DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 05/02/2008    Duedate: 05/29/2008

MORYA ARENA

DM-28    TURN-293

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

VAIDISAVA
THE PENTARCHY (397)
(28-4370) [17-2-0,195]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

VAIDISAVA                      CASH MEALS
THE PENTARCHY (397)            EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)
(28-4370) [17-2-0,195]         (28-4532) [4-1-0,28]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

VAIDISAVA                      VORTEX
THE PENTARCHY (397)            FLYING MONKEYS (493)
(28-4370) [17-2-0,195]         (28-4423) [9-5-0,88]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

THE PENTARCHY (397)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. THE ANIMALS (475)           57
2. FLYING MONKEYS (493)        31      THE PENTARCHY (397)
3. ZULU NATION (501)           31      Unchartered Team
4. EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)       24
5. DODGE BULLETS (126)         18      EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 2*EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)     16   4  0 80.0   1/ 1 THE PENTARCHY (397)      12  3 0
 2/ 4 THE PENTARCHY (397)      311 185  7 62.7   2/ 3 THE ANIMALS (475)        11  4 0
 3/ 3 RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)  34  22  3 60.7   3/ 2 RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464) 10  5 1
 4/ 5 FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)    55  40  5 57.9   4/ 6*EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)     7  2 0
 5/ 9 ZULU NATION (501)         29  28  3 50.9   5/ 5 ZULU NATION (501)         7  6 0
 6/ 8 THE ANIMALS (475)         86  84  5 50.6   6/ 4 FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)    7  8 0
 7/ 7 DODGE BULLETS (126)      330 332 12 49.8   7/ 9 FLYING MONKEYS (493)      5  8 0
 8/10 PHANTACITY (480)          57  68  7 45.6   8/10*RAPTOR (508)              5 10 1
 9/12 FILIPINA LADYZ (423)      97 129  6 42.9   9/ 7 DODGE BULLETS (126)       5 10 0
10/11 THE WOLVES (510)          13  19  2 40.6  10/11 PHANTACITY (480)          5 10 0
11/ 0*GODS & GODDESSES (511)     2   3  0 40.0  11- 8 STEEL AND SILK (495)      4  6 0
12-13 STEEL AND SILK (495)      46  74  1 38.3  12/13 THE WOLVES (510)          2  3 0
13/14 FLYING MONKEYS (493)      24  42  1 36.4  13/ 0*GODS & GODDESSES (511)    2  3 0
14/15*RAPTOR (508)               5  12  1 29.4  14/12 FILIPINA LADYZ (423)      1  2 0
15/16*FREE MASONS (509)          1   4  0 20.0  15/16*FREE MASONS (509)         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

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

     Greetings, mere mortals.  I come to you from Mount Olympus with some Gods &
Goddesses that have seen your heroism in the arena.  They have come to join you and
to test your abilities.  Do not be misled by the rumor of them not really existing.
Believe me, brave warriors, there is no myth to these I bring to you today.
     Let me introduce you to your newest challengers.  First, there is Gaea, the
Goddess of Earth.  She will do her best to plant you in it!  Next, there is Morpheus,
the God of Dreams.  He will destroy yours.  Then there is Mars, the God of War.  He
likes to make it!  Next, we have Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom.  You must watch her
very closely.  She is wise.  And finally, there is Nemesis, the Goddess of
Punishment.  She is said to be a true sadist and loves her title.
     This, my friends, is the stable of Gods & Goddesses.  I have been appointed as
overseer by Zeus to manage their playtime.  I do hope we all can have fun and enjoy a
chilled mug of sweet ambrosia ale.

Now, let the duels begin! -- Silky, mgr. Gods & Goddesses

             + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Edge of Night #14 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

     Cloudrider stiffened.  "Bait how, and for what?  More of those flying things?"
     "No, they can't come up here onto the plateau.  The void is where they hunt."
     "Then--"
     "There are predators here, of course, but they're natural to the place.  No need
to go after them," the ghost of Nightwind said.  "They're a necessary part of the
ecosystem.  Or maybe it's the ectosystem?
     "Bad puns, just what I need," the Rirorni gladiator muttered.
     Nightwind ignored the complaint.  "What we're hunting, or baiting so that others
can hunt, are necromancers."
     Cloudrider was silent for several minutes, limping along the route Nightwind
indicated.  Finally he said, "I knew that.  But aren't necromancers part of some
ecosystem, too?"
     "An ecosystem of... mages?"  Nightwind sounded surprised.  "It seems odd.  But I
don't know.  You'll have to ask Uncle Wolf, if, ah, WHEN you meet him again."
     "If..." Cloudrider nodded to himself.  "Yeah, I thought it would turn out to be
like that.  Damn."  He felt Nightwind start to form a reply in his mind and then
pause.  Just as well, an assurance that he would survive, coming from a ghost who had
already indicated this wasn't certain, just wasn't a thing he wanted to hear.
     "'Rider!"
     Cloudrider looked up just in time to brace himself against Young Joan's
approach.  She threw herself at him and hugged him.  Felt good, even here. 
Especially here.  He hugged her back a little more carefully.  She was, after all, a
Lady Protector, and he was still a (younger) gladiator in basic.  He didn't want to
think what she might do if she decided he was taking liberties.  "I'm glad to see
you, too," he admitted.  "Nightwind said you were okay, but I'm glad to see you for
myself.  Ah... what happens next?"
     "A good question," Joan agreed.  "Has Nightrider explained about us being...?"
     "Bait?  Yeah.  I don't like it, but I figure I'm stuck with it now.  So, what
does bait do?"
     "We--"  She looked up sharply and off to the side.  "There's someone here. 
Someone else."
     "A bite so quick?  I hope you've got the hook ready."
     "I think we get closer and try to see who's there and what he's doing," Joan
said.

     Traveling across this "plateau" in the Spirit Land was weird.  Cloudrider
wouldn't have minded so much if it hadn't been for the wound on his foot.  It didn't
seem to be bleeding, exactly, but it kept hurting, and it wouldn't bear his full
weight for long.  And if the walking had been straight and level.  This place was
like the landscape in a dream.  Improbable terrain, exaggerated scales, ripples of
transformation that were disconcerting at best and might be disastrous.  Nothing
seemed quite real, but when he walked into a "tree" that appeared suddenly in his
path, it smacked him as hard as a mundane tree would have.  Why should the Spirit
Land have "trees," anyway?
     In his mind, Nightwind said, "It has its own existence, but the shape comes from
the imagination and belief of living beings, and the expectations of their souls
after death.  This is how your thoughts, mine, and those of many Rirorni over the
centuries have shaped it.  Be glad it isn't the dwarven vision of the Spirit Land! 
That's all caves and tunnels."
     Ahead of him, Joan stopped and pointed.  He came up beside her and looked.  From
this distance, whatever distance it was, all Cloudrider could be sure of was an
approximately human shape.  Small adult in size, unless it was a Shew.  Just standing
and looking around.
     A voice floated toward them.  "Cool!"
     Beside him, Joan sighed.  "What do you want to bet we've found a young
necromancer, just starting out?  Not what we're looking for at all."
     "Yeah, maybe.  But that brings up the question you didn't answer before.  We're
the bait, okay.  What's the hook?  And what do we do with the catch when we've caught
it?"
     Joan sighed again.  "There was supposed to be someone else around to take the
fish off the hook.  As to the hook itself... no one told me.  Selumia doesn't seem to
know, what about Nightwind?"
     "Uncle Wolf was to be handling that," Nightwind admitted.  "I know scarcely more
than you two do, only that part of it that comes from being dead."
     "This is a big help, I don't think," Joan muttered.  After a moment, she said,
"Okay, here's what we'll do for now.  We'll go and talk to this necromancer."
     "What!"
     "You have a better idea?  He must know something, or he couldn't have gotten
here at all."  She started forward, dodging around the suddenly more numerous trees.

             + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Edge of Night #15 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Alastari:

     The gladiators avoided towns and villages and isolated farms as they made their
way north and east from Riztab.  If the enemy necromancer was tracking them and
creating zombies to stop them, it seemed like a good plan to avoid concentrations of
people who could be victimized in this fashion.
     When they stopped two nights later to rest and eat the deer Redfox had killed,
Agro asked, "Why aren't the beasts being made into zombies, too?"  He waved the
bloody haunch from which he was ripping mouthfuls of meat.
     Redfox shrugged.  "Don't know, but I've never seen it happen.  Uncle Wolf?"
     The old shaman shook his head and pulled back his roasting stick to check the
status of his meat.  Seared on the outside, possibly still half-raw within but at
least not dripping blood into the fire.  "Those living creatures we are pleased to
call 'lesser' tend not to make such an elaborate business of dying.  Technically,
they do experience the two deaths, but they generally pass from one to the next so
quickly that you couldn't slip a spell into the gap."
     "That would explain the scarcity of animal ghosts," Redfox said, "but it still
doesn't explain why no animal zombies."
     Wolf scowled at him.  "I was getting to that.  A ghost results when a soul dies
the first death but not the second.  A zombie, at least of the kind we saw in that
village, happens when a soul dies the second death without the first--"
     "That doesn't sound possible," Math said, "and there have been zombies made by
raising the long-dead bodies of those who must have died both deaths."
     "A zombie and an animated corpse are not precisely the same thing, despite the
popular perception.  They are not the same.  A zombie is in some ways still a living
being.  But he--or she, the necromancers have no bias here, except as a particular
body may be of more use for one task than another depending on gender, age, health
and so on--may appear quite normal.  If that is the instructions given it by the
necromancer.  It is a living shell, but an empty one."  He grimaced.  "Some can be
used to harvest other souls, because they hunger for what they have lost.  But it is
almost impossible to separate the deaths of an animal.  There are philosophical
discussions of this which I will spare you; nobody knows for sure what is the truth,
and philosophers can spin more threads from one point than any spider.  But except
for an occasional high-level predator, bears, wolves, occasionally some kind of
feline, maybe some crows, you need not ever concern yourself with the possibility of
an animal ghost or zombie either one."
     Agro swallowed the last of his meat and licked blood from his hands.  "That's
good to know, I guess.  But it brings up another question.  Seems like this
necromancer we're after can't make us into ghosts without killing us.  Okay.  But!
He could make us into zombies, couldn't he?  And if he knows we're out to get him,
I'd think that'd be a good move for him.  What would stop him?"
     "Certain protections which you have simply because you're a lord protector who
has fought on the Isle and sworn oath to the Lady Greywand," the shaman said.  "The
oath is not a simple one, and one of its clauses protects you from soul-theft."  His
gaze flicked to Redfox, who was opening his mouth to make a comment.  "I have my own
protections, Fox.  Don't worry about me turning on you."

     It took them a week.  They could have reached the border between Malcorn and the
southern Karnhorn nation near Zuwayza faster, if they'd been willing to travel openly
on the roads.  And to risk a lot of people turned into zombies to stop them.  Setting
aside the moral issue, which didn't weigh heavily on the Croc (What were humans to
him besides prey?), Agro didn't think the four of them could have made it if they'd
had to fight constantly.
     They made camp in the afternoon, in the forest a few miles off the road.
Redfox, as the designated hunter, supplied them with another deer.  Agro was hungry
enough to eat half of it but restrained himself.  He didn't need to be sated and slow
when things began happening--tonight.  Wolf said they were little more than an hour
from the Silent Place which was their goal, and that it was better approached in the
darkness.  So... tonight.

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

                        ---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===---

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 592): VENTRIIE of DARK WARDS (Dr. Doom, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 592): PARMEIDES of DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.)
 DM  13 DULLENS (turn 498): WINDWALKER of CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 586): MOSSROCK of GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 588): HEART OF GOLD of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 587): XAVIORA YOHL of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 585): DAN STEPPE of FUNKY FOLK (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 292): VAIDISAVA of THE PENTARCHY (Le Pentarque, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 578): BRICKHOUSE of STREETWALKERS (Roadkill, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 290): LOCUST of PESTILENCE (Lord of Pestilence, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 574): GELEN of RILL'S GCSC2 (Rillion, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 572): THE PIKER of RAVAGING LORDS (General Ikillu, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 563): ALE'CHAI TALLSKY of PHILANTHROPISTS (Aragorn, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 526): NORILTENNE of THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 268): YUFFIE of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 DOUBLE X (turn 262): HANTA of DOK SIK KILLERS (Doc Sik, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 249): EXTENSION oF LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 453): CENTURION of KNIGHTS OF ROCANIS (Jakari, mgr.)
 DM  60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 440): WRATH LIX of DEATH STUDS VII (Death Stud, mgr)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 431): LOCKENLOAD of CLAN GHOST BEARS (Bjorn, mgr.)
 DM  65 DAL SHANG (turn 417): JOEVINA SARIL of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 197): LAELKORISSA of FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  74 DAYLA KIV (turn 387): RUBY TUESDAY of CORPS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 385): GARTH of MANAGER MUSINGS (FTF Manager, mgr.)
 DM  78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 372): CONJUROR of MAGIC ARTISTS (Houdini, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 479): JAMMIES of DARKLINGS (She-Puppy, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 592): DARK WARDS (Dr. Doom, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 592): DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.)
 DM  13 DULLENS (turn 498): CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 586): GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 588): PUNNY ANIMALS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 587): MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 585): THE MAGNIFICENT MAGS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 292): THE PENTARCHY (Le Pentarque, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 578): WILL DUEL 4 MEAD (Sporkis, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 290): WAR (Lord of War, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 574): ROMAN HEROES (Caesar, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 572): RAVAGING LORDS (General Ikillu, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 563): PHILANTHROPISTS (Aragorn, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 526): THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 268): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 DOUBLE X (turn 262): SECOND BANANAS (Mannequin, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 249): EXTENSION oF LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 453): KNIGHTS OF ROCANIS (Jakari, mgr.)
 DM  60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 440): WILD CARDS (Snotman, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 431): CLAN GHOST BEARS (Bjorn, mgr.)
 DM  65 DAL SHANG (turn 417): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 197): MIDDLE WAY 18 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  74 DAYLA KIV (turn 387): SAND DANCERRS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 385): MANAGER MUSINGS (FTF Manager, mgr.)
 DM  78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 372): MAGIC ARTISTS (Houdini, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 479): DO IT AGAIN et al (The Dark One, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 590): KOOL-AID DRIKER of CULTS-R-US (?, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 585): REDBIRD of GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 585): GIMME SOME SUGAR of ARMY OF DARKNESS (The Dark One, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 291): SHARAPOVA of THE PENTARCHY (Le Pentarque, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 577): MURRY of CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 289): ULL STORMHELM of THE STORMBRINGERS (High Lord Bosk)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 574): GELEN of RILL'S GCSC2 (Rillion, mgr.)
 DM  47 DOUBLE X (turn 262): HANTA of DOK SIK KILLERS (Doc Sik, mgr.)
                 (turn 261): ROISIN DUBH of GAELIC STORM (Bobby Bigfoot, mgr.)
                             SUCCULANT of WARHAMMERS (Coyote, mgr.)
 DM  60 COLLUSION COVE (turn 440): WRATH LIX of DEATH STUDS VII (Death Stud, mgr)
                                   HOFFA of BUGS, SLUGS & THUGS (A-Sop, mgr.)
                       (turn 439): ALLAN JOHNSON of TPW FOREVER (Anti, mgr.)
                                   WHITE WITCH of CRAZY CREEPS (Crazy Creepster, mgr)
                                   LOKI IX of DEATH STUDS VII (Death Stud, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 196): BLACK EYE of BLACK & BLUE (The Mun, mgr.)

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

Will I come back from the tournament on my two feet?  That's not granted for a little
butterfly like me....  Should I put my sword in a Venus Trap....  Hum....  The burden
of power is getting heavier on my shoulders.

Vaidisava, a little tired today

                                      SPY REPORT

     If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of 
MORYA brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too.  Now let's all watch ZULU NATION's 
heads swell from their 3-0-0 this turn.  Haa ha ha ha!  Big shots, big talk, big 
deal.  Of course, we're all terribly impressed to see PUMA win a fight and gain 29 
points, terribly.  Tsk, tsk, PUMA beat TROOPER TED and TROOPER TED lost 27 points.  
You're breakin' my heart.  And if variety is the spice of life, MORYA may be getting 
bland, as VAIDISAVA 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, MORYA?   
     He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day, the coward.  What's 
the big D?  RIDERS OF AHRINGOL was the most avoided team?  Bunch of lily livered... 
grumble... mumble... curse...  And it looks like RAPTOR avoided them the most this 
turn.  What a pack of would be losers, if you ask me.  Hmph.  Ooh, I'm frightfully 
impressed, PIGEON was this turn's most challenged warrior.  Watch that ego swell, 
sports fans.  I guess I can give a little credit to VORTEX of FLYING MONKEYS for 
challenging up by 24 to SRAN3E.  VORTEX won to get 88 points of recognition.   
     Death and Taxes.  The less death I see, the more it taxes my patience.  Let's 
see if anyone's dead or dying.  And what a stunning loss we have here, boys and 
girls, KASAP of PHANTACITY has added the final loss to his 8-5-0.  Tee hee!  Honor is 
like a chainmail shirt, it only shines through use.  Certain nameless cowards will 
doubtless rebuke me on this one.   
     There's got to be a better place in MORYA to get a drink than Salty's Chowder 
House!  Any suggestions?  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                  
 VAIDISAVA 4370               17   2  0   195       THE PENTARCHY (397)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 XANAX 4384                   14   3  0   125       THE PENTARCHY (397)
-SCARLET ROSE 4440            10  14  0   103       STEEL AND SILK (495)
 PUMA 4294                    17  17  0   101       THE ANIMALS (475)
 VIPER 4185                   10   5  2    96       RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)
 MANKILLER 4279               20  16  0    94       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 STORMDANCER 4278             19  17  1    93       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 VENUS TRAP HAMMER 4456       14   3  2    93       FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)
-VELVET FINISH 4441           13  11  0    93       STEEL AND SILK (495)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 VORTEX 4423                   9   5  0    88       FLYING MONKEYS (493)
 LE PLON 4326                 20   9  0    85       THE PENTARCHY (397)
 TROOPER TED 4443             16   3  1    84       THE PENTARCHY (397)
 LADY ELMA 4244               18  21  1    82       FILIPINA LADYZ (423)
 SRAN3E 4382                  13   8  0    73       PHANTACITY (480)
 RED HAWK 4485                10   4  0    67       DODGE BULLETS (126)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 LORVANDIS 4402               13  10  0    64       DODGE BULLETS (126)
-YAU (DARKFACE) 4519           6   1  0    61       ZULU NATION (501)
 AARD VARK 4404               16   6  0    57       THE ANIMALS (475)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 STORM RIDER 4257              8   3  0    56       RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)
 AARD WOLF 4411               10  11  1    54       THE ANIMALS (475)
 OPASAN 4381                  10  11  0    53       PHANTACITY (480)
 OWL 4453                     10   8  2    51       THE ANIMALS (475)
-EXPERIENTIA 4483              6   4  0    49       STEEL AND SILK (495)
 BLACK ROSE HAMMER 4339       12   8  1    47       FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)
 ZOD 4525                      5   2  0    47       ZULU NATION (501)
 ARMADILLO 4503                8   4  0    46       THE ANIMALS (475)
 THORN STEM HAMMER 4500        7   5  1    43       FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CLOUDRIDER 4424              10  11  0    41       DODGE BULLETS (126)
 ZAIRE 4488                    7   6  1    40       ZULU NATION (501)
-SURGICAL 4437                 5  12  0    40       STEEL AND SILK (495)
 TARG 4575                     4   2  1    39       THE WOLVES (510)
 SECI 4464                     9   6  2    37       PHANTACITY (480)
 BRIAR STEM HAMMER 4481        8   7  0    34       FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GHOST CHANT 4184              5   6  0    30       RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)
 THE PACIFIST 4420             4  10  0    30       FLYING MONKEYS (493)
 ZOE (DARKFACE) 4538           2   4  0    29       ZULU NATION (501)
 CASH MEALS 4532               4   1  0    28       EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)
 OTHER 4536                    6   0  0    27       EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)
 PAPER FLOWERS 4182            3   5  0    26       RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)
-CAL I. BURR 4574              3   0  0    26       THE WOLVES (510)
 PARKING FEES 4535             2   3  0    24       EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DUNN 4576                     3   1  1    23       THE WOLVES (510)
 RENTAL CAR 4534               3   0  0    22       EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)
 INFERNO SERVENT 4191          4   2  0    21       RIDERS OF AHRINGOL (464)
 ALBATROSS 4571                2   0  1    21       RAPTOR (508)
 BONGO BOY 4537                3   3  0    16       FLYING MONKEYS (493)
 ECHO 4565                     1   1  0    15       FREE MASONS (509)
-ANFERROUS 4508                3   4  0    13       STEEL AND SILK (495)
-LADY BRENDA 4558              1   0  0    13       FILIPINA LADYZ (423)
 HAWKEN 4549                   1   2  0    11       RAPTOR (508)
 ASSUNDRIES 4555               1   0  0    11       EXPENSE ACCOUNT (506)
 PATULJAK 4590                 1   0  0    10       PHANTACITY (480)
 PIGEON 4570                   1   1  0    10       RAPTOR (508)
 OSTRICH 4553                  1   2  0     9       RAPTOR (508)
 POISON IVY HAMMER 4543        1   4  0     8       FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)
 MORPHEUS 4582                 1   0  0     8       GODS & GODDESSES (511)
-LADY AILYN 4560               1   0  0     6       FILIPINA LADYZ (423)
 MINERVA 4581                  1   0  0     5       GODS & GODDESSES (511)
 KESTREL 4550                  0   3  0     3       RAPTOR (508)
-LADY CHISE 4559               0   1  0     1       FILIPINA LADYZ (423)
-LADY LULU 4557                0   1  0     1       FILIPINA LADYZ (423)
 ALPHA 4564                    0   1  0     1       FREE MASONS (509)
 NEMESIS 4583                  0   1  0     1       GODS & GODDESSES (511)
 GAEA 4585                     0   1  0     1       GODS & GODDESSES (511)
 MARS 4584                     0   1  0     1       GODS & GODDESSES (511)

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
BETA 4567               0  2 0 FREE MASONS 509      ALBATROSS 4571        293   
KASAP 4449              8  6 0 PHANTACITY 480       VIPER 4185            293   
END OF BLISS 4587       0  1 0 THE PENTARCHY 397    WURM KIN              293  NONE
LEVITHEAN 4579          2  5 0 THE WOLVES 510       HIGH ELF              293  NONE

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Congrats to Duelmaster Vaidisava.  You are quite a dominating force. -- Finance
Manager

We trust all did well in The Mailer?  Luck at you. -- Finance Manager

Michael -- That Pentarque guy, he's French, you know.  Can't keep a secret.....
(wink) -- Finance manager

Kestrel Of Raptor -- I thank you kindly for the attention. -- Other

Now, we do have a good reason to wait for Christmas! -- Le Pentarque

Welcome, Liam the Goth!

Thanks, Jorja and Michael! -- Sharapova, on the leave

Wow, I didn't think I had that in me....  Thanks Sran3e! -- Trooper Ted, the constant
surprise

Liam the Goth -- Not much of a welcome, but looks like it worked out in your favor
anyway!... This time. -- Owlin the Wise

Hammer -- It's good to see you here.  I can't wait to put that to good use...look for
me! -- Owlin the Wise

All -- The same sun melts ice and hardens clay.  Often the same thing that makes one
person bitter makes a warrior better! -- Owlin the Wise

Ghost Chant -- That is not a job for a golem.  Don't get me wrong, I don't do the
shamanic talk-to-ghosts thing, but around this guildhouse, a guy with ears can't help
but pick up things.  (pause to replay his words)  Mind you, I don't go around picking
things up with my ears, I'm not some kind of freak, but I *hear* things. -- Red Hawk

Xanax -- I know that a lot of my teammates are "into" the herbal thing, but not me.
Besides, I wouldn't want to risk a palindromic herb!  No way.  Wheels within wheels,
stuff like that. -- Lorvandis

Sharapova -- Go with the gods, sword-sister. -- Mankiller

Le Plon -- I dunno, your name makes me think of rain coming down.  Very soothing. --
Stormdancer

Aard Wolf -- Do you have a twin brother named Zzard Wolf?  Then you could sandwich an
alphabetical warrior list. -- Cloudrider

Xanax -- I dasn't let you calm me down too far, or I might get roped into the peskid
adventure. -- Stormdancer

Experientia -- I dropped the darned initiative in the sand, shouldn't have let
Lorvandis oil it but he *said* he was concerned about rust!  Ha.  But it ended up
being too slippery to keep a grip on.  Until, of course, it got all sandy and you
picked it up.  I blame it on the malice of my teammate. -- Red Hawk

The Pentarchy -- Nah, I'll forget faster than you can say "Dagnabbit dograbbit with
silver buttons on."  You'd be amazed what can be accomplished with the judicious
application of uiskey. -- Tamlig Stonewall, Khalhums Dwarf

Red Hawk -- Well that was fun, I see the old Shaman has been doing his job at keeping
you mean. -- Ghost Chant

Hawken -- Liam though that was funny seeing we are on the same side and all. -- Paper
Flowers

Bongo Boy -- What dance moves you have, good one. -- Inferno Servent

Surgical -- Why aren't you more, my type, o' well it could have been so much more.
I'll add you to the men in my life. -- Storm Rider

Opasan -- Don't know you or your manager, but it was a good fight, could have gone
the other way. -- Viper

Consortium -- I always like having one of you in an arena I run in.  Makes the arena
more...well honorable, and saves me the money not having to run in 47, 8, 1, or 52 to
hang out with you--it's kind of nice having you here.  Do you have a team in 45? --
Liam the Goth, Black Guardsmen of Ahringol

Hammer -- New team? -- Liam

Le Pentarque -- I see you're doing well as always. -- Liam

Mankiller -- Wow, you're the only one I know in the arena, with one or two of the
Zookeepers.  I've been gone way to long. -- Liam

Jorja -- Baby sitting for Wolf again?  You know that old Shaman visited me in a dream
not long ago.  Let me tell you it was something seeing Vampires don't dream when
we're dead for the day. -- Liam

Owlin -- Buddy Lee running in AD for now.  You would think I get someone up there
after six years, but it would help if I stay in one place long enough for the pp's,
fe to kick in. -- Liam

Michael Eldritch -- Fancy seeing you here, have fun. -- Liam

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

LEVITHEAN was dealt death by HIGH ELF in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
END OF BLISS was murdered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena melee.
XANAX overpowered VENUS TRAP HAMMER in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge duel.
STORM RIDER was defeated by RED HAWK in a 2 minute Challenge fight.
VORTEX subdued SRAN3E in a crowd pleasing 5 minute gruesome Challenge competition.
PARKING FEES was overpowered by ZOD in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge struggle.
ZOE (DARKFACE) bested THE PACIFIST in a popular 3 minute Challenge competition.
CASH MEALS handily defeated POISON IVY HAMMER in a 1 minute uneven Challenge melee.
OSTRICH lost to OTHER in a 2 minute Challenge duel.
KESTREL was luckily beaten by BONGO BOY in a 7 minute gruesome Challenge duel.
PIGEON was overpowered by ZAIRE in a 1 minute gruesome one-sided Challenge fight.
BETA was executed by ALBATROSS in a 1 minute brutal one-sided Challenge fight.
ECHO devastated HAWKEN in a exciting 1 minute mismatched Challenge conflict.
VAIDISAVA demolished STORMDANCER in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided Title brawl.
LADY ELMA was overpowered by MANKILLER in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
TROOPER TED was bested by PUMA in a action packed 3 minute brutal duel.
LE PLON devastated LORVANDIS in a popular 1 minute mismatched brawl.
KASAP was executed by VIPER in a 1 minute one-sided match.
TARG was beaten by OPASAN in a 1 minute match.
AARD VARK defeated BLACK ROSE HAMMER in a crowd pleasing 3 minute conflict.
AARD WOLF viciously subdued PAPER FLOWERS in a popular 2 minute gruesome bout.
CLOUDRIDER was savagely defeated by ARMADILLO in a action packed 3 minute bout.
GHOST CHANT was handily defeated by OWL in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
SECI was savagely defeated by THORN STEM HAMMER in a 3 minute gory fight.
BRIAR STEM HAMMER won victory over INFERNO SERVENT in a 1 minute match.
RENTAL CAR overpowered GAEA in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
ASSUNDRIES overpowered NEMESIS in a 1 minute uneven match.
MINERVA beat ALPHA in a 2 minute beginner's duel.
MORPHEUS luckily beat MORDANT DESERTER in a 3 minute novice's fray.
MARS was handily defeated by PATULJAK in a 1 minute one-sided duel.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                 13         STRIKING ATTACK   53 -  35 -  4      60  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   9         PARRY-RIPOSTE     21 -  14 -  3      60  |
|AIMED BLOW                       7         BASHING ATTACK    16 -  11 -  2      59  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    7         AIMED BLOW        26 -  24 -  0      52  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      6         SLASHING ATTACK   24 -  23 -  2      51  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    4         WALL OF STEEL     27 -  30 -  1      47  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   4         LUNGING ATTACK    44 -  51 -  0      46  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      3         PARRY-STRIKE      13 -  16 -  1      45  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  3         TOTAL PARRY       25 -  32 -  0      44  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-LUNGE        9 -  16 -  0      36  |

Turn 293 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     STRIKING ATTACK    6 -  7         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
AIMED BLOW         5 -  2     WALL OF STEEL      3 -  4         2  STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK     5 -  4     PARRY-LUNGE        1 -  2         2  PARRY-STRIKE   
PARRY-RIPOSTE      2 -  2     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  3         1  WALL OF STEEL  
BASHING ATTACK     2 -  2                                       1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  
TOTAL PARRY        3 -  3                                       1  SLASHING ATTACK
                                                                1  AIMED BLOW     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
STRIKING ATTACK  VAIDISAVA 4370             17   2  0  195 THE PENTARCHY (397)
LUNGING ATTACK   XANAX 4384                 14   3  0  125 THE PENTARCHY (397)
WALL OF STEEL    STORMDANCER 4278           19  17  1   93 DODGE BULLETS (126)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    VENUS TRAP HAMMER 4456     14   3  2   93 FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)
AIMED BLOW       VORTEX 4423                 9   5  0   88 FLYING MONKEYS (493)
TOTAL PARRY      SRAN3E 4382                13   8  0   73 PHANTACITY (480)
SLASHING ATTACK  BLACK ROSE HAMMER 4339     12   8  1   47 FLOWERED HAMMERZ (481)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is VAIDISAVA 4370.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was VORTEX 4423.  The ten other most popular fighters were TROOPER TED 4443, PUMA 
4294, BLACK ROSE HAMMER 4339, ZOE (DARKFACE) 4538, AARD WOLF 4411, ARMADILLO 4503, 
KESTREL 4550, RED HAWK 4485, ECHO 4565, and VAIDISAVA 4370.

The least popular fighter this week was BONGO BOY 4537.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were MARS 4584, MORPHEUS 4582, NEMESIS 4583, GAEA 4585, GHOST CHANT 4184, 
PAPER FLOWERS 4182, KASAP 4449, LORVANDIS 4402, LADY ELMA 4244, and STORMDANCER 4278.

The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:

VAIDISAVA (28-4370) THE PENTARCHY (397)

                                 THE STOMPING GROUNDS

The new all-basher arena will be in Seam, DM 20.  Only new teams (0FE) may 
participate.  The only rule is that all of your warriors must be bashers.

The first turn of the contest will be due on Monday, April 28.  It will be a slow 
turn-around arena.  If you wish to enter a team, please submit your new team and first 
turn strategies before then.  Only one team per manager, please.  

This arena will stay open indefinitely, providing there is interest (i.e., this is not 
a contest that runs a set number of turns, although there are prizes scheduled after 
the first 15 rounds).  For more information, see details in the first newsletter or on 
the forums. 

                                          -- RSI 

  Zeb Karan looked around the table at the rest of Dwes Eg's staff.  Arenamasters,

standby and Dark Arena warriors, stewards and infirmarians, even the maintenance crew.  
There was wine and beer on the side-table, even sandwiches, but no one was partaking.
      "Stop looking like your dog died," Lew Voth said.  He had once been the 
arenamaster of Sentern and had taken his turns overseeing the fights in Dwes Eg.  "We 
all knew this day would come.  When are they closing us down?"
      "Immediately after the tourney, according to the information I was given."
      "Short notice," Jame Rinvar, another arenamaster commented.
      "No offense intended, these things just creep up on people.  Tourneys make it 
worse, I suppose, all the new teams being entered."  Zeb grimaced.  "Some of the file 
cabinets have exploded from over-stuffing, you know, and it takes so long to run 
through all the registered gladiators to find those who are planning to fight on any 
given day that the day is OVER by the time we're ready to start."
      "Which is why they closed down Sentern, Cimmeriac, and Firehold," Lew pointed 
out.  "This is the same thing all over again."
      "Cycles," Jame said.  "Things happen, and then later they happen again.  We live 
with it.  And Dwes Eg did last for, what, eight and a half years before it reached the 
explosion point.  That isn't bad.  That's forever, speaking practically."
      "Eight or nine years is not forever--"
      "The only thing that's real is today, and maybe, up to a point, tomorrow.  I 
don't see a problem with this.  What are the new parameters, Zeb?"
      "Dwes Eg remains open, existing teams can run and can recruit new members.  BUT, 
no new teams will be accepted.  New teams will go into a new arena, DM 84, running its 
first turn on the seventh of May.  A regular two-week cycle."
      "So Dwes Eg isn't actually being closed, just closed to new teams.  Okay.  This 
works," Jame said again.  "Number 84... does this mean it'll be out at that Blackstone 
place?  Rotten weather half the year, but I suppose you could say that about any site.  
What about regional allegiance?"
      "None specified in the data I received.  Probably a personal-choice situation," 
Zeb said.
      "Transfers?" Lew asked.
      "I don't know about transfers IN," Zeb said, "but I'd guess yes, they would be 
allowed.  No transfers OUT, though.  None out of DM 82, for that matter.  Once you're 
in 82 or 84, the only way out is death or graduation."
      "That fairly describes most arenas," Jame said.  "Anyone who takes up the 
gladiatorial life has already accepted that."