DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 12/24/2025    Duedate: 01/06/2026

LAPUR ARENA

DM 29    TURN 1036

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

CANCER
AVOID ME! (535)
(29-6830) [15-0-1,170]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

CANCER                         SNORLAX
AVOID ME! (535)                POKE' MON (568)
(29-6830) [15-0-1,170]         (29-6941) [3-1-0,13]

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

BRINE SUSPECT                  CANCER
BLUE HERRINGS (566)            AVOID ME! (535)
(29-6903) [10-11-1,91]         (29-6830) [15-0-1,170]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

WAR PARTY (474)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. ALMOST EXACTLY (20)           39 
2. ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)        34    AVOID ME! (535)
3. MID EARTH (223)               31    Unchartered Team
4. AVOID ME! (535)               26 
5. WAR PARTY (474)               10    POKE' MON (568)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 AVOID ME! (535)          213 123  7 63.4   1/ 1 WAR PARTY (474)          11  4 1
 2/ 2 ALMOST EXACTLY (20)      843 672 50 55.6   2/ 4 AVOID ME! (535)           8  2 0
 3/ 3 MID EARTH (223)          1061 880 49 54.7   3/ 2 MID EARTH (223)           7  8 0
 4/ 4 WAR PARTY (474)          129 115  8 52.9   4/ 5 ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)    6  6 0
 5- 6 NEON VELVET (557)         72  66  4 52.2   5/ 3 BLACK KELTS (233)         6  8 1
 6/ 7 BLACK KELTS (233)        320 306 12 51.1   6/ 6*POKE' MON (568)           5 10 0
 7/ 8 ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)   189 208  6 47.6   7/ 8 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      3  0 0
 8/ 9 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)     1136 1464 26 43.7   8/12 ALMOST EXACTLY (20)       3  4 1
 9-11 DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  39  59  1 39.8   9/ 7 BLUE HERRINGS (566)       3  9 0
10/10 BLUE HERRINGS (566)       37  59  3 38.5  10-11 NEON VELVET (557)         1  3 0
11/12*POKE' MON (568)            7  13  0 35.0  11-10 DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  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

                                Old Fashion Christmas

Snow fell in patient, whispering sheets as Eoghan McGrimm, Lapur's most persistent 
spy-reporter, wound his way up the mountain road near Murska. The city lay far behind 
him now being replaced by pine forests and a sky the color of clean parchment. For 
once, Eoghan carried no coded notes in his coat and no hidden lenses in his satchel. 
This journey was for Christmas and for family.

His Uncle Nick lived alone in a cabin tucked between two ridgelines, where the wind 
sang like an old storyteller and the snow never quite melted. Nick was a broad-
shouldered man with a beard like frost on oak bark, known in nearby villages as a 
caretaker of animals and an expert in surviving winters that would frighten lesser 
folk indoors. When Eoghan knocked, stamping snow from his boots, the door swung open 
and Uncle Nick laughed, deep and warm as a hearth fire.

"Ho Ho Ho, you're late," Nick said, clapping Eoghan on the back. "The reindeer have 
been asking about you."

Eoghan raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure they have."

Inside, the cabin smelled of pine resin, spiced cider, and hay. The walls were lined 
with snowshoes, lanterns, and curious carved figures--gifts Nick had received over the 
years from travelers who'd needed shelter. After a meal of stew thick enough to stand 
a spoon upright, Nick handed Eoghan a wool cloak and pointed toward the door.

"Christmas or not," he said, "the animals still need tending."

The first morning dawned pale gold over the mountains. Eoghan followed Nick into the 
yard, where goats bleated impatiently, chickens clucked beneath a drift-covered lean-
to, and a pair of shaggy mountain ponies snorted steam into the air. Beyond them, in a 
fenced meadow, stood the reindeer, tall calm creatures with antlers like living 
branches.

Eoghan had faced angry gladiators and annoyed managers, but approaching a reindeer 
with a feed bucket made him unexpectedly nervous. One stepped forward, dark eyes 
intelligent and unblinking.

"Careful," Nick said with a grin. "They know when someone's watching too closely."

Eoghan laughed at that, easing his grip and letting the grain spill gently into the 
trough. The reindeer lowered their heads, and one nudged him with surprising 
affection. Eoghan grinned and felt the tension drain from his shoulders.

The days settled into a rhythm: chopping wood, mending fences, brushing snow from 
roofs. Eoghan rose before dawn to help milk the goats and stayed out late repairing a 
sled runner by lantern light. In the quiet, he told Nick stories of Lapur and of guild 
intrigues, whispered scandals, and the constant dance of truth and deception.

"And you?" Eoghan asked one night, as they sat by the fire. "Any secrets up here in 
the mountains?"

Nick smiled, eyes reflecting the flames. "Only the old ones. Like how kindness travels 
faster than any spy, if you let it."

On Christmas Eve, the wind howled hard enough to rattle the shutters. Eoghan was in 
the barn, checking on the animals, when he heard a sharp cry. One of the younger 
reindeer had tangled itself in a loose rope, panicking. Without thinking, Eoghan moved 
fast amd with a calming voice and careful hands, just as he would in the midst of an 
undercover escape. The reindeer stilled, trusting him, and when the rope fell away it 
licked his glove before bounding back to the herd.

Nick watched from the doorway, nodding slowly and chuckled. "You've got the touch," he 
said. "Takes a certain kind of heart. Ho, Ho, Ho."

Christmas morning arrived clear and brilliant. Snow sparkled like ground-level stars. 
They exchanged simple gifts--Nick gave Eoghan a carved wooden charm shaped like a 
reindeer, and Eoghan offered a warm scarf and a bottle of mead he'd bought in Lapur.

As they stood together, listening to the animals and the hush of the mountains, Eoghan 
realized something he hadn't known he was missing. In Lapur, truth was something to be 
chased, cornered, and sometimes stolen. Here, it simply was quiet, steady and shared.

When it was time for him to finally depart, the reindeer watched him go, antlers 
lifted against the sky. He tucked the wooden charm into his coat, already knowing that 
no matter how tangled the secrets of Lapur became, a part of him would always return 
to his Uncle cabin, where Christmas meant snow, animals, and the honest warmth of 
home.

Hope everyone has a merry holiday season, 'til next year.

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     Can I live through this tough arena to graduation? Could I? And get through this 
Tempe thing alive? Could I? If not, send flowers.  

                                          -- Cancer DMVI

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, in LAPUR a quiet thief gets rich, but a quiet spymaster gets poor.  So 
bring me ale and harken to my tidbits of news.  ALMOST EXACTLY stable has parlayed 
this turn's 2-2-0 into a 4 space move up the rankings.  This brings them up to 8th 
place.  Good work, guys!  The ARMY OF DARKNESS guild has had a 3-1-0 turn and 
deserves to be watched in the future.  You never know where this kind of thing can 
lead.  And let's see, ZAGRID fought SACAGAWEA and gained 18 points and contributed to 
MID EARTH's 3-2-0.  TATONKA has lost to ERRATIC EDUCATOR, falling 10 points, while 
helping make WAR PARTY a 3-2-0 turn.  This turn CANCER challenged WAGON DRIVER 3 in 
what was LAPUR's Title bout.  Defending its title for another turn, CANCER kept BLACK 
KELTS' warrior, WAGON DRIVER 3, from claiming the throne.  By the way, was that our 
Duelmaster that I saw last night, cramped under the table at The Burning Tree?   
     Oriental wise man once say, 'Hiding behind shields prevents proper sun tanning.' 
Inscrutable, but true.  I also notice that the AVOID ME! stable was the most avoided 
team this turn.  Come on LAPUR, what are you afraid of?  And guess who avoided AVOID 
ME! stable the most?  Believe it or not, it was ALMOST EXACTLY.  Anyone surprised?  
Well, sports fans, take notice that CRAZY HORSE from WAR PARTY was LAPUR's most 
challenged warrior this turn.  Well now, what do you expect when someone like POX 
from AVOID ME! challenges down 17 points to fight LILLIGANT of POKE' MON?  We're not 
surprised to hear that POX defeated LILLIGANT, but I bet it would be interesting to 
hear why AVOID ME! made such a challenge.  In a brave attempt, DROP THE SOAP from 
ALMOST EXACTLY challenged up 18 points to fight CRAZY HORSE from the WAR PARTY 
stable.  DROP THE SOAP perhaps got his just desserts, seeing as he was beat by CRAZY 
HORSE and ended up with 71 recognition points.   
     We only live a short time in this world, so why not take a sharp blade, and 
shave it close?  A brave warrior does not carry a red shield, he has nothing to cover 
or hide when the fight is over.  Consider well.   
     I like this place, LAPUR, the taverns have old wine, and young serving girls.  
Who could ask for more?  It's been nice chatting with you, until we meet again, keep 
your swords sharp and your hammers heavy.  Until the sun next rises and my pen sets 
to paper-- Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CANCER 6830                  15   0  1 170         AVOID ME! (535)           

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SACAGAWEA 6725               30  18  0 128         WAR PARTY (474)           
 ZAGRID 6858                  14   3  1 125         MID EARTH (223)           
 CRAZY HORSE 6733             10   5  1 102         WAR PARTY (474)           
 KUHRIS 6797                  16  23  0 101         MID EARTH (223)           
 WAGON DRIVER 3 5412          21  14  0  99         BLACK KELTS (233)         
 ENTITLED CITIZEN 6817        22  12  0  98         ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)    
 WARIUS 6820                  15  14  1  93         MID EARTH (223)           
 SKUNK 6675                   21  18  1  91         AVOID ME! (535)           
 BRINE SUSPECT 6903           10  11  1  91         BLUE HERRINGS (566)       

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 STONE HINGE 3455             16  35  1  84         BLACK KELTS (233)         
 NEAR WHALE 6906              12   9  1  82         BLUE HERRINGS (566)       
 DROP THE SOAP 6811           13   9  0  71         ALMOST EXACTLY (20)       
-UPCHUCK 6721                 19  12  0  69         AVOID ME! (535)           

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 APOSTATE POSTMAN 6847        10  11  0  63         ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)    
-BATTERSCOTCH 6851            11   6  0  62         NEON VELVET (557)         
 HOUN DOG 6872                 9   7  1  60         CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      
 ERRATIC EDUCATOR 6826        12  13  1  59         ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)    
 PRETTY ALRIGHT 6905           9  12  1  58         BLUE HERRINGS (566)       

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 END OF BIDET 6849             4   2  1  56         ALMOST EXACTLY (20)       
 GRAKUS 6920                   7   3  0  52         MID EARTH (223)           
 HIAWATHA 6857                 3   3  1  51         WAR PARTY (474)           
 LITTLE FISHY 6902             3  18  0  45         BLUE HERRINGS (566)       
 SUE CHEF 6848                 9  12  0  43         ARMY OF DARKNESS (283)    
 TATONKA 6814                  9  12  0  39         WAR PARTY (474)           
 POX 6950                      3   1  0  34         AVOID ME! (535)           

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 POPPY POPPINS 6933            5   2  1  31         BLACK KELTS (233)         
-CALLIE 6609                   7   7  0  28         DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  
-STICHES 6608                  6   7  1  26         DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  
 MAEVE MANIAC 6916             5   5  0  26         BLACK KELTS (233)         
 WINDINHISHAIR 6860            2   3  0  24         WAR PARTY (474)           

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-ASTRA 6936                    3   1  0  13         DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  
 SNORLAX 6941                  3   1  0  13         POKE' MON (568)           
 BRIAR 6940                    1   3  0  12         POKE' MON (568)           
 WINDLESS WHISPER 6956         1   0  0  11         ALMOST EXACTLY (20)       
-LUCKY 6935                    2   3  0   9         DARKATHIAS' DEMONS (546)  
 FROSLASS 6963                 2   0  0   9         POKE' MON (568)           
 LILLIGANT 6964                1   1  0   5         POKE' MON (568)           
 INCARCERATION 6960            0   2  0   2         AVOID ME! (535)           
 ELHAD 6965                    0   2  0   2         MID EARTH (223)           
 STOMPER ROOM 6954             0   1  0   1         ALMOST EXACTLY (20)       

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
AOIFE ALURE 6917        3  7 0 BLACK KELTS 233      END OF BIDET 6849     1035  
YANGIE 6898             4  5 0 MID EARTH 223        HIAWATHA 6857         1034  
URSHIFU 6959            0  3 0 POKE' MON 568        WYVERN                1036 NONE

                                     PERSONAL ADS

What!!! You ain't listening?! You rumdums! AVOID Me, Pumpkincakes! Get some smarts! -- 
the Bloke

Apostate Postman, if you can't deliver the Bloke's mail on time, you are going to 
suffer. Bwahahahaha. -- Upchuck

Lilligant, my lawyer will be calling. -- Incarceration

Briar, I know; I know. But I have to impregnate whomever is close by. (kinda) -- Pox

Kuhris, you are one tough cookie. -- Cancer

End of Bidet -- I shall give you chance before I send the terror of that Wagon rolling 
along. I want you to suffer understanding that you took a Dear Warrior from the sands. 
AOIFE ALURE 15-10-11-13-13-13-9 PARRY STRIKE, she was right handed, bright, and she 
did good damage. Take from us this was a Beautiful Lass. Well, there is blood on the 
sands. -- Purple Sage

Urshifu -- I know it takes time to find your balance on the sands. -- Poppy Poppins

Crazy Horse -- Your Dagger was bigger than mine. -- Stone Hinge

Brine Suspect -- We meat again and My Wagon Keeps rolling along. -- Wagon Driver 3

All -- We will be running a 4 person team for now. The next team spotlight will 
explain. -- Purple Sage

Cancer -- I had you worried and sweating, again. -- Kuhris

Drop the Soap -- Hmm I thought you would be tougher. -- Warius

Entitled Citizen -- Well that was fun. Wait I am expert in what!?! -- Zagrid

Tatonka -- Damn half elf buffalo. -- Grakus

Froslass -- You got the last 3 letters right. -- Elhad

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

URSHIFU was butchered by WYVERN in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
STONE HINGE was devastated by END OF BIDET in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud duel.
CANCER viciously subdued WAGON DRIVER 3 in a 8 minute veteran's Challenge Title match.
DROP THE SOAP was devastated by CRAZY HORSE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
ENTITLED CITIZEN luckily beat WARIUS in a 4 minute master's Challenge competition.
ERRATIC EDUCATOR overpowered TATONKA in a 2 minute one-sided Challenge struggle.
SUE CHEF was viciously subdued by HOUN DOG in a 3 minute Challenge fight.
POX vanquished LILLIGANT in a 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
KUHRIS savagely defeated BRINE SUSPECT in a 2 minute gory expert's duel.
ZAGRID overpowered SACAGAWEA in a popular 1 minute gory uneven match.
SKUNK luckily beat NEAR WHALE in a crowd pleasing 4 minute bloody master's match.
PRETTY ALRIGHT was subdued by APOSTATE POSTMAN in a 3 minute master's match.
GRAKUS overpowered LITTLE FISHY in a popular 1 minute gruesome mismatched conflict.
HIAWATHA overpowered MAEVE MANIAC in a 1 minute uneven struggle.
POPPY POPPINS handily defeated BRIAR in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
WINDINHISHAIR bested ELHAD in a 1 minute brawl.
SNORLAX defeated INCARCERATION in a exciting 5 minute brutal novice's bout.
FROSLASS savagely defeated STOMPER ROOM in a 5 minute bloody amateur's fight.
WINDLESS WHISPER bested PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 1 minute novice's bout.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW                       6         STRIKING ATTACK   31 -  16 -  0      66  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   6         TOTAL PARRY       23 -  17 -  0      58  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      5         LUNGING ATTACK    20 -  17 -  1      54  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         AIMED BLOW        29 -  25 -  3      54  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      3         BASHING ATTACK    31 -  29 -  1      52  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   3         WALL OF STEEL      5 -   5 -  0      50  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  3         SLASHING ATTACK   15 -  22 -  0      41  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     2         PARRY-STRIKE      13 -  25 -  2      34  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         PARRY-LUNGE       11 -  22 -  0      33  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         PARRY-RIPOSTE      8 -  18 -  0      31  |

Turn 1036 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
STRIKING ATTACK  CANCER 6830                15   0  1  170 AVOID ME! (535)
TOTAL PARRY      SACAGAWEA 6725             30  18  0  128 WAR PARTY (474)
AIMED BLOW       ZAGRID 6858                14   3  1  125 MID EARTH (223)
LUNGING ATTACK   CRAZY HORSE 6733           10   5  1  102 WAR PARTY (474)
BASHING ATTACK   DROP THE SOAP 6811         13   9  0   71 ALMOST EXACTLY (20)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BRINE SUSPECT 6903.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was CANCER 6830.  The ten other most popular fighters were INCARCERATION 6960, 
WARIUS 6820, HOUN DOG 6872, NEAR WHALE 6906, ERRATIC EDUCATOR 6826, PRETTY ALRIGHT 
6905, SNORLAX 6941, STOMPER ROOM 6954, KUHRIS 6797, and APOSTATE POSTMAN 6847.

The least popular fighter this week was BRIAR 6940.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were MAEVE MANIAC 6916, LILLIGANT 6964, DROP THE SOAP 6811, STONE HINGE 
3455, URSHIFU 6959, ELHAD 6965, LITTLE FISHY 6902, SACAGAWEA 6725, TATONKA 6814, and 
FROSLASS 6963.