 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 WALL OF STEEL 5 - 6 - 0 45 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 BASHING ATTACK 22 - 36 - 0 38 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 - 7 - 0 36 |
Turn 386 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-LUNGE 1 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 4 STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 2 BASHING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 5 2 SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 1 PARRY-STRIKE
AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 1 LUNGING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
STRIKING ATTACK LONER 6779 13 9 1 131 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
PARRY-STRIKE FRIAR DUCK 6865 11 5 0 102 MIGHTY DUCKS (720)
SLASHING ATTACK AMORE' 6879 9 3 2 94 STUMBLIN' DRUNK (356)
BASHING ATTACK MADE IT HOME 6671 17 15 0 83 GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS (717)
AIMED BLOW LISSANE TYL DRU 6881 10 4 0 40 SAND DANCERS (233)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is GOBARL 6604. The most popular warrior this turn was
FRIAR DUCK 6865. The ten other most popular fighters were GOBARL 6604, AMORE' 6879,
LONER 6779, LISSANE TYL DRU 6881, VALARION 6808, JOEVINA SARIL 6904, KARZIN TYRN
6911, MAN-O-WAR 6810, SCREWDRIVER 3541, and OCTAVIA 6890.
The least popular fighter this week was BLACK VELVET 6913. The other ten least
popular fighters were BOBIKA VHETT 6914, MOJITO 6896, BETTER DUCK 6889, LONDEL TYL
SARH 6895, CHIANA 6807, MADE IT HOME 6671, IRISH CREAM 3065, LUCKY DUCK 6903, MERRO
DOSH 6912, and MODORAM 6880.
The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:
GOBARL (65-6604) REFUGEES (377)
The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:
UGLY DUCKING (65-6771) MIGHTY DUCKS (720)