DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 09/03/2003 Duedate: 09/16/2003
LAPUR ARENA
DM-29 TURN-457
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
COBRA
DEATH THREAT (376)
(29-4355) [13-5-1,117]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
COBRA POSITION IS EMPTY
DEATH THREAT (376)
(29-4355) [13-5-1,117]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
MR. YUCK MONTY
THE TAKEN (173) CROC FILES (374)
(29-3994) [16-4-0,90] (29-4391) [10-12-3,97]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
THE GUILD (208)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. THE GUILD (208) 39
2. MEN (356) 20 DEATH THREAT (376)
3. VENUSIANS (321) 18 Unchartered Team
4. CARDOW HUNTERS (359) 9
5. CROC FILES (374) 2 (153)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1- 1 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163) 18 9 1 66.7 1/ 1 THE GUILD (208) 9 6 2
2/ 2 DEATH THREAT (376) 60 44 8 57.7 2/ 4 VENUSIANS (321) 8 5 0
3/ 3 CROC FILES (374) 113 94 12 54.6 3/ 2 THE TAKEN (173) 8 7 0
4/ 4 THE TAKEN (173) 590 525 29 52.9 4/ 3 EQUESTORS (158) 6 8 1
5/ 5 VENUSIANS (321) 109 104 6 51.2 5/ 6 CROC FILES (374) 6 9 3
6/ 6 BLACK SAMURAI (166) 225 235 20 48.9 6/ 7 BLACK SAMURAI (166) 5 1 1
7/ 7 EQUESTORS (158) 428 483 34 47.0 7/ 9 MEN (356) 5 1 0
8/ 8 THE GUILD (208) 512 590 22 46.5 8/ 5 DEATH THREAT (376) 5 2 0
9/ 9 FORCE OF NATURE (312) 138 165 10 45.5 9/ 8 FORCE OF NATURE (312) 5 7 0
10/10 MEN (356) 100 130 7 43.5 10/10 CARDOW HUNTERS (359) 4 8 0
11/11 CARDOW HUNTERS (359) 148 207 5 41.7 11-11*FORLORN (382) 2 3 0
12-13*FORLORN (382) 2 3 0 40.0 12-14 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163) 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 #90 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Monuntial:
Someone shouted for him, them, whoever heard and understood, to drop flat on the
count of five. It took Agro a few seconds to realize the command had been in Isle
cant, a language born of the cross-fertilization of Fratsfan, Kannish, and Tathanit,
and little known outside the gladiatorial community. Probably a friend, then. When
someone yelled "FIVE" he dropped.
And an explosion of...light? Fire? Some kind of blast flashed over his head,
taking down anyone still standing. The Usurper's guards, the regular guards, most of
his followers who were still standing. He didn't want to think about Bindi; she was
still a Basic gladiator and hadn't been exposed to Isle cant....
There was a second explosion on the heels of the first, but it was dark and cold
and expanded in a volume instead of a plane. Counterattack? This was a lot of magic
flying around for the time and conditions. Agro recalled that someone had told him
Nishtar, the Eastern ally of the Usurper, was a mage. Maybe a reckless mage, then.
And it probably meant that the Usurper, or at least his ally, had survived the first
blast.
When the air stopped shaking, Agro raised his head and looked around cautiously.
He couldn't hear anything, but that was probably because the two blasts had numbed
his ears. After a look at the stands, he decided temporary deafness was a blessing.
He gathered his limbs under himself and lurched to his feet. A few others down on
the sands were doing likewise--one of them, he saw with relief, was Bindi. If any
were guards, they'd lost their tell-tale armor. He gestured for her to go toward the
exit and started in that direction himself.
He had about a dozen men left of the bunch he'd started with, which meant a lot
of them were dead or down. And that was still fewer dead than if he'd left them to
the Usurper's lions. But what to do with them now? Whatever life they'd had here in
Monuntial before today, they couldn't go back to it. They were marked men now,
rebels, and Nishtar and Quelsarrain had a short way with rebels. Probably the ones
fed to the lions were the lucky ones. Worry about that later.
Worry about it? What was happening in his head? Since when did he worry about
humans? Humans were meat at best, mortal enemies more often. Worry about THAT
later, too.
Agro burst out of the arena's gate with Bindi at his side and the handful of
rebels at his heels. There were Usurper's men in the street, but they seemed
disorganized. Probably shaken and confused by the explosions, who wouldn't be? It
was tempting, it would have been easy to cut down four or five of the nearest ones
before they realized there was a fight going on, but he resisted. A fight would
shake them out of their confusion faster than anything, and as long as they were
milling uselessly asking each other what was going on, he had an edge. He needed to
use it to get himself, Bindi, and these men who trusted him out of town.
He picked the street with the fewest soldiers on it and set off at a run.
Between Morya and Rocanis:
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 and 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." She turned her horse and spurred it toward the approaching figure.
Bill and Rokori started after her.
"It might actually be Lugard," Rokori offered after a moment. "We don't KNOW
that he died."
"And pigs might fly, too," the young magician said bitterly. "If either of us
had a bow, I'd say shoot it now, before it can do anything."
"Sounds extreme," the Dark Arena Shew said. "Does being a golem mean it has to
be bad?"
"Under the circumstances, yes, it does. The circumstances here couldn't produce
anything BUT a malign creature." He glanced at his big companion. "I'm not just
saying that, but the situation is too complex for easy explanations. Just...if that
is a magical construct, it's an enemy."
"You won't convince Iron Talon of that," Rokori Klee said. "She sees what she
wants to see."
"Karn and Demnat!" Bill growled. "It's no wonder the Governors of the Academy
advise against contact with women. They're impossible, unreasonable,
unpredictable--"
"No worse than men," the Shew answered. "It's just part of being alive." He
was standing in his stirrups, and since he was a very tall man on a very tall horse,
he could see a long ways. But the drifting clouds of smoke and steam from the
eruption masked large parts of the landscape, and now Iron Talon and the Lugard-image
were both out of sight. "They might have gone into that little valley yonder," he
muttered anxiously.
"This is an unstable area," Bill said. "They might have fallen through an
accidental Gate, too."
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #68 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Riztab:
"It's moved into the old office building on the waterfront," Spymaster Torric
said. "The one with the old arena records in it, you know?"
"They, not it," Jorja corrected absently. "More than one monster or whatever.
But I wonder why the office building? It seems so unlikely: the Office Building of
Doom or something."
Torric laughed but said, "It wasn't always an office building. Forty or fifty
years ago, it was a merchant prince's palace. Then the merchant went broke--don't
ask me how, because I do NOT want to know--and Tokken Makrok got the building as part
of the, um, settlement of debts, I guess. And when the arena opened, he sold the
building to the Gladiatorial Commission, and then the lake rose and drowned the lower
floor...." He shrugged. "But it was built on a much older foundation. Hundreds of
years older."
"What was it then, hundreds of years ago?" Jorja asked.
"I've got no clue, I wasn't around then," the Spymaster said. "Heck, I wasn't
even around when the merchant prince was going broke; I heard about that from my
grandfather." He topped up his stein from the pitcher on the table. "What are you
going to do about it? And where's Garfield--isn't that the guy that with you?"
"Garfield's got interests all over Alastari, you can't expect him to hang around
Riztab just to investigate a haunted office building. And besides, why should I, he,
or we do anything at all about it?"
"It worries people," Torric said. "There are, well, there are...noises. At
night. And sometimes people vanish from the lakefront...."
"They do that anyway--vanish. The lakefront isn't the safest place in Riztab
after dark," Jorja pointed out tartly.
"But--"
"And if the building belongs to the Commission now, THEY should be responsible
for whatever is going on," she went on relentlessly.
"But they won't DO anything!" Torric slammed his tankard down onto the table.
Jorja shrugged. "I have my own matters to attend to."
"At best," the Spymaster went on, "they'll assign some Lord Protectors to
investigate and if possible rid the place of its monsters. Why wait? Why not send
some of yours, or call for volunteers, if more are needed and you don't want to go
yourself?"
"If the Commission sends someone, they'll have to pay expenses," Jorja said.
"If we start on our own, they won't. And I'm just breaking even as it is."
Between Ibizond and Korga:
Aghtamar, Zilla, and Cadal sat or knelt, as each preferred, in a shadowy cavern
formed by the drooping branches of a pine. Cadal had vetoed a fire, but they had
food--thick slabs of bread topped with ham and cheese, and water to drink. They'd
taken position well before sunset, in case the killer was out early looking for HIS
position of ambush.
"He doesn't use the same one each time?" Aghtamar asked.
"No. There may be some repeating, judging by where the bodies have been found,
but some are too far apart to have been ambushed from the same spot. There's been a
general progression from east to west, too, as though the killer was coming from the
east coast, maybe from Zuwayza, and heading for the west coast by way of Murska and
Fratsfa. This seems like about the right distance from the last body--"
"I just hope the killer doesn't decide this tree would make a good ambush spot
for HIM," Zilla muttered.
There was a period of silence while the three Lord Protectors alternately ate
and leaned forward to peer through the branches at the road. Their position was in
the bottom of a small valley where the road crossed a steep, rocky stream on an
arched stone bridge.
"I wonder where the priests of Kjarran found the monster," Aghtamar asked in a
tone of idle curiosity. "I wonder if they have any control over it, or if they just
pointed it west at Korga and turned it loose?"
"You think the priests are responsible for this?" Cadal asked, surprised.
"Of course," she said. "Who else?"
"Some of the invaders might have released something that was caged," Cadal
suggested. "If it really is a monster of some kind. If it's just a killer, it could
be anyone. Besides, if it was set by the Kjarranists, you'd think it would leave
their people alone, and it hasn't. Well, we can't be sure about beliefs, but all
races have been attacked."
"The people of Karnhorn race who died might have been followers of Serimna,"
Zilla said. "The priests of Kjarran hate Serimnists more even than Karragit or Orcs
or Shews. More even than Elves."
"It doesn't matter," Cadal said finally. "Monstrous or mortal, it's a killer
and our job right now is to stop it."
Aghtamar was taking her turn peering out at the road. The sun was down, at
least as seen from this location, and the valley was filling with shadows. She
stiffened and whispered, "Somebody coming!"
"Fist of Kjarran?" Zilla asked.
"No, someone coming from the east. Someone on a horse."
"Bad time and place for an innocent traveler," Cadal said, moving up to join her
at the edge of their shelter. "So let's hope it's the killer looking for a place to
set his ambush."
Zilla crammed the last of her bread and cheese into her mouth, muttered
something indistinct, and began to climb the tree, keeping close to the trunk and
spiraling upward out of sight.
The road, which was used by traders' wagons as well as foot and horse traffic,
looped back and forth across the steep hillside to get an easier grade, so it most of
it was hidden behind the trees. All could hear the hoofbeats, though. One horse,
coming steadily at moderate speed. The last stretch above the bridge was in the
clear, however, and still lit, more or less, by the ruddy light of the setting sun
reflecting off clouds above the valley.
A shadow moved at the top of the visible length of road, resolving into a large
hound. Two large hounds. Too large to be hounds, but they weren't horses, bears, or
cattle. The darkness at the edge of the trees stretched out an arm which advanced,
detached, and became a vaguely seen man, or something man-like, on a horse, or nearly
a horse. A third hound followed on his heels.
"The killer," Cadal said, his voice little more than a ghost of sound.
"Couldn't be anything else."
"It could be human and I wouldn't mind," Aghtamar countered as quietly.
"Because THAT surely is no human or any other race I ever met."
What little they could see of the figure on the horse seemed tall as a Shew but
skeletally thin. The flame-colored light of the setting sun--or something--made the
eyes of horse, rider, and hounds all reflect redly. One of the hounds stopped, head
up and turning slowly. It looked directly at the tree where the gladiators were
hiding and then pointed its nose at the sky and loosed a howl that would freeze the
blood of a salamander. The rider turned to look toward the tree also, raised a
hunting horn and blew it. Above them, Zilla gave a startled shriek and slid down in
a shower of bark and needles.
"We'd better get on the road," Cadal said urgently. "We're in a trap if we try
to fight from in here."
*** ***** *** ***** ***
The dog charged Fist of Kjarran without finesse, just came straight at him. It
seemed to grow unnaturally as it came closer, from as big as a pony to a beast that
towered like an elephant, and it bayed continually. Fist wondered in passing where
it found the breath to keep howling like that as it ran. No doubt that it was an
unnatural beast of some kind! He muttered a quick prayer, wished for a boar spear,
and knelt, bracing his sword to receive the plunging monster.
At the last moment, its breath already cold on his face, the beast swerved to
pass Fist to his left. Fist twisted quickly and managed to slash across its ribs,
though the cut was only a shallow one. The dog twisted, too, whining with frustrated
eagerness to kill. Fist got back on his feet so that he could turn and keep his face
and blade to the circling hound. Why it didn't leap in to attack, he could not
imagine. It backed up out of blade's reach and bayed at him. The sound was
unpleasant, but that was all--what was the fool creature doing?
It bayed again, with vibrato and tricky overtones. Abruptly Fist guessed that
it was trying to frighten him. What the heck? Could it ONLY kill through fear, or
at least only physically attack those who had been unmanned by fear? He lunged
suddenly, and it scrambled back out of the way rather than meet the attack and
attempt to fight. Kjarran and Jayde! It was like the old motto: the only thing to
be feared was fear itself. He leaped to the attack again, pressing the infernal
hound relentlessly. The hound dodged and twisted agilely, and whenever it had a
moment, it howled. Not the hunting call, but the howl of a dog voicing its woes.
It was answered by a hunting horn from farther down the valley, and for the
first time since he'd seen the hound, Fist of Kjarran again noticed the sound of
battle down there. Apparently the hound was calling for help.
Kjarran and Jayde! A beast of prey that was at least twice his size and still
needed help to kill him was not something to frighten a child, much less a Lord
Protector! But there was no telling, the help it summoned might be more formidable.
Better to take care of the hound now, at once, and not have to fight hound and helper
together. Besides, his assistance might be needed down at the bridge where the other
Lord Protectors were fighting the hound's master. He made a determined attack on the
hound, pressing it back with his thrusts and slashes, attempting to corner it against
the low bank at one side of the road. It yelped, snapped, and lunged back at him
desperately.
"Ah...I shoulda remembered," Fist muttered, dodging. "Cornered rats and
all...." He tried one last slash as the beast went by and laid open its hip to the
bone. It screamed and fell.
There was a wordless shout of fury from farther along, two human screams,
drumming hooves that approached his position faster than a horse should be able to
gallop up that slope. Fist moved quickly to put his back to the low bluff beside the
road. It would hamper his movement, but it would be a worse problem for the
horsemen; at least here he wouldn't have to worry about being ridden down.
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===---
Duelmasters
-----------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 473): GWEN RYDER of DREAM PARK (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 471): CAT FANCY of ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 467): INNERVISION of UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 467): PA ELL of WAY OF THE SWORD (Vhagar, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 465): PAN of DEITIES & DEMIGODS (DeGotti, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 464): VOO DOO of UNKNOWNS XII (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 232): LUCKY LUCIEN of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 456): MR. YUCK of THE TAKEN (Stillgard, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 230): PHOENICIA of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 453): TROTLINE of FISHERMAN'S WHARF (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 33 ANASAZI (turn 451): OLD MAJOR of PIG BATTALION (Kellog, mgr.)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 444): KING BEAR of THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 407): SUNGOD DESIGNED ME of WENSINWASIN (Youngblood, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 207): CAN'T BRING ME DOWN of THE SUNGOD XPERIENCE (SunGod)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 201): JUMBO MUMBO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 188): MR. HOOPER of OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 332): BESOT of ACT OF MALICE (Carnage, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 312): THE BUM of FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 137): JUSTICE of PEACE MAKERS (Solomon, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 357): NEMESIS of CHAMPIONS from JHELUM (Shadowgate, mgr.)
Top Teams
---------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 473): CLAN O' WHOOPAS (?, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 471): DREAMERS (Sleepy, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 467): GREENWARDENS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 467): SILK AND STEEL (?, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 465): WHEN EAGLES DARE (Talon Volksie, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 464): DRAGON JUNKIES (Youngblood, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 232): BAD GERMS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 456): THE GUILD (Guido, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 230): OVERLORDS (The Icelord, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 453): DEVIL ADVOCATES (Dark One, mgr.)
DM 33 ANASAZI (turn 451): WHEN DOGMA FAILS (Prophet, mgr.)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 444): THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 407): THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 207): MORDRED'S MADMEN (Abraxis, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 201): COFFEE RULES! (Mr. Coffee, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 188): OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 332): REDHORSE (Mila, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 312): FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 137): WAY TO GO! II (Spawn, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 357): MEOW MIX, etc. (Ultraist, mgr.)
Recent Graduates
-----------------
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 470): DOORSTOP of SWEET MAGIC (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 466): DIRT KNAP of UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 467): PA ELL of WAY OF THE SWORD (Vhagar, mgr.)
PAZUZU of THE BLACKHEARTS (Nunzio Frothingslosh, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 464): KILLIN' STU of MINIONS OF MILO (Kleptov Grenufelbitz)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 463): KANDY KANES of CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 231): BATMANNING (28-3402) CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 229):ODYSSEUS of OVERLORDS (The Icelord, mgr.)
KRAC D'CHEVALIERS of THE STORMGUARDS (The Icelord)
BABBS BUNNY of LOONY TOONS (Rascally Rabbit, mgr.)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 443): BRIGIT of CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 201): GRINNON BEARIT of THE BEAR'S PAW (KAT, mgr.)
(turn 200): ZEEL BEBUB of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
INCREDIBLE SULK of DRAKE'S COMICS (Drake, mgr.)
MARY ANN of SCREEN DREAMS (Fizban, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 187): CLOUDS AWAY of OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 311): ON MY WAY of SADISTS F2F (SunGod, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 137): JUSTICE of PEACE MAKERS (Solomon, mgr.)
SCRAG'S LIZARD of DARK CIRCLE PETS II (Guardian, mgr.)
SPY REPORT
Greetings, Warriors of LAPUR. Allow this humble servant Novgorodny Vir to give
you a respite from the fights in the form of this Spyreport. Practice pays for
BINDI, who pummelled DOWN POUR, to pocket 15 points. A certain someone should cut
down on the drinking and practice more, after losing 16 points to BINDI. (Discrete
enough, DOWN POUR?) Out with the old, in with the new. Enter PENNILESS LORD, handily
defeating MR. YUCK. With 117 points, COBRA of DEATH THREAT takes the position of
LAPUR's Duelmaster. So who was the warrior seen charging into immovable walls and
challenging dead trees? Someone's got a basic problem...
And how sociable are LAPUR's warriors? Come, let us see. To quell some nasty
rumors, the guys in THE TAKEN are not carrying any incurable diseases. No need to
avoid 'em. As a woman of good breeding scorns the "warriors" of BLACK SAMURAI, so
did that sorry team shy from THE TAKEN Is it charming personality? Conversational
abilities? Good oral hygiene? Whatever it is, COBRA is the most challenged warrior.
LUCIUS found himself challenged by a warrior 24 below: VAGAN. VAGAN of THE GUILD
kept his wits as he bested LUCIUS.
The moving sword slashes, and having slashed, moves on... Justice was served as
HOPE'S END fought SCRAPPA in bloodfeud. Well done, THE GUILD! Oh hard! that to
strike a flame, the match itself must needs be wasting!
Do not think spyreporting in LAPUR is the highlight of my life. As the seasons
change, and the creatures of the wild change also, so do I feel a yearning to leave
this place. Can anything compare to the pleasure of writing Spyreports for LAPUR?
On that giddy note I take my leave-- Novgorodny Vir
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
COBRA 4355 13 5 1 117 DEATH THREAT (376)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ENOSHIMA 4349 20 3 0 103 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
MONTY 4391 10 12 3 97 CROC FILES (374)
-SACRIFICIAL KNIFE 1302 12 4 1 93 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MR. YUCK 3994 16 4 0 90 THE TAKEN (173)
BUZZARD 3995 16 4 0 90 THE TAKEN (173)
-MATSURI 4256 15 10 0 85 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
HOPE'S END 4031 9 6 0 81 THE GUILD (208)
GOLDIE 4395 10 10 1 75 CROC FILES (374)
ALAN 4397 10 10 0 71 MEN (356)
SCRAPPA 4411 8 3 2 69 CROC FILES (374)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SCORPUS 4393 14 7 2 65 EQUESTORS (158)
SHAWN 4405 9 7 1 62 MEN (356)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
GALBA 4389 14 9 1 57 EQUESTORS (158)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
HOPE 3988 13 8 0 56 THE TAKEN (173)
VAGAN 4082 6 5 1 48 THE GUILD (208)
-SNOWBLIND 1291 4 3 0 48 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
RAGING FIRE 4407 6 1 0 47 DEATH THREAT (376)
SUE NAMI 4097 8 15 0 46 FORCE OF NATURE (312)
WHIRLWIND 4325 5 6 0 42 FORCE OF NATURE (312)
-CHUBON 4381 3 3 0 42 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
LUCIUS 4406 9 6 2 38 EQUESTORS (158)
LYRA 4320 8 7 0 38 VENUSIANS (321)
TALL TREE 4380 6 20 0 38 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BINDI 4454 2 1 0 33 CROC FILES (374)
OTARU 4245 6 5 1 31 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-DARK ABYSS 4417 4 2 1 31 DEATH THREAT (376)
ZARGAS 4425 5 3 0 29 THE GUILD (208)
SUGARPLUM 4432 5 2 0 29 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
MENSA 4442 4 1 1 25 VENUSIANS (321)
-FREE FALL 4400 1 1 0 25 DEATH THREAT (376)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SOLAR FLARE 4427 4 3 0 23 VENUSIANS (321)
COOKIE 4455 2 1 1 23 CROC FILES (374)
ENIGMA 4466 2 0 0 23 THE TAKEN (173)
-KOJIRO 4456 1 0 1 22 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
ASTRIAL 4328 5 4 0 21 VENUSIANS (321)
DOWN POUR 4323 3 8 0 17 FORCE OF NATURE (312)
ZORCH 4465 2 0 0 14 THE GUILD (208)
JUMPING SPIDER 4431 3 4 0 13 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
-BAD TRIP 1290 1 0 0 13 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
RAVAGE 4444 2 3 0 12 THE TAKEN (173)
-SCORPIO RISING 1293 1 0 0 10 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
-FOREDOOM 4448 1 0 0 10 FORLORN (382)
BLACK TIGER 4436 1 5 0 8 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
MACRINUS 4452 1 2 1 6 EQUESTORS (158)
ZOT 4464 1 1 1 5 THE GUILD (208)
-FORTE 4447 1 0 0 5 FORLORN (382)
-FORWARD 4451 0 1 0 1 FORLORN (382)
MUCIANUS 4478 0 1 0 1 EQUESTORS (158)
-FORCIBLE 4450 0 1 0 1 FORLORN (382)
-FORTITUDE 4449 0 1 0 1 FORLORN (382)
-DRAFT DODGER 1292 0 1 0 1 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
BINDI 4422 4 3 0 CROC FILES 374 COBRA 4355 454
HILARUS 4387 10 12 1 EQUESTORS 158 GOLDIE 4395 455
MISTY WATERS 4428 2 2 0 FORCE OF NATURE 312 GALBA 4389 454 REVENGED
TYE FOON 4433 2 2 0 FORCE OF NATURE 312 VAGAN 4082 455 REVENGED
SONNY DAZE 4453 0 2 0 FORCE OF NATURE 312 MACRINUS 4452 456
KINSORROW 4051 7 3 0 THE GUILD 208 SCRAPPA 4411 455 JUST REV
CINA 4426 1 3 0 THE GUILD 208 MENSA 4442 453 REVENGED
PAUL 4342 19 16 0 MEN 356 MONTY 4391 453 NOT REVE
FOOK 4443 0 1 0 THE TAKEN 173 DELPHINA 4434 453 REVENGED
DELPHINA 4434 1 3 1 VENUSIANS 321 KOJIRO 4456 455
PERSONAL ADS
Cookie -- Even though I hate to lose, the skills you taught me more than made up for
it. -- Solar Flare
Jumping Spider -- Did I tell you that spiders really freak me out? -- Astrial
Scorpus -- Yikes, keep that great axe away from me! -- Lyra
Ravage -- Glad I wear some thick armor. -- Mensa
Vagan -- The bloodfeud against you was the only one I really felt I had a chance of
winning. I seem to have my choice of bloodfeuds lately. Good luck in your future
encounters. -- Sue Nami
Guido -- No apology or explanation needed...death is part of the life we choose. We
have known each other long enough here in Lapur to understand this. Besides...I will
take your apology out of your warriors. ;) -- Storm Front
Zargas -- I had doubts to the out come of our fight, but I am not complaining. --
Whirlwind
Galba -- Did you throw that fight? -- Down Pour
Sugarplum -- Wish I could blow more warriors off their feet. -- Whirlwind
Hope's End -- Huh? My warriors have 33 kills out of 424 wins, or only 7.783 percent.
I do not have all the fight sheets but I seem to remember that lightly armored
warriors have not fared well and a number of kills came on 1 hit, probably due to a
low constitution. I rarely use a kill desire above 6--anything higher seems to
result in a lot of ineffective swings leading to arm weariness. -- Spartacus
Lapur -- Hilarus is no longer among us. For those of you who care--BASHER -- 15-9-
17-15-9-10-9, active fighter, slightly uncoordinated, poor endurance, tremendous
damage with a blow, intelligence sub-statements, 2, unusual fighting style that
confuses many opponents, very aggressive and clever fighting style, only 1 learn per
fight average, For Hope's End, only 1 kill, vs. Slasher, wearing leather armor and
leather cap, took 6 swings, got 6 hits, may have had 2 critical hits, died in fight
22. In 21 other fights failed to reach expert in any skill.
Sue Nami -- You might want to consider retirement at a nice seaside villa somewhere.
-- Galea
P.S. You are to be congratulated for your attempted bloodfeud.
Hope's End -- Get a personal trainer. -- Lucius
Raging Fire -- You burn me up! Wow, that was HOT work. -- Tall Tree, slightly singed
Bindi -- My teammates say I gotta let you get past and not take a bite, like I want
to. So just keep moving and get outta my way. -- Black Tiger
Astrial -- I'm star-crossed! -- Jumping Spider
Gosh! The Embezzling Scribe was stealing sugar cubes at the tea house, too! --
Sugarplum
Storm Front -- Our sympathies on your rash of deaths. We've been down that road
ourselves recently. -- Uncle Wolf, Cardow Hunters
Stillgard -- I don't know what strategies people have been running, but the current
rash of deaths is not the norm here. -- Uncle Wolf
Cookie -- Ha! I have it on good authority that if I mash up this here vine and throw
it in the water, it'll poison every cold-blooded swimmer. So THERE. -- Persistent
Beggar
19 August 2003
Citizens of Ghea (only the ignorant fail to note Lirith Kai is not in Alastari),
no new day is rising, but the sun is setting on just another beautiful evening.
While you were sleeping, an irksome rabble has entered the always fair Aruak City.
Of course they fought alongside our warriors, most not so treasured, as all
gladiators do. They drank with themselves, and slept with themselves. Whether they
had masks, who cares.
Warriors, don't be afraid. For years Aruak has been one of the safest cities in
Ghea, and that custom has been continually cultivated, and will continue to be by
those who have called it home for years and those who live, fight, and die by the
same ethics. There is no contest, nor has there ever needed to be one for many
years. A conflict of personalities has arisen, and the city has been 'invaded' by
pests.
Any rules that are annouced will be purely for the joy of the lemmings' own
little world. Those who are being targeted have no interest in participating except
to defend the integrity of an arena that is different from others. Whether you
choose to come to Aruak, do it for your own reasons, not theirs.
Competing in Aruak City has never been for the faint of heart or the weak willed.
Combat is combat, wherever you go. Blood will flow as always, and now many innocents
will be caught in the middle, but those who defend Aruak's traditions never target
those who bring respect of Aruaki customs with them to our home.
So ignore the private ranting announcement brought by the stuporous
Frothingsloshers. If you choose Aruak City, do not choose it for an unsanctioned and
bogus 'contest', choose it for the tradition. Choose it because Aruak is different.
Defenders of Aruak
25 August 2003
To any that care -- The CDC is back; our current roster is:
Malaquar -- Minion of Guardian
Pip the Troll -- Burly Enforcer Type
mouse -- Official Sneaky Bastard
Papa Bear -- Elder Statesmen
The Sealer says, "Hi, I'm the dealer."
Papa Bear says, "It's not my f****n fault."
Guardian -- Paper Figurehead
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
GOLDIE was devastated by COBRA in a 1 minute mismatched Bloodfeud Title fight.
HOPE'S END slimly won victory over SCRAPPA in a 3 minute gruesome Bloodfeud battle.
RAGING FIRE was demolished by ALAN in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight.
MONTY was unbelievably bested by ENOSHIMA in a 7 minute veteran's Challenge contest.
SUE NAMI was demolished by SCORPUS in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge competition.
VAGAN unbelievably bested LUCIUS in a crowd pleasing 3 minute brutal Challenge fight.
COOKIE was devastated by HOPE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge competition.
BINDI vanquished DOWN POUR in a 1 minute uneven Challenge duel.
MR. YUCK was unbelievably bested by PENNILESS LORD in a 2 minute expert's fight.
BUZZARD defeated VENOMOUS CONCUBINE in a exciting 3 minute fight.
SHAWN handily defeated OTARU in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
TALL TREE was savagely defeated by WHIRLWIND in a 4 minute bloody match.
GALBA handily defeated AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
LYRA demolished JUMPING SPIDER in a 1 minute one-sided brawl.
ASTRIAL was overcome by SUGARPLUM in a popular 6 minute gruesome conflict.
BLACK TIGER was overpowered by ZARGAS in a 1 minute uneven struggle.
SOLAR FLARE handily defeated MACRINUS in a 2 minute bloody mismatched bout.
MENSA unbelievably bested RAVAGE in a 2 minute brutal novice's fight.
ENIGMA overpowered ZOT in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
ZORCH savagely defeated MUCIANUS in a crowd pleasing 1 minute gory amateur's conflict.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 9 PARRY-RIPOSTE 6 - 2 - 0 75 |
|BASHING ATTACK 6 TOTAL PARRY 25 - 19 - 1 57 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 5 PARRY-LUNGE 9 - 7 - 0 56 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 4 LUNGING ATTACK 50 - 41 - 8 55 |
|TOTAL PARRY 4 PARRY-STRIKE 3 - 3 - 0 50 |
|WALL OF STEEL 4 SLASHING ATTACK 18 - 19 - 1 49 |
|AIMED BLOW 2 WALL OF STEEL 14 - 15 - 1 48 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 2 BASHING ATTACK 28 - 34 - 4 45 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 STRIKING ATTACK 25 - 32 - 2 44 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 AIMED BLOW 11 - 16 - 0 41 |
Turn 457 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-RIPOSTE 1 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 3 4 LUNGING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 1 LUNGING ATTACK 3 - 6 3 STRIKING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 3 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 TOTAL PARRY
AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE
BASHING ATTACK 3 - 3
WALL OF STEEL 2 - 2
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK COBRA 4355 13 5 1 117 DEATH THREAT (376)
TOTAL PARRY ENOSHIMA 4349 20 3 0 103 BLACK SAMURAI (166)
STRIKING ATTACK MR. YUCK 3994 16 4 0 90 THE TAKEN (173)
PARRY-LUNGE HOPE'S END 4031 9 6 0 81 THE GUILD (208)
BASHING ATTACK SCORPUS 4393 14 7 2 65 EQUESTORS (158)
SLASHING ATTACK SHAWN 4405 9 7 1 62 MEN (356)
AIMED BLOW HOPE 3988 13 8 0 56 THE TAKEN (173)
WALL OF STEEL VAGAN 4082 6 5 1 48 THE GUILD (208)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is MR. YUCK 3994. The most popular warrior this turn
was MONTY 4391. The ten other most popular fighters were LUCIUS 4406, MR. YUCK 3994,
ASTRIAL 4328, SUGARPLUM 4432, RAVAGE 4444, ZORCH 4465, SCRAPPA 4411, HOPE 3988, SOLAR
FLARE 4427, and HOPE'S END 4031.
The least popular fighter this week was TALL TREE 4380. The other ten least popular
fighters were ZOT 4464, BLACK TIGER 4436, JUMPING SPIDER 4431, OTARU 4245, DOWN POUR
4323, COOKIE 4455, SUE NAMI 4097, RAGING FIRE 4407, GOLDIE 4395, and MUCIANUS 4478.
The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn:
MR. YUCK (29-3994) THE TAKEN (173)
FACE-TO-FACE XXXII
Our next Winter Face-to-Face will be held on Martin Luther King weekend, Friday
through Sunday, 16-18 January 2004, at the Embassy Suites in Tempe, Arizona (4400 S
Rural Rd). Room rates are $119.00 per night, 1-2 occupancy, which includes breakfast.
The rooms are blocked. The reservations number is 480-897-7444; tell them you're with
the "Reality Simulations Face to Face Convention" block. Our room block will be
released in mid-December, so please make sure you reserve your room before then.
There is a free shuttle to the airport, as well as free parking. The hotel is
located down the freeway in Tempe. All rooms have high speed internet (for an extra
charge). There is a fitness center, jacuzzi, and pool, and of course a bar and
restaurant inside the hotel. And there's Denny's right across the street. Look for
transportation info in the tournament information sheet.
The tournament information sheet/strategy sheet should be out sometime in late
November/early December.
If you haven't been to a Face-to-Face before, you're overdue. If you have,
you'll be back. Don't miss this one, it'll be a blast! See you there!
-- Green Eyes and the RSI Staff