DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 06/11/2003    Duedate: 06/24/2003

LAPUR ARENA

DM-29    TURN-451

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

MR. YUCK
THE TAKEN (173)
(29-3994) [11-3-0,131]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

MR. YUCK                       POSITION IS EMPTY
THE TAKEN (173)                
(29-3994) [11-3-0,131]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

PAUL                           BINDI
MEN (356)                      CROC FILES (374)
(29-4342) [18-15-0,99]         (29-4422) [3-1-0,53]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

CROC FILES (374)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. THE TAKEN (173)             34
2. THE GUILD (208)             30      CROC FILES (374)
3. BLACK SAMURAI (166)         24      Unchartered Team
4. MEN (356)                   19
5. CROC FILES (374)            11MAGNIFICENT BASTARDS (318)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 1 SHREW CAN IT BE NO (309)  51  29  5 63.8   1/ 2 CROC FILES (374)          9  6 0
 2- 2 METAL MINCERS (256)      492 333 12 59.6   2/ 1 EQUESTORS (158)           8  7 1
 3/ 3 CROC FILES (374)         103  74  8 58.2   3/ 3 THE TAKEN (173)           8  7 0
 4- 4 DEATH THREAT (376)        45  40  5 52.9   4/ 6 THE GUILD (208)           7  8 0
 5/ 5 THE TAKEN (173)          573 512 29 52.8   5/ 7 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      4  4 0
 6- 6 VENUSIANS (321)           95  90  4 51.4   6/ 8 MEN (356)                 3  6 0
 7/ 7 BLACK SAMURAI (166)      217 231 19 48.4   7- 4 SHREW CAN IT BE NO (309)  2  0 0
 8/ 8 EQUESTORS (158)          415 467 31 47.1   8/11 BLACK SAMURAI (166)       2  2 1
 9/ 9 THE GUILD (208)          496 581 20 46.1   9- 5 DEATH THREAT (376)        2  2 0
10-10 FORCE OF NATURE (312)    127 150 10 45.8  10- 9 FORCE OF NATURE (312)     2  3 0
11/12 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)     141 190  5 42.6  11-10 VENUSIANS (321)           2  3 0
12/11 MEN (356)                 92 124  7 42.6  12-12 METAL MINCERS (256)       0  1 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

          + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Charter Cities #86 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Morya and vicinity:

     Uncle Wolf stood on the shore of the lake and stared across the glassy water
toward Morya.  Sometimes the water was a perfect mirror reflecting the sky and the
city; sometimes it shivered for no obvious reason and showed...other things.  It was
the other things, the visions of something behind or within or beyond the world as
most know it, as bones are within flesh and give shape to the body without being seen
themselves, that he waited for.  Sometimes those things were true, and sometimes they
weren't.  Sometimes the information offered was merely...curious, and sometimes it
was important.
     Sometimes, such things could be seen this lake.
     He felt again the faint tremble, half earth tremor and half something less
physical.  The water shivered, breaking up the reflection of Morya, then stilled.
The reflection of Morya reformed.
     Differently.
     The city's wall, the low domes and sturdy watchtowers of brick, were replaced by
a soaring, glittering rainbow cluster of...it looked like shards of broken glass more
than anything familiar.
     The surface of the lake began to ripple like shaken silk, and with each ripple,
the image changed:  Morya as he knew it, then the city of broken glass, Morya again,
the glass again.  Finally a wind came up and erased all reflections.
     "I felt something shake the Web," a voice said behind him.  The manager turned
and saw Ghost Dancer, one of his Lord Protectors from Morya and the one most attuned
to the Spirits.  "What does it mean?" the young man asked.
     "Change.  Great changes.  I don't know what kind, how soon."  The old man
squinted at the lake, which now remained wind-roughened and non-reflective.  "More
information must be found and linked together."
     "Will you question the spirit bones?" Ghost Dancer asked eagerly.  The reading
of the rune-carved bones was an art he hoped to learn, and he never passed up an
opportunity to observe it.  Since he now lived in Alastari instead of among the
Maengedai, the Rirorni tribe of his birth, this was something that seldom happened.
     Uncle Wolf shook his head.  "I tried that earlier.  The bones no longer speak."
     After a moment's shocked silence, Ghost Dancer suggested, "The weakening of the
Arcanum?  There is much talk of it on the Isle."
     "Maybe," the old shaman growled, turning away from the lake.  "But maybe not.
This isn't the same as all those book-spells they do on the Isle.  They don't work
with the same forces, they don't feel the power in their guts, only in their heads."
He made an effort to look at the Isle's wizards impartially.  "They have their uses,
I suppose," he admitted grudgingly, "but they're too far from the roots of power.  It
no longer talks to them, only obeys their orders.  They are more likely to be the
problem than the solution."  He set off for the small meadow beside the road where
he'd left his horse.
     "Surely the Lady Greywand is working on the solution!"  Ghost Dancer half ran to
keep up with his manager.
     Uncle Wolf squinted at the sky.  "She's part Orc, part Elf, and part Jathkar, an
unlikely combination to begin with," he muttered, "and she's thousands of years old.
Bound to be unstable, after all that time.  And bound to have her own agenda that may
not be anything like we think it is.  I wouldn't count on her for anything I could do
myself.  And if I couldn't do something myself, I'd figure out how to get by without
it."
     "Oh."  Ghost Dancer was silent for a moment.  Then he said, "I saw something in
the lake, at least I think I did, just before the wind came.  It looked like...a
broken rainbow, maybe.  I couldn't tell what it really was."
     The old shaman was quiet for several minutes, mounting his horse and riding
toward the Dodge Bullets encampment without speaking.  Finally he said, "It is
another place, another Morya.  One city is a reflection of the other."
     "A reflection of Morya...?"  Ghost Dancer reined his mount closer to the old
man's to hear the quiet comment.
     "Unless Morya is the reflection.  Or perhaps both are reflections of some third
city.  Or--"
     "Stop!  Three is all I can think about at one time," Ghost Dancer confessed.
"How could you find out which is the real city and which the reflection?"
     Uncle Wolf laughed.  "There speaks a young man--we who are older feel no need
for that information.  It is enough for us to live in the city we have."
     "Is there no way to tell?" Ghost Dancer persisted.
     The old man sighed and laughed a little.  "Yes, there is a way, impetuous youth!
You must walk into the mirage--or the other city--and keep walking until you find the
One Who can answer."  He glanced at his companion, still smiling.  "There is such a
person.  Or persons.  I know, because I have met them in my own impetuous youth."
     "How do I walk into the mirage?"
     "That you will have to discover for yourself."  After a moment, he added, "It
would be best if you don't go alone."

At the coruscine mines:

     Rokori Klee had chosen their route well, and they got clear of the volcanic area
without meeting any miners.  Or anything else.  Except for the disgruntled miners
they had left behind, staring at the river of lava which had been their mining
claims, they met nothing alive.
     Or anything dead, Iron Talon noted silently.  This bizarre landscape of burning
rocks smoky air would be just the place for meeting some kind of undead THING...like
that one!  Something that might be a skeleton wavered in the near distance, gleaming
white as bone.
     "Don't think!" Bill said sharply.  "The coruscine may have left a magical
residue that will take months to disperse, and a careless thought could bring
disaster on us in an instant."  When the white-shining thing came closer, proving to
be an animated skeleton such as Iron Talon had imagined, he said sharply, "There are
no animated skeletons here!  There are no creatures of undeath!"
     The skeleton collapsed in a clatter of bones, then crumbled to dust.
     "Oh...."  Iron Talon looked down at what remained of her accidental creation.
"If I were to imagine..." she squinted into the smoky clouds, "someone who might be
dead, for instance, if I were to really BELIEVE that I saw Lugard coming out of that
fold of the hills over there...."
     "Don't!" Bill yelped.
     It was too late.  Someone was coming out of the crease in the hills, and it
looked very much like Lugard.
     "Why not?" Iron Talon asked, grinning.  "If it works...."
     "What if he didn't die, and now there are two of him?" Rokori Klee asked.
     "And even if there's only the one, made by chance and magic and desire," Bill
said grimly, "it isn't what you think.  Not the same person you remember, and not
anyone you want to know."
     "You're just an old wet blanket," Iron Talon snapped.  "I don't believe you, and
I won't listen."

          + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Charter Cities #87 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Morya:

     "Lapur remains a thorn in our side," Bey Nishtar, new ruler of Monuntial, said.
"Not only do they resist absorption into the Grand Plan, but they encourage and abet
the rebels that still follow the old fool Quetzal.  That city must be broken and the
rebels crushed.  What are you going to do about it?"
     "It's too early for me to break openly with the other Charter Cities," Equestor
Valarrian Kiyle said.  "My own people would turn on me if I--"
     "Decimate them," Nishtar suggested.  "I find that it has a very persuasive
effect if you line up the entire population, men, women, and children, and kill every
tenth person out of hand."
     "I dare not at this time!" the Moryan said.  "As well hand over control of the
city-state to Minzach directly."
     "If you can't help me over Lapur," Nishtar asked softly, "then what good are you
to me, Valarrian?  Why should I continue to support you and your puny efforts to
forge an empire?"
     "I can find the men to infiltrate the Monuntialese rebel forces," Valarrian said
quickly.  "I have contacts in Dullens and Khalani where there are gladiators who
are...displeased at the closing of the arenas.  Displeased enough to believe that
Lapur engineered those closings.  They'll be good tools to begin the downfall of
Lapur."
     "Perhaps," Nishtar said.  "Let me see some action on this and I might be
convinced to continue my support of your cause.  But if there is no action SOON,
Valarrian, you had better put your affairs in order and prepare your graveclothes."

Monuntial:

     Agro and Bindi emerged from the underground room at the head of the double line
of laborers who had carried the float.  The men standing at the door were armed, but
they seemed to have no special training in combat.  Professional bullies, Agro
guessed, taking out the nearest man with a quick thrust.  He caught the guard's
weapon as the man fell and tossed it back to one of his unarmed followers.  On the
other side, Bindi cut a guard's throat and danced past to menace the next one.
     They weren't out in the arena yet, but just entering a sort of cavernous foyer.
Several hallways opened into it from under the stands, and the far wall was all open;
the sunlight came from there, and the roar of the crowd.  The big Croc tipped his
head to the side and listened grimly for a moment.  The crowd wanted to see blood and
death, did they?  He grinned, displaying a lot of very sharp teeth; he and his
followers would oblige them--not in the way they expected.
     He killed two more guards before reaching the wide archway into the arena
itself.  He felt no remorse about them; they had chosen to support the usurpers,
Quelsarrain and Nishtar, and their new, bloodier arena, so he figured they'd asked
for whatever happened to them.  But it meant two more of the men with him would now
be armed, and that was good.
     Monuntial arena was built on an ancient foundation, oval and larger than arena
in Lapur.  Someone had mentioned once that it was an old Van arena where they had
held chariot races.  This entry was near the middle of one long side, and directly
across, Agro saw the box seating of the wealthy, especially the fancy raised box with
its gold-fringed awning where Quelsarrain sat with his personal attendants.  The
barrier wall around the arena was ten feet high except at that point; the Usurper sat
twenty feet above the sands.  Smooth marble, too, the Croc noted with displeasure; he
would have liked to get up there and deliver some blood and death directly to
Quelsarrain.  Oh, well, another time.  There were soldiers stationed around the edge
who would make a good bloody show.
     Agro pivoted sharply and engaged the one nearest the entry arch.  The rest of
his group, remembering his brief instructions before they were freed from the
underground holding chamber, remained close enough together to support each other as
they began to fight their way around the open space.

     >)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #61 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<

Ibizond, Korga, and in between:

     Aghtamar and Zilla had argued with Fist of Kjarran, but not for long.  After
all, someone to play bait WAS needed, and he WAS a Lord Protector and therefore had
guaranteed resurrection....  The Murskan, Cadal, suggested that they all get a good
night's sleep here in Ibizond, look over the area where they wanted to set their trap
tomorrow by daylight, and then run the bait tomorrow night.  This seemed such a
sensible suggestion that Aghtamar hesitated to accept it; there was sure to be an
unpleasant catch in it somewhere.  But Zilla was for it, and even Fist, not one to
wallow in luxuries, agreed, so she shrugged and nodded.
     They stayed at the inn where they'd eaten, the Red Cow, and it seemed to
Aghtamar that the night was endless.  She dozed and woke and dozed and woke and it
was still dark.  Maybe the sun had forgotten to rise.  Maybe she was caught in some
magical time loop.  Maybe she was worrying too much.  Maybe she had insomnia.  She
rolled over and thumped her pillow and tried to go to sleep again.  Really asleep
this time.  But there were so many things that could go wrong....
     By the time morning came--reluctantly, with lots of clouds and a cold, damp
wind--Aghtamar was a rag.  Squinting at the imperfect mirror in the small bedroom,
she amended that to a depressed, grumpy rag.  Or hag.  The kind of rag or hag that no
right-thinking gladiator would want as a companion on an adventure.  She was going to
be as second-rate at adventuring as she had been in the arena.  She was just working
up a really good depression when Zilla pounded on the door.
     "Come on," Zilla urged, bouncing on her toes once the door was opened.  "The
guys are waiting."
     "Maybe it would be better if I didn't--"
     "They're WAITING for us, Aghtamar.  Come ON."  Zilla grabbed her arm and dragged
her out into the inn's tiny hallway.  "I kind of LIKE having a couple of men waiting
for us," she confided.  "Even though Cadal is OLD, he must be forty or even FIFTY,
he's a very HOT-looking old man...."
     At that, Aghtamar laughed.  "I didn't know you had a thing for older men,
Zilla!"
     "Well, he's a Lord Protector, so he won't get any older than he IS, after all,
and I bet he knows lots of INTERESTING things."  She glanced sideways at her friend.
"I bet he knows some men he could introduce to you."
     "Uh...Zilla, I'm not really looking for--"
     "You should be.  It's great exercise!"
     "Zilla!"
     "Jack told me to watch out for you," Zilla said.  "He likes you.  I like you.
Lots of people like you.  He was, we were all worried you might get depressed again.
You take things too seriously, Aghty."
     "'Aghty'?"
     "What kind of nickname would YOU suggest I make out of Aghtamar?  Why you ever
let your folks--or Jack if it was him--saddle you with such a mouthful of a name...."
Zilla squinted at her thoughtfully.  "Maybe I'll call you 'Sunshine'.  Would that be
better?"
     By this time, they had arrived at the ground floor, where Fist of Kjarran and
Cadal were, indeed, waiting.  "I've got horses for us all," Cadal said the moment
they appeared, "and lunches packed.  Let's go, we're burning daylight here."
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     Basically, the part of the Traders' Road that ran between Ibizond and Korga was
just like the parts between Korgan and Malcorn and between Ibizond and Murska.
Unpaved, rutted, hilly, muddy in the low spots, with trees crowding close on both
sides most of the way.  Many of the steepest hills had been cut down to make the
grade easier, with the road passing through dirt-walled notches--great places for an
ambush, as Fist of Kjarran observed cheerfully.
     Cadal nodded, but he looked gloomy.  "Great places," he agreed, "but our killer
doesn't use 'em, mostly.  Out of the dozen we think are victims of the same killer,
only two were attacked at a road cut like this."  He looked up at the steep, muddy
banks with their shaggy topping of brush and sighed.  "One in six isn't significant.
That would be too easy.  Our killer doesn't seem to need ambuscades."
     "But we do," Zilla said.  "So, which ones do you favor, and how do you expect us
to get the killer to attack Fist where we're watching?"
     "There is no way," Aghtamar muttered.
     "Sure there is.  Fist sets out in a group--say four people--from Ibizond about
sunset.  As he approaches the spot we've picked as best for our purposes, the other
three turn back, leaving him to enter the target zone alone.  So far, the killer has
never attacked a group as big as four, and besides, we can probably get enough out-
of-work gladiators from Murska, gods know there are plenty of them, to do the escort.
But my figuring is that he won't be attacked till he's alone.  And if he gets beyond
the optimum area without an attack, he turns and comes back, and if he gets all the
way back through it without being attacked, we join him and call it a night and go
back to Ibizond."
     "I wouldn't like to go back to the inn and leave a job undone," Fist of Kjarran
protested.
     "But doing the job needs the cooperation of our killer, so we're not totally in
control of that," Zilla pointed out.  "This sounds like a decent bet.  Let's do it."

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 467): TREMERE of DARK TOADS (TigToad, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 465): WILD BILL of THE LAWMEN (?, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 461): DIRT KNAP of UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 461): POSITION IS EMPTY
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 459): KILLIN' STU of MINIONS OF MILO (Kleptov Grenufelbitz)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 458): POSITION IS EMPTY
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 229): SHAWINIGAN SMURF of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 450): MR. YUCK of THE TAKEN (Stillgard, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 227): GRIFFIN of MYTH (Lightbringer, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 447): LIGHTNING of HARBINGERS (High Lord Bosk, mgr.)
 DM  33 ANASAZI (turn 445): SLUGWORTH of WILLY WONKA INC. (Distorted, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 438): FINN of CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 401): SUNGOD DESIGNED ME of WENSINWASIN (Youngblood, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 204): BINGE N PURGE of EMETICS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 198): RING D'BELL of CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 185): DR. NO-NOOKIE of MASTER BLASTERS (Tripwire, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 326): NESSUS of ACT OF MALICE (Carnage, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 306): VLADIMIR TALTOS of BLACK PEARL (Dr. Guts, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 134): PUNCH DRUNK of WAY TO GO! II (Spawn, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 351): STEVE DALLAS of BLOOM COUNTY from NIYTYOLE ISLAND
                                (Rillion, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 467): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 465): ARENA FELINES II (Garfield, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 461): UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 461): BLACKHEART'S AXE (?, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 459): SPECIAL ED (PTFT, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 458): CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 229): IDIOTIC ICCERS (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 450): EQUESTORS (Spartacus, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 227): THE STORMGUARDS (The Icelord, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 447): THE STORMLORDS (The Icelord, mgr.)
 DM  33 ANASAZI (turn 445): PATH OF THE BLADE (Vhagar, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 438): CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 401): KORGAN CRUSADE (Jack Wolfspider, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 204): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 198): SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 185): OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 326): REDHORSE (Mila, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 306): FAVORITE GUYS (Obscure Source, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 134): none
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 351): MEOW MIX, etc. (Ultraist, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 465): WILD BILL of THE LAWMEN (?, mgr.)
               (turn 464): TONY THE TIGER of ARENA FELINES II (Garfield, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 460): BUBU of GEN KHAN (Technogeek, mgr.)
                           HU MI of GEN KHAN (Technogeek, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 459): SEAR ICECAP of LO' DOWN (Cayl Reed, mgr.)
                (turn 458): BONEY OLD BEHIND of KINDRED OF KAOS (PTFT, mgr.)
                            10-11-8-15-17-14-9ST of KINDRED OF KAOS (PTFT, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 457): NUTT BRITTLE of CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 229): SHAWINIGAN SMURF of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
                          BILLY LILLY of DODGE BULLETS (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
              (turn 228): NIGHTSHADE of CRYPT KNIGHTS (?, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 227): GRIFFIN of MYTH (Lightbringer, mgr.)
 DM  33 ANASAZI (turn 445): DRY KEG of JOYS OF BOOZE (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 436): JELIAH BIGABO of PHILANTHROPISTS 3 (Aragorn, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 400): FLYING MARMOSET of KORGAN CRUSADE (Jack Wolfspider)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 197): INSOLENT IDIOT of MYSTIC ORC FEAST (Slugbait, mgr.)
                               ESPRESSO of COFFEE RULES! (Mr. Coffee, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 185): DR. NO-NOOKIE of MASTER BLASTERS (Tripwire, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 133): KAMIKAZE of WAY TO GO! II (Spawn, mgr.)

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     Another Croc goes down!  Who is next?  Maybe Bluey?  Naa, he is too busy
downchallenging.  Juvenal?  Galba?  Paul?  Those would all be nice fights, but I
really want to see what Pygmy has.  I gotta say I like it here on top.  I'm finally
getting what I deserve.  Women all over me, free drinks at the Drowned Rat, men
stepping aside when I walk down the street, it's great!  This is the life for sure,
gonna take a lot to make me lose all this!  Bring your best, Lapur!

                    Your Duelmaster,
                         Mr. Yuck

                                      SPY REPORT

     So why do I have this bag over my head?  Because I am The Unknown Spymaster and 
I'm going to give you a spy report!.  Say good-bye to EQUESTORS, as they are pushed 
from the coveted top team spot by the CROC FILES stable.  It was a tough week for 
DEATH THREAT, to drop 4 places in the rankings.  Coming up with a solid 2-0-1 outing, 
BLACK SAMURAI has advanced 3 places in the rankings.  Hey everybody, watch out for 
OTARU, who flew up 18 points in the rankings after mashing BADGER like a melon.  Keep 
your eye on this guy.  Ya know, some days it doesn't pay to walk out on the sands.  
GALBA was bested by M. CHARDINEE and drops 15 points.  What does the Duelmaster and 
Piltdown Man have in common?  They are both the most challenged apes in human 
history!  Heyheyhey!  GOLDIE got through to the Duelmaster this turn.  No doubt she 
was more than anxious to kick MR. YUCK's tail out of the throne!  Well, everybody's 
pal MR. YUCK moved its record to 11-3-0 by defeating GOLDIE in the Duelmaster's Title 
Bout and gaining 11 recognition points.  Can you believe they are paying me 10 gold 
to deliver this stuff?   
     But enough of that bunch, let's get on to the wimps who like to avoid battle!  
Getting lots of flowers from sympathetic fans was PAUL, who was successfully 
challenged by BLUEY who had a mere 20 points more than PAUL.  I just want to 
congratulate PAUL on beating BLUEY.  He overcame his superior-ranked opponent and 
gained 20 points.  Congrats!   
     Death is kind of like a new puppy:  he's always around wanting to play.  (Ha 
Zontani, how's that for a wise saying?).  Remember:  alliances are great, but try and 
take your ally in the arena with you and see what happens.   
     Well, that wasn't too bad; Alarond told me that the people in LAPUR have no 
sense of humor.  Or maybe that they were senseless.  Okay, so I may not be the 
world's best comedian, but then you guys aren't the world's best warriors.  Its been 
real, and its been fun, but it hasn't been real fun...-- The Unknown Spymaster  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MR. YUCK 3994                11   3  0   131       THE TAKEN (173)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-PYGMY SHREW 3743             11   6  2   136       SHREW CAN IT BE NOW (309)
 PAUL 4342                    18  15  0    99       MEN (356)
 BLUEY 4317                   24  17  0    95       CROC FILES (374)
 JUVENAL 4351                 18  10  3    94       EQUESTORS (158)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-ALUMINUM AWL 4238             8   5  1    91       METAL MINCERS (256)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GOLDIE 4395                   9   5  0    86       CROC FILES (374)
-ENOSHIMA 4349                16   3  0    80       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 MONTY 4391                    9   7  2    80       CROC FILES (374)
-MATSURI 4256                 14  10  0    79       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-SILVER SCINTERER 4211        11   6  1    74       METAL MINCERS (256)
 GALBA 4389                   11   6  0    70       EQUESTORS (158)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BUZZARD 3995                 12   2  0    66       THE TAKEN (173)
-COBRA 4355                    7   5  0    65       DEATH THREAT (376)
-SAMPO 3897                    8   5  1    60       DEEP 13 (334)
 SCORPUS 4393                 11   4  2    58       EQUESTORS (158)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SCRAPPA 4411                  5   0  1    55       CROC FILES (374)
-PLATINUM PEENER 4298          7   5  1    54       METAL MINCERS (256)
 BINDI 4422                    3   1  0    53       CROC FILES (374)
-CHROME CRIMPER 4296          11   5  0    51       METAL MINCERS (256)
-HANGMAN 4357                  7   4  2    51       DEATH THREAT (376)
 HOPE 3988                     9   6  0    49       THE TAKEN (173)
-LEAST SHREW 3513              5   3  1    41       SHREW CAN IT BE NOW (309)
 HILARUS 4387                 10   8  1    39       EQUESTORS (158)
-SHORT-TAILED SHREW 3747       5   3  0    38       SHREW CAN IT BE NOW (309)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SHAWN 4405                    6   4  1    33       MEN (356)
 OTARU 4245                    5   3  1    33       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 TALL TREE 4380                6  14  0    32       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 KINSORROW 4051                5   2  0    32       THE GUILD (208)
 HOPE'S END 4031               5   5  0    30       THE GUILD (208)
-SOUTHEASTERN SHREW 3719       4   1  0    30       SHREW CAN IT BE NOW (309)
-CHUBON 4381                   2   3  0    28       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-SUE NAMI 4097                 5  12  0    27       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 VAGAN 4082                    3   3  0    27       THE GUILD (208)
 ALAN 4397                     6   8  0    26       MEN (356)
-INCONEL INDENTER 4324         3   1  1    25       METAL MINCERS (256)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 LUCIUS 4406                   6   3  2    23       EQUESTORS (158)
-WHIRLWIND 4325                2   3  0    23       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 TEMMURO 4237                  5   3  1    22       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-DARK ABYSS 4417               2   1  0    20       DEATH THREAT (376)
-LYRA 4320                     5   4  0    19       VENUSIANS (321)
-DOWN POUR 4323                2   4  0    17       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
-ASTRIAL 4328                  2   1  0    15       VENUSIANS (321)
 CINA 4426                     1   2  0    14       THE GUILD (208)
 JUMPING SPIDER 4431           1   0  0    14       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
-RAGING FIRE 4407              1   0  0    11       DEATH THREAT (376)
 SUGARPLUM 4432                1   0  0     8       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 BONE 4092                     1   3  0     6       THE TAKEN (173)
-SOLAR FLARE 4427              1   0  0     6       VENUSIANS (321)
 ZARGAS 4425                   1   2  0     5       THE GUILD (208)
-SYNIA 4327                    0   3  0     3       VENUSIANS (321)
-MISTY WATERS 4428             0   1  0     1       FORCE OF NATURE (312)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
BADGER 4410            3  4 1 CARDOW HUNTERS 359    OTARU 4245            451         
MUDBALL 4402           1  6 0 CARDOW HUNTERS 359    SCORPUS 4393          447 NOT REVE

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
WASP 4409              0  3 0 CARDOW HUNTERS 359    SCRAPPA 4411          447 NOT REVE
BINDI 4394             4  6 2 CROC FILES 374        LUCIUS 4406           447 REVENGED
STARRY NITE 4014      11 14 1 FORCE OF NATURE 312   SCORPUS 4393          450         
HERSHEY SQUIRT 4430    0  1 0 THE TAKEN 173         STONE GOLEM 391       451 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Bone -- Ah, as in "a Bone to pick," apparently.  Thank you.  A win makes a pleasant
change. -- Tall Tree
P.S.  So does not fighting one of those bloodthirsty Crocs.

Lyra -- Wow, I looked at the fight assignment and thought, cheese, I'm way over-
matched, I'm gonna get creamed.  And then I won.  That was weird, in a good way. --
Badger

Bindi -- (severely)  I have recruited two warriors to join my team here, but if a
Croc kills either of them, I will shut this team down and go off in a snit.  And if
you, personally, kill one, I'll go off in TWO snits. -- Uncle Wolf

Hope -- Not yet, but I'm working on it. -- Tall Tree

Cobra -- Ack!  Guess that was a big mistake. -- Hope

Tall Tree -- Dang, guess I need a little more experience, nice fight.  At least the
people like me!  8P -- Bone

Hilarus -- Not sure what you trying to do dressed like a tin can.  Don't change on my
account though. *grin* -- Buzzard

15 May 2003
Assurnasirbanipal invites all to use his computerized warrior management tool.  The
program is the most extensive management tool ever created.  It was meant to run on a
PALM OS PDA, but will run (emulated) on a PC or MAC.  You can get this program on the
web at: http://www.geocities.com/assurnasir

27 May 2003
A note to everyone regarding manager names and manager lists -- If you're running a
team incognito, all you have to do is let me know and I won't put your name on any
manager lists.  It has seemed though, that more people want their names listed, even
if they do not announce themselves, than the other way around.  Also, I do maintain
the list more or less by hand and errors do creep in.  You have but to say I've made
an error and no one will be the wiser (except thee and me, of course). -- The Saint,
keeper of lists

30 May 2003
Duelmasters Friends and Friendly Foes -- I am returning to the United States for the
summer.  Please direct any Snailmail to:
     Devon Hagy
     Open Skies Ministries
     Att: Hammer
     1515 E 7th St
     Okmulgee, OK 74447
     USA
Bro De is the founder and president of Open Skies Ministries [Prison Ministry] and a
newcomer to the world of Duelmasters. We minister together when I am in the area.
See you on the sands!
-- Daryl P Holloman aka Hammer
Flower Hammerz DM 28
Casino Hammerz DM 33
Fish Hammerz DM 54

3 June 2003
     The Company of Brothers want to take this opportunity to formally introduce
ourselves to all players.  Our play is NOT based on smack, rudeness, or anything less
than fair play (well...as fair as it gets!) and improving the knowledge base of the
game and the sharing of experimentation and information.  We are not concerned with
personal politics, ideals, etc.  We are players who enjoy the game.
     Currently, our membership includes:
     Asmo Dius, Baphomet, and Fahkry.
     We wish to welcome our newest member...Suiside.  May the gods smile upon you and
victory rest well on your team.  Any who wish to join us may contact one of our
members for info.

4 June 2003
                 ANNOUNCING THE RETURN OF STORMCROWE SLAUGHTERHOUSE
     The last Stormcrowe Slaughterhouse was one of the closest and most exciting
contests ever held in Alastari.  Such an epic demands a sequel.  Therefore, Master
Darque and Jack Wolfspider are pleased to announce the return of the Stormcrowe
Slaughterhouse.
     Where?  Stormcrowe DM 45 (slow).  When?  The Slaughterhouse returns on Turn 207,
due August 19.  How can you get into the action?  Bring a team (one per entrant
please) to arena 45 and announce your intention to join the contest in the Personals.
     Rules:  This time around the rules are very simple.  Each warrior win against a
higher rated opponent (one or more points higher in the ratings) brings you 10
points, against even rated opponent 7 points, lower rated 5 points.  Wins against
NPCs or by a warrior who downchallenges are worth 0 points.  Points are doubled for
kills.  All warriors in the arena whether participating in the Slaughterhouse or not
are fair game.  Points are totaled weekly, and the contestant whose team has racked
up the most points at the end of 10 turns is declared Slaughterhouse Champion.
     Prizes:  To be announced; we're still talking with RSI about it.  Figure it will
be something pretty good.  But hey, who needs prizes when the honor of being
Slaughterhouse Champion awaits!
     More info:  Master Darque, MasterDarqueDM@aol.com, or Jack Wolfspider,
russtulp@aol.com.  Or diplo Darque Forces (428) or Dynastic (433) in Arena 45.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

HERSHEY SQUIRT was dealt death by STONE GOLEM in a 2 minute Dark Arena fight.
BLUEY was viciously subdued by PAUL in a 1 minute veteran's Challenge duel.
GOLDIE was overpowered by MR. YUCK in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge Title duel.
MONTY slimly lost to JUVENAL in a 2 minute Challenge fight.
BINDI savagely defeated HILARUS in a 2 minute Challenge match.
BUZZARD bested SCORPUS in a 3 minute Challenge match.
GALBA was devastated by M. CHARDINEE in a 1 minute gruesome one-sided competition.
SHAWN lost to HOPE in a action packed 1 minute duel.
SCRAPPA vanquished CAPTURED ORC in a action packed 1 minute gory uneven fight.
ALAN was defeated by KINSORROW in a action packed 3 minute match.
LUCIUS was beaten by HOPE'S END in a 2 minute brutal fight.
TALL TREE was subdued by VAGAN in a unpopular 4 minute bloody competition.
BADGER was murdered by OTARU in a 1 minute mismatched match.
TEMMURO beat CINA in a crowd pleasing 3 minute conflict.
BONE was overpowered by JUMPING SPIDER in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
ZARGAS was bested by SUGARPLUM in a exciting 1 minute beginner's duel.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  6         TOTAL PARRY       19 -  11 -  0      63  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   5         BASHING ATTACK    27 -  20 -  2      57  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   5         SLASHING ATTACK   14 -  11 -  1      56  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         STRIKING ATTACK   19 -  16 -  1      54  |
|AIMED BLOW                       3         LUNGING ATTACK    36 -  37 -  7      49  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         PARRY-RIPOSTE      6 -   7 -  0      46  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         WALL OF STEEL      6 -   7 -  0      46  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -   5 -  1      44  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         AIMED BLOW         3 -   7 -  0      30  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-LUNGE        1 -   5 -  0      17  |

Turn 451 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-LUNGE        1 -  0     BASHING ATTACK     2 -  3         3  STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -  0     STRIKING ATTACK    2 -  4         2  LUNGING ATTACK 
WALL OF STEEL      1 -  0     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  1         2  TOTAL PARRY    
AIMED BLOW         2 -  1     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  2         2  BASHING ATTACK 
LUNGING ATTACK     3 -  2                                       1  SLASHING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY        2 -  2                                       1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
STRIKING ATTACK  MR. YUCK 3994              11   3  0  131 THE TAKEN (173)
LUNGING ATTACK   PAUL 4342                  18  15  0   99 MEN (356)
TOTAL PARRY      BLUEY 4317                 24  17  0   95 CROC FILES (374)
BASHING ATTACK   JUVENAL 4351               18  10  3   94 EQUESTORS (158)
AIMED BLOW       HOPE 3988                   9   6  0   49 THE TAKEN (173)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is PAUL 4342.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
BINDI 4422.  The ten other most popular fighters were CINA 4426, ALAN 4397, SCORPUS 
4393, PAUL 4342, SCRAPPA 4411, TEMMURO 4237, HERSHEY SQUIRT 4430, MONTY 4391, 
KINSORROW 4051, and HOPE'S END 4031.

The least popular fighter this week was TALL TREE 4380.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were BADGER 4410, GALBA 4389, HILARUS 4387, GOLDIE 4395, BLUEY 4317, BONE 
4092, OTARU 4245, VAGAN 4082, LUCIUS 4406, and BUZZARD 3995.

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

     For those of you who keep track of such things, 13 additional warriors graduated 
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament:

                            STRYSON (12-1368) SHADOW LORDS
                              STEFEN (15-2052) WILD BOYS
                         FROG SLAYER (21-4021) THE GUARDIANS
                       VICTOR CALDERONE (60-5223) CLUB CULTURE
                          TYBALT (62-3696) GRAPHIC VIOLENCE
                         WESTON (65-5719) SUPERIOR FORCES 4I
                            FOGGY (72-4595) DARQUE FORCES
                              NORAF (82-3856) ENVENOMED
                          CHEOPS (82-4451) LEGENDS OF EGYPT
                      THE SCREAMING FANS (82-6495) WHY I PLAY DM
                            CRAB (82-11880) 4-LETTER STDS
                         BRAND (82-13289) TOADS OF AMBER III
                        SHERRI (82-15114) SUPERIOR FORCES 3201

                                          -- Green Eyes