DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 12/10/2008 Duedate: 12/23/2008 MALCORN ARENA DM-15 TURN-603 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS LYLYANNA DARK CREATION (471) (15-4919) [15-9-0,112] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader LYLYANNA POSITION IS EMPTY DARK CREATION (471) (15-4919) [15-9-0,112] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite SIMULACRUM ZIRCON DARK CREATION (471) STARBASE 5 (263) (15-4906) [19-14-2,82] (15-4920) [12-7-0,81] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM GREENWARDENS (244) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. PRAETORIAN GUARD (250) 41 2. GREENWARDENS (244) 7 DARK CREATION (471) 3. STARBASE 5 (263) -7 Unchartered Team 4. DARK CREATION (471) -11 INFIRMARY ALLSTARS (403) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 1 DARK CREATION (471) 262 239 11 52.3 1/ 1 GREENWARDENS (244) 10 5 0 2/ 2 STARBASE 5 (263) 254 249 9 50.5 2/ 2 DARK CREATION (471) 8 5 0 3/ 3 GREENWARDENS (244) 588 719 13 45.0 3/ 3 STARBASE 5 (263) 5 10 0 4/ 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD (250) 72 106 12 40.4 4/ 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD (250) 1 4 0 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Edge of Night #25 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Agro watched the others leave, Uncle Wolf, Lord Malcorn, the gladiator Math, and the Dark Stranger from the Silent Place. No doubt his own party, himself, Redfox, and Blackwind, was going into as much danger--and more quickly--but at least they didn't have the Stranger looking over their shoulders and lusting for their blood. Because he was sure that however constrained by agreements and conventions, that predatory Stranger DID lust for the blood of mortals. Well, warm-blooded mortals, anyway. And he wasn't going to trust in his own cold-blooded nature to save him, if it came to a tight spot. The Croc shrugged and went back inside to the fire; his group would not be leaving until sunset, and he wanted to enjoy the warmth while he could. Time enough to be cold and on edge tonight, and for all they were warmbloods, he believed Blackwind and Redfox to be true companions who would not abandon either him or each other when things got desperate. Blackwind was pacing while a Greenwarden, Whisperstep, explained how to find the sacrificial rock. Sometimes he started to rub his shoulder and then stopped himself. Agro resisted an urge to rub his own shoulder. Each of the three of them now bore a tattoo on the shoulder, the outward mark of the binding that the shaman Wolf had made to link them all. The old human had said that it "might have other uses than just the link," but he hadn't told them what those uses might be; he seemed not to know. Agro hadn't realized that there were any kinds of magic that could be like that, do things without the practitioner knowing what was going on. Were all kinds of magic like that sometimes? It was not a comforting thought. He turned to see what Redfox was doing, ask if there was something he himself should be doing. The Rirorni was filling backpacks. Food, tools, a change of clothes, first aid supplies. "You look like you're getting ready for an ordinary trip," he said. "Do you think we'll actually need any of that stuff?" Redfox shrugged. "We might, and it would be a bitter joke if we came to grief over not having brought something as obvious as a canteen or a coil of light rope." The Croc nodded. "You have a point. But won't our quarry think it odd to see the bait carrying a pack?" "Not if I carry it to the site and then drop it. I'd bet it wouldn't be the first time the bait had done pack duty until it was time to die. And besides, if we set things up right, our quarry shouldn't be taking the time to think about details. It should be too eager for my blood. And whatever else it might take from a sacrifice." "That doesn't bother you?" "It bothers me. But if this is what needs doing, I'll do it. And I've died more than once already, fighting on the Isle. I feel like I'm living on chimerical time anyway, because of that." He shrugged and picked up a leather pouch that, by its scent, must hold some kind of strong herbs. "I would prefer to go on living, and I'll do everything I can to go on living, but death is always waiting for a warrior, and even more for a gladiator. We all of us accepted that when we entered the arena." After a moment, he added, "Do you remember that village in the forest north of Riztab, where everyone had been turned into a zombie? I don't want that to happen again, if anything I can do will help prevent it." The waiting had been the hardest part. All the slow hours of the short winter day, with nothing to do but pace and fret. Agro paced, the humans fretted. Well, they paced, also, Blackwind more than Redfox. Apparently the older gladiator, having made up his mind what part he would play in their risky trap, had been able to put the whole thing out of his mind. The Rirorni actually slept! But the sun had set, finally, and the three gladiators had slipped out the back of the Greenwardens's guildhouse. Whisperstep accompanied them to set them on the right path, and a good thing. The woods were crisscrossed with paths broad and narrow, well-trodden or seldom used. Picking out the right one would have been difficult. But as they got deeper into the woods, the paths got fewer and the signs of intelligent activities such as the cutting of firewood became less. And the spaces between the trees got darker. The Greenwarden stopped where the path they were on forked. "This is as far as I go," he said. "That way will take you to Blood Rock; it should be half an hour or so farther." Blackwind looked at the trail they were to follow. "It's seen a fair amount of traffic lately, hasn't it?" Whisperstep shrugged, his expression unreadable in the gloom. "These are unsettled times. People are afraid. When they're afraid they sometimes turn to the old ways of averting misfortune." After a moment he added, "I think they mostly sacrifice... goats." "If you say so. But at least whatever is out there won't be surprised when we-- " He stopped. Maybe he couldn't go on and say that they were going to offer a human sacrifice to some kind of hunting creature. "No," Whisperstep answered, "they won't be surprised. Good luck." He turned and went back the way they'd come, vanishing into the shadowy forest. Redfox looked at Agro. "We don't know what senses these things have beyond an ability to detect blood," he said, "so you'd better keep back far enough to be out of sight." The Croc nodded. "I have been a hunter myself. I can guess what is needed." "Then let's go." Blackwind plunged down the indicated path, moving a little too fast. Nerves, Agro decided. In a way, the Malcornishman's part was the hardest. Or maybe not. Each part was hard, just different. Redfox caught up with the other human and said something to him that the Croc couldn't hear. Blackwind stopped and stared straight ahead for a long moment. Then he turned, dug in one of the packs, and bound Redfox's hands. Ah. Good thinking; don't wait until the last minute to start the play they'd agreed on. When he judged they were far enough ahead, he moved out behind them. * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 606): BLHU MURTHER of BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 608): CAELUM of FORCE OF FIVE (Doctor Doom, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 602): LYLYANNA of DARK CREATION (H.P.L. West, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 604): GOLD BULLION of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 603): YAREK ZURN of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 601): BART SIMPSON of CUNNING RUNTS (Deep Thought, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 300): YAU (DARKFACE) of ZULU NATION (?, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 594): PLATINUM PEENER of METAL MINCERS (Oremaster, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 298): BEDLAM of CHAOS (Lord of Chaos, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 590): LUCRETIUS of ROMAN HEROES (Caesar, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 588): THE MONK of RAVAGING HORDES (General Ikillu, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 579): KNUCKLE of LOST CAUSE (Vol, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 542): HAWK NELSON of POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 276): BOLI of OF WOLF & MAN (Tripwire, mgr.) DM 47 DOUBLE X (turn 270): SISTER MERCY of OLD HABITS (Soultaker, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 257): DOMJON of DRUID'S GROVE (Armalias, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 469): TWIG LITE ZONE of INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 456): STITCHES of CHILDHOOD TRAUMA (Samwise the Bald) DM 61 JURINE (turn 442): XAVAN YOLE of MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 433): ROPE MAN of MIGHTY HEROES (Hombre, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 205): SKIN PEELER of BLACKMAIL (The Mun, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 401): GOOGLE of CORPS (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 397): FOOTSTEPS of PARANOID ASYLUM (Jekyll, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 379): SHANA TWO-KNIVES of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 495): GOLEM of THE PHILANTROPHISTS (Aragorn, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 606): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.) DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 608): DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.) DM 15 MALCORN (turn 602): GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 604): PUNNY ANIMALS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 603): MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 601): CUNNING RUNTS (Deep Thought, mgr.) DM 28 MORYA (turn 300): THE ANIMALS (The Zoo Keeper, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 594): MID EARTH (Visionist, mgr.) DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 298): LORDS OF VALHALLA (High Lord Bosk, mgr.) DM 32 ARVAT (turn 590): DEVIL ADVOCATES (Dark One, mgr.) DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 588): RAVAGING LORDS (General Ikillu, mgr.) DM 35 MURSKA (turn 579): CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.) DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 542): LUROICIAN ROYALTY (The Greek Guy, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 276): POSITION IS EMPTY DM 47 DOUBLE X (turn 270): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 257): LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 469): INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 456): HIT ME WITH... (PTFT, mgr.) DM 61 JURINE (turn 442): MIDDLE WAY 16 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 463): MIGHTY DUCKS (Woody, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 205): MONGOL HORDE (Crip, mgr.) DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 401): CORPS (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 397): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 379): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.) ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 495): DO IT AGAIN et al (The Dark One, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 608): BIG SHRIMP of ICE AGE (Wali Kharif, mgr.) DM 16 WILLAF (turn 604): GOLD BULLION of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.) DM 29 LAPUR (turn 593): HULIK of MID EARTH (Visionist, mgr.) DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 276): AUNTY ENTITY of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.) YUFFIE of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.) DM 47 DOUBLE X (turn 269): THE RON of WARHAMMERS (Coyote, mgr.) FOLMOR GRIGG of THE MIDDLE WAY 3 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 256): CANTEX of LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.) DM 60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 456): STITCHES of CHILDHOOD TRAUMA (Samwise the Bald) FLICKED BOOGERS of HIT ME WITH... (PTFT, mgr.) DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 205): SKIN PEELER of BLACKMAIL (The Mun, mgr.) HAWTHORN of BAD APPLES (Jorja, mgr.) DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 397): FOOTSTEPS of PARANOID ASYLUM (Jekyll, mgr.) SPY REPORT Hail MALCORN! Warriors of the arena, prepare to be praised and blamed for your deeds. And let's see, BOSS fought SIMULACRUM and gained 22 points and contributed to STARBASE 5's 2-3-0. SIMULACRUM has lost to BOSS, falling 23 points, while helping make DARK CREATION a 2-2-0 turn. Defending hers title for another turn, LYLYANNA kept GREENWARDENS' warrior, WIND RIDER, from claiming the throne. By the way, was that our Duelmaster that I saw last night, cramped under the table at Drake's Barbecue? The crowd's roar, the smell of iron and leather, mixed with sweat, what more could a warrior ask of life? Well, besides that. DARK CREATION has cause to stand tall, as they were MALCORN's most avoided team. A smart manager knows this is a team to beat. And avoiding DARK CREATION more than any other team we find PRAETORIAN GUARD. MALCORN, are we going to accept, or respect this sort of thing? 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. 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. Well, I'm burning daylight here in MALCORN and I've a long road ahead of me. Happy Trails. Until the sun next rises and my pen sets to paper-- Alarond the Scribe DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME LYLYANNA 4919 15 9 0 112 DARK CREATION (471) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME THULE 4921 17 6 0 110 DARK CREATION (471) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BOSS 4877 16 18 1 106 STARBASE 5 (263) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME WIND RIDER 4876 22 24 0 90 GREENWARDENS (244) REDTHORN 4943 12 5 0 84 GREENWARDENS (244) SIMULACRUM 4906 19 14 2 82 DARK CREATION (471) ZIRCON 4920 12 7 0 81 STARBASE 5 (263) STUMP 4882 16 25 0 80 GREENWARDENS (244) AVENGELINA 4888 16 14 0 77 STARBASE 5 (263) VARPULIS RUKH 4863 13 29 1 70 STARBASE 5 (263) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME PIE EYED PIPER 4878 16 18 0 66 STARBASE 5 (263) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME NECROPALYPSE 4950 6 4 1 33 DARK CREATION (471) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME AGATE 4951 3 0 0 15 GREENWARDENS (244) AEMILIUS 4946 1 0 0 15 PRAETORIAN GUARD (250) -KHAMUL 4033 1 5 0 8 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) BRISTLECONE 4952 2 1 0 7 GREENWARDENS (244) -NEMO 4648 1 1 0 4 DOWN WITH THE SHIP (468) -AKHORAHIL 4031 0 1 0 4 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) -ADUNAPHEL 4032 0 4 0 4 THE BLACK RIDERS (391) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? THORNWOOD 4944 3 7 0 GREENWARDENS 244 NECROPALYPSE 4950 599 REVENGED APPIUS 4945 0 1 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD 250 SHEWISH GIANT 603 NONE DEAD ROMAN 4948 0 1 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD 250 BANDIT PRINCE 603 NONE DEAD ROMAN 4947 0 1 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD 250 WURM KIN 603 NONE PETRONIUS 4949 0 1 0 PRAETORIAN GUARD 250 ARENAMASTER LAND 603 NONE PERSONAL ADS The Scribe -- I understand. No need to rush perfection. I am enjoying every transcription and can only hope the future of our close friends and allies will be leaving them with a good sense of adventure and perhaps good health. The world of Alastari depends on them. I wonder how many people realize that their very livelihood is in the hands of these brave souls. Godspeed. -- Zeus Lylyanna -- You were so quick...I'm thinking you had a false start. You knew if I had the initiative there was no way you could have had a chance. Seems you found my Achilles. Well done...for a girl. -- Boss P.S. This will be coming out of your pay you know. Thule -- You too weak to do it? Couldn't even take the kill shot could you. You couldn't stomach the idea! A disgrace to the slashers guild. If it were ME, I would have lopped your head off. I would have walked from the sands and never looked back. But no, I practically hand you my head in a bucket and you shied away from it. Some things I'll never understand. -- Zircon P.S. But between you and me, I'm glad you didn't have the nerve. Wind Rider -- Jeez! I guess I shouldn't have started by hitting you below the belt eh? -- The Piper Stable of Starbase 5 -- As far as I'm concerned you can all STAY IN THE INFIRMARY! Either that or the DARK ARENA!!! -- Zeus Pie-Eyed Piper -- You may not realize how lucky you are. A lot of Jorja's teams have started COOKING and spend all their time TALKING about cooking. You wouldn't want to hear what kind of foods your name sparks in my thoughts. -- Wind Rider P.S. Well, maybe you would. Who can say? P.P.S. Jorja says that, "whatever else, you can always talk about food; it's almost as good as the weather." I guess the Khalhums, I mean, Murskan Dwarf isn't as good at hacking stumps as he is at mining in stone. Good thing. I'd hate to have him drive a tunnel through me! -- Stump P.S. But, dammit, he could TEACH me something, couldn't he? Varpulis Rukh -- My thorn is red because it's bloody, and not because cooking something with red berries. -- Redthorn P.S. Er, ah, I'm told that might be misunderstood. Don't misunderstand it, I'm speaking in totally gladiatorial terms. Only single entenders here. Hmm, chicken tenders...not a bad thought. It is to laugh. The Convicted Thief got pine bristles in his fingers, and so much for his claim that he was framed. Rather conspicuous pine bristles, you know? -- Bristlecone The Mordant Deserter had the NERVE to whine at me. So I stoned him. -- Agate Our salute to those who attempted the tourney. -- Jorja and the Greenwardens LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS DEAD ROMAN was butchered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight. PETRONIUS was butchered by ARENAMASTER LANDON in a 1 minute Dark Arena duel. APPIUS was murdered by SHEWISH GIANT in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena melee. DEAD ROMAN was assassinated by BANDIT PRINCE in a 2 minute bloody Dark Arena duel. LYLYANNA devastated WIND RIDER in a 1 minute one-sided Title fight. THULE demolished STUMP in a 1 minute gruesome mismatched competition. SIMULACRUM was overpowered by BOSS in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided struggle. AVENGELINA was overcome by KUNG-FU MASTER in a 2 minute fight. PIE EYED PIPER was handily defeated by REDTHORN in a 1 minute uneven melee. ZIRCON was defeated by KHALHUMS DWARF in a action packed 3 minute gory duel. VARPULIS RUKH overpowered NECROPALYPSE in a 1 minute uneven match. BRISTLECONE was beaten by AEMILIUS in a 2 minute brutal novice's fight. AGATE bested MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute amateur's conflict. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |TOTAL PARRY 5 SLASHING ATTACK 15 - 6 - 0 71 | |LUNGING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 20 - 10 - 1 67 | |SLASHING ATTACK 3 AIMED BLOW 11 - 9 - 0 55 | |AIMED BLOW 2 STRIKING ATTACK 6 - 5 - 0 55 | |BASHING ATTACK 2 TOTAL PARRY 13 - 11 - 0 54 | |STRIKING ATTACK 2 PARRY-STRIKE 5 - 5 - 0 50 | |WALL OF STEEL 1 BASHING ATTACK 4 - 7 - 0 36 | |PARRY-STRIKE 1 WALL OF STEEL 4 - 14 - 0 22 | |PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 5 - 0 17 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 603 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: WALL OF STEEL 1 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 2 AIMED BLOW LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 1 TOTAL PARRY 1 - 4 2 SLASHING ATTACK AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 LUNGING ATTACK BASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 1 STRIKING ATTACK PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 1 TOTAL PARRY STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 2 1 PARRY-STRIKE 1 WALL OF STEEL 1 BASHING ATTACK TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME AIMED BLOW LYLYANNA 4919 15 9 0 112 DARK CREATION (471) SLASHING ATTACK THULE 4921 17 6 0 110 DARK CREATION (471) LUNGING ATTACK REDTHORN 4943 12 5 0 84 GREENWARDENS (244) PARRY-STRIKE AVENGELINA 4888 16 14 0 77 STARBASE 5 (263) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is SIMULACRUM 4906. The most popular warrior this turn was ZIRCON 4920. The ten other most popular fighters were AEMILIUS 4946, THULE 4921, BOSS 4877, REDTHORN 4943, LYLYANNA 4919, AVENGELINA 4888, VARPULIS RUKH 4863, AGATE 4951, WIND RIDER 4876, and SIMULACRUM 4906. The least popular fighter this week was DEAD ROMAN 4948. The other ten least popular fighters were BRISTLECONE 4952, NECROPALYPSE 4950, STUMP 4882, APPIUS 4945, PETRONIUS 4949, DEAD ROMAN 4947, PIE EYED PIPER 4878, SIMULACRUM 4906, WIND RIDER 4876, and AGATE 4951. The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn: LYLYANNA (15-4919) DARK CREATION (471) WINTER FACE-TO-FACE IN SUNNY ARIZONA! Our next Winter FTF will be held in Tempe, Arizona, January 16-18, 2009. It will be held at the Fiesta Resort in Tempe, AZ at 2100 South Priest Drive, Tempe, 85282 (480-967-1441). Rooms are only $139.00 per night, 1-2 occupancy. There is a free 24-hour shuttle from the airport, free parking, free high-speed wireless internet in all guest rooms. There is a fitness center with cardiovascular and weight-lifting equipment, a heated swimming pool and jacuzzi, with poolside beverage delivery. They have a bustling happy hour in the Kachina lounge, with complimentary hors d'oeuvres. There are tons of restaurants nearby at the Mall, a Denny's across the street, and several fast food options nearby as well, as well as a restaurant in the hotel with room service. If you arrive early or stay late, don't forget that there is excellent golfing in the Phoenix area, with several championship courses nearby. Winter is an excellent time to explore Arizona with a trip to the Grand Canyon or Sedona or any of our other scenic sites across the state. Hotel info: http://www.fiestainnresort.com The rooms are blocked--ask for the "Reality Simulations" room block. The tournament information sheet will be out imminently. We hope you're all looking forward to the tournament and that we will see you there!