DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 08/08/2012    Duedate: 08/21/2012

LAPUR ARENA

DM-29    TURN-690

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

NERO
TREKKERS (462)
(29-5707) [19-17-0,111]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

NERO                           THE WHITE RABBIT
TREKKERS (462)                 EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)
(29-5707) [19-17-0,111]        (29-5815) [1-1-0,31]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

CLAYBANK                       JESSIE JAMES
CARDOW HUNTERS (359)           STREET WALKERS (97)
(29-5699) [14-24-0,66]         (29-5817) [7-3-0,59]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

TREKKERS (462)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. CLAN CROW (456)             41
2. TREKKERS (462)              38      METAL MINCERS (256)
3. EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)    14      Unchartered Team
4. BOHICA (449)                12
5. CARDOW HUNTERS (359)        11      EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 METAL MINCERS (256)      696 465 20 59.9   1/ 3 TREKKERS (462)            9  1 0
 2/ 2 STREET WALKERS (97)      721 488 60 59.6   2/ 1 STREET WALKERS (97)       9  6 0
 3/ 3 BOHICA (449)             142  97  2 59.4   3/ 4 CLAN CROW (456)           5  5 0
 4- 4 MID EARTH (223)          670 586 31 53.3   4/ 7 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)      5 10 0
 5/ 5 BLACK SAMURAI (166)      388 373 22 51.0   5- 2 MID EARTH (223)           4  1 0
 6/ 6 CLAN CROW (456)          172 172 13 50.0   6/ 5 BOHICA (449)              4  2 0
 7/ 9*EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)   1   1  0 50.0   7/ 8 METAL MINCERS (256)       3  3 0
 8/ 7 TREKKERS (462)           182 201  5 47.5   8/ 9*EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)  1  1 0
 9/ 8 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)     664 794 14 45.5   9/ 6 BLACK SAMURAI (166)       1 10 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Dullens:

     Behind the Cardow Hunters' "guildhouse," actually a battered longhouse with
adjacent tents, was a ramada, an area shaded by a thatched roof on poles, but without
walls.  Most of the Hunters were there, lying in the shade panting and hoping for a
breeze.  Someone had ridden up a while ago, half an hour or so?, and hallooed the
guildhouse, but only Grim Laughter had been curious enough to go see what was
happening.  It was just too hot for... anything, really.
     When she didn't come back immediately, Ironhand raised himself on one elbow and
glanced around.  "I think--"
     "Don't," Blackbuck advised.  "It's too dry.  You don't want to make sparks and
start a grass fire."
     One of the other gladiators snorted.  Hard to tell which one.  Not that it
mattered.
     Grim Laughter came back through the guildhouse and outside, carrying a jug of
water that clinked a little with actual ice.  Everyone except Anvil (graduated and
retired) sat up.  "That was a messenger from Lapur," Laughter said.  "They think the
heat and the drought may be magically caused, and we should band together to find out
about it and stop it."
     "RIDE AROUND in this weather, because someone in Lapur thinks it might be a
magical plot?"  Ironhand flopped back down on the ground.  "Not till it cools off.
And rains."
     "But what if it doesn't do either?  Doesn't cool off, doesn't rain?  It won't be
any better for riding around later," Blackbuck argued.  "If it really IS some kind of
magical plot."
     "So... are you saying you don't think there's a plot?  Or that you don't care if
there is or not, you just don't want to do anything?"  Grim Laughter's tone was
severe.  Her personality tended more toward the first part of her name than the last.
     "What *I* am saying," Ironhand said, "is that it's all I can do to be ready to
fight once a week.  In the hot sun, and for my life, mind you!  If this is a magical
attack of some kind, someone else will have to deal with it."
     There were several minutes of silence, each member of the team waiting for
someone else to... volunteer, or at least say something.
     Finally Grim Laughter said, "I'm going to ride over to Khalani and talk to our
sister-team there.  *They* don't have to be ready to fight."
     "It might not be magical," Gray Bear said; he was usually the peace-keeper on
the team.  "It could just be a really bad summer.  That happens."
     Hailstones got up.  He made a production of it, like it was the labor of a
giant, but he did get up.  "I'll go with you," he said.  "Just to Khalani!  But...
there might be something magical in the weather.  It's got a bad feel to it."

Rocanis:

     They waited until the messenger from Lapur had left.  There was no need to be
rude, after all.  But there was also no need to discuss the issue.  Gaston Ipps, who
was the senior member of the team now that Chebob Erle had died, looked around at his
teammates.  "We're city people," he said.  "Not nomads riding around on the plain.
We've got a river here in Rocanis.  The drought isn't our problem."
     "Damned right," Gerhart Ervin said.  "I'm sorry as hell for those people, but
we've got problems of our own to deal with."

Xochithlan:

     "I don't see what the King expects US to do about it," Udarn grumbled.  "We're
gladiators, not weather-magicians."
     "We're probably a distraction," Egan Forn suggested.  He was a member of the
Middle Way now long graduated.  "He's probably going to have his magicians at work
while we blunder around and get whacked."
     "All because a bunch of NOMADS are whining about the drought?  Why should we
help THEM?  They're the ones who burned our forest."
     "We aren't helping THEM," Egan said.  He made sure it was obvious how PATIENT he
was being with his younger teammate.  "WE need the rains to come, too.  You can't
rebuild a forest without rain.  Not even with magic to help."

Khalani:

     The gladiators from Dullens, Grim Laughter and Hailstones, stood in the middle
of what had been Khalani's town square and stared around themselves, turning in
place.  There was no town.  A bit of rubble that might have been walls once, but not
even much of that.
     "Closing the arena wouldn't make the whole TOWN disappear," Haistones protested.
     "The whole city-state," Grim Laughter corrected him.  "None of the outlying
villages and farms are....  There's nothing more out there than here.  And no,
closing the arena shouldn't have made much difference, it isn't like any town DEPENDS
on the arena for survival.  Or it shouldn't.  But some kind of natural disaster, or
even some kind of raid, we should have HEARD about it, dammit.  Dullens isn't that
far away."
     "Magic," Hailstones said.  "Can't really be anything else, can it?"
     "No."  After a few more minutes' contemplation of the wasteland that had been
Khalani, Grim laughter added, "Now we HAVE to be involved in the investigation of
hostile magic in the area.  What if this happens to Dullens?"
     "I wish Uncle Wolf would come back," her companion muttered.  "He'd have a clue
what to do here.  We need him."

Lapur:

     Claybank looked at the messengers.  "They all... everybody was just thinking of
THEMSELVES?"
     Beside him, Windflower shrugged.  "People do that, you know.  At least some of
them see it as reason to help find out what's happening.  And... Jorja says Uncle
Wolf is coming back."

                        6 Months Ago -- The Eastern Deserts

     The battlefield was shrouded in darkness, save for the torches carried by a
number of the soldiers and several magical orbs of light, which circled above lazily
at the command of the wizards.  The engagement had been a short one, as three huge,
lumbering Phase Dragons burst from the nearby caverns and ran straight into the fully
prepared army.  The archers took a savage toll on the beasts before the elite
gladiators charged in to finish the fray.  As the soldiers cleared the massive bodies
from the cavern mouth a small group of hooded men gathered a short distance away.
     "There is no question about it.  These are creatures from the Kaikwok Gate."
said Rillion, thoughtfully stroking his short beard. "I just don't understand how
they are accessing our world again despite the gate being completely sealed."
     Alongside the mage, the manager known as The Greek Guy sharpened a gleaming
battle axe.  "The Dark One said something about a rift or tear.  I'm not really up on
Gate Metaphysics, Rill.  All I know is they're here and they shouldn't be."
     "Managerr said they wouldn't be gone long." Added Rascally Rabbit, looking far
more sinister than his manager name implied, "and that we needed to hold this area
until they got back.  So that's what we need to do."
     One of the scouts shouted a brief warning and the soldiers assumed battle
formation once more.  The three arena managers stepped back behind a shield thrown up
by Rillion and prepared for a second engagement.  Within a moment, a snarling wave of
Jaguar warriors erupted from the cavern, pouring out toward the soldiers.
     The Greek Guy took the point and motioned to the troops.  "Move to engage!  Form
up!  Initiate Shield Wall!  Archers, volley fire!"
     A cloud of enchanted arrows hissed into the night, and then descended to shower
death upon the charging Jaguar warriors.  Scores of the beast men went down under the
fire but it was just a small fraction of their overall numbers.  Within a moment the
first ranks of the jaguars leapt upon the prepared troops, tearing and rending with
their razor sharp talons and fangs.  Despite the massive numbers, the shield wall
held, and the gate beasts seemed to be taking the worst of the exchange.  After a
moment, however, the Jaguar Warriors found some holes in the ranks and burst through,
creating havoc amongst the defenders.
     "Second line-- advance!  First line-- fall back!"
     The first defensive line fell back in an organized retreat, while a second wave
of defenders moved up.  Within a moment, they formed up to from a second defensive
line, while those formerly in the front line moved back to regroup.  At the same
time, another wave of arrows showered from the sky and cut down the confused Jaguar
Warriors.
     "We learned a lot from the first Gate incursion." Rillion commented to RR.  "The
Jaguar Warriors can be a terror one on one, but they don't fight well in organized
battles.  Those enchanted arrows help a lot, too.  One shot, one kill."
     Despite the confident words, the Jaguars were inflicting a savage toll on the
soldiers.  It was true, that the majority of the troops were gladiators and former
gladiators who were now protected by immortality magic, but still if they were
consumed by the Gate monsters, there would be no return.  As the battle raged, it
became clear that there were too many Jaguar warriors for the small army to defeat.
Rillion flicked his staff and sent a fireball into the Jaguar's flank.  It erupted
into a flaming explosion of heat and pressure, sending scores of the beast men
flying.  As he did so, the Rabbit gathered a nearby troop and rushed to cut off a
Jaguar offensive.
     The Greek Guy motioned for the trumpeters to sound the retreat.  "Back up the
hill!  Form defensive units.  Skirmishers forward to slow the advance."
     "This is not going well." Rillion commented as he blasted away a row of Jaguars
with a bolt of lightning.
     As he prepared a second bolt, he noticed a large vortex opening nearby.  A
travelling Gate was being opened.  Which meant either more Jaguars, or...?
     A second small army of heavily armored gladiator-soldiers appeared.  At their 
head rode Managerr, on a white stallion, and the Dark One, on his black gelding.
They motioned and their warriors charged into the Jaguar Warriors flank.  The numbers
now more even, the first army charged down the hill.  Within minutes the Jaguar
forces were destroyed.  Only a handful survived to flee back into the cavern.
     "Good timing."  Rascally Rabbit chuckled, his eyebrow arched, "You couldn't have
arrived just a touch sooner?"
     "It took us a while to scout out the ruins of our old training grounds on the
other side of the Kaikwok Gate." Managerr responded, "We stopped by to gather the
second division, as we thought we might need the manpower.  Apparently we were right.
The other side of the old Gate is completely empty.  They are all gone."
     "Gone?  There were millions of beings on that world.  You're telling me that
they're all gone?"
     The Dark One waved his staff and a vision of the Kaikwok Gate world appeared.
It was decimated.  Forests burned and blasted, temples shattered, riverbeds and lakes
dried up and shriveled.  "As he said.  All gone.  We detected residual magic.  Gate
magic.  I am not certain if it was left from an invader that came, exterminated that
world and enslaved what was left of the population or possibly the denizens of that
world developed Gate travel on its own and departed a dying world.  We have no way of
knowing which is the case."
     The Greek Guy received a message from one of the army runners, read it quickly
and motioned to his fellows.  "The engineers are ready."
     He motioned to a figure high up on the cliffside above the cave.  In a moment, a
thunderous explosion shook the ground.  Instantly a shower of boulders, shards of
stone and dirt rained down, burying the cavern opening under half the mountainside.
     Rillion nodded.  "That will do for this Gate access, but I expect there will be
more."

           Three Months Ago -- The Dark Citadel -- Isle of of the Eye

     The Brotherhood of the Blade sat around the titanic obsidian table where they
often planned and plotted together.  This occasion was more serious, however, than
their usual debates over gladiatorial tactics and battle plans.  They were instead
embroiled in a lengthy discourse regarding the ongoing Gate incursions that had been
detected.
     "Sheila and her mage council can't figure out how to stop it." Managerr noted.
     "Sheila?"  The Greek Guy chuckled, "First name basis now, are we?"
     Managerr smirked at him.  "They can close the Gate opening when they find it,
but then another one opens somewhere else within a few days.  At some point they are
going to get access in a remote area and we won't find it in time.  If they can move
in a large force, it will be next to impossible to beat them back and close the
access.  It will be a mess."
     "And we still have no idea who is behind this and what's going on." Rillion
added.
     "What we do know is that we don't have enough days in the week to keep running
around closing gates and fighting battles.  We're shorthanded.  Zalgor's missing in
action and Caesar is off-world fighting wars of his own.  Without their forces it's
even worse."  Rascally Rabbit shuffled through his roster.  "I've lost 15% of my
personal troops and I know you all have suffered losses as well."
     Managerr agreed.  "We're definitely short on members.  Mad Max and Tig Toad are
retired.  With Zalgor inactive and Caesar battling Picts or whatnot, we are at five
members.  Just barely enough in normal times and way short in these times."
     "We need to recruit some new members." The Greek Guy stated.  "We have a
tournament coming up and can talk to some managers there.  We need to find those who
are like-minded and who would get along with the rest of us, which is not always
easy."
     "Agreed." said the Dark One from beneath his cowl, "We can then announce our new
members.  We need more men and more troops.  I think we all have some candidates in
mind.  First, they must have no other allegiances.  Second, they must have the
martial knowledge we expect from our members.  And, the Greek Guy mentioned, they
have to be able to deal with us."

                        Present Day -- the Isle of the Eye
     One of the arena scribes rushed into the GC headquarters.  "We need 100 runners
to travel to every city in the land.  We're being paid 1,000 gold sovereigns to get
the news out!"
     "What news?"
     "The Brotherhood of the Blade is expanding!!  Here is the announcement!"
              *****                   *****                   *****
     Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!  The Brotherhood of the Blade has chosen to add the following
new members to our ranks.  Effective immediately, the following managers have been
offered and have accepted membership to the Brotherhood:
     Bubbaganoosh
     Grimm
     Khisanth

May their successes be great and their victories many under our banner!

     Officially -- Managerr -- Grand High Moose of the Brotrotherhood of the Blade

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 702): VENTRIIE of DARK WARDS (Dark Warden, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 704): MAC THE SPOON of THE SYNDICATE (Otto X, mgr.)
 DM  13 DULLENS (turn 638): FLOYD CASTAWAY of ARCANE ROYALTY (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 698): INKED PIG of INK & STEEL RETRO (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 700): SNAKE of SERPENTS HOLD 114 (Khisanth, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 691): SENLUM NOSH of MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 692): BULL HALSEY of MAN OR BEAST? (The Dark One, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 348): TAXES of EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 689): CAPTAIN KIRK of TREKKERS (Deep Thought, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 346): VENGEANCE of THE STORM REAVERS (?, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 686): ROTTING ROLAND of THE WALKING DEAD (Deep Thought, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 683): SHELLBACK of SEA DOGS (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 675): SMILE WAFFLE of HAPPY FUN TIME (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 633): KIRVINJ of THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 323): ANDROMEDA of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 318): FROSTY of FAST FOOD (Madwand, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 304): 4-H of LIFE IMPACTS (Coach, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 565): LOIS THUG of STRAIGHT UP THUG (?, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 550): DIGGITY DOG of RED DOG GANG (Spot, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 532): HORSE D'OEVRE of SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
 DM  65 DAL SHANG (turn 526): XYLOID of SCRABBLE (Otto X, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 253): BOOB of PALINDROMES (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
 DM  74 DAYLA KIV (turn 487): SPIDERPIG of HOMER'S PETS (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 482): MOUNTAIN STORM of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr)
 DM  78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 473): CALEAM CHOWDER of SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 590): WILD THANG! of STREET WALKERS (Roadkill, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 702): DARK WARDS (Dark Warden, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 704): BLUE NOTE (Howlin' Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  13 DULLENS (turn 638): ARCANE ROYALTY (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 698): INK & STEEL RETRO (Floyd, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 700): REALLY? (Dr. Grimley, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 691): MIDDLE WAY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 692): THE MAGNIFICIENT MAGS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 348): DODGE BULLETS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 689): STREET WALKERS (Roadkill, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 346): THE STORM REAVERS (?, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 685): DEVIL ADVOCATES (The Dark One, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 683): SUMMERTEETH (Howlin' Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 675): CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 633): THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 323): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 318): VEGAN CANNIBALS (The Anarchist, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 304): THE MYRMIDONS (Sigurd Fafnisbane, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 565): INCONSISTENT FURY (Banthius, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 550): RED DOG GANG (Spot, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 532): STAR WARS (Sir Jessie Jest, mgr.)
 DM  65 DAL SHANG (turn 526): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 252): SUPER STARS (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  74 DAYLA KIV (turn 487): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 482): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 473): SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 590): DIRT DEVILS et al (The Dark One, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 703): WHERE of GUESSING GAME (A-sop, mgr.)
 DM  13 DULLENS (turn 638): FLOYD CASTAWAY of ARCANE ROYALTY (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
                (turn 637): MICKEY HANDS of ARCANE ROYALTY (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 689): CAPT KIRCHNER of 82ND ILLINOIS (Otto X, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 348): TAXES of EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 689): CAPTAIN KIRK of TREKKERS (Deep Thought, mgr.)
                          CAPT. ANTSY PANTS of STREET WALKERS (Roadkill, mgr.)
              (turn 688): KICKER MURPHY of CLAN CROW (Owsly, mgr.)
                          SULU of TREKKERS (Deep Thought, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 633): KIRVINJ of THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
                 (turn 632): MELANJI of THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 322): CELESTIAL ROSE of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 318): SALAD SLAYER of VEGAN CANNIBALS (The Anarchist, mgr.)
                   (turn 317): ARTICHOKE ON THIS of VEGAN CANNIBALS (The Anarchist)
                               SPAWN of FANTASTIC FIVE (?, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 303): THRESHPACK of PUBLIC ENEMY (Pec Killer, mgr.)
 DM  60 ARADI (turn 549): ELIN GISSORS of MIDDLE WAY 25 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 253): BOOB of PALINDROMES (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
 DM  75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 481): LIGHTNING THRUST of CRITICALS (Howlin' Wolf, mgr)
                                  INCREDIBLE SPEED of CRITICALS (Howlin' Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 473): RALTUMAN OMELETTE of SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit)
                               UNBELIEVABLE of THE WILLBURYS 78 (Rascally Rabbit)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Busy, busy, busy, lots of things happening in LAPUR this turn, and let's start 
with a look at some of the teams.  It seems the training can make the difference, as 
STREET WALKERS is pushed out of top team by TREKKERS, who came from 3rd with a 2-0-0 
this turn.  CARDOW HUNTERS stable has parlayed this turn's 3-2-0 into a 3 space move 
up the rankings.  This brings them up to 4th place.  Good work, guys!  The CLAN CROW 
guild has had a 3-1-0 turn and deserves to be watched in the future.  You never know 
where this kind of thing can lead.  And let's see, DEANNA TROI fought LEAD LANCER and 
gained 24 points and contributed to TREKKERS' 2-0-0.  LEAD LANCER has lost to DEANNA 
TROI, falling 22 points, while helping make METAL MINCERS a 1-2-0 turn.  Due to his 
absence and inability to defend the throne, CAPTAIN KIRK has lost the title of 
Duelmaster.  And all eyes were on NERO this turn as he ascended to the throne of 
Duelmaster.  LAPUR has a new victor!  Can someone confirm a rumor for me?  I hear the 
top team makes their losing fighters do dishes at The Burning Tree until they win.  
Maybe?   
     He who challenges well, fights well.  He who avoids without cause, shall lose 
for good reasons.  My mama told me that one.  I also notice that the STREET WALKERS 
stable was the most avoided team this turn.  Come on LAPUR, what are you afraid of?  
And avoiding STREET WALKERS more than any other team we find CLAN CROW.  LAPUR, are 
we going to accept, or respect this sort of thing?  Well, sports fans, take notice 
that NERO from TREKKERS was LAPUR's most challenged warrior this turn.   
     We only live a short time in this world, so why not take a sharp blade, and 
shave it close?  STREET WALKERS made what looks to be a tough decision this turn, as 
they sent CAPT. ANTSY PANTS, with a record of 19-9-0, to CAPT. ANTSY PANTS death.  
Farewell, his.  This is not good to see.  Why pray tell has CAPT. ANTSY PANTS been 
sent to the Dark Arena by STREET WALKERS?  And why with a 19-9-0 record??  A brave 
warrior does not carry a red shield, he has nothing to cover or hide when the fight 
is over.  Consider well.   
     I like this place, LAPUR, the taverns have old wine, and young serving girls.  
Who could ask for more?  Well, I'm burning daylight here in LAPUR and I've a long 
road ahead of me.  Happy Trails.  Until the sun next rises and my pen sets to paper-- 
Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 NERO 5707                    19  17  0   111       TREKKERS (462)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MILEY VIRUS 5588             18  12  1   102       STREET WALKERS (97)
 PLUTONIUM PUNCH 5669         18   7  0    98       METAL MINCERS (256)
 PUB O'CONNOR 5702            14   8  0    98       CLAN CROW (456)
-WENIEN 5758                  11   6  0    95       MID EARTH (223)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 STEEL SHARPENER 5748         11   9  0    89       METAL MINCERS (256)
-MOTHIAS 5780                  8   4  0    85       MID EARTH (223)
 GRASSFIRE 5715               20  16  1    82       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 CALYPSO 5710                 14   8  0    79       BOHICA (449)
 CAIRRAIG AMADAN 5518         20  12  0    78       CLAN CROW (456)
-SOLWYN 5753                  11   8  0    78       MID EARTH (223)
 SPIN MCDUECAN 5728           11   8  2    73       CLAN CROW (456)
 BROADZILLA 5703              11   4  0    71       STREET WALKERS (97)
 ANSHIN 4861                  19  12  0    69       BLACK SAMURAI (166)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CLAYBANK 5699                14  24  0    66       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 JESSIE JAMES 5817             7   3  0    59       STREET WALKERS (97)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 WINTERSONG 5783              11   6  0    57       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DEADMAU5 5779                 4   1  0    55       BOHICA (449)
 DEANNA TROI 5845              3   2  0    55       TREKKERS (462)
 DOUBLE MCDIPPER 5767          7   4  0    49       CLAN CROW (456)
-DIVERGENT 5803                4   1  0    48       BOHICA (449)
 WINDFLOWER 5772              10   9  0    39       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
-AVOX 5823                     4   2  0    35       BOHICA (449)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CHISAHARU 5180                8   8  0    33       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 LEAD LANCER 5768              5   4  0    32       METAL MINCERS (256)
 SNOWFLAKE 5781                4  14  0    31       CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
 THE WHITE RABBIT 5815         1   1  0    31       EVIL EATER BUNNIES (482)
-SEIDAI 5766                   7   9  0    30       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-TUNGSTEN TWISTER 5840         2   1  0    28       METAL MINCERS (256)
 BUTTERFACE 5826               3   1  0    27       BOHICA (449)
-NAOWYN 5811                   3   2  0    26       MID EARTH (223)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-QUALM 5810                    4   1  0    20       MID EARTH (223)
 MEKURA 5831                   2   3  0    18       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
 NISHIBI 5829                  4   2  0    14       BLACK SAMURAI (166)
-STEEL SQUEEZER 5808           2   4  0    10       METAL MINCERS (256)
-DAX 5832                      1   4  0     7       TREKKERS (462)

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

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
CAPT. ANTSY PANT 5595  19 10 0 STREET WALKERS 97    HEINOUS BEAST         690  NONE
MISS ME 5863            0  1 0 STREET WALKERS 97    HEINOUS BEAST         690  NONE

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Captain Kirk and Capt. Antsy Pants -- Congrats on your Lord Protectorships.  May you
walk hand-in-hand to the Isle. -- Ora, the old miner, and The Metal Mincers

Captain Kirk -- Champeen!  Aye aye, Cap'n. -- Oremaster (honoring the Duelmaster)

I Guess, somehow, we did not run last turn.  Commission?  Our error?  Act of the
gods?  Hmmmmmm. -- Ora

     Maybe you should put the team on maintenance?

Dang nab yon Commission flunkies!  Aye. -- Oremaster

Unfair!  I wanted to fight! -- Platinum Punch

Life is like a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the
stage and is heard no more.... -- Ora (practicing her Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare)

Huh?  Whachee say? -- Oremaster

Lapur -- First let me apologize for not writing a column on the only time I would sit
in the DM Chair, the courier was late and it was a mad scramble.  For those who might
care, Capt. Ants Pants 13-4-8-15-17-10-17 adx in parry, expert in iniative, attack
and decisiveness.  Favors mod/mod and the greaded glass sword, I mean greatsword
(could've sworn it was the scimitar).  So it's off to the dark arena and then
retirement for me.  It's been fun! -- Capt Antsy Pants

Kicker Murphy -- Yes!  I did avoid you!  (Little good it did me!) -- Capt Antsy Pants

Calypso -- I gues you could say that was a "temendous" fight.  Oh yeah, thanks for
the parry skill. ^%$#%$ -- Miley Virus

Claybank -- If we meet again, I'll try to be a little less aggressive. -- Broadzilla

Congrats to Sulu, Kicker Murphy and Captain Kirk on your invites. -- Roadkill and the
Street Walkers

Wenien -- I don't want my death on your conscience, either.  Not on ANYONE's
conscience. -- Windflower

Mothias -- Well, yes, of course.  Someone's got to. -- Wintersong

Our congratulations to Captain Kirk and Capt. Antsy Pants. -- Jorja and the Cardow
Hunters

Deanna Troi -- This time of year, devastating me isn't hard.  But you did do it well.
-- Snowflake

Wenien -- Probably just as well.  The way this drought is settling in, the whole area
is a big wildfire waiting to happen. -- Grassfire

Broadzilla -- You're a cute little thing, but I just don't have the time to
appreciate you properly.  SOMEBODY's got to do something about the drought, and it
seems to be me. -- Claybank

Sedai -- Bad luck on that, I guess.  Not that *I* mind. -- Wintersong

Chisaharu -- I could hardly lose that one.  There's some kind of RULE about it, you
know. -- Windflower

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

CAPT. ANTSY PANTS was butchered by HEINOUS BEAST in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
MISS ME was murdered by HEINOUS BEAST in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena melee.
STEEL SHARPENER was overpowered by NERO in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge Title duel.
CAIRRAIG AMADAN was devastated by MILEY VIRUS in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
BROADZILLA was demolished by PUB O'CONNOR in a 1 minute Challenge competition.
THE WHITE RABBIT vanquished NISHIBI in a 2 minute brutal mismatched Challenge fight.
BUTTERFACE bested MEKURA in a 2 minute novice's Challenge competition.
PLUTONIUM PUNCH outwaited CALYPSO in a action packed 7 minute gruesome expert's melee.
ANSHIN was savagely defeated by GRASSFIRE in a 3 minute gory expert's duel.
SPIN MCDUECAN overpowered CLAYBANK in a 2 minute gory uneven match.
JESSIE JAMES savagely defeated CHISAHARU in a exciting 6 minute bloody match.
WINTERSONG viciously subdued THE USEROUS MERCHANT in a exciting 3 minute contest.
WINDFLOWER was bested by DOUBLE MCDIPPER in a 2 minute bout.
LEAD LANCER was handily defeated by DEANNA TROI in a 1 minute one-sided conflict.
SNOWFLAKE vanquished PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 2 minute mismatched bout.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK                  5         PARRY-LUNGE        7 -   2 -  0      78  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      5         PARRY-STRIKE      19 -  11 -  0      63  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    4         AIMED BLOW        27 -  16 -  1      63  |
|AIMED BLOW                       4         SLASHING ATTACK   19 -  16 -  0      54  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     3         TOTAL PARRY       27 -  23 -  0      54  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         WALL OF STEEL     26 -  24 -  1      52  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         STRIKING ATTACK   27 -  36 -  0      43  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      4 -   7 -  0      36  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         LUNGING ATTACK    13 -  23 -  0      36  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   0         BASHING ATTACK     5 -  14 -  0      26  |

Turn 690 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    1 -  4         3  AIMED BLOW     
LUNGING ATTACK     2 -  0     TOTAL PARRY        1 -  4         2  TOTAL PARRY    
WALL OF STEEL      3 -  1     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         2  SLASHING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE       2 -  1     BASHING ATTACK     0 -  0         2  WALL OF STEEL  
AIMED BLOW         2 -  2                                       1  LUNGING ATTACK 
SLASHING ATTACK    1 -  1                                       1  STRIKING ATTACK

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
AIMED BLOW       NERO 5707                  19  17  0  111 TREKKERS (462)
LUNGING ATTACK   MILEY VIRUS 5588           18  12  1  102 STREET WALKERS (97)
TOTAL PARRY      PLUTONIUM PUNCH 5669       18   7  0   98 METAL MINCERS (256)
SLASHING ATTACK  STEEL SHARPENER 5748       11   9  0   89 METAL MINCERS (256)
WALL OF STEEL    GRASSFIRE 5715             20  16  1   82 CARDOW HUNTERS (359)
STRIKING ATTACK  BROADZILLA 5703            11   4  0   71 STREET WALKERS (97)
PARRY-STRIKE     JESSIE JAMES 5817           7   3  0   59 STREET WALKERS (97)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    DOUBLE MCDIPPER 5767        7   4  0   49 CLAN CROW (456)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is CLAYBANK 5699.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was JESSIE JAMES 5817.  The ten other most popular fighters were CALYPSO 5710, 
WINTERSONG 5783, THE WHITE RABBIT 5815, GRASSFIRE 5715, NERO 5707, MILEY VIRUS 5588, 
SPIN MCDUECAN 5728, DOUBLE MCDIPPER 5767, DEANNA TROI 5845, and SNOWFLAKE 5781.

The least popular fighter this week was LEAD LANCER 5768.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were CHISAHARU 5180, ANSHIN 4861, PLUTONIUM PUNCH 5669, BROADZILLA 
5703, CAIRRAIG AMADAN 5518, STEEL SHARPENER 5748, MISS ME 5863, WINDFLOWER 5772, 
MEKURA 5831, and NISHIBI 5829.

The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:

PUB O'CONNOR (29-5702) CLAN CROW (456)

The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:

CAPT. ANTSY PANTS (29-5595) STREET WALKERS (97)
CAPTAIN KIRK (29-5754) TREKKERS (462)