DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 02/11/2020    Duedate: 02/24/2020

AMEN-TEI ARENA

DM-63    TURN-724

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

JERK
EXCLAMATION! (350)
(63-3426) [22-10-2,92]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

JERK                           RHO TELESCOPII
EXCLAMATION! (350)             TELESCOPIUM (374)
(63-3426) [22-10-2,92]         (63-3447) [3-1-0,25]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

JERK                           HELP
EXCLAMATION! (350)             EXCLAMATION! (350)
(63-3426) [22-10-2,92]         (63-3470) [0-2-0,2]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

EXCLAMATION! (350)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. EXCLAMATION! (350)          39
2. BAD ATTIFOOD (376)          33      EXCLAMATION! (350)
3. WAYFARERS (248)             18      Unchartered Team
4. SATAN'S SAINTS (377)        11
5. WORLD BLADES (331)          -6      BAD ATTIFOOD (376)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 0*BAD ATTIFOOD (376)         3   0  0  100   1/ 1 EXCLAMATION! (350)        6  4 0
 2/ 1 EXCLAMATION! (350)       261 120 17 68.5   2/ 2 WAYFARERS (248)           6  6 0
 3/ 3 WAYFARERS (248)          %1071 %1172 23 47.7   3/ 0*BAD ATTIFOOD (376)        3  0 0
 4/ 4 WORLD BLADES (331)         9  12  1 42.9   4/ 3*TELESCOPIUM (374)         2  6 0
 5/ 2*TELESCOPIUM (374)          3   6  0 33.3   5/ 4 WORLD BLADES (331)        1  1 0
 6/ 0*SATAN'S SAINTS (377)       0   1  0  0.0   6/ 0*SATAN'S SAINTS (377)      0  1 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

                                    Dark Stoicism

The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few 
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The 
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter 
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword 
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and 
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under 
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to 
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.

Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree 
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the 
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the 
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy 
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes 
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the 
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final 
resting spot of the failed gladiator. 

                                        * * *

"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision 
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the 
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's 
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible 
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted 
away. 

"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With 
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior 
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the 
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes 
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from 
the infirmary back to their training hall.

                                        * * * 

A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had 
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered 
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering 
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a 
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his 
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was 
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead. 

                                        * * * 

Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She 
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had 
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I 
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt 
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will 
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as 
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful. 
"That'll do. Now strike!"

                                        * * * 

Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was 
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash, 
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at 
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice 
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success. 
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more 
slowly...

                                        * * * 

The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie 
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did 
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man 
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield, 
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what 
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more 
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic 
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered 
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on 
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver 
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same 
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he 
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten 
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to 
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.

                                        * * * 

Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this 
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw 
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He 
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could 
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his 
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening, 
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty 
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower 
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first 
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.

The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive 
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then 
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now," 
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full 
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.

The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the 
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the 
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck 
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open, 
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and 
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was 
over. And it might never end. 

                                          -- memory

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     What is this?! The Commission keeps giving me these twinkle-toed, pansy Stand-Ins 
to fight, and I keep fooling them by giving the poor NPCs a win now and then. Since 
attaining this throne, I have beaten Kung-Fu Master and Veteran Mercenary, and have 
bowed to a Virgin and a Dwarf. Gotta be careful who you beat nowadays or you get 
exposed on social media. I ain't no dummy!
     I just hope I can get outta here pretty soon and not have to put up with this 
stuff anymore. See? Everybody is some sore of jerk anymore.

                                          -- Jerk, DMIV

                                      SPY REPORT

     Hail and well met warriors of AMEN-TEI!  Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp 
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari.  My praise to WAYFARERS for their 
3-1-0 week this time out.  Indeed, it was a skillfully fought round deserving of 
notice!  I could not but notice the fine record for BAD ATTIFOOD (3-0-0) after their 
first round of combat.  May the gods of war favor you in AMEN-TEI!  SHUCKS caught the 
eye of many in the gladiatorial commission as she skillfully bested RHO TELESCOPII 
and was awarded 21 points in recognition.  In one of the week's more notable duels, 
SHUCKS put down RHO TELESCOPII, causing her to lose 19 points of recognition in the 
process.  Not for nothing has JERK in the past laid claim to the Duelmaster's throne, 
and this week he's proven his combat skill yet again.  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!   
     Many and various are the arts of battle.  In AMEN-TEI "art" is a word that has 
long since passed from the language!  My inside sources tell me that the team to beat 
in AMEN-TEI these days is WAYFARERS.  At least, most blades in town are looking to 
avoid them.  Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent the 
better part of last week avoiding WAYFARERS.  Indeed it was EXCLAMATION!.  Loose talk 
at the arena has reached my ears and it but confirms the knowledge that many fighters 
are after SUPERIOR.  Watch your back!   
     What warrior does not hone his years, impatiently waiting for the moment of his 
foe's mortality?  Fate is a fickle mistress.  She showers the miserable with fortune 
but sets enemies against the victorious.  Remember this!   
     If it were not for my skills as a spy I would have been mugged three times 
already in AMEN-TEI.  Nice atmosphere you have here!  Sadly warriors, now longer can 
I keep thy company nor savor the ale of thy fine city.  Depart I must and soon!  Till 
next we meet remember - the pen is mightier than the sword, but a maul is a different 
story!-- Zontani Sharp Eyes  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 JERK 3426                 AB 22  10  2    92       EXCLAMATION! (350)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 OOPS 3466                 BA  7   0  1    79       EXCLAMATION! (350)
 POOR STRANGER 3464        ST  8   4  0    67       WAYFARERS (248)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BARRETT INCH 3455         ST  9   4  0    64       WAYFARERS (248)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SHUCKS 3469               ST  3   3  0    47       EXCLAMATION! (350)                       *
-PSHAW 3451                TP 11   6  0    43       EXCLAMATION! (350)
 PICKLES AND ONIONS 3453   PS  6  14  1    39       WAYFARERS (248)
 CLOUD SHADOW 3467         ST  7   2  1    38       WAYFARERS (248)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SUPERIOR 3128             AB  2   2  0    27       WORLD BLADES (331)
 RHO TELESCOPII 3447       ST  3   1  0    25       TELESCOPIUM (374)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 IT'S NACHO CHEESE 3474    AB  1   0  0    15       BAD ATTIFOOD (376)                       *
 JALAPENO BUSINESS 3473    LU  1   0  0    13       BAD ATTIFOOD (376)
 JOHN BOSCO 3477               0   1  0    11       SATAN'S SAINTS (377)                     [AB-LU-ST]
 KINDA A BIG DILL 3475     WS  1   0  0     5       BAD ATTIFOOD (376)
 HELP 3470                 ST  0   2  0     2       EXCLAMATION! (350)                       *

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
FALLING STAR 4 3450     0  1 0 TELESCOPIUM 374      STONE GOLEM           724  NONE
FALLING STAR 5 3488     0  1 0 TELESCOPIUM 374      HIGH ELF              724  NONE

                                     PERSONAL ADS

I guess The Mean-Ole Commission didn't like the personal ads I sent last time? Oh, I 
didn't send any? Maybe it was the time before that, or before that...  -- Loudmouth

Hey! Hey! Jerk is Duelmaster. He may keep losing to those overqualified NPCs, but he 
IS Duelmaster. Hah! -- Loudmouth

Barrett Inch, oh, pshaw! It seemed like a mile to me. -- Pshaw

Cult Member, har, har, har. What a wimpy cult! -- Shucks

On top, baby! on top! -- Loudmouth

That mercenary picked up a lot of tricks in his career, probably what kept him alive.  
At least he taught me a couple. -- Poor Stranger

Pshaw -- To coin a phrase.  Thanks for the skills. -- Barrett Inch

Rho Telescopii -- I don't see how anyone could row with a telescope. -- Cloud Shadow

Superior -- Since I'm only marginally effective a different weapon would be good. -- 
Pickles and Onions

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

FALLING STAR 5 was butchered by HIGH ELF in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
FALLING STAR 4 was butchered by STONE GOLEM in a 1 minute Dark Arena duel.
JERK demolished M. CHARDINEE in a popular 1 minute one-sided Title melee.
OOPS won victory over BARRETT INCH in a crowd pleasing 1 minute brawl.
POOR STRANGER savagely defeated VISITING ORC in a 2 minute veteran vs. amateur fight.
RHO TELESCOPII was vanquished by SHUCKS in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
CLOUD SHADOW beat HAPPY PEASANT in a 3 minute brawl.
SUPERIOR slimly lost to PICKLES AND ONIONS in a 2 minute fight.
HELP was unbelievably bested by KINDA A BIG DILL in a 8 minute beginner's melee.
JALAPENO BUSINESS overpowered JOHN BOSCO in a 1 minute uneven duel.
IT'S NACHO CHEESE overpowered POLITE BEGGAR in a 1 minute one-sided fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  7         PARRY-LUNGE        1 -   0 -  0     100  |
|AIMED BLOW                       4         WALL OF STEEL      1 -   0 -  0     100  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         SLASHING ATTACK    1 -   0 -  0     100  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         BASHING ATTACK     9 -   1 -  1      90  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   1         STRIKING ATTACK   25 -  19 -  1      57  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         AIMED BLOW        11 -   9 -  0      55  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         TOTAL PARRY        4 -   4 -  0      50  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    0         PARRY-STRIKE       7 -   8 -  1      47  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  0         LUNGING ATTACK     1 -   3 -  0      25  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      0         PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -   0 -  0       0  |

Turn 724 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    3 -  4         5  STRIKING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         3  AIMED BLOW     
WALL OF STEEL      1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  0         1  BASHING ATTACK 
AIMED BLOW         2 -  2     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  0         1  TOTAL PARRY    
LUNGING ATTACK     1 -  1     TOTAL PARRY        0 -  0         1  PARRY-STRIKE   

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       JERK 3426                  22  10  2   92 EXCLAMATION! (350)
BASHING ATTACK   OOPS 3466                   7   0  1   79 EXCLAMATION! (350)
STRIKING ATTACK  POOR STRANGER 3464          8   4  0   67 WAYFARERS (248)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is JERK 3426.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
HELP 3470.  The ten other most popular fighters were JERK 3426, OOPS 3466, POOR 
STRANGER 3464, SUPERIOR 3128, PICKLES AND ONIONS 3453, SHUCKS 3469, CLOUD SHADOW 
3467, JALAPENO BUSINESS 3473, BARRETT INCH 3455, and IT'S NACHO CHEESE 3474.

The least popular fighter this week was KINDA A BIG DILL 3475.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were JOHN BOSCO 3477, RHO TELESCOPII 3447, FALLING STAR 4 3450, 
FALLING STAR 5 3488, IT'S NACHO CHEESE 3474, BARRETT INCH 3455, JALAPENO BUSINESS 
3473, CLOUD SHADOW 3467, SHUCKS 3469, and PICKLES AND ONIONS 3453.

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

ELECTRIC (63-3350) POWER (364)