DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 01/27/2010 Duedate: 02/09/2010 DAL SHANG ARENA DM-65 TURN-463 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS FLITCHAK CASTAWAYS (387) (65-3365) [15-13-1,94] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader FLITCHAK POSITION IS EMPTY CASTAWAYS (387) (65-3365) [15-13-1,94] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite FLITCHAK ICECLAW CASTAWAYS (387) CASTAWAYS (387) (65-3365) [15-13-1,94] (65-3364) [15-10-0,93] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM SAND DANCERS (233) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) 36 2. SAND DANCERS (233) 11 CASTAWAYS (387) 3. CASTAWAYS (387) -20 Unchartered Team JOKER'S WILD X (397) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 1 CASTAWAYS (387) 226 213 6 51.5 1/ 3 SAND DANCERS (233) 9 6 1 2/ 3 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 373 378 33 49.7 2/ 1 CASTAWAYS (387) 7 5 1 3/ 4 SAND DANCERS (233) %1006 %1088 30 48.0 3/ 2 TIL DEATH DO US PA (724) 7 7 1 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Report from the Tourney #1 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Larkin here, with a report from the Winter Tourney. Okay, maybe this isn't Atlantis, but it's somewhere warm, and if that isn't a beach, at least it's sand, and, as advertised, there are drinks with umbrellas in them. And young women with a lot of suntan showing. By the time you read this, the tourney will be over, but while I'm writing it, the tourney is NOT over. And a lot of you guys reading this won't have been able to go, anyway. I'm interviewing Zalgor Prigg, one of the managers participating in the Old Valamantis Bloodgames, and let me tell you, Old Valamantis is not a place you want to hang around if you don't have to. It's rotten with magic, to begin with--Folstrom magic, the blackest there is--and then it's got all this blood and violence on top of it, and it makes for a dark and scary venue. Anything might rise out of the ruins around the arena, summoned by the blood and the curses of the managers. "Mr. Prigg, could you tell us why you--" "It was the play on words," the manager said, overriding the question. "I couldn't resist--the chance to call a Bloodgames team Phoenix, you know, the 'rising from the ashes of death' business. Of course, then I had to change it to Phonetix, but that's okay, keep people guessing." "I've heard the Commission mages talking about that name, sir, and they seem alarmed. One of them said the name was practically a spell in itself, used here." "I heard. That's why I had to change it." "Have you considered what might actually rise from the ashes and blood here as a result?" "Well, no, but that isn't my business, you know. I manage gladiators. Let the mages worry about what pops in from some other dimension. Besides, what if nothing happens?" "But, sir, there have already been reports of zombie rats and tentacled monsters lurking in the backs of the locker rooms! And someone is bound to consider that you have a partial responsibility--" "No," Prigg said, "I have no responsibility for that kind of thing. I'm no magician, I haven't been reading forbidden tomes...." He paused, looking thoughtful. "Maybe it was TigToad with his Obscure Lore...." "I don't believe there's a team of that name in this Bloodgames--" "No, not here. Earlier, in Veastian. He could have been, hmm, preparing for this, opening contacts if not gates, stuff like that. Has anybody seen any Dark Toads around?" "Not until they've had six drinks with umbrellas in them. Tell me, sir, have you given any thought to the moral implications of the Bloodgames?" "What moral implications?" the manager asked. "This isn't about morals, it's about survival. And the way to survive on the sands is to kill your opponents every chance you get!" "Yes, but--" "There's a reason they don't hold these contests up in Andoria," the manager said sternly. "Good people in their ways, the Andorians, but they just aren't cut out for this kind of grim business." He paused to listen to the roar of the crowds jamming the ancient arena. Checked the marquee where slaves dangled from ropes and updated the records of participants. Nodded, grimly satisfied. "Another death. That's good--can't have too many survivors, or it cheapens the victory at the end." "But the death toll--" "Bah! Don't get the idea that these gladiators are the flower of Alastarian youth. The ones who enter the Bloodgames are the men with no hope. We offer them a future they could never have dreamed of, but they have to work for it, sweat for it, bleed for it, and sometimes die for it. The survivors..." he bared his teeth in a grin that would not have looked out of place on a wolf, "they owe us EVERYTHING, and they'll do anything to repay us." "But--" "And besides," Zalgor Prigg went on, "if you really want to take up the moral question, go talk to the Grey Wand. She's the one set this up, after all." "I don't see the point, frankly. She's got plenty of Lord Protectors, and they have longer training, skills polished and honed to a--" "The Bloodgames victors, they're Her enforcers," Prigg said. "No polish, sure, but when a dirty job needs doing, one of these guys will do it, and no questions asked." + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Report from the Tourney #2 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Larkin here once again, with more interviews from the tourney. This time I'm talking to a new manager, so new he doesn't even have a manager name. "Sir... what would you like me to call you, by the way?" "Why do you have to call me anything? I don't understand why you want to interview me. There are lots of great managers here who could probably tell you stuff--" "I'm looking for a new perspective, the point of view of someone who is just starting out with the gladiatorial games." "Oh. Well, I guess that would be me." "Absolutely right! Tell me, what do you think of the tourney? This is your first, right?" "Right, my first," the young man agreed. "And it's GREAT! Everyone is just great here! I mean, most of these managers, they're, like, legends, you know? Everybody's heard of them, and they have stables of HUNDREDS of gladiators, and they've been polishing their tricks for YEARS, and I didn't figure I had much of a chance, you know?" "The popular view is that no matter how much you know, the arena can always throw a surprise at you--" "Yeah, yeah, I've heard that. I don't know if I believe it, but I've heard it. But that isn't the best thing about this tourney. The best thing is that everyone here has been GREAT. Or else I didn't meet them--the ones that might not have been. But I think I met just about everyone, and--" "And they were great. I'm glad. But perhaps you could tell our readers a little more, maybe tell them how these experienced managers were great to you?" "Well, yeah, okay. It's that everyone was so friendly and helpful, see? The ENTIRE Consortium talked to me about warrior design, for instance. I learned a lot there. And, well, there was Mannequin, and The Greek Guy, and I actually met Manager, too! And they were all really helpful. Advice, you know, and charts, and all that stuff that was so confusing. It was just the best experience! I'm going to do it again, for sure!" * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 636): EIGHTH MATE of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 638): DORA BELL of SWEET MAGIC (Jorja, mgr.) DM 13 DULLENS (turn 506): AVENGING ANTELOPE of SATAN'S KINGDOM (Dark One, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 632): STARIEL of DARK CREATION (H.P.L. West, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 634): GOLD CACHE of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 625): THEODOSIUS of FIELDS OF ELYSIUM (Caesar, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 628): ERIC CARTMAN of CUNNING RUNTS (Deep Thought, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 315): OTHER of EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 623): SALAMANDER of TRAIL OF TEARS (Jugger?, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 313): EXECUTIONER of RETRIBUTION (?, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 620): MALIGNANT TUMOR of APOCALYPSE (?, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 618): ZOMBIEFIED of LIVING HELL (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 609): ORION of ON THE ROCKS (Bartender, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 571): PRINCE JACKSON of LUROCIAN ROYALTY (The Greek Guy, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 290): PAYNE of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.) DM 47 TEMPLE OF ABARSIS (turn 285): VYNMORGATH of KAOS (Grimm, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 271): MRS. VAUGHN of LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 499): RIA ROSEDANCER of INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 486): PERFECT SNOTLING of SUPERIOR FORCES 1601 (Manager) DM 61 JURINE (turn 466): CHAM DUGAN of MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 462): SORRELISHE of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 220): ROS QUIN of MIDDLE WAY 18 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 422): ALEXANDROS of GATES OF FIRE (Chief Illiniwek, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 416): QUINCY WATTS of GREATS OF TROY (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 408): MEDUSA of VICTORIOUS III (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 524): NIGHTCAP of DARKLINGS (She-Puppy, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 636): SERPENTS HOLD (Khisanth, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 638): DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.) DM 13 DULLENS (turn 506): THE CONFESSIORS (?, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 632): GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 634): GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 625): DEAD POETS (?, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 628): THE MAGNIFICENT MAGS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 315): EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 623): MID EARTH (Visionist, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 313): THE STORMBRINGERS (High Lord Bosk, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 620): DEVIL ADVOCATES (The Dark One, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 617): THE SEWING CIRCLE (Jorja, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 609): ON THE ROCKS (Bartender, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 571): LUROCIAN ROYALTY (The Greek Guy, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 290): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.) DM 47 TEMPLE OF ABARSIS (turn 285): LAND OF OZ (Oz the All-Winning, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 271): LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 499): INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 486): EX OBLIVIONE (Enigma, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 466): MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 462): CASTAWAYS (She-Puppy, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 220): BLACKMAIL (The Mun, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 422): GATES OF FIRE (Chief Illiniwek, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 416): GREATS OF TROY (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 408): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 524): DO IT AGAIN et al (The Dark One, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 636): SAFFIRA of BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.) DM 13 DULLENS (turn 505): WINDWALKER of CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 634): GOLD CACHE of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) (turn 633): GOLDBRICK of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 624): ZALMAN ARVO of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 314): SURGICAL of STEEL AND SILK (Michael Eldritch, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 623): MAKADOS of PHLANTHROPISTS (Aragorn, mgr.) (turn 622): SMACK O'MALLEY of CLAN CROW (?, mgr.) CLOUDSHADOW of CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 620): MALIGNANT TUMOR of APOCALYPSE (?, mgr.) UNDEAD DUCK of BARN OF HORRORS (Rillion, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 608): HYPER VIPER of PHILANTHROPISTS 2 (Aragorn, mgr.) DM 47 TEMPLE OF ABARSIS (turn 284): SPARROW of RAPTOR (Owlin, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 485): FLUMMAX of RED DOG GANG (Spot, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 465): HEADING SOUTH of AUTUMN SAGA (?, mgr.) SNOTMAN of I HATE THEM TOO (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) (turn 465): XAVAN YOLE of MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 462): SORRELISHE of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. It seems I'm graduating, not much thanks to Shamish, who was a pathetic opponent. Still, graduation is a good thing. The doorway to retirement, in fact. I'll take it. Sorrelishe P.S. Quick, hide the favorites notice! Even I can see that they're good, and I do NOT want to continue fighting. SPY REPORT You elder fighters surely remember me. The younger ones may call me Olaf Modeen. I return to DAL SHANG once again! Biff! Pow! DAL SHANG watched with glee as CASTAWAYS got knocked off top spot by SAND DANCERS! It seems so recently people were saying TIL DEATH DO US PART was washed up, finished. But 3-1-1 moved them up 1. I guess they're washed no more... What's with BOBIKA VHETT? He actually beat CASTAWAYS' KHAH RAKAH, and walked away with 24 more points from the fight. Major screwup at CASTAWAYS. KHAH RAKAH lost 19 points to BOBIKA VHETT. Some new strategies, perhaps? Maybe KHAH RAKAH will provide more easy wins... Try as he might, FLITCHAK wasn't good enough at persuading SORRELISHE 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. A fighter's lot is filled with strife, revenge, and killing. Some fighters don't accept this. The best do. We all knew it had to happen sooner or later. A warrior can't stick around with a 21-15-0, and LENDO TEN CHARDIN easily took care of SHAMISH. KARMA of TIL DEATH DO US PART didn't know when to quit. When you've got a 9-17-0, that's a good sign. Now she's dead. Someone told KHAH RAKAH that TIL DEATH DO US PART never Bloodfeuded, that he'd have an easy kill. Well, I'm sure whoever misled you is right sorry. Is it my imagination, or are fighters getting younger every day? To die so young, so gloriously! Many other cities have retirement homes for aged warriors. Any plans here? The end of another Spyreport! That's cause for celebration in my book! I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME FLITCHAK 3365 15 13 1 94 CASTAWAYS (387) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME ICECLAW 3364 15 10 0 93 CASTAWAYS (387) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BOBIKA VHETT 6914 15 15 0 82 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CHAEGO SARILDAN 6995 15 13 1 64 SAND DANCERS (233) KHAH RAKAH 3367 16 11 1 60 CASTAWAYS (387) LOEKER SMITH 7022 12 7 0 60 SAND DANCERS (233) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME CELKOVY UNIK 7040 6 0 0 39 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME AGERUS 7038 5 5 2 27 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) GARNO TEN KORO 7037 4 8 0 27 SAND DANCERS (233) HARITH TEN MORU 7047 2 1 0 26 SAND DANCERS (233) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? BERVAN THE TINKE 0 0 0 AGERUS 7038 463 NONE SHAMISH 3368 21 15 0 CASTAWAYS 387 LENDO TEN CHARDI 463 NONE KARMA 6925 9 17 0 TIL DEATH DO US 724 CHAEGO SARILDAN 6995 463 RAZIA 7035 8 4 1 TIL DEATH DO US 724 KHAH RAKAH 3367 462 JUST REVENGED PERSONAL ADS Flitchak -- I wish you'd stick to killing bugs. -- Loeker Smith P.S. I am not a bug. Karma -- Ah, the "career error" comment. As if we haven't all felt that way every time we end up in the Infirmary! -- Chaego Sarildan Bobika Vhett -- That certainly makes my (ouch!) day. Good work on your part, and thanks for the skills. -- Garno ten Koro Agerus -- Ah! Now THAT was the way a fight is supposed to go. -- Harith ten Moru LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS SORRELISHE bested FLITCHAK in a action packed 1 minute master's Title fight. SHAMISH was murdered by LENDO TEN CHARDIN in a 1 minute one-sided melee. KHAH RAKAH was overpowered by BOBIKA VHETT in a 1 minute mismatched duel. ICECLAW devastated LOEKER SMITH in a exciting 1 minute one-sided fight. CHAEGO SARILDAN delivered the death blow upon KARMA in a 1 minute gory expert's brawl. CELKOVY UNIK unbelievably bested GARNO TEN KORO in a 4 minute bloody match. AGERUS easily killed BERVAN THE TINKER in a 1 minute uneven fight. HARITH TEN MORU vanquished HERROL TWO-FINGER in a 1 minute uneven duel. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |SLASHING ATTACK 4 SLASHING ATTACK 32 - 17 - 1 65 | |STRIKING ATTACK 3 TOTAL PARRY 10 - 7 - 0 59 | |TOTAL PARRY 2 STRIKING ATTACK 15 - 11 - 1 58 | |LUNGING ATTACK 1 WALL OF STEEL 5 - 5 - 1 50 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 5 - 5 - 2 50 | |PARRY-LUNGE 1 LUNGING ATTACK 6 - 6 - 0 50 | |WALL OF STEEL 1 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 6 - 0 40 | |AIMED BLOW 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 - 0 0 | |PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 - 0 0 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 463 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 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 3 STRIKING ATTACK BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 2 SLASHING ATTACK STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 1 LUNGING ATTACK SLASHING ATTACK 2 - 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 1 WALL OF STEEL TOTAL PARRY 1 - 1 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY 1 BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-LUNGE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME STRIKING ATTACK FLITCHAK 3365 15 13 1 94 CASTAWAYS (387) WALL OF STEEL KHAH RAKAH 3367 16 11 1 60 CASTAWAYS (387) SLASHING ATTACK LOEKER SMITH 7022 12 7 0 60 SAND DANCERS (233) TOTAL PARRY CELKOVY UNIK 7040 6 0 0 39 TIL DEATH DO US PART (724) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is FLITCHAK 3365. The most popular warrior this turn was ICECLAW 3364. The ten other most popular fighters were GARNO TEN KORO 7037, BOBIKA VHETT 6914, CHAEGO SARILDAN 6995, HARITH TEN MORU 7047, FLITCHAK 3365, LOEKER SMITH 7022, AGERUS 7038, SHAMISH 3368, KHAH RAKAH 3367, and KARMA 6925. The least popular fighter this week was CELKOVY UNIK 7040. The other ten least popular fighters were KARMA 6925, KHAH RAKAH 3367, SHAMISH 3368, AGERUS 7038, LOEKER SMITH 7022, FLITCHAK 3365, HARITH TEN MORU 7047, CHAEGO SARILDAN 6995, BOBIKA VHETT 6914, and GARNO TEN KORO 7037. The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn: SORRELISHE (65-6985) SAND DANCERS (233)