DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 02/03/2004    Duedate: 02/16/2004

BONSUR ARENA

DM-7    TURN-490

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

RED NO. 40
WASTELAND II (267)
(7-5305) [18-12-0,109]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

SUGARBEET                      POSITION IS EMPTY
SUGAR AND SPICE (501)          
(7-5219) [18-17-0,118]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

TALLAHASSE TINA                PTI
BEACH BABES (309)              WASTELAND II (267)
(7-4889) [12-39-0,75]          (7-5412) [15-7-0,90]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

SUGAR AND SPICE (501)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. NINJAS (35)                 39
2. THE BEARS II (510)          37      FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
3. BATHTUB ARMADA (515)        36      Unchartered Team
4. FLOWER CHILDREN (26)        35
5. SUGAR AND SPICE (501)       19      HELTER SKELTER (488)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 2 FLOWER CHILDREN (26)     217 144 11 60.1   1/ 1 SUGAR AND SPICE (501)     7  2 0
 2/ 3 WASTELAND II (267)       705 563 28 55.6   2/ 5 THE BEARS II (510)        6  1 1
 3/ 4 BATHTUB ARMADA (515)     205 176 16 53.8   3/ 4 NINJAS (35)               5  4 0
 4/ 5 SUGAR AND SPICE (501)     91  87  5 51.1   4/ 3 WASTELAND II (267)        5  6 0
 5- 6 ERRATA (511)              22  25  0 46.8   5/ 2 BEACH BABES (309)         4  9 0
 6/ 7 NINJAS (35)              155 189  8 45.1   6/11 FLOWER CHILDREN (26)      3  2 0
 7/ 8 THE BEARS II (510)        27  35  5 43.5   7/ 8 MORGAN'S BOYS (308)       3  4 0
 8/ 9 BEACH BABES (309)        460 682 16 40.3   8- 9 ERRATA (511)              2  0 0
 9/10 MORGAN'S BOYS (308)      168 324  6 34.1   9/ 7 BATHTUB ARMADA (515)      2  7 0
10/11 RANCID BLOKES (503)       15  50  1 23.1  10/ 6 RANCID BLOKES (503)       1  5 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[ The Dark Federation #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Rodeki:

     Tirisha Dulake looked around the suite--the one hotel's best suite--and sighed.
It wasn't what she was used to, but until she and her husband could move into the
governor's mansion, it would have to do.  She glanced at her husband and her lush
mouth flattened in annoyance.  He had been the governor of Rodeki before--before
Gryzash--so why couldn't he accept that she would make him governor again?  She would
make him PRINCE of Rodeki, if he would just stop worrying!
     She sighed faintly and moved toward him, to explain--again--why this was a good
thing to do.

     In the anteroom of the suite, Sue E Syde, Lady Protector from Xochithlan and
escort of Princess Tirisha, sighed also.  Not that she knew what was going on in the
room behind her.  Or cared.  Her job was to guard King Feyen's cousin.  Or maybe she
was his sister.  Arenamaster Xoron hadn't been clear about that.  Or maybe Tirisha
was both his sister and his cousin.  Elves were like that; everyone said so.  Not
that it mattered.
     What mattered was the job.  And the people she had to work with.  Her teammate,
Lord Protector Rob A Ree, for instance.  Not the person she would have chosen to work
with.  Too full of himself, Rob was.  But at that, he was better than the Rodekian
Lord Protector Adabemis & Balmador.  The man was a fruitcake, and no two ways about
it.

     "The whole shape of the Federation is changing, Devon," Tirisha said urgently.
"It's as though Gryzash was the keystone of an arch, and now that he's gone, the
lines of power are shifting.  Everything is changing.  Rodeki could be the center of
the shift, the point around which the new structure forms--and you could be--"
     Dulake shook his head.  "Rodeki?  Not a chance, it's a backwater.  Important as
a mining center, but it would never be the heart of the Federation, or even of the
Mordanti Alliance.  Besides, Queen Talissen wouldn't like it.  She'd be angry, really
angry.  And she's got a man here already, Gryzash's deputy, uh, Milvares, I think his
name is...."
     Tirisha could have shrieked and stamped her rage at her husband's over-caution,
but she held it in.  He never responded properly to such displays.  "A flunky."  The
elven woman dismissed Milvares with a contemptuous gesture.  "He will be dealt with."

     Sue E Syde looked up as the captain of Princess Tirisha's personal guards
emerged from deeper in the suite.  Captain Shirivien was an elf, of course, just like
the princess herself.  Well, Sue could live with that, as long as the man was
competent.  As he seemed to be.  But right now, he also looked annoyed.
     "Get the rest of the gladiators," Captain Shirivien snapped.  "We have a
mission."
     Sue raised an eyebrow in question.  Until she knew what had the man wound up,
she wouldn't know how to deal with it, and with him.
     Shirivien grimaced sourly.  "We're going to arrest the governor of Rodeki."
     The gladiatrix's other eyebrow joined the first.  "On what grounds and with what
authority?" she asked.  She had nothing against arresting a governor, generally
speaking, but if it was going to cause trouble, she wanted to know which direction to
watch to see that trouble coming.
     The captain's frown deepened.  "On the grounds that Princess Tirisha wants him
arrested, and by her authority."
     Definitely trouble coming.  "Does this governor have any guards of his own?" Sue
asked.
     "Of course he does."  Shirivien released his scowl suddenly and sighed.  "This
is going to make a lot of trouble."

Mordant:

     Faceless, a gladiator of The Black Company of Mordant, settled onto the small
ledge and leaned back against sun-warmed stone.  There was room here for her to sit
comfortably, and for a small satchel beside her (today it contained a bottle of beer
and a few slabs of bread and cheese), and a small but powerful crossbow on her other
side.  That was enough.  Her stint on watch here was only a few hours, after all.
And nothing was likely to happen.  Oh, sure, there were RUMORS, but you couldn't
count on a rumor to produce a good fight.  Her position had been formed by the
ornamental stonework on an old mansion overlooking the Feyranse River where it flowed
through Mordant.  Just across the river was the Queen's palace.  That was what she
was watching--the palace.  There were rumors of an intention to assassinate the
Queen, and Her Majesty's Herald, Allech Rabo, had taken the rumors seriously and
enrolled gladiators along with his regular men to cover the possible approaches.
     The Queen's official guards hadn't been pleased!  Faceless grinned, remembering.
Especially, it hadn't pleased that part of the Royal Guard which was composed of the
younger sons of Mordanti noble families.  Very insulted, they'd been.  Young snots.
It served them right, they'd had things too easy all their lives.  THEY didn't have
to enter the arena to make a place for themselves in the world.
     There'd been one especially, Ferris Kor, younger son of the Duke of Sharm.  Not
bad looking, if he'd ever had a pleasant expression on his face.  Which he probably
never did.  One of the other gladiators on guard, the Homicidal Maniac Babyface, had
told her that Ferris's older brother had wanted to marry Queen Talissen himself.  And
Ferris acted like that had actually happened, like he was royal himself.  What a
brat!
     But while her thoughts had wandered, Faceless's attention had stayed strictly on
the job, and she now heard someone making a quiet approach to her position over the
mansion's roof.  Faceless levered the crossbow to full cock and braced one foot under
herself in case she had to move quickly.
     "A friend coming."  The voice was low but familiar.  Marian of Ravenskeep, who
had graduated from Mordant arena and gone on to Lirith Kai.
     Faceless glanced quickly toward the voice.  It was Marian, all right.  She
lowered the crossbow as the woman settled into the angle beside a dormer window, the
nearest place to Faceless's little ledge that a person could sit.
     "Something may be happening," Marian said quietly.  "Word's come along that
there's someone on the river who isn't acting normally."
     Faceless quickly scanned all the river she could see.  There was a lot of
activity; there was always a lot of activity.  Barges hauling grain or coal or who-
knew-what.  Yachts belonging to noblemen.  Smaller boats, all the way down to canoes,
coming in from the swamp, or up or down the river from one of the outlying villages,
or just darting around on mysterious business of their own.  How could you tell who
was "acting normally"?
     "We're all supposed to watch for a green houseboat with a patched tarp over the
roof," Marian went on.  "If it goes on by, that's fine, but if it tries to land
anywhere along here," she hesitated, "well, we're to treat it like a proven enemy.
That's the order, anyway."
     "There it is!"  Faceless watched for a moment.  "Yes, that must be it, just
coming into sight around the coal barge."  The boat was barely moving, drifting with
the current; although one man stood at the stern sweep, he was steering rather than
driving the boat ahead.  He was keeping it well out into the center of the river,
too.  She tracked its slow progress down the river, sometimes losing sight of it for
a moment as it passed one of the larger barges.  At no point did it swerve closer to
the shore--either shore--or change its speed.  A false alarm....
     A faint movement, barely glimpsed from the corner of her eye.  Her gaze raced
back to the palace.  HAD something moved, something that should be there?  Something
along the waterline...something near the lower end where there was a low watergate
into the palace grounds.  Into the dungeons, more likely, but it must connect
eventually....
     THERE!
     Her crossbow moved without her conscious thought.  The string slapped against
the arms and a bolt sped across and downward.  Faceless dropped another bolt into the
slot and searched the shore again while she levered back the heavy bowstring.
     "What was it?" Marian asked, peering across the river as intently.  "I don't
see...."
     "I'm not sure, but something moved near the watergate.  Could've been a muskrat,
but what if it wasn't?"
     "You're thinking someone might have dropped over the side of the boat where we
couldn't see?"  The older woman was already signaling to one of the other gladiators
on watch.
     The signal was relayed with mirrors, and presently a shape moved in the shadow
behind the watergate.  Opened it.  Two men in the uniform of Royal Guards stepped
through and looked around.  One knelt and reached into the water, dragging a body to
the surface.  Faceless could see her bolt sticking out of the man's back.
     "Good work," Marian muttered.

            + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #1 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Off the coast of Andoria:

     Towers rising out of the misty dawn.  They had sailed due east from Skaithvarn,
so that had to be the coast of Andoria, but Raoul couldn't remember any coastal city
with such slender, pearl-colored spires.  Those looked more like the skyline of a
dream than practical stonework.  They caught the growing light and glowed.  They were
beautiful, but unearthly.  Unreal.  Not residences for practical folk.  Raoul thought
it a fitting destination for the boat Khaldren had made with his magic, though.  The
boat was, in its way, as dreamlike as the city ahead;  The hull was mother of pearl,
the sails were webs of cloud.  Magic, of course.  Powerful magic.  Raoul wondered
uneasily what Khaldren had done to assemble that power.
     The exiled Kraelian had already demonstrated that he was ruthless in pursuit of
his goals.  Raoul shifted slightly, uneasily aware of the waves of magic that seethed
throughout the uncanny vessel.  Khaldren had not hesitated to cast a spell on the
three gladiators when they entered his tower in Skaithvarn.  A binding of loyalty and
obedience, the Lord Protector guessed.  He had not resisted at the time.  In truth,
he had been taken completely by surprise.  But he sensed that the spell had not
gripped him so thoroughly as the wizard intended.  He was fairly sure he could break
it, and very sure that he wanted to be further away from Khaldren when he did that--
THIS spell, he could break, but what if the wizard immediately countered with
something stronger?  And the fate of the two women with him was unknown; they might
be as lightly held as he was, or belong to Khaldren body and soul.
     "That is Zorpunt," Jeri Northwind said.  Her voice was calm, emotionless.  Very
certain.
     Zorpunt?  Raoul blinked and controlled his impulse to question that statement.
True, there were towers in the coastal city, but nothing like those slender spires of
glass!  Without turning his head, Raoul looked sideways at the wizard.
     Khaldren's face was set in lines of effort, sheened with sweat.  Using his magic
to turn the work-a-day port city into this dream?  Wasteful of energy...unless he had
some inexhaustible source at hand.  And why?  "Krael shall be reborn," he muttered
through clenched teeth, "and Celestinvael, and Orgillat in the south.  But this shall
be my seat of power in the new world that will be...."
     The ship of pearl glided to a stop beside a dock that had been transformed
into...agate, Raoul decided.  Or something like that.  It was the kind of thing the 
Chaos contamination might have done in the recent past.  Maybe that was part of
Khaldren's power, that he could harness the residual Chaos energy?  Not a comfortable
thought, although the gladiator supposed it was better than using lives to fuel
magic.  So long as it didn't get loose.
     There was no one on the dock, no one moving anywhere in sight.  Khaldren stepped
ashore as an emperor might step ashore in conquered province.  The gladiators
followed, and the ship dissolved into mist behind them.
     The Assassins' Guild's Black Book appeared in the wizard's hands, and he smiled
at it coldly.  "I note that 'Arenamaster Kai' has a secret he would not like
advertised," Khaldren murmured.  "For a price, I will keep his secret between these
covers.  Bring him to me."  He didn't look at the gladiators at any point while he
spoke.
     Raoul felt the magic sliding around him, urging him forward, and he was willing
to go.  Once out of the wizard's sight, he would test the binding, but not here.  He
and the two women walked quietly into the city.  Jeri, a native of Zorpunt, was
slightly ahead of the older gladiators.
     The streets were filled with mist even though the sun must now be up.  The
buildings, even the street underfoot, showed the effects of transforming magic.  They
were ethereal, idealized.  Unreal.  Nothing and no one moved that Raoul could see.
     Jeri turned a corner.  Looking up the cross street, Raoul saw what he guessed
was the arena, although no arena of his experience had ever had those delicate arches
of gold-veined marble.
     Raoul stopped, setting his feet firmly when the magic tried to force him onward.
It scrabbled at his mind, feeling like a handful of energetic bugs.  But he wasn't a
puppet.  He would not BE a puppet, especially not for a man who should have been dead
centuries ago!  He served his manager Generalissimo Puerco, King Mickeal of Andoria,
and Sheila Greywand.  The oath he had taken when he first reached the Isle shimmered
in his mind.  Khaldren's magic shrieked against it, fingernails on a slate, then fell
away.  The wizard would--must--know that he'd broken free.  Raoul turned set off at a
run down the first street he saw.  A real street, this one, with cracked paving
stones, and rubbish piled against the curbs.
     Someone was running and panting beside him.  He risked a glance.  Hallie O'Dene,
the Delarquan Lady Protector.  But not Jeri.
     They ran for several minutes, but at the first sign of people ahead, living
people, they dropped to a walk without needing to discuss it.  Running people are
conspicuous.  Neither of them spoke of their problem, either.  Time enough for that
when they were out of the city.  Zorpunt was a narrow city, stretched along its
river; and they were crossing its axis.  There was a bridge ahead, which would put
them on the south bank and that much farther from the arena and the dock where they
had left Khaldren..  That much closer to the countryside.
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     Hallie O'Dene leaned back against one of the trees at the edge of the road.  She
was breathing hard.  "Do you think we're far enough away?"
     Raoul dropped onto the grass beside her and glanced back toward Zorpunt.  The
city's skyline, barely visible in the distance, shimmered slightly but otherwise
looked normal.  "I think so, doll," he answered.  "I hope so!"
     After a minute, Hallie sat up straighter.  "I wish we could have brought Jeri
away, too!  I didn't realize until it was too late that she wasn't with us."
     "I don't think we could've done it, doll," Raoul said quietly.  He took off his
hat and stared at the dusty crown for a moment, then put it back on.  "I think it's
Lady Greywand's magic that saved us--the oath we took when we got to the Isle.  Jeri
might be a Lady Protector, but she never went to the Isle.  She had no defense
against...his spell."  He found himself reluctant to speak the wizard's name here, as
though it might draw the man's attention.
     "People have to be warned--"
     "And there's only us to do it," Raoul agreed.  "I'm heading for Andor by the
fastest road."
     "And I for Delarq Tor.  We are menaced, too.  Celestinvael and Orgillat!  Gods 
protect us.  If they're anything like the histories say...."  She shook her head.
     "I've heard of Celestinvael," Raoul said slowly.  "It was between Ardivent and
the Federation, and it existed at about the same time as Krael.  But Orgillat?"
     "Near the mouth of the Selwin river," Hallie said.  "It was of the same time.
We remember it--when we must--as a place of power and fear.  If...that man would
recreate the Empire of Skorlos, he must be stopped!  By any means that we can."
     Raoul nodded.  "The legends of Krael are dark legends, too.  I should be able to
reach King Mickael with the warning.  Who would be equivalent in the Delarquan
Federation?"
     "No one has complete power," Hallie said, frowning.  "Princess Chrysanth, maybe,
but...."  She sighed and shrugged.  "It's a place to start."  She got to her feet and
held out her hand as Raoul rose also.  "Good luck."
     "To both of us, we'll need it," Raoul agreed, standing.  He grasped her hand
warmly for a moment.  "May all your gods go with you."
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     Arenamaster Kai of Zorpunt glared at the stranger, hands twitching with the urge
to reach for his sword.  But the damned wizard had already demonstrated that he could
get a spell off faster than even an arenamaster could attack.  At least, Kai supposed
it was a spell, even if it was like nothing he'd ever seen before.  And nothing he
ever wanted to experience again.  "What do you want?" he croaked.
     "Your obedience.  This 'arena'--it will now be run for me, instead of Sheila of
the Grey Wand.  The blood will be spilled in my name, not hers, the power from that
blood will come to me, not to her.  This will be the beginning of a new Alastari, and
I will rule it!"

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 488): MURGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Darkfist, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 374): TOOFLESS of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 493): THOR of AESIR (Buri, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 489): G.A. CUSTER of DOGS OF WAR (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 488): SUX0R of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 492): DARK THUNDER of DARK PANTHEON (Doc Steele, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 489): ADAM of MORGAN'S BOYS (A-Sop, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 484): SHYLAYLA MINOR of PRAETORIAN GUARD (Shocking Toad, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 476): CADEX CFM of THE BIKE SHOP (Malaquar, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 474): TAISHO of YAKUZA (Sensei Jan, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 448): TARGEN of IRON TIGERS (Jinx, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 439): NUTCRACKER of ALL FINESSE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 191): ZOOLANDER of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 426): PROBLEMATIC of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 374): TSOMEGH of DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 177): RUBBER BULLET of USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 165): MACAULIFFE of THE EXPLORERS (Kellog, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 324): DOZER of THE DEN OF SWORDS (TMoney, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 142): MISSY MAYHAM of ANGELS OF CHAOS (Lord Chaos, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 367): LARGE SPINNY GUY of DIABLO TOO from TI (The Muffin Man)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 488): THE BLACK COMPANY (Darkfist, mgr.)
 DM   2 NIANIA (turn 374): THE GOLDEN FISH (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 493): THE NUKES (Fusion, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 489): DOGS OF WAR (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   5 KALTOS (turn 488): THE TAKEN (Silver Stroke, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 492): BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 489): SUGAR AND SPICE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 484): TOWNSVILLAINS (The Narrator, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 476): none
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 474): YAKUZA (Sensei Jan, mgr.)
 DM  36 JHANS (turn 448): BLITZKRIEG (Polarius, mgr.)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 439): ALL FINESSE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 191): CHEAP SHOTS (?, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 426): COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 374): ALL-UGLY TEAM (The Sentinel, mgr.)
 DM  54 TROCAR (turn 177): USELESS TOOLS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  59 ILLIS (turn 165): THE EXPLORERS (Kellog, mgr.)
 DM  62 VALAMANTIS (turn 324): SRETSAMLEUD (Phat Phat, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 142): EPOCHOLYPSE (Brewmaster, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 367): DARK PANTHEON (Doc Steele, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM   1 MORDANT (turn 488): MURGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Darkfist, mgr.)
                            MUMPHY CHICK of LEGENDS OF STEELE (Doc Steele, mgr.)
 DM   3 OSKSI (turn 493): THOR of AESIR (Buri, mgr.)
 DM   4 JHELUM (turn 489): G.A. CUSTER of DOGS OF WAR (Nick, mgr.)
 DM   6 TRANSEL (turn 492): DARK THUNDER of DARK PANTHEON (Doc Steele, mgr.)
                (turn 491): SPONGEBOB of BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.)
 DM   7 BONSUR (turn 488): JAKUCHU ITO of NINJAS (Shocking Toad, mgr.)
                           RAISON D'ETRE of BATHTUB ARMADA (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  10 KOLACT (turn 484): SHYLAYLA MINOR of PRAETORIAN GUARD (Shocking Toad, mgr.)
 DM  18 TALCAMA (turn 476): HE HATE ME of WASTELAND (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
                            PEON NECROMANCER of SRETSAMLEUD (Phat Phat, mgr.)
                (turn 475): NEOSPHINCTER of WASTELAND (The Muffin Man, mgr.)
 DM  21 SUNSET (turn 474): VEG-O-MATIC of TRANSGRESSORS (?, mgr.)
               (turn 475): TSUNAMI of STORM WARNING (Abarsis, the Slaughter Priest)
 DM  38 CLIFFHOME (turn 438): HEBEE of ALL FINESSE (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 191): ZOOLANDER of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  42 RODEKI (turn 425): SNAPPY GEORGE of COLOR ME SUAVE (Suave, mgr.)
 DM  51 TRICORUS (turn 373): DROGOI of DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.)
 DM  72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 142): MISSY MAYHAM of ANGELS OF CHAOS (Lord Chaos, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, in BONSUR a quiet thief gets rich, but a quiet spymaster gets poor.  
So bring me ale and harken to my tidbits of news.  Now keep the taverns open late 
tonight, for there are sorrows to drown for RANCID BLOKES, whose 0-2-0 this turn 
dropped them by 4 into 10th.  FLOWER CHILDREN stable has parlayed this turn's 3-0-0 
into a 5 space move up the rankings.  This brings them up to 6th place.  Good work, 
guys!  The THE BEARS II guild has had a 3-0-1 turn and deserves to be watched in the 
future.  You never know where this kind of thing can lead.  And let's see, KEARSARGE 
fought EMBEZZLING SCRIBE and gained 21 points and contributed to BATHTUB ARMADA's 
1-4-0.  RED NO. 40 challenged for the Duelmastership this turn, attempting to 
dethrone MORGAN'S BOYS' warrior.  And not without some honor, RED NO. 40 now claims 
the title and throne of Duelmaster of BONSUR.  Tell me, is nothing sacred?  I have 
heard from unimpeachable sources that The Warty Toad uses trolls in their stew.  Talk 
about gristle!   
     He who challenges well, fights well.  He who avoids without cause, shall lose 
for good reasons.  My mama told me that one.  I also notice that the WASTELAND II 
stable was the most avoided team this turn.  Come on BONSUR, what are you afraid of?  
And avoiding WASTELAND II more than any other team we find SUGAR AND SPICE.  BONSUR, 
are we going to accept, or respect this sort of thing?  Well, sports fans, take 
notice that JERICO from MORGAN'S BOYS was BONSUR's most challenged warrior this turn. 
In a brave attempt, PTI from WASTELAND II challenged up 20 points to fight SUGARBEET 
from the SUGAR AND SPICE stable.  PTI perhaps got its just desserts, seeing as it was 
defeated by SUGARBEET and ended up with 90 recognition points.  TASTY HANGNAIL of 
WASTELAND II had better have a good reason for challenging down 11 points in a 
challenge which it lost.  I thought TASTY HANGNAIL showed great skill and promise 
when it was defeated by JERICO.  All right, so I slept through it!  Big deal!   
     The Dark Arena is for those who cannot win, not who cannot lose with grace.  
Dignity in life or death is the warrior's creed.  I guess it was coming sooner or 
later, RANCID BLOKES has lost CHEAP, and BONSUR is bound to miss her.  For a little 
while, at least.  I wish to point out for BEACH BABES that there is but a single turn 
before NINJAS and their warrior, MAGOBE IBUKA, will get away with killing SWEET 
TOMMY.  We'd like to remind certain teams not to rob the graves of their enemies.  
You know who you are; and it's considered rude.   
     Thought for the day, a new sword shines bright, but the notched sword sings the 
sweetest.  It's been nice chatting with you, until we meet again, keep your swords 
sharp and your hammers heavy.  Until you see my quill in BONSUR again, farewell-- 
Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 RED NO. 40 5305              18  12  0   109       WASTELAND II (267)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SUGARBEET 5219               18  17  0   118       SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
-ANGRY CANDY 5047             23  12  1   106       FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
 ADAM 4830                    19  43  2   102       MORGAN'S BOYS (308)
 JERICO 4862                  16  39  0   102       MORGAN'S BOYS (308)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 HOOSIER DADDY 5380           12   9  0   100       FLOWER CHILDREN (26)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-GOOBATRON 5026               17  18  1    90       FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
 PTI 5412                     15   7  0    90       WASTELAND II (267)
 MAGOBE IBUKA 5391            13   9  1    88       NINJAS (35)
-ZOOM ZOOM 5259                8   9  0    88       ERRATA (511)
 TASTY HANGNAIL 5463          10   7  0    79       WASTELAND II (267)
 TALLAHASSE TINA 4889         12  39  0    75       BEACH BABES (309)
-MICRO MIRACLE 5236           11   8  0    71       WASTELAND II (267)
 TERRI TOWEL 5306             15  16  1    68       BEACH BABES (309)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GINGER 5518                  10   2  0    64       SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
 GROOVE THANG 5474             6   4  0    63       FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
 CAESAR 5470                   7   3  3    62       THE BEARS II (510)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 DEEDS 5177                    7  22  1    54       RANCID BLOKES (503)
 SILENT WARNING 5446           3   2  0    35       THE BEARS II (510)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SANDBAR SALLY 5469            6  11  0    29       BEACH BABES (309)
 DEAD POET 5562                2   1  0    28       FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
 RURI IBI 5595                 2   0  0    28       NINJAS (35)
-ROGUE 5263                    4   7  0    26       ERRATA (511)
-WALLET 5260                   4   4  0    25       ERRATA (511)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 KEARSARGE 5444                1   0  0    21       BATHTUB ARMADA (515)
 HOT STUFF 5568                1   2  0    21       THE BEARS II (510)
 THYME 5563                    3   2  1    18       SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
 WARSPITE 5558                 3   2  0    17       BATHTUB ARMADA (515)
-DILL WEED 5241                2   1  0    17       SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
-HUGGER 5573                   1   1  0    14       THE BEARS II (510)
-DIRT 5178                     1   0  0    11       RANCID BLOKES (503)
 MY BIG TOE 5601               1   1  0     9       WASTELAND II (267)
 ANZAI MURO 5594               1   1  0     8       NINJAS (35)
 UMBRELLA MAN 5600             1   2  0     5       BEACH BABES (309)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
9101011211211 5614     0  1 0 BATHTUB ARMADA 515    HIGH ELF 677          490 NONE    
912141591015 5613      0  1 0 BATHTUB ARMADA 515    WURM KIN 685          490 NONE    
2199177813 5612        0  1 0 BATHTUB ARMADA 515    BLACK ORC 678         490 NONE    
SWEET TOMMY 5569       3  1 0 BEACH BABES 309       MAGOBE IBUKA 5391     487         
CHESS 5261             6  2 0 ERRATA 511            TERRI TOWEL 5306      487 REVENGED
SUKO ITO 5602          0  1 0 NINJAS 35             BUTTERCUP 679         490 NONE    
CHEAP 5181             6 23 0 RANCID BLOKES 503     CAESAR 5470           490         
179915171211 5611      0  1 0 SUGAR AND SPICE 501   ARENAMASTER ILHUM 681 490 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Hugger -- Splendid!  By all means, let us hug! -- Umbrella Man, never one to forego a
hug in mixed company

Jakuchu Ito -- I keep TELLING Nick I need a strategy change, or at least a challenge-
and-avoid, but will he listen?  No, of course not!  Good fight. -- Tallahasse Tina

Ginger -- Just because you dye your hair red doesn't mean you're GOOD, you know.  It
probably means something else entirely! -- Terri Towel
P.S.  But you're EFFECTIVE, that's for sure!  Ouch.
P.P.S.  I hate fighting with desperation.  Because all it means is that I get tense
and anxious and I can't do anything about it.  No desperation strategy.  Can you beat
that?  What a bum of a manager I have.

Deeds -- Well, you sure wrapped us up a whiz-bang of an oh-fer turn.  (mournful sigh)
Good work. -- Sandbar Sally, the grossly misunderstood (by her manager)

10 January 2004
ZalCon2 Updates (1/9/04)

     The contest will be starting on the turn due February 23rd, 2004 and run for 20
turns.
     Only one team will be allowed for each manager in the contest, regardless of
whether additional teams are announced as contest entries.  No exceptions for any
reason.
     The Style Master points should read that there is +1 point for beating a member
of your own style even if the warrior is not registered for the contest.
     Rolling points for consecutive turns as Style Master means that your warrior
gets the extra point every turn after the first 3 that he continues to hold the
title.
     The points for Quality Wins should be clarified to read the winning warrior is
ranked below by the number of recognition points needed for each bonus point at the
start of the fight.  For example, Warrior A (3-2-0, 17) beats Warrior B (4-1-0, 35)
and receives 2 bonus points under Quality Win for the 18 point difference in the
ranking.
     I believe that is all the clarifications for the moment, please feel free to
email, diplo, call or write me with any other questions or concerns about the
contest.
          Robert Occhipinti aka Zalgor Prigg

10 January 2004
                *     *     *  Third Annual Turf War  *     *      *

     Come one and all to DM 47 (North Fork) for the Third Annual Turf War!  Rules of
the contest will be posted in Turn #208's newsletter (due date Feb. 23).  The contest
will begin on Turn #209 (due date March 22).
     So, get a team there and register!  To register, you must send me a donation of
one (1) rollup CERTIFICATE.  Then, declare your alliance and team in the North Fork
personals.  You may also declare a warrior as champion, and that warrior will earn
(or lose!) double points in the contest!
     Roll-up certs will be *ALL* awarded as prizes, in addition to:

*** Highest Scoring Alliance -- Gets to Rename DM 47 for 6 months!
*** Most returns from DA (Alliance) -- Rename DA monsters for 6 months!
*** Most listings as "Style Masters" (Alliance) -- Pick arena to host the April "05
    Grand Tournament!
*** Warrior with the most awards -- Arenamaster named after him for 6 months!
*** Alliance with the most awards -- Pick the slow arena for TW 4!
*** Team with most "Style Master" listings -- Discover favorites of one warrior on
    team!
*** Warrior with most "Style Master" listings -- Fights at my expense for 5 turns!
    (I'll transfer $7.50 to the manager's account)
*** Alliance with the most kills -- Rename the stand-ins for 6 months!
*** Highest scoring Warrior -- Fights at my expense for 5 turns.  (I'll transfer
    $7.50 to their manager's account.)

     The contest will run for 10 turns, with the winners announced on turn #220.  See
the Turn #208 North Fork newsletter for complete rules and scoring system!  Direct
"declarations" to:  A.D. in the personals, and prize pot entry donations to:
                      Jason Mazuch HSP H-2
                      P.O. Box 339 #924385
                      Sparta, GA  31087-0339
     By snail mail or diplo through RSI.
               Bloody Sands!
                    Asmo Dius, TCB

16 January 2004
                                    CHAOTIC WINDS
     Once, long ago, the four Winds of Time descended upon Alastari like a TEMPEST of
epic proportions, they slew everything within their all-encompassing reach.  They
left nothing.  In their wake lay smoldering ruins.
     In their haste they sped towards the center of this great land like a colossal
giant would step across an ocean.  The four storms picked up momentum on their way
towards each other.  A collision was eminent.
     The first storm wind, the oldest and wisest of the four was named APEXALUS.  The
second, FLAGGSTAFF, was the quickest and loudest entity ever created.  The third Wind
of Time was MATRIATIN, neither old or young, quick or slow, but fierce and feisty all
the same.  The forth wind, ASSAMITHIUS, the youngest yet most creative in its means
of destruction.
     When finally they merged at the center of ALASTARI, an incredible destructive
explosion occurred.  And when the smoke and debris cleared they were one.  CHAOS was
born.
     And Chaos spread across the diminished lands reeking havoc and doom with its
passing, and destroying allover again that which already lay in ruin.

F E A R    C H A O S    I N C.
M A T R I X

28 January 2004
All -- I send out this invitation to all teams and managers.  A new Alliance has been
formed.  The Living Essences Alliance is being formed to join forces in an effort to
eliminate common foes and to help the joined warriors grow and learn to the best of
their abilities by offering suggestions and advice.  It doesn't matter what arena
you're in, or if you're in another alliance already, as of today.  This Alliance is
open to one and all!  If you are interested in joining, please DIPLO me, or send a
personal ad to DM 93's newsletter.  If you wish to join beyond March 2004, send a PA
to DM 82.  Come join the fun! -- Dagan LifeGiver, mgr. Shadow Warriors (DM 93)

28 January 2004
This notice is to formally introduce our young alliance, CHAOS INC.  We consist of
APEX, FLAGG, MATRIX, ASSAMITE, and now RUDE BUDDHA.  If we aren't already there, we
WILL be coming to an arena near you soon!  Hope to see you all at the ZALCON II.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

9101011211211 was butchered by HIGH ELF in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
912141591015 was slaughtered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute gruesome Dark Arena battle.
SUKO ITO was killed by BUTTERCUP in a 1 minute gruesome Dark Arena fight.
2199177813 was barely slain by BLACK ORC in a popular 1 minute Dark Arena contest.
179915171211 was murdered by ARENAMASTER ILHUME' in a 1 minute Dark Arena competition.
RED NO. 40 devastated ADAM in a 2 minute one-sided Challenge Title duel.
TASTY HANGNAIL was devastated by JERICO in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge match.
PTI was overcome by SUGARBEET in a action packed 3 minute expert's Challenge fight.
GROOVE THANG vanquished DEEDS in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel.
THYME won victory over ANZAI MURO in a popular 4 minute Challenge duel.
WARSPITE was overpowered by RURI IBI in a 1 minute uneven Challenge match.
DEAD POET savagely defeated SANDBAR SALLY in a exciting 4 minute Challenge fight.
MY BIG TOE viciously subdued UMBRELLA MAN in a 2 minute amateur's Challenge conflict.
HOOSIER DADDY demolished TALLAHASSE TINA in a 1 minute one-sided brawl.
GINGER was handily defeated by MAGOBE IBUKA in a 1 minute one-sided conflict.
TERRI TOWEL vanquished FRATSFA SLAVE in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
CHEAP was slaughtered by CAESAR in a crowd pleasing 1 minute bloody one-sided fray.
SILENT WARNING devastated ANDORIAN NOBLE in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
HOT STUFF demolished CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute brutal one-sided bout.
KEARSARGE overpowered EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute mismatched conflict.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                  10         WALL OF STEEL     26 -  13 -  2      67  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  5         TOTAL PARRY       17 -  13 -  1      57  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         AIMED BLOW        11 -   9 -  0      55  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      3         SLASHING ATTACK   24 -  20 -  0      55  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         PARRY-LUNGE       12 -  11 -  2      52  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      2         PARRY-STRIKE       6 -   7 -  0      46  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         LUNGING ATTACK    55 -  67 -  3      45  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         BASHING ATTACK    14 -  19 -  1      42  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         STRIKING ATTACK   10 -  19 -  1      34  |
|AIMED BLOW                       1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      5 -  15 -  0      25  |

Turn 490 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         0 -  1         5  LUNGING ATTACK 
WALL OF STEEL      1 -  0     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  2         1  TOTAL PARRY    
LUNGING ATTACK     7 -  3     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  5         1  BASHING ATTACK 
PARRY-LUNGE        2 -  1                                       1  SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK    2 -  2                                       1  PARRY-STRIKE   
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  1                                       1  PARRY-LUNGE    
TOTAL PARRY        1 -  1                                       1  AIMED BLOW     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      RED NO. 40 5305            18  12  0  109 WASTELAND II (267)
BASHING ATTACK   SUGARBEET 5219             18  17  0  118 SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
PARRY-STRIKE     HOOSIER DADDY 5380         12   9  0  100 FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
LUNGING ATTACK   PTI 5412                   15   7  0   90 WASTELAND II (267)
AIMED BLOW       TASTY HANGNAIL 5463        10   7  0   79 WASTELAND II (267)
SLASHING ATTACK  GINGER 5518                10   2  0   64 SUGAR AND SPICE (501)
PARRY-LUNGE      GROOVE THANG 5474           6   4  0   63 FLOWER CHILDREN (26)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is TALLAHASSE TINA 4889.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was PTI 5412.  The ten other most popular fighters were DEAD POET 5562, ANZAI 
MURO 5594, RED NO. 40 5305, SUGARBEET 5219, ADAM 4830, GROOVE THANG 5474, THYME 5563, 
MY BIG TOE 5601, HOOSIER DADDY 5380, and CAESAR 5470.

The least popular fighter this week was GINGER 5518.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were TALLAHASSE TINA 4889, SANDBAR SALLY 5469, WARSPITE 5558, DEEDS 5177, 
TASTY HANGNAIL 5463, 179915171211 5611, 9101011211211 5614, SILENT WARNING 5446, 
CHEAP 5181, and UMBRELLA MAN 5600.

The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn:

RED NO. 40 (7-5305) WASTELAND II (267)