DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 02/26/2004    Duedate: 03/10/2004

OSKSI ARENA

DM-3    TURN-496

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

WHIP SCORPION
SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
(3-6275) [15-6-0,109]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

DREUBRA                        LEFTISTS BLOW
THE BALROGS (121)              THE CONFUSED (584)
(3-6092) [17-14-0,110]         (3-6356) [4-1-2,37]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

DREUBRA                        GOMER
THE BALROGS (121)              THE NUKES (580)
(3-6092) [17-14-0,110]         (3-6326) [9-3-0,43]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. AESIR (164)                 38
2. THE NUKES (580)             37      THE NUKES (580)
3. THE BALROGS (121)           28      Unchartered Team
4. AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)    22
5. THE CONFUSED (584)           3      THE CONFUSED (584)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 1 THE BALROGS II (560)      33  17  0 66.0   1/ 1 SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)     9  6 1
 2- 2*SUICIDAL DREAMS (583)      7   4  0 63.6   2/ 2 AESIR (164)               9  6 0
 3/ 3 THE NUKES (580)           37  26  2 58.7   3/ 5 THE NUKES (580)           8  7 0
 4/ 4 SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)    138 107  9 56.3   4/ 8 THE BALROGS (121)         7  3 0
 5/ 5 THE BALROGS (121)        534 446 22 54.5   5/ 3*THE CONFUSED (584)        7  6 1
 6/ 6*THE CONFUSED (584)        12  11  3 52.2   6/ 7 AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)  5 10 0
 7/ 7 AESIR (164)              545 550 39 49.8   7/ 4 GAMES LIBRARY (340)       4 11 0
 8/ 8 GAMES LIBRARY (340)      329 514  8 39.0   8- 6*SUICIDAL DREAMS (583)     3  1 0
 9/ 9 AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)  75 121  3 38.3   9- 9 THE BALROGS II (560)      2  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

            + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #3 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Valamantis:

     Hallie O'Dene did not stay in Valamantis.  She hadn't been able to get an
audience with the ruler of the city-state, Garlor Shanmarrik, and the clerk to whom
she had given her warning had been...disbelieving.  Had, in fact, threatened her with
imprisonment if she "stirred up unrest."  A very proper bureaucrat, he'd been.
Hallie considered slicing off his ears and nailing them to the wall, or possibly 
nailing the man's ears to the wall without slicing them off, but such action would
serve no purpose but to express her anger, so she didn't.  There really wasn't any
point in that.  She gave her warning to Arenamistress Sitalva, who was at least
polite, and then went on her way.  Carefully circling wide around the ruins of Old
Valamantis and ghosts of the ancient city that came and went unstably above them.
The people of Valamantis, in the person of the Lord's clerk, had chosen to ignore her
warning, and there were others she had to find and warn, others who might listen.
     Arenamistress Sitalva did not exactly believe Hallie's warning about the danger
from the Bloodgames, but she didn't disbelieve, either.  She had already seen the
mirage-like ancient towers above the bloody ground.  She had seen those ghostly
towers before, after other Bloodgames, had accepted them as a normal illusion there.
     Maybe she needed to re-think "normal."
     She couldn't imagine anyone resurrecting Old Valamantis for any kind of GOOD
reason.
     The oldest levels of the city were Folstrom.
     And saturated with dark magic.

Mordant:

     Mordant was like a stirred up hive of bees, full of activity, and hostile to any
stranger who had the misfortune to get in the way.  She guessed that she wouldn't
have any more luck getting in to see Queen Talissen of Mordant than she had in
Valamantis.  Which was frustrating, since it was a serious warning she had to
deliver.  Well, she hadn't expected this to be easy....
     After a moment's thought, she headed straight for the arena, bypassing the
palace entirely.  There would be people who'd listen to her at the arena, because she
was one of them.  Kakar was arenamaster in Mordant, she'd met him once.  A grim man,
but who wouldn't be if they had to live in Mordant?  She avoided looking at the
pitted black stone that most of the city was built of, and the windowless
architecture.  The Mordanti were a grim people all around.
     The arena was seething with activity and speculation, though it wasn't fight
day.  Rumors were flying; before she managed to locate the arenamaster, Hallie heard
seven different versions of "an attack on the Queen!" which had been foiled by a
gladiator, or maybe more than one gladiator, or maybe it had been made by a
gladiator, or only reported by a gladiator, or....  The attack on the Queen, if it
had happened at all, was the main topic, but there was a froth of other rumors in the
background: monsters in various likely or unlikely places, out in the swamp, down in
Valamantis, in the Syrinwald lake, or up in the mountains.  A war that might or might
not be happening between two different kingdoms in the south, and even the supposed
participants kept changing--Trocar, Rocanis, Xochithlan, the wild Rirorni.  Banditry
around Tricorus; she shrugged that one off.  There was always banditry around
Tricorus.
     Arenamaster Kakar was closeted with a sober looking man, tall for a Kannar, and
richly dressed.  Kakar didn't actually refuse to listen to Hallie, but he made it
clear that he didn't have much time to spare.
     Hallie shrugged.  The way things had been going since she'd set out to spread
the warning, his attitude was no surprise.  She wondered in passing whether Khaldren
could have managed some kind of spell that made people unwilling to listen.  Not that
it mattered at the moment.  "I bring word of a powerful wizard who has come out of
the past to spread disaster in our time," she began.  "He is a wizard from drowned
Krael, and he claims the intention to resurrect Celestinvael and other lost cities
and build a new empire in Alastari."
     The tall man leaned forward, suddenly frowning.  "Celestinvael is five hundred
years dead," he stated.  "How can this be 'resurrected'?"  Celestinvael was also,
Hallie knew, the closest of the dangerous ruins to Mordant, unless you counted Old
Valamantis--which Khaldren hadn't mentioned.
     "I'm no wizard," she answered.  "I don't know.  But he stated his intention to
use 'blood magic' to do it, which he believes will work even with the Arcanum in
flux."  She shrugged.  "I don't know about magic, but he seemed confidant, and I saw
him work spells of great power."
     "No doubt we've mages around who can confirm or deny this possibility," the tall
man said.  "I will carry the warning to Queen Talissen and set our magicians to
work."  Seeing her surprise, he added, "I am Allech Rabo, Her Majesty's Herald.  I
have the authority to take these steps."
     "Good!  You might pass word to Valamantis, too--I couldn't get to see anyone but
a damned clerk.  If it's blood magic at work, well, there was a lot of blood spilled
in Old Valamantis just over a month ago--"
     "Mordan!"  The Herald leaped to his feet.  "The Bloodgames!  If blood magic
still works, then the danger is extreme!  I must go to the Queen at once!"
     "And I will speak to the gladiators of this city about the dangers ahead," Kakar
said when the Herald had gone.  "Doubtless they will be called upon to take arms
against enemies of Mordant."

Iaye:

     The first ground tremors made people uneasy, but no more than that.  There had
been small earthquakes for months now, mostly centered on Seam and its underground
disturbances.  They posed no threat to the island, except in the case of those boats
who were just coming into the docks when tremor-waves hit.  And even that...the
sailors of Iaye were skilled, and they had learned to deal with it.
     But the mild tremors didn't stop, they were replaced by serious jolts, and the
ground underfoot shivered like jelly in a bowl.  All the sailors who could took their
ships out of the harbor and around the island toward the center of the Trier.  No one
wanted to get caught by a bigger wave than usual and shoved onto a rocky shore.
     Once the ships were safely away from the land, alarm turned to eager
speculation.  Did this herald new geysers for Seam?  Would a volcano erupt and
destroy the town entirely?  Bets were placed.  After all, Seam wasn't THEIR town....
Or maybe this quake would strike a little closer to home, like the one that had
cracked open the Ogre's Tomb in Point.  That thought sobered people.  There had
been...things in the Tomb, and it had taken all the warriors who could reach Point to
deal with them.  What else might be down there, to be released by a fresh earthquake?
They didn't really want to know.
     Most of the ships were strung out parallel to the coast north of Point and Iaye.
Far enough apart not to damage each other if something went wrong, close enough to
pass messages along.  The message that came up from the southern end of the line near
sunset was unexpected, and more than a little alarming.  Everyone knew there were
ruins under the lake between Point and the island of Iaye.  But nobody had expected
them to rise.
     And none of the half-remembered stories of Krael made people happy about the
great city's reappearance.

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 490): FACELESS of THE BLACK COMPANY (Darkfist, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 376): TOOFLESS of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 495): WHIP SCORPION of SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 491): MARCH MADNESS of SPORTZ! (Guardian, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 490): DERBIE FOYLE of THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 494): MEDUSA of BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 491): DIGGER WASP of FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (Flagg, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 486): BLING BLING of TERRAPIN STATION (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 478): WONDER BRA of THE GUARDIANS II (Guardian, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 476): GLIMMOR of GRIM FANDANGO (Stik, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 450): TARGEN of IRON TIGERS (Jinx, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 441): NUTCRACKER of ALL FINESSE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 192): TAMMY FAYE of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 428): STERLING of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 376): ORANGE of FRUITS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 178): RUBBER BULLET of USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 166): DUFF of ISLANDERS (Nick, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 326): AKLAR of MITHRAL HALO (Barnabas, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 143): 2 PHAT TOO of VERMIN (Sultan, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 369): LARGE SPINNY GUY of DIABLO TOO from TI (The Muffin Man)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 490): THE BLACK COMPANY (Darkfist, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 376): GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 495): SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 491): DIFFERENT HATS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 490): THE TAKEN (Silver Stroke, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 494): DARK PANTHEON (Doc Steele, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 491): THE BEARS II (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 486): THOROUGHBREDS (DRF, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 478): PENTARCHIE-18 (The Pentalque, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 476): COSMIC FREAK OUT (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 450): BLITZKRIEG (Polarius, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 441): ALL FINESSE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 192): CHEAP SHOTS (?, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 428): FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 376): DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 178): USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 166): THE EXPLORERS (Kellog, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 326): THE DEN OF SWORDS (TMoney, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 143): EPOCHOLYPSE (Brewmaster, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 369): DARK PANTHEON, etc. (Doc Steele, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 490): DERBIE FOYLE of THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 493): DELAPP of NIGHT TRAIN (BPR, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 491): ADAM of MORGAN'S BOYS (A-Sop, mgr.)
               (turn 490): RED NO. 40 of WASTELAND II (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 485): AERYN SUN of FARSCAPE (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 478): WONDER BRA of THE GUARDIANS II (Guardian, mgr.)
                            BOOTER of BURN N' PILLAGE (Jolly, mgr.)
                (turn 477): RAZOR HAWK of BEAST MASTERS (The Druid, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 475): JADE of I MAGI (Street Legal, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 450): TARGEN of IRON TIGERS (Jinx, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 191): ZOOLANDER of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 428): STERLING of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.)
               (turn 427): PROBLEMATIC of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 375): TSOMEGH of DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 142): MISSY MAYHAM of ANGELS OF CHAOS (Lord Chaos, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     I was going on vacation, see?  Surf, sun...  But what do those bums say?  "Hit 
the road, Debby Tonte.  OSKSI needs a spyreport."  Oh, well.  THE BALROGS like really 
fought hard to move up to 4th from 8th.  Way to go!  MVP award for HARALDUR?  AESIR's 
proud of him after beating SIMEARTH and getting 14 points.  Talk about yer big time 
losers!  WHIPSNAKE got smashed by DROMI, and lost 11 points!  Like GAMES LIBRARY's 
GRAPH is sweating since it got challenged by Duelmaster WHIP SCORPION!  Don't you 
think the Duelmaster is being unfair?  I think WHIP SCORPION should let GRAPH be 
Duelmaster for a while, without fighting about it.  Who was the wiseguy that said 
OSKSI's Duelmaster was paying for drinks at The Elefont?  Don't look at me!   
     AAARRGH!!!  I HATE SPYREPORTING!!!  Sorry.  I just had to say it.  The warriors 
of SIMPLY DESSERTS must be getting lonely.  They were the most avoided team.  Do you 
guys know something that I don't?  Hhmph!  What kind of warriors are THE NUKES?  
SIMPLY DESSERTS, an easy team to beat if I ever saw one, can't get them to accept an 
invitation!  Can SIMPLY DESSERTS' WOLF SPIDER be more popular than me?  She was 
challenged the most, but is that really the same?  Some fights are really unfair.  
How do you think COREY SPANKE feels about being challenged by LEFTISTS BLOW, 32 
points above him?  I was sorry to see such an unfair "fight" in OSKSI.  LEFTISTS BLOW 
got 4 points after beating COREY SPANKE, 32 points below him.  M. MOORE is being 
unfair.  She's challenged down 20 against ERIC WEITZER.  I don't know why they let 
this stuff go on.  (I'd better shut up) Is this how THE CONFUSED advances, by having 
their members (M. MOORE) fight people that are really below them (ERIC WEITZER)?   
     What does a fighter fight for?  I mean, the crowds don't give a hoot if someone 
gets killed.  Not after four more fights.  That was so totally rude when LEFTISTS 
BLOW wasted COREY SPANKE.  I think all you warriors in OSKSI should gang up on THE 
CONFUSED!  DAT NGUYEN bloodfeuded (is that a word?) SUNBURN for revenge over some 
guy's bad fortune.  Was it really worth it?  What if they had a fight and nobody 
showed up?  I'd be out of a job, that's what!!!   
     I really didn't, you know, study when I was a kid.  Who would've guessed I'd be 
a famous Spyreporter?  I gotta leave.  OSKSI is like such a dump, and you guys smell 
too much!  Remember you guys, ease up sometimes!  Chill out!  Later, Debby Tonte  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 WHIP SCORPION 6275           15   6  0   109       SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 DREUBRA 6092                 17  14  0   110       THE BALROGS (121)
 FANDRAL 5701                 16   7  0   103       AESIR (164)
 HARALDUR 6325                 9   3  0    93       AESIR (164)
 DAT NGUYEN 6216              14  15  0    92       AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GRAPH 6073                   15  37  0    85       GAMES LIBRARY (340)
 SIMEARTH 6155                21  20  0    83       GAMES LIBRARY (340)
 SAND CRABS 6308              10   5  2    75       SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
 TWITCH 6316                   7   6  0    69       THE NUKES (580)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-BAENDIR 6124                  7   3  0    65       THE BALROGS II (560)
 JOHN MAHER 6218              12  16  2    64       AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)
 WOLF SPIDER 6324              8   4  0    64       SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
 FROSTY 6314                   9   4  0    62       THE NUKES (580)
 SUNBURN 6345                  5   2  1    61       SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
-SAPPHIRE STAR 6352            4   0  0    61       SUICIDAL DREAMS (583)
-DHADCIR 6127                  7   3  0    60       THE BALROGS II (560)
 YROHK 6191                   12  10  0    58       THE BALROGS (121)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-ASISE 6126                    7   3  0    53       THE BALROGS II (560)
 FREDDY FUNGUS 6318            8   5  1    51       THE NUKES (580)
 WHELM 6261                    8   2  0    46       THE BALROGS (121)
 NOT HOYLE 6208                8  21  0    45       GAMES LIBRARY (340)
 GOMER 6326                    9   3  0    43       THE NUKES (580)
-EYOST 6125                    5   5  0    38       THE BALROGS II (560)
 LEFTISTS BLOW 6356            4   1  2    37       THE CONFUSED (584)
 THE GOALIE 6229               4  23  0    35       GAMES LIBRARY (340)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 M. MOORE 6354                 4   1  0    27       THE CONFUSED (584)
 A. COLMES 6357                2   3  0    27       THE CONFUSED (584)
 DROMI 6408                    3   0  0    26       AESIR (164)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-CAOSTE 6128                   7   3  0    24       THE BALROGS II (560)
 AMOK 6228                     4  11  1    24       THE BALROGS (121)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 DEWEY 6363                    3   3  0    18       GAMES LIBRARY (340)
 WHIPSNAKE 6344                4   3  0    16       SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
 JEFF DUNKLE 6391              2   1  0    16       AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)
 FHIRDOK 6413                  1   0  0    12       THE BALROGS (121)
-BAHAMA MAMMA 6350             2   2  0    11       SUICIDAL DREAMS (583)
 BLAST WAVE 6414               1   0  0     8       THE NUKES (580)
 BOOKIE 6394                   1   1  0     4       THE CONFUSED (584)
 ERIC WEITZER 6392             0   3  0     3       AMERICAN APPRAISAL (559)
 BRUENOR 6420                  0   1  0     1       AESIR (164)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
KESSEL 6421            0  1 0 AESIR 164             BLACK ORC 624         496 NONE    
COREY SPANKE 6412      0  2 0 AMERICAN APPRAISA 559 LEFTISTS BLOW 6356    496         
DEEANN RAKOVICH 6254   9 12 0 AMERICAN APPRAISA 559 SAND CRABS 6308       494         
MARIA FU 6360          0  2 0 AMERICAN APPRAISA 559 SUNBURN 6345          492 JUST REV
RAINING PAYNE 6349     1  1 0 SUICIDAL DREAMS 583   LEFTISTS BLOW 6356    493         

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Twitch -- Nothing like a good ruler for taking the twitches out of a... Graph

Dat Nguyen -- How dare you do that!  We had it on GOOD authority that you're second
rate.  No, wait, am I thinking of somebody else?  Some other arena, even?  Hmm.  I
must be, because you clearly are NOT second rate.  Which is annoying, but probably
not your fault.  When evolution calls, one must answer or fall by the way. --
SimEarth
P.S.  Yes, I'm sure I'm thinking of something else.  Probably something in Kolact.
Sorry.

Sunburn -- (drawing in his breath with a hiss)  I was using aloe!  That was
definitely... Not Hoyle!

     But then, very little IS Hoyle, it would seem. -- Ed.

A. Colmes -- YOU are confused, what about ME?  I can't find your proper place in the
classification system, and EVERYTHING is supposed to fit into the system. -- Dewey
P.S.  What's "PNC Weekdays at 9 pm"?

Bahama Mamma -- You hang in there well for an old lady, but you're too tall.  Try
training your shortness.  It's deficient. -- The Goalie

The French -- Halberd, huh?  I've seen worse.  I once knew a lunger who, though an
input error, came out with a war flail! -- Idle Observer

25 February 2004
Readers, and especially those who volunteered warriors -- My apologies for the sudden
lack of episodes.  I've been sick, but expect to be back at the keyboard soon. -- the
Scribe

3 March 2004
                   MONGO'S MARDI GRAS MADNESS DUELMASTERS AUCTION

     Mongo, aka Matt McIntosh and ex-Warden of the Dark Circle, is auctioning off his
entire collection of Duelmasters warriors and stables.  Don't miss out on this chance
to own some fantastic warriors!  There are ADM warriors available in every class from
Primus to Freshmen, as well as over a dozen Basic stables.
     Does a Slasher with +4 attack, +4 decisiveness, +3 initiative and +2 riposte
sound good?  How about a Lunger who received the benefit of a TC prize, has TVed
three times after graduating--and still hasn't maxed out his skills!?  How about a
Striker in the Freshmen class who has decisiveness for a favorite learn and the MAUL
for a favorite weapon!?
     Or perhaps you prefer playing in Basic.  Then how does a stable with four Adept
class warriors who have a combined record of 41-19-9 sound?  Or maybe a stable with
three 21-Will warriors?  Or perhaps a stable with four Initiates and a Rookie who
have a combined record of 23-6-1?
     The quality of the lots is excellent.  All you need to view and bid on the lots
is go to:
          http://members.aol.com/jvmerlino/mardigras.html
     If you want to be on the mailing list to receive regular updates on the auction,
just send an e-mail to JVMerlino@aol.com. Merlin, aka John Merlino and also an ex-
Warden of the Dark Circle, will be running this auction for me.  I just moved to New
Orleans and am likely currently stumbling around the French Quarter...because it's
Mardi Gras!  So I have named my auction in honor of this occasion.
     The auction will start on Saturday, March 13th, 2004, and will continue for
several weeks.  But you should get your bids in early if you want your best chance at
owning any of these fantastic warriors and stables.
     Many thanks to all for your interest and your bids,

Mongo

5 March 2004
Style Masters Symposium
Hosted by Hammer

     The years have slipped by and many DM Managers have come and gone since the last
Hammer's Handbook was compiled and printed.
     There is now a stirring within me to begin writing and editing yet another
Handbook with a distribution date sometime in 2005.
     This Handbook will be made available via Email with a possibility of burning the
info to a CD for distribution.
     Special arrangements will be made to provide the information via printed page to
those contributors who are serving sentences behind bars.
     The working title of this new Handbook is "Style Masters Symposium Hosted by
Hammer".
     Distribution of this Handbook is projected to be MAINLY for those DM Managers
who contribute information/articles to Hammer by June 2004.
     Informative and entertaining articles should focus on insights regarding Any or
All 10 Style Masters for both the Basic and ADM arenas as well as Tourney
competition.
     Articles focusing on Weapons/Armor are also encouraged for inclusion.
     Whether you are a Newbie Manager without a clue or a Jaded Veteran; everyone has
discovered something about this gaming experience that is both Insightful and
Entertaining.
     Email Your Articles to HammerDM@fastermail.com or send them via Diplo to either
Flower Hammerz (372) in DM 28 or Casino Hammerz (576) in DM 33.
     Length and Content of the Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer will be
Determined by the Quality and Quantity of Contributors Combined with the Literary
Efforts of Hammer who is currently overseas for an indefinite period of time.
     Articles Contributed for this Project should be of Sufficient Length and Content
to Warrant being Included to Receive the Finished Document when Hammer has completed
this literary work to His satisfaction.
     Managers contributing articles are also requested to include a DM Bio of
Themselves along with any Notable Successes and/or Failures during Their DM Career in
Basic, ADM and/or Tourney Play.
     A listing of Active Stables would also be Helpful for Anyone Seeking to Reply to
Contributors via Diplo, Email or Snailmail.
     May Your Blades Be Sharp And Your Wits Sharper!
     -- Hammer of Flower Hammerz (372) DM 28 and Casino Hammerz (576) DM 33

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

KESSEL was butchered by BLACK ORC in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
DAT NGUYEN vanquished SUNBURN in a 1 minute uneven Bloodfeud battle.
WHIP SCORPION demolished GRAPH in a 1 minute uneven Challenge Title fight.
HARALDUR devastated SIMEARTH in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
WOLF SPIDER defeated JOHN MAHER in a 1 minute Challenge match.
GOMER bested THE GOALIE in a action packed 5 minute gory Challenge brawl.
YROHK viciously subdued NOT HOYLE in a 1 minute master's Challenge match.
LEFTISTS BLOW easily killed COREY SPANKE in a 1 minute uneven Challenge melee.
M. MOORE overpowered ERIC WEITZER in a 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
DROMI defeated WHIPSNAKE in a 3 minute Challenge fight.
DREUBRA overpowered SAND CRABS in a popular 1 minute one-sided melee.
FANDRAL demolished TWITCH in a crowd pleasing 1 minute mismatched match.
WHELM outwaited A. COLMES in a tiresome 9 minute bloody battle.
FROSTY overpowered THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a 1 minute mismatched conflict.
FREDDY FUNGUS savagely defeated DANGEROUS CRIMINAL in a 2 minute gory duel.
DEWEY devastated CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute uneven duel.
AMOK was outlasted by JEFF DUNKLE in a 16 minute master vs. amateur upset brawl.
BOOKIE was beaten by FHIRDOK in a 2 minute novice's match.
BLAST WAVE savagely defeated BRUENOR in a crowd pleasing 3 minute novice's match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  6         TOTAL PARRY       14 -   6 -  1      70  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         PARRY-RIPOSTE     16 -  12 -  0      57  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    4         STRIKING ATTACK   36 -  29 -  3      55  |
|AIMED BLOW                       3         BASHING ATTACK    20 -  17 -  1      54  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    3         AIMED BLOW        14 -  12 -  0      54  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  3         SLASHING ATTACK    7 -   7 -  1      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      3         LUNGING ATTACK    30 -  33 -  1      48  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     3         PARRY-LUNGE       12 -  14 -  0      46  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   3         PARRY-STRIKE       5 -  10 -  0      33  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         WALL OF STEEL      6 -  18 -  0      25  |

Turn 496 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
PARRY-RIPOSTE    WHIP SCORPION 6275         15   6  0  109 SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
PARRY-STRIKE     DREUBRA 6092               17  14  0  110 THE BALROGS (121)
STRIKING ATTACK  FANDRAL 5701               16   7  0  103 AESIR (164)
WALL OF STEEL    SIMEARTH 6155              21  20  0   83 GAMES LIBRARY (340)
LUNGING ATTACK   SAND CRABS 6308            10   5  2   75 SIMPLY DESSERTS (555)
AIMED BLOW       FROSTY 6314                 9   4  0   62 THE NUKES (580)
SLASHING ATTACK  YROHK 6191                 12  10  0   58 THE BALROGS (121)
PARRY-LUNGE      FREDDY FUNGUS 6318          8   5  1   51 THE NUKES (580)
TOTAL PARRY      WHELM 6261                  8   2  0   46 THE BALROGS (121)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is DREUBRA 6092.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was GOMER 6326.  The ten other most popular fighters were BLAST WAVE 6414, YROHK 
6191, LEFTISTS BLOW 6356, WHIPSNAKE 6344, DREUBRA 6092, FREDDY FUNGUS 6318, HARALDUR 
6325, FANDRAL 5701, FROSTY 6314, and DAT NGUYEN 6216.

The least popular fighter this week was JEFF DUNKLE 6391.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were AMOK 6228, WHELM 6261, BRUENOR 6420, DROMI 6408, COREY SPANKE 
6412, NOT HOYLE 6208, THE GOALIE 6229, SIMEARTH 6155, GRAPH 6073, and SUNBURN 6345.