DM 083 Newsletter

DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date : 05/26/2009 Duedate: 06/22/2009

TELORINTHE ARENA

DM-83 TURN-27

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

CONFESSION
OLDIES (5)
(83-47) [23-4-1,117]

Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader

CONFESSION POSITION IS EMPTY
OLDIES (5)
(83-47) [23-4-1,117]

Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite

PARALDOXIA PARALDOXIA
ZEITGEIST (18) ZEITGEIST (18)
(83-112) [11-15-0,103] (83-112) [11-15-0,103]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

(-1)

TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. INVIDIOTS (16) 53
2. BAD SIGNS (24) 44 BAD SIGNS (24)
3. THE ASCENDANTS (10) 30 Unchartered Team
4. OLDIES (5) 7
5. ACRONYMS (38) 0 FORGOTTEN REALMS (36)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1 BAD SIGNS (24) 89 41 4 68.5 1/ 2 INVIDIOTS (16) 10 5 1
2/ 2 OLDIES (5) 86 49 3 63.7 2/ 3 BAD SIGNS (24) 10 5 1
3/ 0 THE ASCENDANTS (10) 53 31 0 63.1 3/ 1 OLDIES (5) 10 5 0
4/ 3 INVIDIOTS (16) 82 48 6 63.1 4/ 5 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17) 7 8 0
5- 4 ACRONYMS (38) 25 24 5 51.0 5/ 7 ZEITGEIST (18) 6 9 0
6/ 5 OLLIS HEROES (27) 63 70 2 47.4 6- 4 ACRONYMS (38) 5 5 2
7/ 6 ZEITGEIST (18) 56 74 2 43.1 7/ 0 THE ASCENDANTS (10) 4 1 0
8/ 7 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17) 54 81 1 40.0 8/ 6 OLLIS HEROES (27) 3 11 0

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

SPY REPORT

Greetings, Warriors of TELORINTHE. Allow this humble servant Novgorodny Vir to
give you a respite from the fights in the form of this Spyreport. INVIDIOTS posted a
nice gain, to come in 1st. Everybody loves a winner... Practice pays for DELAYED
FLIGHT, who pummelled TOGG, to pocket 25 points. A certain someone should cut down
on the drinking and practice more, after losing 19 points to TRAKE. (Discrete
enough, CYCLIDIA?) Duelmaster CONFESSION from OLDIES is going for the gold, as it
challenged ZEITGEIST's PARALDOXIA. Ooh, the excitement! Those who hoped for a new
Duelmaster were disappointed by PARALDOXIA, of ZEITGEIST, who despite a 11-15-0
couldn't overcome TELORINTHE's Number 1. Word has it one team in TELORINTHE is using
psychics to predict wins. They lead a charmed life!
A Zenmaster once told me, 'Does not the spinning wheel turn? And do not the
little birds cry out?' Any ideas? Like the noble eagle soaring amongst the
mountaintops, so stand the warriors of ZEITGEIST, alone and unchallenged. Like a pup
with its tail between its legs, DEATH'S CHOSEN scurried away from ZEITGEIST. Oh, the
shame! Is it charming personality? Conversational abilities? Good oral hygiene?
Whatever it is, GOSSIPID is the most challenged warrior. As a confidence booster,
MORWEL challenged GENERICKY, down 22 points. Do you also slay vicious rodents in
your spare time, MORWEL? MORWEL will have to start challenging legless old maids
next, as she was subdued by GENERICKY. Good show, GENERICKY! WASNIS challenged
CUSTODIAN! Who says OLLIS HEROES are just a bunch of wimps! WASNIS of OLLIS HEROES
kept his wits as he was subdued by CUSTODIAN.
Is there life after death? Pragmatics (and warriors) know there is death after
life! More than one waitress at The Welcome Wench was spilling more drinks than
usual last week, as TOGG's early demise became known. What will THE ASCENDANTS do???
Justice was served as STEAL HOME fought VODI in bloodfeud. Well done, BAD SIGNS!
Ask not for whom the sword slashes; it slashes for thee.
Do not think spyreporting in TELORINTHE is the highlight of my life. Keep those
sands bloody and the buzzards fat! TELORINTHE, I leave you now. The Duelmaster has
agreed to foot my bill at The Welcome Wench. 'Til next time-- Novgorodny Vir

DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CONFESSION 47 23 4 1 117 OLDIES (5)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GOSSIPID 99 18 8 2 113 INVIDIOTS (16)
TORPORTLY 102 16 10 2 108 INVIDIOTS (16)
PARALDOXIA 112 11 15 0 103 ZEITGEIST (18)
GUSHAN 222 11 8 0 100 ZEITGEIST (18)

CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GENERICKY 100 16 10 0 90 INVIDIOTS (16)
LETTER SWEATER 43 16 11 2 86 OLDIES (5)
RIZZYN 104 10 17 0 84 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17)
TRAKE 72 13 4 0 80 THE ASCENDANTS (10)
STEAL HOME 138 20 6 1 79 BAD SIGNS (24)
LOTUS-EATER 193 16 8 2 79 INVIDIOTS (16)
SIMPLETONGUE 194 16 8 0 73 INVIDIOTS (16)
MORWEL 210 10 12 0 71 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17)
CUSTODIAN 215 11 9 0 69 OLDIES (5)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
VODI 158 12 15 1 66 OLLIS HEROES (27)
DRAGGIN' MAIN 44 19 8 0 65 OLDIES (5)
PEP RALLY 46 14 13 0 61 OLDIES (5)
CYCLIDIA 111 12 14 1 61 ZEITGEIST (18)
REVENANT 213 9 12 0 60 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17)

ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TOA JALLER 183 9 16 0 56 OLLIS HEROES (27)
KALLOR 69 9 8 0 56 THE ASCENDANTS (10)
ISHTAR 184 9 17 0 50 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17)
-ROFLMAO 259 7 3 1 48 ACRONYMS (38)
FENER 68 10 7 0 44 THE ASCENDANTS (10)
ILEOSA 263 5 6 0 40 DEATH'S CHOSEN (17)
-IITYWTMWYBMAD 260 4 6 2 38 ACRONYMS (38)
WASNIS 224 9 9 0 36 OLLIS HEROES (27)

ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TREACH 218 8 2 0 34 THE ASCENDANTS (10)
LUMP 269 6 3 0 34 BAD SIGNS (24)

CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
HELGA HOARFROST 237 8 8 0 33 ZEITGEIST (18)
-BOGOF 272 3 2 1 30 ACRONYMS (38)
MENDOZA LINE 278 3 0 0 28 BAD SIGNS (24)
OUT FOR A DUCK 275 4 1 0 27 BAD SIGNS (24)
DELAYED FLIGHT 280 1 1 1 26 BAD SIGNS (24)
MELANCHOLIA 239 5 9 0 24 ZEITGEIST (18)

INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-GOOML 264 4 5 0 17 ACRONYMS (38)
YODA 274 2 4 0 13 OLLIS HEROES (27)
-LOMBARD 279 1 1 1 13 ACRONYMS (38)

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

THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
QUADRUPLE BOGEY 241 5 4 0 BAD SIGNS 24 VODI 158 24 JUST REVENGED
YIELD 276 1 2 0 BAD SIGNS 24 LOMBARD 279 25 REVENGED
PRINS RIKARD 232 8 7 1 OLLIS HEROES 27 TORPORTLY 102 25
TOGG 234 4 3 0 THE ASCENDANTS 10 DELAYED FLIGHT 280 27

PERSONAL ADS

Simpletongue -- Sorry 'bout that, but I needed a stepping stool. -- Paraldoxia

Pep Rally -- Rah, rah, sis boom ba! -- Gushan

Draggin' Main -- I CAN take you, I KNOW I can. -- Cyclidia

Lump -- That was simply humiliating, and I will find a way to make you pay...
someday. -- Helga Hoarfrost

Bogof -- Four skills for you, zilch for me. Go figure. -- Melancholia

Jorja -- I ALWAYS value your opinion, and in retrospect (which though crystal-clear,
is sometimes difficult to see), I agree with the concept a "contest" has. I am still
curious about the tracking of FE, though. With FE noted a fighter is much easier to
gauge, though I suppose potions and such could still mislead. Still, something needs
to be ratified to draw managers to our humble arena. To those who remain, a proud
salute. We soldier on. -- Michael Eldritch

Simpletongue -- Surely you did not expect to letter? It is far more complicated than
that. -- Letter Sweater

Make sure you all go to confession now, or you will miss your last chances to come
clean. (wink) -- Coach

Wasnis -- It wasn't easy to beat you, you know. Your team has a lot of backers. --
Pep Rally

Ishtar -- Some days you get the mop, some days the mop gets you. -- Custodian

Cyclidia -- Ouchy, ouchy, ouchy. I believe you creased my radiator! -- Draggin Main

Paraldoxia -- I am still the man behind the curtain. I'm glad, though, that you got
that off your chest. -- Confession

Zeitgeist -- Big time points gain! Major League! Salute. -- Coach

All, may you come out on top often. Have a nice day. -- Coach

Vodi -- That makes me 0-2 against you. I'm going to have to try an actual challenge
strategy this time around -- Steal Home

Lombard -- Hmm, improved endurance.... Nice.... -- Lump

Ileosa -- I don't think that was a very sticky wicket -- Out for a Duck

Yoda -- I always blame the weather -- Delayed Flight

4 May 09
Players of Duel 2:

RSI wants to try, in a few arenas, a system that rewards role-play and general arena
involvement. Our thoughts at this time are as follows, and feedback is earnestly
solicited:

1. What to reward.
a. Spotlights--they don't have to be involved and lengthy storylines, and in fact,
my own inclination is to say: anything game related and original (i,e,, not a
reprint), maybe set a minimum length. I use TOGS here as my model--half a column as
formatted for the newsletter, and we don't judge the quality of the writing (so long
as the editor isn't grossed out), just the intent to make a positive contribution.
b. A dm column where one is "due." Again, no judgment on quality of writing, should
be dm-related, and I would say (this is just me) a minimum length of maybe five
lines.
c. Personals. More than just "you suck," or "good fight." How much more doesn't
really concern me, and quality, other than "not offensive to the editor," should not
be an issue. We don't want to encourage participation and then muzzle it.
d. It has been suggested that a reward point or two be offered for running a full
team. We could include this, but my own inclination would be to say that there would
be no points for this, but that those who don't make a clear effort on this
(accidents happen, so maybe something like "when the three-turn total of fights is
below twelve"?) aren't eligible for points on any turn until they get it back up to a
full team.

2. How to reward it.
a. We've been thinking nebulously about some kind of point system, obviously, as an
example, say 3 points for a spotlight, 2 for a column, 1 for personals, more points
here for what takes more effort, but some points for any effort. This is in no way
final! But some way to keep track of who is contributing and how much, and as non-
subjective as possible; this would be noted as each newsletter would be proofed. A
way to clearly identify who's sending in what would help, but I can work it out by
referring to the warrior listings if I have to.
b. But, assuming a point system, do the rewards, whatever they end up being, go to
the player who achieves a certain point total? Is this calculated per turn, or as a
running total over as many turns as it takes to reach that point? Or to the player
with the highest total on any given turn? What about ties?
c. What do the points get the player? The current thought is X points gets a free
fight, probably replacing the "Popularity Leader's" free fight in the relevant arena.
That suggests only one player getting a role-play free fight on any given turn. Is
this enough to encourage the newsletter participation we're hoping for? Should we
convert "This Week's Favorite" to a role-play free fight also? Or handle rewards in
some other way entirely?

3. Where it happens.
The current thought is, try it in four arenas: one in each region, and one slow
arena. Who picks the arenas in question? I'd be inclined to rule out those that are
doing fairly well already (Ardivent, Sunset, Lapur; Arkers, Morya, North Fork), but
is that wise? Or even fair? Darned if I know. Places where it is NOT currently
intended to happen: Transfer arenas. Maybe rule out the no-tourney arenas as
current candidates, too?

If this seems to work well enough to be worth the effort, should we consider
extending it to more, eventually to all non-transfer, arenas?

This is not a "someday down the line we might" concept. We want to do this, and
SOON. Your feedback would be appreciated, for, against, changes, anything. You can
email me directly at jputney zianet com (make sure it says DM in the subject line) or
send a diplo to scribe, any arena.

the Scribe

P.S. Staff members not to be eligible for role-playing free fights.

5 May 09
The Battle Royal V is upon us! Come join one of the original contests that has had
some of the games best managers involved in the past. DM 18, Talcama, some consider
it to be the crown jewel of the Delarq cities is where this contest will take place.

The Battle Royal is intended to be a play as you want, play what you want Delarquan
style contest with very few rules. While I'd love to say, "NO AVOIDING" is the only
rule (and that wouldn't be too far off), I must spell out situations that can and
have occurred and require additional clarification.

The advantages of this format:
1) Simple.
2) No penalty for DAs.
3) No restrictions on warriors entered into the contest (baggers, TC mods, etc all
welcome)
4) No penalty for not fighting.
5) It isn't a race where 21 wit and favorite learn determine the victor.
6) Losing a warrior (or even your whole team) doesn't eliminate you from contention.
7) It is possible to overcome almost any deficit. And this has been proven, with
managers making huge point swings in short periods of time!
8) It is a contest designed to show manager skill rather than warrior ability.

There are a few disadvantages:
1) There is no set end. It is possible for this contest to go on indefinitely. In
practice, this format has worked very nicely in the past and I expect it will
continue to work well.
2) You cannot avoid (But that is part of the fun and the head to head nature of this
contest requires this rule.)
3) It encourages bloodshed.
4) Baggers and experienced warriors have an advantage over new warriors.

Battle Royal Rules:

- Any team in Talcama is eligible to participate. There are no restrictions on
warriors (baggers, TC prize modified, etc). However, any warrior that fights for
your team is considered in the BR.

- Teams may not avoid any other team within the contest. (Note that you may avoid
teams outside the contest but you do so at your own risk.) Avoiding a team on the
turn they enter the Battle Royal is not considered against the rules (since you
couldn't know the team wasn't part of the BR). The suggestion is not to avoid at
all. Assur (the contest moderator) gets an avoid report every turn and will catch
people avoiding!

- Managers may only enter a single team in the contest.

- Any manager with more than one team in Talcama may not challenge any other contest
warrior with their non contest team(s). The intention is that no advantage can be
gained by having multiple teams in the arena.

****Failure to comply with the above rules***
1st offense: Disqualification from the prize, but you may still participate.
2nd offense: Warning.
3rd offense: Removal from Battle Royal.

- If a manager decides to switch teams, his score will start back at 0. This is to
prevent a manager from sweeping the contest with several teams of sandbaggers. Can a
manager use this clause to go from a negative score to zero? Yes. I realize this is
sort of cheating, but I'd rather have a manager start over with a new team than drop
out of the contest. Even so, they have to start at 0 and must gain 25 points.

- If your warrior loses a contest fight because of an input error and this error is
verified by RSI, you will have a point added to your score. The head to head records
will remain the same and any points gained by another manager will remain on that
manager's record.

- As soon as you are announced in the newsletter, you are officially entered into the
Battle Royal. Scoring begins on that turn! You are expected to follow the rules
that turn and every turn following. Your team may enter any time they wish during
the course of the Battle Royal.

- If you are exiting the Battle Royal, you are not removed until the turn after your
intention is published. You are asked to follow the rules for that turn (either
through not avoiding or not running your warriors).

Scoring:
- Scoring begins the turn your team declares participation.
- Scoring continues through the turn your team withdraws.
- Score is calculated by: Wins+Kills-Lossses.
- Only fights with other B.R. participannts count towards your score, but they count
whether they are challenges or random match-ups.
- First Manager to 25 points wins!
- In event of tie, B.R. continues until one team that has reached 25 points is ahead
of all other participants.

Disputes:
- The attempt has been made to make these rules as complete and bulletproof as
possible, but Tripwire will resolve any disputes as fairly as he is capable.

Prizes:
For the Winner:

6 Months Free Play in Talcama for the winning team (doesn't include tourneys)!

One +1 Bonus Potion (up to max for warrior, to be used on a warrior in DM 18)!

One Limited Damage Bump Potion (one time use, up to max for stats, used on DM 18
warrior)!

One Minor Stat Switch Prize (up to 2 points can be moved from one stat to another
stat on a new rollup in DM 18, before adding 14 points. This prize can be used up to
3 months from the contest end. Both points must be used in the same place (can't
take one from a speed and one from deftness and add one to wit and will)).

One Favorites Knowledge Potion (to be used on a 5+ FE warrior in DM 18).

Rename One Dark Arena Creature in DM 18, which will be renamed for 6 Months or until
the Ladies decide to return it to the previous name.

All potions renaming prizes must be used within 2 turns of the end of the contest.

Endurance Award (available to all participants):

One +1 Bonus Potion (up to max for warrior, to be used on a warrior in DM 18).

To qualify for the Endurance Award you must participate in 90% of the total fights
possible over the course of the BR. If you don't have time to make it into the BR by
the first turn, there will be a two turn window before the counter will start for new
teams. The fights do not have to be BR point scoring fights, just 90% of the total
possible participation over the course of the contest! So, if the contest runs 26
turns, there are 130 fights possible. Your team must have 117 fights during those 26
turns to be eligible.

All prizes/potions subject to RSI's interpretation of how they are used/implemented.
RSI said the faves knowledge must be used on an Inits warrior or higher and set at
5FE or more.

Tripwire

LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

STEAL HOME viciously subdued VODI in a 4 minute master's Bloodfeud fight.
TOA JALLER was handily defeated by TORPORTLY in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud match.
CONFESSION bested PARALDOXIA in a popular 4 minute veteran's Challenge Title contest.
LETTER SWEATER was demolished by GOSSIPID in a 1 minute Challenge competition.
REVENANT was vanquished by LOTUS-EATER in a 2 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
MORWEL was overpowered by GENERICKY in a popular 1 minute mismatched Challenge brawl.
DRAGGIN' MAIN was viciously subdued by RIZZYN in a 2 minute expert's Challenge melee.
WASNIS was overpowered by CUSTODIAN in a 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
MENDOZA LINE defeated MELANCHOLIA in a 3 minute Challenge fight.
GUSHAN overpowered VETERAN MERCENARY in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided match.
CYCLIDIA was devastated by TRAKE in a 1 minute one-sided battle.
SIMPLETONGUE bested PEP RALLY in a 2 minute master's bout.
KALLOR overcame ILEOSA in a 2 minute fight.
FENER unbelievably bested HELGA HOARFROST in a crowd pleasing 4 minute gruesome bout.
LUMP was viciously subdued by ISHTAR in a crowd pleasing 2 minute bloody bout.
TREACH devastated YODA in a exciting 10 minute one-sided fight.
TOGG was executed by DELAYED FLIGHT in a 1 minute gory one-sided bout.
OUT FOR A DUCK overcame EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a popular 2 minute amateur's competition.

BATTLE REPORT

MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 6 WALL OF STEEL 8 - 3 - 0 73 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 5 TOTAL PARRY 29 - 15 - 0 66 |
|TOTAL PARRY 5 PARRY-RIPOSTE 15 - 9 - 1 63 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 BASHING ATTACK 22 - 16 - 1 58 |
|AIMED BLOW 3 STRIKING ATTACK 30 - 25 - 2 55 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 3 LUNGING ATTACK 47 - 41 - 4 53 |
|BASHING ATTACK 3 PARRY-STRIKE 10 - 10 - 2 50 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 2 AIMED BLOW 7 - 10 - 0 41 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 PARRY-LUNGE 10 - 15 - 0 40 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 SLASHING ATTACK 24 - 41 - 2 37 |

Turn 27 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:

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

TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
TOTAL PARRY CONFESSION 47 23 4 1 117 OLDIES (5)
PARRY-RIPOSTE GOSSIPID 99 18 8 2 113 INVIDIOTS (16)
LUNGING ATTACK TORPORTLY 102 16 10 2 108 INVIDIOTS (16)
STRIKING ATTACK GUSHAN 222 11 8 0 100 ZEITGEIST (18)
SLASHING ATTACK GENERICKY 100 16 10 0 90 INVIDIOTS (16)
WALL OF STEEL STEAL HOME 138 20 6 1 79 BAD SIGNS (24)
PARRY-STRIKE LOTUS-EATER 193 16 8 2 79 INVIDIOTS (16)
PARRY-LUNGE SIMPLETONGUE 194 16 8 0 73 INVIDIOTS (16)
BASHING ATTACK CUSTODIAN 215 11 9 0 69 OLDIES (5)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is PARALDOXIA 112. The most popular warrior this turn
was PARALDOXIA 112. The ten other most popular fighters were HELGA HOARFROST 237,
STEAL HOME 138, RIZZYN 104, ISHTAR 184, YODA 274, OUT FOR A DUCK 275, MENDOZA LINE
278, MELANCHOLIA 239, GUSHAN 222, and SIMPLETONGUE 194.

The least popular fighter this week was TREACH 218. The other ten least popular
fighters were TOGG 234, CYCLIDIA 111, WASNIS 224, LETTER SWEATER 43, TOA JALLER 183,
ILEOSA 263, DRAGGIN' MAIN 44, MORWEL 210, REVENANT 213, and VODI 158.

MAIL-IN TOURNEY XLVII