DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 04/01/2004    Duedate: 04/14/2004

ZORPUNT ARENA

DM-24    TURN-475

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

KID ROCK
THE MC5 (445)
(24-4340) [28-21-0,105]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

KID ROCK                       GOLDEEN
THE MC5 (445)                  WATER DECK (459)
(24-4340) [28-21-0,105]        (24-4522) [5-0-2,61]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

KID ROCK                       TOMBO LARK
THE MC5 (445)                  KRILL CAVALRY (403)
(24-4340) [28-21-0,105]        (24-4488) [7-10-0,31]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

WATER DECK (459)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. WATER DECK (459)            60
2. KRILL CAVALRY (403)         17      AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
3. 13 YRS & COUNTING (465)     16      Unchartered Team
4. COME WITH ME (466)          14
5. AUSSIE KILLERS (455)        12      13 YRS & COUNTING (465)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1*13 YRS & COUNTING (465)    6   0  0  100   1/ 7*WATER DECK (459)          7  2 1
 2/ 0*COME WITH ME (466)         1   0  0  100   2/ 1 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)      7  6 0
 3- 2*SWEET BLISS (441)          4   1  0 80.0   3/ 6 KRILL CAVALRY (403)       7  8 0
 4/ 3*WATER DECK (459)          25  13  3 65.8   4/ 3*13 YRS & COUNTING (465)   6  0 0
 5/ 4 AUSSIE KILLERS (455)      61  52  3 54.0   5- 2 THE ASININE (272)         3  7 0
 6- 6 THE ASININE (272)        101  87  9 53.7   6/ 4 THE MC5 (445)             3  9 1
 7/ 5 THE MC5 (445)            126 110 12 53.4   7/ 5 BATTLEMANIA (71)          2 12 0
 8/ 7 BATTLEMANIA (71)         376 355 25 51.4   8/ 0*COME WITH ME (466)        1  0 0
 9/ 8 KRILL CAVALRY (403)      381 397 12 49.0   9- 8*SWEET BLISS (441)         1  0 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 #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Near Fratsfa:

     Gladiators sailed up the river from Kati-Tei through Andor, Fratsfa, and Zensu
to the Isle of the Eye.  Some came as tourists, some as newly-graduated warriors,
some to attend and participate in the Spring Tourney.  This was a steady source of
income for boatmen, and many of them made the trip two or three times a month; the
river and its shores were well known to them.
     "I don't remember a castle on that hill," one sailor muttered, squinting at the
shore.  "And I was along here just last week...."
     "There was no castle there," Lady Fern, manager of the Flower Girls in Fratsfa
confirmed.  "And a week is certainly not long enough to build one!"
     "There was one...eight hundred years ago," a voice murmured behind her.
     The statuesque manager glanced back at her gladiatress, Nasty Nasturtium.  The
woman was an Araoi, and elf of the purest blood, and Lady Fern supposed it was
possible that Nasturtium actually REMEMBERED a castle there, but she hoped not.  The
thought of having a warrior that old was unsettling.  "You're sure, Nasty?"
     The elfin blonde nodded firmly.  "Yes, my mother told me about it--one of her
brothers helped to bring the castle down.  The Castle of Storms, that was its name, a
place of the darkest arts.  It was the stronghold of Prince Illrienherthinil
Silverthorn, who was called the Ill Rain."
     Lady Fern glanced at the sky automatically.  It WAS getting cloudy, but that
was, must be, coincidence.  After all, changeable weather was common at this time of
year.
     "That wasn't on Khaldren's list."  The short, stocky man removed his bowler and
extended a hand to Lady Fern.  "Raoul, Lord Protector In Gerfel We Trust."
     "Kennelworth has spoken of you," Lady Fern admitted.  "But what do you know of
this Castle of Storms?"
     "Not a thing, doll.  But I'm wondering if Khaldren's magic isn't raising more
ruins than he planned on--anyplace with enough of the wrong kind of magic
concentrated in it."
     "This Khaldren is...?" Nasturtium asked.
     "A wizard who escaped the sinking of Krael," Raoul explained.  "He wants to
bring Krael forward in time, or back from the dead, or something.  And other places
he knows about from that era."
     "That would take a great magic," Nasturtium protested.  "With the Arcanum in the
current low state, it should not be possible."
     "Adie in Aruak City says he could be using blood magic based on the arena
deaths, doll.  She seems to think that'd do it for him."
     The elf recoiled.  "It would!" she whispered, "and that would call to all sites
where dark magic has sunk deep.  This must be stopped!"
     "Well, I'm taking the warning to Lady Sheila--"
     "She can do nothing, even if she would," Nasturtium snapped.  "She dares not
touch blood magic, even to fight it, except in the most indirect fashion, and
indirection will not serve!  Not soon enough, anyway."
     "Adie will think of some way to fight Khaldren," Raoul said, a little uneasily.
He took a deep breath and put his hat back on.  "And until he's stopped, we will
fight everything he brings up from the past."
     "If we have to fight the Ill Rain," Nasty Nasturtium predicted, "it won't be
easy."

Valamantis:

     Lord Protector Ka D'Argo, on a brief trip to his home on Kolact, had planned to
take ship at Valamantis.  But the port city was not as he had expected.  There was
always bustle, but now...it reminded him of a disturbed anthill.  And where had those
towers on the landward side come from?  They weren't something that could have been
built in a day, or even a year, and he'd been through here four months ago.
     "It's Old Valamantis," Arenamistress Sitalva said grimly.  "We've had word of
some kind of magic afoot aimed at ruined cities, and with all the blood spilled in
the recent Bloodgames, it would have been more surprising if something had NOT
happened there.  But understanding why doesn't help us now.  The oldest levels of Old
Valamantis," she said grimly, "were Folstrom.  NOBODY wants to see the Folstrom loose
in the world again."
     "Bringing the ruins back is one thing," the tall gladiator argued, "but the
people...?  Surely Ahringol won't release their souls because of a spell and some
blood."
     Sitalva watched the slight wavering of the resurrected towers and shivered,
though the day was already warm.  "We'll find out, when the city stabilizes.  The
Silver Mage says sometime in the next week and a half or two weeks.  But we can see
people moving around in there.  And even if they're zombies, it isn't going to be
good."

Iaye:

     The fishing boats that had fled Iaye when the earthquakes began crept back one
by one as the Trier grew calm again.  Most of them followed the coast down toward
Point, not because they needed the guidance but to see for themselves if drowned
Krael had truly risen from the waves.
     It had.
     Lord Protector Goff, assistant manager of the Red Dog Gang, stood on the gently
rocking deck of his boat and stared through a spyglass at the rampart of buildings
that blocked what had been the strait between Iaye and Point.  He wasn't sure what he
had expected, but not this.
     Krael stood above the water, but not as it must once have looked.  Many of the
taller buildings showed broken tops, and all was slimed with mud and weed.  Here and
there, decaying wrecks lay in the streets or even on the roofs of houses.  The smell
of dead fish was obvious even from a mile away.  Krael LOOKED like a city that had
spent centuries under water.  The people who moved among those ruins didn't.  There
weren't enough of them to represent the entire population of the city at the time of
its disaster, he guessed at no more than two hundred.  But they looked...normal.
Alive.  And their activity--they seemed to be trying to clear one section of the city
of its mud and debris--were just what you'd expect.
     And they seemed to take the whole situation for granted.  They must KNOW, from
the state of Krael now, what had happened, but they just calmly went about cleaning
up.
     That was the most unnerving thing of all.

Xochithlan:

     There were no ruins around Xochithlan to rise up at the wizard's call, because
the modern city was the old city, continuously lived in for longer than most
Alastarian cities had existed.  There was, perhaps, a tendency for certain long-
buried residents to stir in their graves, but if any came out to walk the streets, it
was not immediately obvious.
     What was obvious was the forest.
     There had been a forest around Xochithlan for a long time, but it had been
burned away during the Rirorni War.  Replanting efforts had been ongoing for the last
eight years, but eight years is not long enough to bring back a major forest.  And
what surrounded the city now, pressing in against the walls and disturbing the newer
suburbs, was a major forest.
     Not, however, a forest such as the Xochithlani remembered.
     This was a Forest Primeval.
     This was a forest that might hide...anything.
     And according to the scholars of ancient texts consulted by King Feyen of
Xochithlan, it probably did.

Zuwayza:

     Zuwayza was as old as Xochithlan, and there were as many dark secrets buried
under its streets.  The foundation of the city, Vekhirn knew, went back to the days
before the first humans.  There were Folstrom traces, but there was also something
older.  Maybe more than one something.  And they were all stirring.  Too much blood
had been spilled here, especially in the years since the invasion--during the
invasion itself, and in the slow beating back of the Eastern forces.
     And in other ways, or for other causes, as well.  The court wizard had sensed a
new feeling in the people of the old city.  Harder.  Crueler, perhaps.  Less patient,
less tolerant--and the Glorious Empire had never been noted for tolerance.  The woman
Jayde, who claimed to be the daughter of Kjarran, her death and her mysterious
apotheosis, had that been the start of this dark bitterness that gripped the people?
He shrugged that off.  Whatever the cause for the change of heart, blood had been
spilled.  And somewhere, someone had called on spilled blood to raise old evils, and
spilled blood everywhere had answered.

Aruak City:

     Adeolar stared into the gilt-framed mirror, frowning and twisting a lock of hair
between nervous fingers.  Nothing she was Seeing was good.  Not that the mirror was
the best way to See, but it was the only scrying device she had that was still
working.  There was a bloody film over the glass that could not be washed off, and
that, she suspected, was a sign of just how bad things were.  Blood magic, used to
excess, tainted everything.  There was no doubt that the wizard in Zorpunt was strong
and ruthless, but what he had started seemed to be taking on a life of its own.  And
no one, so far, seemed able to stop him.
     She would have to take steps herself.

            + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #5 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Dal Shang:

     From the top tier of the arena, you could see a long way out to sea, because the
arena was built on a cliff above the harbor.  So was a lot of the rest of Dal Shang,
but except for the governor's palace, it mostly wasn't as high as the arena.
     Lord Protector Wais, who had come home to Dal Shang in a vague effort to boost
that beleaguered arena, was sitting on the top tier brooding.  The arena was
shrinking faster than a pool of water in the desert.  Promising warriors who were
looking for a career in the arena were not looking in THIS arena.  Fourteen active
warriors last time, and two of them had been retiring by way of a Dark Arena
appearance.  His own team, even, had gone inactive!  Something had to be done, but he
had no idea what.  Even the fans had deserted Dal Shang arena.
     With a sigh, he turned away from the empty arena to look out to sea.  And so he
saw the waters of the lake heave as though they were boiling, and a new--or very
old--island rise like a black reef no more than five miles off shore.  Five miles is
too far away to see the details, but there was something disturbingly regular about
the broken ridgeline of that island.  Like buildings....

A note for the people of the Free Cities and Lirith Kai:

     Some people say that if you get rid of magic, the world will be much simpler.
Some people say that the destabilization of the Arcanum will get rid of magic.  Ha!
High Magic, the stuff that highly educated wizards do, falters as the Arcanum
weakens.  But there are other kinds of magic.  Older.  Cruder.  Less vulnerable.
There's Blood Magic.  Spilling blood releases power.  The more blood, the more power.
     And a very powerful wizard of several centuries ago, Khaldren of Krael, who
decided that he didn't want to die when the city around him was dying, has come to
the present.  He's made a spell to bring Krael back from ruins, and he's tied it to
Blood Magic.
     But there's more blood being spilled around Alastari than he realized, and a lot
of Lost Cities that want to live again.  If you have some old ruins near your house,
and there's an arena where people are bleeding and dying, you've got trouble coming.
This is now your story, too.

     It's all a plot, and probably a dark one.  Where is Daylight Savings time when
you need it?

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

                          ---===ANDORIAN REGIONAL NEWS===---

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 242): CLOSED MIND of BLACKTHORN ORCS (Slugbait, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 485): STEEL MONKEY of VELVET GREEN (Manray, Marquis
                               d'Frothingslosh, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 485): HYDE of OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (The Mun, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 478): KANGAROO KATE of THE ZOO (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 474): CANE TOAD of AUSSIE KILLERS (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 474): ABSOLUCIOUN of CHAUCERS WORDS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 475): WOOLLY LOCO of POISONOUS PUGILISTS (Poison Ivy, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 470): GAZELLE HOUND of DOG DAY AFTERNOON (Poison Ivy, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 436): CMOT DIBBLER of THE DISC (Technogeek, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 429): MARS of WANDERERS (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 422): PURPLE SASH of HARDTIMESINBABYLON (Technogeek, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 189): SALVATION of PIECES OF EIGHT (Rascally Rabbit, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 334): GUMMI GHOUL of THE UPSTARTS III (Anti, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 323): ELENA of SITTIN' ON ACES (Generalissimo Puerco, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 144): LOKI of ARCTIC GUARDS (Yukon Cornelius, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 370): MONICA VIRTUESHIELD of KNIGHTS OF VIRTUE from ARUAK CITY
                            (JRK, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 242): LA PENTARCHIE (The Pentalque, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 485): MORAL FIBER (Nunzio Frothingslosh, mgr.)
 DM  14 TOBIR (turn 485): ALL THE MUN'S MEN (The Mun, mgr.)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 478): THE DEMOCRATS (Al Gore, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 474): AUSSIE KILLERS (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 474): CHAUCERS WORDS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  26 CALEAM (turn 475): WARCKERS (Papaiz, mgr.)
 DM  30 IAYE (turn 470): RED DOG GANG (Goff, mgr.)
 DM  40 ZENSU (turn 436): WIMPS MOST FOWL (Wimpy, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 429): none
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 422): HARDTIMESINBABYLON (Technogeek, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 189): ASSASSIN NATION (Ghab, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 334): FA CHING (DeGotti, mgr.)
 DM  63 AMEN-TEI (turn 323): SAFE HAVEN (Keldon Blackfang, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 144): CASTLE BLACK (Shadowgate, mgr.)
ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 370): TOTEM, etc. (The Sentinel, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                   ----------------
 DM   8 ARKERS (turn 242): CLOSED MIND of BLACKTHORN ORCS (Slugbait, mgr.)
               (turn 241): MELTDOWN of X-FORCE (Savant, mgr.)
 DM  11 ARUAK CITY (turn 485): CONNOR MACLEOD of SCARLET KNIGHTS II (Talon Warsmith)
 DM  22 SOLVEN (turn 477): BEAR MARKET of THE DEMOCRATS (Al Gore, mgr.)
                           ROBERT BYRD of THE DEMOCRATS (Al Gore, mgr.)
 DM  24 ZORPUNT (turn 474): CANE TOAD of AUSSIE KILLERS (THawk, mgr.)
                (turn 473): TRISHA WINGFOOT of KRILL CAVALRY (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  25 LYRATILAN (turn 473): NOLAN ORGEL of THE MIDDLE WAY 4 (Leeta, mgr.)
 DM  41 KATI-TEI (turn 428): PELICAN of BIRDS (JE, mgr.)
 DM  46 ARDIVENT (turn 422): OLLIE FUNT of DEATHTONGUE (Technogeek, mgr.)
 DM  52 FRATSFA (turn 188): RED EYE of ASSASSIN NATION (Ghab, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 334): LIGHTNING IX of DEATH STUDS VII (Death Stud, mgr.)
              (turn 333): BLACKBURST of FA CHING (DeGotti, mgr.)
                          THUNDRA of FA CHING (DeGotti, mgr.)
                          SIR ZESTALOT of 4000 BLOWS (Nuln, mgr.)
 DM  71 KYR'TERR (turn 144): LOKI of ARCTIC GUARDS (Yukon Cornelius, mgr.)
                 (turn 143): PIYA of THAI INQUISITION (?, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Well, what are you looking at, ZORPUNT?  Ain't you never seen Snide Clemens 
before?  Ah, shaddup and listen to my news.  Later days, AUSSIE KILLERS, since WATER 
DECK took top team from you this turn, you guys are old news.  WATER DECK turned 
their 4-1-0 turn into a 1st place rank in the listings this turn.  Any better than 
this, and you get put on hit lists.  Of course, we're all terribly impressed to see 
CROCONAW win a fight and gain 21 points, terribly.  Tsk, tsk, CROCONAW beat ORESTES 
and ORESTES lost 14 points.  You're breakin' my heart.  And if variety is the spice 
of life, ZORPUNT may be getting bland, as CANE TOAD stays top dog in the city.  I'm 
not in a very good mood today, but why am I telling you this?  You want to know 
what's new, don't you, ZORPUNT?   
     He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day, the coward.  
ZORPUNT, I am losing what little hope I had in you.  THE MC5 the most avoided team?  
What insult will suffice, I cannot say.  And it looks like 13 YRS & COUNTING avoided 
them the most this turn.  What a pack of would be losers, if you ask me.  Hmph.  Ooh, 
I'm frightfully impressed, IGGY POP was this turn's most challenged warrior.  Watch 
that ego swell, sports fans.  I guess I can give a little credit to TOMMY HEARNS of 
THE MC5 for challenging up by 24 to STONEFISH.  TOMMY HEARNS won to get 26 points of 
recognition.   
     Ah, now we come to my favorite part, where we see all the guys who are dead and 
gone, and get to see if their team cared.  We're all going to die in the end, so why 
worry if the fate catches up with you sooner that later?   
     I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for 
an epee.  Forgive me for writing with a dagger.  Just wait 'till next time I show up 
here, I won't be so nice!  So nyaaah!  Paste this one in your scrapbooks, you'll need 
the kindling come this winter-- Snide Clemens  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 KID ROCK 4340                28  21  0   105       THE MC5 (445)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-RICH CRANIUM 4464            12   1  0    97       THE ASININE (272)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DEHUMANIZER 4461              8   6  2    77       THE ASININE (272)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GOLDEEN 4522                  5   0  2    61       WATER DECK (459)
 CROCONAW 4475                 6   1  1    58       WATER DECK (459)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-GEORGE CLINTON 4470           6   7  1    56       THE MC5 (445)
 IGGY POP 4469                 4  11  1    52       THE MC5 (445)
 GYRADOS 4476                  7   2  0    47       WATER DECK (459)
-PINK TACO 4287                4   1  0    45       SWEET BLISS (441)
 ORESTES 4471                 10   8  0    38       BATTLEMANIA (71)
 WARTORTLE 4521                4   1  0    36       WATER DECK (459)
 LITTLE GIRL CRUSH 4556        3   0  0    35       13 YRS & COUNTING (465)
 CAPTAIN INSANO 4564           3   0  0    34       13 YRS & COUNTING (465)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 TOMBO LARK 4488               7  10  0    31       KRILL CAVALRY (403)
 GREAT WHITE SHARK 4511        4   4  0    26       AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
 TOMMY HEARNS 4532             2   2  1    26       THE MC5 (445)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 STONEFISH 4489                4   2  0    22       AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
-PERDITION 4500                2   3  0    22       THE ASININE (272)
 TIGER SHARK 4575              1   1  0    18       AUSSIE KILLERS (455)
 TELLER FLETE 4510             2  10  0    16       KRILL CAVALRY (403)
 LIMPETTE 4581                 1   0  0    16       KRILL CAVALRY (403)
 JOE POOLE 4534                2   1  0    14       KRILL CAVALRY (403)
-SORROW HARVESTER 4530         2   2  0    14       THE ASININE (272)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SPUNKY 4573                   1   0  0    14       COME WITH ME (466)
 HENRY FORD 4528               3   3  1    13       THE MC5 (445)
 TOKIDOKI 4533                 1   2  0     5       BATTLEMANIA (71)
 PINE LEAF 4580                1   0  0     5       KRILL CAVALRY (403)
 E.I. DOH! 4578                0   1  0     1       BATTLEMANIA (71)
 KRABBY 4576                   0   1  0     1       WATER DECK (459)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
DAMNATION 4492         4  1 1 THE ASININE 272       IGGY POP 4469         473 REVENGED
SALTWATER CROC 4529    0  1 0 AUSSIE KILLERS 455    WURM KIN 419          475 NONE    
DA 25 4577             0  1 0 BATTLEMANIA 71        SPYMASTER 414         475 NONE    
JESSIE JUNE 4466       8 13 0 KRILL CAVALRY 403     GOLDEEN 4522          474         
JEB POOLE 4525         1  4 0 KRILL CAVALRY 403     TOMMY HEARNS 4532     472         

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Goldeen -- You need to attack less vital locations or drop the KD.  Don't kill the
good skill-teachers!  This arena needs all it can get.... -- Darkfist

Stonefish -- Well, I tried to warn you.  Sorry the warning came too late.  Nice
crits, don't you think? -- Orestes

Wartortle -- If you guys are all going to aim at the head and go for the kill the
least you could do is finish me off so we can get a real warrior on the team. --
Tokidoki  (Of course, if you did give us the opportunity to bloodfeud you'd better
duck it...we will try to kill you in return. -- Battlemania)

Trisha -- We'll miss you! -- Battlemania

Jessie June -- Ditto. -- Battlemania

Pink Taco -- Good lord, put some clothes on girl!

Zorpunt -- It's nice to be back after our absence!  We did find a new recruit to test
out so be nice to them or Gyrados will have to get some payback.  We do intend on
hanging out for awhile as we build our experience and prepare ourselves for the
tourney in July! -- Croconaw and the rest of Water Deck

Krill Cavalry -- My condolences on your loss.  It was not my intention to murder poor
Jessie, but she played with the business end of the sword once too often.  I await
your bloodfeud with a warning--we Goldeen are not to be trifled with!! -- Goldeen

Kid Rock -- Good!  Thanks very much, I like going out on a win. -- Trisha Wingfoot

Henry Ford -- Ha, gotta be black, huh?  Maybe I want it RED. -- Teller Flete

Pink Taco -- That's bliss?  You've got a strange notion, woman. -- Tombo Lark

Goldeen -- I tell you now, you will NEVER learn like that from me again. -- Ghost of
Jessie June

Tiger Shark -- Mmmm, shark steak! -- Joe Poole

Congratulations to Cane Toad on graduating, and watch out for witches on the Isle--
you know, that "wool of toad, eye of newt" stuff. -- Leeta

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

18 March 2004
St. Valentine's Day Massacre Update

     We are pleased to announce that the kLk sponsored St. Valentine's Day Massacre
kill contest in DM 36 is off to a great start.  We are also pleased to announce that
in addition to the 10 team rollups we are also able to offer the renaming of a dark
arena warrior as a prize to the manager with the most kills.  The contest is only 2
turns old and is still wide open.  There are currently 5 managers tied with one kill
each.  Anything can still happen so hurry up and get into the arena.
     On a personal note, no other alliances have entered the arena in force to
challenge the kLk dominance.  We were expecting The Firm to put up a fight for their
supposed home arena.  But, they were a no show.  Guess they proved what they are
really made of.  *evil grin*
     Perhaps another alliance would like to step in to give us a challenge.  We are
throwing down the gauntlet.  Perhaps the Chaos Inc. boys I keep hearing about would
like to step in and challenge the kLk for arena dominance.  If you don't show up,
Chaos, don't feel bad.  FAR better managers than you have been invited into Jhans but
have chosen to pass on the offer.
     So if you consider yourself worthy to compete, like fierce competition, and
enjoy arenas where the personals are as fierce as the fighting, come visit JHANS DM
36.  We're already planning our next contest, "Capture the Flag," and have a
storyline being actively worked on in the arena.  Whatever you like about DM you can
find it in JHANS.

Bookie
mgr. of Suicidal Dreams
and Director Jhans Board of Tourism
kLk Alliance

27 March 2004
     This notice is to inform the DM world that CHAOS INC. has added CHEETO to its
ranks.  He joins APEX, FLAGG, MATRIX, ASSAMITE, and RUDE BUDDHA as the 6th member.
May your chaotic wings spread disaster and CHAOS for all your days!  Welcome CHEETO!!

27 March 2004
     Has anyone seen it in print that the "Goat" is leaving the "Cartel"?  There were
some diplos to the effect of a special branch of the Cartel being formed, like secret
societies, governmental agencies and alliances certain agendas are developed.  To
obtain the desired effect of any agenda only key personnel can be used.  The "Goat"
is "Cartel" so until you see it with me announcing that I am not Cartel, remember,
"The Agenda of the Core is for you to fight for."  I hope this stops the confusion.
-- Goat

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

SALTWATER CROC was butchered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
DA 25 was murdered by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena melee.
CROCONAW overpowered ORESTES in a 1 minute bloody mismatched Challenge duel.
GOLDEEN defeated IGGY POP in a 1 minute Challenge fight.
LITTLE GIRL CRUSH demolished TELLER FLETE in a 1 minute Challenge competition.
GYRADOS vanquished GREAT WHITE SHARK in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
TIGER SHARK overpowered HENRY FORD in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge brawl.
TOMMY HEARNS defeated STONEFISH in a 5 minute gruesome Challenge melee.
CANE TOAD viciously subdued KID ROCK in a popular 3 minute expert's Title duel.
TOMBO LARK was unbelievably bested by CAPTAIN INSANO in a 3 minute fight.
WARTORTLE overpowered CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
TOKIDOKI was demolished by SPUNKY in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
JOE POOLE bested E.I. DOH! in a 3 minute novice's battle.
KRABBY was bested by PINE LEAF in a crowd pleasing 1 minute amateur's bout.
LIMPETTE defeated EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 2 minute novice's duel.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  6         WALL OF STEEL      4 -   2 -  0      67  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   5         LUNGING ATTACK    39 -  25 -  4      61  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   4         TOTAL PARRY       18 -  12 -  1      60  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         SLASHING ATTACK   12 -   8 -  1      60  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -   4 -  1      50  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         BASHING ATTACK    10 -  12 -  0      45  |
|AIMED BLOW                       1         STRIKING ATTACK   13 -  22 -  0      37  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      8 -  14 -  0      36  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         AIMED BLOW         5 -  10 -  0      33  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         PARRY-LUNGE        5 -  12 -  0      29  |

Turn 475 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:

AIMED BLOW         1 -  0     BASHING ATTACK     1 -  3         7  LUNGING ATTACK 
WALL OF STEEL      2 -  0     TOTAL PARRY        1 -  3         1  TOTAL PARRY    
LUNGING ATTACK     4 -  1     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         1  PARRY-STRIKE   
SLASHING ATTACK    1 -  1     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  1         1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  
STRIKING ATTACK    3 -  3     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  1         1  STRIKING ATTACK

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      KID ROCK 4340              28  21  0  105 THE MC5 (445)
LUNGING ATTACK   GOLDEEN 4522                5   0  2   61 WATER DECK (459)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    ORESTES 4471               10   8  0   38 BATTLEMANIA (71)
STRIKING ATTACK  WARTORTLE 4521              4   1  0   36 WATER DECK (459)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is KID ROCK 4340.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was TOMBO LARK 4488.  The ten other most popular fighters were E.I. DOH! 4578, 
CROCONAW 4475, GYRADOS 4476, TOMMY HEARNS 4532, JOE POOLE 4534, KRABBY 4576, LIMPETTE 
4581, GOLDEEN 4522, LITTLE GIRL CRUSH 4556, and TIGER SHARK 4575.

The least popular fighter this week was STONEFISH 4489.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were HENRY FORD 4528, GREAT WHITE SHARK 4511, TELLER FLETE 4510, ORESTES 
4471, DA 25 4577, TOKIDOKI 4533, WARTORTLE 4521, KID ROCK 4340, IGGY POP 4469, and 
SALTWATER CROC 4529.

The following warriors have traveled to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after fighting this turn:

CANE TOAD (24-4425) AUSSIE KILLERS (455)

               NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)

     For those of you who keep track of such things, 14 additional warriors graduated 
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament:

                           ABE SIMPSON (9-4453) SPRINGFIELD 
                            PB-LEAD (23-4385) ROCK-ETTS IV 
                      RATTLESNAKE SHAKE (60-4242) METAL MELTDOWN 
                            CHIP (60-4413) RESCUE RANGERS 
                           SLAKE (82-12993) WORD OF THE DAY 
                          DIS-COMBOBULATE (63-2222) DIS-TEAM 
                        RETARD (68-7501) POLITICALLYINCORRECT 
                           DARKSIDE (22-2714) LOST SOULS 1 
                      ZHARRA TYL MEDAN (40-2586) SUPERIOR FORCES 
                         SMOOGIE (82-2247) STREET PIZZAD III 
                             ARATHEA (13-3318) THE ELITE 
                          PX (82-14364) SUPERIOR FORCES 1203 
                       MIKE, POWERFUL (82-7051) MIKE THE HUNTER 
                          DIS-FUNCTIONAL (63-2223) DIS-TEAM 

                                          -- Green Eyes