DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 10/21/1999 Duedate: 11/03/1999
ZORPUNT ARENA
DM-24 TURN-359
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
ORBITAL CLOUD
ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
(24-4042) [12-8-0,112]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
ORBITAL CLOUD POSITION IS EMPTY
ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
(24-4042) [12-8-0,112]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE COMBATIVE NURSE
GOOD SCI-FI (329) ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
(24-3832) [16-40-1,103] (24-4135) [3-2-0,12]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
KRILL CAVALRY (403)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. ISOLATION HOUSE (418) 49
2. KRILL CAVALRY (403) 34 THE DREADED FEW (421)
3. GOOD SCI-FI (329) 17 Unchartered Team
4. SOUTH PARK (415) 4
5. THE DREADED FEW (421) 1 (149)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1- 1 EXCALIBUR (393) 112 63 8 64.0 1/ 2 KRILL CAVALRY (403) 9 3 0
2/ 2 THE DREADED FEW (421) 31 21 1 59.6 2/ 1 ISOLATION HOUSE (418) 9 6 0
3/ 4 SOUTH PARK (415) 12 9 0 57.1 3/ 3 THE DREADED FEW (421) 7 8 0
4/ 3 RENEGADES TOO (413) 99 77 6 56.3 4/ 4 RENEGADES TOO (413) 6 9 0
5- 5 OUT OF THE FOG (406) 80 67 0 54.4 5- 6 EXCALIBUR (393) 4 0 0
6/ 6 KRILL CAVALRY (403) 112 100 0 52.8 6/ 9 BLACK LIGHTNING (221) 4 3 0
7/ 7 BLACK LIGHTNING (221) 112 106 10 51.4 7- 5 BAD ATTITUDE (174) 4 4 0
8/ 8 ISOLATION HOUSE (418) 58 55 0 51.3 8/11 SOUTH PARK (415) 2 1 0
9/ 9 GOOD SCI-FI (329) 168 179 5 48.4 9- 7 HIGH SORCERY (188) 2 6 0
10-10 BAD ATTITUDE (174) 264 309 15 46.1 10- 8 OUT OF THE FOG (406) 1 0 0
11-11 HIGH SORCERY (188) 119 147 15 44.7 11/10 GOOD SCI-FI (329) 1 2 0
12/13 'BAMA BOYS (407) 67 113 5 37.2 12/13 'BAMA BOYS (407) 0 4 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[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Aruaki Clanhold #41 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Aruak City:
Kennelworth took the vial to the Tuft-Tuggers' guildhouse, but Adie wasn't there.
"She's gone to Andor to see the king," Lady Protector Shania Silverstar said.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"Maybe so." The innkeeper opened the small box into which he'd put the vial and
showed it to her. "The contents of this bottle were put into a font in the Temple of
Demnat, and shortly afterward, a priest--who had washed his hands in that font for
ritual purposes--assumed his feline form. The reports I've heard suggest that he
changed shape against his will, and it sounds as though he may have had little or no
intelligent control over himself once he was transformed."
"And naturally, you wonder if there is a connection." The slim woman nodded. "I
have heard a tale about this transformation, too, and also that one of the priests
attending the changed man also shifted without volition." She was silent for a
moment, then said, "I have lately been aware of a growing shadow over the city, one so
subtle that any attempt I made to examine it and trace it to its source has failed--
it's been rather like trying to remember a dream. The clue I need to grip this
problem may be here." She closed the box. "I will study it with deep attention and
all my skill."
"And all your care, too, I hope!"
"And with care also, my friend," she agreed.
Celestinvael then:
Boyington and Naevan studied the guards for a moment. There were four of them,
and they were extremely alert, and moreover, their position commanded the corridor the
gladiators had to pass through.
"It's a cinch we can't sneak past them," Naevan muttered.
Boyington nodded. "And we don't speak the language well enough to fast-talk our
way past. We'll have to fight."
"My favorite thing to do," the part-Orc said. "Well, no point waiting around,
let's do it. You take the two on the right, I'll take the left."
With a nod, Boyington sprang forward, Naevan at his side. Two of the guards
advanced to meet them, the other two remaining to guard the corridor. It seemed to
Boyington that time slowed to a crawl as he struck and parried and dodged and slashed.
These guards were good, as good as anyone he'd met in the arena in Zorpunt. Without
the advantage of the peculiar alteration of time-flow--which didn't seem to affect the
guards--the gladiator knew he would have been in serious trouble. He thought he could
have beaten his opponent, but at a cost in injury to himself which might have been
disastrous. As the first pair of guards faltered, the second came forward to support
them. Boyington shook his head over that; it was poor tactics to come forward
piecemeal to be defeated when a group charge might have won the day.
Despite Hanvol's assurance that all who remained in Celestinvael would be dead in
a few hours, Boyington found that once he had the guards down, he couldn't kill them.
He checked to make sure neither would be getting up in the next half hour or so to
attack him from behind, then glanced over at Naevan. The part-Orc had been unlucky.
His opponents were down--dead--but he himself was injured, bleeding badly from a wound
in his side.
"You okay?" he asked, concerned.
"Of course not," Naevan snarled, tearing the sash from one guard's body to bind
up his wound. "I'll do for a while, though. Let's get moving."
Boyington opened his mouth to suggest his companion rest, then realized how
pointless that would be, under the circumstances. He led the way down the corridor.
Apparently the four guards had been deemed sufficient, or maybe there were simply no
more to spare. Anyway, they didn't meet any more. At one point, the air became thick
as syrup so that they had to force their way through it; at another, the sourceless
light seemed to flicker and dim, and out of the corners, shadows flowed toward them
menacingly. Boyington took out Hanvol's pencil-like wand, wondering if it was
supposed to be used here, and how.
"Not that," Naevan gasped. "Cut them. Curving strokes, no straight lines." He
was moving his own blade in tight arcs, and the shadow shapes dissolved whenever it
touched them.
"What are they?" Boyington asked, emulating his companion's strokes.
"Old wives' tale. Don't remember a name."
Boyington glanced at him sharply. Naevan was fighting doggedly, but it was plain
that he was in trouble. He might not make it back to their own time alive, unless
they hurried.
Celestinvael now:
Explicit seemed to regard the catman's plan as a good idea, and Numbya couldn't
think of anything better, so it was agreed. They spent a day exploring the immediate
vicinity, so as to avoid getting boxed into a corner if a pursuit should begin.
Whenever they encountered a party of Kjarran-worshippers small enough to be wiped out
quickly and completely, they did it. Sportsmanship didn't enter into the fight; all
they had to do was remember the body on the altar, and the screams, and no trick
seemed to low to play on the killers.
They put in two days at the bloody game, and it was Numbya's guess that they had
reduced the numbers of the Kjarran-worshippers by half in that time. "But we're up
against diminishing returns," he warned his companions. "We haven't seen a party
small enough to tackle all afternoon. They may not know who we are, or exactly where,
but they're catching on to our tactics. I figure it might be time to cut our losses."
"Not without the Key," the catman said.
"Anyway, we can't." When the others turned to look at her, Explicit shrugged.
"There were a couple of men at the gate this morning. I tried to go out a breach in
the wall and around, to come at them from the other side, but I couldn't pass the line
of the wall."
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Aruaki Clanhold #42 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Aruak City:
There were no official announcements, but rumors ran wild through the streets. A
priest, a worshipper, someone who lived just down the street--there was no end to the
list of people who were said to have changed shape for no apparent reason and gone
rampaging among the more orthodox citizenry. Nobody knew personally any of the
unfortunate shapeshifters, but everyone had a second cousin or a friend of a friend or
had stood next to someone in a grocer's line who had seen it happen and could swear to
the truth of the event.
Listening to the swirl of alarmed rumor in the common room of the Bulldog Inn,
Kennelworth was more worried than he'd been in a long time. It seemed unlikely that
all the rumored transformations had occurred, but he knew that at least some had. And
how far would it go? What did it mean?
He knew, in a general way, the history of the Aruaki race and how it had come
about that some of them could assume the physical form of great cats. How a Ratani
wizard, centuries ago, had engaged in magical-biological experiments-- Was it
possible that some spell was destabilizing the artificially created species? Or that
the past centuries of in-breeding had caused an instability? He shook his head. That
was not a field he knew enough about to make guesses. He pinned his hope to Shania
Silverstar.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
At that moment, Lady Protector Shania Silverstar would not have said she was a
sound vessel for any hope. She had determined that there were, in fact, traces of
some potion still in the vial Kennelworth had brought her. It was also clear that the
potion had been magically potent. And there she was stopped. Even her most delicate
analytical spells had failed to identify the magical pattern in the traces; it was
like trying to catch a minnow in a fishnet made for whales. Her alternate line of
approach offered some faint chance of success: if she could identify the physical
ingredients of the potion, she might be able to deduce from that what type of spell
they were suited to support. But she only had a scant drop of the fluid....
Solven:
The trader leaned on the bar and spilled out his tale of tigers running wild in
the temple of Demnat. The patrons of the Striped Pig, mostly lower-level gladiators
and other people associated with the arena, clustered around asking questions and
plying the trader with beer and ale. And then he fell to the floor with a choked cry
and lay writhing in spilled spirits, his clothes tearing as his body changed form.
Presently there was a lion snarling in the middle of an empty barroom....
Not in the Hurinwood:
The gladiators stood in the night and listened for another howl to tell them
where the creature was.
While they were waiting, Mist whispered, "If it's still capable of thought, and
not insane or anything, maybe we ought to try to make an ally of it. I don't like the
sound of this whole set-up."
"I agree the set-up stinks," Malo Muggsie said, "but I'm not sure we'd be helping
ourselves any by taking an ally who's already got a ton of powerful enemies."
"The poor thing should be slain," Wolf-a-Mit said quietly. "It must be in great
pain of spirit, whether its body suffers or not."
"Yeah, but Tolrimor wants us to kill it," Muggsie argued. "Right there, that
makes me wonder if maybe we shouldn't. I never did trust wizards."
"It's a good thing Tolrimor didn't come out with us to hunt this...thing," Chrome
muttered.
"Too much of a coward," Muggsie said. "Ah, there it is!"
The howl seemed to be coming from behind the inn, somewhere outside the walled
yard that surrounded it. The gladiators went around the building. There was a gate
in the rear wall, and they could hear something scratching around the outside of it.
Chrome shivered. "I feel pretty cowardly right now myself," he confided.
"It's a passing phase," Mist said briskly. "Bend over so I can climb onto your
back."
"Why?"
"So I can look over the wall without opening the gate."
"Oh. Okay." Chrome bent obediently.
Mist scrambled up and gripped the top of the wall, pulling himself up far enough
to look down. "Yep, this is the guy we're looking for," he said.
His words were greeted or answered by a snarly sort of mutter.
"Is that the monster?" Malo Muggsie asked.
"Well...he doesn't look any more monstrous than a few gladiators I've seen here
and there, but yeah, I guess so."
Wolf-a-Mit and Malo Muggsie also climbed onto Chrome's back, ignoring his
muttered complaints, and peered over the wall. The creature peered back up at them.
A lantern hung by the inn's back gate, and by its light they could see that the
creature had, as expected, an ape-like face and body, large and very hairy and
muscular looking. What was surprising was the shrewdness of its gaze.
"He may have the body of a beast," Wolf said, "but his mind has not been
destroyed by the transformation, nor is he insane."
"An ally, then," Muggsie said with satisfaction.
"Oh yeah? How do we communicate with it?" Mist asked. "We can't make ourselves
understood by anybody here except that wretched little wizard."
"Sign language," Wolf suggested. "Let's go out and try."
"How about getting off me," Chrome grunted, wobbling under them.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Andorian League #26 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Report from the Academy
"And to what do I owe this honor?" Deadpool said through clenched teeth. He was
voicing a question but it sounded more like an accusation. He slipped silently down
form the ledge, and landed between the woman and the hidden door behind Kyrican's
large bookshelf. He still held his dagger at the ready, but worried over having left
his sword at home. The woman was wearing her warhammer easily on her belt, and he'd
heard horror stories about how well she wielded it.
"You're working Kyrican?" she replied evenly. Her accent was smoothly
Convincian, though Deadpool had known her to sound Elvish or Delarquan when needed.
She was a master of disguise, though he had no idea what she really looked like. Her
only truly identifying feature was the intricately woven raven that appeared somewhere
in all her clothing. His trained eye had spotted it immediately, even in the dimness
of the secret halls of the Academy.
Deadpool shifted uneasily under her careful scrutiny, unsure if he was supposed
to answer. One raised eyebrow from the woman known only as Raven was indication
enough for him. "Ever since the Crow went back to work directly out of the Guild,
I've been here," he answered.
Raven smiled at him, a warm smile designed to set aside his defenses and lower
his guard. It didn't work, but he made it look as if it had, sheathing his dagger and
leaning casually against the wall. He kept his legs ready to spring away if
necessary. He hoped it wouldn't be.
"I'm here to relieve you of that duty," she said with the same smile, her
expression not changing in the slightest. "You are being reassigned on escort duty.
There is a letter to be taken to a courier south of here. I want you escorting the
courier from Tarrgir to the meeting place, and then you are to tail the second courier
once he has the dispatch. I want you to make sure he meets a gruesome end just
outside Aruak City. Very public, but do not be seen. The note must arrive at the
Gates, but the courier must be killed to set an example of our intentions."
Deadpool looked at Raven in silence. It occurred to him that perhaps she was
setting him up, and he didn't like that feeling. He'd been a member of the AAG since
well before he became a gladiator, and without exception he'd always been able to
trust his superiors. For the first time in his career, he did not trust a superior;
he was, in fact, afraid of a superior. That bothered him more than he realized. "Why
me?" he dared to ask.
Raven continued smiling, as it had been obvious to her that she'd brought doubt
into Deadpool's mind. Deadpool shifted uncomfortably beneath her scrutiny, moving
from one foot to the other, obviously nervous about this new assignment. "Because you
are here, and so is the letter in question," she said easily. "The warrior called
Bullwhip will be the courier. He's bright enough, and a former instructor at the
Academy, so he makes the perfect Pigeon. That's his code name, by the way."
"Real subtle," Deadpool said dryly. "I suppose you want him to take the blame,
as well then...the Fall Pigeon, as it were...."
Raven's smile didn't change, which unnerved Deadpool further. Not even a
brightening in the eyes at his lighthearted banter. "Keep him alive at all costs,
until the deed is done. The courier in Seam is officially sanctioned by the Guild.
You have you orders, fulfill them and you shall be rewarded beyond your wildest
dreams."
Deadpool was once again taken aback by her words; Guild members were paid, but on
salary, not bonuses and certainly not commissions. Their work was for the Crown
alone, and not for hire. He bowed to hide the confusion he was sure stood plainly
evident upon his face. "I live only to serve Ahringol and my King, milady, and you as
his majesty's agent," he replied smoothly.
When he rose from his bow, Raven was gone. A single black feather floated gently
to the floor, but Deadpool himself was gone by the time it touched down. He had a lot
to think about before he found Bullwhip the Pigeon and set out for Seam.
Too many things were changing to quickly for his liking.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Andorian League #27 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Near Tronsha, halfway between Andor and Fratsfa:
Minutes trickled by, slow as fate. Crouched in the leafy ditch, Mickeal began to
get angry. Really angry. There should be people around--farmers, travelers, his
escort. This was not a howling wilderness! Khazakh he was not worried about; the
gladiator's loyalty and competence were not in doubt. But the prolonged absence of
the escort that should have been with him and had still not appeared was suspicious.
More than suspicious--
A crackling of leaves behind him made him turn. Standing above him on the far
bank of the ditch was Traal Saru, head of Palace Security in Andor, and he was flanked
by two members of the Royal Guard.
"Behold the Warrior King," Saru said in a voice of savage mockery, "hiding in a
ditch!"
Now that the waiting had passed and the time for action arrived, Mickeal's anger
dropped from him. He stood, genuinely calm now, and brushed leaves from his clothing.
"So you are the traitor," he said conversationally. "How brave of you to come after
me with only two men to back you up."
Saru paled. "You think I don't dare face you?" he demanded. With a sweep of his
arms, he drove the two Guardsmen back, then drew his sword. "I fear no hothouse
flower!"
"A fool as well as a traitor, I see," Mickeal said calmly. He moved toward the
edge of the ditch to climb up to Saru's level.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
Khazakh crouched beside a thin bush. He had heard Mickeal's challenge with
approval and turned his attention to the two soldiers. If they attempted to intervene
beside their treacherous leader, he would kill them. But in Mickeal's challenge he
saw a man worthy of respect, and in a duel between Mickeal and Saru, an evenly matched
pair of men, he would be merely an observer. He would not insult the king by
intruding...unless Saru attempted further treachery--
As Mickeal reached for an exposed root to hoist himself to ground level, while
his head was still even with Saru's knees, the traitor suddenly lunged forward, his
sword sweeping out. Khazakh half rose, his own blade springing into his grip. But
Mickeal might have been expecting the move, so quickly did he respond. He ducked
under the whistling blade and grabbed Saru's sword wrist, pulling the man--already off
balance with his lunge--down into the ditch.
"Treacherous in one thing, treacherous in all," Mickeal said with satisfaction as
Saru scrambled to his feet and backed away. "You do your side no service by exposing
your cowardice and lack of honor."
A glance at the two soldiers, who looked surprised and disapproving, assured
Khazakh that this was so. It seemed unlikely that they would now even think of
cutting in to aid Saru, unless they were traitors themselves...and he didn't believe
they were. Misled by a plausible man in authority over them, more likely.
Mickeal had drawn his sword now and was advancing along the ditch bottom toward
Saru. The gladiator's eyebrows rose. This was not the same sword Mickeal had carried
in Andor, though the scabbard was the same and the hilts nearly identical. Adantri
work, he thought: at least, the blade was of dark metal inlaid with symbols in silver,
after the Adantri style. There was a shimmer like starshine on the steel. As well if
it should be a magic blade, the minotaur realized, frowning, for Saru's blade, too,
had an abnormal aspect. It looked oily, with rainbow gleams running up and down the
flat and a strange glitter along the edges.
Skaithvarn:
"Well, then, what do we do?" the S'varni woman asked. She indicated the barred
gates that turned the stalls into cells. "How do we get out? And when we're out,
what then? Vasvo may sound like a ranting fool, but he's a Ventan. Magic is his
natural element, and he will have spells to stop us, or track us, or--"
"Vasvo may be a magician," Senator Dole said. "I don't argue that, but he's a
man first. And men...can be defeated." He smiled blandly and glanced at Bonner
Springs.
She flushed with embarrassment and annoyance. "Oh, no! Really, Senator, I
couldn't--!"
"You will need to do nothing at all," he assured her. "The whole thing will
happen in Vasvo's mind, my dear."
*** ***** *** ***** ***
Not too far from the abandoned farm, a flying carpet, wobbling out of control,
dumped its three passengers into a field overgrown with brambles. Freed of its
burden, the carpet flapped a couple of times in mid air, then collapsed.
"What the hell?" demanded a Shew as he picked himself up out of the thorny canes.
"The twists of Fate are beyond human comprehension," a woman observed
breathlessly, picking leaves out of her hair.
"Our carpet was following the wrong wizard's signal," Tynileaus Shadowwood
stated. He looked around and spotted the carpet draped over a clump of brambles.
"Shall we try it agi--"
"No," the Shew, Dillan the Dog said firmly. "I begin to understand why Zathrus
wanted nothing further to do with it. Let's try walking for a while; it's safer."
"It might be interesting to explore the immediate vicinity," Tynileaus agreed.
"I would like to know what the carpet homed in on. There must be a wizard, or
something strongly magical, in the immediate vicinity."
Somewhere in the Karnhorn Empire:
Tankesh crawled farther under the bush, then turned to look out at the rain-
dripping day. He could no longer hear the patrol they were evading--or hoped they
were evading--but he had no doubt the Karnhorns were out there somewhere. He glanced
around, hoping to spot the High Priestess of Serimna, but couldn't see her. Probably
she was under another bush. If he'd realized that being the Champion of Serimna was
going to mean spending so much time on his belly in the mud under one or another
bush--it felt as though he'd been under every bush in the Karnhorn Empire--he might
have.... No, he wouldn't have refused the job. Any job that Tankesh Dushanbe
couldn't handle was beyond mortal ability by a long shot.
It would be interesting, in an academic sort of way, to know where he was right
now. Somewhere north of the road connecting Murska with Zuwayza, he was pretty sure,
but beyond that.... He just hoped the guides which the High Prietess kept finding
knew where they were! And where they wanted to go.
Somewhere in the Aruaki Clanhold:
The inn was called The Dancing Mare, and it was, to put it mildly, low. Llud and
Belana found themselves in the company of as fine a collection of thieves and
cutthroats as the Aruaki Clanhold could offer. The two gladiators had settled in
without difficulty, unless you counted a few trifling incidents such as when Llud
caught a man going through their possessions and threw him out the second story window
of their room--without opening the window first, or when Belana beat up two men who
thought she was a light woman, killing one (she broke his neck) and maiming the other.
But the company at The Dancing Mare took these incidents in stride and welcomed Llud
and Belana as worthy companions.
The most important of the outlaws was a man called Galpur, and after the last
incident (which involved Llud hanging the innkeeper by his heels over the stair
railing while Belana went through the man's pockets, due to a disagreement as to the
price of a room in the Mare), Galpur invited the two to join him at his private table
for a drink and a meal.
"My treat," Galpur said expansively, and smiled, showing several gold teeth.
"Now, you're a fine pair, you are. Coming here and fitting right in, as they say.
You might be just the pair I need. I," he added, with some pride, "am what you might
call the King of the Thieves hereabouts."
"King of Thieves in Harn?" Llud asked sarcastically. Harn was the name of the
village where the Mare was located, with a population of some six hundred people; it
was about ten miles east of Aruak City. "There's an honor!"
Galpur flushed but kept his smile, now rather fixed and fierce. "The director
always stands back from the action," he said. "Maybe you're too young to know that
yet. I have a job I think you two can handle--a little matter of a man who's outlived
his life, as you might say--"
"What about the Assassins' Guild?" Belana asked. "I've heard they don't like
free-lancers."
"This is a sanctioned kill," Galpur said coldly. "You'll take the job, and
you'll do it right. See that man over by the fireplace?" He gestured slightly, and
one of the loungers near the fireplace sketched a half-bow. "He'll be your conductor
--you can call him Shurry. He'll supply you with whatever you need in the way of
information or tools--"
"What if we don't take the job?" Llud asked.
"Then he'll kill you."
SPY REPORT
Hail and well met warriors of ZORPUNT! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. Former top team ISOLATION HOUSE was
unseated this week as KRILL CAVALRY moved up from 2nd ranking to take the top spot
with a 4-0-0 record for the round. Warriors--remember that glory waits always around
the corner! Witness how this week BLACK LIGHTNING went 2-2-0 to move up 3 in the
rankings. My praise to KRILL CAVALRY for their 4-0-0 week this time out. Indeed, it
was a skillfully fought round deserving of notice! COLOSSAL FOSSIL caught the eye of
many in the gladiatorial commission as it skillfully bested MYSTIC and was awarded 27
points in recognition. In one of the week's more notable duels, COLOSSAL FOSSIL put
down MYSTIC, causing him to lose 14 points of recognition in the process. As is
fitting, the most sought after warrior on the challenge boards this week was none
other than Duelmaster IMAGINUS himself. Who here was not present for the title fight
this week as ORBITAL CLOUD boldly Bloodfeuded IMAGINUS in order to strive for the
Duelmasters honors? The city has turned out in honor of ORBITAL CLOUD, for with his
arena victory he may now lay claim to the highest position in the city! Heed this!
A seer has warned that if exactly 6 die in duels this week, the whole city shall
perish! Just remember...5 or 7!
I have been in deep conclave with my spies who watched all that has recently
transpired. Indeed there is much I would report. I saw one fighter that warriors
avoided when this week's challenge seeking began. HIGH SORCERY is feared. This much
I can say. Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent the
better part of last week avoiding HIGH SORCERY. Indeed it was ISOLATION HOUSE.
Is not Death a warrior's foremost adviser? Warriors, may this counselor stand
ready at your right hand forever! My hearty congratulations ORBITAL CLOUD, for thy
revenge upon IMAGINUS, slayer of thy fallen comrade. Next time he will know better,
eh? Fate is a fickle mistress. She showers the miserable with fortune but sets
enemies against the victorious. Remember this!
The girls are as pretty in ZORPUNT as ever I remembered them....and the fighters
as ugly! Don't let your reputation slip! Ahh, but I can hear the spires of a far
off city calling to me. I must away! Till next we meet remember: a fool flies into
a rage quickly and often. The wise are angered by the same thing only once. Zontani
Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ORBITAL CLOUD 4042 12 8 0 112 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE 3832 16 40 1 103 GOOD SCI-FI (329)
STYLUS 3949 16 7 0 96 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ANCIENT ROBOT 4076 11 5 0 89 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
IMAGINUS 3987 11 7 1 88 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
BIG GAY AL 3972 12 9 0 81 SOUTH PARK (415)
BILLY BOB BILLY 3873 13 39 1 79 'BAMA BOYS (407)
STONY JACKSON 4041 8 10 2 78 RENEGADES TOO (413)
-ANNIHILATOR 4004 11 10 2 74 HIGH SORCERY (188)
SENTA WAVERIDER 4055 11 7 0 68 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
NAPOLEON 4047 9 9 0 65 RENEGADES TOO (413)
SAMURAI BULLDOG 4068 7 4 0 59 THE DREADED FEW (421)
-DOSE 3909 14 9 0 57 EXCALIBUR (393)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-COLOR OF BUNNY 3935 15 3 0 56 EXCALIBUR (393)
COLOSSAL FOSSIL 4109 6 4 0 52 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
BLITZ FIRE 4067 6 5 0 51 THE DREADED FEW (421)
-BOLD 4086 4 7 0 47 BAD ATTITUDE (174)
MYSTIC 4069 8 3 1 42 THE DREADED FEW (421)
-COURAGE 4125 4 3 0 42 BAD ATTITUDE (174)
ENDEMIC 4014 8 6 0 38 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
LUNANERA 4066 6 5 0 35 THE DREADED FEW (421)
KARANJAL 4085 7 6 0 34 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-RIDICULE 3993 3 5 0 33 EXCALIBUR (393)
-RAIDIN 4027 7 9 1 31 HIGH SORCERY (188)
-SHIVER GAL 4046 3 3 1 31 EXCALIBUR (393)
E.J. KING 4144 2 1 0 26 RENEGADES TOO (413)
TOL WINDRIDER 4148 3 1 0 25 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
DARTANYON 4082 6 3 0 22 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
DHARVIST 4129 3 2 0 21 THE DREADED FEW (421)
GORBEG 4147 2 2 0 18 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
COMBATIVE NURSE 4135 3 2 0 12 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
THE TOURIST 4166 1 1 0 12 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
-JACKAL 4133 2 3 0 11 HIGH SORCERY (188)
-SURPRISE! 4142 2 2 0 8 HIGH SORCERY (188)
PERSHING 4167 1 1 0 4 RENEGADES TOO (413)
-ENAKRA 4141 0 3 0 3 HIGH SORCERY (188)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
EARTH CONTROL 4031 9 10 0 ISOLATION HOUSE 418 IMAGINUS 3987 355 JUST REV
JEB STUART 4106 4 6 0 RENEGADES TOO 413 SPYMASTER 414 359 NONE
DE GRASSE 4128 3 2 1 RENEGADES TOO 413 ANNIHILATOR 4004 356 REVENGED
PERSONAL ADS
Venomous Concubine -- Whoa there, buddy! You're a NPC...don't fight so hard next
time! At the rate you're going, you might actually *win* next time! -- Ancient Robot
Pershing -- Don't hurt me, I'm just seeing the sights of Zorpunt! The travel guide
said to visit the arena, so I did...the next thing I know, someone hands me a weapon
and tells me to go whack you silly. What's going on? And how do I get to Stormcrowe?
-- The Tourist
Warrior's Apprentice -- I was going to say some generic "nice fight" remark but
decided to fight mediocrely instead. -- Orbital Cloud
All -- Good luck and stuff. In the tourney, I mean. The whole stable of Isolation
House will be attending, most likely. -- Asylum, mgr. Isolation House
E.J. King -- Damn straight I accepted that loss "grudgingly." What the heck are you
doing, to beat me? It's ridiculous! It's insulting! -- Karanjal
P.S. It's...painful.
Blitz Fire -- Oops! I hope I didn't TOTALLY ruin your social life. -- Senta
Surprise -- (little jump of startlement) Oh, you took me by surprise! Good luck,
kid, you may need it. -- Tol
P.S. No hard feelings, I hope. I'll buy you a beer any time you care to meet me at
the Catfish and Canary Tavern.
Jackal -- Dammit, you stole a win that should have been mine. How'd you do that?
Tell me the secret, okay? I wanna try it on somebody, too! -- Gorbeg
Lerch -- True. -- Leeta
P.S. What were we talking about?
11 October 1999
All -- Talon Volksie has finally entered the 90's on the verge of the millenium. I
have e-mail. You may email me at TalonVolksie@aol.com. -- Talon V.
Everyone now knows that DM-33 is one of the "Fiercest & Best Free Blades Arena"
around. The Hammer and others have done wonderful things for that arena. With 50 or
so teams, DM-33 is fun, challenging and a joy to play in. However, I am not here to
talk about DM-33. I want to talk to you about DM-43, Veastian.
DM-43 is not a large arena, we have only 8 teams here right now. It is small,
and not the greatest arena around...yet. We need YOU to help make this a great
arena. Since it's so small, this is your chance to get in on the ground floor and
become a cornerstone of this arena. Not many have this chance. DM-33 is great, but
it is crowded. Here in DM-43 you will not be one of the many, you will be one of the
best. For all of you Noblish Island managers, this is your chance to transfer your
team to an arena where you will have an immediate impact on the game. This is an
arena where you can continue to hone your skills and be a contender for the
Duelmastership. Veteran managers...do you want to make Duelmasters the best it can
be? Help newbies and make an arena of your own?
This is a wonderful chance for everyone. For the newer players to make a
serious impact on an arena and veteran players to be a "founder" of an arena.
Managers like Don John, Mutt Lange, The Rake and myself want you to help make DM-43
the best arena out there. We don't want just "anyone" to come here, we want managers
who want to play hard and have fun. If that is you, then come to DM-43, Veastian.
If anyone has any questions at all, please diplo me and I will reply as soon as
possible. Now is your chance, now is the time. DM-43. -- Apollo Maximillious, mgr.
Cult of the Dragon (339), DM-43
All -- By Seefe's name, am I tired of looking at such team names as Inyo Eye and
Eggnog Warriors. Please, in the name of all that is decent on the face of Ghea, give
your teams and fighters APPROPRIATE names!! I know it can be challenging and
demanding to make up TRULY GOOD names like Boneshredders and Aerie Fire, but please,
don't call your guys something that causes me to dirge in disgust!! It really hurts
your (and my) gaming experience when my warriors have to stand against someone named
"Underwear Gnomes". After all, I can come up with ten names like Bust-a-Plumber and
Chococroc in a single minute, but why don't I do it? -- Shadowfire, mgr. of
Dragonslayers (636) in Solven (DM 22)
16 October 1999
To anyone starting a new team -- No good sales pitch or gimmicks (yet). If you're
adding a team, please put it in Jurine, DM-61. We only have one unchartered team and
eight teams total. So why come to Jurine? Simply put; WE ARE BEGGING YOU!!! --
Wardancer, mgr. War Party
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
JEB STUART was butchered by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
ORBITAL CLOUD vanquished IMAGINUS in a 1 minute uneven Bloodfeud Title battle.
ANCIENT ROBOT was savagely defeated by WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE in a 4 minute duel.
STONY JACKSON was savagely defeated by VETERAN MERCENARY in a 6 minute match.
BIG GAY AL won victory over NAPOLEON in a 2 minute fight.
STYLUS devastated BILLY BOB BILLY in a 1 minute mismatched match.
SENTA WAVERIDER handily defeated LUNANERA in a 2 minute gruesome uneven fight.
ENDEMIC was vanquished by SAMURAI BULLDOG in a 1 minute uneven duel.
BLITZ FIRE overpowered E.J. KING in a 1 minute uneven duel.
MYSTIC was savagely defeated by COLOSSAL FOSSIL in a exciting 5 minute gruesome fight.
DHARVIST was beaten by KARANJAL in a crowd pleasing 1 minute novice vs. veteran fight.
DARTANYON overcame COMBATIVE NURSE in a exciting 6 minute contest.
PERSHING was subdued by THE TOURIST in a 3 minute novice's brawl.
GORBEG slimly won victory over EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 4 minute novice's conflict.
TOL WINDRIDER vanquished MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 5 AIMED BLOW 16 - 11 - 1 59 |
|WALL OF STEEL 5 TOTAL PARRY 23 - 16 - 0 59 |
|TOTAL PARRY 3 SLASHING ATTACK 23 - 20 - 1 53 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 26 - 23 - 3 53 |
|BASHING ATTACK 3 BASHING ATTACK 19 - 17 - 1 53 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 WALL OF STEEL 44 - 42 - 2 51 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 2 PARRY-LUNGE 9 - 9 - 1 50 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 16 - 21 - 1 43 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 3 - 1 40 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 STRIKING ATTACK 26 - 51 - 1 34 |
Turn 359 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 1 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 3 4 WALL OF STEEL
TOTAL PARRY 3 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 2 - 3 2 LUNGING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 2 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 1 AIMED BLOW
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 AIMED BLOW 0 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY
LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 1 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 1 STRIKING ATTACK
1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
1 BASHING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK ORBITAL CLOUD 4042 12 8 0 112 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
WALL OF STEEL STYLUS 3949 16 7 0 96 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
AIMED BLOW IMAGINUS 3987 11 7 1 88 BLACK LIGHTNING (221)
TOTAL PARRY BIG GAY AL 3972 12 9 0 81 SOUTH PARK (415)
PARRY-RIPOSTE SENTA WAVERIDER 4055 11 7 0 68 KRILL CAVALRY (403)
SLASHING ATTACK SAMURAI BULLDOG 4068 7 4 0 59 THE DREADED FEW (421)
BASHING ATTACK COLOSSAL FOSSIL 4109 6 4 0 52 ISOLATION HOUSE (418)
STRIKING ATTACK BLITZ FIRE 4067 6 5 0 51 THE DREADED FEW (421)
PARRY-LUNGE MYSTIC 4069 8 3 1 42 THE DREADED FEW (421)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE 3832. The most popular warrior
this turn was COMBATIVE NURSE 4135. The ten other most popular fighters were ANCIENT
ROBOT 4076, WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE 3832, COLOSSAL FOSSIL 4109, STONY JACKSON 4041,
SENTA WAVERIDER 4055, MYSTIC 4069, PERSHING 4167, ORBITAL CLOUD 4042, BIG GAY AL
3972, and NAPOLEON 4047.
The least popular fighter this week was ENDEMIC 4014. The other ten least popular
fighters were LUNANERA 4066, BILLY BOB BILLY 3873, TOL WINDRIDER 4148, GORBEG 4147,
THE TOURIST 4166, DARTANYON 4082, E.J. KING 4144, IMAGINUS 3987, JEB STUART 4106, and
DHARVIST 4129.
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