DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 10/16/1999    Duedate: 11/12/1999

XOCHITHLAN ARENA

DM-39    TURN-135

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

ZEBRA
JUNGLE FEVER (373)
(39-3170) [9-3-0,123]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

ZEBRA                          DARCY
JUNGLE FEVER (373)             NERD'S REVENGE (375)
(39-3170) [9-3-0,123]          (39-3192) [6-0-0,39]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

LUCY RICARDO                   ZEBRA
LAUGH FACTORY (331)            JUNGLE FEVER (373)
(39-2983) [19-13-1,86]         (39-3170) [9-3-0,123]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

LAUGH FACTORY (331)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. LAUGH FACTORY (331)         36
2. ANGELS OF MERCY (360)       23      ANGELS OF MERCY (360)
3. DEATHFROMABOVE (367)        21      Unchartered Team
4. JUNGLE FEVER (373)          16
5. NERD'S REVENGE (375)        12      NERD'S REVENGE (375)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 ANGELS OF MERCY (360)     60  28  6 68.2   1/ 2 LAUGH FACTORY (331)      11  4 1
 2/ 4 JUNGLE FEVER (373)        24  13  6 64.9   2/ 1 COSMOS FACTORY (310)      8  7 0
 3/ 2 COSMOS FACTORY (310)     167  91  5 64.7   3/ 3 OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)      7  5 0
 4/ 3*NERD'S REVENGE (375)      18  10  0 64.3   4/ 4*NERD'S REVENGE (375)      6  3 0
 5- 5 MASCOT WARRIORS (340)     65  49  1 57.0   5/ 9 ANGELS OF MERCY (360)     4  2 0
 6/ 6 OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)      74  59  4 55.6   6/ 5 DEATHFROMABOVE (367)      3 11 0
 7/ 7 LAUGH FACTORY (331)      109  95  9 53.4   7/ 8 DRINKING BUDDIES (127)    2  1 0
 8/ 8 DRINKING BUDDIES (127)   172 205  6 45.6   8/ 6 JUNGLE FEVER (373)        2  1 0
 9/10 DEATHFROMABOVE (367)      10  55  1 15.4   9-10 MASCOT WARRIORS (340)     1  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 Delarquan Federation #24 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Tsaumarn:

     After a time that probably seemed longer than it was, there was a soft click from 
where Barkab was huddled against the wall, then a groan of stone moving ponderously on 
stone.  Presently it stopped.  An opening was faintly visible in the gloom, a grayer 
shade in the absolute darkness of the wall.  Somewhere inside, there was a light, but 
not close by.
     "Absolute silence from here on," Barkab whispered.  "Follow me and watch for my 
signals."
     "We likely to meet any guards?" Ultraist asked.
     "Probably.  Kill them.  We've no friends in here, except in the dungeons."
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     The silence inside the fortress, and the absence of activity--no guards, nobody 
moving around in the areas they traversed, only the occasional lantern illuminating 
nothing in particular--was eerie.  They crossed a small oblong courtyard, passed under 
an archway, traversed a long passage that turned several times, crossed another 
courtyard, on and on.  Other directions offered, side passages, other exits from 
courtyards, but Barkab never hesitated.
     Ultraist, bringing up the rear of their small group, felt the hairs on the back 
of his neck rise like a hackle and had to maintain a constant control over himself not 
to change to his lion form and go racing away.  The place seemed to be a maze, and an 
uninhabited one.  All his instincts said that this was some kind of trap.  Maybe not 
for them, specifically, but it could be a trap for any intruders.
     They came to a small round courtyard or roofless room and Barkab stopped, staring 
at each of the two passage mouths ahead.  There was nothing to distinguish one from 
the other, except for being on the right or left hand of the approaching party.  Not 
much to go by, but it should have been enough.  Now, however, the Orc leader seemed 
uncertain.  Finally he indicated that the party should split, with himself and the two 
young Orcs going one way, and Ultraist and Saureza going the other.
     To the manager, this seemed like a bad plan.  If they met with trouble--well, the 
group was small enough to begin with.  He had come this far on the assumption that 
Barkab knew what he was doing, but now the question began to look doubtful.  Since the 
Orc was still adamant about silence, Ultraist gestured his unwillingness to divide the 
party.
     Barkab's gestures were insistent.  Saureza touched Ultraist's arm to get his 
attention and indicated support for the division.  Reluctantly, the manager gave way 
and allowed her to lead him down the right-hand passage while Barkab entered the left.
     This passage was short and gently curving, finally ending at yet another 
courtyard, this one large and unlike the others they'd passed through in that it was 
floored with beaten earth instead of stone.  There was an indefinable air about it 
which suggested that it was `in use', as the others had not been.  It curved away out 
of sight around a massive pile of stone that might be the working part of the 
fortress.  The keep, most likely.  There were torches rather than lanterns to light 
it.
     Saureza stopped him just short of the archway that would give entry to the 
courtyard and indicated they had now to wait.  For what, gestures couldn't tell.  
Ultraist didn't like the idea of waiting.  The longer they hung around inside this 
fortress, the greater the risk of discovery.  Could the whole expedition be some kind 
of elaborate trap?
     There was a noise--a lot of noise, on the far side of the building, out of sight 
from their own location.  An alarm bell, Ultraist decided, and shouts, and soon the 
sound of battle cries and weapons clashing that drowned out everything else.  At that, 
Saureza plunged forward through their own archway.  Another alarm bell rang, but 
probably few of the defenders heard it over the noise of Barkab's party--for such it 
must be--fighting the defenders of the keep.
     Saureza led the way straight to a small door in the back of the keep.  It was 
locked or barred, secured from within.  She laid her hands flat on the wood and her 
mouth shaped words, but still without sound.  The panels of the door splintered and 
crumbled.

Delarq Tor:

     "I don't see why this emergency session was called," Sonfaldun whispered to 
Holonvarnes.  The statement was accompanied by a questioning look, as everyone knew 
that Holonvarnes was close to the Princess personally, and so might have some extra 
clue to her thoughts.
     The Mordanti shrugged.  "I don't know anything about it, either," he said.
     The clock at the back of the chamber chimed the hour, and Chrysanth tapped on her 
desk to call the Crown Council to order.  "I have received a message from the south," 
she said without preamble.  "The gladiator Zeus, a worthy Delarquan of this city, has 
sent word from Tsaumarn--"
     "What's he doing there?" one of the lesser representatives asked.
     "He is on a mission of some importance for the Federation," Chrysanth said.  "You 
do not need to know more about it at this time.  What you--all of you--need to know is 
that Zeus reports a dangerous situation brewing in the land of the Rirorni.  The nomad 
tribes have a new Great Khan, and there are disquieting rumors of forces being 
gathered for another assault on southern Alastari."
     "They haven't the strength to take us," Sonfaldun said, but there was a note of 
uncertainty in his voice.
     "I, for one, am not prepared to give them a chance to try," Alyenthen of 
Xochithlan declared.  "Nor will King Feyen wait tamely while they ride on us again."  
The elf was silent for a moment, then went on, "It is a peculiarity of the Rirorni 
system that when a leader dies, any coalitions he has formed immediately disintegrate.  
I would judge our best course is to send assassins to locate and remove this threat to 
our peace and prosperity."

       + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Delarquan Federation #25 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Tsaumarn:

     They had entered a kitchen, one big enough to cook meals for a hundred men 
without crowding.  There was no one in sight, but double doors were open onto the 
courtyard on the other side from their point of entry, and the sounds of combat were 
loud and steady.  Ultraist guessed that the cooks and scullions had rushed out to help 
fight off Barkab and his two followers.
     "Quickly now," Saureza said, "we must make the most of the time Barkab is gaining 
for us!"  She darted toward one of the interior doors.
     He followed, and found that the passage behind the door led to a large room with 
a long table down the middle and a sort of step-like arrangement of shelves along one 
side on which was displayed a bewildering assortment of probably valuable things.  It 
was as though a packrat with expensive tastes had set all his miscellaneous 
acquisitions out there so that other packrats could see and envy his collection.  
"What about my friend in the dungeon?" he asked.
     "First things first," the woman said briskly.  "This is our mission first."  She 
was scanning the heterogeneous collection with desperate haste and suddenly leaped 
forward and seized something.
     In all the clutter, he couldn't be sure what it had been, not that he needed to 
know, but he was curious.  What was so valuable to Barkab's tribe that he and his 
followers had risked death or capture to get it?  All he could recall for sure was 
that there had been some kind of crystal that flashed, and that it was small enough 
for Saureza to conceal in her clothes.  "Now what?" he asked, trying to watch all the 
room's many doors at once.
     "Now the dungeons and your friends," she said.
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     It was, Doc LeMa$e decided, about the way it must feel to live on the edge of a 
volcano.  The Overlord of Sibikhas gave the impression of being about to erupt at any 
moment, and over the hours of their imprisonment he had become less and less willing 
to listen to rational advice.  That Gryzash had considerable magical power was 
obvious, hell, the man practically seethed with power.  But there was great magical 
power binding this dungeon into its form and purpose, too.  Although the big manager 
would yield to no one in his willingness to undertake desperate and violent tasks, he 
had no desire to be present when Gryzash's power clashed with the power built into 
this foundation.  Not if it could be avoided.
     These reflections were interrupted by sounds from the corridor outside their 
cell: marching feet and clanging metal, coming nearer.
     "They're coming for us," LeMa$e said with satisfaction.  "Maybe now we'll have a 
chance to find out what this is all about, state our own case--"
     "If harm has come to Morra," Gryzash snarled through set teeth, "I will kill 
every one of them."
     "So shall we all," LeMa$e answered impatiently, "but let's not buy trouble.  She 
may have received no harm--"
     "I mistrust all here," Chezarnoi muttered from the other side of the cell.
     Magic crackled around the door, power crawling like lightning on the bars.  
LeMa$e leaped back with an oath.  He guessed that a mage of respectable power stood on 
the other side.  Respectable, but not great--freed of the hampering spells of this 
place, he himself could have destroyed the fellow with one hand tied behind his back.  
But he was not freed of the hampering spells, and any attempt to engage in a magical 
battle here would be futile at best.  At worst, it would set off Gryzash, and the 
Overlord was a lot too much like a powerful bomb for him to--
     He leaped on the Overlord quickly, just in time to prevent disaster.  His weight 
and momentum were enough to fling Gryzash against the stone wall and stun the man 
temporarily.  It was enough.  The door opened and guards entered warily; the magician 
remained outside but clearly prepared to take a hand if needed.  The three prisoners 
were chained and hustled out into the corridor, then up a seemingly endless spiral 
stair.

Elsewhere in Tsaumarn:

     It was the Rirorni Cook who brought the news, bursting in on Varndis Abeq and the 
gladiators as they planned their departure.  "Lord Sa Kolke is arresting all in the 
city who are not Rirorni and have no safe pass!" he announced.
     "The city depends on foreigners coming here to trade," Zeus pointed out.  "How 
can he dare to drive out all the traders?"
     "All I know is that the Defender's troops are going through every serai arresting 
people," the Cook said, shrugging.  "I am Rirorni and face no risk."
     "And I have a safe pass," Varndis Abeq said.  He looked around at the gladiators 
with an expression of such innocence that they were immediately suspicious.  "I could 
include you all under the protection of my pass, if you will place yourselves in my 
hands unreservedly."
     "Unreservedly meaning what?" Candyacid asked suspiciously.
     "I could not lie to the Defender's agents," the trader said virtuously, "but if I 
could truthfully tell them that you are all my bondsmen--"
     "Why not come right out and call us your slaves?" Renae snarled.  Her fingers 
clenched and unclenched.
     Candyacid reached over and stilled her companion's hands.  "We will leave 
immediately," she said.  "There are no gates to passed, our gear is already packed, 
and we can be gone in half an hour--with luck, before the arresting party gets here.  
Renae, if you'll tell Raveln, I'll get our mounts.  Meet me at the rear gate of the 
serai as fast as you can."
     "That goes for us, too," Zeus said coldly.  Columbine nodded, but didn't speak; 
she was thrusting the last of their possessions into packs.
     "You can't!" Playgirl said.  "You have to go with Varndis to--"
     "We'll meet him down the road and go on from there," the Delarquan said.  "And 
you'd better come with us."
     "There is no need.  I am his partner," Playgirl answered smugly.
     "The gods damn all Karnhorns," Columbine muttered under her breath.  
"Treacherous, every one."

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     This one is from last turn, I believe. -- Ed.

Well, I'm back in the saddle again but due to my invite I won't be staying.  All the 
best and good luck to everyone.  I look forward to renewing a couple of old rivalries.  
Perhaps I'll see some of you in the future.

                                    Naja

P.S.  Zebra, I can recommend a new sword crafter.  Two broken blades in one bout!

     And here's the one for this turn. -- Ed.

Fellow Xochithlani --

     Once again I have attained the throne & I expect to remain on top until I 
Graduate!  To hasten the process I will once again enter the Mail-In Tourney to gain 
more experience!  After all, with all you Experienced Warriors clamoring for my head I 
must prepare as best as I can!
     I have come a long way from 2 TV's early in my career & it would be nice to 
Graduate with another under my belt!  If not, I will settle for victories in DM 39 vs. 
any and all worthy opponents!  The view from the top is even better the second time 
around!
     Meanwhile, I will await your Challenges as I will Avoid None & Challenge None!  
So take your best shot & get in line!  Who's Next?

-- Zebra of Jungle Fever

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, friends and fiends, welcome to your friendly neighborhood spyreport.  
I doubt XOCHITHLAN will ever be the same.  It seems the training can make the 
difference, as COSMOS FACTORY is pushed out of top team by LAUGH FACTORY, who came 
from 2nd with a 4-1-1 this turn.  ANGELS OF MERCY stable has parlayed this turn's 
3-0-0 into a 4 space move up the rankings.  This brings them up to 5th place.  Good 
work, guys!  The LAUGH FACTORY guild has had a 4-1-1 turn and deserves to be watched 
in the future.  You never know where this kind of thing can lead.  And let's see, 
THANATO fought FRED MERTZ and gained 20 points and contributed to OPHIDIAN ORDER's 
2-3-0.  COPPERHEAD has lost to VERUCA, falling 15 points, while helping make OPHIDIAN 
ORDER a 2-3-0 turn.  MONIQUE challenged for the Duelmastership this turn, attempting 
to dethrone JUNGLE FEVER's warrior.  Defending his title for another turn, ZEBRA kept 
COSMOS FACTORY's warrior, MONIQUE, from claiming the throne.  Can someone confirm a 
rumor for me?  I hear the top team makes their losing fighters do dishes at The Warty 
Toad until they win.  Maybe?   
     I tell you, a green quarterstaff lasts longer than a seasoned sapling.  A basher 
friend of mine assures me this is true.  I also notice that the OPHIDIAN ORDER stable 
was the most avoided team this turn.  Come on XOCHITHLAN, what are you afraid of?  
And guess who avoided OPHIDIAN ORDER stable the most?  Believe it or not, it was 
COSMOS FACTORY.  Anyone surprised?  Well, sports fans, take notice that VERUCA from 
DEATHFROMABOVE was XOCHITHLAN's most challenged warrior this turn.  Building dreams 
on hope, ANATHEMA challenged up 29 points this turn to take on GATES from NERD'S 
REVENGE stable.  And though ANATHEMA lost to GATES, the valiant attempt earned him 3 
worth of recognition.  Foolhardiness can sometimes pay.  SLAYER of DEATHFROMABOVE had 
better have a good reason for challenging down 15 points in a challenge which he won. 
I thought SLAYER showed great skill and promise when he subdued FOXTROT.  All right, 
so I slept through it!  Big deal!   
     A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man only once.  Wise men know this to 
be true.  Is it really true that XOCHITHLAN has more dishwashers per capita that 
fighters?  Just thought I'd ask...   
     I like this place, XOCHITHLAN, the taverns have old wine, and young serving 
girls.  Who could ask for more?  Well, I'm burning daylight here in XOCHITHLAN and 
I've a long road ahead of me.  Happy Trails.  Until you see my quill in XOCHITHLAN 
again, farewell-- Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ZEBRA 3170                    9   3  0   123       JUNGLE FEVER (373)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 THANATO 2824                 16  10  1   109       OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
 RICKY RICARDO 2982           20  12  2    99       LAUGH FACTORY (331)
 MONIQUE 3091                 17   3  0    98       COSMOS FACTORY (310)
-MOTHER TERESA 3039           12   2  3    97       ANGELS OF MERCY (360)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 AURORA 3070                  14   9  1    89       COSMOS FACTORY (310)
 LUCY RICARDO 2983            19  13  1    86       LAUGH FACTORY (331)
 FLOYD THE BARBER 3184        10   2  1    84       LAUGH FACTORY (331)
 OTIS THE DRUNK 3202           9   0  1    84       LAUGH FACTORY (331)
 FRED MERTZ 3075              17   5  1    82       LAUGH FACTORY (331)
-LANCER 2901                  10  12  0    76       MASCOT WARRIORS (340)
-LEOPARD 3168                  7   1  3    70       JUNGLE FEVER (373)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-TARHEEL 3071                 10   6  0    63       MASCOT WARRIORS (340)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-PIONEER 2900                 11  12  0    55       MASCOT WARRIORS (340)
 SISTER HAZEL 3076             7   7  1    51       ANGELS OF MERCY (360)
 MARTEL 3200                   6   3  0    42       COSMOS FACTORY (310)
-VIKING 3081                   8   7  0    41       MASCOT WARRIORS (340)
 MOTHER SUPERIOR 3197          5   0  0    40       ANGELS OF MERCY (360)
 DARCY 3192                    6   0  0    39       NERD'S REVENGE (375)
 ARIELLE 3182                  9   4  1    34       COSMOS FACTORY (310)
 GATES 3191                    6   0  0    34       NERD'S REVENGE (375)
 THE PALADIN 3163              4   4  0    34       ANGELS OF MERCY (360)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 VERUCA 3103                   5  10  0    33       DEATHFROMABOVE (367)
 SLAYER 3106                   3  10  0    29       DEATHFROMABOVE (367)
-TIGER 3167                    3   4  1    28       JUNGLE FEVER (373)
-BLUE DEVIL 3213               3   0  0    26       MASCOT WARRIORS (340)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-HYENA 3171                    3   2  1    23       JUNGLE FEVER (373)
 CERASTES 3181                 2   5  0    17       OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
 BURNS 3194                    2   4  0    17       NERD'S REVENGE (375)
 COPPERHEAD 3205               4   1  1    16       OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
-ALLIGATOR 3169                2   3  1    16       JUNGLE FEVER (373)
 RED KLAW 3105                 1  12  1    16       DEATHFROMABOVE (367)
 FOXTROT 3220                  2   2  0     8       COSMOS FACTORY (310)
 ANATHEMA 3218                 0   4  0     6       DEATHFROMABOVE (367)
-SHIMMER 3201                  0   6  0     6       DEATHFROMABOVE (367)
 WE WILL SEE 3226              1   0  0     3       NERD'S REVENGE (375)
 EARTH WORM 3228               1   0  0     3       OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
 ELAPINNE 3229                 0   1  0     1       OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
 SHORT GEEK 3235               0   1  0     1       NERD'S REVENGE (375)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
VETERAN MERCENARY 17   0  1 0   1                   FLOYD THE BARBER 3184 135 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Mother Superior -- We shall meet again! -- Cerastes

Lucy -- Thanks again for the dance! -- Thanato

Fred -- Take care and good luck. -- Naja

Cosmos Factory -- Thanks, I hope she gets to look up some old friends! -- Sith

mouse -- I'm happy you're back! -- Hellcop

Norm -- Congratulations on your invitation. -- Monique

Zebra -- You really surprised me when you managed to outjump me.  You are obviously 
not a typical TP warrior. -- Aurora

Shimmer -- You have an impressive record, so I'm very pleased that I won. :-) -- 
Arielle

Anathema -- You obviously have the endurance to fight me.  Now you only need to hit. 
-- Foxtrot

The Paladin -- I'm very pleased with the skill learning.  Please let us do this again 
sometime. -- Martel

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

MONIQUE was viciously subdued by ZEBRA in a 8 minute master's Challenge Title fight.
AURORA was outwaited by NORM PETERSON in a dull 11 minute veteran's Challenge match.
THANATO devastated FRED MERTZ in a popular 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
SISTER HAZEL bested MARTEL in a action packed 4 minute Challenge brawl.
MOTHER SUPERIOR overpowered BURNS in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge struggle.
SLAYER devastated FOXTROT in a dull 3 minute one-sided Challenge competition.
VERUCA vanquished COPPERHEAD in a action packed 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
ANATHEMA was outlasted by GATES in a 9 minute beginner vs. veteran Challenge duel.
RICKY RICARDO overpowered RIRORNI OFFICER in a 1 minute uneven match.
FLOYD THE BARBER savagely slew VETERAN MERCENARY in a 1 minute brutal fight.
OTIS THE DRUNK demolished COLLABORATOR in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
LUCY RICARDO devastated VETERAN MERCENARY in a 1 minute one-sided battle.
THE PALADIN bested CERASTES in a crowd pleasing 6 minute bloody bout.
DARCY defeated HIDDEN ARCHER in a popular 3 minute duel.
ARIELLE bested RED KLAW in a 1 minute duel.
WE WILL SEE outwaited ELAPINNE in a 11 minute amateur's bout.
EARTH WORM outwaited SHORT GEEK in a tiresome 16 minute novice's brawl.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|TOTAL PARRY                      9         AIMED BLOW        12 -   5 -   2     71  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  5         PARRY-RIPOSTE      7 -   3 -   0     70  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   4         TOTAL PARRY       39 -  19 -   0     67  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    4         LUNGING ATTACK    32 -  22 -   3     59  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      2         PARRY-LUNGE       10 -   7 -   1     59  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         STRIKING ATTACK   25 -  25 -   1     50  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         BASHING ATTACK    11 -  16 -   0     41  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         WALL OF STEEL      8 -  12 -   0     40  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         SLASHING ATTACK   12 -  19 -   2     39  |
|AIMED BLOW                       0         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -  16 -   0     20  |

Turn 135 was great if you     not so great if you used      The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles:     the fighting styles:          top eleven warriors are:

PARRY-LUNGE        2 -  0     AIMED BLOW         0 -  0         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
PARRY-STRIKE       1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         2  TOTAL PARRY    
STRIKING ATTACK    4 -  1     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  2         2  BASHING ATTACK 
TOTAL PARRY        6 -  3     BASHING ATTACK     0 -  1         2  STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK     2 -  2                                       1  WALL OF STEEL  
WALL OF STEEL      2 -  2                                       1  PARRY-LUNGE    

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      ZEBRA 3170                  9   3  0  123 JUNGLE FEVER (373)
WALL OF STEEL    THANATO 2824               16  10  1  109 OPHIDIAN ORDER (328)
LUNGING ATTACK   RICKY RICARDO 2982         20  12  2   99 LAUGH FACTORY (331)
STRIKING ATTACK  LUCY RICARDO 2983          19  13  1   86 LAUGH FACTORY (331)
PARRY-LUNGE      FLOYD THE BARBER 3184      10   2  1   84 LAUGH FACTORY (331)
BASHING ATTACK   FRED MERTZ 3075            17   5  1   82 LAUGH FACTORY (331)
SLASHING ATTACK  MARTEL 3200                 6   3  0   42 COSMOS FACTORY (310)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
The overall popularity leader is LUCY RICARDO 2983.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was ZEBRA 3170.  The ten other most popular fighters were CERASTES 3181, MARTEL 
3200, THE PALADIN 3163, ELAPINNE 3229, MONIQUE 3091, THANATO 2824, VERUCA 3103, FLOYD 
THE BARBER 3184, ARIELLE 3182, and SISTER HAZEL 3076.

The least popular fighter this week was EARTH WORM 3228.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were SHORT GEEK 3235, WE WILL SEE 3226, FOXTROT 3220, GATES 3191, ANATHEMA 
3218, SLAYER 3106, RED KLAW 3105, BURNS 3194, DARCY 3192, and COPPERHEAD 3205.

The following warriors have traveled to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after fighting this turn:

NORM PETERSON (39-2745) DRINKING BUDDIES (127)

                                How to Master the Loss

                                       By Pagan

I am a true loser.  I started this game a loser, and I continue to create new and more 
powerful ways to lose.  I accept my title and wish to share my success at being as bad 
as I am.  By reading between the lines you may only decrease your losses, but that is 
not the point of this article!  Take what I have to say and live it.  Scoop it up with 
a shovel, pile it in your minute little brains (my best Scrag impersonation), and 
constantly regurgitate my wisdom on the best way to lose.  I have had enough 
experience in this field for you to Shut-Up and just UNDERSTAND what it is I'm saying.  
Now that I have your attention...

I am not talking about a simple loss.  Hah!  I am talking about really getting your 
butt kicked in, and then repeating the same systematic losses consecutively!  Losing 
while trying is the method I show here.  Wow, what I wouldn't give to see the facial 
expression of the manager whose warrior was 8-1-1 with 6 of those wins and the final 
death coming all from my one warrior!  Ahh, my satisfaction...

Do not be at odds with yourself when it comes to losing.  I used to be like you.  But 
then I wised up.  I no longer take this game with a swig of alcohol.  No more hours 
spent driveling away with a lead pencil on some possible ways to run a warrior better 
versus specific styles.  (How to make him run better, indeed!)  Stick with these 
basics which I will lay out before you, and you too, will be in a state of Hakuna-
Matata, free from the stress of fight challenges, free from the worry of mail-carrier 
strikes, free from ever becoming the hated top team of the week.  Now listen up to 
what is best for you to do, to be like me...

1.  When creating warriors, evenly distribute the 14 points.  The rule is to create a 
warrior who has NO FAULTS--your warrior overview should come back like this:

                       Warrior (1234) of Pagan's Winner's (001)
                       Fights using the Aimed Blow style.
                       Is Right Handed
                       Strength:      12
                       Constitution:  12
                       Size:          12
                       Wit:           12
                       Will:          12
                       Speed:         12
                       Deftness:      12

2.  If even distributions are not possible, then always add 6 points into speed, and 
place the other 6 points into Strength and 2 points left over for evening out.  You 
may also decide to not place them on the warrior in hopes that RSI doesn't place them 
for you randomly and leave you with your true design.  The objective is to be Faster 
than your opponent, and then hit him as hard as possible.  I suppose that Constitution 
is the only real place to put any extra points, or stick with the RSI randomness 
technique.  RSI does know what's best for your warrior anyway.

3a. Wit and Will are almost completely worthless is you want speed and strength, so 
try to never put any points into them.  I'd say the perfect range is from WT + WL = 24 
or less.

3b. Create warriors that have even numbers in as many of the seven categories as 
possible.

4.  Should you lose a fight, which happens to me 95% of the time, don't fret.  Think 
Hakuna-Matata.  Challenge the same warrior you lost to consecutively, or as many times 
as possible until you do win.  By constantly reducing your amount of weapons and 
armor, you will increase your warrior's speed, and eventually you will be so fast that 
he is sure never to be able to hit you.  If you don't get hit, you win some of the 
time.  If that isn't working, then continue to lower your offensive effort, and 
activity level until they both reach 1, while simultaneously keeping the KD at 10.  
Watch those losses come rolling in at the lower levels of OE and AL!  (Thumbs up!)

5.  Always challenge up to the highest possible warrior challenge-able with the 
highest number of kills, whenever you have a brand new warrior, especially an Aimed-
Blow.  I can't count the number of times I was able to make new warriors when my 
Aimed-Blow was tacked to the arena wall by some Lunger.  Hah!  Little does he know the 
joke's on him!

6.  When bloodfeuding, always send in your replacement roll-up.

7.  Always use a 10 KD in every minute, of every round, on every warrior, in every 
fight.

8.  The Open Hand is one of the best weapons to use for Bashers, and Aimed-Blows, as 
they will fight like Bruce Lee, and we all know how good he was.

9.  Bashers do best against Strikers.

10.  Strikers do best against Wall of Steels.

11.  Lungers do best against Strikers and Bashers (the good thing here is there's more 
possibility for challenging successfully).

12.  Slashers do best against Strikers.

13.  Aimed-Blows do best against Lungers, Strikers, and Bashers (clearly the best 
style in the game!)

14.  Total Parries do best against Aimed-Blows.

15.  Parry-Lungers do best against Total-Parries.

16.  Parry-Ripostes do best against Lungers.

17.  Walls of Steel do best against Slashers.

18.  When using tactics, never use a defensive tactic when you suspect your opponent 
is using an offensive tactic.  All defensive tactics do too well against the offensive 
tactics, and we would not want to counteract anything your opponent may try to do to 
win.  The best strategy for tactics use is to use two at a time.  Lunge/Riposte, 
Bash/Dodge, or Decisiveness/Responsiveness are there good combinations for double 
tactics.  Hell, even the name Double-tactics sounds cool.

19.  A little known tid-bit of my vast knowledge in this game is to use the heavier 
weapons against the lower armor weights of your opponents, and the lighter weapons 
against their heavier weight armors.  The reason is simple.  Hit your opponent with 
one crushing blow since you can if he isn't wearing any armor.  Halberds do 
exceptionally well vs. skin.  And, use daggers, or shortswords versus heavy armors 
like Plate mail, and chainmail because you will need to hit your opponent many times 
and you just can't do that with a Maul.
Note:  light weapons vs. heavy armor, and heavy weapons vs. light armor

20.  The reverse of #19 if true for you.  Always use heavy armors on your warrior when 
you know your opponent is using heavy weapons.  And, always use light armor or none at 
all, when your opponent is using lighter weapons.  You can trick the other managers 
into awe of your managerial skill!  And if you win, hah!  Joke's on them, you really 
fooled them and now it's time to move onto greener pastures.

21.  When deciding your warrior's Activity Level, you should couple High Activity 
Level with a Low Offensive effort, and a high offensive effort when using a low 
Activity level.  Never assume to know your crafty foe entirely!  Should your opponent 
attack, and jump around a lot, then go with the High OE, and the Low AL.  Should your 
opponent seem to stand around, then use the High AL, and a Low OE.

22a.  When in doubt, always fall back on old trusty:  For offensive styles use 1-1-10 
Double tactic.  And, for defensive styles, run with a 10-10-10 Double tactic.  You are 
sure to place your opponent into disarray.

22b.  If you are confused about OE and AL as I have described them, then just guess at 
how screwed up your opponent will by trying to figure out what you're doing!

23.  When writing personals always verbally attack the best teams in the game.  The 
reason is to ensure your rank is being the worst.  How can you be the worst if you 
don't fight the best?  (Now doesn't that make sense!)  And should you win any of your 
fights, then hah!  Joke's on him!  Challenge the next placed team.  With all of the 
best teams challenging your team, then you are assured an easy turn schedule.  Just 
some easy words about their mothers and you will never have to even make another 
challenge on your own.  You will get them to do it for you.  Remember Hakuna-
Matata...no worries...

24.  What do you attempt to train?  Well, it is best to train Stats until your Speed 
is equal to 21.  If you don't have a 21, then keep training until you get it.  Then 
train your Strength to 21.  A good guide is to train stats if your Will is LOWER than 
your Wit.  Or else, train skills if your Wit is LOWER than your Will.  The reason for 
this is complicated and too in-depth for me to discuss here, but just remember that is 
has something to do with the game design.

25.  When carrying extra weapons, make sure your warrior has a major weapon choice 
(dependent upon opponent's armor weight).  You want to have four distinctly different 
weapons ready to be pulled out for back-ups.  By fighting your warrior barehanded 
(like Bruce Lee!) this allows your warrior to decide for himself which weapon he 
should use.  Don't place any weapons into his hands, and at the beginning of the fight 
he'll pull the one he wants for himself!

By following these guidelines you are sure to place yourself in the running for worst 
team.  Hopefully RSI will soon be allotting a Worst Team prize, and Worst Warrior 
prize.  By constantly harvesting these prizes you won't even have to pay for your 
game.  Just sit back and enjoy the creative way your warriors were felled with each 
new reading of a fight.  By enjoying their incompetence you will be reveling in 
SUCCESS!  You'll come to enjoy, as I do, how your Total-Parry thrashes wildly about, 
scaring the hell out of his opponent, and himself!  Then watch him bend over, gasping 
for breath on the third line of minute 1, as he is struck in the head.  Reminiscent of 
Moe, Larry and Curly, I chuckle as my warrior falls in a heap at the Arenamaster's 
feet, and croaks his last will and testament before perishing.  Oh the promise of it 
all!  The excitement, the adventure!  Should some pathetic winner boast about your 
downtrodden team, then tell him that if he knew the true extent of worthlessness 
throughout your whole stable, then he'd never boast his success against your team!  
Hell, when he realizes it, the joke's really on him!

This has been brought to you by Pagan.

For further assistance with Duelmasters feel free to diplo me:

Anthropos Kratos (461) DM-1 Mordant or Anthropos Kratos (522) DM-2 Niania

or -- call California (805) 986-4771
or    e-mail: pagan@gte.net
or    write:  536 Bard Road, Port Hueneme, CA  93041
   web-site:  http://homel.get.net/pagan/pagan.htm

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