DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 09/01/2008    Duedate: 09/13/2008

MORDANT ARENA

DM-1    TURN-605

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

JETSAM
SEA DOGS (575)
(1-8172) [12-10-1,107]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

JETSAM                         REUSED REFUSE
SEA DOGS (575)                 TRASH CAN ORCS (614)
(1-8172) [12-10-1,107]         (1-8321) [0-1-0,1]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

TONY SIRAGUSA                  JETSAM
BETTER OFF DEAD (590)          SEA DOGS (575)
(1-7882) [8-3-0,84]            (1-8172) [12-10-1,107]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

SEA DOGS (575)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. SEA DOGS (575)              56
2. MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)      11      BETTER OFF DEAD (590)
3. LAB EXPERIMENTS (261)        5      Unchartered Team
4. TRASH CAN ORCS (614)         1
5. SWEORDMASTERS (138)          0      TRASH CAN ORCS (614)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 1*EVIL BEAVERS (610)         1   0  0  100   1/ 1 SEA DOGS (575)            8  7 0
 2- 3*FULL SPECTRUM (611)        3   1  0 75.0   2/ 2 SWEORDMASTERS (138)       4  4 0
 3/ 2 BETTER OFF DEAD (590)      8   3  0 72.7   3/ 3 LAB EXPERIMENTS (261)     3  1 0
 4/ 4 SWEORDMASTERS (138)      535 473 60 53.1   4- 4*FULL SPECTRUM (611)       2  0 0
 5/ 5 MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)   288 267 50 51.9   5/ 7 MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)    2  5 0
 6/ 6 SEA DOGS (575)           152 141  7 51.9   6- 6*EVIL BEAVERS (610)        1  0 0
 7/ 7 LAB EXPERIMENTS (261)    426 417 53 50.5   7/ 5 BETTER OFF DEAD (590)     1  2 0
 8/ 0*TRASH CAN ORCS (614)       0   1  0  0.0   8/ 0*TRASH CAN ORCS (614)      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

      * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *

                         ---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===---

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 604): WAIF of SWEORDMASTERS (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 487): DOLOVOR of THE GOLDEN FISH (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 612): SOLDIER 2 of OUR HIGHEST HONOR (The Anarchist, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 608): PETE MASTIFF of DOGS OF WAR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 607): GERDIG IBBINS of THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 611): OL SMOKEY of THE VOLS (Wali Kharif, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 609): LONG BEACH LILA of BEACH BABES (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 603): OZZY of SABBATH (Abraxis, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 595): JB BLAH of CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 594): KNOTHANDLER of SEA DOGS (One-Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 568): SALLI VOSS of MIDDLE WAY 13 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 558): DIONYSUS of OLD SCHOOL (Abraxis, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 250): DUCK A L'ORANGE of DUCKS UNLIMITED (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 542): CHEESY SQUEEZER of COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 493): BILGE RAT of SEA DOGS (One-Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 237): BLACKHAWKZ of RAPTORZ (Owlin the Wise, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 225): KONA QUAIL of ISLANDERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 442): FREON NECROPHILIA of DEE CEE (Soultaker, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 201): PORKY PIG of MEAT YOUR MAKER (Crip, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 486): NEOSPHINCTER of WASTELAND (TMM, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 604): SEA DOGS (One-Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 487): THE GOLDEN FISH (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 612): GAMES LIBRARY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 608): DOGS OF WAR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 607): THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 611): THE VOLS (Wali Kharif, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 609): SENTINELS (Nomad, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 603): THE MOONDOGS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 595): POSITION IS EMPTY
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 594): POSITION IS EMPTY
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 568): BABES (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 558): OLD SCHOOL (Abraxis, mgr,(
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 250): WACKY (The Zoo Keeper, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 542): COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 493): DARK HORSEMENT (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 237): RAPTORZ (Owlin the Wise, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 225): KIWI CONNECTION (The Mun, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 442): GRIM OBITUARY (Jekyll, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 201): MEAT YOUR MAKER (Crip, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 486) POWER PLAY et al (Doc Steele, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 612): SOLDIER 2 of OUR HIGHEST HONOR (The Anarchist, mgr.)
                          GRUNT of OUR HIGHEST HONOR (The Anarchist, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 607): LEONIDAS of DOGS OF WAR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 611): OL SMOKEY of THE VOLS (Wali Kharif, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 609): N'ORLEANS NORA of BEACH BABES (Jorja, mgr.)
               (turn 608): ERASMUS of SENTINELS (Nomad, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 595): JB BLAH of CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.)
                (turn 594): SHEWISH WHALER of SEA DOGS (One-Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 594): KNOTHANDLER of SEA DOGS (One-Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 249): HOT AIR DUCK of DUCKS UNLIMITED (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 542): CHEESY SQUEEZER of COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
               (turn 541): CHRISTELLINA of DELVERS (Harby, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 492): FEAR OF THE DARK of RAISING R'LYEH (Reaper, mgr.)
                             VOICES IN MY HEAD of RAISING R'LYEH (Reaper, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 236): MOUSETRAP of USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 441): JAGGED SHIV of GRIM OBITUARY (Jekyll, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     It's me, The Unknown Spymaster, back to give you this week's Spy Report.  Sit 
back in your seats and we'll have more fun than a barrel of Zontanis.  Hey everybody, 
watch out for RECESS, who flew up 24 points in the rankings after mashing TONY 
SIRAGUSA like a melon.  Keep your eye on this beast.  And falling like a basher in 
the top ten was TONY SIRAGUSA, who dropped 15 points after a disappointing (to say 
the least) bout with RECESS.  Well, if ya don't shows up at the laundromat, ya can'ts 
wash yer clothes.  WAIF did not fight this week so hers title was forfeit.  In front 
of all the crowds, JETSAM took the Duelmaster's crown for his own.  I give the bum 
two weeks.  Advice to bashers--never force anything, just get a bigger halberd!   
     Let's dig a little deeper into what's happening in the MORDANT arena.  Here's a 
song for you:  Who's afraid of the big, bad SEA DOGS?  Big bad SEA DOGS.  Big bad SEA 
DOGS.  MORDANT's afraid of the big bad SEA DOGS.  Tra la la la la!  Okay, so I may 
not be funny, but catch BETTER OFF DEAD's act in the arena.  Those acrobats seem to 
be fairly deft at running from SEA DOGS.  Well dang howdy, but if challenges were 
votes, MIASMA would be president.  Although it may be a contest she doesn't want to 
win.  JETSAM of SEA DOGS had better have a good reason for challenging down 11 points 
in a challenge which he won.  I thought JETSAM showed great skill and promise when he 
won victory over MIASMA.  All right, so I slept through it!  Big deal!   
     Being a spy is great--other people die and you spend the rest of the day 
drinking to their memory.  Better tanked than dead!  Ask not the elves for counsel, 
for they will say both yes and no.  Silly buggers, eh?   
     Well, that wasn't too bad; Alarond told me that the people in MORDANT have no 
sense of humor.  Or maybe that they were senseless.  Well, there goes another Spy 
Report.  Good luck in next week's fights.  Its been fun, and I'm sure you enjoyed it 
(boos).  Now that I've got you worked up for Snide Clemens, I'll be leaving-- The 
Unknown Spymaster  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 JETSAM 8172                  12  10  1   107       SEA DOGS (575)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-WAIF 8160                    16   3  0   150       SWEORDMASTERS (138)
-HONEST JILES 7576            12   2  0   115       LAB EXPERIMENTS (261)
-WAYWARD SON 8180              9   0  2   103       MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)
 RECESS 8241                  11   3  2    97       MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 TONY SIRAGUSA 7882            8   3  0    84       BETTER OFF DEAD (590)
 MIASMA 8104                  23   6  0    81       SWEORDMASTERS (138)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MAJOR PAYNE 8295              8   0  1    60       LAB EXPERIMENTS (261)
 WYRD 8156                     8   8  0    60       SWEORDMASTERS (138)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 RUM RUNNER 8296               4   3  0    50       SEA DOGS (575)
 POOP DECK GUY 8274            3   7  1    48       SEA DOGS (575)
-COPPER JOHN 8279              4   0  0    47       MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)
-BLACK 8252                    3   1  0    36       FULL SPECTRUM (611)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 LANDLUBBER 8309               3   1  0    27       SEA DOGS (575)
 HAMFIST 8292                  5   2  0    26       MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FLOTSAM 8289                  4   4  0    26       SEA DOGS (575)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DOOMTAIL 8249                 1   0  0    19       EVIL BEAVERS (610)
 REUSED REFUSE 8321            0   1  0     1       TRASH CAN ORCS (614)

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?

                                     PERSONAL ADS

9 August 2008
All -- We are currently looking for capable manager that will give the Desolate
Empire Alliance a full roster for the Turf War.  We currently have four (4) roster
slots that are open to capable managers without questionable morals.  If interested
for the Turf War, contact:  Lamar Treas-Wilson, Dok Sik, Dok Sik Killas DM 47

8 July 2008
                *****************************************************
                **********************ATTENTION**********************
                *****************************************************
                                      ALLIANCES
                                         OF
                                      ALASTARI
                *****************************************************
                **********************ATTENTION**********************
                *****************************************************
                                 *TURF WAR VI RULES*
                            Starting Nov 2008 (10 turns)

Anyone may participate; known alliances, new alliances, or temporary alliances created solely to compete in the Turf War!  To participate, each alliance must:
        1.  Announce the alliance and the Captain of the alliance in the North Fork
            (DM 47) newsletter.
        2.  Announcements made on the D2 Forums will not be accepted.

Captains are responsible for:
        1.  Verifying those who wish to participate under the banner of their
            alliance;
        2.  Distribution of prizes should their alliance win the Turf War.
        3.  Submit one (1) RSI Roll-Up Certificate to participate

Participating managers who are not Captains must:
        1.  Submit one (1) RSI Roll-Up Certificate to participate
        2.  Announce their intent to compete with manager name, team name, and
            alliance they will represent in the North Fork (DM 47) newsletter.
            Announcement made on the D2 Forums will not be accepted.
               a.  No scores will be tabulated until a Gift Certificate is received.
                   No EXCEPTIONS.
               b.  Before a manager can compete, he/she must declare themselves in
                   the North Fork (DM 47) newsletter as stated above AND be verified
                   by the alliance Captain they will represent.
               c.  Only one (1) team per player may compete.  No multiple teams or
                   aliases will be allowed.  Violations will result in immediate
                   disqualification from the Turf War (so be sure to take any
                   multiple teams OFF of Team Maintenance).
               d.  Scoring will NOT be retroactive for teams that do not properly
                   declare or fail to send a Gift Certificate by Turn 1.  In other
                   words, if your Gift Certificate is not received until Turn 3 of
                   the Turf War, and you have fought on Turns 1 and 2, your scoring
                   will not begin until Turn 3.  All conditions must be met before
                   scoring will begin--declaration, verification, and Gift
                   Certificate received.
               e.  No declarations or verifications will be accepted after Turn 5 of
                   the Turf War.
               f.  For purposes of scoring, the moderators will score the Turf War
                   and settle any and all disputes as they arise.  Their decisions
                   will be final.

Scoring will be as follows for Fights:
                Win   Loss   Kill      Die
Challenge        +2     -2     +5       -5
Match Up         +1     -1     +1       -5
Bloodfeud        +2     -5     +5      -10
Champion         x2     x2     x2       x2
Dark Arena*     +10     -5     xx       xx
*After 2nd win, warrior scores no points for wins

Special Scoring Considerations for the Turf War are as follows:
Spy Report mention (team name only)              +2
Style Master                                     +2
Duelmaster                                       +2

Champions:
     1.  A Champion may be declared, but one is not mandatory.
     2.  Only one Champion allowed per manager at any given time.
     3.  Champions that graduate or are killed by another warrior in the arena, but
         not the Dark Arena, may be replaced.
     4.  Champions must be in the Adepts bracket or lower on the turn they are
         declared, and may NOT have gone above Adepts level at any time; this
         includes teams transferred into North Fork for the Turf War.

Bloodfeuds:
        1.  Bloodfeuds will score points on all four (4) turns.
        2.  There is no limit to which warrior may bloodfeud or how often.

Tournament Considerations:
        1.  Tournament participation is ALLOWED and encouraged.
        2.  Tournament Victors won during the course of the contest will gain a one
            (1) time bonus of 25 points.  This bonus will apply EACH time a
            warrior(s) wins such status.
        3.  Tournament Champions won during the course of the contest will gain a one
            (1) time bonus of 50 points.  This bonus will apply EACH time a
            warrior(s) win such status.
        4.  Points for TVs and TCs will be applied the Turn after RSI posts
            tournament results in the North Fork (DM 47) newsletter (i.e., if the
            results post on North Fork turn 275, points will be credited on North
            Fork turn 276 to the applicable teams).

Special Considerations:
        1.  Each alliance begins the Turf War with zero (0) points.
        2.  There will be NO alliance or team changes once the contest has begun.  If
            you begin the Turf War with Alliance A, you must end the Turf War with
            Alliance A.  If you begin the Turf War with Team A, you must end the Turf
            War with Team A.
        3.  There will be a maximum of seven (7) teams allowed per alliance for the
            Turf War.
        4.  The Dark Arena may be used on the first turn only, of every warrior,
            without penalty.

Prizes:
The Turf War is a "winner take all" contest.  All prizes and 100% of the Gift
Certificates will be awarded to the Captain of the winning alliance.  It is the

responsibility of the Captain to distribute Gift Certificates.  Moderators will
submit a list of each manager on the winning alliance to RSI at the completion of the
contest for the non-Certificate prizes.

The following prizes have been secured from RSI:
        1.  Renaming of the North Fork (DM 47) arena;
        2.  Renaming of Dark Arena Monsters (one for each manager in the winning
            alliance);
        3.  Known Favorites for one warrior on each team of the winning alliance
            (warrior must be ranked Initiate or above, must be alive, and must have
            at least one arena fight to receive this award).
        4.  +1 Skill bonus potion for each manager on the winning alliance.  Bonus
            potion must be applied to a living warrior from (DM 47)
        5.  +1 Skill bonus potion (one) for each manager who fights in all 10 rounds
            AND 45 fights of the Turf War.  Bonus potion must be applied to a living
            warrior from (DM 47)
These awards will be listed by the Moderator for claiming from RSI (Lee) within 4
turns of the end of TW VI.

Moderators:
The Moderators for this event will be Oz and Master Darque.  They will arbitrate all
dealings during the course of the contest.  Their decisions will be final.  All
questions, comments, and scoring disputes may be directed to Land of Oz or Darque
Forces via diplo in DM 47.  Managers with internet access may send a private message
to [The Consortium] or [Darque] on the Duel2 Forums.  Lastly, you may also email
questions, comments, and scoring disputes to rebelnerfherder at yahoo dot com.

Please note there have been rule changes from the last Turf War.  Please read them
carefully!

Contest will begin in November following the Fall Mail In Tournament.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

JETSAM viciously subdued MIASMA in a 4 minute master's Challenge Title fight.
TONY SIRAGUSA was viciously subdued by RECESS in a popular 3 minute gruesome match.
WYRD was bested by CAPTAIN ELOY in a 3 minute contest.
HAMFIST was overpowered by POOP DECK GUY in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
MAJOR PAYNE devastated FLOTSAM in a popular 1 minute uneven brawl.
RUM RUNNER devastated BLACK DEVIN in a 1 minute mismatched match.
LANDLUBBER handily defeated REUSED REFUSE in a 1 minute uneven fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW                       4         LUNGING ATTACK    19 -   6 -  3      76  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         STRIKING ATTACK    9 -   5 -  0      64  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         BASHING ATTACK    21 -  14 -  3      60  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         TOTAL PARRY        7 -   5 -  0      58  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      5 -   4 -  0      56  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -   4 -  0      50  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      1         AIMED BLOW        23 -  23 -  1      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         WALL OF STEEL      4 -   5 -  0      44  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  0         SLASHING ATTACK    3 -   9 -  1      25  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    0         PARRY-LUNGE        0 -   0 -  0       0  |

Turn 605 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     AIMED BLOW         1 -  3         4  AIMED BLOW     
LUNGING ATTACK     2 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         2  TOTAL PARRY    
SLASHING ATTACK    1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         2  LUNGING ATTACK 
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  1     STRIKING ATTACK    0 -  0         1  STRIKING ATTACK
                              TOTAL PARRY        0 -  1         1  PARRY-STRIKE   
                              WALL OF STEEL      0 -  0         1  SLASHING ATTACK

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       JETSAM 8172                12  10  1  107 SEA DOGS (575)
LUNGING ATTACK   RECESS 8241                11   3  2   97 MANNEQUIN'S BEST (537)
TOTAL PARRY      MIASMA 8104                23   6  0   81 SWEORDMASTERS (138)
PARRY-STRIKE     RUM RUNNER 8296             4   3  0   50 SEA DOGS (575)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is TONY SIRAGUSA 7882.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was JETSAM 8172.  The ten other most popular fighters were RECESS 8241, TONY 
SIRAGUSA 7882, WYRD 8156, MAJOR PAYNE 8295, RUM RUNNER 8296, LANDLUBBER 8309, POOP 
DECK GUY 8274, FLOTSAM 8289, MIASMA 8104, and HAMFIST 8292.

The least popular fighter this week was REUSED REFUSE 8321.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were HAMFIST 8292, MIASMA 8104, FLOTSAM 8289, POOP DECK GUY 8274, 
LANDLUBBER 8309, RUM RUNNER 8296, MAJOR PAYNE 8295, WYRD 8156, TONY SIRAGUSA 7882, 
and RECESS 8241.

                                  Name-Change-O-Rama

     The summer tourney brought a lot of people to the Isle who didn't appear there 
normally.  This included Commission employees.  Half a dozen arenamasters regarded 
each other warily in the mirror behind the bar at the Pig in a Haystack.  The Pig was 
obscure and mediocre, drawing few gladiators, which is what they had all been looking 
for.  They saw gladiators every day.  Most arenamaster were convinced that this was 
some kind of punishment.
     You could always pick out the arenamasters in a crowd.  There were superficial 
differences:  One of these had clearly Adantri features, one wore an eye-patch, two 
were female.  But there were, in significant ways, alike.  The same size, the same 
hair-trigger alertness, the same deadliness.
     The one-eyed man broke the ice, raising his beer mug in salute.  "I'm Zrof One-
Eye from Zukal.  Sugar of Arvat--"  One of the women bowed slightly.  "I know Sugar.  
The rest of you...?"
     The Adantri matched his salute.  "Dernal of Dayla Kiv."
     "Daiyla Kiv?  Ah...."
     "No, without the 'I' in it.  These damned bureaucrats can't spell, and they 
thought adding an unnecessary vowel was exotic."  Disgust dripped from his voice.
     "Tell me about it!" another man growled in agreement.  "Khagal of Niatoli, and 
what they do to the spelling of THAT simple word--!"
     "I thought Daiyla, I mean Dayla Kiv had a different name right now," 
Arenamistress Sugar said.  "The arena, at least, because of a contest?"
     "Chavez Ravine."  Dernal's tone was the one that substituted in polite company 
for spitting on the floor.
     Zrof blinked, taken aback by the bitterness.  He wouldn't have minded a contest 
in Zukal, and damn what they called the place.  "It's only temporary, though."
     "Temporary, shmiperary," another man muttered.  He seemed well into his drinking, 
although, like all arenamasters, he carried his liquor well.  "They do it all the time 
in Aradi.  No reshpect.  Go around changing thish, changing that.  I wish I could 
change shome thingsh."  He signalled the bartender for a refill.
     The second woman put her hand over his mug.  "You've had enough, Harkon.  Try the 
coffee, instead."
     "You should be mad, too, Ripplesh," Harkon said.  "They're going to do shtuff 
like that in Jahnsh, aren't they?"
     Ripples Dorrigan shrugged.  All the men paused, some with glasses half raised, to 
watch.  "It's the way things are," she said.  "Not much we can do about it."
     "You know," Khagal of Niatoli said, "maybe we could make a few changes.  Fix the 
spelling of Arena 33, for one, change a few standby titles--"
     "The Commission hates changes."  Dernal of Dayla Kiv topped up his glass and 
drained it gloomily.
     "Yes, but if we disguise it," Sugar of Arvat said, excited, "make it... maybe a 
general Name-Change-O-Rama!  Then we could slip OUR changes through and no one would 
notice or mind."

                  *-------*-------*-------*-------*-------*-------* 

     By popular demand, we are holding a Name-Change-o-Rama during the month of 
September, 2008.  If you wish to change the name of your warriors or teams, please 
contact RSI Customer Service.  The charge for a name change is $1.