DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 05/19/2022    Duedate: 06/01/2022

DAYLA KIV ARENA

DM-74    TURN-740

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

GOSHAWK
FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
(74-4843) [16-4-0,119]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

GOSHAWK                        POSITION IS EMPTY
FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)        
(74-4843) [16-4-0,119]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

TARAN TEN SALTH                GOSHAWK
SAND DANCERS (251)             FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
(74-4811) [18-23-0,77]         (74-4843) [16-4-0,119]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)     25
2. BECAUSE...WF (569)           6      BECAUSE...WF (569)
3. SATAN'S SINGLES 2 (575)      0      Unchartered Team
4. SAND DANCERS (251)          -3
                                       KILLJOY (110)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 BECAUSE...WF (569)        10   1  0 90.9   1/ 1 FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)   9  1 0
 2- 2*SATAN'S SINGLES 2 (575)    7   2  0 77.8   2/ 4 BECAUSE...WF (569)        3  0 0
 3/ 4 FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)   49  20  1 71.0   3/ 2 SAND DANCERS (251)        3 12 0
 4/ 5 SAND DANCERS (251)       %1656 %1904 54 46.5   4- 5*SATAN'S SINGLES 2 (575)   1  0 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

                                       THE 300

They slowly trudged along the finely-kempt and well-swept dirt road on their way to 
the normally quiet and unassuming town of SEAM. 300 of them in all, methodically 
making their way into town amid the gazes of their curious onlookers. Seam was a 
smallish town, full of ordinary folk who enjoyed an ordinary life; it was indeed not 
the type of town that one would expect to be one of the very few towns chosen to host 
the Games of the Arena. Some years back the town council was presented with the 
opportunity to once again be host to the games, but they did not want to make the same 
mistake twice. In short: the beauty and simplicity of the town was all but ruined by 
the dark magics that seemingly without fail came to every host town the first time 
that SEAM attempted to be a host so many years back.

The town council could not deny that the arena games brought a certain level of 
prosperity to any town that agreed to become a host. But unfortunately, this 
prosperity had a very strong dark side. It also brought with it thieves, thugs, and 
miscreants of every type. Hustlers, gamblers, drunkards, and whores. Hit-men and wise 
guys. Taverns open 'til all hours of the night... open practically on every corner.

However, the quiet and unassuming little town of SEAM has managed to escape the dark 
faction that seemed to accompany most every arena town this second time around. Their 
answer to this problem was very simple: no magic of any kind was allowed in the city 
limits. Furthermore, in order to guarantee that the town's arena fighters stay 
completely and totally uncorrupted by the allure of magic, all of them were required 
to remain in the town until when and if they were lucky enough to advance to the games 
at the Isle.

The town was extraordinary in how ordinary it actually was, and this was one thing 
that alfredo Frothingslosh himself loved so much about this lazy little town that he 
now called home. alfredo was not a rich man, but he did have a very strong standing 
with the spy commission and the other managers of the games... a standing that far 
surpassed his actual wealth, and he kept this standing by always being ready for any 
new opportunity that might come along. And in the case of having no such opportunity 
presenting itself for a long time, such as is the case now, alfredo also possessed a 
certain talent to create such an opportunity for himself.

When alfredo first went to the town council with his notion of sponsoring a contest, 
he was categorically turned down. But he realized that it was not the contest itself 
that the town council feared: it was the *prize*. Prizes generally meant magic. Magic 
almost always was accompanied by a hidden cost that the council did not have the 
desire or the willingness to pay. But one thing that alfredo was famous for was the 
ability to make the most of his young warriors without the need of relying on magic. 
And this special "knack" that he had helped him not only to think of a prize that the 
council might begrudgingly accept, but further, actually showcased, emphasized, and 
*celebrated* the ability to compete in the Games without resorting to magic.

What really sealed the deal was alfredo offering to round up the 300 recruits needed 
for the contest all on his own. At that point the council could hardly argue further. 
And that, my friends, brings us around full circle... back to the beginning of this 
little story: back to the 300 ordinary folk that I described shuffling past you into 
town.

They were men and women, young and not so young; they tended to be on the thin side 
(perhaps a little undernourished); most looked to be in dire need of a bath, but more 
than anything, these recruits were totally and completely ordinary. But that should 
change, and in a little more than a year from now... change it will. It is most 
definitely not clear now, but through hard work, training, and perhaps a bit of talent 
that they were not yet aware of, six of these ordinary recruits will rise and prove 
that indeed the once ordinary can become extraordinary. Six of these ordinary recruits 
will rise, proving themselves to be the "Cream of the Slosh."

***---------*---------*---------*---------**---------*---------*---------*---------***

The Frothingslosh Syndicate is proud to announce 99 Bottles of Beer III!!! (+ 100): 
Sponsored by ALFREDOVISION(TM): for a Better Tomorrow, and a Better Today.

The contest will be in honor and celebration of turn 199 of SEAM DM 20.

Your objective is simple: be the first team to accumulate 199 Bottles of Beer!

The first part of the contest will be a 15 turn "warm-up" starting on turn 184, due 
7/4/22, but you are encouraged to start your team as early as possible. During this 
casual "meet and greet" stage, all teams will earn one bottle per turn simply by 
fielding a full team of 5 warriors and writing at least one personal ad. BTW guys, for 
the sake of simplicity, your Host and Cruise director asks that you PLEASE do not sign 
your ad expecting me to know who you are. If you are not 100% certain, then please 
state very clearly EVERY TURN what team you are associated with so i do not have to go 
through past newsletters to try to figure out who you are. Also do not forget to write 
a personal ad for the turn 184 newsletter! Simply stating who you are would be great. 
Something like, "Hi Seam. I'm John, the manager of John's team" is certainly 
sufficient.

The real fireworks will start on turn 199, due on 1/30/23. That is when the teams will 
start to earn Bottles for Arena Performance, which will be earned/awarded as follows:

  * Bottles awarded for being active and writing a personal ad are discontinued.
  * 5 Bottles for each invite to ADM, AWARDED UPON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF INVITE IN THE 
    NEWSLETTER with the opportunity to earn 1 extra bottle ON THE FOLLOWING TURN for 
    achieving a kill in the Dark Arena on their last fight. Note that this Bottle is a 
    "bonus;" you will also earn a Bottle for the win; bottles awarded for wins are 
    outlined below.
  * 3 Bottles for each turn as Duelmaster, with the opportunity to earn 1 extra bottle 
    for writing a Duelmaster's column COLLECTED ON THE FOLLOWING TURN when the column 
    is actually published. It does not have to be fancy but has to be "something": 99 
    words minimum.
  * 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 Bottles for Team on the Move and Current Top Team. In the case 
    of ties, partial bottles will be awarded and will count towards your total.
  * 2 Bottles for Chartered Recognition Leader
  * 2 Bottles for This Week's Favorite
  * 2 Bottles for TOP CAREER HONORS Chartered Team
  * 0 Bottles for each turn as Overall Popularity Leader. Additionally, you will pay a 
    1 BOTTLE PENALTY on the following turn if you fail to post a personal ad 
    apologizing for your ostentatious behavior! OR...you can choose to brag further 
    about how astonishingly wonderful you actually are, and are more than worthy of 
    all the accolades you get from your adoring fans.
  * 1 Bottle for a successful Bloodfeud: limit two bottles per incident.
  * 2 Bottles for each Stylemaster as listed in the newsletter. In other words, the 
    rules for being awarded bottles for Stylemaster are the same as they are in the 
    arena: winning record, adept or above.
  * 1 bottle for each win, or two bottles for each kill in the regular arena. Warriors 
    that manage to return from the Dark Arena earn one bottle for the win only.

If more than one team achieves or surpasses 199 Bottles on the same turn, the team 
with the higher total will be the victor. Partial Bottles having been awarded make the 
event of a tie at the end much less likely; any fraction of a bottle lead that you may 
have *will* count. In the unlikely event that there is an exact tie for any place that 
receives a prize, those teams involved will continue playing until a winner can be 
decided.

The top three places will win one or more "Cream of the Slosh" replacements:

  * 1st Place: 3 CotS replacements
  * 2nd Place: 2 CotS replacements
  * 3rd Place: 1 CotS replacements

A CotS replacement is 10 standard, ordinary Duelmasters teamsheets that are specially 
"marked" and grouped together by the Spy Commision to be used for this single purpose 
only. The winning manager then chooses any one out of the 50 warriors on the 10 
teamsheets they wish to be their "Cream of the Slosh" replacement; the other 49 are 
simply discarded. Note that you are free to use your CotS replacement anytime you have 
an opening on your team; in other words, you are not required to Dark Arena nor do you 
have to pass on a good naturally occurring replacement.

However, CotS replacements will not be allowed to hide their status: all CotS 
replacements will be required to start its name with these three symbols: O^O (capital 
O, shift-6 [caret symbol], capital O. This surely will cause them to be a "target" of 
challenges, but also will serve as a badge of honor for them to wear proudly. In the 
case of winning multiple CotS replacements, you will be required to wait at least 10 
ACTIVE turns in between using your CotS replacements; you will only receive one CotS 
packet at a time. Just send a note in to the Spy Commission with your 10th turn's 
orders to receive your new CotS packet with your turn's results.

Note that 6 CotS replacements being won in total is the guaranteed minimum. I have 
been informed that if the contest has an unusually large turnout, the Spy Commission 
MAY choose to spice up the prize pool with additional CotS replacements. Understand 
there are no guarantees (other than them 6 as listed), and these Spies were rather 
"vague" and sometimes can be a little sketchy. But, for what it's worth, I figured I 
should pass the information on just in case it does actually have merit.

But that's not all! For those of you that wish to spice up the contest even further, 
we are featuring an additional and completely voluntary "Contest Within a Contest" for 
which there will be a one time fee of 6 RSI Gift Certificates to enter. The prize pool 
for the CWAC will be one "6-pack" of Duelmasters Gift Certificates (no cash value; 
each may be redeemed for one Duelmasters teamsheet) for every manager who chooses to 
participate. The prize pool will divided up among the winning players as follows:

  * 1st place: 1/2 of all the teamsheets
  * 2nd place: 1/3 of all the teamsheets
  * 3rd place: 1/6 of all the teamsheets

I just want to clarify that managers competing for the CWAC teamsheets are only 
competing against each other. So, for example, if you place second in the main contest 
but the main contest winner did not choose to participate in the CWAC, you will then 
be the first place winner of the CWAC (and receive half of all the sheets in the prize 
pool). Additionally, if the CWAC proves to be very popular and gets many entries, I 
may pay out more places. Any such decisions will be discussed and finalized prior to 
turn 199.

I will do my best to write a Contest Update every turn which will obviously be based 
on the totals from the previous turn. I also plan to start an email list that you may 
join if you wish. I will send out the updated contest standings to this list...likely 
very soon after the newsletter is posted; I will actually be so bold to suggest that I 
might get your contest update prior to getting your mail! So everyone can have up-to-
date standings, but also gives you the chance to point out any errors I might have 
made prior to sending in the official update to be printed in the newsletter.

Other Rules:

  * Once the first team equals or surpasses the required 199 Bottles total, THE 
    CONTEST IS OVER unless there are any ties to work out, and in that case the 
    contest will continue to the following turn ONLY for those teams involved. Your 
    official contest ranking will be based on whatever position you are holding at the 
    time that the first team(s) surpasses 199 bottles, even in the unlikely event of a 
    tie for first place and the winner has not yet been determined.
  * NO AVOIDS: This will be STRICTLY ENFORCED starting on Turn 199. Any team caught 
    avoiding will be REMOVED from the contest and their entry fee (if any) WILL NOT be 
    refunded! And trust me, with the number of nosy spy reporters out there, YOU WILL 
    get caught.
  * Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated and will be grounds for 
    disqualification. Coordinating challenges is allowed; non-aggression pacts are 
    allowed. "Taking a dive" (ie: throwing fights) is definitely NOT allowed. Any 
    allegations of cheating will be investigated seriously; any decision made by the 
    spy commission regarding said allegations will be final. Ladies and gentlemen: 
    let's keep this clean, okay? None of us are kids anymore!
  * Seam is a "non-tourney" arena, and as such you are required to field a full team 
    of 5 warriors every turn! Any warrior that has 1 FE or more missing the turn will 
    incur a 3-Bottle penalty for their team. You are highly encouraged to put your 
    entire team on maintenance, to guard against any mistakes. If you have a warrior 
    "accidentally' sit out the turn, you will "accidentally" incur a 3-bottle penalty 
    ;>. Any rookie warrior missing a turn will only incur a 1-Bottle penalty for 
    their team. I am aware that those poor noobs often get lost temporarily.
  * There will be no penalty for your *entire team* missing a turn. It is certainly 
    not recommended, however!
  * No tournament experience or "enhanced" warriors will be allowed.
  * If you wish to participate in the optional "contest within a contest," you must 
    announce your intention to participate prior to turn 190 being processed (due 
    9/26). The one-time entry fee of 6 RSI Gift Certificates will be charged to your 
    account at that time. 

YOU are invited; you are encouraged to start early if you like! The Frothingslosh 
Syndicate invites you to Bottle! Er...ah...battle!

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

What is there left to be said? Six times I have been here. Six times, now, I will have 
spoken. I am ready to move on to The Isle where animals are more appreciated. I can do 
great things, like pollinating the small band of lady goshawks awaiting me there. 
(wink) All I need is one more. I am ready. Dayla Kiv, I have enjoyed you. I hope you 
enjoyed me.

                                          -- Goshawk DMVI

                                      SPY REPORT

     Like the magnificent Sun, rising upon the Dawn and exiling the Night for a Day, 
I, Novgorodny Vir, return once again!  FEROCIOUS ANIMALS had cause to celebrate, 
after SKUNK got 8 points by beating ALDEN DENNY.  FELTER THE LAME certainly had a 
baffled expression on his face, after losing to RABID RAT and losing 6 points in the 
process!  Well, Duelmaster GOSHAWK challenged SAND DANCERS' LORIS TEN JOLE.  Is a 
15-4-0 good enough?  Those who hoped for a new Duelmaster were disappointed by LORIS 
TEN JOLE, of SAND DANCERS, who despite a 18-15-1 couldn't overcome DAYLA KIV's Number 
1.  So who was the warrior seen charging into immovable walls and challenging dead 
trees?  Someone's got a basic problem...   
     And how sociable are DAYLA KIV's warriors?  Come, let us see.  Like a horde of 
jackals fleeing from the lion, so did the "warriors" in DAYLA KIV avoid SPROUT OF MY 
WAY!.  As a woman of good breeding scorns the "warriors" of FEROCIOUS ANIMALS, so did 
that sorry team shy from SPROUT OF MY WAY!  If challenges were horses, LORIS TEN JOLE 
could open up a fast food joint!  As a confidence booster, EXOGENOUS SHOCK challenged 
TARAN TEN SALTH, down 20 points.  Do you also slay vicious rodents in your spare 
time, EXOGENOUS SHOCK?  Warriors of DAYLA KIV!  Do you wish your reputations tainted 
by the base challenge of EXOGENOUS SHOCK?   
     Ah, the duel!  The roar of the oppenent, the smell of the crowd!  Ask not a 
spymaster for counsel, for he will pontificate long after you have fallen into an 
unconscious stupor.   
     Leave me now, you base fools!  As the seasons change, and the creatures of the 
wild change also, so do I feel a yearning to leave this place.  Can anything compare 
to the pleasure of writing Spyreports for DAYLA KIV?  On that giddy note I take my 
leave-- Novgorodny Vir  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GOSHAWK 4843                 16   4  0   119       FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 EXOGENOUS SHOCK 4835         10   1  0   102       BECAUSE...WF (569)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DIRTY WATER 4862              7   2  0    87       SATAN'S SINGLES 2 (575)
 SKUNK 4845                   10   4  1    82       FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
 TARAN TEN SALTH 4811         18  23  0    77       SAND DANCERS (251)
 ALDEN DENNY 4812             13  28  1    68       SAND DANCERS (251)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BULL 4859                     8   2  0    66       FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
-MONGOOSE 4847                 5   5  0    60       FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HALO GREEN 4842               7  15  1    37       SAND DANCERS (251)
 RABID RAT 4879                3   1  0    35       FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FELTER THE LAME 4886          3   4  0    13       SAND DANCERS (251)

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Those Sand Dancers say such mean things about my animals! Sad. My poor little guys. 
Bwahahahahahahaha. -- Lion Tamer

Alden Denny, I have shopped at both od you and came out ahead. -- Skunk

Dirty Water, I just knew I shouldn't have drunk the water! -- Bull

Loris Ten Jole, one more. Just one more. -- Goshawk

Animals of the world, unite. Don't believe all these nasty things they say about you. 
Come with me. We shall rule the world. -- Lion Tamer

Goshawk -- Good job.  I was worried about doing a column.  This arena comes at the end 
of a long day for us, and the Hands are often tired. This time, it's flopped over and 
is being rushed in at the last moment at the beginning of another long day. -- Loris 
ten Jole

Exogenous Shock -- Same as before.  Repeat down-challenging for an easy win.  It's a 
valid tactic, I admit, but not friendly, and we all have to live here. -- Taran ten 
Salth
P.S.  Jorja is considering issuing an avoid against your team.

Skunk -- I see you returned from the tourney in fine form.  So colorful, too. -- Alden 
Denny

Turo Jaguarclaw -- Go fight some jaguars; they're looking for you.  They want their 
claws back. -- Halo Green

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

GOSHAWK viciously subdued LORIS TEN JOLE in a 2 minute bloody Challenge Title fight.
EXOGENOUS SHOCK vanquished TARAN TEN SALTH in a 1 minute uneven Challenge battle.
SKUNK overpowered ALDEN DENNY in a 1 minute mismatched duel.
BULL devastated HALO GREEN in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
RABID RAT demolished FELTER THE LAME in a 1 minute mismatched competition.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  3         AIMED BLOW         4 -   1 -  1      80  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    3         BASHING ATTACK     3 -   1 -  0      75  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         STRIKING ATTACK   22 -  10 -  0      69  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         SLASHING ATTACK   10 -   5 -  0      67  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         LUNGING ATTACK     2 -   2 -  0      50  |
|AIMED BLOW                       0         PARRY-RIPOSTE      4 -   6 -  1      40  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         WALL OF STEEL     10 -  20 -  0      33  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         TOTAL PARRY        0 -   0 -  0       0  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   0         PARRY-STRIKE       0 -   2 -  0       0  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      0         PARRY-LUNGE        0 -   0 -  0       0  |

Turn 740 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:

SLASHING ATTACK    2 -  0     AIMED BLOW         0 -  0         4  STRIKING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         2  SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK    2 -  1     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  0         2  WALL OF STEEL  
                              PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         1  LUNGING ATTACK 
                              LUNGING ATTACK     0 -  0         1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  
                              TOTAL PARRY        0 -  0         1  BASHING ATTACK 
                              WALL OF STEEL      0 -  3     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
SLASHING ATTACK  GOSHAWK 4843               16   4  0  119 FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
STRIKING ATTACK  SKUNK 4845                 10   4  1   82 FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
BASHING ATTACK   RABID RAT 4879              3   1  0   35 FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is TARAN TEN SALTH 4811.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was GOSHAWK 4843.  The ten other most popular fighters were EXOGENOUS SHOCK 
4835, SKUNK 4845, BULL 4859, RABID RAT 4879, FELTER THE LAME 4886, TARAN TEN SALTH 
4811, ALDEN DENNY 4812, HALO GREEN 4842,  0, and  0.

The least popular fighter this week was HALO GREEN 4842.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were ALDEN DENNY 4812, TARAN TEN SALTH 4811, FELTER THE LAME 4886, RABID RAT 
4879, BULL 4859, SKUNK 4845, EXOGENOUS SHOCK 4835, GOSHAWK 4843,  0, and  0.

The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:

GOSHAWK (74-4843) FEROCIOUS ANIMALS (572)

The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:

LORIS TEN JOLE (74-4828) SAND DANCERS (251)