DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 10/15/2003    Duedate: 10/28/2003

LAPUR ARENA

DM-29    TURN-460

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

BUZZARD
THE TAKEN (173)
(29-3995) [18-5-0,100]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

GOLDIE                         FRANK THE TANK
CROC FILES (374)               TANKS A LOT! (387)
(29-4395) [12-11-1,109]        (29-4488) [3-0-0,27]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

MONTY                          GOLDIE
CROC FILES (374)               CROC FILES (374)
(29-4391) [11-14-3,101]        (29-4395) [12-11-1,109]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

CROC FILES (374)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. CROC FILES (374)            66
2. EQUESTORS (158)             60      DEATH THREAT (376)
3. TANKS A LOT! (387)          41      Unchartered Team
4. VENUSIANS (321)             34
5. FORCE OF NATURE (312)       20      CRIMSON KINGS (388)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 2 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)  19   9  1 67.9   1/ 9 CROC FILES (374)          9  6 0
 2/ 1*CRIMSON KINGS (388)        6   4  1 60.0   2/ 5 EQUESTORS (158)           8  7 1
 3/ 3 DEATH THREAT (376)        63  45  9 58.3   3/ 3 FORCE OF NATURE (312)     8  7 0
 4/ 4 CROC FILES (374)         122 100 12 55.0   4/ 2 THE TAKEN (173)           7  8 0
 5/ 5 THE TAKEN (173)          597 533 29 52.8   5/12*TANKS A LOT! (387)        7  8 0
 6/ 6 VENUSIANS (321)          115 113  6 50.4   6/ 6*CRIMSON KINGS (388)       6  4 1
 7/ 7 BLACK SAMURAI (166)      229 237 20 49.1   7/ 8 VENUSIANS (321)           6  9 0
 8/ 8 EQUESTORS (158)          436 490 35 47.1   8- 1 THE GUILD (208)           5  5 0
 9/13*TANKS A LOT! (387)         7   8  0 46.7   9/ 4 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      5  7 1
10- 9 THE GUILD (208)          517 595 22 46.5  10/11 BLACK SAMURAI (166)       4  2 0
11/10 FORCE OF NATURE (312)    146 172 10 45.9  11/10 DEATH THREAT (376)        3  1 1
12/11 MEN (356)                103 133  7 43.6  12/ 7 MEN (356)                 3  3 0
13/12 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)     153 214  6 41.7  13-13 HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)  1  0 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

          + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Charter Cities #93 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Monuntial, the waterfront:

     The man--he said his name was Tully--pointed out a boat tied at the end of one
of the long piers.  "That'd take us all, and I can handle it with a couple of guys to
do the sails."  He glanced over his shoulder at their small group.  "There's some
here that are good enough."
     Agro squinted at the boat in question and noted that it was already occupied by
at least three people.  "Okay.  You know the men on that boat?"
     "Not personally," Tully said, his brows drawing down in a scowl.  "But I'm
looking forward to it.  Those are Usurper's men.  The boat used to belong to my
cousin, but he 'met with an accident' and somebody claimed he left a debt behind--
Kollis that never borrowed money!--and his boat got taken for payment."
     "You know the boat then.  Good."  Agro gestured for his followers to move
closer.  When they were in a cluster so that all could hear him, he said, "We're
going to take that boat out there.  No damage to the boat if you can help it--that's
our escape route.  But damage the men all you want.  Let's make it fast, because
those soldiers are going to be behind us any minute."
     "Right!"  A man with a squint, Agro hadn't heard his name, grinned.  "We can do
this, boys!  Let's go."  He made a sweeping gesture that must have alerted anybody
watching from the boat.
     Before the Croc could say anything to him, the remnants of the group that had
been trapped in the arena surged forward.  One of the men on the boat shouted, and
heads popped out of a hatch.  And just to put the situation over the top, he could
hear more shouts and running feet, the clashing of armor as men jostled against each
other, and a horn blowing some kind of signal behind them.  That would be the
Usurper's soldiers.  There was no time for planning or any kind of organization.
     Making sure that Bindi was with them and nobody lagging, Agro ran for the boat.
Most of his group were ahead of him now, so he figured that made him and Bindi the
rear guard.  He didn't like that--what if the soldiers had bows?--but that's the way
it was.
     There were yells from the boat, and screams, and the various sounds of combat,
bludgeon sounds, and the ring of steel on steel, grunts and wordless roars of rage
and destruction.  Agro hoped that Tully, the man who knew how to handle the boat, was
not among the ones screaming.  But he didn't have time to look, because the first of
the soldiers were coming into sight around the corner of a warehouse, and they DID
have bows.  Agro swept his teammate Bindi into the protection of a stack of bales and
moved the other way to draw the soldiers off.  It was a primary goal with him that
Bindi not be hurt, and he cursed the day he had agreed to allow her to come along on
this trip.
     Sighting their prey, the soldiers hesitated.  Then somebody must have realized
that the escaping rebels had no distance weapons, and they surged forward again.  The
ones with bows, only three of them that Agro could see, moved to the side of the
advancing pack and nocked arrows, looking for targets.  Agro popped out of his own
cover behind a cluster of barrels, yelled defiance, and ducked down again.  Two
arrows thudded into the barrels; if the third archer fired, Agro couldn't tell where
his arrow had gone.
     The sounds from the ship were becoming one-sided, and Agro guessed, hoped, that
it was the rebels who were winning.  Another minute, half a minute, and the soldiers
would be on them.
     "Agro, they've got the boat!  We have to get on it now," Bindi called.
     He could hear her moving and leaped up again, yelling, to distract the archers.
Arrows, but the soldiers were so close now that a third volley was impractical from
their point of view.  Bindi yelped, and Agro heard her fall.  The leading soldiers
weren't looking at him, they must be aiming for Bindi.  With a roar of rage, Agro
hurled himself at their pursuers, his sword moving like a scythe as he mowed down the
men who would harm his teammate.  The soldiers fell back, dismayed by his fury--those
of them who were still alive.  They left three bodies behind them.
     "Agro, I'm okay," Bindi called.  "Come ON, we have to get out of here!"
     Agro gutted one soldier who was too slow withdrawing, then turned and leaped for
the boat.  Bindi was already on board.  She was bleeding from her leg, but he could
see that it wasn't a major wound, and one of the rebels was already working to
bandage it.  Tully was at the rear of the boat, at least one other man was climbing
around overhead, and several were pushing the boat away from the pier with long
poles.  The archers fired a last, futile volley, the arrows falling into the water as
the boat moved outward.
     "To Niatoli," Agro said, nodding at Tully.  "But we'll be back...."

     >)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #70 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<

Between Ibizond and Korga:

     The horseman started to turn away, but two of the hounds made a determined
attack on the three gladiators as they scrambled out of their sheltering tree.  Now,
the tree was a trap rather than a shelter.  Cadal was first out, hammering at the
nearest hound with his heavy blade.
     Aghatamar was just behind him, close enough to slash at the hound trying to take
him from the side.  The horseman turned back, just as the moon shone through a gap in
the clouds overhead.  Aghtamar sucked in her breath in shock.  There was a face, she
repeated that to herself as a litany against the unknown.  Two eyes--she shuddered
and wrenched her gaze away from them, feeling her blood turn to ice and her bones to
sand.  A beak of a nose, a hunting bird's beak.  Gash of a mouth, with an icy glitter
of fangs.
     Behind her, Zilla muttered a prayer to Sermina and struck two-handed at the
hound, awkwardly because she didn't want to look directly at it.  That hound was no
beast that ever curled up quietly before a fire or accepted a pat on the head for a
job well done.  Cadal lunged at his hound and came near to spitting it on his sword,
but the uncanny creature twisted away.  The horseman laughed, a sound which would
chill the strongest heart, and turned away again, riding up the road toward whatever
his, or its third hound had cornered.  Fist of Kjarran, most likely, but there was no
way to help him now.  They had their own problems.
     The hounds had a pattern of swirling in to attack and then out before they could
be struck in return, coordinating their efforts smoothly without needing their
master's guidance.  They must have done this many times before.  Aghtamar thought of
the other people dead along this road and knew they must have sustained just such an
attack:  the horn with its message of fear, then these uncanny beasts with their
teasing and toying, and finally the huntsman on his horse.  Not a good death.  If
there was such a thing as a 'good death'.
     While these thoughts were flitting through her mind, she kept her sword moving
as well.  The hounds seemed reluctant, maybe even totally unwilling, to close with
them, but they wouldn't leave them alone, either.  "The damned things are trying to
wear us down," she muttered.  And it might work.  She was already breathing hard, and
she could hear Zilla panting beside her.  She couldn't hear Cadal, but he was
farthest from her.
     "We've got to finish these," Cadal stated.  "Fist of Kjarran is going to need
our help."  A shuffle and lunge, a hound yelped and dodged back.  "Except they won't
stand--"
     "And if we just go to Fist, turn our backs on these hounds," Zilla growled,
"likely they'll jump on us from behind."
     "There must be SOME way we can kill or cripple these damned hounds!" Aghtamar
snapped.  "Anything that lives can be killed.  It's a natural law or something."
     "We're not going to find it tonight except by chance," Cadal said.  "And we have
to go help Fist.  If we all move together, back to back...."
     "Right!  Let's move," Aghtamar agreed.  "On the count of three?"
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     The hound that Fist of Kjarran had crippled was dragging itself down the road
toward its approaching master, whining pitifully.  If it had been a proper dog, the
gladiator might have regretted the injury.  As it was...serve the damned beast right.
     As the hound had appeared to grow when it charged him, so did the hunter.  What
might have been a big horse--if it was a horse at all--became huge, and its rider
dominated the sky.  He...it seemed to wear a crown of cold lights, or maybe there
were northern lights in the sky behind its head.  No, that wasn't north, that was
southeast.  Fist shook his own head to clear out the fantasies.  As the rider passed
the crippled hound, he cried out in a terrible voice, a word Fist didn't know and
didn't want to know.  An evil word, he was sure.  Maybe a spell, or a vow of
vengeance.  Not that it mattered!  He had the protection of Kjarran and Jayde.  He
raised his sword against the moon-colored blade that was swinging down out of the
stars above him.

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 476): GWEN RYDER of DREAM PARK (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 474): MIKE BELIEVE of POWERPUFF GIRLS (The Narrator, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 470): BURGATORY of SACRILEGIOUS MEAT (Klep, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 470): MURGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Spartacus?, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 468): ASH of DELTA DOOM (Barnabas, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 467): ADARA AL ZAHRA of JAGUAR WARRIORS (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 233): LUCKY LUCIEN of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 459): BUZZARD of THE TAKEN (Stillgard, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 231): GAELIN BLACKTALON of THE NIGHTHAWKS (Firehawk, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 456): STARBREAKER of CALL THE PRIEST (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 454): WILD CARD HAMMER of CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 447): KING BEAR of THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 410): SUNGOD DESIGNED ME of WENSINWASIN (Youngblood, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 208): IPECAC of EMETICS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): JUMBO MUMBO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 190): MAEGOLOS of DARK SIDHE (Daehir, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 335): DUMPLING of BAD APPLES (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 315): ALIZARIN DAMASK of BLADE AND BLOOD (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 138): PIXIE BLIGHT of DARQUE FORCES VIII (Master Darque, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 360): NEMESIS of CHAMPIONS from JHELUM (Shadowgate, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 476): CLAN O' WHOOPAS (?, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 474): ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 470): UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 470): PUNNY AMINALS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 468): SPECIAL ED (PTFT, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 467): NATURE'S WRATH (?, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 233): THE WARLORDS II (Fizban, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 459): THE GUILD (Guido, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 231): OVERLORDS (The Icelord, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 456): DEVIL ADVOCATES (Dark One, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 454): CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 447): COMIC MAYHEM (Phantasm, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 410): MEDS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 208): MORDRED'S MADMEN (Abraxis, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 190): MIDDLE WAY 6 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 335): BAD APPLES (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 315): BLADE AND BLOOD (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 138): none
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 360): MEOW MIX, etc. (Ultraist, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 474): MIKE BELIEVE of POWERPUFF GIRLS (The Narrator, mgr.)
                           EQUALIZER of THE LAWMEN (?, mgr.)
               (turn 475): LIBERTY BELLE of POWERPUFF GIRLS (The Narrator, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 469): INNERVISION of UNKNOWNS XX (Dark Spirit, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 233): LUCKY LUCIEN of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
                          POLARIS of ASTRONOMY DOMINE (Razorback, mgr.)
                          RAPAX of THE PENTARCHY (The Pentalque, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 458): MATSURI of BLACK SAMURAI (Doc Miracle, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 231): DELWYNNDWN of THE NIGHTHAWKS (Firehawk, mgr.)
                               GILGAMESH of THE STORMBRINGERS (High Lord Bosk, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 410): SUNGOD DESIGNED ME of WENSINWASIN (Youngblood, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 208): IPECAC of EMETICS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): JUMBO MUMBO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
                   (turn 202): THREEKARD of CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 189): MR. HOOPER of OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 335): DUMPLING of BAD APPLES (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 138): I.O.U. of ALPHABET SOUP (Crip, mgr.)
                (turn 137): JUSTICE of PEACE MAKERS (Solomon, mgr.)
                            SCRAG'S LIZARD of DARK CIRCLE PETS II (Guardian, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Well, what are you looking at, LAPUR?  Ain't you never seen Snide Clemens 
before?  Ah, shaddup and listen to my news.  Later days, THE GUILD, since CROC FILES 
took top team from you this turn, you guys are old news.  Now keep the taverns open 
late tonight, for there are sorrows to drown for THE GUILD, whose 0-0-0 this turn 
dropped them by 7 into 8th.  Ha!  CROC FILES turned their 5-0-0 turn into a 1st place 
rank in the listings this turn.  Any better than this, and you get put on hit lists.  
Now let's all watch VENUSIANS' heads swell from their 4-1-0 this turn.  Haa ha ha ha! 
Big shots, big talk, big deal.  Of course, we're all terribly impressed to see 
MACRINUS win a fight and gain 25 points, terribly.  Tsk, tsk, LUCIUS beat SUGARPLUM 
and SUGARPLUM lost 14 points.  You're breakin' my heart.  Looks like LAPUR has some 
guts at least, BUZZARD the Duelmaster was this turn's most-challenged warrior.  And 
if variety is the spice of life, LAPUR may be getting bland, as BUZZARD stays top dog 
in the city.  The Burning Tree, humph!  I've tasted better ale at mortuaries.  Where 
do they get this stuff?  From LAPUR's trash dumps?   
     Well, let's take a look at some more misdeeds of you miserable sword-boys.  
CARDOW HUNTERS, I suppose you'll be glad to know you were this turn's most avoided 
team.  Care to know who is the most afraid of you?  And who led the way in this mass 
act of cowardice?  Let's see, well, whatcha know?  It was TANKS A LOT!.  Ha ha ha ha! 
I guess I can give a little credit to SUE NAMI of FORCE OF NATURE for challenging up 
by 18 to HOPE.  SUE NAMI won to get 65 points of recognition.   
     Ah, now we come to my favorite part, where we see all the guys who are dead and 
gone, and get to see if their team cared.  And what a stunning loss we have here, 
boys and girls, JUMPING SPIDER of CARDOW HUNTERS has added the final loss to his 
5-4-1.  Tee hee!  A big yahoo goes out to LYRA this turn, for revenging VENUSIANS' 
bloodfeud against CRIMSON KINGS' warrior THE MINCER.  Heh, heh, heh.  Titanium 
shields and bamboo daggers, guess what brave team is developing these kinds of 
weapons?   
     What does the LAPUR arena have in common with the inns?  It's just as 
comfortable to sleep in either place.  Ha ha ha ha!  Just wait 'till next time I show 
up here, I won't be so nice!  So nyaaah!  I see the crowds are getting restless, I 
must leave now-- Snide Clemens  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BUZZARD 3995                 18   5  0   100       THE TAKEN (173)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-COBRA 4355                   14   5  1   127       DEATH THREAT (376)
 GOLDIE 4395                  12  11  1   109       CROC FILES (374)
-SACRIFICIAL KNIFE 1302       13   4  1   106       HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
 MONTY 4391                   11  14  3   101       CROC FILES (374)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-HOPE'S END 4031              10   7  0    91       THE GUILD (208)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ALAN 4397                    11  12  0    89       MEN (356)
 ENOSHIMA 4349                21   5  0    87       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 SHAWN 4405                   11   8  1    78       MEN (356)
 GALBA 4389                   17   9  1    76       EQUESTORS (158)
 SCRAPPA 4411                 10   4  2    68       CROC FILES (374)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BINDI 4454                    4   2  0    66       CROC FILES (374)
 SUE NAMI 4097                10  16  0    65       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 HOPE 3988                    15   9  0    60       THE TAKEN (173)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SCORPUS 4393                 15   9  2    56       EQUESTORS (158)
 LUCIUS 4406                  10   8  2    56       EQUESTORS (158)
-RAGING FIRE 4407              7   1  0    55       DEATH THREAT (376)
 LYRA 4320                    10   8  0    48       VENUSIANS (321)
-ZARGAS 4425                   7   3  0    48       THE GUILD (208)
-SNOWBLIND 1291                4   3  0    48       HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
 WHIRLWIND 4325                6   8  0    44       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
-CHUBON 4381                   3   3  0    42       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 TALL TREE 4380                6  23  0    41       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 SOLAR FLARE 4427              6   4  0    39       VENUSIANS (321)
 COOKIE 4455                   4   2  1    39       CROC FILES (374)
-VAGAN 4082                    6   7  1    34       THE GUILD (208)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MACRINUS 4452                 2   4  2    33       EQUESTORS (158)
 SUGARPLUM 4432                7   3  0    32       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
-OTARU 4245                    6   5  1    31       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-DARK ABYSS 4417               4   2  1    31       DEATH THREAT (376)
 RAVAGE 4444                   4   4  0    31       THE TAKEN (173)
 FRANK THE TANK 4488           3   0  0    27       TANKS A LOT! (387)
 KOJIRO 4456                   2   0  1    26       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 ASTRIAL 4328                  6   6  0    25       VENUSIANS (321)
-ZORCH 4465                    3   1  0    24       THE GUILD (208)
 TREAD HEAD 4505               1   0  0    24       TANKS A LOT! (387)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 DOWN POUR 4323                4  10  0    22       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 MUCIANUS 4478                 2   2  0    22       EQUESTORS (158)
 FRACTURE 4491                 2   0  0    19       CRIMSON KINGS (388)
 ZERO VISABILITY 4495          2   1  0    19       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
 MENSA 4442                    4   4  1    17       VENUSIANS (321)
-ZOT 4464                      2   2  1    15       THE GUILD (208)
 POKIN' PERSHING 4499          1   1  0    15       TANKS A LOT! (387)
 THE MINCER 4490               1   1  1    14       CRIMSON KINGS (388)
 URSA 4508                     1   0  0    14       VENUSIANS (321)
 BLACK TIGER 4436              2   7  0    13       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 ILL OMEN 4494                 2   1  0    13       FORCE OF NATURE (312)
-BAD TRIP 1290                 1   0  0    13       HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
 THE FIRE WITCH 4489           1   1  0    12       CRIMSON KINGS (388)
 ENIGMA 4466                   3   2  0    11       THE TAKEN (173)
-SCORPIO RISING 1293           1   0  0    10       HAND ON YOUR HEART (163)
 UBER-PANZER 4498              1   1  0     8       TANKS A LOT! (387)
 SLEEPLESS 4492                1   1  0     4       CRIMSON KINGS (388)
 PRINCE RUPERT 4493            1   1  0     4       CRIMSON KINGS (388)
 ABRAHMS LINCOLN 4485          0   3  0     3       TANKS A LOT! (387)
-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?
JUMPING SPIDER 4431    5  5 1 CARDOW HUNTERS 359    MACRINUS 4452         460         
FREE FALL 4400         2  2 1 DEATH THREAT 376      SHAMBLING MOUND 384   460 NONE    
SONNY DAZE 4453        0  2 0 FORCE OF NATURE 312   MACRINUS 4452         456 REVENGED
GOOF 4507              0  1 0 THE TAKEN 173         STONE GOLEM 391       460 NONE    
SQUIRMIN' SHERMA 4484  1  1 0 TANKS A LOT! 387      JUMPING SPIDER 4431   459         
CARINA 4496            0  2 0 VENUSIANS 321         THE MINCER 4490       459 JUST REV

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Well, that was an unexpectedly auspicious beginning, though I hope and expect that
the rest of you will present more of a challenge than a bevy of frustrated
housewives.  Just what is it that makes the women of Lapur so irritable, anyway? --
The Yellow Jester

Judging by the way she attacked my groin, I imagine she hasn't seen a real man in
ages. Thank goodness we arrived when we did! -- Prince Rupert, still walking funny
P.S.  Stop laughing, Fracture.  I mean it.  That's an order.

Venusians -- Do you have any more girls I can fight?  I like fighting girls.  But
Carina stopped fighting too quickly. -- The Mincer

Lapur -- Personal ads have been a bit tired of late...I partially blame myself since
I have not placed any in two turns. -- Storm Front

Tall Tree -- I sure wasn't trying to blow out the flames, personally, I like to watch
wood burn.  I was trying to blow you down, but the "blaze" in your eyes reminded me
too much of how often it happens to me...so, I let up. -- Whirlwind

Sugarplum -- I noticed your teammate the Spider likes to talk a lot also...very
charismatic...does he hang with the merchant at times? -- Storm Front

Zorch -- Ouch, a perfect record dies at the hands of a rookie...may the gods deal you
better hands in the future. -- Ill Omen

Lucius -- We had a good active fight, I enjoyed it.  I wouldn't mind trying my hand
with you again with a slight variation in my tactics. -- Whirlwind

Lyra -- Thought you would be more of a challenge than that...what can I expect...my
master taught you all you have ever learned about this profession. -- Sue Nami

Macrinus -- Death avenged -- Down Pour

Zorch -- How does my rookie teammate put you down and I not be able to follow up his
performance...wait, let's drop this topic, I have heard rumor of Storm Front wanting
to send me to fight by torch light. -- Down Pour

Galba -- Well, I take a loss from you, but at least I come away a better fighter than
I went in. -- Sue Nami

Scorpus -- You ruined my screaming four fight winning streak! -- Whirlwind

Abrahms Lincoln -- Was I supposed to wait until you finished praying to your gods
before I put the big hit on you? -- Zero Visibility

Pokin' Pershing -- Well, I would have liked to have gotten a swing in for my victory,
but I will take a win when one is given to me. -- Ill Omen

Vagan -- I can't thank you enough for all you taught me...I hope you recover soon. --
Lyra

The Mincer -- Well I seem to have no luck when it comes to keeping my stable full.
Lyra will be on her way to see you at the next match...beware she was not permitted
her revenge of Delphina and is now twice as wired. -- Venus

Ravage -- It has been awhile and it seems you can still best me...I will never hear
the end of it from my stablemates. -- Astrial

Zot -- That was to close for my liking. -- Solar Flare

Jumping Spider -- Thank you for settling that bet.  I thought you might want to know
that I don't share Astrial's feelings about spiders. -- Lyra

Cookie -- You're a deadly Croc?  Oh, my.  I'm trembling, must trembling. -- Sugarplum

Ghost of Squirmin' Sherman -- I didn't mean to do that.  Most people don't react that
violently to my bites.  I regret that you were not one of them. -- Jumping Spider

Frank the Tank -- (flatly)  There's a tiger underneath your tank.  If you move, I
might be able to draw a breath. -- Black Tiger the squashed flat
P.S.  Go flatten the Spider.

Hope -- Ack. -- Tall Tree
P.S.  I have reconsidered the "gladiator" stuff many times, but Uncle Wolf won't
listen.

All -- Why is everyone always pickin' on me? -- Abrahms Lincoln

All -- The good always die young.  Too bad Squirmin' Sherman wasn't good. -- J.
Thunder

15 September 2003
An Announcement Concerning the Brotherhood of the Blade Alliance:
     I have chosen to withdraw my membership from the Brotherhood of the Blade
alliance.  The years I have spent in the alliance have been the best of my DM career.
I leave the alliance with many great friends and will always remain close to my
former brethren.
     The Brotherhood of the Blade will not skip a beat without my membership.  It
remains in very capable hands and its roster is among the strongest in the game.
With the return on some of its founding members to DM, I know the BOB will continue
to grow in strength and prestige in the years to come. -- The Sandman

29 September 2003
All -- Let it be known that the Firm accepts SOL into its ranks.  The Firm is:
SunGod, Dark Spirit, Youngblood, Tripwire, and SOL.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

FREE FALL was dealt death by SHAMBLING MOUND in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
GOOF was dealt death by STONE GOLEM in a exciting 1 minute Dark Arena duel.
LYRA overcame THE MINCER in a 1 minute veteran vs. beginner Bloodfeud match.
GOLDIE viciously subdued ENOSHIMA in a exciting 9 minute veteran's Challenge fight.
MONTY devastated SHAWN in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel.
SUE NAMI bested HOPE in a crowd pleasing 1 minute gory master's Challenge match.
WHIRLWIND was handily defeated by SCRAPPA in a 1 minute uneven Challenge melee.
DOWN POUR was vanquished by COOKIE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel.
POKIN' PERSHING won victory over PRINCE RUPERT in a 4 minute novice's Challenge duel.
ABRAHMS LINCOLN was handily defeated by ZERO VISABILITY in a 1 minute Challenge bout.
ILL OMEN was subdued by FRANK THE TANK in a 2 minute amateur's Challenge match.
UBER-PANZER was overcome by FRACTURE in a 2 minute brutal novice's Challenge contest.
BUZZARD unbelievably bested ALAN in a crowd pleasing 2 minute master's Title bout.
GALBA won victory over STRIKE BREAKER in a crowd pleasing 1 minute bout.
SCORPUS was vanquished by BINDI in a 1 minute one-sided fray.
SUGARPLUM was devastated by LUCIUS in a 2 minute gory mismatched brawl.
TALL TREE was beaten by SOLAR FLARE in a 2 minute match.
JUMPING SPIDER was executed by MACRINUS in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
BLACK TIGER was overpowered by RAVAGE in a 2 minute bloody mismatched conflict.
MENSA was overpowered by MUCIANUS in a 1 minute uneven fight.
ASTRIAL subdued THE FIRE WITCH in a 2 minute expert vs. beginner bout.
ENIGMA was handily defeated by TREAD HEAD in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
KOJIRO subdued EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 2 minute novice's fight.
SLEEPLESS slimly lost to URSA in a action packed 3 minute gory novice's match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK                  10         PARRY-RIPOSTE     11 -   4 -  0      73  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   9         PARRY-STRIKE       2 -   1 -  0      67  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  7         PARRY-LUNGE       12 -   7 -  0      63  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    5         LUNGING ATTACK    58 -  38 -  9      60  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  4         SLASHING ATTACK   21 -  22 -  2      49  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         AIMED BLOW        14 -  16 -  1      47  |
|AIMED BLOW                       2         STRIKING ATTACK   28 -  33 -  2      46  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         WALL OF STEEL     18 -  23 -  1      44  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         TOTAL PARRY       20 -  26 -  1      43  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         BASHING ATTACK    30 -  40 -  4      43  |

Turn 460 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     WALL OF STEEL      2 -  3         4  LUNGING ATTACK 
LUNGING ATTACK     7 -  2     TOTAL PARRY        1 -  3         2  TOTAL PARRY    
STRIKING ATTACK    4 -  3     AIMED BLOW         0 -  2         2  STRIKING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK    2 -  2     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  0         1  PARRY-LUNGE    
BASHING ATTACK     5 -  5     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  2         1  SLASHING ATTACK
                                                                1  BASHING ATTACK 

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      BUZZARD 3995               18   5  0  100 THE TAKEN (173)
STRIKING ATTACK  GOLDIE 4395                12  11  1  109 CROC FILES (374)
SLASHING ATTACK  SHAWN 4405                 11   8  1   78 MEN (356)
BASHING ATTACK   GALBA 4389                 17   9  1   76 EQUESTORS (158)
LUNGING ATTACK   SCRAPPA 4411               10   4  2   68 CROC FILES (374)
AIMED BLOW       HOPE 3988                  15   9  0   60 THE TAKEN (173)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is MONTY 4391.  The most popular warrior this turn was 
GOLDIE 4395.  The ten other most popular fighters were SLEEPLESS 4492, POKIN' 
PERSHING 4499, ALAN 4397, FRANK THE TANK 4488, RAVAGE 4444, GOOF 4507, LYRA 4320, 
MONTY 4391, SUE NAMI 4097, and FRACTURE 4491.

The least popular fighter this week was ENIGMA 4466.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were MENSA 4442, JUMPING SPIDER 4431, TALL TREE 4380, SUGARPLUM 4432, 
SCORPUS 4393, UBER-PANZER 4498, PRINCE RUPERT 4493, DOWN POUR 4323, SHAWN 4405, and 
ENOSHIMA 4349.

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

     For those of you who keep track of such things, 18 additional warriors graduated 
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament:

                          CAFFEINE JUNKIE (3-6110) ADDICTED 
                        CATFISH HUNTER (5-3315) PARTY ANIMALS 
                          MATTAHOOPLE (16-4203) GIFTED GODS 
                         SWEET JANE (53-6535) THE DARK TEMPLE 
                              LIL NOIR (62-3311) ENIGMA 
                         NARCISSISTIC NUN (69-8644) ODD SQUAD 
                             LEGION '8' (71-2369) D.O.A. 
                       RAW SEX APPEAL (82-1331) WHY WE LOVE TUM 
                         ZOMBIE STOMP (82-2617) NO MORE TEARS 
                        VIOLENT VOLE (82-4565) MAMMAL MILITIA 
                         LADY OF THE MOON (82-5481) HARM NONE 
                      KAMIKAZI GNAT (82-6073) DEADLY ATTACKS II 
                      THE 13TH WARRIOR (82-6346) STOOPID MOVIES 
                              SIRTON (82-9190) I AM SUCK 
                            DUNE (82-10414) 4-LETTER EPICS 
                           FLEM (82-12614) 4-LETTER FLUIDS 
                     GREENHOUSE EFFECT (82-12996) GLOBAL WARMING 
                         UGLY (82-14501) 4-LETTER DESCRIPTION 

                                          -- Green Eyes