DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 12/25/2025    Duedate: 01/07/2026

JHANS ARENA

DM 36    TURN 1009

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

KUURUS
DARK ABUNDANCE (695)
(36-8684) [23-19-0,117]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

KUURUS                         RHINOCEROS
DARK ABUNDANCE (695)           SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)
(36-8684) [23-19-0,117]        (36-5374) [2-1-0,25]

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

ENVY                           VASILKO
CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)           DARK ABUNDANCE (695)
(36-8827) [14-9-0,79]          (36-8816) [4-1-1,63]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

DARK ABUNDANCE (695)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. DARK ABUNDANCE (695)          56 
2. NEON KNIGHTS (680)            29    THE WHISPERS (706)
3. CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)       28    Unchartered Team
4. IRON DAMSELS (16)             28 
5. TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)       21    SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1*SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)        5   3  0 62.5   1/ 4 DARK ABUNDANCE (695)     11  4 0
 2/ 2 THE WHISPERS (706)        27  23  1 54.0   2/ 7 NEON KNIGHTS (680)        8  6 0
 3/ 3 CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)  252 251 11 50.1   3/ 1 IRON DAMSELS (16)         8  7 0
 4/ 6 DARK ABUNDANCE (695)     181 187  1 49.2   4/ 3 CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)      7  7 0
 5/ 4 IRON DAMSELS (16)        253 263 12 49.0   5- 2 EMU'S STRAIN (702)        6  4 1
 6/ 5 NEON KNIGHTS (680)        93  98  4 48.7   6- 6 BAD PICKLES (699)         6  4 0
 7/ 9 FERMENTED (651)           23  27  1 46.0   7/ 8 CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)   6  7 0
 8/ 8 TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   64  76  3 45.7   8/ 5 THE WHISPERS (706)        6  9 0
 9/10 CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)     123 149  3 45.2   9/10*SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)       4  2 0
10-11 BAD PICKLES (699)         74  97  6 43.3  10/11 WOLF AND MAN (701)        3  3 0
11-12 EMU'S STRAIN (702)        69  96  5 41.8  11/ 9 TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   3 12 0
12/13 WOLF AND MAN (701)        36  51  4 41.4  12/14 FERMENTED (651)           1  3 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Krufa walked down the narrow thoroughfare with measured steps. No pedestrians traveled 
the dim roadway, but boots and bare feet stuck out from the alley mouths--paupers 
passed out or slumped against the walls. Each time he spotted one, he shifted to the 
opposite side. If no clear path presented itself, he cut diagonally across the street.

He was confident no one was following him... but one could never be too careful, not 
with the information he'd been tasked to gather.

A tattered wooden sign swung from a rusted metal pole ahead. Small, unremarkable--
fitting for this side of the city. Poor wasn't the right word. Plain. Nothing stood 
out about the buildings; even their signage was generic and forgettable.

A perfect meeting place.

Krufa paused beneath the sign and scanned the road once more. Still alone. Still 
cautious. Convinced no one trailed him, he slipped inside the tavern.

Warmth greeted him, though thinly. Larger taverns in better neighborhoods offered 
comfort; this one simply existed. No dcor. No theme. Hardly any customers. Only a 
disinterested barkeep and a tall, ashen-haired figure seated in the far corner.

The barkeep squinted at a stack of parchments in the dim light. When he noticed 
Krufa--not a customer, but a visitor--he gave a quick, greasy tilt of the head toward 
the corner. Without a word, he gathered his papers and disappeared into the back. A 
heavy door thudded shut.

Krufa glanced around once more before approaching the lone figure. Up close, he could 
see the short, ashen hair with flecks of darker black--like the cooled remnants of a 
dying campfire. The figure raised a gloved hand, silently motioning him to sit.

Krufa slid into the booth. He tried to catch a glimpse beneath the soot-colored scarf 
that concealed the stranger's face, but saw only a single pale blue eye glinting in 
the candlelight.

"So, Krufa," the muffled voice asked, "what do you have for me?"

He was certain now the figure was a man. The voice was unremarkable--neither deep nor 
harsh. The sort of voice one heard in a marketplace: shouting at a horse, haggling for 
a pound of salt, present one moment and forgotten the next.

Krufa froze. What had he come to report again? His brow furrowed as the information he 
had rehearsed seemed to scatter. A glass of whiskey clinked onto the table before him 
and the stranger. The barkeep must have returned while he wasn't looking.

Krufa took the glass quickly. This will calm my nerves, he thought, and swallowed the 
liquor in one gulp. Bourbon. Not just any bourbon--his favorite, and rare. A Talcama 
vintage the barkeep should not have possessed. What were the chances? Was it chance at 
all?

The tavern remained empty and silent. No signs of betrayal.

He set the glass down and exhaled as the warmth spread through him.

"It wasn't easy," he began, "but I got some information. This target is a ghost. Few 
remember him, even fewer have actually seen him. He makes almost no public 
appearances. When I finally got close enough to listen, he barely spoke--just enough 
to communicate with his crew in the Jhans arena."

The stranger said nothing.

Krufa shifted and continued. "It was easier to learn about those who served him. Every 
gladiator in his crew belonged to a former military unit called the Night Auditors. 
Scouts and assassins during the Rocanis war. Officially disbanded just before the 
conflict ended, after their commander was declared KIA."

"Who was the commander?" the stranger asked.

A wave of lightheadedness washed over Krufa. He blinked it away. "That's the strange 
part. Not everyone believes he died. Rumors say covert operations continued--political 
assassinations, missions inside Rocanis, even ties to the stable called The Whispers 
in Jhans. After what I uncovered, I believe this 'Veiled Commander' is still alive and 
running operations from the shadows. For whom, I don't know."

"His name?"

"I found an old military clerk--Seila Hallni." Krufa nodded to himself as the name 
returned. "She told me the commander's name was Cipher Varron. Hard to trace. The 
troops just called him 'Commander,' and others referred to him as the Veiled Commander 
because he kept everything secret."

"You've done well, Krufa." The stranger's tone did not change. "I have a new task for 
you. Find whatever information you can about the manager of The Whispers in Jhans, 
this Veiled Commander. I'll meet you here in two weeks. Be discreet, and tell no one. 
You may go."

Krufa rose immediately and hurried out of the tavern. I haven't had a job in so long, 
it will be good to work again. Thoughts of how to get this information raced through 
his head. He surveyed the street before him, a tattered sign creaky slowly above him. 
What a plain, forgettable place, he thought. It looks clear. One can never be too 
careful.

                                      **********

Two black-clad warriors emerged from the shadows behind the booth.

"Your orders, Commander?"

"There are rumors that Seila Hallni of Jhans will suffer a tragic accident this week. 
Afterward, report to the guildhouse for briefing," the figure said. "Eliminate all the 
loose ends,"

"And Krufa?" one asked.

"He still serves a purpose... but he will soon be a loose end as well."

The warriors nodded and slipped back into the darkness.

The Veiled Commander left the tavern through the back entrance, as he had many times 
before--unseen, unheard, and unremembered by the barkeep. Soon, no one would remember 
him at all.


A smile tugged beneath his scarf.

He liked the idea of being forgotten.

                                      SPY REPORT

     Well, what are you looking at, JHANS?  Ain't you never seen Snide Clemens 
before?  Ah, shaddup and listen to my news.  Later days, IRON DAMSELS, since DARK 
ABUNDANCE took top team from you this turn, you guys are old news.  NEON KNIGHTS 
turned their 2-2-0 turn into a 2nd place rank in the listings this turn.  Any better 
than this, and you get put on hit lists.  Gee, I'm impressed, a 3-1-0 is nice, but 
don't get cocky, CLAN BATTLEAXE II, the Fates teach humility, and the Fates are 
proud.  And if variety is the spice of life, JHANS may be getting bland, as KUURUS 
stays top dog in the city.  Lucas Lounge, humph!  I've tasted better ale at 
mortuaries.  Where do they get this stuff?  From JHANS' trash dumps?   
     Well, let's take a look at some more misdeeds of you miserable sword-boys.  DARK 
ABUNDANCE, I suppose you'll be glad to know you were this turn's most avoided team.  
Care to know who is the most afraid of you?  And who led the way in this mass act of 
cowardice?  Let's see, well, whatcha know?  It was THE WHISPERS.  Ha ha ha ha!  ENVY 
was challenged more times this turn than the Duelmaster.  Now was the DM insulted or 
feared?  Heh, heh.  I guess I can give a little credit to MARK 1 of TANKS FOR NOTHIN' 
for challenging up by 22 to ENVY.  MARK 1 won to get 103 points of recognition.   
     Ah, now we come to my favorite part, where we see all the guys who are dead and 
gone, and get to see if their team cared.  We're all going to die in the end, so why 
worry if the fate catches up with you sooner that later?   
     I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for 
an epee.  Forgive me for writing with a dagger.  Well, I've had enough of this 
drivel, and I'm sure you have too.  Off like a dirty shirt of padded leather.  Paste 
this one in your scrapbooks, you'll need the kindling come this winter-- Snide 
Clemens  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 KUURUS 8684               AB 23  19  0 117         DARK ABUNDANCE (695)      

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-MIKE VADNER 8738          ST 15  12  2 103         BAD PICKLES (699)         
 MARK 1 8665               BA 13  16  1 103         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   
 SPINNOCK 8835             WS 14   4  1  97         CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)   

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ARK 8814                  AB 14  11  0  82         CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)   
 ENVY 8827                 LU 14   9  0  79         CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)      
 SYAN-LIN 8783             TP 14  10  0  78         DARK ABUNDANCE (695)      
 DREAMSINGER 8439          AB 17  20  0  77         NEON KNIGHTS (680)        
 UMBRALIS 8887             AB  7   3  0  73         THE WHISPERS (706)        
-SONJA 8815                PS 12  10  1  69         EMU'S STRAIN (702)        
 ANGRY ORCHARD 7868        TP 10   8  0  69         FERMENTED (651)           

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 VASILKO 8816              ST  4   1  1  63         DARK ABUNDANCE (695)      
 LITTLE WILLIE 8667        TP 16  13  0  61         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   
 SAPPHIRE 8866             AB  9   5  0  60         CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)      
 SAINT-CHAMOND 8666        SL 15  14  0  59         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   
 BLADEDANCER 8869          ST  7   2  0  59         NEON KNIGHTS (680)        

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SILENS 8891               BA  7   3  0  56         THE WHISPERS (706)        
 WHIPPET 8668              SL 12  17  1  54         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)   
 FAME 8875                 TP 11   1  0  44         CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)                  *
 MURMURIO 8890             ST  5   5  1  39         THE WHISPERS (706)        
 LL HOSTESS 8872           AB  6   6  0  37         IRON DAMSELS (16)         
 SYDEE 8867                ST  6   6  0  36         IRON DAMSELS (16)         

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 COOLIE 8910               AB  4   2  0  32         DARK ABUNDANCE (695)      
 TENEBRAX 8888             PR  5   5  0  31         THE WHISPERS (706)        
-BOUDICA 8908              TP  4   3  0  30         EMU'S STRAIN (702)                       *
 PLUMCATCHER 8902          PR  4   2  0  27         NEON KNIGHTS (680)        
 AVERAGE JOE 8862          PL  6   8  0  26         CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)   
-ERIC BROWN 8912           SL  2   2  0  26         BAD PICKLES (699)                        *
 BOB SEMPLE 8839           PR  5  10  0  25         TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)                  *

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 RHINOCEROS 5374           TP  2   1  0  25         SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)       
 VARKOS 8865               BA  5   9  0  24         CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)                     *

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HALONOR 8860              PL  3   2  0  21         WOLF AND MAN (701)        
-HOLY WATER 8925           AB  3   0  0  21         EMU'S STRAIN (702)        
 SPINDY 8934                   2   0  0  21         IRON DAMSELS (16)                        [LU-PL-SL]
 STINGRAY 5375                 2   0  0  16         SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)                      [LU-PL-SL]
-LAVITROS 8914             ST  1   1  0  15         WOLF AND MAN (701)        
 FOSTERS 8856                  2   2  1  14         FERMENTED (651)                          [AB-BA-SL]
-SCORPION 5377                 1   0  0  12         SPIRIT TOTEMS (487)                      [LU-PL-PR-SL-WS]
-TAMMY WEBSTER 8920        TP  1   3  0  12         BAD PICKLES (699)         
 HOSTESS HILGA 8923        SL  3   2  0  11         IRON DAMSELS (16)         
 SKAITH 8927               WS  2   2  0  10         CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)                     *
 BOGDON RO 8918                1   3  0  10         DARK ABUNDANCE (695)                     [BA-LU-SL]
-MILA JOJOVICH 8929            1   1  0   9         BAD PICKLES (699)                        [LU-SL-WS]
-CRAMBUS 8919              BA  2   2  0   8         BAD PICKLES (699)         
-FERN 8930                     1   1  1   7         EMU'S STRAIN (702)                       [BA-LU-SL-ST-TP-WS]
 CHICHI 8924               PR  1   4  0   7         IRON DAMSELS (16)         
 RIME 8932                 SL  1   2  0   5         THE WHISPERS (706)                       *
-WRUGY 8916                SL  0   3  0   5         WOLF AND MAN (701)        
-LARAH 8931                LU  0   2  0   2         EMU'S STRAIN (702)        

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
'GOOD' NIGHT 8937       0  1 0 NEON KNIGHTS 680     BLACK ORC             1009 NONE
NOCTURN 8889            2  5 0 THE WHISPERS 706     VASILKO 8816          1006 REVENGED

                                     PERSONAL ADS

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

'GOOD' NIGHT was dealt death by BLACK ORC in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
MARK 1 demolished ENVY in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge melee.
UMBRALIS was overpowered by SPINNOCK in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge duel.
SILENS devastated WHIPPET in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
TENEBRAX was demolished by BLADEDANCER in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge competition.
RHINOCEROS lost to LL HOSTESS in a crowd pleasing 3 minute Challenge fight.
KUURUS overpowered DREAMSINGER in a popular 1 minute mismatched Title brawl.
ANGRY ORCHARD was outwaited by SYAN-LIN in a action packed 8 minute expert's melee.
ARK vanquished M. CHARDINEE in a 1 minute uneven fight.
LITTLE WILLIE was viciously subdued by VASILKO in a popular 2 minute brutal fight.
SAPPHIRE handily defeated THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a exciting 1 minute one-sided bout.
MURMURIO was subdued by SAINT-CHAMOND in a crowd pleasing 1 minute competition.
FAME outwaited FRATSFA SLAVE in a tiring 10 minute veteran vs. amateur battle.
BOB SEMPLE was overcome by COOLIE in a 1 minute conflict.
SYDEE overpowered AVERAGE JOE in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided duel.
VARKOS was vanquished by PLUMCATCHER in a 1 minute one-sided fray.
HALONOR bested CHICHI in a 2 minute brawl.
FOSTERS viciously subdued RIME in a 2 minute brutal novice's fight.
STINGRAY beat HOSTESS HILGA in a 3 minute gory novice's bout.
BOGDON RO overcame MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute amateur's competition.
SKAITH was beaten by SPINDY in a 1 minute brutal beginner's fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW                       8         WALL OF STEEL     12 -   5 -  1      71  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  6         TOTAL PARRY       36 -  23 -  0      61  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      5         AIMED BLOW        43 -  36 -  0      54  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         STRIKING ATTACK   32 -  29 -  2      52  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    4         PARRY-LUNGE       10 -  11 -  0      48  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      3         LUNGING ATTACK    21 -  25 -  0      46  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   3         SLASHING ATTACK   27 -  34 -  1      44  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         PARRY-RIPOSTE     14 -  18 -  0      44  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         BASHING ATTACK    17 -  32 -  0      35  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         PARRY-STRIKE       5 -  10 -  0      33  |

Turn 1009 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       KUURUS 8684                23  19  0  117 DARK ABUNDANCE (695)
WALL OF STEEL    SPINNOCK 8835              14   4  1   97 CLAN BATTLEAXE II (550)
LUNGING ATTACK   ENVY 8827                  14   9  0   79 CLAN BATTLEAXE (347)
TOTAL PARRY      SYAN-LIN 8783              14  10  0   78 DARK ABUNDANCE (695)
STRIKING ATTACK  VASILKO 8816                4   1  1   63 DARK ABUNDANCE (695)
SLASHING ATTACK  SAINT-CHAMOND 8666         15  14  0   59 TANKS FOR NOTHIN' (697)
BASHING ATTACK   SILENS 8891                 7   3  0   56 THE WHISPERS (706)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is ENVY 8827.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
VASILKO 8816.  The ten other most popular fighters were LL HOSTESS 8872, ANGRY 
ORCHARD 7868, KUURUS 8684, SYAN-LIN 8783, STINGRAY 5375, SAPPHIRE 8866, SYDEE 8867, 
HALONOR 8860, ARK 8814, and SAINT-CHAMOND 8666.

The least popular fighter this week was FAME 8875.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were SKAITH 8927, RIME 8932, CHICHI 8924, AVERAGE JOE 8862, BOB SEMPLE 8839, 
RHINOCEROS 5374, TENEBRAX 8888, WHIPPET 8668, UMBRALIS 8887, and ENVY 8827.